Top Ten Coasters
Ok, everyone asks, so here they are. My top ten coasters. Notice that there are two lists, one for wood coasters and one for steel. Woodies and steelies are SO different that trying to compare them is pointless. So here are the TWO top-ten lists of my favorite coasters.
WOOD COASTERS
[1] The Voyage, Holiday World
[2] Boardwalk Bullet, Kemah Boardwalk
[3] MegaZeph, Six Flags New Orleans (RIP due to Hurricane Katrina)
[4] Shivering Timbers, Michigan's Adventure
[5] Screechin' Eagle, Americana (closed but still standing)
[6] Boulder Dash, Lake Compounce
[7] Raven, Holiday World
[8] Phoenix, Knoebel's
[9] Texas Cyclone, Astroworld (RIP due to Six Flags bankruptcy)
[10] Cyclone, Coney Island
STEEL COASTERS
[1] Expedition GeForce, Holiday Park (Germany)
[2] Superman: Ride of Steel, Six Flags New England
[3] Anaconda, Gold Reef City (South Africa)
[4] X2, Six Flags Magic Mountain
[5] The Ultimate, Lightwater Valley (England)
[6] Superman: Ride of Steel, Six Flags Darien Lake
[7] Millennium Force, Cedar Point
[8] Big Thunder Mtn Railroad, Disneyland Paris
[9] Superman: Ride of Steel, Six Flags America
[10] Vortex, Canada's Wonderland
But wait! Even within the wood and steel categories, there is so much variety that making comparisons is difficult. Sure, we can separate cake from pie, but how can you really compare deep dish apple pie with coconut cream? So here is a breakdown of coaster types and my favorites in each category:
WOOD OUT-AND-BACK COASTER
So called because it goes out, turns around, comes back.
WOOD TWISTER
Layout has many turns and usually includes several places where the track crosses over or under itself
Boardwalk Bullet, Kemah Boardwalk
WOOD RACING or DUELING
Two or more trains interact during the ride
Grand National, Blackpool Pleasure Beach (England)
STEEL OUT-AND-BACK COASTER
So called because it goes out, turns around, comes back.
The Ultimate, Lightwater Valley (England)
STEEL TWISTER (Non-looping)
Layout has many turns and usually includes several places where the track crosses over or under itself
Expedition GeForce, Holiday Park (Germany)
MULTI-INVERSION (sitting)
Turns riders upside-down more than once
Incredible Hulk, Islands of Adventure
WATER COASTER
Cars travel flume as well as coaster track sections
Poseidon, Europa Park (Germany)
STAND-UP COASTER
Passengers ride in a standing positon
Riddler's Revenge, Magic Mountain
INVERTED
Looping coaster with overhead track and non-swinging cars
Anaconda, Gold Reef City (South Africa)
SUSPENDED
Non-looping coaster with overhead track and cars that swing
Vortex, Paramount's Canada's Wonderland
STEEL RACING or DUELING COASTER
Two or more trains interact during the ride
Dueling Dragons, Islands of Adventure
SHUTTLE
Trains run forward and backward along the track
Superman: Ultimate Escape, Geauga Lake
(now closed)
DIVE MACHINE
Includes a vertical drop and a brake mechanism to hold the car at the precipice before dropping
Tower of Terror, Gold Reef City (South Africa)
BOBSLED or FLYING TURNS
Cars or trains run in a trough rather than on rails
Schweitzer Bobbahn, Heide Park (Germany)
MINE TRAIN
Themed non-looping coaster with tunnels and layout to simulate a runaway train
Big Thunder Mtn Railroad, Disneyland Paris
MOUSE
Single cars on a layout with hairpin turns and steep drops
Wild Mouse, Blackpool Pleasure Beach
SPINNING MOUSE
Mouse layout with cars that are allowed to spin
The Exterminator, Kennywood
4TH DIMENSION
Multi-looping layout with cars that flip guided by a separate rail in the track
X2, Six Flags Magic Mounain
FLYING
Cars hang below the track and place riders in a prone position as if flying.
