Note: This review is not yet finished and will be fully complete in 2015.
Another year, another pack of excitement. 2014 was a great year for parks and rides. Like last year's amusement park review, I'll tell you what new things in amusement parks are great, in a big surprise, in a disappointment, in terribility, and many more things. I will be using my resources from coaster enthusiasts and many other reviewers. I will not be using anything from the general public so don't highly expect something like Millennium Force being the #1 overall steel roller coaster in the world. So with that out of the way, let's get into this.
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Best New Steel Roller Coaster:
![Posted Image]()
![Posted Image]()
TIE: Lightning Run @ Kentucky Kingdom & Helix @ Liseberg
This year, the best new steel coaster goes to two coasters. We'll start off with Lightning Run. Kentucky Kingdom finally re-opened with a few new flat rides, a re-track on Thunder Run, and this new beast named Lightning Run. Lightning Run may look small, but it is certainly not lame. It is the first ever hyper-lite by Chance and they really did well with it by having an exciting 1st drop, wacky twists, and some insane ejector airtime, and I mean Intamin/RMC ejector airtime. This ride is so good that some people are saying that it's better than rides like El Toro @ Six Flags Great Adventure and Maverick @ Cedar Point making it the best new steel coaster in the U.S. Now, we move onto Helix. Helix is the best new coaster in Europe due to having two launches, multiple inversions, many spots of airtime, and overall, a very smooth ride. Helix is also placed on a hill which makes a great view of the park from the ride. I'm expecting both of these coasters to be placed pretty high in the Mitch Hawker steel coaster polls next year.
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Best New Wooden Roller Coaster:
![Posted Image]()
Goliath @ Six Flags Great America
While I had a tough decision for the best new steel coaster, the decision for the best new wooden coaster was easy. Six Flags Great America's Goliath is a damn good record-breaker for wooden coasters. It is the new tallest (by drop), fastest, and steepest wooden roller coaster in the world. Goliath also has 2 inversions and many spots of airtime which includes hangtime on the zero-g stall. It is arguably the best coaster at Six Flags Great America and even though many people say that it is the "worst" of the RMC coasters, it is still better than 99% of all wooden roller coasters in the world.
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Best New Non-Coaster Ride:
![Posted Image]()
Falcon's Fury @ Busch Gardens Tampa
If you thought that drop rides can't get any more innovative, think again. Falcon's Fury is a drop ride that is special for making you drop 335 feet up at 60 miles per hour while looking 90 degrees straight down. I don't mean looking over through the restraints straight down, I mean seats tilting straight down (as seen in the photo above). No matter if you are a thrillseeker or just another person in the general public, this ride will scare you and you will like it like everyone else does.
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Best New Expansion:
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Diagon Alley @ Universal Studios Orlando
While Helix, Lightning Run, Goliath, and Falcon's Fury get a lot of positive attention, they do not get it as much as the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter area, Diagon Alley, at Universal Studios Orlando does. At Diagon Alley, there are multiple new shops, incredible scenery (which includes a freaking dragon), a new dark ride named Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and a Hogwarts Express attraction that connects between the 2 parks. All of this makes the best expansion at the Universal Orlando Resort since the first Wizarding World back in 2010.
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Biggest Surprise:
![Posted Image]()
Banshee @ Kings Island
Before Banshee opened, all of us expected it to be another forceless coaster by B&M with a rattle to it, but in the end when we all rode it, we were wrong. Banshee actually has force to it and it's a smooth ride. There are many things that people really like on Banshee like its 1st drop that produces airtime, the vest restraints that don't crush any part of your body at all, the force on the ride, and the atmosphere to the ride. It is also said by coaster enthusiasts like Robb Alvey from Theme Park Review that this is the best coaster that B&M has produced in the last 10 years.
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Most Disappointing:
N/A
Throughout 2014, there has not been one very disappointing ride/attraction that would take the title of "Most Disappointing". So for this year, the Most Disappointing award gets a free pass.
