American Eagle = Underrated

[RollingCoasting]

Why is American Eagle so underrated? It is a little rough at times, but it's not that bad. On July 7th, I walked up to the station and hopped right on in the back seat. (And it was the packed Bring a Friend For Free Day) I've never waited 15 Minutes+ for it, with the exception of waiting 60 Minutes when we mistakenly came on the last Read to Succeed day last year. What do you think?

[mattberg]

I think the short wait comes from 2 trains running at once. When the blue side is closed it can take some time to board. They also seem to have a all star team running the ride when I go with fast load times and positive energy. Also the entrance could be tricky for first time guest. Really doesn't scream entrance.

[untalented893]

The ride is old. Ridership tends to fall for any ride as it ages. Last year American Eagle in the front row was by far my favorite ride in the park. Goliath has since taken that spot. Also, as newer coasters come out we become spoiled by the amazing things that computers have brought to the table with coasters. Before every thing was shaped and planned by hand. Now our coasters are super smooth which make AE seem super rough in comparison.

[Iron Wolf 90-11]

The last two roller coasters that we received are on both sides of American Eagle. So it's basically bordered by new more thrilling rides and instead of people riding the older American Eagle, they go and rode the new Goliath and X-Flight. It also takes a very long time just to reach American Eagles station from the entrance.

[CoasterForce99]

Just got back from the park, and we rode both sides if the eagle! It is such a fun ride and the drop is actually pretty nice. Definetly an oldie but a goodie!!!

[Guy_With_A_Stick]

Definitely. I like the double-up into the big helix. Its fun to ride, and look at. You get an amazing view from Raging Bull's station. Waiting for front row, at the edge of RB's station, you can see how massive AE is. Its long and airtime filled. After riding a coaster I haven't ridden in a while at the park always makes me change my personal favorite list.

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[coasterlove]

Maybe people just don't like it (anymore?). I used to like it quite a bit but it seems to be so much rougher the last few years. The trains and restraints don't help much either. The fact that you basically have to sit sideways because the restraint digs into the side of your leg where the restraint connects back to the floor of the train. I rode it once or twice last year and it was just a headache to me. I may ride it once a season now just to do it but I wouldn't mind it one bit if it was removed altogether or at least given a steel topper track treatment that Six Flags is doing on some of their older wooden coasters.

[Guy_With_A_Stick]

Or just a retrack? That would smooth it out a lot. Especially in the helicies.

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[Superman]

Not sure why the lines haven't been long, but I don't mind. Less wait for me hehe . It's definitely near the top of my favorites. It's probably the only ride I get on everytime I go

[tp41190]

Short lines for older coasters will happen when there are two new coasters running on either side of them. If someone hasn't been to the park in a few years, they will ride X Flight, and then want to go right to Goliath. I'm sure guests are blind to America Eagle at this point with Goliath standing out so much. Once the guests ride those two coasters, they forgot about the back of the park and then go ride the other major rides. The same can be said for Demon.

[VuDooJoey]

I love Eagle. It may have its moments where it jossles a little, but there are wooden coasters out there that are 10x worse than Eagle. The only complaint about Eagle I have is how far of a walk it is to get there (from entrance to station).

[Guy_With_A_Stick]

Just rode both sides.

Red needs a retrack at the following:
Part between station and lift.
Maybe part between drop and large helix?
Most of large helix. Mainly last part.
Maybe part after large helix?
Final helix.

Blue needs a track at:
Start of ride
Last part of large helix
Maybe part after large helix?
Final helix.

Also, REMOVE THE TRIMS!

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[Foltzy]

Also, REMOVE THE TRIMS

Maybe not remove but at least lighten em up

[super7]

American Eagle usually has no wait because it is the highest capacity coaster in the park when they run 4 trains.

Its an amazing ride. It's not only my favorite coaster in the park, its my favorite coaster of any out of the appx 175 that I have ridden WHEN IT IS RACING CORRECTLY! Having the other train run beside you, over top/underneath you and on opposing hills really adds to the excitement of the coaster.

It has a lot of great elements. Big drop, then speedhills with airtime into the helix. The helix is one of the best moments in coaster riding to me. Going around the giant helix picking up speed until it spits you out. However, they did take away from that with the trim brakes at the end of the helix.

The racing element is unusual, but it was working well last time I went. (june). It was the best racing and the best rides I have ever had on that coaster. The ops were really doing a good job sending them out at the same time to race.

It seems they are using the speed of the lift hill and uneven braking on each side to get the trains to pass each other througout the ride.

[CoasterCale]

American Eagle is one of my favorite parks, once the other side opens. Then the line gets moving and suddenly there isn't one. It has a really good wait to ride quality ratio.

[Sporlo]

When it's racing, I think I like Eagle better than Viper. In any case, both rides are running much slower than they used to.

As someone has said, seeing the helix from Bull's station ALWAYS makes me want to ride Eagle, and when it's racing, I LOVE the crisscrossing after the helix. I too wish the trims weren't on so hard, but given the final helix and the shape of the track, it seems like a good idea to keep them on like they are.

Also, I think I've ridden Eagle MORE because of Goliath.

[Chitown]

Trims are on Eagle for a reason: so the ride doesn't fall apart. We will never have the 80's Eagle that some of us here once loved and enjoyed, but for a large scale wooden coaster, it still is a fun ride. SF seems to maintain their wooden coasters pretty good.

[BBH]

I absolutely adore Eagle. Going through the helix, it's a ride that's more funny than thrilling, because not only are the trains bouncing around, you're also recovering from the intense foot and back massage you were just delivered. Then the ride just goes crazy on the return run and I love it.

I still think Viper is better. I do give Eagle the edge over Bull though.

I will say, though, that the ride's roughness is a bit disappointing now. It used to be fun but now it interrupts the ride experience. Hopefully a retracking is in order, but I wouldn't mind an I-Box treatment for it.

[Sporlo]

Of course I'd love to see the track get some (I mean a lot of) love, but going full I-box would ruin a lot of what I like about Eagle. The natural chatter and rattle is part of the ride for me. Not the getting-worse-by-the-year bumpiness, but the classic woodie aspects fit really well with the look and size of Eagle. I'd definitely miss the noise if it became silent and too smooth.

[[jonrev]]

I think alot of the people who complain about American Eagle need to travel more... trust me, by-comparison there are some real turds out there, as far as wood coasters go. Between our three classics and the RMC: I'd actually say we're spoiled in terms of upkeep and ride experience; Kings Dominion's woodies are all just awful.

[Muck Finnesota]

One of the quirks I've come to enjoy about wooden coasters in general is the transition from a recently re-tracked section to an older section. American Eagle was never excessively violent, so I'd never mind a bumpier out run that would lead into a smooth giant helix, followed by a sudden transition into a bumpy return run. Obviously, it happens on all wood coasters, but when it's a giant out 'n back like American Eagle, recently re-tracked sections seem more defined. In contrast, Georgia Cyclone (my favorite of the Cy-clones by a long shot), had gradually become a violent ride over the years. Rocky Mountain had started on some re-tracking when last I rode it, but I remember it felt like the sections that were treated first were just randomly scattered over the first half of the course.

[tp41190]

I still like American Eagle.

It's just that I only seem to get good rides on it early in the season when the trims are still off or on very light. I don't know a lot about the how a 2 bench would handle better then a 3 bench, but it seems like the 3 bench trains do not handle the last helix's very well.

[tribar]

The ride, like the rest of the park, has really gone to crap the last couple years. It's still an ok coaster but not what it was 3-4 years ago