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Top Thrill Dragster vs. Kingda Ka

TTDfan52

Mega Poster
I've been on TTD but not KK. KK is taller and faster, but it looks like the OTSR kill the ride. I guess I'm not sure.
 

bizarrofan10

Hyper Poster
After riding both, TTD was better because I got more airtime and freedom of upperbody movement, as KA had OTSRs and TTD has only a lapbar. Also, TTD invented the Strata layout and KA just copied it.

However, most people have been saying that Ka had no theming, which I don't believe to be true because the whole Golden Kingdom area of SFGAdv is nicely themed.
 

D1993

Hyper Poster
Theres so many arguments for both.

Theming - I actually think both have equal amounts of theming, I love the feel of the golden kingdom, its more an entire section of the park, while TTD is just the ride. So that equals out forme

Views - CP has great views from the top, but so does KK! quickly being able to see new york and philly was great and really tells you just how high you are!!!

Ride Experience - I feel that both are on par and avergae. KK's end bit has just that little extra bit more force against your face and in front seat I actually got gentle airtime, but going that fast it was actually pretty freaky.
KK wins out in this manner

Lap Bar vs OTSR - obviously lap bar wins out. I had absolutely no problem with the OTSR, but the lap bars are just alot scarier. TTD wins out here.

Ultimately, theyre two identical rides and I think its so stupid that on the golden tickets ttd is in the top 15 or whatever and KK is like 25. If either is ranked that high (which is fine i think they should be) then the other one should be the position below it! Theyre too similar to be separated, and thats why TTD is my 4th, then KK my 5th. The scary lap bars just gave ttd that slightest edge, however I really still love KK as a whole and the entire area.
 

merga74

Roller Poster
I have not yet ridden TTD, but will by the end of next season. I have been on KK 10 times in the past year, including one of the last rides this year on the day it crapped out. Ive been in the front, back and in between. Day, night, whatever. My daughter and I can't get enough. It may be the idea of the tallest in the world and the fastest in the country but I cant see TTD being better. As good definitely, but not better. I don't mind OTSR's. I can comfortably, physically and peace of mind, have the restraint a bit looser. I like lap bars on rides such as Nitro and El Toro or Superman Ride of Steel, but With that degree of drop, speed and height, I prefer to be certain that I am safe. The fear of falling out doesnt excite me as it may some. I will never forget the sound of the air rushing past my ears the first time we went on KK. Also I dig the hill at the end of Ka. Its the end of the ride and that hump is as high if not higher than some of the first drops on a few of the coasters there. Pretty cool in my opinion.
I will say though, I fully understand that my opinion may change after our first visit to Cedar Point next summer. Now if only Ka was open again this coming weekend for my last visit of the year...
 

Intricks

Strata Poster
Neither because they are both boring and do nothing other than go really high, really fast. Yet, to stay on topic, TTD because I can stand at the launch and get the people who are already worried about the ride into hysterics before they launch. If it rolls back, then I get to torment that same person AGAIN! Ah, good times.

Out of any Intamin Accelerator that does a tophat, Storm Runner.

Switching between the hideouts'...
 

devilsrule911

Roller Poster
This debate has been going on for ages. You can point out so many different things that makes TTD better than KK and KK better than TTD. One thing sticks out for me that makes TTD better. Trims. KK is just so trimmed it just felt like you were dangling over the drop and then you crawl through the twist downward. I'm pretty sure TTD isn't trimmed but if it is I have to say that I didn't feel it the few times I went on.

On a side note, I think that these rides are 2 extremely underrated coasters. No way do they deserve top 25 but they are a hell of a rush and are amongst the top coasters in their parks. Yeah they are short, but it is quite a sensation to accelerate to such speeds and be going that fast, and you can't say it's forceless. I feel that TTD is the third best at CP behind Magnum and of course Maverick. At Great Adventure, KK is definitely the second in the park, of course behind El Toro. I think people are just so skeptical because of their ride time and don't realize how great of an experience it is.
 

Intricks

Strata Poster
^ No, they are both just a speed and height coaster, that is all. They are completely overrated and don't deserve to be in the Top 50 at best. Kingda Krap has the LIMs at the top to make sure there is little to non-existent rollbacks, which are the only good things about these rides as they give you a longer ride. I only vote for TTD due to the fact that I can stand where people are waiting to be launched and get them into near hysterics and laugh at their panic. Outside of that small, miniscule fact, they are both 20 second long wastes of time.

