2022 was a great year for the amusement industry. Not only did many parks get very high attendance,
but there were some notable new coasters. Particularly those added
at the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks. I rode 72 new-to-me coasters in 2022.
10 of those coincided with the specific ride’s opening year.
So in this video, I want to rank the best new-for-2022 coasters I experienced this year.
Before starting the list, I need to note that I did not get to California or Texas this year.
Therefore, those new rides will not have official spots on this list.
However, for some of the higher profile additions, I will theorize where they would
have placed on this list. That will apply to a ride relocation I experienced in its old home.
Or if I experienced a clone of that ride elsewhere. That being said, rides can run
differently so that doesn’t beat getting out there and experiencing the attraction for yourself.
And if you’re looking for reviews of the coasters mentioned, I have them for spots
1-7 and number 9 plus some of the clones. 10) Shark Party at The Track in Myrtle Beach-
About a dozen SBF Visa spinners were added in 2022. This is a highly cloned coaster,
but it makes sense why. This ride appeals to kids with its small size and then adults can
appreciate the spinning more akin to what you get on a tea cup ride. I know these rides are
easy to hate on because of their prevalence, but this ride is fine for what it is.
9) Fireball at Adventureland- This is the first RES Roller Ball in North America. At first glance,
it looks like the more extreme 4D coasters. But this ride is deliberately toned down for families.
The cars are not allowed to flip. So instead, you rock back and forth as you slowly…and I
mean slowly… drop from level to level. You are severely slowed by trims on each level,
sapping any possible thrills. So while this ride doesn’t appeal to thrill-seekers,
it did seem to be a hit with kids. 8) T-Rex Family Coaster at Djurs Sommerland-
This Mack powered coaster is part of an all-new dinosaur section.
It’s a pretty mild ride- even by this model’s standards. Don’t expect any notable forces here.
But you do have some giant dinosaur statues and on-board audio to somewhat elevate it.
7) Brava at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art- This is a unique
creation from Skyline Attractions. It requires a lot of planning and persistence to ride,
but it does have some redeeming qualities. The first drop is just 1 story tall, but it’s
surprisingly steep for its size. Then the shuttle action you get towards the end offers a bit of
weightlessness and lateral hangtime. This makes it a step up from your average junior coaster.
The ride is also extremely smooth and its part of an entire art exhibit, which is really cool.
Cyclone at Indiana Beach- I have ridden countless galaxy coasters over the years.
This is a single car model. While it doesn’t run as intense as the multi-car models,
the drops still have some zip to them. The helixes are pretty forgettable, but this ride
model is always quite smooth and comfortable. Forza at Tosselilla- This is the former Crossbow
from Bowcraft Playland relocated to Sweden. This family coaster had extremely open trains and a
few mildly forceful turns. It did have a bit of a rattle when it ran in New Jersey though,
so hopefully a refurb fixed that up. Cheddar Chase at Alabama Splash Adventure-
This L&T Systems wild mouse was relocated from Lake Winnie where it ran as Wild Lightnin’.
This model doesn’t offer the airtime of some other mice, but the laterals in the second half were
downright insane. Very few rides offer stronger lats. Some found them too much and uncomfortable.
Sidewinder Safari- This is a Zamperla spinning wild mouse. These models have
sharp drops that can give a pinch of airtime and a wild second half thanks to the spinning.
You can spin extremely fast on these coasters, which results in a very disorienting experience.
Nopuku Air Coaster at Lost Island Theme Park- This is a relocated Vekoma SLC.
I’ve heard this one doesn’t track well, which isn’t too surprising given its age.
But it was given new trains with the open vest restraints that eliminate headbanging.
So I suspect this ride would run like Riddler Revenge at Six Flags New England.
The ride will jostle you around, but it won’t result in any pain.
That means its possible to enjoy the quick pacing and rapid series of intense inversions.
6) Tumbili at Kings Dominion- I said it in my review, but this is the worst S&S free
spin. It does look cool with how it was integrated into Jungle X-pedition though.
I don’t mind that it’s the shorter model. My big issue is that the raven turns are braked and I
got less flips that other installations. I know some view that last part as a positive, but I
want as many flips as possible on these rides. John Wick: Open Contract at Motiongate Dubai-
This is not only the larger free-spin model like the ones at the Six Flags parks,
but I am assuming it offers more flips than Tumbili. These rides revel in the chaos.
Giant Splash at Lotte World Adventure Busan- This is a Mack PowerSplash. I rode the prototype in
Pulsar this past summer and was quite impressed. The launches have some punch for a Mack model,
especially on the backwards one. Then you have some airtime on the hump and weightlessness on
the spikes. Plus you have that giant splash that can get you quite wet on the outside seats.
Sky Loop at Riyadh Winter Wonderland- This Premier Rides Sky Rocket II is a punchy
ride. The launches have some oomph to them. The ascent and descent from the 15 story tall tower
offer powerful ejector airtime. Then the super slow barrel roll offers oodles of hangtime.
And this one is free of comfort collars so I imagine it rides like Phobia Phear Coaster at
Lake Compounce or the versions in Europe. Sik at Flamingo Land- This is an Intamin 10
inversion coaster. It’s identical to Altair at Cinecitta World in Italy, which I rode a
few years ago. This one has a steeper first drop than the original one in Colossus at Thorpe Park.
