Welcome to another installment of the Attraction Awards of the 2010s — we’re highlighting the best roller coasters and attractions that opened (or closed) over the last decade. Last month, we asked readers to nominate their favorites in each of these five categories:
- Best Steel Coaster
- Best Wooden Coaster
- Most-Missed Coaster
- Best (Non-Coaster) Attraction
- Most Innovative Attraction
The Coaster101 team gathered the nominations, narrowed them down and ranked them in a list of 10 for each category. Through the end of the month, we’re revealing each of those five top-10 lists.
Up next, we’re naming the 10 best wooden coasters that opened in the 2010s:
10. Gold Striker (2013) – TIE
California’s Great America – Santa Clara, CA
Originally planned for 2009, Gold Striker finally opened to the public on May 31, 2013, and was the first new roller coaster to open at California’s Great America since 2001. Designed by Jeff Pike and Great Coasters International (GCI), it’s one of the company’s best roller coasters, filled with tightly twisted turns, bumps of air time and brilliant pacing throughout. Gold Striker has been ranked as a top-12 wooden coaster in the world by the Golden Ticket Awards every year since 2014.
Gold Striker Stats
- Length: 3,197 feet
- Height: 108 feet
- Speed: 54 mph
Learn more about Gold Striker, and how it was built, in our Q&A with Adam House of Great Coasters International, inc. about how their coaster design process.
10. Kentucky Flyer (2019) – TIE
Kentucky Kingdom – Louisville, KY
The Gravity Group added another family wooden coaster to its portfolio with Kentucky Flyer at Kentucky Kingdom. The coaster filled the family-friendly coaster void at the park, which continues its renaissance after reopening in 2014 under original owner Ed Hart. Despite its smaller size, Kentucky Flyer packs a punch with stellar pacing and a generous helping of airtime throughout its course. The eye-catching, airplane-themed trains make the coaster nearly as fun to watch as it is to ride.
Kentucky Flyer Stats
- Length: 1,288 feet
- Height: 47 feet
- Drop: 44 feet
- Speed: 35 mph
Read our review of Kentucky Flyer here.
9. White Lightning (2013)
Fun Spot America – Orlando, FL
As is commonplace with GCI’s works of roller-coaster art, White Lightning packs a punch with blistering pacing and copious amounts of airtime. Aside from its fun-from-start-to-finish layout, White Lightning is notable for being GCI’s first “hybrid” roller coaster with its traditional wooden track being supported by steel scaffolding-style supports. The coaster helped make Fun Spot America a can’t-miss destination for roller coaster enthusiasts visiting Central Florida.
White Lightning Stats
- Length: 2,032 feet
- Height: 70 feet
- Drop: 67 feet
- Speed: 44 mph
8. Flying Turns (2013)
Knoebels – Elysburg, PA
Nearly eight years after construction began on Flying Turns, the 1920s-style wooden bobsled finally opened to the public in late 2013. And judging by guest reviews, it was well worth the wait. The built-in-house coaster is one of the smaller entries on this list, but the coaster provides an unforgettable, off-the-rails (literally) ride experience that only a toboggan-style coaster can provide. It solidified Knoebels as one of the most classic amusement parks in the nation.
Flying Turns Stats
- Length: 1,300 feet
- Height: 50 feet
- Speed: 24 mph
7. InvadR (2017)
Busch Gardens Williamsburg – Williamsburg, VA
GCI earns another spot on this top-10 wooden coaster list with InvadR at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The park’s first wooden coaster, InvadR’s modest size — compared to the other coasters at the park — has little effect on the amount of laugh-out-loud airtime that fills the family-friendly ride. The coaster is only the second GCI to feature a hybrid steel support structure (after White Lightning as seen above). Another fun fact? Its intricate Viking-themed trains were repurposed from the former Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa.
InvadR Stats
- Length: 2,118 feet
- Drop: 74 feet
- Speed: 48 mph
Read our InvadR review here.
6. Mine Blower (2017)
Fun Spot America Kissimmee – Kissimmee, FL
While The Gravity Group has found success in the family-friendly wooden coaster market, it proved in 2017 with Mine Blower that the company is still very capable of providing high-octane thrills. Featuring a zero-gravity, corkscrew-like inversion found on other coasters in the company’s portfolio, along with a near-endless supply of airtime, Mine Blower was an unexpected addition to the small Fun Spot America park in Kissimmee, FL.
