Ravine Flyer II 6/3

Me and my BFF Cindy made the 2.5 hour trip from Sandusky to Erie to hit Waldameer. Crowds were pretty light. RFII was the only attraction that really had a wait at all. Rode a total of three times.

The first ride of the day was around 2. The wait was about 10 minutes with one train operation. We sat in the second to last row. To be honest I found the first ride to be completely underwhelming overall. The first drop provided a very nice pop of airtime. The bridge gave a slight hint of air. Again a slight hint on the way back. Then everything from that point on was totally mediocre. The train was moving at a speed at which it provided very little excitement in the banked turn and the small bunny hills. I got off dissappointed.

We returned to RFII around 5:30. There was a 2-3 train wait. This time we sat in the middle. I sat on the right hand side of the train. Wow... what a difference!! I dont know whether it was just that it was later in the day and the ride had warmed up or if the experience is better the further towards the front you sit but it was a whole different experience. The laterals were strong, and the moments of mild airtime I had earlier were now close to ejector air. When we pulled back into the station I looked at Cindy and could just say "whoa!". I was startled at the difference.

I rode one more time solo and I saw a group of people from the website www.coasterfriends.com and they took some pictures of the train as it ascended the lift. I took the third ride once again seated near the middle and the ride was just as intense as the second ride.

Waldameer and GG have a winner on their hands.

I just wish we had some nicer wooden coasters here in Ohio.

I also found this ride to be much better in the front. I have never been on a coaster that has tht much difference front to back. Waldameer is a great family park and Ravine Flyer is a perfect addition.

WOW! Its nice to see someone from Sandusky make the 2.5 hour trip to Erie for Waldameer. We get season passes for CP and make the trip many times a year to Sandusky. Waldameer is a great family park but CP is my favorite place on earth! You are right the RFII is much better towards the front of train with good air time. This has quickly became one of my favorite woodies!

I had the exact same experience with RFII...slow and underwhelming in the morning but really, really delivering at night. I was split on the front versus the back but probably preferred the front just a little more than the back.

The front ejects you over the hills where the back seems to be a little bit of a pull. I think it may matter what seat you sit in per car as well due to the stadium seating.

I really must be in the minority. Of the four of us who rode on Memorial Day I was the only one who thought the back was the better ride. Seems like many others do as well.

What I liked about the front seat: some nice moments of air (none I'd call ejector) including the nice floater air on both bridge passes and the bunnies on the lower post-bridge run, a nice moment of lateral/air on the s-hill prior to the 90* turn, the amazing view of the lake, and some headchoppers due to the tunnels.

What I did not like about the front seat: the painful slam into the left side of the car on the direction change entering the turnaround and the lack of any air on the first and second drops.

What I liked about the back seat: more and better air than the front seat including excellent air on both the first and second drops, plus floater air on both bridge passes, airtime pops on the bunnies on the first return run, and the air/lateral combo on the aforementioned s-hill.

What I did not like about the back seat: honestly nothing.

The end of the ride is a wash, as I didn't feel either end of the train offered much of anything from the 90* turn to the final brake run.

Maybe its that I vastly prefer air over laterals, a great view, or any sense of "out of control" one might get sitting in row 1.

A few days earlier I spent two days at Holiday World, and during ERT exclusively rode Voyage except for a "courtesy" lap or 2 on Raven (which was in stellar shape with not an ounce of shuffle or bounce) and Legend (which, with its heavy sustained laterals, did absolutely nothing for me).

Anyway y'all can have the front seat on RFII. It means fewer waiting for the row I want :)

I have 6 rides on RFII under my belt, and I must say that I prefer the front as well. However I will say that the ride really does get moving once it warms up. I was there on Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day Weekend, and in the morning when it was cooler, it really lost speed in the second half. However, once it had warmed up it was really kicking. And the two night rides we got on Sunday were nothing short of incredible.

Not to make this a vs. thread but can anyone compare RFII to Boardwalk Bullet (the only GG I've ridden to date)?

The main difference is that Boardwalk Bullet is in Texas, while RVII is in Pennsylvania :)

The front has the crazy pop of air coming out of the ravine and into the final two hops...so that's one thing it has over the back in the second half of the ride.

Honestly the ride is amazing no matter where you sit.

Boardwalk Bullet is a compact twister coaster, whereas RFII is a terrain coaster. From initial reviews that I have heard people prefer RFII over BB.

Sadly, BB is the only GG coaster that I have not rode... A flight to Texas just isn't in the cards right now.

Here is my ranking of the GG rides I have rode:
1 - Voyage (for the sheer greatness of it)
2 - RFII (more re-rideable than Voyage)
3 - Hades (Incredible ride, but in need of second half re-tracking)

*** Edited 6/5/2008 6:13:23 PM UTC by Josh M***