Eastern Great Lakes Region (Michigan & Ohio)

1.      Best overall woodie – The Beast

2.     Best overall Steel – Steel Vengeance

3.     Best Giga – Millennium Force

4.     Best Hyper – Apollos chariot

5.     Best Invert – Talon

6.    Best Family Coaster – Flying Fox

7.     Best Wing Coaster – X Flight

8.     Best Drop Coaster – Yukon Striker

9.     Best new wooden coaster for me this year – Shivering Timbers (Front row).

 10.  Best new steel coaster for me this year - Whizzer 

Honorable mention:

Wind Chaser

Steel Force

Hades 360

------------------------------
Joe Fortney
------------------------------

Hello Everyone,

I hope someone from SoCal is welcomed to answer within this thread.  This year I have only visited two new parks with at least five more scheduled before the end of the year.  You can check out my blog here (My Blog – LifeCycle365 | Gregory Scott Wall) if you want to read some of my personal coaster content.

For 2026 Ridden Coasters Only!

• Twisted Cyclone at SFOG
• Dare Devil Dive at SFOG
• Georgia Scorcher at SFOG (best drop on a stand-up coaster)

Parks that I have plane tickets to visit already, over the last five months of 2026.

1) SeaWorld Orlando

2) Busch Gardens Tampa

3) Universal: Islands of Adventure

4) Universal: Epic Universe

5) Six Flags Over Texas

6) California' Great America (easy nine hour drive up the coast)

All are welcomed to respond to this thread and every response is truly appreciated!!!

California is always interesting to me... Plenty of great coasters and yet really missing some ride models that I just take for granted like the B&M Hyper, Wing, and Giga.

Still you have some great all-stars in your list with AFO leading the way (I'm not jealous at all) 😁

Hello Everyone,

I hope someone from SoCal is welcomed to answer within this thread.  This year I have only visited two new parks with at least five more scheduled before the end of the year.  You can check out my blog here (My Blog – LifeCycle365 | Gregory Scott Wall) if you want to read some of my personal coaster content.

For 2026 Ridden Coasters Only!

• Twisted Cyclone at SFOG
• Dare Devil Dive at SFOG
• Georgia Scorcher at SFOG (best drop on a stand-up coaster)

Parks that I have plane tickets to visit already, over the last five months of 2026.

1) SeaWorld Orlando

2) Busch Gardens Tampa

3) Universal: Islands of Adventure

4) Universal: Epic Universe

5) Six Flags Over Texas

6) California' Great America (easy nine hour drive up the coast)

Thank you and cheers. I will be at the following locations for coasters this year.

• in Dallas to go to SFOT October 23 to 26 (arrive 22 and leave 27)
• in Orlando/Tamps to go to the parks there August 24 to 28 (arrive the 24 and leave 31)

Let me know if any of you will be around then too.

All are welcomed to respond to this thread and every response is truly appreciated!!!

California is always interesting to me... Plenty of great coasters and yet really missing some ride models that I just take for granted like the B&M Hyper, Wing, and Giga.

Still you have some great all-stars in your list with AFO leading the way (I'm not jealous at all) 😁

Hello Everyone,

I hope someone from SoCal is welcomed to answer within this thread.  This year I have only visited two new parks with at least five more scheduled before the end of the year.  You can check out my blog here (My Blog – LifeCycle365 | Gregory Scott Wall) if you want to read some of my personal coaster content.

For 2026 Ridden Coasters Only!

• Twisted Cyclone at SFOG
• Dare Devil Dive at SFOG
• Georgia Scorcher at SFOG (best drop on a stand-up coaster)

Parks that I have plane tickets to visit already, over the last five months of 2026.

1) SeaWorld Orlando

2) Busch Gardens Tampa

3) Universal: Islands of Adventure

4) Universal: Epic Universe

5) Six Flags Over Texas

6) California' Great America (easy nine hour drive up the coast)

Hello Everyone,

I hope someone from SoCal is welcomed to answer within this thread.  This year I have only visited two new parks with at least five more scheduled before the end of the year.  You can check out my blog here (My Blog – LifeCycle365 | Gregory Scott Wall) if you want to read some of my personal coaster content.

For 2026 Ridden Coasters Only!

• Twisted Cyclone at SFOG
• Dare Devil Dive at SFOG
• Georgia Scorcher at SFOG (best drop on a stand-up coaster)

Parks that I have plane tickets to visit already, over the last five months of 2026.

