In 2008, Michigan's Adventure finally got a new roller coaster. Thunderhawk, being an inverted coaster with 5 inversions was the first major coaster Michigan's Adventure had got in a decade. After reseaching about SLC's a little bit, I became a little worried about the reports of headbanging on these rides. Good thing I was proven wrong. When I rode this ride on opening weeked, it was amazing. It was giving smooth and exciting rides and the whine of its lift hill motor made its presence heard throughout the park. Its smoothness actually rivaled what has made B and M famous. The footchoppers on this ride are phenominal. I felt like I would lose my feet at several parts of the ride, especially during the disorienting double barrel roll. But the best part of the ride is being at the top of the lift hill in the front row. You look down about one hundred feet and become dizzy. Then, it feels like the train actually slows down, giving you time to freak out about the twisting drop about to come. I came back to the park a couple weeks later to find that the ride had become a bit rougher. It might have been a bit more acceptable, but my friend made us get on like 5 times in a row, and I grew a little sick of it. Thunderhawk is still a great ride and a necessary addition to Michigan's Adventure's lineupe, but the jolts throughout brought down this rides perfect rating.
EDIT: After riding Thunderhawk again on 5-17-09, I have decided to update my review. I found that if I leaned forward, the problem of painful headbanging was eliminated, and Thunderhawk became very reridable. As far as seating goes, the first seat is best, but if they're only running one train, the wait can be up to a half hour IN the station. Any seat on this ride is good.
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