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Top 10(ish): 2024 Edition - page 124

Thought I’d finally commit to a Top 20 on here before my 2022 kicks off properly!

  1. Steel Vengeance - Cedar Point
  2. Taron - Phantasialand
  3. Skyrush - Hersheypark
  4. Phoenix - Knoebels
  5. Lightning Rod - Dollywood
  6. El Toro - SF Great Adventure
  7. Helix - Liseberg
  8. Schwur des Karnan - Hansa Park
  9. The Voyage - Holiday World
  10. Superman the ride - SF New England
  11. Fury 325 - Carowinds
  12. Expedition GeForce - Holiday Park
  13. Phantoms Revenge - Kennywood
  14. Top Thrill Dragster - Cedar Point
  15. Maverick - Cedar Point
  16. O’ziris - Parc Asterix
  17. Shambhala - Port Aventura
  18. Kondaa - Walibi Belgium
  19. Twisted Timbers - Kings Dominion
  20. Stealth - Thorpe Park
 
My current top 30, prior to having visited any theme parks in 2022, is:
  1. Mako - SeaWorld Orlando (10/10)
  2. Icon - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (10/10)
  3. Wicker Man - Alton Towers (10/10)
  4. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee (9/10)
  5. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  6. SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  7. Oblivion - Alton Towers (9/10)
  8. Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  9. Nemesis - Alton Towers (9/10)
  10. The Swarm - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  11. Kraken - SeaWorld Orlando (8/10)
  12. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  13. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  14. Rita - Alton Towers (8/10)
  15. Incredible Hulk - Universal’s Islands of Adventure (8/10)
  16. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  17. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  18. Thirteen - Alton Towers (8/10)
  19. Rock’n’Rollercoaster - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  20. Slinky Dog Dash - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  21. Megafobia - Oakwood (7/10)
  22. Avalanche - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (7/10)
  23. Storm Chaser - Paultons Park (7/10)
  24. Flight of the Pterosaur - Paultons Park (7/10)
  25. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - Disney’s Magic Kingdom (7/10)
  26. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit - Universal Studios Florida (7/10)
  27. Cobra - Paultons Park (6/10)
  28. Runaway Mine Train - Alton Towers (6/10)
  29. Space Mountain Alpha - Disney’s Magic Kingdom (6/10)
  30. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Disney’s Magic Kingdom (6/10)
My first day in Europa Park is in 9 days’ time… I’m just putting this here now in case there are any changes to my top 30 after I’ve visited EP. I’m cautiously optimistic that Europa will add some new blood into this list, but I’m trying to manage my expectations somewhat, as people have been keen to stress to me that Europa allegedly has quite a weak coaster selection. And of course, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” and all that also comes into play here as well.

For clarity, my coaster count currently sits at 79.
 
My updated list after my recent Heide/Hansa trip:

1. Taron, Phantasialand
2. Taiga, Linnanmäki
3. Untamed, Walibi Holland
4. Helix, Liseberg
5. Oz'Iris, Parc Asterix
6. Balder, Liseberg
7. Lost Gravity, Walibi Holland
8. Der Schwur des Kärnan, Hansa Park
9. Nemesis, Alton Towers
10. Joris en de Draak, Efteling
11. Colossos - Kampf der Giganten, Heide Park
12. Goliath, Walibi Holland
13. Troy, Toverland
14. Black Mamba, Phantasialand
15. Hyperion, Energylandia

That's my "Top 10% of ranked rides" (ie creds ridden ignoring kiddie/little junior ones).

I think positions 9-13 are all very fluid; very much depends on my mood. Joris feels like a bit of an outlier on a first glance I think, but then I remember I have so much damn fun on it from start to finish that it really does deserve that spot.
 
I think positions 9-13 are all very fluid; very much depends on my mood. Joris feels like a bit of an outlier on a first glance I think, but then I remember I have so much damn fun on it from start to finish that it really does deserve that spot.
I've noticed a trend on Twitter recently of people ranking a #0 coaster - essentially a cred you know isn't the best in the world but that you have a joyous time riding and thus deserves a mention in your list. Potentially Joris could be your #0?
 
I've noticed a trend on Twitter recently of people ranking a #0 coaster - essentially a cred you know isn't the best in the world but that you have a joyous time riding and thus deserves a mention in your list. Potentially Joris could be your #0?

