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Eight European Bucket List Coasters

8. Helix (Liseberg, Sweden)

Watching the POV, this ride looks like it never ends. Sometimes that’s a bad thing, but not on this ride. The hillside elements look amazing and the view of Gothenberg is awesome.

7. Expedition GeForce (Holiday Park, Germany)

This ride is well-known to enthusiasts to be one of the best steel roller coasters ever built; some even argue the best. I have a feeling the POVs don’t really do the ride justice, because this ride looks fun certainly, but not like the best steel coaster ever made. Regardless, it is airtime filled and packed with overbanks, tight turns and even a unique twisted first drop. I’m sure this ride is just as legendary as everyone says it is, and nothing beats actually riding the ride.

6. Der Schwur des Karnen (Hansa-Park, Germany)

Of my 54 current credits, I’ve only ridden one Gerstlaurer; that being DareDevil Dive at Six Flags Over Georgia (generally considered one of the weaker Gerstlaurers). I was unimpressed by it overall. Karnen on the other hand looks awesome. This behemoth of a ride has a little bit of everything I love about roller coasters: intensity, snappy transitions, a unique inversion, and a bit of airtime.

5. Shambhala (PortAventura, Spain)

Of the few B&M hypers I’ve ridden, it’s evident to me that what they lack in intensity, they make up for in just nice, traditional fun factor. Because of this, they as of now are one of my favorite roller coaster models. Based on what I’ve heard, it doesn’t get much better than Shambhala when it comes to B&M hypers. Rider cams show strong floater and ejector airtime throughout, and this ride is famous for it’s scenic views of the Mediterranean Sea near the top of the ride.

4. Untamed (Walibi Holland, The Netherlands)

The newest RMC to come to Europe (until August 15th that is), this ride looks awesome. It has everything RMC does so well: airtime, inversions, crazy banked turns and it looks as smooth as any RMC out there. The sections through the supports looks really fun as well with lots of near miss moments.

3. Wildfire (Kolmarden, Sweden)

Another RMC, this ride is generally considered one of the best in the world and based on the POVs I believe it. This thing hauls through it’s elements and has everything great about RMCs as well. It’s also famous for it’s scenic location and beautiful views of the Swedish wilderness nearby.

2. Taron (Phantasialand, Germany)

In all honesty, had it not been for the theming this ride would be average at best. The layout is pretty good with a few good launches and lots of snappy turns and a few airtime moments. However, the medieval theme of this ride really puts it in a league of it’s own. The theming on this ride I would argue is the best in the world (barring Disney or Universal attractions).

1. Hyperion (Energylandia, Poland)

Energylandia is quietly becoming the coaster capital of Europe. As you will see in my honorable mentions, I could’ve made this list entirely on Energylandia rides, but I wanted to keep it one ride per park. With all these amazing rides, Hyperion looks to be in a league of its own. First of all, this thing looks absolutely massive. There’s airtime galore throughout the entire ride, and it even has an inversion (which looks like a sweet moment). After the out-and-back portion, the ride goes into a figure-8-type section full of quick turns, overbanks, and sideways and regular airtime before the last few airtime bumps to the brake run. And this thing never looks like it lets up. Plus the fact that fans voted for this rides existence is a pretty cool touch as well.

Honorable Mentions: Zadra (Energylandia), Pepsi Max Big One (Blackpool Pleasure Beach), Nemesis (Alton Towers), Lech Coaster (Legendia), Dragon Khan (PortAventura), The Smiler (Alton Towers), Collosos (Heide-Park), Wodan (Europa Park), Balder (Liseberg), Blue Fire (Europa Park)

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My Ranking of the Coasters at Kings Dominion (2019)

8. Flight of Fear

Simply put, this ride was too rough to enjoy. Some rough rides I can enjoy, but this one didn’t have enough to redeem it. I was constantly thrown into my girlfriend sitting next to me, and it was impossible to see what was coming to brace for it. The launch was pretty fun however, and the air conditioning was definitely a plus as well, but neither can redeem such a rough and outdated ride.

7. Apple Zapple

In terms of Wild Mouse coasters, this one was nothing special; but I like Wild Mouses a good bit. This ride was enjoyable, albeit forgettable.

6. Back Lot Stunt Coaster

The other launched clone comes in at this spot. This ride surprised both Sara and I with just how forceful it was for a kids coaster. That helix right after the launch really pulled some decent G’s. The theming was decent, too, but obviously not on a Disney or Universal level. Overall, this was a pretty fun ride.

