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Your Year in Review: 2019 edition on page 5

My season ain't quite over yet, a bunch of us still have the PortAventura Live next month which I'm looking forward to very much. :)
But obviously, the main highlight for me has been the 3 week US road trip with my (now) wife. It was epic, still working on the trip report: ;)

Calirado: Summary & Final Score.

We're currently about 12 days into this trip, with 6 more left to go. Well, I say 6, it might be a few more, what with Thomas Cook going tits-up and all that, our current status is officially 'stranded in the USA', but we're not gonna worry about that for the time being. There's worse places to...
coasterforce.com coasterforce.com

But there was some other stuff too. Like:
Best New To You Coaster: Untamed. Superb ride, 2nd favourite RMC (behind Vengeance) and contender for best coaster in Europe.
Best Park Visit: Went to all the UK Lives this year and they were great fun, but it's gotta be Glenwood Caverns for the top spot. Amazing park.
Best Individual Coaster Lap: Probably first go on Untamed.
Best New For 2019 Ride: Untamed.
Best New To You Non-Coaster. Tie - Haunted Mine Drop and Giant Canyon Swing, both at Glenwood Caverns.
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast: Getting to Glenwood Caverns. Excluse innit.
Best Non-Park Travel Moment: If I said anything other than 'getting married' here I'd probably be in deep trouble, but most of that above mentioned road trip was pretty special too.
Most Surprising Coaster: Railblazer o_O??
Funniest Moment At A Park: Seeing a ride op at Cave of the Winds Mountain Park in Colorado with The Smiler logo tattooed on his chest. No, really.
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park: Randomly bumping into @Will at Toverland.
Best New Person You Met: Quite a few new goons have been coming to the Lives this year and they've all been fab, but shout outs to @pvnks @Slamming Coastercore and @.Ac.
Worst New To You Coaster: 3 way tie - Kong & Batman at SFDK and Grizzly at CGA.
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020: Iron Gwazi, easy. It's the kick up the arse I needed to get me to go back to Florida. Can't wait.
 
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Best New To You Coaster: Yukon Striker
Best Park Visit: Kentucky Kingdom
Best Individual Coaster Lap: Last ride on Voyage at the Live
Best New For 2019 Ride: Yukon Striker
Best New To You Non-Coaster: The Big Kahuna
Most Surprising Coaster: Joker at SFNE
Funniest Moment At A Park: The Big Kahuna
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park: Night 1 and 3 in Louisville
Best New Person You Met: Met so many great people but @Hutch, @Skeletor, and the Larson Loopers really stick out when thinking back on the season. -Edit- I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT @GuyWithAStick, @Sky and @StretchMcCoasterGuy :eek: They definitely deserve a shoutout too
Worst New To You Coaster: Sea Dragon (Columbus Zoo)
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020: Jersey Devil (It'd be Iron Gwazi but i don't think i'm likely to ride it next year)
 
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(pre-PA live)

Best New To You Coaster: Wildfire (Kolmarden), Untamed is a seriously close second
Best Park Visit: Showing my non-enthusiast mates round Toverland or 1st Day at Europa Park for the Ghosterforce Live
Best Individual Coaster Lap: 1st ride on Untamed. Even though I preferred Wildfire overall, I was in awe watching the construction of Untamed and wondering how the elements would feel (especially that first mental pair of inversions) just made it so much more special.
Best New For 2019 Ride: Untamed
Best New To You Non-Coaster: Eclipse at Grona Lund
Proudest Accomplishment as an Enthusiast: We were playing consequences in the queue for Blue Fire on the Ghosterforce Live. Someone handed me a piece of paper with the word “mega-lite” on it, meaning I had to draw an Intamin mega-lite in next to no time at all. I managed to get the lift hill, first turn and following airtime hill in and got some lovely praise for the accuracy of my drawing. I then explained that I hadn’t even ridden a mega-lite and @Mysterious Sue said “You’re such a goon!”. To have my goonieness confirmed by someone that has done as much gooning as @Mysterious Sue was such an honour and it really made me very very happy as I’m pretty new to all this. Definitely had a ‘this is where I belong’ moment haha. All the lovely comments on my Sweden Trip report were also great.
Best Non-Park Travel Moment: Getting smashed with my non-enthusiast friends whilst off skiing for a week in Feb. Whisky on the drag lifts makes for a gnarly time haha
Most Surprising Coaster: Twister at Grona Lund or Blue Fire at Europa Park
Funniest Moment At A Park: All of the Ghosterforce Live was great, but the look on my friends faces when we got to the top of River Quest at Phantasialand on their first visit was just pure gold.
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park: Listening to my non-enthusiast friends attempt to analyse Untamed at a bar after Walibi Holland
Best New Person You Met: Such a tough one! I’m gonna stick to this year, as if I include the London Meet up from last Christmas the list will go on forever. But special mentions go to @PvM , @Hixee, @Howie, @pvnks, @MouseAT and @chainedbanana .
Worst New To You Coaster: Insane at Grona Lund
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020: Jersey Devil. I’m visiting in June so knowing six flags I probably will miss out on this one. The prospect of getting on one of these single rail bad-boys though is just super exciting. If I can’t get on this, hopefully Energylandia will do me a favour and build one closer to home haha.
 
