Are you serious, themeparkcrazy!? They're closing Scorpion, too!? Why!?😮 I always thought that was a good one.😢 Oh well, times change.😢😊 Also, in the Top Thrill Dragster and Kingda Ka photos, are you the gentleman in the white shirt and sunglasses?🤔👍
I'm sorry you never got to experience Volcano, The Blast Coaster. It surely would've made this list. Your video about Volcano's history and demise was awesome though. As a former KD employee, I was impressed by your accurate research.
@ThemeParkCrazy Oh no!! I hate you never experienced it. It was an awesome coaster. Did you ever get to ride Thunderroad at Carowinds? That was my favorite woodie.
RIP Scorpion, and Vortex. I have ridden scorpion a few times, and it was really fun. Vortex was a great classic, and its crazy custom layout was really fun.
Still can’t believe Scorpion is gone. My favorite defunct credit is either Top Thrill Dragster or Lightning Rod, but shoutout to Wildcat at Hersheypark. That ride was awesome, even if its replacement is significantly better.
My favorite defunct coaster that I rode was the original Top Thrill Dragster. That launch was amazing. I do think that TT2 looks amazing, and I hope it reopens in 2025.
In early Aug of 2024 I went to universal orlando and the Hagrid moter bike ride kept breaking down so that was the only harry potter ride that I wasn't able to ride unfortunately
Dueling Dragons is also my favourite defunct coaster. I first rode it when i was 8 years old in 2002, and it was also my first inverted coaster. That same day, Hulk was my first full circuit coaster with inversions, having only previously experienced an inversion on Revolution at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I would definitely say that day at Islands of Adventure, and the rest of that holiday, sparked my love of rollercoasters beyond my previous experiences of the woodies at BPB. It was another world riding those coasters at IOA, Seaworld, Busch Gardens and MGM. Great memories.
My most infamous defunct coaster credit is Son of Beast. As a kid I loved it! But probably my favorite defunct coaster is Big Bad Wolf! That was one of the first large scale coasters I ever rode and it was such a legendary ride!
I rode SOB for the first time the day before the accident in 2006. It was very rough, but weirdly I had a fun ride on it. Great first drop, crushing positiveGs nearly throughout, exhilarating vertical loop outta nowhere
Dueling dragons looks so amazing... man you are so lucky u were able to go on that beauty, but the nostalgia must be insane for all of these lovely rides.... thanks for the video Peter, it's amazing u had this idea years ago and eventually made it :).
I've been only on one defunct coaster. It's the original Wildcat at Hershey. I know it was on your top 10 worst coasters ever ridden video in 2017, but then you rode it again in 2018 and changed your mind and said it wasn't as bad as it was. For me, it was still rough.
I really loved Wicked Twister, but it made me cry in my bed for 2 hours straight because of it’s closure. But then to cheer me up, I decided to recreate it in Minecraft. And I really loved watching videos of Top Thrill Dragster, on ride and off ride. I did the same with Wicked Twister. Hope Wicked Twister will be in a different park in the near future.
Mean Streak, Top Thrill Dragster and Disaster Transport at Cedar Point, Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa, X - Flight, Raging Wolf Bobs, and Big Dipper at Geauga Lake.
I actually remember having foned memories on primeval whirl I rode that ride plenty of times from 2015 2018 and 2019 had a decent layout it was not too long and also not too short it was very Spinney has some decent G forces and was just a lot of fun it’s not a ride but I’ll get back to riding anytime soon since the ride is now closed but I remember that road being a lot of fun
Tidal Wave at Six Flags Great America is one of my favorite removed coasters and now, with Montezuma's Revenge at Knotts looking like it will never come back the way it was, too, that would be an easy second. Always loved the old shuttle loopers.
I remember going on Primeval whirl a lot when I was a kid and it was very fun. Although I have noticed it gotten rougher over the years. Apparently, parts were getting harder to find since the manufacturer is now defunct. The rumors about the Dino land themed area getting replaced with something else has been going on since 2017. So I knew the land’s days were numbered when they tore down the ride. While I miss primeval whirl, I’m excited to see what’s to come.
Can't believe they removed Vortex but Anaconda at King's Dominion is still running... :D And Dueling Dragons' fate is a travesty, Universal did that ride a severe injustice.
i always found that millennium is down more often than top thrill ever was. i swear i just rode millennium force for the first time in YEARS this year because its always down when i go. top thrill was def my favorite coaster in the park (but steel vengeance and top thrill were always fighting for first place for me), nothing beats that launch and i hope that TT2 can replace the void in my heart lmao i unfortunately didnt get to ride it while it was still open this year.
