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5. Nemesis

© Matthew Fedak, click for source.

Location: Alton Towers
TPT100 Rank: 15

Perhaps the most famous coaster in the UK, Nemesis at Alton Towers is one wild ride. What's most interesting, though, is how it doesn't need extreme stats to pull it off. In fact, local ordinances require the park to never build above the treeline. As such, the lift hill of the inverted Nemesis is built into a hillside, with the ride's circuit dug down into trenches in the ground. It's all for the best, since the ride's post-apocolyptic theme fits perfectly with the barren canyons, rusted track, and the maroon rivers of "blood" that the coaster rides over. Interestingly, Nemesis also doesn't have a traditional "first drop" after the lift hill. Somehow that doesn't stop it from being action-packed from beginning to end, perfectly paced, and a fan favorite.

4. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

© Disney Photoblography. Click for source.

Location: Disneyland
TPT100 Rank: 15

In terms of classic steel coasters, they don't get much more beloved than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. All of the Disney Resorts have a version of a runaway mine train attraction, but Disneyland's ranks highest on our list (and is linked to above). With a winding, dipping course over the rusted red hills of Utah, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is no where near the most intense roller coaster at Disney Parks, which has cast it as a perfect "middle ground" ride. For many kids, it may be their first "big" roller coaster! Disneyland's version was recently re-built and updated (just as their Space Mountain was a decade before) with an explosive new finale. That may be why it edges ahead on our list. 

3. Incredible Hulk

© Universal

Location: Universal’s Islands of Adventure
TPT100 Rank: 10

A dominating visual center of Universal's Islands of Adventure, the Incredible Hulk coaster - like its namesake - is angry. The ride is the only launched coaster built by B&M in the whole world (though the company - which stresses reliability and uptime - purposefully had nothing to do with the launch mechanism). As the train slowly climbs through the inclined Gamma Tube, it suddenly accelerates to 67 miles per hour uphill, inverting into a zero-G roll at the top of the hill, 110 feet over the Great Inland Sea below. It then dives down and races into a massive cobra roll visible from anywhere in the park. The ride has a total of 7 inversions along its twisted circuit, and is a signature attraction of the park.  

2. Expedition Everest

Click for source.

Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
TPT100 Rank: 7

The largest and single most expensive attraction at Walt Disney World, Expedition Everest has been highly rated on our list even from the beginning. The queue wraps through an Asian Yeti museum, documenting the existence of the mysterious cryptoid also known as the Abominable Snowman. The dark ride / roller coaster hybrid is meant to resemble a Sherpa train ride through the Himalayas that goes very wrong. After the train climbs through an ancient temple city where an altar to the Yeti seems to signal trouble ahead, riders encounter a startling piece of uprooted and twisted track that blocks the way. A dizzying and forceful backwards section leads to an 80 foot plunge from the mountain and a few encounters with the horrifying Yeti itself. 

1. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

© James Kirby / Universal

Location: Universal Studios Florida
TPT100 Rank: 6

What exactly awaits within the sealed vaults of Gringotts, the Wizarding Bank of Diagon Alley? Let's just say that Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts has more than a few twists and tricks up its sleeves. The elaborately-dressed family coaster had been the talk of the town since its announcement. Thankfully for Universal (and us), the ride has exceeded the sky-high expectations of fans and park enthusiasts with many early reviews proclaiming it among the best rides in the entire world. Certainly more dark ride than coaster, Gringotts still uses its coaster technology in two key moments to leave riders stunned, which earns it the leading position on our list. At least, until the hype dies down.

Conclusion

Don't forget: this isn't a list of our favorites, it's a list of yours. The rankings here are determined by the tens of thousands of star ratings our readers have assigned to these great rides. Only tiny decimal place differences exist between many of these coasters, and one particularly bad review or a really good one could shift the whole ranking. Still, it seems to us that this is a pretty good list! If we were tasked with coming up with a list of the best from scratch, it would probably have all of these coasters on it. 

If you disagree with our list, visit the attraction's page (making sure you're at the right park... The Big Thunder Mountain link above is for the Disneyland ride, for example) and rate it appropriately. Otherwise, you can visit the TPT100 and read down the list, rating any attractions you've ridden! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this list by commenting below and rating the rides. 

 
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Comments

How does this not include Phoenix at Knoebels, for that matter why do none of your articles that I have seen mention Knoebels? Its a perfect park.

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