Coasters that carry their park’s coaster lineup

[Matt N]

Hi guys. Often when visiting a park, there are certain rides that will stand out to you as being more enjoyable than others. But sometimes, there might be a case where you ride one coaster a park that stands tall above the rest. This one coaster outweighs the rest of the park’s coasters by a considerable margin, and your day would feel less fulfilling if you were unable to ride this one coaster. So my question to you today is; in your view, what coasters are so superior to the rest of their respective park’s coaster lineup that they almost single-handedly carry it? Have you ever ridden a coaster that drastically outweighs the rest of its respective park’s lineup in quality?

I’ll get the ball rolling with an answer of my own.

Perhaps controversially, a personal answer of mine would be Icon at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Now I am not saying that Blackpool has a poor coaster lineup by any means, but when considering my own taste in rides, Icon simply appeals to that taste a lot more than the rest of the park’s coasters do. Icon presently sits at my #4 spot among the 91 coasters I’ve ridden, is rated a 10/10 in my rating system, and is a truly outstanding ride in my view. The next highest ranked coaster at BPB for me is Avalanche, which sits at #29 and is rated a 7/10. It’s a fun ride, but not something I rate exceptionally highly. Icon is the only coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach to make my top 10% (#9 and above), the only coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach to make my top 25% (#22 and above), and one of only 3 coasters at Blackpool Pleasure Beach to make my top 50% (#45 and above), with the other two being Avalanche at #29 and Nickelodeon Streak at #45. With that in mind, I’d certainly argue that Icon carries Blackpool’s coaster lineup for me.

I can’t think of any other rides that would meet this particular criterion for me. To my knowledge, most of the other parks I’ve visited with a coaster in my top 10% have at least one other that makes at least the top 25%.

But have you ridden any coasters that carry their park’s coaster lineup, in your view?

 

[Zeock]

While it was there, The Ultimate at Lightwater Valley. Bandit at Yomuriland also definitely carries that park's coaster lineup. Rage at Adventure Island is another one.

 

[Shaggy_Dog_]

Ride to Happiness at Plopsaland.

Heidi and Anubis are both good little coasters but RTH is the reason that you make the journey over there. It’s a bonkers coaster and just such a step ahead of the other rides at the park in terms of thrill level.

 

[Zeock]

Another one that has just popped into my mind is Taiga at Linnanmaki.

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[Poisson]

EGF at Holiday Park is the obvious one

Lech at Legendia

 

[Poisson]

Another one that has just popped into my mind is Taiga at Linnanmaki.

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Really? Looks like a good park. Are the Spinner and Skyloop poor? I've done the bigger Skyloop in Madrid and it's quite good fun

 

[Zeock]

Really? Looks like a good park. Are the Spinner and Skyloop poor? I've done the bigger Skyloop in Madrid and it's quite good fun

Sadly never been there, but judging by the scores on Captain Coaster (Taiga 8th on world rankings, the spinner is 527th, which suggests it is average, and the Skyloop is 803rd, which suggests it is poor), it does seem like Taiga carries the lineup.

 

[Burbs]

+1 for RTH at Plopsa. I’d happily get a discounted ticket and nip in for a few laps on it on the way to Europe’s better theme parks.

 

[John_P]

Kondaa at Walibi Belgium, every other coaster is good at best. Think if I'd visited before Kondaa and Tiki-Waka opened I'd have been disappointed with the park compared to Walibi Holland.

Cyclone at Luna Park, Coney Island
Bunch of generic coasters and that wooden classic.

Definitely agree with RTH, I feel if you visited before it opened you'd go in, lap the park, then head off to your next stop.

 

[Thameslink Rail]

Unfortunately I have to say Shockwave at Drayton Manor. It just feels like the park is missing something in its lineup between Shockwave and the other coasters which are mediocre family rides like Jormungandr which is painfully slow these days.

 

[DistortAMG]

Unfortunately I have to say Shockwave at Drayton Manor. It just feels like the park is missing something in its lineup between Shockwave and the other coasters which are mediocre family rides like Jormungandr which is painfully slow these days.

It has been running that speed for as long as I can remember, 1995ish. So I suspect it has ran that same speed it's whole life.

 

[Alastair]

Really? Looks like a good park. Are the Spinner and Skyloop poor? I've done the bigger Skyloop in Madrid and it's quite good fun

Everything is mediocre to poor except Taiga, which is top class. Definitely a ride/park which fits into this bracket!

I'd also hasten to add Wildfire at Kolmården. Going there without that being open...well, it's just a zoo

 

[D4n]

Everything is mediocre to poor except Taiga, which is top class. Definitely a ride/park which fits into this bracket!

I'd also hasten to add Wildfire at Kolmården. Going there without that being open...well, it's just a zoo

Disagree.

The wooden coaster at Linnenmaki is very good.

As already mentioned, the spinner is also halfway decent.

Not a bad coaster line up, better than Blackpool's for me.

 

[Danny]

Fury 325 is the saving grace of Carowinds. Both the park and coaster lineup are somewhat soulless (CHS has personality about it, but it's by no means a top-notch coaster), and Fury alone is a major driving factor to visiting. The best non-inverting B&M on the planet, perhaps.

I'd have said Oz'Iris, but that inevitably won't be the case later this year.

Kondaa and RTH are also both obvious candidates.

 

[JAperson]

Unfortunately I have to say Shockwave at Drayton Manor. It just feels like the park is missing something in its lineup between Shockwave and the other coasters which are mediocre family rides like Jormungandr which is painfully slow these days.

I have to agree here. Shockwave is the best coaster on park by a long way and it's not just because its the only thrill coaster. If Drayton opened a new really good family thrill coaster it would definitely take the cake for best coaster on park, even if I have some affection for shockwave.

It has been running that speed for as long as I can remember, 1995ish. So I suspect it has ran that same speed it's whole life.

It does feel like it struggles more now, and it just doesn't feel like it rides the same. It's also in a very poor state. It does feel lacklustre compared to what it might've done previously, whether the speed is actually any different is debatable.

 

[Rick]

Most of the former Paramount parks had sizable coaster collections with not much to write home about.

Canada's Wonderland was probably the best example of this, until the B&Ms arrived. I've only ridden them both once, but great rides.

 

[venny]

Shambhala.

Cuchulainn.

 

[Shaggy_Dog_]

Shambhala.

Cuchulainn.

The thing about PA is that if it and Ferrari Land were just one park then it wouldn’t be the case that Shambhala was carrying the park’s coaster lineup, Red Force and Shambhala would make for a great one two in a unified park.

 

[Ted]

Kondaa and RTH are also both obvious candidates.

In the 7 weeks or so where it was the only coaster operating between the two, you could say Kondaa carried an entire country! Belgium never really top top tier coasters until those two arrived

 

[D4n]

There's probably an argument to be made for Sik at Flamingo Land here.

It isn't world class but the other coasters at the park are mediocre at best.

There are also a couple of examples of UK seaside amusement parks with an excellent wooden coaster but then nothing else of any note - Yarmouth PB and Dreamland spring straight to mind.