Not a bad shout tbf!

At the same time, the way I try to decide my rankings is "What ride would I most like to ride right this very second?" Then for #2, same process, but ignore #1. And so on. So a #0 doesn't quite fit with that.

I totally acknowledge that Joris (and others up there, like Lost Gravity) aren't anywhere near the "best" rides, but I have so much fun on them I can't not rank them so highly!
 
Can confirm - I got to see this goon's grin first-hand during that first ride. It was sooooo cute!

To pick back up on how my coaster rankings have faired in 2021, here's my top 30, with new adds of VelociCoaster and Mako:

RankCoasterPark
1Steel VengeanceCedar Point
2VoyageHoliday World
3VelociCoasterIslands of Adventure
4Storm ChaserKentucky Kingdom
5MaverickCedar Point
6X2Six Flags Magic Mountain
7Outlaw RunSilver Dollar City
8SkyrushHersheypark
9Fury 325Carowinds
10Intimidator 305Kings Dominion
11Ravine Flyer IIWaldameer
12Millennium ForceCedar Point
13Top Thrill DragsterCedar Point
14Twisted TimbersKings Dominion
15Iron RattlerSix Flags Fiesta Texas
16New Texas GiantSix Flags Over Texas
17Storm RunnerHersheypark
18TatsuSix Flags Magic Mountain
19AlpengeistBusch Gardens Williamsburg
20Steel CurtainKennywood
21KrakenSeaWorld Orlando
22BansheeKings Island
23Incredible HulkIslands of Adventure
24MakoSeaWorld Orlando
25GoliathSix Flags Over Georgia
26ThunderheadDollywood
27Mystic TimbersKings Island
28Apocalypse the RideSix Flags Magic Mountain
29AfterburnCarowinds
30Magnum XL-200Cedar Point

A few additional tweaks to the rankings this year:
- I bumped Goliath SFoG down a few ticks, below Mako. Both are excellent in their own ways, but have to give a nod to Mako as the new B&M hyper to beat - delivered a number of great rides.
- Orion went up in the rankings from 48 to 40 - it turns out riding a full train of riders versus Covid-protocol half-train capacity really does make a difference!
Have some movement action with new rides! (And detailed in my recent trip report to BGT)

Takeaway details:
  • Lots of B&M Love from BGT - Montu has now taken top seat as favorite overall Invert, with a peppering of other new B&M rides.
  • Iron Gwazi Second Best RMC, Second Best Florida Coaster - Steel Vengeance retains #1, and VC remains my favorite overall Florida coaster.

RankCoasterPark
1Steel VengeanceCedar Point
2VoyageHoliday World
3VelociCoasterIslands of Adventure
4Iron GwaziBusch Gardens Tampa
5Storm ChaserKentucky Kingdom
6MaverickCedar Point
7X2Six Flags Magic Mountain
8Outlaw RunSilver Dollar City
9SkyrushHersheypark
10Fury 325Carowinds
11Intimidator 305Kings Dominion
12Ravine Flyer IIWaldameer
13Millennium ForceCedar Point
14Top Thrill DragsterCedar Point
15Twisted TimbersKings Dominion
16Iron RattlerSix Flags Fiesta Texas
17New Texas GiantSix Flags Over Texas
18Storm RunnerHersheypark
19TatsuSix Flags Magic Mountain
20MontuBusch Gardens Tampa
21AlpengeistBusch Gardens Williamsburg
22Steel CurtainKennywood
23KrakenSeaWorld Orlando
24KumbaBusch Gardens Tampa
25BansheeKings Island
26Incredible HulkIslands of Adventure
27MakoSeaWorld Orlando
28GoliathSix Flags Over Georgia
29ThunderheadDollywood
30MantaSeaWorld Orlando
 
Finally time for an update, Now I have finally left the UK after lockdown.

1: Helix
Still my all time favourite. This Mack coaster might not be the most intense or the give the most airtime, but it's the perfect example of a coaster with variety, which is usually the thing I want the most out of a coaster.

2: Karnan
That first drop alone makes this a world class coaster and then you have everything that follows, as well as an awesome queue line with great theming.

