Top 15 Coasters that Knocked My Socks Off

When you go to a park and ride a coaster, you have certain expectations. These are the ones that blew me away.
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[@brianmacdonald7297]

Leap the Dips. No, really, hear me out. Oldest coaster in the world, so I'm expecting a scenic railway at best. It turns out that when you're basically in a sled with no restraints at all, even an 8-foot dip is going to give you airtime. And then when you feel the wheels leave the track for a second...that's not a feeling you're going to get on any other coaster. Given my super-low expectations, I was way surprised by what I got. Just make sure you ride it with a full car.

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

Back row with a full car on Leap the Dips is amazing. There's nothing else like it! Let's hope it reopens. I was planning to get back there this summer.

[@CZsWorld]

Damn, 2016 Lightning Rod sounds like it could have been my #1...

[@HugeRMCFanBoY-bx3od]

2016 lightning rod is slightly better than iron gwazi imo

[@travisvanalst4698]

It was a lot of people’s #1 honestly.

[@TravisBeaves]

I got to ride Lrod in 2023 and i was hyping it up ti be 2016 it was NOT 2016 Lrod

[@TheCoasterFish]

Wow CZsWorld??😂

[@vincentfalcone9218]

It was phenomenal. A night ride in particular was exquisite.

[@jerseyshorecoasters]

my first ride on velocicoaster in may 2022 was one of, if not the best rides ive ever had on any ride ever. completely knocked my socks off lol (its why its my #1!)

[@thrillshaveabeard]

Steel Vengeance was my first RMC, and the coaster that made me fully an enthusiastist. It did things I wasn't even sure were possible, and I still love it to this day!

[@Mysticemerald325]

Really? Me too? Same with fury 325

[@AirtimeThrills]

Kinda stinks that RMCs can only go downhill from there

[@Skier874]

This same thing happened to me, but I went in with minimal expectations. It blew me away

[@thrillshaveabeard]

@@AirtimeThrills They definitely haven't beat it yet, but such is the path of the king

[@HugeRMCFanBoY-bx3od]

My first RMC sold me on the company NTG

[@hellacia8151]

Viper at magic mountain. Those old arrow trains going at a speed that doesn't seem fit for itself, then watching the front of the train from the back violently snap through that first loop, then getting crushed by the next two loops is a feeling I will never forget.

[@wsgut123]

Viper and X2 definitely lived up to the childhood hype. They were mythological in nature at my elementary school.

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

2 of the best Arrows ever! Viper has given me my only lifetime blackout. I lost a few seconds from the 3rd loop to the mid-course, and it was awesome!

[@raptor_redd]

For some reason I was petrified of Viper the first time I rode it in high school. I had no problem with any other coaster at Magic Mountain, but I nearly had a panic attack on that lift hill. 😂 It ended up being my favorite ride of the day. Now it's my happy place coaster.

[@CoasterThrills1]

I’m the guy who did the backflip

[@coastercreation]

nice

[@randomdailylifetexas4418]

Timestamp?

[@Sokobansolver]

Thunderhead, Mystic Timbers, and Gemini immediately come to mind for me. Also unironically liked Cedar Point's Corkscrew after assuming it would be meh.

[@timmyplayz1882]

Fr i thought gemini would just be some random wood coaster buts its probably one of my fav experiences

[@user-lw4hz5hx5h]

Knew nothing about the shed and didn't care, but the unrelenting pace of Mystic Timbers floored me. I couldn't wait to get back in the queue. Such a great ride.

[@Therecreep]

5:57 I am pleased to inform you that Viper has been partially retracked over the offseason and is running better then ever. Extremely smooth with dangerous airtime. I now have it as the 4th best ride in the park lol

[@DAcubsfan2]

Viper at Great America got retracked for 2024 and is running better than it has in years.

