Top 10 Most Iconic Roller Coasters
-
Coney Island Cyclone - Luna Park, Coney Island
A wooden coaster with a track length of 2,640 feet, a height of 85 feet, and a top speed of 60 mph. It's iconic for its design and thrill.
-
Kingda Ka - Six Flags Great Adventure
The tallest roller coaster ever made. I haven't ridden it, but it's a staggering 456 feet tall and has a whopping top speed of 128 mph in just 3.5 seconds (making it the second-fastest roller coaster on Earth, only behind the Formula Rossa at Abu Dhabi, UAE, which has a top speed of 149.13 mph). It's known to put tremendous G-forces on riders and blow wind hard enough to irritate the face, especially without protection or in the winter when the air is drier than usual and even common bugs feel like bullets hitting you at that speed.
Warnings must be taken seriously, because it packs a punch unlike many others. It's a very short ride (but had a wait time of a whopping 6.5 hours on opening day), yet it's extremely thrilling nonetheless.
-
Millennium Force - Cedar Point
It's known to be one of the tallest and fastest non-extreme roller coasters on Earth. With a height of 310 feet and a top speed of 93 mph, it's on the upper level of being intense. I haven't ridden it, but it's said to be a really intense ride. However, despite its size, it's also said to be disappointing for those seeking huge airtime moments, as it generates a surprisingly low amount of airtime in proportion to its height and speed.
Nonetheless, it's a super intense roller coaster for those seeking height and speed.
-
The Beast - Kings Island
-
Space Mountain - Walt Disney World Resort
Space Mountain is a space-themed indoor roller coaster attraction with versions at five of the six Disneyland-style Disney parks. The attraction simulates a journey through outer space with high speeds, sharp turns, and special lighting effects. Each installation has unique variations, but all share... read more
This attraction is so popular, yet it's not as thrilling as many of the others on here. It only goes 28.6 mph at its top speed, and the sensation of high speed and thrills is mainly a psychological illusion created by the imagineering of Walt Disney. You could ride every other roller coaster at Magic Kingdom on a windy night with all the attraction lights turned off, with your eyes closed, or with a blindfold, and have a similar experience.
By comparison, Goofy's Barnstormer is said to have a top speed of 25 mph, and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train reaches 34 mph. So this is only 3.6 mph faster than the Barnstormer and 5.4 mph slower than the Mine Train at top speed. I don't know what you guys think, but if you're a Disney fan looking for a truly thrilling coaster experience, you're better off riding Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure Park, or the upcoming TRON attraction at Magic Kingdom and the Guardians of the Galaxy ride at Epcot.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril at Disneyland Paris and Raging Spirits at Tokyo DisneySea earn their reputation with a vertical loop despite their relatively slow speeds. For a truly thrilling Space Mountain experience, ride Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Paris, which is a Star Wars-themed coaster.
Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom is also a good choice, but it doesn't match the thrills of the bigger coasters mentioned in this comment. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which goes faster (36 mph compared to 28 mph at Disneyland Park, where I live), still seems less thrilling and isn't very tall for a coaster.... read more
-
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Walt Disney World Resort
-
Sky Scream - Holiday Park
-
Wicked Twister - Cedar Point
-
Top Thrill Dragster - Cedar Point
-
Gravity Max - Lihpao Land
-
Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Studios Florida