Talon - Dorney Park (PA)

Date Ridden: Summer of 2008. Times Ridden: 3 with the best ride being in the front seat.

Talon, an inverted coaster located in Allentown, is among the most underrated coasters built by famous coaster designers Bolliger and Mabillard. When talking about inverts, most coaster enthusiasts start with Montu down in Florida and progress on to the gigantic Alpengeist in Virginia and Raptor in Sandusky, OH. However, Talon holds its own with each of those mentioned above and even has some elements that the staff at Coaster Reviews actually think are better.

To begin with, it is silky smooth with not one single instance of uncomfortableness. The twisting drop is wonderful, particularly when taken in the front seat as the train drops and seems to actually skim the ground. The inversions are taken fast and quick with the zero-G rolls being the best elements on the ride. Most inverts offer a cobra roll which is by far my least favorite inversion. Talon does not have one including an extra loop and high speed helix instead along with an Immelman maneuver as well.

The color scheme is bright and easy to see from most areas of the park and the ride is very popular. Dorney also does a good job of running two trains which keeps the line moving quickly.

On my first to visit to the park, I was looking forward to riding some of the other coasters but Talon really blew me away. Despite limited time, we jumped back in line and waited a little extra on the front seat. It was fun with an unobstructed view and the feeling of the wind hitting you in your face. Despite many enthusiasts views to the contrary, I found it to be a unique experience with a different layout from B and M's other inverted creations. This is a very strong ride at a park with a number of really fun and different coasters including the massive and smooth Steel Force, and the compact floorless Hydra. I found Dorney to be an outstanding park. Obviously, Talon was one of the reason why.

Overall Score - 9

Ride Talon below.