Mine Blower Stats
- Length: 2,290 feet
- Height: 83 feet
- Drop: 80.5 feet
- Speed: 48.5 mph
- Inversions: 1
5. Wildfire (2016)
Kolmården Wildlife Park – Kolmården, Sweden
Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) entered the overseas market with the awe-inspiring, built-from-the-ground-up Wildfire at the Kolmården wildlife park in Sweden. Utilizing the park’s rocky terrain, Wildfire is relentless from start to finish. Its 4,150-foot-layout is packed with a delectable mix of some of RMC’s most beloved elements: a zero-G stall, heartline roll, banked turns and, of course, plenty of airtime.
Wildfire Stats
- Length: 4,150 feet
- Height: 184 feet
- Drop: 161 feet
- Speed: 71.5 mph
- Inversions: 3
4. Goliath (2014)
Six Flags Great America – Gurnee, IL
RMC and Six Flags Great America made waves in 2014 with the debut of the wooden behemoth, Goliath. Upon its opening, Goliath shattered three wooden coaster world records: the longest drop (180 feet), the steepest drop (85 degrees) and the fastest speed (72 mph). Built on a small plot of land formerly occupied by the Iron Wolf stand-up coaster, Goliath’s compact layout features one mind-blowing element right after another, including a near-vertical drop and RMC’s first-ever zero-G stall. Goliath proved that a space constraint is no reason to forgo a record-breaking wooden coaster.
Goliath Stats
- Length: 3,100 feet
- Height: 165 feet
- Drop: 180 feet
- Speed: 72 mph
- Inversions: 2
Read our Goliath review here.
3. Mystic Timbers (2017)
Kings Island – Mason, OH
At a park with one of the most legendary wooden coasters in North America (Beast), expectations for Mystic Timbers were understandably high. Throw in a mysterious “What’s in the shed?” marketing campaign leading up to the coaster’s debut, and all eyes were on this GCI coaster. And by rider reactions, it appears this coaster lived up to the hype. The terrain-hugging coaster may not have broken any world records, but it provided a stellar addition to Kings Island’s coaster roster. The indoor show-scene finale was just icing on the cake.
Mystic Timbers Stats
- Length: 3,265 feet
- Height: 109 feet
- Speed: 53 mph
Read our Mystic Timbers review here.
2. Outlaw Run (2013)
Silver Dollar City – Branson, MO
Photo © Silver Dollar City
Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City was RMC’s built-from-the-ground-up wooden coasters. While the company’s prior experience included the innovative “Topper Track” that replaced wooden coasters’ upper layers of laminated wooden track, Outlaw Run redefined what we know as the wooden coaster. Its three inversions — including a double barrel-roll finale — and a record-breaking 81-degree drop made it one of the most impactful wooden-coaster debuts of the 2010s.
Photo © Silver Dollar City
Outlaw Run Stats
- Length: 2,937 feet
- Height: 107 feet
- Drop: 162 feet
- Speed: 68 mph
- Inversions: 3
Read our review of Outlaw Run in the dark here.
1. Lightning Rod (2016)
Dollywood – Pigeon Forge, TN
RMC claims the #1 spot on our list of the top 10 wooden coasters of the 2010s with Lightning Rod at Dollywood — the world’s fastest wooden coaster and the first and only to launched wooden coaster. The ride is short and sweet, but not a single foot of track is wasted following the 0-40 mph launch.
The coaster’s quadruple-down — four consecutive drops down a hillside — provides sustained airtime that must be experienced firsthand to fully appreciate. Lightning Rod represents another redefining moment for the coaster industry we experienced in the 2010s.
Lightning Rod Stats
- Length: 3,800 feet
- Drop: 165 feet
- Speed: 73 mph
Read our Lightning Rod review here.
Don’t miss our list of the top 10 steel coasters that opened in the 2010s here.
Stay tuned as we reveal the remaining three categories later this month:
- Most-Missed Coasters
- Best Non-Coaster Attractions
- Most Innovative Attractions
What were your favorite wooden coasters that opened in the last decade? Do you agree with this ranking? Let us know in the comments section below.
Outlaw Run needs to be #1. Lightning rod isn’t even close to being as good as OR. Sure it’s fast, but it’s also bland. Outlaw Run is a masterpiece as well as being revolutionary.
and where tf is toro!!!!!