Raging Bull - Review

B&M; Hypercoaster.

The ride begins with a left-hand turnaround out of the station and onto the lift hill. The first drop is 207 feet and plunges into an underground tunnel. The front provides a great sensation as you drop, but the back is the essential seat to experience some very powerful airtime (as long as you've not been stapled in). The train then comes out of the tunnel and climbs up onto an overbanked right-hand turnaround. If you're sitting on the right-hand side of the train you may feel like you're going to fall out!

There are two drops after the midcourse brakes, both of which provide some reasonable airtime in the back of the train. There is then another turnaround, followed by a small drop that leads into a figure eight finale. The drop has some airtime, but just before the figure-eight there is another trim brake, which again is really noticeable and weakens what would have been a powerful ending to the ride.

During my first visit to SFGAm in 2000, I only managed two rides on Raging Bull, but I was impressed with the ride and thought it has a wonderful first drop, several hair-raising turns, and some great airtime, and all with the usual B&M; smoothness.

After my front seat ride in 2002 I was literally horrified at how this once great coaster had been tamed by trims. I believe that the trims have always been there, but the general census seems to be that this year they have turned them up! I was that disappointed with the ride, I almost didn't bother going on again! Fortunately, the wait was only about 10 minutes so I thought I'd try it in the back. Thankfully, the ride was a lot better, and remained a force to be reckoned with, but still not as good as its former self. I really do not understand the need for trims on this ride, it is by no means rough, and it was not designed to be a family coaster, so why start running it as one?