[@Wesley-76]

I'm a little late, but good video! I have a few: Mako - never rode a hyper before this one, and wow that was incredible! Manta - never rode a flying coaster before this one, and Manta absolutely delivered! Hargrid's - people hyped this up but I didn't know what it did at all. It had an insane wait all day, but right before closing it went down to 75 minutes, so I rode it. Worth the wait! It was so long and fun and crazy at night! White Lightning - This was my first big step at getting over my fear of coasters, and I really loved it! Intimidator 305 - I knew it was going to be intense, but holy crap ArieForce One - I knew this would be great, but I didn't expect it to be THAT great, but it became my new #1! Also yes, Goliath was fantastic too. It's my favorite hyper

[@BadCarDesigner]

Mad Mouse at Michigan's Adventure was one of my first ever roller coasters (I rode when I was very young) and the sheer insanity of that experience was amazing. I remember how ridiculous the airtime and laterals were. As I got more into roller coasters, I realized that my past feelings were actually generally accepted by other enthusiasts.

[@samuelitooooo]

RIP Airtime Thrills' socks

[@wickedsickfunkyfreshroller2037]

When you’re a kid and you on your first real high intensity ride, it’s certainly an experience. I was 6 the first time I rode Phantom’s Revenge and 8 the first time I rode Maverick. Those are the two landmark experiences as an enthusiast.

[@aledandrian]

I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from Thunderbolt at Kennywood but it gave me one of the most intense and bewildering experiences of my life in the back row

[@j.johnson7891]

I just made a comment about Thunderbolt thinking I would be the only one talking about it lol

[@judiplaz]

My home park. Love the thunderbolt.

[@michael7054]

Great video! I rode Mystic Timbers for the 1st time in June 2017 (that soon after opening) in an hour long wait and I loved it but didnt think too much of the shed part. I enjoyed watching!

[@CarolMiller-dg8hf]

El Toro is my favorite coaster of all time too! From the beginning to the end it is insanely fast. The first drop is crazy and the air time and G forces are heart pounding. I had the pleasure of riding it 10 times in a row and 12 times that day. It is by far #1 in my list!

[@jerseyforhawks]

Yea, El Toro. Just cray cray.

[@SlipMaker]

I couldn’t afford to go to parks after becoming an adult until 2021, so my first real coaster in a decade was Twisted Timbers. I was so busy hyping myself up for I305 that I had no idea what I was getting myself into riding TT back row as essentially my first coaster. Nonstop insanity and I was screaming and laughing the whole time.

[@ashleighelizabeth5916]

I didn't get back row but my first ride on Iron Gwazi at BGT was like that. I literally could not stop giggling like mad as we pulled into the break run and I was walking down exit path. I won't say it knocked my socks off because I was EXPECTING it to be FANTASTIC but it definitely met and even exceeded my expectations. RMC is revolutionary IMO.

[@MrChuckGrape]

I completely overlooked viper on Great America's coaster lineup. Much to my surprise, the coaster I didn't know about ended up being one of my favorites.

[@CaseFamilyVlogs]

We just rode TT2 over the weekend, it's absolutely insane! One we weren't expecting to be that good!

[@chadenglish4169]

I rode it yesterday. The speed and force going over the top hat and downward spiral took me by surprise. On Dragster it would creep over the top hat. Totally insane ride.

[@davidkelsey9775]

Wow something good to say about Michigan's Adventure! My favorite Wild Mouse as well.

[@idkhomie24]

completely agree with sky rocket! that ride is awesome, i just wish the second half was as strong as the first. it'd give kennywood a legit great 1-2 punch

[@judiplaz]

They should have just redone the 2nd half of the sky rocket instead of building steel curtain. They have a nice collection of coasters tho. Love the woodies

[@DanCrowleyNYC]

These are great. I'll never forget my first time on El Toro circa 2006 or 2007 (that's my home park so the dates are foggy). It was instantly my #1 as well. Wicked Cyclone was also my first RMC a year after it opened, and I was immediately in love with RMC.

[@Spartan87667]

Nice to see Medusa at SFDK getting some recognition. That was my first ever coaster with an inversion, and it’s still a favorite of mine to this day.

[@coolness06]

I first rode Medusa in 2004. It is still amazing!

[@alantrotter2077]

Here is my list: Ride To Happiness. Lightning Rod Cornball Express Twisted Colossus SkyRush Wolverine Wildcat (post Titan track) Timber Wolf Hals Uber Kopf Mako Storm chaser (Kentucky Kingdom) Lost Coaster (IB) Scandia/Prairie Screamer (rode it in both places) RailBlazer Phoenix (Knoebels) X2 We have some similar picks.

