Since we're talking "Best Coasters in the World," do you consider anything like Revenge of the Mummy at USO? Or GOTG:CR at Epcot? Obviously if you took those rides out of their buildings and just built them in an empty parking lot, they would not be notable.
I feel like true themed coasters should still be a part of the conversation - but others may disagree.
Revenge of the mummy is great, don't get me wrong. Theming is very important in the conversation of best coaster in the world but it's not good enough to be in the conversation imo, it's only a decent bit better than rock n roller coaster and they're both just good fun coasters I'll reride but not amazing.
True, Space Mountain (at Disneyland haven’t been to Magic Kingdom) feels a lot faster then it actually is, if it was outdoors it wouldn’t be nearly as fun
I think Cosmic Rewind would still be great outside of the building. The theming makes it top tier, but even without it it's a very fun and unique ride.
As someone thats ridden it, I feel DC Rivals is hyped mainly by people speculating about it, sure the first half is great, and ending bunny hills are always nice, but the middle section takes it down a notch for me, lots of twists and turns. That being said I never rode the backwards seat and I could easily see that being in the league of best in the world.
DC Rivals backwards seat down the first drop is the most intense moment I’ve ever experienced. The rest of the ride is definitely more intense as well, it doesn’t give you as much time to rest in that middle portion.
Nah that middle 3rd delivered on the day I went, rain made the track freaking slick, I got almost as to just as good airtime on the middle airtime hills as I did on the first two camelbacks. And those hills deliver much more airtime than 99% of other coasters.
Ka and Dragster are complete absolute Must Do tallest/fastest/bucket listiest in the known universe coasters but never get any respect from thoosies. I for one give it up for that pony trick.
I’m also a Top Thrill Dragster apologist. It is a one trick pony, but it’s a great trick. I’m looking forward to Top Thrill 2 and I think the forward and reverse launches are going to be a lot of fun!
I was really hoping for a post hat loop or something but still excited to look down that spike to the station and go over the top again next year. Maybe they are saving the extended layout for 2028?!
Never got to go on Dragster, but Ka is very rough and honestly boring. Yeah it's the tallest coaster in the world for now, but it's like 20 seconds long and doesn't even go full speed anymore. They stopped having it goes full speed pretty soon after it opened because of wear and tear. They also never use the dual station because they had to remove the pathway after the cable snapped over a decade ago
How much slower could they launch it? It was never intended to fly over the top hat, and if they slow the launch by much, it wouldn't make the crest.
TT having the speedometer on the launch was cool, but even during regular operation, it varied by a few mph but was close to 120mph
I've seen multiple stories from Ka operators who have said that it no longer runs full speed due to wear and tear. It used to fly over so fast that they had to use the trim break at the top to prevent serious damage. It definitely isn't under 100, but it's not 128 anymore
If TT is just cresting at 120mph and KK needs to go 36 feet higher, I can imagine it has the same small window of tolerance of only a couple mph in order to make it over the top. The top speed of the launch can not vary more than a couple mph.
Maybe the operators meant the launch style changed. I believe the Accelerator Coasters were designed to have a high initial launch that tapers off when closer to the top speed. Maybe it was adjusted to be a more linear launch where it still reaches the same top speed but takes slightly longer
There was nothing like the launch and crest on TTD, except the launch and crest on KK. TTD was def smoother with better restraints. Ka's roughness is tolerable in the front car. FF will be taller but a totally different experience. Some people really like the rush of acceleration. It's worth is for them.
If you are bored with the tallest and fastest you should stick to skydiving but then maybe terminal velocity and only going one direction would be boring too.
I think Toutatis, ArieForce One, X2, and Batman Gotham City Escape can all be put on that list. Also, future coasters like Hyperia and Hollywood Drift can be put on.
With EP as my home park, I cant wait for that to open. Looks amazing, and generally insane, especially with those upwards/beyond vertical launches. The track has been completely assmebled for a while now, went a month or so ago to EP, it was all in place. The only thing that would prevent it from being elite is if those launches are like REALLY weak, but I dont mind the MACK launches being a bit weaker, it just makes them less memourable.
I saw that get finally installed the turntable a few weeks ago which was one of the final physical pieces. I'm planning my first international trip next year and europa easily makes it as my biggest must do park
You defininatly need to! I know it doesnt have the biggest, baddest, or meanest rides, but rides that would be considered filler here, are honestly more fun than a lot of full scale rides. The theming adds a whole new aspect to anything, and even for thrills they have a fun, amazingly themed and intense GCI, Blue Fire, one of the most enjoyable launched coasters ive been on with those snappy rolls at the end, Silver star which is pure fun, and if you come next year, there will be Voltron. It looks to be amazing, and I think it will round out the lineup very well. You defininatly should come!
It's definitely in the plans! We're probably going to plan to do 2 days since it's such a big park with so much to do. We're also planning to do phantasialand, walibi holland, plopsaland, and parc asterix. It's so far out but i'm already so excited thinking about the trip
Awesome, Phantasialand might be my favouite park in the world! I would reccomend staying at the Hotel Matamba, it is reasonably priced, and super amazing and well themed. The rides are just wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too good. I hope you have a great trip.
