Eagle ride quality 2016

[Dan The Coaster Man]

I'm in the video too! We all did one train. If I'm not mistaken, there were a couple left over too. Taylor didn't seem to think it was rough enough to complain about it.

The general public don't seem to care or notice about roughness at all. I did the SLC at SFNE last weekend (which is by far the worst one I've been on), and when we hit the brake run all I heard around me was "that was AWESOME! Let's get back in line!!" While all I was thinking about was buying the nearest Advil.

[batmanfan80]

Plenty of people I've talked to who go to Great America here and there kinda come up with the same observations I do. It's just that with no real competition around and a new batch of kids coming up every year, there's always a ton of people who haven't been on something. Jackhammering sounds pretty accurate for the helix. Maybe I'll try blue later though it doesn't sound like an improvement.

[aaron60060]

Hi all, I rode Eagle red a couple weeks ago and the helix has gotten so rough and violent that it's really close to being as bad as Mean Streak was 4 years ago. Parts after the helix were worse than I remember, but there were definitely parts of the ride that are still awesome. Did anyone else experience this? How's the blue side? My last time on it was trimmed to death. Before all the trimming, it was much more violent than the red. Seems like the ride needs some serious work.

Eagle is rough, but man, I was just on Mean Streak and it was a savage beating. There were 9 of us, and every person on it said that halfway through we couldn't wait for it to be over. Plus, place was a ghost town, we walked on with a few other riders. Sad for such a towering monstrosity.

[ScullyDu]

Only part that bothers me is the last small helix. I found myself "preparing" for it each ride this year. I don't recall it ever being that bad.

[stergmi]

Hi all, I rode Eagle red a couple weeks ago and the helix has gotten so rough and violent that it's really close to being as bad as Mean Streak was 4 years ago. Parts after the helix were worse than I remember, but there were definitely parts of the ride that are still awesome. Did anyone else experience this? How's the blue side? My last time on it was trimmed to death. Before all the trimming, it was much more violent than the red. Seems like the ride needs some serious work.

Eagle is rough, but man, I was just on Mean Streak and it was a savage beating. There were 9 of us, and every person on it said that halfway through we couldn't wait for it to be over. Plus, place was a ghost town, we walked on with a few other riders. Sad for such a towering monstrosity.

Exactly. I love wooden coasters and make excuses for them but man, Mean Streak deserves to rot in hell. Or get an RMC remodel. Mean Streak is just a ride that wants nothing more than to beat your ass and break your ribs. Having done MS on a Saturday and Eagle 48 hours later they are nothing alike. The worst of Eagle is pretty much the best of Mean Streak.

[maxwellt]

^^agreed. I've ridden both as well

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[depotrat]

We rode both sides of AE last month for the first time ever. It wasn't a great ride but it wasn't horrible either. We have ridden many other wooden coasters much more rough and unpleasant. Mean Streak, Predator, Canadian Minebuster, Hershey Wildcat, and Hurricane Category 5 all jump to mind.

[RollingCoasting]

I actually had a sort of painful experience of Eagle today - But it wasn't because of the ride itself, I rode front-row on the red-side (Twice) with my sister during the rain. It was awesome! But I had to close my eyes a bit before of the rain hitting our faces.

Anyways, for people who think American Eagle (Or Viper for that matter [Only the first point applies, though]) is rough, I have some advice:

-Sit towards the front of the train.

-If you think the big turnaround is rough, sit in a seat that would be towards the inside of it. I generally like sitting on the outside of the train, but I noticed that the outside seat on the blue side is probably the most bumpy, though still not bad at all. Here's an order of the seats from smoothest to bumpiest (Sorry, not rough :p) on the turnaround.
1. Red Outside
2. Red Inside
3. Blue Inside
4. Blue Outside

-The final helix is smoother on the red side.

[American Eagle 1981]

What did Coaster Studios (Taylor) think of it when he went?

I was one of the people that rode with him and he seemed to enjoy it.

[CoasterCale]

Who cares about this kid? lol He should screen-cap his slideshows and lay over audio instead of recording a computer screen. Anyways, Eagle is on the older side. It's not gonna be super smooth. The technology was different. To me they shouldn't even be compared, but I guess they are because of the structuring. The trains are fine. If you really have problem with the overall ride, go for a non-wheel seat. That's what I do and I never have had a ride as bad as those previously mentioned.

[CoasterRiderSC]

I actually had a sort of painful experience of Eagle today - But it wasn't because of the ride itself, I rode front-row on the red-side (Twice) with my sister during the rain. It was awesome! But I had to close my eyes a bit before of the rain hitting our faces.

Anyways, for people who think American Eagle (Or Viper for that matter [Only the first point applies, though]) is rough, I have some advice:

-Sit towards the front of the train.

-If you think the big turnaround is rough, sit in a seat that would be towards the inside of it. I generally like sitting on the outside of the train, but I noticed that the outside seat on the blue side is probably the most bumpy, though still not bad at all. Here's an order of the seats from smoothest to bumpiest (Sorry, not rough :p) on the turnaround.
1. Red Outside
2. Red Inside
3. Blue Inside
4. Blue Outside

-The final helix is smoother on the red side.

This is GREAT! Thanks for posting. I've also read (and experience proves it true) that the middle row of each car is more smooth because it's not directly over the wheels. On 9/24 I'm gonna try the right outer seat. My biggest complaint about Eagle is the trim brakes (more like rumple strips) on first drop and then the brakes before going up hill prior to Helix.

[CoasterRiderSC]

i rode Eagle 4x on 10/1 all on blue side with rain coming down. My last ride was in the back and I literally had to hold on (I NEVER hold on) during the section at end where it goes down a small hill and circles around back to the station. The train was literally slamming me side to side pretty badly. Yes I know the ride is 35 yo but this time it seemed a bit more rough. That section seemed even more rough than the helixes.

I think I'll stay with Red side from now on, middle (non-wheel) row and try the front of the train.

[RollingCoasting]

Rain ride was pretty good, eh?

[CoasterRiderSC]

It was memorable! I don't know if "good" is the right word. I might be only riding RED side from here on out though.

[ilrider]

i rode Eagle 4x on 10/1 all on blue side with rain coming down. My last ride was in the back and I literally had to hold on (I NEVER hold on) during the section at end where it goes down a small hill and circles around back to the station. The train was literally slamming me side to side pretty badly. Yes I know the ride is 35 yo but this time it seemed a bit more rough. That section seemed even more rough than the helixes.

I think I'll stay with Red side from now on, middle (non-wheel) row and try the front of the train.

I got hurt on that last small helix two rides back on the blue side, the first time in 35 years of riding Eagle I had ever felt legitimate pain from being slammed into the side of the car. I am used to the slamming around at the end of the double barrel, but that never really hurts like this did. Retracking desperately needed there.

I like the red side a lot more than blue since it has the extra airtime hill on the return trip, but we have only gotten blue this season since we hit it early in the day.

[deestree0321]

I love American Eagle first off... always ride multiple times

Last night.. Blue side was smooth as silk.. took three trips before i switched over to the red side..
Red side beat me up pretty bad.. mainly through the helix.. legs were so sore when i got off and got a nice little bruise to go with it..

Not the end of the world.. but i decided that was enough Eagle for one day and moved on.. lol