Mitch Hawker's Coaster Poll 2009!

[robbalvey]

^ I guess I just didn't realize you got that hurt on it.

 

And I wasn't suggesting that you should base your rankings on what other people say, I was just suggesting that in some unique cases to take that into "consideration." I understand that some people can't and won't do this, and everyone has different opinions on how they rank and why they rank.

 

And just for the record, while I don't rank The Voyage in my top 5 it does rank in what I would consider the top tier of my woodies.

 

I only mention that because it's kind of a pet peeve of mine where people keep pointing out my ranking of The Voyage when I don't rank it that low at all. I think I have it ranked as #30 out of 163 possible woodies on Mitch's list.

 

I actually really do like The Voyage, just not enough to rank it #1.

 

--Robb "Who sustained probably his most painful coaster injury on his #1 woodie!" Alvey

[Divv3k]

^I totally get your feelings on The Voyage and I appreciate that you rank it highly despite the fact it's not one of your "top tier" coasters.

 

The Ultimate is probably a better example of why I try not to let "general consensus" sway my opinion. A lot of UK enthusiasts gave me stick for ranking it really low after one ride in 2006 and part of me felt like I wasn't giving it a fair chance. With that in mind I rode it again this year with an open mind, and whilst it was slightly better than my last ride I still thought it wasn't very good and ranked it accordingly.

 

This is why Mitch's poll is so good, as all of our opinions get heard!

[robbalvey]

Just forget what I said about the whole general consensus thing or taking other feedback into consideration. I'm not sure I'm making my point clear enough and to be quite honest, I not even bothered to explain it futher. It just doesn't matter.

 

I think your opinions and such are just fine. I'm more worried about someone being as injured on a ride during a TPR trip and not knowing about it.

 

Had I known you were as injured as you say I would have made sure you got at least first aid treatment if not further medical attention.

 

--Robb

[thrillerman1]

Whew...there went 3 hours going over my steel ballot (I rank every single one of my 213 steel coasters on the list).

 

Sadly, I had to remove SROS at SFNE from my #1 this year AND from my list because since the transformation to Bizarro I have not ridden it and feel it would probably be a much different experience. I also removed Medusa Bizarro at SFGAdv from my list this year too for the same reason. I'm curious if others have done this too, and if so how it will affect the #1 spot this year.

 

Wood and steel ballots are both submitted!

[robbalvey]

^ Mark, you don't have to remove Bizarro. I don't think the name change really means you have to take it off if you didn't ride it.

 

I know Elissa and I both certainly put them on my list.

 

I don't think people took off X2 from their list if they had only ridden X.

 

The change between these two versions of the ride isn't THAT significant to where your previous ranking would no longer apply. I mean, last time I rode X2 the audio and fire weren't working and it was pretty much the same old X as before, just with a different paint job!

 

--Robb

[Homeboy23]

My wood ballot sent in on the last day:

 

1: Voyage

2: My Favorite Steel

3: Phoenix

4: El Toro

5: Lightning Racer - L

6: Lightning Racer - T

7: The Beast

8: The Legend

9: Wildcat (Hershey)

10: Thunderbolt (Kennywood)

 

I really need to get on Boulder Dash and Thunderhead. Now on to do my steel ballot.

[robbalvey]

Remember that today is the *LAST DAY* to send in a wood ballot. If you need help getting the ballot done or submitting it, see page 1 of this thread!

 

--Robb

[thrillerman1]

Fair enough Robb. I see what you're saying I think. I just feel like for me it would not be fair to rank the revamped SROS with its new trains, fire, sound effects, light "tunnels", and building props since I haven't ridden it with the changes. My opinion of SROS could totally be different now if I had ridden it as Bizarro. I guess I'm just persnickety like that.

[Jew]

Got my wood poll in just in time...

 

Top 10:

 

1.My Favorite Steel

2.T Express

3.Balder

4.El Toro

5.Colossos

6.Thunderhead

7.Tonnerre de Zeus

8.Fireball

9.Thundercoaster

10.Loup Garou

 

Bottom:

 

43.White Canyon

44.Jupiter

45.Texas Giant

46.The Grizzly

47.Gwazi-Lion

48.Gwazi-Tiger

49.Anaconda

50.The Bandit

51.GhostRider

52.The Beast

53.Boardwalk Bullet

[Homeboy23]

Sent in my steel:

 

1. Favorite Wood Coaster

2. Millennium Force

3. Apollos Chariot

4. Montu

5. Diamondback

6. Dueling Dragons Fire

7. Dueling Dragons Ice

8. Manta

9. Griffon

10. Maverick

[xVicesAndVirtues]

Fair enough Robb. I see what you're saying I think. I just feel like for me it would not be fair to rank the revamped SROS with its new trains, fire, sound effects, light "tunnels", and building props since I haven't ridden it with the changes. My opinion of SROS could totally be different now if I had ridden it as Bizarro. I guess I'm just persnickety like that.

