Coaster of the Decade

[Ian]

The 00's are nearly out and soon we'll be entering a new decade.

I know it seems like an impossible task, but do you think we could come to an agreement about the coaster of the decade?

According to RCDB, there have been 1,069 coasters that opened during the 00's (I'm assuming this includes relocations/renames?)

2000 (138) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2000&ot=2
2001 (101) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2001&ot=2
2002 (105) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2002&ot=2
2003 (93) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2003&ot=2
2004 (110) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2004&ot=2
2005 (98) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2005&ot=2
2006 (107) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2006&ot=2
2007 (121) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2007&ot=2
2008 (98) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2008&ot=2
2009 (98) - http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&op=2009&ot=2

What coaster built in the last 10 years do you think has been the most influential and successful? Which one coaster helped shape the industry in the 00's? Which one shone brighter than the rest?

I'd like to come to an overall conclusion - and perhaps present the park with some sort of award - so please discuss and debate and lets see if we can come to an agreement.

As well as an overall coaster, I'd be interested which USA, UK and Euro coaster you think is worthy of being "Coaster of the Decade" although I want the emphasis to be on the single overall coaster.

Debate and discuss!

 

[ECG]

Wow! That's quite the task you've setup there sir. This should be interesting. My first inclination was to say my #1 coaster (Boulder Dash), but I think others are more influential. I will need to really put on my thinking cap before replying with a proper list of three coasters (even though I don't know if I can truly say anything about the England one since I haven't ridden any there yet).

 

[STC]

I'm going to say Xcellerator.

It's nowhere near the best coaster of the decade, but it was the first coaster to make the launch an intense, efficient, marketable and a serious contender to the lifthill. The layout elements of a launch followed by a tophat have been followed by almost every accelerator since - arguably the most popular coaster model of the decade.

 

[marc]

Christ great topic Ian a hard one to pick tbh.

I dont really think much it coaster design has really changed in the past 10 years except one type and that is launch coasters.

I would give my vote to KK but its going to Top Thrill as for me that set the standard of how high these things could go, plus the news coverage was a lot higher.

But most people I talk to always want to ride them 2 coasters along with X2 but X is over 10 years old and I dont count X2 as new.

 

[CMonster]

^^ Arghh, you beat me to it.

Another possible option could be Mystery Mine, as the first (correct me if I'm wrong) Eurofighter. I know some people don't like them, but Eurofighters are now very popular as smaller, cheaper (3 million pounds for rage and speed) rollercoasters than, say, B&M, that still have good thrills. They kind of say that "bigger isn't always better."

Smaller parks can now have a great new rollercoaster within their budget that could put them on the map.

 

[Pokemaniac]

^VildSvinet was built 4 years before it. Mystery Mine was actually the fourth EuroFighter
http://rcdb.com/m/r.htm?ot=2&ml=8111

I'd say the EuroFighter is spot on, really. Cheap, but marketable. I wish I could have said Maverick, being an awesome mix on everything, not focusing on either the launch, inversions, hills, turns or the drop, but rather all of them. Too bad we've only seen one.

 

[CMonster]

^ Thanks. Shows me what happens when I don't check facts!

I agree with Maverick except that it's the only one, like you said.

 

[Emmett]

I agree with the Eurofighters as they have got more popular throughout the decade and have continued to evolve up to the present day.

 

[ECG]

...X is over 10 years old and I dont count X2 as new.

X opened in 2002, so it's 7 years old & is up for consideration for this award. :wink:

 

[The Grape Wizard]

Im sure there are better coaster out there but im going to say SheiKra.

It showed us what the dive machine can do, okay the layouts since haven't really changed but it is very popular. I think SheiKra is far better than any eurofighter, yes the eurofighter is very monuverable and can do tight turns and elements and can easily fit into near enough any park but the dive machine is just so intimidating and IMO gives a better experiance




Ive never actually been on a eurofighter... but from what ive heard and seen, thats just the impression i get

 

[Hyde]

I'm going out on a limb to say that Millennium Force has been a tremendous pioneer over the past ten years.

First cable lift, first stadium-tiered seating, first magnetic brakes, pushed the speed and height envelope a plenty. It set a lot of "firsts" that are now considered standard practice with new roller coaster construction.

 

[nealbie]

Xcelerator wins most influential in my book. I mean, the start of the launch coaster era, and it's quite odd how the "launch - top hat - overbanking circuit" never really caught on in the same coasters and we got the split between the likes of Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka & Stealth; and then the more "normal" type of layout after the launch with Rita and Desert Race. Storm Runner being the obvious exception.

During the early to mid 00's these things were EVERYWHERE! From 2002-2007 an Intamin Rocket Coaster was added as a major attraction to world renowned theme parks:-

• * Xcelerator (2002)
  * Top Thrill Dragster (2003)
  * Storm Runner (2004)
  * Rita (2005)
  * Kingda Ka (2005)
  * Stealth (2006)
  * Desert Race (2007)

This just goes to show how dominant this type of coaster was during the last decade.

