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Rank your ridden GCI wooden coasters

Matt N

Matt N

TS Member
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Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Hi guys. GCI, short for Great Coasters International, are arguably one of the most prolific manufacturers of wooden roller coasters out there on the market, and they have manufactured numerous popular rides, including Wicker Man close to home at Alton Towers and the highly popular (on this site) Wodan at Europa Park, amongst others in Europe. So my question to you today is; out of the GCIs you’ve ridden, how would you rank them?

I’ve only done one, so my ranking is relatively simple:
  1. Wicker Man
But I’ve got to say that Wicker Man is a ride I absolutely adore; it’s in my top 3, and positioned only a hair behind Icon for the title of my favourite UK coaster! For that reason, I can’t wait to experience many more GCI roller coasters worldwide; they’re definitely among the manufacturers I’d like to ride more coasters from!

But how would you rank your ridden GCIs?
 
I find it really hard to rank these tbh but here goes....

1. Joris - perhaps a controversial choice but they're both superb coasters. Possibly because I rode them constantly in the dark without having to leave the station for an hour. Not the biggest but keep up a good pace for the duration.

2. Wodan - relentless. A wild ride from start to finish. No airtime though.

3. Mystic Timbers - really fun ride with an out and back layout. Love how it stays low to the ground throughout the layout in an excellent setting.

4. Wicker - punches above its weight, especially near the back. My most recent ride was closer to the front and it felt a bit boring.

5. Wildcat - boring layout and very rough, RMC it please.

Edit - wait, Lightning Racer at Hershey are GCI's? I'll whack those in between Mystic Timbers and Wicker Man.
 
All the love for Wodan makes me excited; there’s a chance I could get to go to Europa next year for my 18th birthday, so as I love Wicker Man and Wodan is allegedly it on steroids, I think I could really love it!

Seeing as Europa’s big 3 (Silver Star, Blue Fire and Wodan) exactly parallels my current top 3 (Mako, Icon and Wicker Man, in that order) in terms of ride type, I’m excited to potentially be getting to ride some new top-quality coasters for my count next year, as well as experience what else Europa has to offer; I’ve got a feeling one of the big 3 could even be a new number 1 coaster for me if they’re really, really good!
 
Matt N said:
Did I? To be fair, that was back in 2017, so I’d forgotten completely, but sorry about that everyone!
Click to expand...

No need to apologise but I thought I'd point it out anyway :p

Anyway, I've ridden a grand total of two more GCIs since posting in the other topic, mine are:

1. Wodan
2. Wicker Man
3. White Lightning

I think despite the low count, I've experienced good varieties of what GCI have to offer. Wodan is top tier stuff, White Lightning felt weaker compared to some others I've seen via on ride videos but it's still a good cred in its own right, and Wicker Man definitely feels "middle ground", it's not quite with the big boys but definitely has something going for it.
 
Matt N said:
Seeing as Europa’s big 3 (Silver Star, Blue Fire and Wodan) exactly parallels my current top 3 (Mako, Icon and Wicker Man, in that order) in terms of ride type, I’m excited to potentially be getting to ride some new top-quality coasters for my count next year, as well as experience what else Europa has to offer; I’ve got a feeling one of the big 3 could even be a new number 1 coaster for me if they’re really, really good!
Click to expand...
Off topic but I'd say:
Mako > Silver Star
Icon < Blue Fire
Wicker Man < Wodan
I wouldn't go in expecting any of them to be your new number 1, but they are all very good rides.
Blue Fire actually is my number 1 but I'll admit it's not a perfect ride, it just ticks every box for me. I also haven't been on Helix which could change that.
 
Here is mine. When I went to Asia with Joel he preferred Wood Coaster over Python In Bamboo Forest but we agreed they are both world class coasters. It's just a shame they only send trains every 10 minutes

1. Python In Bamboo Forest (Nanchang Sunac Theme Park)
2. Wood Coaster (Knight Valley)
3. Mystic Timbers (Kings Island)
4. Wodan Timbur Coaster (Europa Park)
5. Gold Striker (California's Great America)
6. Lightning Racer (Hershey Park)
7. Troy (Toverland)
8. Joris en de Draak (Efteling)
9. Wicker Man (Alton Towers)
10. Thunderhead (Dollywood)
11. Thunderbird (PowerPark)
12. White Lightning (Funspot America Orlando)
13. Heidi The Ride (Plopsaland)
14. American Thunder (Six Flags St Louis)
15. Apocalypse The Ride (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
16. El Toro (Freizeitpark Plohn)
17. Gwazi (Busch Gardens Tampa)
18. InvadR (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)
19. Wildcat (Hershey Park)
 
I’ve only ridden Joris (both sides) and Wodan. Perhaps controversially, I prefer Joris to Wodan. It may not be as fast, tall or intense but I think it’s a funner layout and racing really adds to the experience. Hopefully I’ll get on Wicker Man soon.

Dan said:
Here is mine. When I went to Asia with Joel he preferred Wood Coaster over Python In Bamboo Forest but we agreed they are both world class coasters. It's just a shame they only send trains every 10 minutes

1. Python In Bamboo Forest (Nanchang Sunac Theme Park)
2. Wood Coaster (Knight Valley)
3. Mystic Timbers (Kings Island)
4. Wodan Timbur Coaster (Europa Park)
5. Gold Striker (California's Great America)
6. Lightning Racer (Hershey Park)
7. Troy (Toverland)
8. Joris en de Draak (Efteling)
9. Wicker Man (Alton Towers)
10. Thunderhead (Dollywood)
11. Thunderbird (PowerPark)
12. White Lightning (Funspot America Orlando)
13. Heidi The Ride (Plopsaland)
14. American Thunder (Six Flags St Louis)
15. Apocalypse The Ride (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
16. El Toro (Freizeitpark Plohn)
17. Gwazi (Busch Gardens Tampa)
18. InvadR (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)
19. Wildcat (Hershey Park)
Click to expand...

Gosh! This is quite the list. Wood Coaster has been my number 1 bucket list coaster for years so I’m rather envious.
 
CGM said:
1. Wodan
2. Wood Coaster (Knight Valley)
3. Mystic Timbers
4. Wildcat (Hershey)
5. Lightning Racer (Can't really distinguish between the two sides)
6. Wicker Man
7. Thunderhead
8. American Thunder
9. InvadR
Click to expand...
Wildcat that high up is a bold choice, I thought it was awful personally. What did you like about it out of interest?

Lightning Racer on the other hand was a huge suprise and one/two of my favourite woodies.
 
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