Im really torn between a 9 and a 10 for this ride. I have to say that the launch was excellent. It was the best launch Ive ever been on, even weeding out Storm Runner. The tophat was phenomenal, giving me more airtime at its pinnacle that I was hoping for. The launch and the tophat are clearly Xcelerators defining moments. I loved the fact than it had a lapbar instead of OTSRs. Even though it takes longer to load with lapbars, I think the freedom of the upper body is worth the wait. The extra loading time for the lapbars definatly pays off when you crest the tophat and fly straight down into a twist, throwing you into a euphoric moment of airtime. The post tophat twists are fun, but nothing to be too excited about. I have to disagree with larrygator on the value of these turns though. I think this ride would have been really dissapointing if it wasnt for the twists, because the ride just wouldnt feel complete. I think the turns bring satisfation to riders not because of intensity or thrill factor, but because they allow riders to further experience the momentum and speed of the launch and tophat. If there was a break run directly after the tophat, it would be a waste of speed and excitement. The turns allow riders to feel the excitement for just a few more seconds. However, that is not to say that the turns make it comparable to Storm Runner. If Xcelerator had the post tophat elements of Storm Runner, it would be a likely candidate for my number one coaster. Overall I really liked Xcelerator and I think it gave a great thrill. Im going to give it a nine because of its shortness, but I still thought it was an incredible ride.
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