Most roller coasters build up their potential energy through a traditional lift hill. Others use
launches. These are exciting elements where the train quickly accelerates to eye-popping speeds.
The most popular launch nowadays are electromagnetic launches
since they’re non-contact, but you have alternative means such as hydraulic launches,
pneumatic launches, tire-driven launches,
and flywheel launches, just to name a few. I have experienced 114 different launched
roller coasters across the globe and in this video, I will rank my top 25 favorite launches.
This isn’t ranking the coaster itself, rather how great the launch is. Power is the most
influential attribute for me, but other factors come into play such as visuals and anticipation.
25) Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Paris- This is one of the
most unique launches on this list. Utilizing an electric winch, the train is blasted uphill
into the Jules Verne-inspired dome. While this launch’s top speed isn’t anything special,
the theatrics are world-class. You’re positioned at the base of a giant cannon and inclined
upwards. Anticipation builds from that visual and the on-board audio. Then you blast upwards with
no warning. And the positive Gs from the uphill launch compensate for the pedestrian top speed.
24) Ride to Happiness at Plopsaland de Panne- This is for the ride’s first launch and this
is the only Mack coaster you will find on the list. The company isn’t known for making
the most forceful launches out there and the straight-line acceleration on Ride to Happiness
is just ok. What makes this launch special is the way the vehicles spin. You get some solid
centripetal force at the start of the launch and then you get this rapid spin at the end of
the launch track. Accelerating and spinning simultaneously is a pretty cool feeling.
23) Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast at Six Flags St. Louis and Six Flags Over Texas-
This is for the booster launch halfway through the ride. Occurring on the vertical spike,
this LIM boost doesn’t have much power. But I love how it suddenly jerks you higher. The sudden
acceleration messes with your mind and it results in some nice weightlessness on the entire spike.
22) Maverick at Cedar Point- This LSM launch has pretty good power,
but it’s the placement that makes it special. You are in that dark,
claustrophobic tunnel so it feels like you’re zooming at hyper speeds into a black hole.
And I like the train effects that were added a few seasons ago before the launch kicks in.
21) Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Hollywood- This Premier Rides indoor coaster is
one of the most theatrical launches out there. This coaster has a max speed of just 40 mph
or 64 kph, but the magnetic launch has good power as it flings you forwards.
More importantly, there’s no countdown and the launch coincides with these guards that drop
down from the side, creating a thrilling visual. 20) Desert Race at Heidi Park and Rita at Alton
Towers- These are two of the smallest Intamin accelerator coasters- accelerating to roughly 62
mph or 100 kph in 2.5 seconds, but the hydraulic launch is abrupt and causes my stomach to drop.
This one does have a countdown, but the launch has enough power to still catch me off-guard.
19) Anubis the Ride at Plopsaland de Panne 18) Takabisha at Fuji-Q Highland
and TMNT Shellraiser at Nickelodeon Universe 17) Junker at PowerLand
These four Gerstlauer launch coasters have very similar launches. All four are rolling
LSM launches and I think Gerstlauer has the strongest magnetic launches in the industry.
The launches suddenly kick in and forcefully slam riders back into their seats. The
acceleration is quick and intense, as it occurs in roughly 1.5 seconds on each of these rides.
16) Fluch von Novgorod at Hansa Park- This Gerstlauer launch coaster has similar power
to the prior 4, but the indoor setting enhances the sense of speed. And you’re
going pretty fast too as you hit 62.1 mph or 100 kph in just 1.4 seconds.
15) Madagascar Mad Pursuit at Motiongate Dubai- Yet another Gerstlauer magnetic launch coaster,
this one’s launch is less predictable since you slowly roll into it rather than dropping into it.
And you shoot into a dark room, which amplifies the already great speed and acceleration.
14) Powder Keg at Silver Dollar City- This is the most underrated pneumatic
launch coaster out there. This S&S creation accelerates riders from 0 to 53 mph or 85 kph
in 2.8 seconds, but the launch feels far more forceful than that.
It sometimes causes my stomach to drop from the intensity. And this one is
also very theatrical with the pre-launch effects, fire blast, and sound effects.
13) Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure- This is the lone tire-driven
launch on this list. This may be a B&M coaster, but the launch was done by Universal
themselves. What starts as an ordinary lift hill suddenly morphs into an inclined launch.
You accelerate to 40 mph or 64 kph in just 2 seconds. That’s pretty quick and the ascent angle
produces some wonderful positive Gs as you overcome gravity. And you also have the
flashing lights and incredible on-board audio that drive the narrative and build anticipation.
