Favorite Coasters

[SLC Headache]

10. Apollo's Chariot - Edged out Nitro in my book due to better use of terrain and stronger ending. Nitro's ending just putters out in comparison.
9. Afterburn - Absolutely merciless pacing and the batwing inversion helps this beat Silver Bullet and Alpengeist.
8. Twisted Colossus - ah, the power of RMC. Would have been higher if I got more duels.
7. Storm Runner - an explosive launch, and the flying snake dive has an unreal pull too.
6. GhostRider - A marathon ride with a steady pacing thanks to the removal of the MCBR, and possibly SoCal's best wooden coaster.
5. Tatsu - the supreme flying coaster. Even the chain lift is amazing, as you pull out from under the terrain.
4. Phoenix - over seventy years old and still rides as good as new. Minimal restraints mean every airtime hill leaves you flying.
3. El Toro - the mega-woodie that has it all - insane airtime and a twister ending. Would have topped the list were it not for weaker pacing.
2. Fury 325 - light on its feet, every maneuver performed with superior finesse.
1. Intimidator 305 - Completely unmatched pacing and power.

 

[netdvn]

10. Revenge of the Mummy - My definition of the perfect family coaster. Extremely well-themed, forceful, amazing queue line.
9. Superman Ride of Steel (SFA) - I really enjoyed this ride. Yeah the pacing in the middle is really lackluster but the airtime at the end is phenomenal enough to put it in my top 10. This may drop a few ranks once I ride more coasters but for now, its in my top 10.
8. Batwing - Probably the most intense flying coaster I've ever ridden. Basically the flying coaster of your standard Batman coaster
7. Fahrenheit - The line moves so slow on this ride but there's ejector air on literally every single element on the ride. Even the inversions.
6. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit - I know a lot of people don't like this ride because it has a rattle but this ride has the best airtime in all of Florida. Despite all the brake runs and the odd pacing, the fantastic ejector on every element makes up for it.
5. Storm Runner - Its short but it packs so much into that 30 second layout. Powerful launch, fun Immellmann, incredible flying snake dive. Probably one of the best inversions ever.
4. El Toro - Crazy airtime, crazy pacing. The legendary Rolling Thunder hill. The ending is a little weak but wow everything else about this ride is powerful.
3. Fury 325 - If it wasn't for the pointless helix halfway through the ride, this would rank higher. Really great air all over, a first drop that never ends, and some great speed make this a stellar coaster and the only reason to visit Carowinds.
2. Intimidator 305 - The most intense coaster I've ever ridden. From start to finish this thing is completely out of control with its insane laterals mixed in with pops of air.
1. Skyrush - People complain about how painful the restraints are but damn this thing is terrifying. Probably the only coaster I've ever ridden where I felt like the ride wanted to buck me off at every chance it got. Probably the only coaster that actually scared me and I rode in a safe row in the middle. I can only imagine how much more intense the ride would be if I rode on a wing seat.

 

[Zachary]

Mine looks like a Microsoft Word document (but it is actually in Google Docs). I have my favorite ten coasters and my best ten coasters typed out as numbered lists—each below header lines to differentiate the two sections. I then repeat the above for my favorite and best wooden coasters.

...

 

[Thomas]

Ten rides I really enjoy in no particular order:

-Comet @ Hersheypark
-Maverick @ Cedar Point
-Alpengeist @ Busch Gardens Williamsburg
-Kumba @ Busch Gardens Tampa
-El Toro @ Six Flags Great Adventure
-Fury 325 @ Carowinds
-Beast @ Kings Island
-Storm Runner @ Hersheypark
-Mako @ Sea World Orlando
-Phoenix @ Knoebels

Honorable Mentions:

-Blue Streak @ Cedar Point
-Afterburn @Carowinds
-Talon @ Dorney Park
-InvadR @ Busch Gardens Williamsburg
-Skyrush (only in the middle; wing seats suck) @ Hersheypark
-Manta @ Sea World Orlando
-Hydra @ Dorney Park
-Montu @ Busch Gardens Tampa
-White Lightning @ Fun Spot Orlando
-Lightning Racers @ Hersheypark
-Every Schwarzkopf

Rides that suck:

-Hollywood Ricochet Ragnarok Rigamarole @ Universal Studios
-Intimidator 305 & Volcano @ Kings Dominion
-Mean Streak @ Cedar Point
-Superman @ Six Flags America
-Vortex @ Kings Island
-Kinda Ka & Top Thrill Dragshow
-Roman Rapids @ Busch Gardens Williamsburg
-All Togos
-All Stand ups
-All Vekoma Boomerangs and SLCs

 

[Nicole]

I generally don’t mix wood and steel, so I have broken them out. Also, these are my “favorite” coasters, which I differentiate from “best.”

