Theme Park and Roller Coaster Reviews
Hi Everyone,
There are a ton of great roller coasters out there, that for whatever reason, don’t get the media exposure that they should, or perhaps at one time did, but are now older and are forgotten compared to bigger and newer rides at the same park. I have compiled my top 10 underrated roller coasters, as well as a few honorable mentions that just missed the cut. Check out my review here:
Check out past reviews here:
While there are many worldwide or nation-wide rankings of roller coasters, I thought it would be interesting to rank the best roller coasters in each state. Occasionally, I will pick a state and give my top 3 roller coasters, as well as 2 honorable mentions. Of course, I will only give reviews to rides I have been on, and I will acknowledge newer coasters that I have not ridden, which could change my rankings. Today, I will start with New York. NY is a strange state for roller coasters. It has one of the higher counts in the country, at 48, yet just doesn’t have that strong of a lineup, particularly compared to other high-population states like California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, or Pennsylvania. The state traditionally has had better wooden roller coasters than steel coasters. That has changed in recent years, with the additions of Thunderbolt at Luna Park, and Tantrum at Darien Lake, although I am basing this on reviews of those rides, as I unfortunately have not ridden either, and hence they don’t appear in my ranking.
Top Roller Coasters in New York:
#1:
Ride of Steel, Darien Lake:
I was fortunate enough to ride this Intamin hypercoaster in 2015, and it didn’t disappoint. The ride has a great first drop, and some intense helices that pull a ton of G’s. These forces are comparable to rides like Titan/Goliath, although a bit weaker than Intimidator 305. The ride zips over the lake and seems to maintain its intensity throughout. I was also lucky enough to get a night ride, and I got great airtime. If you happen to be in western NY, Ride of Steel is worth the price of admission to Darien Lake. It’s not quite in my top 20 coasters, but that’s more of a testament to how strong that lineup is; I’d give this ride a 9/10.
#2:
The Comet, The Great Escape:
Located at The Great Escape in the Lake George area of NY, this PTC wooden coaster was relocated to the Great Escape after Crystal Beach, home of the infamous Cyclone, closed in 1989. The Comet features a 95 foot tall lift hill, and hits a top speed of 55 mph. The ride has a nice setting in a hilly/mountainous area of New York, builds up decent speed, and has lots of nice floater airtime throughout its out and back layout. It is also relatively smooth, especially for an older wooden coaster. I’m giving it an 8/10.
#3:
Coney Island Cyclone, Luna Park:
Arguably the most famous roller coaster in existence, the Cyclone has seem just about everything through its almost century-long existence. Despite multiple threats to close it due to issue with the city of NY, or financial issues with the owners of Coney Island’s rides, the coaster lives on. It features a compact twister layout that also boasts a few ejector airtime hills. The classic trains are heavily padded, and you will need the padding, since this ride can get rough. Overall, it’s a solidly fun experience, but I find it a tad overrated. The fact that it’s #3 in NY is more a testament to the weakness of the coaster lineup in the state. Additionally, the ride is listed at hitting a top speed of 60 miles per hour, but this is almost certainly false. While the first drop is fairly intense/reasonably steep for a wooden coaster at 58.6 degrees, I have yet to find a wooden coaster shorter than 100 feet that hits 60 mph, and simulations confirm that it is probably impossible; the “real” top speed on the Cyclone is likely around 50-55 mph. I think the park may overstate the ride’s top speed to add to the perceived “intensity” of the ride. Overall, I’m giving the Cyclone a 7/10.
Honorable Mention #1:
Dragon Coaster, Playland Park:
A classic wooden coaster designed by Frederick Church and built in 1929, The Dragon Coaster provides a fun ride that sends you through the jaws of a “fire-breathing” dragon (okay, it just emits smoke, but you get the idea). This ride has some nice floater airtime, and some excellent headchoppers. The entire ride feels very “old school” like the Cyclone, although this ride runs more modern Morgan trains. Since the Dragon Coaster is only moderately intense, it is also very rerideable; I’ve been on it at least 10 times. Overall, I’m giving it a 7/10. In my mind it was a virtual tie with the Cyclone for the #3 spot, but I gave it to the Cyclone due to its more prominent recognition/history, and the fact that it still runs classic trains. If you happen to be in Westchester, however, the Dragon Coaster totally justifies a quick trip to Rye Playland.