5. Grizzly

Sara LOVED this ride. To me, it was just okay. It wasn’t overly rough, though it did have its spots. It also didn’t really do much, it just kind of meandered around the woods, which is nice enough. There wasn’t any air time or anything. I do love wooden coasters, however, so that gets the ride some points.

4. Racer 75

This classic coaster opened with the park in 1975, but it did not feel that old. This coaster was smooth and had pretty good floater air time throughout.

3. Dominator

In my opinion, there’s a pretty big drop off between the rides at 1-3 and the rest of the list. I went into Dominator with low expectations, admittedly. I’m not the biggest B&M fan or fan of loopers in general, and I had always heard that Dominator was nothing special in that category. However, I ended up LOVING Dominator. Maybe I just got a good ride, but the inversions were forceful and the ride was super smooth. Even with the bulky restraints, I never banged my head once. Interestingly, however, Sara was not a fan of this ride. She said she had quite a bit of head banging despite sitting right beside me.

2. Intimidator 305

Going into this ride, I was legitimately nervous. I had heard storied about the intensity of this ride. It definitely lived up to those stories. This thing hauls through it’s elements and whips you around relentlessly. This ride was a blast, but my only gripe was that the ride was just a tad on the short side. If it had like one more air time hill, it would take the cake easy.

1. Twisted Timbers

I love this ride so much. The air time is consistent and violent throughout the entire ride. It really never lets up. Every air time hill feels different, too. It’s all ejector, sure, but it’s all unique. This ride feels like it goes on forever, too, which is why it gets the slight edge over Intimidator 305. That, and the fact that I generally prefer airtime to intensity.

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Last Monday I visited Kings Dominion for the first time with my girlfriend! We had an amazing time, even though it was absurdly hot. The park was not busy at all, in fact our only wait all day was for the river rapids ride! We got on every coaster in the park with exception of Anaconda, Avalanche, Woodstock Express and the Great Pumpkin Coaster. I had heard bad things about Anaconda, and I unknowingly at first almost made Anaconda my 50th credit, so we just decided to skip it instead. Avalanche and Woodstock Express were closed, and we couldn’t get on the Great Pumpkin Coaster. My credit count is currently now at 49, so expect a 50th credit post soon!

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The Classic- Kennywood (RMC Thunderbolt)

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Polaris/ Orion thoughts (King’s Island)

We’ve known for some time now that King’s Island is set to get a big new coaster for 2020, and it seems all but officially confirmed that this ride will be a B&M Giga Coaster. According to online leaks, this ride will either be called Polaris or Orion. The layout and specs have gotten some mixed opinions, with it not being the tallest or fastest giga coaster out there, and the ride time being relatively short. Personally, I’m extremely excited for this ride, being only two hours from my house. Based on this recreation by CoasterMac305, I think it will be a world class ride. I do think it’s a little strange giving King’s Island a giga, with the only gigas in North America being on the east coast and only a few hours from each other, but I understand the decision to keep King’s Island similar to its sister parks: King’s Dominion and Carowinds (in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the next giga coaster comes to California’s Great America). I hope the name is Polaris, and the elements included on the ride are all awesome elements (the speed hill, figure 8, treble clef). In terms of the other gigas, I think this ride will fall behind Fury 325 and Millennium Force, but will be a better ride than Intimidator 305 and Leviathan. I’m so excited for World Coaster Day to find out all the official things on this ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxg6F1U8PdQ

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My Top 15 Bucket List Coasters for 2019

2019 is an exciting year for me, with several trips planned on my first year as a true enthusiast. This is a list of the 15 roller coasters I’m most excited for riding for the first time this year.

