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Coasters you like that others don’t and a coaster you don’t like that others do

Matt N

CF Legend
Hi guys. I’m in a very thread-making mood this afternoon, so I thought I’d make this one about coasters you like that others don’t and coasters you don’t like that others do. Now I admit that on the face of it, this may look very similar to “overrated and underrated coasters”, however I think this one is a little more specific, because I think you can find something overrated and still really like it, for example.

So, I’d best get the ball rolling with my candidates for each category.

In terms of a coaster that I like that others don’t, I actually had a couple I considered here, but I personally thought my best candidate was Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida. I hear nothing but terrible reviews of this coaster, but I must admit that I rather enjoyed it on both of my 2 rides I’ve had over the years (admittedly, to varying degrees)! In fact, when I first rode it back in August 2014, I was absolutely floored by it, and I’d say it was probably my number 2 coaster behind Swarm at the time (I should point out that my coaster count was only about 20-25 at the time, but my point still stands)! When I rerode in August 2016, I did not enjoy it quite as much, but I still think it’s a really solid coaster! While I admit it had a definite rattle, I did not personally remember finding it overly rough, it had some pretty nice bits of airtime (the non-inverted loop in particular had a great moment of ejector from memory!) and I did think it had some very nice speedy moments as well, with the onboard music also adding a really fun and unique layer to the experience! I admit the pacing/MCBRs did hold it back slightly, as well as the rattle, but on the whole, my memories of HRRR are quite positive; while it’s not my favourite coaster by any means, it is in my top 20 and I’d give it a solid 8/10! That being said, however, I have not ridden it since 2016, and there are definitely a few coasters that I liked a lot in 2016 that I like far less now, so maybe a reride is needed...

In terms of a coaster that I don’t like that others do, my candidate was a lot more obvious to me here. My contrast with the majority opinion on this ride is perhaps far, far greater than any other coaster I’ve been on; the ride I’ve chosen here is Olympia Looping. Now, I had the chance to get 2 rides on Olympia in January 2020 at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, and I admit that I did probably overhype myself for it a little too much given that it’s a 30 year old travelling coaster, but most reviews I’d heard of Olympia were overwhelmingly positive. People always praised it for its “jaw-dropping intensity and pacing” and “phenomenal smoothness and comfort”, calling it “the best coaster in the UK when it goes to Hyde Park” and saying it was “smoother than most permanent coasters”. Even though there are some who aren’t quite as enamoured with it, even those enthusiasts seem to rave about Olympia to a certain degree, so I was naturally very excited to ride. Now before I delve into why I don’t particularly enjoy Olympia, let me preface my very controversial opinion with the positives. For a 30 year old travelling Schwarzkopf, it is an absolute technical marvel, and it’s a truly beautiful ride to look at, especially at night! It is also perhaps one of the most efficiently operated coasters I’ve ever seen, and I think the actual layout is very good for a travelling roller coaster built in the 1980s! However, forgetting these factors, I admit that I did not really like Olympia at all, and I’d say there were a few key factors as to why. The first factor is that while the ride lived up to the billed intensity, it was a very different kind of intensity to other rides I’ve been on, and I’d say it was too much for me to handle, personally. Those loops were very, very intense, potentially more so than any other roller coaster elements I’ve ever experienced, and while that’s certainly very commendable if you like that sort of thing, and don’t get me wrong, there are some intense coasters that I really like, I tend to prefer coasters that are more fun and rerideable, and I didn’t really think the layout did anything else I really enjoyed that redeemed my opinion of it after the loops. My second major critique of Olympia Looping that hampered my enjoyment of it further is the trains. Now I wasn’t expecting B&M hyper coaster or Mack launch coaster levels of comfort from the ride’s trains by any means, given that it’s over 30 years old, however I must admit that the cars did lack legroom considering I’m not overly tall; I personally struggled to comfortably fit my legs into the car. However, my main issue with the trains was the ride’s shoulder bars, as they were very hard and tightened noticeably during the ride. Now the tightening itself is not necessarily the major problem here; I only find it a very minor nitpick on Swarm, and even Icon’s restraints tighten to a degree, but it did not impact my enjoyment of Icon whatsoever. However, I personally found that these restraints tightened far more noticeably than on any other coaster I’ve been on, resulting in immense shoulder pain. I know you shouldn’t necessarily let restraints dictate your opinion on a ride, but it’s hard for me not to when my overriding memory is feeling like I’m getting crushed and wincing with pain every time the ride goes up or down or changes direction. I was personally hoping that I’d feel that sense of euphoria, raw joy and a desire to reride upon getting off that I get from some of my very favourite coasters, or potentially even just a sense of “I liked it”. However, my actual feelings getting off Olympia (both times) were unfortunately a sense of raw pain in my shoulders and a desire to sit down because of the nausea and dizziness I was feeling, which unfortunately does not bode well for my personal enjoyment of a coaster. I feel incredibly honoured to have ridden it, and I still think it’s a ride that I admire from a technical, visual and historical standpoint, especially considering it’s a 1980s travelling Schwarzkopf, but the actual ride experience itself is perhaps the most bitterly disappointed I’ve ever been stepping off a roller coaster.