Honorable Mention #2:
Jack Rabbit, Seabreeze:
The Jack Rabbit, built in 1920, is one of the oldest operating roller coasters in America. It features a terrain layout with some nice airtime hills, and a fun tunnel drop towards the end of the ride. Like the Dragon Coaster, this ride runs Morgan trains that give it a relatively smooth ride. If you happen to be in the greater Rochester area, Seabreeze is worth a visit for a few quick credits, as the park usually isn’t crowded, and they also have a unique small wooden coaster called Bobsleds, and a fun Maurer Sohne spinning coaster called Whirlwind.
Just as there are many great roller coasters being built each year, some are removed. Today, I will discuss some of the top roller coasters that are no longer in existence, and give my opinion on the ones I rode, or if I didn’t, why I wish I was able to before they were taken down.
Drachen Fire, Busch Gardens Williamsburg:
Built by Arrow Dynamics in 1992, this was a visually impressive ride. The teal paint scheme looked great, and Drachen Fire had elements that were revolutionary when it debuted, such as a corkscrew before the first drop (now referred to as the Drachen Fire dive drop, which will be featured on Steel Curtain) and a “cutback” inversion, which has since been featured on newer coasters from companies such as Gerstlauer, and RMC. I have spoken to locals who rode this beast, and they said that while the inversions were cool, the ride was extremely rough, which is not difficult to envision given Arrow’s reputation for rough looping coasters. Allegedly, part of the issue was that the center of gravity on Arrow’s coasters existed on the train itself, as opposed to later coasters like B+M’s, where it was on the ride’s heart/torso, which provided for a smoother ride. Along with an out of the way location in park near Big Bad Wolf, Drachen Fire suffered lower ridership, and closed in 1998. One can only wonder how great this coaster could have been if it was designed by B+M, who built Kumba at Busch Gardens only one year later.
Volcano: The Blast Coaster, Kings Dominion:
Built in 1998, Volcano was a fantastic Intamin ride that used LIM launch technology to send riders “erupting” through the top of a volcano, where they were propelled into multiple inversions. This coaster was a fan favorite, and arguably the most intense ride at the park until Intimidator 305 opened (though one can argue as well for the short-lived Hypersonic XLC that operated from 2001 to 2006 as well). Though other launch inverted coasters have been built(think of the Intamin impulse coasters like Wicked Twister, Possessed, etc.) there was nothing out there quite like it. I was lucky enough to ride Volcano twice in 2017, and had so much fun on it that it is one of my top 20 coasters. Much to the chagrin of coaster enthusiasts, Volcano erupted for the last time in 2018.
Airplane Coaster, Rye Playland:
The Airplane Coaster was allegedly an intense ride that consisted of sharp, sweeping turns on a compact layout(which was necessitated by the small size of the park). The ride was built in 1928, and demolished in 1957 over concerns about maintenance, safety, and insurance costs. I have been on several wooden coasters designed by Frederick Church, including the Dragon Coaster at Playland, which continues to operate today, as well as both of the Giant Dippers in California. All of them are fun, but not particularly intense wooden coasters, which may be partly due to the fact that the rides don’t run their modern trains, instead using more modern train built by Morgan. One can only wonder how the Airplane Coaster would run in comparison, making a new coaster with a layout based on the Airplane Coaster high on coaster enthusiast’s wish lists.
Batman and Robin: The Chiller, Six Flags Great Adventure:
Debuting in 1998, this dueling Premier Rides shuttle launch coaster was one of the company’s most ambitious creations. The Robin side has a cobra roll after the launch, while the Batman side had an inverted top hat, like the Mr. Freeze rides at other Six Flags Parks. Zero-G rolls were also present on both coasters, but were removed towards the ends of its life. Both sides were was considered to be very intense, but rough. Six Flags addressed this to some degree by replacing the over the shoulder restraints with lap bars, but The Chiller was plagued by various mechanical issues, which contributed to its demise in 2007. I didn’t visit Great Adventure until 2009, and thus missed out on this cool coaster.
