Most people by the end of the year make a cliche list ranking their top 10 favorite
roller coasters. And in this video it’s no different. Hi, I’m Airtime Productions,
and I’m a coaster enthusiast. I’ve visited so many parks this year. From the Midwest
all the way down to Florida. And after riding so many new rides
I decided to rank them. It’s not always by the tallest, fastest, or the most airtime,
but really about what makes me smile the most. Some rides may have the stats but on this list
it’s different. So without further to do, here’s my top 10 favorite roller coasters in 2021…
This list contains some of my favorite roller coasters. These are rides I give the elite status
and rides I could marathon all day if I could. Unfortunately not every ride could make this list.
These are honorable mentions. Rides I still consider elite but just not notable for this
list. Some of these outstanding coasters include Zippin Pippin from Bay Beach Amusement park.
A gravity group wooden roller coaster that packs a lot of floater airtime and one extremely powerful
ejector pop that almost feels illegal. Mine Blower, another gravity group wooden
roller coaster. This ride offers some of the best night rides and has some of the most
rapid fire pacing on any roller coaster, especially for the height of the ride.
Maxx Force, an S&S air launched coaster. It’s a very short ride
but it packs a lot into its layout. It contains my favorite launch on any roller coaster.
And it has also one of the craziest night rides. Next is Magnum XL-200, the arrow hyper coaster
that started it all. This contains some of the most powerful ejector air on any ride.
It also never really has a long line. And finally Kumba. A B&M floorless
at Busch Gardens Tampa that is one of the most intense rides out there. The ride is
so photogenic and also that hell roll lived up to all the hype it gets, it’s really that good.
At the number 10 spot is the incredible hulk at Universal Orlando. This is definitely a
1990’s B&M coaster. The first half features probably the most intense inversions on any B&M.
You go through those inversions so fast, it feels illegal, it’s awesome. And that initial launch
into the first inversion is surprisingly forceful. Like POVs don’t do it justice.
And the setting over the lagoon doesn’t get appreciated because you take those elements too
fast. However I thought the tunnels were a cool touch. I’m always a fan of tunnels on coasters.
I could really talk about the awesome paint, how smooth the ride is for its age, the theming, and
how great that first half is for hours. For those reasons this ride makes my top 10. That may sound
like the perfect ride to you, but it has one thing that keeps it from going higher up on my list…
and that’s the second half. It’s still forceful but it’s really a let down. It feels sluggish
especially in comparison to the first half. But the soundtrack definitely redeems it. And
just like Mineblower and Maxx Force this ride is different at night. I got two back to back night
rides and well those were the greatest night rides I have ever gotten. The difference is day and
night… literally. 3 Rides didn’t feel like enough on this ride. I could’ve rode it the whole day.
Number 9 is another amazing B&M. Raging Bull is a B&M hyper coaster that is different from the other
hypers. Instead of an out and back layout it’s a twister. Many think this is a negative, but I
consider it one of the ride’s strengths. And plus this ride has one of the greatest first drops.
This first drop is a powerful ejector pop in the back row. It’s the best drop in the
Midwest in my opinion. On top of that the ride contains so many other notable airtime moments.
You have a massive camelback with very powerful airtime. People blame the trim but trimless is
one of the greatest floater airtime moments on a coaster. And an even better pop is the last
camelback. It starts as weak floater airtime, then transitions to really powerful floater. Another
great element is the drop off that mid course. The greatest mid course drop in my opinion,
beating out Sheikra and many other rides. Without those trims this is powerful ejector air. The
drop under the lift hill is great too. It also provides unexpected ejector air. No one talks
of this element either. But don’t sleep on the drop off the last turnaround because back left
you get floater. It’s not powerful but it’s fun. And that’s one of many reasons to go back left.
Also on one of the turnarounds you feel like you hang off the train as you’re super high
up. A lot of people sleep on this ride but it really is good and in my opinion an elite ride.
At number 8 is Millenium Force. Voted best steel roller coaster in the world for a reason. This
ride may be 310 feet tall, have speeds of 93 miles per hour, and have 6,500 feet of track but
is it the most forceful? Well not really. And you shouldn’t go in expecting that. This ride focuses
on the complete opposite. It’s a fun ride with some intense elements but if you want airtime
this may not be your ride. It focuses more on speed. And I’m fine with this because it does
make the ride feel a bit more intense. You feel like you’re going 93 miles per hour from that drop
to the final break run. In the back row this ride has one of the best drops on any coasters. The
long trains definitely help, so does that 300 foot drop and the 80 degree angle of descent.
These stats really do hold up to today. Like I said before, I’m a sucker for tunnels, and
this ride has plenty of them. And you can see this lift hill from anywhere in the park, it’s iconic.
But if you wanted a more intense ride then well number 7 would be your ride.
Montu is a personal favorite of mine. It never really had that long of a wait the whole day
so I was able to ride it a few times. I heard from a lot of people that the back row
left seat was the best so I just marathoned it in that row.
I was not let down. This fixed all problems I had with the other inverts and made it better.
Batman is one of the most intense out there but it’s a little rough and hard to marathon.
Raptor is a long ride but it just doesn’t feel as compact as the others.
But well Montu is perfect. It has the whip, the tunnels, the theming, the intensity,
I mean it’s perfect. To be honest I didn’t think the batwing was as forceful as I expected it to be
but it still packed a punch. The ride is also super long, it feels fulfilling. In my opinion
Batman at Great America still remains the best paced invert but Montu is the best overall by a
pretty good margin. This coaster dominates over the parking lot. Seeing it run first thing in
the morning had me wanting to be the first person in the line. It’s definitely the most re-rideable
B&M invert out there. And good thing that it is because when I was there.. There was never
a long line. There's no doubt it’s the best in the park. But it won’t be the best for long.
