* Jeremy T
* CommentTime2 hours ago
As it happens, I was at both Gardaland and Mirabilandia a couple weeks ago. Overall if you can only do one, I would recommend Mirabilandia pretty much on the sole basis of iSpeed. However, be aware that there is more stuff to actually do at Gardaland. At Gardaland I got there right at opening, and spent the entire day in the park walking around to new areas and trying (and retrying) new rides, not that any of them were that spectactular. However, I wouldn't underestimate the SLC in relation to Katun, that layout is pretty intense and I had no problems with roughness, and the final helix at the end, while not special by itself, comes so close with the surrounding scenery that I was actually able to reach my leg out and scrape the shrubs which was a rather surreal experience. Sequoia Adventure was... interesting. It had me saying 'ah, okay?' the first time which not many coasters do, but rerides aren't too necessary since it barely even qualifies as a coaster experience.
Mirabilandia I got there right at opening, spent the entire day riding iSpeed and Katun about 15 times each until I got sick of them both, made only a singular trip around the rest of the park to see what else they had and wasn't too impressed by any of it other than some nicely landscaped pathways, and was ready to go about two hours prior to park closure (had to catch a bus anyway, but I didn't feel I was missing anything). By the way, I would rate Katun as greatly overrated although I know I am in the minority on that. It's big and fast for a B&M invert, but that basically only translates to even slower and more drawn out pacing than normal, with no forces or other dynamics that are notable at all, and the second half is very weak and pointless, doesn't add anything to the ride. iSpeed has some really fantastic moments, even if it doesn't make the most of each and every second of track. In my opinion the right-to-left s-hill feeding directly into the first rollover above the station is worth the price of admission by itself, amazing pacing and execution and it just flows so naturally together.
Based on your question of if the Screaming Squirrel is worth passing up on iSpeed and Katun, I would say no and Mirabilandia should be your choice, although that's not factoring in the extra drive time. Gardaland is expected to get a large new prototype coaster in the next year I think, so if you happen to be back in Milan in the future you can have Mirabilandia checked off your list and Gardaland will have more to offer to make it the better option.
PmLondon, I am 99% sure that not only were we at Gardaland on the same day (Sunday, April 18th), but I was on the platform of the Magic Mountain and observed the entire incident that happened as you described. We may have even brushed sides because I recall you guys hung out around the platform for a while and I had to squeeze through you to get off. I took a photo, maybe you can confirm if this is you and your friends in here? If so I'll change my description to better reflect what actually happened, as well as have a complete report on the event when I get around to publishing my full review of Gardaland. I did think the whole incident was very strange and was probably the biggest negative I experienced with Gardaland, I've never seen anything like that before.
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* CommentAuthorbader
* CommentTime33 minutes ago
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Six degrees of separation!
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* CommentAuthorPmLondon
* CommentTime0 seconds ago
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Thanks for the photo Jeremy T, I wasn't in the group but I recognise at least one of the members of our French forum.
wouldn't you mind if I put the link on CoastersWorld ?
This experience is the object of a debate, the fact that a ride host could decide that a guest will not ride based on the look of a person needs to be adressed.
Dont get me wrong but I can understand that the decision of not letting my friend go on the ride was also supported by the t-shirts the group was wearing, the mention Upside Down meeting could be misinterpreted with the Down's syndrome.
A refund would be a minimum gesture, at the end of the day disabled people can enter the park for free, this is where the management should have let him ride as he presented a full price admission ticket.
