10 Coasters That I Love


As it's Valentine's Day, I thought I'd do a little ode to some coasters I LOVE. Now, I'm not talking Top Ten, best of the best. I'm talking about the coasters I think are very fab and enjoyable, I love them and would probably give them a solid 9 out of 10, the kind of coaster you'd go and cry on the shoulder of if your favourites let you down. Those kinds of coaster. We all have different reasons why we love certain coasters, so it's time to celebrate a bit more diversity here! Here we go:



Space Mountain
Magic Kingdom
I make no attempt to hide how much I love Space Mountain. All Space Mountains. There's something fab and retro about them that really gets right to the core of my inner Disney geek and I find that incredibly enjoyable. Just as far as the physical coaster itself goes, that prize has to go to the Magic Kingdom version. If this thing were in broad daylight at a funfair I'm sure I'd avoid riding because it'd look like a death-trap - and it's the constant threat of being spanked on the head by some unseen metal support that keep the thrills coming a mile a minute! Add to that the ridiculously cheesy and retro-in-the-right-way neon lighting taken at speed and you're onto a winner. I always come off of Space Mountain laughing and running straight round to grab my next Fast Pass because lord knows I'm not queuing in the Stand-By line for this bad boy.



Lost Gravity
Walibi Holland
Have I mentioned before how much I ADORE this stupid little coaster? Seriously, everything about this coaster is just ridiculous. Why does it bend like THAT? Surely THAT can't be comfortable? Where did that AIRTIME come from? The first time I rode Lost Gravity I was in a complete state of joy/what the fuck just happened to me? The airtime is seriously obscene on this thing and if you're lucky enough to grab one of the wing seats you're in for some seriously strange sensations. I'd kind of liken it to a post-modern taken on the classic Wild Mouse actually. And speaking of wild mice...


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Wild Mouse
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
There's a theme here: apparently I like coasters where it feels like I'm going to die. But the sense of flying off of the track to certain doom is never stronger than on the infamous Wild Mouse at Blackpool. So, as you face the lift-hill you can literally see how wonky it is and at some moments you actually have to duck so as not to smack your head on the overhanging track. Add to that the barely-there 'restraints' and the ridiculous airtime and laterals and you're on for a winner. I love being flung from my seat and having to grip onto the sides of my mouse for dear life. This is definitely one I'd ride over and over again if it weren't for the crap throughput.


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Tennessee Tornado
Dollywood
Honestly, when I strapped myself into Tennessee Tornado I braced myself for a world of pain. Everything I'd ridden before this of a similar style had hurt like hell and I'm not really a fan of inversions, so in my head this was definitely to be a one-and-done before reriding Wild Eagle a few more times. This completely blew me away and is proof that you should never judge a book by its cover! So much fun, completely pain free and an absolute joy to slither through the Tennessee wilderness on!

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Anubis: The Ride
Plopsaland de Panne
This was one of the first coasters I really remember following the entire construction of before getting to ride myself. And it was my first rolling launch. The excitement to ride this was there from the offset but the rolling launch really took me by surprise and there's some serious airtime on that tophat! Of course, this was all experienced way back in 2009 when I was still fairly new to the whole 'coaster enthusiast' thing. I remembered loving Anubis back in the day but when I revisited in 2015 I was sceptical as to whether I was just seeing things through rose-tinted glasses. Nope. Launch still packs a punch and oh god, the airtime is still just as sweet. Love.


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White Lightning
Fun Spot America
I remember when this was announced and thinking how weird this was. But surely it couldn't be...good? Squeezed into such a tiny space and in bloody Fun Spot of all places? Turns out, it's the best woodie in Orlando (haha), but seriously, this is such a fun little ride! Such a shame that it's $9 a pop because this thing is soooo rerideable, I'd LOVE an ERT sesh on it! That turnaround! Those little bunny hills! The fact that there's NEVER a line! Living proof that size isn't everything.


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Fujiyama
Fuji-Q Highland
When I finished riding Fujiyama I remember wondering why nobody ever really talks about this coaster? Firstly it's bloody HUGE (I believe it was once one of the tallest in the world?), there's LOADS of airtime and the forces are amazing. You just kind of float out of your seat as it snakes its way around the track. That and its trains look like something out of a David Cronenberg film which is obviously something I'm totally on board with. I might actually start a petition to get more people to praise this coaster as I'd go as far as to say it is criminally underrated. Damn Fuji-Q's crap operations meaning we only got one ride.


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Surf Coaster Leviathan
Sea Paradise
Another fabulous Togo (Togo's are amazing, shush) is the fabulous Surf Coaster Leviathan at Sea Paradise. Firstly, Sea Paradise is a ridiculous place and I love it (so sad we only got to spend one evening there!) Secondly, the location of this coaster is AMAZING. Right out over the sea, as the name would suggest, with amazing views out over the park (you can even catch a glimpse of a dolphin if you squint hard enough!) Add to the the obscene forces and speed of this coaster combined with the MASSIVE FUCKING GEYSERS shooting up through the helixes and you'll understand why we all ran straight back around for another go on this incredible coaster. Oh, and it looks AWESOME at night too.


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Tornado
Bakken
This coaster gets a lot of hate for being rough as balls, and honestly it's been a WHILE since I took a spin on it. That said, all I can remember from it is laughing my head off and wondering what the fuck was happening. Launched...lifthill...thing? WHAT? And then obscene spinning, in and out of buildings?! Yes!! Sooo much fun! Usually I don't dig spinning coasters but I'll always make an exception for Tornado. I LOVE the theme too and the way the first corner bursts out of the barn. Fab. 


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Shock
Rainbow MagicLand
I mentioned above how I love me a good rolling launch and Shock's really packs a punch. Follow that with a STUPID airtime hill that feel absolutely blissful with those lapbars and some perfectly flowing inversions and you've got a recipe for pure joy. Shock also has the honour of being my first non-inverting loop and whilst I have to say I do prefer the one on Rip, Ride, Rockit it certainly wasn't as rubbish an element as I'd initially expected. Rewatching POVs now and it took me straight back to riding over and over again. I think we lost count of how many times we rode! And it's seriously fast, I don't remember the speed so much but the POV is there to prove it. Would love to get back to ride this, shame it's in a crap theme park!

Of course there are plenty more coasters that I love but if I carry on we'll be here all day! I think sometimes as enthusiasts we're quick to moan about crap and sometimes forget to stop and take a moment to appreciate the coasters we truly love, so it was fab to take a moment today to spread some joy!


Talk later xoxo,

1 comments

  1. I did the same with Tennessee Tornado. Came off it shocked and then realized it's a Alan Schilke. Explained so much. :')

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