Underrated Coasters?

[FaithPlus1]

Intimidator at Carowinds was much better than I expected.

Outer Limits Coasters are much better than they get credit for.

Also, Wicked Twister at CP

[CorkscrewFoley]

Wild Beast - Canada's Wonderland (a.k.a. Grizzly, King's Dominion)

 

Wild Beast, underrated? Really? I came here to post Grizzly myself, but the two of them are not the same coaster, built off the same plans or not.

 

Grizzly isn't quite what it once was thanks to so much of the woods around it being torn down, but it's also far better than it was a few years ago; I believe it was retracked 2-3 years ago, and last time I rode it a few years back, it was remarkably smooth and fast, really a great ride, and still amazing after dark, if a little less so than a decade ago.

 

Wild Beast though, I've never heard anyone that's ridden it and didn't feel like it was trying to kill them. I rode it for the first time earlier this summer, and I think it was the second worst coaster I've ever been on (beaten only Hercules at Dorney before it was improved by being turned into firewood). I could not believe how rough it was, it felt like it was completely coming apart. Hard to imagine how two "identical" coasters can ride so much differently, apart from a horrific lack of maintenance on WB, and that seems odd since most of CW seems quite well taken care of.

 

Actually, I found this past year that Minebuster was trying to kill me. It's extremely prevelent when you're coming out of the helix and slam right into the side of the car. I actually found Wild Beast quite enjoyable.

[Randomman295]

I cannot stress these ones enough.

 

Manta (SW San Diego): Fairly smooth, great capacity, lots of unexpected airtime, brilliant layout, two launches, not too intense but still forceful, great theming, AWESOME trains (Every bit about them is perfect), very photogenic, and simply the most fun I've ever had on a coaster. Easily a 9.8 in my books.

 

Wild Thing (Valleyfair): Insanely re-ridable, lots of airtime, smooth, fast, not too intense or forceful, very comfortable restraints, and I barely hear anybody mention it. I happen to love this thing to bits, and it's somewhere around #13 on my top coasters list. Above Millennium Force, of course.

 

Ninja (SFMM): EVERY time this coaster is brought up in a thread I hear people talking about how short, boring and bumpy it is. Next to X2, this is honestly the most intense and out of control coaster I've ever been on. Not to mention it's wickedly fast and has some great rides at night.

[Coaster Curt]

I cannot stress these ones enough.

 

Manta (SW San Diego): Fairly smooth, great capacity, lots of unexpected airtime, brilliant layout, two launches, not too intense but still forceful, great theming, AWESOME trains (Every bit about them is perfect), very photogenic, and simply the most fun I've ever had on a coaster. Easily a 9.8 in my books.

 

Wild Thing (Valleyfair): Insanely re-ridable, lots of airtime, smooth, fast, not too intense or forceful, very comfortable restraints, and I barely hear anybody mention it. I happen to love this thing to bits, and it's somewhere around #13 on my top coasters list. Above Millennium Force, of course.

 

Ninja (SFMM): EVERY time this coaster is brought up in a thread I hear people talking about how short, boring and bumpy it is. Next to X2, this is honestly the most intense and out of control coaster I've ever been on. Not to mention it's wickedly fast and has some great rides at night.

 

 

You are seriously joking about Wild Thing being underrated? It has two fantastic airtime hills and other than that a very lack luster boring ride.

[11slataus]

I am really surprised that Renegade at VF isn't regarded as a better coaster. It is a fun ride, great speed (it typically only runs one train so the trims are never on). It doesn't have great airtime which if it did have more airtime would rank this coaster much higher than it normally is ranked.

 

Does Renegade have trims now? I don't remember any back in 2008.

[Koasterking48]

Gemini seems underrated. It's smooth and its a steel side-by-side racer, which is pretty rare. It may not be airtime filled, but it certainly is nice. I also have to throw out Manta. Very wonderful ride and yet it's still regarded as a family coaster.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Koasterking48

[Coaster Curt]

I am really surprised that Renegade at VF isn't regarded as a better coaster. It is a fun ride, great speed (it typically only runs one train so the trims are never on). It doesn't have great airtime which if it did have more airtime would rank this coaster much higher than it normally is ranked.