This is where I get to sound impressive because I don't have a lot of creds period... but I'm really old. 5. Canobie Corkscrew. Yeah, this wasn't great. Short and janky and it rattled you around. But it was historic! An original 1975 Arrow corkscrew, the first modern coasters to go upside down! Only the second one ever built (first after the prototype)! That's something. 4. Drachen Fire. The most infamous coaster I've ever ridden! Objectively, it was probably the worst coaster I've ever ridden, because it hurt people. It definitely hurt me. It probably put me off riding coasters for decades, just from the soreness. But the layout was wildly exciting. 3. Wildcat (Elitch Gardens). I remember this as an OK basic woodie. Probably should have started with it instead of... 2. Mr. Twister (Elitch Gardens). This was the first big coaster I ever rode and it scared the bejesus out of me. I remember riding that swooping high turnaround off the lift hill as a profoundly terrifying experience, whipping around that curve 90 feet up with nothing but a single-position buzz bar keeping you from tumbling into the void--and then you go into the big drop. Years later, I rode it again and was able to appreciate it. That two different modern rides exist that are attempts at recapturing this coaster's vibe suggests that a lot of people loved it. 1. Big Bad Wolf. We all know Big Bad Wolf. We all love Big Bad Wolf. This wasn't the first coaster I rode but it was the one that convinced me I could love a coaster. BBW was almost tailor-made to be a rite of passage for people who were timid about roller coasters, to give them a big ride with some real thrills that eased them into enjoying them. It wasn't punishingly intense but had a great sense of drama. I missed my chance to ride Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge because some painful indigestion when I was visiting Universal Orlando made me feel not quite up to it. I do regret that, but there are a lot of coasters out there.
I think, I couldn't fill a top 10 BEST Defunct Roller Coasters for myself, but my TOP 3 would be: Eurostar (traveling coaster), Cop Car Chase (Moviepark Germany) and Gebirgsbahn + Grand Canyon Bahn (Phantasialand) If i were 1 day earlier, I could have added Ring Racer to the list :D
Hey man, I'm 41 and I had no idea looping coasters without over the shoulder harnesses were a thing until like 5 years ago when I found your channel and you talked about steel vengeance. I hadn't payed attention to coasters for decades but loved them as a kid, so at that same time I became aware of RMC and that was when I decided I had to get back into it all. Northeast Ohio never got and shwartzkopfs that looped that know of, so I just assumed it was a risk nobody wanted to take. Seriously blew my mind seeing Steele vengeance. sadly it's still the only RMC I've ever ridden.
I don’t have a massive defunct coaster credit collection, but one of them is one I’m very proud to have: Volcano the Blast Coaster. The other is the GCI Wildcat at HersheyPark.
Dueling dragons was my favorite invert but it was sad to see it go since I was addicted to the intensely inversions and cool layout but at least I rode it while it lasted
It’s wild putting Wicked Twister on this when it was literally moved to Dorney park, AND ITS IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE FIRST MINUTE OF THE VIDEO. Not trying to complain, just found it funny!
Never got to ride Dueling Dragons. But some of my favorites are Volcano, ThunderRoad backwards, Big Bad Wolf, Wicked Twister and Hypersonic XLC. Some of the worst were Son of Beast (both before and after removal of the loop) and Drakenfire.
Volcano the blast coaster is one Defunct coaster that my sister and I both enjoyed riding. It was cool to ride a coaster that went through an artificial mountain. Both launches and the three heartline rolls on the coaster are what I considered to the be the best parts of the ride especially the second launch that blasted you right out of the mountain.
I loved Primieval Whirl as a teenager. It was the surprise hit for my older sister and myself during our last Disney family trip and we both liked it much better than Space Mountain, which we found way too tame to be very fun.
Wow, amazing how many of these I've ridden. I'm old, so my defunct list is longer, but some of the highlights include Batman & Robin: The Chiller, Hercules, and the Great American Scream Machine (SFGAdv).
Top Thrill 2 has a very intense backward launch. And the hang time on the backward spike is INSANE. Glad i got to ride it at least once before it closed.
I'll never forget my first ride as a kid on top thrill dragster. Barely tall enough to get on, and convinced I was doing front row. I'll also never forget my last ride on it, also front row. Those T-bar restraints were the absolute best. What a wild ride.
I knew you were going to include Dueling Dragons because it's closure was the catalysis for the biggest Change to come to a Universal Theme Park: The Wizarding World of Harry potter. when it first opened it was a huge deal and a success for the theme park in general.
I haven't been to Kings Island since 2012. I had no idea that Vortex and Firehawk were closed. My family used to go every year to the park when I was growing up. It was always something I looked forward to as a kid. My last trip was with a church's teen group as a volunteer chaperone. I remember being disappointed at that visit when I learned that the Racer didn't go backwards anymore. I'd like to go back sometime but, I never have the money for things like that anymore.
Nice list. However, I would not consider Top Thrill Dragster or the original Lightning Rod as separate credits, or defunct roller coasters, as those were more of a renovation in my eyes.
Although it’s a renovation it definitely doesn’t deliver the same experience at all. I was disappointed at the launches on Top Thrill 2. It’s virtually a different ride.
Just watching footage of the cars of Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge come close to each other at the loop section is just amazing to watch! Though it's understandable why it lost it's dueling feature and later closed, it's still sad to see a dueling coaster like that bite the dust 😔
I got to go on lightning rod a few times this summer. It was amazing. I cannot imagine how much better it would be with some extra speed down the 1st drop or int the quad down. Even the wave turns were great and would be insane with more speed.
I do have to agree on Lightning Rod with a launch, truly one of the greatest coaster experiences I've ever had. I remember first riding it in 2016 and just absolutely loving the ride to bits, though in all honesty my most recent visit last year I find myself preferring Thunderhead just by a slight bit. Really, it just comes down to the fact that I have a lot more nostalgia for Thunderhead and still, both are within my top 5 favorite coasters out there
The first time we went to Cedar Point Top Thrill was down. When we went back in 2019 we were able to ride it. It did breakdown while we waited in but only for 45 minutes. It work in our favor because everyone left the line. What an incredible ride.
