The Golden Ticket Awards

[Nrthwnd]

Some parks are not worth showing favortism to - even if they are right in your own back yard.

 

In my humble opinion.

 

And I am living near a home park, I wouldn't even consider voting much about.

 

Sorry Playland.

 

Except the wood coaster.

[jynx242]

^^ and ^

Agreed. My homepark is SFoG. I love that park and have been going there for decades (even worked there for 2 years.) Would I vote it Best? Nope. Any of the coasters the best? Nope. I'm happy that Goliath showed in the top 10, but I know I've ridden better steel coasters.

 

You know...I'm kind of irritated that Mindbender at SFoG didn't rank highly. IMHO it beats the crap out of a lot of coasters on that list

[eltorobaby]

Sky Rocket at 17? WTF????

[texcoaster]

Slowest Loading Coaster - Georgia Scorcher!!!

No way.

X-Coaster at Magic Springs. One train (duh) and 16 riders per circuit. Here's the process:

 

Teen girl opens the main queue and lets 16 people into the seat queues. She closes the main queue and saunters over to her station box. She signals Teen Girl 2 to open the gates to the train. Gates open, people step through the train to put their stuff in the cubbies. People return to seats.

Teen Girl 1 and Teen Girl 2 then begin the restraint process. Each takes a front seat rider and moves the lap bar over, then snaps the seat belt. Then they check that everything locked. Good? Good. Now, let's ask the riders if it's their first ride on it, where they got that cute outfit, OMG shoes!, etc. Both girls move to the second row and repeat the process. If the people in the seats are uninteresting, or if they talked to them already on previous rides, then the girls talk to each other. A lot. This goes on for eight rows of seats.

Once the train is checked, the girls (still gossiping and talking to each other) return to their respective boxes. TG2 gets behind the controls and checks for green lights. To do this, she must cup her hand over each one to see if it's lit since the sun is directly on the panel. Then she takes a clipboard, checks something on the second page, nods to TG1. TG1 gives a thumbs-up, TG2 returns it, and off we go.

When the ride is over, less than a minute later, everyone exits the car... and waits at the exit ramp for TG2 to get her key and unlock the padlock(!) on the exit gate. TG1 joins her at the gate so they can talk some more as people exit. TG2 then re-locks the gate, the girls finish whatever conversation they had started while people exited, and then (and ONLY then) does TG1 cross the tracks. TG2 opens the gates between the queue and the train, TG1 steps through, and the gates close again. TG1 then returns to the main queue to unlock it and start the process over again.

 

Time between dispatches? At least 10 minutes. Sometimes 12.

At 10 minutes per dispatch (I'm speeding them up to make easier numbers), 15 people per train (there was always at least one single rider on EVERY train, no attempt to pair them up), that's a whopping 90 pph throughput.

 

Good thing it wasn't crowded.

[Brashnir]

Sky Rocket at 17? WTF????

 

Do you think it should be lower?

[ParkTrips]

The poll itself encourges this to happen by providing a list of the same "nominees" year after year.

yeah, by doing that, they are basically guaranteeing one of the 8 or so choices will win

 

Come on now, if you were voting, you wouldn't show favoritism towards your home park?

I only have 1 coaster from my home park in either top 10, and it isn't deserving of any other award (other than maybe hottest blacktop). I do sometimes wonder if I over-valued Dollywood by voting for it in multiple categories (best food, best shows, friendliest staff, and this year's best park train ride)

 

You know...I'm kind of irritated that Mindbender at SFoG didn't rank highly. IMHO it beats the crap out of a lot of coasters on that list

I'm doing my part - I've voted it my favorite steel in pretty much every coaster poll I've done in the past five years!

[robbalvey]

Come on now, if you were voting, you wouldn't show favoritism towards your home park?

Absolutely not. Unless, based on my travels and experiences, I really, honestly thought something at the home park was just deserved.

 

--Robb "Don't think I voted for anything in So Cal!" Alvey

[ParkTrips]

I'd be inclined to vote for SFMM's GCI just for the simple fact that it killed Psyclone

[dammie16@vt.edu]

This entire poll is legitamized by the fact that Noah's Ark won.

 

I freaking love that attraction!

 

But yeh really this is just something parks use to put on a sign to make guests fel special for riding it, heck Maverick still has the 2007 one posted all over!

[deguy123]

Everyone is going to have different opinions on what should be #1 on these lists. I mean IMO I agree with the top steel because I have been on it before but don't have a high coaster count (only 99). I agree with the food prices at Knoebles but that park is cheap all around, I mean games are still only $1!

