Alright, buckle up, my fellow adrenaline junkies, because we’re about to dive deep into the heart-pounding, scream-inducing world of my roller coaster obsession. And trust me, it’s more than a hobby—it’s a calling. A high-speed, steel-twisting, gravity-defying calling passed down through generations.

🎠 The Cyclone's Siren Song: My Roller Coaster Genesis

It all began with a beast: The Cyclone at Coney Island. That legendary wooden rattler wasn’t just my first coaster—it was my awakening. I was just a wide-eyed kid clutching a metal bar tighter than my future credit score. That first drop? It cracked open my soul and flooded it with adrenaline.

The clackety-clack of the lift hill, the scent of hot dogs and salt air, the way the train bucked and shook like it was trying to throw us off... I lived for it. From that moment on, I wasn’t just a fan—I was on a mission. A mission to chase the ultimate thrill. To find the best ride in existence, no matter where it was hiding.

👑 KINGDA KA: My Fallen Majesty

📍 Six Flags Great Adventure, NJ | Opened: 2005 | Closed: 2024
📏 456 ft tall | ⚡ 128 mph | 🚀 0–128 mph in 3.5 seconds

Let’s just get this out of the way—Kingda Ka was my everything. The absolute pinnacle of thrill. The king of coasters. That launch? Like getting smacked by a hurricane. That climb? Like ascending into heaven at Mach speed. That drop? Nothing short of vertical madness.

And then... it was gone.

My baby sister Breezy and I were heartbroken when they announced its closure. We didn’t even get one last ride. No final scream, no wind-in-the-face goodbye. Just silence. We both have that thrill-seeker DNA—always looking for the next ride, the next leap, the next moment where your stomach is in your throat and your soul is yelling "DO IT AGAIN!" And where do we get it from? Our mom. The original roller coaster warrior. She passed that craving for chaos and curves down like a family heirloom. And Kingda Ka? That was our holy grail.

It’s still the GOAT. Gone, but never dethroned. 👑🎢💔

🎡 Six Flags Great Adventure: My Jersey Playground

📍 Jackson, NJ | Opened: 1974

This was my backyard growing up. The place where you learned to run from bees, eat funnel cake for breakfast, and scream like a banshee with 20 strangers. Great Adventure wasn’t just a park—it was a proving ground for thrill seekers.

• Batman: The Ride (1993) – Inverted insanity. Feels like getting yeeted through Gotham with no brakes.
• The Dark Knight Coaster (2008) – Indoor, disorienting, and honestly a vibe. You get Joker-ed and tossed like pizza dough.
• Skull Mountain (1996) – Tame by today’s standards, but dark, nostalgic, and an underrated mood.

🗺️ Cedar Point: The Mecca of Speed-- Link to videos- Cedar Point Reviews  

📍 Sandusky, OH | Opened: 1870

Known as the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World," Cedar Point is what happens when engineers stop asking "should we?" and just say "MORE SPEED!" This place is a full-send factory of thrills.

• Millennium Force (2000) – That first drop feels like facing the void. And the void is very fast.
• Steel Vengeance (2018) – A steel-wood hybrid with the soul of a demolition derby. Brutal. Beautiful.
• Maverick (2007) – Twistier than my Spotify playlists. It flings you like a rag doll. Loved every second.
• Valravn (2016) – Floorless, fearless, and 90 degrees of pure panic.

🧂 SeaWorld Orlando: Oceanic Thrills in the Sunshine

📍 Orlando, FL | Opened: 1973

SeaWorld might’ve started with whales and water shows, but lately? They’ve become a legit roller coaster hotspot. Don’t sleep on this place.

• Mako (2016) – Named after a shark, built to fly. Smooth as silk. One of the best in Florida.
• Manta (2009) – You’re basically flying like a stingray. Lying face down, screaming into the void.
• Kraken (2000) – Floorless, ferocious, and full of old-school intensity. It holds up. Hard.

🍗 Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Safari Meets Screams

📍 Tampa, FL | Opened: 1959

This park went from a brewery with flamingos to a safari with coasters that slap. It’s chaotic, wild, and absolutely worth the sweat.

• Iron Gwazi (2022) – A hybrid coaster that hits harder than your ex’s texts at 2 a.m.
• SheiKra (2005) – A dive coaster with a pause so long you start writing your will mid-air.

🏰 Busch Gardens Williamsburg: Classy Chaos

📍 Williamsburg, VA | Opened: 1975

A European-themed park where you can eat schnitzel and then get hurled off a 205-foot drop. Culture, baby.

• Griffon (2007) – Floorless dive coaster that dangles you like a snack.
• Loch Ness Monster (1978) – A vintage beauty with interlocking loops and retro roar.
• Apollo’s Chariot (1999) – Floater airtime so good it should be illegal.

🍫 Hersheypark: Chocolate-Fueled Chaos

📍 Hershey, PA | Opened: 1906

Where else can you scream your lungs out and then eat a Reese’s the size of your head?

• Storm Runner (2004) – Launches like a rocket strapped to a horse. Intense doesn’t even cover it.
• Fahrenheit (2008) – Vertical lift, beyond-vertical drop. 97° of “WHY!?”
• Great Bear (1998) – Inverted glory, smooth like melted chocolate.
• SooperDooperLooper (1977) – An old-school looper that still delivers.

💔 The Ones That Got Away… But Not for Long

Now, before you @ me—if your favorite coaster isn’t here, it’s not forgotten. Some were closed for repairs (rude), others had lines longer than a TSA queue at the end of a 10-hour park day. That’s why I’m plotting a cross-country coaster pilgrimage. Every missed ride, every almost-had-it moment—I’m coming back. With a vengeance. With snacks. With Breezy if she’s down. (She’s always down.)

🎤 Final Thoughts from a Ride-Or-Die Thrill Seeker

The click of the chain lift, the howl of the wind, the scream in your throat, and that split second of weightlessness before everything goes full chaos—that’s what I chase. It’s more than a ride. It’s a feeling, an addiction, a spiritual journey on steel rails.

So what’s your favorite coaster? Which one changed you? And more importantly—what beast should I hunt down next on this thrill-seeking quest?

🗺️🎢 Let’s build this list. Let’s ride ‘em all.