Close calls: Screamin' Eagle, Texas Cyclone, Gwazi Lion, Georgia Cyclone, Texas Giant, Zeus, Kennywood Racer and Jack Rabbit
#20 - Gwazi Tiger at Busch Gardens Africa (Tampa Bay)
Gwazi Tiger is half of a dueling twister rollercoaster. Similar to Deuling Dragons, it features "close call" duels where the lion and tiger appear to be heading for each other. The duels aren't quite as impressive as Dueling Dragons, but they're still cool. The tiger side is a bit more intense than the lion side, offering airtime and laterals.
#19 - The Villain at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure
Villain has a good combination of airtime and laterals. The back seat is the best, with the first two drops being similar to Shivering Timbers, and an incredible mid-course drop with loads of airtime. The trick-track isn't much, but its smooth and more interesting than a straightaway. Unfortunately, this ride has not been maintained well and gets rougher each year.
#18 - Ghostrider at Knott's Berry Farm
This coaster is kind of shoe-horned into a corner of Knott's, and even goes right over Grand Avenue. It has some airtime and lots of laterals, and a unique "roofed" first drop. I think I caught it on a bad day, because it seemed like it had the potential to be a really awesome coaster.
#17 - Twister at Knoebels Grove
Twister is very accurately named. It crosses over and under itself an amazing 32 times. It has so many turns it's hard to keep track of where you are. Lateral G's rule on this coaster, especially on the amazing double helix that circles around the station and on the turn right after the helix that is within the structure of another turn. There is also a little airtime on the wild twisting finale through a tunnel and back to the station. Overall it's a very smooth, fast, and fun ride.
#16 - Thunder Run at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
The first three hills on Thunder Run have some of the best airtime around. The fast, ground level turns are exhilarating and relatively smooth for the speed you take them at. The first half of the ride is amazing, but the second half is unfortunately much slower with limited airtime.
#15 - Cyclone at Astroland, Coney Island
One of the world's most famous coasters, this classic coaster features a very intense and rough ride with extreme airtime and laterals. Try the first drop in the back seat!
#14 - Timber Wolf at Worlds of Fun
Unfortunatly, Timber Wolf has a brake on the first drop. During the day, when that brake was on, Timber Wolf was not a top fifteen woodie. But Night time ERT (at 1998 Full Moon Mania) showed a whole other side of the coaster. We were flying through the course, around the turns at brake neck speed, lifting WAY out of our seats on every hill and drop (especially the hill right after the helix). Great combination of lateral and positive G's, then suddenly negative G's.
#13 - Wildcat at Hersheypark
GCI's first ride (1996), Wildcat is all turns. And I do mean ALL turns. The only straight track is the lift, even the brake run has a curve in the middle of it. The back seat is a little bit rough, but it pulls you down the drops at an intense rate. The second drop is very steep and twisted, and the drop just before the rise into the final helix tosses you out of your seat. If you sit in the front, you will face strong G forces, both negative and positive.
#12 - The Beast at Paramount's King's Island
I've only ridden the Beast once, but it was a cool experience. The double helix is as incredible as everyone says. I can only imagine what this ride is like at night, but unfortunately it closed down and was not open for night time ERT at ACE days on June 24, 2000. The Beast is much better than the new Son of Beast, in fact Son of Beast didn't even come close to making my top wooden coasters.
#11 - The Boss at Six Flags St.Louis
This is a very intense coaster. I like the back seat; several of the drops are very steep and offer good airtime. The double-down 150 foot first drop has to be experienced to be believed, and the final helix is powerful, but rough.
#10 - The Legend at Holiday World
The Legend delivers some of the most wicked laterals of any coaster. There's one particular curve right after the helix where you are plastered to the left side of the train. The first drop into a tunnel is incredibly steep, and amazing in the back seat. There are only two or three hills that offer any airtime, but the turns are non-stop. At night, it is perhaps the only coaster darker than the Raven; it is pitch plack for nearly the entire ride.
#9 - Viper at Six Flags Great America
Viper is almost a Coney Island Cyclone Clone, except it is 15ft taller. The first drop is steep beyond belief. The ride is so compact, almost every hill has head chopper effects as it goes under another hill or two. Airtime is abundant, and the turns have lots of lateral forces.
#8 - Hades at Mt. Olympus
What an excellent ride! It has the longest underground section of any coaster, and it does the tunnel twice. There's some pretty good airtime in general. Unfortunately, the last few turns are extremely rough. There's one in particular that gave me a nasty bruise on my side. Luckily the first half of the ride helps make up for the lack-lustre finale.
#7 - Corn Ball Express at Indiana Beach
An amazingly complex coaster that weaves over, under, around, and directly through so many rides it's mind boggling. Corn Ball Express is a small coaster, at only 58ft tall, and is also relatively short. But several drops give excellent airtime (especially in the back seat), its a fun smooth ride, and the ride placement adds immeasurably to the experience.
#6 - Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce
Billed by Lake Compounce as the world's only "mountain coaster", this ride is very unique. You zig-zag up and down across the face of the mountain, narrowly dodging boulders and trees. There is plenty of airtime, some intense laterals, and a night ride that will leave you breathless.
#5 - Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure
What exactly is Shivering Timbers? An incredible coaster with 4 drops all steeper than 50 degrees. It has airtime, headchoppers, and strong turns. The back seat has 'drag you down the drops' airtime, and the front seat shouldn't even be called a "seat" because you spend so much time in the air. For a more detailed description go to
#4 - Raven at Holiday World
Raven is incredible! When it drops down into those woods at night, you can't even see your hands in front of you. Raven used to have fixed lapbars that allowed maximum airtime, but Holiday World installed single-person ratcheting lap bars in 2000, which can tend to cut into airtime if they ratchet down during the ride. However even with the lapbars, you're launched out of your seat and suddenly flung to the side over a lot of the hills. It's like a bobsled ride in pitch darkness. It's the perfect mix of awesome laterals and airtime. Whatever you do, Ride the Raven at night!
#3 - Avalanche at Timber Falls
What a ride! The airtime is perfect! It's aggressive floater airtime, if that makes sense. Not quite ejector air, and not quite gentle float air, but somewhere inbetween. Just sustained intense but comfortable air over every hill! The turns are fast and have just the right amount of laterals, plus airtime in the middle of some of the turns (how do they do that?). It's all about the front seat on this ride. Near the back it's actually a fairly rough ride, but in the front it's all smooth air. I can't believe how many people overlook this when they visit the dells, because it is an absolute gem of a ride. The park also has an excellent policy that you don't have to get off and go around to ride again. So if nobody is in line, you don't have to even release your lapbar. Amen to that!
#2 - The Voyage at Holiday World
The Voyage is probably the most intense wooden coaster ever built. It features a huge first drop, tons of airtime, non-stop turns, several underground tunnels, and relentless speed as it races over the wooded hills of southern Indiana. Who knew Holiday World could top the Raven?
#1 - Phoenix at Knoebels Grove
Phoenix doesn't look like much. It's only 78ft tall, but it is one of the best wooden coaster designs ever. As soon as you crest the lift hill you'll find out why they say "thank you for flying the Phoenix". Airtime, Airtime, Airtime!! The bunny hops, the double-dip, the drops, all of them jam-packed with airtime. And there are really no slow spots, the first two turns aren't too slow, and the third turn is very fast. I prefer the front seat, but the third seat is also very good. Riding at night in a light rain at the Ultimate Preservation Conference showed just how awesome Phoenix can be, with 13 points of airtime!