I call them both Boners cause that is what they resemble, and basically equate too...CF and SF both arguing about who has the bigger dick. Better Top Hat accelerators have been made, that far defeat these two by leaps and bounds, but alas, those aren't the center of the topic.
 

devilsrule911

Roller Poster
They are underrated by coaster enthusiasts. I stand by with what you said that it is just a speed and hill coaster, but they are a fun experience for anyone who rides it and I just feel that people give the ride way too much crap. When you ride the coaster you will get a rush. They have plenty of force (aside from Kingda Ka's crappy hill) even if it is for a short duration (20 sec.). Yeah, it's way to short to be a top coaster, but it is still an intense ride experience from beginning to end and worth riding every time you go to those parks. Plus it is unbelievably fun to feel such an acceleration for such a long duration. Yeah, there are better coasters out there, even with a similar layout, but they aren't bad rides (even though they are a huge waste of money).

I don't know about those LIM's but I know for sure that Kingda Ka has a slower spiral than TTD and when I rode it it really went over that hill slowly.
 

Intricks

Strata Poster
Re: Re: Top Thrill Dragster vs. Kingda Ka

devilsrule911 said:
They are underrated by coaster enthusiasts. I stand by with what you said that it is just a speed and hill coaster, but they are a fun experience for anyone who rides it and I just feel that people give the ride way too much crap.

It gave me a rush that I have equated to a premature orgasm (never had one, but the analogy works). You get the feeling you want, but are left with utter disappointment afterwards after such a long wait for such a quick, and rather disappointing, ride.

When you ride the coaster you will get a rush. They have plenty of force (aside from Kingda Ka's crappy hill) even if it is for a short duration (20 sec.). Yeah, it's way to short to be a top coaster, but it is still an intense ride experience from beginning to end and worth riding every time you go to those parks.

I have ridden Top Thrill a handful of times, and I only plan to ride Ka for the credit. They have an initial "punch", but the launch is drawn out in the worst of ways. Storm Runner has by far a better launch than either of those because it is short, sweet and doesnt let up til you are up the hill. Hell, Mr. Freeze at SFStL has a better launch than TTD, and it is an early ass premier! The last time I went to the Point, I skipped it. I have no want to ride it, nor listen to the GP jizz in their pants over it. Ka is down for the season, so I couldnt grab the cred when I went a couple weekends back, but it isnt a ride that Im beating myself up for missing.

Plus it is unbelievably fun to feel such an acceleration for such a long duration. Yeah, there are better coasters out there, even with a similar layout, but they aren't bad rides (even though they are a huge waste of money).

I can accelerate like that in a top notch car if I wanted a long and drawn out acceleration. The clones of Ka arent bad (as those that have ridden them say), but I dont agree on the waste of money for the mini clones.

I don't know about those LIM's but I know for sure that Kingda Ka has a slower spiral than TTD and when I rode it it really went over that hill slowly.

The LIMs are on the left side of Ka for the sole purpose of being an anti roll-back system. They are there in response to TTDs infamous roll-backs and even rarer stalls at the peak (3 have happened I believe). That is why you will literally creep over the edge on Kingda Ka. They help keep the train above a 5mph minimum.

It honestly pisses me off when the two coasters being discussed recieve such high rates in the polls. I see them as nothing short of an eye sore and an accomplishment saying "we have the bigger dick".

Switching between the hideouts'...
 

SaiyanHajime

CF Legend
I preferred Ka. I only rode them both once each. I rode Ka in the front row, which may be why I think it's better. I rode TTD near the back at night.

The WIND moving your cheeks! OMG. I'm sorry, but anyone who dismisses those rides on the basis of they are short one trick ponies is severally missing the point.

They are both a fantastic experience. I urge anyone to wait for front row for them because it's just mind-blowingly wow.
 

Sam

Giga Poster
Joey said:
I preferred Ka. I only rode them both once each. I rode Ka in the front row, which may be why I think it's better.

They are both a fantastic experience. I urge anyone to wait for front row for them because it's just mind-blowingly wow.

Same for me.... I'd also queued five off hours for Dragster which may have taken some of the fun out of it as I was hot, bored and fed up by the time I got on it....

I thought the launch was better on Kingda Ka..... and surely on a ride like this that's the most important thing? Is for me anyway.

So yeah, I'll say Kingda Ka too.
 

Intricks

Strata Poster
^^ And what is the point of these two rides outside of their height and speed?