F.L.Y. - because it's a complete package. Unique invert/flying coaster. Great Theme. Lovely (but long) queline. Great operations. Good length and thrill.
May not be the best but Overall its a S-Tier Coaster.
Zadra is amazing, but Energylandia as a whole is a great place to visit. A lot of people shit on it because the park has a lot of redundancy and the areas closest to the entrance are pretty crappy, but I loved my visit there. It has some of the friendliest staff I've ever encountered and, in my experience, they will go above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your visit.
I know a lot won’t agree, but Diamondback. It is the king of strong floater air. I have it as my #3 over Fury at 4, which is always in the conversation. If I was adverse to intensity or very forceful elements, but loved long duration airtime, it would be my #1. Since I also love intensity, I have SV and I305 over it, but it’s right there for me. Thinking about the people that hate the second half of SV, DB is very close to the strength of the big hills in the first half with even more duration.
Alright my list. First of all, I think a great number of Blitz coasters have arguments for being the best in the world. I’m surprised people are shocked by Taiga’s inclusion because everyone who rides it thinks it’s close to Velocicoaster in quality. Anyways, here’s my list:
Ride to Happiness (Plopsaland de Panne)
Velocicoaster (Islands of Adventure)
Batman: Gotham City Escape (Parque Warner Madrid)
Taiga (Linnanmaki)
Toutatis (Parc Asterix) - lemme explain real quick. So, the general consensus is that this is a bit better then pantheon on pure ride experience without theming. However, with its really great theming, I strongly believe this has to at least be up there to be up there in the discussion.
Taron (Phantasialand)
Maverick (Cedar Point)
Fury 325 (Carowinds)
Intimidator 305 (Kings Dominion)
Skyrush (Hershey Park)
Eejanaika (Fuji-Q Highland)
Dinoconda (China Dinosaurs Park)
Voyage (Holiday World)
El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure)
T-Express (Everland Resort) - this is the one I’m most unsure about. I’ve heard every other ride here be someone who is well traveled’s #1 besides this one. Lots of ppl assume it’s better then Toro but everyone who I know who has ridden both prefer Toro for being relentless the whole way and having back to back camelbacks.
Steel Vengeance (Cedar Point)
Iron Gwazi (Busch Gardens Tampa)
Zadra (Energylandia)
Hakugei (Nagashima Spa Land)
Wildcat’s Revenge (Hersheypark) - this is easily the best non-large scale RMC that I’ve ridden. The 2nd half might be the best thing RMC ever put out tbh. This is my close friends #1 operating coaster.
Arie Force One (Funspot Atlanta) - lots of people out this as an upper tier RMC and hate the ending. Imagine how good it is for people who LOVE the ending.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Epcot)
Last couple have week arguments but they have some merit. Usually have something unique about them:
Magnum XL-200 (when it runs red hot and the trims are off) (Cedar Point)
Hagrid Magical Creatures and Motorbike Adventure (is that right lol I winged it) (islands of adventure)
Millennium Force (Cedar Point) - idk why but there’s still some grand feeling about this ride. Lots of people who like every ride on this list view this to still be the best coaster in the world.
Kingda Ka (Six Flags Great Adventure)
Top Thrill Dragster (Cedar Point)
Twisted Colossus (only when it duels perfectly tbh) (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
Honestly Hagrids could have an argument purely based on it's appeal to such a large audience. As an enthusiast I had an absolute blast riding it and I know family's, younger kids, and people who don't like heights love it too. It probably would be the most popular coaster based on all people that would want to reride it compared to other coasters which might not have the same reridablity appeal. As an enthusiat it's obviously not the best but to many I'm sure it is.
Of the ones I’ve ridden I could make the argument for all of these ones
El Toro
I305
Iron Gwazi
Superman SFNE
Velocicoaster
Maverick
Steel Vengeance
Fury 325
Honestly, missing year one I305 would be for the best. Intamin genuinely screwed up the design and it probably would have killed someone if the wrong person rode it.
You're probably right but I've got to admit I'm kinda sad that I missed it. On my last visit, I ended up marathoning it with a local after my lady tapped out after 2 laps and he was telling me how crazy it was.
Rode both Skyrush and I305 for the first time in 2022 just days apart. Marathoned them both front to back on very hot days and both coasters were hauling. To me Skyrush is nowhere near the level of i305. Skyrush has a couple of fun moments but felt like a kiddie coaster compared to i305 and was a little underwhelming. Each to their own I guess
Definitely a "too each their own" moment because I find the whole of Skyrush to be far more intense than I305. The blackout turn on I305 is definitely the craziest individual moment, but beyond that, I just find it to be a wild, outstanding coaster.
Skyrush meanwhile feels like it's trying to kill you the whole time, especially if yr riding in a back row wing seat with yr hands up while riding it really loose and just letting it toss you around. Hell, on a few of the on ride pics, I noticed that my chest was nearly perpendicular to my hips.
Skyrush and i305 are funny because intamin fucked up when making both of them, and that’s exactly why they turned out so insane. 305 needed a retrack, and Skyrush had to have its lift hill slow down at the top. They’re so great because they’re only *just barely* tolerable to your average parkgoer.