So, those are my choices for this thread, but what would you pick?
P.S. I apologise for my take on Olympia; reading back, I admit it looks incredibly bitter, and I’m probably being way too harsh given its circumstances! Maybe I need to give it another chance some time...
 
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I'm going to echo what you said above about Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. I found it quite scary and thrilling.

Despite my better judgement I really enjoy The Walking Dead The Ride at Thorpe Park. On paper it is terrible: a scary theme based on an IP with waning popularity added to a family coaster. Sounds a poor idea, right? However, I rode it and found it really fun and actually quite well themed and immersive. Totally inappropriate theme, but done well (inside at least, the exterior is poor).

One I hear people love but I thoroughly did not enjoy is Sea World Orlando's Manta. Hoped it would be a thrilling but fun ride that provided the sensation of flying. Instead it started with the unnatural sensation of the pretzel loop. Ugh. It felt thoroughly wrong, and I really do not support lie down sections on flying coasters. Killed the ride for me.
 
I must admit that Manta is probably 2nd to Olympia in that "others like but you don't" category for me, as I too am not a pretzel loop fan, however I did still enjoy Manta to a certain degree (I'd still give it a solid 6/10, whereas I'd probably say Olympia is in my bottom 15-20, with a 3/10 score), as while I still found the pretzel loop too intense for my liking, I don't think I found it quite as overbearing as Olympia in terms of that sheer intensity. Also, I found Manta considerably more comfortable than Olympia on the whole, and while I'd say it's similar to Olympia in that nothing after the pretzel loop is overly remarkable, I'd say that Manta's post-pretzel layout still did a bit more for me than Olympia's post-loops layout!

I definitely prefer Galactica, however, and by quite a considerable distance; now I do really, really like that ride! Glossy smooth, some really nice swoopy elements (which strangely, I find do more for me than the similar elements on Manta, despite Manta's far larger size) and a really nice flying sensation; in fact, I actually considered it for the first category, as most don't seem to rate it! On the whole, it's just a really nice ride that I thoroughly enjoy!
 
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Coasters I like that others don't:
Impulse (Knoebels)
The Beast
Gatekeeper
Rip Ride Rockit
Dare Devil Dive
Titan (Six Flags Over Texas)

Coasters I don't like that others do:
Cheetah Hunt
Raptor (Cedar Point)
Magnum XL-200
Grizzly (King's Dominion)
Firehawk (King's Island)
Intimidator (Carowinds)
 
I just thought of another prime candidate for "coasters you like that others don't", and this one is perhaps even more controversial than HRRR; I must admit I do have quite a soft spot for Shockwave at Drayton Manor! Most stand-ups apart from a select one or two seem to review terribly, and sadly Shockwave is one of these, so I naturally went in with very low expectations when I first went to Drayton Manor in August 2018. However, I was very pleasantly surprised with what Shockwave had to offer!

