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Top 10(ish): 2024 Edition - page 124

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Hyper Poster
So.... yesterday I had my summer rides on monster... Time for some switching.

1. Hyperion @ Energylandia: Were do I start? The best first drop, the best airtime moments, the best turnaround, the best restraints, good intensity and a grin guaranteed. It's not flawless, the outer seats are quite rough and the floater hill + overbanked are boring, but the rest more then makes up for this. Damn, I am looking forward to september, when I am able to ride this beauty again.

2. Zadra @ Energylandia: I actually switched it with Hyperion here. The night ride on Zadra was probably the best ride I ever had on any coaster, but I have a hard time to put a coaster on my number 1 spot because of 1 special ride. Still an amazing beast though. It's biggest weakness are the terrible restraints with their even worse shinguards. Terrible construction here, and the biggest issue with any RMC. Put a good train on it, and it would be no. 1.

3. Helix @ Liseberg: I had high expectations, and it delivered. "Only" a 4,5 star ride for me, but still an amazing ride. Not as smooth as you'd expect from Mack, but great layout, and great airtime moments. I can't decide on my favourite element, as they are mostly all great.

4. Icon @ Blackpool Pleasure Beach Although not the most intense ride, I really enjoyed it. The entry into the Top Hat actually made me see stars, but the rest is not close to this intensity. It still has plenty of great moments and suprised me in many places.

5. Junker @ Power Park The best Gerstlauer I have ever done. Great Airtime, some rare elements and suprisingly smooth. I wanted to ride it again this year, but thanks to Covid, my Finland trip had to be canceled.

6. Monster @ Walygator (former #10) This ride can really hurt you, because it is really intense in places. I'd call it my alltime number 2 in terms of intensity (no. 1 being Lech coaster prior to the wheel cooling). The final helix really hurts you legs because it keeps pushing you in the seat. But damn I like love this craziness and intensity. Yes, the ride has some dead spots, but it really needs it, to give you a chance to calm a little bit down. The exit of the Cobra roll is out of this world. As this one is not trimmed at all, you really need to give it a try on a hot day.

7. Untamed @ Walibi Holland Apart from the terrible RMC restraints, this ride is really amazing. The 270° double inverting corner stall is my favourite element of all time, the airtime can be insane (you know it is if the ride goes into breakdown because it hit the breaks to fast) and it's still smooth. I have to admit, that I dislike the ending though, the pops of airtime are to short and sudden for my liking.

8. Taron @ Phantasialand I actually switched this one several times, even out of this list. It is a good coaster, but after >2k rides I see its flaws and can't unsee them. The theming varies between world class and construction site, and it's ending is quite weak. But on the other hand, it gives a great sense of speed. barely slows down and still rides good after 4 years. The 2 airtime moments are suprisingly good + the amazing restraints and just it's look make it a great package overall. Klugheim is propably the best place to enjoy a beer, looking at this beauty... The ride would rank way higher though, if the park would utilize its full potential (won't happen).

9. BigFM Expedition GeForce @ Holiday Park Maybe one of the most overhyped rides on this planet, but I see where the hype comes frome. It is not perfect, and it's layout is not without weaknesses. The first drop is good, the first airtime hill as well, but this ride really shines on the last few hills, were it feels like it's trying to break your legs. It's a shame that it only runs 1 train for 99,5% of the time, causing quite long queues even on off-peak days.

10. Lost Gravity @ Walibi Holland Unpopular vote here, especially as it has gotten quite rough during the years. But it's still a fun machine with an insane first drop and some sudden elements you don't expect from a Mack.
 
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Matt N

CF Legend
OK then; it's been a while since I updated my top 10, and this fine lockdown evening has given me some time to reflect on it. And to be honest, a little thought did pave the way for some pretty noticeable movement! Before I show you my list, have a reminder of the last list I posted (actually, I don't think it was quite the last list I posted, but it's the last one I posted with proper descriptions):


Most of the descriptions still apply, and you're all probably bored of hearing me gush over my very top coasters by now, so I'll just add a few updated thoughts to the rides in the list that moved up or down quite drastically.

