Mitch Hawker's Wood & Steel Coaster Poll 2008

[downunder]

^Thanks for that Robb, looks like those Megalites are a winner, you must be salivating about Piraten next year.

 

I wish they'd build a Megalite down here, I think that would be realistic for Dreamworld or Movieworld.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

I'm not a fan at all. I just don't "get" Voyage.

 

For a ride that claims to have so much airtime, I feel there is hardly any at all. I'm more of an "extreme airtime" fan, which Voyage has zero of. I also think Voyage is rough as hell and it's not a ride that I care to ride very many times in a row. In fact, my last visit to Holiday World I gave it two "courtesy rides" - once during the day and once at night, and then I could be found at The Raven for the rest of the evening, which is my personal favorite woodie at that park.

 

The Voyage, IMO, "hurts" to ride, and I don't think any ride should "hurt" when you get off of it...at least not a ride that claims to be #1 in the world.

 

I think that Voyage's first 2 or 3 hills are fun, but it just goes on for too long doing not much that excites me and causes me pain.

 

For TGG woodies I far prefered Ravine Flyer II and Hades. Those two rides are more my style.

 

Every time I ride Voyage I get off it going "I just don't understand how this ride was ranked so highly...I just don't...."

 

 

With all due respect, doesn't that sound a bit like Ravine Flyer II, a ride which you rate very highly? To me, it hurts to ride and offers no "extreme" airtime.

 

Also, Robb, if I remember right, didn't you have SROS at SFA ranked very highly last year? For me, it was complete crap this year compared to others, would you agree?

[robbalvey]

With all due respect, doesn't that sound a bit like Ravine Flyer II, a ride which you rate very highly? To me, it hurts to ride and offers no "extreme" airtime.

RF2 was awesome! Lots of airtime and it wasn't rough at all when we rode it during both visits. To me RF2 was more like Raven, which I why I rated them both so highly. Our group rode RF2 *fifty-two* times during one visit and wanted more. There is no way I could even do 10 rides in a row on Voyage.

 

Also, Robb, if I remember right, didn't you have SROS at SFA ranked very highly last year? For me, it was complete crap this year compared to others, would you agree?

Yes, SFA's SROS dropped quite a bit on my list this year.

 

--Robb

[coaster_dad]

16 - Shockwave - Six Flags Over Tex

 

Rob, Shockwave above Mindbender? Where did my favorite Schwarzkopf end up for you? Both are great, but I'm partial to my first looping coaster.

[robbalvey]

Mindbender ended up in my #29 grouping:

 

Venus                

Zaturn               

Mindbender           

Mystery Mine

Flight Deck (PGA)         

 

Yeah, I've always been a bigger Shock Wave fan...it's those airtime hills!

 

--Robb

[downunder]

Here's my top 30 steel:

 

1 Favorite Wood Coaster Any Park Anywhere

2 Superman - Ride of St SF New England

3 Maverick Cedar Point

4 X2 Six Flags Magic Mo

5 Top Thrill Dragster Cedar Point

6 Behemoth Canadas Wonderland

7 Millennium Force Cedar Point

8 Nitro Six Flags Great Ad

9 Vortex Canadas Wonderland

10 Ride of Steel Darien Lake

11 Phantom's Revenge Kennywood Park

12 Storm Runner Hersheypark

13 Flight of Fear Kings Island

14 Flight of Fear Kings Dominion

15 Magnum XL-200 Cedar Point

16 Raptor Cedar Point

17 XCelerator Knott's Berry Farm

18 Alpengeist Busch Gardens Euro

19 Talon Dorney Park

20 Steel Force Dorney Park

21 Griffon Busch Gardens Euro

22 Superman Escape Warner Bros. Movie

23 Goliath Six Flags Magic Mo

24 Kingda Ka Six Flags Great Ad

25 Dueling Dragons-Fire Islands of Adventu

26 Dueling Dragons-Ice Islands of Adventu

27 Fahrenheit Hersheypark

28 Dominator Kings Dominion

29 Kraken SeaWorld Orlando

30 Tatsu Six Flags Magic Mo

[Fry]

2 - Goliath               - Walibi World      

3 - Superman - Ride of St - SF New England 

 

Hehe, I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks Goliath is better then S:RoS! Goliath is awesome, I love it... though I had more coasters between the two, lol.

