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| The Beast at King's Island |
I'm a huge roller coaster fan and would love to visit every major theme park in the U.S., if I had the resources to do so.
I keep a ranking of my favorites. Each has a ranking on a 5 point scale in parenthesis after the name. This isn't an exhaustive list of every coaster that I've rode, only my favorites and some others I've chosen to mention.
#1 The Beast (5.0), King's Island - It's tops on my list for a two reasons chief of which is nostalgia as it opened in 1979 and it is still a top thrill coaster even by today's standards. The second reason, it's an amazing ride at night.
This is a classic wooden coaster that has it all: two hills (135 ft & 141 ft drops), 3 dark tunnels, speed (nearly 70 mph), 540 degree helix turn at the end and it's 4:50 minutes long which is a nice bonus. Part of what makes this ride so great is that it's nestled in wooden terrain which makes it extra cool to ride at night! In fact if not for the awesome night ride experience it probably would not rank #1. Click here to see a video from the front seat.
It opened April 14, 1979.
This is a classic wooden coaster that has it all: two hills (135 ft & 141 ft drops), 3 dark tunnels, speed (nearly 70 mph), 540 degree helix turn at the end and it's 4:50 minutes long which is a nice bonus. Part of what makes this ride so great is that it's nestled in wooden terrain which makes it extra cool to ride at night! In fact if not for the awesome night ride experience it probably would not rank #1. Click here to see a video from the front seat.
It opened April 14, 1979.
The Beast is a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. When it opened in 1979, it was the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world. The Beast is still the longest wooden coaster in the world and the longest roller coaster in the US. It spans more than 35 acres utilizing the surrounding terrain for many of its elements. It also features a lengthy ride time that lasts more than four minutes.
The Beast has been consistently rated one of the top roller coasters in the world since its debut, having earned a solid reputation among roller coaster enthusiasts. After more than 30 years, it remains one of the most popular attractions at Kings Island and has accommodated over 45 million riders – third-most at the park.
| Height | 110 ft (34 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 141 ft (43 m) |
| Length | 7,359 ft (2,243 m) |
| Speed | 64.78 mph (104.25 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 4:10 |
#2 Banshee (4.99), King's Island - The World’s Longest Inverted Roller Coaster, with 4,124.1 feet of track and seven mind-bending inversions at speeds up to 68 miles per hour! The ride layout is specially designed for Kings Island. Elements include Curved Drop, Dive Loop, Looping interacting with the lift, Zero-G-Roll, Batwing, Outside Loop, Spiral, In-Line-Roll, and Carousel. The ride is 2:40 long and opened April 18, 2014.
I'm a sucker for inverted roller coasters and if you build one that is the longest with new elements, you're sure to crack near the top of my list and this one does it at #2. An amazing ride that is smooth and a ton of fun. This is how coasters should be built! Kudos King's Island!
| Height | 167 ft (51 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 150 ft (46 m) |
| Length | 4,124 ft (1,257 m) |
| Speed | 68 mph (109 km/h) |
| Inversions | 7 |
| Duration | 2:40 |
#3 GateKeeper (4.98), Cedar Point - GateKeeper is the tallest, fastest and longest wing roller coaster in the world, lasting 2:40! A winged coaster means you sit to the side of the track vs. over the track or below the track. This gives the coaster some great g-forces and provides an amazing ride. This is an exceptionally smooth coaster and claims #3 on my list. It opened May 11, 2013.
In 2013, GateKeeper ranked 28th among steel roller coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards poll from Amusement Today, which I think is a tragedy. In 2015 it didn't make the list of the top 50. Wow, just wow. I have not rode many that are on the top 50 list but of the 7 I have: Millennium Force, Diamondback, Top Thrill Dragster, Magnux XL-200, Banshee, Maverick, and Manta, I rank them all below Gatekeeper. It's clear the judges prefer height and speed above inversions. I recognize this is all a matter of opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love all the coasters on that list, but I'll take flips and turns all day over raw speed and height.
