The third part of a ranking series where I go through all 102 roller coasters I’ve been on throughout my life and rank them from least favorite to favorite.
80. Gold Rusher – Six Flags Magic Mountain
Arrow Dynamics, 70 ft tall, 35 mph, 2,590 ft length
Another Arrow mine train, Gold Rusher served as the very first coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, adhering to a classic California Gold Rush theme that fits perfectly with the mine train design.
Ideally using the nearby terrain throughout the ride, Gold Rusher reaches a maximum height of 70 feet – well above the height of most mine trains – while forgoing a drop in favor of low-to-the-ground drops and turns.
Nestled along a hillside in the middle of the park, riders are treated to excellent views of surrounding attractions and the namesake Magic Mountain in the backdrop, with the ride itself acting as a great change of pace from some of the higher intensity rides in the park.
While no one is riding Gold Rusher to get scared for their life, the helix finale pulls some decent positive Gs – especially when compared to other similar coasters.
My wife and I got a couple of rides on this in January 2024, and we left with it being among our favorite mine trains. With that said, the coaster’s age is no secret, leading to some of the turns feeling a bit sharp and janky.
79. Carolina Cyclone – Carowinds
Arrow Dynamics, 95 ft tall, 65 ft drop, 41 mph, 2,100 ft length
An Arrow looper with a bit more to it than Cedar Point’s Corkscrew, Carolina Cyclone is a short, no-frills ride that accomplishes everything that it looks like it will – and not a single bit more.
Ascending to just under 100 feet, riders take a rather abbreviated 65-foot plunge that leads directly into back-to-back vertical loops, a section that itself transitions directly into a pair of corkscrews before a short helix section concludes the ride.
For a beginning thrillseeker, this is a great way to go upside down for the first time, introducing riders to the two most basic inversions while not giving too many other reasons to be afraid. Yet for seasoned enthusiasts, this is a coaster you’ll probably have to ride defensively due to the aging, rough track and bulky over-the-shoulder restraints.
Although the drop and helix were unremarkable, I found the inversions to have a good deal of whip in them during the visit my wife and I made to Carowinds back in June of this year. Still, it’s far from a highlight at the park.
78. Pepsi Orange Streak – Nickelodeon Universe
Zierer, 60 ft tall, 40 ft drop, 40 mph, 2,680 ft length
This coaster isn’t tall, isn’t particularly fast and certainly isn’t thrilling – but it is quite possibly the most relaxing roller coaster in the world, owing to its relatively high placing on the list for a coaster of its caliber.
Opening alongside the theme park inside Mall of America as Pepsi Ripsaw in August 1992, this coaster has been in continuous operation since the park debuted, taking the name Orange Streak when the park was rebranded to Nickelodeon Universe.
Reaching top speeds of 40 mph, Orange Streak gives riders a great view of the entire Nickelodeon Universe park while providing a relaxing breeze – making the coaster feel almost like a sped-up scenic railway than a typical roller coaster.
In addition to being a uniquely relaxing ride, it’s also a great way to ease beginniners into coasters, with Orange Streak providing a lengthier ride without any moments that would discourage new riders from trying out something else.
77. Matterhorn Bobsleds – Disneyland
Arrow Development/WED Enterprises, 80 ft tall, 27 mph, 2,037 ft/2,134 ft length (Tomorrowland/Fantasyland)
Undoubtedly one of the most important roller coasters of all-time, Matterhorn Bobsleds opened in June 1959 as the world’s first tubular steel track coaster – a design that would soon after become standard and completely alter the history of roller coaster development and design.
Nearly 70 years old today, Matterhorn Bobsleds immerses riders in comprehensive theming that people across the world have come to expect from Disney, making a ride that has been operating for decades still feel fresh and contemporary.
As is the case with most attractions at Disney parks, Matterhorn Bobsleds is not meant to scare the crap out of anyone, only reaching top speeds of 27 miles per hour while making a drawn-out, circular descent down the mountain facade riders are greeted with when lining up.
