Rode it 5 times today for Media Day. You absolutely feel the beyond vertical drop on this ride. And the rattle that everyone is saying is basically overexaggerated. It’s a little shaky but not worse than any other B&M out there.
Attraction Wrath of Rakshasa
- Thread starter MaxxForceFan
- Start date
I have not ridden Menace so I cannot compare it to that. But compared to other B&Ms at Great America such as X-Flight & Batman, I’d say it’s around the same.
Iron Menace is roooooough. Rode it near the end of last season and it's one of the roughest B&M's I've ever ridden. And it exists in the same park as Hydra
So I’ve heard. I can’t judge for myself as I’ve never been. But eventually I’ll get Dorney off my list. And is Hydra really that rough?
I only rode Menace twice and they were completely different. Left end had the vest rattling against my chest like a heart attack, please end. Center seat -- still back row -- like butter, although it was end of night so may have been desensitized. (As to Hydra, amazing, and if the airtime hit a bit better...)
I guess we haven't learned our lesson about making assumptions about rattles from videos, huh?
The passholder preview is this Friday, I'll report back after that.
The passholder preview is this Friday, I'll report back after that.
Yeah, the park usually goes to weekends-only operations around the second-to-last week of August when local schools go back and then adds back Friday operations when Fright Fest begins.
Yes. The park is located in a suburb about 45-1 hour (depending on traffic) north of Chicago and they employ lots of local kids and their school year starts mid-August.
OK, there IS indeed a rattle, but I heard it much more than I really felt it, even in one of the outside seats.
I wouldn’t call it rough by any stretch — definitely not like Iron Menace — but it’ll only add more fuel for B&M’s critics.
ADDING AFTER MULTIPLE RIDES: I'm sticking with my assessment that the coaster isn't rough, but you'll hear some shakiness. That first drop is fantastic, the rest is better than the smaller-scale dives I've experienced but nothing spectacular, at least in my opinion. Even if it's only a solid addition to the park rather than something really world-class and groundbreaking, can't complain too much when all the park had to lose was a bad splash battle ride.
Extra props to Six Flags Great America for running three trains during the preview event.
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Just got off Rakshasa, was in the dead middle second row. It's quite smooth, there's a little rattle but didn't detract from the ride or anything and I barely felt it. Definitely my favorite dive of the ones I've been on and is probably my second favorite in the park behind Bull.
EDIT: Also was pleasantly surprised about the theming, I'd say there's more theming than Pantheon actually.
EDIT: Also was pleasantly surprised about the theming, I'd say there's more theming than Pantheon actually.
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There is some nice theme pieces in the queue. The ride area will have custom music, but has yet to be installed. The gift ship is still being fitted out.
The shake on the ride is a bit stronger than Iron Menance, but relatively smooth rides can be had in the front center of the ride. Still an enjoyable ride that has a decent run time. It does not have an jolt like Iron Menace has approaching the brake run.
For some reason, most of the bouncyness occurs while on the road wheels, the ride is quite smooth while on the side and upstop wheels. It does not have a slight jolt while transitioning on and off of its road wheels like Iron Menance currently does.
The exit ramp of the ride is in a formally completely backstage area, along the parks central service road; hopefully this area can get some sprucing up.
The exit gate is nice and wide, helping guests to vacate the station quickly.
The bin system works well, but suffers from bottles needing to be placed on the unload side of the platform. Hopefully in the future, the Canada's Wonderland rule of dumping out bottles and placing them in the bin can be implemented.
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Rode it front row twice in one of the middle seats. Absolutely no rattle or bounce at all. Off-ride I can observe people being jostled in the outside seats, and also in the back row. Seems pretty typical for a new B&M. But as usual, find the right seat and it’s a smooth and enjoyable ride.
The inversions are a lot of fun and this feels like the most “complete” dive coaster of them all.
The inversions are a lot of fun and this feels like the most “complete” dive coaster of them all.
The line ‘find the right seat’ should be told to whoever’s going to ride this. I rode this about a month ago after visiting Great America for the first time and I thought the park was great. I had heard about the reception towards Rakshasa, and wanted to see if it was true about the rattle. After sitting on the left outer seat in the back row, it was to my part a rough experience. The layout is amazing and the theming was great, but man is this not smooth on some sections at all for being new. It was my own fault for picking the very edge but it’s a solid ride.
I got the very right edge of the train, third row. No longer believe it's the 2nd best in the park lol probably more like 4th or 5th, if they can get that smoothed out it'll probably raise up.
I was surprised too by how rough the far outer seat (left side) is in that third row; where those outer seats on Rakshasa are right up there with how rough the last two rows of Rapterra are at KD.
But fortunately the rest of third row is not quite as bad, as getting a second ride from the center of the row, I found the ride much improved; though definitely not quite up to what I've typically come to expect from other B&M dives. (Unfortunately I did not get a chance to ride second or first rows to compare.)
Otherwise I do love the theming attempt for Rakshasa. Though it's nowhere close to the theming effort made for Rapterra at KD this year, I was impressed to find Rakshasa's theming quite a step above AlpenFury at CW and Siren's Curse at CP - though in fairness, I suppose the latter was a bit more rushed in terms of project timelines. But nevertheless, the difference in theming efforts between these major new SF coasters/investments is rather interesting, where each differs quite a bit, park to park.
But fortunately the rest of third row is not quite as bad, as getting a second ride from the center of the row, I found the ride much improved; though definitely not quite up to what I've typically come to expect from other B&M dives. (Unfortunately I did not get a chance to ride second or first rows to compare.)
Otherwise I do love the theming attempt for Rakshasa. Though it's nowhere close to the theming effort made for Rapterra at KD this year, I was impressed to find Rakshasa's theming quite a step above AlpenFury at CW and Siren's Curse at CP - though in fairness, I suppose the latter was a bit more rushed in terms of project timelines. But nevertheless, the difference in theming efforts between these major new SF coasters/investments is rather interesting, where each differs quite a bit, park to park.
The ride is ok if you’re in the right seats. Outside right seat is absolutely brutal. Definitely feels like your head is in a blender.
Parks deserve better quality rides for the price tag.
Parks deserve better quality rides for the price tag.