Unpopular Opinions

[Mattgwise]

3 hours ago, Benin said:

 

None of these are unpopular...

 Agreed. I'm confused ?

[JoshuaA]

Got a few for Cedar Point and Great America

 

• Corkscrew, Rougarou, Gemini, and Blue Streak are all way better than Valravn
• Valravn is worse than Oblivion; rough and boring
• Corkscrew is a good ride
• Gemini and Blue Streak are underated
• S&S freespins are fun rides

[Mattgwise]

47 minutes ago, JoshuaA said:

Got a few for Cedar Point and Great America

 

• Corkscrew, Rougarou, Gemini, and Blue Streak are all way better than Valravn
• Valravn is worse than Oblivion; rough and boring
• Corkscrew is a good ride
• Gemini and Blue Streak are underated
• S&S freespins are fun rides

I don't think your points about Cedar Point are unpopular, all of the people i went with on my two visits would 100% agree.

[JoshuaA]

1 hour ago, Mattgwise said:

I don't think your points about Cedar Point are unpopular, all of the people I went with on my two visits would 100% agree.

I think Corkscrew is generally perceived as bad, going into it I saw a lot of bad reviews and people calling it awful. I actually really liked it, better than Valravn!

Valravn is a tough one though I don't think many people rank it as low as I do, I would call Valravn one of the worst coasters at the park. Rough, boring, bad throughput, restraints that literally try to strangle you.

I also think people generally don't give Gemini and Blue Streak enough credit, both brilliant rides in my top 10 at the park. I think these coasters tend to not get enough love.

[Mark9]

2 hours ago, JoshuaA said:

Got a few for Cedar Point and Great America

 

• Corkscrew, Rougarou, Gemini, and Blue Streak are all way better than Valravn
• Valravn is worse than Oblivion; rough and boring
• Corkscrew is a good ride
• Gemini and Blue Streak are underated
• S&S freespins are fun rides

 

I really didn't like Valravn. It really bugged me that it was always so busy because for my money there at least 12 coasters there that are better.

[Martin Doyle]

3 hours ago, Mattgwise said:

I don't think your points about Cedar Point are unpopular, all of the people I went with on my two visits would 100% agree.

 

I can confirm!!

 

Was not Valravn’s biggest fan at all. I warmed to it more second trip but still find it completely average.

[dk3]

Black Buccaneer is/was the best ride @ Chessington.
I miss The Juggler [Rodeo] from Circus World [Wild Asia].

[Mattgwise]

10 hours ago, JoshuaA said:

Valravn is a tough one though I don't think many people rank it as low as I do, I would call Valravn one of the worst coasters at the park. Rough, boring, bad throughput, restraints that literally try to strangle you.

I didn't find it rough, but the rest yes and the drop is forceless. It truly is one of the worst coasters in the park. The restraints change on these rides was one of B&Ms worst decisions. Wait until you try Banshee and see how much they ruin that ride! 

[Matt 236]

Valravn for me was one of the weakest coasters at Cedar Point and probably my least favourite Dive Coaster overall. Whilst there are a couple of good points, the ride just doesn’t feel like it’s achieving anything and there is wasted potential with the attraction. Long queues don’t hold it’s favour either.

 

Right carrying on:

The original Eurosat is better than Can Can Coaster

Rumba Rapids is currently better than Congo River Rapids (in it’s current state)

Silverstar’s last third is better than Shambhala’s last third 

Wodan is better than Troy

 

[Mattgwise]

9 hours ago, Loggers Creek said:

The original Eurosat is better than Can Can Coaster

Rumba Rapids is currently better than Congo River Rapids (in it’s current state)

Silverstar’s last third is better than Shambhala’s last third 

Wodan is better than Troy

 

Why are they unpopular opinions? I think most would agree with most of those. 

[Matt 236]

I actually like the name Iron Gwazi, because it makes sense. The ride was known as Gwazi and since it is getting the RMC treatment it will be a hybrid with Steel Track. 

[Mattgwise]

Definitely an unpopular opinion! It's a bloody dreadful name! 

[Martin Doyle]

I actually don’t mind the fact Scarefest at Alton Towers charge extra for mazes (albeit I do find the prices this year steep)

 

In theory, I would prefer to pay for a timed ticket and then not have to wait long to do the mazes than I would queue up in excess of 2 hours. I say “in theory” because there’s been times where I still found myself waiting up to 30 minutes for some of the mazes at Scarefest. That being said, it also helps the mazes at Scarefest are top draw (Sub Species mainly) so you feel justified in spending the money.

