The best steel roller coaster in the world is always a moving target. What once seemed unprecedented quickly becomes the standard that new constructions attempt to supersede. Think about the situation from the perspective of the builder. Why would you spend thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars crafting a ride that something else has already outdone? Since no sane person would, roller coaster records are made to be broken, and thrills are heightened in the process.
Each year, Amusement Today celebrates the finest coasters in the land, recognizing the best of the best. Their methodology in determining coaster supremacy is a bit controversial. They poll coaster enthusiasts around the world, attempting to garner opinions from people in all regions. The aim is to neutralize bias, leading to a reputable vote on coaster greatness. Critics note that it is subject to bias, especially when some theme park operators politic for votes from participants.
At the same time, the industry’s most important players, Disney and Universal, largely ignore the competition. That’s why they rarely place high in any category. Instead, less heralded but similarly entertaining parks like Six Flags, Dollywood, and Busch Gardens receive some hard-earned love from coaster critics. This year’s list of the seven best steel roller coasters contains only two new entries, but the order has changed dramatically, including a new number one. Without further ado, here are the best steel roller coasters for 2017.
7. Leviathan – Canada’s Wonderland
Image: Cedar Fair
After narrowly missing the top seven last year, Leviathan earns its well-deserved spot this year. It joins the selections in sixth and fifth place as sharing the same coaster designer, Bolliger & Mabillard. Since they also built the first place ride, more than half of the attractions on this list owe their popularity to the Swiss architects. Leviathan is the second newest of their rides chosen in the top seven.
Built in 2011 and 2012, the coaster opened to the public on May 6, 2012. It instantly became one of only a handful of Gigacoasters in the world, as well as the only one in Canada. Leviathan soars to heights of 306 feet in the air. More impressively, they designed a drop that is 306 feet as well, and it descends at a staggering 80 degrees. Due to the dynamic drop, the ride quickly accelerates to speeds as high as 92 miles per hour, making it one of the eight fastest roller coasters in the world. In Canada, Leviathan reigns supreme as the greatest coaster in the country, and all it cost was a measly $28 million.
6. Apollo’s Chariot – Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Image: Busch Gardens
The second Bolliger & Mabillard entry on this list is their oldest. Built in 1999, Apollo’s Chariot has stood the test of time for almost 20 years now. Its longevity in maintaining place on this list is a testament to its architectural triumph. This is the only 20th century steel roller coaster on this list. And it has also experienced resurgence in popularity in recent years. It was a perennial top five selection in this category for years but then fell a bit. Now, it’s on the cusp of the top once again.
What’s the appeal of Apollo’s Chariot? Beyond the mythic name (literally and figuratively), it’s a track 4,882 feet long with speeds upwards of 73 miles per hour. It also claims the odd metrics of being 170 feet tall yet offering a 65-degree drop of 210 feet. There’s a marvel of physics for you. In 135 seconds of ride time, the theme park tourist will experience 4.1 Gs, with the sensation occurring in a coaster cart that seems a lot like an executive chair. You’ll never feel more comfortable as you zip along eight hills full of bunny hops. For the body of 20 years, this one has stood as one of the best air-time rides in America. That’s why a ride that opened a week before The Matrix continues to receive such praise today.
5. Nitro – Six Flags Great Adventure
Image: Six Flags
Only one attraction in the top five finishes in the same place this year as last, and it’s Nitro, the explosive roller coaster that Bolliger & Mabillard built for $20 million in 2001. A running joke about this ride is that they originally remixed music from Mortal Kombat to set the mood for thrilling journey up and then quickly down. You’ll definitely feel like you’re in a fight when the lift train propels you upward 230 feet in a matter of seconds. Then, you’ll feel what you had for lunch rolling around in your stomach as you shoot downward at 80 miles per hour at a 68-degree angle. Nitro doesn’t mess around.
At 5,394 feet, Nitro is one of the longest roller coasters in the world. Its length means that you’ll sustain velocity for an extended period during the 140 seconds of ride time. As you fly down the track, you’ll face 4.3 Gs of force plus one of the rarest features of any steel coaster. Nitro has a hammerhead turn, which is the equivalent of a U-turn at a speed that would get you arrested on a highway. It’s an exhilarating sensation that’s almost inimitable. The popularity of this ride element has kept Nitro in the top five for the body of a decade. To a larger point, the skill set of Bolliger & Mabillard is that their creations are timeless.
4. Expedition GeForce – Holiday Park
Image: Holiday Park
Expedition GeForce holds the distinction of being the only non-North American coaster on the list. Located at Holiday Park in Haßloch, Germany, it’s also one of the old guard on the list, constructed by Intamin in 2001. At 174 feet tall, it’s one of the shortest rides on this list, not even qualifying for hypercoaster status. Also, its max speed is just 75 miles per hour, and the coaster lasts for only 75 seconds.