3: Kondaa (new Entry)
After the first rides in the morning it was my number 6. Then it became my number 5 and by the time the day was done it has become my number 3, that's just how much this mega coaster warms up. This is easily the most airtime I have experienced on a coaster. I was lucky enough to get a front row ride later on the day and I felt like I was being yeeted over those hills.

4: Shambhala
It was neck and neck between this and Kondaa, but ultimately Kondaa is a more varied ride, still Shambhala is the ultimate B&M Hyper (probably)

5: Taron
Fast paced, beautifully themed and quite a long ride to boot, Taron shows how much you can do with 98ft and no inversions.

6: Sheikra
I think I am ready to admit that I have overrated this coaster - Slightly. I still think it's am amazing coaster, even if on paper it's "just another dive machine"

7: Wodan
GCI and Europa Park have made a beast of a wooden coaster at 130ft, but what really makes this ride for me is the relentless pacing. A night ride on Wodan is a memory that will stay with you.

8: Icon
I've got a lot of love for this ride. It's the perfect coaster for Blackpool and it's still in my mind the best coaster in the UK by some margin. It has plenty of that variety I keep bringing up.

9: Silver Star
A solid B&M hyper that also has a sneaky pop of ejector

10: Kraken
To be honest it's been a while since I've been to Florida, but each time I have been Kraken has always stood above other multi-loopers I've done



Sent from my SM-A217F using Tapatalk
 
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With just over 6 weeks till my US trip, my top 10 is undoubtedly going to change a lot as I (hopefully) pick up a whole host of bucket-list creds. There are several coasters that deserve praise though so I wanted to make a top 30 to include some of my favorites from the Italy trip before I go. (layout inspired by @Antinos)

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Top 10 for purposes of the CF poll. The rest in approximate batches of 10 up to 42 (top 10%).

1. Steel Vengeance
2. Helix
3. The Ride to Happiness
4. Shambhala
5. X2
6. Nemesis
7. Untamed
8. Top Thrill Dragster
9. Tatsu
10. Behemoth

11 - 20.
El Toro
Outlaw Run
Wildfire
The Voyage
Taron
Zadra
Expedition GeForce
Colossos
Red Force
Kondaa

21 - 30
Railblazer
Thunderbird
Hyperion
Revenge of the Mummy (Florida)
Balder
Leviathan
Pulsar
Intimidator 305
Oblivion
Psyké Underground

31 - 40.
Banshee
Goliath (Walibi)
Time Traveler
Storm Chaser (RMC)
Kingda Ka
Dominator
Verbolten
Raptor (CP)
Wildfire (SDC)
Stealth

And 2 more for luck.
Olympia Looping
The Ultimate
 
My current top 30, prior to having visited any theme parks in 2022, is:
  1. Mako - SeaWorld Orlando (10/10)
  2. Icon - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (10/10)
  3. Wicker Man - Alton Towers (10/10)
  4. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee (9/10)
  5. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  6. SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  7. Oblivion - Alton Towers (9/10)
  8. Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  9. Nemesis - Alton Towers (9/10)
  10. The Swarm - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  11. Kraken - SeaWorld Orlando (8/10)
  12. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  13. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  14. Rita - Alton Towers (8/10)
  15. Incredible Hulk - Universal’s Islands of Adventure (8/10)
  16. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  17. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  18. Thirteen - Alton Towers (8/10)
  19. Rock’n’Rollercoaster - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  20. Slinky Dog Dash - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  21. Megafobia - Oakwood (7/10)
  22. Avalanche - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (7/10)
  23. Storm Chaser - Paultons Park (7/10)
  24. Flight of the Pterosaur - Paultons Park (7/10)
  25. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - Disney’s Magic Kingdom (7/10)
  26. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit - Universal Studios Florida (7/10)
  27. Cobra - Paultons Park (6/10)
  28. Runaway Mine Train - Alton Towers (6/10)
  29. Space Mountain Alpha - Disney’s Magic Kingdom (6/10)
  30. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Disney’s Magic Kingdom (6/10)
My first day in Europa Park is in 9 days’ time… I’m just putting this here now in case there are any changes to my top 30 after I’ve visited EP. I’m cautiously optimistic that Europa will add some new blood into this list, but I’m trying to manage my expectations somewhat, as people have been keen to stress to me that Europa allegedly has quite a weak coaster selection. And of course, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” and all that also comes into play here as well.