I used to ride The Vortex and close my eyes on the loops. I have a fear of heights and really didn't like going upside-down that high. One time, I was riding it and something flew in my eye. I closed them, rubbed my eye, opened them and I saw the ground. I just stared at the track until the loops were over. Ever since then, I can now ride roller coasters with no fear. I miss that coaster.
I rode vortex first day in 1987 and last day in 2019. Great ride that is sorely missed. And you can ride that exact stinger invertigo model at King's Island today. 👍
On this list the only coaster that I have ridden was Primeval Whirl at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I went to Dollywood once but it was a decade before Lightning rod opened. Never went to Busch Gardens Tampa and never made it to either Kings Island or Cedar Point. I was so terrified/scared of dueling dragons/ dragon challenge that I never rode it and my last chance to ride it was in may 2017. But one defunct coaster that I have ridden was The Georgia Cyclone at Six Flags Over Georgia, it’s now Twisted Cyclone due to it being a RMC Hybrid coaster.
My best defunct credit technically is Speed: The Ride at the Sahara. But I will always have a soft spot for my first ever non-kiddie coaster credit Spellbreaker at Legoland California.
i could almost swear that Scorpion was in Six flags Magic mountain. i only went to the us in 2014 and one of the memorable coasters was Scorpion especially that loop with no over the shoulder restrains.
I've been on all of those except for Apocalypse and Stinger, and I've been on Stinger's equivalent (Invertigo) at Kings Island. Firehawk I miss the most.
Some of my favorite defunct coasters include Dragon Challenge at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Volcano: The Blast Coaster at Kings Dominion, Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Firehawk and Vortex at Kings Island, Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain (although I'm not sure that counts considering how it's still there as Twisted Colossus), and Wicked Twister and Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point (although I'm still not sure it counts as it's still there as Top Thrill 2).
I still remember getting to ride dueling dragons back to back like three times just before closing. I miss those coasters dearly. The way they interacted with each other was just so exciting. I get why universal would just rather tear it down and make something new, but so many coasters nowadays have lockers, staff, and metal detectors to keep people from taking things on the coaster that might fall off during the ride. I feel like they could’ve kept the ride around if they really wanted to.
I'm so glad I didn't coward out of riding Dueling Dragons the one time I went to Universal Studios when I was an early teen. I'm a bit of a wimp with roller coasters, but I rode both of those and The Incredible Hulk (my first looping coaster) in the same day. One of my most memorable lifelong memories.
I remember Dueling Dragons from the one time I got to go to Islands of Adventure when I was a kid. I was very much afraid of it. It was the second inverting rollercoaster I ever rode. The first being Hulk that same day. One of the people in line told me about the safety systems and gave me advice I still use to this day when I'm riding new coasters. "The scariest part of the ride is sitting in the seat. Once you do that it's all downhill from there."
I rode Apocalypse when it was in Six Flags Great America in Gurnee when it was called “Iron Wolf”. I actually enjoyed it. I don’t know what’s wrong with it now, but those floorless trains on that layout gave me the absolute worst whiplash I had ever gotten. No coaster has ever caused me more pain than Firebird did in 2024, and to put it in perspective, Viper at Six Flags Great Adventure was a cake walk compared to it.
I have never seen or been on these defunct roller coasters but I can agree that dragon challenge was my favorite defunct coaster even though not seeing it in person but looking at videos and photos it looks awesome I have been watching your videos thanks theme park crazy
Dragon Challenge was a fun ride. I'm glad I got the chance to ride it the one time I went back in 2015. Also my favorite defunct coaster credit is Wacky Soap Box Racers at Knotts Berry Farm. You don't see very many steeplechase coasters out in the wild anymore.
My favorite defunct coaster I've rode was Valcano at Kings Dominion. The first launch was unexpected and being launched out of a Volcano was so cool. Def 1 of a kind coaster
Cedar Point is my home park and TTD was my fave ride there and, currently, my fave ride period. I hope TT2s first launch is at least as forceful as Wicked Twister's first launch.
The Invertigo model is significantly better than the boomerang. It's temperamentally in smoothness, get the wrong seat on the wrong day and your ears will be punched hard. However, on a good ride it provides an incredibly intense experience. Invertigo at KI is the most intense coaster in the park. If only Vekoma would have gotten their vest restraint out sooner. The model would have been far more successful.
I’ve actually ridden all the coasters on this list aside from Stinger and Apocalypse! My personal favorite defunct coaster would have to be Volcano the Blast Coaster, but Dragon Challenge, Top Thrill Dragster, and Scorpion all get honorable mentions!
Here’s my top 10 defunct credits btw: 1. Volcano the Blast Coaster 2. Dragon Challenge 3. Top Thrill Dragster 4. Vortex (Kings Island) 5. Firehawk 6. Scorpion 7. Thunder Road 8. Wicked Twister 9. Space Mountain (Tokyo) 10. OG Fire in the Hole
I've I've been on three on this list: Primeval Whirl, Scorpion and Deuling Dragons. DD was a great ride and I have a soft spot for Scorpion. My favorite defunct coaster, however, would be the Big Bad Wolf.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who actually liked Apocalypse at SFA. Converting it to Firebird was definitely a downgrade; it’s a total head-smasher now. As a side note, you starting the video with shots of Superman at SFNE freaked me the eff out and I was concerned I’d missed some big announcement that my all time favorite coaster had bit the dust.
