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Coasters for which the queue is better than the ride?

MestnyiGeroi

MestnyiGeroi

Giga Poster
What would be your top picks for examples of coasters for which the queue is a better experience than the ride itself?

Wodan? Jaguar? Maximus’ Blitz Bahn? Dragon Mountain? Xpress: Platform 13? Others?
 
I’d personally argue that this was the case for Dragon Challenge at Islands of Adventure; the queue was phenomenal, but I personally found the ride experiences quite forgettable, to be honest.
 
I'd argue for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. It's one of my favorite coasters, but the queue is so amazing I think it surpasses the ride itself. Disaster Transport was in the same boat, though for wildly different reasons. Lastly, I'd say Nighthawk. Not because the queue is particularly good but only because watching that coaster is so much better than riding it.
 
Matt N said:
I’d personally argue that this was the case for Dragon Challenge at Islands of Adventure; the queue was phenomenal, but I personally found the ride experiences quite forgettable, to be honest.
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Hate to break it to you - the modified queue is quite meh for the Hagrid adaptation.

A couple thoughts:
- Slinky Dog Dash - holy **** is the queue quite detailed and elaborate! Even buying extra Mack track as "spare parts" splayed across the queue to Andy's playset. Also loved the "build instructions" for the roller coaster, which is quite accurate to real life!
- Flight of Fear - surprisingly still holds up as "narrative" and storyline; at least compelling enough to not be super tacky.
 
As people have already nominated Gringott's and Dragon Challenge, I might as well complete the trinity: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey has an excellent queue, but I didn't like the ride itself that much - it's too noisy and incoherent, flinging you from one Wizarding World monster to the next without taking any time to breathe, while blasting BRRRRRRRRT in your ears the whole time.

Expedition Everest deservers a mention too. The queue is so top-notch it makes it hard for the coaster itself to compete. My aunt hates riding coasters, but she was fascinated enough by our descriptions of the queue that she decided to join us for the next go-around, without actually riding the coaster. It's a queue worth chickening out on, it's that good.

Another shout-out to Colossus at Thorpe Park. I mean, the queue is nothing special, but the experience of standing in line is vastly more enjoyable than that of being on the coaster.
 
caffeine_demon said:
gotta be vliegender Hollander at efteling - particularly if you include the lift hill along with the queue!
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Fwiw, I definitely can’t agree with this one at all. The queue and station are wonderfully themed, but the atmospherics on the indoor part of the ride are phenomenal. I wish the ride were longer, but what there is of it I think is marvelous.

Edit: You mention the lift hill for some reason, so if you’re thinking the indoor part of the ride is somehow part of the queue, I’d disagree with that categorization but certainly agree with your conclusion based on that idea. The outdoor portion of the ride is fine, but quite an anti-climax after that indoor section.
 
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A couple that sprung to mind...

XPress: Platform 13. The ride itself isn't bad, but that queue is phenomenal.
Fenix at Toverland. I don't particularly rate the ride, but the queue is pretty damn impressive.

I also feel like putting this one here does a bit of disservice to the ride itself, but K2 at Karls Elstal. The cred itself is very good for what it is, but I genuinely would rate the queue line as a Top 5 queue line for any ride I've done, it's that damn good. So yeah, cred good, queue amazing, so queue > cred.


I'd disagree with Flying Dutchman at Efteling. The queue is a better experience than the coaster portion of the ride, but the whole ride experience is incredible
 
MestnyiGeroi said:
Fwiw, I definitely can’t agree with this one at all. The queue and station are wonderfully themed, but the atmospherics on the indoor part of the ride are phenomenal. I wish the ride were longer, but what there is of it I think is marvelous.

Edit: You mention the queue for some reason, so if you’re thinking the indoor part of the ride is somehow part of the queue, I’d disagree with that categorization but certainly agree with your conclusion based on that idea. The outdoor portion of the ride is fine, but quite an anti-climax after that indoor section.
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Well my reason for agreeing was that I love both the queue and ride, they’re both incredible. But the detailing in the queue and station is just out of this world. It’s easily my favourite ride at Efteling.
 
JoshC. said:
I'd disagree with Flying Dutchman at Efteling. The queue is a better experience than the coaster portion of the ride, but the whole ride experience is incredible
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This! It’s probably my favourite overall ride at Efteling, it’s fabulous.
 
I love De Vliegende Hollander as an overall experience, but I do agree that the queue and station are the best parts of it. I don't think that is a negative thing.

I'd agree with Manta too, but largely because I dont like Manta in the first place.

I'll also agree with HP Forbidden Journey as i found the ride itself to be well themed but very jerky, and not in a fun way.
 
I think the queue for Black Mamba is exceptional, maybe my favorite queue, except that the ride itself is still fantastic. If anything, the mysterious flybys and lines of sight in the queue only add to the fun and mystery before you ride.
 
I know it's not a coaster, but the current King Kong dark ride at IoA is the first thing I thought of for this. Awesome and immersive queue, totally underwhelming ride.

Also I would have been young at the time, but I remember Space Invader 2 at Blackpool having a really cool themed queue. Not that I disliked the ride - I actually liked it quite a bit. The queue was just really awesome.
 
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