Back in 1989, Dorney Park added the world’s tallest wooden roller coaster and the name “Hercules” had never been more appropriate. This gigantic woodie gave the park worldwide attention and set the tone for future thrill rides at Dorney Park. That same year, Cedar Point (Cedar Fair’s flagship park and Dorney’s sister park) added the world’s tallest and fastest steel roller coaster, Magnum XL-200. This “hypercoaster,” as industry experts and enthusiasts referred to it, was the first roller coaster in the world to stand over 200-feet tall. Magnum XL-200 was undoubtedly the greatest thing to hit the amusement industry since the carousel. Everybody knew that these 200-footers would someday be the future wave of coasters, and they were right.
It wasn’t until the mid-1990’s that more parks began adopting the “hypercoaster.” Finally, in 1997, it was Dorney Park’s turn to do something huge. Standing 200-feet tall, featuring an amazing 205-foot drop at a 60-degree angle and reaching scorching speeds of nearly 75 miles per hour, Steel Force would reign as the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster on the East Coast.

During the month of July in 1997, I took the 2-hour drive up to Allentown, Pennsylvania with my family and another family. Although I thought I could conquer anything at the time, the sheer sight of Steel Force terrified me. The ride seemed endless as my eyes wandered all the way up the red structure, all the way down the enormous drop, and all the way to the end of the giant 5,600-foot long course.

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Review contributed by Jake Garbelotti

Steel Eel is the long lost Morgan Hyper Coaster that is rarely talked about among enthusiasts. Luckily for me, it can be found in my home town of San Antonio. Steel Eel is located in the back corner of Sea World Texas and while only 150 feet tall, it towers over the park’s midway and travels in and out of the park’s main area. After walking through the lush landscaping, riders find themselves at a beautiful open air station where they will board the coaster. Due to the long trains, it’s not long before your journey on the Eel begins. The ride begins with a small dip out of the station and a turnaround to the intimidating lift hill. The chain grabs a hold of the cars and up you go.

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As you walk into the queue house for this 80-year giant and walk up the curving ramp to the station you notice the television screens above your head. All of them playing a movie that informs you in great detail about the history of this seventy feet tall wooden coaster. You also pass newspaper clippings that have been framed on the wall heralding milestones of this great coaster.

As you enter the station you notice something uncharacteristic of most coasters, a curved station. You are than greeted by an attendant who assigns you a seat, and if you know anything about this classic woodie, you know that the back is where it’s at.

After boarding the train your restraints are quickly checked by a horde of friendly operators and you are on your way out of the station and into a pitch-black fifty-foot long tunnel. And than your being hauled up the 70-foot lift hill and thrown down over the airtime filled drop.

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Dollywood’s newest attraction, Mystery Mine, opened it’s doors late March of 2007. The coaster, North America’s first “euro-fighter” is the largest capital investment to date for the park. I recently spent two days in the park, in which I had the opportunity to ride Mystery Mine numerous times.

Spoilers Ahead======

The ride begins with a sharp dip out of the station, which gives a good dose of whiplash as your head hits the headrest at the bottom of the drop. You then veer towards the left, making a unique outward-banked turn, going past hundreds of red eyes staring at you. Your mine car makes another turn before dipping below “the crusher”, giving another headbasher. You quickly turn left before halting at the vertical lift. They do a great job at building the suspense as you get the chance to see what’s ahead.

You begin the ascent up the lift hill. But that doesn’t last long as you crest the vertical lift, and make a quick dip (a smoother one, I might add), before heading towards the trestle. You barely brake before plunging over the first vertical drop. In my opinion, this was the best drop of the whole ride. Your car then maneuvers through the horse-shoe curve and through an upwards helix. You stall briefly at a block brake, which eats away at some of the speed before heading into another helix. You head back under the trestle and soar towards the next large lift. You stop again as you embrace what’s to come.

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On Friday, June 1st, SeaWorld San Antonio gave me the opportunity to tour their brand new Half Roller Coaster Half Spillwater Ride on behalf of Coasterdom. Known as Journey To Atlantis, the ride is manufactured by Mack of Germany. JTA is the first of it’s kind in the United States, and meets one of SeaWorld’s goal of providing unique attractions.

Before I met up with Fran and Ricardo from SeaWorld, I took a little time to view the area that the ride is located it. It stands on ground that was previously occupied by nothing but trees. The ride is located on the opposite side of the park from Steel Eel, Great White, and other attractions, which helps control the crowds. The first visual decoration that I noticed was various banners placed around the ride area. Colored with the same purples, greens, and blues of JTA, they are very simple decorations that look great. The walls that surround the area and make up the buildings are of a nice yellow that is very appealing to the eye. The colors already mentioned also decorate these walls. In addition to the walls, the ride is enclosed by vibrant pink fencing that lights up the area. Last but not least, Sea World added theming that depicts coaster environments. There are rocks along the turnaround at the end of the ride, and right next to them is a painted beach where lost treasure has come ashore. Last but not least, the area was very nicely landscaped and many plants and trees have been planted. It looks as if the ride has always been there! SeaWorld really impressed me with all of the detail they put into the ride area.

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