States With Top 10 Best Roller Coasters Ranked by Man Who Tried Nearly 500
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A roller coaster enthusiast who has ridden nearly 500 different coasters shared his top picks in a viral TikTok post, which has garnered 4.6 million views since July 25.
Jacob, a 22-year-old theme park marketing professional who posts under the username @jacob_backall, curated a slideshow of his 30 favorite roller coasters drawn from a personal experience of trying 492 different roller coasters so far across multiple continents.
The top 10 ranking features all roller coasters in the U.S., including in Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio and Tennessee.
"I grew up outside of Philadelphia and I recently graduated from the University of Tampa in Florida with a Bachelor's degree in advertising and public relations," Jacob, who did not share his last name, told Newsweek.
"Using these acquired skills, I share my passion by working on the marketing team for one of the largest theme park chains in North America, home to dozens of world class coasters. I also take pride in updating my coaster travels through my personal socials @jacobbackall on Instagram and TikTok."
Jacob is pictured here on two different roller coasters.
Jacob is pictured here on two different roller coasters.
@jacob_backall on TikTok and Instagram
His passion for roller coasters began in 2012 with a visit to Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
"That day I rode the Wild Mouse. Not a big coaster, but it had me hooked. It changed my life. I was so curious about the way it made its way around the track and how the systems worked to control it," he said.
Jacob said his fascination grew quickly.
"Ever since that one day, I've become a human encyclopedia for roller coasters, learning and memorizing the heights, speeds and stats of every roller coaster I could find on the internet, and trying to conquer as many of them as I could," he said.
The first roller coaster he ever rode that went upside down was Hydra the Revenge, also at Dorney Park.
"I choose to start with that one because it went upside down the most time in the park, seven times, and currently at that time held the inversion record in North America," he said.
Despite his comfort with extreme rides today, Jacob recalled one that once gave him pause: "I remember Intimidator 305 (now known as Pantherian), a 305-foot roller coaster at Kings Dominion in Virginia, had me a bit frightened at first, and to be honest I think that's the only time I've ever felt nervous before trying a new ride. I must have been 9 or 10 years old around then, so I've basically become immune to all those feelings of anxiety around big drops and loops."
Among the coasters in his top 30, Jacob's favorite is Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point.
"My favorite roller coaster of all time, Steel Vengeance, is a 205-foot RMC hyper hybrid roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Opening originally in the 1990s as Mean Streak, the old rough wooden coaster was given new life in 2018 with its transformation into arguably the greatest roller coaster of all time."
The TikToker has a particular preference for RMC Hybrid roller coasters.
"A hybrid roller coaster in a traditional sense is a coaster with wooden supports and twisted steel track," he explained. "When an old wooden roller coaster gets rough and no longer draws the crowds it used to, RMC, Rocky Mountain Construction, a legendary roller coaster manufacturer based out of Idaho rips off the wooden tracks, adds steel tracks to enhance the height, speed and whip factor of the coaster, thus transforming old rides into a modern beasts of an attraction."
For Jacob, the best roller coasters are not necessarily the tallest or fastest.
"For most true roller coaster enthusiasts, the factors that make up a truly good roller coaster aren't the height and speed; it's a creative layout with consistent pacing, having unique elements that flow into one another without rough transitions. The most important quality of a coaster for me personally is airtime, that's the feeling where you're being lifted up out of your seat and feel multiple times lighter as the forces of gravity weaken on you."
Now at 492 different roller coasters and counting—with over 5,000 total rides including re-rides—Jacob is just eight coasters away from a major milestone.
"With eight more coasters I haven't ridden yet left to go before I hit 500, I'm sure by the end of the year I'll finally meet that goal. Then it's on to 1,000."
Along the way, Jacob said the community of fellow enthusiasts has been a rewarding part of the experience.
"I have made many great friends over the years through my travels and you'd be surprised how many others there are with my same unique hobby," he said.
Top 30 Best Roller Coasters, According to Man Who's Tried 492
Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point in Ohio Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Islands of Adventure in Florida Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa in Florida Fury 325 at Carowinds at the border between North and South Carolina Stardust Racers at Epic Universe in Florida Pantherian (formerly Intimidator 305) at Kings Dominion in Virginia Skyrush at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania Lightning Rod at Dollywood in Tennessee Maverick at Cedar Point Pantheon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia Guardians of the Galaxy at EPCOT in Florida Batman Gotham City Escape at Parque Warner in Madrid, Spain Twisted Timbers at Kings Dominion Wildcats Revenge at Hersheypark El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in Texas ArieForce One at Fun Spot America Atlanta in Georgia Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City in Missouri The Beast at Kings Island in Ohio GhostRider at Knott's Berry Farm in California Volcano: The Blast Coaster at Kings Dominion Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal Islands of Adventure Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California Wicked Cyclone at Six Flags New England in Massachusetts Wind Chase (formerly Storm Chaser) at Kentucky Kingdom in Kentucky Storm Runner at Hersheypark Top Thrill Dragster (reopened as an updated version called Top Thrill 2) at Cedar Point Steel Curtain at Kennywood in Pennsylvania Taron at Phantasialand in Germany X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
23 minutes ago
- New York Post
Ex NJ teacher roasted after claiming she was traumatized by Sydney Sweeney ad