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I visited one park this year, so this ought to be easy:

Best New To You Coaster - Swarm.
Best Park Visit - Thorpe Park.
Best Individual Coaster Lap - Stealth, front row, first thing in the day before dizziness set in.
Best New For 2019 Ride - None.
Best New To You Non-Coaster - None.
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast - None.
Best Non-Park Travel Moment - Visiting a scientific conference in Prague.
Most Surprising Coaster - Colossus. I had never imagined it to be that bad.
Funniest Moment At A Park - Realizing how hilariously poorly laid out Thorpe Park is. What's with putting everything behind waterslides?
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park - Reading a Discworld book on the train from London to Staines, I guess.
Best New Person You Met - None.
Worst New To You Coaster - Colossus
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020 - Gotta say Pantheon. I heard rumours that my home park has something in the pipeline too, but my expectations have been set to "limbo world record" levels by their behaviour over the past ten years.
 
New Credits: 138
New Countries: 3 (USA, Canada, France)
Best New To You Coaster: Steel Vengeance
Best Park Visit: Cedar Point / Islands of Adventure
Best Individual Coaster Lap: Steel Vengeance Back Row in pouring rain
Best New For 2019 Ride: 1. Untamed 2. Hagrid’s MCMA
Best New To You Non-Coaster: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast: Hitting 300 / First US Trip
Most Surprising Coaster: Coney Island Cyclone
Worst New To You Coaster: Woodies at Canada’s Wonderland, each SLC
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020: F.L.Y. / Pantheon
 
New top 20 coasters-13
Best New To You Coaster- Lightning Rod
Best Park Visit- Day at Walibi Holland during spooky days or Kentucky Kingdom when it was completely empty.
Best Individual Coaster Lap- Trimless Voyage night ride
Best New For 2019 Ride- Untamed
Best New To You Non-Coaster Ride- Area 51
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast- Riding my 200th and 300th coaster in the same year which I definitely didn't expect to do.
Best Non-Park Travel Moment- Being swarmed by around 20 giant grasshoppers in Mexico
Most Surprising Coaster- Lightning Run or Bandit at Movie Park
Funniest Moment At A Park- Going in Wodan's queue line. All I'll say is that there are some small openings in the walls which led to some pretty awkward and hilarious conversations.
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park- Tough to decide, pretty much the whole of my recent Germany and Netherlands trip was a laugh.
Best New Person You Met- Another tough one, as I've met so many amazing people this year, the ones that stand out are Lars, a German enthusiast who I met up with at a few UK parks, and he then let me stay at his house for a week this October, so we could do a bunch of parks together. Also @TMCoasters who I ended up spending most of my US trip with by coincidence. Also Paul, a Maurer employee who I met at Towers and Holiday park, he was so nice and he gave me way too many Maurer brochures ?
Worst New To You Coaster- The Beast
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020- Its definitely a tough one, probably the whole of Aqualantis, or if it counts, Launch Coaster at Sun Tzu park

So overall, this season has been the best yet, I've been to countless new parks, and met so many new, amazing enthusiasts. I've been able to do so much more than I could have ever imagined this year as I really became a part of the community at the beginning of this year. Here's to next year which will hopefully be even better for everyone.
 
