Perhaps the most publicized annual roller coaster poll is the one conducted by Amusement Today
for their Golden Ticket Awards. The following analysis started as an attempt to make sense of the
The 2013 Golden Ticket Awards Steel Coaster Rankings.
The Golden Ticket Awards use a total points method of ranking coasters, most likely by awarding
10 points for a #1 ranking on a ballot... 1 point for a #10 ranking on a ballot and totalling the points.
BestRollerCoasterPoll.com uses a pairwise mutual rider comparison method whereby each pair
of rollercoasters is judged relative to each other based on which order each person who has ridden
them both has placed them. After each pair is analyzed all coasters are ranked by the percentage
of the other coasters that each coaster is preferred over by the majority of people.
How different are the results of the BestRollerCoasterPoll.com steel poll and the Golden Ticket Awards?
As you can see below the results are very different. The following graphic is ordered as the Golden
Ticket Awards but shows the BestRollerCoasterPoll.com rankings:
|
BRCP |
GT |
Diff |
Steel Coaster |
Park |
Loc |
|
14 |
1 |
-13 |
Millennium Force |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
4 |
2 |
-2 |
Bizarro |
SF New England |
MA |
|
1 |
3 |
2 |
Expedition GeForce |
Holiday Park |
DE |
|
24 |
4 |
-20 |
Nitro |
Six Flags Great Ad |
NJ |
|
40 |
5 |
-35 |
Apollo's Chariot |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
2 |
6 |
4 |
New Texas Giant |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
31 |
7 |
-24 |
Goliath |
Six Flags Over Geo |
GA |
|
43 |
8 |
-35 |
Intimidator |
Carowinds |
NC |
|
82 |
9 |
-73 |
Magnum XL-200 |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
3 |
10 |
7 |
Intimidator 305 |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
10 |
11 |
1 |
Iron Rattler |
Six Flags Fiesta T |
TX |
|
28 |
12 |
-16 |
Top Thrill Dragster |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
27 |
13 |
-14 |
Phantom's Revenge |
Kennywood Park |
PA |
|
45 |
14 |
-31 |
Diamondback |
Kings Island |
OH |
|
13 |
15 |
2 |
Leviathan |
Canadas Wonderland |
ON |
|
21 |
16 |
-5 |
X2 |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
33 |
17 |
-16 |
Behemoth |
Canadas Wonderland |
ON |
|
16 |
18 |
2 |
Montu |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
56 |
19 |
-37 |
Mindbender |
Six Flags Over Geo |
GA |
|
9 |
20 |
11 |
Nemesis |
Alton Towers |
UK |
|
22 |
21 |
-1 |
Blue Fire Megacoaster |
Europa Park |
DE |
|
6 |
22 |
16 |
Maverick |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
79 |
23 |
-56 |
Goliath |
La Ronde Parc Amus |
QC |
|
117 |
24 |
-93 |
Wild Eagle |
Dollywood |
TN |
|
48 |
25 |
-23 |
Alpengeist |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
5 |
26 |
21 |
Skyrush |
Hersheypark |
PA |
|
29 |
27 |
-2 |
Kumba |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
108 |
28 |
-80 |
GateKeeper |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
77 |
29 |
-48 |
Shockwave |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
60 |
30 |
-30 |
Raptor |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
76 |
31 |
-45 |
Raging Bull |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
37 |
32 |
-5 |
SheiKra |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
50 |
33 |
-17 |
Griffon |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
34 |
34 |
0 |
Black Mamba |
Phantasialand |
DE |
|
41 |
35 |
-6 |
Afterburn |
Carowinds |
NC |
|
75 |
35 |
-40 |
Kingda Ka |
Six Flags Great Ad |
NJ |
|
132 |
37 |
-95 |
Steel Force |
Dorney Park |
PA |
|
63 |
38 |
-25 |
Superman - Ride of St |
Six Flags America |
MD |
|
97 |
39 |
-58 |
Volcano: The Blast Co |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
222 |
40 |
-182 |
Whizzer |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
94 |
41 |
-53 |
Goliath |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
92 |
42 |
-50 |
Titan |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
54 |
42 |
-12 |
Powder Keg |
Silver Dollar City |
MO |
|
104 |
42 |
-62 |
Expedition Everest |
Disney Animal King |
FL |
|
65 |
45 |
-20 |
Olympia Looping |
Traveling |
DE |
|
112 |
45 |
-67 |
X-Flight |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
95 |
47 |
-48 |
Dominator |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
96 |
48 |
-48 |
Lisebergbanan |
Liseberg |
SE |
|
59 |
48 |
-11 |
Kraken |
SeaWorld Orlando |
FL |
|
44 |
50 |
6 |
Tatsu |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
Is this difference all due to the different methods of analyzing the ballots?
Would the results look very similar if the BRCP used the 10 point total points method?
