Zamperla has made waves through the amusement industry lately. Last IAAPA, they unveiled the
Double Heart multi-launch coaster which is capable of reaching hyper heights. This year’s IAAPA,
they unveiled their new Lightning trains and the company is highly rumored to be involved with the
reimagining of Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster. This continues the company’s evolution. They
started with kiddie and junior coasters. Then they built a series of family coasters.
This past decade, they’ve delved into the thrill coaster market with mixed results.
So in this video, I will rank Zamperla’s top 10 coasters to date that I’ve personally ridden.
Before starting the list, I need to note that I have not been to China, Guatemala, or India where
some of their better coasters have been built. 10) Zig Zag Coaster- This wild mouse coaster is
good if you like laterals. The initial hairpin turns all throw you to the side.
The drops in the second half are far milder than the mice from other manufacturers though,
so unfortunately you won’t get any airtime. 9) Pony Express at Knott’s Berry Farm-
This motorbike coaster starts with a sneaky powerful launch. It has some kick to it.
The rest of the layout is short and fairly tame, but it is smooth and you have some fun visuals
going over the rapids and through a shed. 8) Spinning Wild Mouse-
These coasters continue what Reverchon started. They usually start with the spinning locked.
The initial turns are mild, but the initial drop and double up have some pops of airtime. But
things pick up in the second half. The vehicles are allowed to spin, and many of those coasters
twirl like a tea cup, which will leave you dizzy. 7) Volares- I know I may get some flack for this,
but I actually like these flying coasters. Sure the cars are weird. Your head is next
to a metal cage and you have more freedom to shift than other flyers. But by jamming my
shoulders against the front, my body is stabilized which prevents any discomfort. So I can enjoy the
forceful turns. They’re still a bit jerky, but not painful. But the highlights are the inline
twists. Those have phenomenal hangtime as you feel your entire torso fall towards the ground.
6) Kukulcan at Adventureland Dubai- This indoor powered coaster gives an aerial tour of this
indoor park. Those visuals make the ride. The layout is otherwise tame, but there is one
helix towards the end with some really good laterals. And as a bonus, you get two laps.
5) Wild West Express at Adventure Park U.S.A.- The only Windstorm coaster Zamperla ever built
is a bit jerky and it sounds like death. But it has one defining moment. The 4th drop is
insane. It’s this super steep, twisted plunge that offers strong laterals and positive Gs.
The rest of the coaster is mild by comparison, but there are a few enjoyable dips and turns.
4) Rocket Cycles at Adventureland Dubai- This is yet another coaster that thrives
on the sightlines. You have some fun helixes over the arcade. But this ride
has two advantages over Kukulcan. One, this gravity-powered coaster carries more speed.
Two and more importantly, you have the far more enjoyable motorbike seating.
3) 364m Motocoaster- This is the company’s most common motorbike coaster. Examples
include Steeplechase at Luna Park, Motocoaster at Six Flags Darien Lake, and MotoGee at Sarkanniemi.
This ride has modest height and speed, but the flywheel launch really yanks you down the track.
Then you have a series of layered turns and dips. Every time you change direction, you get this
weird diagonal airtime. This ride is repetitive, but the elements work so I’m fine with that.
2) Tom and Jerry Swiss Cheese Spin at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi- This spinning coaster
has a layout similar to something like Sierra Sidewinder. And it’s enclosed in a box. There
are some blacklit effects like you’d see on Laff Trakk, but this layout is far more engaging.
It’s smooth, unpredictable, and you spin throughout. And this is weird to say, but I
like when this coaster stacks. When you’re parked on the brake run, the cars spin like a top.
1) Thunderbolt at Luna Park- This is another polarizing one. The biggest sticking point
seems to be the restraints. Those panini press lap bars are tight. No denying that.
But they don’t cause me pain. Neither does the layout. The train jitters,
but not enough to cause pain or headaches. Instead I can focus on everything this coaster does well.
The vertical drop has ejector airtime. The first two inversions offer hangtime.
The turnaround is this odd dive loop with inverted airtime. Then the return
run has powerful bunny hills and a fast corkscrew. I certainly don’t mind seeing this ride cloned.
So those are my top 10 Zamperla coasters, as of the end of the 2022 season. I have
no doubt this list will look a lot different in a few years. What is your favorite coaster from
Zamperla as of now. Let me know down in the comments. If you enjoyed this countdown, I’d
appreciate it if you gave this video a like and you considered subscribing since there will be a
lot more roller coaster and amusement park videos here at Canobie Coaster. Thanks for watching!