My Honest Thoughts on Ghostrider... 

I love this ride. It is in my top 20. But I'm sure there are people who share your opinion. For me it's not just about forces. It's incredibly re ridable , which I can't say about too many woodies.

1. Ghostrider has great airtime (it may not be as good as the ones you mentioned) and I’ll even admit that twisted colossus and railblazer have better airtime, but it still has great airtime. 2. The laterals on every turn are powerful (excluding the second turnaround) and provide so much intensity 3. It’s a long ride 4. I prefer a smooth ride over a rough one P.s. how dare you say that patriot and Goliath are terrible smh

I rode Ghostrider for the first time recently. I was super hyped, and was left slightly disappointed. It was not elite. Maybe it’s because of how hyped up it was and my expectations were too high. I’d like to ride it again and see how my perspective changes

Haven’t ridden this in forever but plan on going in July so I can’t wait to see how it actually is again, and hopefully see u around

The intro to this channel feels like 2006 I think I like it

I find the laterals to be better than you are saying. The pacing is really great on this ride and the air time is very good overall. Plus the night rides are among the best of any coaster. The drop off the mid course is outstanding. This is my #20 out of 379 credits. But to be fair I wouldn't wait 3 hours for it....

I definitely respect your opinion on this, and even though I have this as my number one you brought up a lot of really good points. If you prefer a more insane experience focusing on a few select forces over a general variety of forces, you will prefer any gci or gravity group to it. I really enjoy ghost because of the variety of great forces (at least on my rides). First half had great floater and the second half had some good ejector pops and lats, especially that helix, which I find to be insane. I do prefer more sustained laterals over quick bursts of laterals which could be another reason how I really like it. So I really enjoy it but I will never understand why people will get mad over something as simple as you having a coaster you consistently jab at (in this case, ghostrider) because doesn’t everyone?

I love Ghost Rider, but I also only have 9 credits. GR is the only coaster I've ridden with crazy non stop drops and hills like that. I honestly hope you are right, because GR was awesome, so if it's a mid-tier coaster, I can't wait to get on a top-tier one. Btw, what's your favorite ride at Knott's?

The last I went to knotts was a few months ago and I actually saw you working at ghost rider! I tried to say hi but I didnt want to disturb you.

When I rode apocalypse I was expecting it to be amazing bc of how you compared it to ghost rider bc I loved ghost rider but I was extremely underwhelmed by apocalypse. Ghost rider is rougher, more intense imo and a longer ride so I will prefer ghost rider to apocalypse any day

I currently have a coaster credit count of 57 and GhostRider is in my top 10. I love airtime, inversions, and intensity but I have never really been a fan of laterals. I haven't really been on that many wooden coasters, but I have been on Apocalypse at SFMM. I didn't like Apocalypse that much but I got a walk on. I rode in the back and it was fun but, not the best ride in the park. I rode GhostRider last night in the back and it was still great like usual, but was it worth the 3 hour wait. I waited an hour for Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland and I prefer that way more than GhostRider. I feel like I will only do GhostRider once a month and I can't believe that I spent 3 hours at Knott's last night and only did 1 thing.

I've heard that it's changed a lot since when it came out in the 90s. I rode it when it first got to the park and that thing had pretty much no slowing down; it was great. But I hear they've added a mid-course brake run and other crap so yeah.. Same with Goliath at MM. Rode it within the first month it came out, did not have that ridiculously slow breakrun. Once it got started it pretty much had no signs of slowing down. But I rode it last year for the first time in years, and it was a completely different ride than I remember. I haven't been to Knott's (well, with the rides open at least; I DID go in 2020 for Taste of Knott's but that doesn't count, couldn't ride anything) since like 1999 or 2000 lol 😬, so I'm sure there's a LOT that I've missed out on. I FINALLY made it back to SFMM last year for the first time in 13yrs 😬 and it was sooooo different, seeing how much things have changed, and also how different the coasters feel when you're an older rider. I remember I used to be able to marathon stuff like nothing. Now most rides, wouldn't get on more than twice in a day. Also seems like every minute detail is amplified when you're older too lol. I was like wtf man; I'm an ol' coaster boomer now bahahaha Been meaning to try to FINALLY get down to Knott's since they finally reopened Hangtime, and I wanted to wait for that so I could try to experience all the new stuff at once, so I'll get down there soon. Prob won't be back for another 20yrs after that though 😅😅 Anyway, I'm rambling here. Take care, man.

