From the top of the first drop until the bunny hill over the bottom of the first drop is the most Prior & Church thing I've ever seen on a wooden remake of a Schwarzkopf steel coaster. 🤯
I love how creative GCI is. I love their coasters a lot. this layout seems like a perfect wooden family coaster. Prowler seems more for the thrillseekers. A small shuffle I think is a given on a woodie. Yeah, some others might be smoother, but I don't ride a woodie for a glass smooth experience. We have steel coasters for that. I really like it and I hope people won't be so harsh on it in the future. It kills all my excitement to see everyone saying "It's bad bc of no airtime, bad because of low forces, bad because of not being super smooth, etc." Most people seem to forget, that this ride is not at all meant for thrillseekers.
I really agree with this review and as my home park i do love this coaster but it is rough a little but I don’t mind it but it benefits the titan track to add so it stays smooth and if they fix the spiral lift a bit it would definitely go up by rating for I’m so glad for this review especially on my birthday thank you for the review and great video I love it.
I haven’t ridden this but it would be cool if RMC creates a coaster with a spiral lift either on their Hybrids or Single Rails both I think would look weird though
Canobie Coaster would say: As I've already alluded to, this ride's pacing is great. Because this coaster stays low to the ground, you never slow down. You fly from one element to another. It also makes the low turns in the second half feel extra intense. Now what about the smoothness? This is the one area I've seen Zambezi Zinger get quite a bit of flack. Everyone seems to agree the first half is very smooth. This includes the wood parts and the steel turnaround. However, many enthusiasts have noted that the second half...
Rode the original many times as a preteen when I lived in KC from ‘82-‘83. It had a very distinct zip to it that just felt different from other coasters. I’ve also ridden The Wizzer at Great America many times but Zinger was always much better IMO. Haven’t ridden the new Zinger yet but my coaster friends who’ve ridden it say they just don’t get the hype.
I think they will fix the issues over the next two seasons, next season they will address the spiral lift/rain issue. And I bet they replace some turns in the second half with titan track eventually, in order to make it a true family coaster and reduce the roughness greatly. This is my home park and I love what they did. I just hope that they did this to better pad their family coaster collection before they give us a proper replacement for the Orient Express.
I have ridden the original Zinger and the new version, while I do prefer the original due to nostalgia bias, this is a worthy successor. The original could feel pretty stop and go at times as it seemed to slow down a lot at the top of its hills, but then knock you out of your seat with another good drop into a winding turn. This one is go, go, go all the way. Neither of these are bad things.
dude before i watch the video im going to say the back row ride at the end of the day on a 100 degree day was insane, extremely forceful. It hurt a bit too much for me to really be excited about it. I am upset my home park did not get a giga or a dive coaster but just another woodie. i am excited to see what you think.
Do you prefer Infinity Flyer trains, Millennium Flyer trains, or Timberliner trains? How would you compare between those wooden coaster trains in terms of comfort and restraints?
The low to the ground sections just don't give the track much room to move, so it doesn't have that dampening effect. They'll probably keep that in mind for future coasters
My home park- This thing was received well locally. Always long lines! Didn't ride near as smoothly as I hoped, and I'm worried about how it will age. Feels like they should've gone full titan track? Not sure. Hoping the new merger between 6Flags and CF pumps some extra cash into this place before the 2026 world cup games taking place a short drive down the road.
I might have caught it on a bad day. I would say that the 2nd half was brutally rough, especially in the front. Plus, the only airtime in either the front or back row was just a smidge of floater a couple times in the back row. I rode it within it's first month, so the extreme roughness was a big turnoff, and I couldn't enjoy the rapid transitions. I greatly prefer Whizzer to it. I currently would give Zambezi Zinger a 4 out of 10. But that's after only 2 rides, back then front, which I lucked into, since they had strict assigned seating that day. I plan to head back there this month, and I'll give it another shot.