15. Lightning Run (Kentucky Kingdom)

14. The Raven (Holiday World)

13. Behemoth (Canada’s Wonderland)

12. Yukon Striker (Canada’s Wonderland)

11. Kingda Ka (Six Flags Great Adventure)

10. The Legend (Holiday World)

9. Steel Force (Dorney Park)

8. Storm Chaser (Kentucky Kingdom)

7. Steel Curtain (Kennywood)

6. Leviathan (Canada’s Wonderland)

5. Phoenix (Knoebel’s)

4. Intimidator 305 (King’s Dominion)

3. Twisted Timbers (King’s Dominion)

2. The Voyage (Holiday World)

1. El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure)

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My Top 10 Roller Coaster I’ve Ridden (as of June 2019)

For my first post on this blog (save for my introduction), I thought it would be fun to start of simple: with a list of my favorite roller coasters! Please keep in mind that as of now, I only have 49 credits, so this list will change drastically even by the end of the summer as I ride more rides. That being said, I feel like I have enough world-class coasters under my belt to put together a comprehensive first list. Plus it would be fun to look back and see how much this list has changed over the years! Anyways, without further ado:

Number 10: Blue Streak (Conneaut Lake Park)

This is sort of a hidden gem in northwestern Pennsylvania! Conneaut Lake Park is a rundown, super sketchy amusement park about 5 minutes from my college. The gem of this park is the Blue Streak, a classic wooden coaster opened in 1937 and consistently ranks decently in the Golden Ticket awards. It has a basic out-and-back layout, but the restraints leave room for a lot of airtime. The ride has definitely seen better days, so part of the fun is how sketchy the ride is. It also goes back into the woods, so a night ride on this ride is really great.

Number 9: Stormrunner (Hersheypark)

This Intamin launch coaster opened in 2004. When I was younger, this was always a bucket list coaster to me because of its inclusion in the Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 DLC. I finally rode it in 2015, and it was a really solid ride. The launch was a lot of fun, the top hat had some decent airtime, and the rolling snake dive is one of my favorite elements on any roller coaster. 

Number 8: Thunderbolt (Kennywood)

I love wooden roller coasters. Another classic, Kennywood opened Thunderbolt in 1924. The drop right out the station is really fun, and the airtime is pretty solid and the drops into the ravine are a lot of fun. The interactions with Phantom’s Revenge are really cool, as well. Despite being older, it’s also in a lot better shape than Blue Streak.

Number 7: Diamondback (King’s Island)

This was a tough choice, deciding between this and the roller coaster at number 6. One of only two B&M Hypers I’ve ridden, this is an excellent ride. Solid airtime throughout, but not the most intense ride out there. The splashdown is a nice visual effect, but all in all this is just a nice solid ride that does everything it does good, but not exceptional at any one thing.

Number 6: Goliath (Six Flags Over Georgia)

The only other B&M Hyper I’ve ridden, I have to give Goliath the slight edge over Diamondback. The airtime is very good, and I found it to be much more intense; I even greyed out on the helix during one ride. The general consensus in the enthusiast community seems to be that this is one of the better B&M Hypers out there, and I can see why.

Number 5: Ravine Flyer II (Waldameer Park)

My top 5 are super close, and Ravine Flyer II is my favorite wooden coaster I’ve ridden despite not riding some top tier wooden coasters like El Toro and Voyage. However, this will probably always rank very highly for me due to the sentimental value to me. It has some really great airtime, the views of Lake Erie at the top of the lift hill are beautiful, and the airtime hills over the highway are a neat touch. It has a fun, out-of-control feeling throughout the whole ride. A backseat ride on this ride is really amazing.

Number 4: Millennium Force (Cedar Point)

A few years ago this would have been my number 1. It even kind of pains me to put it this low, because it is a really incredible ride. This ride is interestingly simultaneously both overrated and underrated. I don’t think it deserves the nickname “Millennium Forceless,” because I’ve had some pretty intense rides on this coaster. The first drop is incredible, and the views are beautiful. However, this ride doesn’t do much beyond that. The few airtime moments are pretty good, but the overbanked turns don’t really do much. It hauls the entire ride, and is still incredible, however.

Number 3: Phantom’s Revenge (Kennywood)

The first time I rode this ride, I was 12 years old and didn’t know about the famous second drop, and I’m told my reaction was priceless. I, love, this ride. It’s silky smooth, fast the entire way, the ejector airtime at the end is insanely fun. This ride is just an absolute blast.

Number 2: Maverick (Cedar Point)

Oh man this ride. From the second you leave the station to the second you hit the break run, this ride does not let up. The first drop always catches me off guard because I forget how intense it really is. The quick transitions throw you around all over the place. The airtime hill is really great. The inversions are quick and snappy. The launch is just a blast, pun intended, and the water jets are fun to watch. Then the stengel dives, my favorite part of the ride. Those things are violent and I love them. I love Maverick, it always gets my adrenaline pumping.