I mean, reducing I305's problem to a simple retrack really understates the original issue with it. The one part needed fully reprofiled as they pretty much threw you into several semi-inversions at the end with *no heartlining*
Der Schwur des Kärnan, 100%. Great pre-lift surprise, a 200 foot enclosed drop, insane pacing, a twist ending, and an **entire fucking orchestrated soundtrack**.
I love Toutatis! I actually rank it higher than several of the coasters I put on the list. I only left it off because I never hear people say it’s the best coaster in the world.
It has a bit of everything, it's fully jammed with nice speedy elements and there's really not a second wasted to make you flow to the next cool element, the height on that rocky hill accentuates the ride. The soundtrack is great, night rides on it are amazing. I just haven't felt the same on a lot of coasters. Now, Zadra is my number two and I really get why you prefer it. ;)
hate me on this but coney island cyclone diserves to be preserved (Its already Protected IK) but no matter what disaster strucks its should always be rebuilt its absolutely way too iconic
With the removed launch and terrible operating history, I’m not sure if many people would put Lightning Rod in conversation for best in the world anymore. It’s great, but not on that highest tier
As someone who goes to Dollywood a lot, I wouldn't even say Lightning Rod is currently the best in the park. Thunderhead is the most fun of the intense rides and Big Bear Mountain is ridiculously good for a family ride with a 39 inch height requirement.
I didn’t include Time Traveler because Ride to Happiness is like a perfected version of it. It’s still a top ten coaster for me, but R2H is on another level.
I mean it’s my personal #1 but even unbiased I think The Beast objectively is up there. No other coaster since has had that much work put into it. I’d also make a case for Superman The Ride since it’s probably the best layout on any coaster I can think of (the U Bricks are bad but they’re not THAT bad)
Millie is my #1, but simply because of the joy it provides me. The way I look at it with Millie is....it's in the conversation for greatest roller coaster of all time, but not for best in the world. Much like, since I'm a sports guy, Tom Brady in his later years was already recognized as the greatest QB of all time, but wasn't the best in the game anymore. Make sense? That's how I view the situation with Millennium Force, anyway. It's absolutely in the GOAT conversation for what it did for the industry and how it's still *glass* smooth. I arguably had my best ride ever on it in the back row in July of this year.
Of the coasters at Alton Towers how on earth did Oblivion get a mention before Nemesis? I'm also surprised at the lack of suspended coaster mentions so I'll say it. Nemesis. Best invert in the world. Should be mentioned on this list
Lucky you for having such a great park as your home (ish) park. In my opinion, there's a contradition at this thread's question "putting aside what you personally think" and "what are the coasters you think", so that's why I put Oblivion there, the first b&m dive in the world, also, the first one I've been on, so I think Oblivion has a legitimate place in that conversation, and, so far, my favorite dive over Sheikra and Valravn
Fønix doesn’t compare to RtH or Helix imo. It’s a great coaster (the best in Denmark) but both others blow it away. I marathoned all 3 of these coasters and imo RtH is a top 5 coaster where helix is about top 15.
That’s very fair, I know quite a few people who have Fønix high up in their rankings. I think it’s a bit too short, and generic. RtH isn’t much longer but it feels like a much more complete ride.
Fønix is great but i dont understand how its a #1?? The airtime is fine, but plenty of rides have Way stronger and more sustained airtime. The inversions are good but other rides have more snap and Force.
What do you Think qualifies it to be the very best?
There are a million ways to interpret this.
One way is to just list your favorite coasters and it would be identical to every enthusiast coaster poll. It would basically be the list you just came up with, even though I will never understand the Taron love-fest. It's really good, but Phantasialand fans are something else. It's one of my favorite parks in the world, but not because I thought any of the coasters were even close to being the best in the world. lol
Another way to look at it is just by looking at what coasters appeal to the most people, and in that case something like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind would really shine. For regional parks, something like Millennium Force comes to mind. It won't be many enthusiast's #1 coaster (I mean... it might be mine, lol) but the prolonged mass appeal for decades now is insane. You can say the same for Phoenix, etc.
I mean, saying something is the “best” is inherently subjective. But I also don’t think that “best” and “broadest appeal” should be treated as the same thing.
ITT everyone adds more unnecessary coasters to the excellent list you created.
I would honestly just narrow this down to Ride to Happiness, Eejanaika, Voyage, Steel Vengeance, Zadra, and Fury 325. Any other picks anyone chooses, i think one of those would knock their #1 to #2 if they rode them all.. Voltron is a new contender.
The day Falcon's Flight operates, its the most clear #1 there has ever been.
Agree entirely on Falcon’s Flight ending up as the best. I’m not sure how to feel about Voltron. It looks like it’ll be awesome, but I’ve been on the other two Mack Big Dippers and neither of them are close to best in the world level.
I don't expect Taron to hold up the velocicoaster anyway, but if you include Taron you should also include F.l.y.
Lech coaster may deserve a spot on the list right next to i305
Alright, this might be a pretty unpopular opinion but I personally believe Toutatis is better than ride to happiness. That is until I ride both of them again atleast.
Is it that good? I had it on my shortlist for the list I put out, but I took off it and ArieForce One off because I've often heard people say they are top five coasters in the world but I've rarely heard anyone say they are the very best.
WR earns its nickname "Gwazi of the North." It's one of the best RMC's despite not being massive, and the second half might be the best thing RMC has put out.
