2012 Hawker Wooden Coaster Poll

[thekidd33]

Hey guys! Hope everyone's off season is going well.

The 2012 version of Mitch Hawker's Wooden Coaster Poll is now open and accepting ballots until January 8th! This is (in my own humble opinion) a much more accurate poll than most seen in the industry. The more ballots the better the results so be sure to get yours in!

Link to Mitch's site: http://www.ushsho.co...coasterpoll.htm

A great drag and drop ballot creator tool can be found here (if you have never filled out a ballot for this poll before it can be a tad intimidating at first but this is a great place to start): http://hawker.stationbrakes.com/

Can't wait to see this year's results!

[jcgoble3]

My ballot has been submitted!

[kblanken]

I just sent mine.

After thinking things over, I have The Racer above The Beast this year, probably because I somehow didn't ride it at night all year.

1-Zippin Pippin

2-Phoenix

3-Legend

4-Georgia Cyclone

5-High Roller

6-Thunderhead/El Toro

8-American Thunder

9-Prowler

10-Raven/Voyage

[thekidd33]

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the last day to get your ballots in!

[74Gibson]

666 ballots were turned in so doesn't that make Hades the winner?

[thekidd33]

And we have the results!

Top Ten:

1. El Toro - Six Flags Great Adventure

2. T Express - Everland

3. Voyage - Holiday World

4. Boulder Dash - Lake Compounce

5. Phoenix - Knoebel's

6. Balder - Liseburg

7. Ravine Flyer II - Waldameer

8. Dauling Dragons (Left Track) - Happy Valley

9. Dauling Dragons (Right Track) - Happy Valley

10. Colossus - Heide Park

KI's Wooden Coasters:

47. The Beast

100. Racer

153. Woodstock Express

Complete results can be found here: http://www.ushsho.com/woodrollercoasterpollresults2012.htm

It also looks as if the steel poll will return this year as well!

[The Interpreter]

CGA's Grizzly next to last, again.

Such a mediocre ride. You know things are bad when the best local park PR could say about it in the Paramount days was that it was, and I quote, bumpy. Yes, bumpy. And no. It wasn't.

[kblanken]

I really hope to make it to Lake Compounce and ride Boulder Dash. It looks like I have been missing out.

Also, it says 'Please note that these ballots are still under review for any errors or duplicates."

I noticed my ballot is showing some errors on the big sheet, as it seems to skip a few of my rankings. Not that it will probably make much of a difference...although I do see that Raven is exactly tied with Wooden Warrior, which is an entry that isn't showing up yet on mine(but is on my entry sheet.)

[thekidd33]

The ballot for the steel poll is now up and is accepting entries until Feb. 28th.

Link to Mitch's site: http://www.ushsho.com/bestrollercoasterpoll.htm

Link to the drag n' drop ballot creator for the steel poll: http://hawker.stationbrakes.com/

The more ballots the more interesting the results!

[TombRaiderFTW]

Thanks for letting us know! Here's how my list turned out this year:

1. Abrupt Airtime
2. Lateral Forces
3. Sensation of Speed
4. Positive G's/Loops
5. Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes
6. Floating Airtime

Top 10:
1. The Voyage, Holiday World/El Toro, SFGAdv (Favorite Wood Coaster Any Park Anywhere)
2. Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion, VA
3. Storm Runner, Hersheypark, PA
4. Magnum XL-200, Cedar Point, OH
5. Millennium Force, Cedar Point, OH
6. Batman The Ride, SFGAdv, NJ
7. Dominator, Kings Dominion, VA
8. Volcano: The Blast Co, Kings Dominion, VA
9. Adventure Express, Kings Island, OH (Fav Arrow Mine Train Any Park Anywhere)
10. Skull Mountain, SFGAdv, NJ

Honorable mentions:

11. Fahrenheit, Hersheypark, PA
13. Great Bear, Hersheypark, PA
16. Flight of Fear, Kings Dominion, VA
17. Flight of Fear, Kings Island, OH
18. Wild Eagle, Dollywood, TN

Bottom of the pile:
50. Anaconda, Kings Dominion, VA
51. Thunderhawk, Michigan's Adventure, MI (Fav Vek Susp Loop SLC Any Park Anywhere)
52. Sidewinder, Hersheypark, PA (Fav Vekoma Boomerang Any Park Anywhere)

53. Superman – Ultimate Flight, SFGAdv, NJ

This year, I gained a new least favorite coaster (S:UF @ SFGAdv) and had two new rides make it into my top 10 (B:TR and Skull Mountain @ SFGAdv). Ironically, since I didn't go to Cedar Point or Kings Dominion this year, I haven't ridden 6 of my top 10 in over a year.