Still got Winter Wonderland and Port Adventura to come however my highlights are as follow.

Best New To You Coaster - Steel Vengeance
Best Park Visit - Cedar Point with @Fi in August, amazing visit.
Best Individual Coaster Lap - Front Row Ride, on Helix at Night
Best New For 2019 Ride - Untamed.
Best New To You Non-Coaster - Falcon Fury at Busch Gardens Tampa
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast - On course to achieve the best part of 300 coasters in the first year of gooning! ( Sadly life in recent weeks has caused my count to slow down and miss the forecast. )
Best Non-Park Travel Moment - Visiting Florida and Mid West of US with Freinds.
Most Surprising Coaster - Lisebergbanan, didn't realize what it was until came off it.
Funniest Moment At A Park - Back row ride on Big Dipper at Blackpool CF Live. I was stood up on the first drop while @Mysterious Sue disappeared out of the carriage. Apparently you can have to much air time.
Falling asleep in the queue line of Maverick, only got woken up as apparently I was snooring!
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park - When I realized i had screwed up on planing road trip from Michigan Adventure to Kings Island. If i didn't laugh I would have cried at seeing 400 miles on sat nav!
Best New Person You Met - Everyone, you are all fab people. To name a few @Howie @Fi @SilverArrow @Mysterious Sue but I could go on list everyone that been to CF Live this year.
Worst New To You Coaster - Antelope, what pile of poo that is.
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020 - Iron Gawzi and Jersey Devil, Got to Love an RMC.
 
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2019 has been a bit of an odd year for me. Blackpool aside, I've pretty much ignored the UK parks this year, and focused on Europe. The focus has also been on quality over quantity this year, with lots of returns to parks I've been to before in order to re-ride some awesome rides, and pick up a few new creds along the way.

The season still isn't over for me, as there's still the Port Aventura Live to round out the season. This'll be my first visit to one of the few remaining parks on my European bucket list, so it'll be an interesting way to end the season, and will no doubt introduce some new highlights and lowlights into my end of season summary.

So far, though, the Germany CF Live has definitely been the highlight of the season. I've had better rides at other times of year, and my Sweden trip back in July was pretty epic, but Germany was just a perfect example of this crazy hobby at its absolute best: Me and a bunch of good friends, having a great time at theme parks. No stress, no annoyances, minimal faff, just a few days away from the cares of the world, having the time of our lives.
 
Best New To You Coaster - Steel Vengeance of course
Best Park Visit - Not exactly the best park I did, but the Kentucky Kingdom Live was probably the most fun.
Best Individual Coaster Lap - Late night ERT on Steel Vengeance in the back row. That's when I begun to realize it was a new No. 1.
Best New For 2019 Ride - I mean it's between Steel Curtain or Kentucky Flyer… so Steel Curtain lol.
Best New To You Non-Coaster - Ughh probably the water park at Kentucky Kingdom in general. Lots of great stuff... Big Kahuna, lazy rivers, drop slide.
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast - I think really just following through on the big roadtrip I did, most of which was by myself. And of course meeting several more enthusiasts and hitting 200 creds.
Best Non-Park Travel Moment - I kicked off my big coaster trip with Extreme Rules in Philly. Great wrestling, hot crowd.
Most Surprising Coaster - Ravine Flyer II. Damn that ride was wild. Need more laps on that puppy, can't wait to ride it again.
Funniest Moment At A Park - This masterpiece taken at Kings Island:

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Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park - Dicking around at the Airbnb in Louisville.
Best New Person You Met - So many new people that I can't just mention one: @Snoo, @Hyde, @tomahawk, @Youngster Joey, @Skeletor, @GuyWithAStick, @StretchMcCoasterGuy, @Sky, @pkiknex25. Can't wait to see you all again.
Worst New To You Coaster - Ughhh exluding kiddie creds, probably the Wild Mouse at Dorney Park. Getting sick of those things.
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020 - Jersey Mike's Coaster at Great Adventure. Super excited to try out an RMC Raptor.
 
