The most rare coaster credits

[davidmorton]

People seem to want to call things "rare", just because they are outside their own "normal zone"; but frankly our hobby is a mass-market entertainment thing. People build coasters to entertain as many people as possible; so "rare" just doesn't come into it.

 

Unless its this one, (which doesn't quite fit Robb's demolished immediately after being built criteria, but comes pretty close)

 

Edited January 23, 2011 by davidmorton

[ginzo]

Let's just end this discussion and go with "Maverick with the heartline roll"

 

(yes, I'm joking)

 

Why is that a joke? That's as rare as a credit gets. Like one person in the world has it.

[robbalvey]

For the Maverick with the heartline and the half pipe in Japan, neither of those were ever open to the public, therefore IMO it wouldn't count. That would be like me building a coaster in my back yard, and after I rode it once, I demolish it.

 

To me it just doesn't count if it's not open to everyone, for a short window of time, and everyone would at least have the opprotunity to ride.

 

That's just my criteria.

 

Now, if Galaxy Express 999 only operated for one season, and then was completely demolished, THEN it would be a rare credit IMO.

 

Kings Island Bat?

Mt. Olympus Dive to Atlantis?

All of Hard Rock/Freestyle Music coasters?

 

I love this game!

I already posted about most of those. The Bat, yes, Dive to Atlantis, yes, if you consider it a coaster. IMO, it's a log flume. Hard Rock Coasters would be a yes if they never ever ran again.

Edited January 23, 2011 by robbalvey

[10ryansmith]

What about the Black Widow from Old Indiana? It was only there for three seasons? Thats one of my "rare" coasters.

[shivtim]

I don't think a coaster should have to be open to the public in order to be considered a rare credit. Think of a rare coin or stamp that is rare because they made a mistake and it was never put into circulation, but is now coveted by collectors.

The Nickelodeon Pie Coaster is a perfect example. Only a very limited number of people ever got to ride it. Hence, a rare credit.

 

As for random coasters in North Korea or Turkey (etc), they of course are not rare from a world-wide perspective. Many North Koreans have ridden the North Korean coasters. However I think it's completely valid to argue that they are rare credits from our perspective. Of people that post on TPR (and the roller coaster enthusiast community in general), probably only the one person has been on the Wacky Worm in Turkey. In my opinion that makes it a rare credit, at least from our cultural perspective.

[robbalvey]

What about the Black Widow from Old Indiana? It was only there for three seasons? Thats one of my "rare" coasters.

Black Window never operated at Old Indiana Fun Park. It was only in storage there as the park closed down before the ride ever appeared on site. It operated at SFNE (Riverside Park) for 22 years. I wouldn't consider that one "rare" because a ton of people got on it. It's just old now. Not "rare", at least IMO.

 

I don't think a coaster should have to be open to the public in order to be considered a rare credit. Think of a rare coin or stamp that is rare because they made a mistake and it was never put into circulation, but is now coveted by collectors.

 

That's just a difference of opinion, though. It's really hard to compare a tangible object, like a postage stamp, to an "experience" like riding a roller coaster. I do see where you are coming from, but I simply do not agree with it. I mean, I have a ton of prototype Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo cartridges from my many days working in video games that were never released to the public. Some game collectors might find that "rare", but I personally don't, because it was never released and not anyone could buy them. Now, if a game company had released a "limited edition" cartridge, only made 10 of them, and sold them to the highest bidder, that could be considered "rare", but then again, how can something really be "rare" of it's constructed as such?

 

To me something that is truly rare is something that has become rare not by design, but by a series of unpredictable events that led to it's rarity. Hence the reason why I say something like the Thunder Eagle coaster. That wasn't designed to be scrapped in 2 seasons. It was designed to ride out a lifetime (pun intended.) And nobody expected it to only last two seasons, which is why not a lot of people I know got to ride it, because everyone just expected that it would be there the next time they made it to the area.

 

Had they built the ride, and told everyone "THIS COASTER WILL ONLY BE HERE FOR TWO YEARS, THEN WE ARE GOING TO TEAR IT DOWN!!!" I would argue that makes it no longer "rare", because people knew about it's demise, and a lot more people would have made the effort to ride it.

 

Does that make sense? Now on to something that doesn't make sense...

 

The Nickelodeon Pie Coaster is a perfect example. Only a very limited number of people ever got to ride it. Hence, a rare credit.

 

Really? You would count this as a credit to begin with?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ9i5DDuWdo

REALLY??!!? You really think that should count as a credit? Like, if you were on that show, you'd put it on your steel coaster spreadsheet? And want to rank it in Mitch Hawker's steel coaster poll? REALLY?!?!? Knock yourself out, pal. The rest of us will be laughing at you!

 

Do you consider this a credit too?

 

Tell you what, I'll build one of those in my back yard and charge sad and pathetic ACErs $1000 each to come ride this "OMFG RARE ROLLER COASTER CREDIT!!!" I'll have it open for 1 year only and then destroy it with my explosive farts.

 

Seriously, if you actually think the What Would You Do Pie Coaster counts as a credit, there is something wrong with you!