I only got one ride on this back in March 2013, and the ride’s age was rather noticeable, with plenty of bumps and rough turns throughout – even though that is to be expected with just about any Arrow ride that remains in operation.
76. Blue Streak – Cedar Point
Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, 78 ft tall, 72 ft drop, 40 mph, 2,558 ft length
The oldest operating roller coaster at Cedar Point, this legendary woodie began serving up thrills in May 1964 and remains in operation close to the front of the park today, where it remains a great entry-level wooden coaster with impeccable old-time Americana vibes.
From the white and blue paintjob to the classic figure eight layout and retro lighting, Blue Streak is an incredible blast from the past in a park that is constantly at the forefront of the most innovative developments in the amusement world.
Blue Streak was the first coaster I rode at Cedar Point back during my first visit in July 2006, and I would later get another ride during my most recent visit in August 2013. While far from the most thrilling wooden coaster out there, this rickety ride from yesteryear still packs a bit of a punch on that first drop along with plenty of ejector airtime moments scattered throughout.
Far from an imposing coaster, this is a great ride for families and for those visiting the park that may want to stay away from the tallest and fastest of the offerings.
75. Patriot – California’s Great America
Bolliger & Mabillard, 91 ft tall, 45 mph, 1,920 ft length
The second-oldest B&M coaster and the oldest currently in operation, Patriot opened in March 1991 as Vortex, a stand-up coaster that followed in the path of Iron Wolf, the company’s first coaster that opened the year prior at Six Flags Great America.
After 25 years of operation as a stand-up coaster, Vortex was converted into a floorless coaster for the 2017, reopening as Patriot on April 1 of that year. While these conversions are helpful in creating a much less painful ride, many of the forces that were present on the stand-up coasters are nowhere to be found.
Patriot is about as unimposing as it gets for a coaster with two inversions – it doesn’t even break 100 ft in height, doesn’t have a traditional drop and only reaches top speeds of 45 mph, making the coaster a great option for beginners who are unsure about going upside down or having their feet dangle beneath their seat.
While the inversions are solid – with the corkscrew in particular serving as the most forceful moment on the ride, Patriot is ultimately a bit of a snoozer, with its older age showing up as well to make it one of the rougher B&M coasters one could find.
I got my first ride on Patriot this past weekend, and while I’d be happy to ride it again, I don’t think I can expect much out of this or any other B&M floorless coaster that was once a stand-up.
74. Big Apple Coaster – New York New York Hotel & Casino
TOGO, 203 ft tall, 144 ft drop, 67 mph, 4,777 ft length
Every enthusiast loves to hate the Big Apple Coaster, a TOGO hyper in front of the New York New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip that is widely regarded as the worst roller coaster in the world to eclipse 200 ft in height.
And while I do think this coaster is a tad overhated, I do fully understand why this coaster has the poor reputation it does.
Perhaps it’s merely a product of the coaster’s placement and the unique space constraints that had to be taken into consideration during construction, but this ride’s layout is unimaginably bad – with long, awkward transitions that immediately kill whatever momentum the coaster had previously built up.
This disappointment comes right from the start, as riders only plunge 144 feet after a 203-foot lift hill – a drop that doesn’t really come all that close to contacting the ground, a moment that is only the beginning of the ride’s strange transitions. Riders spend much of the coaster following slightly angled track to proceed to the next elements of the ride – once again, something that may have been necessitated by the coaster’s unusual location.
The elements themselves are solid once you get there – the vertical loop pulls a decent amount of force, and the dive loop is a fun element to experience on a coaster like this, where inversions are typically absent.
While I enjoyed my night ride on this coaster in December 2019, I couldn’t honestly put it above most of the coasters I’ve gotten a chance to ride, an opinion shared by most enthusiasts. Still, this coaster, as is the case with all coasters, is not made for dorks like me – but for the general public.
