Yesterday brought the closest match in the tournament so far, as Knott's Berry Farm's Xcelerator edged Dollywood's Thunderhead. In other contests, defending champion Twilight Zone Tower of Terror advanced easily, as did Kings Island's The Beast, while Maverick upset its Cedar Point neighbor Top Thrill Dragster.
Today, Universal Studios Florida's Revenge of the Mummy leads the bracket, taking on Led Zeppelin - The Ride, a B&M coaster that almost didn't make it into the tournament because of the possibility that its home, Hard Rock Park, would close.
As always, I ask you to take a look at the comments below *before* casting your votes. (Early voters, get the campaigning going by submitting a comment.) Thoughtful votes help make this a better tournament.
Six Flags Magic Mountain's Goliath goes up against Dueling Dragons - Ice from Universal's Islands of Adventure. Which coaster do you prefer?
Now, we turn to Disney for today's remaining match-ups. Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean squares off against Anaheim neighbor Grizzly River Run, from Disney's California Adventure.
And in today's all-Orlando match-up, Toy Story Midway Mania from Disney's Hollywood Studios takes on Kilimanjaro Safaris from Disney's Animal Kingdom.
What do you have to say?
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To me, Dueling Dragons remains one of the most overrated roller coasters on the planet. I know, the queue contains some pretty cool stuff, but once you get on the ride, it becomes a middle of the pack inverted coaster. The ride is fun and all, but I rank at least 4 inverted coasters above both tracks of Dueling Dragons. I'm not that high on Goliath either, I gave it the vote to get my point across about Dueling Dragons.
Pirates is the quintessential Disney ride. It's a classic dreamed up by Walt himself...to the point where it actually is a bummer that they overhauled the ride to make it more "politically correct", and then centered the whole thing around the movies that came out. Even though they should have left it alone, it gets my vote.
The last one was a tough one for me. Toy Story is a top notch family ride. It's another shooter dark ride, but they gave it a whimsical touch with the pies and eggs and such. Even so, I have to go with Kilamanjaro because of the interaction with real animals. To me, the best definition of immersion is when you use things that aren't made of steel and fiberglass. This ride really makes you feel like you are in Africa.
The second pairing is the tough one. Goliath is great and fast, but Ice is my personal favorite inverted coaster. Montu is the better ride, but there is something about Ice: the queue, near-misses and better ride than Fire; that put it over-the-top for me.
The third pair is not even a contest. Pirates in Disneyland is the greatest dark ride ever created by man. It is detailed beyond believe and tells a story unlike any other ride. Grizzly River Run is a fun little rapids ride and an improvement over Kali, but Disney still hasn't made their ultimate rapids. Popeye demolishes the both of them.
The fourth pair has good rides, but Kilimanjaro is a beautiful, unique and interesting ride. Toy Story is fun, but it feels too similar to Buzz Lightyear for my tastes. Men in Black is still the best of the gun rides. Toy Story really needed to have your score determine different outcomes like MIB. Every time I ride Kilimanjaro, I always see things. It would be perfect if they just dropped the silly baby elephant plot.
Dueling Dragons runs circles around Goliath in my book. Goliath has no airtime and isn't intense. IMO though they're similar, Titan at SFOT is a much better Giovanola mainly due to that great toe-tingling helix. Titan would have given DD-Ice a run for the money.
Pirates gets my vote with no explanation needed.
Toy Story Midway Mania is a pretty great experience, but I love the layout of Kilimanjaro. In this case, cool "free roaming" animals wins over technology.
Dueling Dragons - the best part of this or fire is when you are inches away from the other riders toes. nothing beats that.
Pirates - the first and the best. Everything changed with this one. it set the standard that parks are still trying to meet.
Toy Story - I can play this one all day long. And that is what you do. you don't just ride, you play. and its addicting. i still remember seeing my score at the top of the top 3 after a ride thru. my arm may hurt, but its worth it.
Still, live animals in a well-themed setting ought to beat out a video game with minimal ride elements. But I do love playing Toy Story so much that this one became a toss-up for me. I see that it is a toss-up for the group, as well.
I had a hard time with the second match up - as I don't feel either coaster is special. I agree with one of the commenters - if it had been SFOT Titan instead, this would be easy. As it was, since I remember expecting so much more from Goliath and it not delivering - I gave it to Ice, as much for the theming (and frankly the completely immersive theming throughout IOA) as anything else.
