Mitch Hawker's Coaster Poll 2009!

[sros1fan]

The one thing i think is stupid on his poll is why would he have My Favorite steel on a wooden coaster poll???? I just eliminate that when i do my list because i do the steel coaster poll when that starts!

[uwgbdork]

So does anyone get the feeling that there are a few voters are voting based on what they want to ride and not what they actually have??? Part of me wonders if some people are voting for coasters they think they have ridden but in all reality have just seen a pov. Just sayin.

 

Here is my entire list of woodies. note that my absolute worst woodie has cracked my top 10

 

1 Rengade Valleyfair!

2 viper SFGam

3 Avalanche Timberfalls

4 american eagle SFGam

5 cyclops Mount Olympus

6 high roller Valleyfair!

7 pegasus Mount Olympus

8 Gwazi lion Busch Gardens-Tampa

8 Gwazi tiger Busch Gardens-Tampa

[CP_RULES]

I sent in my poll last week, I've only ridden 10 woodies but here's how they stack up:

 

1- My Favorite Steel (Maverick @ CP)

2- The Boss (SFStL)

3- Evel Knievel (SFStL)

4- Timber Wolf (WoF)

5- GASM (SFoG)

6- Screamin' Eagle (SFStL)

7- Gwazi Tiger (BGA)

8- Blue Streak (CP)

9- Georgia Cyclone (SFoG)

10- Gwazi Lion (BGA)

 

11- Mean Streak (CP)

[CoasterPrince]

CoasterFanatics really made this process easy.

[Electerik]

The one thing i think is stupid on his poll is why would he have My Favorite steel on a wooden coaster poll???? I just eliminate that when i do my list because i do the steel coaster poll when that starts!

 

It's just for comparison's sake, to see how people feel about wooden coasters vs. steel. It doesn't really affect anything, but I always find it interesting to see how many wooden coasters place higher than any steel coaster.

 

Basically, it confirms what most of us already suspect: Most enthusiasts prefer wood to steel.

[tatertot3710]

So does anyone get the feeling that there are a few voters are voting based on what they want to ride and not what they actually have??? Part of me wonders if some people are voting for coasters they think they have ridden but in all reality have just seen a pov. Just sayin.

 

I do sort of agree. That's what happens on some of the

polls here, "I haven't ridden anything on the list, but I voted for _______ because it looks the best and the POVs look good."

 

Kind of annoying if you ask me.

[larrygator]

^Mitch and his helpers have caught this type of activity in the past.

 

I did get suspicious of one youngster with Balder first and only other US coasters on his list, but the dude has been to Liseberg and has a PTR to prove it.

 

Imagine if at age 10 or so, Kristen decides to fill take the poll and skeptics only see her age and not her name!

[raptor6]

My Complete 2009 Ballot:

 

1. Boulder Dash ( Lake Compounce )

 

2. My Favorite Steel ( Anypark Anywhere )

 

3. Ravine Flyer II ( Waldameer )

 

4. Kentucky Rumbler ( Beech Bend )

 

5. Phoenix ( Knoebel's )

 

6. Lightning Racer - L ( Hersheypark )

 

7. Lightning Racer - T ( Hersheypark )

 

8. The Beast ( Kings Island )

 

9. Viper ( SFGAm )

 

10. Wild One ( SF America )

 

11. The Grizzly ( Kings Dominion )

 

12. Blue Streak ( Cedar Point )

 

13. Big Dipper (SBNO) ( Geauga Lake )

 

14. Wildcat ( Hersheypark )

 

15. Grt Am Scrm Mach ( SFoG )

 

16. 6Comet ( Hersheypark )

 

17. Gwazi-Tiger ( Busch Gardens-Tampa )

 

18. Gwazi-Lion ( Busch Gardens-Tampa )

 

19. Georgia Cyclone ( SFoG )

 

20. Racer ( Kings Island )

 

21. Roar ( SF America )

 

22. Jack Rabbit ( Seabreeze )

 

24. Thunderbolt ( SF New England )

 

25. Cyclone ( SF New England )

 

26. Twister ( Knoebel's )

 

27. American Eagle ( SFGAm )

 

28. Sea Dragon ( Jungle Jacks Landing )

 

29. Fairly Odd Coaster ( Kings Island )

 

30. Wildcat ( Lake Compounce )

 

31. Thunderhawk ( Dorney Park )

 

32. Predator ( Darien Lake )

 