Considering the Big Apple Coaster has been in operation since January 1997 and currently takes in a hefty $25 per ride, it ultimately has turned out to be a pretty good investment for the hotel.
73. River King Mine Train – Mid America Adventure
Arrow Dynamics, 32 ft tall, 41 ft drop, 37 mph, 2,500 ft length
My favorite Arrow mine train bar none, there are few coasters that are more nostalgic to me than the River King Mine Train, a ride that served as a comfort coaster for me as a kid when I was far too afraid to hop on larger coasters.
My family visited Six Flags St. Louis numerous times throughout my childhood, and I would frequently be looking to ride River King Mine Train – an Arrow mine train that has been in operation since the opening of the park in June 1971.
Similar to other Arrow mine trains, riders are treated to the classic elements of low-to-the-ground turns, multiple lift hills and some helices that pull some decent positive Gs for a ride that doesn’t even touch 40 mph.
The highlight of the coaster comes at the end with its tunnel-drop finale, a 41-foot plunge in the dark that feels like it has a bit more mustard on it than the stats would suggest – with the ride’s rather minimal restraints providing a nice pop of airtime on the drop.
I’m sure many feel this ride is placed too high, but every coaster enthusiast has a few rides that strike a unique chord of nostalgia – ones that remind us as adults why we still care about thrill rides all of these years later.
72. Iron Dragon – Cedar Point
Arrow Dynamics, 76 ft tall, 40 mph, 2,800 ft length
A dying breed in the coaster world, this suspended coaster from Arrow has been in operation since June 1987, and remains one of the milder offerings throughout the park.
One of two suspended coasters I’ve gotten a chance to ride, Iron Dragon sometimes can feel like Iron Draggin’ with the snail’s pace speed of the coasters two lift hills – but there’s plenty of reason to ride once getting past that.
A lengthy ride with plenty of tight turns that send the riders’ toboggans flying in the opposite direction of the turn, Iron Dragon also takes guests above a body of water beneath the coaster during the second half of the ride – giving some of the off-chance of getting misted by the nearby fountains.
While many aren’t riding Iron Dragon for its intensity, riders can expect to pull some decent lateral and positive Gs during the coaster’s turns, providing a good preview of what to expect with more intense versions of those elements on other rides.
I got my rides on Iron Dragon in July 2006, when it was one of just four coasters in the park I felt comfortable enough to ride – and while I’d love to ride again, I do prefer the other suspended coaster I got to experience.
71. Space Mountain – Disneyland
WED Enterprises, 76 ft tall, 32 mph, 3,459 ft length
One of the toughest coasters to rank, Space Mountain and its counterparts are arguably among the most ridden and recognizable amusement rides in the world, undergoing constant refreshments to make the coaster feel like the futuristic voyage to space it has been since their openings in the 1970’s.
I have gotten a chance to ride the Space Mountains at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, and I’ll talk about both of them here – even though they’re not quite identical rides.
An indoor family coaster meant to feel like an out-of-control ride through space, this ride’s stats would make you think that this is a ride you could fall asleep on – but in classic Disney fashion, the theming and immersiveness makes it feel like something so much greater.
Thanks to the disorienting nature of the darkness and moving stars, riders are teleported into what feels like an alternate universe for just a few minutes, descending through short drops, twists and turns while not having any idea what’s going to come next – making the coaster feel both faster and more intense.
With that said, this is still a ride explicitly marketed towards families, and it’s a hallmark experience for any young kid visiting a Disney park. While you’re almost guaranteed to find more thrilling rides elsewhere, Space Mountain set the tone for how much heavy lifting excellent theming can do.
I got rides on the Magic Kingdom Space Mountain in February 2004 and March 2011, while experiencing the Disneyland version in March 2013. With the Magic Kingdom version featuring two slightly different tracks and having a bit more legacy to it, I’ll rank Disneyland’s edition as the lower of the two.
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