May 12
Vol. 3, Issue #4
Embedded Files
In This Issue:
Stuttgart Science Students Go to Luxembourg
Stuttgart Science Students Go to Luxembourg
By Gabby F
From March 8th to March 11th, students enrolled in AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Calculus, and AP Physics, along with teachers from the SHS science department, traveled to the University of Luxembourg to gain hands-on lab experience. They were divided into three labs focusing on biology, calculus, and chemistry and physics, where they engaged in problem-solving, conducted experiments, and collaborated with university researchers.
Students participated in workshops on cell culture and research, graph theory, DNA and UV exposure, and solar cell research. This year, biology students had the unique opportunity to observe the university's medical supplies, including an anatomy table, medical simulators, and highly realistic patient mannequins for both adults and infants.
During the trip, students participated in lab activities and toured the campus, including the chance to climb up the iconic blast furnaces. They also had free time to explore the surrounding area, which included various restaurants and a mall conveniently located across from the hotel.
All lab activities took place as part of the Scienteens Lab at the University of Luxembourg, the country's first research lab designed for high school students. The lab offers interactive workshops and hands-on research experiences. Launched in 2013, the program introduced the "Scienteens Academy" in 2018, which is a multi-day summer workshop focused on science and technology.
Attending the Scienteens Lab has been a longstanding tradition for Stuttgart High School for over ten years, providing students with countless memorable and educational experiences.
Politics
Politics
All About Iran (March 2026)
All About Iran (March 2026)
By Julia M
The following was written in March 2026, and thus some information might be out of date and there may be new developments.
Everyone is talking about the bombing of Iran and the new war the US is currently striking. But how much do you know about the war itself?
On the 28th of February, 2026, the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran. These strikes on multiple cities and government sites were a surprise to both Iranians, Israelis, and Americans alike. Israel’s declared motive of the airstrikes was to “remove threats against the state of Israel,” according to Israel Defence Minister Katz. The United States claimed that they were “preemptive strikes” to remove the threat of Iranian strikes on American forces. Most of the strikes targeted military infrastructure and leadership in Tehran, Iran’s capital city. On the first day of strikes, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, who had been in power since 1989, was killed. In his place, his son, Mojtaba Khamanei stepped into power, though there are debates over Mojtaba’s health due to the airstrikes. Khamanei’s death has caused turmoil in the region as the country chooses a new leader and a new path during this time of war.
Though the US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claims the bombing was meant to target military sites, many others were involved in the bombings and Iranian citizens have been injured in the strikes. As of Monday, March 16th at 1:30 AM GMT, 1,444 Iranians have been killed and 18,551 injured. In contrast, only 13 US military personnel were killed, with an estimated 140-150 injured.
After the first airstrikes, Iran launched counterattacks on US installations and bases in the Middle East and on Israel. Iran’s military capabilities allow them to reach embassies and military bases, but Iran is not capable of reaching the United States with their current weapons.
Before the attack, the United States claimed Iran was in the process of acquiring nuclear weapons and posed an immediate threat. However, experts are currently debating over whether or not Iran was capable of carrying out such an attack; some claim Iran does not have access to the stockpile of the few nuclear weapons they have, while others argue the potential of alliances with other nuclear powers, like Russia, could have allowed Iran to strike.
Quick overview:
Who: The US and Israel struck Iran, Iran stuck back in Middle East
What: Airstrikes on military and government sites
When: February 28th, 2026 - present
Where: Iran - in the Middle East, Southwestern Asia
Why: To prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power
Opinion
Opinion
College Applications
College Applications
By Olivia B
As we approach the end of the school year, a good opportunity for reflection presents itself. For current juniors, the next school year is one full of new beginnings and endings, they plan for college applications and their future. Here is some advice from current seniors on how to make the most out of senior year and to set yourself up for success in whatever you plan to do next:
When it comes to college applications, things can get stressful fast. Make sure to manage your time wisely when it comes to filling out all of the details, writing essays, and submitting additional documents. Senior Kadence M says, “do your research the summer before.” She notes that senior year is unlike a normal school year, and that the more work you can have done before the school year begins, the better. To mitigate stress, start essays and supplementals early, and finish applications with time to spare before the deadline. When it comes to college applications, senior TImothy K says to “do it, get it done” to avoid unnecessary stress and rushing.
