3 is a VERY generous score for such a ride. At a first glance, you might be sucked into it. Damn does it look intriguing. Aven after reading some negative reviews about the ride, you just forget about those and step into the queue. I wouldn't say you've made a mistake here, since it has to be experienced just for you to know how it feels. I can understand that and that's how I felt at first.
Though just don't expect much of a satisfying experience.
It starts off right there in the queue line. GASM is a slapped-on-parking-lot scream machine and this just doesn't help. And if that depressing atmosphere wasn't enough, you've got busted sings all around you, some too busted for you to read them.
Then you've got to board the trains, and oh god do I hate arrow trains. The seats and harnesses are stiff and it just feels incredibly claustrophobic. You're stuck in there.
2 minutes later, after a long, noisy and tedious climb up the lift hill, get ready to dive into the best GASM has to offer. The first drop isn't intense or exhilirating, but I've found myself being wholly able to enjoy it! It's not all that stimulating, but it's fun, and not at all spoiled by any sort of roughness... minus the uncomfortableness of the seats and harnesses. And then the roughness takes over.
The three following loops are good fun. You don't feel like you're completing these inversions in the air: it unfortunately just doesn't have a scary high altitude inversion effect. It's just for the sake of completing three graceful consecutive vertical loops. It doesn't have much G force and it does shake your head around, but it's still enjoyable. But the rest of the ride is definitely NOT what you came in for.
It's a violently rough turn left up into the mid-course brakes that almost stop the trains, leaving the painful batwing element, the terrible right-handed turn transition following it, the two standard headbanger corkscrews and the little pointless turns into the final brakes absolutely bland and slow as hell. This second half should be doomed into oblivion and be forgotten by everybody. Just cut it and make the ride end right after the loops.
Well, all in all, if you're interested in GASM, go right ahead and find out how it feels. However, don't expect anything other than something rough, bland, depressing, lackluster and just plain DATED that's gonna hurt your ears for quite some time after.. And what's with the name? Great American Scream Machine? Did hit their heads with rocks?
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