For clarity, my coaster count currently sits at 79.
Having visited Europa, I now have an updated list… feast your eyes upon my updated top 30 (new additions in bold):
  1. Silver Star - Europa Park (10/10)
  2. Mako - SeaWorld Orlando (10/10)
  3. Wodan Timbur Coaster - Europa Park (10/10)
  4. Icon - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (10/10)
  5. Wicker Man - Alton Towers (10/10)
  6. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee (9/10)
  7. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  8. SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  9. Oblivion - Alton Towers (9/10)
  10. Blue Fire - Europa Park (9/10)
  11. Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  12. Nemesis - Alton Towers (9/10)
  13. The Swarm - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  14. Kraken - SeaWorld Orlando (8/10)
  15. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  16. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  17. Rita - Alton Towers (8/10)
  18. Incredible Hulk - Islands of Adventure (8/10)
  19. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  20. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  21. Cancan Coaster - Europa Park (8/10)
  22. Thirteen - Alton Towers (8/10)
  23. Rock’n’Rollercoaster - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  24. Slinky Dog Dash - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  25. Megafobia - Oakwood (7/10)
  26. Arthur - Europa Park (7/10)
  27. Pegasus - Europa Park (7/10)
  28. Avalanche - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (7/10)
  29. Storm Chaser - Paultons Park (7/10)
  30. Flight of the Pterosaur - Paultons Park (7/10)
 
Having visited Europa, I now have an updated list… feast your eyes upon my updated top 30 (new additions in bold):
  1. Silver Star - Europa Park (10/10)
  2. Mako - SeaWorld Orlando (10/10)
  3. Wodan Timbur Coaster - Europa Park (10/10)
  4. Icon - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (10/10)
  5. Wicker Man - Alton Towers (10/10)
  6. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee (9/10)
  7. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  8. SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  9. Oblivion - Alton Towers (9/10)
  10. Blue Fire - Europa Park (9/10)
  11. Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  12. Nemesis - Alton Towers (9/10)
  13. The Swarm - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  14. Kraken - SeaWorld Orlando (8/10)
  15. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  16. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  17. Rita - Alton Towers (8/10)
  18. Incredible Hulk - Islands of Adventure (8/10)
  19. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  20. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  21. Cancan Coaster - Europa Park (8/10)
  22. Thirteen - Alton Towers (8/10)
  23. Rock’n’Rollercoaster - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  24. Slinky Dog Dash - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  25. Megafobia - Oakwood (7/10)
  26. Arthur - Europa Park (7/10)
  27. Pegasus - Europa Park (7/10)
  28. Avalanche - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (7/10)
  29. Storm Chaser - Paultons Park (7/10)
  30. Flight of the Pterosaur - Paultons Park (7/10)
Sorry to double post, but in typical Matt N fashion, I need to make a change (change in italics):
  1. Mako - SeaWorld Orlando (10/10)
  2. Silver Star - Europa Park (10/10)
  3. Wodan Timbur Coaster - Europa Park (10/10)
  4. Icon - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (10/10)
  5. Wicker Man - Alton Towers (10/10)
  6. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee (9/10)
  7. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  8. SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  9. Oblivion - Alton Towers (9/10)
  10. Blue Fire - Europa Park (9/10)
  11. Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  12. Nemesis - Alton Towers (9/10)
  13. The Swarm - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  14. Kraken - SeaWorld Orlando (8/10)
  15. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  16. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  17. Rita - Alton Towers (8/10)
  18. Incredible Hulk - Islands of Adventure (8/10)
  19. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  20. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  21. Cancan Coaster - Europa Park (8/10)
  22. Thirteen - Alton Towers (8/10)
  23. Rock’n’Rollercoaster - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  24. Slinky Dog Dash - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  25. Megafobia - Oakwood (7/10)
  26. Arthur - Europa Park (7/10)
  27. Pegasus - Europa Park (7/10)
  28. Avalanche - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (7/10)
  29. Storm Chaser - Paultons Park (7/10)
  30. Flight of the Pterosaur - Paultons Park (7/10)
To be honest, having slept on my number 1 coaster bombshell, I think I may have made it a tad rashly. Mulling it over, I think I still liked Mako slightly more than I liked Silver Star from memory. I think it was ever so slightly more refined and some of the elements had a tad more impact. I think I just absolutely loved riding Silver Star loads of times, and that may have spurred me to make the bombshell I did, but mulling it over, I still think I liked Mako a tad more as a ride.
 