Best New To You Coaster: Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster, Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Best Park Visit: Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Best Individual Coaster Lap: My final ride on Wonder Woman: Golden Lasso Coaster.
Best New For 2019 Ride: Out of what I haven't ridden, Hakugei seems to be the best; however, I've ridden Copperhead Strike and Bumble Blast. Copperhead Strike is the clear winner here.
Best New To You Non-Coaster: I enjoyed the Busch Gardens Williamsburg train quite a lot, to be honest.
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast: Reaching 150 coasters on Scorpion at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay!
Best Non-Park Travel Moment:
Most Surprising Coaster: Alpengeist, Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Funniest Moment At A Park: Going to Carowinds during my school's chorus performance without actually being in it! I caught several familiar faces riding Copperhead Strike and Fury 325.
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park: I'm not sure.
Best New Person You Met: Dan Koch or Clint Novak.
Worst New To You Coaster: Mini Express, Calaway Park
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020: I'm extremely hyped for Pantheon, at least on a local scale. I was planning to revisit Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2021 for both Pantheon and the 2021 coaster, but... I just can't hold off on it anymore. However, Aqualantis or F.L.Y. look to be the best coasters of 2020 outside of America.
 
I know people are having this sort of discussion on another thread now but I kind of like this one.
  • Coaster count at start of 2019: 265
  • Coaster count at end of 2019: 311
  • New credits obtained in 2019: 46 (just beating last year's 45, making it my best year yet)
  • New parks visited in 2018: 14
  • Days spent in a theme park in 2018: 18
  • Favourite new ride of 2019: El Toro (honourable mentions to Taron and EGF)
  • Favourite new park of 2019: Six Flags Great Adventure
  • Highlight of 2019: Finally getting the Angola cred
  • Biggest surprise of 2019: Finding the surprise bonus alpine coaster at Huashan in China
  • Low points of 2019: Coney Island full park spite
  • Spites: 9 in total (!) - 1 at Happy Valley Beijing, 2 at HV Chengdu, Sky Scream at Holiday Park plus all five creds at Luna Park (not counting the kiddie one as I probably wouldn't have bothered with it anyway)
 
New credits - 36 (425 to 461)
New parks - 9: Kokomo's, Idlewild, Coney Island Cincy, SFOT, SFFT, SWSD, ZDT's, Kemah, GPP
Days at parks - 17
Best New To You Coaster - Fury 325
Best Park Visit - This is a tough one...we had a ball at all four parks on the Kentucky Kingdom Live and also at SFOT, but I think our weekend at Carowinds edges the rest out just a bit.
Best Individual Coaster Lap - Getting back on Steel Vengeance after quite a break between rides or that first lap on Fury
Best New For 2019 Ride - New for 2019...Copperhead Strike
Best New To You Non-Coaster - That lazy river at Kentucky Kingdom <3
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast - Finally getting down to Texas!
Best Non-Park Travel Moment - hanging out with everyone during the KK live
Most Surprising Coaster - Boardwalk Bullet. What a masterpiece.
Funniest Moment At A Park - BIG KAHUNA, GET ****ING REKT
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park - the entire experience of the airbnb in Louisville with...what...13 or 14 other goons?
Best New Person You Met - I can't single out people. I loved meeting the Larson clan as well as @Sky, @StretchMcCoasterGuy, Grace, the Selfs, @GuyWithAStick, @Skeletor, and so many more awesome goons!
Worst New To You Coaster - The kiddie coaster at SWSD
Low point of the season - Our last trip to Cedar Point in July. The crowds are burning me out.
Spites - Wild Mouse (Idlewild), Steel Curtain (Kennywood), Little Amerricka and Bay Beach, an extra day at Kings Island, Voyage at Night, Frontier City, and Boomerang, Pandemonium, and Iron Rattler at SFFT. It was an unusually spiteful year.
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020 - Iron Gwazi. I am so excited to ride next year at this time.


Not a bad year by any stretch.
 