 

Does Renegade have trims now? I don't remember any back in 2008.

 

 

I always assumed there were trims on Renegade and they were never used, I never even thought if they even had them or not. I will have to check it out on opening weekend and see, or maybe just ask someone that might know.

[Lareson]

As far as I'm aware, there are no trims on Renegade. Actually, now that I think about it, does any of GCI's coasters have trims? I always thought they designed them so well that there would never be a need for them.

 

My underrated coaster would be Wolverine Wildcat. For the first custom coaster built under the Dinn-Summers partnership, it runs quite well and has held up the 25 years its been around. I don't know what changed the past couple years, but it was running faster than I've ever seen it. Only downside I see of it is that it only has 1 train so the line can get very long. Also one thing about it many people don't know, it's a manual stop, meaning that the operator has to stop the train via buttons on the control panel, no computer system stopping it here!

Edited February 5, 2013 by Lareson

[DarienLaker]

Predator at Darien Lake.

 

This ride has airtime, not just one or two pops, but several on almost every hill. The ride is not perfectly smooth, but it is not unbearably rough by any means. The new trains make it very re-rideable even in the back. Next to Ride of Steel, Predator is the number two reason for visiting Darien Lake.

 

What about Viper at Darien Lake? The first roller coaster in the world with five inversion. It was the tallest coaster in Darien Lake before the Ride of Steel came along. Viper and Predator are Darien Lake's two most underrated coasters, but they're still good rides. In conclusion, despite the fact of both coasters being rough but not too rough, Viper is the lesser of the evils!

[caffeine_demon]

Bizzaro- Six Flags New England

 

Bizarro underrated? where?

 

mine would be blue streak - lovely little ride!

[Randomman295]

You must be joking about Wild Thing being underrated. It has two fantastic airtime hills and other than that a very lack luster boring ride.

Fixed.

And no, I'm not joking. If you score a front or back car ride, this is probably the most fun coaster at Valleyfair. (I know that Renegade and Steel Venom are better rides, but there's a nice sense of joy when you ride this one.) I love this thing, no pun intended.

 

And about Renegade having trims, I rode it last summer and there were none when both trains were running. Unless they added them since last July, it doesn't have any.

[JJLehto]

Bizzaro- Six Flags New England

 

Bizarro underrated? where?

 

mine would be blue streak - lovely little ride!

 

Yeah, always a top 2 coaster, in both the GTA and Mitch Hawker...not sure how that is underrated!

Glad Blue Streak has gotten some love!

Since my wood coaster list is lacking, and I was too young to remember Twister and Phoenix (better remedy this) its a top 5 traditional woodie for me

[Coaster Curt]

You must be joking about Wild Thing being underrated. It has two fantastic airtime hills and other than that a very lack luster boring ride.

Fixed.

And no, I'm not joking. If you score a front or back car ride, this is probably the most fun coaster at Valleyfair. (I know that Renegade and Steel Venom are better rides, but there's a nice sense of joy when you ride this one.) I love this thing, no pun intended.

 

And about Renegade having trims, I rode it last summer and there were none when both trains were running. Unless they added them since last July, it doesn't have any.

 

 

I am not saying Wild Thing isn't a fun ride but in am mind it could be a bit better, the hills on the return could be even more airtime if they wouldn't trim it so much. I am not talking about alot here, just cut the trims down a bit and the return hills would be really fun.

[cfc]

I like the old Morgan Hypers (like Wild Thing), even if they are essentially "mine trains on steroids."

[CoasterRollin]

I like the old Morgan Hypers (like Wild Thing), even if they are essentially "mine trains on steroids."

^ Based on my experience with Steel Force, I would have to agree with that statement. Steel Force is my favorite ride at Dorney. It's nothing mind blowing, to be sure, but I always have so much fun riding it. It's... I don't know, this weird combination of comfortable/relaxing (lot's of room, pretty smooth ride, minimal restraints), but still thrilling with the big drops, floater air, and the speed (mainly around that helix). It's just a pleasant experience that brings a smile to my face.

