2009 Best Ride in America Tournament: Griffon, Apollo's Chariot, Mummy and Maverick

April 2, 2009, 6:55 AM · We're down to just eight rides, as we start the quarterfinals of the Best Ride in America Tournament here on Theme Park Insider.

In this morning's match-ups, we start with a battle between roller coasters from Busch Gardens Europe: Griffon versus Apollo's Chariot.



It's theme versus thrill in the second match, as Universal Studios Florida's Revenge of the Mummy takes on upstart Maverick from Cedar Point.

Have it out in the comments.

Update: Allow me to make another pitch for Facebook readers to join Theme Park Insider's Facebook page. We'll be dumping much in-park and on-ride video there this summer.

Update 2: Two o'clock's come and gone on the west coast, so voting is closed. We've moved on to the other set of quarterfinals, with Spider-Man vs. Hulk and Millennium Force vs. Everest.

Replies (99)

April 2, 2009 at 7:18 AM · And so, it begins again...

"Hello Ben, welcome back to the land of the living." Sorry, I am having a LOST moment...

On with the contests...

Mummy vs Maverick:
A thrilling narrative attraction (Revenge of the Mummy) versus an uber coaster with minimal theming (Maverick). I will say this: I have not ridden Maverick yet, so I am torn about voting at all, but to offset Anonymous Voters who have never ridden Orlando’s version of ROTM, I will go ahead and hedge my bets on what I consider to be one of the best themed coasters in North America. I will let the comments of registered TPI users make the argument in favor of ROTM:

I am not a fan of the Mummy films, but thought this ride was fantastic! This is an indoor roller coaster with great special effects and pyrotechnics. The walk to board the ride is also creepy as you pass catacombs and Egyptian artifacts. Definitely scared me and might be too much for some children. The story and theming of the ride are amazing. - Emily G

Revenge of the Mummy is a GREAT ride and certainly one of (if not THE) best attractions at Universal Studios. The special effects and theming are superb and there are some fun surprises. This is just a fun ride all around. - Lindsay Murray

In my opinion, this is the best ride at USF. The depth of the theme makes it outstanding. - Carl Stovall

The best ride at Universal Studios Florida. - Chris K

10/10 Total Perfection. My sister and I rode this almost 7x in a row! Great ride. - Molly R

The Mummy is the best themed coaster I have ever ridden… the sights and thrills and great fake-out ending make it tops in my book. - Raul Araoz

Revenge of the Mummy at USF is one of my most favorite attractions that I have ever ridden. When it first opened, I rode it 15 times in one day! Everytime I'm at Universal Orlando I ride it over and over and over again. - Scottland Jacobson

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. Outstanding! – James Rao

Griffon vs Apollo’s Chariot:
Having vacationed in Williamsburg last summer, the memories of both rides are still fresh in my mind. I loved the Griffon, especially in the front row, hanging for what seemed an eternity, waiting to fall. It was an awesome experience, and contrary to the opinions of some others, very unique. However, Apollo’s Chariot is the smoothest airtime machine I have ever ridden. And when I rode in the front row, the experience was the closest I have ever come to flying without an airplane. I gotta pick Apollo’s Chariot, it is the superior ride.

ALT-TABBING back to work... Later!

April 2, 2009 at 7:21 AM · I would have thought it would have been Griffon vs Maverick and Apollo vs Mummy.

Me...Apollo and Griffon should move on...but thats not posssible... I vote Griffon and Mummy

April 2, 2009 at 7:48 AM · If The ROM were not one of the greatest rides built. they would not be building 2 (yes count them) two more in the world. Comming soon in Sinapore and Dubi! for the worlds entertainment!
April 2, 2009 at 7:54 AM · Apollo's Chariot takes the first one. How Griffon got a 4 seed and is still in it after so many good rides are gone is beyond me. Apollo has more continuity, much better pacing, and is plainly, more fun.

The second matchup is tough for me. I really like Mummy, the theme and immersion makes it the best ride on the Universal Studios side of the park. Both rides provide thrills, but just differently. Mummy uses themes, effects and a mildly interesting coaster track really well, Maverick uses a 95 degree drop, a well designed layout with inversions and high banked turns, and a well timed launch at the end, and it delivers with a height of only a hundred feet. It's not totally without theme either...the station and queue have the western flavor.

While Mummy is a top notch theme ride that's worth the wait, I prefer to travel fast on a roller coaster. I hate to vote against Mummy, but Maverick has my vote.

It appears that a CP fansite that has been highly involved in the tournament is having some technical issues right now. As of 11:00 eastern time, the Cedar Point blog has not posted a link to the matchup. Are the theme park gods prevailing today?

April 2, 2009 at 8:15 AM · Conficker? But, you have to think that by now all the serious CP fans have registered at TPI and bookmarked this site, right?

Update - The word is out now... here come the Anonymous Voters! Just waiting for the official CP blog to link in...