[rollin_n_coastin]

This entire poll is legitamized by the fact that Noah's Ark won.

 

I freaking love that attraction!

 

Hence why this poll isn't really legitimized. Nothing in the USA should be number one in that category based on what's out there in the world. But it sure is sort of close to the top!

[jynx242]

You know...I'm kind of irritated that Mindbender at SFoG didn't rank highly. IMHO it beats the crap out of a lot of coasters on that list

I'm doing my part - I've voted it my favorite steel in pretty much every coaster poll I've done in the past five years!

 

Same!

[cfc]

^Mindbender is definitely in my top ten--best ride at SFOG.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I don't know why, but I've never been a huge fan of Schwarzkopfs. I mean I like them and I like riding them, but I usually don't go out of my way to reride them a ton of times. Maybe I'm just a wimp when it comes to having like 23 g's on a coaster.

[imawesome1124]

I really am suprised that I305 didn't rank in the top ten, it is the best coaster I have been on and probably ever will be on. I think it deserved AT LEAST the top ten, if not top five or top three.

[redfoot12]

I really am suprised that I305 didn't rank in the top ten, it is the best coaster I have been on and probably ever will be on. I think it deserved AT LEAST the top ten, if not top five or top three.

 

It'll probably creep into the top 10 one of these days.

I'm not going to argue with best coaster you've been on but to say it's the best you "ever will be on" tells me that you don't plan to travel much or that you don't expect to see live past the age of 15.

[kennywood_racer]

Well, I guess having Kennywood in my back yard is a plus for me LOL. In my opinion I am spoiled by Kw. I have THE smothest woodies in the world, THE best ejector air in the world on the Phantom, and being within a few hours of CP, DP, CW, KI, KD, BGW, and DL in a days drive dosn't hurt ether.

[themeparkman25]

delete

Edited January 20, 2011 by themeparkman25

[willh51]

I really am suprised that I305 didn't rank in the top ten, it is the best coaster I have been on and probably ever will be on. I think it deserved AT LEAST the top ten, if not top five or top three.

 

I'd say it probably would have but a certain sector of the population probably didn't vote for it after its adjustments.

[cfc]

It'll probably creep into the top 10 one of these days.

 

I respectfully disagree. I don't think i305 will ever get too high on a top coaster list while it has its trims. Do I think it is a top 10 coaster? Absolutely. Do I think the trims have "ruined" it (from a actual stand point and from a whiny coaster enthusiast stand point)? Absolutely. It is a great ride, but it will never live up to its potential, and for that reason alone, I doubt it will peak a top 10.

 

 

Jordan "Funny argument, it is my 6th" Darrington

 

The trims have "ruined" I-305, yet you rank it sixth overall? Yes, that's a strange argument, indeed.

Edited September 16, 2010 by cfc

[Skycoastin Steve]

I have THE smothest woodies in the world, THE best ejector air in the world on the Phantom

Kinda debatable there.

[FeelTheFORCE]

I have THE smothest woodies in the world, THE best ejector air in the world on the Phantom

Kinda debatable there.

 

 

Yeah, I agree. I got more airtime towards the back of Conneaut's Blue Streak over the first drop than I have ever experienced on Phantom. And that's only Blue Streak! I think coasters like El Toro speak for themselves. Not to mention, while it is fixed this year, the past 5 years or so, Thunderbolt has been EXTREMELY rough. So painfully rough I could only ride it once or twice per visit.

[themeparkman25]

delete

Edited January 20, 2011 by themeparkman25

[imawesome1124]

I really am suprised that I305 didn't rank in the top ten, it is the best coaster I have been on and probably ever will be on. I think it deserved AT LEAST the top ten, if not top five or top three.

 

It'll probably creep into the top 10 one of these days.

I'm not going to argue with best coaster you've been on but to say it's the best you "ever will be on" tells me that you don't plan to travel much or that you don't expect to see live past the age of 15.

 

 

I think it may have been a stretch, but I am also biased because I have been going to King's Dominion since I was basically an infant so that may be one reaon why I said that. Also I don't really see Millenium Force beating it but I won't know for sure until I ride it. Also I don't plan on riding SROS/Bizarro because my family doesn't travel much. And I highly doubt I'll ever ride Geforce. Still it definately is my favorite by a mile and who knows, maybe I will ride a new number one.

[redfoot12]

^I was more thinking about rides to be built in the future. Think of how coaster technology could expand over the next 50 years. Think of all the possible coasters there could exist in the future that will put today's greats to shame.