Amercia's 5 Scariest Roller Coasters

[christianscoasters]

Went to yahoo.com and found this as the first story.

 

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/unplugged/america-5-scariest-roller-coasters-175426570.html

 

To some, any roller coaster is a scary roller coaster. But to the brave at heart, the faster they come, the bigger they smile.

Does that sound like you? Do you laugh in the face of 300-foot drops, four Gs of acceleration, or top speeds north of 100 miles per hour? If so, then you might want to plan a road trip to check out this collection of America's biggest, fastest, tallest, and all-out craziest coasters.

 

Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ

Towering over the New Jersey landscape, Kingda Ka is the world's tallest roller coaster -- and when it opened in 2004, it was the world's fastest, too. The jungle-themed ride uses a hydraulic mechanism to rocket riders to speeds in excess of a hair-raising 130 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds. If that's enough to make your stomach churn, look away now: next up for Kingda Ka's intrepid riders is a 456-foot, near-vertical, twisting climb…and a corresponding plummet down the far side. The fun's all over in under half a minute, but trust us, it feels like forever.

 

El Toro, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ

Once you've recovered from Kingda Ka, simply turn around and stare your next challenge in its rickety wooden eyes — the terrifying El Toro is right next door. Whereas Kingda Ka is all glossy steel, high-tech and gleaming, El Toro is built out of old bits of dead tree. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course: some of history's greatest rollercoasters are made of wood. Most of them, however, are smaller, slower, and a fair share mellower than this rocking, rollicking beast. El Toro's towering 188-foot crest makes it the third tallest wooden roller coaster in the world.

 

Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion, Doswell, VA

Named in memory of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, the Intimidator doesn't quite reach the pace of a NASCAR race, but with a top speed of around 90 mph, it's not too far off. It boasts no fewer than five hills so sharp you'll be weightless as you hurtle over them -- one, indeed, had to be toned down last year after riders complained it was causing them to lose consciousness. Completed in 2010 at a total cost of around $25 million, its 300-foot drop is one of the largest in the world.

 

Big Shot, Stratosphere Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

On paper, Big Shot isn't all that impressive in this company. With a top speed of about 45 mph, it's not particularly fast, and its simple up-and-down path covers a modest 160 vertical feet. But as your friendly neighborhood realtor will tell you, location is everything -- and the Big Shot happens to be perched atop the tallest structure in Las Vegas, the hundred-storey Stratosphere hotel. So while you're being slung up its steel track at an acceleration of over four Gs, your feet are dangling in mid-air above the immeasurable glitz and glamor of the Strip. Over one thousand feet above it, to be exact. Gulp. Word to the wise: save your visit to Stratosphere's extensive dining facilities for after the ride.

 

Superman: Krypton Coaster, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio, TX

You don't need to be the Man of Steel to ride this coaster. Nerves of steel would not go amiss, however. Appropriately, it's a floorless ride, slinging you over 50 yards into the skies over Texas, with your legs dangling merrily in the breeze. Along the way you'll take in no fewer than six inversions, not to mention a turn around the world's largest complete vertical loop. And although its 70 mph top speed is not quite faster than a speeding bullet, you'll find it's plenty fast enough.

 

*Sigh*

1) OMG KINGDA KA IT'S LIKE THE BEST EVAR CUZ IT GOES SO HIGH IT'S BETTER THAN DRAGSTER. It also does not go "in excess" of 130 mph.

2) 1305 does not have 5 drops. Riders did not "lose consciousness" routinely, but black/grayed out.

3) Big shot isn't even a coaster

4) Really? SKC? I mean, it's fun, but what makes it so much scarier than other coasters? Seriously? NOTHING from Cedar Point?

[OCJ48]

If they absolutely had to have something floorless on the list, why not Griffon? It DOES hang you over a 205' vertical drop, after all. Clearly, the person who made the list did something like google "scariest roller coaster" and just jot down the first 5 results.

[MisterP]

Don't be such a coaster nerd-snob.

 

It doesn't matter what people who RODE them think about them.

 

They're 5 coasters that your average rollercoaster-chicken would just LOOK at and say "F&^% NO! I ain't goin' on THAT!!!"

 

Its an article for the UNinitiated. Not the people who ride 200 roller coasters a year.

 

Sheesh.

 

But feel free to down upon look at the "unenlightened"...

[XYZ]

Don't be such a coaster nerd-snob.

 

It doesn't matter what people who RODE them think about them.

 

They're 5 coasters that your average rollercoaster-chicken would just LOOK at and say "F&^% NO! I ain't goin' on THAT!!!"

 

Its an article for the UNinitiated. Not the people who ride 200 roller coasters a year.

 

Sheesh.

 

But feel free to down upon look at the "unenlightened"...

 

If you're making an article about anything, you have to put some intellegence into it. Honestly, scariest coasters isn't that great of an article, having something like most thrilling coasters is better. Yes, the GP do read it, but you have to give them correct information.