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Worst New Ride:
![Posted Image]()
Chinese Knock-Off Suspended Looping Coasters
First off, yes, that is an actual element of a coaster in that picture. Anyways, the Chinese knock-off SLCs are some of the most painful roller coasters in the world. To get even worse, they are still making more of these in 2014. Why?! Just why are awful coasters like these still being produced today without any public notification of its terribility? Are the coasters awful on purpose? I give up here. If you want to ride these coasters, unless you want the coaster credit, DON'T!
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Best Upcoming Ride Announcement:
![Posted Image]()
![Posted Image]()
![Posted Image]()
3-WAY TIE: Wildfire @ Kolmarden, Wicked Cyclone @ Six Flags New England, & Twisted Colossus @ Six Flags Magic Mountain
For the next 2 years, Rocky Mountain Construction will be dominating the amusement park industry with some of the rides being these 3 badboys coming up. All of these rides will shape up roller coasters to the next level. For Wildfire, it will probably (and by probably, I mean there's still Balder @ Liseberg) be the best wooden coaster in all of Europe with its crazy elements that will make one crazy experience. For Wicked Cyclone, the game has changed from the original Cyclone coaster at the park and it will, literally, be wicked. For Twisted Colossus, dueling on a roller coaster has went to a whole new level with many crazy and interactive elements which includes the first ever high-five element in the U.S. Overall, we can't wait for these coasters and the new RMC announcements in the upcoming years.
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Best Overall Steel Roller Coaster:
TBA
The Mitch Hawker steel coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
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Best Overall Wooden Roller Coaster:
TBA
The Mitch Hawker wooden coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
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-
Best Overall Park:
TBA
Almost all of the amusement/theme parks in the world are still in their operating season and the Best Overall Park award can't be revealed until early November.
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Worst Overall Steel Roller Coaster:
TBA
Again, the Mitch Hawker steel coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
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Worst Overall Wooden Roller Coaster:
TBA
Again, the Mitch Hawker wooden coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
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-
Worst Overall Park:
TBA
Again, almost all of the amusement/theme parks in the world are still in their operating season and the Best Overall Park award can't be revealed until early November.
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-
-
That's all there is for 2013 in amusement parks (yet). The 2015 amusement park season is right around the corner and we'll have to wait for what next year will bring us.
Another year, another pack of excitement. 2014 was a great year for parks and rides. Like last year's amusement park review, I'll tell you what new things in amusement parks are great, in a big surprise, in a disappointment, in terribility, and many more things. I will be using my resources from coaster enthusiasts and many other reviewers. I will not be using anything from the general public so don't highly expect something like Millennium Force being the #1 overall steel roller coaster in the world. So with that out of the way, let's get into this.
-
-
-
Best New Steel Roller Coaster:
TIE: Lightning Run @ Kentucky Kingdom & Helix @ Liseberg
This year, the best new steel coaster goes to two coasters. We'll start off with Lightning Run. Kentucky Kingdom finally re-opened with a few new flat rides, a re-track on Thunder Run, and this new beast named Lightning Run. Lightning Run may look small, but it is certainly not lame. It is the first ever hyper-lite by Chance and they really did well with it by having an exciting 1st drop, wacky twists, and some insane ejector airtime, and I mean Intamin/RMC ejector airtime. This ride is so good that some people are saying that it's better than rides like El Toro @ Six Flags Great Adventure and Maverick @ Cedar Point making it the best new steel coaster in the U.S. Now, we move onto Helix. Helix is the best new coaster in Europe due to having two launches, multiple inversions, many spots of airtime, and overall, a very smooth ride. Helix is also placed on a hill which makes a great view of the park from the ride. I'm expecting both of these coasters to be placed pretty high in the Mitch Hawker steel coaster polls next year.
-
-
Best New Wooden Roller Coaster:
Goliath @ Six Flags Great America
While I had a tough decision for the best new steel coaster, the decision for the best new wooden coaster was easy. Six Flags Great America's Goliath is a damn good record-breaker for wooden coasters. It is the new tallest (by drop), fastest, and steepest wooden roller coaster in the world. Goliath also has 2 inversions and many spots of airtime which includes hangtime on the zero-g stall. It is arguably the best coaster at Six Flags Great America and even though many people say that it is the "worst" of the RMC coasters, it is still better than 99% of all wooden roller coasters in the world.
