As I have been thinking about wild rides this week, I’ve been thinking about all of the amusement park visits I have been on, all the rides I have ridden, all the places I have been. (Sounds a bit Dr. Seuss-like doesn’t it?)
It got me to thinking – of all the rides I have been on, what do I consider to be the wildest and craziest to date?
I think of all the wild rides, the craziest to date has got to be the Superman roller coaster at Six Flags New England.
When I rode this ride a number of years ago, it was still called Superman: Man of Steel. In reading some articles about it, I’ve learned that the name has since changed to Bizarro, the name of a lesser-known villain of Superman’s. The theme park has redesigned the story around the coaster (something about Bizarro taking over the Superman ride, but Superman prevailing in the end).
From what I can tell, though, despite a different color and some extra “bling”, the ride itself still seems to be the same.
What makes this ride stand out is that the first hill you ascend is 208 feet high, but the drop on the other side is 221 feet! This sounds impossible, but it works, because not only do you descend quickly - getting up to speeds around 75 mph – at the bottom of the drop you go directly into a foggy tunnel. And when you fly back up out of the tunnel on the other side, it’s like you are Superman!
The seats don’t have those over the shoulder harnesses. It’s just a simple lap belt with a U-shaped safety bar across your lap. So, when you hit that first descent, you can literally feel yourself lift slightly out of the seat.
Yes, this is that ride where my scream was still at the top of the ride while I was already at the tunnel!!
So, how about the rest of the Road Trip Family? For Sweet Pea, she loved Hollywood Studio’s Tower of Terror in Disney World, but I think that ride has recently been topped by her discovery of the thrills with riding the Comet at Six Flags Great Escape.
For Peanut, nothing has topped the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. By far, her favorite ride to date. Although, Space Mountain is a close second!
For Pumpkin, well, I think she is still having nightmares about that kiddie coaster ride at PEI (see Monday’s blog). For her, the ferris wheel at PEI is just her speed.
And as for My Chandler –he enjoys the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, too – as long as he hasn’t had anything to eat or drink!
What a wonderful tale....hugs.
Posted by: MaryBeth Hibbert | 08/02/2013 at 09:01 PM