The Infinity Flyers have been pretty disappointing. I was hoping that they could *finally* fix the issue of the lapbar lowering throughout the ride which has always plagued Millenium Flyers, or at the very least be more comfortable, but they somehow made the lowering even worse, and they aren’t any more comfortable. Ride seems solid other than that though. It’s clearly sort of a prototype, and I’m sure it’ll improve over time. The roughness was also probably just bad luck. I really like GCI’s take on a family coaster, focusing on quick transitions and laterals. I think that was intentional to help separate them from Gravity Group’s family coasters, which are largely just mini air time machines.
Canobie Coaster would say: So what would I rate the new Zambezi Zinger? I would give this coaster a 7 out of 10. This is a fun wood coaster. I absolutely love the terrain use. This keeps much of the layout hidden, which accentuates the directional changes, many of which offer nice laterals. And the low-to-the-ground nature give this coaster really good pacing. The biggest con with this coaster is the lack of airtime. It's weird to see a wood coaster, especially one from GCI, that is so deficient in that area. It's not a dealbreaker for me by any means, but I would have been nice to see some more airtime incorporated into the hills. So is this better than the original Zambezi Zinger? Unfortunately, I can not answer that, as I never rode the original at either home. I will say that I much prefer this Zambezi Zinger to...
5:45 I feel like adding a strip of sandpaper like substance to the metal slat that the friction wheels on the lift hill grab. That way you're not relying on only the friction of the wheels.
In reality, I doubt it. I've always assumed it was one of the reasons they put Hulk's launch in a tunnel. Another thing they could maybe do is keeping the wheels running 24/7. I don't think they'd stay wet long if they are spinning. Unless it's raining still. You'd think 5 minutes of running after the rain would dry them out. Maybe a bristle/broom material the wheels contact in their spinning? On the opposite side of the radius they contact the train. @@CanobieCoaster
I rode this in early July, and your review sums up my experience to a T. The two things I remember the most are the agressive turns near the end, and the fact that the lap bar stapled me at the bottom of the first drop and pinned my thighs the rest of the ride. Good layout, bad trains IMO. I hate hydraulic restraints. They're too unforgiving.
I think the Infinity Flyers have a higher class restraint than the millenium flyers. GCI talks about them have a class 5 restraint meaning it can do ejector airtime past -0.2gs while I think to that on the millenium flyers a seat belt is nesseary. GCI coasters can can do without seat belts but no ejector airtime. The seat belts are the redundant restraint and on the Infinity flyers it has dual redundant hydraulic restraints
Can someone please bring back the cuddle cars on coasters, it's the best thing for dates, and in my case both me and my partner are enthusiats so the idea of increasingly intense rides utilising an excise to cuddle is amazing, but no ride designers seem to care anymore
@@CanobieCoaster one of my motivations to take my partner to blackpool was to cuddle him on Avalanche (mack bobsled), they're great it's just annoying it's considered a retro feature
I will always respect the original zinger but anybody with half a brain and experience at the park would gladly admit they would rather have the Orient Express Resurrected. The fact that they chose the Zinger instead of the Orient speaks volumes. HAVING SAID THAT, I LOVE how low to the ground the zinger is. This essentially makes it a more fun ride
The new one looks great, but they were absolute morons to close this. I just watched a pov of the relocated original Zambezi Zinger, and it looks absolutely AMAZING. They did a lot with terrain and it really looks just as good as this one. I still can’t believe they replaced the original with a boomerang…
This coaster has an AMAZING layout but the downsides stop me from riding which is the restraints and the roughness. The restraints are super tight which removes all airtime and by the end I’m begging to be let off by how tight they because throughout the ride. The coaster is smooth but after the steel turnaround when it switches back to wood I get violently shook and the bank turn after make it worse. I hope worlds of fun and GCI change the entire track to steel and at least change to restraints to not be as tight as if they do this might be the best coaster in the park
I wasnt a fan. It was ok but I liked Prowler and even Timberwolf more in the park in terms of its woodies. Boy is this gonna age poorly given how its kind of rough even now
To me, the real 50th anniversary gift was Mamba becoming an elite coaster
100% this.