Haven't posted in a while, but I just came back from a trip to Belgium and Germany and I have a couple of new additions to my top 50.

  1. Helix (Liseberg)
  2. Untamed (Walibi Holland)
  3. Ride to Happiness (Plopsaland de Panne)
  4. Kondaa (Walibi Belgium)
  5. Taron (Phantasialand)
  6. Wildfire (Kolmården)
  7. Piraten (Djurs Sommerland)
  8. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  9. Expedition GeForce (Holiday Park)
  10. Shambhala (PortAventura)

  11. Black Mamba (Phantasialand)
  12. Colossos (Heide Park)
  13. Silver Star (Europa Park)
  14. Junker (PowerPark)
  15. Joris en de Draak (Efteling)
  16. Kärnan (Hansa Park)
  17. Troy (Toverland)
  18. Cú Chulainn (Tayto Park)
  19. Dragon Khan (PortAventura)
  20. Superman: la Atracción de Acero (Parque Warner)

  21. Monster (Walygator Parc)
  22. Wodan (Europa Park)
  23. Anubis (Plopsaland De Panne)
  24. Fenix (Toverland)
  25. Blue Fire (Europa Park)
  26. Fluch von Novgorod (Hansa Park)
  27. Lost Gravity (Walibi Holland)
  28. Alpina Blitz (Nigloland)
  29. Juvelen (Djurs Sommerland)
  30. Twister (Gröna Lund)

  31. Colorado Adventure (Phantasialand)
  32. Baron 1898 (Efteling)
  33. Balder (Liseberg)
  34. F.L.Y. (Phantasialand)
  35. Dwervelwind (Toverland)
  36. Karacho (Tripsdrill)
  37. Goliath (Walibi Holland)
  38. Batman: Arkham Asylum (Parque Warner)
  39. Lisebergbanan (Liseberg)
  40. Hals Über Kopf (Tripsdrill)

  41. Dragon’s Fury (Chessington)
  42. Krake (Heide Park)
  43. Lynet (Fårup Sommerland)
  44. Gold Rush (Slagharen)
  45. Daemonen (Tivoli Gardens)
  46. Jetline (Gröna Lund)
  47. Pulsar (Walibi Belgium)
  48. Heidi: the Ride (Plopsaland de Panne)
  49. Winjas Fear & Force (Phantasialand)
  50. Wild Mouse (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)

Ride to Happiness is just pure insanity. Probably the most wild and intense coaster I've ridden. It has some great inversions made even more disorienting by the spinning cars, extreme ejector airtime and fun launches that pack more punch than they should. All of the six rides I had on it felt quite different making the coaster feel varied and fresh every time, but it was consistently fierce and fun. Great onboard audio as well making the ride feel even more hype (although I have to admit that it took me 3 rides to even notice the music because I was just so blown away by the ride experience).

Kondaa I didn't have particularly high expectations of, not even sure why. And while the morning rides on it were fun, it didn't exactly blow me away. But the more it warmed up, the more I fell in love with it. And the back row rides at the end of the day were just something else. It has everything I want from an airtime machine. Comfortable restraints, a long layout packed with strong ejector airtime on every hill (both sustained and small pops) and none of that dull meandering that EGF and Goliath do in the middle part. The first drop is incredible in the back, pulling you down and then twisting you with an amount of force that I had previously only felt on EGF. I could ride this coaster all day without getting bored of it.

FLY is a beautiful coaster to look at, gracefully gliding around the gorgeous Rookburgh area. Riding this coaster feels like an experience (and a bit of a faff as well with the endless queueline without shortcuts and the metal detector/lockers system) and I adored the mystery of it all on my first ride. The coaster itself is gentle and fun, letting you soar around Rookburgh with some fun little effects to spice the ride up. It has nothing on Black Mamba and Taron and it lacks reridability but it's still a great addition to the park.

Hals Über Kopf is Vekoma's new take on a big boi suspended coaster and they did a solid job. While it won't compete with the better B&M inverts, it's fairly forceful in the front seat, with fun and floaty inversions and some footchoppers in the second half. The lap bars give you a lot of freedom, but they do sadly tighten quite a lot throughout the ride.

