Swamp Fox: A Coaster Review Unlike Any Other Upon boarding the wonderful buzz bar PTC trains, one takes notice as to how much room one has for airtime on this ride (especially when you purposefully loosen your seatbelt, or sit with a massive human being). Following a slightly downward angled 180 degree right hand turn out of the classic station, one traverses the prelift section of this incredibly underrated coaster which consists of flatness and a slight left turn to prepare its riders for the lift hill. During this section one already begins to notice the roughness of this coaster on wheel seats. Having ridden about half the time on a middle row in each car and the other half on a wheel seat, after 25 rides I am certain that non-wheel seats are the place to sit on this ride. The lift hill that awaits is as uneventful as any other; though the view one receives is relatively nice of the Myrtle Beach boardwalk and other attractions. Once one reaches the top of the moderately sized hill, the train slows down a bit as it begins to crest into the small predrop. Once the butt of the train passes the prelift, the train is already traveling at a moderate speed which makes for an excellent ejector airtime moment in the back rows, which, like every moment on this ride, is elevated due to the very open restraints. Every row on this ride will produce a bunch of positive Gs at the bottom of this drop. Towards the back rows I found my hands (which are always rightfully up as I ride) pushed down into the poor riders in front of me. The hill that immediately follows the drop finds its front row riders propelled out their seats - and if you're a twig like me, you'll be standing. Back row riders will also be propelled out of their seats during the latter half of this hill - where the on-ride photo is taken. How cool is it that one can purchase an on-ride photo of themselves experiencing insane standing airtime? The next hill is just like the first - insane standing air, especially towards the front. Smell a theme? It's about to get even crazier... after we traverse this hill turnaround, which does have another excellent pop of standing airtime in the front rows. The turnaround produces minimal laterals, and does ruin a bit of the great pacing this ride began to have. But the way I mostly see this turnaround: A breather before the second best section of any coaster I've been on (the first being Maverick's back-to-back stengel dives followed by the airtime hill). The drop out of the turnaround produces outSTANDING airtime in the back rows (very punny indeed). The next segment: Two double ups, back to back. The first "up" in the first double up produced not only outstanding airtime, but also a "holy shit" from me in my POV on UA-cam (which I will attach to this post that you should all totally check out (also subscribe pls and thx)). It is at this moment I usually gave a "rock on dude" sign to the bros out there in the station, as I am standing and happy as ever. Around this point in the ride, if one sits on a wheel seat, especially towards the back, you'll get a good bit of roughness. It's completely tolerable, but it's something that would keep me away from riding multiple times in those rows. The end of that double up produces another excellent moment in every row, followed by some strong positive Gs in the valley before the second double up. This next double up isn't as great as the first, but it still produces excellent standing air in the front. The final airtime hill on the ride didn't even throw me out of my seat in the front, but it sure will in the back on the way down. The final rise up on Swamp Fox leads into a high speed turn which provides an excellent slam of strong laterals, which is sustained for several seconds. When one sits on the left side of the train, you might as well be leaning on the person on the right because golly - these are some awesome laterals. I was totally leaning on this blondie around my age on one ride. She and her friends were discussing how they rode "the Fury" and how this was a piece of cake. I disagree, as Swamp Fox is a whole lot more scary than Millennium Force and Diamondback combined, with all of Swamp Fox's standing airtime, one just wants to hold onto their restraint for the whole ride out of intimidation - but not me. When one sits on the right side, and their hands are up like me, one finds themselves afraid that their hands will hit the wood supports to their right as they are exceptionally close to the track at this point in the ride. Following that excellent turn, Swamp Fox's riders do a little squiggly turn that doubles as a classic brake run as they enter the station. Swamp Fox is my number one wooden coaster, beating out rides such as Mystic Timbers, Shivering Timbers, and of course, Beast.
Awesome roller coaster, very underrated. The best overall designed John Allen coaster in my opinion. Day rides are great, but at night time with the track lights on is even better! A truly classic wooden roller coaster.
I love this coaster. It was my first big roller coaster. I have ridden 50 coasters, and it is still in my top 10. I ride this every time time I go to Myrtle Beach.
I totally agree this is an underrated one. This definitely was the roughest coaster I’ve ridden but can’t stop me from marathoning! Also worth noting, Swamp Fox was retracked for the 2023 season and is a very smooth ride from my 2023 experience.
