Blasting Off: ArieForce One Opens at Fun Spot America Atlanta

ArieForce One is now open at Fun Spot America Atlanta. Yesterday, I had the chance to preview the ride before its grand debut, and I’m still processing everything this coaster packs into its layout.

ArieForce One was formally announced in November 2021 with an anticipated opening in 2022. However, a slew of delays pushed that date back to 2023. But the wait was so worth it.

Let’s dive in.

The coaster’s name honors John Arie, Sr., an amusement industry veteran who opened the first Fun Spot park in Orlando in 1998 (he was also on hand for the opening ceremony).

Arie Force One Stats

Height: 154 feet
Drop: 146 feet
Speed: 64 mph
Length: 3,400 feet
Inversions: 4

Much of the queue is situated under the coaster’s station. I was surprised to see a bit of theming. You can tell that the from the coaster’s overall presentation that it takes pride in this coaster.

The station is spacious and decorated with flight- and space-inspired banners.

The trains are fittingly plane-themed with a faux control panel on the back of the zero car.

The restraints include RMC’s signature lap bars and shin guards (you’ll be thankful for both).

Time to take off.

As with other RMC coasters, the fun starts before the lift hill.

ArieForce One treats us to two small bunny hop hills that are largely shrouded in the coaster’s white scaffolding-style support structure. Riders seated in the back in particular will be treated to mild-yet-still-giggly pops of airtime.

The 20-seat, five-car train begins its climb up the lift hill that stretches 154 feet into the sky.

I’m treated to a beautiful of the (almost) green tree canopy that blankets the Atlanta metro.

The peace and serenity is short-lived as the train crests the 15-story peak, giving the brave souls seated in the front row a look at the 83-degree, 146-foot drop.

The train lurches down. Those of us in the back of the train leave our seats as we plummet back toward Earth.

As the coaster enters its first version, a dive loop named the “Raven Truss Dive,” the track banks slightly to the right before whipping back to the left before inverting and diving.

The transition is glass-smooth.

Unlike the forthcoming zero-G stall, there is no hang-time on this inversion.

The train exits the Raven Truss Dive having lost no energy.

A small airtime hill proceeds the Raven Truss Dive.

The airtime is quick but so satisfying.

That airtime hill leads into ArieForce One’s record-breaking achievement — the world’s largest Zero-G stall.

I quickly became accustomed to seeing the surrounding tree canopy upside down. I remained upside down for two seconds, although it felt much longer. My seat and I didn’t touch.

Sure, other RMC coasters have zero-G stalls. But there was something special about this one. I’ve never been more thankful for RMC’s lap-bar (and shin) restraints.

The zero-G stall leads into another one of my favorite elements — the towering outward-banked airtime hill. No matter how many of these I experience, they’re still so fun and bewildering.

This is not a first-of-its-kind element.

But it’s one of my favorite types of RMC elements, and the speed at which the train flies over the hill makes it so memorable.

The train then moves into the second half of ArieForce One’s layout. This is where the RMC’s famous ejector airtime goes full throttle.

The double-up element that follows throws me a double-scoop of airtime as we fly over the park’s midway.

I can’t stop laughing — this ride is so exhilaratingly entertaining.

The drop following the double-up leads to ArieForce One’s third inversion.

That inversion is a barrel roll that crosses over an arcade structure.

This is the underdog element of ArieForce One. The train comes so close to the roof of the building that you can feel the heat from the sun reflecting off of the metal roof.

I heard many riders refer to it as the “arcade roll,” which I fully endorse.

Another, albeit much smaller, outward-banked airtime hill leads into a 180-degree, ground-hugging turn toward the next and final inversion. I was surprised at how forceful that turn was — I was seeing stars on my first ride.

The pacing is still relentless.

The final inversion is dubbed a “corked roll,” which is more or less a barrel roll.

That transitions into a brief climb into an airtime hill before entering the coaster’s final track, its quad down — four consecutive drops.

The airtime is fierce — your shins will become very familiar with the shin guards.

I couldn’t help but laugh my way through all four drops — it’s that fun.

Following the quad down, the train enters one last brief climb as it enters the brake run, which seems like one of the shortest in existence. But it confirms that no track is wasted on this coaster.

Though short, the brake run gives me time to gather my thoughts and process what all just happened.

The train makes a 90-degree turn back into the station.

ArieForce One is a coaster that demands multiple rides to appreciate everything that is packed into its 100-second ride time. No inch of track is wasted. There is airtime or some other crazy force squeezed into every second.

This coaster is no doubt a turning point and game-changer for Fun Spot America Atlanta. I hope that it also encourages other similarly-sized parks to consider building their own monster RMC coasters.

The world could certainly use more of them.

Owner and CEO of Fun Spot Theme Parks, John Arie, Jr.

Lastly, I can’t speak highly enough of the ArieForce One media event — the staff was so welcoming, accommodating and friendly. I’ve been to many of these types of events over the years, and this one was certainly one of the best.

The park even invited former pilot and NASA astronaut Doug Hurley to help open the coaster — that’s commitment to the theme.