While the stand-up riding position was admittedly a bit odd, and I would definitely have preferred regular sit-down trains, I didn't personally find it the enjoyment killer that some had implied it was, and while quite short, the actual coaster layout itself was quite fun, in my opinion! There was a good level of force and some fun elements, and I thought the ride was pretty well-paced too! A particular favourite moment of mine was the zero-g roll; in that riding position, it almost offered a sort of "inverted airtime"-style sensation, and I felt like I was about to fly out of the train! The only real drawbacks for me were that I would prefer the ride with sit-down trains, and I did think that it was quite rattly in sections, particularly the corkscrews towards the end; I would have liked the ride more if it didn't have these rattly sections and was smoother all the way through.

But on the whole, while Shockwave isn't my favourite coaster, I have a definite soft spot for it; it's in my top 25, and I'd give it a solid 7/10, personally!
 
Easiest one that comes to mind is El Toro, especially with all the praise it's received for over a decade. I genuinely did not enjoy my time on it, and after two rides I did not see any reason to give it another chance (well, I'll probably try it again on another visit). The airtime was too painful, and the valleys and turns had a messy rattle.

Now that I think of it, it's rare that you get a ride that has both painful airtime and a rattly experience. Usually it's just one or the others: you'll come across lots of woodies with rough rides, but never any serious airtime, whereas the painful airtime machines are typically very smooth (ex. Skyrush and RMCs, but even those aren't as painful as Toro). El Toro is one of the rare exceptions where both situations are true, and make for a poor combination. I'd say Magnum falls into a similar category, but not as extreme.

Oh and another one I don't really get is Banshee. The reason B&M inverts in general are so good is that they offer quick snappy inversions and intense positive g forces. Now Banshee has the positive forces, but they're all ruined by the rattle in the trains. And then they inversions themselves just aren't that intense. They're way too drawn out and floaty, which doesn't really work for this kind of ride type. Would I ride it again? Yeah, but look at Kings Island's lineup and you'll see why.

As for stuff I do like? There's a few I hold in higher regard than others, but there's one I kinda like that I know everyone else hates: Nighthawk. Yeah, staring at the sun and waiting on the brake run is ass, and the restraints aren't as comfortable than the B&M flyers. But I didn't find the ride rough, and the layout is actually really solid. It's a bit awkward in spots but all the inversions are pretty decent, especially the loop. It's definitely something I would ride again (although, like Kings Island, because Carowinds's lineup isn't that impressive).
 
Rides that I like that most people don't:
Kumali - That sweeping first drop is brilliant and it's smoother than most SLC's
Velocity - Just a really nice, solid coaster
Thirteen - Could probably lump this in with Smiler too, in that I don't think people actively dislike them as rides rather they see them as massive missed opportunities and victims of over-marketing. Good ride, it's fun, smooth, has a few good parts to it

Rides that I dislike that most people don't:
The Ultimate - Back Pain: The Ride
Stealth - It's just pointless, the launch isn't enjoyable, it rattles like hell on the climb - the only enjoyable part is the brief second you get cresting the tophat and view of the park
Stunt Fall - I just wanted it to be over asap. It's not even a bad ride, I just really didn't like being suspended face down hanging into the restraint
 
Rides I like:
Rita. It's a neat little ride. Nothing to scream and shout about, but it's fun.
G Force. It wasn't a good ride, but I didn't mind it.

Rides I don't like:
Smiler. This always seems a bit of a marmite ride, but it's just way too uncomfortable for me to enjoy it. I last rode it in 2017, and have no intention of riding it again any time soon.
Raik. I see a lot of people praise Raik, and whilst it's station is nice, and being in Klugheim is great, the actual ride itself is probably the weakest Boomerang I've done, and I don't understand why people really rate it?
 
This feels almost exactly the same as the "Overrated/Underrated Coaster" thread... but no matter.

Rides I like:
Goudurix. It's big, it's beautiful, it's actually quite intimidating and apart from a slight jolt coming out of the batwing, I found it quite smooth too.
Bandit. So bad it's brilliant. One of the funniest coasters in the world!

Rides I don't like:
Maverick. I totally don't understand the love for this ride. I mean, what even is it? Is it a launch coaster, a terrain coaster, an airtime coaster, a looper... what? It has no identity, no purpose, no character. Plus, they had to alter the layout before it opened cos the inversion was all wrong, and worst of all it launches you straight into a... a trim brake!! WTF is that about?
Many people have this in their all time top 10. I'd struggle to put it in the top 10 at Cedar Point.
 