As you can see below, the results do look much more alike than they did when the
more advanced BestRollerCoasterPoll.com methods were used.
|
GT Rank |
TP |
Pts |
GT Pts |
Diff |
Steel Coaster |
Park |
Loc |
|
1 |
1 |
1225 |
1204 |
0 |
Millennium Force |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
22 |
2 |
1181 |
173 |
20 |
Maverick |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
3 |
3 |
747 |
598 |
0 |
Expedition GeForce |
Holiday Park |
DE |
|
20 |
4 |
715 |
195 |
16 |
Nemesis |
Alton Towers |
UK |
|
10 |
5 |
666 |
412 |
5 |
Intimidator 305 |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
12 |
6 |
601 |
351 |
6 |
Top Thrill Dragster |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
26 |
7 |
600 |
124 |
19 |
Skyrush |
Hersheypark |
PA |
|
2 |
8 |
580 |
1011 |
-6 |
Bizarro |
SF New England |
MA |
|
4 |
9 |
512 |
596 |
-5 |
Nitro |
Six Flags Great Ad |
NJ |
|
21 |
10 |
503 |
189 |
11 |
Blue Fire Megacoaster |
Europa Park |
DE |
|
16 |
12 |
421 |
238 |
4 |
X2 |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
18 |
13 |
392 |
209 |
5 |
Montu |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
14 |
14 |
336 |
318 |
0 |
Diamondback |
Kings Island |
OH |
|
9 |
16 |
313 |
416 |
-7 |
Magnum XL-200 |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
50 |
17 |
307 |
49 |
33 |
Tatsu |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
27 |
18 |
304 |
124 |
9 |
Kumba |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
5 |
20 |
302 |
542 |
-15 |
Apollo's Chariot |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
30 |
21 |
302 |
113 |
9 |
Raptor |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
34 |
23 |
292 |
99 |
11 |
Black Mamba |
Phantasialand |
DE |
|
6 |
24 |
278 |
512 |
-18 |
New Texas Giant |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
35 |
25 |
263 |
98 |
10 |
Kingda Ka |
Six Flags Great Ad |
NJ |
|
13 |
30 |
249 |
332 |
-17 |
Phantom's Revenge |
Kennywood Park |
PA |
|
28 |
32 |
236 |
116 |
-4 |
GateKeeper |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
15 |
35 |
208 |
292 |
-20 |
Leviathan |
Canadas Wonderland |
ON |
|
31 |
36 |
204 |
111 |
-5 |
Raging Bull |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
32 |
37 |
199 |
109 |
-5 |
SheiKra |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
33 |
40 |
188 |
100 |
-7 |
Griffon |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
7 |
45 |
164 |
494 |
-38 |
Goliath |
Six Flags Over Geo |
GA |
|
11 |
48 |
151 |
374 |
-37 |
Iron Rattler |
Six Flags Fiesta T |
TX |
|
25 |
49 |
150 |
132 |
-24 |
Alpengeist |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
48 |
52 |
141 |
55 |
-4 |
Kraken |
SeaWorld Orlando |
FL |
|
17 |
55 |
130 |
224 |
-38 |
Behemoth |
Canadas Wonderland |
ON |
|
42 |
57 |
129 |
77 |
-15 |
Expedition Everest |
Disney Animal King |
FL |
|
45 |
60 |
119 |
59 |
-15 |
X-Flight |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
8 |
61 |
117 |
478 |
-53 |
Intimidator |
Carowinds |
NC |
|
41 |
63 |
109 |
78 |
-22 |
Goliath |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
42 |
68 |
98 |
66 |
-26 |
Powder Keg |
Silver Dollar City |
MO |
|
38 |
79 |
81 |
91 |
-41 |
Superman - Ride of St |
Six Flags America |
MD |
|
47 |
80 |
79 |
56 |
-33 |
Dominator |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
39 |
82 |
78 |
87 |
-43 |
Volcano: The Blast Co |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
24 |
89 |
71 |
133 |
-65 |
Wild Eagle |
Dollywood |
TN |
|
35 |
90 |
71 |
94 |
-55 |
Afterburn |
Carowinds |
NC |
|
42 |
93 |
67 |
74 |
-51 |
Titan |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
19 |
105 |
60 |
196 |
-86 |
Mindbender |
Six Flags Over Geo |
GA |
|
45 |
106 |
59 |
58 |
-61 |
Olympia Looping |
Traveling |
DE |
|
29 |
121 |
47 |
115 |
-92 |
Shockwave |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
37 |
140 |
41 |
93 |
-103 |
Steel Force |
Dorney Park |
PA |
|
48 |
145 |
40 |
50 |
-97 |
Lisebergbanan |
Liseberg |
SE |
|
40 |
159 |
36 |
80 |
-119 |
Whizzer |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
23 |
173 |
32 |
141 |
-150 |
Goliath |
La Ronde Parc Amus |
QC |
Interestingly #1 and #3 match, and the point totals are even similar. However, the rankings are still quite different.
