What is your favorite launch coaster?

[Tomes1225]

I've been on Maverick, TTD, Wicked Twister, Xcelerator, Montezooma's Revenge, California Screamin', The Incredible Hulk, Rock'n Roller Coaster (DHS).

 

Maverick is my overall favorite, it packs in so many different elements and is just a great ride.

 

The Hulk is my second favorite. The first time I rode it I was barely tall enough to get on and I was not expecting the launch. Such a fun ride, it is still my favorite B&M.

 

Xcelerator probably has the most intense launch out of any coaster I've been on.

[thrillseeker4552]

Let me see. I have ridden 7 launch coasters (Xcelerator, Monty, Pony Express, Superman: EFK, Top Thrill Dragster, Wicked Twister, and Maverick) and I would have to say Maverick. It has everything a thrill seeker would want: a beyond-vertical drop, phenomenal airtime hills, inversions, a launch, and TWISTIES! Not to mention it is my 2nd favorite coaster. A very, very, very close second to Millennium.

[odene497]

I think a launch is one of my favorite things a coaster can have. Xcelerator is definitely up there for the Intamin hydraulic launches. I like Maverick's launch too.

 

Probably my favorite launch as of now is on the new S&S, Bullet Coaster at Happy Valley Shenzhen. That was pretty strong. I've yet to ride one of the old school S&S compressed air launch coasters, I'd really like to try Dodonpa.

[DanThorpe]

hmm lets think heres the ones ive done.

 

Cheetah-Hunt

Rita

Rock'n'Rollercoaster Paris and FL

Space Mountain Mission 2

Hulk

Revenge of The Mummy FL and LA

Speed the Ride

Superman-The Escape

Xcelerator

 

Right i think thats all of them..I would have to say my favorite was Xcelerator.

[Nrthwnd]

Since I rode Formule X (page 13) several years ago,

I have had the good fortune to ride many, many

varied and interesting launch coasters since that time,

with TPR as my guide, thanks R&E!

 

But for myself - it's now become what a launched coaster

"launches" towards or through/into, etc.

 

There are already a lot of launched coasters with top hats,

tall hills etc. But now I like the way a new one has been done...

 

Grizzly Gulch Runaway Mine Cars at Hong Kong Disneyland!

 

This coaster not only has a launch in it, but the launch isn't at the

beginning of the ride. Now several other parks' coasters have put

the same thing (delayed launch) into their layouts - but Disney has

come up (as Disney does brilliantly)with a really cool way to do it.

Robb's POV in the HKDL thread shows it, so No Spoilers HERE.

 

I loved the launch. And it literally puts the whole coaster into

"thrill mode" and everybody's screaming and hooting all the

way back to the station, lol!

 

The reverse part is the unique part of GG. But the launch and

the rest of it kicks it up to the next level of awesomeness!

This is the fun part of GG Mine Cars....

But this is The Great Part, woo hoo!

[coasterbill]

I've ridden Dragster and Kingda Ka and I guess I'm one of the few that prefers Kingda Ka. It's awesome in the front. Honorable mention goes to Flight of Fear (either of them) that's a really cool coaster.

 

As far as the launch itself, Hypersonic was unreal... but the rest of the ride sucked.

[cal1br3tto]

How about a top 20? That's really more than 20 because I grouped some of the clones together? Okay then!

 

01. Maverick

02. Top Thrill Dragster

03. Flight of Fears

04. Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast (SFOT)

05. California Screamin'

06. Powder Keg

07. Mr. Freeze (SFStL)

08. Storm Runner

09. Volcano, The Blast Coaster

10. Poltergeist and Joker's Jinx

11. Cheetah Hunt

12. Superman Ultimate Flight (SFDK)

13. Kingda Ka

14. The Incredible Hulk Coaster

15. Verbolten

16. Sky Rocket

17. Montezooma's Revenge

18. Sidewinder (Elitch Gardens)

19. Wicked Twister, V2, Steel Venom

20. Revenge of the Mummy

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

Best launch:

 

Best overall ride:

[Double0Kevin]

I'm just going to rank every launch coaster I've been on.

 

01. Maverick

02. Xcelerator

03. Top Thrill Dragster

04. California Screamin'

05. Speed: The Ride

06. Joker's Jinx

07. Cheetah Hunt

08. Rock n' Roller Coaster (DHS)

09. Superman Ultimate Flight (SFDK)

10. Flight of Fears

11. V2: Vertical Velocity (SFDK)

12. The Incredible Hulk

13. Revenge of the Mummy (USF)

14. Vertical Velocity (SFGAm)

15. Revenge of the Mummy (USH)

16. Superman: The Escape (Haven't been on EFK yet).

17. Montezooma's Revenge

18. Wicked Twister

19. Tidal Wave/Greased Lightning (CGA)

20. Backlot Stunt Coasters

21. Pony Express

[JJLehto]

In terms of just the actual launch...my best was Hypersonic XLC at Kings Dominion. 0-80 in 1.8 seconds, never felt anything so intense since.

It didn't have that take off and accelerate feel, it was just a BOOM and you're at top speed feel.

