Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

Rank the GCIs

1. White Lightning - Just missed my expectations (based on what I had previously heard), but it's still pretty good and has a good layout. It could be great if it was a little faster.

2. Lightning Racer - Interaction is nice but I was expecting a little more airtime. Only had one ride on each side. Maybe if I tried again and focused on the dueling aspect I might appreciated it more.

3. Wildcat - Terrible. Honestly one of the roughest rides I've done. Doesn't help that it doesn't really do much else. Please RMC it.
 
My top three all have great speed and intensity.
Then come the joyful fun-filled GCI racers.
Then the rest.

Troy (Troy!) (That pace that keeps picking up as you go <3)
Thunderhead (so much unexpected joy)
Thunderbird (very good but not quite as good as the first two)
Lightning Racer (lit up at night it's one of my most beautiful coaster memories, can't remember which side I preferred)
Joris water (just so much fun)
Joris fire
Wood Coaster (overrated because of location. It's good but can't be appreciated because of restraint stapling)
Mystic Timbers (very good but not outstanding, minus points for the shed of underwhelming)
Wodan (so much lost airtime potential)
Heidi (cute but short)
American Thunder (a bit of airtime but a little boring)
Gwazi Tiger (I don't honestly remember it being that rough)
Gwazi Lion
Roar, SF America (meh)
Widcat (to be honest, I don't really remember it but I don't remember hating it)
Apocalypse (really rough)
 
Last edited:
@Mysterious Sue, I'm interested to see that you rank Apocalypse so lowly due to roughness. I knew that it had gotten rougher over the years (likely due to the same reason why it has turned a strange shade of white in recent years), but I didn't know it was quite that bad!

Never ridden it, though. Only GCI I've ridden is Wicker Man, which was nice and smooth as far as woodies go. I did see Gwazi SBNO in the middle of Busch Gardens Tampa in 2016, however.
 
^Yeah I was gonna pull Sue up about Apocalypse too. I thought it was great, mind you it was almost new at the time - it was still Terminator Salvation when I rode it, complete with on board audio and everything.
Hadn't really seen or heard much of it since, other than the name change. Sad to hear it's gotten rough and... erm, white?
 
Blimey, it really has gone white. Sun bleached I guess?
Looks like the ride is a shadow of its former self. Compare that POV to this one, with the theming, the on board sound and all the shiny new-ness still intact. No wonder it's not very highly rated anymore. Sad times, man.
 
Update:

1. Python in Bamboo Forest - Absolute beast. Goes on forever and never lets up. We bonded.

Until the above, I found all GCIs to be a very similar experience and quite difficult to separate. They were always very good, but never killer. So the rest are rather close together.

2 & 3. Joris en de Draaks - Effects, music, racing and pacing elevate these above the others.
4. Jungle Dragon - Big, fun and terrainy, but not quite their A-game.
5. Wodan - Again a bit of theming and music help it stand out. Also gave me that joyous laughing effect throughout.
6. Heidi - Short but fun.
7. El Toro - Short but not quite as fun.
8. Desert Rally - Fun but not quite as short.
9. Troy - Reputation had grown by this one and it was the only one with any expectations. Doesn't do enough with it's size, not as well paced. Still great.
10. Wicker Man - Meh.

I wish I had Gwazi to put at the bottom. Sorry Troy. There you go Troy.
 
Update from me:

1. Wodan
2. Mystic Timbers
2. Joris en de Draak
3. White Lightning
4. Troy
5. Wicker Man
6. Gwazi Lion / Gwazi Tiger
 
Should update mine as well

1. Mystic Timbers
2. Thunderhead
3. Troy
4. Wodan
5. Apocalypse
 
My favorite has been lightning racer, but it has been topped by Mystic Timbers. What a ride! It's speed never lets up, airtime, intensity, smooth. If only it was longer. Wildcat was always rough, but it's gotten worse over time. Last time I went it was nearly unrideable. Apocalypse at SFMM was also very rough, shame because j had high hopes. It wasn't even very old in 2013...
 
New in bold.

1. Troy. TROY!
2. Joris en de Draak.
3. Mystic Timbers.
4. Prowler.
5. Terminator Salvation (as was).
6. Wicker Dude.
7. Heidi.
8. American Thunder.