GateKeeper breaks seven world records:
- Longest wing coaster - 4,164 feet
- Fastest non-launched wing coaster - 67 mph
- Tallest inversion on any roller coaster - 170 feet
- Longest drop on a wing coaster - 164 feet
- Most inversions on a wing coaster - 6
- Most roller coaster track at one park - 56,702 feet
- Most rides at one park - 72
#4 Invertigo (4.95), King's Island - This is an inverted shuttle coaster, formerly known as Face Off, and it is just flat out awesome! It stands 138 ft tall with a 125 ft drop, reaching 55 mph and lasting 1:30. However, none of that is what makes it so awesome in my eyes but rather the crazy g-forces this ride pulls, a 5 on the scale. It has a cobra roll (a coaster inversion which resembles a cobra's head. Riders traverse forward through an upwards half- vertical loop, corkscrew perpendicular to the first direction, enter another corkscrew that merges into a downward half-vertical loop that exits in the parallel but opposite direction of the entrance. It takes riders upside-down twice.) Two of my best friends do not like this ride because they actually black out for a brief second when they ride it because of the strong g-forces. It opened April 17, 1999. Click here to see a YouTube video of it.
| Height | 131.3 ft (40.0 m) |
|---|---|
| Length | 1,013.8 ft (309.0 m) |
| Speed Duration | 50 mph (80 km/h) 1:30 |
Invertigo was formerly called Face/Off.
#5 Thunderbird (4.93) - Holiday World - This was my first winged coaster (rode it in 2015). I must say it was a great experience (much, much, better than I expected to be honest). It launches riders from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds. Then multiple loops, rolls, twists and turns begin: including a 14-story Immelmann loop, Zero-g roll, barrel roll, and the tallest vertical loop on any wing coaster!
This was a great ride and deserving among the top of coaster I've reviewed. The "launch" is fantastic and the twist and turns are packed throughout the ride. Holiday World has hit yet another home run with this fanciful coaster. The only downside, it is only 1:18 long. I rode it twice in the front seat, from both sides of the track, on Monday, July 13, 2015.
It opened April 5, 2015.
| Height | 140 ft (43 m) |
|---|---|
| Length | 3,035 ft (925 m) |
| Speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 1:18 |
#6 Raptor (4.91), Cedar Point - A suspended coaster and one of my favorites because of all the hairpin turns and feeling of weightlessness. It stand 137 ft tall has a drop of 119 ft, reahces 57 mph, lasts 2:16 and has six inversions (my favorite sensation on a coaster, see picture below). It features six upside-down turns: one vertical loop, two inverted corkscrews, a zero-gravity roll and a "cobra roll" that turns riders upside down twice. It's very hard to rank the top ten as I like them all pretty much equally - as you can tell by the very close scores. It opened May 7, 1994.
| Height | 137 ft (42 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 119 ft (36 m) |
| Length | 3,790 ft (1,160 m) |
| Speed | 57 mph (92 km/h) |
| Inversions | 6 |
| Duration | 2:16 |
#7 The Voyage (4.90), Holiday World - The Voyage is ranked by many as the #1 wooden coaster on the planet and I understand why! It's not a true 100% wooden coaster but rather a hybrid of wood track and steel structure.
That aside it's still an unbelievable ride with 24.2 seconds of air-time, the most I've ever experienced on a coaster. It's 173 ft tall, reaching 67.4 mph, with a 66 degree first drop, lasting 2:45. It has a record 5 underground tunnels with 8 underground moments. Holiday World really knocked it out of the park with this outstanding coaster. It opened May 6, 2006.
Watch on Youtube from POV!
| Height | 163 ft (50 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 154 ft (47 m) |
| Length | 6,442 ft (1,964 m) |
| Speed | 67.4 mph (108.5 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:45 |
#8 Valravn (4.89), Cedar Point - Your flight on Valravn begins when you board one of three, 24-passenger floorless trains and climb 223 feet into the Cedar Point skyline at a 47-degree angle. Then, you’ll face your fear of straight-down freefall as the train is temporarily stopped and held into position on the very edge of the 214-foot-long vertical drop.
Before you have a chance to scream, Valravn is released from capture and plummets 214 feet before climbing back into the sky into an Immelmann maneuver. Flying at 75 mph, you’ll climb back up into position for a second plummet, this time soaring into a dive loop and immediately into a 270-degree roll.