Here’s a good place to ask an interesting question...

Why do so many people hate, The Smiler...

My kids aren’t enthusiasts as such, but they enjoy coasters, and have ridden enough for me at least to consider their opinions valid... As well as most UK parks they’ve done Portaventura, Phantasialand, Efteling, Toverland, Walibi Holland, Movie Park Germany, Europa Park, Disneyland and Parc Asterix.

They still say Smiler is their favourite coaster!!! Above Taron, Untamed, Shambhala and all of the other great coasters these parks have to offer.

The only difference between them and most enthusiasts is their involvement with enthusiast communities is zero, so are not swayed by any outside influences.

So yeh, I offer up Smiler on behalf of my kids...

As for me, one I like that other people don’t is Red Force... But that can be explained by the fact I haven’t ridden it’s 2 bigger brothers, whereas others have.

One I don’t like that others do Liseberg Banana... OK so it’s nice that it’s a ‘classic coaster’ but it’s still crap and boring, it literally just goes round in circles.
 
As for me, one I like that other people don’t is Red Force... But that can be explained by the fact I haven’t ridden it’s 2 bigger brothers, whereas others have.

Red Force is a good shout, I liked it too... and I have ridden it's 2 bigger brothers.

Just thought of another popular one that I didn't rate very highly, and that's Nitro at Great Adventure. Ran like a bag of spanners the day I was there, it did. Rough as arseholes.
 
Some thoughts on the above:

Shockwave (Drayton) is one of the best stand-ups, Gatekeeper is one of the best wing coasters. Nothing too odd there.

The Beast; Titan/(Goliath); Rip Ride Rocket (& Baco) are all so bizarre and possibly a bit wrong but are just so right for me.

Red Force does hold up well, especially against Ka which is rough as balls.

My only ride on Bandit was back in 2008 where I got of laughing about how appalling it was. I wonder how well it has aged.

I also didn't see whats so wrong with the Smiler (apart from the 2015 incident that has damaged the UK scene forever). I had been led to believe that as I haven't ridden it for so many years I just don't know but @Nicky Borrill don't you go all the time?

Maverick wasn't as good as I had hoped or been led to believe but was still a whole lot of fun. I guess any hyped ride you wait eons to ride will struggle to live up to expectations.

Yes, this is very similar to the underrated/overrated thread but its good to have another stab at it with 2020 vision.


Some rides, such as Silver Star, get wildly different ratings depending on which way the wind blows & the alignment of planets. The industry develops but nostalgia stays put not matter how out of touch it becomes. I just hope you are not all pulling my leg over Taron.


As for something new, Fujiyama is as good, & at least as ridiculous as the best coasters in Fuji Q, albeit in a completely different way.

Is there a consensus that the water coaster at Efteling is the best there? if not I believe you are incorrect so add that to the list.
 
Red Force is a good shout, I liked it too... and I have ridden it's 2 bigger brothers.

Just thought of another popular one that I didn't rate very highly, and that's Nitro at Great Adventure. Ran like a bag of spanners the day I was there, it did. Rough as arseholes.
Thanks, it’s just so much fun, and both the high coasters there have the added perception of height you get looking down on the coastline.

BTW you should already know I agree with Goudurix... After the comments in the other thread, but just in case... It’s the best old school vekoma I’ve ever ridden!
 
Here’s a good place to ask an interesting question...

Why do so many people hate, The Smiler...

For me personally, I like to not feel beaten up around my head and back when I come off a ride. Smiler leaves me feeling like that.

Even if you ignore that, most of the inversions feel incredibly samey. And it's not even a good samey like with a quad roll on Intamin 10 inversion models. And once you've experienced the sensation of that type of inversion once or twice within a ride, there's no real benefit to experiencing it again in my eyes.

I know people talk about the air time hills breaking it up, but I don't get that, as the airtime hills don't offer much for me. So that just leaves a long, uncomfortable ride which does the same thing over and over again.
 
Some thoughts on the above:

Shockwave (Drayton) is one of the best stand-ups, Gatekeeper is one of the best wing coasters. Nothing too odd there.

The Beast; Titan/(Goliath); Rip Ride Rocket (& Baco) are all so bizarre and possibly a bit wrong but are just so right for me.