Hercules, Dorney Park:
A terrain coaster built by the the Dinn Corporation, Hercules operated from 1989 to 2003, and at the time of it debut had the largest drop on a wooden roller coaster in the world. The ride began with a 95 foot tall lift hill, before descending into a 151 foot drop into a sharp banked turn over the water. This wooden coaster was considered to be one of the roughest ever built, and closed in 2003. It was replaced by the B+M Floorless Hydra: The Revenge, which I have ridden, and thoroughly enjoyed. Still, Hercules has developed a bit of a cult following, and some of its elements might work well on a more modern roller coaster, like an Intamin prefabricated wooden coaster (Think El Toro), or an RMC (New Texas Giant).
Crystal Beach Cyclone, Crystal Beach, Ontario, Canada:
Designed by Harry Traver and opened in 1926, the Cyclone was considered one of the most intense roller coasters ever built, so intense that the park even kept a nurse on staff to treat injuries. The ride was 96 feet tall, and featured a twister layout. The train design and layout are said to have inspire the design of some more modern wooden roller coasters, particularly those built by Great Coasters International. The ride also featured Traver’s “Jazz Track” which quickly shifted riders side to side in opposite directions, and is now featured on some modern coasters. Hopefully a modern designer can someday built a faithful replica of this ride and a new generation of coaster enthusiasts can experience its intensity in a safer setting.
Great American Scream Machine, Six Flags Great Adventure(see also its removed sibling, Shockwave at Six Flags Great America, and operating sibling, Viper, at Six Flags Magic Mountain).
The Great American Scream Machine, which debuted in 1989, was at the time the world’s tallest roller coaster, as well as the one with the most inversions at 7. As with other Arrow loopers, this ride did not age well, and lost ridership over the years due to its roughness. I was fortunate enough to get a front-row ride on GASM in 2009. While I did find the ride somewhat rough, I still found it to be reasonably enjoyable, and particularly liked the first loop and the batwing inversion. Given that this ride was replaced by Green Lantern(A B+M standup which was formerly known as Chang at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom) which is largely hated by the roller coaster community, I’m unsure if Six Flags made the right decision to close the ride in 2010. If you want a similar experience to this ride, go on Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain, which is still in operation, and has essentially the same layout at GASM.
Big Bad Wolf:
Big Bad Wolf was an excellent arrow suspended coaster that debuted in 1984 and closed in 2009. Despite reaching a top speed of only 48 MPH, the ride felt much faster due to many near-misses while flying through a Bavarian Village. The drop into a banked turn over the Rhine River was great as well. Having been on this ride 5 or 6 times, I sorely miss it, and personally, while I think that Verbolten, a Zierer Launch coaster that replaced it, is a solid ride, I would take back the Big Bad Wolf if given the chance.
Dueling Dragons (later known as Dragon Challenge when Islands of Adventure rethemed part of the Lost Continent to Harry Potter), Islands of Adventure:
This excellent B+M dueling coaster debuted in 1999. The ride had two tracks: Fire(later the Chinese Fireball), which seemed to have a bit more straight track, and thus more airtime (well, as much as you can have for an inverted coaster), and Ice (later the Hungarian Horntail), which had a more twists. Both rides weave in and out of each other, however, and have several near misses, including the famous vertical loops where riders’ feet almost collide with one another. The consensus among my friends was that Fire was superior, but after 4-5 rides on each, I preferred Ice due to its excellent zero-G roll that provides a near-miss with the Fire train, and intense cobra roll. Despite closing 2 years ago, I’m still in shock this ride is gone, and I hope that Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which debuts soon, is a worthwhile replacement.