And it also features lap bar only trains. This makes the 5 heartline rolls crazy.
You get some ludicrous hangtime there. Then you also juxtapose that with strong positive Gs on
the vertical loop and snappy corkscrews. Prairie Screamer at Traders Village-
This is the largest coaster Miler ever built by far and it shocked me when I rode
it as the Scandia Screamer in its former home. This ride has some serious power. The airtime
gets stronger as the ride goes, as it offers several instances of abrupt ejector airtime.
Then the turns are completely unbanked, so you also get some forceful laterals. This ride is now
just down the street from Six Flags Over Texas and it’s better than almost every ride at that park.
5) Ice Breaker at SeaWorld Orlando- This Premier Rides multi-launch coaster was originally pegged
as a family coaster, but I always suspected it could have more bite. That ended up
being correct. While the launches aren’t too extreme, this ride has some aggressive airtime.
Most hills from launch 4 onwards give very strong bursts of ejector airtime. Then you also get some
more gentle weightlessness on the swing launch sequence for variety. While I’m not a big fan of
this ride’s cramped trains, the ride is ultimately comfortable with its glass smooth tracking.
Giant Digger at Lotte World Adventure Busan- This is a Blue Fire clone. This
Mack launch coaster features a solid initial launch and a well-rounded layout. You have 4
good inversions. The final three lift you from your seat, particularly that final barrel roll
that is very aggressive. It reminds me of the Mosasaurus Roll on Velocicoaster.
Then you also have some spots of ok airtime and laterals mixed in as well. And this ride is super
comfortable too, especially in those open trains. 4) Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at Epcot-
This Disney World park took nearly 4 decades to get its first coaster, but it got a winner.
This is an immersive ride start to finish. After a series of pre-shows,
you board a prototype spinning coaster ride system from Vekoma. These ones don’t spin freely;
rather they rotate at pre-determined points to emphasize certain ride or story elements.
The ride is pure chaos and fun. I think it’s Disney’s best paced coaster. You have a fun
launch at the start followed by a long layout with some airtime pops and some fairly forceful turns.
Then you also have the environment of Space Mountain with some giant video screens to progress
the story. Lastly, you have on-board audio that just adds an overwhelming sense of joy.
3) Fonix at Farup Sommerland- When this Vekoma wildcat coaster was announced,
enthusiasts dreamed of Lech Coaster 2.0. But Vekoma intentionally dialed this ride’s intensity
back for this more family oriented park. And it’s a winner for this Danish theme park. This
coaster is glass smooth and it offers a well-paced layout. While this ride doesn’t have bone-crushing
positive Gs or wild ejector airtime, it does have over a dozen airtime hills offering floater pops.
Then the first drop offers stronger and more sustained airtime if you’re in the back. But
the highlights are the three inversions. The stall loop offered several seconds of hangtime. Then the
barrel roll and corkscrew offered incredible whip and laterals as the train hauls through them.
Wonder Woman Flight of Courage at Six Flags Magic Mountain-
I’ve ridden Jersey Devil at Six Flags Great Adventure many times in almost every row.
Wonder Woman is that coaster, just 1 foot taller with a modified finale. I have heard
Wonder Woman runs a bit faster, but I imagine the net ride experience is similar to Jersey Devil.
The first half is spectacular on the ends of the train. The first drop has incredible ejector
airtime in the back. The dive loop offers great laterals and airtime. The zero-G stall and zero-G
roll have spectacular hangtime. Then the other elements have nice ejector airtime too. The second
half dials back the intensity, but you still get some fun airtime paired with a few headchoppers.
While RMC has made better rides, this single rail coaster is still a welcome addition to any park.
2) Pantheon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg- This Intamin multi-launch coaster is a great
attraction. It gets stronger as it goes. You start with a slow but punchy launch into a
zero-G winder loaded with hangtime. You then reach the swing launch sequence. The small bumps give
some shocking ejector airtime. And the back spike gives some delightful weightlessness, particularly
in the back rows. Then the top hat offers ejector airtime in droves plus a stunning view.
Then you rip through the second half. The giant outward bank gives a nice
combo of floater airtime and laterals. The zero-G stall has fantastic hangtime.
Then the rest of the ride has blistering speed, making it exciting start to finish.
1) Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa- This RMC hybrid conversion of the former Gwazi
is one of the best coasters in the world. It immediately became the number one coaster for
many enthusiasts. And it’s not hard to see why. This coaster has relentless pacing. It charges
through the layout, never slowing down. And almost every element offers powerful ejector airtime.
You have some larger and more sustained moments like the beyond-vertical first drop, the giant
overbank that follows, and the reverse wave turn under the lift. Then you also have briefer bursts
that are still more than satisfying thanks to their power. Then you also have 2 inversions for
good measure, most notably the death roll which is a stupidly fast barrel roll down drop with some
wicked laterals. And despite all this aggression, Iron Gwazi is inherently smooth and reridable.
So that is how I rank the 10 new-for-2022 coasters I experienced this past year and also where I
suspect some of the others would place. How would you rank the new-for-2022 coasters? Is Iron Gwazi
your favorite as well? 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!