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3. California Screamin’ (Disney California Adventure)

California Screamin's structure and loop. Image © Nina Payer

This is a bizarre ride at a much-maligned theme park. Disney California Adventure opened in 2001 as an ultra-modern new style of Disney theme park, but was slammed by fans for its bland theming and lack of attractions. Disney has invested $1.1 billion in a series of upgrades to revitalise the park and boost attendance, but even before this California Screamin’ stood out as a diamond in the rough. The ride is themed to look like an old-style wooden coaster, and is built in the Paradise Pier section of the park. It begins with a 55mph magnetic launch, and crests a 108 feet hill. From there it dives all over the place, covering an incredible 6072 feet of track, making it one of the longest in the world. It also flies through one solitary loop towards the end of the layout. Call the original version of the park what you like, but this ride is of a truly exceptional quality from start to finish.

2. Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars (Hong Kong Disneyland)

Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars

Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars is the headline attraction of the Grizzly Gulch area, installed as part of a major expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland. It is similar in style to the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad mine train coasters at other Disney parks, but also brings in elements from the Expedition Everest coaster at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

The first third of the ride is spent plummeting backwards down a twisting, turning hill, before being blasted forwards by an "explosion". The circuit then takes in most of Grizzly Gulch, including the Geyser Gulch water play area.

1. Expedition Everest (Disney's Animal Kingdom)

The mighty main drop on Expedition Everest. Image © John Wiencek

Expedition Everest is the most recent of the large Disney roller coasters, and was built to boost a flagging Animal Kingdom. It has certainly done that as the park is now more popular than the nearby Disney's Hollywood Studios, and comfortably one of the top 10 in the world by attendance. The centerpiece of the ride (and now the park) is the 200 feet tall mountain which it is built around. As soon as you cross into the Asia area you can feel the presence of this monster,which creates a feeling of being in a far-off land with the surrounding markets stalls, statues and foliage.

The queue line for the ride is just as impressive - the first section is themed to a Tibetan monastery, complete with  hundreds of bells hanging from the ceiling all of which you can ring. You then pass into a yeti museum, which takes you through the many sightings of the beast and eventually the cabins where your crew areplanning an adventure to Everest.

Once on the platform you hop in your heavily themed train, which puffs out thick plumes of smoke, and off you roll. There is an initial section which passes through scenic ‘Tibet’, and then you head up the impressive lift hill. On the way up you pass through some kind of temple, filled with treasure and idols, and eventually reach the summit on the Forbidden Mountain (not Everest - the idea is that you have been sidetracked on the way). I won’t give away the ending, but there’s some serious fun, including a huge 80 feet drop down the side of the mountain. It is worth every cent of the $100 million Disney blew on constructing it: a true roller coaster masterpiece.

 
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