The Incredible Hulk coaster..ah, a former number one ride of mine. While yall know that I am not the biggest fan of launch coasters, this one is something else. Sure, its getting up there in age and now had mildew all over it near the bridge and is a bit rough in some parts when you ride in the back, but riding up front (especially at or after dusk) is still an incredible ride. The launch is certainly cool even though the accelleration has been dwarfed by the hydraulic launches that Intamin has been rolling out like Vekoma rolls out SLCs. "I think... I think its gonna work..." The launch uphill makes a mere 40 mph extrememly forceful, and the zero-G roll is awesome as well. Then you dive down towards the lake with timed water jets creating the illusion that your 67 mph roaring train is causing the water to part. Up you go into a monsterous cobra roll, and then you dive down into a psuedo-tunnel under the bridge filled with fog that is just best at night. Up you go then, into a huge loop. (edit: reverse that.. loop first then fog-filled tunnel) The bang-bang-bang action of the first four inversions is one of the greatest starts to a coaster ever. The rest of the coaster is very good, not great, just very good. The pacing keeps up as you twist around the station building and the launch tunnel. Then you hit one of the highest flat spins ever, and off you go again diving and twisting around up into the vertical loop. Some more turning and then you hit the MCBR which is the only negative part about this ride. It really killed the ride a bit and after that, it was somewhat dull, just falling (with air) into the second flat spin and then you turn back towards the station, take a photo and up you go to the final brake run. This ride could be a bit better, but the MCBR and the subsequent track, plus the duplicate inversions (two vertical loops, two flat spins) is why I would classify this a step under Revenge of the Mummy next door. This is still my favorite pure coaster in Florida, but the Mummy is just an overall better ride. I am mixed between a 9 and a 10, but since I give out 10s to less than 5% of my rides, this one will stick as a 10, and it still deserves so mainly because of its rerideability: 5 times this trip and it never got old, and thats after 3 on my first trip some three years ago.
|