Best mouse coaster?

Hersheypark has an amazing mad mouse coaster. I love how it sits up on the hill, and how it looms over everything as one approaches that area of the park. It's really furious too!

Exterminator rocks because of the theme and story, and the darkness. I love how all the props fit in the empty spaces of the standard crazy mouse ride, to make it totally unique.

And the mouse at Idlewild's unique layout makes it a must-ride. It has a strange tilted lift hill, and rides above the treetops. The layout is difficult to follow because you can't see the entire ride from any one area of the park.

Those are my three picks for best mouse.

Hershey's mouse seems to run wide open when there are fewer cars on it, and in those cases, it's beyond awesome. Really one of my favorite things about that park.

Hershey... forgot about that one.. that is a good one.

Pleasure Beach's wooden mouse is amazing. The best out there for sure.

Steel, erm, I'd probably go for Matterhorn Blitz at Europa Park, or Scooby Doo at Movie World, Australia.

Hershey's Mack is by far my favorite because of its speed. It's how all mice should be run.

The most unnerving was a Schiff mouse I rode at Trimper's in the early 80s. This was my first mouse, and I agree with swampfoxer--none of the new mice have that over-the-edge sensation that the old, tandem-style cars did. The front wheels are almost in the center of the car. This particular coaster looked and felt as if it would collapse under our weight, which is why it remains one of the scariest coasters I've ever ridden. I believe I rode it the last year it operated (the Tidal Wave boomerang was installed the next year, IIRC).

Most unique is the Vekoma at Idlewild, but I didn't find it quite as much fun as the most of the standard Macks--even the heavily braked ones.

I myself forgot about the one at Hershey. It's a great ride also.Being that I am not the most well versed in coaster history, did all these mouse coasters get started just to servce as less of a thrill for the big coaster seekers? Or being that they are less expensive to build, did they serve as a money saver while still providing a great ride for thrill seekers?

Yes. :)

I have to agree about the old-school mice as well. I'm fortunate to have ridden three of the four in the US--Lakeside's, Adventure City's and the one in Seaside. Still need that one in West Texas (I believe it is?).

Another nod toward the Wild Mouse at Playland in Vancouver. As for those still in operation, have to agree it is hard to beat Wild Chipmunk in Denver.

^^Yes, Wonderland Amarillo. We could hit that park on the Cliff's expedition next year pre/post-Con....just sayin'.... ;)

edit: Rob jumped in between me and Matt....now THAT is teh sexay...LOL! :)

No love for the new Gerstlaur spinners? I'm a big fan of the Tony Hawks.

I dont consider a Gerstlaur a mouse. To me for it to be called a mouse it must:
1. Have a one car train
2. Have a series of flat 180 turns.

Gerstlaurs do not fulfill criteria #2.

I think along the same lines at Touchdown. The term "mouse coaster" gets thrown around pretty loosely at any compact steel coaster. IMO, a Galaxi, Flitzer, Zyklon, and Wildcat (for example) do not constitute a mouse coaster either. Like TD said, the mouse coaster concept is all about the hairpin, flat, switchback turns.

^^ I'm pretty sure most of the models have 2 back-to-back 180's right after the first drop/turn. :P

I thought most of the Gerstlauer spinny rides did have the turns, even if it wasn't necessarily the primary feature.

Oh, I have love for the Gerstlauers. I just didn't consider them mice, but not for any reason in particular. Counting them as mice, then yes, IMO they are the best I've ridden. If not, Hershey's wins, although I thought the Dark Knight, if a bit trippy, was pretty cool.

http://cache.rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/p19839.jpg
That looks like 2 flat hairpin turns to me...

The "problem" with the Tony Hawks is that the FLAT hairpins come early - later on they have too much BANKED trackage....which tends to kill the spinning...(not always, mind you). Sierra Sindwinder suffered the same design feature, er, ummm, flaw.

I personally feel that if the flat switchback turns aren't the prime feature, it isn't really a mouse. I've only done one of the Gerst spinners, and although it had some mouse like sections, the majority of it was just a compact coaster. The MS versions look even less mousy.

As we do so often, here we go splitting hairs. If a coaster has very few hairpin turns, it is not considered a mouse coaster. What about LoCoSuMo? Would that be considered a mouse coaster? No lack of hairpin turning on that ride! However the seating arrangement might push it out of the mouse category...