Carowinds to retire Nighthawk, two other rides

There had been rumblings on the socials that Carolina Cyclone would be the one to go. So happy it's Nighthawk instead.

Nighthawk saddens me, much as Firehawk did. I have loved every Vekoma flyer I've ridden, and they are superior to B&M flyers.

That’s a little like saying a punch in the gut is superior to a punch in the face.

I certainly prefer X-Flight / Batwing over all the B&M flyers, weirdly enough. I can't stand the pretzel loops, so that might be why.

FLY on the other hand is flying coaster perfection. It's literally the only one done right.

I am putting my bets on another Vekoma of some sort for the replacement in the space.

I never got the Batwing credit, but X-Flight/Firehawk was infinitely better than Nighthawk and more fun than the B&M flyers. Nothing beats the 'lie-to-fly' element at the top of the lift on those Vekomas. I still remember being blown away by my first ride on X-Flight at Worlds of Adventure in 2001.

Nighthawk ran terribly the entire time it was at Carowinds and Firehawk got pretty rough toward the end at KI. I'm sure the relocations didn't help either. But I would love a ride on a 2001-2003 era X-Flight again (and a 2000-2002 era Villain ride while I'm waxing nostalgic).

For my Nighthawk one-and-done credit I ran there first, as I heard waiting was an abysmal experience. There was a delay in opening so we waited outside the entrance for a while. Finally they let everyone in and that short line couldn’t have been any slower.
But I found the most egregious thing was its placement. Paramount had the bright idea of straddling the ride over their little lagoon that was so scenic. It also prompted the removal of their picturesque river boat ride. And I know, I know, replacing scenery with thrills will always be something we can expect, but Carowinds used to be a lot prettier.
Anyway, it’s this ride and their Intamin Enterprise (which upsets me more than this) and Drop Tower. Hm. I’m sure there’s an enthusiast out there who has drawn the plot of land on an aerial photo and planned a replacement. Also still sitting there abandoned is the large space that was their raft ride. And is the Action Theater used for anything now? Whatever and whenever a replacement comes could be something huge.

It would be nice if Cedar Flags would bring a version of FLY to America and I’m sure Vekoma would love to continue working with them if all goes well with the tilt coaster project.

I've ridden all three Vekoma flyers (in all 5 of their locations) and all five US B&M flyers. Aside from capacity and reliability, I vastly prefer the Vekoma experience. The pretzel loops seems more like punishment and the lie-to-fly at the top rather than in station is truly a breathtaking experience. And the S:UF layouts are just super boring, especially the ones that aren't terrain hugging (SFoG's). I'm sad to see Nighthawk go as I was just in Carowinds last summer and it was down for the whole trip.

I agree. The only Vekoma I rode was Geauga/KD and I think I've been on 3 of the B&Ms. I prefer the Vekomas for the same reasons you give.

Removing rides enhances the experience?

ApolloAndy:

I've ridden all three Vekoma flyers (in all 5 of their locations) and all five US B&M flyers.

Make the trip to Germany for FLY, it is like a flyer wet dream. The lie to fly happens before everything starts but it is just a graceful transition. I have also ridden the US Vekoma’s, along with a couple Supermans, Tatsu, and Manta. Manta or maybe Tatsu, was the best of the B&M’s, but still not as good as any of the Vekomas.

My credits are Batwing, Nighthawk, and SFGAdv’s Superman. Batwing was my first flyer, and the first ride was exhilarating. After that the novelty of being prone wore off and I realized how uncomfortable it was. I preferred the flying sensation Superman gave, but the pretzel loop was one of the most uncomfortable moments of any coaster in existence. And Nighthawk was as mediocre as Batwing, but with 10 times the roughness…and I was begging for Batwing’s inline twist instead of the corkscrews.

So, Vekoma or B&M? It’s a wash. Or a punch to the gut and face, as it were.

It's not that the B&M tech is bad, I think it's that the pretzel loop sucks. The G's at the bottom are just too much, and I find it deeply uncomfortable. It's why, after 11 years, I still haven't done Manta in my backyard. The Vekoma rides are weird going up the lift, but vastly more comfortable. It does sound like, however, they weren't great from a maintenance standpoint, and that's why they keep turning them off.

Those Flying Dutchman's are the only kind of coaster that truly scare me. I always wonder how painful the death would be if the restraint failed. I will say that being able to walk under the one at Carowinds was nice. It gave you a unique view of the ride. KI and SFA didn't have a path that went under the ride, so you had to observe it at a distance.

I'm not going to miss this ride at all.

No more or less painful than you got yeeted out of an RMC. But twice as painful as slipping out of a B&M.