[@Witch_The_Snep]

Love seeing HRRR getting love. It’s genuinely a good ride

[@cooperlynn1634]

I had a very similar experience with Rockit. When I first rode, I was not an enthusiast and loved it. I went back to horror nights recently and re-rode it as an enthusiast and having ridden much bigger, more intense and faster coasters. On re-ride, it was still a total blast from start to finish. My favorite ride at USF.

[@tractorgt]

This is great thanks! I think my knock your socks off moment as a kid was the original bat in 1981 at KI. Today I'd say the voyage at holiday world was a fantastic surprise. 👍

[@lkeshow86]

Good video as always, i def agree with sky rocket and wicked cyclone.. first half of sky rocket is damn near perfect and wicked was my first rmc

[@batshtcrazy5293]

So glad SOMEBODY finally showed some love for RRR at Universal. I love that ride, even though it's a bit rough. As for the rest of your list? Fun times all around!

[@CoasterParadise12323]

Great vid! I was wondering if you have ridden TT2 and if you will? Keep up the great work!

[@HonduDan]

Thunderbird is an AMAZING coaster. The coaster I was looking forward to the least and it ended up being my favorite in the park. It's so good. Great list brotha.

[@alex33952]

Wicked cyclone issss that good. The layout is that good despite the short height. I rode el toro before I knew what kind of ride it was. We rode, was like wow that thing was crazy and then they announce it’s the double ride of the day. Interesting for sure. At Hershey park, I was underwhelmed with comet it was just okay. Also at Hershey park, I thought lightning racer was really fun. At six flags New England, I always think Batman is underrated and better than most people think. Sea world Orlando ice breaker is always fun and better than expectations

[@MPJ22]

A Tuesday upload?! Let’s go

[@Cje_-yj8ov]

I loved this video, as it made me go back through all my coasters and essentially remember some of the best times I’ve had. I actually had that hook line and sinker moment with 2020 wooden lightning rod, as I thought it was gonna be slow and rough and it was neither. Also agreed, El Toro really is a magical ride

[@guillaumecourchesne8684]

I'm following you for years and I almost got them all right. I just missed Wild mouse and Rip rid rockit. I had Coaster at Playland and Wonderwoman goldenlasso instead

[@alexsch738]

definitely was expecting Coaster at Playland on this list!

[@robertbarga3694]

Great list. Mystic Timbers also blew me away the first time I rode it for just how vicious it was as did I-305 at Kings Dominion. Hagrid's Motorbike at Islands of Adventure completely knocked my socks off too but I rode Rip Ride Rockit on the same trip and it had the opposite effect. I thought the ride was extremely forgettable.

[@user-pl5ds8iz6q]

Good to see some love for Viper at SFGAm. Blew me away too. I fully underestimated it and only rode it because it had no line. Its an elite woodie no doubt

[@HonduDan]

I', surprised Lightning Run is not on your list. That's probably my number 1 for "Holy crap, I didn't expect that" coasters.

[@FryGuy909]

idk when or why chris started posting on Tuesdays, but I am very happy about it

[@AirtimeThrills]

Once in a while these things happen

[@coyote_bravo2723]

X2 absolutely obliterated my expectations when I rode it. I expected it to be my number 1 and my front row ride definitely got it up there but I was skeptical until I came back later and got a back row ride that skyrocketed it miles ahead in my #1 spot. Desert storm also really surprised me when I went to castles n coasters for the first time and I’m glad to have at least that as a fun and quirky looper in my home state

[@AirtimeThrills]

X2 in the back is mental. In the front its not even really "X2"...some watered down version

[@awesometronic]

I hadn't ridden or payed attention to coasters for close to two decades, then I rode SFDK Joker. I've since been on better RMCs but at the time it was jaw dropping. I still love it.

[@MEGalomaniac6829]

Hydra: The Revenge. I REFUSED to ride it for years, out of loyalty to the memories I had of riding Hercules with my dad. Finally, I pushed myself to do it two summers ago and I fell in love with it! Now I ride it a few times each trip with my sons.

[@ThePirateprincess23]

The first time I rode X2, my feet were shaking by the end of the ride. It quickly shot up to being my third favorite ride at Magic Mountain as well as being my favorite coaster being built by Arrow Dynamics/S&S Arrow.

