I am sure a comparison of the 3 big rollercoasters in Orlando is of interest to coaster freaks like me. I had been on all three before, but this time. I sat with my brother-in-law on all three rides and we compared notes afterwards, paying attention to strong points. Moreover, we were there on quiet days and were able to go on each ride twice.
First off Duelling Dragons; as the only suspension coaster(s) of the three, its mechanisms are different from the other two. Loops and corners tend to be more thrilling due to the fact that the rider is 'dragged away' from the rails by the centrifugal force. But drops are less effective because the sensation of hanging onto something is actually increased. Perhaps that is the reason why neither Fire nor Ice have big drops like the other two coasters.
We were doing IoA anti-clockwose and so arrived at DD by 10:30am with hardly any crowd; in fact neither coaster was more than 70% full. But we waited in the front row queues and were able to get in on the third turn with Ice and second with Fire. Both were excellent rides, but of the two I preferred Ice for that twisting corner and close encounter with the castle wall. Strangely, despite our first rows, the three 'duels' did not seem that scary, perhaps because the encounters were so short and quick. Overall though, the ride was great and we both gave Duelling Dragons 9 out of 10.
It was past 4pm by the time we went on The Hulk and the sun was right in our faces as we rode it. The crowd was still limited and we did not need UEs. This time we got the last row of the coaster (without much trying) on the first ride and then the first row (harder - 2 turn waits). There is no question that Hulk is a better ride from the back - it seems faster and more physical. The front row is good, but the sudden rush out of the tunnel and the twist before the drop comes too quickly and one does not have the time to get too scared. You feel the effects better from the back. Moreover, the front row does not offer the big difference on the Hulk because, with a solid floor under you and the coaster's green nose sticking out in front, one does not feel so exposed. All in all though, Hulk was a great experince too and I gave it 9 out of 10 while my brother-in-law gave 9.5.
We went to Sea World on the following day and rode the Kraken. There was a lot of haphazard movement about the park because of the shows and it was early afternoon by the time we rode the monster. We went on the front row first and then the back row; there were separate queues for both and we got in on the third turn each time. It was simply fantastic on both occasions. The Kraken comes closest to the perfect rollercoaster of the hundreds that I have ridden in my time. The design achieves the best of both worlds - conventional 'riding' coaster but without a floor. The gradual climb to the summit is perfect, giving you the chance to build-up adrenalin, then the turn and level out giving the riders a great view of the steep drop. The main ride also has all the best elements with the loops, twists, rolls and even underground dives. While the view was better from the first row, the back row took the honors for physical effects. Neither of us had any hesitation in giving the Kraken a perfect 10.
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