In line with this, make sure to take any tests (like the SAT or ACT) early, and start thinking about letters of recommendation before it gets too late. If test scores are something you think will benefit your application, study and take them as early as you can in your senior year to maximize the amount of times you are able to retake. When it comes to letters of rec, it’s a good idea to have a couple of teachers in mind who you think can write good letters that demonstrate you in a positive way. Also, be sure to ask them early to make the process as easy as possible for them.
With all the stress of college applications, it can be easy to get overwhelmed fast. Consider how you will balance the classes you plan on taking, college applications, and extracurriculars during the year.
While senior year marks the end of an era, it also is the start of new opportunities. Planning and working early can help you make the best of the year.
Toxic Productivity Culture
Toxic Productivity Culture
By Julia H
Every year, the chances of getting into college become slimmer as the admission rates continue to drop. This has created an environment and culture in which students feel pressured to excel, leading to burnout in most teens. This productivity culture epidemic can foster a toxic cycle of overworking till burnout; thus, maintaining stress levels is highly important to prevent this.
Productivity culture exists due to the increasing competitiveness of college admissions. Nowadays, academics alone will not get you into a good college most of the time. Beyond academics, extracurricular activities are among the top factors in college admissions. This has prompted students to not only take on rigorous academic courses, but it has also pressured them to excel through internships, leadership roles, volunteering, and passion projects. Moreover, social media has amplified this culture by allowing students to see peers post their achievements and acceptance results online constantly. Although this has pushed many students to succeed, it has also led to significant mental drawbacks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports show that adolescent mental health has continued to decline in recent years. This can be linked to the academic pressure students face because of the increasing difficulty of getting into college. One study found that depression, stress, and anxiety rose as students entered their later years of high school, especially during college admissions season. This underscores the effect this productivity culture has had on students mentally. Furthermore, teenagers are supposed to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night; however, reports have shown that about 72-78% of students receive less than this amount of sleep. Researchers have consistently correlated this lack of sleep with heavy homework loads, extracurricular overload, AP/IB coursework, exam stress, and college admissions pressure. The American Institute of Stress states that roughly 56% of teens find homework to be a primary stressor. This relationship can create a cycle in which students take on more work to stay competitive, so they sacrifice sleep, which increases stress and reduces focus, which then causes students to work even longer to keep up. The expectation to succeed has normalized this productivity culture and burnout, ignoring the unsustainability of this lifestyle.
The competitiveness of college admissions is unlikely to disappear, so instead, students need to understand how to be able to carry out their ambitious plans without destroying their well-being.
Some practical strategies include:
Prioritizing sleep - Rest is part of productivity, as it has been proven that proper sleep improves memory, focus, emotional regulation, and academic performance. Constant work and lack of sleep often decrease efficiency over time; thus, by creating consistent sleep schedules and limiting late-night working, students can reduce the likelihood of burnout and high stress levels.
Choosing quality over quantity - Although college admissions emphasize the importance of academics and extracurriculars, they also focus on authenticity. Students often feel that they need to do everything in order to stand out; however, students may benefit more from deeply investing in a few meaningful activities rather than overloading themselves to build their resume.
Create intentional downtime - Productivity culture has created an environment in which students feel that breaks are not allowed; however, as said before, rest is part of productivity. Therefore, students should schedule breaks, have a time without devices, and learn to say no to unnecessary commitments.
Maintaining interests outside of school - By having hobbies outside of school, students can avoid burnout by reducing the stress of always having to achieve. Hobbies could range from nature walking to playing in a band, but most of them can help students enjoy themselves without the constant necessity to excel.
Having a support system - Students normalize stress and burnout; however, by ignoring it, the effects continue to worsen until it becomes unbearable. Students should try to have people they can lean on in order to prevent a complete crash. This could include therapists, close friends, parents, and teachers.
Although productivity culture encourages students to push themselves and become high achievers, it ends up sacrificing the well-being of students. This kind of culture has normalized stress and burnout, as students spread themselves thin to get a chance at college admissions. Students often equate their success with their productivity; however, success becomes much more meaningful when well-being is not sacrificed. Ultimately, the toxic cycle of productivity culture can be combated through healthy strategies that can prevent burnout.