@RollyCoaster, The 1st hill was kind of weak but the rises into the two turnarounds still had amazing airtime in the front, and the drop down the 1st hill in the back gave some good standing airtime.
Coaster Cast you MUST NOT sit on the wheel seats or else it is rough. I find front row to be the best, but back row is great too. It is a lot rougher back there, but it's worth it for the air!
For me, this is a top 15 coaster. In the back row, that one hill towards the end (I nickname it the Middle of the 3 Bumps hill) gives some Skyrush level ejector airtime. Honestly I 150% agree that this ride is criminally underrated; we can both agree on that this is the Phoenix of the Southeast?
Welcome to the Swamp Fox club, everyone ignores the coaster, I think it's great for what it is, but you definitely say way to much about it. No, you do get "standing" airtime on every Hill
Rolly Coaster Oh yeah without a dought. Phoenix and Twister were down at Knoebels (Storms) when I went :/ Swamp Fox is definitely an alternative to no look pass.
Rolly Coaster go watch the bobsled pov at little amerikka. The person you hear is someone I've been talking to on discord servers for awhile and he took the opportunity to make fun of Blobb Alvey's commentating. Some of the funniest shit I've heard in a long time.
Swamp Fox: A Coaster Review Unlike Any Other
Upon boarding the wonderful buzz bar PTC trains, one takes notice as to how much room one has for airtime on this ride (especially when you purposefully loosen your seatbelt, or sit with a massive human being). Following a slightly downward angled 180 degree right hand turn out of the classic station, one traverses the prelift section of this incredibly underrated coaster which consists of flatness and a slight left turn to prepare its riders for the lift hill. During this section one already begins to notice the roughness of this coaster on wheel seats. Having ridden about half the time on a middle row in each car and the other half on a wheel seat, after 25 rides I am certain that non-wheel seats are the place to sit on this ride.
The lift hill that awaits is as uneventful as any other; though the view one receives is relatively nice of the Myrtle Beach boardwalk and other attractions. Once one reaches the top of the moderately sized hill, the train slows down a bit as it begins to crest into the small predrop. Once the butt of the train passes the prelift, the train is already traveling at a moderate speed which makes for an excellent ejector airtime moment in the back rows, which, like every moment on this ride, is elevated due to the very open restraints. Every row on this ride will produce a bunch of positive Gs at the bottom of this drop. Towards the back rows I found my hands (which are always rightfully up as I ride) pushed down into the poor riders in front of me.
The hill that immediately follows the drop finds its front row riders propelled out their seats - and if you're a twig like me, you'll be standing. Back row riders will also be propelled out of their seats during the latter half of this hill - where the on-ride photo is taken. How cool is it that one can purchase an on-ride photo of themselves experiencing insane standing airtime? The next hill is just like the first - insane standing air, especially towards the front. Smell a theme? It's about to get even crazier... after we traverse this hill turnaround, which does have another excellent pop of standing airtime in the front rows. The turnaround produces minimal laterals, and does ruin a bit of the great pacing this ride began to have. But the way I mostly see this turnaround: A breather before the second best section of any coaster I've been on (the first being Maverick's back-to-back stengel dives followed by the airtime hill).
The drop out of the turnaround produces outSTANDING airtime in the back rows (very punny indeed). The next segment: Two double ups, back to back. The first "up" in the first double up produced not only outstanding airtime, but also a "holy shit" from me in my POV on UA-cam (which I will attach to this post that you should all totally check out (also subscribe pls and thx)). It is at this moment I usually gave a "rock on dude" sign to the bros out there in the station, as I am standing and happy as ever. Around this point in the ride, if one sits on a wheel seat, especially towards the back, you'll get a good bit of roughness. It's completely tolerable, but it's something that would keep me away from riding multiple times in those rows. The end of that double up produces another excellent moment in every row, followed by some strong positive Gs in the valley before the second double up. This next double up isn't as great as the first, but it still produces excellent standing air in the front. The final airtime hill on the ride didn't even throw me out of my seat in the front, but it sure will in the back on the way down.