[SteveJ]

My big unpopular opinion seems to be that I think the Swarm is rubbish.

I'm really surprised that it's so admired. You dont hear fans say it's just a decent coaster, people often say its one of their favourites! Fair enough, but I'm really baffled. The layout is boring, slow, short and the drawn out turns have a really uncomfortable, sustained G force that just gives you a headache.

It looks bland and dull, a  grey loop stuck out the back of the dome on some dirt. It could have been so much more.  People say it's amazingly themed, but it's just some old trucks parked about the pavement, fences and a hideous station building that looks really weird. Doesnt conjure any atmosphere at all, just a featureless white blob of a building.

The theme is so patchy that I get nothing from it. The Swarm is a terrible name but it doesnt seem to fit what was made anyway. A swarm of attacking creatures? More like a solitary fighter jet doing stunts in the air, that looks like... a metal alien? I'm sure there was some tacky 'backstory' for the cobbled together features we ended up with, but nothing that actually translated to the ride experience.

The queueline video is all kinds of awful and it would improve the queuing experience massively if they just turned the screens off! lol

I remember being very excited to go on the Swarm when it opened, I was really looking forward to it until the moment it finished and I realised that was all it was. There are hundreds of more thrilling, spectacular or just fun coasters out there.

But I'm definitely in the minority!

[Martin Doyle]

On the topic of rides that everybody seems to love but I personally don’t like....Icon.

 

I can understand why people enjoy the smooth nature of it, but personally I find the ride boring as all heck and easily the country’s most overrated ride. The ride feels incredibly slow (especially in the front row), has a dull layout to it aside from the odd element (heck this wouldn’t be as much an issue if it actually had some speed about it. Taron also doesn’t have that great a layout in terms of variation but it makes up for that by absolutely whizzing around it and really throwing you around as you go through each turn) and as far as it having “great airtime” goes, I personally have had more airtime in the car on my way to Blackpool on the motorway than I have had on Icon.

 

I genuinely prefer Blue Fire to Icon. 

 

 

 

 

[SteveJ]

Icon was unfortunately very disappointing, it feels like it would be great if it was just faster! Blue Fire I think is also a little overrated.
Taron on the other hand is lightning, absolutely incredible all the way through for me, perhaps one of my favourite coasters ever. Although that one isnt really an unpopular opinion!

[JoshC.]

On 9/15/2019 at 6:29 PM, Wumbamillio said:

My big unpopular opinion seems to be that I think the Swarm is rubbish.

It looks bland and dull, a  grey loop stuck out the back of the dome on some dirt. It could have been so much more.  People say it's amazingly themed, but it's just some old trucks parked about the pavement, fences and a hideous station building that looks really weird. Doesnt conjure any atmosphere at all, just a featureless white blob of a building.

The theme is so patchy that I get nothing from it. The Swarm is a terrible name but it doesnt seem to fit what was made anyway. A swarm of attacking creatures? More like a solitary fighter jet doing stunts in the air, that looks like... a metal alien? I'm sure there was some tacky 'backstory' for the cobbled together features we ended up with, but nothing that actually translated to the ride experience.

I remember being very excited to go on the Swarm when it opened, I was really looking forward to it until the moment it finished and I realised that was all it was. There are hundreds of more thrilling, spectacular or just fun coasters out there.

But I'm definitely in the minority!

 

I think the reason you don't like it is simple: you're looking into it too much. 

 

Swarm is just a generic end of the world / apocalyptic / alien theme. There's not really anything more to it. I think enough people piece that together, go 'heh, neat', accept it and move on. Like any other wingrider, it looks really cool, and people respond well to the generic apocalyptic theme, regardless of the quality. People take it at that face value and move on. If you look into it too much, think about the potential it had, etc, etc, you enjoy it less and less. 

 

But for the majority, Swarm gives enough for people to get the gist, enjoy it, and move on. It could be more of course, but it does the job.

 

1 hour ago, Wumbamillio said:

Icon was unfortunately very disappointing, it feels like it would be great if it was just faster! Blue Fire I think is also a little overrated.

I think the thing with Mack launches is that their launches just aren't very powerful. They give you the speed, sure, but they do it so calmly you don't truly appreciate the speed they reach. And their designs are (for lack of a better word) so eloquent, that you don't really feel the speeds they go at either. 