Mamba is insane now
Yes! Everyone else can wait in that 1-2 hour line for ZZ. I'll be marathoning Mamba.
Exactly!!
That was the 49th anniversary gift.
From the top of the first drop until the bunny hill over the bottom of the first drop is the most Prior & Church thing I've ever seen on a wooden remake of a Schwarzkopf steel coaster. 🤯
Definitely a bit different than a Schwarzkopf.
I remember when they closed the original ZZ. The shock around KC was great. I miss it, it was a part of my childhood.
At least they built a spiritual successor.
I love how creative GCI is. I love their coasters a lot. this layout seems like a perfect wooden family coaster. Prowler seems more for the thrillseekers. A small shuffle I think is a given on a woodie. Yeah, some others might be smoother, but I don't ride a woodie for a glass smooth experience. We have steel coasters for that.
I really like it and I hope people won't be so harsh on it in the future. It kills all my excitement to see everyone saying "It's bad bc of no airtime, bad because of low forces, bad because of not being super smooth, etc."
Most people seem to forget, that this ride is not at all meant for thrillseekers.
It does several things well. I think people expected airtime, but the pacing and lats more than make up for limited airtime.
I really agree with this review and as my home park i do love this coaster but it is rough a little but I don’t mind it but it benefits the titan track to add so it stays smooth and if they fix the spiral lift a bit it would definitely go up by rating for I’m so glad for this review especially on my birthday thank you for the review and great video I love it.
happy birthday! 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you@@calamitycoasters2591
You're welcome.
I haven’t ridden this but it would be cool if RMC creates a coaster with a spiral lift either on their Hybrids or Single Rails both I think would look weird though
That would be interesting.
Did you get a chance to ride the reprogrammed to mamba and if you did will there be a re-review of it?
Yes to both.
This thing opened on my birthday, I need to go out and ride this.
Nice!
Canobie Coaster would say:
As I've already alluded to, this ride's pacing is great. Because this coaster stays low to the ground, you never slow down. You fly from one element to another. It also makes the low turns in the second half feel extra intense.
Now what about the smoothness? This is the one area I've seen Zambezi Zinger get quite a bit of flack. Everyone seems to agree the first half is very smooth. This includes the wood parts and the steel turnaround. However, many enthusiasts have noted that the second half...
See the review.
Rode the original many times as a preteen when I lived in KC from ‘82-‘83. It had a very distinct zip to it that just felt different from other coasters. I’ve also ridden The Wizzer at Great America many times but Zinger was always much better IMO. Haven’t ridden the new Zinger yet but my coaster friends who’ve ridden it say they just don’t get the hype.
I hope to ride the old Zinger someday at its new home to see.
I think they will fix the issues over the next two seasons, next season they will address the spiral lift/rain issue. And I bet they replace some turns in the second half with titan track eventually, in order to make it a true family coaster and reduce the roughness greatly. This is my home park and I love what they did. I just hope that they did this to better pad their family coaster collection before they give us a proper replacement for the Orient Express.
I think the lift issue is the top priority if they can do anything.
I have ridden the original Zinger and the new version, while I do prefer the original due to nostalgia bias, this is a worthy successor. The original could feel pretty stop and go at times as it seemed to slow down a lot at the top of its hills, but then knock you out of your seat with another good drop into a winding turn. This one is go, go, go all the way. Neither of these are bad things.
I do like the pacing on this ride.
dude before i watch the video im going to say the back row ride at the end of the day on a 100 degree day was insane, extremely forceful. It hurt a bit too much for me to really be excited about it. I am upset my home park did not get a giga or a dive coaster but just another woodie. i am excited to see what you think.
Dude be glad you got a new coaster there’s no way you haven’t gotten one in like 15 years and you’re expecting a giga
@@WCfanboy fair enough. Could be worse.
Glad it ran better on a very warm day!
Do you prefer Infinity Flyer trains, Millennium Flyer trains, or Timberliner trains? How would you compare between those wooden coaster trains in terms of comfort and restraints?
