Thirteen or Gold Rush; which of the UK’s family trick track Intamins do you prefer?

[Matt N]

Hi guys. This year, Drayton Manor has opened its biggest roller coaster in years; Gold Rush. This Intamin family coaster contains both a lift hill and a launch and encapsulates switch track technology to allow it to travel both forwards and backwards and give it the highly unique quality of offering more than one potential cycle! Gold Rush is not the only UK Intamin family coaster to encapsulate switch track technology to send riders both forwards and backwards, however; Thirteen at Alton Towers has also been doing this for the last 14 years! Being the first drop track coaster in the world, it uses switch tracks to its advantage, allowing riders to experience both a fun forwards section through the forest and a brilliant backwards section following the drop track! With this in mind, I’d be interested to know; of the UK’s Intamin family coasters with trick tracks, do you prefer Gold Rush or Thirteen?

Personally, I’ve only ridden Thirteen out of the two so far, but will be doing Gold Rush in just under two weeks’ time. I actually really like Thirteen; I think it’s a great coaster! The first drop is really good, particularly if you’re sat towards the back of the train, there are some fun little bits of airtime in the twisty forest section, and then the drop track and backwards section are brilliant and never fail to make you laugh! Whether Gold Rush will top that or not, I don’t know, but I’m certainly interested to give it a go and find out on 5th September!

But I’d be keen to know; do you prefer Thirteen or Gold Rush?

 

[owenstreet7]

Gold Rush I did it recently and I shall say that it is incredibly well themed. It isn't the most thrilling coaster however it is fantastic for what it is.

Thirteen, I would say is mainly the drop. The rest of the ride seemed rather forgettable and is very much a family coaster.

That launch at the very end of Thirteen though is punchy, I think it would've been fantastic to have something after that launch and then go into the brake run.

 

[George W]

I'll be riding gold rush soon but I voted thirteen, I love the drop track and going backwards in the dark and the first drop is cool albeit trimmed it's a great family thrill coaster whereas gold rush more looks like a great family coaster so I don't expect to prefer it over thirteen.

 

[John_P]

Gold Rush as you actually get a quite long coaster ride.
If the first coaster part of Thirteen was double the length I'd have probably gone with that instead.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I think if they didn’t have the trim Brakes on 13 then 13 for me would win hands down. 13 only fun after you enter the indoor section and launch backwards.
The theming is really on the front of the building with it been 14 years old now the tarps are ridded to bits in places and you can see the metal show building.
Gold rush is a great ride for Drayton and I love the fact when you riding you don’t know what cycle you getting.
If we go on Cycles then 13 beats Gold rush but Cycle 2 Gold rush wipes the floor with 13.
But the overall package, Theming and having 2 different coasters in 1 then Gold rush beats 13.

 

[Joel3]

I just rode Gold Rush today, it’s a lot of fun! But only experienced it in cycle 1. Personally I think TH13TEEN is still the better ride simply due to the free fall drop, but they’re both very enjoyable!

 

[Mick]

Haven’t done Gold Rush yet but from what I’ve seen of it on vlogs and the like I suspect I’ll prefer Thirteen - but then I do have a soft spot for it.

As another new release ‘family coaster’ this year, be interested to see how people compare Minifigure Speedway with Gold Rush, as I just feel there was quite a bit more enthusiasm around that release to Gold Rush, but maybe that’s because people had lower expectations.

 

[Lynnea]

I've been on both, and I'd say Thirteen edges out Gold Rush for me. The drop track on Thirteen is a real surprise, and the whole forest vibe adds to the experience.