I'm still very glad i got to experience the dueling feature, it was a while ago and remember i was just tall enough that i had to hoist myself onto the seat 😅 Agree that Hagrids is a great replacement
Apocalypse was originally Iron Wolf at SFGAm and everybody there pretty much hated it, except it was my best friend's favorite coaster. It's last day in operation, we rode it 12 times. It was bittersweet, since it meant even on it's last day the demand was so low it was that easy to marathan, but also a really great send-off. I really loved the drop after the MCBR, and the way the main pre-drop felt standing. The marathon is definitely an experience I'll never forget!
Man, we rode Dueling Dragons on LSD 6-7 separate trips to Orlando. did it on ecstacy once too at midnight on New Years lol. Islands of Adventure forever changed my life, the best of times!
I'm glad you mentioned how bad Vortex at Carowinds is. That was my first and only standing coaster experience. Now that i learned that's not the norm. I might give other standing coasters a chance.
I love the dragon challenge and it’s an amazing coaster that I enjoyed as a kid. I also like dueling each trains which is insane. Bring the dragon back lol, I will always remember the moment of the dragon at Florida. Maybe, Stardust might be the next coaster to go on. Cuttos to the best missed coaster!!!
I haven't been on too many defunct coasters, the most notable defunct coasters I've been on though are: Wild Mouse at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, The Ultimate at Lightwater Valley (it was terrible) and Skyways at Clarence Pier (famous for being featured in an episode of Mr Bean)
Scorpion is closed. That was the first looping roller coaster I ever went on and it was also the first one my son had rode to. We don't live in Florida but it became a 2 generation right of passage.
I actually rode scorpion a couple of years ago, it wasn’t bad. But even in the line waiting I could tell it wasn’t popular(at least wasn’t anymore), the line was short compared to other coasters at the park. There really was little wait time, like if I remember correctly we entered the queue(I was visiting with my mom) and like maybe about 5 minutes or less(I have no exact idea as I don’t bring my phone into theme parks) we were riding. It is a tad short yes, but not bad in my opinion. Still I could tell it nearing its end while in line, like I said it was one of the shortest lines for a ride in mid-day I ever been in. No joke, it was nearly a walk on-walk off short type of line, but just barely long enough for us to wait a few runs, but less than 10.
Two defunct credits here. Ragin’ Cajun two (but that is nothing compared to) one, my first roller coaster ever, Big Bad Wolf. Potentially returning to Busch Gardens next year and catching my first visit to Kings Dominion but there is no way Verbolten can compare to BBW. The defunct coasters I’m saddest I’ll never experience are The Ultimate and Volcano The Blast Coaster.
Man. For me my top is Red side of Dueling Dragons, Blue is top 5. Also included on my Defunct list is also the OG Top Thrill Dragster, thr original layout of Hades, Opa, Hellcat @ Timber Falls. Juries still out on Montezoomas Revenge, I know Knotts has plans on bringing it back, but still. My least favorite though is Tidal Twister
Wicked twister is sentimental to me. Went to cedar point many years ago and I was too fat to ride any coasters. I dieted like crazy and 2 years later, I was the only person in my group that could fit on wicked twister.
I'm one of the few that miss Flashback at SFMM. I was new to coasters and couldn't handle inversions. Flashback was a pretty new install and still relatively smooth. I bounced between it, Ninja, Goldrusher, and Colossus that day. Finally decided to do a loop and finished with Revolution. Flashback got me on rollercoasters until Boomerang at Knotts took me off of them.
Im actually in the small group of people that really like’s Firebird at SFA. I didnt find it rough at all really. I thought it was a fun small floorless coaster,
Sadly, Volcano isn't on this list because when I first went to Kings Dominion in 2018, it was closed, and it's removal was announced months later.
Are you serious, themeparkcrazy!? They're closing Scorpion, too!? Why!?😮 I always thought that was a good one.😢 Oh well, times change.😢😊 Also, in the Top Thrill Dragster and Kingda Ka photos, are you the gentleman in the white shirt and sunglasses?🤔👍
I'm sorry you never got to experience Volcano, The Blast Coaster. It surely would've made this list. Your video about Volcano's history and demise was awesome though. As a former KD employee, I was impressed by your accurate research.
@ThemeParkCrazy Oh no!! I hate you never experienced it. It was an awesome coaster. Did you ever get to ride Thunderroad at Carowinds? That was my favorite woodie.
I was only at Kings Dominion in either 1994 or 1995, when I was still a child and before the existence of Volcano.
@ThemeParkCrazy nearly shit may pants in the line but even after riding that I've still never screamed on a roller coaster
Dueling Dragons was incredible. I'm so thankful i got to experience it in it's prime.
It was a special duo
I've been on that too. It's one of the first looped rides I've been on on the first day when I started conquering the fear.
Wicked Twister was sick. Back row staring 200 feet straight down at the beach was awesome.
I rode both Wicked Twister and Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point I still miss them to this day 😢
Honestly I feel like they missed a golden oppty to dub top thrill 2 instead as Wicked Dragster.
RIP Scorpion, and Vortex. I have ridden scorpion a few times, and it was really fun. Vortex was a great classic, and its crazy custom layout was really fun.
Still can’t believe Scorpion is gone. My favorite defunct credit is either Top Thrill Dragster or Lightning Rod, but shoutout to Wildcat at Hersheypark. That ride was awesome, even if its replacement is significantly better.
Lightning rod is not defunct
I agree, I don’t really count it, but since it was mentioned in the video I thought it was worth saying here.
Listen. Every ride manufacturer had to start somewhere, even if that somewhere is a not-so-good wooden coaster.
