Which existing/under construction coaster is the most likely to become your next #1?

[Sandman]

Maybe it's been a while since a new cred has topped your prestigious Top 10 list, let alone become your favourite coaster.

So, I just wondered; from what you can tell, which of existing or under construction coasters have the best chance of becoming your number 1, in your opinion?

For me, I'd probably have to go with an obvious answer and say SteVe. It's got mostly unanimous praise, and based on numerous opinions it seems that many people place a vast chasm between it and other coasters in their Top 10. Of course, there is a fair chance that the huge amount of hype could have the opposite effect and leave me a little disappointed whenever I eventually ride it.

I'm also a massive launch coaster fan, so I'm very curious to see what the 2 new European Intamins can do in terms of rivalling my beloved Taron.

 

[Meister71]

Being as I'm only European based - and as I am going there this year it has to be Toutatis - doubt it will overtake Zadra or RTH

 

[Matt N]

Of the things I'm potentially riding this year in a best case scenario, I'd guess that VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure and Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa are in with the highest chance of taking my #1 spot by quite some margin. I'd maybe throw Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Islands of Adventure into the ring as well, as I am a sucker for some good, simple fun, and "fun" is the key word I've heard used to describe Hagrid's by those who've ridden. With that being more of a family ride, though, I don't think its chances of being #1 material are quite as strong as those of the other two.

If none of those make it in 2023 and I have to move onto the longer term hopes for a new #1; based on Mako and Silver Star being my current top 2, I reckon that Shambhala at PortAventura Park would be in with a fair shot of being my #1 whenever I eventually ride that. I absolutely love a good B&M Hyper Coaster, and I've often heard Shambhala described as the strongest one!

 

[cookie]

A trio of Intamins I hope to ride within the next three years:

Gotham City Escape at Parque Warner
Toutatis at Parc Asterix
VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure

Feel like the best candidates to beat Kondaa for my #1 given what they each bring to the table.

Others I see as potential dark horses include:

Taiga at Linnanmäki
Zadra at Energylandia
Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa
The dueling Macks at Epic Universe
Voltron coaster at Europa Park

 

[Munchy Road Hippopotamus]

Can I go with Nemesis?

 

[Rock_N_RollBob]

Brings up an interesting thought I daydream about at least once a week. What would be my top 20 if I had endless resources and time to just go. Changes every time, lol. For my taste, grouped together for what I think would be closest in appeal:
Velocicoaster/Taron/Toutatis
Gwazi/Zadra/Hakugei,
RTH,
Helix/Untamed/Hyperion/Kondaa? Did I spell that right? Lol, it's been a while since I've payed attention.

The Dueling Macks looks really interesting and fun, as does Exodus. (Anyone hear Bob Marley when reading that?)

Twisted Wildcat Vengeance's Return -

(insert the 5 or 6 top tier world class that I've actually ridden, but not in order, just the thought train presently) -SV, El Toro, Fury, LR, Voyage, Montu, I305, Twisted Timbers)

I think I'd love GeForce as well but wouldn't know where to put it numerically.

There's a bunch in Europe I've not mentioned and the Far East - literally I have no clue. Fun to think about, though.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Hard to say, but it's probably SteVe... Sorry to be boring. But I'm not 100% convinced on that, given how the Florida duo failed to topple Zadra.

I imagine the European Intamins and Thorpe's Mack have a chance of getting into my top 10 though.

 

[Tonkso]

Probably Toutatis, given I'm aiming to visit again this year and it borrows of a lot of its design language from Kondaa (my current number one) and Velocicoaster which also sits reasonably high in my top 10.

I'm also, though probably not this year for the first and definitely not this year for the second very excited for Parque Warner Madrid's new Gotham City Escape for the same reasons as Toutatis and cautiously optimistic that Thorpe could possibly, finally have a truly world class ride in '24.

Edit: with Oziris being the closest invert over ever ridden to the achieving the glory of Nemesis (yes, including Monty), the retrack and new trains on Zeus, Astérix is actually becoming one of the best parks in Europe. It has a truly world class lineup, 3 good water rides, a great supporting lineup, great selection of flats, a high theming standard and unlike it's mouse-eared neighbour, half decent food...

