April 26, 2006

Kingda Ka holds the current records for tallest (456 feet) and fastest (128 mph) roller coaster in the world. Purists still love the old wooden coasters, while the Japanese seem to like longer rides, including the 8,133 foot long Steel Dragon 2000. Not everyone is a fan, however.
posted by rocket88 17 years ago
  • AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGAAAA! I think I could puke just LOOKING at that thing. Brain damage indeed. You have to be brain damaged to get on those things. *GramMa shakes cane, warns young'ns about cars flying off track
  • I used to enjoy the big coasters a lot, but all I want to do these days is become a curmudgeonly nerd and join up with these guys and ride the classic wooden coasters. I've only been on one from that list, and it's a kiddie coaster, sigh. Even if the one in Santa Cruz doesn't make the list, I'm still heading down there this summer - a wooden coaster from 1924 on a boardwalk by the sea, dude! Erm, sorry, I was researching coasters a lot recently, and seem to have a lot to say about them. I'll just point out this blog - the guy goes around the world to ride coasters. It's fairly sad and often grumpy but has the best coaster reviews of anyone out there.
  • Great Adventure was one of the earliest Six Flags amusement parks. I grew up visiting that place every year, going on every ride I could manage, the scarier the better. perhaps this requires a roadtrip to New Jersey??
  • * Kingda Ka is a highly sophisticated ride and may experience short periods of downtime.
    Sounds a little like my ex.
  • I rode The Desperado when it was a record-holder about 10 years ago. I was terrified. Just looking at Kingda Ka makes me feel faint. My favorite coaster is Top Gun at Paramount's Great America: It starts with a barrel roll instead of going immediately into a heart-stopping freefall, so death doesn't feel quite so imminent.
  • I haven't ridden many rollercoasters, but my favourite was Space Mountain at Disneyland. It's pitch-black so you have no clue what's happening. Brilliant. The two coasters in Santa Cruz are cool; nothing too scary. I love the clickety-clack wooden one, and if you know the guy on the switchboard (Santa Cruz is a small town, so it's not unusual), you can get three or four circuits in one ride.
  • MMmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnno. That is all.
  • The only coasters I have ridden are at Six Flags, St. Louis. I haven't ridden the Batman, Mr. Freeze, or the Ninja. Just watching the Mr. Freeze ride makes me think whiplash. I believe the Batman ride is one where you are hanging and not sitting in a car, and the Ninja my kids tell me is too jarring. Now the good old Screamin' Eagle is a lot of fun, I remember the year it opened in 1976, stood in line for 3 hours just to ride. I love the Boss, but it is teeth rattling. The River King Mine Train is the one I like the most. It may be small but it is fun.
  • Space Mountain was my first roller coaster :) MarineWorld has a very good one that happens to be called: Medusa!
  • The only question from the peanut gallery alongside me in Row 14 is WTF kind of name is "Kingda Ka"?