Number 6 is Goliath. In my opinion this ride is a hidden gem of the elite rides. It’s got one of
the greatest first drops on a roller coaster in the back row, a very powerful speed hill,
and some of the best inversions. It’s also the fastest wooden roller coaster and it definitely
uses that speed from the powerful first drop to the last airtime pop. This ride isn’t floater,
it’s all ejector airtime which I love. And plus it has my favorite drop on any RMC. It also features
one of the steepest lift hills I have experienced which is actually intimidating the first time you
ride it. And a zero g stall. This offers really good hangrime and a great moment of whip. A top 3
inversion for me, easily. The valleys also pull some strong positives. When talking about RMC
no one mentions this ride, it without a doubt deserves more appreciation. If you disagree,
just ride it for yourself. It’s short but sweet. Packing intensity in every element.
Number 5 is Hades 360. Another wooden roller coaster. This one is definitely a longer ride.
And the best part is that pre-lift. Every hill delivers, and it’s ejector.
But don’t sleep on the second half. It has an underrated first drop,
the greatest underground sections, and even more airtime. I would agree the pre-lift makes
the ride and so due to tunnels however the pacing is amazing too. It’s easily the best
paced wooden roller coaster with Goliath being a close second. Yes, it is rough and honestly the
roughest roller coaster I have ridden but every other factor makes up for it. This ride delivers.
I don’t see a wooden roller coaster topping this one on my list for a while.
At number 4 is Mako. I was excited for this ride. I got some of the craziest rain rides on my visit.
I only heard great things, and it completely shattered my standards. It contains my favorite
soundtrack on a coaster, the best atmosphere, and some of the greatest floater airtime.
That one camelback was one of the greatest airtime hills in existence.
And people like to sleep on that first drop. It’s powerful floater and it’s super sustained
too in the back car. Back row, left side is the best row but not by a lot because front row
provides some good airtime too. Mako is without a doubt the most re-ridable coaster out there.
And it’s probably the most fun too. It’s easy to marathon all day.15 rides in under an hour still
didn’t feel like enough. I found myself smiling every time after I got off. Also, this ride has
some of my favorite trains. I definitely had high expectations going in, and they were easily met.
Number 3 is Maverick. I said this list was not always by the tallest,
fastest, or the most airtime, but really about what makes me smile the most. And well
Maverick is the prime example. A third the height of the ride next door, but packing more intensity.
Rides more than double its height don’t even compare. This ride taught me that stats don’t make
the ride. I had low expectations for the ride, but once the first drop hit my jaw was wide open.
The ride is so low to the ground and it contains fast paced whippy transitions. This is what makes
the ride so good. And the airtime is even better. Some of the most powerful airtime out there.
I think if this ride wasn’t overshadowed by the ride next door it would get a lot more hype. And
this ride for sure deserves more hype. I haven’t been blown away by a coaster. It destroyed every
expectation I had and changed my view of roller coasters forever. I thought this ride was perfect,
but there’s another Intamin Blitz on the other side of America that’s even better.
Well Velocicoaster may not be the number one spot, but it’s my favorite. It’s an all around
experience, not just focused on sensations. I ran to be one of the first riders that day on my trip.
As you enter the park you see this dominating over the lagoon. I nearly stopped to stare at
the ride running. Everything about the ride is photogenic, the lagoon,
the snappy elements, and let’s not forget about those trains. Easily my favorite roller coaster
trains, Hulk and Mako being a close second. To add to that, this ride has my favorite drop. The
top hat is one of my all time favorite elements. Ejector in the front and some of the most powerful
ejector in the back row. And that heartline roll is as good as everyone makes it out to be.
I heard a lot of hype for that element yet I was still blown away. You literally get airtime
on these inversions. I have no complaints about this ride. It’s beyond perfect for me.
A ride I’d travel the world to ride again. The ride just got better and better the more and
more I rode it. I rode it so many times that I forgot to ride the other rides in the park. No
matter what row or how many times you ride it, I guarantee you will come off the ride smiling.
Number 1 is Steel Vengeance. I know, call me basic or the typical enthusiast but this ride literally
is the greatest thing ever created. Velocicoaster may have the theme and the overall experience
but this ride has an abundance of airtime. And well the name of my channel says it all,
I like airtime a little too much. What makes Steel Vengeance my number one is how outstanding it is.
After waiting for hours I could still come off satisfied. It’s the perfect balance of
quality and quantity during it’s non-stop ride. Also the pacing is constant from the first drop
all the way to the last lap of airtime hills. This ride is unparalleled for me,
and I don’t see anything coming close to it for a while. And this ride contains so many fantastic
elements that I can’t pick a favorite. That displays how outstanding it is. A lot of things
have been said about the ride, and most of it is true. There’s not much to add,
but it’s the perfect ride. Yeah the ride gets a lot of hype, but it’s all well deserved.
This year was definitely my biggest year yet. From Minnesota, to Ohio, to the state of Florida,
I visited 6 new parks, and rode 33 new coasters. Along the way I met some of my best friends,
and got to ride some of my bucket list coasters. I couldn’t be more grateful for this outstanding
year and I hope the next year is just as good. Subscribe now with notification turned on
to be notified on all my new trips planned for next year. You won’t want to miss another
great year of coasters. Thank you everyone who stuck until the end. And I’ll see you next year.