I travelled like 30 hours from the east coast to go to California for a one and done trip only to find Ghostrider & X2 was closed 🥲🥲At least I can get a sense of what GhostRider was rlly like since it was mainly the reason I wanted to go to knotts lol

I haven’t ridden it, but will later this year. I don’t really have any particular expectations but I’m looking forward to it!

I had kind of a similar opinion on Cannibal at Lagoon, where I actually prefered Scream over it, but it seems like I only now noticed how much airtime the first drop delivers, and some of the ejector pops throughout the ride. Ghostrider is actually my number 1 coaster, and while the first half does have some dead spots, the ride feels out of control in its second half, and it feels like its tearing itself apart. Twisted Colossus definitely has better airtime, but ghostrider is more fun imo.

I love the way you describe your viewpoint of overrated, because I agree completely. I don’t understand at all why people say something is overrated after a handful of rides on one single visit, cause it’s not like they have a good feel for it. I also don’t understand when people call something overrated SOLELY because they like something less than the general consensus, cause then they aren’t taking into account other peoples preferences. However, when people describe forces that simply aren’t there, or I don’t experience, that’s when I consider something overrated just like you described. An instance that for me is so rare, I can count on my fingers and name every thrill coaster I genuinely find overrated. Great video sir 🤝

Shows how subjective opinon can be! I've ridden 139 coasters now, and Ghostrider is still my #4. This is partially due to nostalgia, but to me this just feels like a very balanced ride. I tend to prefer woodies with slightly less bite (I'm a row 11 instead of row 12 Voyage rider, for example) than the average coaster nut, so Ghostrider is on the milder side of my roughness preferences, making it very re-rideable (the line does negate that perk though lol). I love the lights on the track at night, and I love that it's a relatively long ride. I actually prefer spaced out elements to the rapid fire RMC/GCI style, because it allows you to take in and process each element. Out of the coasters you listed, yea, I have it above X2, TwiCo (may have a shot to be higher if they ever duel the damn thing), Tatsu, Railblazer, and Mystic Timbers. I just consistently have more fun on Ghostrider, despite loving all those coasters (well, maybe not Mystic Timbers - didn't get very good rides on it, and certainly preferred Gold Stiker and Texas Stingray).

If it hasn't been obvious, I'm totally with you on this. I don't get what others see in GhostRider. Yes, it's a fun ride that I enjoy getting a few laps on, but nowhere near the level that so many people make it out to be. I do enjoy it a little more than you though. I really liked my rides on that visit when I met you, which boosted it into my top 100 out of over 500, but nowhere near top 50, and to think of this as top 25 worthy is laughable. I truly don't get it, but I enjoy the ride. My first visit was in 2018, and at that time, I had no clue that people thought so highly of it, so there were no influences to my opinion, one direction or the other. I thought it was a nice fun ride, but nothing special. It barely made my top 50 out of 200 at the time, and it was my 3rd favorite in the park.

Fair enough Contriver, but I personally prefer Ghostrider to Apocalypse and X2 at SFMM. Apocalypse because it's short and it doesn't have much airtime, and X2 because that coaster is literally demonic asf. Btw, Viper is still hot trash because it's jerky, and Goliath is criminally underrated.