33. Mean Streak ( Cedar Point )

 

34. Son of Beast ( Kings Island )

[Sean Menefee]

My ballot for the 2009 poll below:

 

01. El Toro (SFGADV)

02. The Voyage

03. Viper (SFGAM)

04. Giant Dipper (SCBB)

05. The Legend

06. Kentucky Rumbler

07. Terminator Salvation

08. Lightning Racer - T

09. Lightning Racer - L

10. Raven

11. Roar (SFDK)

12. Wildcat

13. My Favorite Steel

14. The Beast

15. Colossus

16. American Eagle

17. Comet (Hershey)

18. Blue Streak

19. GhostRider

20. Racer (KI)

21. Thunder Run

22. Mean Streak

23. Giant Dipper (Belmont)

24. Thunderhawk

25. Fairly Odd Coaster

26. Big Dipper (GL)

27. The Grizzly (CGA) (3 years in a row for me.)

 

-Sean

[Erik Johnson]

I just turned in my poll:

 

Best 10

 

1. Boulder Dash

2. El Toro

3. Phoenix

Favorite Steel Anywhere (Bizzaro/Superman ROS @ SFNE)

4. Ravine Flyer II

5. Raven

6. The Voyage

7. Kentucky Rumbler

8. Avalanche

9. Cornball Express

10. Hades

 

Worst Five

 

1. Son of Beast

2. Wilde Beast

3. GhostRider

4. Texas Giant

5. Boardwalk Bullet

[Ryancrash]

I just voted for the first time ever. It was a bit complicated and took a long time. But if someone as computer-illiterate as myself can do it, anyone can.

 

The hardest part was the ranking itself. I think if you do this on a yearly basis, it's not so difficult - each year you just make the necessary additions and adjustments. But when you're doing it for the first time and have ridden hundreds of coasters, it's more than a little intimidating! (I'm dreading the steel ballot...) How do you accurately compare a coaster you rode twelve years ago with a coaster you rode seventeen years ago?

 

My top woodies:

(1. Favorite Steel - Expedition GeForce)

1. Balder

2. El Toro (SFGA)

3. Boulder Dash

4. Ravine Flyer II

5. Colossos (Heide Park)

6. Troy

7. Thunderhead

8. Rutschebanen (Bakken)

9. The Beast

10. Thunderbird

11. The Voyage

12. The Comet (Great Escape)

13. Hell Cat (Clementon)

14. Tonnerre de Zeus

15. Shivering Timbers

16. Phoenix

17. The Raven

18. Kentucky Rumbler

19. Tremors

20. White Cyclone (Nagashima Spaland)

 

And the bottom of the list:

98. Georgia Cyclone

99. Regina (Tobu Zoo)

100. Wild Beast (Canada's Wonderland)

101. White Canyon (Yomiuriland)

102. Predator

103. Anaconda (Walygator)

104. Mean Streak

105. Grizzly (Great America)

106. Son Of Beast

107. Bandit (Movie Park Germany)

[HCLcoasters]

The steel Poll is now out.

[monsterfan99]

My Steel Top 10

 

1. Diamondback

2. Favorite Wood Coaster (Evel Knivel)

3. Montu

4. Maverick

5. Goliath - SFOG

6. Raptor

7. Mindbender - SFOG

8. Dueling Dragons-Ice

9. Dueling Dragons-Fire

10. Kumba

 

And the bottom 5 (worst at bottom)

 

5. River King Mine Train

4. Firehawk

3. Fav Windstorm (at Old Town)

2. Iron Wolf

1. Dragon - Adventureland

[HCLcoasters]

1. Favorite wood (El Toro)

2. Maverick

3. Millennium Force

4. Fahrenheit

5. Alpengeist

6. Griffon

7. Top Thrill Dragster

8. Batwing

9. Hydra

10. Batman the ride (SFGAdv)

[XII]

My Top 10 Steel

 

1. Maverick @ Cedar Point

2. X2 @ SFMM

3. My Favorite Wood (Coaster @ PNE Playland)

4. Kumba @ BGA

5. Phantoms Revenge @ Kennywood

6. Dueling Dragons @ IOA

7. Montu @ BGA

8. Behemoth @ Canada's Wonderland

9. Incredible Hulk Coaster @ IOA

10. Sheikra @ BGA

11. Storm Runner @ Hersheypark

[Skycoastin Steve]

Hooray for the Steel Poll being out!

