Yahoo News I'm a thrill-seeker and took on Thorpe Park's newest rollercoaster Hyperia
If you're on the hunt for summer weekend plans, the Digital Spy team has plenty of fun recommendations – from exciting new rides at some of the country's leading theme parks to the best film and tv tours and even where to find cheap cinema tickets.
And if you're a thrill-seeker, Thorpe Park has got just the thing for you this summer as it has opened its first rollercoaster since the launch of Swarm over 10 years ago.
The new ride Hyperia is Thorpe Park's and the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster, measuring 236ft tall (beating Stealth by 31ft) and will reach speeds exceeding 80mph. I took on this new and exciting ride ahead of its opening today (Friday, May 24) to see just how thrilling it was.
Related: How to buy a Merlin annual pass for Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Legoland and more days out
As I waited in line and watched the coaster zip round the track, it was hard to work out its route after the initial drop – but all that did was fuel my excitement for a new adrenaline filled experience.
We took our seats in row four – which was perfect as I wasn't sure I was ultimately ready to take on the full experience right at the front – and the first thing that caught me off guard was that there were no shoulder restraints. Instead, the lap bar held you firmly in your seat, which Thorpe Park describes as "offering the highest rider safety and comfort – plus it'll maximise your sense of weightlessness".
For those who are unsure of its effectiveness or who wish to try before they fly, there's a test seat available at the ride entrance.
In what felt like the longest ascension on a ride, our cars steadily climbed towards Hyperia's first drop and its highest peak. And right before that exhilarating dive, you get a split-second glimpse of the sky and Thorpe Lakes before being dropped almost vertically towards the ground and flung around 995m of track.
The lap bar held me firmly in my seat but also offered a sense of weightlessness and flying through the air – something that riders wouldn't be able to experience with shoulder restraints. The secure lap restraint also meant that you don't get any of the fuzzy head banging between two bars like you do on some of the other coasters – but you'll still need to keep your head back.
Before I knew it, we were twisted round the track and into our next loop, then another twist and looped to the left facing the park, before being flown into a larger loop that literally leaves you dangling upside down in the air for a good few seconds, and quickly became one of my favourite parts of the ride.
Finally, there's one more twist to zip you around the track before returning you back to the start.
Hyperia turns thrill-seekers upside down three times, including the initial dive loop. The attraction also includes a splashdown element over a lake, but you're unlikely to get wet.
If, like me, you enjoy the thrilling vertical drop of Saw – The Ride and the head-rushing speed of Stealth, then Hyperia helps bridge the two to create a one-of-a-kind ride that's worth a return trip to the park. It ranks as the top ride at Thorpe Park for me, followed by Stealth, Colossus and Saw – The Ride.
I can confidently say that Hyperia lives up to its name.
Tickets to Thorpe Park start from £29 if booked in advance online, or £66 at the gate. Alternatively, adrenaline junkies can purchase a Merlin annual pass from as little as £79 in a flash sale which ends on May 26, giving you entry and exclusive discounts at the best Merlin attractions across the UK.
Hyperia opens to the public at Thorpe Park today (Friday, May 24).
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