Bizarro Still the Best, Tops Steel Poll for Sixth Straight Year
Note: Scroll to the bottom for links to the results for all 400+ steel roller coasters in the poll.
Eight of the top ten steel coasters were in the top 10 last year. The two newcomers are this year's top new ride
'Intimidator 305' and 'iSpeed', which climbed considerably, just cracking into the top 10 in this its second year.
Six Flags New England's 'Bizarro' is #1 again. Bizarro edged #2 'Expedition GeForce' 17 to 14 among their mutual riders to
claim the top spot for a record seventh time (including the 2005 tie with 'Expedition GeForce', which has finished #1 four times).
These two are the only coasters that have topped the poll in the ten years this steel poll has been conducted since they were built.
'Favorite Wood Coaster' would have tied with 'Expedition GeForce' for #2 this year if it were included in the official results.
Even more impressive, riders of #1 'Bizarro' preferred their 'Favorite Wood Coaster' over Bizarro by an astonishing 61 to 23 margin.
A mutual rider loss to 'Nemesis' 45 to 44 is the only blemish for 'Favorite Wood Coaster' other than the tie with 'Expedition GeForce'.
Apparently, the 'Favorite Wood Coaster' being compared to the European steel coasters is not as formidable on average as those
being compared to the #1 steel coaster from America.
Kings Dominion's 'Intimidator 305' debuted impressively at #3. 'Intimidator 305' is solidly at #3 as the mutual rider comparisons
are not close against those coasters immediately above and below it.
Last year's #2, 'Eagle's Fortress', did not have enough riders to be included in the official results this year. I actually lowered
the rider requirement this year to nine (from ten a year ago) but only six 'Eagle's Fortress' riders took the poll this year. It was
ahead in its mutual rider comparisons with "Bizarro' and 'Expedition GeForce' but was trailing in its comparison with
'Intimidator 305' and also in its comparisons to two Asian rides that fell short of the required nine riders.
Please note that the places that these rides would have finished based on their few riders are listed in the detailed results
and their mutual rider comparisons are listed in the spreadsheet. Along with 'Eagle's Fortress', other potential Top 20 rides that
deserve a look amongst the non-qualifiers are 'Fly Over Mediterranean', 'Mega-Lite', 'Formula Rossa', and 'Superman Escape (AU)'.
Tobu Zoo's 'Kawasemi' is back up to #4 after dropping to #9 last year. It debuted at #4 two years ago.
Alton Towers' perennial favorite 'Nemesis' rose two spots this year to #5 in the world. 'Nemesis' is again the Top 10 coaster
that the most voters have ridden, easily outpacing 'Millennium Force' 182 riders to 156.
'Piraten' of Djurs Sommerland in Denmark repeated its #6 ranking obtained last year.
Perennial Top 10 Steel Coaster 'Goliath' of Holland's Walibi World checks in at #7 this year.
Cedar Point's 'Millennium Force' climbed two spots to #8 this year, losing 7th place to 'Goliath' 18 to 14 per mutual riders.
Italy's Mirabilandia Park placed two steel coasters in the top ten, with 'Katun' at #9 and 'iSpeed' climbing all the way to #10.
Falling out of the top 10 this year were 'Diamondback', which dropped fifteen spots from its #4 debut to #19 this year, and
'Eagle's Fortress' which failed to meet the minimum rider requirements of this year's steel poll.
Other new coasters that debuted well this year include 'Intimidator' at #21 and the aforementioned 'Formula Rossa'.
445 ballots were received this year. Thank You to everyone who voted.
The following chart shows the mutual rider comparisons for the top steel roller coasters.
Preferences are listed for the people who rode each pair of coasters. The chart should
be read from left to right along the line for each of the top coasters listed at the left. For instance, it can
be seen that #1 Bizarro won the comparison with #2 Expedition GeForce by a 17 to 14 margin.
NOTE: the order they are listed in the spreadsheet is not the official order of finish.
Note: Scroll to the bottom for links to the mutual rider comparisons for all 400+ steel roller coasters in the poll.
Note that any links below that are not yet active will become active as I have time to complete them.