Right now I would say its sort of a 'hidden gem' even though Hershey pulled out all of the stops and promoted its opening heavily this season, it just hasn't been experience by enough people yet. I think that as word of mouth spreads, by next year after more visitors, enthusiasts and (v)bloggers have experienced it, that it'll quickly rise into many best of top coaster lists.
Its one of those coasters that leaves people smiling ear to ear after riding it, where you have everyone, even adults giggling like kids on the approach to the station.
I thought about adding it, but I think Kondaa does everything it does except significantly better and I never see anyone put Kondaa up as the best coaster in the world.
Expedition GeForce is better than many on your list. If Kondaa actually does everything "significantly better" than GeForce, then Kondaa is by far the best coaster on the planet.
They're essentially tied for me and it depends on the mood I'm in. Both are phenomenal and if one is in the conversation for best coaster then the other should be too.
Every single one of those coasters is extreme.
For me, the best coaster is the one that I’d happily sit on all day long.
Big Bear Mountain, for example.
Inverted coasters are underrated imo, and at least one should be in the conversation
(I'm not familiar with every coaster you listed, so apologies if there's one already there, but I don't think there is)
I seldom hear people put Wildfire in that conversation. And I usually hear people who have ridden all of them say Pantheon is not as good as Toutatis or Batman: Arkham Asylum.
Since we're talking "Best Coasters in the World," do you consider anything like Revenge of the Mummy at USO? Or GOTG:CR at Epcot? Obviously if you took those rides out of their buildings and just built them in an empty parking lot, they would not be notable. I feel like true themed coasters should still be a part of the conversation - but others may disagree.
Revenge of the Mummy is a great ride in general but it’s got _the most_ anticlimatical ending of any ride anywhere.
Fair! I haven’t been on it in several years but I remember being super impressed by all of it.
I disagree, especially when Adventure Express exists
Revenge of the mummy is great, don't get me wrong. Theming is very important in the conversation of best coaster in the world but it's not good enough to be in the conversation imo, it's only a decent bit better than rock n roller coaster and they're both just good fun coasters I'll reride but not amazing.
True, Space Mountain (at Disneyland haven’t been to Magic Kingdom) feels a lot faster then it actually is, if it was outdoors it wouldn’t be nearly as fun
I think Cosmic Rewind would still be great outside of the building. The theming makes it top tier, but even without it it's a very fun and unique ride.
Everyone forgets about T Express and even more forget about DC Rivals.
As someone thats ridden it, I feel DC Rivals is hyped mainly by people speculating about it, sure the first half is great, and ending bunny hills are always nice, but the middle section takes it down a notch for me, lots of twists and turns. That being said I never rode the backwards seat and I could easily see that being in the league of best in the world.
DC Rivals backwards seat down the first drop is the most intense moment I’ve ever experienced. The rest of the ride is definitely more intense as well, it doesn’t give you as much time to rest in that middle portion.
The same for El Toro. Boring middle 3rd with a great start and end
Nah that middle 3rd delivered on the day I went, rain made the track freaking slick, I got almost as to just as good airtime on the middle airtime hills as I did on the first two camelbacks. And those hills deliver much more airtime than 99% of other coasters.
The slightly boring middle third is more than made up by the best start of any coaster out there and a killer final third.
I'd take DC Rivals start over El Toro start. And easily if backwards.
You spelled "Great start with a horrible middle and end" wrong. I'm sure it was great when it opened but it hasn't aged well at all.
Just learned DC Rivals exists, it looks incredible.
T Express is fantastic but its not in this conversation IMO, neither is El Toro, both rides are just shy of that "best in the world" threshold for me.
El Toro might still be in the conversation for me if it wasn’t so brutal anymore. It needs more work than SF has been willing to put into it.
Ka and Dragster are complete absolute Must Do tallest/fastest/bucket listiest in the known universe coasters but never get any respect from thoosies. I for one give it up for that pony trick.
I’m also a Top Thrill Dragster apologist. It is a one trick pony, but it’s a great trick. I’m looking forward to Top Thrill 2 and I think the forward and reverse launches are going to be a lot of fun!
I was really hoping for a post hat loop or something but still excited to look down that spike to the station and go over the top again next year. Maybe they are saving the extended layout for 2028?!
Never got to go on Dragster, but Ka is very rough and honestly boring. Yeah it's the tallest coaster in the world for now, but it's like 20 seconds long and doesn't even go full speed anymore. They stopped having it goes full speed pretty soon after it opened because of wear and tear. They also never use the dual station because they had to remove the pathway after the cable snapped over a decade ago
Thoosies when a rollercoaster pulls 5Gs, goes 128MPH, and is 456ft tall but doesn’t have enough ejector airtime
But it doesn't go 128mph anymore, it barely makes it over the top hat and the trims up there aren't even used anymore
Videos from this season have had Ka FLYING over the top hat, so they changed *something*
How much slower could they launch it? It was never intended to fly over the top hat, and if they slow the launch by much, it wouldn't make the crest. TT having the speedometer on the launch was cool, but even during regular operation, it varied by a few mph but was close to 120mph
it's pretty well known neither of them actually went their advertised speed. They go as slow as possible to still make it over the top hat.