 

Now for my Top 25:

1. Millennium Force

2. Maverick

3. Storm Runner

4. Magnum XL-200

5. Top Thrill Dragster

6. Montu

7. Apollo's Chariot

8. Diamondback

9. Phantom's Revenge

10. Incredible Hulk

11. Titan

12. Alpengeist

13. Nitro

14. Kumba

15. Griffon

16. Sheikra

17. Steel Force

18. Kraken

19. Manta

20. Afterburn

21. Hydra

22. Goliath (SFoG)

23. Talon

24. Dominator

25. Raptor

 

Bottom 10 (#1 being the worst):

1. Favorite Zyklon Loop (Beech Bend)

2. Ninja (SFoG)

3. Favorite Powered Coaster (Dollywood)

4. River King Mine Train (SFSL)

5. Avalanche (KD)

6. Trailblazer (HP)

7. Favorite Tivoli (SFGAd)

8. Roller Soaker (HP)

9. Adventure Express (KI)

10. Runaway Train (SFGAd)

[tatertot3710]

Okay...Here's my Updated wooden top 10:

 

1) Phoenix - Knoebel's

2) El Toro - SFGAd

3) My Favorite Steel (Nitro - SFGAdv)

4) Comet - Hersheypark

5) Lightning Racer (L)- Hersheypark

6) Lightning Racer (T) - Hersheypark

7) Great White - Wild Wheels Pier

8) Wildcat - Hersheypark

9) Thunderhead - Dollywood

10) Twister - Knoebel's

 

My top 10 steel-

 

1) My Favorite Wooden (See above)

2) Nitro - GAdv

3) Fahrenheit - Hersheypark

4) Storm Runner - Hersheypark

5) Mystery Mine (Dollywood)

6) My Favorite Powered Coaster (Blazing Fury - Dollywood)

7) Expedition Everest - Animal Kingdom

8) Voodoo (No name change yet?) - Dorney Park

9) Rock n Roller Coaster - Hollywood Studios

10) Steel Force - Dorney Park

 

And my bottom 5 -

28) My Favorite Zyklon (Rollie's Coaster - Morey's Piers)

29) Pirate's Hideaway - Casino Pier

30) My Favorite Vekoma Boomerang (Sea Serpent - Morey's Piers)

31) My Favorite Flitzer (Morey's Piers)

32) My Favorite Zyklon Loop (Funtown Pier)

 

 

I was surprised that they considered Blazing Fury a Powered Coaster. I was kind of confused by the whole "Favorite" Thing, but I read the list of what they considered these coasters and made many changes to my list. Look here and scroll to the bottom: http://www.ushsho.com/steel_instructions_2009.txt

 

I'm sending mine in now!

[PKI Jizzman]

RANK THE FOLLOWING RIDING SENSATIONS <-LEAVE

Abrupt Airtime_____________________________,y,y,2

Floating Airtime___________________________,y,y,1

Lateral Forces_____________________________,y,y,6

Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes_,y,y,3

Positive G's/Loops_________________________,y,y,5

Sensation of Speed_________________________,y,y,4

COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE

 

Scooby-Doo Spooky Coa Warner Bros. Movie AU,y,n,1

The Voyage Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,2

Maverick Cedar Point OH,y,y,3

Mystery Mine Dollywood TN,y,y,4

Goliath Six Flags Over Geo GA,y,n,5

 

Space Mountain Disneyland CA,y,n,6

Shockwave Six Flags Over Tex TX,y,y,7

California Screamin' Disney CA Adventur CA,y,n,8

Diamondback Kings Island OH,y,y,9

Steel Hawg Indiana Beach IN,y,y,10

 

Afterburn Carowinds NC,y,n,11

Millennium Force Cedar Point OH,y,y,12

Mr. Freeze Six Flags Over Tex TX,y,y,13

Tennessee Tornado Dollywood TN,y,y,14

Titan Six Flags Over Tex TX,y,y,15

 

Raptor Cedar Point OH,y,y,16

Flight of Fear Kings Island OH,y,y,17

Batman The Ride/Clone SF & Other Parks **,y,y,18

Space Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom FL,y,n,19

Mindbender Six Flags Over Geo GA,y,n,20

 

Top Thrill Dragster Cedar Point OH,y,y,21

Superman:Krypton Cstr Six Flags Fiesta T TX,y,y,22

Steel Eel Sea World Of Texas TX,y,y,23

Tower of Terror Dreamworld AU,y,n,24

Fav Intamin Bobsled La Vibora, SFOT **,y,y,25

 