Might as well do the new one as well;

Best New To You Coaster: Skyrush!
Best Park Visit: Hersheypark
Best Individual Coaster Lap: Millennium Force WITH 1 INCH OF ROOM I THINK
Best New For 2019 Ride: Yukon Striker
Best New To You Non-Coaster: Knoebels Haunted House
Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast: Riding my 100th credit, and finally riding Demon Drop!
Best Non-Park Travel Moment: Niagara Falls!
Most Surprising Coaster: LAFF TRAKK
Funniest Moment At A Park: "Dry Screaming" on CCMR with some friends!
Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park: My family reminding ourselves that even though the price looks more expensive in Canada, it's probably still the same price in the USA
Best New Person You Met: Drew from Parks Bros!
Worst New To You Coaster: Wilde Beast or Woodstock Express (Dorney Park)
Worst Park Visit: Easily Kennywood
Most disappointing roller coaster new to me: Storm Runner
Best food new to me at a park: I think it was called London's Bridge, at Kings Island's new Miami River Brewhouse. It was an awesome Fried Cod Sandwich!
Worst food new to me at a park: I really didn't eat too much new food this year, so I'd probably say this pan pizza at Knoebels that kinda tore up my mouth.
Most Exciting Announcement For 2020: Hm, either Jersey Devil Coaster, Orion, or Iron Gwazi; I honestly can't seem to choose one!

I'm sure I could come up with a few other categories, but I think that's enough right now.
 
It's been a bit of an unusual year for me. I've hardly bothered with UK parks, apart from a couple of trips to Blackpool and the CF Live at Fantasy Island. On the other hand, I've spent a lot more time in Europe this year, with trips to the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Spain.

For some reason, it feels like a very CF-lite season, even though when I really look back, it probably wasn't. Some of it was probably down to the way the Lives were spaced out, whilst some of the Lives either had smaller turnouts, or had fewer of the old guard regulars in attendance. I should note that none of this made any of the Lives any less fun - The influx of new people into CF over the last year or so has been amazing, and whilst Germany had a grand total of four people attending, largely down to high costs and a real lack of convenient flights, it was some of the most fun I can remember having at a Live in years.

Anyway, onto the bullet points:

Best New To You Coaster - Red Force at Ferrari Land, Salou. It's one hell of an adrenaline rush. I've ridden better rides, but they were all rides I'd ridden before. Shambhala was also great, but I was sometimes getting stapled, which meant I wasn't getting consistently good airtime on it.

Best Park Visit - It's extremely close between the Germany Live and Port Aventura. The Germany Live probably had slightly better park days, but PA makes up for it with being able to spend time with so many awesome people, both on and off park.

Best Individual Coaster Lap - Helix at Liseberg, in the front rows after dark. Absolutely magical, and a league above every other ride I've had this year.

Best New For 2019 Ride - Probably Ikarus at Grona Lund. I don't think I've ridden anything else notable that opened this year.

Best New To You Non-Coaster - Jukebox at Liseberg. Seriously, it's one of the most amazing flat rides in existence. An octopus ride with serious airtime. If you're at Liseberg, make sure you don't skip it. It's deceptive, and far more intense than it looks from off ride.

Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast - Actually planning solo trips abroad this year. I did a trip to Toverland and Efteling on my own back in May, and whilst I met up with my fellow CFers in Germany, I was travelling solo for the duration.

Best Non-Park Travel Moment - Probably travelling back from Germany on the 100th anniversary of KLM. There was a bit of ceremony involved at Stuttgart airport, including free drinks and snacks, and then they gave all passengers little felt Dutch house models made from felt as a memento. It was completely unexpected.

Most Surprising Coaster - Wodan at Europa Park. What happened? It was bland as anything, and it's turned into an absolute monster that was giving Troy a run for its money. I found myself laughing uncontrollably at every pop of airtime, and there were many.

Funniest Moment At A Park - Probably Euro Mir at Europa Park with Chained Banana, Mysterious Sue, Slamming Coastercore:
MouseAT said:
Add the soundtrack and a bunch of CFers raving their way around the entire ride and you have hilarity.

Start the ride with myself and Alex in one car, Harry and Sue in the other, so that we're constantly rotating past each other going up the spiral lift hill. Now add in Harry and Sue singing the theme tune rather loudly as the ride goes around the circuit. Now add in two more random members of the general public who have decided to join in. Finally, add in two random, burly German blokes, who, due to the rotation of the train are now in the middle between us CFers, looking rather bemused by the whole thing.
Click to expand...

Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park - The chef/barkeeper at a bar called Saliga Munken in Norrköping.

I'd been in this particular bar a few years back with Chris H ("Ninja Chris") back in 2016, after the Kolmården Live, and remembered the bar playing loads of random 90s Indie and Britpop tunes.