[@Coyotek4]

Honestly, when it comes to expectations vs reality ... I would put "Oscar's Wacky Taxi" from Sesame Place on such a list. You go on with your kids expecting a run-of-the-mill family coaster, and you get off wondering when Cyclone was relocated from Coney Island.

[@MattMcIrvin]

Roar-O-Saurus at Story Land impressed me with that Gravity Group junior woodie airtime. But I'd heard great things about Wooden Warrior and I knew it was like that, so I expected it to some degree.

[@ZZCoasters]

Honestly, when it comes to expectations vs reality ... I would put "Daddy Pig's Roller Coaster" from Peppa Pig Land on such a list. You go on with your kids expecting a run-of-the-mill kiddie coaster, and you get off wondering when Steel Vengeance was relocated from Cedar Point.

[@elboyosupreme]

The most surprised I've ever been from a coaster was riding Joker Funhouse Coaster at Over Georgia. I went on it solely for the credit expecting it to be completely forceless, but I ended up coming off the ride thinking it was better than Dare Devil Dive (which was a massive disappointment for me)

[@zacg_]

I had the opposite feeling but I foolishly thought that it would take you through an actual fun house (similar to Laff Trakk) but that's on me for expecting too much. That said, it really should go through some kind of funhouse section with that name instead of just barely passing through a building.

[@archdukefranzferdinand2568]

I rode Pantheon today, what a ride. So forceful, strong, great hangtime, and the ejector hill was insane. 10/10 ride and when it is running fast, it is 11/10

[@atlasbreaker]

I never been on 'thigh-crush' but I did get to hershey park this year and the new restraints on sky rush are great

[@aaronroffman3987]

Phoenix at Knoebels blew my expectations the first time I rode it. It's probably a similar experience to Zippin Pippin -- a woodie that doesn't look impressive but gives insane airtime. The Big Thunder Mountains also give a surprising amount of airtime, much more than i expected from a Disney ride.

[@gretchen9088]

So they upgraded the restraints on Skyrush at Hershey this year. It’s so much better now. I swore off that coaster after riding it once because of the pain in my thighs. Now, you feel tge airtime without screaming in pain. It went from dead last on my Hershey coasters list to #2 behind wildcats revenge. And thank you for loving comet…it was my first coaster as a child and it holds a special place in my heart.

[@aSTROnomical_8]

Bo idea how No got here but this has suddenly became a channel I fall asleep too each night lmao

[@bryantperkins4406]

That's cool to know that you're home theme park is Magic Mountain. That was one of the first theme parks I went to when I was a kid back in the early eighties. Went last year for the first time in a long time and rode X and it's automatically my favorite roller coaster

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

Your experience with Wicked Cyclone is very similar to mine with Iron Rattler in 2016. Only for me, it was dark by the time I rode it, so I couldn't see that they had converted it. I also didn't know who or what RMC was. I still remembered the horrible old Rattler, and thought it was still the same until the middle of the ride, when I wasn't being beat up. It easily tops this list for me. Zippin Pippin would probably be my # 2, even though I knew all about the ride. That ejector death hill has to be experienced in either row 3 or the very back in order to truly understand. My favorite element on any coaster, and every other hill on the ride is solid. Going back to 2011, Prowler would take my 3rd spot. It made me realize that taller and faster doesn't necessarily mean better. Storm Chaser from 2019 at # 4. Mr Freeze & Ultra Twister in 2002, and Gatekeeper in 2014 would make my list as well. Others on my list would be Manta (SWO), Pantheon, Cornball Express, Hades 360, Big Bear Mountain, Hydrus, Kentucky Rumbler, Nitro, Superman Ride of Steel, Steel Curtain (last 3 because so many people trash on them, then they ended up being pretty good).

[@ashleighelizabeth5916]

One of these days I'm getting over to San Antone to ride that thing!

[@jaredlucas4815162342]

Shockwave at Six Flags over Texas! Holy cow that thing has airtime!

[@CodyRushDriving]

In reference to #4, similar coaster Nighthawk at Carowinds is still my number one. I love the whole experience of that ride!

[@hyliandweeb]

Boardwalk Bullet at Kemah Boardwalk near Houston, TX in 2022…I figured it was a fairly mild family friendly cyclone coaster considering where it’s located, but that ride was multitudes more intense than I thought it would be. The lateral and positive g forces were great and there are so many high speed head choppers from the twisting layout (think cyclone style but in an even more compact footprint). I came off that ride downright giddy.

