Roller-Coaster Designer Picks His 8 Favorite Thrill Rides
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Mark Rose rode his first roller coaster when he was 6 years old. The place was the Coney Island amusement park in Cincinnati, Ohio. The ride was the Teddy Bear, so you can probably guess how exciting it was. Top speed: 8 mph. You can ride your bike way faster than that.
In the years since Rose conquered the Teddy Bear, he has ridden more than 100 coasters across America and around the world, often on family vacations. One time, he took his family to 17 theme parks in 17 days.
The Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster does more than just seek thrills. He creates them, too. The vice president of design and engineering for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida told BL about eight of his favorite roller coasters.
FURY 325
Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina
It takes nearly one minute to reach the top of Fury 325ās first lift hill, which towers at 325 feet. But things speed up quickly after that. Like an angry hornet chasing its target, you race through a 190-foot barrel turn and a high-speed S-curve, reaching 95 mph. Before the 3-minute, 25-second ride ends, you pass above the park entrance, under a pedestrian bridge and even into another state — South Carolina. Fury 325 is one of the worldās tallest and fastest giga coasters (meaning itās at least 300 feet tall).
APOLLO’S CHARIOT
Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia
If you donāt mind getting lost in the woods, Apolloās Chariot awaits. Roseās favorite hyper coaster — which means itās more than 200 feet tall — is built into the parkās trees and hillsides, so you never know whatās next. During the 2-minute, 15-second ride, you experience eight hills and 30 seconds of near-weightlessness. Tip: Sit in the back to maximize your air time.
WILD EAGLE
Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Wing coasters put a pair of riders on either side of the track with nothing above or below them but air. (Yikes!) Roseās favorite is Wild Eagle, which was the first ride of its kind in the U.S. Itās supposed to let you soar like an eagle, but good luck finding an eagle that can perform a zero-G roll, an Immelmann turn (where you go upside down and reverse course) and a corkscrew — all in 2 minutes and 22 seconds.
RAGING BULL
Six Flags Great America, Chicago, Illinois
If youāve ever wanted to ride a rodeo bull, this popular coaster offers a safe alternative. When it opened in 1999, it was the nationās first hypertwister coaster, meaning itās more than 200 feet tall and has a track that interweaves within itself instead of going out and back like a typical coaster. Best of all, Rose says, the 2-minute, 40-second ride is exceptionally smooth. Canāt say the same about riding a rodeo bull.
BIZARRO
Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Township, New Jersey
For pure, twisted fun, Rose likes Bizarro, a 3,985-foot coaster named for Supermanās evil twin. The coaster features seven inversions, including a 114-foot vertical loop thatās one of the worldās tallest. Add a tunnel of white mist shaped like Bizarroās stolen Superman shield, explosions of fire and a pair of interlocking corkscrews, and youāll see just how twisted Bizarro is.
SHEIKRA
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa, Florida
Rose designed SheiKra himself. His original idea was to simulate going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, but SheiKra is actually 33 feet taller than Niagara Falls. After climbing a 200-foot lift hill, your floorless car freezes for a few seconds so you can think about what lies ahead. And thereās plenty to think about, including a zero-G drop straight down, a dive through a tunnel and a splashdown finale that drenches people waiting in line.
TOP THRILL DRAGSTER
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
Most coasters start with a slow climb up a lift hill. Not this one. It uses a hydraulic catapult to accelerate from a dead stop to 120 mph in just 4 seconds, enough speed to power you up a 420-foot ātop-hatā tower. From that dizzying height, you quickly descend to the ground, twisting 270 degrees along the way, so your body (if not your stomach) ends the trip right side up.
GIANT DIPPER
Belmont Park, San Diego, California
This classic wooden coaster on Mission Bay is 70 feet tall and tops out at 55 mph. But it has a lot going for it, including gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean just beyond Belmont Park. On top of that, the coaster, built in 1925, is a National Historic Landmark. After the coaster was threatened with demolition in the 1970s, local citizens rallied to save it.
im scared i no no wanna :'(
Love it
i wanna ride dem
this was the best thing ever liked sheikira
I rode a hyper coaster 3 times on 2 days ago!
awesome
I like this article a lot Because of the roller coasters because I love roller coasters and he you made all these roller coasters which look amazing and also I like tall roller coasters and well you have so many tall ones. You the best roller coaster desinger.
Please visit Holiday World soon!
SheiKra was the best
WOW!
Awesome videos!!! Only wish I could ride them all in person!
Cool!