Such a pleasure of a wooden coaster, incorporating suspense, speed, raw force and a great sense of fluidity in all the right places. To begin with, although Hades, as with all of Mt. Olympus coasters, runs only one train, the rider turnover is decent enough. But onto the ride details.
Expecting the hell-for-leather dip under the parking lot, the first hill climb is daunting, to say the least - this is a tallish woodie, and the dip is steep - threatening even before you get out of your car, announcing its presence right at the edge of the lot. Quite something. The drop itself is something beautiful - right into solid darkness, with myriad twists, laterals, hops and unknowns all along. Truly disorienting - it actually took me a third round on this coaster to feel out where the 90 degree banked turns were. And they, along with the rest of the tunnels elements, are an absolute joy. Spitting forth from the tunnels, the coaster is suitably aggressive out-of-doors as well, with more beauteous banks and smooth dives. At one point, the train storms alongside the loading platform, heading straight into an absolutely poetic - visually and sensually - banked turn - you will see it from the platform clearly, giving you a tease of what is to come.
As with all great woodies, I recommend highly that you give this one at least two rides - one in front, one in back. The front has its share of thrill, but the back is another animal entirely. There is some fantastic lift from the seat along the initial drop, and the coursing trail through the black tunnels is balls-out FUN. Anyway you decide to attack it, this coaster comes with my seal of approval - ride and be amazed.
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