Mark it: Mummy had a 30% lead before the Anonymous Vote started. Let's see what happens now.

April 2, 2009 at 8:19 AM · You say serious fans. Which means probably NOT those who are blindly voting :P

Anyway, I did vote for Maverick, especially since I have been looking at the Blog and no post. As for the other one, I'm not sure since I've ridden neither, and they both seem like good rides with people singing the praises of both. Kind of going to close my eyes and click I think! :)

Edit: Ok my scientific voting mode (since I have to vote before I go to work and the polls close) is I'm picking Griffon, because I voted for Apollo before and not Griffon. Highly scientific, eh? :)

April 2, 2009 at 8:17 AM · Mummy vs. Maverick is a tough one for me; I rode both and loved them both. The Maverick provided ride sensations I hadn't felt before on a coaster and it deserves props for that; despite not being a mega-coaster it may be the best coaster at the greatest coaster park in the world. That said the Mummy may be the best themed coaster I've ever ridden with the best combination of coaster thrill and theming, but it may not be the best coaster at Univ, I like Hulk better from a physical ride sensation perspective. Geez what time does voting end. In the end I went ROTM.
April 2, 2009 at 8:23 AM · Audra... I like the way you think!

Adam... you might be going insane... watch out... it happens to all of us during tournament time! ;)

April 2, 2009 at 8:27 AM · Here it goes again...look at the total votes on Maverick.
April 2, 2009 at 8:30 AM · 100 vote swing in about 15 minutes....gotta give Anonymous Voter credit for mobilizing.
April 2, 2009 at 8:30 AM · I have ridden BOTH Mummy AND Maverick.

I love them both.

However, there is no real competition between a themed attraction and a thrilling roller coaster.

True, the Mummy has a fantastic feel, but it lacks the WOW! factor of the Maverick.

The Maverick is the highest caliber roller coaster that I have ever ridden. When I think thrill, I think Maverick, not a pusillanimous theme ride that, although well put together, lacks the blaze of enjoyment of a true roller coaster.

April 2, 2009 at 8:36 AM · Alright I haven't ridden Griffon or Apollo's Chariot yet (Still not convinced $50 for 5 coasters is a good deal when I can pay $35 and ride 17 at CP) so I won't vote on that.

I have ridden both ROTM and Maverick. So I can fairly vote on those. From the previous comment in the parenthesis you probably know which way my vote is going. But hear me out, I absolutely love the themeing for ROTM. All the little nuances make it a great ride. I love it and hate to have to vote against it. I voted for Maverick because of what I look for in a ride. I want something that makes my stomach drop, I want speed and surprises. Yes, ROTM has surprises and yes it's a great ride and it's one of the best in the Orlando area. But it's not thrilling in the way I want thrilling. It's hard to compare the two since they bring different things to the table. Both are great rides and I really enjoy them both!

Sorry you guys feel all the CP fans and roller coaster/anonymous fans mess up the voting for this competition. Just because we like roller coasters doesn't mean we can't enjoy theme parks too. I like both!!!

April 2, 2009 at 8:39 AM · I think Apollo's Chariot is the only ride that deserves to be in this round. Griffon, Mummy, and Maverick should have been eliminated in previous rounds. Chariot gets my vote.

As for Mummy and Maverick, I'll give it to Mummy just to make the margin slightly more even.

April 2, 2009 at 8:42 AM · Today was a pretty easy day for me.

Griffon Vs. Apollo's Chariot: I had to go for Griffon, I enjoyed SheiKra and loved Griffon, it's a Dive Machine where you're looking forward to the coaster post-dive as much as you are the initial drop.

Maverick Vs. Revenge of the Mummy: I love thrill rides, I really do, same goes for themed attractions. So, taking that into consideration I had to go with Mummy. Maverick is better for thrills, but has no considerable themeing. Revenge, although less thrilling has an amazing storyline and still packs a punch.

April 2, 2009 at 8:47 AM · Once again, we got blind votes for CP. This is turning into another sham again!

Mummy should win hands down, no mistake. Maverick is just another roller coaster in a mix of roller coasters at CP. In fact, its not even CPs top roller coaster. The Mummy is theming to its finest.

I went with Apollo Chariot in the first one because it will always be known as the one that broke Fabio's nose!

April 2, 2009 at 8:47 AM · Just because their fans are mobilizing does not mean there is cheating. Go on a Universal/Busch site and try to motivate them to vote!

The official CP Blog has not linked in as far as I can tell.