-
-
Best New Non-Coaster Ride:
Falcon's Fury @ Busch Gardens Tampa
If you thought that drop rides can't get any more innovative, think again. Falcon's Fury is a drop ride that is special for making you drop 335 feet up at 60 miles per hour while looking 90 degrees straight down. I don't mean looking over through the restraints straight down, I mean seats tilting straight down (as seen in the photo above). No matter if you are a thrillseeker or just another person in the general public, this ride will scare you and you will like it like everyone else does.
-
-
Best New Expansion:
Diagon Alley @ Universal Studios Orlando
While Helix, Lightning Run, Goliath, and Falcon's Fury get a lot of positive attention, they do not get it as much as the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter area, Diagon Alley, at Universal Studios Orlando does. At Diagon Alley, there are multiple new shops, incredible scenery (which includes a freaking dragon), a new dark ride named Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and a Hogwarts Express attraction that connects between the 2 parks. All of this makes the best expansion at the Universal Orlando Resort since the first Wizarding World back in 2010.
-
-
Biggest Surprise:
Banshee @ Kings Island
Before Banshee opened, all of us expected it to be another forceless coaster by B&M with a rattle to it, but in the end when we all rode it, we were wrong. Banshee actually has force to it and it's a smooth ride. There are many things that people really like on Banshee like its 1st drop that produces airtime, the vest restraints that don't crush any part of your body at all, the force on the ride, and the atmosphere to the ride. It is also said by coaster enthusiasts like Robb Alvey from Theme Park Review that this is the best coaster that B&M has produced in the last 10 years.
-
-
Most Disappointing:
N/A
Throughout 2014, there has not been one very disappointing ride/attraction that would take the title of "Most Disappointing". So for this year, the Most Disappointing award gets a free pass.
-
-
Worst New Ride:
Chinese Knock-Off Suspended Looping Coasters
First off, yes, that is an actual element of a coaster in that picture. Anyways, the Chinese knock-off SLCs are some of the most painful roller coasters in the world. To get even worse, they are still making more of these in 2014. Why?! Just why are awful coasters like these still being produced today without any public notification of its terribility? Are the coasters awful on purpose? I give up here. If you want to ride these coasters, unless you want the coaster credit, DON'T!
-
-
Best Upcoming Ride Announcement:
3-WAY TIE: Wildfire @ Kolmarden, Wicked Cyclone @ Six Flags New England, & Twisted Colossus @ Six Flags Magic Mountain
For the next 2 years, Rocky Mountain Construction will be dominating the amusement park industry with some of the rides being these 3 badboys coming up. All of these rides will shape up roller coasters to the next level. For Wildfire, it will probably (and by probably, I mean there's still Balder @ Liseberg) be the best wooden coaster in all of Europe with its crazy elements that will make one crazy experience. For Wicked Cyclone, the game has changed from the original Cyclone coaster at the park and it will, literally, be wicked. For Twisted Colossus, dueling on a roller coaster has went to a whole new level with many crazy and interactive elements which includes the first ever high-five element in the U.S. Overall, we can't wait for these coasters and the new RMC announcements in the upcoming years.
-
-
Best Overall Steel Roller Coaster:
TBA
The Mitch Hawker steel coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
-
-
Best Overall Wooden Roller Coaster:
TBA
The Mitch Hawker wooden coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
-
-
Best Overall Park:
TBA
Almost all of the amusement/theme parks in the world are still in their operating season and the Best Overall Park award can't be revealed until early November.
-
-
Worst Overall Steel Roller Coaster:
TBA
Again, the Mitch Hawker steel coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
-
-
Worst Overall Wooden Roller Coaster:
TBA
Again, the Mitch Hawker wooden coaster poll hasn't started yet and we can't get the results after the poll is finished. Update coming soon in 2015.
-
-
Worst Overall Park:
TBA
Again, almost all of the amusement/theme parks in the world are still in their operating season and the Best Overall Park award can't be revealed until early November.
-
-
-
That's all there is for 2013 in amusement parks (yet). The 2015 amusement park season is right around the corner and we'll have to wait for what next year will bring us.