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Coaster Poll QF2

Coaster Poll QF2

  • Silver Star

    Votes: 5 18.5%

  • Wildfire

    Votes: 22 81.5%
  • Total voters
    27
  • Poll closed .
Martin

Martin

TS Member
The second quarter final sees another Europa Park ride up against another one from Sweden, which speaks of how Germany, and EP especially, have dominated so far.

Silver Star


Wildfire
 
Silver Star is the superior coaster in terms of final 1/4 of ride, queue line and general atmosphere but that's about it. Wildfire feels almost as tall anyway given its location, the first drop is sensational and for the most part, as is the ride in comparison. Easy winner.
 
Ill admit to the Silver Star vote!

Floaty B&M Hypers are bliss, and Silver Star throws in some great ejector too. It's also the most efficiently operated coaster I've ever seen.

Wildfire looks stunning, but going by track and train, it's generally regarded as a mid tier RMC from what I hear (granted that's still better than 99% of coasters).

IveI not ridden Wildfire, but I've also voted in favour of other rides I've not been on in previous rounds so I think it's a fair vote.
 
Ah, another B&M hyper up against Wildfire. I expected the match up against Shambhala to be close but can't see Sylvia putting up much of a fight this time round.

I'm going for Wildfire here, a ride I haven't supported at any stage of this poll until now, whilst Sylvia got my vote in each of its last 2 rounds. Quirks of the poll format there.
 
Will go for Wildfire in this, even though I'm not it's biggest fan. I like both of these coasters but neither is amazing I find, so it was quite a close call for me.
 
Of the two b&m hypers I definitely prefer Shambhala, but easily prefer Wildfire to both. Quirk of the draw that it's faced both of them but maybe something to tweak next year.
 
I have not been on Wildfire but I generally rate RMCs over B&M Hypers, so on that basis, Wildfire has to get my vote. It looks like a great coaster!
 
I've not ridden wildfire, but you can tell it's not dull without having to ride it.

Silver Star is dull. The worst coaster at Europa.
 
I always like seeing Silver Star getting some criticism. Not specifically here, but generally. It's one of those coasters that everyone seems to loathe. Except me and the people I visit EP with. Haha!

I haven't done Wildfire, oddly - but it's an obvious winner here.
 
You see, I'm the opposite. It always makes me a bit sad seeing Silver Star get criticism, as the only B&M hyper I've ridden (Mako) was fantastic (as the fact that it's my favourite coaster might imply)! Silver Star is probably the Europa coaster I'm most excited for before my visit in 2021, but I'm excited for the place in general!

I would say I'll have to vote for Wildfire in this one, though; it looks amazing!
 
pluk said:
Silver Star is dull. The worst coaster at Europa.
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Sweeping statement that's a load of absulote tosh alert!! Dull? Worst coaster at EP? I assume you have never ridden Ba-a-a Express, Pegasus, Alpenexpress, Bobbahn or Blitz?

As @AstroDan says, for some reason Silver Star always seems to get a hard time from enthusiasts. I have no idea as to why this is. It arguably has the best ending of any B&M Hyper I have ridden.
 
Rob said:
Sweeping statement that's a load of absulote tosh alert!! Dull? Worst coaster at EP? I assume you have never ridden Ba-a-a Express, Pegasus, Alpenexpress, Bobbahn or Blitz?
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I genuinely had more fun on those others you listed, so yes I suppose I thought they were better.

I only went to Europa for the first time a few years back, and had largely un-spoilered myself so went on most everything with no knowledge or expectations. I honestly found Silver Star dull, it did nothing for me, no air time and the thought of it giving ejector time seems laughable to me. My trip report from the time is on here somewhere where I said the same.

I rode it early, late, back middle and front and found it utterly forceless. Maybe it was having a bad few days? It is how I found it though.
 
pluk said:
I genuinely had more fun on those others you listed, so yes I suppose I thought they were better.
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You cannot expect to be taken seriously if you imply that Ba-a-a Express is in any way better than Silver Star! Fair enough if you had more fun because it was a kids coaster and a good laugh, but come on.

