Family coasters imo are the #1 thing every park needs. Everyone can enjoy them, weather you are a PG chicken or a hardcore enthusiast, everyone can enjoy these. I rode Kentucky Flier and was amazed of how it was good enough for me cause I love airtime pops and kids and family can enjoy at the same time. Every park truly needs one. I am talking to you Holiday World.
Well yeah, most parks need a good lineup of them, preferrably comparable to the quantity of extreme coasters in order to make sure the park can be appealing to everyone and not just teenagers and enthusiasts.
For me the thing that makes Space Mountain at Disneyland so great is the soundtrack. It makes the mild speed of the coaster seem so much faster. Having the speakers in the cars also helps.
Agreed. I don't quite love any of the Disney coasters, but the soundtrack on California Screamin' (now Incredicoaster) was PERFECT. It elevated the ride way beyond it's kinda mediocre layout by making even the weak bunny hills seem exciting. I still listen to it on occasion...
Manta at SeaWorld San Diego is my favorite family coaster even though I guess it didn’t meet the criteria for this video. Within the criteria it would be between Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland CA, though I really need to reride them.
Here’s some coasters I’m expecting to see on this list... Intimidator 305, X2, Lightning Rod, Dododonpa, El Toro, Formula Rossa, Kingda Ka, Tower of Terror 2, Montu, The Smiler, Eejanika
Small note: at disneyland paris , space mountain is actually a completely different coaster (vekoma looping coaster). Might want to add that one in so people don't get too confused
Th13teen and Wickerman would’ve been such a good fit for the list. Too bad they’re over 40 mph. I think it should be 45mph limit. And I’ve got a video idea. Instead of top coasters for families you should do top coaster families. (Like ranking the families that own manufacturers and parks and stuff like the Mack family or the Thompson family
I mean IDK if I would call them family coasters though. I think the 40mph limit was a good choice, rides like WIckerman and Th13teen lean a bit too far over into being family coasters. I know I sure as heck would've been too scared to ride rides that big when I was younger.
Hansa Park calls Kärnan a Family-Thrill Coaster, so there we have the best family coaster XD Okay, seriously, my favourite family coasters are Colorado Adventure, Dwervelwind and Van Helsings Factory. I also think all the other Gerstlauer Bobsled Coaster look great, espacially Heiße Fahrt at Klotten
Prowler at KC Worlds of Fun is an awesome coaster. No big hills, just the feeling of a cougar running through the trees. It might be a little aggressive to be called a family coaster, but it is fast and switches side to side quickly following the contour of the terrain.
I'm sure RMC's new family hybrid coaster would make the list. ;) Also I would've drawn the line at 50mph, there are a lot of family coasters that max out between 40 and 50mph and even some family coasters that go above that, e.g. Juvelen.
My son rides only family coasters, and I saw a few of our favorites in this video! One of his other favorites is Phoenix. We all enjoy riding that together as a family. 💛 My daughters are up for any coaster though, thank goodness!
I think Space Fantasy at Universal Studios Japan is really underrated. It's an amazing rollercoaster with great theming and because it's not that fast or dark you can really appreciate that.
That was a great list! I haven’t ridden as many coasters as you, but some of my favorites include Runaway Mine Train SFOT, Wave Breaker, Gemini (if you can call it a family coaster lol) and my all time favorite family coaster is Road Runner Express at my home park of Fiesta Texas (I have a nostalgia bias probably)
I rode Pégase express, and I liked it ! This is a cool Gerstlauer family coaster with two launches ( foreward and backwards ) and a lift hill. Despite this being a parking lot coaster, it has a pretty cool greek theming with little jokes scattered through the que line that always make me smiling. It features an out and back layout, and thus has many little airtime hills. I though Big Thuder Mountain at Disneyland Paris would have been on this list 😁
I'm glad you included Cobras Curse! I visited BGTB a couple of years ago and I had just as much FUN on that ride as I did on the main coasters in the park.
