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Best STEEL Coasters at Night

BigBad

BigBad

Mega Poster
There has been a lot of talk about how great Kings Island's Beast is at night. Ditto for the Voyage, Boulder Dash, Mystic Timbers, The Raven, and other terrain coasters.

These tend to be wooden coasters, and I'm having trouble coming up with any steel coasters I've ridden that provide the kind of night ride that those five wooden coasters do. No steel coasters are even coming to mind as having that kind of feeling of being a nighttime romp through the woods.

What are good steel coasters at night? I'd really like to hear about terrain coasters like those woodies, but any special night ride would be good to hear about.

My contribution is lame: Fury 325. It became my favorite coaster during a daytime ride, though riding at night was better. The first drop felt like a plunge into oblivion, and then the "barrel turn" at night felt like being in a fighter plane on some kind of clandestine night mission.
 
Sandman

Sandman

Giga Poster
From what I've seen and heard, Taron is the one. However, from my personal experience, Nemesis and Shambhala are also delightful in the darkness (Nemesis perhaps more so because the mixture of lighting, terrain and music really bumps up the experience). I'm trying to rack my brains as to which steel coasters are located in woodland areas that are decent and possible to ride at night. Difficult really. The Ultimate would be fantastic for it, shame Lightwater is a lame park though.
 
Coaster Hipster

Coaster Hipster

Giga Poster
While Taron late-evening ERT provided my most exhilarating coaster experience ever, Helix at night deserves a mention too. The futuristic theming gets so much better after sunset, especially the lighting (pretty green lights on the trains!). The long, varied layout with a little more intensity is really fun in the dark :D
 
Edward M

Edward M

Strata Poster
From what I've heard, Taron is the easy winner of this. However, just from the rides I've experienced, I think Big Thunder Mountains Railroad, Expedition Everest and Matterhorn Bobsleds really are much, much better at night. They each put on a very dark and almost ominous atmosphere that they don't have during the day.
 
Snoo

Snoo

The Legend
I've always loved Millennium Force at night. It just throws you into darkness and its a pretty damn good ride as well.
 
TLARides

TLARides

Hyper Poster
I found Diamondback to be pretty amazing at night. After the second airtime hill, you can't see a thing.

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Hutch

Hutch

Strata Poster
Haven't done much, but it's Skyrush for me… unsurprisingly. The lift hill feels much faster and the ORP blinds you immediately before the first airtime hill.
 
ThomVD

ThomVD

Giga Poster
Helix is my favourite. The FAB lighting of the train, the lighting in the park. The city surrounding the park all lit up. The contrast of speeding through the trees in the dark for one moment and then soaring high in the air overlooking the city the next moment. The relentless speed and intensity compared to the day. The interaction with the other rides. The views all around you. It's the ultimate night coaster to me. Pure coaster magic.

Taron is the obvious runner up, but it didn't quite have the same magic as Helix at night for me.
 
gavin

gavin

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Helix springs to mind immediately.

Big Grizzly Mountain because the lighting around the whole thing is gorgeous. The whole indoor/outdoor thing flows a bit better as well.

Eagle Fortress was amazing at night, probably the closest thing to something like The Beast as you're just swinging through the trees all the way down the hill.
 
Olaf

Olaf

Mega Poster
The Ultimate...


But on a more serious note: Helix.. It looks so good at night

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Howie

Howie

Donkey in a hat
Some good answers so far (BIG thumbs up to Helix and X2, and I'd love to try T'Ultimate at night) but most of them are good rides to begin with. I'm trying to come up with some that are mediocre (at best) during the day, but are elevated to something that could conceivably classed as 'good' when ridden in the dark.
First one that comes to mind is Blackpool's Big'un. A rough old knacker during the day, but on a cold, brisk autumn night, with the black void of the sea stretching out in front of you as you climb the lift-hill and the illuminations twinkling away underneath? Pure exhilaration. Can't beat it!
Revolution at SFMM was a good one too - to be honest I've only ridden it at night (last cred of the day it was), and I couldn't believe how dark it was in amongst all those trees. Literally couldn't see the track in front of the train. Scary!
On a similar theme - how about the Treetops Coaster, Oakwood? Such a weird little thing, in such a weird little location, like it was threaded through the trunks of those big old pine trees with inches to spare. I rode it at dusk, but it was so dark in there it may as well have been midnight. Surreal!
That's all I got for now, but this is an interesting topic so I might be back...
 
TMCoasters

TMCoasters

Mega Poster
Of the steel coasters I've been on, I'd say Superman The Ride and Maverick are the best at night. Superman is awesome with the dives into the tunnels, light effects in the tunnels, and the S Shields. Maverick's launch is pitch black at night which is awesome.

As for the best in the world at night, Helix, Taron, and Eagle Fortress all definitely come mind. All of them have good interaction with either terrain, or theming in Taron's case. Helix' hill after the inverted top hat looks insane with the nighttime view of Gothenburg.
 
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