April 2, 2009 at 8:52 AM · Maverick vs. Mummy over 200 more votes then Griffon vs Apollo....Do I smell ballot stuffing. Im kinda not really into this anymore.
April 2, 2009 at 8:53 AM · Yeah, James but its OK for some on the site to beat up on blind Disney fans, but not CP fans? While both have their fans, Disney blind voting never toppled the votes over to one side as much as Maverick has had. I am just very confused on it all, but you know what, it really doesn't matter. Its just all in fun! I know that!
April 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM · Blind votes?! Uh, so if one is a fan of coasters, you are susposed to vote because one park spent more money on marketing than design?!? When I go to a theme park its to have an exhilarating time...when I want a good story I pickup a book.
April 2, 2009 at 8:57 AM · Mobilizing a group of people to vote specific is not good for any poll that is supposed to be fair and unbiased. It's evident that people are only coming to vote for maverick to advance. If they cared about the contest for what it really represents, then they would take the time to cast a vote between Apollo and Griffon, which clearly is not happening as can be seen by the ever increasing margin of votes between both match ups.
April 2, 2009 at 8:58 AM · With the huge Maverick lead and the fact polls are only open 12 hours now, I can not see CP putting this in their blog. They can't make a post every time a new round comes up and the way things are going, they'll need to support in the final four. My site is not doing anything different this round than just posting in the forums.
April 2, 2009 at 8:59 AM · Maverick vs. Mummy= Maverick.....So much more fun and smooth, and new.

Griffon vs. A's Chariot=Griffon....Love it

April 2, 2009 at 9:02 AM · No worries, Mike.

Before the Anonymous Vote hit, Mummy had a 30% lead with about 170 votes cast. That means the vote was more than 2 to 1 against Maverick from registered voters.

It just proves that the CP Forums pack a mighty punch. Kudos to them.

We'll just go with it... next year's tournament will not have these issues.

Besides, we're splitting hairs... all of these rides are worthy.

April 2, 2009 at 9:00 AM · Here we go...

I'm going to agree with James on Apollo vs. Griffon. Although Griffon is exhilarating - as others have mentioned, it is a one trick pony. Apollo gives you that fantastic airtime and a smooth, long ride every time. Apollo gets it.

And it's time to stop bashing the Cedar Point fans! I am one of them! I think Cedar Point is one of the absolute best destinations in the entire world! When I'm asked to name my favorite ride park I always must clarify. My favorite AMUSEMENT park is Cedar Point. My favorite THEME park is Universal Orlando.

And thus...two of my absolute favorites are going head to head. I thought long and hard about this.

I'm going with the Mummy...

April 2, 2009 at 9:05 AM · i've never been on revenge of the mummy, but it sounds like an AMAZING ride and now i definitely want to go there someday, but Maverick is completely INSANE, it might not be as themed as ROTM, but its definitely thrilling with all the twists and turns, not to mention the first drop has a 95-degree angle...
April 2, 2009 at 9:06 AM · WOW Maverick n Mummy have 300 more votes then Griffon n Appollo...Something doesnt seem right.
April 2, 2009 at 9:08 AM · Only counting the votes from those who have registered and commented, here is the tally so far (presuming Mike K voted Maverick and Mike B voted Mummy):

Mummy: 9
Maverick: 4

April 2, 2009 at 9:10 AM · I voted Mummy and Griffon
April 2, 2009 at 9:18 AM · Real tough vote here. Griffon is a great ride. But I just kie the out of the seat rush and length of Apollos Chariot.

Revange of the Mummy is the best themed attraction out there and Maverick gives a great ride. Tough vote.

April 2, 2009 at 9:19 AM · I am also surprised at the vote count difference between the two polls. My site surely won't generate that many votes in such a short period of time just in the forums. Maverick and Mummy should be a close race. I suspect someone is voting repeatedly. About every 5-10 seconds the vote count goes up by one. (I think it went up 10-20 votes in just the time it took to write this)

I'm all for Maverick winning, but in a fair race. Or, it could be a CP hater trying to make everyone mad at the CP fans... Conspiracy?

April 2, 2009 at 9:27 AM · Seriously, anyone who has been to CP would not even be having this discussion-Maverick, Millenium and Top Thrill Dragster, along with their many more coasters, kick the butt of pretty much all competitors. No one is voting multiple times to get Maverick to win. It, and Cedar Point, is just that good!
April 2, 2009 at 9:47 AM · As my comments above and comments on previous match ups I will vote Mummy especially as it is so far behind, hopefully it will catch up, make that take the lead. Having read comments on here and viewed ride videos, as good as Maverick looks I doubt it matches the experience of this or the previously knocked out TOT. I very much doubt that I would be wowed by it given previous comments viewed.

I would agree that Mummy is the best ride at Universal Studios Orlando not including IOA and well deserves a place.

Although I don't like to vote when I haven't experienced both rides I will in this case.

I won’t be voting for Apollo's Chariot or Griffon as although I have experience of dive coasters and love them I do not think I can fully appreciate the smoothness of AC without riding it.

