GET A GRIP!
Having just celebrated its 15th birthday (happy belated birthday Talon!), this custom Bolliger & Mabillard inverted coaster dishes out a decent amount of excitement without being completely overpowering.
It's the 7th longest and 9th fastest inverted coaster in the country, and while those stats aren't all that impressive, it still manages to generate a couple 'oh sh*t!' moments and hit a top speed of 58mph.
~Special ride elements~
*Loop
*Zero-G roll
*Immelman
*Corkscrew
While other notable inverted coasters are navigating batwings and cobra rolls, Talon takes a tamer route and instead opts for elevated turns and gentler maneuvers. There's an on-ride photo taken immediately preceding the 4th and final inversion (a corkscrew), as well as a terrific ground-hugging banked section following said flatspin that gets the train fully horizontal, in addition to some excellent positive G's.
For those that have ridden one of the myriad "Batmen" inverted coasters dotting the USA, you'd find that Talon delivers a far less ferocious ride. Four inversions isn't all that much, and upon returning to the station platform coaster fanatics may find themselves saying ".....wait, that was it??" Especially if you're accustomed to the intensity of BGW's Alpengeist or Universal Orlando's Dueling Dragons.
Talon is likely on par (thrills-wise) with Patriot and Silver Bullet at sister parks Worlds of Fun and Knotts Berry Farm, respectively (although I cannot confirm firsthand). To be honest, after a few rides in both the front and back rows I can't say that it cracks my Top Ten list for inverted coasters worldwide, considering that Nemesis and Black Mamba would ultimately rank.
Yeah, so maybe it's not the most extreme inverted coaster around, but it IS the perfect addition to the more easygoing nature of Dorney. It has a fun, catchy name and fits well in its location at the front of the park. A 2-train operation cranks through 64 riders per cycle, so wait times are either short or non-existent. Pretty basic color scheme, and no additional elements of themeing.
In short, Talon pales in comparison to Banshee (Kings Island), Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa), Raptor (Cedar Point), and Carowinds' Afterburn (nee Top Gun the Jet Coaster). Still, a highly enjoyable coaster credit. Ride in the front. read more