Mitch Hawker coaster polls 2013-14

Calling all enthusiasts - the biggest and best coaster poll is back!

The Mitch Hawker wooden coaster poll is now online and accepting ballots until 24/1/14. The poll is open to everyone, and it doesn't matter how many coasters you've been on - as long as you've been on at least 2 coasters you can still take part.

The official ballot can be found here. If you're new to the poll, our very own Jordan has once again provided this invaluable ballot helper which will take care of everything for you. Alternatively, if you've taken part before and just want to update your ballot, make sure to check the changelog to make sure your ballot is up to date.

As ever, I will be running the TST mini-poll using any and all ballots posted in this thread - how do our opinions compare with those of enthusiasts worldwide? Whether you've travelled the world or only ridden the woodies in Blackpool, I want to hear from you! Can Balder hold on as our #1 woodie or will another ride take the top spot this year?

My Ballot:

[tt]COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE
Balder Liseberg SE,y,n,1
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,n,2
Wood Coaster Knight Valley CN,y,y,3
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,y,4
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,y,5
Stampida Port Aventura ES,y,y,6
Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR,y,n,7
Rutschebanen Tivoli Gardens DK,y,n,8
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,y,9
Nickelodeon Streak Blackpool UK,y,y,10
Magnus Colossus Terra Mitica ES,y,n,11[/tt]

Ooh, a Chinese coaster on our first ballot, I think that's the first ever Asian coaster from a TTF/TST member. It's very unlikely to make our final results sadly - I can't think of anyone else on here who might have ridden it.

Balder is one of those rides that always does very well in our poll but never quite has enough riders to be placed reliably. In the past it's been a very close battle between Balder, El Toro and Troy but we've never had anyone take part who's been on more than 1 of the 3 which means making direct comparisons is pretty much impossible. We now have a few people who've been on El Toro and Troy but I suspect that Balder is going to remain stubbornly difficult to place this year, though it's safe to say that once Helix opens there'll be loads more people on here riding Balder!

Am just going through my list now. Am I not looking hard enough or is Woodstock Express @ Kings Dominion not on the list in Jordan's helper?

Edit: Actually it's not on the poll at all having checked the main list

It is on the poll, but it's still listed as Ghoster Coaster.

My poll;

~"Mattmash"
RANK THE FOLLOWING RIDING SENSATIONS <-LEAVE
Abrupt Airtime_____________________________,y,y,1
Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes_,y,y,2
Sensation of Speed_________________________,y,y,3
Floating Airtime___________________________,y,y,4
Positive G's/Loops_________________________,y,y,5
Lateral Forces_____________________________,y,y,6
COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE
El Toro SFGAd NJ,y,y,1
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,y,2
Boulder Dash Lake Compounce CT,y,y,3
Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR,y,n,4
Phoenix Knoebel's PA,y,y,5
Troy Toverland NL,y,n,6
Megafobia Oakwood UK,y,n,7
Colossos Heide Park DE,y,n,8
Wodan TimburCoaster Europa Park DE,y,y,9
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,n,10
Joris en de Draak W de Efteling NL,y,n,11
Joris en de Draak V de Efteling NL,y,n,12
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,n,13
Twister Knoebel's PA,y,y,14
Lightning Racer - T Hersheypark PA,y,y,15
Lightning Racer - L Hersheypark PA,y,y,16
Comet Hersheypark PA,y,y,17
Thunderbolt Kennywood PA,y,y,18
Blue Streak Cedar Point OH,y,y,19
Robin Hood Walibi Holland NL,y,n,20
Jack Rabbit Kennywood PA,y,y,21
Cyclone SF New England MA,y,y,22
The Grizzly Kings Dominion VA,y,y,23
Wildcat Hersheypark PA,y,y,24
Rolling Thunder SFGAd NJ,y,y,25
Loup Garou Walibi Belgium BE,y,n,26
Ghoster Coaster Kings Dominion VA,y,n,27
Thunderhawk Dorney Park PA,y,y,28
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,n,29
Coaster-Express Parque Warner Madrid ES,y,n,30
Cyclone Luna Park NY,y,y,31
Roller Coaster Great Yarmouth UK,y,n,32
The Bandit Movie Park DE,y,n,33
Rebel Yell Kings Dominion VA,y,y,34
Hurler Kings Dominion VA,y,y,35
Tomahawk Port Aventura ES,y,y,36
Wildcat Lake Compounce CT,y,y,37
Thunderbolt SF New England MA,y,y,38
Nickelodeon Streak Blackpool UK,y,n,39
Mean Streak Cedar Point OH,y,y,40
Stampida Port Aventura ES,y,y,41
Racer Kennywood PA,y,y,42
Blue Flyer Blackpool UK,y,n,43
Anaconda Walygator Parc FR,y,n,44

Why is Gwazi Lion on the list? It hasn't operated at all this year :/

Mitch probably forgot to remove it - updating the ballot is an arduous process and it's very easy to make mistakes, especially when the information cannot be found on RCDB.

