New wooden coaster poll

[peep]

A new wooden coaster poll based on the system used for Mitch Hawker's poll was shared over on reddit and thought some people here might be interested...

http://www.ellocoaster.com/wood-coaster-poll/

 

[HeartlineCoaster]

Not another one.
The spelling isn't perfect, but the method is decent. Wonder what the policy is on not having enough votes for something.
Assume they went for wood because it's a lot less work.

 

[davidm]

took a liitle while, but did this.

1, Wildfire-Kolmården-SWDEN
...some detail...
113, Predator-Darien Lake-USANY

 

[Imagineer Josh]

It's about damn time there's a new ballot in the style of Mitch Hawker! I truly became an enthusiast around the time the 2013 results came out, so I was just short of ever doing one. Just sent mine in!

1, Voyage-Holiday World-USAIN
2, Lightning Rod-Dollywood-USATN
3, Goliath-SF Great America-USAIL
4, Cornball Express-Indiana Beach-USAIN
5, Beast-Kings Island-USAOH
6, Legend-Holiday World-USAIN
7, Thunderhead-Dollywood-USATN
8, American Eagle (Red)-SF Great America-USAIL
8, American Eagle (Blue)-SF Great America-USAIL
9, Screamin Eagle-SF StLouis-USAMO
10, American Thunder-SF StLouis-USAMO
11, Viper-SF Great America-USAIL
12, Giant Dipper-Belmont Park-USACA
13, Apocalypse-SF Magic Mountain-USACA
14, Timberhawk Ride of Prey-Wild Waves-USAWA
15, Hoosier Hurricane-Indiana Beach-USAIN
16, Boss-SF StLouis-USAMO
17, Raven-Holiday World-USAIN
18, Lost Coaster of Superstition Mtn-Indiana Beach-USAIN
19, Thunder Run-Kentucky Kingdom-USAKY
20, Blue Streak-Cedar Point-USAOH
21, Racer (Blue)-Kings Island-USAOH
22, Great American Scream Machine-SF Over Georgia-USAGA
23, Cyclops-Mt Olympus-USAWI
24, Woodstock Express-Kings Island-USAOH
25, Little Dipper-SF Great America-USAIL
26, Hades360-Mt Olympus-USAWI
27, Pegasus-Mt Olympus-USAWI
28, Georgia Cyclone-SF Over Georgia-USAGA

 

[Will]

I liked this poll, though it was complicated by my #1 being SBNO, meaning I had to sort from Wodan - Coaster Express.

Made me realise how many utterly forgettable wooden coasters there are in Europe - Loup Garou, Falken, Anaconda, Robin Hood to name just a few.

 

[HeartlineCoaster]

'Of the voters who filled in their location, roughly 45% of them are outside the US.'

Surely we can do better than that.

 

[davidm]

The results are IN!
Head over to YouTube if you want to enjoy the anticipation as we count down the Top 25 Wood Coasters:

If you would rather read than watch, head over to the article here:
http://www.ellocoaster.com/2017-results/

 

[Imagineer Josh]

Wow, interesting!

Here's the Top 15...
1. Wildfire - Kolmarden
2. Lightning Rod - Dollywood
3. T Express - Everland
4. Outlaw Run - Silver Dollar City
5. Voyage - Holiday World
6. Phoenix - Knoebels
7. Cu Chulainn - Tayto Park
8. Ravine Flyer II - Waldameer
9. El Toro - Six Flags Great Adventure
10. Gold Striker - California's Great America
11. Mystic Timbers - Kings Island
12. Goliath - Six Flags Great America
13. Balder - Liseberg
14. Coaster - PNE Playland
15. Troy - Toverland

And the bottom 15...
157. Sea Dragon - Columbus Zoo
158. Ghoster Coaster - Canada's Wonderland
159. Tyrolean Tubtwist - Joyland
160. Little Dipper - Six Flags Great America
161. Woodstock Express - Kings Dominion
162. Woodstock Express - Carowinds
163. Zach's Zoomer - Michigan's Adventure
164. Woodstock Express - Kings Island
165. Blue Flyer - Blackpool Pleasure Beach
166. Hawnted House - Camden Park
167. Devil's Den - Conneaut Lake Park
168. Grizzly - California's Great America
169. Bandit - Movie Park Germany
170. Coaster Express - Parque Warner Madrid
171. Anaconda - Walygator Parc

Interesting results... some of them are surprising! Overall, I'm glad it came back. I'm already excited for the 2018 poll later this year!

 

[Will]

A little surprised to see Chu Chulainn so high up - I knew it wasn't bad, but had no idea it was that highly rated!

Also - is Anaconda really that bad - I just remember it being a bit of a non-event.

