Top 3 Old School Looping Roller CoastersMost enthusiasts top 10 lists are littered with modern thrill machines boasting the latest technological advances. Many don’t even have a single roller coaster from the last millennium. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just important to recognize that there are some gems out there that don’t hold any current world records. This ...

The Best of Top 3 ThursdaysFor this week’s Top 3 Thursday I’m doing a ‘Best of’ post. I’m recapping my favorite Top 3’s and their number 1’s. Top 3 Most Annoying Things at an Amusement ParkI ranted about the most annoying things I find at my favorite places to be. Number 1 was line cutters.Line CuttersThere’s nothing worse than waiting in a long line...

Counting Down The Best Roller Coasters From Down UnderFor the triumphant return of Top 3 Thursdays, I figured I would countdown the top three roller coasters in Australia. As I’ve never ridden a coaster outside of the U.S., I invited an Aussie, Ash from ThemeParkNewsDirect, to provide this week’s Top 3. I did some metric system conversions for my U.S. readers. 3 – Tower Of Te...

Welcome to a New Season of The Coaster Critic’s BlogThe majority of the parks in the U.S. (aside from the parks in California and Florida) will be opening for the season this month. March also marks the return of several of my special features. The Return of Top 3 ThursdaysOn Thursdays expect a short countdown of anything that involves the theme park industry. Topics in the past have include...

Top 3 Disney Roller Coasters Disney’s not known for its roller coasters. Disney theme parks are more centered around the atmosphere, theming, and the whole “Disney experience.” They’re packed with flat rides, kiddie rides, family attractions, shows, but they’re not so well-known for their roller coasters. At least not among hardcore enthusiasts. This is why I write v...

Due to my vast international coaster experience, I’m more than qualified to countdown the Top 3 Roller Coasters in the UK. Just kidding. I’ve been out of the U.S., but not to any theme parks. This week’s countdown is based on Mitch Hawker’s Poll, CoasterForce.com, general buzz on the ‘Net, and my keen sense of quality roller coasters. 3 - Speed: No Limits at Oakwood ...

Top 3 Most Annoying Things at Amusement ParksThis week’s topic is pretty self-explanatory. I love visiting theme parks, but here are the least enjoyable things about my visits. 3 – Coaster MisinformationI can’t count the number of times that I’ve been in line and overheard the most insane, unrealistic, and impossible things about the coaster I’m in line for. They ar...

Top 3 Theme Park News SitesTheme park news sites offer the latest coaster-related news. On these sites you’ll find announcements and updates on new attractions, forums buzzing with rumor even video game downloads for theme park games like Roller Coaster Tycoon. Most of them aim to be a one-stop-shop for theme park information. Below, you’ll find links to the best Theme Park News Sites on the ...

Everyone’s been to a Six Flags, Paramount, or Disney theme park. But what about the smaller amusement parks. This Thursday I’m counting down my top 3 small amusement parks. My three amusement parks are off the beaten path, have only three major roller coasters, and have a rich history. Lake Compounce – Bristol, CTLake Compounce is home to Boulder Dash, an amazing wooden coaster ...

Ever get lifted out of your seat on a roller coaster? This is a result of the negative g-forces that are experienced on roller coasters. It’s a large part of the perceived danger that makes roller coasters fun and thrilling. This Thursday I’m listing my Top 3 Airtime Roller Coasters. Cyclops at Mt. OlympusWisconsin Dells, WIYou have to be 18 or older to ride in the back seat of the Cy...

Top 3 International Coasters Debuting in 2007America debuts amazing new roller coasters every year, but it’s not really accurate to say the U.S. is on the cutting edge in coaster design anymore. This Thursday I’m going to countdown the three biggest roller coasters to debut oversees in 2007. Troy at ToverlandSevenum, NetherlandsGreat Coasters International is designing a wooden coaste...

The Best Dark RidesDifferent from indoor roller coasters, dark rides are indoor rides consisting of a vehicle traveling past animated scenes. This week I’m going to list my top three dark rides. I’m going to forgoe the ranking system (1-3) as it’s tough to compare the more tradional dark rides to the state-of-art 3D varieties of today. Curse of Darkastle at Busch Gardens EuropeD...

I’m often asked about the best time to visit theme parks. After reading this week’s Top 3 Thursday you’ll be able to find beautiful sights like this empty queue for Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point. In order of worst to best, here are the best days to visit theme parks. #3 – Weekdays During the SummerIf you have to go to a park during the summer months, do yourself a favor and...

The Most Anticipated Roller Coasters of 20072006 was all about Voyage and Expedition Everest, although later on El Toro and Goliath (Six Flags Over Georgia) got some attention too. This Thurday, I’m counting down the most anticipated coasters of the Class of 2007. 3 – Mystery Mine at DollywoodDolly’s new steel looper will help to solidify Dollywood as a must visit destination fo...

The Best Dueling Roller CoastersDueling roller coasters were the next obvious evolution after the racing coasters of years past. Like racing coasters, duelers have two tracks. The major difference is that on dueling coasters the tracks interact with one another. Exciting near misses and fly-bys are common on these roller coasters.3 – Gwazi at Busch Gardens Africa (Tampa, FL)Located at Busch...