[ernierocker]

Don't be such a coaster nerd-snob.

 

It doesn't matter what people who RODE them think about them.

 

They're 5 coasters that your average rollercoaster-chicken would just LOOK at and say "F&^% NO! I ain't goin' on THAT!!!"

 

Its an article for the UNinitiated. Not the people who ride 200 roller coasters a year.

 

Sheesh.

 

But feel free to down upon look at the "unenlightened"...

 

Actually, it isn't five coasters. The article that is entitled 'Five Scariest Coasters" included a ride that isn't even a freaking coaster.

 

And seriously, there is an entire thread on here that makes fun of how stupid the "GP" is and you are getting all snippy because the OP is making fun of a horriblly written and ill-conceived article???

[christianscoasters]

The issue isn't really a matter of their opinions, it IS about the article, mainly. I don't care what someone's opinion is, hell, the scariest ride I've ever been on was X at SFMM (Before X2) and I'm sure many people don't feel the same way about it as I do. I respect opinions, but this article sucked. Look at all of the comments on the original article; Even the GP doesn't agree with most of it...

[MrSum1_55]

Actually, Kingda Ka appears on many lists as the "best coaster in the world". I really wonder if any of the people compiling these lists have ever actually ridden Kingda Ka. Personally, the rides that scare me the most are Phoenix and Jack Rabbit (have not ridden Cyclops yet), but none of these have very impressive statistics. Really, people want stats, and the people composing these articles are GP writing for a GP audience. It is still pretty shameful that they probably just did a quick search on RCDB to find 4 of those 5 entries.

 

However, one article that I find to be just horrendously ranked I have linked to below. I am not sure if this has been linked on TPR already, but this article ranked Goudrix #49, ranked Mean Streak above Balder, T Express, and Boulder Dash, and ranked Kingda Ka as #1. These are only a few of the major flaws I found in the list.

 

www.complex.com/rides/2011/06/the-worlds-50-best-roller-coasters/

Edited April 27, 2012 by MrSum1_55

[Reuschini]

Kingda Ka is better than Dragster because it goes faster, higher, and has a speed hill.

[Tanks4me05]

Just as an FYI, most of Yahoo's news articles are very poorly written. The only reason I still go there is because I don't want to go through the hassle of changing my email address and having to notify all the websites that I go to, and all the people that have my contact information.

[bottom_feeder_13]

Actually, Kingda Ka appears on many lists as the "best coaster in the world". I really wonder if any of the people compiling these lists have ever actually ridden Kingda Ka. Personally, the rides that scare me the most are Phoenix and Jack Rabbit (have not ridden Cyclops yet), but none of these have very impressive statistics. Really, people want stats, and the people composing these articles are GP writing for a GP audience. It is still pretty shameful that they probably just did a quick search on RCDB to find 4 of those 5 entries.

 

However, one article that I find to be just horrendously ranked I have linked to below. I am not sure if this has been linked on TPR already, but this article ranked Goudrix #49, ranked Mean Streak above Balder, T Express, and Boulder Dash, and ranked Kingda Ka as #1. These are only a few of the major flaws I found in the list.

 

www.complex.com/rides/2011/06/the-worlds-50-best-roller-coasters/

Their pic for T-Express is actually Fireball at Happy Valley somewhere.

[australianalex]

Didn't Kingda Ka open in 2005?

Also, if they want truly scary rides they need to go to the small parks in China.

Edited April 27, 2012 by australianalex

[jzoole]

I'm not bothered by silly "articles" like these. Obviously whoever wrote the article is not going to be very coaster-savvy, or pick the coasters that enthusiasts would label as the "scariest". But I actually appreciate seeing news fluff like this, because it's basically free advertising for the parks/rides mentioned, and really just the amusement park industry in general. Anything that gets more people through the gates and helps park profits to go up, and therefore invest in new rides, is a plus in my book. And by the way, I think it's a little silly to criticize this piece for not being factual or well-researched enough. It's not exactly intended to be hardhitting news. It's just a piece of fluff that flashes by on the yahoo homepage for casual reading.

 

Anyway, I have to agree with him about the Big Shot for sure, and I'd say I experienced some jitters sitting on Kingda Ka waiting for that crazy launch. But other than that, the rides I find the scariest are those small carnival ferris wheels. Yikes!

[Double0Kevin]

There is only one thing about this article that I applaud and truly agree with down to my very core. That thing is the omission of Cedar Point (Fan boys attack in 3..2..1). I love that park and it's rides. They are thrilling and fun and some are the best there is, but none are particularly "scary."

 

I agree with their selection of Intimidator 305. It's scary to look at and it backs that up by being damn intense (even if people want to cry about the trims). I think X2 could have been on there. As much as I hate SFMM and could care less about X2, it's pretty frightening for the GP. One of the Dive Machines would have been good too. After that I don't know. I don't find many coaster "scary."