I think this was the toughest ranking I've had to make for a coaster to date and here's why. The drop on this coaster is breathtaking. The inversions are good and the speed is good, but it just didn't have that "WOW!" factor for me beyond the first drop and that wasn't enough to crack the very top of my list. In fact, after the first drop it just didn't overly impress me. Was it good? Yeah. Was it worthy of top 10? Yeah, obviously. We're slicing hairs here of some really, really, great coasters, but I'd take those above this on my list first.
I want to be careful that I'm not knocking this coaster at all. In fact, I think it's really good (it made my top 10) but I don't think it quite lived up to my expectations. I'm sure some will think I'm crazy for having the Raptor ahead of it and I admit it's close, but there's just something about the Raptor's inversions that I just love. I guess I'm a big sucker for inverted coasters. I contemplated long and hard if it should be above Voyage but at the end of the day I just had to give the edge to Voyage because they did the vertical drop thing before Valravn. First doesn't mean better but in this case I gave it the close edge.It opened May 7, 2016.
Here's a link to an article from Attractions Magazine.
The scale of Valravn is so large, it shatters 10 world records in the amusement park industry:
- Tallest Dive Coaster (223 feet)
- Fastest Dive Coaster (75 mph)
- Longest Dive Coaster (3,415 feet)
- Most Inversions on a Dive Coaster (3)
- Longest Drop on a Dive Coaster (214 feet)
- Highest Inversion on a Dive Coaster (165 feet)
- Most Roller Coasters Taller Than 200 Feet at One Amusement Park (5)
- Most Rides at One Amusement Park (71)
- Most Steel Roller Coaster Track at One Amusement Park (9.9 miles)
- Most Roller Coaster Track at One Amusement Park (11.4 miles)
Manta features a dual station configuration, which allows two trains to be loaded at the same time, thus increasing the ride's capacity. After departing from the station, the train will make either a slight left or right turn—depending on which station it leaves—into the 140-foot (43 m) chain lift hill. From the top of the lift hill, the train makes a 113-foot (34 m) downward right turn into a 98-foot (30 m)-tall pretzel loop, after which it turns left, leading into the first of two inline twists. The train then makes a right turn followed by a slight upward left turn into a corkscrew, before turning right into the mid-course brake run. The train then drops to a point just above a body of water, at the same time making a 270-degree right turn, where water jets spray up near the train to produce the effect of the train actually hitting the water. After exiting the turn, the train goes by a waterfall, goes through the second inline twist, makes a left turn into the final brake run, then makes a left turn into one of the two stations where the next riders board.
| Height | 140 ft (43 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 113 ft (34 m) |
| Length | 3,359 ft (1,024 m) |
| Speed | 56 mph (90 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 2:35 |
#10 Diamondback (4.87), King's Island - This is the 2nd newest coaster at King's Island behind Banshee and it's a good one! The open air seating makes this coaster unique. The initial hill is 230 ft tall and its drop is at a 74 degree angle which gives you the sensation that you're coming out of your seat as you go down! It reaches speeds of 80 mph and lasts a full 3 minutes. Two words: HOME RUN! It opened April 18, 2009.
| Height | 230 ft (70 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 215 ft (66 m) |
| Length | 5,282 ft (1,610 m) |
| Speed | 80 mph (130 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 3:00 |
#11 Millennium Force (4.85), Cedar Point - This is the 2nd tallest coaster I've rode standing 310 ft. It's unique because you climb the hill very quickly and plunge down at an 80 degree angle reaching 93 mph. This is one of the best non upside down coasters I've ever ridden. The ride lasts 2:20.
This may beg the obvious question, "then why is it so low on your list?" The bottom line, I'll take loops over height and speed. I like height and speed but not as much as pulling some awesome G's on great loops.
I think it is fair to note, this ranks as the #1 steel roller coaster in Amusement Today's list of top 50 steel coasters. I understand why some would think that. If you like gig-a-coasters with height and speed, this is your coaster. It's not that I think this is a bad coaster - I could ride it all day - but rather my preference is for inversions, that's all.
It opened May 13, 2000.
#12 Maverick (4.84), Cedar Point - This is a fun coaster, the dives and turns make it incredibly entertaining. One of the best features of this coaster is the 95 degree first drop and eight airtime filled hills which gives it an awesome feeling. Ride time is 2:30. This one may shoot up the ranking after I've had a chance to ride it a couple more times.