Surely not the low time, time spent waiting for said ride, the slim possibility of a roll-back and every GP there wanting to have their babies? Add in downtome for Ka...

These rides ARE a one trick pony, and nothing else.

Switching between the hideouts'...
 

merga74

Roller Poster
^^What point would you like besides speed and height? Its a ride at an amusement park. What do you want it to do? Slow down and read you an Edgar Allen Poe story? I think something is amiss for knocking the ride so much, yet you havnt been on it AND you throw in there "Im gonna go on it just for the cred". That's bordering on poser territory. Dont go on the ride for a "cred". Go on because you love coasters of all shapes and sizes. You seem to be so worked up and wont stop going on and on about big dicks.
 

SaiyanHajime

CF Legend
I didn't say there was more to them, I said anyone dismissing them for being "just one trick ponies" is missing the point. As in, what the hell is wrong with one trick ponies?

There is nothing inherently wrong with one trick ponies and I think it's hilarious that whilst Oblivion is highly praised, the rocket coasters get so much stick.

My point is Ka and TTD are incredible rides. If they had more to them it wouldn't add anything (a la Xcelerator) and potentially just distract from the greatness of the trick. You don't want to have such an impressive start, then have that erased by a crap ending. That is why people dislike something like, I dunno... PMBO, which has one of the world's best first drops then just doesn't do anything else worth mentioning (for most people anyway, I love it all).

Front row on Ka was amazing. How anyone could not just be blown away by that and jump straight to criticising it like a fine wine is beyond me.
 

Ben

CF Legend
I think Kingda Ka is freaking awesome, it blew me away.

Anymore to it would ruin it. It does what it does perfectly already. And is fit. I like the green.
 

Intricks

Strata Poster
merga74 said:
^^What point would you like besides speed and height? Its a ride at an amusement park. What do you want it to do? Slow down and read you an Edgar Allen Poe story? I think something is amiss for knocking the ride so much, yet you havnt been on it AND you throw in there "Im gonna go on it just for the cred". That's bordering on poser territory. Dont go on the ride for a "cred". Go on because you love coasters of all shapes and sizes. You seem to be so worked up and wont stop going on and on about big dicks.

I've ridden TTD, the first ride was awesome, but it didn't give me the thrill that I usually get when ridding a coaster of any height. THAT is why I knock these two rides and will only do Ka for a credit and a credit only. If TTD disappointed me, why wouldn't Ka do the same as well? They are literally the same ride (bar a few mph and height, plus the hill to help slow the ride down itself). When I see a ride I WANT to ride, whether it has been knocked before or not, I get very excited and act like a kid on a sugar rush (El Toro. It doesn't look impressive to me, and I still say Voyage is the better ride, but while waiting in the station, I was as giddy as a damn school girl). Top Thrill gave me that feeling to a degree, but when I was at Great Adventure, and was driving by Ka, the feeling wasn't there. I have no form of excitement to ride the ride, so it is just a cred to grab in my book.

Joey said:
I didn't say there was more to them, I said anyone dismissing them for being "just one trick ponies" is missing the point. As in, what the hell is wrong with one trick ponies?

There is nothing inherently wrong with one trick ponies and I think it's hilarious that whilst Oblivion is highly praised, the rocket coasters get so much stick.

My point is Ka and TTD are incredible rides. If they had more to them it wouldn't add anything (a la Xcelerator) and potentially just distract from the greatness of the trick. You don't want to have such an impressive start, then have that erased by a crap ending. That is why people dislike something like, I dunno... PMBO, which has one of the world's best first drops then just doesn't do anything else worth mentioning (for most people anyway, I love it all).

Front row on Ka was amazing. How anyone could not just be blown away by that and jump straight to criticising it like a fine wine is beyond me.

I have nothing wrong with a "one trick pony" type of ride. I absolutely LOVED Speed, Mr. Freeze and love all Boomerangs for some ghastly reason. As I stated above, the excitement isn't there for me with these two.
 

Venom2053

Hyper Poster
I've never ridden Ka but TTD was amazing. Love the way it sucks the wind out of you. I would have liked if it accelerated as fast as stealth does and it lacked in airtime but I still love the force that they produce. I really need to ride Ka, sucks that its not the fastest any more (from my view). Cause now I have to find a way to Abu Dhabi. :(
 

A101

Mega Poster
I haven't ridden either coasters, but everyone I know who's ridden both has said that Dragster's better
 
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