[@AirtimeThrills]

I came off BB completely underwhelmed, definitely need to get back

[@twootievids]

I grew up visiting Knotts, Magic Mountain, various Disney and Universal parks but never considered myself an enthusiast. Then I rode New Texas Giant a few years ago and everything changed after that. I feel really lucky that ended up being my first RMC. 😅

[@zacg_]

1) Lighting Rod in 2016. I hadn't been keeping up on coasters for a few years and my only RMC to that point was Iron Rattler and I hadn't realized how big RMC had become. Then Lighting Rod happened and I was in love. 2) Shockwave at Over Texas. I hadn't heard anyone say anything about this the first time I visited Over Texas and I hadn't realized it had world class airtime. That and the positive Gs on the back to back vertical loops were amazing. 3) Viper at Magic Mountain. I was a kid when this opened and got to ride it and felt like the perfect coaster for a young kid just getting into big thrill coasters. I know people dismiss it but I think it's still fun. But it absolutely blew me away as a kid. 4) Cobra's Curse. I like me a good themed coaster. And while I'd heard people say that they liked the statue, I hadn't heard people say the ride itself was any good. Maybe I was just in a great mood because the queue line was so good but I loved this so much the first time I rode it. 5) Skyrush (sorry Chris.) I was aware that people hated the restraints so I was nervous. But I was also skeptical about the layout because the airtime hills looked too drawn out and the banked turns looked boring from the POVs. But I found it oddly comfortable. But more importantly, the layout was amazing. And I had not heard about the kink in the drop so that left me laughing. 6) Apollo's Chariot. It was my first B&M hypercoaster and it felt like this was just how coasters were supposed to be. Just give me a big series of drops and I'm happy. I realize it's been outclassed since then but it was really special for me. 7) Wildfire. Can any coaster be great simply because of its setting? Probably not. But maybe a solid coaster can be great because of its setting. 8) Magic Flyer (then called Wile E Coyote coaster.) It was my first and I still remember the joy as a young child of loving a coaster for the first time. This will always be special for me And speaking of kiddie coasters... 9) Kozmo's Kurves. Can a kiddie coaster have ejector? Yes. Yes it can. 10) The Beast: first front row night ride. The hype is real. This is a fun coaster. An odd coaster. An icon. But I wouldn't necessarily say it's great. Except for that phenomenon of riding at night in the front. I don't know if the sensory experience is just different because of the wind, darkness and unobstructed view. But 100% feels more intense and smoother throughout its layout in those conditions. 11) Verbolten. I had heard nothing about it before my first ride. Not even that it went indoors. That's the way it ought to be. Side note. I have never been shocked by a Cedar Point coaster because I think they all basically get the right amount of hype. My first trip there was years into getting back into coasters so I didn't really go in blind on anything. Not a knock on the park. It's just that it's reputation precedes it.

[@Coyotek4]

I guess you expected ArieForce One to be as good as it is.

[@pipepicasso8112]

My second ever visit to Cedar Point was in 2000, Raptor blew my socks off. I never rode an invert before, and at that time it was known to me as their best coaster. Millennium Force was new that year, but I didn’t get a chance to ride it (lines way too long). Raptor was my #1, even though I only had about 20 coaster credits.

[@TalkingSports-k7c]

A coaster that surprised me was Kingdom Coaster at Dutch Wonderland. It's a family wooden coaster, which is why it was so surprising.

[@justinpino8115]

Toro is running great this year, fast and a little rough the way it should be. A coaster that shocked me by being excellent when i wasn't expecting it was Thunder Head at Dollywood. My number two wooden, awesome fun

[@kyletapke2170]

Surprise upload but we vibing

[@saxon564]

I love whenever something good is said about Michigan's Adventure. I can only hope that the good things that are being said help grow the park and get Cedar Fair to invest more into it.

[@midnightmoonlight04091]

I haven’t even been on an RMC # BringMoreRMCsToEurope. I’m hoping my first one will be in the next few years with either Untamed at Walibi Holland or the 2 new raptors going to Walibi Holland too, which ever one has the shorter queue will be first probably and as the raptors will be newer, it will probably be Untamed.

[@meddoxsocool]

Im going to be on El Toro next week for my first time ever! So excited!