 

I hate to be the bomb in the cherry pie here, but that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

 

I could see if it were turned into a super AquaTrax, but no track work/trims/anything was done to SROS to make it Bizarro. It was purely cosmetic, and the new trains were added to replace the aging/restraint modded ones, and to add the audio.

 

The coaster experience is exactly the same, and the overall experience is just more interactive. To take it off your #1 spot because you hadn't rode it this year is like me saying I have to take El Toro off my #1 wood list because it rained every single moment of every single day of the park operating season this year, and I've never been on it in the rain. Even THAT would make it a more different experience than putting a few paper cut outs around it.

[thrillerman1]

That is fine if you think it's dumb. I kinda get what you're saying, and it sounds like you have ridden SROS since the transformation and can say that the ride experience is the same for you. Ok cool. I've heard others say the opposite and that they didn't like it as much. Others have said they like it even more. I think the thing that makes the TPR community so great is all the varying opinions we have, but that we also can respect each other's opinions. I'd just like to reserve continuing to place it at my #1 spot until I've actually experienced the changes. Dumb...maybe? Who knows maybe next year I'll change my mind and rank it.

[themeparkman25]

Sent in my steel ballot! I guess I feel like I haven't ridden enough wood coasters to warrant taking that poll. Soon!

 

1. Manta

2. Goliath (sfog)

3. Favorite wood (Prowler)

4. Maverick

5. Kraken

6. Riddlers

7. SheiKra

8. Incredible Hulk

9. Xcelerator

10. Alpengeist

 

Hopefully I did it right!

[cfc]

Fair enough Robb. I see what you're saying I think. I just feel like for me it would not be fair to rank the revamped SROS with its new trains, fire, sound effects, light "tunnels", and building props since I haven't ridden it with the changes. My opinion of SROS could totally be different now if I had ridden it as Bizarro. I guess I'm just persnickety like that.

 

I hate to be the bomb in the cherry pie here, but that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

 

I could see if it were turned into a super AquaTrax, but no track work/trims/anything was done to SROS to make it Bizarro. It was purely cosmetic, and the new trains were added to replace the aging/restraint modded ones, and to add the audio.

 

The coaster experience is exactly the same, and the overall experience is just more interactive. To take it off your #1 spot because you hadn't rode it this year is like me saying I have to take El Toro off my #1 wood list because it rained every single moment of every single day of the park operating season this year, and I've never been on it in the rain. Even THAT would make it a more different experience than putting a few paper cut outs around it.

 

You know, there are so many other ways you could've phrased this, such as: "I hate to be the bomb in the cherry pie here, but I disagree."

 

You have one opinion, he has another--there's no reason to be insulting.

[larrygator]

XVicesandVirtues - it is fine to be opinionated been as another moderator already stated, no need for any name calling.

 

For example: I don't agree with your rain analogy but I'll call it "flawed" not "dumb".

 

Different trains and retraints can certainly have a different effect on a ride. I'll use the original restraints on S:ROS as an example. Before the accident S:ROS was easily my number 1, but new restraints brought it closer to the pack. Great Nor'easter is a much better coaster with new restraints and I'm sure people are going to rate Voyage's experience differently with the new Timberliners in 2010. Wildcat at Hershey improved with Millennium Flyers.

[robbalvey]

^ Thanks guys for addressing that as I was going to say something as well. I will say this though, XVicesandVirtues, we don't allow TPR members to treat each other in this matter. Read our TOS. This is your only warning. Next time I see something like from you this your account will be banned.

 

--Robb

[BaMiTsPaT]

Sent in mine!

1) Bizarro (SFNE)

2) Apollo's Chariot

3) Favorite wooden coaster (Boulder Dash)

4) Tatsu

5) XCelerator

6) Dueling Dragons - Fire

7) Revenge of the Mummy

8) Montu

9) Dueling Dragons - Ice

10) Griffon

[downunder]

Different times of day seem to have a huge impact on some rides.

 

I rank Ravine Flyer II very highly but my afternoon ride on it was very mediocre but at night - wow; other examples for me were Vortex at CW, and Hades.

 

As far as Voyage goes, I really regret not riding it at night as I possibly would have ranked it much higher, my day rides in 2007 lacked airtime and were brutal at the turnaround plus the the brake going into the tunnel on the way back.

 

I've don't get the mentality where people consider it an affront if you don't like what they like. Though most people who flame people on the net are seldom as brave in real life.

[PKI Jizzman]

Different times of day seem to have a huge impact on some rides.

 

I rank Ravine Flyer II very highly but my afternoon ride on it was very mediocre but at night - wow; other examples for me were Vortex at CW, and Hades.

