Stancet's Roller Coasters

Eclipse

No review today. This is a preview instead of the next big thing that will storm the roller coaster world. In 2005 the world record for tallest roller coaster was set by Six Flags Great Adventure. A 450 foot giant known as the Kingda Ka. It was the fourth time the roller coaster manufacturers, Intamin, broke the record for tallest coaster. But, in 2016, that record shall be broken again. Ironically enough, by a manufacturer who doesn't even have a coaster in any of the top 10 slots. S&S Worldwide has plans to open their new roller coaster in Orlando Florida. Since construction hasn't started the picture you're actually seeing is an artist's rendering. Skyscraper is a polarcoaster (a brand new breed of ride). Its characterized by the tower post in the center supporting an observation deck on top. It's designed for parks with limited space to enjoy the thrill of a real roller coaster. The one we're most excited for, Skyscraper, will have it's tallest point reaching up to 569 feet. That's almost 120 feet higher than the current record holder! Different from the Kingda Ka, however, the Skyscraper will have visitors riding down the side of the tower with bends, loops and twists, instead of dropping them from the top all the way down. Skyscraper will also hold the world record for highest inversion on a coaster. Those champions of roller coaster design at Intamin believe engineers have very nearly reached our limit in roller coaster design. When the public believes they've gone too high, or too fast, or too intense then they must stop. It's strange, however, that S&S Worldwide has stepped up to the plate and shown us we can still reach to new heights.

Goliath is actually a common name shared among several roller coasters (many of which are also owned by Six Flags). Although several of those roller coasters are certainly famous, my experience in amusement parks is still new and I've found myself on a lesser known coaster that was still a big deal when it was first installed in 2012. Of all the roller coasters I could ride at Six Flags New England, Goliath certainly took the most will power. Bizarro was just slightly beyond my skill level. Goliath is an inverted boomerang coaster with two vertical drops. It has one loop and one cobra roll, which makes a total of six inversions when you come back around. During my visit this ride had one of the longer lines but it kept moving. I was terrified taking each step closer to the train cars but I wouldn't be scared away because above the exit sign I saw a picture of a chicken. It didn't help that the seat next to me was out of order. When the train backed out of the station I kept myself psyched by getting excited for the ride to begin. But when the lift let go, I tensioned up and had quite an intense experience. The vertical drop was only momentary but another annoyance was passing through the station which was like an echo chamber thundering the rumbling of the cars into our ears as we passed. When we made it to the second vertical tower I actually wasn't bothered so much by the free fall; maybe because I was still caught up in the moment. When we went backwards the ride continued to be just as much fun as it was going forward. Bizarro is the best bragging-rights coaster in Six Flags New England, but I think Goliath comes in a close second. It's constructed well, builds up the tension in you and gives you a real thrill. But if you're not quite ready there is also the Flashback; a similar boomerang coaster just down the street that's much less scary. But if you do slay the Goliath you've definitely got your money's worth.

Sky Screamer is the newest attraction of Six Flags New England. It is the tallest swing ride in the world, going just above 400 feet. These swing rides are distinct for suspending people from a tower by chains and spinning them to create centrifugal force. Maybe most disappointing is that if you've road one swing ride you've pretty much road them all. The ride itself is not particularly intense. There are no negative G-forces and it's not a drop ride (to the relief of some guests I'm sure). But it is still a thrill in its own right. Quite shockingly, the only thing holding you in your seat is a seatbelt and a loose metal bar. Going 400 feet gives you an incredible view of the park. The most heart pounding thing is probably the slanted horizon you see from up above which can be disorienting. Of course, this is a very heavily advertised attraction. The ride comes with a huge line of people all waiting for the same thing. Is it worth the wait? Well... yes, but this is not the same as your normal thrill rides. People afraid of heights might get the most prestige points for braving this ride, but for me personally it wasn't a particularly threatening attraction. But maybe that's what makes the ride good. Sky Screamer is an experience above anything else. It was fun and exciting and if you don't want the "Oh my gosh, I'm gonna die!" feeling than this is probably the thrill ride for you. So if you want to check it out plan a trip to Six Flags New England this summer and have a blast.

Keeping busy.

Hello internets and welcome to my first blog post. Since I'm in the mood I've decided to make roller coasters the topic of discussion. I went on 9 roller coasters altogether during my trip to Six Flags New England. My favorite has to be Batman: The Dark Knight. It is a floorless steel roller coaster. For those of you who don't know, the seat is positioned 'above' the track but your feet dangle free in the air. There are usually four seats across and each one fastens you in with a shoulder harness coming down over your head. In many respects this type of ride feels very similar to an inverted roller coaster. Batman was a ride that had an all-around good feel to it. At the top of the hill the ride does feel weird when it banks sharply to the left before going downhill, which creates a momentary feeling of weightlessness. But when the ride picks up speed it accelerates rapidly and is a thrill every second you are riding. The ride is about 100 feet high, 2,700 in length and has five inversions. These include a loop, track twists and a pair of interlocking corkscrew loops; which is both fun as well as an aesthetically pleasing coaster to look at. I think true to the Batman name, the ride is very tight (which most roller coasters should be to conserve space). But this kind of roller coaster is very becoming of Batman's name. Besides its choice of color, I think this coaster best feels like the Batwing which the caped crusader must navigate through the confines of Gotham City. The track even goes 'through' the loop; case in point! The ride is a must for thrill seekers. My experience with this ride at Six Flags New England was a good one with trains loaded quickly and a line that kept moving. For a souvenir the ride also has an on-rail camera for pictures you can purchase at a nearby shop. All around, it has to be my favorite New England coaster.