YoshiFan Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 If it wasn't for that water bomb, it wouldn't be too bad. I either wear a bathing suit or poncho (I know that takes away from part of the ride but if we aren't going to the waterpark, I don't feel like walking around drenched all day). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 I've only ridden one Roller Soaker, myself--at Hershey. We rode it early in the morning, before the sadistic families had a chance to man the water cannons. We still got fairly wet. Â And to get back on topic, I rated HP's Roller Soaker 146th out of 172 coasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 ^I rode it early too, but the hope of just a low level soaking was dashed quickly. Â Back to rankings, I rated Vortex at Canada's Wonderland very highly (#9 of 135), though if I had only ridden it during the day it would have struggled to make my top 50. At night that coaster went totally insane crack head on us, just sensational. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texcoaster Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 ^Vortex at CW is one of those coasters that just blew me away, even in the daytime. It was exactly the opposite of anticipointment for me, since I've never been a huge fan of KI's Top Gun. The layouts are the same, so I was basically just riding Vortex for the credit. Â It instantly justified all those "just for credit" rides I've wasted my time on. You keep opening the oysters until you find the pearl, right? Â OMFG, that thing was amazing! The terrain worked so much better than Top Gun's, the speed was unbelievable, and it was so intense! I never expected that kind of thrill from an Arrow suspended... hell, from an Arrow, period! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 1, 2008 Author Share Posted December 1, 2008 Hey everyone!  Don't forget to take Mitch Hawker's Wood & Steel Coaster Poll! Only *FOUR* DAYS LEFT to submit a ballot!!! http://www.ushsho.com/bestrollercoasterpoll.htm  This time around it's BOTH Steel and Wood! Mitch's poll is, IMO, the *ONLY* coaster poll that really takes everyone's opinions into consideration and gives fair and accurate results.  Even if you have ridden only 5 wooden coasters or 100, please be sure to vote in this poll!  If you need some help filling out the poll, we have some easy to follow instructions here: TPR's Idiot's Guide To Mitch Hawker's Wood Coaster Poll  I cannot encourage everyone enough to vote in this poll!  --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haux Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I might try the grouping method next year. For now, I still give each coaster a ranking, though I group a few together when I can't decide where exactly to place them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angryemobeaver Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Wayyyyy to confusing for me. Why can't it just have a list of all the coasters and you rate the ones you have been on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 ^To avoid people like you voting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divv3k Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I just submitted both my ballots. It's taking me longer and longer to fill these out every year. That's a very good thing! It's interesting to look back at all the new stuff you've been on in the past year. Â I look forward to seeing the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haux Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Wayyyyy to confusing for me. Why can't it just have a list of all the coasters and you rate the ones you have been on? But that is what this poll is. You rate the coasters you've been on. What else would it be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 1, 2008 Author Share Posted December 1, 2008 Wayyyyy to confusing for me. Why can't it just have a list of all the coasters and you rate the ones you have been on? I don't understand what is so confusing about this. Follow these EASY steps:  1. Copy/paste the ballot into notepad 2. Delete the coasters you haven't been on. 3. Put a Y in the first row of each coaster. 4. Put a Y in the second row if you rode it THIS YEAR. 5. Rank accordingly  HOW IS THAT CONFUSING?!?!?!?!  If that is too much to comprehend then it's actually better that you don't vote. IMO, the poll data is "cleaner" with people who understand the ballot than people who can't figure it out and screw it up.  BTW, it just took me about 15 minutes to complete my wood coaster ballot using the good 'ol fashioned text note pad method and I have 161 woodies to rank!  FIFTEEN MINUTES!!!  People, this is NOT HARD!!!  --Robb  EDIT - My god, I just saw that you've only been on 20 wood coasters! Your poll should take about 45 seconds to fill out. Seriously! How can you not figure this out??!!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haux Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Angryemobeaver, visit this site. It makes it much easier. You just click a box for what you've ridden then arrange them in order by dragging them in the next screen. Â Try it. It's not that hard. Don't let the e-yelling get you down. This poll is really good, but it can be intimidating the first time. I skipped it when I first heard about it because it made no sense, but after I tried it, I saw the error of my ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angryemobeaver Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Angryemobeaver, visit this site. It makes it much easier. You just click a box for what you've ridden then arrange them in order by dragging them in the next screen. Try it. It's not that hard. Don't let the e-yelling get you down. This poll is really good, but it can be intimidating the first time. I skipped it when I first heard about it because it made no sense, but after I tried it, I saw the error of my ways. Thanks, that is what i was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 1, 2008 Author Share Posted December 1, 2008 Try it. It's not that hard. Don't let the e-yelling get you down. This poll is really good, but it can be intimidating the first time. I skipped it when I first heard about it because it made no sense, but after I tried it, I saw the error of my ways. I know you don't