Anyway, Mushroom and I were looking for somewhere to eat in Norrköping, and this bar was just around the corner from our hotel. We got talking to the chef, who legitimately looked like a viking, mega beard and all, and he translated the menus and served up some really great Swedish food. We had a bit of a discussion about why we're in town, and it being a convenient place to stay when visiting Kolmården.

Anyway, we get talking a bit, the bar is quiet, so as we are eating, Viking Chef makes his way over to check if the food is OK, and to ask us what our musical tastes are. I mention that I'm into classic Manchester Indie. Viking Chef is surprised, as he's also a fan of the Manchester classics, such as the Happy Mondays and Stone Roses. I mention that I remember lots of Indie tunes from my last visit a few years ago, and he's really surprised that I'd been in the bar before and remember that.

And so begins a random conversation about Shaun Ryder.

Anyway, Mushroom and I have a few drinks, the Indie tunes start playing, Viking Chef goes off duty, and starts drinking beers with some of his mates at a table outside. When we're ready to leave, we wander over to say goodbye.

MouseAT said:
Cheers for the food and tunes. We might see you again the next time we're passing through.
Click to expand...
Viking Chef said:
Next year?
Click to expand...
MouseAT said:
We may be passing through in a couple of years.
Click to expand...
Viking Chef said:
Nah, next f***in' year!
Click to expand...

Best New Person You Met - Out of the people I've actually had chance to spend time getting to know, it's pretty much between Slamming Coastercore and Taikavarpu. Both are awesome people, and a great additions to the CF Live community.

Worst New To You Coaster - Furious Baco at Port Aventura. The worst head rattle I've ever had. It's utterly disgusting, and I never want to ride that piece of **** again.

Most Exciting Announcement For 2020 - Probably Iron Gwazi. I don't expect to be riding it next year, but I need to do a trip to Florida some time in the next few years, and Iron Gwazi definitely looks like it'll be a highlight, and an amazing addition to the Florida coaster scene. Honourable mentions go to Paultons for their new area, and Energylandia's new Vekoma, both of which I hope to visit and ride next season.
 
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I've never managed to achieve as many parks as some on here due to time, money and my fiancee hating theme parks. I manage parks where I can with friends and my younger brother.

In 2017 and 2018 I barely did any theme parks, but 2019 was slightly better...even if it is far fewer than many here manage!

March 2019: Efteling (2 days).
I have been visiting yearly since 2013, so there's little new here for me in this visit, but I love the park a lot.

May 2019: Alton Towers (2 days)
Previous visits to the park in 2018, 2014 and 2012 were during peak days, so this visit was my best ever and finally managed to reride some favourites.

September 2019: Phantasialand (2 days)
First visit since 2014, so got my first ride on Taron. Park was very busy which was a shame, but greatly enjoyed it.

October 2019: Thorpe Park (1 day)
Over the last few years I've gone to Thorpe multiple times. Their mediocre additions and ride removals the last few years meant I only went in Fright Nights this year.

-----

Best New To You Coaster - Taron. A new no. 1 coaster for me as well. Stellar ride and amazing theming.

Best Park Visit - Efteling in March. The park was dead and therefore me and my brother managed so many rides in my favourite park.

Best Individual Coaster Lap - First ride on Taron for sure.

Best New For 2019 Ride - Didn't do any new rides, but Creek Freak Massacre was great.

Best New To You Non-Coaster - see above.

Proudest Accomplishment As An Enthusiast - Going on Pirana as Efteling in early March. Its was super cold but they opened the ride anyway, and it was one of the funniest rides I've done. I was decked out in a coat, scarf and hat getting wet. So surreal but so funny.

Best Non-Park Travel Moment - I visited Stockholm when Grona Lund was sadly closed, but it was a fantastic city to see.

Most Surprising Coaster - Spinball at Alton Towers really took me by surprise. I expected very little but it was fantastic fun.

Funniest Moment At A Park - the above winter ride on Pirana.

Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park - Not really 'funny', but a surprising gem. Visiting the Speelklok Museum in Utrecht which is all about automatic instruments and organs. Great fun.

Best New Person You Met - Met no-one new

Worst New To You Coaster - Runaway Mine Train at Alton Towers. I mean, it was fine, but it was the weakest new coaster I rode.