Gertslauer have since evolved the model in recent years to take over from Intamin's success since 2007 with Lynet (2008), Anubis (2009) and Fluch von Novgorod (2009). So it's fair to say that the launched coaster type takes the top spot over the last 10 years. In the steel world especially.

As far as individual roller coasters go, I would have to say that the relatively massive return to wood (less so in the UK ) since 2000 heralds who wins in my eyes individually.

• USA - Boulder Dash; it's given rave reviews by EVERYONE, and is one of the rare things that tempts me over to America over my fear of being shot.
  
  Europe - Colossos; like Boulder Dash, it's given awesome reviews and having now ridden it, I couldn't agree more.
  
  UK - Stealth; yes it's not a wooden coaster, but by far and away the best this country has had to offer this decade (Quite depressing really). It may not be a world beater, but it's still top of the shop for us, shows just how poor we are at the moment...

But as far as the best coaster of the decade? From those 3? I'm inclined to say Boulder Dash, as it has that total "out-of-control" and fun look that I admire and so greatly want in a roller coaster. Yes Colossos is practically perfect in every way. But like Mary Poppins before it, Heide's start attraction is just too perfect, and I disapprove of this.

In more recent years, the Mega-Lite deserves honourary mention. But it has not really been around for long enough (2008) to count towards a whole decade.

So to summarise what Ian asked in the first place:-

• Most Influential Coaster/Type :- Xcelerator, Knott's Berry Farm and the Intamin Rocket Coaster
  
  World Coaster of the Decade :- Boulder Dash, Lake Compounce
  
  USA Coaster of the Decade :- Boulder Dash, Lake Compounce
  
  European Coaster of the Decade :- Colossos, Heide Park, Germany
  
  UK Coaster of the Decade :- Stealth, Thorpe Park, England

edit - that could very well be the most serious post I have ever made! (Inserts bell joke about Ian to Nealify post)

 

[Brookes]

I'm thinking maybe Air could be up for it, as it was the first B&M flyer and brought a pretty new concept a bit different to the flying dutchmans. I know there haven't been a lot of them built, but like the accelerator, is very popular with the gp.

 

[STC]

UK Coaster of the Decade :- Megafobia, Oakwood Theme Park, Wales[/list]

Megafobia was built in 1996 - last decade!

 

[nealbie]

So it was :lol:

Whatever I was looking at said 2002, bad internet *goes to RCDB*

 

[Ian]

Please can we move away from coaster type and concentrate on individual coasters.

I'll add my thoughts once I've had a proper scan through the RCDB pages!

 

[nealbie]

Sorry Ian, although I sort of did both

 

[A-Kid]

I think Millie Force was the first roller coaster to feature a magnetic braking system? Or was it. I haven't actually checked, but alot of places say that...

Look how many there are now. I'm not even going to count.

Edit: Dont worry I looked and there were others. But whatever was the first to use them must be worth a mention.

 

[Kebab]

I'm going to say Euro-Fighters too, but it wasn't until Speed: No Limits that the Euro-Fighter became truly known. After that was built, we can never see the end of Gerstlauer's creations!

 

[bezzzzzer]

Some that just popped to mind,

Superman: Ride of Steel (Six Flags New England) - Voted the number one coaster more times than any other within the decade, then transformed (for what appears to be for the better) to Bizarro this year. Definately a contender I would say.

Revenge of the Mummy (Universal Studios Orlando) - Can you remember when this coaster was being built, and the awe of what it was going to acomplish was insane! The hype for this coaster was tremendous, and it didn't dissapoint for many come opening day. I think it's definately a contender, and to think it's almost 6 years old.

I know it's already been said, but Maverick. It showed a perfect example of how to make an insane rollercoaster without having to brag about braking records.

In terms of technoligical break-through coasters, Air (or Superman-Ultimate Flight, but I believe that Air includes all the research B&M and John Wardley did to create their flying coaster) definately beats Xcelarator. The launch had already been done. Just because this was Intamin's first one and they really took off with the launch coaster doesn't mean their first one should get the recognition I don't think. The flying coaster was something we waited for for ages. Sure, most of us (me included) were dissapointed, but you still have to admire the technoligical aspect of that ride. I believe it is the most advanced coaster of this decade (taking into consideration 'at the time').

Just as a side note, I think coaster of the decade on the Asian front would be Thunder Dolphin. I know it isn't overly unique or anything, but to me that is a quality coaster coming from that side of the world, as if to say 'Yeah mofo, we can do it too, and through a centre-less big wheel!'. A close second maybe T-Express. No personal experience, but it appears to be insane!