Last year we visited Flamingo Land for the first time and were taken aback by just how unnerving Mumbo Jumbo really is. I always felt The Big One was the UK’s scariest rollercoaster but I certainly beg to differ after this visit. But let me explain to why? Of course, this is all down to personal preferences and what scares you. After all, it would be boring if we all thought the same.
The Restraints:
If you remember Slammer at Thorpe Park these restraints are similar. There’s a small bar that comes across your lap and small shoulder restraints that just touch your shoulders. To look at them you instantly think how is this even going to work given the angles and drops we are about to experience? Oddly enough they become the last of my worries.
The Odd Looking Layout Off-Ride:
The walk up to this coaster it became inevitably more confusing to look at. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The steep drops, questionable bank turns and angles. There are a lot of things that quite honestly blew my mind when I saw it for the first time in person. It takes a lot for me to feel apprehensive when trying new coasters and this was one of those times. I kept looking at the layout wondering what have I let myself in for.
Drops & Banking:
They are so unusual it’s quite tricky to explain. It’s quite amazing how the angles are achieved on the layout for sure. On the ride, I feel the most surreal moment is the drop and that inversion where you’re basically upside down for a little while. With those tiny restraints I mentioned above it is a real out-of-body experience in my opinion. It feels ferocious and terrifying all at once yet there’s such a huge amount of fun too. But once you see it if you haven’t already you’ll understand what I mean about how rather different let’s say these moments are.
Why Is This Ride So Scary To Me?
For me, the tiny restraints incorporated with the steep drops and lengthy inversions with the oddly angled bank turns here & there all made the ride somewhat nerve-wracking. If you’ve done this kind of coaster before perhaps it wouldn’t phase you. But I’ve always seen photos and never anticipated to be quite the same in person. It’s those gut-wrenching moments of plunging down the first drop and not seeing the track which is part of the said drop that get me. It’s quite the experience to say the least. It’s fun nonetheless it’s just one of those coasters which took me off guard and gave me a sense of fear for the first time in a while.
Overall:
Mumbo Jumbo is brilliant. It’s not as rough or painful as you hear about. The layout is frightening but so fun with unique elements that you can’t find on any other UK coaster. It’s filled with adrenaline for sure. As I said above perhaps if you are someone who’s done this style of coaster before you’d not find it remotely scary. But I definitely did!
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What’s the scariest UK rollercoaster in your opinion?
Thank you so much for reading….