10. Steel Force (Dorney Park)
9. Firechaser Express (Dollywood)
8. i305 (Kings Dominion)
7. Dragon Challenge (Islands of Adventure)
6. Laff Trakk (Hersheypark)
5. Joker (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)
4. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
3. Apollo (BGW)
2. Nessie (BGW)
1. Fury 325 (Carowinds)

10. Gold Striker (California’s Great America)
9. Giant Dipper (Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk)
8. White Lightening (Fun Spot Orlando)
7. Wild One (SFA)
6. Lightening Rod (Dollywood)
5. The Beast (Kings Island)
4. ROAR (SFA)
3. Great White (Morey’s Piers)
2. Thunder Road (Carowinds)
1. Rebel Yell backwards (Kings Dominion)

Coasters that don’t fit in either category:
- Smokey Mountain Alpine Coaster
- High in the Sky Suess Trolley Train Ride

Also, most hated:
- Mantis (Cedar Point)
- Great American Scream Machine (Six Flags Over Georgia)
- El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure)

 

[Pretzel Kaiser]

I'm probably missing some parks that I've been to.

Favorite (in no order)
Laff Trak (Hersheypark)
Kumba (BGT)
Cobras's Curse (In all of our hearts and souls)
Black Diamond (Knoebles)
Verbolten (BGW)
Cheetah Hunt (BGT)
Mako (SWO)
Expedition Everest (DAK)
The Mummy (Uni)
Flight of Fear (KD)

Best (in no order)
Apollo (BGW)
Alpengeist (BGW)
Fury (Caro)
Pheonix (Knoebles)
White Lighting (FS)
Lightning Racer (Hersheypark)
Great Bear (Hersheypark)
Mako (SWO)
The Mummy (Uni)
Laff Trak(Hersheypark)

Mountain Dew Presents Over Hyped Coasters
I305
H:RRR
Kingda Ka
El Toro
Volcano

 

[UncleDuncan]

I don't have a numbered list; these are just my favorite coasters:

Helix
Twisted Colossus
X
Kumba
Storm Runner
Mummy
Apollos Chariot
Space Mountain (Anaheim! The one in Orlando is a snooze fest)
Tatsu
Balder

Honorable Mentions:

Expedition Everest (if they'd only fix Disco Yeti)
Goliath (SFMM - it's showing it's age a bit)
Verbolten
I305
Most anything wooden

Coasters I find overly hyped or I just don't care for:

Alpengeist (Way overhyped. In fact, it's average at best)
Skyrush (I want to love you, Skyrush. Why do you hurt me so bad?!?!?)
Manta (Above average but doesn't hold a candle to Tatsu)
RRR (Just terrible)
Most older Arrows (I'll take a Yawn please with a side of Back Pain)
Anything that makes me stand, or shoves a restraint near or around my taint (If you're into that kind of thing - I don't judge... but it's not for me)

 

[SLC Headache]

Might as well add: Flawed rides with most room for improvement (that doesn't involve just scrapping them and getting something better).

3. Superman: Ride of Steel. Put some Superman logo rings around the straightaway. Would enhance the sense of speed during a dead spot.
2. Verbolten. I've explained more elsewhere.
1. Great American Scream Machine. Can't go wrong with buzz bar restraints, unless the ride is just unbearably rough. But don't pull a Cedar Fair and stick the individual lap bars on.

 

[horsesboy]

I don't have the range of parks visited as others but here is my list.

10.Grizzly KD before it got to bad
9.Nessi BGW
8.Jokers Jinx sfa
7.Roar SFA
6.Dominator KD
5.Volcano KD
4.Verbolten BGW
3.Griffin BGW
2.Superman SFA
1.Apollo BGW

Honorable mention
Invadr
Flight of fear
Rebel Yell

Worst ones
Mind earaser
Tempesto

 

[MAZ]

Favorite coasters in no particular order....