April 2, 2009 at 9:35 AM · Apollo's chariot is a superior roller coaster. Griffon didn't live up to the hype.
April 2, 2009 at 9:49 AM · You can stop looking at the CP blog to see if they have linked here, Cedar Point has a Facebook page with 67,708 fans that they update with the link to this site. They don't need to do it in their blog anymore.

Tom

April 2, 2009 at 9:53 AM · Apollo v. Griffon - I'm not voting on that one since I don't know the rides well enough to have a strong opinion.

Maverick v. Mummy - A great coaster with fairly good theming (no, really, for a coaster at CP it's pretty good) against a mediocre coaster hidden in a building with great theming. If you haven't been on Maverick, it's truly unique and you can't get a feel for it through a written description and a YouTube video alone. I'm going with Maverick but I could see others voting contrary (particularly Universal fans who haven't been to CP very recently).

We can vote multiple times?! If I'd known that Haunted Mansion would never have gone down! I'm sure there's some sort of IP address check to prevent that.

I will say this about the tournament-I was on Universal's web site last night checking out the (excellent) deals they have available right now-$100 for five days. I can see me taking a trip there in the next couple of weeks between spring break and summer vacation. Sounds like I need to check out a few rides again and re-evaluate! :)

April 2, 2009 at 10:05 AM · The Maverick n Mummy votes are almost double that of Griffon n Apollo now. Lets this name Maverick 2009 winner now.
April 2, 2009 at 10:14 AM · The reason there are so few votes in the AC/Griffon match up is b/c BGE fans don't want to have to pick between two rides in the same park.
April 2, 2009 at 10:17 AM · Andre I am sure that is the case for some....I am a huge BGE fan and still voted...still even if some are not voting...i wouldnt think that would make up that many votes.
April 2, 2009 at 10:21 AM · So what if Maverick wins it all! Enjoy the ride of fun discussion and debate! At least it's a great ride that a lot of people like! It's not like this is some attration like the Pteranodon Flyers at IoA in the semifinals. :)
April 2, 2009 at 10:33 AM · Don...I think Maverick is a great ride....just do not think it should win...and reading the other comments either does most people that comment on this post. Just weird.
April 2, 2009 at 10:31 AM · While Revenge of the Mummy was a great ride, Maverick was hands down the most fun I've ever had being strapped down in a moving vehicle. From the first launch over the 95 degree drop I just couldn't help but laugh in pure bliss. It's worth the trip to Cedar Point just for this ride.
April 2, 2009 at 10:36 AM · To clarify, both Busch Gardens Europe and Cedar Point have sent messages to all the fans of their pages on Facebook to come vote in the tournament. Busch Gardens has 8,165 fans on Facebook, but Cedar Point has 67,741, which accounts for the discrepancy in voting between the polls.

Traffic from fan sites has had no effect on the voting in the tournament. The number of visits coming from all other fan sites, together, doesn't amount to more than a tiny fraction of the traffic that's coming to Theme Park Insider from Facebook, our e-mails and our Twitter feed.

FWIW, Universal Orlando has 113,280 fans, so if it could be bothered to link to the tournament, Mummy would make quick work of Maverick, I suspect.

Now, does that make this unfair? Heck no! I reply. This is an interactive tournament - mobilizing support through getting links from the right sources is part of the game. This is all opinion here - there is no objective way to measure whether one ride is better than another at this stage. All of these are delightful attractions, that thousands of people love.

Love Mummy? Then flood the U.O. Facebook site and urge the people who maintain it to message their fans.

April 2, 2009 at 10:59 AM · Please don't flood anymore Facebook accounts! Every time I refresh I get more votes... it is making my head hurt! Gratz to Maverick and the CP fans.

I think this contest is going to be real interesting when it comes down to CP VS Busch in the next round...

April 2, 2009 at 11:04 AM · Update on registered voters who have commented:

Mummy: 10
Maverick: 5

Joe, Tom, Andre, Don, and Robert...can you give a hint as to which way you went?

Five more votes for Maverick would make this contest a tie and everyone can go back to work and be happy! We'd prove we are a well-rounded group of theme park fans!

April 2, 2009 at 11:09 AM · For those posting, how many of you chose Mummy but haven't actually experienced Maverick (or vice versa)? CP is a great park but I know it draws most of its crowd from the local area. Universal is, well, more universal.
April 2, 2009 at 11:22 AM · I only voted in the BG poll. I did not vote in the ROM vs Maverick since I have not ridden either ride. I tend to believe that if I'm going to vote fairly I need to have had the experience, and even though I am a CP fan I'm not going to pile on just because I like the park. LOL, they don't need my vote anywho. :)

I have never ridden Griffon, but my experience with Apollo's Chariot was so unbelievable that I know I'd like it better. I'm an airtime person, not an inversion/vertical drop junkie and the airtime I received from Apollo's Chariot was just ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I love to go upside down too but floating above my seat is way more fun than being plastered in it!

April 2, 2009 at 11:18 AM · This was posted on my site by a member here, and I'm reposting it here.