Pulsar felt quite novel, being a launched shuttle water coaster. It was more thrilling than I expected, and left me completely soaked with a smile on my face. While Kondaa is the big standout coaster Walibi Belgium needed, Pulsar serves its purpose as a fun and unique supporting coaster.

I also made some other changes to my list. Anubis moved up quite a bit because it was running quite well, feeling more smooth than ever and it still has my favourite launch. I just didn't expect to still have such a blast with it after having ridden so many more coasters. Wodan also moved up a decent amount of spots because it was flying through its layout this visit. Felt super out-of-control and powerful, delivering a lot of airtime pops throughout. Blue Fire and Karacho moved down a bit because they didn't impress me as much this time. I think they are just being left behind by better and more exciting coasters being built. Colorado Adventure also moved up after having some great rides on it. It may not be one of the best coasters, but it surely is one of the most fun ones.
 
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More needless hype for new Belgian coasters:

  1. Intimidator 305 - Kings Dominion
  2. Voyage - Holiday World
  3. X2 - Six Flags Magic Mountain
  4. Expedition GeForce - Holiday Park
  5. Steel Vengeance - Cedar Point
  6. Untamed - Walibi Holland
  7. Phoenix - Knoebels
  8. Ride to Happiness - Plopsaland De Panne
  9. Twisted Timbers - Kings Dominion
  10. Shambhala - PortAventura Park
  11. T Express - Everland
  12. Hyperion - Energylandia
  13. Storm Chaser - Kentucky Kingdom
  14. El Toro - Six Flags Great Adventure
  15. Wildfire - Kolmården
  16. Behemoth - Canada’s Wonderland
  17. Iron Rattler - Six Flags Fiesta Texas
  18. Katun - Mirabilandia
  19. Kondaa - Walibi Belgium
  20. Monster - Walygator Parc
  21. Maverick - Cedar Point
  22. Black Mamba - Phantasialand
  23. Twisted Cyclone - Six Flags Over Georgia
  24. Helix - Liseberg
  25. Goliath - Six Flags Great America
  26. Goliath - Walibi Holland
  27. Wicked Cyclone - Six Flags New England
  28. Fury 325 - Carowinds
  29. Taron - Phantasialand
  30. Leviathan - Canada’s Wonderland

Ride to Happiness

It’s powerful, it’s heavy, it’s kind of exhausting. It just keeps piling on uniquely disorientating elements that sustain airtime or hang-time for what feels like most of the ride. It seemed light on positive Gs, but was definitely intense. I was left feeling out-of-breath but in awe after each of my rides. Time Traveler is great, but RTH is something else entirely.

The top hat and flying snake dive were the clear standout elements; two of the best of any coaster. But the jojo roll, zero-g-roll, ejector airtime hills in the second half and the spinning launches were also fantastic. The banana roll, vertical loop and overbank were generally not as strong, but work well in combination with the other elements to create this wild experience. The on-board audio also syncs well with the ride and was a big part of the ambiance for me.

Definitely a top 10 coaster. Maybe not top 5 just because those I was sure of being top 10-worthy more quickly. With RTH it took a fair bit of pondering before I was fully convinced.


Kondaa

Whilst RTH takes things to the next level, Kondaa is more what you’d expect from a world-class coaster. A well-paced, dynamic layout of a good length with a great first drop, strong airtime, comfortable trains and near-perfect smoothness.

As with most Intamin Mega coasters, it starts very strong: EGF-style drop + straight ejector hill + outward banked hill - a glorious combination. There’s a few less impressive moments (cobra roll when you’re not towards the back of the train, the wave turn, the start of the off-axis double-down thingy), but it’s arguably the most consistently strong of this ride type in terms of the whole layout. It scarcely feels uninteresting.

I do rank it below EGF and Hyperion. It doesn’t wow me quite as much as them. It’s not the most ‘tear you to shreds’ Intamin in my opinion, but perhaps the most comfortably brilliant.
 
Terrible form of me updating my list after the Halloween cut off (or a single park visit; nobody wants constant re-rankings), but further to my weekend at Alton Towers I do have a minor shuffle to properly reflect my rankings as they stand:

1 - Zadra

2 - Hyperion

3 - Lech Coaster

4 - Nemesis

5 - Expedition GeForce

6 - Shambhala

7 - Incredible Hulk

8 - Montu

9 - Taron

10 - Wodan

I agree to be fed to the coaster gods as punishment.