#13 Orion (4.82), King's Island - This is a typical giga coaster in the style of Millennium Force at Cedar Point. It debuted in 2020 (yes, the year of the pandemic). The first drop is outstanding; after that it is just speed, hills and good airtime. My preference is loops and sharp turns so this coaster didn't have a chance at the top 10, but it is an outstanding ride. From King's Island website:
Orion®, one of only seven giga coasters in the world, a class of roller coasters having a height or drop of 300-399 feet.Themed to the park's new Area 72, the ride features the latest prototype vehicle developed by the Project X initiative. Scientists are in a race against time to develop technology capable of weaving transport vehicles through a coming meteor storm and traveling to a new planet within the Orion constellation. For the program to be successful, it needs volunteers to help with testing.Riders on Orion will plummet down an exhilarating 300-foot first drop, sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills and 5,321 feet of track at speeds up to 91 mph on Kings Island's tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster.Orion was exclusively designed for Kings Island by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard, which also designed the park's popular Banshee and Diamondback roller coasters.
Ride Information
Ride Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
Coaster Type: Steel
Classification: Giga
Lift/Launch System: Chain lift hill
Duration: 3 minutes
Trains: 3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are seated 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train
Capacity: 1,650 riders per hour
Minimum Height Requirement: 54 inches
#13 Thunderhead (4.82), Dollywood - A wooden roller coaster located at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee that opened April 3, 2004. The coaster, which was the anchor attraction of the new "Thunderhead Gap" section, opened on April 3, 2004, to much critical acclaim. Thunderhead boasts 22 turns and 32 crossovers, and utilizes GCI's Millennium Flyer trains, used on all GCI coasters since 1999. Thunderhead is also the first roller coaster to feature a station flyby. It reaches a top speed of 55 mph, but I must say it feels faster. Its duration is 2:30.
Interestingly, my dad rode this with me when he was 70 years old in 2009, and he LOVED it! He's a wooden coaster fan. This is a classic wooden coaster, but a good one. It wasn't overly rough, but had a good wooden "jarring" feel to it.
#16 Kraken (4.76), Sea World Orlando - The Kraken is not an inverted coaster, but your feet do dangle (floor-less), just above the track. With that being said, this is a great ride. I'm a fan of various rolls and this coaster was on the cutting edge when it opened on June 1, 2000. I didn't visit the park until Dec. 31, 2014, so I was pleasantly surprised it was such a great ride over 14 years later.
#19 Volcano, The Blast Coaster (4.7), King's Dominion - I've only rode this once, but it was a great ride. Another inverted coaster it's 155 ft tall with an 80 ft drop reaching 70 mph, lasting 1:10. The best thing about this coaster is the g-forces ranking a 4 on the scale and you feel it! If you haven't noticed I like inverted coasters. It opened August 3, 1998.
#14 Magnum XL-200 (4.8), Cedar Point - At 205 ft tall, 75 mph and 2 minutes long this is an awesome coaster. The best part is the line is usually short for it, so on most days you can almost walk on.
#15 Firehawk (4.77), King's Island - This is a "flying" coaster (you lay down like you're flying like superman). It's 115 ft tall, reaching 51 mph, with 5 inversions, lasting 2:30. It's this high on my list in large part to its uniqueness. It's a great thrill and I love the flying sensation. Update from 6/28/10: after riding this again I moved it up on my list. The twist and turns while dangling like you're flying is just awesome!
#16 Kraken (4.76), Sea World Orlando - The Kraken is not an inverted coaster, but your feet do dangle (floor-less), just above the track. With that being said, this is a great ride. I'm a fan of various rolls and this coaster was on the cutting edge when it opened on June 1, 2000. I didn't visit the park until Dec. 31, 2014, so I was pleasantly surprised it was such a great ride over 14 years later.
| Height | 149 ft (45 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 144 ft (44 m) |
| Length | 4,177 ft (1,273 m) |
| Speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Inversions | 7 |
| Duration | 2:02 |
#17 Batman the Ride (4.74), Six Flags St. Louis - This is a great suspended coaster that ranks up there with the best. I love all the twists and turns and the g's it pulls. I rode it on 7/12/11, front seat! It's 2 minutes long and reaches a top speed of 50 mph. It stands 10.5 stories tall. What a thrill!! This one opened April 22, 1995.
