The Experience
Introduction
Avengers Assemble: Flight Force is a 2002 Vekoma LSM coaster at Disneyland Paris – Disney Adventure World, France. It opened as Rock 'n' Roller Coaster before being closed and ultimately rethemed to the Avengers in 2022. Since it is the only thrill coaster in the park, we were curious as to how well it would do, and ultimately, how it would compare to the other large, fully enclosed, launched Vekoma thrill coaster at the neighboring park.
Avengers (That's you), Assemble!
When Rock 'n' Roller Coaster originally opened, it was themed to the band Aerosmith and was already quite different from the original Florida version. Basically, you were helping Aerosmith create a revolutionary way of producing a new music video, of which you were the highlight.
The new Avengers version is a little more familiar, starring Tony Stark desperately looking for other Avengers to help him defend against alien missiles. When nobody is available, he turns to the brave heroes of... Disney Adventure World? But don't worry, incoming alien missiles are no problem for the average Disney adult, and with some help from Captain Marvel, we come out on top, saving the Earth from certain doom (or something like that).
It's a pretty stark contrast to the old ride, but having an entire coaster themed to Aerosmith - as cool as it is - might admittedly be a little outdated for the modern Disney crowd. Having a major coaster be themed to the Avengers really was a no-brainer.
The new Avengers version is a little more familiar, starring Tony Stark desperately looking for other Avengers to help him defend against alien missiles. When nobody is available, he turns to the brave heroes of... Disney Adventure World? But don't worry, incoming alien missiles are no problem for the average Disney adult, and with some help from Captain Marvel, we come out on top, saving the Earth from certain doom (or something like that).
It's a pretty stark contrast to the old ride, but having an entire coaster themed to Aerosmith - as cool as it is - might admittedly be a little outdated for the modern Disney crowd. Having a major coaster be themed to the Avengers really was a no-brainer.
Off We Go!
Avengers starts with a bang, as after taking our places inside our 'spaceship' - which looks suspiciously akin to a Vekoma coaster train - we launch straight into the darkness. This is quite a punchy launch and probably the most thrilling element found in the entire resort. We then fly straight into a somewhat rare Sea Serpent, which is a tall, double inversion. This, as well as the corkscrew taken not long after, is very intense when taken in the dark.
Somewhat surprisingly, Avengers also hits 5.0 Gs, which is probably on the elongated turn after the initial inversion. After the launch, initial inversions, and strong positive Gs, Avengers does let its foot off the gas somewhat, mostly performing turns and smaller dips, still made more exciting given how you can't see anything.
Somewhat surprisingly, Avengers also hits 5.0 Gs, which is probably on the elongated turn after the initial inversion. After the launch, initial inversions, and strong positive Gs, Avengers does let its foot off the gas somewhat, mostly performing turns and smaller dips, still made more exciting given how you can't see anything.
Battle of the Darkcoasters
So how does it actually compare to Hyperspace Mountain?
Well, first off, it's interesting to think that while Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain feels so much bigger because of the massive building sitting right in the center of Discoveryland, Avengers Assemble is actually the bigger ride, at least in terms of length and speed.
Avengers is also the more intense ride, mostly due to its initial launch, inversions, and highly intense first few turns. Hyperspace definitely has a more dynamic layout and much better flow throughout, whereas Avengers does start to feel a bit repetitive at the end with all the turns and lack of variation.
One thing Avengers does do better is representing its theme. Not only does it feature a very cool Iron Man animatronic, but the on-ride experience is also slightly better. Both utilize a few screens and a lot of different light effects, but the onboard audio really does shine through a lot more on this ride, boosting the excitement by quite a lot compared to Hyperspace.
Well, first off, it's interesting to think that while Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain feels so much bigger because of the massive building sitting right in the center of Discoveryland, Avengers Assemble is actually the bigger ride, at least in terms of length and speed.
Avengers is also the more intense ride, mostly due to its initial launch, inversions, and highly intense first few turns. Hyperspace definitely has a more dynamic layout and much better flow throughout, whereas Avengers does start to feel a bit repetitive at the end with all the turns and lack of variation.
One thing Avengers does do better is representing its theme. Not only does it feature a very cool Iron Man animatronic, but the on-ride experience is also slightly better. Both utilize a few screens and a lot of different light effects, but the onboard audio really does shine through a lot more on this ride, boosting the excitement by quite a lot compared to Hyperspace.
One Major Difference
Up to this point, the race is actually quite close, with both offering great experiences in terms of theming and layouts, but there is one major thing holding it back compared to Hyperspace, and that is the trains.
See, in 2017, Hyperspace got all-new trains from Vekoma, offering more comfortable seats and new vest restraints. This significantly boosted the overall experience and makes the ride more enjoyable, as you don't have to worry about headbanging or general discomfort.
This is not a luxury Avengers has. While it is by no means a rough coaster, the seats are vastly inferior to those on Hyperspace, being both more cramped and less comfortable, and of course, featuring the big over-the-shoulder restraints, ready to gently jab the side of your head should it come their way.
As reflected in the ride's score, this is by no means a ride-ruining problem, but giving it new trains would be a great way to even out the difference between these two sister coasters.
See, in 2017, Hyperspace got all-new trains from Vekoma, offering more comfortable seats and new vest restraints. This significantly boosted the overall experience and makes the ride more enjoyable, as you don't have to worry about headbanging or general discomfort.
This is not a luxury Avengers has. While it is by no means a rough coaster, the seats are vastly inferior to those on Hyperspace, being both more cramped and less comfortable, and of course, featuring the big over-the-shoulder restraints, ready to gently jab the side of your head should it come their way.
As reflected in the ride's score, this is by no means a ride-ruining problem, but giving it new trains would be a great way to even out the difference between these two sister coasters.
Conclusion
Avengers Assemble is a very good thrill coaster with great theming, a powerful launch, and intense inversions, all taken in complete darkness. Compared to Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain in the other park, this offers a more intense, though less complete, ride experience. It starts with a bang and does an overall better job at weaving its theme and IP into the on-ride experience, though the layout does fizzle out a bit towards the end, and the comfort is a lot worse than on its sister coaster. Overall, it is another great fully enclosed coaster at the Disneyland Paris resort, and while we do ponder over the inclusion of two coasters that are so similar, we most certainly aren't complaining.
Gallery
Avengers Assemble: Flight Force Gallery
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Strengths & Weaknesses
| We love a fully enclosed coaster | |
| Good theming | |
| Intense ride | |
| Onboard sound & special effects | |
| Some jarring transitions | |
| Uncomfotable trains & restraints |
Information
NameAvengers Assemble: Flight Force
Year2002
ParkLoading...
ManufacturerVekoma
ModelLSM Coaster
ScaleThrill
Ride Count3
Technical Specs
Specifications
Sit DownLaunchedSpaghetti BowlClonedLSMFully EnclosedOnboard Sound
TypeSteel
Length3267,7 ft
Height80,0 ft
Speed57,0 mph
Inversions3
G-Force5,0 G
Duration70 sec