She used Sydney's rump for a trauma dump. An ex New Jersey teacher-turned-lifestyle influencer is getting roasted online for turning Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad into a therapy session, with a post claiming she feels unattractive because of her skin color — and a repost of it, calling her a 'professional victim,' went viral. 'For me, I can't help but think about the 13-year-old brown girl who gets all of her denim at American Eagle, who already struggles to see her beauty and worth in a world that continues to value white, Eurocentric beauty standards,' said Payal Desai of Medford in an Instagram video on Tuesday. Her clip was reposted on X on Wednesday by media personality Colin Rugg — with the caption, 'The professional victims are relentless' — and it's already racked up 10.6 million views and masses of criticism. 'If your self worth crumbles at the sight of Sydney Sweeney in jeans, I've got news for you: The problem isn't whiteness. It's you,' one X user wrote. 'The American Eagle ad triggered your childhood trauma? Because Sydney Sweeney is blonde and beautiful?' someone else asked. 'Girl, that's not oppression, that's insecurity, and you need to handle that in therapy, not social media. I'm a mixed Latina, and I think she looks absolutely stunning.' 'This was probably just a grift by her to get everyone to tell her she is pretty,' Rugg, who has 1.8 million X followers, added. Desai called the 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' ad campaign 'especially off-putting.' Desai, 39, whose parents are from India, grew up in Allentown, PA, according to NJ Advance Media. In her reactionary post, which garnered 284,000 views on her Instagram page, @payalforstyle and over 88,000 on her TikTok handle, she spoke about her difficulty finding herself pretty in her 'predominantly white community.' 'I really wasn't gonna weigh in on this, but here we go. It is so difficult to grow up as a person of color, specifically a woman, and view yourself as beautiful in any sense of the word growing up in this country,' she began in the video to her 441,000 followers. 'I remember growing up in a predominantly white community wishing myself out of this body, out of this culture. Take my name if it meant that I could wake up blonde-haired and blue-eyed, never having to explain who I am or worry about being accepted. That is why this American Eagle ad with Sydney Sweeney is especially off-putting.' This is not the first time Desai, a former eighth grade teacher who left her job to pursue full-time content creating, has gone viral. In 2023, Desai amassed millions of views for her series on TikTok dubbed 'No Dusty Sons,' where she teaches her two young boys lessons that will one day benefit their future partners. Desai has disabled comments on her now-infamous Instagram post.
Newsweek
24 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Teen Writes to Ozzy Osbourne for Class Project—2 Years Later Mail Arrives
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a middle school computer class in Millis, Massachusetts, a then-teenaged Chad Hill was given a simple assignment: write a letter to a company, athlete, or celebrity using the school's computer lab. While most of his classmates aimed for free candy or Nike swag, Hill chose something different. He wrote to his hero—Ozzy Osbourne. "I told him how much I loved his music and how Randy Rhoads inspired me to play guitar," Hill, now 46, told Newsweek. "And I asked for an autograph." While his classmates received responses to their letters, Hill didn't. That was until two years later when an unexpected package arrived on his doorstep. Inside was a typed letter thanking him for being a fan and an autographed 8x10 photo of Ozzy himself. "I was absolutely shocked," Hill said. "The fact that it took so long told me that he truly loved his fans... It meant the absolute world to me." A picture of the Ozzy Osbourne signed picture that the teen fan received in the '90s and still treasures today. A picture of the Ozzy Osbourne signed picture that the teen fan received in the '90s and still treasures today. Haunting-Working5463/Reddit The moment stuck with him, and the picture has remained framed and proudly displayed in every place he's lived over the last 30 years. "It's the only piece of 'art' that has always been on my wall. Usually it's hung near my guitars. It reminds me that music has real power, and that acts of kindness do too," Hill said. "To go through what must have been thousands upon thousands of letters and actually read them... I mean that costs money, takes time and effort. That told me a lot." The rock world has been mourning the Black Sabbath legend, who died on July 22 at the age of 76, just weeks after reuniting with his bandmates for a farewell concert in his hometown and receiving the Freedom of the City of Birmingham on June 28. Hill recently posted his story to Reddit after seeing negative comments about the Prince of Darkness following his death. "I wanted to share something positive about him," Hill said. "Also, I wanted to thank Ozzy... He changed my life... he added a sense of magic, wonder and excitement to my childhood." The post resonated deeply with fellow fans, many of whom shared their admiration for the rock icon. One commenter wrote: "This is beyond cool," while another Redditor said: "That's so special, wow." "It was emotional to read the responses," Hill said. "He was so much more to people than just a catchy song. It was as if he was our friend, but also beyond any 'ordinary man.'"
Buzz Feed
an hour ago
- Buzz Feed
What Kyla Pratt And Her Daughter Look Like Now
This is the phenomenal Kyla Pratt, and she's a mommy. No, she's a mom. She has a daughter, a human child, and she's seriously a spitting image of her parents. Kyla and her longtime boyfriend, tattoo artist Danny Kirkpatrick, have been together since 2008, and share two daughters, Liyah, born in 2013, and Lyric, born in 2010. Before her adventures in motherhood, Kyla had the late '90s/early 2000s on lock, reprising her role in sequels to 1998's Dr. Doolittle, starring in One on One, and voicing Penny Proud in The Proud Family. Kyla's currently reprising her role as Penny in the revival series, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+. But, even with those most impressive acting credits, Kyla's most groundbreaking role is co-starring in her daughter Lyric's TikTok because why do they look so alike, and why do I feel ancient now? Back in 2023, Kyla and Lyric made their TikTok debut together for the first time, and everyone was stunned by their identical appearance. Now, Lyric has posted new videos with her mom, and people are even more flabbergasted at how much they look like each other. In a TikTok shared on Aug. 1, Lyric and Kyla were joined by internet personality and actor Charles Brockman III to recreate an iconic moment from the very first episode of The Proud Family, "Bring It On." People are rightfully losing it over the similarities. One person even joked that Lyric "literally looks like Penny" from The Proud Family. Another said that she "could play penny proud in a live action" version of the animated series. And like most millennials who grew up with Kyla, this person said, "this just healed something in me," and I get it. Lyric really looks JUST LIKE her mother! And, of course, she looks like her daddy, too! Look at those adorable smiles.
