Storm Runner - Ride Experience

Ride Experience

As the train leaves the station, it moves slowly onto the launch platform. As it is rolling to its launch, a pre-recorded sound of a heartbeat is heard, and after a few seconds, the trains rolls back as the magnetic brakes drop and riders hear a voice saying "Now get ready, here we go", then the train launches from 0–72 mph in under 2 seconds (just when the voice says the word "go"). Riders are photographed by the on-ride camera a short way down the launch track. In 2004 during the wait, riders would listen to a heartbeat then a countdown from five before hearing the voice. After traveling down the take-off runway and hitting a speed of 72 mph, the train climbs straight up the 150-foot-tall "top hat" element providing some airtime, and back down again, dropping 180 feet, reaching the top speed of 75 mph down the side of a hill leading down toward Spring Creek. The train next climbs and rolls left through the first-ever "Cobra Loop". The train then speeds up and into a straight-line barrel roll which then leads to the first-ever "Flying Snake Dive" which consists of a heartline roll followed by a half Immelman roll that makes a vertical plunge back down toward Spring Creek. The train shoots back up and to within 10 feet under the park's Monorail track, over a portion of the TrailBlazer, quickly twists to the left and to the right, then back above the treetops for one last dose of airtime. The train hits the magnetic brakes at fast speed, jerking riders forward, and then slowly glides back into the station. The duration of the ride is 34 seconds from launch to the brakes.