Another season, another fresh set of coasters to get excited about riding! 2020 is a different kind of year for me theme park-wise as I'd argue there aren't too many 'pockets' of the world left for me to get a major cred injection without venturing back to the Far East, which will come in due time but for now I'd kind of consider the Western coaster world all but conquered? Obviously I haven't ridden every coaster out there, not even close, but I have ticked off all my major must-do coasters for the time being and now it's just a waiting game of seeing what big and beautiful things come out of the parks in the future. And so writing this is a little strange. Unlike previous years, there's nothing on this list that I'd refer to as a bucket list coaster of mine which is both equally satisfying and heartbreaking at the same time. BUT that said, that doesn't mean there's not a whole host of awesomeness that I'm excited to ride this year, so let's take a look.
Disclaimer - this list contains coasters that are new to me and not necessarily new for 2020.
Going pretty old school when it comes to RMCs with this one! I vividly remember Wicked Cyclone being the hot shit on the coaster scene and was the talk of the town back in 2015. Funny how quickly trends change because nobody talks about this coaster anymore. This coaster will actually have the privilege of being the first RMC I've ridden to replace an already existing coaster that I've also ridden - last time I was on the East Coast it was the ripe old year of 2012 and the faint murmurings of the legendary coaster manufacturers that would be RMC had only just started on the coaster scene with New Texas Giant as I believe Outlaw Run and Iron Rattler hadn't even started construction at that point. It looks ugly as heck and a little on the small side but I'm hoping it'll be a case of good things come in small packages with this one!
When I came off of Lost Gravity back in 2016 I distinctly remember thinking that everywhere should build one of these immediately, and I'm glad to say Freizeitpark Plohn listened! Although a much smaller and not nearly as wild a layout as Lost Gravity, Dynamite looks like it still packs a punch and delivers a decent doe of airtime. Plus it has a kooky Wild West theme which I am absolutely 100% here for.
I audibly yelped when the name of this coaster was announced. Is there anything more ridiculous than a beastly B&M coaster with as cutesy a name as Candymonium. It's like a bodybuilder wearing a tutu and I absolutely love it - it's the epitome of camp and perfect for Hersheypark. Alongside the brand new entrance, I'm super excited to get back to this fabulous American theme park having not visited in almost eight years to see if it's as incredible as I remember it being. Candymonium itself looks like it's nothing but good, old-fashioned floater airtime filled fun - it's not trying to be the biggest or the fastest or the longest, it's just trying to deliver an enjoyable ride experience and that's something I can truly appreciate in a coaster.
I am determined to complete the European B&Ms before Grona Lund open Blue Harvest and spite my collection again, so a visit to Gardaland is a necessity this year. Oblivion: The Black Hole is one of those coasters that surprises people for some reason when I tell them I haven't ridden it, but honestly Italy is one of those places I have wanted to get back to but has fallen down the pecking order over places I hadn't yet visited like the Asian park and the Mid-West. But B&M dive coasters are one of my favourite coaster types and the knowledge that there is one in Europe that I haven't yet ridden can torture me no longer. So it's happening. Honestly, aside from the fact that it's got a bunch of funky theming and it's a dive coaster I don't know a ton about Oblivion: The Black Hole so I'm excited to see what kind of a ride it'll deliver.
I mean, did you SEE those pics from this week? I'll be honest, I kind of dismissed Pantheon when it was first announced. The digitised visuals were kind of corny and I saw nothing that really excited me. Not until the pics emerged this week of those transitions and that top hat...thing. Urgh, god I'm excited for this coaster. This thing looks like it's going to be packed full of wild airtime and crazy forceful transitions and I'm gagged for every single thing it has in store for us.
I won't lie to you, my entire desire to ride this coaster is based around the fact that it looks spooky af and I need it. Upon further investigation the coaster actually looks pretty funky too! A Gerstlauer infinity coaster WITH LAPBARS which...yh. The whole coaster looks insane, it has these really crazy, gnarly transitions which taken with lapbars I feel will feel completely out of control and insanely fun. Also the trains have skulls and spooky shit on and ugh, yh I'm really obsessed with the idea of this coaster it looks extremely me in every way.
If you're a long-time ready of this blog you'll know my beef with Kings Dominion. It's not a park i'm particularly enthralled with and honestly if it weren't for this coaster and the promise of cool, spooky Halloween shit to do, believe me when I say I wouldn't be touching it with a barge pole. THAT SAID Twisted Timbers DOES exist and we WILL be going during the Halloween period so yh, Kings Dominion we shall meet again. Jokes aside, I think Twisted Timbers looks pretty fun! Having now ridden Untamed and Storm Chaser, Twisted Timbers looks to be very much in that camp in terms of RMC experiences which is something I'm very much looking forward to as those coasters are awesome. Plus I think Twisted Timbers is actually one of the nicer looking RMCs - style-wise it actually reminds me a lot of Mystic Timbers which I am not mad at at all.
Ending this list with something a little different - last time I was at Knoebels was 2012. At the time Flying Turns wasn't open but the park were kind enough to let us walk the track and sign the supports. The coaster had already been through a few years of intermittent and troubled operations, opening randomly then closing again for long periods. The coaster finally opened officially about a year after our visit and in my opinion remains to this day one of the most unique, one-of-a-kind coaster experiences in the world. I do actually really enjoy a standard Mack bobsled so the chance to ride a wooden one for the chance of an even more out of control ride is super exciting to me! Plus Knoebels is a super fun park as it is so very pumped to get back there in general.
So yes, a different year for sure but certainly not without its exciting moments to look forward to! What coasters are you most looking forward to riding for the first time this season?
Talk later xoxo,
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