[Rollercoaster Rider]

Let's Ignore the wrong facts. Let's talk how they consider Big Shot a coaster? How does that work? I can raise my count then.

[rcdude]

I generally don't pay attention to these types of articles, but it does annoy me a bit when they label a non-coaster ride as a coaster. Either call it "America's 5 Scariest Thrill Rides" or omit Big Shot.

 

As far as the selection goes, scary is subjective and the author may have been going for a broad range of types or just selecting the most impressive statictics. The rides may not be the top five most scary, but most people who read the article have probably been on less than 50 coasters. When I took my sister and her friends (all high school students who have only been to the So Cal parks) to Knott's last month for her birthday, a couple of them were too scared to ride Montezooma's Revenge, and I don't know many enthusiasts who consider that ride scary. If I showed them a picture of a coaster like Xcelerator but twice as tall, they'd probably reply, "No way are you getting me on that!" Personally, I've been on three of the five attractions listed, and while I don't find any of them scary, most of my non-enthusiast friends would take one look and decide not to ride.

 

In short, for the right person these could be the scariest coasters. For someone else, they might be completely unintimidating. Either way, this is a random internet article written by someone who has probably never even seen or been on these coasters, and to most enthusiasts it seems like a poor list. However, it wasn't written for enthusiasts in the first place.

[the ghost]

Yeah... don't like lists like this at all. Fear is VERY subjective. I will ride any ride for the most part besides maybe a SCAD tower... which I also may ride after a bit of self convincing. Measuring a coaster based on height is also dumb to me because in my opinion certain elements of coasters are what add to intensity. For example, X isn't scary because it is very tall, it is scary because it is kinda tall and you take the first drop upside down. However I also agree that as enthusiasts we probably don't get the feel of fear so maybe we can't really say what is scary for the average person. Height does scare some people and is enough to turn them off... same goes with speed... so maybe that is the "scariest" coaster in the world... I don't know. My personal benchmark for "fear" is forcefulness because I appreciate a forceful coaster, but I also know I have to ride Batman a bot more defensively that something like Scream. Another benchmark is roughness... for example on Viper and Revolution I put my head in a specific place to avoid potential pain. Point is everyone has criteria on what makes a ride "scary."

[Kafka]

I agree that fear is really subjective. Tall coasters do not scare me at all, but drop towers terrify me.

 

If we made a list of rollercoasters that terrify us, whats the likelihood they would all be in China

[larrygator]

I'm not bothered by silly "articles" like these.

 

 

I'm not bothered by these silly articles.

 

I'm bothered by enthusiasts making comments about these articles.

[jynx242]

^

[caffeine_demon]

on the wicked twister page:

 

This is one of those suspended coasters, where you're dangling from the track instead of having the security of gravity.

 

 

and the three pics for bizarro

http://www.complex.com/rides/2011/06/the-worlds-50-best-roller-coasters/bizarro

 

are all of completely different coasters!!!

[willh51]

Fear is definitely very subjective. For me, Deja Vu at SFOG scared the crap out of me on those spikes. It's a combination of the angle, the manufacturer and the oddly loose restraints. I image X2 would have much the same effect on me, at least for the first ride. Other than that, I am more fearful of rough/crappy rides than anything like Kingda Ka.

[MrSum1_55]

To me, Kingda Ka is to Dragster as Dinosaur! is to Indiana Jones. The people who have only ridden the first in each group have no idea how much better the second in each group is. Dragster is a very fun ride that is simply very enjoyable. It has one of the best views of any coaster, a forceful launch, is very smooth, and a nice pop of airtime in the back seat. Kingda Ka is very rough, has little no airtime on the top hat, has OTSR's, and the view is a parking lot. To me, the best part of the ride on Kingda Ka is the speed hill toward the front of the train; you can get a descent pop of airtime over it. After hitting the brakes, I had pretty much decided before even arriving at the station that it was the worst of the four American accelerators. (It was the last of the four I rode). I rode once, and, even with a Platinum Flashpass, I had no desire to ride again. I did not even stay on for another ride; one ride gave me enough of a headache!

 

Oh, who am I kidding? Probably 99.99999% of all people on this thread probably had the same experience I did, or rode Dragster next and realized how much better it was. Welcome to America, where the thrill of a ride is based on statistics, and not how the actual experience is. I might even prefer riding S:UF over Kingda Ka.

[BaMiTsPaT]

For me, Deja Vu at SFOG scared the crap out of me on those spikes. It's a combination of the angle, the manufacturer and the oddly loose restraints.

 

Vekoma: The more of them you ride, the more fearful you are!

[mike_kelly]

Explain tio me how Tatsu didn't make this list. Think about the distance to the ground on a ride where you are actually laying on the restraint system.