Lightning Rod is still there, the launch just got removed.
My favorite defunct coaster that I rode was the original Top Thrill Dragster. That launch was amazing. I do think that TT2 looks amazing, and I hope it reopens in 2025.
I keep forgetting that Top Thrill Dragster is defunct. That would definitely have to be my number one.
Same man
OWA BOWA
In early Aug of 2024 I went to universal orlando and the Hagrid moter bike ride kept breaking down so that was the only harry potter ride that I wasn't able to ride unfortunately
@@GinoG-d3r that's sad because Hagrid's MCMA is an amazing ride.
Dueling Dragons is also my favourite defunct coaster. I first rode it when i was 8 years old in 2002, and it was also my first inverted coaster. That same day, Hulk was my first full circuit coaster with inversions, having only previously experienced an inversion on Revolution at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I would definitely say that day at Islands of Adventure, and the rest of that holiday, sparked my love of rollercoasters beyond my previous experiences of the woodies at BPB. It was another world riding those coasters at IOA, Seaworld, Busch Gardens and MGM. Great memories.
My most infamous defunct coaster credit is Son of Beast. As a kid I loved it! But probably my favorite defunct coaster is Big Bad Wolf! That was one of the first large scale coasters I ever rode and it was such a legendary ride!
I rode SOB for the first time the day before the accident in 2006. It was very rough, but weirdly I had a fun ride on it. Great first drop, crushing positiveGs nearly throughout, exhilarating vertical loop outta nowhere
I was expecting to see Volcano from Kings Dominion on this list... A legendary and unique coaster that is sorely missed by many.
Dueling dragons looks so amazing... man you are so lucky u were able to go on that beauty, but the nostalgia must be insane for all of these lovely rides.... thanks for the video Peter, it's amazing u had this idea years ago and eventually made it :).
I've been only on one defunct coaster. It's the original Wildcat at Hershey. I know it was on your top 10 worst coasters ever ridden video in 2017, but then you rode it again in 2018 and changed your mind and said it wasn't as bad as it was. For me, it was still rough.
Ten years on RUclips. 2014 seems such a big year for RUclips.
I really loved Wicked Twister, but it made me cry in my bed for 2 hours straight because of it’s closure. But then to cheer me up, I decided to recreate it in Minecraft.
And I really loved watching videos of Top Thrill Dragster, on ride and off ride. I did the same with Wicked Twister. Hope Wicked Twister will be in a different park in the near future.
Mean Streak, Top Thrill Dragster and Disaster Transport at Cedar Point, Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa, X - Flight, Raging Wolf Bobs, and Big Dipper at Geauga Lake.
I actually remember having foned memories on primeval whirl I rode that ride plenty of times from 2015 2018 and 2019 had a decent layout it was not too long and also not too short it was very Spinney has some decent G forces and was just a lot of fun it’s not a ride but I’ll get back to riding anytime soon since the ride is now closed but I remember that road being a lot of fun
Tidal Wave at Six Flags Great America is one of my favorite removed coasters and now, with Montezuma's Revenge at Knotts looking like it will never come back the way it was, too, that would be an easy second. Always loved the old shuttle loopers.
I was thinking the same concerning Montezooma; it's like 'for all intents and purposes, this coaster is defunct'
I remember going on Primeval whirl a lot when I was a kid and it was very fun. Although I have noticed it gotten rougher over the years. Apparently, parts were getting harder to find since the manufacturer is now defunct. The rumors about the Dino land themed area getting replaced with something else has been going on since 2017. So I knew the land’s days were numbered when they tore down the ride. While I miss primeval whirl, I’m excited to see what’s to come.
The original gwazi at busch gardens Tampa was an amazing coaster in its prime. I have ridden it about 100+ times.
And then it got super rough :/
Soapbox racers and corkscrew I got to experience at Knott's. Soapbox was my favorite, sad it can't return
Can't believe they removed Vortex but Anaconda at King's Dominion is still running... :D And Dueling Dragons' fate is a travesty, Universal did that ride a severe injustice.
I miss Wicked Twister, Mean Streak, Orient Express and the original Zambizi Zinger
i always found that millennium is down more often than top thrill ever was. i swear i just rode millennium force for the first time in YEARS this year because its always down when i go. top thrill was def my favorite coaster in the park (but steel vengeance and top thrill were always fighting for first place for me), nothing beats that launch and i hope that TT2 can replace the void in my heart lmao i unfortunately didnt get to ride it while it was still open this year.
This is where I get to sound impressive because I don't have a lot of creds period... but I'm really old.
5. Canobie Corkscrew. Yeah, this wasn't great. Short and janky and it rattled you around. But it was historic! An original 1975 Arrow corkscrew, the first modern coasters to go upside down! Only the second one ever built (first after the prototype)! That's something.
4. Drachen Fire. The most infamous coaster I've ever ridden! Objectively, it was probably the worst coaster I've ever ridden, because it hurt people. It definitely hurt me. It probably put me off riding coasters for decades, just from the soreness. But the layout was wildly exciting.
3. Wildcat (Elitch Gardens). I remember this as an OK basic woodie. Probably should have started with it instead of...
2. Mr. Twister (Elitch Gardens). This was the first big coaster I ever rode and it scared the bejesus out of me. I remember riding that swooping high turnaround off the lift hill as a profoundly terrifying experience, whipping around that curve 90 feet up with nothing but a single-position buzz bar keeping you from tumbling into the void--and then you go into the big drop. Years later, I rode it again and was able to appreciate it. That two different modern rides exist that are attempts at recapturing this coaster's vibe suggests that a lot of people loved it.
