The most successful Coaster

Standing right now, I would say Batman:TR an any six flags park.  For the amount of time they have been operating, I find the waits for these rides exceed that of just about any other in the park.  I'm curious as to what other people may say.   Perhaps using a ratio of years in operation to average line length, taking into consideration cycle times and number of trains operating.

I'd be willing to put Gemini at Cedar Point above B:TR.  I don't know all the stats, but it's astounding in its capacity and popularity.  Back me up anyone?

--seth

I think Magnum because it started the hypercoaster era. Without Magnum (which I don't like that coaster) we wouldn't have Raging Bull, Nitro, Desperado, S:RoS, Steel Force, and etc. But I think that someone would of built those coasters even if Magnum wasn't around.

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"Duff Man Says... Ohhh Yeah!"
Current Favorite Coasters:
1)Raging Bull 2)Millennium Force 3)Medusa (SFMW) 4)Vertical Velocity (SFGAm) 5)Dueling Dragons (Ice)

If CP hadn't built Maggie someone else would have, we would still have RB, Nitro, Goliath, etc. etc.
Gemini at CP has been the number one coaster at CP since it was built in 78, now I think that says a lot right there. Gemini hands down most sucessful coaster.  Its still awesome too. Gotta love the handslap.

*** This post was edited by BeastieBrent on 10/24/2001. ***

I think is The Beast...

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And the world is spinning, Spinning baby out of control
I let the music (and the coasters) take me, Take me where
my heart wants to go. Impressive Instant, Madonna.

Magnum
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I love Gemini!

But I have to go into history and say Leap The Dips at Lakemont. 99 Years old and still running. Sure, it may have been SBNO and have no airtime, but a little history here and there never hurts.

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I never thought of the beast, thats another great one for being built in 79 its still hugely popular.
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Does CCI know how to make a bad coaster?

In terms of installation, I'd have to say that its the Vekoma Boomerang. I think more parks have them than don't.

B:TR at any Six Flags park
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I would have to say the Coney Island Cyclone.  From stories I've read and stories I've heard, I would say it's got to be the most successful coaster ever.  I mean, people traveled from all over the country, and still do to this day, to check out it's 85' 60 degree angle drop.  All of those twists and turns are something you can't find on other coasters.  Especially the age.
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Coasters are like a fine wine, they get better with age.

Millennium Force....ushering in the new age of the Gigacoasters...it is the Magnum of the new millennium...

DDFire19, CI Cyclone is TREMENDOUS, but I am hugely biased towards the coasters from the "first golden age".  I'd add Arrow's mine trains (as a genre), John Allen's Racers (again), and John Miller's JackRabbit - upstops RULE!
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Son of Drop Zone - PKI CoasterCamp I Champions!!!

I had no idea Gemini was so popular.  Perhaps though, maybe space mountain, or matterhorn?   Those two just came to mind.  But I didnt think of the Beast either, good call.

I think the Mauch Chunk Railway was the most successful. Having run for so many years and not have one accident or death. Stretching for 18 miles and running 100mph. This ride started everything. Even though its not a true coaster if they never would have thought to make that some type of pleasure ride there never would have been such a thing called a roller coaster.
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Top 5
1.) Beast 2.) Phantom's Revenge 2.) SROS (SFNE) 4.) SROS (SFDL) 5.) MF

I would have to go with the Coney Island Cyclone. Its not the tallest and its not the fastest, but it is insanely popular. People come from around the country to ride it. It is on nearly every documentary that features coasters and thrill rides.

Perhaps you need to define what you mean by 'successful'; for the rides' designer/manufacturer or for the park installing the ride or for the thrillseeker?  The Boomerang was very successful (and presumably profitable) for Vekoma; since there's so many of them it must also provide a good 'bang for the buck' for the park.  I expect initial cost, amount and expense of maintenance, capacity, and popularity all go into the park's determination of 'success'.  I wouldn't call the Boomerang greatly successful from the rider's standpoint.  How many people have Boomerangs even in the top half of their coaster rankings?

Gravityrules is right.  Someone needs to define successful.  If it is..the greatest impact a coaster made on a park, I would have to say Magnum.  It put CP on the map around the world.

For number of rides, it has to be Gemini at CP or the Matterhorn at Disneyland.

If you are talking about a coaster leaving a legacy I would have to say the Coney Island Cyclone..or the rebirth of Leap the Dips.

I totally agree! Inverted has been the most built of the new designs, and still after ten years the batmans are going strong. Allthough B & M will next year set a new era of coasters, you might wanna call it the new generation of inverted coasters, this design will prove itself to be just as succesful as the inverted design. But the inverted design will still be one of the top designs in many years to come. My faverite coaster is an inverted; Katun. I just love inverted coasters. 

Its going to sound laughable, but I'm going to nominate the Sky Princess at Dutch Wonderland as an extremely "successful" coaster, particularly when speaking of woodies.  Think about it...

If you were to pass by Dutch Wonderland pre-1992,  you would keep on driving, bypassing something that looked like a well-decorated kiddie park.  Now, you drive by the park and can't help but notice the beautiful white wooden coaster bordering the parking lot.  What was once a roadside attraction to pretty much ignore is now a destination for coaster enthusiasts as well as the general public looking for more than a place to entertain the kiddles.

One has to wonder... if not for that first CCI, would words like Holiday World, Silverwood, Oakwood, Funtown, Big Chief's, and Waterville per part of our "enthusiast" vocabulary?