Fury 325
I305
Apollo's Chariot
Grizzly
The Beast
Space Mountain
Mystic Timbers
Alpengeist
Expedition Everest
Avalanche

My favorite retired coasters....

Big Bad Wolf
Thunder Road
Drachen Fire
King Kobra


Honorable mentions....

Nessie
Afterburn
Diamondback
Thunder Mountain
The Bat

 

[CoasterAuditor]

What is everyones Top 5-10-15-25-100 (I'm not reading 100) roller coasters, steel coasters, or wood coasters? Figure it would be fun to share on the forum. Just share a ranking of how you would prefer to rank it. I encourage everyone to be respectful of others opinions some people may like rides more or less due to all kinds of personal factors unrelated to just the raw output of G-forces/smoothness/your childhood. I'll just note my Top 15 overall and I encourage folks to update and discuss as time goes on.

Top 15 out of 194:
1. Iron Gwazi
2. Steel Vengeance
3. El Toro
4. The Voyage
5. VelociCoaster
6. Skyrush
7. Intimidator 305
8. Twisted Timbers
9. Storm Chaser
10. Fury 325
11. Jersey Devil Coaster
12. Phantom's Revenge
13. Pantheon
14. Lightning Run
15. Maverick

 

[Furyous Baco 325]

Here’s my top 25 even though I haven’t been to a ton of parks:

1. Fury 325
2. Skyrush
3. Intimidator 305
4. Pantheon
5. Phoenix (Knoebels)
6. Fahrenheit
7. Twisted Timbers (KD)
8. Copperhead Strike
9. Storm Runner
10. Candymonium
11. Batwing
12. Talon
13. Twister (Knoebels)
14. Intimidator
15. Apollo’s Chariot
16. Superman Ride of Steal
17. Wild One
18. Steel Force
19. Afterburn
20. Flight of Fear (KD)
21. Joker’s Jinx
22. Nighthawk
23. Hydra the Revenge
24. Dominator (KD)
25. Impulse

 

[finalcloud]

Here is my list.....

1) Apollo's Chariot
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7th Level of Hell) The Great American Scream Machine

 

[Coasternerd]

My top 25:
1. Pantheon
2. Fury 325
3. Swamp Fox
4. Twisted Timbers
5.Twisted Cyclone
6. Goliath (Over Georgia)
7. Manta (Orlando)
8. Afterburn
9. Carolina Cyclone
10. Montu
11. I305
12. Copperhead Strike
13. Mako
14. Superman: Ultimate Flight (Over Georgia)
15. Loch Ness Monster
16. Griffon
17. Alpengiest
18. Batman: The Ride (Over Georgia)
19. Kraken
20. Intimidator
21. Thunderhead
22. Verbolten
23. Flight of Fear
24. Sheikra
25. Cheetah Hunt

My rankings will change in a few weeks. Reriding uni, BGT coasters again and some new credits.

 

[warfelg]

I’m going to break up mine into two for categories and do a top 10-ish

Wood:
1 - Leap the Dips
2 - Boulderdash
3 - Thunderbolt
4 - Ravine Flyer II
5 - Comet (Hersheypark)
6 - El Toro
7 - Wooden Warrior (Quassey)
8 - Blue Streak
9 - InvadR
10 - Jackrabbit (Kennywood)
Of note, I have not been to KI hence no Beast, same for Holiday World and Voyage. I enjoy long coasters, so the would likely go into the top 10 and see Blue Streak and Jackrabbit go off. InvadR has been making the slow climb up my rankings.

Dishonorable mention (Aka the worst of the worst): Hercules, Dorney Park. Rest in hell you hurt-your-knees bastard.

Steel:
1 - Mako
2 - Phantom’s Revenge
3 - Skyrush
4 - Apollo’s Chariot
5 - Hulk
6 - Steel Force
7 - Superman the Ride (SFNE)
8 - Revenge of Mummy (Orlando)
9 - Maverick
10 - Cheetah Hunt
Of note, I have not gotten west much and there’s some excellent west coast coasters. Fury and Levathon are new since my last Carrowwinds and Canada’s Wonderland visits so I have not been on them to rank.

Dishonorable mention (Aka the worse of the worst): Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. Aka Hollywood Rip Trim Roller. Aka Hollywood Jump On The Moving Train. Damn I really hate this ride.