"I personally enjoy the fact that Mummy gets voted over Maverick by some people simply because of the theme. So, a mediocre ride that has a great theme wins out over a great ride that has a mediocre theme? Since that would cancel both rides out on paper, wouldn't you have to lean towards the more thrilling of the two?"

This from a member who has been on both, is well traveled around the parks, and voted against Millennium Force in the past.

April 2, 2009 at 11:23 AM · Geez...I was only gone for a couple of hours. James....That just happened.

No link from the CP website...guess fans do care enough to come back and support Maverick, which is actually just ablut as popular with Cedar Point fans as Millennium Force. The Busch/Cedar Point matchup will be interesting, but not as interesting as a Maverick/Millennium Force matchup if it happens.

The question about the Universal facebook page would be this. Are their fans frenzied enough like many Cedar Point fans are to keep up with the park's every move? Link it up Universal fans. Lets have a 5000..nah make it 10,000 vote showdown. I don't really care who wins, I just want to see the polls blow up...short of crashing the website of course. The point has been made about Cedar Point, now I'll sit back, vote, and be entertained.

April 2, 2009 at 11:26 AM · Heh, the main Cedar Point fanbase has nothing better to do this time of year so they can spend the time online to vote. Try having this matchup again on a Saturday in say, July. They'll all be AT the park and won't have time to muck up the voting. Come to think of it, I'LL probably be at the park then too, or some park somewhere. I tend to hit a bunch of PA parks and Trimpers at Ocean City, MD during the summer.
April 2, 2009 at 11:44 AM · I dunno, Derek, would you rather win a subjective popularity contest, or have 17 million customers per year?

Now, that....that JUST happened! ;)

April 2, 2009 at 11:30 AM · Maverick launches you up a 100 ft. hill, drops you 95 degrees, turnes you upside down, winds you through rocks and bolders, and when you think its over, it launches you at 70 mph through a dark tunnel, which is lit with lasers and flashing lights. I have been on Mummy, and I love a good theme park. However, Maverick is not "just another coaster"... that is why it recieves my vote.
April 2, 2009 at 11:36 AM · Apollo's Chariot is really great, especially the high banked turn at the far end, and the bunny hops on the return.

Maverick has some neat elements, but nothing compares to the rear left seat on Mummy at the top of that launch hill. Crikey! Airtime and laterals like you've never experienced. Add to that some awesome effects, on-board audio, and a fake fiery ending with a surprise second launch, and a regular ol' coaster, no matter how good, just doesn't compare.

April 2, 2009 at 11:55 AM · Griffon vs. Apollo's Chariot. While there is no denying that Apollo gives you some of the best airtime around, I had to vote for Griffon. For one thing, I have never experienced anything like the sensation of weightlessness I get on the Immelman. For another, there is only one other dive machine in America (SheiKra), which makes the drop completely thrilling and unique. While Apollo is great, rides like Nitro and Behemoth are in the same league, where as Griffon is all by itself (it is MUCH superior to SheiKra.)

Mummy vs. Maverick. Maverick is a great coaster, and I don't think it is being fully appreciated by the commentors so far. That said, Mummy offers it all, with a good coaster portion and a great themed portion. Maverick is good, but I'll take Mummy over Maverick for my home park. Thus, Mummy got my vote, but I won't be sad if Maverick wins, because, in general (though not in this tournament with all the CP blind votes), I feel it is a very underappreciated ride.

April 2, 2009 at 12:12 PM · If my park were in Florida and operating year round instead of 4 months out of the year, it would be doing just fine thank you. It also wouldn't even need to have 17 million visitors, because it doesn't spend 100 million for one attraction...only to lose said subjective popularity contest to a "simple" roller coaster that that was built for a fifth of that cost.

Now that....well you know the rest.

April 2, 2009 at 12:16 PM · Time to fight dirty ...

I'm submitting links to this site on the Universal fan clubs.

Hopefully it's not too late.

April 2, 2009 at 12:19 PM · As a resident of Williamsburg, I feel dirty picking between Apollo and Griffon. I had to think about which one I would be the most sad if it was torn down tomorrow. Griffon is magnificent; the hold before the drop is delicious. Apollo is the ride in BGW that you can ride once then turn around and ride it again and have just as much fun.

As for Mummy and Maverick; there's no contest. The Mummy has some amazing theming and is good for some laughs, but Maverick makes a person reconsider his/her values for rating a coaster. If it weren't for its reliability issues and the restraints that can tend to crush your thighs if you hold them wrong (small issues considering the whole), Maverick would be the perfect coaster experience. It's 33 seed was simply preposterous.

April 2, 2009 at 12:23 PM · By the way, SFGA has a facebook page and they were ready and willing to come out, but alas, it was on a Saturday that Superman lost :(
April 2, 2009 at 12:24 PM · Hopefully we're going to see a turn around now that Universal have linked to the vote on their Facebook page. Go Mummy!
April 2, 2009 at 12:24 PM · ^^ Because that surely is the measuring stick of a great ride.. Pfft.