^I think that I should probably update this, if only to have a longer list to totally obliterate in the upcoming months:

----S Rank----
1 - Iron Gwazi
2 - Zadra
3 - Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
4 - VelociCoaster
5 - Lech Coaster
6 - Hyperion
7 - Nemesis
----A Rank----
8 - Expedition GeForce
9 - Shambhala
10 - Mako
11 - Montu
12 - Revenge of the Mummy
13 - Space Mountain (Orlando)
14 - Taron
15 - Wodan
16 - Silver Star
----B Rank----
17 - Cheetah Hunt
18 - Ice Breaker
19 - Black Mamba
20 - CanCan Coaster
21 - Kumba
22 - Icon
24 - Wicker Man
25 - Dragon (Energylandia)
26 - Winjas (Phantasialand)
27 - Big Dipper (Blackpool)
28 - Stealth
29 - The Swarm
30 - Colorado Adventure

It's all very subject to change, but this looks right at the time of writing. I feel confident that I prefer all of the 'S Ranks' to the 'A Ranks', and so on. There's really not much in it when it comes to the order of the 'B Ranks'.
 
I've been on the same trip as @ThomVD and @CookieCoasters were, so obviously the new toys have brought some big changes to my top 50. As always new stuff in bold, movers in italics;

1. Ride to Happiness, Plopsaland De Panne
2. Taron, Phantasialand
3. Kondaa, Walibi Belgium
4. Flying Aces, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
5. Untamed, Walibi Holland
6. X2, Six Flags Magic Mountain
7. Shambhala, PortAventura Park
8. Katun, Mirabilandia
9. Troy, Toverland
10. Expedition GeForce, Holiday Park
11. iSpeed, Mirabilandia
12. Black Mamba, Phantasialand
13. Tatsu, Six Flags Magic Mountain
14. Wild Mouse, Luna Park
15. Silver Star, Europa Park
16. Hair Raiser, Ocean Park
17. Wodan Timbur Coaster, Europa Park
18. Giant Dipper, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
19. Nemesis, Alton Towers
20. Wild Mouse, Pleasure Beach, Blackpool
21. Goliath, Walibi Holland
22. Oblivion - The Black Hole, Gardaland
23. Gravity Max, Discovery World
24. Pulsar, Walibi Belgium
25. Lost Gravity, Walibi Holland
26. Fēnix, Toverland
27. Superman Escape, Warner Bros. Movie World
28. Karacho, Erlebnispark Tripsdrill
29. Hyperspace Mountain, Hong Kong Disneyland
30. F.L.Y., Phantasialand

Ride to Happiness
is absolutely insane. The initial inversion out of the station gives it some quirky fun. Then the launch felt surprisingly powerful for a Mack, though I only have Blue fire to compare it to, which isn't exactly the best benchmark out there. The first top hat offers the first massive portion of ejector (depending on where you sit on) and then the spinning makes the rest of the layout feel a bit like a constant mishmash of insanity, since every element felt completely different depending on the position of the train going through it. I feel like there was one ride where Thom and I got the train spinning in such a manner that every little element ended up giving an abundance of force. The ride finishes with a succession of very powerful bunny hops, which give ejector regardless of how the train decides to tackle them. It really felt like I had to hold on to my hoodie going through those, as I mostly ended up with it wrapped around my head once we hit the break run. Honestly it makes me wonder what the rides that are supposed to be better than this have to offer, as this seems to be a constant addition to everyone's top10, but never anyone's favorite.

I was lucky enough to ride my former number one Taron a couple of days later on this trip as well. After the first back row ride a couple of hours after opening it had me wondering how this was ever anywhere close to being my favorite ride, but I managed to get 5 more rides through the course of the day where it started delivering its goods once again. But yeah, it has some dead spots (especially the section before the 2nd launch felt rather meander-y) and it needs time to warm up (so you can never have a full day of proper goodness here), so it doesn't quite hold up to RtH anymore, which is just pure insanity throughout the ride and from the very first ride in the morning on.