Fav Half Pipe Surfrider, W'nW AU **,y,n,26

Fav Windstorm Runaway Mtn SFOT **,y,y,27

Magnum XL-200 Cedar Point OH,y,y,28

Nighthawk Carowinds NC,y,n,29

Flight Deck Kings Island OH,y,y,30

 

Georgia Scorcher Six Flags Over Geo GA,y,n,31

Gemini Cedar Point OH,y,y,32

Vortex Kings Island OH,y,y,33

Rock n Roller Coaster Disney's H Studios FL,y,n,34

Vortex Carowinds NC,y,n,35

 

Fav Gerstlauer Spinn. Tony Hawk SFFT **,y,y,36

Fav Vekoma Invertigo Kings Island **,y,y,37

Fav Galaxi Indiana Beach **,y,y,38

Cyclone Dreamworld AU,y,n,39

Wicked Twister Cedar Point OH,y,y,40

 

Mantis Cedar Point OH,y,y,41

Adventure Express Kings Island OH,y,y,42

Poltergeist Six Flags Fiesta T TX,y,y,43

Superman - Ultimate F Six Flags Over Geo GA,y,n,43

Big Thunder Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom FL,y,n,44

Big Thunder Mountain Disneyland CA,y,n,45

 

Matterhorn Bobsleds Disneyland CA,y,n,46

Fav Wild Mouse Carowinds **,y,n,47

Backlot Stunt Coaster Kings Island OH,y,y,48

Mine Train Six Flags Over Tex TX,y,y,49

Fav Arrow Corkscrew Carowinds **,y,n,50

 

Fav Vekoma Boomerang SFFT **,y,y,51

Fav Wildcat CP **,y,n,52

Dahlonega Mine Train Six Flags Over Geo GA,y,n,53

Carolina Goldrusher Carowinds NC,y,n,54

M Doohans Motocoaster Dreamworld AU,y,n,55

 

Firehawk Kings Island OH,y,y,56

Iron Dragon Cedar Point OH,y,y,57

Fav Vek Susp Family Any Park Anywhere **,y,n,58

Fav Vek Susp Loop SLC Any Park Anywhere **,y,n,59

Fav Mack Supersplash Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,60

 

Ninja Six Flags Over Geo GA,y,n,61

Cedar Creek Mine Ride Cedar Point OH,y,y,62

 

 

 

 

I used Robb's grouping order to help me rank them; went and issued ones, twoes, etc. then ranked 1-62. Thanks Robb!

 

1 – Coasters that I would go out of my way to ride. (My all time favorites or my "top ten".)

2 – Coasters that I like a lot. (My second favorites)

3 – Coasters that I like, but I wouldn’t wait longer than 10 minutes in line to ride.

4 – Coasters that I don’t feel the need to ever ride again, but I would.

5 – Coasters that I wouldn’t care if they were torn down or burned to the ground!

[HCLcoasters]

It looks like Maverick is doing really well so far this year... I think at least.

[Em-Z]

My top 10 steel went:

1. Bizarro (SFNE)

2. My favorite wood (Boulder Dash)

3. Fahrenheit (I never see this on top 10s but I loved it!)

4. Millennium Force

5. Maverick

6. Phantom's Revenge

7. Top Thrill Dragster

8. Expedition Everest

9. Great Bear

10. Raptor

11. Storm Runner

[SharkTums]

My top 10 steel will probably be even stranger than my top 10 wood this year. I still have to do both of them!

 

Need to figure out where Insane and Tornado (Bakken) will fit in my top 10!!!!!

[HCLcoasters]

^^ I know what you mean when you say Fahrenheit is good. It's in my top 5.

[Jerrykoala2112]

1. Kanonen

2. Stormrunner

3. The Mummy

4. Volcano

5. Maverick

6. Dueling Dragons

7. Superman (Bizarro)

8. Titan

9. Mr. Freeze, SFSTL

10. Firehawk

 

Many of my friends say I have a uniquely weird top 10, but what is wrong with having a lot of Intamins

PS Firehawk is that good to be on my top 10 anytime!

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Have you actually ridden all those?

[downunder]

^^Kanonen? To each his own I guess, personally I thought it was very ordinary.

 

I've been dreading the steel poll, I have so much to add to last year's ballot.