With the implosion of Kingda Ka this morning, I thought it would be interesting to look back at how each of the top 10 in those categories have fared and how many of them have met a similar fate. For those of us who served during the coaster wars, it's hard to argue that it wasn't fun and exciting, but it was pretty nuts and completely unsustainable in hindsight (it's also interesting how some of these rides didn't come out of that period).
TALLEST
FASTEST
LONGEST
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Notes
Research via rcdb. (I'm on a aeroplane, mistakes not intended)
Falcons Flight will top all those categories when it opens at Six Flags Qiddiya City later this year. Mountain coasters are excluded.
The steepest category isn't very interesting (save for the steepest being SBNO for over a year). As you would expect it's made up of relatively modern rides ... S&S El Locos, Gerstlauer Euro-Fighters and Cannibal at Lagoon.
If you're reading this and are planning to make a painful YouTube video, with a insufferable voiceover and a bunch of random clips that you have stolen from all over the place ... you're welcome =)
Nothing to see here. Move along.
The interesting thing is that, relative to our survey at least, being the -est doesn't necessarily result in any particular popularity (and I know, the CB100 is US-oriented). I think of those attributes, I value length the most. Certainly it's what I like about Millennium Force, The Voyage and The Beast. Height and speed are so momentary in the context of the entire ride.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
There's definitely some truth in that. I think the biggest distinction between some of the entries is where a park has done something big and bold with a well tested technology from a trusted manufacturer - that stuff persists, so it's not necessarily the scale that's the problem - it's what/who you use to achieve the scale.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
This made me look up the track length of Hagrid’s which has a long ride time. It’s nowhere near the top ten!
I'm privileged to have ridden everything on those lists except Ring Racer.
I very nearly went when it became clear that it would open on that one weekend, but decided it was too expensive at the last minute given that I was going to be in the area the next year. Probably my biggest enthusiast mistake :-(
I develop Superior Solitaire when not riding coasters.
All I remember is that pretty much every show for the next ten years used stock footage from that segment.
Rick_UK:
Ring Racer (Nürburgring) 99mph | 2013
SBNO - Operated for four days. Never reopened. Apparently due to significant damage to the launch system.
This has always baffled me. Even with damage to the launch system, is it nothing that can be fixed? Would the manufacturer not be on the hook for that?
And if there's no desire to reopen it, why let it sit there for 12 years?
Hi
I went down a rabbit hole on that yesterday. Underlying reason is money. Also read that it wouldn't operate during races. Not sure if that meant during race events, or when the track was in use at all. Either way, kinda silly considering race days bring the most people.
Jeff:
I think of those attributes, I value length the most.
Ugh…
Why does it always have to be about size?
Why did it take so long for someone to respond? That was the biggest softball.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Something something Ocean Motion. It's at Cedar Point, so it has to be the tallest, longest, fastest or girthiest of something, right?
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