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Best Known Coaster

marc

CF Legend
Was thinking about this the other day.

What do you recon is the most known coaster in the world?

I recon it has to be Space Mountain, it does not matter which park but I think most people know there is a coaster by that name?
 

Pokemaniac

Mountain monkey
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
I think Top Thrill Dragster or Kingda Ka, simply because of the iconic shape and the fact that they both have been advertised as the tallest/fastest coaster in the world for some time. People tend to confuse one for the other, but they always tend to have heard the name.

Dueling Dragons is also so iconic that everyone seem to know about "the ones in Florida that nearly crashes with the other", though nobody knows the name.
 

ciallkennett

Strata Poster
I think over in the UK, people tend to know Oblivion the best. It just stands out due to the gimmick that most UK theme-parkers just haven't seen.

The most known coaster in the world? Hmmm, part of me says Cyclone at Coney Island (internationally recognised and VERY famous), part of me agrees with Pokemaniac and says Space Mountain.

Good question, Marc :)
 

steel

Mega Poster
Yeah, it's gotta be Cyclone or Space Mountain (or I guess BTMR).
Although I heard somewhere that Santa Monica West Coaster at Pacific Park is the most photographed coaster in the world. It really is in lots of commercials.
 

walker1104

Mega Poster
For the UK, I reckon its probably Oblivion. Everybody seems to know that ride.

As for the world, I'm going to go with Dueling Dragons too. A lot of people know about it because of it being unique and a lot of people go there. Space Mountain for a similar reason that its at a Disney park, so a lot of people will have been on/seen it.

Then again, I suppose TTD and Ka are pretty famous too.
 

madhjsp

Giga Poster
Interesting question. Space Mountain is a likely choice for most well-known internationally. As for Oblivion, I'm sure virtually nobody outside of the enthusiast community in the US is aware of it, though the same can likely be said for the European public's awareness of KK/TTD.

Within the US, the most well-known coaster has got to be either Space Mountain, TTD, or Batman: The Ride since it's at pretty much every Six Flags Park.
 

Martyn B

CF Legend
A lot of people know of the Space Mountain name, but I dont think everyone knows its a coaster (pointing towards people who haven't been to a Disney park)
 

Ben

CF Legend
Yeah, Space Mountain.

It doesn't matter if people can't tell you exactly what it is, most people know where it is etc.

How many times do you hear Duelling Dragons references on TV? It's always Space Mountain... That's how I think of it. Which rides are talked about most by characters on TV shows? Over here it used to Alton, but, it's becoming Thorpe, and Worldwide... Disney/Space Mountain.
 

Thekingin64

Strata Poster
Possibly Nemesis, Oblivion or the Big one.
Nemesis: one of the intense coasters in Britain
Oblivion: First ride of it's kind and great drop.
Big one: Was tallest coaster for while.
 

marc

CF Legend
If you go to Australia etc people are probably not going to have heard of Nemesis though, near enough everyone would not have heard about the Pepsi Max Big One.

Guys we were chatting to in the USA had not even heard of Alton Towers!
 

Brookes

Giga Poster
I would say Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Space Mountain as the most known coaster. I think Hulk may be close as well, but I think it has to be one of those two.
 

T0M

Hyper Poster
Probably Nemesis Inferno in the UK, thanks to The Inbetweeners.

Grand National, Nemesis and The Big One have to be up there.
 

dropthefloor93

Hyper Poster
from a GP standpoint, Space mountain by a longshot. i have never met a person that didn't know OF space mountain. I know plenty of people that don't know what Cedar Point is.




Nemesis Inferno is not nearly as big as Space Mountain or even Dragster. I would say for the UK I would guess some of the biggest known rides are Oblivion, Nemesis, and Ultimate.
 

tomahawk

Strata Poster
Matterhorn/Space Mountain are definitely at the top/near it. Other than that is Desperado at Buffalo Bills Casino. Hearing everyone who comes from LA and is going to Vegas always talks about "that huge roller coaster at state line!"

Those are probably the three biggest though, I might say Matterhorn wins just because it was THE simple for Disneyland before they expanded outside the U.S. but since it is Space Mountain.
 

steel

Mega Poster
Seems like Desperado is really only known by people who've passed it or ridden it, though. I've never heard anybody out here talk about it. If they know a Vegas area coaster, it's whatever they call Manhattan Express now. I agree about the Disney coasters, and would add Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but I think the best known non-Disney coaster is Cyclone. Hulk and Dragon Challenge would be up there too. And RotM, I guess.
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
No one outside the coaster community or the UK knows Oblivion, Nemesis, Ultimate or the Big One. However people the world over have heard of Space Mountain & even Cyclone at Coney Island. Like others have said, people might not know that Space Mountain is a coaster but they've certainly heard of it & know it's at Disney. If you say "the Cyclone at Coney Island" to just about anyone, they know or guess that it's a roller coaster.
As far as Dueling Dragons, Hulk, Kingda Ka or Top Thrill Dragster - I don't think most people will know them by name or even exactly what they are.
 

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
After a survey of my UK-based non-coaster friends, they all unanimously say Space Mountain.

Surprisingly, they hadn't heard of Coney Island (which I thought they would have known, even if not Cyclone - I certainly did from a young age).

They thought the best known UK coaster would be the Big One, since it is such a landmark, but were under no illusions that the rest of the world would have heard of it.

I might go ask some global opinions and get back to you
 
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