What Does the EPR Aquisition Mean for the Regional Theme Park Market?
What Does the EPR Aquisition Mean for the Regional Theme Park Market?
By Sophia B
Ever since the merger between rivals Cedar Fair and Six Flags was finalized late last year, the new conglomerate has been focusing on their larger investments. They have been removing rides with high operation costs like Kingda Ka, formerly the tallest coaster in the world, and closing smaller parks like Six Flags America. They have been trying to turn their large parks into resort destinations by adding record-breaking coasters and new models or prototypes, as evident with Six Flags Great Adventure getting The Flash: Vertical Velocity, a Super Boomerang from Dutch manufacturer Vekoma, and Six Flags Great America receiving Wrath of Rakhshasa, Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard’s ever popular dive coaster model. Cedar Point added the extremely popular Vekoma Tilt Coaster Siren’s Curse to the iconic park’s already stacked lineup. Although delayed again till 2027, Six Flags Magic Mountain will get a family-friendly Vekoma Thrill Glider, a first of its kind, and how could we ever forget Tormenta: Rampaging Run, the first giga (over 300 foot) dive coaster coming to Six Flags Over Texas?
Though smaller parks in the Six Flags chain are getting a coaster in the foreseeable future, the unceremonious closure of Six Flags America last year gives a glimpse into what the Six Flag executives’ business plan for the rest of the decade will probably look like. So, as the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation does some spring cleaning of their portfolio, what will happen to the smaller parks that don’t draw in as large a crowd?
Now we have an answer. On March 5, a deal was finalized between Six Flags and EPR Properties, wherein Six Flags would sell seven parks it owns and operates to EPR Properties, a real estate investment trust for an estimated 331 million dollars. (SF press release) The parks sold were Valleyfair in Minneapolis, Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Michigan’s Adventure in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston in Galveston, Texas; Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri; Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, New York; and La Ronde in Montreal, Quebec. These parks will be owned by EPR and managed under Enchanted Parks, who own Enchanted Forest Water Safari in Old Forge, New York; and Diggerland in Camden County, New Jersey. Both former Cedar Fair and Six Flags properties were included in the deal, with Cedar Fair having most of its lower-tier properties sold. Even an original park from each chain was acquired, surprisingly; Valleyfair is where the second part of Cedar Fair’s name comes from, and Six Flags St. Louis was one of the three original Six Flags parks. Six Flags CEO John Reilly is quoted in the press release as saying, “Consistent with our strategy, this divestiture enables us to concentrate our capital, leadership and operational focus on the properties that we believe generate the strongest returns and offer the greatest long-term upside[.]” Thankfully, these parks will not suffer the same fate as Six Flags America, and will be operating and open as normal for the foreseeable future, and the deal will close at the end of the first quarter this year or beginning of the second quarter.
EPR already owned 17 amusement and theme parks, including Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, Magic Springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Wild Waves in Seattle, the latter they just sold probably for the money to buy the new parks. They also own the land of some Six Flags properties, with Six Flags just managing and operating them. This includes Frontier City in Oklahoma City, Six Flags Darien Lake in Darien Center, New York; and four of Six Flag’s Hurricane Harbor water parks. The parks are being sold to EPR but will be operated by different entities. The US parks will be managed and operated by Enchanted Parks, and La Ronde will be operated by Premier Parks. (Canobie Coaster)
So, how does this exactly affect the wider regional theme park industry? The entrance of EPR into this market means that there will be more competition, and competition breeds innovation. After the Cedar Fair-Six Flags merger, many people were worried that the parks under the new conglomerate would be cared less for and especially the smaller parks would fall by the wayside. In the worst case scenario, they would be shut down. With the company’s pivot to focusing on their core parks, smaller, regional properties have a higher likelihood of being completely ignored. Now that EPR owns many of these smaller parks, more time and resources can go into the upkeep of these parks and help them bring in more people. Though, EPR will not be on the same level to compete with the largest parks in the Six Flags chain. Herschend Family Entertainment can compete with parks like Cedar Point and Six Flags Great America with Silver Dollar City and Dollywood, and United Parks and Resorts with the Busch Gardens and SeaWorld properties. EPR can still go head to head with these companies’ smaller parks and independent parks as well.