1) SeaWorld Orlando

2) Busch Gardens Tampa

3) Universal: Islands of Adventure

4) Universal: Epic Universe

5) Six Flags Over Texas

6) California' Great America (easy nine hour drive up the coast)

For 2026 only

Best overall woodie – The Voyage

Best overall RMC – Steel Vengeance

Best Steel – Velocicoaster

Best Standing – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Best Giga – Fury 325 (will ride Pantherian to compare this year)

Best Hyper – Goliath at SFOG (will ride Goliath La Ronde to compare this year)

Best Invert – Banshee/Montu tie

Best Family Coaster – Hagrid's Magical Creatures

Best Wing Coaster – Thunderbird

Best Drop Coaster – Valravn

Best Flying Coaster – Manta

Honorable Mentions This Year: Wildcat's Revenge, Arie Force One, Cobra's Curse, Mystic Timbers, Ghost Rider, Zambezi Zinger, Tornado, X2, Twisted Colossus

------------------------------
Stephanie Garthrite
------------------------------

1.      Best overall woodie – Mystic Timbers

2.     Best overall Steel – Millennium Force

3.     Best Giga – Millennium Force

4.     Best Hyper – Diamondback

5.     Best Invert – Alpengeist

6.    Best Family Coaster – Snoopy's Soap Box Racers

7.     Best Wing Coaster – Gatekeeper

8.     Best Dive Coaster – Griffon

9.     Best new wooden coaster for me this year – Mystic Timbers

10.  Best new steel coaster for me this year - Millennium Force

Honorable mention:

Steel Vengeance

For 2026 only

Best overall woodie – The Voyage

Best overall RMC – Steel Vengeance

Best Steel – Velocicoaster

Best Standing – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Best Giga – Fury 325 (will ride Pantherian to compare this year)

Best Hyper – Goliath at SFOG (will ride Goliath La Ronde to compare this year)

Best Invert – Banshee/Montu tie

Best Family Coaster – Hagrid's Magical Creatures

Best Wing Coaster – Thunderbird

Best Drop Coaster – Valravn

Best Flying Coaster – Manta

Honorable Mentions This Year: Wildcat's Revenge, Arie Force One, Cobra's Curse, Mystic Timbers, Ghost Rider, Zambezi Zinger, Tornado, X2, Twisted Colossus

------------------------------
Stephanie Garthrite
------------------------------

I really was surprised by Mystic years ago when I rode it for the first time.

Have you had the chance to ride it at night yet? 

1.      Best overall woodie – Mystic Timbers

2.     Best overall Steel – Millennium Force

3.     Best Giga – Millennium Force

4.     Best Hyper – Diamondback

5.     Best Invert – Alpengeist

6.    Best Family Coaster – Snoopy's Soap Box Racers

7.     Best Wing Coaster – Gatekeeper

8.     Best Dive Coaster – Griffon

9.     Best new wooden coaster for me this year – Mystic Timbers

10.  Best new steel coaster for me this year - Millennium Force

Honorable mention:

Steel Vengeance

For 2026 only

Best overall woodie – The Voyage

Best overall RMC – Steel Vengeance

Best Steel – Velocicoaster

Best Standing – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Best Giga – Fury 325 (will ride Pantherian to compare this year)

Best Hyper – Goliath at SFOG (will ride Goliath La Ronde to compare this year)

Best Invert – Banshee/Montu tie

Best Family Coaster – Hagrid's Magical Creatures

Best Wing Coaster – Thunderbird

Best Drop Coaster – Valravn

Best Flying Coaster – Manta

Honorable Mentions This Year: Wildcat's Revenge, Arie Force One, Cobra's Curse, Mystic Timbers, Ghost Rider, Zambezi Zinger, Tornado, X2, Twisted Colossus

------------------------------
Stephanie Garthrite
------------------------------

Got an evening ride on Mystic but that's it. It's still great!

I really was surprised by Mystic years ago when I rode it for the first time.

Have you had the chance to ride it at night yet? 

