Mitch's Wood Coaster Poll - Results

You cannot claim to respect people's opinions in one breath and then trash them in another by saying "I think it is because these coasters are at their home park, however they really are terrible rides"

Pick a side.

Whizzer is relevant to your age. If you are 8 it is thrilling, if you are 38 it is nostalgic and fun...

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manofthechurch said:
Respect other peoples opinions.

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Unless you disagree with them. Then make up ways to discount them.

?

I'm 40, I think Whizzer is fun.

Again, there's no need to discount other people's opinions. Even in this thread when I've expressed my opinion about El Toro (in hopefully comical ways) I've always maintained that I have no trouble with anyone who likes the ride. If it brings them joy, great!

I think the new guy can't differentiate between disagreement and disrespect.

...or opinion and fact, it seems ;-)

Fact: An MLT is the greatest sandwich known to man....

Opinion: El Toro has the strongest airtime outside of Agawam, MA.

;)

El Toro has strong 'up lift forces'. It's not air time when your pinned to your seat.

^Mindbender isn't even fun? What Mindbender did you ride?

Yes, Whizzer is nostalgic to me, but for years I didn't ride it. Then after all these B&M's are there, yes I do have more fun on Whizzer. It's more of a complete coaster ride and I have more fun on it. The B&M's are very homogenous. They are pretty much the same at every park. Nitro, Raging Bull, etc, they all feel the same every single time you ride them.

^Mindbender isn't even fun? What Mindbender did you ride?

LOL. I get a similiar reaction when I talk about Shiverless Timbers or Nyquil -- I mean Nitro ;)

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Mamoosh said:Pick a side.

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Wait, does this mean we can start debating whether a racing coaster counts as one or two credits???!!!! ;)

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J7G3 said:

I guess it just 'baffles' me ... that a relatively new coaster like Shivering Timbers (which is just a shade of it's original self) can rate higher than something like the Thunderbolt or even GL Big Dipper.

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The way that happens is that a lot of people do not ride Timbers every year. I have only been up to MIA once (shortly after Shivering Timbers opened and was still its original self) and got in at least half a dozen great rides. I had never experienced air time like that before and it immediately became a top two coaster for me. It has since been knocked down by several others rides but still sits in the bottom of my top ten.

The other coaster that was in my top two back then, Georgia Cyclone, would still be in the top ten as well if I hadn't ridden it lately. The memory of my single best ride on GA Cyclone would still be in the top 5 if it didn't get downgraded by the poor condition of the ride the last few years. My best rides on GL Big Dipper (I believe the same year as my Timbers experience--and my only experience on that ride too) were better than my worst rides on the Cyclone but not as good as the best rides. So, how do I rank that? Also, I try to be as objective as possible with my subjective rankings but I am sure some home park pride slips into my GA Cyclone rankings as well. As it is, the memory of incredible breakless rides on the Cyclone on a rainy April morning still trump the pleasant surprise of the Big Dipper on a July afternoon but both are beaten by my memories of an airtime filled day on Timbers.

The funny thing about coasters is that one guy can ride Raven at 11am and say it was nothing special and another who rides it at 11pm says it is one of the best and they are not only both right; but would quite possibly share the same opinion as the other guy if they had had the other guy's experience on the ride.

I pretty much rank a coaster based on my best rides on it and if it's still capable of delevering *THAT RIDE* Meaning not radically changed other than needing some trackwork.

Timbers I visited in 2001 and the outrun was fine, The return run boring and repetitive. I visited again in 2002 and except for a couple sprinkle rides it was bascially the same. That night at Timbersfest ERT by 11PM it was all you could do to touch the seat, The amount of sustained and extended airtime on that coaster will more than likely not be surpassed even tho Voyage claimes to do so in total airtime, I doubt it's even close in any *ONE Moment* than that fourth hill on Timbers. BTW, the return run kicked arse and took names. The coaster CAN BE that good, thats why it's still solidly in my top 5

I rank based on my most-recent ride. In other words my ranking for Phoenix is based on PPP 2005. My ranking for Voyage is based on the HWN event this year. My ranking for Ghostrider is based on August of this year, despite the fact that I've had (and know it's capable) of much better.

I respect anyones method of ranking as long as its reasonable. But I do it my way because for example, If I based Big Dipper at Geauga on some rides I've had on it. It wouldn't make my top 100 let alone top 15. That thing a couple years after retracking gets brutal, Worse than any BIG woodie I've ridden with washboard at the bottom of every drop. It's capable of those Great rides with a little work and it got it in it's life at Geauga, Hopefully it's sold and gets the treatment regularly from it's owners.

