Mitch Hawker 2009 Coaster Poll

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Sam
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"Is that Japanese woodie closed then?"

"Aska?"

"Well she's made of wood, I doubt you'll get a reply!"


Oh what a comedian I am...
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John
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In before someone says its all theme park reviews fault.

I do find it a little odd that some SBNO rides are allowed to count, especially given that they ask which coasters you've been on in the past year.

re coaster groupings: I agree that the mega lites should be collated as their all identical. Conversely, the maurer spinners need looking at. Most of the custom layouts (spinball, fury and others) have been grouped in with the standard model (whirlwind at camelot). This may just be ignorance, as crush's and winjas (arguably the most famous custom spinners) have their own entries, however if its deliberate its pretty unfair as there is a lot of variety in the custom layouts.

Great to see blue fire getting such a great reception, I had hoped it would scrape into the top 10, though if you group the mega lites and remove eagles fortress it just scrapes in, which is good enough for me!
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Chris W
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I was expecting Blue Fire to be higher than it currently is, I'm sure its popularity will increase over the next few years.

I'm not a huge fan of this poll, although its the best there is. There are many flaws.

Any ride which isn't operating (such as Eagle's Fortress, or Aska) shouldn't be included.
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AstroDan

I just feel like the very top end of the poll is becoming dull and boring. Diamondback confuses me how it's so high.
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Dylan
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The steel is very 'Intamin airtime' heavy. Hmm.
I also agree with what was said about the Mega-Lite's being grouped (until there are custom layouts and/or theming)
I expect Blue Fire will rank higher after another season, esp as TPR are doing Europe next year!
Glad to see El Toro high up on the wooden list. It is seriously impressive.
Sad that I haven't ridden either #1 rated coaster though and I am unlikely to anytime soon.
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Magic is Nemesis
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I'm breaking the news here again. I feel so cool. look at my news.
And without further ado,
The full results for the wood poll are in! [url=http://www.ushsho.com/woodrollercoaster ... ts2009.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]http://www.ushsho.com/woodrollercoaster ... ts2009.htm[/url]
Top 20:

1 The Voyage Holiday World
2 El Toro SFGAd
3 T Express Everland
4 Boulder Dash Lake Compounce
5 Ravine Flyer IIWaldameer
6 Prowler Worlds of Fun
7 Balder Liseberg
8 Phoenix Knoebel's
* Fireball Happy Valley
10 Aska (S) Nara Dreamland
11 Thunderhead Dollywood
12 Colossos Heide Park
13 Troy Toverland
14 Hades Mount Olympus
15 Tremors Silverwood
16 Evel Knievel Six Flags St Louis
17 Thunderbird PowerPark
18 Raven Holiday World
19 Rampage Alabama Adventure
20 El Toro Freizeitpark Plohn

On the opposite side of the scale Bandit, Son of Beast, Coaster express, Anaconda and the Grizzly make up the bottom 5 places respectively :P

Britain are represented highest at 29th with Megafobia :)

Make of the results what you will, no massive shocks I don't think ;D
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John
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Steel results are finally up:

1. Bizarro - - SF New England
2. Eagle's Fortress - - Everland
3. Expedition GeForce - - Holiday Park
4. Diamondback - - Kings Island
5. Goliath - - Walibi World
6. Piraten - - Djurs Sommerland
7. Nemesis - - Alton Towers
8. Katun - - Mirabilandia
9. Kawasemi - Tobu Zoo
10. Millennium Force - - Cedar Point
11. Pyrenees - - Parque EspaNa
12. Blue Fire Megacoaster - - Europa Park
13. Behemoth - - Canadas Wonderland
14. Goliath - - La Ronde Parc Amus
15. Goliath - - Six Flags Over Geo
16. Apollo's Chariot - - Busch Gardens Euro
17. Maverick - - Cedar Point
18. Montu - - Busch Gardens Afri
19. Nitro - - Six Flags Great Ad
20. Tele2 Insane - - Grona Lund

Full results: [url=http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelroll ... ts2009.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelroll ... ts2009.htm[/url]

The UK has the dubious honour of having the lowest ranked coaster, Tornado at M&D's. Goudurix is now only 3rd last.

Other UK coasters:

62. Stealth
73. Speed: No Limits
84. Oblivion
88. Nemesis Inferno
96. Air
117. Saw - The Ride
122. Knightmare
128. Rita - Queen of Speed
146. Ultimate
149. Colossus
158. Mumbo Jumbo
170. Steeplechase
172. Rage
185. Kumali
189. Velocity
194. Vampire
223. Pepsi Max Big One
238. Cobra
274. Shockwave
334. G Force
357. X:No Way Out
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Johno
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You have to wonder whether SW6 will get quite high!?
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Chris W
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Speed better than Oblivion...? :|

Unless Thirteen is amazing I can't see it being too high, many ethusiasts has already wrote it off.

I expected Blue Fire to be better, but that should change when Theme Park review visit Europa Park.
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NF2
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Yeah, I can't see Thirteen being too high unless it is an unprecedented airtime machine, which seems to be the only thing that can get top of the poll these days. It doesn't really account for theming and unique features (otherwise Disney would top the poll every time), and I can't really see the unknown element making much difference either. My only hope is that Eagle Fortress' main selling point is its out of control through the woods sensation it gives, which is the same something the coaster section of Thirteen will aim to provide.