It's possible Gwazi Tiger could be taken off the ballot before the final results are published.


EDIT - Gwazi Lion is open, Tiger is closed

My Favorite Steel - Anypark Anywhere
Colossos - Heide Park
Balder - Liseberg
Megafobia - Oakwood
Troy - Toverland
Tonnerre de Zeus - Parc Asterix
Twister - Grona Lund
El Toro - Freizeitpark Plohn
Wodan TimburCoaster - Europa Park
Wild Mouse - Blackpool
Mammut - Tripsdrill
Grand National - Blackpool
Magnus Colossus - Terra Mitica
Tomahawk - Port Aventura
Big Dipper - Blackpool
Nickelodeon Streak - Blackpool
Tyrolean Tubtwist - Joyland
Stampida - Port Aventura
Roller Coaster - Great Yarmouth
Blue Flyer - Blackpool
The Bandit - Movie Park

Here is mine

COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE
Timber Terror Silverwood ID,y,n,1
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,n,2
Roar SF Discovery Kingdom CA,y,n,3
Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR,y,n,4
Troy Toverland NL,y,n,5
Tremors Silverwood ID,y,n,6
Boardwalk Bullet Kemah Boardwalk TX,y,n,7
Boulder Dash Lake Compounce CT,y,y,8
Coaster Playland BC,y,n,9
HellCat Timber Falls WI,y,n,10
Megafobia Oakwood UK,y,y,11
Mean Streak Cedar Point OH,y,n,12
Phoenix Knoebel's PA,y,n,13
Racer Kings Island OH,y,n,14
Coaster Thrill Ride Puyallup Fair WA,y,n,15
Colossus S.F. Magic Mountain CA,y,n,16
Cyclone Lakeside CO,y,n,17
Cyclone SF New England MA,y,y,18
Dania Bch Hurr (S) Dania Beach FL,y,n,19
Giant Dipper Belmont Park CA,y,n,20
Giant Dipper Santa Cruz Bch Bdwk CA,y,n,21
Hades Mount Olympus WI,y,n,22
The Legend Arnolds Park IA,y,n,23
Loup Garou Walibi Belgium BE,y,y,24
Mammut Tripsdrill DE,y,y,25
Renegade Valleyfair! MN,y,n,26
Roller Coaster Great Yarmouth UK,y,y,27
Stampida Port Aventura ES,y,n,28
Timberhawk Enchanted Village WA,y,n,29
Viper SFGAm IL,y,n,30
Wooden Warrior Quassy CT,y,y,31
Zeus Mount Olympus WI,y,n,32
Nickelodeon Streak Blackpool UK,y,y,33
Big Dipper (SBNO) Geauga Lake OH,y,n,34
Comet Hersheypark PA,y,n,35
Rolling Thunder SFGAd NJ,y,n,36
The Beast Kings Island OH,y,n,37
Thunderbolt Kennywood PA,y,n,38
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,y,39
American Eagle SFGAm IL,y,n,40
Anaconda Walygator Parc FR,y,y,41
Cyclops Mount Olympus WI,y,n,42
High Roller Valleyfair! MN,y,n,43
Joris en de Draak V de Efteling NL,y,y,44
Joris en de Draak W de Efteling NL,y,y,45
Judge Roy Scream SFoT TX,y,n,46
Meteor Little Amerricka WI,y,n,47
Thunderbolt SF New England MA,y,y,48
Tomahawk Port Aventura ES,y,n,49
Twister II Elitch Gardens CO,y,n,50
Yankee Cannonball Canobie Lake Park NH,y,y,51
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,y,52
Blue Streak Cedar Point OH,y,n,53
Rollo Coaster Idlewild PA,y,n,54
Racer Kennywood PA,y,n,55
Thunderhawk Dorney Park PA,y,n,56
The Bandit Movie Park DE,y,n,57
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,y,58
Gwazi-Tiger Busch Gardens-Tampa FL,y,n,59
Little Dipper SFGAm IL,y,n,60
Pegasus Mount Olympus WI,y,n,61
Blue Flyer Blackpool UK,y,y,62
Blue Streak Conneaut Lake Park PA,y,n,63
Jack Rabbit Kennywood PA,y,n,64
Scenic Railway (S) Dreamland UK,y,n,65
Woodstock Express Kings Island OH,y,n,66
Coaster-Express Parque Warner Madrid ES,y,n,67
Tyrolean Tubtwist Joyland UK,y,n,68
Gwazi-Lion Busch Gardens-Tampa FL,y,n,69

Here is mine! So many of the average US ones just sort of... blend into one...!



COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE
El Toro SFGAd NJ,y,y,1
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,y,2
Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR,y,n,3
Troy Toverland NL,y,n,4
Boulder Dash Lake Compounce CT,y,y,5
Wodan TimburCoaster Europa Park DE,y,y,6
Megafobia Oakwood UK,y,y,7
Colossos Heide Park DE,y,n,8
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,y,9
Joris en de Draak V de Efteling NL,y,y,10
Joris en de Draak W de Efteling NL,y,y,11
Lightning Racer - L Hersheypark PA,y,y,12
Lightning Racer - T Hersheypark PA,y,y,13
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,y,14
Wildcat Hersheypark PA,y,y,15
Blue Streak Cedar Point OH,y,y,16
Robin Hood Walibi Holland NL,y,n,17
Twister Knoebel's PA,y,y,18
Gwazi-Lion Busch Gardens-Tampa FL,y,n,19
Thunderbolt Kennywood PA,y,y,20
Phoenix Knoebel's PA,y,y,21
Cyclone SF New England MA,y,y,22
Jack Rabbit Kennywood PA,y,y,23
The Bandit Movie Park DE,y,n,24
Tomahawk Port Aventura ES,y,y,25
Loup Garou Walibi Belgium BE,y,n,26
Thunderbolt SF New England MA,y,y,27
Coaster-Express Parque Warner Madrid ES,y,n,28
Racer Kennywood PA,y,y,29
Comet Hersheypark PA,y,y,30
Hurler Kings Dominion VA,y,y,31
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,y,32
Mean Streak Cedar Point OH,y,y,33
Rebel Yell Kings Dominion VA,y,y,34
Thunderhawk Dorney Park PA,y,y,35
Nickelodeon Streak Blackpool UK,y,y,36
Rolling Thunder SFGAd NJ,y,y,37
Ghoster Coaster Kings Dominion VA,y,y,38
Antelope Gulliver's World UK,y,n,39
The Grizzly Kings Dominion VA,y,y,40
Stampida Port Aventura ES,y,y,41
Anaconda Walygator Parc FR,y,n,42
Blue Flyer Blackpool UK,y,y,43

This sorts out the old what-to-do-on-Christmas-Day-at-about-half-past-three problem.

My ballot: (Rather pathetic I know )


RANK THE FOLLOWING RIDING SENSATIONS <-LEAVE
Floating Airtime___________________________,y,y,1
Abrupt Airtime_____________________________,y,y,2
Sensation of Speed_________________________,y,y,3
Positive G's/Loops_________________________,y,y,4
Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes_,y,y,5
Lateral Forces_____________________________,y,y,6
COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,n,1
Wodan TimburCoaster Europa Park DE,y,y,2
Megafobia Oakwood UK,y,y,3
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,y,4
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,y,5
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,y,6
Blue Flyer Blackpool UK,y,n,7

Could someone please explain the: "My Favorite Steel Any park Anywhere?" I don't get how this relates to a wooden coaster poll.

It's rating the woodies against the steels. So your number one coaster might be a steel coaster, so then it'd go at the top. If it's a wooden coaster, then that ride goes top with your steel favourite placing where you rank it.

For example, my top steel is Expedition GeForce, so I rank it higher than my top woodie, Collossos. Therefore My favourite steel goes at the top. If I had Collossos at the top, then EGF would go second, placing my favourite steel in second.

Hope that helps?

A rather nimble ballot from myself... (Must get around more!)

--Generator: Jordan's Ballot Helper 2013 (wood)--
--Ballot: 03f8315a4d7--
[email protected]------
LOCATION IN NEXT LINE (Please LEAVE THIS LINE IN BALLOT)
~"Blackburn, UK"
NAME IN NEXT LINE (Please LEAVE THIS LINE IN THE BALLOT)
~"Adam James Whittaker"
RANK THE FOLLOWING RIDING SENSATIONS <-LEAVE
Floating Airtime___________________________,y,y,1
Abrupt Airtime_____________________________,y,y,2
Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes_,y,y,3
Positive G's/Loops_________________________,y,y,4
Lateral Forces_____________________________,y,y,5
Sensation of Speed_________________________,y,y,6
COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,y,1
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,n,2
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,y,3
Wodan TimburCoaster Europa Park DE,y,n,4
Scenic Railway (S) Dreamland UK,y,n,5
Roller Coaster Great Yarmouth UK,y,n,6
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,y,7
Tyrolean Tubtwist Joyland UK,y,n,8
Nickelodeon Streak Blackpool UK,y,y,9
Blue Flyer Blackpool UK,y,y,10