There must be a missing 'cosmological constant' of some sort at work here. The chart below is what you get when you
solve for that multiplier individually by coaster and then sort the coasters by which ones need the largest points
multiplier to get the known result (2013 Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards Steel Roller Coaster Rankings).
|
GT |
Points |
GT Points |
Multiplier |
Steel Coaster |
Park |
Loc |
|
23 |
32 |
141 |
4.4 |
Goliath |
La Ronde Parc Amus |
QC |
|
8 |
117 |
478 |
4.1 |
Intimidator |
Carowinds |
NC |
|
19 |
60 |
196 |
3.3 |
Mindbender |
Six Flags Over Geo |
GA |
|
7 |
164 |
494 |
3 |
Goliath |
Six Flags Over Geo |
GA |
|
11 |
151 |
374 |
2.5 |
Iron Rattler |
Six Flags Fiesta T |
TX |
|
29 |
47 |
115 |
2.4 |
Shockwave |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
37 |
41 |
93 |
2.3 |
Steel Force |
Dorney Park |
PA |
|
40 |
36 |
80 |
2.2 |
Whizzer |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
24 |
71 |
133 |
1.9 |
Wild Eagle |
Dollywood |
TN |
|
6 |
278 |
512 |
1.8 |
New Texas Giant |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
5 |
302 |
542 |
1.8 |
Apollo's Chariot |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
2 |
580 |
1011 |
1.7 |
Bizarro |
SF New England |
MA |
|
17 |
130 |
224 |
1.7 |
Behemoth |
Canadas Wonderland |
ON |
|
15 |
208 |
292 |
1.4 |
Leviathan |
Canadas Wonderland |
ON |
|
13 |
249 |
332 |
1.3 |
Phantom's Revenge |
Kennywood Park |
PA |
|
9 |
313 |
416 |
1.3 |
Magnum XL-200 |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
35 |
71 |
94 |
1.3 |
Afterburn |
Carowinds |
NC |
|
48 |
40 |
50 |
1.3 |
Lisebergbanan |
Liseberg |
SE |
|
4 |
512 |
596 |
1.2 |
Nitro |
Six Flags Great Ad |
NJ |
|
38 |
81 |
91 |
1.1 |
Superman - Ride of St |
Six Flags America |
MD |
|
39 |
78 |
87 |
1.1 |
Volcano: The Blast Co |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
42 |
67 |
74 |
1.1 |
Titan |
Six Flags Over Tex |
TX |
|
45 |
59 |
58 |
1 |
Olympia Looping |
Traveling |
DE |
|
1 |
1225 |
1204 |
1 |
Millennium Force |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
14 |
336 |
318 |
0.9 |
Diamondback |
Kings Island |
OH |
|
25 |
150 |
132 |
0.9 |
Alpengeist |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
3 |
747 |
598 |
0.8 |
Expedition GeForce |
Holiday Park |
DE |
|
41 |
109 |
78 |
0.7 |
Goliath |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
47 |
79 |
56 |
0.7 |
Dominator |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
42 |
98 |
66 |
0.7 |
Powder Keg |
Silver Dollar City |
MO |
|
10 |
666 |
412 |
0.6 |
Intimidator 305 |
Kings Dominion |
VA |
|
42 |
129 |
77 |
0.6 |
Expedition Everest |
Disney Animal King |
FL |
|
12 |
601 |
351 |
0.6 |
Top Thrill Dragster |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
16 |
421 |
238 |
0.6 |
X2 |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
32 |
199 |
109 |
0.5 |
SheiKra |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
31 |
204 |
111 |
0.5 |
Raging Bull |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
18 |
392 |
209 |
0.5 |
Montu |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
33 |
188 |
100 |
0.5 |
Griffon |
Busch Gardens Will |
VA |
|
45 |
119 |
59 |
0.5 |
X-Flight |
Six Flags Great Am |
IL |
|
28 |
236 |
116 |
0.5 |
GateKeeper |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
27 |
304 |
124 |
0.4 |
Kumba |
Busch Gardens Tamp |
FL |
|
48 |
141 |
55 |
0.4 |
Kraken |
SeaWorld Orlando |
FL |
|
21 |
503 |
189 |
0.4 |
Blue Fire Megacoaster |
Europa Park |
DE |
|
30 |
302 |
113 |
0.4 |
Raptor |
Cedar Point |
OH |
|
35 |
263 |
98 |
0.4 |
Kingda Ka |
Six Flags Great Ad |
NJ |
|
34 |
292 |
99 |
0.3 |
Black Mamba |
Phantasialand |
DE |
|
20 |
715 |
195 |
0.3 |
Nemesis |
Alton Towers |
UK |
|
26 |
600 |
124 |
0.2 |
Skyrush |
Hersheypark |
PA |
|
50 |
307 |
49 |
0.2 |
Tatsu |
Six Flags Magic Mo |
CA |
|
22 |
1181 |
173 |
0.1 |
Maverick |
Cedar Point |
OH |
Interesting? Sure. Informative? Perhaps.
But how to explain e.g. "#22" Maverick being ranked as the 4th best steel coaster at Cedar Point,
despite being preferred 172 to 32 over "#8" Magnum by the people who have ridden them both?!?
Obviously, there is a lot more research to be done. To that end, I have posted a Spreadsheet,
sortable umpteen different ways based on the results of both polls, differences, total points, etc. Enjoy!