I decided to give the Times my personal favorites, rather than the top ranked coasters on Theme Park Insider. (They gave me the option of either one.) Since we're about to have our own tournament for Best Roller Coaster, I didn't want to pre-empt that. FWIW, I ranked The Voyage at Holiday World as the top wooden coaster and Manta at SeaWorld Orlando as the best steel.
Here are the lists from the LAT panel:
Best Steel:
1. Bizarro at Six Flags New England [Intamin Mega]
2. Millennium Force at Cedar Point [Intamin Giga]
3. Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg [Bolliger & Mabillard Mega]
4. Montu at Busch Gardens Tampa [Bolliger & Mabillard Inverted]
5. Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia [Bolliger & Mabillard Mega]
6. Incredible Hulk at Universal's Islands of Adventure [Bolliger & Mabillard Sitting]
7. Diamondback at Kings Island [Bolliger & Mabillard Mega]
8. Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg [Bolliger & Mabillard Dive]
9. Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure [Bolliger & Mabillard Mega]
10. Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain [Bolliger & Mabillard Flying]
Best wooden:
1. The Voyage at Holiday World [Gravity Group]
2. El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure [Intamin]
3. The Phoenix at Knoebels [Philadelphia Toboggan]
4. Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce [CCI]
5. Ravine Flyer II at Waldemeer [Gravity Group]
6. The Beast at Kings Island [Charlie Dinn]
7. The Raven at Holiday World [CCI]
8. GhostRider at Knott's Berry Farm [CCI]
9. Thunderhead at Dollywood [GCI]
10. Lightning Racer at Hersheypark [GCI]
Here's what stands out to me in reading these lists: Bolliger & Mabillard and Intamin are the best steel roller coaster builders in the world. And people love the Mega/Giga models, from either manufacturer. As for wooden coasters, The Gravity Group and GCI (which includes the remnants of the old CCI), are kings.
Can't say that I'd argue with any of those conclusions.... :-)
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FWIW, on those two lists, I would take Apollo's Chariot & the Voyage as the best of the best. (That's not quibbling, is it?).
Nick -
I've seen you on this site many times before, so I'm hoping that comment was sarcastic. If there's one thing I can conclude from all the articles, discussion boards, contests, polls, tournaments, reviews, and attendance figures (and, just for kicks, professional athletes), it's that bigger, faster, and stronger does not mean better.
On Diamondback, you just don't get the same visuals. I wish that Kings Island had found a way to turn the coaster the opposite direction, so that we could see the park at the top of the lift hill at least.
Setting helps explain Millennium Force's enduring popularity, as well.
Intamin, not so much...
WORD!!!!
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