mean any offense personally to me from that statement, but I guess I just don't understand where giving someone positive reinforcement for basically just not bothering to read the instructions is a good thing. Â IMO, the ballot makes perfect sense. All you have to do is be willing to READ a few paragraphs and change some text. Â But that's really what the problem here is, isn't it? People aren't willing to READ. They want it all done for them without having to think. But IMO, this is one of the very few things in this hobby that you SHOULD think about. Â It's not the ballot that's flawed, it's the people on the other side of the screen who can't be bothered to read the instructions and fill it out, and then they try to BLAME THE BALLOT! Â I know Ted hates hearing this, but IMO his helper is for the lazy people who can't be bothered to read a few sentences and copy/paste into notepad. And I'm still not convinced that those people should be voting in the first place because more ballots doesn't always mean a better poll as much as few ballots with CLEAN data. Now luckily Mitch's poll is designed to weed out the idiot ballots, but why have them in the mix in the first place if they can be avoided? Â Like I said, I had 161 woodies and it took me 15 minutes to do. It would have taken me 20 if I had to read the ballot for the first time. Â Sorry, I don't mean to be E-Yelling it's just that I really find Mitch's ballot to be VERY useful and very important to the industry, more so than any other poll, ballot, awards, etc, and I strongly support his efforts, and when someone with 20 wood coasters on their list say they can't figure it out, then I personally don't think that person should be voting. Â If you don't want to vote because you can't figure out the ballot, please, don't blame the ballot. It's not the ballot's fault! Â --Robb "Thank you for listening!" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 2, 2008 Author Share Posted December 2, 2008 Here's I'll change the subject a bit...  Here is how my top 20 ended up. Keep in mind that I do group and "tie" certain rankings together:  1. T Express - Everland 2. My Favorite Steel - Anypark Anywhere (Exepdition GeForce) 2. Balder - Liseberg 3. El Toro - SFGAd 4. Phoenix - Knoebel's 5. Boulder Dash - Lake Compounce 6. Colossos - Heide Park 7. Ravine Flyer II - Waldameer 8. Raven - Holiday World 9. Tonnerre de Zeus - Parc Asterix 10. Thundercoaster - Tusenfryd 11. Grand National - Blackpool 12. Silver Comet - Martin's Fantasy Is. 13. Ozark Wildcat - Celebration City 14. Kentucky Rumbler - Beech Bend 15. Hades - Mount Olympus 16. Cyclops - Mount Olympus 17. Jack Rabbit - Kennywood 18. Troy - Toverland 19. Timber Terror - Silverwood 20. Dania Bch Hurricane - Dania Beach 20. Tremors - Silverwood 20. Viper - SFGAm 20. New Mexico Rattler - Cliff's  Any comments/questions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 ^Robb, did Boulder Dash blow you away as much as it did the rest of us in August? I don't recall how you ranked it in previous years. Â I went 1.Phoenix, 2.Dash, 3.Toro but they are very interchangeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 2, 2008 Author Share Posted December 2, 2008 ^ Boulder Dash went from being in my #30s to #5 this year! Â --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niiicolaaah Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I rode Boulder Dash for the first time this year, and it really impressed me! Enough to be #4 on my list. I had heard it was running poorly the last few years, so I am glad they fixed whatever was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixflagsguy5 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I just did the wood. It took me about an hour. I won't have enough for the steel- it's too hard for me to compare steel coasters.  Mine was something like: -top steel- 1) El Toro 2) Voyage 3) Boulder Dash 4) Ravine Flyer II 5) Dania Beach Hurricane 6) Hades 7) Raven  I forgot the rest after that. I rated zeus high this year, because it was running really well at the ACE event this summer. Hades wouldn't be as highly rated if I hadn't have ridden it with the lights on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texcoaster Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Wow, Robb, we certainly disagree on rankings of wood coasters (judging just from the ones we have in common).... I've got Voyage at #1, and Colossos and Kentucky Rumbler don't even come close to my top 20. Â But at least we agree on EGF as the best steelie on earth! Â A nice setting, jam-packed with airtime, sustained speed, butter smooth, head choppers, a wicked twisting speed hill, one of the best first drops ever made, and getting to listen to a trainload of people scream obscenities in German. Â What's not to love? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Boulderdash went from #30 to #7 for me...quite the transformation indeed. Now let's see if it stays that way or not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 What kept it so low for you guys in the past? While I do think it was at it's best this year (of the years I've ridden it in, 05, 06 and this year), I didn't think it was that drastic of a difference. 05 nightrides were almost comparible to this year's IMO. Did you catch it on a bad day before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 ^^Freddie reckons they won't be putting the trim on next year, here's hoping. I'll try to get back to Compounce next year if they don't wreck the Dash. Â One thing I'm curious about, most of the wood coasters were much better at night. One I haven't ridden at night is El Toro - is much better at night? Â For me Toro is awesome but the bits in between the first drop, the two airtime hills, and the crossover airtime hill paled by comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Robb I'm curious where you ranked Thunderhead. YAY Kentucky Rumbler is in your top 15! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 2, 2008 Author Share Posted December 2, 2008 I ranked Thunderhead in my "#25" grouping along with Knoebel's Twister, Kennywood's Racer, Timber Falls Avalance, PNE's Coaster, Rampage, etc. Â So it's in good company! Â --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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