Your Top Ten Coasters

[AstroDan]

1) Shambhala - PortAventura Park
2) The Smiler - Alton Towers Resort
3) Stampida - PortAventura Park
4) Furius Baco - PortAventura Park
5) Saw: The Ride - Thorpe Park
6) Big Thunder Mountain - Parc Disneyland
7) Space Mountain: Mission 2 - Parc Disneyland
8) Dragon Challenge - Universal Islands of Adventure
9) The Swarm - Thorpe Park
10) Crush's Coaster - Parc Walt Disney Studios

Is this list some kind of joke?

Some of the rides named above are appalling!

Baco, Stampida... they are horrible! Appalling operations and diabolical ride comfort.

Your list seems very weighted towards Disneyland Paris and Portaventura, although I agree Shambhala is well renowned.

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Because they're my favourite coasters? Just because a ride is rough doesn't mean it's no good?! I think Baco and Stampida are amazing, the roughness is what makes them fun, whats the point going on something if you're going to fall asleep halfway around. Its my opinion at the end of the day

I know it's your opinion, I was just keen to know why as I find some of your top ten truly awful - if you post a list with coasters like Baco and Stampida in a top ten, coasters which are disliked by a lot of people, then you're going to get challenged as to why, it's a forum.



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[Sam]

1) Shambhala - PortAventura Park
2) The Smiler - Alton Towers Resort
3) Stampida - PortAventura Park
4) Furius Baco - PortAventura Park
5) Saw: The Ride - Thorpe Park
6) Big Thunder Mountain - Parc Disneyland
7) Space Mountain: Mission 2 - Parc Disneyland
8) Dragon Challenge - Universal Islands of Adventure
9) The Swarm - Thorpe Park
10) Crush's Coaster - Parc Walt Disney Studios

Have you not been on Nemesis, or do you actually rank all of these ahead of it? Genuine question.

 

[siralgenon]

1) Shambhala - PortAventura Park
2) The Smiler - Alton Towers Resort
3) Stampida - PortAventura Park
4) Furius Baco - PortAventura Park
5) Saw: The Ride - Thorpe Park
6) Big Thunder Mountain - Parc Disneyland
7) Space Mountain: Mission 2 - Parc Disneyland
8) Dragon Challenge - Universal Islands of Adventure
9) The Swarm - Thorpe Park
10) Crush's Coaster - Parc Walt Disney Studios

Have you not been on Nemesis, or do you actually rank all of these ahead of it? Genuine question.

Nemesis, come to think of it could probably go joint 5th - The thing is I've been on the ones at Towers so many times they lose their re-ride ability

 

[Martin]

That's like saying "I've seen The Godfather so many times, I don't think it's good any more"

 

[Alastair]

1) Shambhala - PortAventura Park
2) The Smiler - Alton Towers Resort
3) Stampida - PortAventura Park
4) Furius Baco - PortAventura Park
5) Saw: The Ride - Thorpe Park
6) Big Thunder Mountain - Parc Disneyland
7) Space Mountain: Mission 2 - Parc Disneyland
8) Dragon Challenge - Universal Islands of Adventure
9) The Swarm - Thorpe Park
10) Crush's Coaster - Parc Walt Disney Studios

Have you not been on Nemesis, or do you actually rank all of these ahead of it? Genuine question.

Nemesis, come to think of it could probably go joint 5th - The thing is I've been on the ones at Towers so many times they lose their re-ride ability

Nemesis...on a par with SAW?

That's like putting Northern Rail on a par with Virgin....or Lionel Messi on a par with James Milner

 

[Nick]

After Parc Asterix and DLP:

1. Nemesis
2. Tonnerre de Zeus
3. OzIris
4. Incredible Hulk
5. Expedition Everest
6. Black Mamba
7. The Ultimate
8. Oblivion
9. Montu
10. Colorado Adventure

There will be trip reports to come.

 

[CGM]

1. Balder - Liseberg
2. Expedition Ge Force - Holiday Park
3. Shambhala - Port Aventura
4. Nemesis - Alton Towers
5. Mountain Flyer - Knight Valley
6. Dragon Khan - Port Aventura
7. Bullet Coaster - Happy Valley Shenzhen
8. Grand National - Blackpool Pleasure Beach
9. Furius Baco - Port Aventura
10. Dive Coaster - Chimelong Paradise

To be honest, only 1-6 are solid in my mind. The rest of the list is very changeable.

 

[AstroDan]

Furius Baco is diabolical.

Truly, awful.

Headaches all around today.

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[Sam]

Having ridden the utter abomination twice today, I am astounded with anyone who has Furius Baco in their top ten.

Not only is it traumatically rough and jarring, the layout is boring, short, forceless and unimaginable beyond belief.

Hands down the worst coaster I have EVER been on, I'm baffled as to how it could make anybody's top ten unless you've only been on ten coasters (and even then, that's pushing it).

 

[Joelio]

1) El Toro, Six Flags Great Adventure
2) Maverick, Cedar Point
3) Raptor, Cedar Point
4) Nemesis, Alton Towers
5) Shambhala, PortAventura
6) Bizarro, Six Flags Great Adventure
7) Boulderdash, Lake Compounce
8) Troy, Toverland
9) Top Thrill Dragster, Cedar Point
10) Batman: The Ride, Six Flags Great Adventure

In at number 8 is the fantastic Troy at Toverland, packs a real punch and gets better the more you ride it.