 

[Eyebrows]

The only thing I can even imagine potentially overtaking Voyage is Eejanaika, and that’s only if it knocks my socks off with how good it is. I won’t be riding it for the foreseeable future, so I hope it sticks around for awhile so that I can ride it one day.

 

[redheadedRobin]

Seeing as this year I'm going to try to ride the Gotham City Escape, Toutatis and Uncharted trio, and that my #1 is Taron, I'm quite sure GCE and Toutatis have a good chance to become my #1.

 

[Nitefly]

I don’t have any expectation that something is going to beat SteVe, but expected top 10 contenders:

- Ride to Happiness
- Toutatis
- Hakugei

Not expecting to be top 10 but hoping for a surprise:

- Taiga
- Gotham City Escape
- Untamed
- Wildfire
- Helix
- Phoenix
- Kondaa

 

[Inverting_Thrills]

My current #1 is Steel Vengeance

What I think could beat it:

El Toro
Voyage
Toutatis
GCE
A reride on Iron Gwazi
Eejanaika
Kondaa
Taron
T-Express

 

[Hyde]

Where else do I go from the top?

But those that may topple SV; Ride to Happiness or Zadra?

 

[Rob Coasters]

My mind breaks thinking about what could dethrone Ride to Happiness. Taiga? Maybe. Helix? Maybe. Honestly not sure what else in Europe could beat it. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[witchfinder]

Of the coasters I'm most likely to ride over the next 12 months, I'd say only Zadra has a chance of being better than SteVe, but to be honest I doubt it.

Looking wider, Iron Gwazi, Velocicoaster and Hakugei seem the most likely to dethrone it, but the two Florida coasters seem to get quite mixed reviews so again, it seems unlikely.

 

[Howie]

Honestly, I don't know. It's hard to imagine what the coaster that dethrones Steel Vengeance would even look like.
I should be riding Iron Gwazi later this year but I can't see that doing the job somehow. Zadra didn't even come close to the mighty SteVe for me and I imagine IG and Zadra are broadly comparable in ride experience. Neither of 'em have the length of Vengeance, and nowhere near the amount of airtime moments sooo... nah.

Velocicoaster, maybe? Hmm, dunno. Potential top 10 I reckon, but I doubt it will take the top spot.

For me at least, I think it will have to be something more than just the hardware, it would have to be more about the whole package, the experience, the occasion and the company. Like... an ERT session, at night, with a bunch of your best mates, in perfect weather, with just the right amount of alcohol inside you, on an absolutely world class coaster that's running at it's absolute best. Then yeah... maybe.

Out of my top 5, The Ride To Happiness is the only one that I haven't ridden at night, so in the right circumstances, as outlined above, maybe that has the potential to take the top spot? Dunno.

Or possibly a session on a trim-less Voyage on a cool summer's night with the Drunk Riders crew? Yeah... That might do it.

Looking at CF's top 25, I still haven't ridden Skyrush, Lightning Rod or Fury 325. I doubt Skyrush or L'Rod would do the job but Fury? I  do like the look of that bad boy so again, in the right circumstances, maybe?

I dunno, but as I said above it has to be about more than just the coaster, for something to take the number 1 spot you need that perfect marriage of hardware, occasion and riding conditions. Which means it could literally be almost anything.

 

[ScottLann]

With Iron Gwazi as my #1, I do struggle to see what else could top it. Of course there are the likes of SV, Zadra, Fury 325, and a few other top-rated coasters that could take the throne, but for what I have planned this year, it's highly unlikely they'll be on the list.

For what I do have planned this year however, there are a few top contenders that could possibly dethrone Velocicoaster as my #2.

• Taron - Everything about this coaster looks perfect to me. Seems there's some good moments of airtime, amazing theming, and great launches. It looks to have exactly what Velocicoaster had for me but which one of the two I'll prefer is totally unknown just yet.

• Untamed - As the only RMC I've done is my #1, it could be likely that Untamed (whilst not looking nearly as insane as Iron Gwazi), could also get a higher place than Velocicoaster on my rankings depending on how my overall experiences on it are.

I do often struggle to predict how I'll rank a coaster though, as I often look at how much airtime and theming a coaster has, but when it comes to riding it, I could place it somewhere totally different solely based on how much I enjoyed the whole experience and not the specifics of it.