 

TTD/KK is great too in the other way, nice to feel yourself going faster and faster until you're at "oh god shouldnt be going this fast"

Also KK front row gave me cheek flapping

 

As for best actual launched coaster hmmm...Maverick.

Best "pure" launch coaster: Storm Runner

[CorkscrewFoley]

Possessed-Dorney

Backlot Stunt Coaster-Canada's Wonderland...I had no idea the launch would be as forceful as it was...

[Musketeer]

By far the best launch coaster I've ridden is Xcelerator at Knott's. I never get tired of it! It's really quite impressive and intimidating to watch this train full of people go from sitting still in the station to moving 80mph in such a short distance.

[Coaster_Fanatic]

Kingda Ka ROCKS! It's launch is insane, and it was one of the only times that I had actually screamed like a girl on a coaster before.

[CpBluestreakCp]

For the best overall coaster with a launch, my vote goes for Maverick. It has everything from a launch, airtime, inversions, etc.

 

Other than that, I also really enjoyed Top Thrill Dragster's launch and Rock 'N' Roller Coaster's launch as well. I went on Rock 'N' Roller coaster at a young age, I think it was my first launched coaster. It took my breath away and the overall ride in the dark was fun.

[ScottyVizz]

I've only been on a handful..but as far as my first impression, it would have to be Stormrunner...such an underdog! As far as the most underwhelming, it would have to be Super: The Escape (Backwards).

[ajfelice]

Volcano: The Blast Coaster gets my vote. I can't get enough of that rolling launch into an intense banked turn. The final drop back into the volcano is very good as well.

 

In second comes the Flight of Fear clones. The darkness and the noise of the LIMs really intensify the experience.

[scbt]

For me, it's Storm Runner. The launch is pretty strong and the rest of the ride is really good.

 

[RCT3Bross]

Blue fire it is. Currently my favorite coaster I've ridden. The launch totally surprised me unlike any other launched coaster I done.

[smallpox]

In terms of just the actual launch...my best was Hypersonic XLC at Kings Dominion. 0-80 in 1.8 seconds, never felt anything so intense since.

It didn't have that take off and accelerate feel, it was just a BOOM and you're at top speed feel.

 

yeah, it was more like an explosion than a launch. so much more intense than the launches of FoF, TTD, or Volcano. it's too bad the rest of the ride was just awful, and the capacity was so low. that technology had potential.

[Angry_Gumball]

My current favorite launched coaster:

 

Why? It has an amazing mix of positive G's, intense ejector air, and an inversion 150 feet up with only a lapbar holding you in. It's a great, compact, very well rounded coaster that packs a lot in its short length!

[Rai Fox]

I still love Flight of Fear at KD, especially since they replaced the horribly painful OTSRs with lap bars. It's not the best launch ever, but it's a great coaster, so twisted and disorienting in the dark.

[DCA_Chris]

I'm trying my hardest not to be biased, but California Screaming really just has it all.

 

Launch + Lift + Airtime + Soundtrack + The most beautiful surroundings make it add up to be my current favorite launched. Pop some lapbars on it and you've got a perfect ride.

[_IntaMAN_]

For best overall launch I would have to say Xcelerator, that baby packs a punch. Maverick comes in second for best overall launch coaster, with California Screamin' and Superman: Ultimate Flight (SFDK) coming up right behind them.

[brockboehm]

I've been on four: First launched coaster I rode was Joker's Jinx at Six Flags America (lots of head banging) when I was 7, then Incredible Hulk when I was about 8 or 9 (and a couple trips after that), Storm Runner when I was 16, and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster every time I visit Hollywood Studios. For me it would have to be Incredible Hulk, because of the memory I had first riding, and the overall experience.

 

My uncle moved to Orlando in 1999 or so, and my family went to visit him and to visit ALL the Florida theme parks the following summer (with the exception of Sea World). I remember on the way in to Orlando passing Islands of Adventure on the main highway and seeing Hulk for the first time, launching the trains up out of the cannon into the barrel roll. It looked really intimidating to me at the time, and I was really afraid to ride it. Once we got to my uncles apartment, he introduced me to his girlfriend and I asked them if they had been on it yet because it looked really scary. They told me they had ridden it and it was nothing, that I would want to ride it again and again after I rode it once and told me it would be the first park of the trip and we would be going the next morning.

 

We got to the park early the next day, and if I'm correct waited at least an hour for it that day. It was amazing to see the themed queue, and every now and then see a train whizzing by overhead through a hole in the building. My adrenaline and anxiousness to get on was building up seeing this, and spiraling up to the top loading platform, we eventually made it onto the last row of a train. I'll never forget the first time experiencing the launch, it was incredible! The panic of the scientist over the speakers made it even more intense. Needlesstosay I made it back wanting more, and it helped spark my insane passion for roller coasters.

 

Here's the onride photo (I'm the little blonde guy in the back):

[ThanksforRiding]

The Chiller had the best launch I've ever experienced. It was the perfect speed, accelerated intensely yet smoothly and offered some cool elements to ride through.