Your Number 0 Coaster.

[Howie]

Shout out to @Serena for coming up with this idea. It began at the CoasterForce Live at Thorpe Park last month. In true CF style we all had goony name badges with our number 1 coaster written on them. Mine is currently Steel Vengeance, everybody knows that, but Serena had Intimidator 305 as hers, which struck me as odd because if you've been around here long enough you'll know that Serena, bless her, has a strange, unfathomable fixation on Saw: The Ride, to the extent that she's even ranked it as her number 1 in the past.

"Wot no Saw?" I said, mockingly.
"Ahh," she replied "Saw is my number zero coaster, see."
"Huh?" I said.
"Y'know, it's my favourite coaster. Not necessarily the best, but it's my 'special' coaster, the one that I'll always love no matter what else comes along."
Or words to that effect, but the exact phrasing didn't matter, I knew what she meant and I knew straight away what mine was.
It's Nemesis, of course. The Legend... The Mighty... Wardley's Masterpiece... call it what you will, this will always be my 'special' coaster, the place where it all began, where the memory of that first ride is forever imprinted on my conscience as the moment when I said to myself "Wow - I need more of that in my life".

Think of it as your 'all time' favourite coaster, as opposed to your 'current' favourite coaster. 'Current' number 1's come and go - X2, Helix, Shammy B, Ride to Happiness and, as I said, mine seems to be Steel Vengeance at the moment, but none of them can recreate the magic that happened in Forbidden Valley back in 1994.
I think it's safe to say that I'm here now, 30 years later, posting threads in an enthusiast forum, because of Nemesis.

It's a neat idea - the Rank 0 Coaster. It means you can accept that things may have moved on, and that your personal, special coaster isn't necessarily the best ride in the world any more, but it still allows you to acknowledge its all time greatness on a more personal level.

So... what's yours?

 

[Flash Shift]

My 0 is Drayton's Shockwave. RCT started it all, Klondike was my first looping coaster, then Great Yarmouth's Roller Coaster built me up. Shockwave was that "big coaster" I had to conquer, and I did. Shockwave was the one where that magic happened. Even though I have been on better, Shockwave is a very special rollercoaster to me, and the fact it's still really unique on the world stage helps keep it important.

It's been a very long time since I've been to Drayton Manor, but I feel like I might have to go back while Shockwave is still there.

 

[Heth]

Space Mountain Mission 2 at Disneyland Paris. As a coaster it is pretty rough, but I love the theming and have a nostalgic love for it that survives all the neck pain.

 

[rob666]

I still weep for The Reel.
End of my childhood.
Watched it pulled down.
It was built like a massive wedge of cheese, but made of railway sleepers, as one huge sloping platform.
Absolute favourite coaster of my youth, such a laugh, and one on its own.
Been in my dreams for four decades since.

 

[Fluorineer]

Booster Bike. Completely blew me away at a time when I had only ever been to Schloss Beck before, and the term "roller coaster" just meant Medium Tivoli to me.

 

[Jamesss]

Good topic idea, I have a definite answer for this one.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disneyland Paris. RIP.

 

[robbeal]

I really like this concept. Something that’s dear to you that I’m many ways always puts it at the top for you, but not necessarily because it’s the best, it’s just got that something.

Having said that, I’m not sure what mine would be! Both Nemesis and Nemesis Inferno definitely feature in the thought process, because they’ve been constant throughout my enthusiast journey. Things like Big Dipper at Blackpool too.

I think the one I’m going for though is Lisebergbanan. It’s not the most extreme thing, it’s not the fastest or the tallest, but my god is it just great fun every time you ride it. Liseberg, and Gothenburg itself, have both been quite a staple over the many years I’ve been doing this thing and it’ll always hold a special place.

 

[emoo]

X:\ No way out. In its original glorious pure form. Loved how weird and bizarre the ride and queue was. Shuffling block breaks with speakers blasing explosion's. Only goes in one direction. Spinning tunnel and lots of TV screens which were much more of a novelty at the time. Unnecessary punctuation when it was still edgy. Darkened corridors before Halloween nights became a worldwide staple. The pyramid paint wasn't so faded. A darkness I didn't have nightmares in.

Very early in my timeline and at the first possible opportunity Nemesis quickly shoved it to one side to claim the true forever title of #0.

 

[JackFish]

Outlaw Run. I love it so much, it's what got me into the hobby, and when it's gone I'll probably be out of the hobby too.