I will concede that Silver Star, like several other B&M Hypers, does have good and bad periods of running. I have no idea why this is, maybe it is to do with wheels on this model of coaster and how long it takes them to bed in?

I don't doubt that you found it forceless yourself, that's fair enough and it probably was running poorly. But it is objectively not the worst coaster at EP!
 
Rob said:
You cannot expect to be taken seriously if you imply that Ba-a-a Express is in any way better than Silver Star! Fair enough if you had more fun because it was a kids coaster and a good laugh, but come on.

I will concede that Silver Star, like several other B&M Hypers, does have good and bad periods of running. I have no idea why this is, maybe it is to do with wheels on this model of coaster and how long it takes them to bed in?

I don't doubt that you found it forceless yourself, that's fair enough and it probably was running poorly. But it is objectively not the worst coaster at EP!
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Ah, missed that one, Ireland opened the day after my last day on park in a typical bit of timing for me.

But you could argue that a coaster is best when it fulfills its intended aim. A kiddie coaster that works well as a kiddie coaster, and is actually fun, could objectively be considered a better coaster than one which is designed purely as a thrill machine (hanging so much on it being a straight up thrill machine that it is pretty much the only attraction on park with no real theming to entertain you in other ways) but offers nothing in the way of thrills at all.

From that point of view in my own experience, Silver Star is an activity bad ride in ways which the others listed are not.
 
As it happens, Ba-a-a Express isn't a great kids coaster, it is short with an unimaginative layout.

I do see your point of view and I can only hope that Silver Star is running better when you are next at EP! I just cannot agree that it is a bad ride, especially seeing as I almost came flying out of the thing only last month thanks to a very loose restraint.

Anyway, we've both ridden Silver Star and not Wildfire and we both agree that Wildfire is better, so there's something! :p
 
Rob said:
I just cannot agree that it is a bad ride, especially seeing as I almost came flying out of the thing only last month thanks to a very loose restraint.
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If it wants to do that to me in the future I'll happily reassess, my coaster of that Germany trip was Expadition GForce for similarly trying to fling me to my death!
 
pluk said:
If it wants to do that to me in the future I'll happily reassess, my coaster of that Germany trip was Expadition GForce for similarly trying to fling me to my death!
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Did you ride EGF before visiting Europa?

Sometimes wonder if riding similar rides on a long term trip can often reduce the opinion of another (whether it's not as good or just another ride in a long list of rides ridden, US trips can have that effect) later on in it...

Silver Star is just average really... It's neither poor nor is it excellent... Also loses points for being a car park coaster ;)
 
The trouble with Silver Star for me is that there isn't enough airtime relative to its height. I don't expect ejector airtime from a B&M hyper, but I would quite like sustained floater airtime all the way over the hill rather than on one side or the other.

Wildfire wasn't god's gift to coasterdom as it was thought to be by some when I rode it. It was a bit rattly (I got a headache from repeat rides in the sweltering heat that day), and it goes off the boil towards the end. It is however a great ride, and gives a very good zoo an unusual selling point. Of the two it easily wins this one.
 
^ honestly I think I'm riding a different coaster to everyone, because there's plenty of airtime on it. More than Shambhala and similar to Mako.

We are talking about the Mercedes themed coaster over a car park in Germany yes? ;)

It's interesting to see the complete opposite opinions on Silver Star, if one or two people slated it then I'd think they were crazy tbh. But it's a pretty common opinion that it's not a very good coaster.

Have I just been lucky with consistently brilliant rides on it?
 
RicketyCricket said:
Have I just been lucky with consistently brilliant rides on it?
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I'm afraid so. Many of us have had some pretty 'meh' or awful rides on Silver Star (the memories of the 17/18 hail storm are still sore). With that said however, the enthusiast ride host deliberately giving us loose restraints this New Year really opened my eyes as to how good it can be.

It's unfortunate that the final quality as to the ride experience is purely dictated by each individual's restraint, which is all down to how grumpy or forceful the host is.
 
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