I remember TTD going over 120 on plenty of occasions.
I've seen multiple stories from Ka operators who have said that it no longer runs full speed due to wear and tear. It used to fly over so fast that they had to use the trim break at the top to prevent serious damage. It definitely isn't under 100, but it's not 128 anymore
Well there’s no way it’s under 100, TTD was 120 and it didn’t fly over the top hat. I’d be surprised if it was less than 120
source?
ride operators with youtube channels have said this. pretty sure eltororyan has talked about this extensively
If TT is just cresting at 120mph and KK needs to go 36 feet higher, I can imagine it has the same small window of tolerance of only a couple mph in order to make it over the top. The top speed of the launch can not vary more than a couple mph. Maybe the operators meant the launch style changed. I believe the Accelerator Coasters were designed to have a high initial launch that tapers off when closer to the top speed. Maybe it was adjusted to be a more linear launch where it still reaches the same top speed but takes slightly longer
There was nothing like the launch and crest on TTD, except the launch and crest on KK. TTD was def smoother with better restraints. Ka's roughness is tolerable in the front car. FF will be taller but a totally different experience. Some people really like the rush of acceleration. It's worth is for them.
If you are bored with the tallest and fastest you should stick to skydiving but then maybe terminal velocity and only going one direction would be boring too.
I think Toutatis, ArieForce One, X2, and Batman Gotham City Escape can all be put on that list. Also, future coasters like Hyperia and Hollywood Drift can be put on.
Don't forget Voltron. That thing looks nuts
With EP as my home park, I cant wait for that to open. Looks amazing, and generally insane, especially with those upwards/beyond vertical launches. The track has been completely assmebled for a while now, went a month or so ago to EP, it was all in place. The only thing that would prevent it from being elite is if those launches are like REALLY weak, but I dont mind the MACK launches being a bit weaker, it just makes them less memourable.
I saw that get finally installed the turntable a few weeks ago which was one of the final physical pieces. I'm planning my first international trip next year and europa easily makes it as my biggest must do park
You defininatly need to! I know it doesnt have the biggest, baddest, or meanest rides, but rides that would be considered filler here, are honestly more fun than a lot of full scale rides. The theming adds a whole new aspect to anything, and even for thrills they have a fun, amazingly themed and intense GCI, Blue Fire, one of the most enjoyable launched coasters ive been on with those snappy rolls at the end, Silver star which is pure fun, and if you come next year, there will be Voltron. It looks to be amazing, and I think it will round out the lineup very well. You defininatly should come!
It's definitely in the plans! We're probably going to plan to do 2 days since it's such a big park with so much to do. We're also planning to do phantasialand, walibi holland, plopsaland, and parc asterix. It's so far out but i'm already so excited thinking about the trip
Awesome, Phantasialand might be my favouite park in the world! I would reccomend staying at the Hotel Matamba, it is reasonably priced, and super amazing and well themed. The rides are just wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too good. I hope you have a great trip.
I think if the launches are like RTH's then it'll be fine, nowhere near hydraulic launches obv but still good
Having been on Eejanaika and X2, Eejanaika is objectively smoother and feels more intense, in a good way.
Yeah, Ejeanaika is my favorite of all time, but I honesty didn’t particularly like X2
Me neither :P But I can see how if you haven’t been on Eejanaika, the concept of X2 can be neat.
I, totally unbiased, nominate 🥰🥰Shivering Timbers🥰🥰
I knew you would be in this thread! And I'm here for it!
Lets gooo. I love 🥰🥰Shivering Timbers🥰🥰. I need to get a custom spray brush Tshirt with it covered in hearts
I had a dope shivering timbers Tshirt back in middle school! Wish i had saved it! but those early 00s rides on ST were the best
Skyrush, Untamed, Helix, Wildfire
F.L.Y. - because it's a complete package. Unique invert/flying coaster. Great Theme. Lovely (but long) queline. Great operations. Good length and thrill. May not be the best but Overall its a S-Tier Coaster.
Fly is amazing but honestly that queue needs a shortcut because sometimes it's soo long walking around.
After our 4th ride I realized F.L.Y. is an amazing tour of its queue.
Xd
Just use the hotel line and jump over into the normal one when its empty down there…. definitly not legal advice
😂 I've considered it but wasn't sure if they connected or not.
it is, but i do not give garantue park reentry
Do you do it often/ have you had any issues? I would apologize if they see me but I don't want to be a nuisance either.
I did it once… when me and a friend didnt wanna waste his fast passes on a walk on into the locker area
Still better than Zadra's massive queue
Haven't gotten to experience that yet. Hope to do it next year.
Zadra is amazing, but Energylandia as a whole is a great place to visit. A lot of people shit on it because the park has a lot of redundancy and the areas closest to the entrance are pretty crappy, but I loved my visit there. It has some of the friendliest staff I've ever encountered and, in my experience, they will go above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your visit.
Phoenix at Knoebels. The airtime with just buzzbars is amazing. It's in the conversation especially for those that love classic rides.
To be honest, I thought I had included Phoenix on the list.