EPR is now the newest corporation on the scene, and it is unknown how exactly they will run their new acquisitions. Will they rename all the parks with the “Enchanted” label? Will it only be the ones listed as being trademarked, those being Six Flags St. Louis, Michigan’s Adventure, Worlds of Fun, and Six Flags Great Escape? (Airtime Thrills) Will the parks be more family oriented? Will EPR strike a licensing deal with Warner Bros. to keep their properties in the parks? Was this actually a horrible idea and will a real estate trust really not care about theme parks and completely fumble the ball, only acquiring the parks to close them and build apartments and shopping malls in their place? It is too early to tell, and EPR hasn’t released anything specific about what they wish to invest in or ideas they have for the future of the parks. CEO of EPR Properties Gregory K. Silvers said to ABC News, "These properties embody the essential characteristics we seek: delivering stable, long-term cash flows, strong drive-to accessibility, multi-generational appeal, and significant underlying land value[.]" So, if one of the parks sold is your home park, what do you think will happen to it under this new leadership, or what are you hoping will happen with the new investments and the newfound attention it’s getting? There are many possibilities, and it seems like this is a step in the right direction for furthering the investment and returns for these parks.
Trip Report- Plopsaland Belgium, Walibi Holland, Walibi Belgium, and Tripsdrill
Trip Report- Plopsaland Belgium, Walibi Holland, Walibi Belgium, and Tripsdrill
By Sophia B
This spring break, my family and I travelled to the Lowlands to visit major theme parks and ride coasters, and I am happy to report back that we had a fantastic time at the parks and exploring around! In this article, I will review the parks and coasters I visited, and use a traditional tier list system to give the coasters a definitive grade. In chronological order, I went to Plopsaland Belgium in De Panne, Belgium; Walibi Holland in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands, and Walibi Belgium in Wavre, Belgium. These parks have a fantastic selection of rides and immersive theming, which is why I chose to go to them specifically. Plus, before the issue was published, I was able to revisit my temporary home park here in Stuttgart, Tripsdrill. It is a charming little place just an hour north of here with a solid coaster lineup. For Tripsdrill, since I’ve been there before, I’ll have the ranking of the coasters before and after my most recent visit. This bonus review is only because everyone in the Newspaper Club is busy and no one has the time to write articles or recuperate at meetings… Especially our two lovely overachieving senior editors whose job it is to organize everything… (My article about the Six Flags acquisition has been collecting dust in my Drive since it was announced in March, it’s old news now) Anyways, here are my thorough opinions of every coaster I’ve been on in the past month!
Plopsaland Belgium
Plopsaland Belgium
Plopsaland Belgium was extremely immersive and perfect for families with young children, plus a world-renowned headlining attraction with the same effort of theming and immersion as the rest of the park. The park also has a Zamperla Disco, an ART Engineering Wild Swing, and a Starflyer to supplement the good lineup of family coasters. I rode the two dark rides there, and while they were made for small children, they were still very elaborate and a bit overwhelming. I was hooked the entire time while riding them. This park uses sight lines better than any of the parks on this trip, impressive considering its small size. The designers of the park used its small plot of land to their advantage, packing the property densely with detail, using sound design very cleverly, and blending everything together so well.