12) Wicked at Lagoon- This Zierer launch coaster is on here for the vertical launch.
It’s very bizarre. Like the prior coaster, you need to overcome gravity. Except Wicked’s LSMs
need to work way harder since you’re at a 90 degree angle pointed towards the sky.
I think this is the closest I’ll get to blasting off into orbit like an astronaut
and the positive Gs from this launch are top notch.
11) Furius Baco at PortAventura- This is the weirdest Intamin hydraulic launch coaster.
This one accelerates you to 84 mph or 135 kph in 3 seconds and it’s really cool experiencing
that power from the wing seating. It feels almost as strong as the more conventional
accelerator coasters, as you get that gut punch when you take off. And you have a
weird pre-launch sequence as a monkey drowns an old man in red wine. Yup you heard that right.
10) Red Force at Ferrari Land- This Intamin LSM launch coaster may not have the same initial
punch as their hydraulic launches, but it has the same payoff. Imagine Velocicoaster’s first launch,
but you just keep accelerating. It takes 5 seconds to reach this ride’s max speed of 112 mph
or 180 kph and it really builds the power and velocity on the second half of the launch.
It seems to get exponentially stronger as it goes and you can truly appreciate this
coaster’s speed by the end of it. 9) Storm Runner at Hersheypark
8) Stealth at Thorpe Park 7) Xcelerator at Knott’s Berry Farm
These three accelerator coasters are all in the top 7 for the fastest accelerations of any
coaster. Using hydraulic launches, you violently are lurched forwards to the ride’s top speed
in roughly 2 seconds. All three of these rides leave my stomach behind
and they each have a countdown. The ones on Steath and Xcelerator are your traditional racing lights
while Storm Runner has a really deep and iconic audio cue.
6) Sandy’s Blasting Bronco at Nickelodeon Universe (NJ)- This compact Intamin launch coaster makes
the list for its backwards launch. The max speed of 47.8 mph or 77 kph is among the slower
coasters on this list, but this launch packs a wallop. You reach that speed in under 2 seconds.
When the backwards launch engages- with no warning I might add- your body is violently
thrown forwards since there’s nothing stopping you. And the launch delivers a surprise burst
of positive Gs at the end since a few of the LSMs are positioned at an incline into the Immelmann.
5) Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point- This Intamin strata coaster blasts riders from 0 to 120
mph or 193 kph in 4 seconds. The launch yanks you forward as you just keep building up more and more
speed. Your cheeks will be forced back if you’re riding up front. And I love the presentation. You
have the racing-style lights counting down the launch and it’s accompanied by a reving sound.
While it does alert you when the launch will happen, the theatrics more than compensate.
4) Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure- The world’s tallest roller coaster has a slightly
higher top speed than Top Thrill Dragster at 128 mph or 206 kph and it achieves it in less time
at 3.5 seconds. Whereas Dragster’s launch feels more fluid, Kingda Ka’s feels like
it yanks you a few times as you zip down the track. And this one doesn’t have a countdown,
so it’s more nerve-racking in my opinion. 3) Maxx Force at Six Flags Great America-
America’s fastest accelerating coaster blasts riders from 0 to 78 mph or 126 kph in 1.8 seconds.
This S&S air-launch coaster has the power. It feels like you’re forcefully teleported down the
launch track in the blink of an eye. There’s no countdown, so the launch blindsides you.
Visually, you shoot through this super narrow tunnel. And lastly,
that deafening sonic boom sound just sounds cool. 2) Formula Rossa at Ferrari World- The world’s
fastest roller coaster uses a hydraulic launch to accelerate riders from 0 to 149 mph or 240 kph
in 4.9 seconds. The initial kick has nice yank like all the other hydraulic launches.
But this one also has a distinct second yank halfway down the launch track. This is Intamin’s
best launch as the insane speed allows the wind to mold your cheeks like Play-Doh.
1) Do-dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland- There was no other choice for number one. This is the only
launch out there that legitimately terrifies me. This S&S pneumatic launch accelerates you from 0
to 112 mph or 180 kph in just 1.56 seconds. That is downright insane. It feels like you’re rammed
in the back by a semi-truck and instantaneously accelerate to supersonic speeds. This launch has a
high energy countdown leading up to it and the launch is bound to leave your body behind.
Those are my top 25 favorite roller coaster launches. I tend to prefer the more powerful
pneumatic and hydraulic launches, but I can also appreciate a great magnetic launch and some other
unique ones. What are your favorite roller coaster launches? Let me know your thoughts
on any of the ones I mentioned or failed to mention. 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!