And I got my new #3 with Kondaa as well, which is also a properly great ride. The first hill should be noted in the coaster dictionaries as the definition of flojector, though it did turn into some proper sustained ejector later in the day as the ride warmed up properly. The rest of the layout is great as well (though the cobra roll thingy probably kills the pacing just a tiny bit) and paired with the new Intamin trains, it really gives the proper feeling of freedom through most of the elements.

Silver Star and Wodan were running great this visit (especially later in the day, the earlier rides were a bit average), so I bumped each of them up a few places. Pulsar is still buckets of fun, though I did have it a bit too high in my rankings. Karacho is still riding great, but after some 200 new coasters ridden after my last rides on it, it didn't feel like a world-class ride that I remembered anymore. F.L.Y. is an amazing ride from the experience perspective, but it didn't exactly feel like a world class coaster in its own right. The long meander-y layout also made it a bit tough to keep my head up and take in everything the ride had to offer. The whole loading process is also very faffy and I struggle to understand how the airport like security system they make you use before each ride could be interpreted as fun, especially as they seemed happy to pester anyone who dared to ride it with their belt on before each ride.
 
Sorry to double post, but in typical Matt N fashion, I need to make a change (change in italics):
  1. Mako - SeaWorld Orlando (10/10)
  2. Silver Star - Europa Park (10/10)
  3. Wodan Timbur Coaster - Europa Park (10/10)
  4. Icon - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (10/10)
  5. Wicker Man - Alton Towers (10/10)
  6. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee (9/10)
  7. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  8. SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  9. Oblivion - Alton Towers (9/10)
  10. Blue Fire - Europa Park (9/10)
  11. Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  12. Nemesis - Alton Towers (9/10)
  13. The Swarm - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  14. Kraken - SeaWorld Orlando (8/10)
  15. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  16. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  17. Rita - Alton Towers (8/10)
  18. Incredible Hulk - Islands of Adventure (8/10)
  19. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  20. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  21. Cancan Coaster - Europa Park (8/10)
  22. Thirteen - Alton Towers (8/10)
  23. Rock’n’Rollercoaster - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  24. Slinky Dog Dash - Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  25. Megafobia - Oakwood (7/10)
  26. Arthur - Europa Park (7/10)
  27. Pegasus - Europa Park (7/10)
  28. Avalanche - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (7/10)
  29. Storm Chaser - Paultons Park (7/10)
  30. Flight of the Pterosaur - Paultons Park (7/10)
To be honest, having slept on my number 1 coaster bombshell, I think I may have made it a tad rashly. Mulling it over, I think I still liked Mako slightly more than I liked Silver Star from memory. I think it was ever so slightly more refined and some of the elements had a tad more impact. I think I just absolutely loved riding Silver Star loads of times, and that may have spurred me to make the bombshell I did, but mulling it over, I still think I liked Mako a tad more as a ride.
Being the indecisive soul that I am, I sat down and looked at my rankings, and I've once again made changes...
  1. Mako - SeaWorld Orlando (10/10)
  2. Silver Star - Europa Park (10/10)
  3. Wodan Timbur Coaster - Europa Park (10/10)
  4. Icon - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (10/10)
  5. Wicker Man - Alton Towers (10/10)
  6. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee (9/10)
  7. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  8. SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (9/10)
  9. Oblivion - Alton Towers (9/10)
  10. Blue Fire - Europa Park (9/10)
  11. Nemesis - Alton Towers (9/10)
  12. Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (9/10)
  13. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  14. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida (8/10)
  15. Rita - Alton Towers (8/10)
  16. The Swarm - Thorpe Park (8/10)
  17. Kraken - SeaWorld Orlando (8/10)
  18. Incredible Hulk - Universal's Islands of Adventure (8/10)
  19. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  20. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa (8/10)
  21. CanCan Coaster - Europa Park (8/10)
  22. Thirteen - Alton Towers (8/10)
  23. Megafobia - Oakwood (7/10)
  24. Rock'n'Rollercoaster - Disney's Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  25. Arthur - Europa Park
  26. Pegasus - Europa Park
  27. Slinky Dog Dash - Disney's Hollywood Studios (7/10)
  28. Avalanche - Blackpool Pleasure Beach (7/10)
  29. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - Disney's Magic Kingdom (7/10)
  30. Flight of the Pterosaur - Paultons Park (7/10)
I'm not sure I'll ever be truly content with my coaster rankings...
 
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