Mitch's coaster poll

This was the first time in a number of years I filled out a ballot thanks to the ease of using the ballot generator, combined with excessive free time at work.

My top 5 went like this:
1. El Toro
2. Phoenix
3. Wild One
4. Big Dipper
5. Shivering Timbers

Dare I ask again?

Ummm.. Dragon Wagon is steel. This is the WOOD coaster poll. Sheesh.

A technicality. But people don't realize that the ride experience is so unbelievable that it blurs the line between wood and steel. Harmony is achieved by one simple ride. Do NOT underestimate the power of a Dragon Wagon.

Dorney's Dragon Waggon ROCKS!

I think next year's poll will be a lot more interesting with the addition of Texas Giant 2.0. I feel like if it turns out to be great and somehow winds up in the top 10 or even 20, followed by coasters like Mean Streak being retrofitted the same way, I wonder whether or not maybe 5 or 6 years, possibly even sooner, if Mitch will add a hybrid coaster poll, which could include TG, El Toro(even though it is wood), Gemini, Wildabeast, ect... Leaving us with 3 polls to fill out

Acoustic Viscosity said:
Dorney's Dragon Waggon ROCKS!

Yeah it's fun for a kiddie coaster and I usually rode it once a season, it's too bad they removed it from the park after this season.

Ok, I managed to rank my top 30. Then I just grouped the remaining 98 into a 'B' group (all at #31), a 'C' group (all at #32), a 'D' group (all at #33), and an 'F' group (all at #34). Picking my top 30 was difficult enough. Ugh.

^In most cases if I even bother to ride a kiddie coaster, it's one and done. But I tried to re-ride the Dragon Coaster every time I visited Dorney. It was a very powerful (LATERALS!) ride, almost like a good spinning flat ride.

^I like the Miler kiddies for the surprisingly powerful airtime - none of them matched HSTC, but some of them really are too good for "just" children! ;)

YoshiFan said:

it's too bad they removed it from the park

WHAT?!?

That whole section of kiddie rides has been/is being removed as of the end of the 2010 season.

Damn, that Snoopy is a destructive dog.

He's taken over the planet. ;)

I'm a little peeved at the simple process of filling out the poll. Tried top fill it out over the weekend; When I finished, and went to hit send, I received an error. Tried to copy and paste with no luck. Oh well. I lose.

The results have been posted!
top 10

1t. El Toro - SFGAd
1t. T Express - Everland
3. Boulder Dash - Lake Compounce
4. Phoenix - Knoebel's
5. Ravine Flyer II - Waldameer
6. The Voyage - Holiday World
7. Balder - Liseberg
8. Colossos - Heide Park
9. Aska (S) - Nara Dreamland
10. Fireball - Happy Valley Song

http://www.ushsho.com/woodrollercoasterpollresults2010.htm

Those results seem more out of touch than in previous years.

I don't think the overall results are 'out of touch', because I've heard really great things from people about Aska, Balder, T-Express, and RF2, none of which I've yet to ride.

I think there are 2 rankings that are obviously 'fixed', and that's Colossus' position and Voyage's position.

Personally, I prefer Toro to Voyage, and many people do, but having said that, Voyage is an amazing coaster and should definitely be in the top 3ish. And I'm saying top 3 only because I've heard amazing things about T-Express, and I've ridden Toro, and of the people that have ridden both, quite a few people prefer T-Express.

Having said that (Here comes the part that I'm sure will result in personal messages sent to me, but let me stop all of you right there and tell you they'll simply be deleted with no responses)...

It's obvious to me the reason why the poll was dominated by Intamin pre-fabs and why Voyage was at the #6 spot. There are a certain element that spent quite a bit of time accusing people that didn't think Voyage was rough of being liars. That same element tends to favor Intamin no matter what they do.

Granted, I love LOVE love me some El Toro. It is my #1 overall coaster. And because of it, I want to get over to S. Korea to ride T-Express. And I don't begrudge people not liking Voyage. Heck, until this year, I had it ranked around #3 myself.

But I rode it this year and the ride was not rough. It's a VERY intense ride, but it was far smoother than in 2008. It was running very well, and there is only one source where I've seen what seemed to border on anger and hate over that ride, and I honestly believe that it comes down more to do with where the coaster is at and less to do with the actual coaster, which is amazing.

Voyage is so intense that I can't rank it #1 because it's not, for me, very re-ridable, though I did hit a streak this year where it was running so well that I hit it up 8 times without getting off. But Toro has that violent, almost painful, scary ejector air and that's what I like.

And I haven't yet ridden the other Intamin pre-fab woodies.

But I just find it all suspect when one camp complains about Voyage and belittles people that disagree with their assessment, and then on Mitch's poll, which I've always stood beside, has it at #6, with someone actually ranking it #96.

When you look at CBuzz 100, Coaster Fanatic's poll, and many other polls, you'll see that the same coasters tend to be near the top. And #6 isn't bad at all. But I just don't see the supposed 'hate' for that ride, because the only place I see that peddled is one particular place.

And that's because people have to be loyal to the master, or heavens forbid they may have their account deactivated. Because we all know that the accounts never get deleted over there. Because that would make membership numbers drop.

And that's my .02, take it or leave it :).

All great coasters, but the ranking is questionable...

Thinking that this is where the "minimum number of riders" question starts getting raised.

Not that I care either way. I've only ridden the US wood and some in the UK/Canada. I wouldn't argue against any of the US rides listed being in the top-10...but I would have them ordered differently. And I'd love to see Mt. O start taking care of their wood, because Hades *belongs* up there as well....just not in its operational state.