| Height | 100 or 105 ft (30 or 32 m) |
|---|---|
| Length | 2,693 or 2,700 ft (821 or 823 m) |
| Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Drop | 84.5 ft[4] |
#18 Top Thrill Dragster (4.72), Cedar Point - Perhaps the single biggest "rush" factor of any coaster that I've rode as it shoots you vertically 420 feet into the air reaching 120 mph in less than 4 seconds. The only "problem" with it is it's over before you know it (less than 17 seconds). The entire ride is virtually what you see in the pictures, straight up, then right back down. It's a huge rush but honestly I think it's over-rated in many steel coaster rankings. For example, in their 2015 Top 50 Steel Roller Coasters ranking, Amusement Today has it ranked #13. I think that's too high.
#19 Volcano, The Blast Coaster (4.7), King's Dominion - I've only rode this once, but it was a great ride. Another inverted coaster it's 155 ft tall with an 80 ft drop reaching 70 mph, lasting 1:10. The best thing about this coaster is the g-forces ranking a 4 on the scale and you feel it! If you haven't noticed I like inverted coasters. It opened August 3, 1998.
| Height | 155 ft (47 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 80 ft (24 m) |
| Length | 2,757 ft (840 m) |
| Speed | 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 1:10 |
#20 Vortex (4.65), King's Island - This was my first major roller coaster, so it holds a special place in my heart. It was the summer of 1987 the year it opened and I was ten years old. Needless to say I've been hooked ever since! Vortex debuted as the tallest, full-circuit roller coaster with the highest drop in the world. It was also the first to feature six inversions. It stands 148 ft high with a 138 ft drop and reaches 55 mph while lasting 2:55. It has two vertical loops, one corkscrew, one boomerang turn, and a 360-degree helix sending you upside down six times! It opened April 11, 1987.
| Height | 148 ft (45 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 138 ft (42 m) |
| Length | 3,800 ft (1,200 m) |
| Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
| Inversions | 6 (Loop, Loop, Double Corkscrew, Batwing) |
| Duration | 2:30 |
#21 Rougarou (formerly Mantis, when it was a stand-up) (4.62), Cedar Point - A former stand up coaster, (now a floor-less coaster) at 145 ft tall reaching 60 mph lasting 2:40 seconds. The 103 ft dive loop is pretty sweet. This is a really good ride, definitely worthy of the top 20. It opened May 11, 1996.
Update: In September 2014, Cedar Point announced the pending closure of Mantis scheduled the following month. The park later revealed that Mantis wouldn't be removed but would be transformed into a floorless roller coaster design for the 2015 season. It reopened as Rougarou on May 9, 2015.
| Height | 145 ft (44 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 137 ft (42 m) |
| Length | 3,900 ft (1,200 m) |
| Speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 2:15 |
#22 The Raven (4.6), Holiday World - This is a great wooden coaster with two drops of 85 ft and 61 ft. It reaches 50+ mph and lasts 1:30. It's consistently ranked in the top 10 among wooden coasters and it's understandable. It's a great ride! It opened May 6, 1995.
| Height | 80 ft (24 m) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 85 ft (26 m) |
| Length | 2,800 ft (850 m) |
| Speed | 48 mph (77 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:30 |
#23 Wicked Twister (4.57), Cedar Point - "It's the tallest and fastest double-twisting impulse coaster in the world. It's two twisting towers reach a height of 215 feet and the coaster careens down the track at a top speed of 72 mph" according to Cedar Point's website. The ride only lasts 40 seconds, but it's a thrilling 40 seconds. Another cool aspect of this ride is that it's next to the beach which means you get a great view of the beautiful water as you're riding (assuming you don't have your eyes closed of course).