So, without further ado, here is my updated top 10, as of June 2020 (moved rides in italics):
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando) (no movement, 10/10)
  2. Icon (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) (no movement, 10/10)
  3. Mine Blower (Fun Spot Kissimmee) (+3, 10/10): The more I think about Mine Blower, the more I can only admire what a tremendous little coaster it is! The reason it's jumped up so much since the last update is because my overriding memory of getting off Mine Blower last year was one of the grin from ear to ear I had, and the desire to ride again had I been left to my own devices, and I feel like my previous ranking didn't really reflect that! And what's not to like about it; there was tremendous airtime in store, the pacing was absolutely phenomenal, the inversion offered some fantastic hangtime in a wonderful contrast to the rest of the ride, I found it to be nowhere near as rough as some reviews suggested (in fact, I actually thought it was quite smooth for a wooden coaster) and to be honest, I just found it to be phenomenally good fun! The Gravity Group packed a truly wonderful ride into a small package here, in my opinion; Mine Blower proves the importance of the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" for sure!
  4. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa) (-1, 10/10): To be honest, the movement of this and SheiKra below is mainly down to Mine Blower's huge jump; the same descriptions as last time still apply to both.
  5. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa) (-1, 10/10): Same as above.
  6. Wicker Man (Alton Towers) (+4, 10/10): Wicker Man has proven to be one of my most surprising coasters of all time! During the construction, even though I was one of the more optimistic posters regarding my expectations of Wicker Man, I was expecting it to potentially scrape my top 20 at best (and bear in mind that my coaster count has almost doubled since I first rode Wicker Man). Oh was I in for a shock! When I came off Wicker Man for the first time in March 2018, I did not get the family coaster I was expecting; I got a fast-paced wooden coaster with some tremendously fun elements and a smooth, comfortable ride experience that I thoroughly enjoyed, while still being deceptively thrilling for a coaster of its size! I was floored from ride 1; the pacing, transitions, thrills and general fun factor all really impressed me! But lo and behold, it just continued to grow on me further as I rode it more; it's just such a rerideable coaster that is just a huge amount of fun in my eyes, and even though I haven't ridden since September 2018, and I haven't had a ride towards the back since that first ride in March 2018, it's really started to become quite a special coaster for me, and the reason for its huge jump is because like Mine Blower above, I don't feel like my previous ranking reflected my true feelings!
  7. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando) (+1, 10/10): Continuing on the theme of positive surprises, SeaWorld Orlando's B&M floorless coaster was another one that I was floored by in terms of how much I liked it! Going in, I had not heard very positive things about it, but I had one back row ride and quite frankly, I absolutely loved it! The ride struck the perfect balance of g-forces through its elements; just enough to feel really thrilling, but not enough to make the ride too intense for me! I also found Kraken to have tremendous pacing, with it keeping that speed & power right through until the end of the course, and I also found it to be quite smooth for a B&M of its age! The reason I bumped its score up to a 10 is because to be honest, I could not think of any issues I had with it! Mako may be the victor of SWO in my rankings, but if you go and ride Kraken, you are still in for a real treat, in my opinion!
  8. The Swarm (Thorpe Park) (-3, 9/10): The Swarm is a ride that I really enjoy every single time! It's incredibly smooth, there's some brilliant hangtime, the seating position offers a very unique ride experience, and as with Kraken above, I find that it strikes a perfect balance of g-forces, in my opinion; enough to feel really thrilling, but not enough to be too much! These elements make The Swarm very enjoyable and rerideable, in my opinion! However, the reason I bumped the coaster's score down to a 9 is because on my more recent rides, I have found that the tightening of the coaster's vest restraints is a little more of an issue than it perhaps used to be. This is a very minor criticism, however; The Swarm is still a cracking ride, in my eyes!
  9. Megafobia (Oakwood) (+3, 9/10): It may not be my favourite wooden coaster, but after quite a few rerides in May 2019, my opinion of this coaster grew quite a bit more positive! I was able to try the coaster in multiple different seats, and while I admit that I was disappointed with the much-raved about back row due to finding it a little too rough for my liking, I'm willing to let that slide given that that was only one ride, and I really enjoyed all my other rides towards the front & middle of the train (I think one may even have been towards the back again, but don't quote me on that)! The coaster's strongest element in my opinion is its airtime; it offers some really nice sustained floater airtime, and there's one point coming out of the first turnaround that offers some unexpectedly brilliant ejector; it certainly made me grab onto that lap bar a little more tightly! I also found that the coaster offered some really thrilling moments, was a lot smoother than when I last rode it in 2016, and on the whole, I had a blast riding it! However, I do find that the coaster has a few shortcomings in comparison to some of the newer woodies I've ridden; I think it does peter out slightly towards the end, and while it did feel smoother this time, I still didn't think it tracked quite as well as Wicker Man and Mine Blower. These are minor nitpicks, though; I thoroughly enjoyed it on the whole!
  10. Nemesis (Alton Towers) (-3, 9/10): Me and Nemesis go back a long way. It was one of my first big coasters, having first ridden it in 2013, and I really liked it from ride 1. There are many things I love about Nemesis; there are some really good, thrilling moments, the layout is incredibly original, and it really packs a punch! The restraints are also very comfortable, and the ride is pretty enjoyable on the whole. However, I should probably address why I have bumped the ride down as of late. Firstly, I've found that the ride, while not rough by any means, has started to bash my ears a little on some of the transitions more recently; to be honest, it's probably one of the less smooth B&Ms I've ridden, although that is still quite smooth given that it's a 90s B&M! Also, I find that it is a little bit inconsistent; while it's always a very enjoyable coaster, I do occasionally find that it has 1 or 2 slight dead spots in some of the turns that some of the higher-ranking B&Ms in my list don't have. Still, these are minor nitpicks, and Nemesis is still an immensely enjoyable coaster that I really admire!
So, that's my overhauled top 10! It would seem that I spectacularly failed in my attempt to make the list shorter, as most of the rides moved and thus still have in-depth descriptions included, but I suppose I can't help it sometimes! For some wider context, have my updated top 30, as there's been considerable movement there, too (again, moved rides are in italics):
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando) (no movement, 10/10)
  2. Icon (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) (no movement, 10/10)
  3. Mine Blower (Fun Spot Kissimmee) (+3, 10/10)
  4. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa) (-1, 10/10)
  5. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa) (-1, 10/10)
  6. Wicker Man (Alton Towers) (+4, 10/10)
  7. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando) (+1, 10/10)
  8. The Swarm (Thorpe Park) (-3, 9/10)
  9. Megafobia (Oakwood) (+3, 9/10)
  10. Nemesis (Alton Towers) (-3, 9/10)
  11. Nemesis Inferno (Thorpe Park) (no movement, 9/10)
  12. Rock'n'Rollercoaster (Disney's Hollywood Studios) (+3, 9/10)
  13. Stealth (Thorpe Park) (no movement, 8/10)
  14. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (Universal Studios Florida) (+10, 8/10)
  15. Revenge of the Mummy (Universal Studios Florida) (+2, 8/10)
  16. Kumba (Busch Gardens Tampa) (-7, 8/10)
  17. Galactica (Alton Towers) (-1, 8/10)
  18. Space Mountain Alpha (Disney's Magic Kingdom) (+3, 7/10)
  19. Incredible Hulk (Universal's Islands of Adventure) (-5, 7/10)
  20. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (Universal Studios Florida) (-1, 7/10)
  21. Oblivion (Alton Towers) (-3, 7/10)
  22. Cheetah Hunt (Busch Gardens Tampa) (-2, 7/10)
  23. Thirteen (Alton Towers) (-1, 6/10)
  24. Slinky Dog Dash (Disney's Hollywood Studios) (+1, 6/10)
  25. Avalanche (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) (+1, 6/10)
  26. Expedition Everest (Disney's Animal Kingdom) (-3, 6/10)
  27. Runaway Mine Train (Alton Towers) (+11, 6/10)
  28. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Disney's Magic Kingdom) (+11, 6/10)
  29. Cobra's Curse (Busch Gardens Tampa) (+1, 6/10)
  30. Dragon's Fury (Chessington World of Adventures) (+1, 6/10)
So, that's the top 30! If you want my entire list of all 72 coasters I've ridden ranked, then here it is: https://captaincoaster.com/en/tops/192