[kblanken]

Is Python at Coney Island considered a Zyklon in this poll? I don't see any categories it would otherwise fit into.

[thekidd33]

^That is a good question. Seems a close enough fit to me.

Figured I might as well share my ballot as well.

--Generator: Jordan's Ballot Helper 2012 (steel)--

--Ballot: 84b6b4f2529--

LOCATION IN NEXT LINE (Please LEAVE THIS LINE IN BALLOT)

~"Indianapolis, IN"

NAME IN NEXT LINE (Please LEAVE THIS LINE IN THE BALLOT)

~"Vince Scott"

RANK THE FOLLOWING RIDING SENSATIONS <-LEAVE

Sensation of Speed_________________________,y,y,1

Abrupt Airtime_____________________________,y,y,2

Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes______,y,y,3

Floating Airtime___________________________,y,y,4

Lateral Forces_____________________________,y,y,5

Positive G's/Loops_________________________,y,y,6

COASTER NAME PARK LOC <-LEAVE

Maverick Cedar Point OH,y,y,1

Diamondback Kings Island OH,y,y,2

Favorite Wood Coaster Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,3 (The Voyage)

Millennium Force Cedar Point OH,y,y,4

Wild Eagle Dollywood TN,y,y,5

Top Thrill Dragster Cedar Point OH,y,y,6

Rock n Roller Coaster Disney's H Studios FL,y,n,7

Incredible Hulk Islands of Adventu FL,y,n,8

Raptor Cedar Point OH,y,y,9

Hungarian Horntail Islands of Adventu FL,y,n,10

Expedition Everest Disney Animal King FL,y,n,11

Flight of Fear Kings Island OH,y,y,12

Magnum XL-200 Cedar Point OH,y,y,13

Chinese Fireball Islands of Adventu FL,y,n,14

Firehawk Kings Island OH,y,y,15

Gemini Cedar Point OH,y,y,16

Vortex Kings Island OH,y,y,17

Revenge of the Mummy Universal Studios FL,y,n,18

Flight Deck Kings Island OH,y,y,19

Tennessee Tornado Dollywood TN,y,y,20

Backlot Stunt Coaster Kings Island OH,y,y,21

Fav Vek Susp Loop SLC Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,22 (Thunderhawk @ Michigan's Adventure)

Mantis Cedar Point OH,y,y,23

Fav Wild Mouse Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,24 (Mad Mouse @ Michigan's Adventure)

Hollywood Rip Ride Ro Universal Studios FL,y,n,25

Fav Jet Star Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,26 (Tig'rr @ Indiana Beach)

Space Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom FL,y,n,27

Fav Loop-Screw Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,28 (Corkscrew @ Cedar Point)

Fav El Loco Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,29 (Steel Hawg @ Indiana Beach)

Fav Powered `Coaster' Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,30 (Blazing Fury @ Dollywood)

Fav Arrow Mine Train Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,31 (Adventure Express)

Big Thunder Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom FL,y,n,32

Fav Arrow Corkscrew Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,33 (Corkscrew @ Michigan's Adventure)

Fav Wildcat Any Park Anywhere **,y,n,34 (Wildcat @ Cedar Point [RIP])

Fav Intamin Bobsled Any Park Anywhere **,y,n,35 (Disaster Transport @ Cedar Point [Ditto])

Fav Vekoma Invertigo Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,36 (Invertigo)

Iron Dragon Cedar Point OH,y,y,37

Fav Vek Susp Family Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,38 (Flying Ace Aerial Chase)

Fav Galaxi Any Park Anywhere **,y,y,39 (Galaxi @ Indiana Beach)

Fav Tivoli Any Park Anywhere **,y,n,40 (Kombo @ Indianapolis Zoo)

[kblanken]

I sent mine in...it wasn't easy to figure out my rankings.