 

And I'm really glad you liked Dragon Khan so much (I think I had that above S:RoS too, hehe), it's still my favourite B&M Looper (I can never decide for overall B&M if I like Behemoth just a little more...). Kumba can just... well, not even touch it IMO!

 

I think my top fifteen steel were...

 

(Well, 1. favourite wood coaster)

1. Goliath, WW

2. Behemoth

3. Ultimate, LWV

4. Dragon Khan

5. Apollo's Chariot

6. Furius Baco

7. Storm Runner

8. Nitro

9. Sheikra

10. Talon

11. Griffon

12. Ride of Steel, DL

13. Superman Ride of Steel, SFNE

14. Fahrenheit

15. Kingda Ka

 

and then my wood was...

 

1. Boulder Dash

2. Ravine Flyer II

3. Phoenix

4. El Toro

5. Silver Comet

[Legendary]

Rob's Top Ten Steel Coasters:

Rank Name Park Name Type Style

1 Superman - Ride Of Steel Six Flags New England Steel Sit Down

2 Maverick Cedar Point Steel Sit Down

3 Goliath Six Flags Over Georgia Steel Sit Down

4 Nemesis Alton Towers Steel Inverted

5 Phantom's Revenge Kennywood Steel Sit Down

6 Nitro Six Flags Great Adventure Steel Sit Down

7 Montu Busch Gardens Africa Steel Inverted

8 Magnum XL-200 Cedar Point Steel Sit Down

9 Kumba Busch Gardens Africa Steel Sit Down

10 Millennium Force Cedar Point Steel Sit Down

 

Rob's Top Ten Wood Coasters:

Rank Name Park Name Type Style

1 Hades Mt. Olympus Theme Park Wood Sit Down

2 El Toro Six Flags Great Adventure Wood Sit Down

3 Ravine Flyer II Waldameer Wood Sit Down

4 Voyage Holiday World Wood Sit Down

5 Boulder Dash Lake Compounce Wood Sit Down

6 Legend Holiday World Wood Sit Down

7 Rampage Alabama Adventure Wood Sit Down

8 Raven Holiday World Wood Sit Down

9 Phoenix Knoebels Wood Sit Down

10 Thunderhead Dollywood Wood Sit Down

 

That is 566 different coasters; 448 steel coasters, 118 wood coasters, at 110 different 'parks'. It's interesting to me to see how people rank the same rides so differently. Just like women (or men..), each to his own I suppose....

[yankees15]

Top Ten Steel

 

1. Storm Runner- Hersheypark

2. Griffon- Busch Gardens Europe

3. Nitro- Six Flags Great Adventure

4. Apollo's Chariot- Busch Gardens Europe

5. Kingda Ka- Six Flags Great Adventure

6. Volcano- Kings Dominion

7. Fahrenheit- Hersheypark

8. Medusa- Six Flags Great Adventure

9. Talon- Dorney Park

10. Alpengeist- Bush Gardens Europe

 

Top Ten Wood

 

1. El Toro- Six Flags Great Adventure

2. Phoenix- Knoebels

3. Lightning Racer (Lightning)- Hersheypark

4. Lightning Racer (Thunder)- Hersheypark

5. Hurler- Kings Dominion

6. Wildcat- Hersheypark

7. Twister- Knoebels

8. Comet- Hersheypark

9. Thunderhawk- Dorney Park

10. Rebel Yell (Forward/blue)- Kings Dominion

[Guest]

Edit: Never mind, thought midnight was the deadline.

[Erik Johnson]

If anyone cares, but this is my list this year:

 

Wood

1. Boulder Dash

2. El Toro

3. Phoenix

4. Ravine Flyer II

5. Kentucky Express

6. Raven

7. Cornball Express

8. Avalanche (Timber Falls)

9. Hades

10. Jack Rabbit (Kennywood)

(Bottom) Son of Beast

 

Steel

1. S:ROS New England

2. Behemoth

3. Dueling Dragons Ice

4. Dueling Dragons Fire

5. Kumba

6. Millennium Force

7. Ride of Steel (Darien Lake)

8. Goliath (SFoG)

9. Nitro

10. Montu

(Bottom) Manhattan Express

[Meteornotes]

Top Five

 

Balder

T Express

El Toro

Phoenix

Colossus

 

And bringing in the bottom: Son Of Beast!