 

This might just be my Maryland Pride talking, but I feel like Wild One at SFA is underrated. It does suffer from "flat bit" syndrome before the final helix, but I think it has great pacing, some good air time (back seat!), and intense but bearable laterals. For being such an old ride (albeit heavily modified), it still packs a punch.

 

EDIT: Now that I've gone back and read a couple pages, I'm starting to think maybe Morgan Hypers and Wild One aren't as underrated as we may believe because there seems to be somewhat of a consesus that they are underrated.

[JJLehto]

Yeah, I think its the obsession with more extreme we have.

I obviously prefer B&M and Intamin hypers, as they are better, but the Morgans get hated on. I've only ridden Steel Force but its pretty fun.

I like sense of speed, in fact I'd rate it at #1 above ejector airtime and forcefullness. Its what makes a coaster fun and while it may not be that forceful or crazy Steel Force does have some good speed.

[thrillseeker4552]

I think Silver Bullet is an under-rated coaster. We all know that it isn't as intense as Raptor, the Batman clones, or Nemesis, but it is very smooth and has a nice flow of elements. It's worth mentioning that I have been on three inverts: Raptor at CP, Batman at SFMM, and Silver Bullet at KBF. Silver Bullet is my favorite. I can ride it over and over again, but I can only ride Raptor or Batman a couple times before I get a headache.

[XII]

Viper @ SFMM - Not nearly as rough as everyone says it is. Plus I enjoy the hangtime in the corkscrews.

 

Silver Bullet - Not as forceless as everyone claims it is.

 

Top Gun @ PGA - While people don't usually trash this ride, It's just so much better than what people claim it is. It's about as good as the Batman Clones.

 

V2 @ SFDK - I actually prefer this V2 to the one at SFGAm due to the hangtime you get on the first spike.

 

Space Mtn @ WDW - It's got good airtime

 

Thunderation - This is much more insane than your average mine train. And that's just going forewards. It's even crazier backwards.

 

Hydra - Love the JoJo Roll and the rest of the ride is actually pretty good and not forceless.

 

Cobra @ La Ronde - Smooth, fun, and got Ejector Air at one point. My current 2nd Favorite Stand Up.

 

Legend - While not quite as good as it's two wooden brothers, I don't feel that this ride gets enough love.

 

Firehawk - Smooth, Intense, and kicks the crap out of S:UF

 

DejaVu - Love the 90 degree Lifthills

 

Boomerangs, SLCs, and Volares - Not nearly as painful as people in the coaster community claim they are.

 

Got a few more to add to my Underrated List.

 

Scandia Screamer - This is NOT a credit whoring coaster. This ride has strong airtime and strong laterals. Its definitely better than your average credit-whoring coaster.

 

Yankee Cannonball - While this ride isn't hated, its typically forgotten. And its a good ride with some really good airtime.

 

Comet @ Great Escape - This ride may be highly rated, but I honestly don't think its rated high enough, considering how I consider it Top 10 Worthy.

 

Shock @ Rainbow Magicland - This thing is GREAT!!!! It has everyone I want in a coaster. Good Airtime, Good Launch, Great Laterals, and fun hangtime in the inversion. Its a shame more people don't talk about this.

 

Divertical - Hey. I really enjoyed this ride. Its a great fit for the park and considering how hot it gets in Italy, provides both a fun ride with a much needed cooling.

 

Space Mountain @ Disneyland Paris - Its rough, but not Gouderix rough. And the roughness is worth the ride.

[stashua123]

While kings island itself is definitely not a underrated park. Some of its rides are in that category.

 

Adventure Express: definatley one of the better rides in the park I almost never hear anything about it one of the better mine train coasters that's fast but not that fast with nice laterals.

 

Flight Deck: it doesn't get any attention and its so good I count adventure express and this as hidden gems! The swinging and g-forces are insane.

 

Racer and Woodstock express: I don't hear it much because its not good enough. The woodies pack a surely punch!

[Six Flags Enthuseast]

For me there are a bunch of rides that are underrated:

 

Vekoma GIBs - I know they got horrible rap in the beginning for their unreliable nature, but they're intense and relatively smooth, and they don't give me a headache like most regular Boomerangs.