Speed: The Ride, Sahara Casino:
This launched Premier Rides shuttle coaster was the best roller coaster in Las Vegas, and arguably one of the most underrated in existence when it closed. The ride featured a forceful launch out of the station into a tremendous vertical loop, before zig-zagging parallel to the Las Vegas Strip, where the train ascended a 224 foot vertical spike, and then traveled through the entire course backwards. I only rode this ride once in 2007, but would have loved to ride it again before it closed. I believe part of the lack of success of the ride was due to Sahara’s location at a less popular location on the strip, and the high cost of riding (I think it was around 13 dollars per ride, and that was in 2007). Still, it’s a shame the ride was removed, given that other roller coasters in Las Vegas are similarly expensive to ride, and do not provide nearly as intense or enjoyable of an experience (I’m looking at you, Manhattan Express and Canyon Blaster).
There are a variety of different companies that build roller coasters, with some having built more, and better ones, than others. Every once in a while, I’m going to discuss my opinion of the quality of some of them based on my experiences on their rides. Today, I will start with Bollinger and Mabillard (B+M).
B+M is arguable the most famous steel roller coaster manufacturer (though an argument could be made for Intamin as well). Founded in 1988, this company has made some of the greatest roller coasters in existence. In the 90s, the company received acclaim for its sit-down coasters (Kumba at Busch Gardens debuted in 1993, Hulk at IOA in 1999, Dragon Khan at Portaventura in 1995), which in many ways were seen as superior to existing looping coasters at the time, particularly those made by Arrow Dynamics, due to their smooth ride quality, excellent hourly rider capacity, and unique elements. During this era B+M became perhaps even more famous for their inverted coasters, which included excellent rides such as Afterburn, Alpengeist, and Montu. B+M also built many stand-up coasters during the 90s, which, while generally regarded as rough, are considered superior to those from other manufacturers, such as Togo. Post-2000, B+M has continued to be an innovator in industry, building some excellent gigacoasters and hypercoasters like Fury 325, Leviathan, Diamondback, Shambala, Nitro, and Mako. B+M has also branched out into floorless coasters, and some of the best include Superman Krypton Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and Kraken at Seaworld. B+M has also demonstrated its innovation in the industry through its dive machines( for example, Oblivion at Alton Towers, Sheikra and Griffon at the two Busch Gardens). More recently, B+M has also branched out into wing coasters, such as Wild Eagle at Dollywood, and X-Flight at Six Flags Great America. Personally, B+M is my favorite steel roller coaster manufacturer, as its rides occupy 40% of my top 20. B+M has always been an innovator in this industry, and I look forward to riding its new coasters in the future.
Hi Everyone,
There is a bit of a delay from when I visited to the writing of this review, as I went to Six Flags over Texas in mid March. Coaster scores out of 10/# of Rides:
New Texas Giant: 9/10, 2
Titan: 9/10, 2
Runaway Mountain: 6/10, 1
Pandemonium: 6/10, 1
Runaway Mine Train: 6/10, 1
Shock Wave: 8/10, 1
Judge Roy Scream: 2.5/10, 1
Batman The Ride: 7.5/10, 1
Wanted to Ride, but didn’t get to since they were closed or only open very briefly:
Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast
Joker
La Vibora
See the Full Review Here: https://youtu.be/PUVAA_TQSXg
Just got back from Charlotte. Had a great day at Carowinds. Score out of 10 for each coaster and my ride count for the day:
Intimidator- 9.5/10, 3
Fury 325- 10/10, 3
Hurler- 5/10, 1
Carolina Cyclone- 3/10, 1
Vortex- 1/10, 1
Carolina Gold Rusher- 5/10, 1
Copperhead Strike- 8/10, 1
Afterburn- 9/10, 1
Nighthawk- 7.5/10, 1
My full review can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCQ5P03ss1g
Hi Everyone,
I’m starting this blog to keep track of all of my trips/thoughts on all of the theme parks I’ve visited, and roller coasters I’ve been on. I’ve been a big roller coaster enthusiast since I was around 12, and have been on 185 roller coasters in North America and Europe. I’m going to post pics and my rating of all of the coasters I went on after each trip. I will also try to include a video review on Youtube. Here is my Top 20 as of 5/14/19:
Keep in mind these rankings are based on overall enjoyment, not just sheer height/speed/thrills, etc. There are many differing opinions on what the top roller coasters are, and I try to rank mine based on an overall “fun” factor.
Coaster Castaway 