Let's Discuss!
"Rollercoasters?!" - My Top 5!
Hello World! Welcome back, my name is Benjamin! Today I would like to discuss something that randomly popped into my head....something that I haven't thought about in a long time!
I'm intrigued....what was your random thought? What do you want to share?
I would like to share my favourite rollercoasters! I have visited a number of theme parks in my time and had the pleasure of boarding some great rides...I've also visited funfairs that featured full-blown rollercoasters! I'll run you through my top 5 coasters and at the end of the list I will also discuss some honourable mentions...one of which will be a flat ride but it deserves a mention. Let's discuss!
 |
| "Do a barrel roll!" - a Starfox reference! |
5.) The Flying Fish (The old one!) - Thorpe Park (UK)Might seem a little tame to you? This rollercoaster will always find itself in my top 5 favourites! The reason why? Well because this was my very first rollercoaster experience! Fun fact - I actually rode this rollercoaster before I was even born! It isn't the fastest ride ever...far from it in fact. This ride has no inversions (loops) and it doesn't give much G-force, but this doesn't mean it wasn't a fun ride. If I recall correctly, the queues for this ride were always really short as well...I used to ride it at least two or three times when I visited Thorpe Park back in the day! Great ride, great memories!
 |
"The OG Flying Fish" - My first thrill!
|
4.) Air (Before the re-theming) - Alton Towers (UK)
OK, so this ride get's a LOT of bad press. I think people missed the point of this ride, to be honest, it's less about the "thrill" and more about the experience. The creator of this ride, John Wardley, wanted to immerse riders with the feeling of flight. I believe that this ride provided a dream-like experience, in some respects, it was more therapeutic than anything. The original "Air" theming was amazing as well, the music was incredible in the queue lines and the anticipation of the flight made the usual 2+ hour queue bearable. I must admit though, one of the downsides of Alton Towers has to be the size of the queues for the main rides. I haven't visited Alton Towers since the re-theming of this ride, but I hear that the new VR features have been scrapped. Maybe it's time to revert the ride to its original glory?
 |
| "Air Logo" - Was it all a dream?
|
3.) Triple Loop Roller Coaster - Random Funfair? (Hamburg, Germany)
The next coaster on my list is a Triple Loop Roller Coaster I stumbled across with a group of friends when we went on holiday to Hamburg. By pure coincidence, we stumbled across a huge funfair, and low and behold, we saw a full-sized roller coaster before our very eyes. For someone from the UK, this was quite a sight to behold! I had never visited a funfair that flaunted a fully-fledged, inversion roller coaster. It was quickly decided that we would be riding this beast. I must admit, I was a bit nervous at the time, but I am happy to report that the ride was smooth and very thrilling! Here is a picture of the beast! Great ride, maybe a bit scary considering it isn't fixed to the ground though!
 |
"A temporary triple looper?!" - I wonder how long it takes to put up & down?
|
2.) Nemesis - Alton Towers (UK)
Do not mistake this coaster with the sister attraction at Thorpe Park (Nemesis Inferno), I am referring to the original Nemesis at Alton Towers. This ride is absolutely awesome! To be honest, it nearly grabbed the #1 spot! It is faultless, in my opinion. From an engineering perspective, the coaster is absolutely phenomenal. It was introduced in 1994, and it really hasn't aged! The ride interacts so well with its surroundings, creating an immersive environment from the moment you enter the queue line, right up until your board the train! The chain lift is actually very enjoyable, something that isn't all that common on coasters. The theming is still original, and that is the way it should be. The ride is fast, forceful and exciting...Long live, Nemesis!
 |
| "The beast!" - How is this ride 25 years old?! |
1.) Colossus - Thorpe Park (UK)
It's time to reveal my all-time favourite roller coaster...it is the one and only Colossus at Thorpe Park! The world's first 10 loop roller coaster....what a beast! This ride has everything going for it in my opinion. It has the inversions in abundance, it has the dips, the spins, the mother of all corkscrews, and it has some incredible theming. The location of the ride, on the outskirts of the park, right next to the huge lake gives this "Atlantis" style ride a mysterious, somewhat daunting quality. The queue is surrounded by magnificent landscaping, and the whole area built around this colossal giant of a coaster reminds me of why theme parks are so much fun in the first place! You visit a theme park to feel immersed, to feel excited and to get a thrill. Colossus at Thorpe Park does an outstanding job of creating an atmosphere, it almost feels like a miniature theme park on its own! I know the ride is a little dated and a bit clunky, but it is a coaster like no other! Top tip - listen out for the clicking sounds at the top of the lift hill when the train heads into its initial drop, it's bound to give you a thrill (or a heart attack!)
 |
"Colossus" - A ride like no other?!
|
Well, that was my top 5 roller coasters! I hope you enjoyed this random insight! I'd love to hear your favourite roller coasters! Let me know in the comments!
P.S - I almost forgot....here are some honourable mentions!
- Nemesis Inferno - Thorpe Park (UK)
- Corkscrew (No longer with us) - Alton Towers (UK)
- X! No Way Out! - Thorpe Park (UK)
A special shout-out to the "Waltzers!", the most iconic fairground ride EVER! I have vivid memories of being completely off my face riding these at my local town fair in my teenage years. I also re-call riding the Waltzer at Reading Festival and watching a full-on fight break out on the steps next to the ride. Always worth £2.50 per person to get the ride (fright) of your life, just don't lose your mobile phone or throw up inside the Waltzer, it won't end well!
Thanks for reading as always! Till next time!
Benjamin Andrew 95!
Comments
Post a Comment