In short
The lift hill only lasts 20 seconds. The new lift design works well, and is nearly silent. There isn’t really a sense of falling per say, as the ride pushes over the top. The acceleration, and near constant speed from the top of the hill, to a matter of feet from the station, overrides any feeling in your gut. This ride does not let up. Period. It has a similar smooth consistent feel of Raptor, and gives ten times the head rush and reward.
The ride is very simply everything a roller coaster should be. It inspires the right mix of awe, excitement, fear, and deliveries a totally satisfying experience.
At length:
The que line wraps around the area the big wheel and BBQ used to be. There is room, and likely need for much more line space. No, there isn’t any shade to speak of, and if you get there when there is a crowd, go get lunch, a couple of drinks, and get ready to wait. I got to the park an hour and a half before the park gates opened. And that alone saved me the 3 ½ hour lines that formed immediately afterwards. They started running the coaster, having sent only four or five test cars, and were running the red and blue trains as quick as they could by 10:30. The yellow car was indeed on the side track with the water dummies still tied in. They were working on the wheels last I rode the CP and LE RR.
The cars have Intamin plaques on each car. They read in part “Intamin Giga Rollercoaster.” They deffiently want people to know who made that ride, and with good reason.
The final stair case and the last 30 feet of the que are only a matter of 10 feet from the approach to last hill. The trains come roaring at very high speed right past the stairs and line. The breeze, roar, and sight is enough to get you pumped up. I predict they will have something sheltering people in line from the train by the end of next year. If you want to know what it feels like standing there, imagine standing 5 feet away from a frieght train moving a full speed past you. MF has a final overbanked hill which wraps around the que lines after that. The train approaches the station at fairly high speed. The electromagnetic brakes bring the train to a full and very smooth stop with no whip-lash-Mantis-like problems.
There is a true unloading station, with exits to both the left and right. Though only two trains were running, it stands to reason the arrangement will help a lot. More on that later.
The seats feature a new style buckle which is a bit tricky to lock. The restraint pulls down between you legs, and pulls snug against you abs. Don’t drink a lot before riding this thing! The restraint is very solid and firm, and features you own hand rail. An additional hand rail is also available in front of you. As smooth as the ride is, and firm as the fit of the seats, belts and restraint, you feel secure.
The lift pulls the train up a few feet slowly, then kicks in and moves you up and over the hill in under 20 seconds. The pause in the lift makes the unloading station a big plus.
The first hill has you rocketing to full speed and just as quick into the first over banked hill. Despite the amazing speed, which you feel every MPH of, the train is stable and smooth enough to allow you to enjoy it. The train then archs back towards the first tunnel, which you enter at almost a 90% bank, or at least it seemed like it. Then its over to the island, around about, and then back. The train rockets back through the tunnel again, and then roars, still at high speed past the station. It then head through what seems like a victory hill, moving as amazing speed into one last overbanked hill, and then into the station run. The amazing thing about it is that the ride simply DOES NOT slow down, even into the station run. The brakes are so effective there just isn’t any need to slow down sooner.
People roared all during the ride. Like Raptor, the ride doesn’t have a “down” moment. It’s intense from the moment the train pulls over the hill, until you get off the train. People clapped like at the end of a Broadway show as the trains came into the station.
Like I said, this ride is very simply everything a rollercoaster should be. It inspires the right mix of awe, excitement, fear, and deliveries a totally satisfying experience.
Other notes:
The ride dominates the landscape in that end of the park. Everyplace you go, “its out there.” You come out of a shop, and “its out there.” You go on another ride, everyplace you look, part of it is out there.
They had a film crew at the park, obviously you can count on lots of film in the next week.
Nathan W.L. Boyle
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www.NathanWLBoyle.com/cedar.htm