Wood Coaster Poll Results Done

Nice to see Avalanche debut at #12.

It really is that good.

Later,
EV

Hafta admit, I feel kinda weird RATING kiddie coasters with adult coasters....

Strangely enough, I have NO problems *riding* kiddie coasters...just rating them...;)

Having ridden all of the "top US woodies", I can safely say without looking that Timbers ranked the lowest out of those on my ballot...and I didn't even find it that rough...just *boring*...;)

I'm disapponted that the Texas Giant came in so low. That's my favorite. Lightning Racer is the highest-ranking one I've been on. Now I feel so left out.

By the way, what is this EmGee business? I think I have an idea as to what it is, and if I'm right, I have a long way to go.

Again, I'm surprised at the difference between this poll and the Golden Tickets. Shows that there will never be a factual "best coaster ever." Cool to see variety.

Some quick data analysis;

Surveys up 63% from last year (265 to 433). "Good voter turnout".

Lower average rider % (# of riders/# of total surveys) from 26.0% in 2003 to 19.2% in 2004. This makes sense, as you would expect that the more people surveyed, the less likley that they've all ridden the same things.

Top Ten AVG rider % in 2003 = 35.2%
Top Ten AVG rider % in 2004 = 29.9%

2004 Data tidbits

Highest rider % = 62.6% for Mean Streak and Blue Streak @ CP
Lowest rider % = 0.7% for Scenic Railway @ Luna Park (Australia)

Biggest climb = Roller Coaster @ Western Washington Fair (up 25 to #62 from #87).
Biggest Fall = Jupiter @ Kijima Korakuen (Japan) (down 46 from #91 to #137)
No movement = 11 tied.

Later,
EV

What?!? Son of Beast isn't in the top ten?!? This poll suckz azz!!

lata, jeremy

--an apathetic non-voter ;)

Yaaaa! Go Grizzly! Ranked the worse wooden coaster in the world for 8yrs in a row now. Way to go PGA!

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sirloindude said:

Again, I'm surprised at the difference between this poll and the Golden Tickets...

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To compare Mitch's poll to the Golden Tickets is an insult that words cannot describe. :)

The Golden Tickets are essentially meaningless beyond the taglines parks can put on banners near the ride and based on the flawed point system where coasters with more riders automatically have a better chance. Plus, it sells some serious advertising in the magazine. 'Most visible' doesn't always mean 'the best' - otherwise we'd have to concede that the crap on MTV is the best music out there. It's a poll done for exposure and dollars.

This poll uses head to head comparisons of every coaster that every person who voted has ridden. It then ranks the coasters based on a 'win/loss' pecentage. It has flaws and statistical anomolies like anything, but it seems to be by far the most accurate at representing what roller coaster enthusiasts think. It's a poll done for enthusiasts.

Hey, who put this soapbox under me!? :)

Jomo, I thought it should have ranked #179 out of 176. It is THAT bad. ;)

Too bad...it was one of the first woodies to be built in a long time on this side of the Rockies.

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sirloindude said:
I'm disapponted that the Texas Giant came in so low. That's my favorite.

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Agreed...while it wasn't my FAVORITE, it was really pretty close. TG is proof positive that a BIG wooden coaster doesn't have to be a BAD wooden coaster....it's the exception that proves the rule.....see sig...;)

Wow, good thing for the EDIT button...:)
*** Edited 12/7/2004 7:12:54 PM UTC by rollergator***

I'm glad to see that the voters have made the right choice yet again :)

I'm sad that Thunder Run ranked down at #48. It's a much, much better ride than that.

Not surprised that my #1, Son of Beast, rated down in the bottom ten.

Lets see...Mean Streak ranked between Rolling Thunder and The Underground. What a crock! MS is so much better than Rolling Thunder.....and Undergrounds pwns them both.

ST sits in the worst amusement park known to the free world... and I've been to Old Town. Timbers is the only redeeming item in that fetid cesspool of a permanent carnival. It's still not top 15 wood.

