I’d consider myself a roller coaster fanatic. However, there are still a great deal of coasters I’ve yet to experience. Whether it be in Europe, Japan, or even the United States, there are many new rides for me to try.
So, what coasters are on my bucket list?
1. Shambala
Located at Spain’s PortAventura, this hypercoaster is top on my list. The USA is spoiled with hyper-coasters, but Europe, unfortunately, isn’t. Shambala is the second tallest and fastest coaster in Europe, trailing only Red Force at Ferrari Land at PortAventura.
It’s hard to explain why Shambala is my ultimate bucket list coaster. I’ve been on hypercoasters before, especially B&M. At 83 mph, I’ve also been on faster. Although, the amount of love this coaster gets has really peaked my interest. I’d love to see what all the hype is about.
2. El Toro
Six Flags Great Adventure is home to what is regarded as the best wooden coaster in the world, El Toro. Manufactured by Intamin, this coaster has been praised by many ever since its opening in 2006.
At the time of its debut, El Toro had the steepest drop of any wooden coaster in the world at 76 degrees. With that record now broken, there are still many reasons to ride this coaster. At 181 feet, it’s the fourth tallest wooden coaster. At 70 mph it’s also the fourth fastest wooden coaster.
I absolutely love a good old-fashioned woodie. As El Toro is said to be one of the best in the world, there is no excuse to not ride it. It’s gained itself quite the following.
3. The Smiler
Located at Alton Towers, the Smiler isn’t for the weak of heart. Thankfully, I’m pretty good at composing myself on coasters. The Smiler holds the world record for inversions on a roller coaster with 14.
The coaster itself looks marvelous. The giant screen in the middle of the ride, the black and yellow color scheme, and the pretty cool looking merchandise, has made me really jacked to ride this coaster. I just hope I don’t eat a big meal before riding it.
4. King da Ka
Located at the same Six Flags as El Toro, King Da Ka shouldn’t be in my top-five. I’ve been on Top Thrill Dragster and seeing as Cedar Point is my home park, I’ve been all around the ride for years. Yet, there is something about a strata-coaster that peaks my interest. I want to see if King Da Ka is any different. I doubt it will be, but the curiosity is there.
5. Fury 325
I’ve been on two of the five Giga-coasters ( Millenium Force and Leviathan). Fury is the tallest of them all. It’s won many awards over the course of its brief existence. I’ll be visiting Carowinds later this Summer, so I’ll have a chance to ride this monster of a coaster.
I’m hoping that Fury takes the top spot on my giga-coaster rankings. It’s going to be hard to knock Millenium Force off the one spot, but judging by first-hand accounts and POV videos, I’ve got a lot of hope for this coaster.
There you have it, my top-5 bucket list coasters. Although there are still many more that I need to ride including, Twisted Colossus ( Six Flags Magic Mountain ), Nemesis ( Alton Towers ) among others. I’d hope one day I’ll be able to make it out to these parks. It’s a goal of mine that I intend on working towards.
So, What’s on your roller coaster bucket list?
Follow Daniel James Gentile on twitter @dgentleman9288