1. Big Bad Wolf. We all know Big Bad Wolf. We all love Big Bad Wolf. This wasn't the first coaster I rode but it was the one that convinced me I could love a coaster. BBW was almost tailor-made to be a rite of passage for people who were timid about roller coasters, to give them a big ride with some real thrills that eased them into enjoying them. It wasn't punishingly intense but had a great sense of drama.
I missed my chance to ride Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge because some painful indigestion when I was visiting Universal Orlando made me feel not quite up to it. I do regret that, but there are a lot of coasters out there.
I think, I couldn't fill a top 10 BEST Defunct Roller Coasters for myself, but my TOP 3 would be:
Eurostar (traveling coaster), Cop Car Chase (Moviepark Germany) and Gebirgsbahn + Grand Canyon Bahn (Phantasialand)
If i were 1 day earlier, I could have added Ring Racer to the list :D
Hey man, I'm 41 and I had no idea looping coasters without over the shoulder harnesses were a thing until like 5 years ago when I found your channel and you talked about steel vengeance. I hadn't payed attention to coasters for decades but loved them as a kid, so at that same time I became aware of RMC and that was when I decided I had to get back into it all. Northeast Ohio never got and shwartzkopfs that looped that know of, so I just assumed it was a risk nobody wanted to take. Seriously blew my mind seeing Steele vengeance. sadly it's still the only RMC I've ever ridden.
Do a video about the coasters that should be defunct
I don’t have a massive defunct coaster credit collection, but one of them is one I’m very proud to have: Volcano the Blast Coaster. The other is the GCI Wildcat at HersheyPark.
Dueling dragons was my favorite invert but it was sad to see it go since I was addicted to the intensely inversions and cool layout but at least I rode it while it lasted
Ditto.😢She was a good girl, just like Cheetah at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia.😢
It’s wild putting Wicked Twister on this when it was literally moved to Dorney park, AND ITS IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE FIRST MINUTE OF THE VIDEO. Not trying to complain, just found it funny!
I miss Dueling Dragons so much
Yeah
Never got to ride Dueling Dragons. But some of my favorites are Volcano, ThunderRoad backwards, Big Bad Wolf, Wicked Twister and Hypersonic XLC. Some of the worst were Son of Beast (both before and after removal of the loop) and Drakenfire.
Volcano the blast coaster is one Defunct coaster that my sister and I both enjoyed riding. It was cool to ride a coaster that went through an artificial mountain. Both launches and the three heartline rolls on the coaster are what I considered to the be the best parts of the ride especially the second launch that blasted you right out of the mountain.
I loved Primieval Whirl as a teenager. It was the surprise hit for my older sister and myself during our last Disney family trip and we both liked it much better than Space Mountain, which we found way too tame to be very fun.
Wow, amazing how many of these I've ridden. I'm old, so my defunct list is longer, but some of the highlights include Batman & Robin: The Chiller, Hercules, and the Great American Scream Machine (SFGAdv).
Wicked Twister always looked so cool from the other side of the bay
Top Thrill 2 has a very intense backward launch. And the hang time on the backward spike is INSANE. Glad i got to ride it at least once before it closed.
I'll never forget my first ride as a kid on top thrill dragster. Barely tall enough to get on, and convinced I was doing front row. I'll also never forget my last ride on it, also front row. Those T-bar restraints were the absolute best. What a wild ride.
I knew you were going to include Dueling Dragons because it's closure was the catalysis for the biggest Change to come to a Universal Theme Park: The Wizarding World of Harry potter. when it first opened it was a huge deal and a success for the theme park in general.
I haven't been to Kings Island since 2012. I had no idea that Vortex and Firehawk were closed. My family used to go every year to the park when I was growing up. It was always something I looked forward to as a kid. My last trip was with a church's teen group as a volunteer chaperone. I remember being disappointed at that visit when I learned that the Racer didn't go backwards anymore. I'd like to go back sometime but, I never have the money for things like that anymore.
Duelling Dragons is still one of my favourite coasters to this day. Riding in the front row was intense!
Nice list. However, I would not consider Top Thrill Dragster or the original Lightning Rod as separate credits, or defunct roller coasters, as those were more of a renovation in my eyes.
Although it’s a renovation it definitely doesn’t deliver the same experience at all. I was disappointed at the launches on Top Thrill 2. It’s virtually a different ride.
Just watching footage of the cars of Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge come close to each other at the loop section is just amazing to watch! Though it's understandable why it lost it's dueling feature and later closed, it's still sad to see a dueling coaster like that bite the dust 😔
I miss Wicked Twister so sickingly much. I had a track slice of it. It's hard to look at most days.
Love your channel Peter! Congrats on 8 years! That's awesome! ❤❤❤
I got to go on lightning rod a few times this summer. It was amazing. I cannot imagine how much better it would be with some extra speed down the 1st drop or int the quad down. Even the wave turns were great and would be insane with more speed.
