The first coasters to ever come along were actually more like giant slides. Although these may not seem like the great wooden coasters of today, they were the building blocks of the engineering today. Slowly, the slides transformed to cars, and soon the rickety woodies that we know and love came into existence.

     Wooden coasters take much longer to build. They also require a lot more merchandise. While they seem to be so much of a hassle, in the end the wooden coasters are the best. All the creaking and cracking add to the drama. Huge planks of wood fastened down by massive bolts are what keeps the framework on the ground.

Lightning Racer

Hershey park

     In this unique racer, thunder and lightning battle it out in a race to the finish. They go their separate ways, until, they meet up again in the end for the big finish. This coaster was made in 2000, so even though it is a wooden coaster, it is one of the newer ones in the park.

Thunderbolt

Kennywood

     Here is the Thunderbolt. This is one of the most loved rides of all time. Originally called the Pippin, when new tracks were added in 1968, the name Thunderbolt was unveiled. The chain hill isn’t until the middle of the ride, and this coaster saves the best for last … which is its last hill.

The Beast

Paramount’s king island

     While diving down the first hill of the Beast, the riders get a glimpse of all that is to come. The ride is most remembered by the huge spiral at the end. This is truly one unforgettable roller coaster! It was first ridden on April 14, 1979. It went down in the record books; it was the worlds longest, fastest, and tallest so far. Although some coasters have exceeded it in those aspects, the Beast is still on e of the most popular rides today.

California Screamin’

Disneyland

     Although it was crafted to look old, this ride is anything but old fashioned. It was built on February 8, 2001, and was the first major coaster of the millennium. It has some truly amazing parts. The whole ride is an extraordinary 6,072 feet long! The California Screamin’ is the world’s eighth longest coaster.

Colossus

Six Flags

     This coaster first opened in June of 1978, on a bright summer day. Although a wooden coaster, it is still one of the largest in the world. It reaches 65 miles per hour, and reaches 125 feet in the air. It was only sort lived, though, because of a series of modifications. The coaster is still around today, but not quite as magnificent.

Ghost rider

Knott’s Berry Farm

     This ride really puts the “wild” in “Wild West”. Taking the best features of both a twister and an out-and-back coaster, this ride just about does it all. The first half may seem good, but just wait until the next half. It gets even better. This coaster first raced over the park in December of 1998 with a flash of brilliant colors.

Twisted Twins

Six Flags

     This racer has two tracks, called Lola and Stella. The two tracks seem to almost collide in multiple places. They twist and turn in unique patterns that go every which way. Once called the Twisted Sisters, the coaster opened on June 20, 1998. The rides name changed because a rock band, known as the twisted sisters, threatened to sue the park for stealing the name which had been copyrighted.

Giant Dipper

Belmont Park

     This coaster, designed by Frank Prior and Fredrick Church, uses it’s scenery to add to the dramatic effect. This ride was almost demolished, but later saved and then restored by a huge effort on the coasters behalf. Now, here’s an interesting fact: the Giant Dipper only took a month and a half to build! That is one of the shortest, of not shortest, time it has ever taken to construct a wooden coaster. Don’t think that’s all that was done though, because it still took a while to actually design the coaster.