Troy Toverland NL,y,y,1
Wodan TimburCoaster Europa Park DE,y,n,2
Megafobia Oakwood UK,y,n,3
Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR,y,n,4
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,y,5
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,y,6
Nickelodeon Streak Blackpool UK,y,y,7
Blue Flyer Blackpool UK,y,y,8
Tomahawk Port Aventura ES,y,y,9
The Bandit Movie Park DE,y,n,10
Scenic Railway (S) Dreamland UK,y,n,11
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,y,12
Stampida Port Aventura ES,y,y,13
Anaconda Walygator Parc FR,y,n,14

This is what I submitted but feel tomahawk should be above flyer on reflection

A couple of new ones for me this year - two GCI's which have ranked well

Abrupt Airtime_____________________________,y,y,1
Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes_,y,y,2
Sensation of Speed_________________________,y,y,3
Floating Airtime___________________________,y,y,4
Lateral Forces_____________________________,y,y,5
Positive G's/Loops_________________________,y,y,6
COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE
El Toro SFGAd NJ,y,n,1
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,n,2
Wodan TimburCoaster Europa Park DE,y,y,3
Colossos Heide Park DE,y,n,4
Apocalypse S. F. Magic Mountain CA,y,y,5
Megafobia Oakwood UK,y,n,6
Viper SFGAm IL,y,n,7
Mean Streak Cedar Point OH,y,n,8
Gwazi-Lion Busch Gardens-Tampa FL,y,n,9
Gwazi-Tiger Busch Gardens-Tampa FL,y,n,10
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,n,11
Tomahawk Port Aventura ES,y,n,12
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,n,13
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,n,14
Colossus S.F. Magic Mountain CA,y,n,15
Rolling Thunder SFGAd NJ,y,n,16
Stampida Port Aventura ES,y,n,17

[tt]El Toro SFGAd NJ,y,y,1
My Favorite Steel Anypark Anywhere **,y,y,2
Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR,y,y,3
Phoenix Knoebel's PA,y,y,4
Boulder Dash Lake Compounce CT,y,y,5
Colossos Heide Park DE,y,n,6
Wodan TimburCoaster Europa Park DE,y,y,7
Megafobia Oakwood UK,y,n,8
Wild Mouse Blackpool UK,y,y,9
Twister Knoebel's PA,y,y,10
Grand National Blackpool UK,y,y,11
Thunderbolt Kennywood PA,y,y,12
Blue Streak Cedar Point OH,y,y,13
Joris en de Draak V de Efteling NL,y,y,14
Joris en de Draak W de Efteling NL,y,y,14
Lightning Racer - L Hersheypark PA,y,y,16
Lightning Racer - T Hersheypark PA,y,y,16
Cyclone SF New England MA,y,y,18
Comet Hersheypark PA,y,y,19
Jack Rabbit Kennywood PA,y,y,20
Rolling Thunder SFGAd NJ,y,y,21
The Bandit Movie Park DE,y,y,22
Thunderhawk Dorney Park PA,y,y,23
Big Dipper Blackpool UK,y,y,24
Hurler Kings Dominion VA,y,y,25
Wildcat Hersheypark PA,y,y,26
Cyclone Luna Park NY,y,y,27
Thunderbolt SF New England MA,y,y,28
Nickelodeon Streak Blackpool UK,y,y,29
Rebel Yell Kings Dominion VA,y,y,30
Racer Kennywood PA,y,y,31
The Grizzly Kings Dominion VA,y,y,32
Ghoster Coaster Kings Dominion VA,y,y,33
Mean Streak Cedar Point OH,y,y,34
Wildcat Lake Compounce CT,y,y,35
Antelope Gulliver's World UK,y,n,36
Blue Flyer Blackpool UK,y,y,37[/tt]

Mitch has contacted me about updating the steel poll again for this year. If anyone can think of anything missing off last year's ballot (other than those listed here) please let me know ASAP.

I'm slightly concerned that there are too many rides listed on the steel poll and it's getting unmanageable, but I don't want to remove too much as I think it strikes a pretty good balance as it is. I'm thinking of removing some family rides - the likes of Vekoma family suspended, Mack Youngstar, Fav Vek Jr Boomerang etc. I've never been entirely sure what the eligibility criteria is, but "bigger than vekoma jr" seems as good as any. Sensible suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

In the meantime the wood poll is still open, so keep those ballots coming in.