I know that this amount of movement may seem drastic given that I have not ridden a roller coaster since January 2020, and I have not ridden any of the coasters in my top 30 since at least 2019, but being as indecisive as I am, a little thought about my true emotions upon getting off these rides and what I enjoy made a huge difference!
OK, then; since getting back to the parks, there have been some changes to my list! My list chops and changes a lot, as many of you know, so I’ll just post the top 10 for now and go over the main changes (things I’ve moved are in italics, as I haven’t ridden anything new that’s made the list in a while:
  1. Mako - No change. 10/10
  2. Icon - No change. 10/10
  3. Wicker Man - I thought Wicker Man couldn’t surprise me any more after my 2018 rides left me in wonder and amazement. But I’m happy to admit that I was wrong, as the coaster that keeps on giving had yet more surprises in store for me when I got back on it in July 2020! The pacing, although fantastic in 2018, felt as though it had been taken up a notch, and I was flying out of my seat around pretty much every transition, in stark contrast to a ride that, while it had a fun moment or two of airtime, was pretty lacking in airtime on the whole in 2018! The ride was also still very comfortable and rerideable for a wooden roller coaster; I was in absolutely no pain at all getting off, and the trains are very comfortable and track well, in my opinion! I may only have had 2 laps on Wicker Man while at Alton Towers in July, but judging by the spring in my step every time I got off, I could have done far more! I’ve absolutely fallen in love with Wicker Man, and I can’t wait to hopefully experience it at night later this year! 10/10
  4. Mine Blower - No change. 9/10
  5. The Swarm - Getting back on this coaster made me realise how much I actually love it, and that in reality, my ranking of it before didn’t really show the extent to which I really enjoyed it! It’s just such a smooth, enjoyable coaster, in my opinion, with just the right amount of force and some blissful moments of hang time; the first drop & zero-g roll in particular are just delectable, in my opinion! Also, that final inversion over the station packs surprising negative g-forces that really send me flying out of my seat every time; it almost feels like inverted airtime, and it’s an amazing sensation that feels like it shouldn’t be possible! The restraints do tighten a bit, and this remains a minor niggle for me that prevents it from reaching that 10/10 tier for me, but this is nowhere near as much of a problem on Swarm for me as it has been on some other rides I’ve been on, and I still love it in spite of this minor flaw! Overall, Swarm is a coaster that delivers me fun, enjoyment and a huge desire to reride every time I get off, and those are all very good reasons why this coaster spent 2 years as my number 1 coaster prior to visiting Florida in 2016! 9/10
  6. Stealth - Now this is where things get interesting! Prior to revisiting Thorpe Park in July, Stealth wasn’t even in my top 10, and only narrowly made my top 15. However, I think Stealth is a very similar case to The Swarm for me in that I forget just how much I actually love it, but even more so in Stealth’s case. Riding in the front row for the first time made me realise that I had always dismissed the ride due to its short length when deciding how to rank and rate my coasters, when in reality, the length isn’t a huge problem for me when I’m on the ride; it’s what the ride does with that length that truly matters to me, and what Stealth does with the length that it has is truly something to behold, in my opinion! That hydraulic launch of 0-80 in under 2 seconds is truly a sensation unlike any other, and really gets the heart racing! Then, the top hat actually provides a pretty fantastic moment of sustained ejector airtime before you plummet down and feel that raw speed hitting you once again, and then you get another small pop of airtime before hitting the brake run! Overall, while Stealth is a very short ride, it delivers hugely in the duration that it has, in my opinion; second for second, it really is quite something! That short length does keep it from ranking even higher, however, and is a minor niggle for me in that it doesn’t provide as much of a wide range of elements and doesn’t deliver for as long of a time period as some other coasters I’ve been on. Still, Stealth is one hell of a ride, in my opinion! 9/10
  7. Montu - No change. 9/10
  8. SheiKra - No change. 9/10
  9. Kraken - No change. 9/10
  10. Megafobia - No change. 9/10
So, that’s my updated top 10 after some UK park revisits in July! I’ll keep it to just the top 10 for now, but I’ll probably show off my updated top 30 in a different post, as there has also been some notable movement there; my opinions are ever changing, as you probably know by now!