Millennium Flyers are my favorite. Infinity Flyers are my least favorite.
Awesome Coaster
It's fun.
I’ve heard this ride runs rough, which is disappointing for a new GCI
It's definitely tougher than a new coaster should be. It's not unrideable, but Mystic Timbers is still smoother, despite being much older.
Especially given that part of the purpose of the Titan track sections is to keep the track smooth.
The low to the ground sections just don't give the track much room to move, so it doesn't have that dampening effect. They'll probably keep that in mind for future coasters
It's tolerable, but the turns are shakier than expected for a new GCI.
My home park- This thing was received well locally. Always long lines! Didn't ride near as smoothly as I hoped, and I'm worried about how it will age. Feels like they should've gone full titan track? Not sure. Hoping the new merger between 6Flags and CF pumps some extra cash into this place before the 2026 world cup games taking place a short drive down the road.
Hopefully they get their next coaster faster.
Yeah, fingers crossed that merger doesn't leave some of these smaller parks out to dry@@CanobieCoaster
I might have caught it on a bad day. I would say that the 2nd half was brutally rough, especially in the front. Plus, the only airtime in either the front or back row was just a smidge of floater a couple times in the back row. I rode it within it's first month, so the extreme roughness was a big turnoff, and I couldn't enjoy the rapid transitions. I greatly prefer Whizzer to it. I currently would give Zambezi Zinger a 4 out of 10. But that's after only 2 rides, back then front, which I lucked into, since they had strict assigned seating that day. I plan to head back there this month, and I'll give it another shot.
It definitely doesn't have much airtime, but the pacing and lats delivered.
The Infinity Flyers have been pretty disappointing. I was hoping that they could *finally* fix the issue of the lapbar lowering throughout the ride which has always plagued Millenium Flyers, or at the very least be more comfortable, but they somehow made the lowering even worse, and they aren’t any more comfortable. Ride seems solid other than that though. It’s clearly sort of a prototype, and I’m sure it’ll improve over time. The roughness was also probably just bad luck. I really like GCI’s take on a family coaster, focusing on quick transitions and laterals. I think that was intentional to help separate them from Gravity Group’s family coasters, which are largely just mini air time machines.
I hope they can lock the bars on future Infinity Flyers.
Canobie Coaster would say:
So what would I rate the new Zambezi Zinger? I would give this coaster a 7 out of 10. This is a fun wood coaster. I absolutely love the terrain use. This keeps much of the layout hidden, which accentuates the directional changes, many of which offer nice laterals. And the low-to-the-ground nature give this coaster really good pacing. The biggest con with this coaster is the lack of airtime. It's weird to see a wood coaster, especially one from GCI, that is so deficient in that area. It's not a dealbreaker for me by any means, but I would have been nice to see some more airtime incorporated into the hills.
So is this better than the original Zambezi Zinger? Unfortunately, I can not answer that, as I never rode the original at either home. I will say that I much prefer this Zambezi Zinger to...
See the review.
Do you prefer Infinity Flyer trains or Timberliners?
New trains are definitely a downgrade
Timberliners & Millennium Flyers are great. Infinity Flyers get a thumbs down from me.
No
5:45 I feel like adding a strip of sandpaper like substance to the metal slat that the friction wheels on the lift hill grab. That way you're not relying on only the friction of the wheels.
I wonder if they'll be able to do anything.
In reality, I doubt it. I've always assumed it was one of the reasons they put Hulk's launch in a tunnel. Another thing they could maybe do is keeping the wheels running 24/7. I don't think they'd stay wet long if they are spinning. Unless it's raining still. You'd think 5 minutes of running after the rain would dry them out. Maybe a bristle/broom material the wheels contact in their spinning? On the opposite side of the radius they contact the train. @@CanobieCoaster
The vehicles look incredibly crammed if you have slightly long legs... is that the case, does it feel like that on-ride, too?
I didn't have an issue with leg room, but the bars will come down tight.
