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Who do we have to blame for Hulk when It got worse?

Universal Orlando: It was rougher when I last rode it.

From Eugene Koh
Posted February 28, 2010 at 11:17 PM
I went to Islands of Adventure today to see if Hulk got rougher. A member told me Hulk is rough and I wanted to see. Last time I rode it, it was smooth as silk, one of the best. Now, it wasn't as smooth anymore. Still managed to be thrilling throughout the ride. Who do we have to blame? B&M or Universal?


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted March 1, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Both, but I would go with Universal who might not be keeping up on the upkeep of it. Then again, some roller coasters change with age, sometimes for the better, sometimes for worse.

It could also be, and I have done this myself, that you just do not remember it being that rough because you were excited or distracted. I learned that the hard way on Iron Wolf. Never again!

From Sylvain Comeau
Posted March 1, 2010 at 10:59 AM
I'm glad people agree with me on this. The Hulk is getting too rough. It rattles and shakes all the way, and I feel like I'm going to pass out. I always get off the ride with a headache. Universal, time for a refurb!

From Nick Markham
Posted March 1, 2010 at 11:21 AM
The solution: Ride Ghost Rider at Knott's and not one roller coaster will ever feel rough again!

From Eugene Koh
Posted March 1, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Sylvain. If you thing B&Ms are rough like CP fans that rode Mantis, come to my home park Six Flags Over Georgia when it's open. Ride the Goliath. Also come to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. All the B&Ms are as smooth as silk. I don't know about Alpengeist though, never ride it because that was the time last year I didn't like inverts. Now I do like inverts better because of Worlds of Fun!

From steve lee
Posted March 1, 2010 at 4:47 PM
Anthony, it's definitely not a misremembered memory. Hulk was smoother than glass for the first few years of Islands operation.

But Hulk has been running 365 days a year for a while. You can't blame B&M for that, any more than you can blame the manufacturer of a car for problems you have when you don't do any preventative maintenance. It's really difficult to close a major attraction like that for refurbishment in a park like IOA that's lacking major rides (sad but true).

I have no doubt we'll see Hulk finally going down for refurb once Harry Potter is open.

From James Rao
Posted March 1, 2010 at 5:22 PM
I blame Harry Potter as well... Screamscape has already reported rumors (and Steve Lee has intimated as well) that once WWoHP is complete and fully operation, Universal is ready to start applying some major refurb love to its flagship park.

Hulk will be smooth as a southern drawl once more!

From Tyler Bell
Posted March 3, 2010 at 2:19 PM
I think its the different trains.Just like Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit,one train is smooth and the other not so much.

From luis gonzalez
Posted March 3, 2010 at 8:21 PM
its been getting worse, its still way smoother than anything in SFOG, but riding in the back will give you a couple of love taps to the side of the noggin.

p.s. luis has not had a picture thats not blasted by radiation in over 7 years, he is a dirty boy :<

WORD

From Eugene Koh
Posted March 3, 2010 at 9:22 PM
Luiz, you are being IRONIC of Six Flags Over Georgia. It's my home park. Goliath is smooth as silk and it used to be the best coaster I had ever ridden until Manta and Kraken. Yea, the woodies at SFOG is painful though.

From Sylvain Comeau
Posted March 4, 2010 at 11:20 AM
There's no excuse for assaulting my cranium just because they didn't want to close a marquee attraction for a while to do a refurb...

From Eugene Koh
Posted March 4, 2010 at 2:04 PM
Sylvain. Is Goliath at La Ronde rough or smooth?

From Deidre Dennis
Posted March 4, 2010 at 7:54 PM
No kidding, Nick. Ghost Rider is the most awful thing I have EVER ridden! It felt like someone was banging a hammer against my head.

We were at Universal in '06 and Hulk was smooth. We went again in June '09 and definitely noticed a difference. My niece got off and was sick for the rest of the day, and that was our first ride of the day. Didn't feel rough but there was definitely a difference.

From Sylvain Comeau
Posted March 5, 2010 at 3:34 AM
Eugene, the last time I was at La Ronde (fall of '08), not one ride felt rough to me, and I did all the biggies, including Goliath (3 times). Maybe we can thank Montreal's weather; since winter forces the park's closure for half the year, the rides don't get the wear and tear that other parks' rides get.

From Eugene Koh
Posted March 5, 2010 at 4:34 AM
Does that mean it was silky smooth?

From Sylvain Comeau
Posted March 5, 2010 at 1:08 PM
I don't know about "silky smooth", but all the rides in the park are pretty smooth. I didn't get off any of them feeling headachy or otherwise in pain. I am able to enjoy the rides without feeling I'm getting roughed up.

From Claudine Deshaies
Posted March 7, 2010 at 1:07 PM
I just rode Hulk last Monday, I didn't think it was that rough. (not smooth as silk, just not that rough.)
I think Kumba at BGT was rougher. If I had to come up with a smooth ride, I'm thinking Apollo's Chariot (BGE). And as far as Alpengeist? Not smooth. (IMO, of course.)

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