The Roller Coaster Thread (Summer '10 is quickly upon us!)

**ravagetalon** · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 2130 Location: KY

So I just got home from Six Flags Great Adventure, of course getting my face melted by uberfast coasters all day. Decided to start a thread about Coasters since im a HUGE Coaster fanatic, and will basically try any coaster at least once.

So, as stated I tend to frequent Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. I get a season pass every year, 90 bucks for unlimited visits, or 60 bucks a day... hmmm...

Anyway, I'd like to discuss coasters. Discuss your favorites, Talk about what aspect of a coaster appeals to you more (Height, speed, interesting design. maneuvers.)

I'll start it off...

Coasters at GA in order of... idk... insanity?...

1. Kingda Ka - Type: Horizontal Hydraulic Launched Strato-Coaster. This massive monster is currently the world record holder for height and speed, With a top speed of 128 mph, and skyrocketing to 456 ft. Short, but it definitely packs an absolutely unforgettable wallop as you go from 0-128 mph in just 3.5 seconds. Such Acceleration, combined with a completely VERTICAL ascension to 456 ft, followed by a completely VERTICAL drop through a 270º spiral, reaching speeds over 100 again. This coaster separates the men from the boys

MY OPINION - Short, but awesome, the acceleration of that coaster has to be felt to be believed. At launch you look like this -->

When the ride ends, you'll look like this -->

or maybe this -->

The lines suck for this ride, especially.

2. Nitro - Type: Chain Lift Hyper-Coaster - The longest coaster in the park, and for a time, the tallest (before Kingda Ka). This VERY LONG coaster, takes you up 230 ft and then drops you 215 ft down a near vertical first slope reaching a speed of 83 mph. The coaster then snakes its way through multiple camel backs, sharp turns, a signature high speed double helix, and a hammerhead turn. There are no inversions on this coaster.

MY OPINION - This baby is one hell of a ride... The first drop is a real doozy. The subsequent camelbacks lift you right up out of your seat for some of the best "air-time" you'll ever experience on a coaster. My 2nd favorite of the park.

3. El Toro - Type: Old style, cable lift, Wooden Coaster. Blast from the past. Built in 2006 it is an ingenious step back, looking at the roots of roller coasters. However this beast takes it to a new level. Applying a new construction method, technology for smoother ride, and an interesting lift system, plus record setting drops and speeds for the wooden coaster class, this coaster looks pretty mean... and it is... Oh boy it really is... Its first drop holds a world record for the steepest angle achieved on a wood coaster at 76º from the horizontal. The beast reaches speeds over 70 mph.

MY OPINION - I... Love... This... Ride.... Never in my life has a wooden coaster made me nearly shit myself. The first drop is killer, but thats just the start (literally and figuratively lol). You hit the subsequent hills with such force, that you feel like you are gonna be launched skyward. The airtime on this ride is unparalleled. Also the feature of the cable drive lift hill is incredible, offering a quick smooth ride up to launch height instead of a slow, loud, and rickety chain lift. A five star ride for sure... my number 1.

4. Medusa - Type: Chain Lift, Floorless inversion coaster - The last Gem to arrive before the new millennium. In 1999, this innovative new coaster came to six flags and is still one of the most popular rides in the park, almost 9 years later. Its signature feature is that fact that while the coaster's train sits above the track, the train has no floor. Rider's feet dangle as the loading platform retracts before launch. The coaster itself drops riders from roughly 140 feet at speeds up to 59 mph through 7 inversions, including a massive vertical loop, a barrel roll, a giant cobra loop, and two corkscrews.

MY OPINION - Great ride. Was my favorite for a long time. After 9 years the ride is still silky smooth and intense. It still packs a nice punch even compared to the newer coasters. A definite must ride.

Other Coasters at GA that aren't really worth comment, but I'll list them in the order that I like them.
Great American Scream Machine (Classic)
Superman:Ultimate Flight(Meh... one good pretzel loop, rest is boring.)
Skull Mountain (meh)
The Dark Knight (New this year, JUST OPENED TODAY(5/15) LOL... sucks...)

[/massive post]

So... Fellow coaster junkies please contribute.

EDIT: Let me clarify something. The engineering company "Intamin AG" is the company that designed Kingda Ka. They also designed the coaster "Top Thrill Dragster" at Cedar Point in Ohio. There is usually alot of flame about how "OMG Sicks Flagz SToled teh Ideaz from Seeedar Poynt for Kingda Kaaaaa!!!!" While yes, Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster are VERY similiar, people fail to realize that THE SAME COMPANY DESIGNED BOTH!!!! Kingda Ka is Essentially the bigger brother of Top Thrill. In a sense, Intamin set out to out do itself. Therefore, there was no copying involved.
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**mac081793** · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 2643 Location: Pomona, CA

SCREAM

Location: Six Flags, California
Type: HOLY SHIT!

Amazing ride by the way. So is Goliath in Six Flags, California.
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**ir0ckdrumz073** · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 843 Location: pallet town

I dunno about you, but The Superman at Six Flags over Georgia is pretty sweet, better than our Goliath in my opinion. Also, the lines there are never over 40 minutes.