While I’m here, I must admit that I am starting to get slightly uneasy about my rankings of certain coasters, namely things that I haven’t ridden in quite a few years. Unfortunately, this does include my current number 1 coaster, Mako, which I have not ridden in 4 years. My memories from that ride are just blissful; from my memories of my 3 rides in 2016, it was packed with more airtime than any other coaster I’ve been on, smooth as can be and just the most amazed and blown away I’ve ever been by a ride to date!

However, I’m starting to worry that my comparative lack of coaster experience when I rode Mako compared to now may be making me view the ride through somewhat rose-tinted goggles, and that if I was to ride Mako in 2020, it would feel somewhat disappointing in comparison to some of the amazing coasters I’ve ridden more recently, such as Icon and Wicker Man amongst numerous others. I was talking to my dad, and he’s flabbergasted that I still rank Mako so highly all these years on; he says he remembers it “not really doing anything interesting”, and he says that he’s surprised I don’t rank things like Smiler, Big One, Megafobia, Grand National, The Swarm and Saw much more highly than it (those are some of his favourite rides), and that Mako is surely not as fresh in my mind as some of the more recent experiences.

From my perspective, I still remember the ride experience Mako provided and my opinions on it at the time pretty well, and my memories of it from 2016 are the most positive memories I have from any roller coaster, so I’ve chosen to keep it where it is until I eventually get around to getting back on it.

But do you guys think I should keep it where it is at number 1, or should I downgrade it because I haven’t ridden it as recently as some other coasters I
 

Hixee

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From my perspective, I still remember the ride experience Mako provided and my opinions on it at the time pretty well, and my memories of it from 2016 are the most positive memories I have from any roller coaster, so I’ve chosen to keep it where it is until I eventually get around to getting back on it.

But do you guys think I should keep it where it is at number 1, or should I downgrade it because I haven’t ridden it as recently as some other coasters
Each to their own, and all, but I'd leave it where it is. My Top 20 works more like a "Top 20 coaster experiences I've had", rather than a simple "this coaster is better than this coaster", and I think that's the right way of doing it.

A great example for me would be Boulder Dash. I last rode it in it's golden age in 2010, and it currently sits at #6 in my count - above Skyrush (last rode 2016), X2 (last rode 2013), Voyage (last rode 2016) and Dragster (last rode 2018). I have little doubt that if I re-rode it now it would tumble down my ranking - possibly out of the Top 20 altogether - but those night rides with a small group of good goon friends back in 2010 were truly magical and the memory of the experience outranks the coasters below it in the list.

If I rode it again now, after having ridden another 500+ coasters, with it past it's prime, and without the group fun element of it, I would probably shuffle it down the list a bit. I'd try to find some kind of compromise in my mind between remembering it 'how it was' and remembering it 'how it is'.
 

HeartlineCoaster

Theme Park Superhero
But do you guys think I should keep it where it is at number 1, or should I downgrade it because I haven’t ridden it as recently as some other coasters
Something I've learnt over the years is to trust your initial assessment and instinct and not worry about the rose tint effect. I can't think of any significant rides that I've returned to and thought 'well I was clearly wrong the first time.' If you're comfortable keeping it at the top based on what you felt at the time, then leave it.

From another perspective I damn well hope Mako is better than Wicker Man. It would be a tragedy if it wasn't.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
I rank coasters based off of the level of enjoyment I feel coming off them, and my memories of Mako are overwhelmingly positive; they’re definitely the most positive memories I have of a ride from my 2016 Florida trip for sure, and from what I remember of the ride, it is my personal favourite coaster I’ve ever ridden for sure! For that reason, I would personally want to keep it where it is, but some members of my family think I should bump it down and put something else there; I remember my sister was saying to me “how can Mako still be your favourite coaster when we haven’t ridden it in 4 years? Why don’t you just put Icon up there instead?”, for example. That made me doubt myself a little.

Having said that, my mum still holds Mako as her favourite coaster too, so I’m clearly not the only one who’s still infatuated with 2016 memories of it in my family!

Personally, I’d lean heavily towards keeping Mako up there until I reride it, because as I said,
From another perspective I damn well hope Mako is better than Wicker Man. It would be a tragedy if it wasn't.
It depends entirely on what you like in a roller coaster. For me, Mako is most definitely my favourite roller coaster I’ve ever been on, and just ticked all of my boxes, so it ranks above Wicker Man in spite of how phenomenally well Wicker Man was running last time I visited Alton Towers.

However, from having talked to you in other threads and read some of your trip reports, you and I have somewhat differing coaster tastes and levels of experience. You don’t seem to like Wicker Man at all from the tone of your posts about it (do correct me if I’m wrong), but you also don’t seem to particularly like B&M hyper coasters either, so I can’t really tell which you’d rate higher.