 

As for random coasters in North Korea or Turkey (etc), they of course are not rare from a world-wide perspective. Many North Koreans have ridden the North Korean coasters. However I think it's completely valid to argue that they are rare credits from our perspective. Of people that post on TPR (and the roller coaster enthusiast community in general), probably only the one person has been on the Wacky Worm in Turkey. In my opinion that makes it a rare credit, at least from our cultural perspective.

Sure, you can argue that. And some people may agree with you, but I'll certainly disagree.

 

Just because something is "far away", doesn't make it rare. At least in my opinion. Being "difficult to get to" and "rare", IMO, are two very different topics of discussion.

 

--Robb

Edited January 23, 2011 by robbalvey

[robbalvey]

Going back to the discussion - can you think of many full-sized, major coasters that ran for 2-3 seasons or less, and then were removed without much warning?

 

I can start a list:

 

Coasters that ran for 2 seasons or less

1. Thunder Eagle

2. Hard Rock Park Coasters (although still standing, obviously)

 

Coasters that ran for 3 seasons or less

1. The Bat

2. Spellbreaker

3. Windjammer

 

Any others?

 

Someone might argue the Cypress Gardens version of Starliner only ran for just over a year, but then again, it ran at Miracle Strip for more than 40 years. So how can that be "rare?"

Edited January 23, 2011 by robbalvey

[Peis]

How about "Galaxy Express" at Space Park Bremen Germany??

It ran only for 8 months.

[robbalvey]

How about "Galaxy Express" at Space Park Bremen Germany??

It ran only for 3 months.

Oh, yeah...that's a pretty good one. Even though it was powered, it was a pretty major installation and only lasted a very short time. I personally wouldn't put it on my list, because I don't count powered coasters, but it certainly is by far more legit than the freakin' "Pie Coaster!" LOL!

[Mike Austin]

I'ld count a "rare coaster" as one where not many (if any) people that I know has ridden it.

So, something like Blackpool's Virginia Reel, I only know of a couple of people who rode it and count it as a "credit", so to me it is "rare". It doesn't matter that millions of people rode it over the years, because I don't know any of them people, and none of them would be adding it to a "credit list" anyway.

If, for example, I meet a load of people tomorrow who took a holiday in 1960 to Blackpool, and they all rode the Virginia Reel, and they all added it to their count, then I'ld just say "It's not as rare as I thought".

 

So, on this basis, it's definitely that the longer ago the coaster closed, the "rarer" it is.

That isn't to say that some new-er coasters aren't "rare", as I don't know anyone who has ridden something like Orphan Rocker!

[shivtim]

REALLY??!!? You really think that should count as a credit? Like, if you were on that show, you'd put it on your steel coaster spreadsheet? And want to rank it in Mitch Hawker's steel coaster poll? REALLY?!?!? Knock yourself out, pal. The rest of us will be laughing at you!

 

I'd absolutely count it as a credit. It fits the definition of a roller coaster. Just my opinion. Obviously some people wouldn't think it counts as a coaster; it's subjective. Some people count Dive to Atlantis or Superman:the Escape as coasters, some don't. Some count powered coasters as credits, some don't. There are no hard and fast rules, but the Pie Coaster has tracks and both rolls and coasts. It's at least as much a coaster as the Butterfly shuttle coasters that are listed on RCDB, or the Blue Flash.

 

I think I actually have a pretty conservative credit definition. I don't personally count racers as two credits, I don't double-count "upgraded" or relocated coasters (like X vs. X2, or Batman:KF vs. Dominator) as separate credits, and I don't count powered coasters, Intamin 1st gen freefalls, etc. But I have no problem with people who count all of these things as credits. To each his or her own!

 

I agree with you that the definition of a "rare" coaster is up for interpretation, and I would certainly count Thunder Eagle as rare, and the Hard Rock coasters assuming they don't reopen.

[robbalvey]

Updated...

 

Coasters that ran for 2 seasons or less

1. Thunder Eagle

2. Hard Rock Park Coasters (although still standing, obviously)

3. Galaxie Express

 

Coasters that ran for 3 seasons or less

1. The Bat

2. Spellbreaker

3. Windjammer

 

Any others?

[PayneTrain]

The CCI trio of hurricane, villain, and mega zeph.

They operated 5-7 seasons on low attended parks.

[robbalvey]

REALLY??!!? You really think that should count as a credit? Like, if you were on that show, you'd put it on your steel coaster spreadsheet? And want to rank it in Mitch Hawker's steel coaster poll? REALLY?!?!? Knock yourself out, pal. The rest of us will be laughing at you!

 

I'd absolutely count it as a credit. It fits the definition of a roller coaster. Just my opinion.

Of course. And I do respect that everyone had their own opinions of what counts and what doesn't. But that doesn't mean that I can't laugh about it when I think something borderlines absurdity. Like for example, I watched one of our members go ride a cycle monorail at one of the parks on our trips and he said "By my definition that counts as a roller coaster, because it's more gravity driven than human powered." And I told him "Go knock yourself out, but I'm going to laugh at you the entire time you ride it!" And I did! I mean, of course it was all in fun, but let's be honest here, if you're going to count this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ9i5DDuWdo

Then by your standards, you HAVE to count this:

 

And you pretty much should count anything that rolls downhill.