yep cobras curse looks so fun last time i went to BGTB i havent thought abt it and was scared so i wasnt able to ride it, but ive watched the pov many times and it looks amazing and super fun and thrilling so next time i go to BGT, im def going on it!!:)
Escape from Gringotts is fantastic. It'd probably be my #1 too, and my whole family loved it. I actually like Orlando's Space Mountain a lot, but I want to put in a word for WDW's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which I'd rate higher than Space Mountain as an overall experience--I haven't experienced Colorado Adventure, but BTMR is by far the best mine train I've been on, just from length combined with Disney's incredible theming. And, again, it's a ride my family can share, though they seem to consider it right at the top of their comfort zone. Roar-O-Saurus is the only GG junior woodie I've ridden, and it is stunning, a real airtime machine. It's intense enough that my family won't go on it, though. But I've seen little kids enjoying it, so it's hard to argue that it's not a family coaster. Story Land's other coaster, the Polar Coaster, is much more of a kiddie ride and will only really thrill the little ones, but I like its cute theming and the fact that it's a terrain coaster.
Woodstock Express at King's Dominion is my current favourite family coaster. there is just something so satisfying and charming about it, and I actually got some decent airtime!
the deal with magic kingdom space mountain is that it's the Matterhorn ... the ride that throws your back out. Same cars, same old pipe rails, same layout. ... except instead of alpine mountain rockwork you get pitch black and an aged space station for theming. 8\ ... and you don't have the same nighttime ride option that you do at the Matterhorn (which is honestly super worth it).
Yeah, and again I think the 40mph limitation he put in was just right! Rides as big as those 2 definitely lean more into being in between coasters between the family rides and the thrill coasters.
Not sure if this fits the requirements but i absolutely LOVE Sierra Sidewinder at Knotts. Its really fun and has a crazy moment where you're whipping around a helix right above the ground.
Not claiming that it's the best but my favorite family coaster is Goldrusher at Magic Mountain. The way it uses the terrain is so so fun. Plus the helix at the end is actually fairly intense
I worked in Tomorrowland at Disneyland from 2008-2018 but I honestly prefer space mountain at magic kingdom. I've ridden this coaster well over 500 times in my life and that's including the original version before the shutdown in 2003. I know mine has the on ride audio but in terms of actual roller coaster it doesn't really get going until the end and only has 1 significant drop. While at Magic Kingdom you have two separate tracks that feel faster and more out of control. The sound track is pumped into the ride building so that's not as good but the version is just amore fun roller coaster for me. Omega side is better in my opinion, it has 3 significant drops and the ride just fees like more than a bunch of downwards helixes. Also, we don't have the star tunnel in que in Anaheim lol
I'm sorry oh dear leader, but the only coasters that would qualify dont have listed speeds, and thus likely werent included. Not to mention they are old and rough! Having said that, do with me what you must, but spare my family! I'm but a poor messenger!
My favorite family coasters are Colorado Adventure, Winja's, Vogel Rok, Bobbahn and Van Helsing's Factory. All of them were really fun in my opinion and also have some nice theming.
Honestly, the speed limit, to me, is really just there to ensure the list isn't predictable. If it wasn't there, Hagrid would have taken the win, I'm 100% certain. It has something for practically everyone. Honestly, Universal seems to practically have mastered the themed family coaster. Glad I can consider Orlando one of my home parks.
Yeah, I remember the Gringotts ride being awesome. The other one (I think it’s called the Forbidden Journey?) wasn’t that good though. One of them broke down halfway during the ride (I don’t remember which one, or maybe it was a different ride like Transformers or Spider Man) so I saw all the technical components and stuff, that was a pretty unique experience I doubt I’ll have again. They gave us an extra ride afterward so it was pretty cool and a win win situation.
Way too much competition, but I was hoping the Dragon Coaster (Rye Playland) would make your list. It's the only remaining family coaster designed by Frederick Church. Love this channel, btw!