I put AC over Griffon because it has more to it, more substance.

I also put Mummy over Maverick - whilst Maverick is my favorite roller coaster, Mummy offers an extraordinary experience, I love it to death!

April 2, 2009 at 12:26 PM · Good luck Josh...already did it, just to appease people bellyaching about how unfair the contest is.
April 2, 2009 at 12:36 PM · Jacob, I'm not saying that whatever park can draw enough attention to the vote should win. All I'm saying is that with there being an influx of Cedar Point fans this may just even things up a little.
April 2, 2009 at 12:41 PM · Very good! Now, no matter if Maverick or Mummy wins, the other side can't complain about social networking influences. Regardless, vote the better ride, not your favorite park!
April 2, 2009 at 12:45 PM · Your little trick just might work. I just sat there for a minute and hit refresh and then viewed the results and over 20 votes came in one minutes time. With 3 hours to go and many people on the east coast leaving work and getting home you could wind up with a very impressive total of votes.
April 2, 2009 at 12:48 PM · I already made my thoughts on Maverick known on the previous thread, so I'll spare them here. But Maverick gets my vote.
As for Griffon vs. Apollo's Chariot - I did some research on both rides and while I was initially leaning towards Griffon, a POV was able to sway me toward AC.
April 2, 2009 at 12:57 PM · Derek, let's do this!

We have to throw the money out, because the only way Disney pulls that cash is they pack in more people at all their parks than the rest of the industry combined. If they only had the Magic Kingdom and its 17 million visitors, they probably wouldn't be spending $100 mill an attraction. Maybe $50, but not $100.

Okay, so let's tackle the other argument: the open year 'round excuse.

Let's take Knotts Berry Farm and Magic Mountain for example. One Cedar Fair park (their flagship in attendance, by the way), and one Six Flags park. Both are coaster heavy (MM will soon be the coaster capital of the world if Cedar Point doesn't start building soon!), both are in sunny southern California, and both pull a combined attendance that is less than Disney's California Adventure, arguably the worst Disney park outside of Hong Kong. So the year round argument is not supported by facts.

However, let's presume that Cedar Point is better than Knotts and Magic Mountain. Let's also presume it had moved to sunny Orlando with its 15 adult coasters and extreme thrills. Do you really think that a family of four with 30-something parents and under 48" kids is going anywhere near your park when The Mouse House is just around the corner? Puh-lease...

Cedar Point is right where it needs to be, hanging its hat on the only thing it can: a handful of world class coasters supported by a series of average thrill rides, and a huge collection of standard midway attractions. Cedar Point is - without a doubt - the best stationary carnival in North America! PWND!

Oh yeah...them's fightin' words now!!! :D

April 2, 2009 at 12:54 PM · And btw, I found this site because of the CP facebook post; I'm a big CP and coaster fan, but here I voted ROTM in a nail biter. I did not vote in the other contest because I haven't ridden either ride, so I decided it wasn't fair. Just because some CP coaster fans are voting blindly/anonymously doesn't mean all are. While I voted for Mummy here, I'm ok w/Maverick winning, it's a great ride.
April 2, 2009 at 1:01 PM · Oh yeah...for all you new folks that don't know me....there is a LOT of tongue-in-cheek in my last post! ;)

And, Derek... just so you know... I am going home to be a daddy for a while... so I give up. You win! Kudos on your victory. Cedar Point Rules... and whatever else you want me to type to show you are the better man with the better park!

See you all in the next round!

April 2, 2009 at 1:09 PM · Tongue-in-cheek, passive-aggressive, bi-polar...who really knows what makes James Rao tick. He is like Ben on "Lost". Is he good or evil? Either way you can't keep your eyes off him. :)

The thing that bothers me the most(by the way, I chose Apollo and Mummy if anyone cares.) about the state of the tournament now, is the vote disparity between Cedar pairings and non-Cedar pairings. That disparity proves either a lack of well-roundedness for many people voting or a sense of just voting for a singular ride without proper analysis. These final rounds should be very close contests since these should all be first-class attractions. The BGE pairing proves that out.

April 2, 2009 at 1:32 PM · I've watched the polls for the past 50 mins and ROTM has gone from 34% to 44% respectively, is there a comeback upset in the future?
April 2, 2009 at 1:32 PM · I've never been on Mummy or Maverick, so I didn't vote on that 1. As for AC and Griffon, I voted Griffon.
April 2, 2009 at 1:43 PM · I've been watching the polls for about an hour and it looks like ROTM is coming back from being down at 34%. Is there a comeback upset in the future?
April 2, 2009 at 1:56 PM · Alright James, even though I said I wouldn't, here it goes.