[@ChampaBayBeast]

#1 for me was Iron Gwazi only because I grew up going to BGT my entire life and watched the entire debacle with OG Gwazi. They only turned it into a Top 5 coaster in the country! #2 for me was Manta. When it opened we went 1st week and it completely blew us all away. Just so different and intense at that time.

[@huntzzio]

I love the love for the flying dutchmans… most underrated coaster model… wish they made them with those drops and loops still.

[@ydinoh]

Everyday now??? I'm lovin it

[@timfross]

Medusa was my first floorless as well. It was the absolute pinnacle of roller coasters for me for many years.

[@Coolbreeze0988]

Boardwalk bullet south of Houston really blew me away. So whippy and that perfect balance of rickity but not rough

[@NerdFiction]

HRRR is my Coaster Beacon I look to when trying to determine if I'll agree with a thoosies opinions on coasters. I for one am in the group that thought it was incredible and was actually surprised to hear others say differently. It's not a perfect system obviously as opinions are based on so much subjectivity, but I find it to be a good guide post when setting my expectations for coaster I haven't ridden when I'm watching Coaster Enthuencers.

[@ItsSiebay]

I absolutely picked the worst time to ride El Toro. It was down on my first trip in 2021, and the following year, it was pouring rain. It was a legendary experience for sure, but not for the right reasons. As for a coaster that has absolutely blown me away, and still does, it’s Superman ROS. That first drop and hill just hits different. Twisted Timbers being my first RMC was also the most fun I’ve ever had on a coaster. I was laughing the entire time.

[@gametime2473]

Swamp Fox blew me away. That ride has almost no restraints and it yeets you all over the place. It's as fun as Phoenix IMO. Wildcat's Revenge blew me away too. I was expecting it to be an average RMC, far below ArieForce One but I ended up liking it more. One of the best RMCs IMO. Hades 360 also shocked me at how awesome it was. My first ride on it was at night and it was total chaos.

[@MattMcIrvin]

When I first rode Wicked Cyclone, I *did* know the hype about RMC, but I'd also heard it was a low-to-mid RMC. So it outperformed my expectations too. I still don't know how it stacks up against other RMCs, but it is my favorite coaster. For that matter, I'd heard so much about the supposed deterioration of Superman that when I finally got around to riding it, it blew away those expectations too.

[@TerraEpon]

Perhaps ironically, Prowler is on my list....possibly because of you. Mystic Timbers lived up to all the hype and then I rode Prowler and was blown away (though yeah, MT is still probably better) -- it just doesn't let up. Otherwise....Wonder Woman Golden Lasso coaster -- I had no idea single rails would be that smooth and fun. Top Gun (now The Bat) was not expecting such an intense ride from a suspended. Canyon Blaster -- who'd have thought a small arrow looper could give such a great ride? All can I think of off hand. I'll throw in Iron Rattle as it was my first RMC and while I had read all about the hype about them I had zero clue just how much they'd end up shooting into my favorite coaster type or at least tied with traditional woodies, and it was my first coaster on my trip to (almost) all the Six Flags parks but it remained my favorite (and incidently I had ridden The Rattler back a couple years after it opened and actually liked it.....though I also like Mean Streak so....shrug. I was a teen.)

[@therealmacaron]

One of the best things about Medusa is that it never has a wait when it’s running 2 trains.

[@mitchellries256]

Two coasters that knocked my socks off are The Voyage at Holiday World and Lightning Rod at Dollywood. I had a feeling that Voyage would become my new favorite wooden roller coaster, but I think it might be my #2 overall coaster, and I was not expecting that. I also heard Canobie Coaster state that Lightning Rod was his favorite roller coaster of all time, and I never expected it to be my favorite as well. I wonder if it will still be my favorite now that it has the chain lift instead of the launch.

[@katashworth41]

Stealth at Thorpe Park. I don’t like the only other Accelerator I’ve ridden (Rita at Alton Towers) so I thought I’d get Stealth out of the way first and I loved it. It may not be the tallest ride but it’s got not only that gut punch of a launch but some great airtime which not only is Thorpe lacking, but the entire county is (well, till the end of the month that is).