I was hoping to get your opinion. I’ve had heart surgery and I have been slowly working up my way to get on ghost rider. I can’t go upside down so Silver bullet or hangtime is out for me. But I have done jaguar Coast Rider dragon swing log ride I was wondering if you could tell me what would be the next one that I should try and may be a progression to Ghostrider thank you for your time.

Also, this ride has no setting to speak of. It's a parking lot coaster. It doesn't use terrain or go off into the woods or anything like that, which can give some wooden coasters a boost. Lack of a good setting is not a deal breaker to me, but this just drives home even further that there's nothing other than the forces of the ride (which are weak to okay) to make people rank it so high.

Do you still work at knotts I saw an operator that looked like you

I've never ridden The Voyage or Wildfire; the RMC woodie in Sweden, but Ghostrider is one of the best wooden coasters I've ridden along with Coaster at Playland through October 2020 in the back row (before it closed in 2021 and got seatbelts when it opened in July 2022); El Toro in row 17; and The Cyclone at Luna Park in Brooklyn in row 10 (or 12; but I never got he chance to ride row 12 due to time constrictions) El Toro had rough troughs when I FINALLY rode it during the last two days of May and 1st two days of June of this year in 2022, especially after the 1st turnaround. Sure enough it's closed due to what I knew was a problem when I rode it; I'm only lucky I finally had a chance to ride it before it shut down again. I'll admit Ghostrider has dead spots, and that the drop off the MCBR in the back isn't as good as the following hill w laterals IMO either, but the coaster is still excellent all in all. It doesn't have to be extreme to be elite. My two favourite coasters I've ridden in California are Ghostrider and Twisted Colossus. Twisted Colossus isn't wooden and has two 30 second thills in one ride with an excellent 1st drop twice, whereas Ghostrider has one long wooden 75 second ride. It's very hard to decide! X2 comes in third in Souther California after TW and Ghostrider. For the record: I don't not believe that Ghostider is better than Steel Vengeance, Millennium Force, Fury 325; El Toro; The Voyage, Velocicoaster; or Shivering Timbers. Then again: I've never ridden Fury 325, The Voyage, Velocicoaster, or Shivering Timbers. I love the guts you think you have to have what you think are controversial opinions about roller coasters, when I think Millennium Force is the best coaster at Cedar Point after Steel Vengeance. Thanks for sharing this great video!

I actually rode this Christmas Eve for the first time. It’s the only wooden coaster I actually like other than Son of Beast with loop yea I know unpopular opinion. I ignored anyone who said it was the best ride in California or something like that because I know that’s complete nonsense. Ghost ride is however far better than mystic or beast.

4:31 YEAH TOTALLY NOT INTENDED WHATSOEVER

2 things: I heckin *love* positive Gs, so I'm eternally grateful that my home park Magic Mountain got Goliath instead of a B&M hyper. (I would sacrifice my first-born child to have Intimidator 305 instead, though) Finally, someone else who doesn't think Ghost Rider is the best coaster there is! Although for different reasons-I just hate wooden coasters lol; even the smoothest ones give me a debilitating headache. (Another reason I love Goliath-Giovanola hypers are somehow even *smoother* than B&Ms. It's witchcraft.)

Your opinion makes perfect sense and without your presentation it shouldn’t be controversial. You said exactly why people like it: airtime, laterals, length, smoothness. And with the coasters you named off I don’t think most people would put them behind GhostRider, and Coasterbots Vote Coasters agrees. If we took a step back I think your opinion would make perfect sense for someone that values wood coasters with a little roughness and intensity. We might be complete opposites. You have GhostRider in the 50/60s and I have the Boss, the Legend, and the Raven there. For likely the exact opposite reasons of each other.

i saw u riding ghostrider in november!!

Ghost rider is one of my favorite rides.

You really can't compare GhostRider and El Toro. Keep in mind that Knott's had almost no space, but SFGA had a lot. Overall, I do respect your opinion, but I do not think that it's overrated.