Given these mundane numbers, you’re probably wondering why it’s still considered such a classic more than 15 years since its debut. The answer is a matter of degrees. The initial drop for Expedition GeForce is a whopping 82 degrees, but then the ride immediately banks into a second 74-degree turn. The rider never has the opportunity to catch their breath from that moment forward, with a series of big air-time bunny hops populating the rest of journey through 4,002 feet of track. This coaster is proof that an enthusiast doesn’t need huge specs to have a great time on a ride.
3. Superman the Ride Virtual Reality Coaster – Six Flags New England
Image: Six Flags
One of the most inventive roller coasters in the world once again received a makeover last year. Superman the Ride, formerly Bizarro and Superman: Ride of Steel, offers a new wrinkle every few years. That’s because the park planners at Six Flags New England pride themselves on keeping their anchor attraction fresh. Their devotion and attention to detail explains why it’s consistently finished first or second in the category since its inception in 2003. Alas, this year, it fell to third place, but I think that’s unfair. Superman the Ride Virtual Reality Coaster is the first major coaster to get ahead of the curve on the next wave of theme park technology.
In March of 2016, Six Flags introduced the latest, greatest technology to the steel coaster industry. They blended the existing thrill ride through 5,400 feet of track with Oculus Rift technology. The outcome of this novel enhancement is that guests wearing Samsung Gear VR headsets experience a full 360-degree, 3D story as they zoom down the tracks. The brave souls willing to put on these headsets watch as Superman boldly defends Metropolis against Lex Luthor’s latest incursion, a set of malevolent Lex Bots. The latest iteration of Superman the Ride blends an already beloved steel roller coaster with comic book action in an amazing virtual reality setting. Frankly, I’m surprised it didn’t perform better. I suspect that the technology is too daring for some of the voters.
2. Millennium Force – Cedar Point
Image: Cedar Fair
Yes, a new roller coaster has displaced Millennium Force as the best in the world. Even in defeat, the most lauded attraction of the 21st century continues an incomprehensible streak. Since its inception in 2000, it has never finished lower than second in this category. In 2001, the first year it was eligible, this Cedar Point attraction unseated another beloved one among coaster enthusiasts, Magnum XL-200, to win the category.
Since then, Millennium Force has won nine times and now finishes second for the seventh time. Suffice to say that the voters feel compelled to place this coaster at or near the top of the ballot. To wit, it narrowly lost this year’s vote, falling four votes shy at 1,122 to the winner’s 1,126. A single ballot could have flipped the result in the category.
What’s so special about Millennium Force? “Everything” is a lazy answer, but it’s also true. This coaster uses a revolutionary cable lift system to elevate the rider to a height of 310 feet. The process takes only a few seconds, and it’s highlighted by a panoramic view of Lake Erie, although many folks are too distracted by the terrifying drop below to notice. Once the coaster cart plunges over the edge, it drops 300 feet at 80 degrees, one of the most literally breathtaking moments in all theme park tourism. The ride is 140 seconds of pure joy, and it’s dominated this category at the Golden Tickets for 16 years for good reason. Whether it’s held the number one spot for the last time remains to be seen, but I suspect it’ll yet stage a comeback.
1. Fury 325 – Carowinds
Image: Carowinds
Yes, last year’s best new ride according to the Golden Ticket voters has ascended to the best overall steel roller coaster in the world barely a year after its introduction. I’ve already chronicled the dominance of Bolliger & Mabillard in the steel coaster industry, but Fury 325 is their crown jewel.
This roller coaster is all about power. At 325 feet tall, it’s the highest roller coaster in the world. Not coincidentally, its 320-foot drop leads to an adrenaline rush at 95 miles per hour, making it the fastest Gigacoaster in the world. Basically, the architects of this attraction carefully studied the specs of Millennium Force and thought, “It’s time. Somebody has to knock the reigning champion off its pedestal.” And that’s exactly what has transpired in several key ways.
Fury 325 is taller, faster, and longer than Millennium Force. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the point of pride on this coaster was to usurp the crown. The specs are too suspicious otherwise. It’s like 2-3 percent better than Millennium Force in most categories, which borders on a compliment to the Cedar Point ride. After all, 15 years after its debut, incremental improvements are still all that’s possible.
Still, the biggest and baddest in any competition always claims bragging rights. At the moment, Fury 325 is the alpha of the steel coaster realm. Made for a respectable $30 million, it’s no more than anything else listed here once we adjust for inflation. In other words, Carowinds received tremendous bang for the buck in building what the Golden Ticket voters consider the best steel coaster in the world today. See for yourself in the video below.