The Ride to Happiness - S Tier
The Ride to Happiness - S Tier
Manufacturer: Mack Rides
Model: Xtreme Spinning Coaster (custom)
Installation date: 2021
Track Length: 3,018.4 ft
Height: 108.3 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The first ride of the trip was a coaster known as one of the best, if not the best, in Europe, and is renowned worldwide. The Ride To Happiness is set in its own courtyard with beautiful landscaping and colorful, elaborate furnishings complementing the rest of the theme. The ride is themed/sponsored by Tomorrowland, an electronic music festival in Belgium. The area surrounding Ride to Happiness has a steampunk style with art nouveau aesthetics. Inside the queue, the walls are decorated from top to bottom with three-dimensional decals and moving mechanics that add so much kinetic energy to the atmosphere. The station also has the same amount of theming and movement as the queue, supplemented by the train coming in and out. Though they were only running one train the day I went, the operations were very speedy, and the average time from when the train entered the station till dispatch was just over one minute. The seats and restraints on the train are very comfortable, definitely the best restraints I had on this trip, along with Kondaa. If I could describe the ride experience in one word, it would be disorienting. The layout perfectly complements the spinning gimmick of the cars, with weird inversions, sudden drops, and unexpected airtime high off the ground. If Mack knows how to do something, it’s making their coasters look pretty. The elements and sprawling track over the courtyard and water are striking and add motion to the park. Mack mixes unique elements like the banana roll, zero-g roll, and the airtime hill with an outer bank at the top after the launch with classic elements like bunny hops and a vertical loop to create a layout with forces that blend smoothly into each other, adding to the confusion. This gives the coaster a one-of-a-kind feel. Plus, the track is extremely smooth. In the front, the ride is extremely whippy and has great ejector airtime. The back car provides more spinning overall, a smoother, gentler ride, and more graceful airtime, especially after the first drop, which provides fantastic floater. Overall, I do believe it is one of the best coasters in the world, and it has taken my number one spot from Voltron, one Mack for another! If Voltron is an Expressionist painting, made of quick, frenzied brushstrokes similar to the feel of its layout, and celebrating the human intellect and new technology like a Futurist work or an Enlightenment-era portrait, then Ride to Happiness is a Turner landscape; light reflecting everywhere, confusing the viewer, and making them feel sublime in the presence of the unbound, powerful natural world.
Anubis - C Tier
Anubis - C Tier
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Heidi - C Tier
Heidi - C Tier
Manufacturer: Great Coasters International
Model: Custom
Installation date: 2017
Length: 2,057.1 ft
Drop: 67.3 ft
Speed: 44.3 mph
The queue and station were very lightly themed with not many interesting details. The operations were alright. The seats were uncomfortable, and the lap bars were fine. The train did not handle the track very well; however, it was still very smooth. The layout had some crazy airtime for a family coaster and had a classic out-and-back layout with as many possible bunny hops that GCI could fit in. Overall, a classic GCI that the whole family can enjoy.
#LikeMe - D Tier
#LikeMe - D Tier
Manufacturer: Zierer
Model: Tivoli
Installation date: 1976
Length: 1,181.1 ft
Height: 26.3 ft
Speed: 22.4 mph
#LikeMe has a small yet detailed queue, themed to an American high school, though the station and area below the layout had no allusions to the theme. The seats were uncomfortable with a needless rubber separator between the legs. Quite rough. Just a standard Tivoli that has stood the test of time.
K3 Roller Skater - C Tier
K3 Roller Skater - C Tier
Manufacturer: Vekoma
Model: Junior Coaster/335m
Installation date: 1991
Length: 1,099.1 ft
Height: 42.7 ft
Speed: 28.5 mph
A cute station, with sculpture work and a fly-through in the layout. Pulls some nice, gentle forces on the helices. Though also quite rough.
Draconis - C+
Draconis - C+
Manufacturer: Mack Rides
Model: Powered Coaster (custom)
Installation date: 2004
Length: 1,476.4 ft
Height: 45.9 ft
Speed: 22.4 mph
The queue is completely indoors and very well themed. The masonry and sculpture are very well done, and it really does make you feel like you’re in a fantasy castle. We got a walk-on, so I don’t have much to say about the operations, but since this is a kid’s ride, families must take their time to load themselves and their children into the car, and that’s alright. Draconis has a fun layout with many fly-bys in the buildings around the coaster, which gives an illusion of speed. Plus, the speed picks up every consecutive lap (I think there were three laps). It is a relatively long ride, and also has nice forces on the helices, especially when it is going fast. The coaster was built with the land, and Mack took all the advantages they could with a coaster that interacts with the land so heavily.
Walibi Holland
Walibi Holland
Overall, Walibi Holland was fantastically themed, and every coaster and ride had different set pieces and impeccable detail. Though the park seemed bare compared to Plopsaland. Since Walibi is a bigger park aimed at an older audience, the large walkways and manicured landscaping were built to handle the swaths of people visiting in summer, and that paramounts whimsical aesthetics in this case. This is another issue of personal taste that I also have about the other Walibi park. Other than coasters, there was a great selection of thrilling flat rides that are great supporting attractions and are themed just as much as the coasters.