Hybrid:
1 - Wicked Cyclone
2 - Steel Vengence
3 - Twisted Timbers

No dishonorable mention here because these are the 3 that I have ridden.

Now let me address the upsets:
Leap The Dips - I am a sucker for history with roller coasters. LTD might not be a super coaster but it’s a blast to ride, so much fun, and so much history with this ride. Get to it when you can. Do not wait. It might not be others #1 woodie pick. But it is mine.

Mako - Upset of upsets. I think it does the things all great hypercoasters do along with that little end of the ride things that B&M does. Mako is also glass smooth to me and makes nice smooth transitions from element to element.

Wicket Cyclone - I know this is the hot take of my lists. But, even though SV is eveyones darling, I feel some of it’s elements are not well paced. WC hits elements in a row in the right way. If feels like it keeps going with it. SV has a few meandering hard pop airtimes that were there because nothing else could be there.

 

[rswashdc]

I’m going to base mine on how I felt when I originally rode them, vice what it would be today since some of these I haven’t ridden in decades.

Wood:

1. Beast
2. Original Mean Streak without trims
3. Wildcat (HP)
4. Wolverine Wildcat
5. American Eagle

Steel:

1. Millennium Force
2. I305
3. Volcano
4. Manta
5. Fahrenheit
6. TTD
7. Batman (Great America)
8. Space Mountain (Paris)
9. Alpengeist
10. Shockwave (Great America)

 

[Coasterguy95]

my top ten
1. I-305
2. Twisted timbers
3. El toro
4. Kingda ka
5. Phoenix
6. Pantheon
7. Dominator
8. Green lantern (stand up one, do not ask, i had a great ride on it)
9. Medusa great adventure
10. Turbulence adventurland li (shout out to my home park for having a super compact and fun spinner)
Also shout out to alpine bobsled reptilian and flying turns, ive ridden all 3 types of bobsled coasters in the usa This is all out of 62 credits btw. So my top ten is definitely gonna change, but i-305 will rock that number 1 spot till the day i die.

 

[netdvn]

My list has shifted a lot since I posted in this thread. Ridden about 150 coasters since then. I'm sitting at 270 creds so far

My current top 20

1. Skyrush - Hersheypark
2. Intimidator 305 - Kings Dominion
3. Phoenix - Knoebels
4. Fury 325 - Carowinds
5. Twisted Timbers - Kings Dominion
6. El Toro - Six Flags Great Adventure
7. Iron Gwazi - Busch Gardens Tampa
8. Lightning Rod - Dollywood
9. Phantom's Revenge - Kennywood
10. Superman the Ride - Six Flags New England
11. Velocicoaster - Islands of Adventure
12. Pantheon - Busch Gardens Williamsburg
13. Iron Rattler - Six Flags Fiesta Texas
14. Wonder Woman's Golden Lasso - Six Flags Fiesta Texas
15. Ravine Flyer 2 - Waldameer
16. Coney Island Cyclone - Luna Park
17. Storm Chaser - Kentucky Kingdom
18. Lightning Run - Kentucky Kingdom
19. Storm Runner - Hersheypark
20. Wicked Cyclone - Six Flags New England

 

[Jonesta6]

Not necessarily ranked:

Apollo's Chariot
Millennium Force
Hulk (night ride)
Steel Vengeance
Maverick
Alpengeist
Raptor
Intimidator 305
Flight of Fear
Loch Ness Monster
Wicked Twister (RIP)
Volcano the Blast Coaster (RIP)
Top Thrill Dragster

 

[apollo18]

my top ten
1. I-305
2. Twisted timbers
3. El toro
4. Kingda ka
5. Phoenix
6. Pantheon
7. Dominator
8. Green lantern (stand up one, do not ask, i had a great ride on it)
9. Medusa great adventure
10. Turbulence adventurland li (shout out to my home park for having a super compact and fun spinner)
Also shout out to alpine bobsled reptilian and flying turns, ive ridden all 3 types of bobsled coasters in the usa This is all out of 62 credits btw. So my top ten is definitely gonna change, but i-305 will rock that number 1 spot till the day i die.

Da da da da da da da da da da da da...
Ready for takeoff?
WE HIT TURB-U-LENCE

Heard that song, oh, 1000 times the year Adventureland opened Turbulence LOL