#24 Mystery Mine (4.55), Dollywood - To my surpise, I really like this coaster. It's a themed coaster and I tend to be more of a purist, but this was fun. It had just enough twists and turns to make it interesting and I like that it was original. It opened April 13, 2007.
| Drop | 85 ft (26 m) |
|---|---|
| Length | 1,811 ft (552 m) |
| Speed | 46 mph (74 km/h) |
| Inversions | 2 |
| Duration | 2:30 |
Here's a description I found that sums it up well:
Guests board the small train cars and are quickly launched out of the station. The Miner's evil laugh echoes down the first small drop as the car rushes towards the first curve. A wall full of humming ravens watches the car as it passes. A canary sits healthily in a cage nearby. The car turns the corner only to be face to face with a giant spinning rock crusher. The cart quickly drops beneath the grinder and whips around a hairpin curve. The riders slow to a stop, and a small lever labeled MINE GAS cranks into the "on" position.
A vertical wall of track lies before the car, and a chain lift kicks into gear. The cart is pulled 90 degrees straight up the track. Graffiti litters the sheet metaled walls on either side. The cart reaches the top and drops down a short hill outside the ride building. A sign advertises "Burnt out bridge ahead!" and the cart precariously swerves across the trestle. An 85-degree drop then sends the vehicle careening up a Horseshoe, essentially a vertical U-turn.
The cart swings around a few small helices right before plunging back into the abandoned mine building. The cart slows in the pitch black recess of the mine. A spotlight is turned on illuminating a cage containing the canary from earlier. Lightning flashes from the shaft ahead. The canary turns over on its perch, dead. The cart begins to ascend the mine shaft ahead as ravens peer out from behind the broken boards surrounding the shaft. A "window" above shows the storm going on outside the shaft. Lightning strikes the top of the tower protruding above, which collapses on top of the "window", effectively shutting out all light from the shaft.
Now plunged into darkness, the cart stops at the peak of the hill. A fuse is heard in the distance, and soon is visible snaking its way along either side of the car. It winds across the floor, and a green lantern is suddenly illuminated. It sits on top of boxes and boxes of dynamite, hooked to the quickly approaching fuse. The fuse reaches the boxes and jets of flame are shot out as the car drops at a 95° angle (the 95° drop is a 45° spiral beyond vertical drop). A camera flashes and daylight (or more darkness if riding at night) bursts into view. A barrel roll and a half are followed by a half loop. The car slows to a stop back in the station, and riders are unloaded.
#25 Flight of Fear (4.0), King's Island - This is an enclosed coaster that propels riders 0-54 mph in 4 seconds and lasts 1:05. It's a good ride that's mostly in the dark.
#26 Anaconda (3.9), King's Dominion - It's a standard looping coaster with 4 inversions. It's stands 128 ft high with a 144 ft. drop, yes the drop is taller than the height because the coaster goes into an underwater tunnel which is pretty cool. It's max speed is 50 mph and lasts 1:50. This is actually a good coaster and it's only this low because of the stiff competition in front of it!
#27 The Legend (3.88), Holiday World - Another great Holiday World wooden coaster (they have 3 of them) this one is 113 ft tall with a 77 ft drop and has the world's first spiral drop. The ride is 2 minutes long with a top speed of 65 mph. It is a cool coaster, but a little to rough to get top marks!
#28 Tennesse Tornado (3.75), Dollywood - A fun coaster with 3 inversions and a top speed of 63 mph. It stands at 163 ft with a 128 ft drop. It's duration is 1:48 with g-force of 3.7.
#29 Wildcat (3.5), Cedar Point - This is the second oldest coaster on my list as it debuted in 1970. It's a fun coaster that stands only 50 ft tall and lasts only 1:25 but its constant tight hairpin turns and small hills produce negative g-forces and strong lateral forces that make it a fun ride worthy of the list. Sadly, the Wildcat was closed on Oct 30, 2011. RIP Wildcat.
#30 The Boss (3.4), Six Flags St. Louis - A classic wooden coaster with some nice drops. Nothing special about it. No great features and doesn't really have much airtime. Six Flag's site says it ranks among the "country's top five wooden coasters." I don't know who's ranking but I'm not buying. 5,051 feet of track, reaching 66.3 mph, lasting a solid 3 minutes and reaching a height of over 12 stories. Also has four drops (150'/112'/103'/72'); helix/570o spiral; series of rabbit hops; 6 crossovers; numerous 52-degree high-banked turns. Again this is a good wooden coaster but I rank the Beast, Voyage, Raven and Legend above it (in that order).