 

[Jim in Canada]

Greetings, all. I'm the guy who got the poll up and running. Firstly, THANK YOU to everyone who voted and helped make the inaugural year a success.
The feedback on the results has been mostly positive (El Toro's ranking has some fanboys crying foul, as expected) and some of the parks have even taken notice. I've had some nice feedback from a couple of the smaller parks who are thrilled that they're getting some recognition.
A couple months ago, Grant Barker came on board to help with the coding. His help was invaluable - I had working code to run the poll, but his help and additions really made sifting through the results a lot easier. He was also the one who funneled everything into a color-coded spreadsheet, so if you've been having fun playing with that, he's the one to thank.
Going forward, we're hoping to do two main additions:
1. Web-based drag/drop voting for those who hate working with text files (we'd still have the text ballots available) as well as spreadsheet-based voting. Both of those things were requested by people who voted this time around.
2. (god help us) Doing a steel poll as well.
When Mitch was doing his poll, someone named Jordan Hatch had done a drag/drop version that was very popular. I've looked through all my contacts and I don't seem to have his information. If someone knows how to contact him, please email me or send me a PM.

 

[Jim in Canada]

I liked this poll, though it was complicated by my #1 being SBNO, meaning I had to sort from Wodan - Coaster Express.

I hear ya. Only 6 of my all-time top ten woodies ran in 2017.

 

[Hixee]

Thanks for giving it a go @Jim in Canada! It will be great to see how this can develop over the years.

 

[Jim in Canada]

Thanks for giving it a go @Jim in Canada! It will be great to see how this can develop over the years.

Looking at your profile avatar and signature pic, I'm guessing you were pretty stoked with the results. Lightning Rod almost came in #1. It's also my personal #1, but I haven't been on Wildfire yet, so we'll see how it goes after the Scandi trip this year.

 

[toofpikk]

Im genuinely surprised as to how low Boulder Dash has been rated, especially considering it used to be my number 1. I suppose it really did ride like crap this last year and it's now started to get overhyped? Interesting..
looks fun, I'll keep my eye out for the next poll.

 

[Will]

When Mitch was doing his poll, someone named Jordan Hatch had done a drag/drop version that was very popular. I've looked through all my contacts and I don't seem to have his information. If someone knows how to contact him, please email me or send me a PM.

I doubt he'd have a problem with me putting this publicly since the info could be found through google:
https://twitter.com/1jh - he's on another forum I frequent

 

[Y. Kim]

1. Lightning Rod-Intense&Fun
2. T Express- A piece of Intamin airtime machine. Also the closest woodie in my home. REALLY long, and the highest woodie.
3. Wildfire- Personally considered #2 is Wildfire or T Express. It's the highest woodie, and great inversion but SHORT
4. El Toro- Really fast, and high amount of airtime. BUT SHORT
5. Beast(KI)- REALLLLLY long, and fun, but bumpier than Intamins.
6. Jupiter-Kijima Kogen- Long, fun but not as tall.
7. Goliath- Just good

.
.
.

99. Hurler(Closed)
100.White Cyclone(Closed by RMC)- really s**ks.

 

[davidm]

Heads-up, this is being run again this year;

Greetings!

You are receiving this email because you either voted in the 2017 ElloCoaster Wood Coaster Poll, or you expressed interest in voting in this year’s poll.

Check your email on November 1 for your ballot.

Like last time, this year’s poll will have all the woodies that operated this year. While we gained four new woodies in 2018, we sadly lost four as well.

If you still have your ballot from last year, you might want to locate it… in addition to the 2018 ballot, I’ll post instructions for using last year’s entry as a starting point for this year’s poll. That should save some of you quite a bit of time!

Or, if you’re like me, you can just start from scratch. Your choice.

Ballots will drop into your inbox on November 1.

In the meantime, let all your friends know about the poll and if they aren’t already voting, get them on board! The more, the merrier…

Jim


PS: if you have a coaster or theme park based website, blog, YouTube channel, or some other social media group and you’d like to help get the word out, let me know. There will be a page of links to friendly sites who support the poll going live when the ballots go out. If you’d like your site listed there, please drop me a line before Nov 1.

 

[Hixee]

I may have missed something, but I didn't partake last year and so I'm not on the mailing list - how is he sharing stuff to a 'wider audience'?

Got loads of time on the train in the next month or two, so having an excuse to sit and sort my coasters out might be good.

 

[Hyde]

We will keep the community in the loop when the ballots drop November 1. Anyone can also email Ello Coaster at editor@ellocoaster.com to join their listserv.

Here's the email that was sent out yesterday:

Greetings!

You are receiving this email because you either voted in the 2017 ElloCoaster Wood Coaster Poll, or you expressed interest in voting in this year’s poll.

Check your email on November 1 for your ballot.

Like last time, this year’s poll will have all the woodies that operated this year. While we gained four new woodies in 2018, we sadly lost four as well.

If you still have your ballot from last year, you might want to locate it… in addition to the 2018 ballot, I’ll post instructions for using last year’s entry as a starting point for this year’s poll. That should save some of you quite a bit of time!

Or, if you’re like me, you can just start from scratch. Your choice.

Ballots will drop into your inbox on November 1.

In the meantime, let all your friends know about the poll and if they aren’t already voting, get them on board! The more, the merrier…

Jim

 

[Jim in Canada]

I may have missed something, but I didn't partake last year and so I'm not on the mailing list - how is he sharing stuff to a 'wider audience'?

There's a Facebook page and a (lesser-used) Twitter - plus awesome sites such as this one that discuss it and spread the word.
I'm very cognizant about NOT spamming people, so I don't send out emails to anyone who hasn't specifically asked to be included on the mailing list - and even those people don't get anything from me other than ballots and updates when rankings are posted, etc.