I really really wanna go to Cedar Point in Ohio, or (after reading your post), Great Adventure.
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**Ss0rc** · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 70 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

I live in the middle of no where, so have not been on many coasters.

However, at Busch Gardens (florida); they have a coaster called Sheikra, which is now floorless. Definately a cool ride to go on, went on it tons of times when I visited there last year.

Also; The Kraken at Seaworld is pretty cool.

I definately want to go to Six Flags, or Cedar Point at some point. Heard many good things about Cedar Point (and more specifically Top Thrill Dragster); seems so amazing.

**ravagetalon** · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 2130 Location: KY

**ravagetalon** · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 2130 Location: KY

**Dongle** · Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 27

No freaking wai, I was at Great Adventure today! That's really weird/awesome.

But yeah, I pretty much agree with everything you said. El Toro is amazing, yes. Medusa was hella sweet also. I was disappointed that I didn't get to go on nitro (my personal favorite, except maybe El Toro now) and kingda ka, but oh well, I'll prolly go again over the summer. From what I remember (2 1/2 years ago?), Nitro was buttloads of fun, and kingda ka was... REALLY intense, but a little too short for my taste, I'd prolly go on it again given the chance, my friends wanted to but we didn't want to spend a lot of time in line, and then it was closed for a long time cause of impending rain. (wow, longest run-on sentence evar.) Superman was pretty meh, I agree with you there, not worth the amount of time I waited in line.

As for other roller coasters I've been on...

Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens (Williamsburg, VA): This I think was my first real roller coaster, I can't really remember how long ago it was. It was definitely a good way to break me in! Decently tall/fast (just a tiny bit shorter/slower than nitro I think), fun in general, yadda yadda. I'd definitely like to go back there again to go on that and the other coasters there.

I was also at the Busch Gardens in Florida about two years ago, but for some bizarre reason I can barely seem to remember it. ¯\(°_o)/¯ All I really remember is that I went on SheiKra, and that I enjoyed it. (SheiKra is what's called a "dive" coaster, where the cars are really wide, and then when you reach the top you stop, overhanging the edge basically, and then the car is let go and you plummet at a 90-degree angle. Good stuff.) I think I might have went on Scorpion also? Not really sure... It's really weird that that's such a haze for me... normally I have a pretty good memory. Oh well.

tl;dr: I'm not really a rollercoaster "enthusiast" per se, but I sure enjoy me a good coaster, definitely.

**Romanticide** · Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 1076 Location: Climax, MN

I'd go on more if I could, but I've only been to MN amusement parks. The ones in the OP sound more insane than the ones we have here.

The Wild Thing at Valleyfair is a pretty fun coaster. It starts out with a slow, agonizing ride (at least to me, I think I have a slight fear of heights) upwards to its max of around 200 feet, then you drop nearly all the way to the ground at a sixty degree angle. Fun times. The rest of the ride isn't anywhere near as exciting or scary, but it's still a good time. There are a few decent turns, but other than that, the rest is like winding down from the excitement of the beginning. I always make it a point to ride this two-three times a day, since I get there so rarely.

Also at Valleyfair, Steel Venom. It doesn't go as high or as fast, but it's arguably more fun. It's the only inverted coaster in the park, which I think is pretty sweet. It starts out by lanuching you forward pretty fast (I don't know the launch speed, sue me), then you go up a vertical spiral, come back down, then go straight up the opposite end. Both ends are around 185 feet tall, which is pretty tall for this area. The second time up the straight end, the ride stops entirely. I know it's coming by now, so it's lost some allure. Still the most fun ride in the park, imo. The lines are ridiculous, so I can't go on as much as I'd like.

The Corkscrew is the last one worth any comment, imo. It's the only rollercoaster at Valleyfair which goes upside down. I love the loops and going upside down on this baby. It's the least fun of the three I mentioned, but again, I try to go on this one a few times. The lines are often nice and short, so I can get a few quick rides in while younger relatives enjoy tamer rides.

The Renegade looks interesting from what I read, but my Minneapolis trips (especially in summer!) are few and far between.

The MOA has some new coaster(s?), but it doesn't look as interesting as these three. Can't say I've seen it in person or rode it, and I don't know if the Timberland Twister is still there.

**ravagetalon** · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 2130 Location: KY

**Dongle** · Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 27

**directshot999** · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 3838 Location: Birmingham, AL

**thetubaman** · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 589 Location: A Box

OOOO pick me

i love roller coasters, i used to go to Cedar Point 10+ times a year, before i entered high school

anyways my favs:

1. Millennium Force: i LOVE this ride, going over that first hill is one of the most amazing things ever.

2. Magnum: Gotta love the classics, Basically the same as Millennium just with smaller hills and more airtime.

3. Montu (Busch Gardens FLA): i dont know why i like this so much, but i do...

4. Raptor: Fun, but i hate the end, makes me want to puke all over the place.

5. Ninja (Six Flags Over Gergorge): I usually hate stuff like this, but this would be the exception. Fun.

**ravagetalon** · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 2130 Location: KY

see links in OP.

**woozerkristen** · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 1:41 am Post subject:

**ravagetalon** · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 2130 Location: KY