I do have to agree on Lightning Rod with a launch, truly one of the greatest coaster experiences I've ever had. I remember first riding it in 2016 and just absolutely loving the ride to bits, though in all honesty my most recent visit last year I find myself preferring Thunderhead just by a slight bit. Really, it just comes down to the fact that I have a lot more nostalgia for Thunderhead and still, both are within my top 5 favorite coasters out there
Scorpion at bush gardens was my first ever looping coaster when I was 10 back in 1992
The first time we went to Cedar Point Top Thrill was down. When we went back in 2019 we were able to ride it. It did breakdown while we waited in but only for 45 minutes. It work in our favor because everyone left the line. What an incredible ride.
Firebird is a headache machine, but i remember apocalypse fondly
I used to ride The Vortex and close my eyes on the loops. I have a fear of heights and really didn't like going upside-down that high. One time, I was riding it and something flew in my eye. I closed them, rubbed my eye, opened them and I saw the ground. I just stared at the track until the loops were over. Ever since then, I can now ride roller coasters with no fear. I miss that coaster.
I rode vortex first day in 1987 and last day in 2019. Great ride that is sorely missed.
And you can ride that exact stinger invertigo model at King's Island today. 👍
On this list the only coaster that I have ridden was Primeval Whirl at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I went to Dollywood once but it was a decade before Lightning rod opened. Never went to Busch Gardens Tampa and never made it to either Kings Island or Cedar Point. I was so terrified/scared of dueling dragons/ dragon challenge that I never rode it and my last chance to ride it was in may 2017. But one defunct coaster that I have ridden was The Georgia Cyclone at Six Flags Over Georgia, it’s now Twisted Cyclone due to it being a RMC Hybrid coaster.
My best defunct credit technically is Speed: The Ride at the Sahara. But I will always have a soft spot for my first ever non-kiddie coaster credit Spellbreaker at Legoland California.
i could almost swear that Scorpion was in Six flags Magic mountain. i only went to the us in 2014 and one of the memorable coasters was Scorpion especially that loop with no over the shoulder restrains.
I've been on all of those except for Apocalypse and Stinger, and I've been on Stinger's equivalent (Invertigo) at Kings Island.
Firehawk I miss the most.
Ultra twister, Batman the escape, and Texas cyclone at Astroworld were great! Glad I got to ride them.
I hope scorpion gets relocated
Great video! My favorite defunct coaster is Vortex but i only have 2 so its not saying much.
In terms of nostalgia… Wicked Twister was a fun shuttle coaster. Dueling Dragons was bar none the most epic dueling coaster.
Keep up the good work!
Some of my favorite defunct coasters include Dragon Challenge at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Volcano: The Blast Coaster at Kings Dominion, Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Firehawk and Vortex at Kings Island, Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain (although I'm not sure that counts considering how it's still there as Twisted Colossus), and Wicked Twister and Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point (although I'm still not sure it counts as it's still there as Top Thrill 2).
This video made me look up how many defunct coasters I have ridden. It's 11 excluding coasters that where modified or relocated.
I still remember getting to ride dueling dragons back to back like three times just before closing. I miss those coasters dearly. The way they interacted with each other was just so exciting.
I get why universal would just rather tear it down and make something new, but so many coasters nowadays have lockers, staff, and metal detectors to keep people from taking things on the coaster that might fall off during the ride. I feel like they could’ve kept the ride around if they really wanted to.
I'm so glad I didn't coward out of riding Dueling Dragons the one time I went to Universal Studios when I was an early teen. I'm a bit of a wimp with roller coasters, but I rode both of those and The Incredible Hulk (my first looping coaster) in the same day. One of my most memorable lifelong memories.
I remember Dueling Dragons from the one time I got to go to Islands of Adventure when I was a kid. I was very much afraid of it. It was the second inverting rollercoaster I ever rode. The first being Hulk that same day. One of the people in line told me about the safety systems and gave me advice I still use to this day when I'm riding new coasters. "The scariest part of the ride is sitting in the seat. Once you do that it's all downhill from there."
6:39 yeah that coaster was absolutely beautiful wow!
🏆
I rode Apocalypse when it was in Six Flags Great America in Gurnee when it was called “Iron Wolf”. I actually enjoyed it. I don’t know what’s wrong with it now, but those floorless trains on that layout gave me the absolute worst whiplash I had ever gotten. No coaster has ever caused me more pain than Firebird did in 2024, and to put it in perspective, Viper at Six Flags Great Adventure was a cake walk compared to it.
I have never seen or been on these defunct roller coasters but I can agree that dragon challenge was my favorite defunct coaster even though not seeing it in person but looking at videos and photos it looks awesome I have been watching your videos thanks theme park crazy
After I watched your vids it became a coaster enthusiast thank you for that
Dragon Challenge was a fun ride. I'm glad I got the chance to ride it the one time I went back in 2015.
Also my favorite defunct coaster credit is Wacky Soap Box Racers at Knotts Berry Farm. You don't see very many steeplechase coasters out in the wild anymore.
My favorite defunct coaster I've rode was Valcano at Kings Dominion. The first launch was unexpected and being launched out of a Volcano was so cool. Def 1 of a kind coaster
Cedar Point is my home park and TTD was my fave ride there and, currently, my fave ride period. I hope TT2s first launch is at least as forceful as Wicked Twister's first launch.
The Invertigo model is significantly better than the boomerang.
It's temperamentally in smoothness, get the wrong seat on the wrong day and your ears will be punched hard. However, on a good ride it provides an incredibly intense experience. Invertigo at KI is the most intense coaster in the park.
If only Vekoma would have gotten their vest restraint out sooner. The model would have been far more successful.