 

dt

[Wood Dragon 1988]

^lol I had a dream I was on Son of Beast last night, and it was good.

 

1. El Toro- Six Flags Great Adventure

2. Phoenix- Knoebels

3. Lightning Racer (Lightning)- Hersheypark

4. Lightning Racer (Thunder)- Hersheypark

5. Hurler- Kings Dominion

 

Good to see another Hurler fan exists. I don't have it ranked number five, but it is underrated.

[robbalvey]

Hey everyone!

 

Today is the LAST DAY to submit your ballot in Mitch Hawker's Wood & Steel Coaster Poll!

 

First step! Get your ballot here:

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

[ParkTrips]

I didn't plan to vote but I sent in my ballots. My wood ballot is identical to last year, except which ones I rode this year, and I only had 4 new steel coasters... yet, even with copy and pasting 97% of the ballot, it still took me 15 minutes to do =/

 

El Toro

Thunderhead

Troy

Boulder Dash

Cornball Express

My Favorite Steel

Phoenix

Rampage

Raven

Dania Bch Hurricane

 

 

Favorite Wood Coaster

Mindbender

Expedition GeForce

Kumba

Revenge of the Mummy

Superman - Ride of St

Montu

HeiBe Fahrt

Goliath

Nitro

 

Manhattan Express and Son of Beast were at the bottom of my lists. Almost a cliche, but they really do suck

[SharkTums]

Nothing like waiting till the last minute!

 

Here we go...

 

Wood

1 El Toro SFGAd NJ

2 Balder Liseberg SE

3 T Express Everland KS

3 My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **

4 Phoenix Knoebel's PA

5 Colossos Heide Park DE

6 Grand National Blackpool UK

7 Boulder Dash Lake Compounce CT

8 Cyclops Mount Olympus WI

9 Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR

10 Kentucky Rumbler Beech Bend KY

11 Aska (S) Nara Dreamland JP

12 Hades Mount Olympus WI

13 Dania Bch Hurricane Dania Beach FL

14 Thundercoaster Tusenfryd NO

15 Viper SFGAm IL

16 New Mexico Rattler Cliff's NM

17 Jack Rabbit Kennywood PA

18 Ozark Wildcat Celebration City MO

19 Ravine Flyer II Waldameer PA

20 Raven Holiday World IN

20 Tremors Silverwood ID

20 Renegade Valleyfair! MN

20 Roller Coaster Blackpool UK

 

50 Hell Cat Clementon Lake NJ

51 The Boss Six Flags St Louis MO

52 Anaconda Walygator Parc FR

53 Predator Darien Lake NY

54 The Grizzly Great America CA

55 Twister II Elitch Gardens CO

56 Son of Beast Kings Island OH

57 Sierra Tonante Mirabilandia Park IT

58 Coaster-Express Parque Warner Madrid ES

59 White Canyon Yomiuriland JP

60 The Bandit Movie Park DE

 

 

 

Steel

1 Expedition GeForce Holiday Park DE

2 Favorite Wood Coaster Any Park Anywhere **

3 Kawasemi Tobu Zoo JP

4 Eagle's Fortress Everland KR

5 Dueling Dragons-Fire Islands of Adventu FL

5 Dueling Dragons-Ice Islands of Adventu FL

5 Superman - Ride of St SF New England MA

6 Kumba Busch Gardens Afri FL

6 Montu Busch Gardens Afri FL

6 SheiKra Busch Gardens Afri FL

7 Revenge of the Mummy Universal Studios FL

7 Winjas Phantasialand DE

8 Tornado Sarkanniemi FI

9 Storm Runner Hersheypark PA

9 Atlantis Adventure Lotte World KR

9 Goliath Walibi World NL

10 Incredible Hulk Islands of Adventu FL

10 XCelerator Knott's Berry Farm CA

10 Ride of Steel Darien Lake NY

11 Nemesis Alton Towers UK

12 Steeplechase Blackpool P.B. UK

13 Furius Baco Port Aventura ES

14 HeiBe Fahrt Freizeitp Klotten DE

15 Katun Mirabilandia IT

16 Pyrenees Parque EspaNa JP

17 Kanonen Liseberg SE

18 Lisebergbanan Liseberg SE

19 Batman The Ride/Clone SF & Other Parks **

19 Formule X Drievliet NL

 