Well have to wait and see though, its hard to place something nobody has even ridden yet. As for the current poll though - no suprises really. I'm just happy to see Nemesis so high after 16 years, plus considering a majority of the rides are airtime based, its also a mainstay for the inverts. Also think, seeing Eagles Fortress is supposedly SBNO, its technically 6th :D
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Michaél
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[quote=""Disco Ball""]I expected Blue Fire to be better, but that should change when Theme Park review visit Europa Park.[/quote]

Yeah. I was very surprised that it didn't make the top ten. It kind of annoys me how much Theme Park Review can sway the voting. Which in my opinion, makes the whole poll pretty inaccurate. On top of that it's almost as if any coaster that doesn't leave a restraint imprint on your thighs then isn't allowed to make the top coasters. :P Too much of a good thing is bad for you... right.

:arrow:

Good to see Nemesis still hanging in there though in the top ten, it fully deserves it's [s:mtnk4ral]6th[/s:mtnk4ral] 7th position! :D
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Blaze

I'm surprised with alot of the UK results. I didn't expect Oblivion to be quite so low and Air to be so close to it. I would have thought T'Ultimate would be quite a bit higher and same for PMBO. It's not great at all, but it's not as bad as that makes out. Sertainly not more than 50 places below Steeplechase. I do not understand how Mumbo Jumbo is higher than Velocity or Kumali, which I would have placed below Velocity, which I feel is on par with Rita.

But it is great to see Nemesis still so high, 55 places above all the rest of the UK, the best inverting coaster and better than a Mega-lite. That is great news.

I can't see Thirteen being too high, even if it is an out of control air machine and the inside section is completely amazing, theming and experience don't seem to come into it much, or Disney would win all the time, as NF2 said. Plus UK coasters, apart from Nemesis, don't hold much weight in worldwide opinion.

In the wood poll, that is quite a drop. Last year Megaphobia and Nash were both in the top 30, no only Megaphobia scrapes in it, an donly just.
AstroDan

TELE2 INSANE!

MY GOD... Must be DAMN GOOD.
Blaze

Where is the new mega-lite? Guess not enough people have riden it. TPR have and have a pov on youtube, the colours look great but the name is rubbish. Fly Over Mediteranean? Come on!

A ZacSpin 20th? Wow, that must be something special to get that high.
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NF2
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I've never bloody heard of it :P But thanks to RCDB:

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Looks more exciting than the rest of the Intamin Ball coasters, but still a bit average and gimmicky. I guess the position says otherwise, however I would ahve to know hoow these rides feel to give an opinion.
AstroDan

Overall, delighted with the results. Saw - The Ride has plummeted straight in at 117. As for Nemesis, a big fat well done really - it's the highest looping coaster in the world - and at the age she is, must take some credit. Alton should really celebrate it more.

Blue Fire at 12, fair play really, it's a high position and there's a lot of competition. Also, Eurosat is A MILE lower than it should be, 182? Come off it, the ride rocks!

Khan at 22 and Mama at 42... should be the other way around. Mamba kicks Khan's butt!

:D
Blaze

Here is the missing mega-lite. Same as the others but never miss an excuse to watch one!

[url=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;][/url]

That Tele2 Insane looks fairly good, but not 20th best at all!

[url=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;][/url]
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CGM
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I expected Blue Fire to be better, but that should change when Theme Park review visit Europa Park.
It got 12th, that's pretty respectable considering it's a new coaster in Europe. The problem is that despite the suposed mutual rider comparisons, people generally do not vote mutually and have a habit of over-hyping their local new coasters as the best thing ever. As there are more enthusiasts in the US than over here, the poll can still be skewed.

This means that usually a large, new coaster that's built in North America instantly books itself a top ten spot hence Diamondback this year, Behemoth last year and Tatsu the year before. I haven't ridden any of them but if Silverstar is anything to go by, the hypers should be solid rides but nowhere near top ten material. Tatsu looks good I have to say but whether it's as good as people make out I'm not sure.

As for whether Thirteen will have a chance next year, it just won't. I'll be surprised if it gets in the top 50.

A few people are whinging because of this that the poll doesn't factor things in such as theming, storyline and the queueline experience. Why should it? It's not an Overall Ride Experience Poll, it's a Coaster poll and although I greatly appreciate theming, I believe that a coaster should stand out on its own merits. No matter how pretty it looks, a bad coaster is a bad coaster.

As for the criticism of airtime machines dominating the top ten, I think it's justified as ejector airtime is pretty much the most out of controll and unsettling feeling that can be experienced on a ride so a coaster that has it in spade loads is going to be good. It's not as if they're all airtime machines either; Nemesis, Katun and Eagles' Fortress certainly aren't. If you're still not happy, then tough. Lots of people like airtime
Last edited by CGM on Sat Jan 09, 2010 6:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Chris W
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A lot of perfectly good rides do end up lower than they deserve, and some get much higher than they deserve.

The poll does show how well designed Nemesis was back in 1994 if it still is in the Top 10 year after year.

Nemesis should be 6th! :D
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AstroDan

Colorado Adventure's position is a joke. 156?! Please. It's better than dozens of coasters above it. It's a brilliant ride!
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