 

[Sam]

Shambhala is great but criminally overrated. The entire last third after the splashdown is underwhelming and dull.

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[Vik]

Having ridden Baco I can safely say it will never appear in my top 10. It's that bad last place it too good for it.

It is the only ride I can safely say that I would happily never ride again. Never before have I wanted a ride to finish like I did when riding this 'thing' today.

If it was to be destroyed by a raging herd of Bison overnight then drinks are on me.

 

[CGM]

Shambhala is great but criminally overrated. The entire last third after the splashdown is underwhelming and dull.

I very much disagree, I think it's quite possibly the best coaster that B&M have ever made, at least in Europe. I think if I had visited Port Aventura pre-Shambhala, I would have been a bit underwhelmed. Dragon Khan is an excellent coaster but it alone is not worth the trip to Spain. Shambhala on the other hand made the trip worthwhile and I would happily return to ride it.

Having ridden the utter abomination twice today, I am astounded with anyone who has Furius Baco in their top ten.

Not only is it traumatically rough and jarring, the layout is boring, short, forceless and unimaginable beyond belief.

Hands down the worst coaster I have EVER been on, I'm baffled as to how it could make anybody's top ten unless you've only been on ten coasters (and even then, that's pushing it).

There are very few things that my sister and I agree on but we both agree that Baco is awesome. I know that it's not a widely-held view here but there is no other coaster I've ridden that has such a relentless sense of speed. I didn't find it rough at all and so I'm somewhat confused by the number of complaints in that area. Out of the three accelerator coasters I've been on, it also has the best launch.

I don't expect to convince anyone but I'm certainly not going to down-vote a ride that I enjoyed because of popular opinion which is what some people seem to want.

 

[Rob]

Shambhala is an excellent coaster and probably in my top 5. However it has had a hell of a lot of hype so there is a big risk of people being slightly underwhelmed when they go to ride. It's like anything that gets a lot of hype. You all of a sudden are expecting this amazing experience and if it's not quite there you feel disappointed. I rode Hobs Pit yesterday which has been hyped up a lot, and I thought that despite some great theming for a small park it was rather dull and boring (in relation to the hype). Hype is a wonderfully cruel thing at times!

 

[Alastair]

I didn't think it was overhyped. It was everything that I expected it to be: height, speed and unrelenting airtime. How could you expect more looking at it?

 

[AstroDan]

Shambhala is great, but I really don't think there's much separating most of the four B&M Hyper Coasters I have been on.

I'd say Shambhala is best, as it has the best first drop, turnaround and speed hill. Nitro and Silver Star are, for me, very similar. Nitro has more intense G, whilst I love the end of Silver Star. Apollo's Chariot had the least airtime but interacted the best with surroundings.

Ultimately, B&M are solid floater machines which generally don't seem to push too much.

I prefer 4 B&M coasters in Europe to Shambhala.

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[Sam]

There are very few things that my sister and I agree on but we both agree that Baco is awesome. I know that it's not a widely-held view here but there is no other coaster I've ridden that has such a relentless sense of speed. I didn't find it rough at all and so I'm somewhat confused by the number of complaints in that area. Out of the three accelerator coasters I've been on, it also has the best launch.

Try driving down the motorway in an open-top car. You get pretty much the same 'relentless sense of speed' without the two-hour queue, dreadful figure-of-eight layout and subsequent trip to A&E.

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[CGM]

There are very few things that my sister and I agree on but we both agree that Baco is awesome. I know that it's not a widely-held view here but there is no other coaster I've ridden that has such a relentless sense of speed. I didn't find it rough at all and so I'm somewhat confused by the number of complaints in that area. Out of the three accelerator coasters I've been on, it also has the best launch.

Try driving down the motorway in an open-top car. You get pretty much the same 'relentless sense of speed' without the two-hour queue, dreadful figure-of-eight layout and subsequent trip to A&E.

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Okay, whatever. It's just my opinion and I don't see why it has to be opposed quite so aggressively. This is a top tens thread, words cannot express how little it matters in real terms. I rode Furius Baco and I liked it, I'm sorry if that offends you. I would quite happily have a reasoned debate about it but that's just being silly.

Sometimes it seems that you aren't allowed a coaster preference that differs from the 'TST list of approved coasters'.

 

[Rob]

I had one relatively smooth ride on Baco (second row inside seat) which I did quite enjoy. It is very shaky and full of vibrations further back though. The layout is rather uninspiring but if it was smooth it would be a decent coaster. I also love the concept and the theme.

One thing that does perplex me slightly when it comes to roughness and coasters. Most people seem to despise rough steel coasters such as Baco and Goudurix. However, get a rough woodie such as the ones at Blackpool, or say The Ultimate which is horrifically rough and it's all fine and this roughness is part of what makes the coaster great. I'd imagine it's all linked to the feeling of being out of control but it is a little strange.

 

[Ian]

Guys, can we please try and keep things polite and friendly in here. There's no harm in discussing people's different preferences, but can we try and do it without jumping down each others throats at any alternative opinions.

Kthnx

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Personally, I've never been to PA, but having watched POVs of Baco I can see where people are coming from with it. I'm not usually one to moan about roughness, but just the look of it in videos is enough to make me wince a little. Wings, high speed, and Intamin seem to be a bit of a recipe for disaster