While we’re on the subject, what is it that turns you off so much about Wicker Man in comparison to other GCI roller coasters? I appreciate completely that I’m talking to someone who has experienced a number of GCI roller coasters that is well in the double digits and has a coaster count nearing four-digit territory, while I have only a two-digit coaster count and one GCI to my name (Wicker Man), so it could well be down to experience, and of course everyone has different opinions, but as someone who absolutely loves it and gets such enjoyment from it every time I ride, I’d just be intrigued to know why you have such a high amount of disdain for it compared to both other GCIs and other Alton coasters.

With that being said, most people probably think I’m insane for the opinions I exhibit in this list, not least because a certain fan favourite at Alton is notably absent from the list (for clarity, I have Nemesis at #21).
 

HeartlineCoaster

Theme Park Superhero
You don’t seem to like Wicker Man at all from the tone of your posts about it (do correct me if I’m wrong), but you also don’t seem to particularly like B&M hyper coasters either, so I can’t really tell which you’d rate higher.
Glad to see I come off as a miserable bastard who doesn't like anything. ;)

While we’re on the subject, what is it that turns you off so much about Wicker Man in comparison to other GCI roller coasters? I appreciate completely that I’m talking to someone who has experienced a number of GCI roller coasters that is well in the double digits
Pretty much that. When you know what they're truly capable of (they've got two absolute monsters in my top ten for a start) it's just a bit of a wet blanket of a ride.
The disadvantages of having a wider perspective on rides is that there's a lot more room for comparison and thus, inevitable disappointment. I've become a lot more critical of everything, but I find that fun in its own way.
I don't truly dislike it, I just find it a very mediocre experience and that's not worth the extortionate queue times or even the time spent in Alton Towers. Off the top of my head, I don't think I've ever queued more than 30 minutes for any other GCI in the world and Wickerman has always been well in excess of 90. It just doesn't pay off.
The fact that it's at Alton doesn't help matters at all. It feels like a much greater waste of potential both in what they could achieved within their grounds and, because it's in the UK, I'm desperate for a few more local rides to truly love. They could have given me a cross valley Python, but we got 40ft of flat turnarounds and an empty shed. Try and imagine if Thorpe announced they were building a B&M Hyper like Mako and then they actually built the B&M SFC clone instead. I have no doubt you'd still see this as a positive in other ways, but that's the order of magnitude I'm dealing with here.


Back to your original question I think you answered it best yourself with this statement:
just the most amazed and blown away I’ve ever been by a ride to date!
It's natural to let some rides fade in the list as you experience more and your personal tastes change and develop, but don't knock them down on a whim just because 'it's been a while', or because someone else tells you otherwise.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Fair enough! I guess I have substantially less experience with wood than yourself, but from what I’ve done, Wicker Man definitely stands out as my favourite wooden roller coaster; for clarity, the other 6 woodies I’ve been on consist of Mine Blower, Megafobia and the 4 currently operating Blackpool woodies.

Wicker Man might have blossomed to be one of my favourite roller coasters, and by far my favourite at Alton Towers (against the common grain, I admit), but I must admit that Icon still just edges it for me in terms of UK coasters; now that is a ride I fell in love with from the second I got off my first ride on it! It didn’t exceed my expectations in the same way that Wicker Man did, but that’s because my expectations for Icon were immensely high, and they would likely have been very difficult to exceed; for me, it’s a phenomenal coaster that just wows me every time, and even though I’ve only had 2 rides on Icon on each occasion I’ve been to Blackpool (I’ve had 4 in total), I could have had far more if desire alone dictated it!

Am I the only one who actually really loves Icon? All the reviews I read of it focus on how dull, poorly paced and lacklustre it supposedly is, and lacking in any strong forces, but I feel as though I must be riding a different coaster, because I find it smooth, comfortable, fast-paced from start to finish, with buckets of wonderful ejector airtime and hang time throughout (even in the most unexpected of places), and on the whole, it just puts a smile on my face bigger than most other coasters I’ve been on (the second biggest smile behind only Mako ;))! I admit it’s not the most g-heavy coaster in the world (in terms of positive g’s), but for me, I’ve always believed that intensity isn’t everything in terms of dictating how much I enjoy a coaster, so for what I like in a ride, Icon’s one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever ridden!
 

Hutch

Strata Poster
Yeah Matt, pretty sure we've had this conversation before. So long as you feel Mako was your best coaster experience, there's no reason you should move it down.

Time since the last ride isn't a factor to how I rate my coasters. I generally rank them based on my latest experience with each coaster, so if you go re ride a coaster and it's not as good as you once thought, so be it. Until I ride a coaster again, there's no reason for me to lower its rankings, unless I come across better coasters. Hixee's experience with Boulder Dash is a great example.

I suppose lack of experience is a fair point. Nemesis is the cred in my Top 10 that I've gone the longest since riding (6 years), and I had a little over 50 creds when I first rode it. But my low coaster count isn't going to take away how I felt during the ride, and those feelings are certainly comparable to more recent additions in my Top 10.

