Predicting the Best Roller Coasters of the Class of 2008
With the 2008 season upon us I thought it was time for a countdown of the biggest and best roller coasters opening in 2008. I admit it’s impossible to rank coasters I’ve never ridden, but how can I turn down an opportunity to do another Top 10?

10 Flying Turns at Knoebels
Knoebels to Resurrect an Extinct Type of Wooden Coaster
Keeping with Knoebels’ tradition of classic wooden coasters, the park has been working on Flying Turns for the past few years. According to Wikipedia, Flying Turns was the name of a specific type of wooden roller coaster. They featured a trackless wooden chute that was twisted like a bobsled course and had toboggan-like cars. There hasn’t been one in operation in over 30 years, so it seems like a great move by Knoebels to resurrect this type of coaster. Flying Turns will help to put the small park on the map, just as the airtime-packed Phoenix has, while still keeping in step with the homey old school amusement park feel. Check out these photos of Flying Turns.

9 Dark Knight at Six Flags Great Adventure, Great America, New England
Dark Knight Roller Coasters Swoop into 3 Six Flags Parks in 2008
Six Flags looks to mass produce (well mass produce in coaster terms) a new indoor wild mouse coaster for three of its parks. In 2008, Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, NJ), Six Flags New England (Springfield, MA), and Six Flags Great America (Chicago, IL) will get Mack Wild Mouse coasters enclosed in a Batman themed building.

Details have been sparse other than the blueprints that emerged and this concept art (pictured right) in a recent New York Post article. Some enthusiasts have been quick to dismiss the DK coasters, because the wild mouse coasters are not the most thrilling coasters, but with the dark ride feel and the right theming the Dark Knight coasters could surprise a lot of people. More on the Dark Knight coasters…>>>

8 Dominator at Kings Dominion
Kings Dominion Adds Dominator for 2008
Another Geauga Lake orphan has found a new home. The Bolliger & Mabillard floorless coaster will dominate the Kings Dominion skyline next year. Among the five inversions is the largest vertical loop on the planet. So, that will give KD’s marketing department something to tout. Dominator is easily one of my favorite floorless coasters and also one of my top 10 or 15 seated looping coasters. Virginians should be excited. More on Dominator at Kings Dominion…>>>

7 – Led Zeppelin – The Ride at Hard Rock Park
Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach to Feature a Led Zeppelin Roller Coaster
The new Hard Rock Park set to open in 2008 in Myrtle Beach will feature a large Bolliger & Mabillard looping coaster with themed after legendary rock band Led Zeppelin. The station will be a zeppelin and the ride will be synchronized to their hit “Whole Lotta Love”. Members of the band apparently worked with Hard Rock on the theming and picked the song from their catalog.

The layout of the coaster looks great. It will have six inversions (vertical loop, cobra roll, zero-g roll, vertical loop, and a corkscrew) and it will be situated partly over a lagoon. More on the Led Zeppelin Coaster and Hard Rock Park…>>>

6 – X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain
X Gets Remixed and Enhanced for 2008
X at Six Flags Magic Mountain was the world’s first 4th dimension roller coaster. Instead of riding above or below the track, riders are positioned beside the track in seats that spin. Here’s a really good look at one of X’s trains. If that doesn’t sound insane enough, Six Flags is taking X2 to the 5th dimension(?) with $10 million dollars worth of audio and visual enhancements. More on X2 as Six Flags Magic Mountain…>>>

Check out the rest of my picks, including my top pick, in the New for 2008 Top 10 Part 2.

What’s Your Take?
What do you think of picks 10 to 6? Do you agree with the rankings? Leave a comment below.