Most Exciting Announcement For 2020
FLY at Phantasialand
 
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Season is done now, so I can do this...
  • Coaster count at start of 2019: 617
  • Coaster count at end of 2019: 659
  • New credits obtained in 2019: 42
  • New parks visited in 2019: 8
  • Favourite new ride of 2019: Untamed, duh.
  • Favourite new park of 2019: Liseberg is the obvious choice, but additional shout out to the two Fun Spot parks in Orlando, they were great!
  • Highlight of 2019: Probably goon-bucket-list IAAPA.
  • Highlight of 2019 (non-park): Probably the Mt Pinatubo hike we did in the Philippines in the summer. Beautiful.
  • Biggest surprise of 2019: Never know what to put for this...

Yay! 2020 next... flippin' 'ek!
 
Doubt I'll visit Winter Wonderland till next year meaning my year is done for anything new..
  • Coaster count at start of 2019: 136
  • Coaster count at end of 2019: 174
  • New credits obtained in 2019: 38 (my best year)
  • New parks visited in 2019: 9
  • Favourite new ride of 2019: Taiga
  • Favourite new park of 2019: Difficult one - probably Linnanmaki in terms of an actual park, but Karls-Erlebnis Dorf just outside Berlin was brilliant too
  • Highlight of 2019: Fright Nights at Walibi Holland; particularly Clinic and a solo run of Pyschoshock
  • Highlight of 2019 (non-park): Attended/presented at a summer school in Wurzburg, Germany. My first time travelling to a different country solo
  • Biggest surprise of 2019: K2 at Karls / Karls in general. Cred looked fun, but didn't expect to enjoy it or the place as much as I did
  • Biggest disappointment of 2019: Freizeitpark Plohn
  • Other mentions: Couldn't do a sum up without mentioning the brilliance of Untamed and Popcorn Revenge. So yeah, they're brilliant
Two new creds entered my Top 5 (Taiga and Untamed), and Lost Gravity stood the test of time and really cemented itself in my Top 10.
 
For my review of the year I’ve decided to combine the bits of Matt and Jarrett’s categories I like best into one mega-review, and also add a couple of my own :)

  • Coaster count at start of 2019: 236
  • Coaster count at end of 2019: 273
  • New coasters ridden in 2019: 37
  • Miles of coaster track travelled in 2019 (approx): 49
  • Number of times inverted in 2019: 181
  • New parks visited in 2019: 11 (Legendia, Energylandia, Zatorland, Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Joyland, Pleasurewood Hills, Playland (Vancouver), Cultus Lake, Silverwood, Galaxyland and Ferrari Land)
  • Park visits in 2019: 20? (all of the above plus 6 visits to Alton Towers, a day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and 2 days at PortAventura)
  • Favourite new coaster of 2019: Hyperion
  • Best Individual Coaster Lap: Shambhala, back row, last train of the day in the dark at the end of the CF Live. ?
  • Worst New To You Coaster: Viking (Energylandia)
  • Best New To You Non-Coaster: Nothing stands out but I suppose the steam train ride at Silverwood was pretty cool.
  • Favourite new park of 2019: Energylandia
  • Highlights of 2019: The CF Live at PortAventura, a couple of great nights at Alton Scarefest and riding Lech at Legendia on my own multiple times because the park was dead.
  • Biggest surprise of 2019: Enjoying a Giant Inverted Boomerang (Aftershock at Silverwood)
  • Best Park Visit: Again, the CF Live at PortAventura
  • Best Non-Park Travel Moment: Driving through Glacier National Park in Montana. Just stunning.
  • Funniest Moment At A Park: Squeezing five grown men into one log flume boat on the Pleasurewood Hills CF Live and us all getting soaked!
  • Funniest Moment On A Coaster Trip Not At A Park: Getting way too drunk and playing silly games at the El Paso hotel at PortAventura.
  • Best New Person You Met: I’m going to say a tie between @Slamming Coastercore, @Taikavarpu and @ATTACKHAMMER who were all a lot of fun on the recent CF Live.
  • Most Exciting Announcement For 2020: Narrowing it down to things I may actually have a chance of riding next year, it’s probably Abyssus and the new area it will occupy at Energylandia.
 
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