9. Gwazi.

Honestly, there's not much between them. Not the first 5 anyway. They're all JAGCI - Just Another GCI, solid and dependable, fast and twisty, some airtime here and there.
6 - 8 are decent enough, but not exactly world beaters, and number 9 is poo. Good riddance.
 
1. Thunderhead - Impressive ride, had some really good pacing, good length, laterals, and pops of airtime. Miles ahead of the stuff below.
2. White Lightning - Just missed my expectations (based on what I had previously heard), but it's still pretty good and has a good layout (albeit short). It could be great if it was a little faster.
3. Lightning Racer - Interaction is nice but I was expecting a little more airtime. Only had one ride on each side. Maybe if I tried again and focused on the dueling aspect I might appreciate it more.
4. Wildcat - Terrible. Honestly one of the roughest rides I've done. Doesn't help that it doesn't really do much else. Please RMC it.
 
Last edited:
1. Troy, Toverland (still the best one <3)
2. Gold Striker, California’s Great America
3. Thunderhead, Dollywood
4. Joris en de Draak, Efteling
5. Apocalypse, Six Flags Magic Mountain
6. El Toro, Freizeitpark Plohn
7. Heidi, Plopsaland de Panne
8. White Lightning, FunSpot Orlando
9. Wodan, Europa Park
10. Wicker Man, Alton Towers
11. Thunderbird, PowerPark
12. InvadR, Busch Gardens Williamsburg
13. Lightning Racer, Hersheypark
14. Wildcat, Hersheypark
15. Gwazi, Busch Gardens Tampa

1-3 are the most aggressive, intense and well-paced too so that’s why they are my faves. 4-8 are a little less intense but still tons of fun and also strong throughout the whole layout. I wouldn’t say airtime differentiates the top 8 as much as a mix of intensity/fun. Wodan is actually more like the more aggressive ones, except I don’t find the layout as effective and the result doesn’t leave me as amazed. Wicker Man was great in the back row but weak up front and I do think the layout is a bit weak. Thunderbird was a bit of a let-down, needed more oomf (Lightning Racer was the same but even more in need). InvadR definitely “feels” like the smallest and gentlest one, but tbf, it has quite a few fab pops of airtime and is a fun family coaster. Wildcat was just kinda dull but not that bad; Gwazi was the same but with a bit of an annoying vibration.

I can’t wait to ride Troy at night this October, I’ve heard it’s epic! It’s already my fave so <3
 
1. Lightning Racer
2. Mystic Timbers
3. Joris
4. White Lightning
5. Heide
6. Invadr
7. Gwazi
8. Wildcat
9. Roar
 
Lightning Racer above MT? I honestly thought LR was a bit boring and lacking in airtime. It is fun in a group though and the racing element is great, but MT blows it out of the water.
 
1 - Renegade - Night rides on this beast are absolutely mind blowing. So much airtime and most of it unexpected, including sideways airtime (which I had no idea GCI could do) and a funky first drop. Great lighting package, good restraints allowing ample airtime space. It's just soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo far away :emoji_cry:
2 - Thunderhead - I love this ride. Has everything I like in a woodie, it's not smooth, but it's exhilarating.
3 - Prowler - Ooooh this is fab, a bunch of airtime and goes out into the vegetation, needs a warm up like most but I imagine is great in the dark.
4 - Mystic Timbers - Totally different to the others, bit like Phoenix, Buzz bars on this would work wonders I think. It's all floater, in every seat, but it's fun. Night isn't pitch black though, shame.
5 - Joris en de Draak - Plenty of airtime, lats and good pacing with the racing aspect thrown in, very good ride.
6 - Lightning Racer - Little less airtime but the extra height adds a bit more speed. Night rides on this are pretty fab but does have a couple of dead spots.
7 - White Lightning - Loved this ride, but I've heard it's not as quick as it once was, need a re-ride.
8 - Troy - Good drop and station fly through with a couple of airtime moments but the big hill which starts floating but stops then starts again annoyed me slightly.
9 - American Thunder - Didn't love it, didn't hate it, just felt a bit underwhelming. Was a very hot day and we just wanted to leave to be fair. Harsh maybe.
10 - Wodan - Queue and station are great, some decent parts to the ride like the tunnel dive but I dislike the little airtime bumps into the turns.
11 - Wildcat - Bit rough, not much airtime, but not as awful as some people make out.

New in Bold.

I haven't ridden a bad GCI, even Wildcat was decent. Some are just alright, but alright is still better than a lot of good creds from other manufacturers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top