 

As far as Voyage goes, I really regret not riding it at night as I possibly would have ranked it much higher, my day rides in 2007 were lacked airtime and were brutal at the turnaround plus the the brake going into the tunnel on the way back.

 

I've don't get the mentality where people consider it an affront if you don't like what they like. Though most people who flame people on the net are seldom as brave in real life.

 

Wow what a huge bummer! I was thinking the same, and went back when the park was open later; rides at night were sooo crazy! At night it's very, very dark back in the woods and very hard to tell what's coming next.

 

I usually only ride the Beast at night because that's when I know it's at its best. Total blackout.

 

-JZ

[Skycoastin Steve]

As far as Voyage goes, I really regret not riding it at night as I possibly would have ranked it much higher, my day rides in 2007 were lacked airtime and were brutal at the turnaround plus the the brake going into the tunnel on the way back.

 

 

Yeah in 2007 they really had that MCBR turned on hard. Pretty much brought the train to a standstill before the return run. I know the opening year it wasn't like that, and it surely wasn't like that this year. I think the track work had something to do with it. It certainly makes a difference when you coast through the brakes as opposed to stopping on them.

[PKI Jizzman]

As far as Voyage goes, I really regret not riding it at night as I possibly would have ranked it much higher, my day rides in 2007 were lacked airtime and were brutal at the turnaround plus the the brake going into the tunnel on the way back.

 

 

Yeah in 2007 they really had that MCBR turned on hard. Pretty much brought the train to a standstill before the return run. I know the opening year it wasn't like that, and it surely wasn't like that this year. I think the track work had something to do with it. It certainly makes a difference when you coast through the brakes as opposed to stopping on them.

 

They just needed a ready brake/MCBR for a three train operation. If they only had two trains to run, then they wouldn't need it; just for emergencies. But now with only two trains to run, I doubt those brakes are going to see much action at all!

[robbalvey]

As far as Voyage goes, I really regret not riding it at night as I possibly would have ranked it much higher, my day rides in 2007 lacked airtime and were brutal at the turnaround plus the the brake going into the tunnel on the way back.

You didn't miss anything. At least not IMO. I have been on it during the day, at night, during rain, etc, and I pretty much find it to be very similar anytime you ride it - uncomfortable.

 

I don't agree with everyone that this ride runs OMFG CRAAAAZZZZYYYY at night. I think they are just saying that for bragging rights because there are very few times during the year you can actually ride The Voyage at night so it's more of a "Oh, man, too bad you missed out on night rides...because you know, unless you've ridden The Voyage at night, you've never ridden The Voyage."

 

Whatever. It's the same ride. I don't see what all the fuss is.

 

I actually found my night rides to be even more uncomfortable than my day rides.

 

It may have *seemed* a bit faster at night because it's at night and your sense of vision isn't as good, but I really didn't find much overall difference.

 

Last time we were there I took my one night ride and that solidified my feelings that I should be over at The Raven instead.

 

--Robb

[downunder]

As far as Voyage goes, I really regret not riding it at night as I possibly would have ranked it much higher, my day rides in 2007 lacked airtime and were brutal at the turnaround plus the the brake going into the tunnel on the way back.

You didn't miss anything. At least not IMO. I have been on it during the day, at night, during rain, etc, and I pretty much find it to be very similar anytime you ride it - uncomfortable.

 

Last time we were there I took my one night ride and that solidified my feelings that I should be over at The Raven instead.

 

--Robb

 

I hear you, I preferred Raven as well, it's short but it flies.

 

The Voyage has a great, epic layout but it didn't do much for me when I rode it. I gave it a good go as well, 11 rides during the day mainly front and back rows with some middle as well. But my take on the Voyage is purely subjective, I can only rank it based on my experience and likes in a coaster.

 

How I rank my coasters is I just ask myself out of two coasters - which one would I rather ride and work my way through my list that way, prior to this I sort the coasters into broad quality bands. I don't get any dead heats and sure there's some rides I really liked that not too many people do like the Flight of Fear coasters. I'm also not too fussed with flyers and stand ups, so they don't get much love from me.

[Erik Johnson]

For me, Voyage was running a lot better this year than it did when I rode it in 2007. We rode it opening weekend and yes, it did rain a lot the night before. The coaster shot up about 25 places in my listing. Heck, Our rides on The Legend were also very good. Even with that said, Raven is still my favorite coaster in the park.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I still don't think that Voyage was all that uncomfortable, but it's obviously all personal preference. I just love its unrelenting speed and aggressiveness. To me, that's what a coaster should be. I'm not as much into the airtime as everyone else seems to be. Sure, I love flying out of my seat as much as the next person, but I tend to go for the more out of control rides, which is probably why Voyage is far and away my #1. Should be very, very interesting to see what kind of dynamic these new trains add (or possibly subract) from the ride.