Roller coasters I miss

Most coaster enthusiasts who've been riding rollercoasters for a few years have some coasters and attractions that are no longer in operation that they miss. Whilst thinking about this it became apparent that my list was exactly shorter than I had expected but there are still a handful of coasters that definitely fit this description for me. Here's the top 5 coasters I miss (in random order)!

Starting with the most dubious qualifier on the list, as this ride technically still exists in Sweden, but in a different guise, it's Alton Towers' classic, Black Hole. This was one of my childhood favourite coasters that helped me get into the hobby (and appreciate coasters in the dark!) and seemed so intense and mysterious back in the day. It wasn't until I got more into the hobby and the internet came more into play that I realised what the actual track layout even looked like! My memories are of the steampunk space version of the 90s and early 00s with the lift hill music from THAT space mountain advert on VHS. Although in terms of design this coaster wasn't, and isn't anything special, the darkness complemented the ride by adding suspense to the spiral lift hill and emphasised those signature Schwarzkopf banked turns. Black Hole was a great family ride and a real Alton Towers classic. I'm sure I'm not alone in having this on my list!

Next up is perhaps a more surprising inclusion on the list. Bob at Efteling. I find bobsled coasters a refreshing change from conventional coasters and nice family-friendly options that add variety to any line up. There's something about that extra fear that you might fly off the edge of the track at any moment that adds to the thrill of these rides! It's almost more akin to a waterslide than a rollercoaster! Whilst Bob wasn't anything greatly special, every now and then when I'm reminded about Max and Moritz (which I'm sure are great for their target audience!) I remember that the enjoyable ride that was Bob was sacrificed for them. There are now only two Intamin bobsled coasters in operation.

Ok so here me out. Yes, Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa was super rough and needed serious work but I definitely miss having this attraction operating in the park. Gwazi was my first ever wooden rollercoaster and it seemed so different to everything else offered by the central Florida theme parks at the time. Although the ride was rough and made you fear for your life slightly, it could still provide some fun thrills. The atmosphere around this ride and in the queue with the coasters racing and rumbling around you, coupled with the unique station building design, eye-catching artwork and theme of the duelling Lion and Tiger came together to create a cohesive ride that seemed to fit the park so well. Hearing the coasters roar as they tore around the track fitted the theme so well (although in hindsight perhaps this was them tearing themselves apart)! The concept, theme and layout were all great ideas. It just didn't quite work in reality and it seemed like whatever the park did, including a retrack and new millenium flyer trains, the ride just couldn't be smoothed out. Gwazi finally succumbed to the pressures of guest feedback and maintenance in 2015 closing after 16 years of operation.

Whilst I am pleased that the ride infrastructure and name are being used again I would have preferred it if someone had finally fixed Gwazi (perhaps the new GCI track or another company?) with Busch Gardens then receiving an RMC as an extra attraction in addition to the two woodies instead of Iron Gwazi being a replacement. Obviously this is just wishful thinking but it's always sad when a ride that could have been fantastic has so many issues. I love duelling and racing woodies as the interaction and camaraderie between the riders adds an extra level of enjoyment to a ride and watching the two trains swoop down towards each other was quite a sight to behold! Being a wooden coaster fan, I think almost every park can benefit from diversifying their line up with at least one woodie. Perhaps the Floridian climate isn't so great for wooden attractions in this case though. Whilst RMC have breathed new life into the shuttered attraction Iron Gwazi is a very different style of ride from the original and I am not sure it will have quite the same presence as two large and loud woodies. At least it will certainly be a bit different. Hopefully Iron Gwazi is a hit and won't have as many setbacks as it's predecessor!

Oh Universal Orlando. Is anyone else still annoyed about this? There was a point in time where Universal Orlando removed both the Dragons and Wet n' Wild within about a year of each other and let me tell you, I really wasn't a fan. I completely understand the reasoning behind the decision to remove the dragons, both in terms of ride lifespan and potter space but seeing the two best rides in a park get ripped out is always going to be a bit of a shock to the system. I think quite a few people also felt this way. 

I first rode the dragons way back when they duelled in the lost continent and hurtling head-on towards another speeding train full of people before being whipped up into a vertical loop was an insane experience! Being two huge B&Ms, these beasts were pure people-eaters meaning there was never much of a queue, which was great for riding both sides and for the subsequent rerides that would always follow! Like, Gwazi the original duelling concept added an extra something to this ride that made it really impressive. I love seeing another train whizzing past me or racing at the side, like who doesn't!? It's cool! Even once the duelling had ceased due to safety concerns over loose articles both coasters were still great rides in their own rights and ranked midway in my B&M rankings during this time, or even higher when I was less well-travelled! The queue was well-themed, as were the trains and who could forget that fabulous original entrance way with the two huge snarling dragons (see above)! Luckily Universal Orlando have continued to invest in coaster hardware since the demise of the dragons so we haven't really lost out too badly. I am yet to ride Hagride but I hope I'll find it a fitting replacement for what were, in my opinion, the best rides in the park!

This is definitely the one that caused the most community hurt, with duelling dragons probably coming up second. When the unique Wild Mouse at Blackpool Pleasure Beach disappeared almost overnight in secret during the 2017 closed season a wave of outrage swept through the enthusiast community. In fact, I can't remember a time when people were as outraged at a piece of coaster news than at this (at least in recent memory). The Wild Mouse at Blackpool was a rare wooden wild mouse coaster, built in-house by the park in 1958 that was one of only 4 wooden wild mouse coasters in the world when it closed. The layout featured tight turns, sudden drops and lots of headchoppers! The cars were small and you had to sit one in-front of the other if you wanted to ride with a friend. It was without a doubt one of the most extreme wild mouse coasters ever and one that you really did need to hold on for dear life on! Considering how much of a throwback this ride was, in terms of style and health and safety it was pretty amazing that it lasted as long as it did but that doesn't stop fans missing it's unique ride experience. This ride removal served as a stark reminder that historic rides don't always last, even if they're popular and that sometimes it's worth making that extra trip to go and ride that rare old ride that you've been thinking about so you can collect that memory and be a part of the history!

So that concludes my list of five of my most missed coasters! Which coasters do you miss? 

Thanks for reading!