 

Goliath at Walibi Holland - I haven't heard anything bad about it, but I actually prefer this ride to Expedition GeForce because of its more sudden airtime, even though it's not quite as long. I think this ride is deserving of much more attention than it gets.

 

Raptor at Gardaland - Raptor has gotten quite a bit of hate on TPR for being "forceless" and "gimmicky", but it does actually offer some force in the back, and it's still a fun ride no matter where you sit.

 

Bob Express at Bobbejaanland - Holy crap! I found it hard to believe that a powered coaster could be this intense! Seriously, the lateral forces around the turns are actually really surprising.

 

Silver Bullet at KBF - As thrillseeker4552 said, I think Silver Bullet is actually alright. I've ridden some of the best inverts out there (Katun, Raptor at CP, Montu, Black Mamba, Flight Deck at CGA, and more) and I definitely won't say it's my favorite, but I do think it gets a lot more crap than it deserves just because it isn't crazy-intense.

 

X2 at SFMM - Sure, it's rough and a huge crowd-draw, but I still consider it to be one of the most thrilling rides I've ridden thus far.

 

Revolution at SFMM - I know the OTSRs aren't necessary at all, but they don't completely ruin the ride experience. It's still pretty smooth and delivers some intense force through the loop.

 

Finally, Booster Bike at Toverland - Troy seems to get all of the attention at Toverland while Booster Bike is often overlooked. Booster Bike was just a lot of fun to ride, especially with my aviators on; it made me feel kinda like I was really riding a motorcycle.

[IronWolfman]

Aftershock @ Silverwood: Everyone considers it as "just another G.I.B.", but in reality it is extremely smooth and much more reliable than it ever was at SFGAm.

 

Corkscrew @ Silverwood: The original corkscrew isn't that bad. That is probably due to the new harnesses it got (Yellow ones). It is actually a scary ride because of how shaky it gets. That's why nobody lets go of the harnesses, also a factor against headbanging.

 

Timber Terror @ Silverwood: This ride (my first "big" coaster and die-hard legit credit) gets very overlooked by Tremors when it comes to enthusiasts. From yearly personal experience, I think it has better airtime than tremors. Or at least more of it.

 

When it comes to it, Silverwood as a whole is underrated because most enthusiasts don't take their time to go to the park. Tremors seems to be the only ride there that actually gets it's well deserved love.

 

Iron Wolf @ SFGAm: Seriously is my favorite ride. Great standing hang time in the loop (at least in the back for a second); Awesome, snappy transitions; long duration; and just the fact that you stand is great! And, it was smooth (at least for me).

 

Demon @ SFGAm: Amazing drop in the back, crazy awesome laterals (entrance to the corkscrews), tacky but funny themeing, not too rough but shaky in an awesome way like Corkscrew. Also, Flashy Lights!!!!

 

American Eagle @ SFGAm: I never rode in a wheel seat, so the ride was as smooth as Viper (same park) to me. The first to hills have amazing airtime and the drop is pure bliss!! Too bad it has trims, the ride could be much better.....

 

Rattler @ Cliffs: Really is an great woodie, with lots of airtime and laterals. Great duration, too. This ride suffers from lack of ridership, as the rides at Silverwood.

[Double0Kevin]

A ride I've always heard get a lot of grief, but I loved when I rode it, was Desperado. It's not the best ride ever built, but it's definitely a lot fun.

[Nyteowl]

A ride I've always heard get a lot of grief, but I loved when I rode it, was Desperado. It's not the best ride ever built, but it's definitely a lot fun.

I'd have to agree on this one. I haven't ridden it in probably 4 years, but I remember it being quite fun and re rideable. Sure it was rough, but it wasn't enough to deter me from riding it again.

[larrygator]

Timber Terror @ Silverwood: This ride (my first "big" coaster and die-hard legit credit) gets very overlooked by Tremors when it comes to enthusiasts. From yearly personal experience, I think it has better airtime than tremors. Or at least more of it.

 

I also preferred Timber Terror over Tremors.

[My Little Tony]

There's the two-of-a-kind Mack shaky car coaster called Tulireki at Linnanmäki no-one seems to get.

 

The cars shake!