Grizzly is just another river rapids ride to me; themed better than most, but not the best layout I've ridden. Pirates is a classic that I felt deserved to move on.
Finally, Kilimanjaro and TSMM are such different rides - but I gave my props to TSMM. It seems only Disney could take a still fun ride style and up the ante. Kilimanjaro doesn't have the same reride factor for me (much like the smaller cousin Rhino Rally at Busch Gardens Africa - although at least that is a one-of-a-kind hybrid of safari and river rapids ride).
I have to give Kilimanjaro Safaris the edge due to Midway Mania being very similar to Pirates of the Carribean Game at Disneyquest. Still, Midway Mania is a good time. Not a fan of MIB either!
ROTM at USF is a truly great attraction, one that hits you in all the right places on every level of the entertainment scale. Themed to near perfection (story + decorations), the ride is equal parts chilling, thrilling, funny, and unique. ROTM is the type of attraction that puts the "THEME" in theme park. I have not ridden Led Zeppelin, but no way is it a better attraction than ROTM.
My love for Islands of Adventure knows no bounds, and Dueling Dragons is an excellent attraction. However, I have not ridden Goliath, so I had to go to my brother for this vote as he thinks Goliath at MM is one of the best coasters he's ever ridden. After a bit of a debate we decided that if we counted DD Fire & Ice as just one coaster instead of separating the tracks into different votes, then I would give it my vote today, but taken separately, neither Fire nor Ice alone is as good as Goliath.
GRR is a fine white water ride, one of the best in fact, but the Disneyland version of the Pirates of the Care-uh-bee-ann is quite possibly the greatest theme park attraction of all time. Throw in a stop at the Blue Bayou and a Monte Cristo sandwich, and you have the makings of perhaps the single finest theme park visit of your life.
Were it not for the incessant chatter about Big Red and Little Red, Kilimanjaro Safaris would be my most favorite attraction at any park. Being one who loves zoos (I am so lucky to have the Omaha Zoo, the St Louis Zoo, and the KC Zoo - the Holy Trinity of Zoos - in my own backyard), the safari is near perfect for me. While I have not yet had the pleasure to experience TSMM, and while I am sure it will be a huge hit with me and my family, I gotta go with the Safaris. Despite the annoying chatter the ride is almost never the same experience twice, and is accessible fun for all. Unique and fun, a combination that is hard to beat.
Surprisingly, I voted for Goliath at SFMM. It's a really great hyper coaster and although I love Dueling Dragons and ride it frequently, I consider Raptor, Montu and Alpengeist superior inverted floorless models.
Can I whine about Dollywood again? Thunderhead should have taken it!!!!!! You anonymous voters need to get your butts to Pigeon Forge pronto!
Dollywood just may be the best park not in Anaheim and Orlando, plus the Smokey Mountains are right there and they have to be visited by any red-blooded American. It is your duty.
On another note, I am fascinated by the division amongst voters for Toy Story and Kilimanjaro. I wonder if a safari ride that had air cannons mounted on the sides would be the ultimate ride...or is that just wrong?
And, as such, it's more likely to be a Universal ride than a Disney one, I suspect. ;-)
Not ridden Led Zeppelin, which doesn't really matter because Mummy would still beat it anyway. Mummy cakewalks it into the next round.
Goliath vs Dueling Dragons Ice
Had to go with Ice, brilliant scenary, one of the best queues in the world and a fantastic ride experience. Goliath, whilst I've never ridden it, would probably lose out to Ice regardless.
Pirates vs Grizzly River Run
Urf, another ride I've never ridden vs another ride which I have. I vote for Pirates but interestingly I have yet to ride the latest version of the attraction (with the movie influences).
I've heard on this site though that some people think Grizzly's as good as Popeye's. Can't see it winning against Pirates though, seeing as Popeye's was beaten by a glorified flume ride......
:p
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Revenge of the Mummy scared me to death even though I obviously knew it was just a ride. The effects are amazing.
The safaris are also great. The guide is a little cheesy but the story is fun and we saw so many different animals.
I don't know which of Duelling Dragons is my favorite. They are both really good and its great that the two coasters fly over each other.
I love them all so hope they go through and I get a chance to vote for them in the next round.