Top 10 Best Roller Coaster Manufacturers
B&M is hands-down the smoothest and best-engineered coasters in the industry. Every B&M coaster I've ridden has been smooth and comfortable. You can't beat their floorless designs like Dominator, Scream, Medusa, The Kraken, Sheikra, and The Griffon (these are just the ones I've been able to ride so far). They are the best looping coasters I've ever ridden.
Hypercoasters are in a class all their own.
They may not produce the very best coasters, but they have had insane consistency. They also have mastered many things that park-goers will not notice or care about.
Watch GP to Enthusiast's video for more on why B&M is amazing.
As good as B&M is, there is just one problem with them that I can't overlook. Their coaster designs are somewhat predictable. Intamin, on the other hand, has so much uniqueness to their designs. None of their coaster designs are the same, and they always have something fresh. Apart from this, they are smooth, reliable, and they never fail to impress me.
Intamin's coasters' re-ride factor blows B&M away. B&M restraints are the worst. My ears hurt so bad after riding their coasters that I either don't go on them or just ride them once. Yet Intamin's are so much less restrictive and much more comfortable that I will ride their coasters non-stop throughout the day.
Insanely smooth rides with some of the best airtime and breathtaking coaster elements. All of their upgrades have been huge improvements, and their new unique rides like the Raptor coasters are absolutely insane!
I love how they didn't just stop at I-box and steel toppers. I think their new innovations will continue to get more and more thrilling. Also, you gotta love the new and unique coaster elements they surprise you with on each of their rides.
They should be number one by far. They're not the OG, but they definitely have the best rides and Alan Schilke! Of course, they're good!
RMC is BY FAR my FAVORITE manufacturer! My favorite is the airtime and intensity of all the rides that they make.
While defunct, Arrow has pioneered the coaster industry. It is credited with the first steel tubular track, the first 3-inversion coaster, and the first complete circuit coaster over 200 feet, creating a new class of ride, the hypercoaster. Their final hurrah, the 4D coaster, is still produced by S&S today and is seen as one of the best coaster models ever.
Arrow has brought the coaster industry to where it is today.
Although some of their coasters are on the rough side, they paved the way for other manufacturers. Without them and their innovative ways, we wouldn't have some of the roller coaster designs we have today, such as looping, hyper, and 4D coasters.
They have the greatest variety of coasters and attractions and have such great theming on their trains. I was debating between Mack and B&M, but I think B&M is more of a thrill seeker's paradise. Mack has a ride for everyone.
Smoothest rides I've ever been on in my life. They give an amazing ride, and always perfect for what they do.
Journey to Atlantis and Manta are both the perfect family coasters. Helix is the perfect thrill ride. Mack always comes out on top for me.
Mack Rides, while expensive, are some of the highest quality rides around. Not only do they look beautiful, but they are some of the best water coasters out there, and their launch coasters are world-renowned.
Furthermore, their hypercoasters look absolutely amazing.
While the Boomerang and SLC are really bad (and overused), Vekoma has had some good coasters lately and could soon take over the roller coaster industry.
Great company, smooth and thrilling rides. Disney and Efteling definitely realized this company was great.
High reliability and low downtime.
Gerstlauer creates some amazing coasters such as The Smiler at Alton Towers, Staffordshire. Their roller coasters have excellent theming on them, and they are quite smooth.
I'd love to see more Gerstlauer roller coasters in the future.
They make solid rides with good layouts. They have popularized the beyond vertical drop and the vertical lift hill, and provide affordable steel coasters as well as compact ones.
They are good roller coaster makers as they created the monster called Smiler, and it's pretty epic.
They make consistently great wooden coasters that are twisty and pack a punch.
Their rides pull so many forces and manage to fit into small spaces. The rides punch above their weight (and price) class.
Probably the best current builder of wooden coasters around!
GG has managed to make fun family coasters, able to always pull strong airtime seemingly from nowhere. GG is one of the best manufacturers.
When given the opportunity to go big, it only gets better. The Voyage is considered by many the best wooden coaster in the world.
World-class woodies! Voyage is my #1.
The Newcomers
S&S not only pioneered the air launch but is constantly innovating. I see great concepts coming to reality soon, and it could really push S&S over the edge.
Creates great attractions like the El Loco coaster. Also the inventor of the compressed air launch.
CCI made some of the most intense and classic wooden coasters ever. While not the most reliable, they are responsible for a lot of Gravity Group's success today.
As with Arrow Dynamics, this is a classic company that makes classic coasters. The main reason I think this company is so great is because of their trains, which only have a very loose lap bar.
Coasters like The Voyage, The Raven, Twister, Phoenix, Ravine Flyer II, and The Beast all have PTC trains.
If only PTC did not use those horrible individual lap bars, it would be better. Bring back the buzz bars!
Manufactured Wicked at Lagoon, Impulse at Knoebels, Verbolten at Busch Gardens Europe, and many coasters overseas. They are a relatively new company.
They made the best compact roller coasters. Any recent accidents have been due to lack of maintenance by small-time operators.
Looks like someone did not do research.
Giovanola is one of the founding fathers of RCs (if there are any). Bolliger and Mabillard were two of the engineers working at this company (explaining the similar track designs). After bankruptcy, the two became industry partners, forming what we know today as B&M.
Correction: They did not copy anyone's track.
Manufacturers of Goliath and Titan.
I love the Thunderbolt, Soaring Eagle, and the Steeplechase at Luna Park in Coney Island. Marcelo from Argentina.