50 Deja Vu Six Flags Magic Mo CA

50 Revolution Six Flags Magic Mo CA

50 Iron Wolf Six Flags Great Am IL

50 Vonkaputous Linnanmaki FI

60 Screamin Squirrel Mysterious Island CN

61 Dragon Adventureland IA

62 Spinning Batman Shijingshan Beij. CN

63 Goudurix Parc Asterix FR

64 Shenzhou Coaster Shijingshan Beij. CN

65 Space Mountain Disneyland Paris FR

[DBru]

Are you saying the most interesting-looking Space Mountain is the worst?

[SharkTums]

^Trust me it was really hard to do, but that was just terrible this year. The ride had been slowly going down hill, and this summer it was unrideable. It was shocking to find it at a Disney Park. I would not suggest anyone ride it. The ride was the same as when Outer Limits had the OTSR's!!!!

 

I had a headache for the next 24 hours after riding it. Not amused, this needs to be fixed ASAP!

[texcoaster]

Ms. SharkTums, I gotta ask something after seeing your rankings....

 

You ranked EGF as your #1 steel coaster, then Fave Wood below that on your steel list.

On your wood list, though, it shows Fave Steel falls behind at least three wood coasters.

 

How is that possible?

[cfc]

Are you saying the most interesting-looking Space Mountain is the worst?

 

I concur with Elissa. Larry and I actually rode it twice--once in the back and once in the front. The front seat was actually rougher than the back!

 

I put this coaster dead last on the steel poll, too--it's just such a huge disappointment.

[Absimilliard]

Poor Space Mountain DLP... The ride wasn't that rough until they changed the trains in 2000-2001. The heavier trains caused the track to deteriorate really bad and up until september this year, they never did any trackwork on the ride! Also, DLP just abused the ride, only closing twice a year for 2 days each, to change the launch catapult cable. Add to that 5 trains operation (until 2005) and there was no way the ride was going to stay smooth!

[SharkTums]

Tex, I've done this the past three years and you're the first one to notice!

 

Here's my reasoning...Honestly, my top 5 wood and steel are all pretty much equal in my eyes. I do the polls on different days, and never know if I'll get to finish steel or not! By the time I get around to doing both, my opinions have changed so I rerank the new list!

[Wood Dragon 1988]

OK Elissa I guess I will be the first one to ask why you have El Toro and Balder ahead of the combination of the two: T-Express?

[SharkTums]

^Good question...

 

There was something about putting them both together that just didn't quite work for me. I mean on paper, and looking at the ride you'd think "wow, my one and two coasters together, this is going to beat them both". But in reality for me, having the pause in the middle didn't work.

 

The first drop on T-Express is the 2nd if not 1st best drop on ANY coaster. It is seriously frightening, it feels like a tophat type drop! The first 'El-Toro' section is awesome, but over way too soon. Then for the Balder section it takes it a bit slower than Balder. The airtime is still there (it's very odd getting ejector airtime when you're only going like 16mph!) but the pacing is a bit off and the turns take some time. Instead of having a bit of El Toro and a full Balder, I would have preferred a full El Toro and a bit of Balder at the end. That most likely would have been my new #1.

 

The park people told us the story that we were all right! They went and rode a lot of woodies, then asked Intamin to build them El Toro and Balder in one! They pretty much got that! Everland probably now has the best wood/steel combination (T-Express/Eagles Fortress) in the world!

[yankees15]

Good to see another Hurler fan exists. I don't have it ranked number five, but it is underrated.

 

I don't see why everyone bashes Hurler. I rode in the morning of a VERY hot summer day in June two years ago. I really didn't notice any bad rough spots on the ride. It had a very good wood coaster feeling to it, but it was not uncomfortable in anyway. Not only was it not rough, it had airtime all over it and some good length. IMO it is a very good coaster.