Question is, if I ride Nemesis again, will it drop in my rankings? I honestly don't know. Despite my low coaster count, I already had another five B&M inverts on my plate, and no invert since then has come close to Nemesis. But maybe it'll ride worse with age? I don't know about that either. If it rode perfectly on its 20th anniversary, I don't see any reason it would ride any different 6 years later. But until I ride it again, I'll keep it where it is... even if it takes me a decade to return.

However, the best is when you go a while without riding one of your favorite rides, and riding it again and realizing it's just as good as you remember. I went four years without riding Skyrush, and during that timeframe I more or less tripled my coaster count. But Skyrush held up when I rode it again last year! In fact it was even better than I remember, because I figured out how to keep my hands up over those airtime hills lol.

Out of curiosity, I went and sought out my old rankings after I rode Nemesis. Here's how the Top 5 looked:

1. Boulder Dash
2. Top Thrill Dragster
3. Millennium Force
4. Nemesis
5. Bizarro

The biggest takeaway here is that those four other coasters aren't in my Top 10 anymore. So what happened there?

Well, I rode them again. :p Boulder Dash got rougher, so that was an easy drop down the rankings. TTD and MF in themselves actually haven't changed, I just think it was down to lack of experience (I first rode them with around 20 creds) and realizing there are better rides out there. Each time I've visited CP, they keep falling down the list.

I guess you could say, based on my opinions now, that Nemesis was the best coaster I had ridden in 2014 (or Maverick, seeing that it had jumped over Nemesis since then), but obviously that wasn't how I felt back then. Nonetheless, Nemesis has held a firm grip in the Top 10.



ALSO, while looking for my old rankings from 2014, it was fun coming across people's old rankings and how much they can differ compared to now. This one is my favorite:
Re: Top 10(ish): 2014 Edition

Ok, this is my first attempt to actually rank my favourites in order, so here goes:

1. Nemesis.
2. Kingda Ka.
Never forget. :p
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Oh believe me, my top coasters were also very different back in 2014. Swarm was my number 1, and that still ranks highly for me now, but I think Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit may have been my number 2, and that’s now my #17. Rita was in the top 5, and it’s now one of my least favourite coasters; talk about a change in opinion!
 

TMCoasters

Mega Poster
Made a little trip down to New Jersey to pick up some new credits and ride some old favorites. Rankings have seen some small changes (but I'm bored and can't travel so why not update them here).

-New Credits
-Moved in rankings
-Haven't ridden since 2018 or earlier

1) Voyage
2) Python in Bamboo Forest
3) Helix
4) Dinoconda
5) Boulder Dash
6) OCT Thrust
7) Maverick
8) Skyrush
9) Lightning Run
10) Wildfire (Kolmarden)
11) Storm Chaser
12) Superman The Ride
13) Steel Vengeance
14) Mako
15) El Toro (SFGAdv)
16) Starry Sky Ripper
17) Phantom's Revenge
18) Thundercoaster
19) Time Traveler

20) Gale Force (write up below)
21) Wicked Cyclone
22) Dauling Dragons (Red then Blue)
23) Coaster Through The Clouds
24) Roar-o-saurus
25) Hagrid's Magical Creatures
26) Boardwalk Bullet
27) Mine Blower
28) Tron Lightcycle Power Run
29) Mega Lite (HV Shanghai)
30) Outlaw Run

I was always intrigued by Gale Force, but I certainly didn't expect it to be this good. Perhaps it was partially due to recency bias and lack of coaster riding during pandemic, but this coaster was brilliant. Paced perfectly, this ride was relentless and actually had me seeing stars for the majority of the layout. The top hat has incredibly strong and sustained airtime. The kickflip offers rare sideways ejector airtime and laterals. The non-inverting immelmann and dive loop both give a great airtime and lateral combination. AND, to make things better, you get two full cycles of the coaster! This one definitely needs a lot more recognition, and is in my opinion, easily the second best coaster in New Jersey, only to El Toro (which ran amazing this year, but still needs new trains)
 

Coaster Hipster

Giga Poster
Long time no update!

New in bold.
Reridden and moved in italics.

1 - Steel Vengeance (=)
2 - Zadra
3 - Expedition GeForce (-1)
4 - El Toro (=)
5 - Twisted Colossus
6 - Superman: The Ride (-1)
7 - Intimidator 305
8 - Fury 325
9 - Hyperion
10 - Twisted Timbers

11 - Lech Coaster
12 - Schwur des Kärnan
13 - Maverick
14 - Helix
15 - Taron
16 - Nemesis
17 -
18 - Wicked Cyclone
19 - Hyper Coaster (Land of Legends)
20 - Goliath (Walibi Holland)


Lech was significantly less intense than I remember, though the layout is still top-notch.

Update after visits to Cedar Point, BPB, Alton Towers and Toverland. New in bold:

1 - Steel Vengeance
2 - Expedition GeForce
3 - Lech Coaster
4 - El Toro
5 - Superman the Ride
6 - Schwur des Kärnan
7 - Maverick
8 - Helix
9 - Taron
10 - Nemesis

11 - Wicked Cyclone
12 - Troy
13 - Goliath (Walibi Holland)
14 - Balder
15 - Nitro (SFGADv)
16 - Icon
17 - Star Trek: Operation Enterprise
18 - Alpina Blitz
19 - Millennium Force
20 - Fenix
 

FistedColossus

Hyper Poster
1. Steel Vengeance
2. Skyrush
3. Taron
4. Untamed
5. Magnum XL 200
6. Hyperion
7. Zadra

8. Silver Star
9. Mako
10. Phoenix

Can't see the top 2 ever being shifted tbh. Have been tempted to move Taron down a bit but the memories ?