[@nellingwood2]

Going all the way back to when I was a kid here.... 1) Top Gun @ KI (was a long wait but the first "big" coaster that made an impression on me) 2) Batman @ SF St. Louis (first B&M, very forceful, scared me but in a good way) 3) Mr. Freeze (first launch coaster, first shuttle, blew me away with the intensity) 4) Voyage (the airtime, speed, laterals, and an overall sense that things are out of control) 5) Space Mountain (went in thinking it was a kiddy coaster & it surprised me with the intensity) 6) Top Thrill Dragster (that launch, speed, & height really took me for a loop) 7) El Toro (way more smooth and extreme than I was expecting for a woody) 8) Wicked Cyclone (basically the same experience you had, fell in love with RMC after that) 9) Jersey Devil (my 1st experience on a single rail really was great; I went on this thing like 5x that trip) 10) Storm Runner (I'd been on Intamins and launch coasters before but the insanity of this ride really surprised me) Honorable mentions: Beast (night ride was insanely fun), Son of Beast (speed, intensity, loop), & Millennium Force (major reason I am an Intamin fan)

[@Jlaps941]

The 3 I can think of for me are Maverick, Gemini, and Thunderhead. I rode Maverick and Gemini the first time before I watched any coaster content so I had no clue what they were like and wrote them off a little because of their size, and now Maverick is my favorite coaster 😂 Thunderhead I wrote off as a wood coaster which usually are iffy if they’re good or bad, and it was so good I had to re-ride it twice after. It probably gave me the most room between me and the lap bar I’ve ever seen, it was freaking amazing how fast and intense it was for a woodie

[@joshuagreenroyd7059]

Colorado Adventure and Black Mamba at Phantasialand crushed my expectations. Colorado adventure has to be the best runaway mine coaster in the world, and black mamba is a top inverted coaster with a crazy tight layout and near misses.

[@Cyber_Chriis]

We did a trip on the east coast and I did know all the major coasters on our way, but there are three coasters that I didn’t really know about and might not even have ridden under different circumstances: Two coasters in Kings Dominion. The Parkinglot coaster and the one in the dark just blew me away! I wasn’t expecting anything and yet I got everything! Same goes for Verbolten. I just know that it was a solid coaster. These just blew me away!

[@605coasters]

The coaster that probably surprised me the most was Iron Gwazi. I'm a heavy RMC critic, most of them aren't even in my top 25. But IG quickly joined my top 10 on my first visit. Then when I went again just 2 months later, it shot up to #3. It was absolutely hauling in the heat of Florida in March. The death roll hit with breakneck speed and intensity, and the ejector was spot on. Iron Gwazi is everything I had wished Steel Vengeance would have been.

[@xj-may]

Some of my biggest surprises Mystic Timbers: yep, right there with you here. Kings Island is my home park, and, I kinda stopped going when this coaster was announced, I didn’t become an enthusiast until 2022, and I stopped going to KI in 2016. My first trip back to Kings Island since Mystic was built was 2021, where I got two big shiny new coasters to try out, I knew nothing about them, but naturally, Orion was the one I was way more excited for, and it absolutely delivered, but Mystic Timbers was the one that blew me away, I was not prepared for it to be that relentless, fast paced and wild, keep in mind, I was fully gp at the time. I was not expecting to like the modest sized wooden coaster more than the 300 foot behemoth, but I did, and it remains my favorite coaster at KI X2: my first big coaster trip was in southern California, and tbh, while X2 seemed like a really cool ride, it wasn’t actually the coaster I was most excited for on this trip, I was more excited for Twisted Colossus, and Ghostrider, all the mixed opinions on X2 made me kinda wary of it but, once I rode it, oh my god. Still undoubtedly the craziest coaster experience of my entire life. I was screaming the entire time, and it shot straight to my #1, where it remains to this day Silver Bullet: also on my Cali trip, I’ve always heard that Silver Bullet was one of the weaker inverts, so I wasn’t expecting much, but I adored this thing. The drop was underwhelming but the rest was awesome. Every inversion was intense, the setting over the water and walkways was amazing, and that helix is wicked intense. To this day it remains my favorite invert The Raven: now, obviously when you’re going to Holiday World, you have one thing on your mind, The Voyage, and for good reason, it’s an awesome ride, in fact it’s my overall #2. But in terms of expectations, it was The Raven that really blew me away, it was such a wild ride, with one of the best airtime moments on any coaster with that last drop, it was a fun ride before that drop but that is what made it one of my all time favorites, ended up in my top 10, and today is just barely outside of it Lightning Rod: I didn’t ride Lightning Rod until after its lift hill renovation, which I was bummed about but hey, an RMC’s still an RMC, and this one also had the honor of being my 100th credit, so I was pretty excited for it, but I didn’t think it’d be a particular favorite of mine, as it turns out, Lightning Rod ended up being my all time favorite RMC and my overall #3. If it is a worse ride because of the lift I can’t even imagine how good it used to be, the wave turn is now my favorite airtime moment ever, the quad down is insane, the use of terrain is masterful, riding while holding onto the handlebars is a blast, just such a wild and fun experience, I did not think I’d like it more than Steel Vengeance but I did, and it was a more than worthy coaster to be my #100

