The lift-hill of Desert Storm
Two very strange loopsthe first for its immense positive Gs Chain lift

Castles n' Coasters, Phoenix, Arizona

Desert Storm

POV
Ride it: back row POV
Back row
Back row
What riders love
  • I'd say ride in the back, because this thing will drag and yank you through every element that way and the first drop was awesome in the back.
  • The drop has super violent laterals in the backrow.
  • The first drop, head choppers, pretty decent laterals, intense yet smooth ride experience made this a very high-ranking ride when I first rode it.
  • The two inversions are both fairly unique, and incredibly fun.
  • This ride is quirky to say the least the loops have some great positive gs and there’s some good laterals as well.
  • It starts with a decent first drop and goes into two loops. That part is super fun.
  • Certainly a little janky, but in this case I think it actually helped the ride, the jank gave it character.
  • It is rough and janky, but I think that adds to it.
  • It has some incredibly janky moments, but it also is a lot of fun.
Desert Storm Watch Performance Should I ride it? Specifications Reviews Planning History

Watch POVs and more

Desert Storm front seat on-ride HD POV Castles n' Coasters

youtube.com › CoasterForce

Desert Storm horizon leveled back seat on-ride backwards HD POV Castles N' Coasters

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Desert Storm POV HD 4k at Castles n' Coasters

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Desert Storm off-ride HD Castles n' Coasters

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Desert Storm Review Castles n' Coasters HD 60fps

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Desert Storm REVIEW - Funky Double Looping Roller Coaster at Castles N' Coasters - RREC ep. 59

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Desert Storm Review | Castles N' Coasters 2021

youtube.com › CoasterVisions

The Desert Storm

youtube.com › Castles N' Coasters

Desert Storm

youtube.com › Castles N' Coasters

Performance

Vs. other coasters at Castles n' Coasters

The first drop, head choppers, pretty decent laterals, intense yet smooth ride experience made this a very high-ranking ride when I first rode it.

Reed Dutton

Certainly a little janky, but in this case I think it actually helped the ride, the jank gave it character.

Michael Wiley

The jank elevates an otherwise standard smallish looper into something memorable and fun.

Evangelion Martini

Fantastic positive Gs and some of the strongest, most bizarre laterals on any steel coaster.

Kittyhat

Desert Storm is extremely aggressive.

Nathan F

Sure, the intense elements are nice, but this ride needs over-the-shoulders.

Beau Sarrensen

Favorite element: the first vertical loop for its IMMENSE positive G’s.

Maisie Campbell

Extramly tame compared to all the coasters I’ve ridden since then, but it will have a special place in my heart.

@sissterdarkness

There are some dead spots, I will say, but nothing beats the view over the lit up park at night.

Reed Dutton

Ride is basically over my then and it meanders home after that bizarro loop.

Maisie Campbell

Should I ride it?

Organize by

Specifications

90 ftHeight
80 ftFirst drop
50 mphTop speed
2Inversions

What riders say

Praised for

Intense

Criticised for

Rough or rattlyPainful or bruising

Sure, the intense elements are nice, but this ride needs over-the-shoulders.

Beau Sarrensen, Captain Coaster review

This ride is quirky to say the least the loops have some great positive gs and there’s some good laterals as well.

Coaster Boss, Captain Coaster review

I’d say ride in the back, because this thing will drag and yank you through every element that way and the first drop was awesome in the back.

Maisie Campbell, Captain Coaster review

The first drop, head choppers, pretty decent laterals, intense yet smooth ride experience made this a very high-ranking ride when I first rode it.

Reed Dutton, Captain Coaster review

The loops do NOT look normal. They don’t look normal in any way, shape, or form.

Incredible Coasters, published review

Certainly a little janky, but in this case I think it actually helped the ride, the jank gave it character.

Michael Wiley, Captain Coaster review

Photos

Desert Storm at Castles n' Coasters
Mene Tekel from flag, CC BY 2.0
Desert Storm's entrance at night
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
The first vertical loop on Desert Storm
MisterE727, CC0

3 photographs. Swipe or drag sideways.

Planning your ride

History

1992Opened

Built by Hopkins.

Recent issues

  1. November 2024On November 24, 2024, a rider on the Desert Storm narrowly escaped injury after claiming that his lap bar restraint unlocked while ascending the lift hill.
0incidents blamed on the ride

Sources

Restraint types: Captain Coaster. History, incidents and awards: Wikipedia. Specifications and status: Coasterpedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Rider sentiment and performance scores: rider reviews on Captain Coaster, youtube.com, read and scored by AirtimeFever.

Photographs via Wikimedia Commons: MisterE727 (CC0), Mene Tekel from flag (CC BY 2.0), Jeremy Thompson (CC BY 2.0). Video thumbnails remain the property of their channels and link back to them.

What riders love, by theme (themes in the order riders pick them most on Captain Coaster): Kittyhat, rider review on Captain Coaster: “Fantastic positive Gs and some of the strongest, most…”; Maisie Campbell, rider review on Captain Coaster: “I'd say ride in the back, because this thing…”; Coaster Boss, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The drop has super violent laterals in the backrow.”; Reed Dutton, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The first drop, head choppers, pretty decent laterals, intense…”; Maisie Campbell, rider review on Captain Coaster: “Favorite element: the first vertical loop for its IMMENSE…”; Jamie Newton, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The two inversions are both fairly unique, and incredibly…”; Coaster Boss, rider review on Captain Coaster: “This ride is quirky to say the least the…”; AZCOASTERS, rider review on Captain Coaster: “It starts with a decent first drop and goes…”; Evangelion Martini, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The jank elevates an otherwise standard smallish looper into…”; Michael Wiley, rider review on Captain Coaster: “Certainly a little janky, but in this case I…”; Jamie Newton, rider review on Captain Coaster: “It is rough and janky, but I think that…”; Nathan F, rider review on Captain Coaster: “It has some incredibly janky moments, but it also…”.

The photo slider at the top and the fading stills: CoasterForce's back row POV, Desert Storm horizon leveled back seat on-ride backwards HD POV Castles N' Coasters (YouTube), and the page's Wikimedia Commons photographs.