Here's a very good question.
Which is the BEST inverted coaster in the US?or World?I have heard that Raptor was until Busch Gardens opened Alpengeist and then I heard Nemesis was at Alton Towers in England.Is raptor still the best in the Us or has it been beaten?
Gotta vote Alpengeist on this one...
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Duane Cahill 2000 Park Tour:
April 1-7, WDW
May 27, Dorney
June 3, KW
June 16-20, CP
Ummmm...yeah...FireDragon/Montu, but Raptor is third IMO. Actually, I think Raptor has the best drop of all three....
Raptor may not be the biggest but it has the best drop of any inverted and in my opinion it is the BEST.
It's kind of like saying what's your favorite ice cream. There are so many good ones and we all are going to disagree. The only other inverted I have been on is Great Bear at HersheyPark. I think the first drop is comparable to Raptor, but I like Raptor better for one reason...it is longer. I've seen the others on TV specials (Alpengeist, Montu, Nemesis) and they all look excellent. Bottom line...the custom inverted ones all have something unique to offer. Raptor is going to be a classic though.
In a sense it already is a classic. I have only been on two other inverteds(Six-Flags batman's don't count)fire & ice dragon. I liked Raptor better but the theming... well that was excellent!
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"Your obssesed w/ that place aren't you?" (as stated by my best-friends about CP)
I have only been on two Inverted coasters, Raptor and Serial Thriller at SFO. RAPTOR!!!!!
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14 and counting
See my Po!nt?
-12E-
Of the three inverteds I've ridden (Batman the Ride at SFGAd and Alpengiest at BGW being the others), I prefer Raptor. I like the straight down drop compared to Alpie's twisting drop and I like how there is hardly any time to catch your breath in between elements on Raptor. The only thing I like better about Alpie is its cobra roll which seems more intense than Raptor's.
-Matt
What could be better than Y2K @ Cedar Point - America's Rockin' Roller Coast?
Why does Batman: The Ride not count? It is a B&M inverted, and a very intense one (well, six). Clones are coasters, too!
I have ridden 4 inverteds and here is how I rank them
#4 - Great Bear-Hersheypark
#3 - Raptor-Cedar Point
#2 - Serial Thriller-Six Flags Ohio
#1 - Montu-Busch Gardens Tampa
So sue me, I like a Vekoma SLC better than Raptor. Raptor lacks in intensity.
Raptor by far the best.
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Welcome back Raptor riders, how was your flight?
Raptor '00 Count: 26
I apologize beforehand for this reply; I don't usually do that "best coaster" thing, but I don't understand how "Raptor lacks in intensity", so someone would pick Montu over it. Like Montu is an intense ride? This thing has the life braked out of it. The visuals are wonderful, and the theme is good, but for intensity Raptor is superior. If it is strictly an intense inverted you're looking for, try any one of the Batman clones.
Soggy... they are coasters but it seems that everyone has a SF Batman clone near them somewhere so I didn't choose to list it!
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"Your obssesed w/ that place aren't you?" (as stated by my best-friends about CP)
Why does an SLC (ST at SFO) count? Never met an SLC I didn't like!
Raptor's intensity is a function of its layout, which is as good as it is because of the footprint it resides on. They had to be clever to pack in the elements on that plot of land, and the result is a ride with near-perfect pace. I still get "that feeling" coming out of the cobra roll and swirling up to the mid-course.
However, I get the same feeling on Alpengeist doing the same maneuver (cobra roll to mid-course). Here's how I rank the two. If it's front seat, Alpengeist is amazing because of the 195-foot drop and gigantic elements. Any other seat, I'd choose Raptor because it just doesn't let go, and the lack of visuals prevent you from ever getting your bearing.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 34
Serial Thriller over Raptor?...I know everyone is entitled to their opinion. But last time I rode it, it was as rough as the Mean Streak.
What Raptor are you talking about? Raptor is smooth all the way.
Millennium Force Pictures at
www.millenniumfpics.homestead.com
I believe FireDragon is talking about Serial Thriller being as rough as Mean Streak.
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Favorite Steel: Millennium Force, Raptor
Favorite Wood: Son of Beast, Beast
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-Nick
I rode Great Bear at hershey opening year and that is a cool inverted.I would prefer a straight down drop though instead of it twisting.Its just not as long as i liked it to be.Batman shouldnt even count..its too short,too weak and only a prototype of the inverted coaster.They have definately come a long way since those days.I keep hearing raptor..Raptor..and its only 11 days till I ride it.I hope I am not disappointed though.Ill be riding serial thriller the next day so I get to compare them both.I think Serial Thriller is a little shorter than Raptor though but looks like the same intensity.I could be wrong.I think we need a vertical coaster in this country.Im not traveling to England to ride Oblivion which is only a 55 second ride.Looks great though.I just hope Six Flags doesnt get one first.Every prototype they get doesnt work out too well.I hated Madusa..wasnt that thrilling,Viper(the coiling,barrel rolling one at SFGA)is too too intense,gives you a headache,whiplash,and too short,Batman:The ride is weak,and when they had Shockwave:The Stand-up and Ultra Twister which is at Astroworld now.Their problem is they dont keep coasters that long enough for people to like them.They keep them maybe 2 years at the most and dump them.When I did the coaster tour they said they have a coaster trade program with other SF's.Someone outta give them one they keep.I would love Cedar to get a floorless,or vertical or even a heartline.The more g's the better.
FYI-911.com-Congressman trying to lower g-forces on coasters..causes brain trauma..hell already there!
Batman the ride to me was like what its already over!!!(At SFGAM, near chicago!!)As for Montu it didn't seem fast enough, but I did like the theming and the ditches!!!! Serial Thriller was pretty good I like diving at the water but it was not all that thrilling and there was no dizzy feeling. Raptor is my #1 pick because of the speed and excitment and that dizzy feeling gettting off the ride!!!!
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"Jesus will never let you go"
Bean Bag-"Whiplash"
That is true about Batman. It seems like half a ride. But the elements come so rapid fire that you don't have time to think, which does make it "intense".
My favorite inverted, I have to admit, is Fire Dragon at IOA. Not a brake 'til the end.