Grizzly (3.4), King's Dominion - A classic wooden coaster nestled in woods much like the Beast (but not near as good) which adds to the ride. It's 87 ft tall with an 84 ft drop reaching 51 mph lasting 2:30. This ride does pull some crazy G-forces, an amazing 5.5 on the scale.
Grizzly (3.4), King's Dominion - A classic wooden coaster nestled in woods much like the Beast (but not near as good) which adds to the ride. It's 87 ft tall with an 84 ft drop reaching 51 mph lasting 2:30. This ride does pull some crazy G-forces, an amazing 5.5 on the scale.
Hurler (3.0), King's Dominion - A standard wooden coaster with good airtime. 83 ft tall with an 80 ft drop reaching 50 mph and lasting 2:00. It's a good ride but there are numerous wooden coasters that are better.
The Racer (2.5), King's Island - A classic wooden coaster with twin tracks that opened in 1972. It has an 88 ft first hill reaching 53 mph. It derives its name from the two tracks and cars that run simeltaneously "racing" each other, one is blue the other red. It has some nice hang time and is a fun ride.
Gemini (2.5), Cedar Point - Much like the racer listed above this is a classic wooden coaster with twin tracks that opened in 1978, 6 years after the racer. It's slightly bigger and faster than the Racer at 124 ft with a 118 ft drop, reaching 60 mph and lasting 2:20. It's a fun coaster to ride if there is no wait.
Disaster Transport (2.4), Cedar Point - An indoor coaster that reaches 63 ft with a top speed of 40 mph lasting 2:32. This is a "fun" coaster designed for families and pre-teens.
Mean Streak (2.1), Cedar Point - A classic wooden coaster that would be great if it wasn't so rough. It stands 161 ft tall and has a drop of 155 ft, reaching 65 mph. The ride duration is 3:13, which makes it the longest ride of any coaster at Cedar Point. If this coaster was smoother (and it can be done for wooden coasters, see Beast and Voyager above) then it would probably crack my top 12.
Pandemonium (2.1), Six Flags St. Louis - A fun coaster where you spin as you ride. This is a great family coaster. Reaches 31 mph, lasts 111 seconds and is just over 5 stories tall. I rode this with Hillary, Abbie and Anna.
Corkscrew (2.0), Cedar Point - A corkscrew roller coaster with two helical curves and a 360 degree loop lasting 2 minutes with a top speed of 48 mph. This is an ok coaster that's rather tame by today's thrill standards. It looks much better than it actually is.
Primeval Whirl (2.0), Disney World Magic Kingdom - A kiddie type coaster (my 7 year old loved it) but it's not much for adults. The car spins freely at certain times on the track, like a tilt-a-whirl. It's top speed is 30 mph, lasts 1:30 and has a g-force of 2.5.
Iron Dragon (1.6), Cedar Point - The name would imply that this is an awesome "dragon" coaster, however, nothing could be further from the truth. This is a suspended coaster that reaches 40 mph with a lift height of 76 ft and lasting about 2 mintues. It's a nice ride if you're looking to relax and cool off in the breeze. Not a good coaster if you're actually looking for a thrill. Much like the Corkscrew it looks cooler than it is.
Big Thunder Mountain (1.5), Disney World Magic Kingdom - This coaster really doesn't belong on my list but I wanted to put at least one Disney coaster on so since Space Mountain was shut down for repair and I didn't get to ride Mount Everest, so this and primeval Whirl made the cut. This is more of an "adventure" coaster than a thrill ride. My 7 year old, Allie, rode it with me. It's top speed is 35 mph, 104 ft tall with the max drop at 50 ft.
Shockwave (1.1), King's Dominion - A stand up roller-coaster that features only one inversion it's the oldest stand up coaster still in operation opening in 1986. It's ride is uncomfortable, jerky and very rough, thus ranking low on my list. It stands 95 ft tall with an 84 ft drop at 50 mph, lasting 2:00, with 3.9 g-force.
King Cobra (1.0), King's Island - The King Cobra was taken down in April of 2002, but it rightfully earns a spot on this list because it was the first ever coaster designed to be a stand-up coaster. It was also my first stand up coaster that I rode in 1985 at the age of 9. Opening in 1984 it was a very simple ride by today's steel coaster standards. After being loaded into the 24 passenger stand-up trains, the riders were taken up a 95-foot (29 m) hill, before turning 180 degrees to the right and encountering the first drop.
