How CP Coasters rank (as of July 18, 2018)
18. Wilderness Run (fka Jr Gemini). Opened in 1979, it is a good coaster for little kids (and the first ever coaster by Intamin). However, adults can’t even ride if not with a child. With that said, I did ride it in 2004 (at age 10) when I was just barely the maximum height (54″. I was a short kid). Good for the kiddies, not good for the enthusiasts.
17. Woodstock Express. Opened in 1999, it’s a Vekoma junior coaster. While a good ride for the thrill, the fact that it has the child-proof seatbelts makes the ride a little less fun.
16. Rougarou (fka Mantis). Opened in 1996 as a B&M stand-up coaster, this ride is concussion central. Unless you sit in the front, it’s rough af. Its saving grace outside of not being a kiddie coaster is transforming it to a B&M floorless coaster was an improvement. As a stand-up, it also hurt a certain part of my body that we don’t need to talk about.
15. Gemini. Opened in 1978, it is the Arrow woodie that’s not actually a woodie (it has steel track). Great for a first coaster (it was my first coaster taller than 100 feet) and the racing element makes for friendly competition. Why isn’t it higher on the list? The trim brakes make the ride go so much slower than it used to. Also, #TeamBlue always, even if they never run it on less-crowded days.
14. Iron Dragon. Opened in 1986, it is an Arrow suspended coaster, and another great first coaster. Virtual reality was added in 2017 (runs from 6pm-close during the summer). The only reason it ranks higher than Gemini is the swinging of the suspended trains and the trees/water adds to the ride experience. Also, I got to beta test the VR in 2017 because I’m a ride operator and it was so much fun.
13. Pipe Scream. Opened in 2014, this Zamperla Disk’O ride not only spins you and takes you up and down, but it also features a bunny hill. While some people might say that this doesn’t count as a coaster, it most certainly does! I rode this the year it opened, and it’s like the perfect hybrid of a pirate ship ride (known as Ocean Motion at CP) and a wild mouse coaster (which has been defunct at CP since 2011). It’s a ride I recommend a lot to parents who have kids who are too short to ride the bigger rides but are bored with the kiddie rides because the minimum height requirement is 42″. It’s the coolest skateboard you’ll ever ride.
12. Corkscrew. Opened in 1976, it is an Arrow looping coaster, and was the first coaster to flip you upside down three times (the train colors are red, white, and blue after America’s bicentennial). Many people say it’s a great first upside coaster. I disagree. Corkscrew, while a lot of fun, throws people around like no other. It’s fun to ride on a summer day, but it’s the one most likely to give you whiplash after Rougapoop.
11. Cedar Creek Mine Ride. Opened in 1969 by Arrow, it is, in my opinion, the BEST choice for a first coaster. The ride isn’t too fast, doesn’t have any huge hills or inversions, and has more elements than hills. This was probably my second-favorite coaster on my first CP trip back in 2004 (first favorite had to be Disaster Transport. Still mourning the loss every day).
10. Blue Streak. Not putting Blue Streak in the top 10 would be an absolute crime! The oldest coaster in the park, opened in 1964 and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Company, is a classic! If there are ever kids or teens trying to count this ride out whenever I talk to them, once I tell them how much I love it, they shut up and go ride it. It’s a great piece of history- and it really paved the way for the coasters we have today. So, ride Blue Streak, and tell Blue Streak thank you!
9. Valravn. This B&M dive coaster created quite the hype in 2016 as the tallest, longest dive coaster. The issue? The ride ended up not living up to its hype. I waited 45 minutes for my first ride. It was fun, but it wasn’t great. Valravn is a ride I will go on if it has a short wait or if I’m with a friend, but I don’t enjoy it.
8. Top Thrill Dragster. Naturally, this ride makes the top ten. Why isn’t in the top five? Because it’s not worth more than a 45 minute wait for a 17 second ride. This Intamin stratacoaster opened in 2003 as the tallest, fastest coaster in the world (a title taken away two years later by Kingda Ka at SFGAdv). It is a fun ride; nothing can beat the rush of going from 0mph-120mph in 3.8 seconds. But once you get up to the top hat, the ride is nothing. Also, rollbacks are not an everyday occurrence (sorry), so it gets kinda old to hear people complain that they didn’t get one. Be glad you didn’t, because rollbacks these days tend to have the ride go down mechanical.
7. Wicked Twister. Some people might say this isn’t a coaster, but yes it is! This Intamin shuttle impulse coaster opened in 2002 and launches you at 70mph. Ride in the very back of the train to get the biggest drop, or ride in the very front to have the biggest freefall. Who couldn’t be a fan of Twicked Wister?
6. GateKeeper. Opened in 2013, this B&M wing rider helped remodel the main entrance. Sitting on the side of the track, flipping over/under the lift hill, twisting and turning through the keyholes, and not to mention that I got to train at the ride in 2017. Make sure to sit on the left side of the train. It’s the best side.
5. Magnum XL-200. The world’s first hyper-coaster is not to miss! Opened in 1989 and manufactured by Arrow, this was the very first coaster to top 200 feet. This ride may be the bumpiest non-inverted coaster (kills the thighs!), but it’s a good one! The only drawback is Maggie has the SLOWEST lift-chain. It takes a whole minute to get to the top of the 205 foot hill.
4. Raptor. Everyone craps on Raptor, but I think it is the most fun! Opened in 1994, this B&M inverted coaster featured the first-ever inverted cobra roll. If you ride it at night, there are cool light effects on the cobra roll (epilepsy warning though). Riding in the back row feels like flying. Be warned that headbanging may occur as you go into the final brake run.
3. Maverick. Obviously, Mav is in the top three. Opened in 2007, this Intamin launched coaster features the steepest drop on all CP coasters at 95-degrees. It’s one of few rides worth a long wait. The launch lift hill, twisted horseshoe roll, and midcourse launch. It’s a complete package. The upgraded harnesses made the ride even better. With the hard orange harnesses, it was pretty much a pain in the neck (and ears). The new harnesses add enjoyment and comfort to the ride.
2. Steel Vengeance (fka Mean Streak). The brand new coaster for 2018 is the RMC makeover of Mean Streak. There was a lot of hype for it, which left people skeptical since Valravn was a disappointment. However, I rode it and WOW!!! It lived up to that hype and exceeded ALL my expectations. The 90-degree drop was amazing, the airtime did not disappoint, and the inversions were fun (even though they will flop you around like a rag doll if you’re not careful). If guests ask me if it’s a long wait, the answer is HELL YES!
1. Millennium Force. Of course, of course. The best steel coaster in the world for 17 years in a row! Well, 15 times, because it dropped to number 2 twice. Opened in 2000, this Intamin giga coaster stands at 310 feet tall and broke records for being the first to go over 300 feet, being the fastest at 93 mph, having the steepest drop at 80-degrees, and having the steepest non-inverted overbanked turn at 122-degrees. If guests ask me what the best ride is in the park, I always tell them to go to Millie. It’s tall, it’s fast, it’s worth a long wait, and it’s the best in the WORLD (even though my boyfriend disagrees and says Maverick is the best in the world).
