TeenHelp's Top Ten World Roller Coasters

[Mel]

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 2 (August 2009).

TeenHelp's Top Ten World Roller Coasters
By Strider

Do you like thrills? Then this list of some of the biggest, scariest, and best roller coasters in the world is for you!

Behemoth
Theme Park: Canada’s Wonderland
Location: Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 230 feet (70 metres)
The Behemoth was finished construction in January 2008, surpassing Goliath, a coaster at Montreal’s La Ronde theme park, as the largest, fastest, and tallest roller coaster in Canada. The train cars feature staggered seating, and the riders are kept in by lap bars, making Behemoth even more frightening on the 75-degree angled drops.

The Hulk
Theme Park: Universal Studios
Location: Orlando, Florida, United States
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 110 feet (33.5 metres)
Aptly named after the popular comic book character, The Incredible Hulk Coaster is a monster of a ride. The train is shot within two seconds right into a zero-g roll, and reaches speeds up to 67 miles per hour (107.8 km/h). Not only was it once voted as the number one roller coaster, it also makes waiting in line interesting! Riders are taken through the lab of Bruce Banner and get to experience the feeling of being inside the comic book.

Millennium Force
Theme Park: Cedar Point
Location: Sandusky, Ohio, United States
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 310 feet (94 metres)
Millennium Force is a renowned coaster voted number one in the world five times since 2001, never coming in less than second place. It broke ten world records when it first opened in 2000, and now continues its popularity, despite being overshadowed in height by the newer Top Thrill Dragster. Reaching speeds up to 93 miles per hour (150 km/h), Millennium Force is one of the tallest, longest, fastest, and most popular roller coasters in the world.

Nemesis
Theme Park: Alton Towers
Location: Staffordshire, England
Type of ride: inverted, steel roller coaster
Height: 43 feet (13 metres)
The popularity of Nemesis at the Alton Towers theme park in England has not decreased since its opening back in 1994. In 2008 it was voted the thirteenth best steel coaster in the world, and it is still one of the main attractions at the park. Featuring a zero-g roll, vertical loop, and stall turn, Nemesis proves that height isn’t what makes a coaster scream-worthy.

Eejanaika
Theme Park: Fuji-Q Highland
Location: Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan
Type of ride: 4th Dimension steel roller coaster
Height: 249.33 feet (76 metres)
Eejanaika is the world’s second 4th dimension roller coaster. A 4th dimension roller coaster has seats that can rotate forward or backward in a 360-degree spin―talk about one wild ride! This Japanese roller coaster has the most inversions in the world, most of which are achieved by the spinning seats.

Space Mountain
Theme Park: Disneyland
Locations: California, Florida, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo.
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 65 feet (19.8 metres)
Although not the tallest or fastest coaster out there, Space Mountain is definitely a classic. It is an indoor roller coaster that uses lights, props, and effects just as much as the speed and feel of a small coaster to entertain the riders. If you are not interested in spinning teacups or flying elephants, this is a ride you will enjoy.

Goliath
Theme Park: Six Flags
Locations: Valencia, California, United States.
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 235 feet (72 metres)
Goliath is a giant of a coaster 4500 feet in length with a 255 foot drop. The drop was the longest and fastest until it was surpassed by Millennium Force in May 2000. Still a favourite by many, it can hold up to 1600 riders per hour, and has been featured in television shows such as Zoey 101 and The King of Queens.

Top Thrill Dragster
Theme Park: Cedar Point
Location: Sandusky, Ohio, United States.
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 420 feet (130 metres)
The Top Thrill Dragster is one of two stratacoasters in the world. Its terrifying height is what gives it the ‘stratacoaster’ status, as it must be between 400 and 499 feet to be labeled as one. Featuring clockwise and counterclockwise turns on the drops, this is one frightening ride. But make sure you follow the rules and go on a sunny day, because the Top Thrill Dragster will not run if anyone’s hands are in the air or if it is rainy.

Tower of Terror
Theme Park: Dreamworld
Location: Coomera, Queensland, Australia.
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 377 feet (115 metres)
As the fastest and tallest roller coaster in the southern hemisphere, the Tower of Terror definitely lives up to its name. The riders are brought up to approximately 38 stories high, feeling weightless for around 6.5 seconds of the journey, before falling back down and coming to a stop. Like many roller coasters these days, the Tower of Terror features a camera that takes a photograph right after the car is launched.

Steel Dragon 2000
Theme Park: Nagashima Spa Land
Location: Mie Prefecture, Japan.
Type of ride: steel roller coaster
Height: 318.25 feet (97 metres)
How long can you scream for? Chances are you wont be able to anymore by the time you get off this ride. The Steel Dragon 2000 currently holds the record for the longest track, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to give it up any time soon. The coaster gets its name from the year 2000―the year of the dragon― and its twisting track is aptly named.