This is still a small enough community that I think we can get away with this discussion without a ton of replies that no one reads ;)
What’s everyone’s top 10 list for coasters? Here’s my current top 10:
#1 - Voyage - Holiday World
#2 - VelociCoaster - Universal Studios Islands of Adventure
#3 - Mystic Timbers - King’s Island
#4 - El Toro - Six Flags Great Adventure
#5 - Iron Gwazi - Busch Gardens Tampa
#6 - Ravine Flyer II - Waldameer
#7 - Skyrush - Hersheypark
#8 - Twisted Timbers - King’s Dominion
#9 - Intimidator 305 - King’s Dominion
#10 - Phantom’s Revenge - Kennywood
Before anyone asks, yes, I’ve been to Cedar Point… SteVe doesn’t appear until 22 in my list…
This list could change on any given day but today it looks like this:
- The Voyage
- Taron
- Millennium Force
- Top Thrill Dragster
- Cheetah Hunt
- Icon
- Goliath (Walibi Holland)
- Shambhala
- Expedition GeForce
- Iron Rattler
I haven’t ridden a ton of coasters, but here are a few of my favorites:
Phoenix at Knoebels. I like Twister, too, but Phoenix is great.
Expedition Everest at Disney World. That’s another one I can ride again and again.
Space Mountain at Disneyland. The one at World is good, but Land’s is better.
Intimidator 305 and Twisted Timbers are both extremely intense for me, I can ride them once per visit, and that’s about it. They’re both great coasters though.
I haven’t tried Skyrush - the last time we were at Hersheypark, it kept breaking down, and then Covid, etc, so despite having family in the area, we haven’t made it back. I also want to try Candymoniun. And they have a new Rocky Mountain conversion that just opened. I’ve heard good things.
It sounds like you’ll absolutely love Candymonium… SkyRush is tied with i305 as the most intense coaster(s) that I’ve ever been on but it’s so glorious. Where i305 has a ton of positive G forces, SkyRush has insane negative G forces.
I’ve not been on Expedition Everest as I haven’t been to Disney since I worked there in 1999 but if you love that coaster you’d probably absolutely love Hagrid’s Magical Creatures at Universal Orlando.
I don’t rank coasters anymore, but I know that my #1 is Voyage at Holiday World, and that hasn’t changed since my first ride in 2006. I don’t think it’s possible to make a better coaster, it has everything I love. Airtime, intensity, and most importantly length. It feels like a complete ride from start to finish, and I love the return run back to the station because it just keeps getting faster and faster.
- I305
- Wildcat’s Revenge
- Steel Vengeance
- The Voyage
- El Toro
- Raging Bull (haven’t been on this one since the early 2000s but I recall that first drop being insane in the back row with the predrop)
- Behemoth
- Nitro
- Storm Runner
- Montu
Here’s mine:
- Zadra - Energylandia
- Ride to Happiness - Plopasland De Panne
- Taron - Phantasialand
- Hyperion - Energylandia
- FLY - Phantasialand
- ICON - Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Nemesis - Alton Towers
- Black Mamba - Phantasialand
- Oblivion - Alton Towers
- The Smiler - Alton Towers
Total credits: 136 (according to CoasterCount’s ‘Real Coaster’ definition)
I must admit… as I’ve gotten out to more parks, watching the Alton Towers’ (my local park) coasters slide down the list has been slightly sad haha.
So many coasters on this list that I wish I could get over the pond to ride… FLY is probably the biggest one for me.
If its any consolation, there are many entries on your list I wish I could ride! I’ve just started planning a US east coast trip for next year with some friends so we’re hoping to hit King’s Dominion, BGW and SFGAdv (and maybe Nick Universe and Coney Island) but it’s still early days so hopefully we can get a plan together.
It’s the frustration of this hobby 😂
As you plan your trip I’d seriously consider a tour of the parks in Pennsylvania. There are so many gems hiding at little places that don’t get mentioned a lot. Knoebels is a must visit park if you’re over here… But Waldameer, Lakemont and Kennywood have serious gems… That’s not even mentioning the mecca that is Hersheypark.
If you have any questions as you plan your trip I’ll be happy to help… The east coast is my domain lol.
How about the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk? It’s a historic wooden roller coaster that was built in 1924, nearly 100 years ago.
It doesn’t make my top 10, but Giant Dipper is a fantastic and underrated ride.