[Jack]

Colossus is top 3 at Thorpe 

[Jack]

Detonator is the best non-coaster ride in the UK

[Mark9]

On 9/15/2019 at 5:40 PM, Martin Doyle said:

I actually don’t mind the fact Scarefest at Alton Towers charge extra for mazes (albeit I do find the prices this year steep)

 

In theory, I would prefer to pay for a timed ticket and then not have to wait long to do the mazes than I would queue up in excess of 2 hours. I say “in theory” because there’s been times where I still found myself waiting up to 30 minutes for some of the mazes at Scarefest. That being said, it also helps the mazes at Scarefest are top draw (Sub Species mainly) so you feel justified in spending the money.

 

Slinky Dog feels like it has faster and better launches then Icon. Frankly though, Pleasure Beach made a mistake banging on about the launches as they don't really feel like the proper point of the ride.

[planenut]

15 hours ago, Jack said:

Detonator is the best non-coaster ride in the UK

Hmm, have you tried floorless on Apocalypse at Drayton Manor?

[pluk]

On 9/15/2019 at 6:29 PM, Wumbamillio said:

. The layout is boring, slow, short and the drawn out turns have a really uncomfortable, sustained G force that just gives you a headache.
 

That'll mostly be it then. I love me a sustained g manoeuvre, a real brain draining sustained force. But if that is not for you then there's not much about Swarm that would be!

 

It is too short, the station is dire (especially now it has been unclad), the theme is dull, but I've come to love what there actually is of the actual ride. It has worn in superbly.

[SteveJ]

On 9/16/2019 at 8:37 PM, JoshC. said:

I think the reason you don't like it is simple: you're looking into it too much. 

 

Swarm is just a generic end of the world / apocalyptic / alien theme. There's not really anything more to it. I think enough people piece that together, go 'heh, neat', accept it and move on. Like any other wingrider, it looks really cool, and people respond well to the generic apocalyptic theme, regardless of the quality. People take it at that face value and move on. If you look into it too much, think about the potential it had, etc, etc, you enjoy it less and less. 

Usually Id agree completely, fans do tend to look into things far too much while theyre not at the park and then start unpicking what makes it fun. Some of my favourite rides are far from 'perfect' or dont 'make sense' and sometimes that makes them even better!

But what I mean about the Swarm is, theres no hook there in the first place. Other than the first element, which is also more forgettable than it looks. The whole area is lifeless and boring. The gist of it is... what? It's some fences, some TVs with a cringey video on, a white blob station, what is it? Even the name 'The Swarm' is vague and bland.

 

It has a cool upturned ambulance and that's by far the best feature in the area, you can see this the way the public interact with it too.

It has no identity or anything else memorable.  This was all my gut reaction, even after giving it a go with an open mind and gone back on it a couple times. So Ive not really thought any deeper about The Swarm because I dont care about it, I really dont get the appeal.

[JoshC.]

11 hours ago, Wumbamillio said:

Usually Id agree completely, fans do tend to look into things far too much while theyre not at the park and then start unpicking what makes it fun. Some of my favourite rides are far from 'perfect' or dont 'make sense' and sometimes that makes them even better!

But what I mean about the Swarm is, theres no hook there in the first place. Other than the first element, which is also more forgettable than it looks. The whole area is lifeless and boring. The gist of it is... what? It's some fences, some TVs with a cringey video on, a white blob station, what is it? Even the name 'The Swarm' is vague and bland.

 

It has a cool upturned ambulance and that's by far the best feature in the area, you can see this the way the public interact with it too.

It has no identity or anything else memorable.  This was all my gut reaction, even after giving it a go with an open mind and gone back on it a couple times. So Ive not really thought any deeper about The Swarm because I dont care about it, I really dont get the appeal.

I'd still say you're looking into it too much. The only theming feature you mention here is the ambulance, and you passingly mentioned 'upturned trucks' earlier. But for many people, the theming of emergency vehicles plus the plane and helicopter works. Sure, ambulance aside, they're neatly and conveniently placed, but it works. I don't think people care that much about the fences, they don't pay attention to the TVs (most are broken anyway let's face it), the station is vague church-enough that people realise what it is.

 

It's a very simple, paint-by-numbers, Merlin-ly themed ride. But sometimes that's enough for people, and I think Swarm is one of those times when it just worked for the majority, even if it does still miss the mark.

[SteveJ]

Total mediocrity wins out again then, because a few sparse objects, shipping containers and broken TVs  scrape by as 'good enough'. No wonder we are so far behind many other parks in Europe and people are steadily not bothering to go back to Thorpe Park for the cost.

If you enjoy it then good but it's not as amazingly themed or a special ride as fans often make out.