1.      Best overall woodie – Mystic Timbers

2.     Best overall Steel – Millennium Force

3.     Best Giga – Millennium Force

4.     Best Hyper – Diamondback

5.     Best Invert – Alpengeist

6.    Best Family Coaster – Snoopy's Soap Box Racers

7.     Best Wing Coaster – Gatekeeper

8.     Best Dive Coaster – Griffon

9.     Best new wooden coaster for me this year – Mystic Timbers

10.  Best new steel coaster for me this year - Millennium Force

Honorable mention:

Steel Vengeance

For 2026 only

Best overall woodie – The Voyage

Best overall RMC – Steel Vengeance

Best Steel – Velocicoaster

Best Standing – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Best Giga – Fury 325 (will ride Pantherian to compare this year)

Best Hyper – Goliath at SFOG (will ride Goliath La Ronde to compare this year)

Best Invert – Banshee/Montu tie

Best Family Coaster – Hagrid's Magical Creatures

Best Wing Coaster – Thunderbird

Best Drop Coaster – Valravn

Best Flying Coaster – Manta

Honorable Mentions This Year: Wildcat's Revenge, Arie Force One, Cobra's Curse, Mystic Timbers, Ghost Rider, Zambezi Zinger, Tornado, X2, Twisted Colossus

------------------------------
Stephanie Garthrite
------------------------------

For 2026 only

Best overall woodie – The Voyage

Best overall RMC – Steel Vengeance

Best Steel – Velocicoaster

Best Standing – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Best Giga – Fury 325 (will ride Pantherian to compare this year)

Best Hyper – Goliath at SFOG (will ride Goliath La Ronde to compare this year)

Best Invert – Banshee/Montu tie

Best Family Coaster – Hagrid's Magical Creatures

Best Wing Coaster – Thunderbird

Best Drop Coaster – Valravn

Best Flying Coaster – Manta

Honorable Mentions This Year: Wildcat's Revenge, Arie Force One, Cobra's Curse, Mystic Timbers, Ghost Rider, Zambezi Zinger, Tornado, X2, Twisted Colossus

------------------------------
Stephanie Garthrite
------------------------------

Wow, you really racked up the miles this year!

Don't know if I've ever seen somebody put Montu and Banshee in a tie before. What puts them in a tie for you?

I finally got on Thunderbird myself this year... Definitely my #1 wing.

For 2026 only

Best overall woodie – The Voyage

Best overall RMC – Steel Vengeance

Best Steel – Velocicoaster

Best Standing – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Best Giga – Fury 325 (will ride Pantherian to compare this year)

Best Hyper – Goliath at SFOG (will ride Goliath La Ronde to compare this year)

Best Invert – Banshee/Montu tie

Best Family Coaster – Hagrid's Magical Creatures

Best Wing Coaster – Thunderbird

Best Drop Coaster – Valravn

Best Flying Coaster – Manta

Honorable Mentions This Year: Wildcat's Revenge, Arie Force One, Cobra's Curse, Mystic Timbers, Ghost Rider, Zambezi Zinger, Tornado, X2, Twisted Colossus

------------------------------
Stephanie Garthrite
------------------------------

I got so many "miles" because I was expecting there would be big changes in Six Flags Season passes for 2027, so I got the Frontier Go Wild pass and planned to visit as many parks as possible and that were still included in the pass. I wanted to visit the sold parks while still included and the likely and possibly "soon to be sold" parks before they were no longer included in the seasons pass. Any park that I visited, I decided if there was another one nearby or within 4 hours, I would add that on. I will likely have added around 250 coasters this year. 2027 will be a much slower paced year for me. 

I put Banshee and Montu in a tie because they were both very smooth and had lots of crazy inversions. It's hard to pick one

Wow, you really racked up the miles this year!

Don't know if I've ever seen somebody put Montu and Banshee in a tie before. What puts them in a tie for you?

I finally got on Thunderbird myself this year... Definitely my #1 wing.

For 2026 only

Best overall woodie – The Voyage

Best overall RMC – Steel Vengeance

Best Steel – Velocicoaster

Best Standing – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Best Giga – Fury 325 (will ride Pantherian to compare this year)

Best Hyper – Goliath at SFOG (will ride Goliath La Ronde to compare this year)

Best Invert – Banshee/Montu tie

Best Family Coaster – Hagrid's Magical Creatures

Best Wing Coaster – Thunderbird

Best Drop Coaster – Valravn

Best Flying Coaster – Manta

Honorable Mentions This Year: Wildcat's Revenge, Arie Force One, Cobra's Curse, Mystic Timbers, Ghost Rider, Zambezi Zinger, Tornado, X2, Twisted Colossus

------------------------------
Stephanie Garthrite
------------------------------