Chuck, By Comparison however you'll get them ST rides outside of Timbersfest probably *NEVER* with the exception of a thunderstorm hitting when your on the lifthill.
*** Edited 12/18/2007 11:02:33 PM UTC by Charles Nungester***

^Great point Alan T.!!!

I always tell my non-coaster geek friends to ride Viper at Great America at the end of the night. And I also through in to them about the third seat (but I'm sure most forget that hint.)

I find it more true on woodies, the day/night difference. Just take a lot of time to warm up I guess. But hell, a ride I had on Whizzer (the one I was bragging about a while ago, where I was shocked a got a pop of airtime - it was outta control), really showed a big difference.

The thing about coasters that I love with all my heart (CI Cyclone, Thunderbolt, GL Big Dipper, Mindbender, Whizzer) is that there have been years and years between my rides on those, and they still are hot shots. I mean, none of them are very fast or big, but they are just plain fun. And for the most part, they haven't undergone stupid changes like extra seatbelts, brakes, headrests, etc.

Again, if you look at the surge of CCI coasters from the '90's, so many were top 10. Now look where they are.

Oh yeah, Phoenix too! But to be fair, I've only been there once, but it always seems to be getting just as much or more fanfare.

I try to merge both Chuck's and Moosh's methods in ranking. More recent rides weigh more heavily, but I always give some consideration to the idea of "what is this ride CAPABLE of doing, based on what I've gotten from it in the past".

Phoenix is weird in that it is SO consistent. It's always on maximum potential. Viper has grown on me more over time, and this last set of rides at park closing this summer were VERY good.

I also notice that some people prefer wooden coaster with many fun moments (airtime, lats, whatever), whereas other are "more than OK" with a coaster that has one defining moment (e.g., KW's Jackrabbit). I probably fall more into the latter category there.

Some are even nostalgia freaks, and give *bonus points* for historical rides or settings.

"Just plain FUN!" is always a defensible position. :)

Phoenix is weird in that it is SO consistent.

The very reason I rank it #1. Phoenix starts the day at a pace that many wood coasters need an entire day to get up to, and then it improves from there and is insane by night's end. In my many visits to Knoebels I've ridden Phoenix at opening, midday, closing, private ERT, rain, shine, cold, hot, full train, empty train...it has never been less than stellar.

^I'm dieing to get back to Knobel's. I think it was about 1994 or so when I was there. I remember thinking at first the ride was a bit overrated. It was early though, and I kept hittin my knees. But it was better later. Either way, that park was true fun. The slide, the kiddie coaster, everything.

Everytime I go to Coney, that ride never fails me. The 2nd drop and 'post turn' drops always scare the heck outta me. It can be sluggish but it's just so much darn fun. And it has pacing. Every turn get faster and faster. And those big big big padded seats and simple lap bar. And the whole place. The junkies and crackheads, the booze and hotdogs, the graffiti and garbabe. It is very atmospheric.

I'm planning on being at Knoebels opening weekend next year. You should come join me and my little group! We travel from NYC to Knoebels. Heck, if you fly in we can add a trip to Coney too. My good friend Jim is a friggin Coney historian and an excellent tour guide. You'll see the area like you never have before.

Something to consider...

*** Edited 12/19/2007 3:44:24 AM UTC by Mamoosh***

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Mamoosh said:Phoenix is weird in that it is SO consistent.The very reason I rank it #1. Phoenix starts the day at a pace that many wood coasters need an entire day to get up to, and then it improves from there and is insane by night's end. In my many visits to Knoebels I've ridden Phoenix at opening, midday, closing, private ERT, rain, shine, cold, hot, full train, empty train...it has never been less than stellar.

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Cept that I consider it half a stellar ride. Till the second turn around, The ride bascially is nothing special compared to some of these drop to stop coasters that have come out recently like Thunderhead, Voyage, Legend, Timbers, Hades, Avalanche. Sorry, there just can't be lame moments in my top listing.

I think anyone with Phoenix in their top is fine by me. It's not a bad ride by any means, Not even close but except for the last half of the ride, I find the whole TWISTER coaster to be supperior.

I think thats whats great about our hobby, We can have differing views, Be from all around the world and meet up at one place and toss all that crap out the window and have fun, No politics, no creed, no religion Except for C.O.S.T

Chuck, who told Camielle at MIA when asked if ST was my favorite that the coaster I was on at the time was my favorite. Little did I know I haddn't yet experienced the REAL TIMBERS! *** Edited 12/19/2007 4:09:06 AM UTC by Charles Nungester*** *** Edited 12/19/2007 4:11:53 AM UTC by Charles Nungester***