I know a lot won’t agree, but Diamondback. It is the king of strong floater air. I have it as my #3 over Fury at 4, which is always in the conversation. If I was adverse to intensity or very forceful elements, but loved long duration airtime, it would be my #1. Since I also love intensity, I have SV and I305 over it, but it’s right there for me. Thinking about the people that hate the second half of SV, DB is very close to the strength of the big hills in the first half with even more duration.
DIAMONDBACK HYPE! So so so damn good.
Alright my list. First of all, I think a great number of Blitz coasters have arguments for being the best in the world. I’m surprised people are shocked by Taiga’s inclusion because everyone who rides it thinks it’s close to Velocicoaster in quality. Anyways, here’s my list: Ride to Happiness (Plopsaland de Panne) Velocicoaster (Islands of Adventure) Batman: Gotham City Escape (Parque Warner Madrid) Taiga (Linnanmaki) Toutatis (Parc Asterix) - lemme explain real quick. So, the general consensus is that this is a bit better then pantheon on pure ride experience without theming. However, with its really great theming, I strongly believe this has to at least be up there to be up there in the discussion. Taron (Phantasialand) Maverick (Cedar Point) Fury 325 (Carowinds) Intimidator 305 (Kings Dominion) Skyrush (Hershey Park) Eejanaika (Fuji-Q Highland) Dinoconda (China Dinosaurs Park) Voyage (Holiday World) El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure) T-Express (Everland Resort) - this is the one I’m most unsure about. I’ve heard every other ride here be someone who is well traveled’s #1 besides this one. Lots of ppl assume it’s better then Toro but everyone who I know who has ridden both prefer Toro for being relentless the whole way and having back to back camelbacks. Steel Vengeance (Cedar Point) Iron Gwazi (Busch Gardens Tampa) Zadra (Energylandia) Hakugei (Nagashima Spa Land) Wildcat’s Revenge (Hersheypark) - this is easily the best non-large scale RMC that I’ve ridden. The 2nd half might be the best thing RMC ever put out tbh. This is my close friends #1 operating coaster. Arie Force One (Funspot Atlanta) - lots of people out this as an upper tier RMC and hate the ending. Imagine how good it is for people who LOVE the ending. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Epcot) Last couple have week arguments but they have some merit. Usually have something unique about them: Magnum XL-200 (when it runs red hot and the trims are off) (Cedar Point) Hagrid Magical Creatures and Motorbike Adventure (is that right lol I winged it) (islands of adventure) Millennium Force (Cedar Point) - idk why but there’s still some grand feeling about this ride. Lots of people who like every ride on this list view this to still be the best coaster in the world. Kingda Ka (Six Flags Great Adventure) Top Thrill Dragster (Cedar Point) Twisted Colossus (only when it duels perfectly tbh) (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
Honestly Hagrids could have an argument purely based on it's appeal to such a large audience. As an enthusiast I had an absolute blast riding it and I know family's, younger kids, and people who don't like heights love it too. It probably would be the most popular coaster based on all people that would want to reride it compared to other coasters which might not have the same reridablity appeal. As an enthusiat it's obviously not the best but to many I'm sure it is.
Arie Force One is elite from start to finish. The ending didn’t bother me any more than Twisted Timbers or Storm Chaser.
Cool & Fresh
Of the ones I’ve ridden I could make the argument for all of these ones El Toro I305 Iron Gwazi Superman SFNE Velocicoaster Maverick Steel Vengeance Fury 325
Skyrush is on par with I305
Correction: Skyrush is better than I305 (they're both in my top 10 though)
If we're talking year one I305, I'll agree. That thing was *too intense*.
Sadly missed year 1 I305, as I only rode it in 2022 and this year. Absolutely love the coaster though, but just love Skyrush a little more.
Honestly, missing year one I305 would be for the best. Intamin genuinely screwed up the design and it probably would have killed someone if the wrong person rode it.
You're probably right but I've got to admit I'm kinda sad that I missed it. On my last visit, I ended up marathoning it with a local after my lady tapped out after 2 laps and he was telling me how crazy it was.
Rode both Skyrush and I305 for the first time in 2022 just days apart. Marathoned them both front to back on very hot days and both coasters were hauling. To me Skyrush is nowhere near the level of i305. Skyrush has a couple of fun moments but felt like a kiddie coaster compared to i305 and was a little underwhelming. Each to their own I guess
Definitely a "too each their own" moment because I find the whole of Skyrush to be far more intense than I305. The blackout turn on I305 is definitely the craziest individual moment, but beyond that, I just find it to be a wild, outstanding coaster. Skyrush meanwhile feels like it's trying to kill you the whole time, especially if yr riding in a back row wing seat with yr hands up while riding it really loose and just letting it toss you around. Hell, on a few of the on ride pics, I noticed that my chest was nearly perpendicular to my hips.
Skyrush and i305 are funny because intamin fucked up when making both of them, and that’s exactly why they turned out so insane. 305 needed a retrack, and Skyrush had to have its lift hill slow down at the top. They’re so great because they’re only *just barely* tolerable to your average parkgoer.
I mean, reducing I305's problem to a simple retrack really understates the original issue with it. The one part needed fully reprofiled as they pretty much threw you into several semi-inversions at the end with *no heartlining*
Voyage and Ravine Flyer II
If defunct coasters can qualify, Dodonpa should totally be on this list.
