Rob Coasters
Rob Poster
What just HIT, HARD? Something that you weren't expecting to have so much power in it, and by the end of it you were just in shock of what just happened?
Top Spin of Death, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, 2015: An infamous year of HPWW where they just went all-out with every flat they could find, I unfortunately took absolutely zero advantage of this and opted to reride something I rode earlier in the year - a HUSS Top Spin, in fact the exact one that was at Dreamland. At Dreamland it operated a fun cycle and I even tried to reride it at the end of the day to no avail as no one else wanted to. 13 year old me enjoyed it a lot. When I found out it was at Winter Wonderland, I wanted to do it again because of how fun it was last time. I skipped Bayern Breaker, Airwolf, Experience, Megaspin... you get it. That day I rode Alpine Thriller, their River Rapids, then went for the Top Spin. We waited a while for riders, and then it started. My God it THREW EVERYTHING IT HAD at us with no mercy. It tossed us hard with no breaks and got massive flip chains in both directions. Absolutely everything was a blur from start to finish and quick flashes from blurry lights to darkness from me closing my eyes. When things stopped I very, very loudly proclaimed "HOLY F****** S***" and promptly threw up on the restraint afterwards. Quick end to the day, but in a way I'm impressed to how oblivious I was. I'd do it again although I would've rather done something I hadn't done before. Will I ever get the chance to do those one-offs again? Airwolf, are you listening...?
My First Launch, Stealth Front Row, Thorpe Park, 2016: Just, explains itself really. I had no idea why every person in my school raved about Stealth (Thorpe is our local park). At the time the only coaster I'd ridden at Thorpe was Colossus, and I willingly skipped Stealth because "it just goes up and down and ends". Why don't they rave about Colossus instead? Amateurs. In 2016, I found out why they rave about Stealth. "Let's see what all this hype is about". I wait for the front row expecting a stupid ride, and I couldn't wait to be proven correct. Long story short, that launch hit me like a truck and I never screamed louder in my life. I was NOT expecting that power, and to go into it with low expectations made it even more powerful. I still feel the power of that very launch to this day, just typing about it gives me adrenaline. I haven't done front row since 2019 now due to assigned seating, but one day I can get the guts to ask for the front again.
The Reverse Flip on Airmaxx, Funland Theme Park, 2020: I stayed at a coastal hotel in Weston-super-Mare for some reason and we were within ten minutes' walking distance of Funland Theme Park for three entire days. Somehow I only ever managed to actually ride something there once, and for that reason I'm down on a Wacky Worm +1 and a spinning mouse +1. I have the Go Gator +1 though, reasons for that we'll get into right around now. I have no idea why I didn't take more advantage of the fact that this park was so damn close to me. Was it because it was too hot? Couldn't be arsed? Didn't want to be the first person in the park? I also decided not to do Grand Pier for God knows why - pre-enthusiast me was questionable at best and this was only last year. Fast forward to the day we actually visited it. I decide that my first ride of the day is Airmaxx, a Capriolo which is "the only flat in the park I haven't done yet". Their Loop Fighter was 'No Limit' and I've done Airmaxx 360 three years prior, though looking back I think they run completely different cycles. They also had a Sizzler a Mini Star Flyer (I've never done one of these) a Waltzer and a HUSS Flipper but I'm getting sidetracked now. I get on Airmaxx and it starts going. The swing is very intense and the hangtime is gorgeous but so far it's going exactly as I expected.
It starts to unlock the seats.
Insanity proceeds.
Things get very intense from here, but right now I'm really enjoying it. It's super fun, manageable, and definitely a high-ranking flat.
It swings up to the top with a well-timed seat rotation.
The seats lock at the very top.
The second it started falling forward, and my seat wasn't moving, I instantly calculated that we're doing a reverse flip where the seats lock upright at the top, and you fly through the bottom of the rotation upside down. I was on the side where you fell forwards. I'm pretty sure I blacked out momentarily on that - a "WAAAAH" then silence. I blink several times to see my car flipping maniacally and I realise "it's still going" and it just keeps on flipping. After a while it's calmed down and everything stops. I'm in shock as I get off. The person I'm with, who was watching every second, can't hold in his laughter as I stumble down. I then go straight to the Go Gator "to calm myself" which I proceed to almost throw up on. Think I only got 7 cycles on it, that operator saw me on Airmaxx, then saw my face, then put two and two together. Every other Go Gator I got 10 laps. Thanked the guy and walked out the park.
It took me an entire motionless hour for my stomach to settle. And I loved it to bits. I would do it again. Tough love they call it.