Don't even bring up Wolverine Wildcat. Summers should be caned for making that horrible assemblage of wasted trees attempts to mimic Phoenix.

Fortunately for him, he salvaged his career by building my Cyclone, then proceeded to ruin it again with Predator, Psyclone, and Mean(dering) Streak. Oh well, can't have everything in life.

Brian, who offers anyone 1000 dollars on the spot to anyone who spots me at Michigans (Mis)Adventures anytime in the next 5 years. Guaranteed.

I usually feel sorry for and support the underdog (see: SOB, Viper at GAdv), but Michigan's Adventure is indeed the worst park I've ever been to. And I've been to Dorney and Geauga Lake.

/ends bad joke about me hating Cedar Fair parks ;)

Timbers is pretty meh, but I didn't vote, so I'm not complaining. The only redeeming thing about the park is leaving and knowing you won't have to go back.

+Danny

Homey G, I can't say much possitive about MIA other than Timbers, But like many parks, Camden, Williams Grove and a few others that aren't that good, I did manage to have a good time.

Timbers like many wood coasters is tempermental and I highly doubt that unless you catch it at event or a rain ride, You do not experience the Timbers I did at Timbersfest 2002 and even then, It was rain and night rides that made it unbelievably awesome.

I had visited prior and found Timbers to be OK to GOOD but not what it was bragged up to be. Well it is ridden at premium times of which the park is never open.

The park, It's what you make of it. Granted there are definetly things they can do like some restaurants, Shades being worked on but nature takes time. It isn't their fault that cyclones blew every tree on the property down.

They have a awesome mouse, A good jr woodie, Timbers, A Yo-Yo, Trabant, A better than average Dodgem and good waterpark. The asthetics aren't much but given your mindset, Friends your with and crowdedness. MIA can be very fun. And I'd say the same about any park, Even SFKK.

Chuck,

Please don't misinterpret me. I'm not saying that you can't have fun there or that certain folk don't LOVE the park. I'm saying for ME, I had an awful time and a 40 minute wait for Shivering Timbers when there were two trains running, yet the line was NOT EVEN out to the ST sign spelled doom for the park. The train that had just completed it's circuit waited on the brakes nearly a minute or more every time. The ride was fun, as I noted earlier, save for a few potholes.

I hated WW, and I hated their Mad Mouse because it's trimmed to heck-n-back and I didn't understand why an identical model at MB Pavillion could provide such an outstanding ride. Their corkscrew is well a corkscrew, yet it had a line of 25 minutes. Zach's Zoomer I had no complaints about, but if it's the LEAST problematic experience in the whole day (2 hours) then that says a mouthful. Their scrambler is the biggest joke in the history of flat rides. The entire cycle moves at a speed of nearly 5 mph. Hardly any food stands open in the middle of summer, and I saw 2 bathrooms in the entire park. Then there's that song they play over and over and over and over and over...

"Michigans Adventure...a whooooooooooole summer of suck!"

I stand by my statement that it's a permanent carnival, but hey, if it was ALL I had near me, I'd probably go too, but I'd sure spend a lot of weekenders at the Point.

God bless,

Brian

Woowee! MIA, he is madatchoo :)

Timbers has been on my hitlist for ages. I still want to ride it...hopefully I wont catch it on its off day.

And why is my beloved Ghostrider not in the top 10. (sob)

With reviews like these, how can I not want to get there?

MIA in 2005, I guess. :)

You may love it. I certainly hope any and all that visit in 05 or later do. :)

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+Danny said, re: MiA:
The only redeeming thing about the park is leaving and knowing you won't have to go back.

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Amen! You and Brian have stolen my thought about Michigan's Misadventure, it's the DisAstroWorld of the chain...but at least SFAW has GOOD wood, LOL...;)

Whoever put Timbies at the top spot, I congratulate them....(voter fraud)...;)