Along with Loch Ness Monster across the river, Big Bad Wolf is one of the best old Arrow coasters, imo. There is not much in the way of theming in the queue, but the amount of theming on the ride more than makes up for this. The ride begins with a leisurely trip through the woods to the 1st lift hill. After climbing only a short way, you crest and drop down a small drop toward some buildings. This is when the ride really takes off, and surprisingly so, given the short length of the initial drop. I imagine that the trip through the town is a gradual downhill the whole way, because you continue to pick up speed the whole way so that by the end, youre really flying along. You then slow down and approach the 2nd lift hill (ironic that both BBW and LNM have 2 lifts, huh?). This lift hill is a good deal taller, but you really arent that far off the ground as you climb, since you flow with the terrain and are moving up above a natural hill. Only once you get near the top do you realize that the ground drops away on your left and plunges straight towards the river! You know that inevitably your fate awaits you below, and you descend the small bump before the main drop. This "small bump" seemingly catapults you around the turn towards the water, and before you know it, your plummeting straight towards the water some 70 or 80 feet below. Just before you get to the water the track banks off to the left and youre whipped out and around a huge turn right above the water, only to rise up and tear through the trees in a whirlwind finale. Whew, who would expect such a great ride from the same company that built such notorious coasters as Python @ BGT and Iron Dragon @ CP? I rode this coaster twice, once during the day, the other at night, and if you thought it was good in the daylight, wait until it gets dark. The ride is essentially a 10 at night, with the town lit up and the forest so dark you can virtually see nothing at all. Great coaster, deserving of its reputation, and a true masterpiece.
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