Ugh I hate it when controversial opinions are right. I won’t go into detail but personally when ever I come off this ride, I feel truly disappointed.it pulls only light flowjector and nothing else. Also this ride has a noticeable rattle everywhere,THAT NOBODY talks about, this rattle is loud and annoying,it thankfully does not effect the ride experience though like there’s much to rave about when i rank timberline twister above ghostie (not even kidding you) I do have a full-ass rant on a doc somewhere however it’s to damn big to even fit on a goddamn RU-vid comment,yes my ghost rider hate is just THAT bad lol.

Ok so 2 days ago I went to knotts and ghostrider was one of the rides I went on. Anyways I thought I saw you walking by when I was walking out so I guess I did.

I describe Ghost Rider as being fun. But I don’t get how it’s an insane coaster with rapid fire elements. This thing is honestly not rapid fire at all in my opinion and is just a graceful ride. I honestly thought a day ride on Sierra Sidewinder was better than a ghost back row night ride. But I definitely respect the opinions of people who love it.

I dont have alot of thoughts about ghost rider, but I do think silver bullet is the best ride in the park and I'm not sure why

Smooth?! It is a good ride but ruff as hell. I feel like I am going to break from the rattling when I ride it.

Thoughts on benches?

Ye i agree Ghostrider is a bit overrated. Although there are 2 moments that i feel aren't talked about enough (or ever). The two very unbanked turns, after the main drop and the drop of the midcourse, are really the only out-of-control moments. If they were banked i feel they would take away from the intensity.

Hi MnL2 I saw you yesterday at knotts berry farm and did not say anything

This ride is my number one but I respect your opinon

hi

I feel like you are focussing on forces, if it is the very first time you ride it at night. It is crazier than El Toro first time at night if you have never watched any POV's it feels like it just keeps going forever.

Huh, Interesting take. This is my favorite west coast roller coaster, above literally everything else lol. The only ride I like more is Vengeance.

Hey I met u a week or two ago at ghost rider, and that was my first time riding it, and I gotta say it was pretty underwhelming compared to what I’ve heard about it

The video we've all been waiting for!! I think it's funny that I agree with you on everything regarding Ghostrider, but disagree with you on a bunch of the other rides you mentioned haha! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks woodies need some level of roughness, definitely a flaw that hurts rides like Ghostrider and Mystic Timbers imo.

I respect your opinion although I do not agree with it. Love the series

ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRASHY OPS

I agree. As you know.

lmao i definitely agree with patriot being a bad ride, it's practically forceless (except for that one time i got floater in the back row on the corkskrew for no reason) however i haven't ridden ghost rider, but i can say that it is overrated because there was a 5 hour wait when i went lol

This coaster is weird because it is super enjoyable the first time you ride it but it quickly loses its taste the more you get on

I love this coaster. However, I loved it better before they slowed it down. It does what it suppose to do. If it could talk, ghost rider would tell you to kiss it’s bad.

I love Ghostrider but I respect your opinion

I’m onboard with gold striker being the best wood coaster in CA but ghostrider is not even top 3 in Knotts?

For me ghost rider is average. I can stand super rough woodies like I marathoned gold striker and got 17 rides in row. So rough wooden coasters are better in my opinion

@1:14 NOT PAT PAT! 😭😭😭😭

This video is beautiful lol

h - how did you ride Ghostrider at 3 AM?

My last ride on this coaster was not great by any means, but not terrible. I agree with you. HOWEVER; I'm gonna have to defend Goliath on this one. It might not have a good layout, but to me it's a really fun ride and is hardly terrible!

has stanley ridden this

p͎r͎o͎m͎o͎s͎m͎ ⭐

Yeah, I like Ghostrider, but if people seriously rank it higher than X2 and all those other rides you mentioned they crazy.

GOLAITH IS NOT A BAD RIDE I FUCKIN DISAGREE STOP HATING ON GOLIATH FR IM TIRED OF IT