Goliath - A- Tier
Goliath - A- Tier
Manufacturer: Intamin
Model: Mega Coaster (custom)
Installation date: 2002
Length: 3,982.9 ft
Height: 153.7 ft
Speed: 65.9 mph
Goliath’s theming was alright, and I wish it could be incorporated into the surrounding land, Speed Zone, more. The queue and station were very boring, and there was nothing to look at. The operations were fantastic, and I didn’t notice a horrible stacking problem like with its younger sister, Kondaa. The seats were fine, and the restraints are outdated with a seatbelt and ratcheting lap bar. This did not affect my ride experience at all and wasn't uncomfortable by any means. Oh well, anything is better than over-the-shoulder restraints. (I must complain about everything, it’s my job.) Anyways, Goliath hadgenuinely fantastic floater after the drop, and the camel backs followed up with similar forces. The airtime hills following the helices had some nice, but not too intense, ejector. There’s a great mix of forces; in fact, I grayed out on the helix! For a two-decade-old coaster, the ride was extremely smooth, but there was a noticeable shake that didn’t affect the ride much. The coaster overall gives a great “flying” feeling, even during the elements with positive forces. I say that the best coasters are the ones that don’t feel like coasters, and Goliath genuinely felt like flying, taking inspiration from its American sister coasters, the two Rides of Steel at Six Flags New England and Darien Lake. The views are fantastic, although you can’t really see the rest of the park if you’re not looking to your left intentionally. Goliath is a great, classic coaster that has stood the test of time and is very enjoyable even 24 years later.
Yoy, Chill - D Tier
Yoy, Chill - D Tier
Manufacturer: Rocky Mountain Construction
Model: Raptor (custom)
Installation date: 2025
Length: 2,149 ft
Height: 95.1 ft
Speed: 49.7 mph
I’ve heard this ride being hyped up, especially the chill side, ever since it opened (it was actually Coaster Studio’s outro for a while). However, I was disappointed and was expecting more from YoY. I was only able to ride it once, partly due to the horrible capacity, as there is only one eight-seat train for each side. Technically, the operations weren’t that bad. The dispatches were quite speedy. However, YoY was just trying to be Voltron with the moving trains in the station, but completely failed at all the parts that made Voltron operations so quick. The restraints only come up to a 90-degree angle, making it hard to duck and squeeze your way out of the train while it’s still moving. Getting out while the train is moving is completely redundant. Overall, since I only rode it once, I might not have given YoY a fair chance. I probably would’ve liked it better if I were able to ride in the front or the back instead of the middle of the train, and been able to ride it more than once. It is very rough for a new coaster (this roughness comes with single rails; I’m scared how the giga Split Rex turns out if it ever gets built) and is quite rough for a family ride. Though it does not shake you about or jackhammer you down, the underlying rumble was unacceptable for a steel coaster this young in age, and made the boring experience worse. The layout is uninteresting, and all the airtime being applauded by enthusiasts was non-existent; nor were there any positives. The only thing I remember about the layout is the wave turn. If the most memorable thing about this ride is a wave turn, then it is a bad ride. The theming is there, but lackluster; there’s nothing really going on outside of the station. Though the carving on the trains is fantastic. The comfort collar restraints suck, and I got a hard whack on my shoulder blade from the lap bar as I was exiting the ride. I still have a mark there. Maybe I was expecting too much. However, an extremely rough ride and bad restraints are never an excuse for just having your expectations crushed.
Lost Gravity - A Tier
Lost Gravity - A Tier
Manufacturer: Mack Rides
Model: BigDipper
Installation date- 2016
Length: 2,231 ft
Height: 105 ft
Speed: 54.1 mph
The theming in the queue is fantastic, plus the ride has a narrative! That’s something that doesn’t really happen outside of Disney or Universal on coasters, so that was great to see. The operations were fantastic. They were running all three trains, and dispatches were so quick! The seats were comfortable; however, the restraints dug into my thighs, and the track has not aged well and has a very noticeable rattle. The layout had great ejector. It’s super whippy, but the laterals go with the layout instead of against it, making a very graceful ride. But that’s just my preference; lateral fans might find the forces boring and weak. There are positives in the first half; however, after the mid-course brake run, which kills the pacing, there aren’t any to be found. Just airtime. Though the transitions between forces are so quick and help create a disorienting ride. My favorite part of Lost Gravity is the drops after the lift hill and brake run on the back outside seats. Either side, the airtime is fantastic, and the transitions into the next elements are so well profiled and smooth.