King Cobra (1.0), King's Island - The King Cobra was taken down in April of 2002, but it rightfully earns a spot on this list because it was the first ever coaster designed to be a stand-up coaster. It was also my first stand up coaster that I rode in 1985 at the age of 9. Opening in 1984 it was a very simple ride by today's steel coaster standards. After being loaded into the 24 passenger stand-up trains, the riders were taken up a 95-foot (29 m) hill, before turning 180 degrees to the right and encountering the first drop.
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| Welcome Sign |
That is Son of Beast in the background. Delirium now stands in roughly the area where King Cobra once stood.
Blue Streak (1.0), Cedar Point - The oldest coaster on my list debuted in 1964. This is a classic wooden coaster standing 78 ft tall with a 72ft drop and provides a ton of "airtime" which I like, lasting 1:45 at only 40 mph. However, I'm a sucker for the classic wooden coasters as long as they are not too rough.
Update: 7/2010: This ride is closed for the 2010 season as KI is researching ways to smooth it out. It appears someone from KI actually came to their senses and realized something had to be done or more injuries would be coming. Hopefully they fix it so it can jump up to a top 10 spot on my list.
Update: On July 27, 2012 the ride was permanently closed and subsequently torn down. Banshee is now in the area where Son of Beast once stood. This is sad in some sense because the ride had such potential, but with the ride being so rough it really never stood a chance to be great. RIP Son of Beast.
Fun things about amusement parks:
A vintage King's Island map from 1979.
- Friday, July 3, 2020 - We went to King's Island and rode the new Orion and wow was I impressed. While this coaster doesn't really boast anything "special" it is a great ride. It's smooth, fast, great first drop and has comfortable seats. Due to the long lines (tickets required), I only got to ride it twice. Orion link
- Monday June 28, 2010 - King's Island, I rated the new mega coaster Diamondback! We rode it twice in under 25 minutes! It's a great coaster cracking the top 10 of my list.
- July 12, 2011 - Six Flag's St. Louis, I rode Batman the Ride and The Boss. Batman was excellent and the The Boss was very good. The Boss was my middle daughter's first major coaster (she had mixed feelings about it). It was a great trip except it was really hot when we were at the park, heat index of 105 degrees! Yikes!
- Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - Sea World Orlando, I rode the Manta and Kraken. Despite crazy crowds and insane heat, we had a great time. I was impressed with the park. I had not been since I was a kid and they have really stepped up their game in nearly 30 years, HA! Click HERE to get a sneak peak at Sea World's new mega-coaster the Mako, coming in 2016!
- Thursday, June 26, 2014 - King's Island, I rode the Banshee for the first time and I have to say I was majorly impressed! I'm excited to now have it on my rankings list.
- Monday, July 13, 2015 we visited Holiday World. I rode the Thunderbird and I'm pleased to announce it did not disappoint, it's a top 10 on the list.
- Monday, June 13, 2016 we visited Cedar Point. It has been too long since I last visited this Roller Coaster Haven and we had a great trip. The weather was great and although it was a little more crowded that we would have preferred it was still a blast. I rode GateKeeper and Valravn, for the first time each. On the downside, I did not get to ride Rougarou or Maverick, the only 2 major coasters at the park I missed. I got in line for Maverick but the line was at 2 hours and I chose to ride other rides vs wait that long. As you'll see from the rankings below, GateKeeper now ranks as my #1 coaster at Cedar Point, yes ahead of Millenium Force.
- Monday, July 4, 2016 - King's Island. This was a great day to be at KI. Thunderstorms were in the forecast so the park was empty. It drizzled and rained on us off and on all day but I'll take that over 2-3 hour wait for rides! We rode the Banshee 4 times, and all my favorites multiple times. I have a few take aways, first, the Banshee is a great coaster in every way. Second, the Diamondback just gets better and better in my mind. It's no secret I'm a big fan of inverted coasters but I have to say this is a great thrill.
https://sites.google.com/site/jasonreeves/favoriterollercoasters
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