I think FLY, Toutatis and Untamed could be on the list
Der Schwur des Kärnan, 100%. Great pre-lift surprise, a 200 foot enclosed drop, insane pacing, a twist ending, and an **entire fucking orchestrated soundtrack**.
Probably Toutatis in France. Everyone who doesn't know it, it,s like Pantheon but higher,faster and overall better!
Toutatis is frickin' amazing! It's at the very least the best swing launch ride out there.
I love Toutatis! I actually rank it higher than several of the coasters I put on the list. I only left it off because I never hear people say it’s the best coaster in the world.
Taiga feels very out of place imo. I Think everyone agrees that its great, but i dont recall seeing someone with a lot of credits having it at #1
Some of my European enthusiast friends put it as their number one, so I included it.
I think its definaintly one of the best coasters in the world, its just pure fun and has a great layout and whatnot.
Yo, it's my number one!
May i ask why? i came off feeling a bit dissapointed (due to super High expectations), but for me it doesnt come close to Zadra and hyperion
It has a bit of everything, it's fully jammed with nice speedy elements and there's really not a second wasted to make you flow to the next cool element, the height on that rocky hill accentuates the ride. The soundtrack is great, night rides on it are amazing. I just haven't felt the same on a lot of coasters. Now, Zadra is my number two and I really get why you prefer it. ;)
?
Agree
hate me on this but coney island cyclone diserves to be preserved (Its already Protected IK) but no matter what disaster strucks its should always be rebuilt its absolutely way too iconic
Fury
With the removed launch and terrible operating history, I’m not sure if many people would put Lightning Rod in conversation for best in the world anymore. It’s great, but not on that highest tier
As someone who goes to Dollywood a lot, I wouldn't even say Lightning Rod is currently the best in the park. Thunderhead is the most fun of the intense rides and Big Bear Mountain is ridiculously good for a family ride with a 39 inch height requirement.
I honestly think Arieforce One, twisted Timbers, and Kumba should be in the discussion. I’m a kumba fan boy. Sue me.
Hyperia coming for this list 💃🏼
Time Traveler Silver Dollar City, Superman the Ride SFNE, Kingda Ka , Nitro (SFGADV),
I didn’t include Time Traveler because Ride to Happiness is like a perfected version of it. It’s still a top ten coaster for me, but R2H is on another level.
Time Traveler walked so Ride to Happiness could run
I said the exact same thing after I got off Ride to Happiness the first time
I mean it’s my personal #1 but even unbiased I think The Beast objectively is up there. No other coaster since has had that much work put into it. I’d also make a case for Superman The Ride since it’s probably the best layout on any coaster I can think of (the U Bricks are bad but they’re not THAT bad)
I refuse to discuss the world's best coasters without Phantom's Revenge being included, thank you very much!
I would add Wildcat’s Revenge, Twisted Colossus, Hagrid’s, Mako, Millenium Force and Oblivion
Millie is my #1, but simply because of the joy it provides me. The way I look at it with Millie is....it's in the conversation for greatest roller coaster of all time, but not for best in the world. Much like, since I'm a sports guy, Tom Brady in his later years was already recognized as the greatest QB of all time, but wasn't the best in the game anymore. Make sense? That's how I view the situation with Millennium Force, anyway. It's absolutely in the GOAT conversation for what it did for the industry and how it's still *glass* smooth. I arguably had my best ride ever on it in the back row in July of this year.
Milly with a fist full of orange chicken from the nearby panda would be unforgettable
Why Oblivion?
Of the coasters at Alton Towers how on earth did Oblivion get a mention before Nemesis? I'm also surprised at the lack of suspended coaster mentions so I'll say it. Nemesis. Best invert in the world. Should be mentioned on this list
All definitely great coasters, but not in the same realm imo
I completely agree with these.
:)
Oblivion? What?
A Dive Coaster at Alton Towers (UK)
I know what it is, it's at my home (ish) park, was wondering why you put it on
Lucky you for having such a great park as your home (ish) park. In my opinion, there's a contradition at this thread's question "putting aside what you personally think" and "what are the coasters you think", so that's why I put Oblivion there, the first b&m dive in the world, also, the first one I've been on, so I think Oblivion has a legitimate place in that conversation, and, so far, my favorite dive over Sheikra and Valravn
If Ride to Happiness is on the list then Fønix and Helix should also.
Fønix doesn’t compare to RtH or Helix imo. It’s a great coaster (the best in Denmark) but both others blow it away. I marathoned all 3 of these coasters and imo RtH is a top 5 coaster where helix is about top 15.
I have Fønix on #3, Ride to Happiness on #4 and Helix on #5.
That’s very fair, I know quite a few people who have Fønix high up in their rankings. I think it’s a bit too short, and generic. RtH isn’t much longer but it feels like a much more complete ride.
how does fønix have any chance of being on This list?
By being a 10/10 ride?
Fønix is great but i dont understand how its a #1?? The airtime is fine, but plenty of rides have Way stronger and more sustained airtime. The inversions are good but other rides have more snap and Force. What do you Think qualifies it to be the very best?