 

[CanobieFan]

Aww, I love this idea. I used to always say my favorite coaster and my number one coaster were different rides and I guess this would be a similar thought process.

So Boulder Dash (in its prime), is my #1 coaster, but Yankee Cannonball will always be my favorite. Definitely a coaster that has a special place in my coaster heart

 

[Steely Dan]

Magnum.

Riding it in its opening year as a 13 year old way back in '89 was beyond mind-blowing.

Nothing since has "leveled-up" the whole coaster game to the same degree in one fell swoop, IMO.

Magnum really did rewrite the whole script.

God I love that ride!

 

[Changa]

Mine would easily be Stealth. I went to Thorpe park for the first time the year it opened, I was too short to ride it, so looked into it and found a love for the engineering behind rollercoasters as a result. I wouldn't be an enthusiast, maybe not even an engineer, had it not been so alluring with its impossible height and iconic shape. (And, imo, the launch is still the best in the world!).

 

[ScottLann]

100% Mako for me. It's currently my #6 but now and then I think, nahh, I'd rather ride that than all my other coasters higher on the list.

I don't even know why but it holds such a special place in my heart and I remember how bad I felt not having it as my #1 anymore So yeah, it's not my favourite coaster, but it also is

 

[redheadedRobin]

I think it's gonna be Dragon Khan for me. It's as rough as fun, and my first "big girl" coaster so I'll always have a soft spot for it (my back doesn't).

 

[Niles]

Stealth At Thorpe

I love this thing and have some great memories associated with it, while TTD launch is my No1 moment on a coaster Stealth's launch is my No2 and for a long time was my favourite.

I remember being at the park in 2005 and being just tall enough and brave enough to ride Colossus and Inferno and felt pretty happy with myself to turn the corner and see this.....

(I hope they do something like this for Exodus )
Source

Me and my family were just like..what?? what is that?? I was fascinated, terrified and amazed, I had not been to Blackpool or on anything this big yet so this was unbelievably big. We went once it was open, seeing it looming in the distance was awesome. First ride was in the front row and bam.. over in seconds and the train hit the brakes with everyone in silence, then we all cheered. Its short but so so sweet, its still the fastest accelerating coaster I have done and you can feel it.

Some memories:
Me and my dad being launched into light hail, not much but my god it hurt.
Going on a deserted rainy day and having 15+ rides with no wait.
Getting the rare rollback.
This is still my mom's favourite coaster.
My sisters first big coaster she did.
First coaster I went on with my GF before we were dating.

Stealth sits as 19th on my list but this is my 0 coaster in my heart

 

[Howie]

Fab replies here, folks! Wasn't entirely sure this topic would get much of a response to be honest, but it's nice to know that people 'get it'.

Magnum.

Nothing since has "leveled-up" the whole coaster game to the same degree in one fell swoop, IMO.

Nemesis did.
Or at least it did on this side of the Atlantic.

I don't even know why but it holds such a special place in my heart and I remember how bad I felt not having it as my #1 anymore.

Yep, I remember that moment well. Nemesis was my number 1 coaster for 22 years, 'letting go', as it were, was a really big deal. The thrill of finding a new coaster worthy of the accolade, mixed with a tinge of sadness that your baby is no longer bestest.

 

[Nitefly]

Hmmmmm, is this what ‘number 0’ means?

I thought it supposed to be ‘ride I really like despite it not fitting with conventional rankings’.

So:

- either totally unjustifiable in high rankings but you still love it; or
- you’re not sure how well it will stack up now (it’s been a long time since you rode it, for example).

As opposed to an ‘undefeated number 1’.

Or did I get it wrong?

 

[Howie]

^Go with what your heart tells you, bro.

 

[Peet]

Ha great concept, I'd long been trying to figure out how to describe the fact that Nemesis will always be my favourite coaster even though it's not even in my top ten any more, now I have it, it's my number 0!

 

[DelPiero]

First thought was Nemesis as well, and while it does hold a hugely special place in my heart, 0 belongs to another.

Skyrush

It was the first world class coaster I'd ridden abroad, my 48th cred, and all I could think about for the rest of that trip was the one ride I had on the yellow beast.
Made the decision to go back again only 2 years later and was my number 1 for 4 years until Lightning Rod barely took the crown.

Point being was that I loved riding coasters prior to that trip, but I became a fully fledged enthusiast on the 30th of August 2013.