[@Waday408]

Recently took a trip to Kings Island and did sfgam as well, first time at both parks. Viper, Raging Bull and Goliath all blew me away. Also the fact that Raging Bull is somehow smoother than all three B&Ms at KI is wild to me 😂

[@codypierson4739]

Would never have guessed a wild mouse shows up on this list, but good explanation.

[@calebpatterson5300]

El Toro’s first drop is unbelievable. The first time I experienced it, i knew that was the most insane element I’ve experienced

[@AirtimeThrills]

Back row, one of the best elements ever

[@mattyorshin]

Most of the Coasters at Kentucky kingdom blew me away with how good they actually were. Raging bull is another one. i went in thinking it would be dull but man that first drop and twister lay out made me love that ride.

[@randomstonernerd6443]

Steel Force at Dorney park in 2nd to last row blew my mind, it might not have the ejector that magnum has but it has solid airtime through the whole ride. It might be a tamer Magnum but its still a solid coaster.

[@jackbeck1002]

Top tier

[@StamfordBridge]

Sending you some new socks. ❤️

[@robertfulton6317]

Silver Bullet at Knotts I love that layout. Wasn’t on my radar at all.

[@Shinyarc]

Outlaw run was this for me. I thought it was just another RMC but it’s the most intense I’ve ever ridden

[@lumindoesvideos]

I remember The Voyage from Holiday World as a coaster that made me love coasters. I was just tall enough to ride and was a kid. Was the opening year for it. Only rode two other coasters ever, The Raven and The Legend. Voyage blew me away. I wasn't expecting a wild ride though the woods. Then again, I don't remember being able to see most of the coaster so what should I expect.

[@tribaltreegoat]

I heard voyage was good but honestly it way more crazy than i thought i prefer it over a ride like iron gwazi

[@JosephJohnson-gu5fw]

Comet repeatedly has one of the longest lines at Hershey Park. It's worth the hype it holds up. And those buzz bars are not a joke

[@trentosh1562]

I haven't been on nearly as many coasters as you, but from my first coaster trip in 2022 (at age 42 lol) here are 5 that surprised me in a good way. 5. Georgia Scorcher. I've never liked stand up coasters but this one was really fun. 4. Copperhead Strike. Fury might be the best ride at Carowinds, but I didn't expect to love this one so much. 3. Maverick at Cedar Point. This ended up as one of my favorite rides on the trip. 2. Raptor at Cedar Point. Best invert I've been on so far. 1. Diamondback at King's Island. Didn't expect to like this more than Orion.

[@ashleighelizabeth5916]

The Scorcher is severely underrated IMO. It didn't blow me away but it was honestly the first coaster I road at SFOG that met my expectations of what a good coaster should be.

[@trentosh1562]

@@ashleighelizabeth5916 I thought Six Flags Over Georgia was really good. But you have to understand that my home park my whole life has been Six Flags Over Texas so the bar is pretty low.

[@peggiejohnson2022]

Steel Vengence was fantastic!

[@wrench1674]

Afterburn due to the sheer intensity Copperhead strike had heard mixed reviews about it but my first ride on it blew me away Intimidator - i had heard so much about the trims and how hard they hit but on my first couple of rides i didnt feel the trims hit. Giant dipper at santa cruz beach boardwalk, for a coaster thats almost 100 years old it is surprisingly smooth and packs quite the punch

[@drewking666_]

"I put that in my top half B&M invert list" the vekoma SLC: 🤭