Magnum XL-200 Up-Front Info
- Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 8
Extreme height and speed, lots of airtime - Coaster type: Out-and-back hypercoaster
- Top speed: 72 mph
- Height restriction: 48 inches
- Height: 205 feet
- First drop: 195 feet
- Ride time: 2:00 minutes
No Longer the Epitome of a Thrilling Coaster
The ride is fairly simple. It climbs 205 feet, drops a hair-raising 195 feet, and delivers a wallop of airtime as it climbs and then drops into a second huge hill. At the bottom of the second hill, it soars into a covered tunnel, makes a sweeping turnaround, and navigates a series of bunny hills that deliver constant bursts of airtime all the way back to the station.
Its location along the banks of Lake Erie adds to the drama. The view as Magnum climbs its lift hill, drops, and careens into its turnaround is breathtaking with the lake's blue water sparkling. And a couple of other covered sections of track, including one near the end of the ride, keep the suspense going.
Magnum Earns its Stars
But Magnum has lost more than its thrill cachet. It hasn't aged gracefully and can be rough in spots--especially compared to some of the newer super-smooth coasters. Depending on the time of day and other conditions, a ride on the steel Magnum can almost feel like a wooden coaster. Its train roars over a hill knocking its passengers side-to-side, goes airborne and thuds as the upstop wheels engage, and then--kerplunk!--slams down as the positive G-forces kick in.
Because of its comparative roughness, I thought about downgrading Magnum's overall rating to 3.5 stars, but it occupies such an important place in coaster history, it easily earns another half of a star. There would be no silky smooth hypercoasters were it not for the pioneering Magnum.