I'll start by saying this. Cedar Point has the park and its coasters, and yes...a few generic flat rides. Think about it though, are all the non coaster rides really as worthless as you say they are? I really don't think so, and I'm sure that there are plenty who share my view. Maybe the problem is that Cedar Point has become too well known for coasters, because if you look around, there's a lot more to do inside and outside the park. The park is surrounded by waterparks, restaurants, mini golf, hotels, a beach, marina, cabins, and campgrounds of its own. While not nearly the size or scale of Disney's property, CP still offers a vacations worth of things to do.

Second, Disney wouldn't have 25 million visitors if they didn't spend the kind of money that they do, so you can't throw money out of the argument. They also inconveniently split their attractions into several parks, charging out the wazoo for each of them. If I'm at MGM and I would like to ride the river rapids, I would say "Gee, now I have to pay another $250 for my family of four to go to Animal Kingdom" The log flume? That will be another $250. With Cedar Point, it's all in one park for one price, even if that price was $70, which it probably wouldn't be anyway. Money is very much part of the equation.

Another question, how are you so sure that people would choose the "mouse around the corner"? They haven't really chosen them in this tournament. I'll give you the fact that a family with young children would likely go to Disney instead, if they can afford it. What I will give my side of the argument, is the high probability that CP would have the same kind of loyal passholder/fan base it has now, in a market much larger than their current one, and would also expand their primary marketing range outside of 250 miles and advertise to the world like Disney. Cedar Point would probably not have 25 million visitors in Florida, but to say that it wouldn't have a significant portion of the market is once again...an underestimation. Hasn't the lesson of underestimation been learned yet?

It's all speculation anyway. You can have Disney. I'm glad that Cedar Point is where it is...just a couple of hours away from my house : )


I see the voting has really picked up and the matchup is close. Now things are getting interesting and I love it. Congrats on another big turnout Robert.

April 2, 2009 at 1:55 PM · Ladies and Gents,
The Revenge Of The Mummy has taken the lead.
That was a one of a kind rebound and the votes are still coming in.
April 2, 2009 at 1:58 PM · Looks like Robert waited until the millisecond he got the voting result he liked and shut down voting early. Pretty slick. But, your poll, your rules.
April 2, 2009 at 2:02 PM · The power of facebook!
April 2, 2009 at 2:04 PM · What a master stroke...too bad you didn't let the voting last all evening.
April 2, 2009 at 2:06 PM · Obviously the Universal fans linking from facebook are voting blindly...hehe jk ;)

Good match, one of the best yet!

April 2, 2009 at 2:13 PM · Its a shame voting could not be extended in a close match like this... who is to say another wave of voters could have showed up.
April 2, 2009 at 2:20 PM · LOL! 10 minutes after CP's blog links here it's shutdown, classic. There won't be any drawback either, the fanbase for Universal is much larger so traffic will still be high and ROM might win the whole thing now! This is like a soap opera!

Now, as far as the whole CP for family thing goes, I have been going with my family there for the last 4 years. My daughter is now 8 and 51" tall and my son is almost 6 and 45" tall but keep in mind four years ago they were younger and much smaller, but they were allowed to ride A LOT of rides. If you actually look at the number of kids rides they have you will be amazed. With 3 large kids areas coupled with the ability for some kids to ride "big people flats" like the Super Himalaya, Tilt, Calypso, Monster(all these are "accompanied by rides" therefore as long as you are with your 28 inch tall kid they can ride) it's actually pretty impressive the amount of rides a toddler can get on there without having to wait in gigantic lines like the coasters get or some of the Disney attractions. Heck, my son's first log flume ride was White Water Landing back in 2005 and he was only TWO at the time and less than 36". This is Cedar Points best kept secret, it is a PHENOMENAL family park, in addition to being one of the best thrill parks there is.

April 2, 2009 at 2:18 PM · FWIW, I've been shutting the morning votes at 2 (Pacific Time) all week. Evening vote closes around nine. (I'm less precise with that one, 'cause I got to get the kids to bed. Once I've done that, I'll come close the poll.)
April 2, 2009 at 2:19 PM · OMG... Mummy won? You've got to be kidding me. Derek, sorry, I am too flabbergasted to comment as the basis for your whole argument just went out the window.

Josh, whatever you did on the Universal boards... wow. (And do it again for Spider-Man, please).

Robert, I think another comment from you is in order. How did this happen?

My kids need me... I am too stunned to function. Someone call 9-1-1, I think I need a defibrillator.

April 2, 2009 at 2:21 PM · I realized that once Universal Orlando linked to the vote, around 11, that it was going to be a race to the finish. If I closed before Mummy caught Maverick, the Universal fans were going to complain that I cut the vote early to save Maverick. And if Mummy caught up early, then the Cedar Point fans were going to complain that I either I left the vote up too long or cut it off before they could mount a come-back.

Either way, I'm hated. Such is life.