Number 1: Steel Vengeance (Cedar Point)

Oh my God, this ride is perfection. It’s so intense but so smooth, the airtime is out of this world. The outer banked turn is the coolest and most fun element I’ve ever experienced. It feels like it’s going to toss you right out of the train. The ride never lets up, and a rain ride is incredible. This thing hauls through it’s elements and throws you all around but never hurts. This ride leaves me speechless every time I ride it.

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About Me

Hey everyone! My name is Andrew, I’m an aspiring roller coaster enthusiast starting this blog to get a foot into the roller coaster community! I’m also starting an Instagram under the same name, so check me out!

Currently, I have 49 credits. I’m a new enthusiast but with several trips planned over the next few months, it’s a good start! My goal is to reach 100 credits by the end of 2019!

Growing up in a small town in northeast Ohio, I was very fortunate to live where I did, with parks like Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, Kennywood, and King’s Island all only a few hours away. Despite all this access to roller coasters, I never really grew up riding them because they scared me. I was however, fascinated with them. Playing Roller Coaster Tycoon pretty much since it came out, I liked to learn about how these rides worked so I could make realistic rides in my game.

The anxiety of riding roller coasters lessened as I learned how they work, and as I learned about the safety procedures and fail safes there are installed into every ride. So finally in 2010 at 12 years old, I rode my first roller coaster that wasn’t a kiddie ride. It was my third trip to Cedar Point and I finally got on the Raptor as my very first non-kiddie credit. I LOVED it. I didn’t go much bigger that day, however, mostly riding the family rides.

That same summer I visited Kennywood for the first time since I was very little. This was the season Sky Rocket opened, so I got on that one first. I worked my way up, eventually riding every roller coaster in the park, including Phantom’s Revenge. At this point in time, Phantom’s Revenge was by far the biggest ride I rode, and I was so proud of myself for riding it. I became obsessed with roller coasters. I brought out my copy of Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 and started playing religiously, studying on roller coasters and recreating rides near me pretty much every day after school.

The next summer I went back to Cedar Point, and at this point I was confident. I rode everything the park had, despite having a borderline panic attack in line for Top Thrill Dragster. I felt like I could handle anything.

Throughout the next few years, my interest in roller coasters really diminished. Growing up, I had wanted to be a roller coaster designer, but I learned pretty quick in high school that engineering wasn’t for me. I went to some parks here and there on school trips, including HersheyPark and Six Flags Over Georgia, but the interest was just not there anymore.

In 2016 a game called Planet Coaster was released as a new generation of theme park tycoon games. I bought it pretty quickly, but never really got into it. It basically just sat in my steam library for a few years.

In 2017 I started college, moving to Northwestern Pennsylvania, only about 30 minutes from Waldameer. My freshman year was hard, as most are. I faced many mental health issues, but I got through the year. I wasn’t sure I’d be coming back the next year, however, but ultimately I decided to give it one more shot.

Though there were some hardships, my sophomore year was much easier on me. I had an established group of friends, I met my wonderful girlfriend, and I discovered a few of my passions, and ended up rediscovering my love for roller coasters.

In October 2018, my school offered a day trip to Cedar Point for $20 for Halloweekends. Most of my friends being from all over the country, had never been to Cedar Point (some had never even heard of it, which blew my mind), so naturally I talked them all into it and we went. This was also the first year that a little ride called Steel Vengeance opened. The weather was really bad that day, so we only got to ride one ride, but luckily that ride was Steel Vengeance. Oh man, was that one ride all I needed. I was blown away.

Back at school, I became obsessed. Roller coasters dominated the little free time I had. I logged 150 hours into Planet Coaster over the rest of the school year, and became obsessed with enthusiast channels like ElToroRyan, Coaster Studios, Airtime Thrills, Canada Coaster Fan, Theme Park Crazy, etc. My girlfriend and I took a trip to Waldameer to celebrate the end of finals to ride Ravine Flyer II for the first time, which was incredible. I knew pretty quickly I wanted to be a part of this community.

So today, I counted up my credits to 49, and with a few trips to King’s Dominion, Kennywood, King’s Island, Cedar Point and hopefully Holiday World and Six Flags Great Adventure in the near future, I decided to start this blog! Here I’ll be posting my opinions, I’ll talk about my trips, news updates, sharing some Planet Coaster creations and whatever else I feel like doing! I hope you’ll stick around to see where my journey as an enthusiast takes me!