Red Force does hold up well, especially against Ka which is rough as balls.

My only ride on Bandit was back in 2008 where I got of laughing about how appalling it was. I wonder how well it has aged.

I also didn't see whats so wrong with the Smiler (apart from the 2015 incident that has damaged the UK scene forever). I had been led to believe that as I haven't ridden it for so many years I just don't know but @Nicky Borrill don't you go all the time?

Maverick wasn't as good as I had hoped or been led to believe but was still a whole lot of fun. I guess any hyped ride you wait eons to ride will struggle to live up to expectations.

Yes, this is very similar to the underrated/overrated thread but its good to have another stab at it with 2020 vision.


Some rides, such as Silver Star, get wildly different ratings depending on which way the wind blows & the alignment of planets. The industry develops but nostalgia stays put not matter how out of touch it becomes. I just hope you are not all pulling my leg over Taron.


As for something new, Fujiyama is as good, & at least as ridiculous as the best coasters in Fuji Q, albeit in a completely different way.

Is there a consensus that the water coaster at Efteling is the best there? if not I believe you are incorrect so add that to the list.
I do spend a LOT of time there ? Smiler is usually the coaster with the longest queue besides Wicker Man... Sometimes longer than Wicker Man... Which says a lot considering it’s capacity...

I enjoy it, I wouldn’t put it anywhere near my top ten, as unlike my kids I prefer negatives to intense positives (weirdos) but apart from the odd rough / vibratey ride, I like it.

In my usual indecisive style, I enjoyed Silver Star a lot more on the second and third (dry) days. Felt more sustained floater. Still nowhere near my top ten though, and not on the same level as Hyperion or Shambhala.

The water coaster is easily the best at Efteling!
 
Colossus gets a lot of hate for it's headbanging moments but I have a soft-spot for it, only of course if you're sitting in the first few rows. I am however, always ready to bash SAW: the Ride because no matter where I sit as I find it absolutely insufferable. I guess that makes me contradictory.

Baron 1898 I found incredibly disappointing in terms of the actual ride itself. The theming and pre-show experience got me very excited for the ride itself which I guess is why I felt the ride was a bit lacklustre for me.

I was incredibly surprised how much I enjoyed Furius Baco, I was prepared for the worst and I honestly did not have issue with it at all. I think it must've been by pure luck.

My experiences are for sure influenced when going in with very low expectations if a ride has a notorious reputation and vice versa for one that's heralded as being one of the best, that definitely informs the bias.
 
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For me personally, I like to not feel beaten up around my head and back when I come off a ride. Smiler leaves me feeling like that.

Even if you ignore that, most of the inversions feel incredibly samey. And it's not even a good samey like with a quad roll on Intamin 10 inversion models. And once you've experienced the sensation of that type of inversion once or twice within a ride, there's no real benefit to experiencing it again in my eyes.

I know people talk about the air time hills breaking it up, but I don't get that, as the airtime hills don't offer much for me. So that just leaves a long, uncomfortable ride which does the same thing over and over again.
Sorry I missed this reply Josh, must have posted around the same time as one of my previous messages :/

I think that’s exactly why they do like it, they said that they enjoy the relentless forces that the inversions give. I don’t think they care for the 2 airtime hills either. (I love those moments personally.)
 
What's the consensus on Euro-Mir? Because it's the only coaster I genuinely despise.

I've given it four separate chances and every time it gets to the "coaster" part it's such an unpleasant and uncomfortable experience.
 
I'm glad you said that as I've never enjoyed it either! I know a lot of people rave about it, but I found the coaster portion deeply uncomfortable on EuroMir.
 
Rides I don't like:
Maverick. I totally don't understand the love for this ride. I mean, what even is it? Is it a launch coaster, a terrain coaster, an airtime coaster, a looper... what? It has no identity, no purpose, no character. Plus, they had to alter the layout before it opened cos the inversion was all wrong, and worst of all it launches you straight into a... a trim brake!! WTF is that about?
Many people have this in their all time top 10. I'd struggle to put it in the top 10 at Cedar Point.
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anyway - Rides I like:
Saw
Boomerangs

rides I don't like
Tonerre de zeus
Boulder dash
 
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