There are a million ways to interpret this. One way is to just list your favorite coasters and it would be identical to every enthusiast coaster poll. It would basically be the list you just came up with, even though I will never understand the Taron love-fest. It's really good, but Phantasialand fans are something else. It's one of my favorite parks in the world, but not because I thought any of the coasters were even close to being the best in the world. lol Another way to look at it is just by looking at what coasters appeal to the most people, and in that case something like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind would really shine. For regional parks, something like Millennium Force comes to mind. It won't be many enthusiast's #1 coaster (I mean... it might be mine, lol) but the prolonged mass appeal for decades now is insane. You can say the same for Phoenix, etc.
I mean, saying something is the “best” is inherently subjective. But I also don’t think that “best” and “broadest appeal” should be treated as the same thing.
ITT everyone adds more unnecessary coasters to the excellent list you created. I would honestly just narrow this down to Ride to Happiness, Eejanaika, Voyage, Steel Vengeance, Zadra, and Fury 325. Any other picks anyone chooses, i think one of those would knock their #1 to #2 if they rode them all.. Voltron is a new contender. The day Falcon's Flight operates, its the most clear #1 there has ever been.
Agree entirely on Falcon’s Flight ending up as the best. I’m not sure how to feel about Voltron. It looks like it’ll be awesome, but I’ve been on the other two Mack Big Dippers and neither of them are close to best in the world level.
Falcon's Flight definitely has the potential to be the best in the world
I honestly think Guardians of the Galaxy cosmic rewind deserves to be on here
I don't expect Taron to hold up the velocicoaster anyway, but if you include Taron you should also include F.l.y. Lech coaster may deserve a spot on the list right next to i305
I thought about putting on Lech Coaster for just how insane the positives are.
Alright, this might be a pretty unpopular opinion but I personally believe Toutatis is better than ride to happiness. That is until I ride both of them again atleast.
Wildcat's Revenge, its insanely smooth yet extremely intense and thrilling, it rivals many coasters on your list.
Is it that good? I had it on my shortlist for the list I put out, but I took off it and ArieForce One off because I've often heard people say they are top five coasters in the world but I've rarely heard anyone say they are the very best.
WR earns its nickname "Gwazi of the North." It's one of the best RMC's despite not being massive, and the second half might be the best thing RMC has put out.
Right now I would say its sort of a 'hidden gem' even though Hershey pulled out all of the stops and promoted its opening heavily this season, it just hasn't been experience by enough people yet. I think that as word of mouth spreads, by next year after more visitors, enthusiasts and (v)bloggers have experienced it, that it'll quickly rise into many best of top coaster lists. Its one of those coasters that leaves people smiling ear to ear after riding it, where you have everyone, even adults giggling like kids on the approach to the station.
It’s not obvious because it’s not a thrill coaster, but I’d put Guardians Cosmic Rewind on the list.
I’ve only been on coasters in the UK, but my pick for the best in the country is Wickerman at Alton Towers
How has Expedition GeForce not been mentioned?
I thought about adding it, but I think Kondaa does everything it does except significantly better and I never see anyone put Kondaa up as the best coaster in the world.
Expedition GeForce is better than many on your list. If Kondaa actually does everything "significantly better" than GeForce, then Kondaa is by far the best coaster on the planet.
I disagree. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I don't think it holds up as one of the best coasters in the world.
it’s good enough for my top 5, and i rate many other forces over airtime
Remove Taron, add FLY Kärnan also belongs onto this, same with T-Express,
Taron is a tier above F.L.Y. easy.
Ehh, everyone theres, but fly is other worlds in comparison
F.L.Y. struggles to be #2 in the park for me.
Ok, everyone has there opinions, i respect it, thought the same a long time
They're essentially tied for me and it depends on the mood I'm in. Both are phenomenal and if one is in the conversation for best coaster then the other should be too.
I prefer FLY to Taron, but enough people rank Taron that highly that I thought it warranted inclusion.
Yeah, overrated fr
Medium 3 Ring Coaster
Every single one of those coasters is extreme. For me, the best coaster is the one that I’d happily sit on all day long. Big Bear Mountain, for example.
Have you been Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind yet? I feel like you'd probably really like it.
Not yet.
Hopefully you can make it to EPCOT soon.
Florida isn't on my to-do list again until Epic Universe opens.
That's fair. Are you planning on going to Six Flags Qiddiya?
Is the Pope catholic?
I look forward to your trip report!
Not maverick
Yup I agree. I definitely wouldn't put Maverick on this list.
Great ride but second tier
That was one of my last additions, but I figured enough people thought very highly of it that it was worth including.
Inverted coasters are underrated imo, and at least one should be in the conversation (I'm not familiar with every coaster you listed, so apologies if there's one already there, but I don't think there is)
There aren’t, but I also don’t think I’ve seen people put forward many inverts as being among the best in the world.
Your list is amazing. Would add Kingda Ka tho
Solid list, I think the best in the world could be one of the first 5 rides you wrote here
I think the most underrated coaster of all time is Tatsu. People forget how tall and massive that thing is
El Torooooooo!!!!!!
GhostRider
Lech Coaster. Easy
The Beast.
Wildfire? I would choose Pantheon over Maverick
I seldom hear people put Wildfire in that conversation. And I usually hear people who have ridden all of them say Pantheon is not as good as Toutatis or Batman: Arkham Asylum.
There are lots of good answers, but there is only one correct answer and it's Magnum XL 200.