Vortex looked like a beast
They should’ve just made dueling dragons like steel vengeance at cedar point where you can’t bring anything on the ride at all
Might be time to update this list
I fear that MontaZooma’s Revenge will make this list!😢
My all time favorite coaster is/was Vortex at Kings Island.
I’ve actually ridden all the coasters on this list aside from Stinger and Apocalypse! My personal favorite defunct coaster would have to be Volcano the Blast Coaster, but Dragon Challenge, Top Thrill Dragster, and Scorpion all get honorable mentions!
Here’s my top 10 defunct credits btw:
1. Volcano the Blast Coaster
2. Dragon Challenge
3. Top Thrill Dragster
4. Vortex (Kings Island)
5. Firehawk
6. Scorpion
7. Thunder Road
8. Wicked Twister
9. Space Mountain (Tokyo)
10. OG Fire in the Hole
THANK YOU for the primeval whirl love.
I've I've been on three on this list: Primeval Whirl, Scorpion and Deuling Dragons. DD was a great ride and I have a soft spot for Scorpion. My favorite defunct coaster, however, would be the Big Bad Wolf.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who actually liked Apocalypse at SFA. Converting it to Firebird was definitely a downgrade; it’s a total head-smasher now. As a side note, you starting the video with shots of Superman at SFNE freaked me the eff out and I was concerned I’d missed some big announcement that my all time favorite coaster had bit the dust.
😂 the dabbing skeleton. Going out with a bang 🎉
I'm still very glad i got to experience the dueling feature, it was a while ago and remember i was just tall enough that i had to hoist myself onto the seat 😅
Agree that Hagrids is a great replacement
Apocalypse was originally Iron Wolf at SFGAm and everybody there pretty much hated it, except it was my best friend's favorite coaster. It's last day in operation, we rode it 12 times. It was bittersweet, since it meant even on it's last day the demand was so low it was that easy to marathan, but also a really great send-off. I really loved the drop after the MCBR, and the way the main pre-drop felt standing. The marathon is definitely an experience I'll never forget!
9:48: Also known as Top Thrill Tantrum!
Man, we rode Dueling Dragons on LSD 6-7 separate trips to Orlando. did it on ecstacy once too at midnight on New Years lol. Islands of Adventure forever changed my life, the best of times!
I'm glad you mentioned how bad Vortex at Carowinds is. That was my first and only standing coaster experience. Now that i learned that's not the norm. I might give other standing coasters a chance.
I love the dragon challenge and it’s an amazing coaster that I enjoyed as a kid. I also like dueling each trains which is insane. Bring the dragon back lol, I will always remember the moment of the dragon at Florida. Maybe, Stardust might be the next coaster to go on. Cuttos to the best missed coaster!!!
I haven't been on too many defunct coasters, the most notable defunct coasters I've been on though are: Wild Mouse at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, The Ultimate at Lightwater Valley (it was terrible) and Skyways at Clarence Pier (famous for being featured in an episode of Mr Bean)
Volcano blast coaster and Big Bad Wolf are the only defunct coasters I’ve ever been on. But now BBW is making a comeback! And I can’t wait!!
Scorpion is closed. That was the first looping roller coaster I ever went on and it was also the first one my son had rode to. We don't live in Florida but it became a 2 generation right of passage.
I actually rode scorpion a couple of years ago, it wasn’t bad. But even in the line waiting I could tell it wasn’t popular(at least wasn’t anymore), the line was short compared to other coasters at the park. There really was little wait time, like if I remember correctly we entered the queue(I was visiting with my mom) and like maybe about 5 minutes or less(I have no exact idea as I don’t bring my phone into theme parks) we were riding. It is a tad short yes, but not bad in my opinion. Still I could tell it nearing its end while in line, like I said it was one of the shortest lines for a ride in mid-day I ever been in. No joke, it was nearly a walk on-walk off short type of line, but just barely long enough for us to wait a few runs, but less than 10.
Two defunct credits here. Ragin’ Cajun two (but that is nothing compared to) one, my first roller coaster ever, Big Bad Wolf.
Potentially returning to Busch Gardens next year and catching my first visit to Kings Dominion but there is no way Verbolten can compare to BBW.
The defunct coasters I’m saddest I’ll never experience are The Ultimate and Volcano The Blast Coaster.
My fave defunct coaster that I've ridden would have to be Big Bad Wolf. I just loved the layout and ride experience.
Man. For me my top is Red side of Dueling Dragons, Blue is top 5. Also included on my Defunct list is also the OG Top Thrill Dragster, thr original layout of Hades, Opa, Hellcat @ Timber Falls. Juries still out on Montezoomas Revenge, I know Knotts has plans on bringing it back, but still. My least favorite though is Tidal Twister
Wicked twister is sentimental to me. Went to cedar point many years ago and I was too fat to ride any coasters. I dieted like crazy and 2 years later, I was the only person in my group that could fit on wicked twister.
I'm one of the few that miss Flashback at SFMM. I was new to coasters and couldn't handle inversions. Flashback was a pretty new install and still relatively smooth. I bounced between it, Ninja, Goldrusher, and Colossus that day. Finally decided to do a loop and finished with Revolution. Flashback got me on rollercoasters until Boomerang at Knotts took me off of them.
I’m glad I got to ride it once, but I’ll miss Firehawk a lot. Orion is a quality replacement at least, and a lot more reliable
Im actually in the small group of people that really like’s Firebird at SFA. I didnt find it rough at all really. I thought it was a fun small floorless coaster,