Hyperion was a huge surprise having heard mixed reviews. The first hill is quite possibly my favourite airtime moment ever - El Toro/Skyrush vibes. The sustained ejector over that hill is world class. The rattle is noticeable but for me it adds to the bonkers intensity of the ride.

Zadra is equally brilliant but for different reasons. Decent airtime but nothing on SV or Untamed. It's a 200ft RMC though so obviously it's pretty damn good.
 

Luca B

Mega Poster
So like everyone else I went to Poland which shook up my rankings.

New in bold.
Reridden and moved in italics.
  1. Lightning Rod
  2. Skyrush
  3. Zadra
  4. Steel Vengeance
  5. Storm Chaser
  6. Der Schwur Des Kärnan
  7. The Voyage
  8. Expedition GeForce
  9. Hyperion (+10)
  10. El Toro
  11. Fury 325
  12. Lightning Run
  13. Lech Coaster
  14. Untamed
  15. Twisted Cyclone
  16. Wildfire
  17. Twisted Colossus
  18. Phantoms Revenge
  19. Taron
  20. X2

To start off Zadra blew me away, while it lacks the airtime strength of Lightning Rod or Storm Chaser, it makes up for that with the surprising positives and great laterals which made the ride way more interesting than most other RMCs. It’s also the only RMC where I feel every inversion has a purpose and benefits the ride, meaning every element on this ride delivered for me. The ride is just constant forces in every direction and is so well paced and aggressive, but the only thing stopping me from ranking it higher is the slightly weaker airtime.

Next up Lech, which is really good, having a crazy first drop, some sustained positives and great airtime, especially on the second twisted hill which is one of Europe’s strongest airtime moments. The reasons it doesn’t rank higher are the weak pacing towards the end, as everything from the final inversion onward is fairly tamed, the restraints which while being the best vest restraints around are still fairly restrictive and also the lack of the out of control feeling just because Vekoma’s design is so refined.

And now Hyperion, which was the biggest surprise of the trip. While I enjoyed it on the last visit, it ran so much faster and smoother this time round. Not only did I enjoy the beginning of the coaster much more as I have become a more seasoned enthusiast, but also everything after the twist and dive ran significantly better: the speed hills gave noticeable airtime, the Stengel dives had better laterals and most surprisingly I actually felt floater on the floater hill. I ended up loving the ride so much, the restraints are so open, the ejector hills are some of the best in Europe and the laterals really brings the ride to another level, making it so aggressive.
 

Dan Nguyen

Roller Poster
Got back from a PA park trip adding a couple new coasters to my count.

1. Skyrush - still holds up after 8 years and 100+ coasters later
2. Intimidator 305
3. Phoenix - This thing totally lives up to the hype everyone gives it. A perfect mix of strong floater and stand up ejector combined with zero restraints makes this my personal favorite wooden coaster. Took about 3-4 rides to really drive the point home.
4. Fury 325
5. Twisted Timbers
6. El Toro
7. Lightning Rod
8. Phantom's Revenge - While its a little short, it packs so much air into that short layout. The drop through Thunderbolt into the ravine is incredible and the turn right after basically had be seeing stars. Then you get catapulted out of your seat on countless small, but powerful ejector hills. Combine that with the awesome minimal restraints and you've got a serious world class coaster. Lightning Run needs these kinds of restraints.
9. Superman the Ride
10. Storm Chaser

Candymonium - A really good B&M hyper with a solid layout and strong floater. Skyrush completely outlcasses it, but its a comfortable hyper for those who can't really handle Skyrush's terrifying ejector and insane laterals. It is developing a rattle, something I didn't really notice on Mako. Doesn't affect the ride at all, but it'll be interesting to see how this ride ages compared to the others. If you loved Mako, this ride is essentially a bigger, better version of that with better pacing, more hills and a better finale.
Twister - Knoebel's version of a Grizzly style out of control ride. The coaster is essentially all turns so there isn't much air to be had, but the laterals are fun and the ride itself is forceful. It suffers from being in the same park as Phoenix, but this ride can really hold its own if you can look past that.
Thunderbolt - The setting for this ride is pretty amazing. The ride itself doesn't really deliver much in the air department and the whole mandatory pairing sucks . That being said, the forces/laterals are pretty insane for such an old coaster. Probably one of the best helices on any wooden coaster I've ever ridden.
Sky Rocket - I'd personally rather see more of these over the Premier skyloops. You've got some decent air, some fun inversions, and a really neat launch. The ride kinda peters out at the end unfortunately, but there's enough to this ride to keep me coming back for more (when the lines aren't ridiculously long). The other big plus is no metal wings on the seats to smash your knees into when you step into the train.
Jack Rabbit - Its a bit of a one trick pony, but it delivers a helluva trick. The double down gives you some ridiculous airtime. The coaster itself is insanely smooth for being 100 years old. Kennywood clearly takes good care of it. I just wish it didn't take so long to warm up. Another big plus to this, the lack of restraints so getting back on was a breeze compared to some of the other coasters.
Racer - Its smooth and fun. You get a decent pop of air toward the end. It doesn't really do much else unfortunately. The racing aspect seems to be the only thing this ride has going for it. That being said, its still worth riding.
Black Diamond - I'm so glad Knoebels decided to buy this ride and restore it. Its such a quirky little coaster. Blazing Fury is still the better of the dark ride coasters as its got a more intense drop, but this thing delivers in the fun set pieces and the mining museum next door
Exterminator - The coaster Primeval Whirl should've been. Thing runs completely brakeless on top and its full of incredible theming for a non Disney/Universal park. While it doesn't spin on the bottom as much as some mice I've ridden, the theming totally makes up for it.
Laff Trakk - The weaker of the two spinners I've ridden. I dig the fun house theming and the AC is a big perk, but the spinning is kinda weak.
Kozmo's Kurves - Kozmo sure picked a great ride to represent his crazy self. This kiddie ride really packs a nice punch compared to most. The setting over the canal really can't be beat either.
The Great Chase - My final SFA credit that I needed. The theming is cute and they send you around 3 times so its pretty neat.
Cocoa Cruiser - This kiddie coaster is more refined than Great Chase, but they only send you around twice.
 