The final rise up on Swamp Fox leads into a high speed turn which provides an excellent slam of strong laterals, which is sustained for several seconds. When one sits on the left side of the train, you might as well be leaning on the person on the right because golly - these are some awesome laterals. I was totally leaning on this blondie around my age on one ride. She and her friends were discussing how they rode "the Fury" and how this was a piece of cake. I disagree, as Swamp Fox is a whole lot more scary than Millennium Force and Diamondback combined, with all of Swamp Fox's standing airtime, one just wants to hold onto their restraint for the whole ride out of intimidation - but not me. When one sits on the right side, and their hands are up like me, one finds themselves afraid that their hands will hit the wood supports to their right as they are exceptionally close to the track at this point in the ride. Following that excellent turn, Swamp Fox's riders do a little squiggly turn that doubles as a classic brake run as they enter the station.
Swamp Fox is my number one wooden coaster, beating out rides such as Mystic Timbers, Shivering Timbers, and of course, Beast.
Awesome roller coaster, very underrated. The best overall designed John Allen coaster in my opinion. Day rides are great, but at night time with the track lights on is even better! A truly classic wooden roller coaster.
I love this coaster. It was my first big roller coaster. I have ridden 50 coasters, and it is still in my top 10. I ride this every time time I go to Myrtle Beach.
I've never heard a review of this ride but after reading the description and watching the POV... HOLY CRAP THIS LOOKS GREAT!
Bennett Veith thank you sir
I totally agree this is an underrated one. This definitely was the roughest coaster I’ve ridden but can’t stop me from marathoning! Also worth noting, Swamp Fox was retracked for the 2023 season and is a very smooth ride from my 2023 experience.
Good to hear! Is the airtime still as good as it was in 2017 I wonder??
@RollyCoaster, The 1st hill was kind of weak but the rises into the two turnarounds still had amazing airtime in the front, and the drop down the 1st hill in the back gave some good standing airtime.
I'll be going on this during Spring Break of 2018. I'm exited after that description!
Coaster Cast you MUST NOT sit on the wheel seats or else it is rough. I find front row to be the best, but back row is great too. It is a lot rougher back there, but it's worth it for the air!
Back row gives an INSANE SUSTAINED EJECTOR AIRTIME HILL at 1:38
Don't be excited Ryan
For me, this is a top 15 coaster. In the back row, that one hill towards the end (I nickname it the Middle of the 3 Bumps hill) gives some Skyrush level ejector airtime. Honestly I 150% agree that this ride is criminally underrated; we can both agree on that this is the Phoenix of the Southeast?
Kw6sTheater Yes
Is it in your top 10
Kw6sTheater Read the description. It ranks #4 for me above Mystic Timbers and below Millennium
Rolly Coaster WHOAH I NEVER EXPECTED A FIFTY YEAR OLD WOODY TO RANK IN THE TOP TEN OF PEOPLE
Kw6sTheater I always did. Coaster, Phoenix, this all are super good and deserve to be in top tebs
This and Cannon Ball are among the most underrated woodies.
“Oh my god”
Riding this today lol
I’m riding this soon
Wow even better than ST and MT? I've been on Phoenix and if it's similar to it like you said then I got to ride this!
CoasterCrab Standing airtime.
Welcome to the Swamp Fox club, everyone ignores the coaster, I think it's great for what it is, but you definitely say way to much about it. No, you do get "standing" airtime on every Hill
Coaster Warriors It's like Phoenix just shorter. I was standing on every ride!
Rolly Coaster Oh yeah without a dought. Phoenix and Twister were down at Knoebels (Storms) when I went :/ Swamp Fox is definitely an alternative to no look pass.
Rolly Coaster ya but way shorter
I only got 1 moment of insane ejector air
Front row is the best row on this coaster
Coldplay 325 correct
Swamp Fox>Steel Vengeance
Bit of a stretch. Prompts to you for liking your own comment
viper at great America used to give standing airtime
Atleast now it is not as rough
Better than Robb Alvey
Did you mean, His Blobbieness?
Coaster Watch lies. Blobb Alvey is the best roller coaster commentator ever.
Rolly Coaster go watch the bobsled pov at little amerikka. The person you hear is someone I've been talking to on discord servers for awhile and he took the opportunity to make fun of Blobb Alvey's commentating. Some of the funniest shit I've heard in a long time.
Rolly Coaster sorry toboggan not bobsled