I305 vs. Intimidator
the battle of the intimidator coasters!
From Jesse Key
Posted April 5, 2010 at 9:08 AM
Carowinds and Kings Dominion have both opened thier Intimidator coasters. They share a theme and almost share a name, but are very different coasters. Let's discuss your favorite of the two, why it's your favorite, and please also let me know if you have had the chance to ride both of them yet!
Hello,
Well I have not rode the one at Carowinds, but it looks amazing, the one at KD is well ok, and here are the reasons i give it just an ok.. Well one, we went yesterday, the crowds were light wonderful, however, their new I305 is a bit scary. I mean, its huge, its fast, and its good, however, after coming down the first drop and going into that huge first turn, everyone in our group experienced a near black out... not good.. sorry i dont think its fun to almost pass out, other than that one part, I say its one of the best coasters ever, but that one black out turn makes me not so sure I wanna ride it again.. it just freaked us all out.. Also, planet snoopy sucked just an fyi... its like they added a few signs and thats about it, nothing really themed.. I love KD dont get me wrong, but i was disappointed, the park was nasty, the rides kept breaking down, and the staff, well its the same as usual at KD, not friendly, kinda rude, and again the park dirty... what did they do all season, I can tell you one thing they didnt do, clean.... volcano was just plain and simply nasty...
Watched both in POV videos and looks like 305 is better.
For extreme riders and hard core coaster fans, Intimidator 305 is probably better. However, for the average theme park patron and non-coaster freaks, Carowinds' Intimidator will probably be the more popular choice.
Russell said it very well. The true coaster enthusiasts have RAVED about I-305 because it is in a class of its own. I have ridden I-305 but not Carowinds Timmy. But, I am a big fan of Aploos Chariot and C. Timmy is a clone of AC. That would make C. Timmy a very good coaster (up and down, out and back) but not even close to I-305. I-305 is absolutely amazing! HUGE speed, intense but smooth, interesting features, and no lack of airtime (the first crest-hill providing the most of any single hump I am aware of). I can't wait to ride the Carowinds coaster; I will love it, but we're talking about two entirely different beasts and I-305 is world-class, top 10, amazing!
Intimidator 305 wins by far! Besides the fact that it beats the hyper in speed and height, it is an amazing architechturally! With only a two supports holding up the lift hill, it looks incredible! Plus, the intensity of the ride is ridiculous! The feeling of blacking out, airtime, and speed make this ride the best coaster I have ever ridden! I have not ridden the Carowinds Hyper, but I have ridden Apollo's Chariot in Busch Gardens, which is extremely similar to Intimidator C. in design. Intimidator 305 beats all! (Even though Russel does have a point. If you are not used to riding roller coasters, this may be too intense!)
"This is the coaster that eats Millenium Force, and craps it all over Cedar Point!"
-Robb Alvey, Theme Park Review
First, I must say Intimidator 305 looks simply stunning. But I have to side with Intimidatgor Carowinds because of one thing and one thing only: It is a much longer ride.
"Timmy." I like that a lot. Suppose Timmy married Millie and they had a baby. Would that be the world's first 600 foot (never mind 500!) coaster?
Just rode Carowinds Intimidator today 6 times, and rode I305 last week at KD. We are on a family vacation and are all serious coaster nuts. We've been in parks all over the country and Cedar Point twice, nhad have hit 4 parks this trip.
We got off I305 last week and kind of stared at each other. We were all thinking the same thing... we were underwhelmed. It should have been better. MUCH better. We had high expectations and had stopped at KD on this trip specifically to ride it... but it left us missing something. Sure it was high, the drop steep, but it just didn't live up somehow. The ground speed was twisted and not as enjoyable as Millenium Force's, and the quick flip flop turns just seemed out of place on that ride. In spite of the non-existent lines (Aug 5, 2010) we chose not to ride it again.
This morning we looked at Carowinds I and it looked impressive. We rode it and it WAS impressive. We got off the first ride, and I looked at my son and said "Oh well, that proves that point" Height is not everything.
Carowinds I is a very well designed ride, with excellent swooping turns, and a long, stretched out ride. With 3 trains running, the throughput is excellent (and today there were very short lines). I made 6 rides, with one in the back seat, and two in the very front.
Is it perfect? No, the speed of the return hills after the neat 180 degree turn are too slow over the top. In fact the whole 2nd half of the ride seems like it could run faster, and the trim brake over the first hill on the return is disappointing. But the front seat ride is not to be missed. The speed up the big, steep hills and high turns is fantastic. I never got tired of it.
So we think despite 2/3rds the height, Carowinds Intimidator wins hands down.
KD's intimidator 305 was a great ride, until they killed the speed with the brakes on the drop hill. I think it's still OK, but it's not the same as that first weekend when it was wild and crazy and burning up wheels every day.
We'll be riding the intimidator sunday. Then I'll be able to compare.
I have not been on either of them bu Carowinds looks WAY better WAY more Hills
Intimidator 305 hands down, not even a competition IMO. Even after the trims on I305. I305 has everything I crave in a coaster. Airtime, definatly intensity, heighth, and speed. I have been on a whole lot of coasters but never have I ever been on 1 intense enough to cause me to grey out wow just wow.
As for intimidator at Carowinds, yeah its a great ride but a bit on the boring side to me just like apollos chariot and nitro and any other B&M hyper. Intimidator 232 has a awesome 1st drop but after that its just kind of blah.
I haven't been on Little Timmy (232)..maybe next month. But I had 13 rides over two days on 305 in April. I've seen complaints about the restraints in place at that time, pain on the transitions, and reports of folks graying or blacking out after the now-trimmed first drop. I had no issues with ANY of that. The ride, as it was then, totally blew me away. Based on what I've read, I'm not even sure I'd even like it at this stage of the game. Maybe I should just keep my April memories...
Now that I've rode the Carowinds Intimidator, I can say that it is a good ride, but too different from 305 to really compare. We ride Initimidator 305 every time we go to KD now, so it's certainly one we like, even though they slowed it down.
But the Intimidator was also good. I didn't like it quite as much as Apollo's chariot, but only because Intimidator is essentially in the parking lot, otherwise it was a way cool ride.
On the other hand, we only rode once because my son barely fit in the seats, although he does fit in Apollo's Chariot (just the way the seat sides grab him, he has large thighs). We were supposed to go back this morning to grab a bunch of rides before heading home, but nobody wants to get up.
I have rode both Intimidators, I would say that initially I liked the one at carowinds better... its fast, its long, and its smooth... great ride... I-305 the graying out turned me off at first, and it was so fast it jerked you around the curves, however now with the new restraints, I love I-305.. they both are great coasters now, and I enjoy both of them... I would say the one at carowinds is better....
I've only been on I305. But after seeing many videos and reports about CWI, it reminds me of BG's AC. Not enough to make me journey down to that park.
I have only been on Intimidator, so I can't judge I305. From what I have heard, its really rough. Intimidator is really smooth and has tons of airtime.
From Trina V.
Posted February 19, 2011 at 2:21 PM
Hello,
In my oppinion, Initimidator at Carowinds is much better! It has more hills, and I haven't heard of anyone blacking out on it. Everytime I visit Carowinds, this is a must-ride for me. It also has awesome airtime, and if you get there in the morning and ride it, you can usually go again and again! This rollercoaster beats 1305 by a long shot, and I don't care what anybody else says.
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