1-Favorite Wood

2-Maverick

3-Magnum XL-200

4-Skyrush

5-I305

6-Phantom's Revenge

7-Colossus Fire Dragon

(Diamondback Tied for 10th)

xxx

very last-Green Lantern (SFMM)

[Oldiesmann]

At least I can say I've ridden one coaster in the Top 30 on that list. The Voyage's rank at #3 is further proof that I need to seriously find a way to get to Holiday World this summer...

[TTD-120-420]

I had 36 coasters in my list that I can remember riding.

My top ten:

1. Wood Coaster Anywhere (Voyage and Thunderhead)
2. Raptor
3. Maverick
4. Manta (Orlando)
5. Magnum
6. Alpengeist
7. Apollo's Chariot
8. Adventure Express
9. Incredible Hulk
10. Wild Eagle

[thekidd33]

Just a reminder that there are only a couple days left to get your ballots in by the 28th!

[thekidd33]

And the results are in!

Top Ten:

1) Expedition GeForce - Holiday Park

2) Bizarro - Six Flags New England

3) New Texas Giant - Six Flags Over Texas

4) Intimidator 305 - Kings Dominion

5) Kawasemi - Tobu Zoo

6) Shambhala - Port Adventura

7) Skyrush - Hersheypark

8) iSpeed - Mirabilandia

9t) Katun - Mirabilandia

9t) Mega Lite - Happy Valley Songjiang

9t) Maverick - Cedar Point

Other Notables:

Diamondback - 26th

Millennium Force - 14th

Top Thrill Dragster - 29th

Magnum XL200 - 80th

Full results can be found on Mitch's site: http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelrollercoasterpollresults2012.htm

[TTD-120-420]

I'm happy to see that people are starting to realize Millennium is not that great.

[McSalsa]

Some odd stuff I noticed...

X-Flight @ SFGam whooped Wild Eagle @ Dollywood, as X-Flight ranked tied for 58th (with an 82.58% win ratio) versus Wild Eagle's 87th place rank with "only" a 75.36% win ratio. Huh, I was told Wild Eagle was better...(have never been on either yet)...wonder where Gatekeeper will fall when it debuts come 2013...

At Carowinds, Afterburn has pulled a shocking upset and beat Intimidator (even though they finished right next to each other, at 41st and 42nd)...so, Intimidator is no longer the #1 coaster at Carowinds...(have never been there either though to judge for myself)

Diamondback @ KI and Behemoth @ Canada's Wonderland are both tied for 26th. Both are massive B&M Hypercoasters...both have the stadium-style seats. I smell a good rivalry. But at least Diamondback is the #1 steel coaster at its park, as Behemoth shares a park with #18 Leviathan...(NOTE: I had Diamondback as my #1 steel coaster...but have not ridden Behemoth...need to visit more parks not named Kings Island or Holiday World! )...

Just some odd stuff I noticed...and felt like commenting on...

[PhantomTheater]

I'm happy to see that people are starting to realize Millennium is not that great.

Harrumph I say, It is that wild horse in Frontiertown that is over rated.

[XGatorHead 8904]

^I agree! Too much headbanging on Maverick for it to come anywhere close to my Top 10.

[TTD-120-420]

Sissys

[The Interpreter]

Maverick: the front row. Only. Fantastic coaster.

[malem]

^I agree! Too much headbanging on Maverick for it to come anywhere close to my Top 10.

The first time I rode Maverick, I vowed never to ride it again. When I tried it again (much) later, leaning with the turns while protecting my head with my hands made it tolerable. Enjoyable, even.

I don't think I'd ever do it at night, though.

Maverick: the front row. Only. Fantastic coaster.

I'll have to try a front seat.

[thekidd33]

I had the same experience with Maverick after the first ride I was very disappointed. After the second...not so much. It is my #1 overall coaster now. I will readily admit there is a learning curve to Maverick and a completely understand people that say great rides shouldn't have to be ridden a certain way/time/seat/etc.

[TTD-120-420]

From day one I have never had a problem on Maverick. I don't know if it is because I'm tall enough that my head is above the restraints or what, but Maverick is my number two steel coaster. I even prefer it in the back row.