As the 1980s came to a close, Arrow Dynamics was the premier roller coaster manufacturer in the amusement industry. No other company had produced quite as astounding rides, and not one other company could produce rides at the rate Arrow did. This resulted in a boom of Arrow coasters through the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Multiple mega-loopers from the company had spawned all around the country. Vortex at Paramount’s Kings Island thrilled every guest that stepped aboard. The Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure stood high and mighty as a popular attraction. Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain challenged all who dared. The almighty Steel Phantom at Kennywood Park was a force to be reckoned with. It seemed that Arrow was indestructible, and that nobody would surpass them as the greatest. This became even more evident with the addition of Anaconda to Paramount’s Kings Dominion.

Something the park lacked was a large looping coaster that could hold a high capacity. Arrow Dynamics stepped in to the rescue. Soon thereafter, in 1991, Anaconda was born a 130-foot tall monster featuring 4 heart-wrenching inversions and a track length suitable to handle a large capacity.

Taking my first spin on Anaconda, I expected a pretty rough ride. What I got was not quite as bad as some of the other aging Arrow loopers out there.

I buckled myself in and pulled down the restraint. Before I knew it, we were leaving the station. Down we went into a small dip and short straight-section before heading up the lift hill. As we climb, we get a spectacular view of the park. Being able to see over treetops in this huge park enables a gorgeous view. When we finally reached the top of the hill, we dipped over the crest and banked steeply to the right.

We begin to head down the 144-foot drop and pick up tremendous speed that makes it feel as though we’re going much faster than 50 miles per hour. Instead of bottoming out before we hit the water, we glide right into an underwater tunnel and plow out the other end. Rising right up into a vertical loop, the g-forces are tremendous.

From there, we glide back down a little ways before rising right back up into a half loop and corkscrew to the right (otherwise known as a sidewinder loop). Following the sidewinder, we take a small dip and then rise up into a quick right-hand bank and then the brake run. We’re gradually slowed down, and then we take a small dive back down and all the way around to the left in a U-turn format before going into a steep bank in the same direction and then plunging back down towards the water. We start to come upwards again when we make a sudden right-hand upward turnaround.

We swing around to the right and down into a set of double-corkscrews. We move very slowly through these inversions, but they still bedazzle us. When we’ve completed this quick one-two punch, we level out and take an immediate dive followed by a left-hand turn under the lift hill and on the other side of the station. We take a final hop and crest into the brake run. As we are slowed down, we begin to make the final left-hand U-turn into the station.

It’s safe to say that Anaconda packs the same intensity and overall fun that any other Arrow mega-looper provides. Be sure not to miss this one!