Comments on: Why Looping Coasters Deserve a Separate Top Ten List

By: Sam Gregory

Sam Gregory — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:38:43 +0000

Your list consists ONLY of American coasters. What about Nemesis?

By: Coastercrazy 9

Coastercrazy 9 — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:58:44 +0000

Bizzaro at Great Adveture is great!

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 22:51:33 +0000

I'll be honest, I don't even like separate top 10 lists for steel and wood coasters in the first place. Among steel and wooden coasters, there are still dozens of excellent coasters that will never make a top 10 list. I feel like separating the lists is just putting off the inevitable; cutting out a coaster that just can't make it, no matter what. Not making a top 10 list doesn't equal a bad coaster. There are hundreds of coasters in the world to ride and so many of them are great experiences. And I prefer to think of them as that; experiences. It doesn't matter how they thrill me as long as they manage to thrill me. Boulder Dash is the best coaster I have ever ridden, without having any fancy huge drops or inversions. I feel like I should be able to compare it to say, Maverick at Cedar Point, because overall a roller coaster should be about fun. Period. Fun is not defined by what material a coaster is made of, or if it has loops or not. It doesn't matter what a coaster can't do, but what it CAN do.

That isn't to say I will never compare coasters of the same type, or have a favorite wooden coaster, or a favorite steel coaster, but I still believe that overall coasters should be able to coexist in a general overall ranking as well. What's the point in saying Maverick is #1 if it isn't really my #1, but my #2 or #3?

Also, your point about Manhattan Express is silly. Manhattan Express is a badly designed roller coaster by a company notorious for making $*#(# coasters in the United States. Take my Maverick example earlier in my comment. Maverick is a great coaster that has inversions and airtime hills in its layout. Granted, inversions are not the main focus of the ride, but the ride doesn't really HAVE a main focus; it's a hodgepodge. More importantly, it's an example that you can have both types of elements in a ride and have it be good.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:39:21 +0000

I haven't really thought about it, but through this interesting argument, I have to support it. I mean, your completly right now that you bring it up.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:48:46 +0000

I was at hersheypark a couple of weeks ago and rode Fahrenheit 6 times. It was a chilly day and the train was rattling around the tracks but it wasn't rough at all. As far as Bizzaro goes it is not that long of a ride and the speakers are annoying. I perfer Dominator at Kings Dominion which is another B&M Floorless coaster. Also even tho Bizzaro is a smooth coaster there were a few times my head was banged on the OTSR. I also agree with Brian above that so many coasters now are so completely different. I used to think Apollo's Chariot was intense. Then I rode El Toro, Kingda Ka, Stormrunner & Intimidator 305 and now Apollo's Chariot seems very weak to me in the intensity/thrill category. I don't mean that Apollo is not a great coaster as it is my favorite because i love the airtime but it is just not as "thrilling" as some other coasters.

By: adavis

adavis — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:09:34 +0000

I've never ridden "Bizzaro Floorless Edition", but I have ridden Fahrenheit, and it was not rough at all. At least at the time I clambered across those orange tracks, that thing was as smooth as glass.

As I said a couple of posts above, this is no more than a hypothetical list, a conversation starter more than anything else, and the fact that other coasters are being suggested makes me happy.

By: adavis

adavis — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:06:32 +0000

I'm a huge fan of Maverick, my rides on it were flawless, if a bit violent. Raptor on the other hand rode horribly the last time it took me for a spin, and honestly I'd take a Batman over it based on that ride.

It was however a hypothetical list, and I could certainly see alterations in an official top ten, possibly rearranging or even removing all of my chosen rides. This kind of exchange however, is exactly why I wrote the article.

I'm glad you enjoyed the piece, it was a blast to write it.

By: Quil

Quil — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:03:07 +0000

yup, at the moment air time is the average large theme parks primary weapon.

By: Quil

Quil — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:01:38 +0000

yeah medusa is a full 3 minutes, and griffon is just about as short as you can get.

By: merful

merful — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:01:33 +0000

great idea my favriotes are looping coasters but they rarley apera on top ten lists. i think coaster enthusiests tend to like non-looping coasters full of airtime or woodies better though.