April 2, 2009 at 2:23 PM · Maverick winning...
Maverick winning...
Maverick winning...
Maverick winning...
Maverick winning...
Maverick winning...
Maverick winning...
Post new round...
Maverick still winning...
Leave round open...
Maverick winning...
Maverick winning...
Mummy winning...
ROUND CLOSED!

Many discrepancies throughout this entire tournament. First four polls are posted for 24 hours. Next two polls posted in 'morning' and 'evening' sections, without any notice of the change of defined information. Now, two polls are posted, then two more polls are started, then the first two are closed. What's next?

Universal linking on Facebook to this is great. But how is this tournament being operated? Open up the next round then early because two Uni rides are going head to head and trying to take advantage of the visitor influx. Come on, the polls should have been shut down to 'investigate' the influx. Ha!

April 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM · I love you, Robert. =)
April 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM · My argument is still here. A wave of Universal fan voting doesn't change that, just like a wave of Cedar Point fan didn't change it before. A 53% to 47% win does nothing but heat up the debate.

Now...no more whining and crying about "fixes", "blind voters", and "linking up to the tournament" I'm sure that some of those voters were every bit as uninformed as some of the Cedar Point ones are. After all, several tried to bump Maverick with Snorin last round.

April 2, 2009 at 2:42 PM · I think its great.

Kudos to Robert and Kudos to Universal Orlandos Facebook, and hey, CP, kudos for trying.

More Kudos to Robert for sticking to his guns and not extending it (Although iit woulda been fun to see CP get whooped)

Roll on the final!

April 2, 2009 at 2:47 PM · How does Mummy win over MAVERICK! And how does Apollo's Chariot win over GRIFFON!
April 2, 2009 at 2:54 PM · This contest may not decide the best ride but it's a hell of a social experiment! :)
April 2, 2009 at 3:08 PM · Jeez ... I'm sorry guys.

I didn't mean for Mummy to sweep Maverick. I just wanted the voting margin to be a little closer.

I've gotten many replies from the sites I've posted on for Uni fan boys. I feel like Joe Ismay when he told the Titanic's captain Smith to go faster for good press.

Oh, well. Maverick knocked out my Tower. All is fair in love and war. Right, Robert?

April 2, 2009 at 3:24 PM · Althought Griffon is fun, it is short and got much more hype then it actually is. Yeah it's something different, but I much prefer the fast moving drops and high speed of Apollo's.
April 2, 2009 at 4:17 PM · The Maverick is by far the best!!!
April 2, 2009 at 4:47 PM · Maverick got snubbed
April 2, 2009 at 4:55 PM · Maverick' absolutely rocks!
April 2, 2009 at 5:24 PM · Griffon must be one heck of a ride to beat X2 (Six Flags MM, CA). X2 is by far the coolest ride I've ever been on. I haven't ridden Griffon, but watched the video, and still think X2 could beat it. Just a little surprised.
April 2, 2009 at 5:35 PM · Alright, so CP and Universal got their fans to come on the site and "blind vote" like crazy. So neither side can complain... well of course you can, but whatever it's not going to change anything. Congrats to ROTM on winning, it's a great ride. For those who enjoy big time thrills and haven't ridden Maverick, make the trip to the good old Ohio and give CP a try. It's a great amusement park.

Think of all the great traffic for this site and how many new people might just sign up and share their thoughts and opinions about all the great parks out there.

And also, think of all the CP fans that might consider checking out Universal and all the Universal fans that might make the trip to CP. Both parks are great and have different things to offer.

;-)

April 2, 2009 at 7:33 PM · This is a total crock. Now I understand that the market in Sandusky, OH is just as big as Orlando, FL... oh wait. Not to mention the complete bending of the rules. This "tournament" needs better structure to have any credibility. Here's to hoping Millennium Force doesn't get knocked out due to some sham like this :)
April 2, 2009 at 8:04 PM · Thank you Joshua for bringing some balance to this tournament.

Look, I am just as upset with Universal fanboys ganging-up to vote for their ride as I am with Cedar Point fanboys doing the same. Hopefully, now that there is some balance, people will begin voting for overall quality instead of their home park or favorite park. Great rides are all over the country and need to be acknowledged.

P.S. All the anonymous voters are welcome to register. We would love to have you. :)

April 2, 2009 at 8:25 PM · An eye for an eye, ehh. Guess CP fans got a taste of there own medicine. I'm pleasantly surprised to see Mummy pull off the come from behind win.

If this is the way the voting is going to go from here on out though, I can easily see Everest taking this tourney, backed by a rabid bunch of linked in Disneyana fans looking to claim they're park(s) of preference once again have the top ride in america. Broken Yeti or not, they'll be out for blood, especially after the way TOT got trounced out of contention.

April 3, 2009 at 5:36 PM · i dont see how having 2 bushgardens rides pitted aginst each other is fair.

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