Thoughts on Megafobia and Oakwood

Ah, Wales. The country I grew up in. Even though I was born and raised in South East Wales, it was lush taking a week long trip to West Wales with my family.

I know Oakwood gets stick for being a long way from most places in the UK but it really is worth the trek. It took 4 hours of travelling to get from Gloucestershire to Tenby (where we stayed) and it absolutely pissed down the entire journey. Okay, we didn’t go exclusively for Oakwood but for me, that was the day I was most looking forward to. Throughout most of the week we took trips around Tenby but we also got to explore 2 parks. These were Folly Farm and Oakwood. I won’t say too much about Folly Farm as this blog is mainly my thoughts on Megafobia and Oakwood but I have to say, if you are in the area I would highly recommend it. There’s animals, a petting area and the vintage fun fair is absolutely incredible. Rides are an extra charge but at £15 entry and 50p-£1 a ride, I don’t think that’s bad at all. The Waltzer is extra spicy too. Got some wicked spins on it.

Now Oakwood is a park I’ve only been to once before and that was for a Mcfly concert when I was in my teens. Back then I was scared shitless of big rides so didn’t get on anything. It was also pretty run down back then. This time was a different story. The park itself is beautiful and has comfortably made it to my second favourite park in the UK. They have some kick ass rides such as Spooky 3D, ‘Treetops’ which is an amazing family coaster based in the woods (it’s got Th13teen vibes), Witch Hunt (scare maze) and the Creepy Crawler roller coaster but the main attraction for me was Megafobia. I was expecting a huge bumpy mess of a coaster but it exceeded all expectations. The seats and restraints were surprisingly comfortable. They use a bright orange lap bar and seat belt. I personally had a massive brain fart whilst boarding for the first time and momentarily forgot how to fasten a seatbelt. It wasn’t one of my finest moments.

So the ride itself is an absolute beast from the first drop and hardly loses momentum. Okay, it slows for one of the turnaround sections but it gives you a moment of suspense before another drop. I have to say, it’s packed with airtime and after rain It feels out of control. I did manage a few rides on it and it speeds up A LOT at the end of the day. I won’t spoil the layout but it’s essentially airtime all the way round and that first drop is spectacular. The only negative I can find is the jolt that occurs during the last slightly banked turn. It’s not painful but does bash you into your co-rider.

As rankings go, it is currently my number 3 with only Nemesis and Wicker Man in front. I’m well aware that Megafobia is a superior coaster to Wicker Man but I rate it on levels of fun, not airtime or inversions. In all fairness, my top 3 are incredibly close to each other and may even swap around from time to time. If Megafobia had Wicker Man’s theming it would easily be my number 1 coaster but in terms of immersion and fun, it just misses out. It’s essentially the Nemesis of woodies and offers so much but apart from a thrilling experience it lacks immersion. I’m still buzzing from this coaster and I highly recommend you get to west Wales and check it out.

Luke