I rode this in early July, and your review sums up my experience to a T. The two things I remember the most are the agressive turns near the end, and the fact that the lap bar stapled me at the bottom of the first drop and pinned my thighs the rest of the ride. Good layout, bad trains IMO. I hate hydraulic restraints. They're too unforgiving.
I hope they adjust future Infinity Flyers.
I'm waiting for a review you would do about Prowler
It's out now.
I assume you prefer Prowler, but how does Zinger compare to Mamba for you?
I prefer Mamba to both.
I think the Infinity Flyers have a higher class restraint than the millenium flyers. GCI talks about them have a class 5 restraint meaning it can do ejector airtime past -0.2gs while I think to that on the millenium flyers a seat belt is nesseary. GCI coasters can can do without seat belts but no ejector airtime. The seat belts are the redundant restraint and on the Infinity flyers it has dual redundant hydraulic restraints
Makes sense about the seatbelts on the Millennium Flyers.
Can someone please bring back the cuddle cars on coasters, it's the best thing for dates, and in my case both me and my partner are enthusiats so the idea of increasingly intense rides utilising an excise to cuddle is amazing, but no ride designers seem to care anymore
A few still exist like Mack bobsleds and some old Schwarzkopfs, but they're getting rare.
@@CanobieCoaster one of my motivations to take my partner to blackpool was to cuddle him on Avalanche (mack bobsled), they're great it's just annoying it's considered a retro feature
👏👏👏
Congrats on the new ride!
I will always respect the original zinger but anybody with half a brain and experience at the park would gladly admit they would rather have the Orient Express Resurrected. The fact that they chose the Zinger instead of the Orient speaks volumes. HAVING SAID THAT, I LOVE how low to the ground the zinger is. This essentially makes it a more fun ride
The park needed another family coaster, so I agree with the decision to resurrect Zinger.
Thry should just have a button that spins the tires very quick to spin all the water off of them. They would be dry in seconds.
I wish.
Awesome coaster but I still think prowler is better. Still got 15 rides on this
I prefer Prowler too.
The new one looks great, but they were absolute morons to close this. I just watched a pov of the relocated original Zambezi Zinger, and it looks absolutely AMAZING. They did a lot with terrain and it really looks just as good as this one. I still can’t believe they replaced the original with a boomerang…
It's unfortunate they couldn't have kept the old one.
This coaster has an AMAZING layout but the downsides stop me from riding which is the restraints and the roughness. The restraints are super tight which removes all airtime and by the end I’m begging to be let off by how tight they because throughout the ride. The coaster is smooth but after the steel turnaround when it switches back to wood I get violently shook and the bank turn after make it worse. I hope worlds of fun and GCI change the entire track to steel and at least change to restraints to not be as tight as if they do this might be the best coaster in the park
The restraints are tight, but fortunately it isn't too airtime centric.
elvis presley coaster or is that
Zippin Pippin is the Elvis coaster.
@@CanobieCoaster sorry i thought this was it
Zambezi zinger still exists at parque del cafe in Columbia so it still exists
It's spelled Colombia.
@@ericthomason8463 it’s not 😐
@@Thelightning1out It actually is, I just looked it up and it says 'Colombia'
@@360coasters I’m American so we say it columbia
@@Thelightning1out oh sorry, I didn't realise it was spelt differently.
I wasnt a fan. It was ok but I liked Prowler and even Timberwolf more in the park in terms of its woodies.
Boy is this gonna age poorly given how its kind of rough even now
I also greatly prefer Timber Wolf. That's my # 4 coaster in the park, and I thought Zinger would top it, but not even close.
I definitely prefer Prowler, but I do prefer this to Timber Wolf.
mmmm
It's fun.
That’s not good this is already shaky
I find it tolerable, but it is shakier than I'd expect for a new GCI.
I HATE GCis, cCis bettre
Thank you
I like both.
@@CanobieCoaster ONLY gcI I have RIDEN IS LITning racer,, Cci i hAve ridden is Great wite and bolder Dash. both are better GCI FORCLESS
It is rough.
I found it tolerable.