For some reason when I went to kk, I rode Kentucky flyer and the back row had a really strong rattle but when I went in the front row it was very smooth
The old Eurosat at Europapark would be my number one. But the new one sadly isn't as good. So my favorites would be: 1. Heidi the Ride at Plopsaland 2. Thi3teen at Alton Towers 3. Van Helsings Factory at Movie Park Germany 4. Colorado Adventure at Phantasialand 5. Arthur at Europa Park
Haven't been on most of these, but Space Mountain (and Big Thunder Mountain even though it's not on the list) are both really good choices. I don't remember for sure but I'm pretty sure Big Thunder Mountain was my first coaster in 1987 (didn't ride Space Mountain on that trip, but since then it's become my favorite ride in the park, to the point that I proposed to my wife using a ride photo on Space Mountain.) I'd also say that California Screamin' / Incredicoaster is a good "gateway coaster" (Gets up to 65 MPH and has an inversion, but not really a thrill coaster all things considered.) It'll be interesting to see how the Tron coaster at Magic Kingdom fits into this when it opens (looks like the Shanghai version launches to around 60 MPH, but has no inversions and only a 48" height requirement)
honestly, I don't know how many would call this ride a family coaster, but Jet Star 2 is such a fun coaster, it may not have been able to make the list due to it being 50 ft, but it's still such a fun ride, I got lucky enough to ride it in the very front (two people are in the same seat and one is essentially in the other's lap) when I rode it (I rode it at Lagoon, which is my home park, so I wasn't able to choose the seat except for with the person I was with) but just riding it was such an experience, great coaster, would def include it in my top 10 family coasters
Hey Taylor, would you please re-review some of the coasters that you reviewed a long time ago and think that your opinions have changed? Thanks for the great content!
I actually have thought the same thing. Sometimes I am checking out a ride that Taylor reviewed when he was 15 or something, and I wonder if it's gotten rough by now or if he has additional insights after getting to ride it more. Following up on old reviews might be a good option for those times when you can't travel and get new footage, Taylor!
Been on four of the coasters on your list, Firechaser Express, Cobra's Curse, the Tokyo Space Mountain and Escape from Gringotts! I actually like Firechaser Express and Cobra's Curse probably a little more than I should. I'm a sucker for coasters with theming as you can tell by these. 😂🙂
haha i love cobras curse it looks so thrilling and i really want to go on it, but last time i went to BGT i was too scared!! haha. but now i really want to ride it so i hope i wont chicken out lol
I'd add 'Joris En De Draak" in Efteling, Kaatsheuvel, Holland. Though it goes 75 km/h it's a really great coaster for also kids, not too youhg, but i'd say its a very great ride! I'm also not a great fan of loops and other weird things, but this is one of my favorite rides. It has no loops or whatshowever. Or "DragonFly" In Duinrell. No invertions, i don't know how fast it goes though, it's an family coaster. Oh, if ur ever going to visit Duinrell, i dare you to ride "waterspin"... Any Dutchies here who have ride it?
I mean I've ridden Joris en de draak and I don't think I'd count it as a family coaster, it's too tall, too fast, and too intense. But still a really fun ride none the less.
I kinda wanted Dwervelwind from Toverland to be in here too but you can't have everything I guess. The only one on here Ive ridden is colorado adventure and I was also very pleasantly surprised when riding it :)
Some of the Mack Rides are very good family coaster examples but Wicker Man is a very good family thrill coaster but like u said, if it's the 40mph then fair enough!
It's probably because I've had a long day of ride operating, but I found the typo 'Gingotts' hilarious. So thank you for a completely accidental moment of joy for me today!
I’d love to see Taylor do a top onboard audio list. Though with somewhat of a twist, the soundtrack needs to be made for the ride specifically. So no Rip Ride Rockit, or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster with pre-existing music. And I’m counting edits too so X2 is out as well. (Ya know if the soundtrack actually worked)
I don’t count Gringotts as a coaster/credit. It has a small coaster section but is mostly dark ride. It doesn’t really matter since it’s still an amazing ride no matter how you put it. Now, Mummy is a coaster because it’s more coaster than dark ride and has some real coaster elements, and imo that’s the greatest indoor coaster to ever exist.
