Ravine Flyer II

Amazing and thrilling ride!!! This coaster is fast and is totally unexpected. The view of the first hill is breathtaking and from that moment on its nothing but turns and thrills. Happiness is riding this coaster. I am very satisfied!’ $ 4.50 per person to ride this coaster. There was only one train running but the line seemed to go fast.

How many times have you ridden a coaster that spans a four-​lane highway? The Ravine Flyer II is Waldameer Park’s marquee attraction and believe me, it’s one of the best woodies I’ve ever ridden! Built in 2008, it’s an out-​n-​back twister that’s about 85 feet high and 2900 feet long. «Out-​n-​back» simple means a coaster that travels out to one point and returns. «Twisters» are a relatively new wooden coaster type. New technology allows steeper drops and higher banked curves, the twister part being that they have a lot of twists in them.
Ready to take a ride?
We’re going to sit up front for the spectacular views this coaster offers. Are we buckled in, loose items secured, and lapbar in position? Great! The operator releases the brakes and we take a slight dip before we hit the lift hill. The lift chain enagages as we slowly begin our ascent to the top. I used to think the «clack-​clack-​clack» was the lift chain. It’s not – it’s the safety ratchet which prevents an accidental rollback. As we reach the top of the hill, we see both the U.S. and Canadian flags flying. It’s said that on a clear day you can see across to Canada from the top. Indeed the view of Lake Erie as we crest the hill is indeed spectacular! We drop into a slight curve and into the first tunnel.
We hit the bridge which looks like a pedestrian overpass but you wouldn’t know it from the ride because we’re traveling so fast. Great airtime on the bridge! We do a quick bank left, thru the second tunnel, then a quick bank right before going up the second hill. We take a double down drop, then back over the highway for more airtime. Then through another tunnel with some quick airtime bunny hops. then some twists, over the lift hill, a couple of more tightly banked curves, then thru the lift hill. Next we do a 90 degree banked turn followed by another 60 foot hill. We wrap this up with some more banked hills, followed by some more airtime hills before we finally hit the brake run.
The Ravine Flyer II is named for an earlier coaster that occupied the same site until 1938. It was ranked as the best new ride of 2008 by Amusement Today Magazine and I think we have a new one in Susan’s top-​10 favorite coasters. I love woodies because no matter how new the technology, they still have the same old shake-​rattle-​n-​roll that you just don’t get on steel coasters.