Do you have any similar stories?
Top Spin of Death, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, 2015: An infamous year of HPWW where they just went all-out with every flat they could find, I unfortunately took absolutely zero advantage of this and opted to reride something I rode earlier in the year - a HUSS Top Spin, in fact the exact one that was at Dreamland. At Dreamland it operated a fun cycle and I even tried to reride it at the end of the day to no avail as no one else wanted to. 13 year old me enjoyed it a lot. When I found out it was at Winter Wonderland, I wanted to do it again because of how fun it was last time. I skipped Bayern Breaker, Airwolf, Experience, Megaspin... you get it. That day I rode Alpine Thriller, their River Rapids, then went for the Top Spin. We waited a while for riders, and then it started. My God it THREW EVERYTHING IT HAD at us with no mercy. It tossed us hard with no breaks and got massive flip chains in both directions. Absolutely everything was a blur from start to finish and quick flashes from blurry lights to darkness from me closing my eyes. When things stopped I very, very loudly proclaimed "HOLY F****** S***" and promptly threw up on the restraint afterwards. Quick end to the day, but in a way I'm impressed to how oblivious I was. I'd do it again although I would've rather done something I hadn't done before. Will I ever get the chance to do those one-offs again? Airwolf, are you listening...?
My First Launch, Stealth Front Row, Thorpe Park, 2016: Just, explains itself really. I had no idea why every person in my school raved about Stealth (Thorpe is our local park). At the time the only coaster I'd ridden at Thorpe was Colossus, and I willingly skipped Stealth because "it just goes up and down and ends". Why don't they rave about Colossus instead? Amateurs. In 2016, I found out why they rave about Stealth. "Let's see what all this hype is about". I wait for the front row expecting a stupid ride, and I couldn't wait to be proven correct. Long story short, that launch hit me like a truck and I never screamed louder in my life. I was NOT expecting that power, and to go into it with low expectations made it even more powerful. I still feel the power of that very launch to this day, just typing about it gives me adrenaline. I haven't done front row since 2019 now due to assigned seating, but one day I can get the guts to ask for the front again.
The Reverse Flip on Airmaxx, Funland Theme Park, 2020: I stayed at a coastal hotel in Weston-super-Mare for some reason and we were within ten minutes' walking distance of Funland Theme Park for three entire days. Somehow I only ever managed to actually ride something there once, and for that reason I'm down on a Wacky Worm +1 and a spinning mouse +1. I have the Go Gator +1 though, reasons for that we'll get into right around now. I have no idea why I didn't take more advantage of the fact that this park was so damn close to me. Was it because it was too hot? Couldn't be arsed? Didn't want to be the first person in the park? I also decided not to do Grand Pier for God knows why - pre-enthusiast me was questionable at best and this was only last year. Fast forward to the day we actually visited it. I decide that my first ride of the day is Airmaxx, a Capriolo which is "the only flat in the park I haven't done yet". Their Loop Fighter was 'No Limit' and I've done Airmaxx 360 three years prior, though looking back I think they run completely different cycles. They also had a Sizzler a Mini Star Flyer (I've never done one of these) a Waltzer and a HUSS Flipper but I'm getting sidetracked now. I get on Airmaxx and it starts going. The swing is very intense and the hangtime is gorgeous but so far it's going exactly as I expected.
It starts to unlock the seats.
Insanity proceeds.
Things get very intense from here, but right now I'm really enjoying it. It's super fun, manageable, and definitely a high-ranking flat.
It swings up to the top with a well-timed seat rotation.
The seats lock at the very top.
The second it started falling forward, and my seat wasn't moving, I instantly calculated that we're doing a reverse flip where the seats lock upright at the top, and you fly through the bottom of the rotation upside down. I was on the side where you fell forwards. I'm pretty sure I blacked out momentarily on that - a "WAAAAH" then silence. I blink several times to see my car flipping maniacally and I realise "it's still going" and it just keeps on flipping. After a while it's calmed down and everything stops. I'm in shock as I get off. The person I'm with, who was watching every second, can't hold in his laughter as I stumble down. I then go straight to the Go Gator "to calm myself" which I proceed to almost throw up on. Think I only got 7 cycles on it, that operator saw me on Airmaxx, then saw my face, then put two and two together. Every other Go Gator I got 10 laps. Thanked the guy and walked out the park.
It took me an entire motionless hour for my stomach to settle. And I loved it to bits. I would do it again. Tough love they call it.
Do you have any similar stories?
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