Eat My Dust - C+ Tier
Eat My Dust - C+ Tier
Manufacturer: Zamperla
Model: J2SK 200m
Installation date: 2023
Length: 656.2 ft
Height: 38.7 ft
Speed: 24.9 mph
For a kid’s coaster, the station and area surrounding the ride are very detailed and very well themed, and it was really fun to discover new things in the area that you didn’t see at first glance. The ride is very smooth, and the helices are gradual and gentle; it’s the perfect coaster for very young children. As comes with a ride aimed at a young audience, the seats were extremely small, plus the lap bars dug into my thighs somewhat. I can’t say much about the operations again, because I had a walk on, and it’s a kid’s coaster after all.
Untamed - B- Tier
Untamed - B- Tier
Manufacturer: Rocky Mountain Construction
Model: IBox Track Conversion
Installation date- 2019
Length: 3,559.7 ft
Height: 119.8 ft
Speed: 57.2 mph
The longest line I waited in on the entire trip, Untamed is another RMC cursed with horrible operations. I wasn’t frustrated that there was a long line; I was frustrated (perhaps enraged) that they only took out the second train when we had already been waiting for almost an hour; we were almost in the station! And did I mention that Untamed wasn’t up and running with the other rides at the start of the day? We had to wait till it opened at about 1200, further pushing back our ride to later in the day. The theming in the station is great; however, I wish there were more sculpture and landscaping around the outside queue. As with all RMC trains, the seats are quite nice, while the restraints genuinely hurt. Especially those dang shin guards. Those were still a problem here. As is the case with RMC, there is a constant barrage of good ejector. Though there were basically no positives throughout the layout, the airtime moment that stood out the most was the floater after the lift hill, but perhaps this is just a personal preference. The layout is quite boring and repetitive, not really doing anything besides bunny hops and barrel rolls. Again, I was sitting right in the middle of the train, so I can’t speak for the forces of the front or back row, but my only ride in the middle was lackluster. Maybe this is a hunch, but I also felt that the pacing was extremely slow, and the train took too long of a time climbing through the elements, taking away a lot of the fun ejector to be had if the pacing was better.
Walibi Belgium
Walibi Belgium
Mechalodon - A+ Tier
Mechalodon - A+ Tier
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Kondaa - B tier
Kondaa - B tier
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Turbine - B- Tier
Turbine - B- Tier
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Calamity Mine - B- Tier
Calamity Mine - B- Tier
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Tiki-Waka - C- Tier
Tiki-Waka - C- Tier
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Walibi Belgium
Walibi Belgium
Hals-Über-Kopf - B+ Tier (Before) B Tier (After)
Hals-Über-Kopf - B+ Tier (Before) B Tier (After)
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Volldampf - C Tier (Before) B- Tier (After)
Volldampf - C Tier (Before) B- Tier (After)
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
G’Sengte Sau - B Tier (Before) N/A (After)
G’Sengte Sau - B Tier (Before) N/A (After)
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Mammut - C+ Tier (Before) C- Tier (After)
Mammut - C+ Tier (Before) C- Tier (After)
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
Karacho - B+ Tier (Before) C+ Tier (After)
Karacho - B+ Tier (Before) C+ Tier (After)
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer
Model: Launch Coaster/600
Installation date: 2009
Length: 1,968.5 ft
Height: 111.5 ft
Speed: 55.9 mph
The entrance to the queue is a fantastic facade with intricate details. This theming carries on to the queue, where there are life-sized dioramas packed end to end with furnishings and various items. The operations on this ride were some of the best I experienced on this trip. The cars had over-the-shoulder restraints with lap bars that came down and crushed my thighs during the layout, and the seats were uncomfortable. The launch was fantastic and super punchy. The first half of the ride is rip-your-face-off intensity with an out-of-control layout. However, the midcourse break run killed the pacing, and the second half was extremely boring, with only a hangtime roll standing out, and no other noticeable forces. Instead of spreading out the intense moments with calmer moments in between, there was just a quite good extreme first half but a lackluster second half that completely kills the pacing. Interestingly, Anubis was quite smooth, an exception among Gerslauer’s thrill coasters.
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