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China June 19' - Shanghai, Beijing & more

Ben

CF Legend
Steel Dolphin is fabbb, kind of similar to Icon in a lot of ways.

But the rest of that park is gross, a really weirdly run down place considering how new it is.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
I'd be intrigued to know for anyone who's ridden; would you rank Steel Dolphin or Icon higher? I must admit it looks like a very good ride, and the comparisons to Icon are promising, as I loved it last year! Would I be right in saying that it's better than Cheetah Hunt?
 

Coaster Hipster

Giga Poster
I'd be intrigued to know for anyone who's ridden; would you rank Steel Dolphin or Icon higher? I must admit it looks like a very good ride, and the comparisons to Icon are promising, as I loved it last year! Would I be right in saying that it's better than Cheetah Hunt?

I'd say I prefer Steel Dolphin, easily. However that's also probably because I was lucky to enjoy it during night ERT. Icon is very fun, but has a few more dull moments imo. I also think Steel Dolphin does the twisty bits (and the airtime, for that matter) better. Also, the loud noise of Intamin LSMs very much improve the launches for me!

@Ben Yeah that's the comments I heard from other people who got to experience Haichang Ocean in normal conditions. Maybe they put on a nice display just for the IAAPA guests then...
 

Matt N

CF Legend
I'd say I prefer Steel Dolphin, easily. However that's also probably because I was lucky to enjoy it during night ERT. Icon is very fun, but has a few more dull moments imo. I also think Steel Dolphin does the twisty bits (and the airtime, for that matter) better. Also, the loud noise of Intamin LSMs very much improve the launches for me!
Great stuff! Thanks @Coaster Hipster!

Also, did you get to Sunac Hefei to ride Soaring with Dragon in the end?
 

Ben

CF Legend
I'd say they're honestly on par? I'll caveat this by saying I really like Icon, I think it's great - so saying they're on par isn't to say that Steel Dolphin isn't great.

The launches on SD are just that bit better, the top hat is fab, the outwardly banked hill over the entrance is great, and it's got some really good hills on it.

Icon has the fab immelmann, twisty hills, and the great second half.

I don't know, there's really not that much in it - SD is definitely closer to Icon than it is to like, Taron, and it's a lot of fun for it.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Finally; someone with a high coaster count who likes Icon! I kept thinking I was mad for liking it so much!
P.S. Not to say that that means anything much, because anyone's opinion counts no matter how many credits they have! It's just that I keep being criticised about how average Icon apparently is, but I loved it! My favourite UK coaster!
 

Hixee

Flojector
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
Oh, Icon is great!
P.S. Not to say that that means anything much, because anyone's opinion counts no matter how many credits they have! It's just that I keep being criticised about how average Icon apparently is, but I loved it! My favourite UK coaster!
You're not far off, actually. It's definitely up there as the best coaster in the UK, I think. Problem is, you're not comparing it to much. ;)
 

Matt N

CF Legend
You're not far off, actually. It's definitely up there as the best coaster in the UK, I think. Problem is, you're not comparing it to much. ;)
Mainly Nemesis, I think, but there are people who also prefer the likes of Stealth, The Ultimate, The Smiler and even Wicker Man! A lot of people always criticise me for preferring it to Nemesis!

I always hear people tell me how terrible Icon is and question why it's my favourite UK coaster, but the combination of airtime, dynamic transitions, smoothness and pacing just did it for me more than any other UK coaster!
 

Coaster Hipster

Giga Poster
Forgot to post the end of this trip. I'm safely home and well btw! ^^

Sunac Land Wuxi

I was for a treat courtesy of Roller Coaster Dream China. Our group was invited to ride Falcon before it's official opening! So early, the road leading to the park wasn't even paved when we visited x)

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(Tourist..)

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Falcon is an exciting and majestic coaster, but there is a noticeable rattle and weak airtime/little snappiness which prevent me from fully enjoying the ride's full potential.

The first drop is spectacular. However despite its massive size I felt it doesn't hang you long enough or provide a "pull" exciting enough in the back seats. The back-to-back sequence of inversions in the first half delivers lots of G+ and fun, sustained sideways laterals. I'm close to graying out during some of these elements.

The twisted hill and following camelback are disappointing. Little to no airtime, and barely any whip. The overbank over the lake could have been spectacular, weren't it for the significant rattle. Nonetheless the ensuing low-to-ground turn under the rocks is surprisingly forceful and dynamics – with sideways forces as well! One of my favourite parts of the ride.


The MCBR exit has some very slight pop of airtime, and leads to the elongated in-line twist, very common on B&M Wings. The scenery interaction there is at its best, and the hangtime sensation is enjoyable albeit not overwhelming in my opinion.

So yeah, flashy but not that overexciting :s 7.5/10

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Steam Racers, the infamous Blue Fire clone which rails were sent back to Mack's factory was testing but not open. That would have been the icing on the cake to ride a Blue Fire clone as I haven't even visited Europa-Park yet! #hipster

Next is my final leg of the trip, Hefei Sunac Land with its equally (in)famous Dueling Tilt and Soaring with Dragon <3



 
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