 

I'm not interested in getting into any arguments about what counts and what doesn't, because I actually find the list I posted to be a far more "interesting" topic of discussion, but just know that I fully expect to see a report from you at some point for "Traveling the World Riding Plastic Kiddie Coasters!"

 

--Robb "I'd totally put that report on the front page of TPR!" Alvey

[shivtim]

Other possibilities include Skytrak at Granada Studios and Bronco Buster at Wild West World in Kansas.

 

 

[and no, the fisher price "coaster" does not have tracks and nobody would consider it a credit]

[ernierocker]

Z-force at both SFGAm and SFOG only ran for three seasons.

 

Sarajevo Bobsleds at SFMM ran from 1984-1986.

Shockwave at SFMM ran from 1986-1988.

Edited January 24, 2011 by ernierocker

[robbalvey]

Other possibilities include Skytrak at Granada Studios and Bronco Buster at Wild West World in Kansas.

Ahh! Sky Trak for sure. Forgot about that one. The Wild West Wacky Worm? I thought I remembered that one getting bought up by a carnival operator. I'm sure that's out traveling around somewhere, and I'm guessing someone probably rode it today. If you want to count it, that's fine, but I won't be added it to my list:

 

Coasters that ran for 2 seasons or less

1. Thunder Eagle

2. Hard Rock Park Coasters (although still standing, obviously)

3. Galaxie Express

3. Skytrak

 

Coasters that ran for 3 seasons or less

1. The Bat

2. Spellbreaker

3. Windjammer

[ernierocker]

Ultratwister at SFGADv ran for 3 season.

[devyanks90]

I assume this wouldn't count because it was moved to Arkansas but I rode the Wild Wonder (Zamperla Wild Mouse) at Wonderland Pier in Ocean City, NJ during it's only season of operation (summer of 1999). With a week left in the season, a car somehow traveled backwards down the lift hill, killing its two passengers. The coaster reopened at Magic Springs as Twist 'n Shout in 2000 where it still is in operation.

[robbalvey]

Z-force at both SFGAm and SFOG only ran for three seasons.

 

Sarajevo Bobsleds at SFMM ran from 1984-1986.

Shockwave at SFMM ran from 1986-1988.

Yeah, but combined total Z-Force ran for like 17 years, Shockwave and the Ultra Twister ran for for 18 years, and the Bobsleds are still in operation today.

 

To me when a ride is re-located, that makes it even less rare, since it offers an opportunity for a wider spread audience to experience it!

[OldJJman]

I have to pretty much agree with Robb's criteria assessment so far.

 

Another word to use, as opposed to "rare" would be "elusive".

 

I have ridden "Mad Mouse" at J's, but I really wouldn't call that rare, but elusive for most people. It was a hell of a long way out of the way to ride it!

 

But, what about ..... Vertigo at Walibi World?

 

 

JJ

 

(score one for the old fart!)

[ernierocker]

Z-force at both SFGAm and SFOG only ran for three seasons.

 

Sarajevo Bobsleds at SFMM ran from 1984-1986.

Shockwave at SFMM ran from 1986-1988.

Yeah, but combined total Z-Force ran for like 17 years, Shockwave and the Ultra Twister ran for for 18 years, and the Bobsleds are still in operation today.

 

To me when a ride is re-located, that makes it even less rare, since it offers an opportunity for a wider spread audience to experience it!

 

Yeah, I just had a reading comprehension fail. Just went back and read your whole post. Sorry about that!

Edited January 24, 2011 by ernierocker

[robbalvey]

Here, I'll post again what I said a couple of pages back which might have been lost in a much longer post:

 

To me something that is truly rare is something that has become rare not by design, but by a series of unpredictable events that led to it's rarity. Hence the reason why I say something like the Thunder Eagle coaster. That wasn't designed to be scrapped in 2 seasons. It was designed to ride out a lifetime (pun intended.) And nobody expected it to only last two seasons, which is why not a lot of people I know got to ride it, because everyone just expected that it would be there the next time they made it to the area.

 

Had they built the ride, and told everyone "THIS COASTER WILL ONLY BE HERE FOR TWO YEARS, THEN WE ARE GOING TO TEAR IT DOWN!!!" I would argue that makes it no longer "rare", because people knew about it's demise, and a lot more people would have made the effort to ride it.

 

Does that make sense?

 

--Robb "And yeah, agree with Jeff as well..." Alvey

[robbalvey]

[and no, the fisher price "coaster" does not have tracks and nobody would consider it a credit]

What??? Of course it does! It's a side friction coaster. So I guess you don't count Leap the Dips? Or any Mack or Intamin Bobsleds???

 

--Robb "And it's a Step 2 coaster...not a Fisher Price...c'mon, get your ride manufacturers straight here! Geez..." Alvey

[dj snow]

But, what about ..... Vertigo at Walibi World?

Actually at Walibi Belgium (it's hard to keep all these Walibis in order!), but this was going to be my nomination as well! Count me as another vote for Vertigo... Especially since I have this one!