Hutch

Strata Poster
8. Phantom's Revenge ... Lightning Run needs these kinds of restraints.
That's really interesting you say that, because I think the restraints are the only minor drawback I have for Phanny. I do like how open they are, and they definitely give your legs more freedom than Lightning Run's. However the bunny hill's at the end of Phanny, while amazing, are a bit uncomfortable. I think it has to do with the nature of the lap bars not being as restrictive as LR's? You're thrown around a lot more as a result.

I don't have a problem with Lightning Run's restraints (they're similar to the RMC restraints, which I don't mind either). Yeah, it can get pretty brutal on those last few hills as well, but I wonder if having something a bit more open would make it more uncomfortable.
 

Dan Nguyen

Roller Poster
That's really interesting you say that, because I think the restraints are the only minor drawback I have for Phanny. I do like how open they are, and they definitely give your legs more freedom than Lightning Run's. However the bunny hill's at the end of Phanny, while amazing, are a bit uncomfortable. I think it has to do with the nature of the lap bars not being as restrictive as LR's? You're thrown around a lot more as a result.

I don't have a problem with Lightning Run's restraints (they're similar to the RMC restraints, which I don't mind either). Yeah, it can get pretty brutal on those last few hills as well, but I wonder if having something a bit more open would make it more uncomfortable.


Idk I prefer being thrown around on coasters. That's why Skyrush is my number 1 and 305 is my number 2.

I'm not a huge fan of the RMC lapbars on Lightning Run. For one, they're heavy so they get in the way of any air you're potentially getting. Plus the shin guards are clearly designed by someone who doesn't have shins as there's a pointed section that likes to dig into your shins on every airtime moment. I prefer just having a bar over your shins like Wicked Cyclone and Storm Chaser over whatever newer RMCs and Lightning Run have.

I prefer actually being able to feel the ejector on those hills over slowly getting stapled by a heavy lapbar like Lightning Run.
 

Hutch

Strata Poster
Idk I prefer being thrown around on coasters. That's why Skyrush is my number 1 and 305 is my number 2.

I'm not a huge fan of the RMC lapbars on Lightning Run. For one, they're heavy so they get in the way of any air you're potentially getting. Plus the shin guards are clearly designed by someone who doesn't have shins as there's a pointed section that likes to dig into your shins on every airtime moment. I prefer just having a bar over your shins like Wicked Cyclone and Storm Chaser over whatever newer RMCs and Lightning Run have.

I prefer actually being able to feel the ejector on those hills over slowly getting stapled by a heavy lapbar like Lightning Run.
Skyrush does throw you around, but you have a tight lap bar so it's not like your legs or whole body is jostling up and down (relative to the seat). Skyrush is actually similar to RMCs and Lightning Run due to the tight lap bar, just without the shin guard. Plus, with the forces Skyrush has, there's no way you won't end up stapled anyway.
 

ScottLann

Mega Poster
I haven't done this in a while and I've been to a few parks since I last uploaded my list. I personally choose my top 10 Coaster based on my own experiences on them, meaning that they can go up/down from previous times.

1. Mako - Best airtime I've ever experienced. The music up the lift-hill really adds to the anticipation before the drop.
2. Shambhala - Amazing coaster however what stopped it from being number 1 was that the airtime wasn't as intense as Mako's.
3. Red Force - Incredible Launch, Fast, Tall, Lapbars....need I say anymore.
4. The Incredible Hulk - Another great launch coaster, intense, awesome theming and I've actually gotten a small pop of airtime on it after the first corkscrew!
5. Montu - this has gone up as the last time I went on it, I actually greyed out after the first loop.
6. The Swarm - gone down one as my last few rides on it were slightly uncomfortable with the vest restraints on my shoulders. Still as smooth as ever!
7. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit - I know this ain't people's favourite but I just find it to be extremely fun and have great memories on it.
8. Revenge Of The Mummy - Awesome theming, the airtime at the top of the launch was really unexpected too!
9. Furius Baco - call me crazy, but this ride is awesome! Yeah it's rough, but the launch is great, theming is well done and overall it's just crazy intense!
10. Saw - The Ride - I'm a fan of the films and I love the main drop. All the rides i've had on it have been pretty smooth as well.
 
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