Everyone knows we have the best roller coaster in the world here in Central Florida, and USA Today 10Best Awards has named two area coasters among the best in the nation.
While theme park rides come in all shapes and sizes these days, nothing beats the adrenaline rush of a well-designed roller coaster, and USA Today 10Best Awards, have just revealed their Top 10 Roller Coasters across the country.
A panel of theme park experts chose 20 coasters, then the public voted for their favorites, with two popular Central Florida making the final Top 10.
Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has been placed at No 9. in the USA Today 10Best Awards, Best Roller Coaster 2024.
Combining the best elements of steel and wooden roller coasters, the hybrid Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is named for a mythical half-lion, half-tiger beast.
Taking the place of the park's Gwazi dual-track wooden coaster, Iron Gwazi packs in a lot more adrenaline-pumping thrills than its predecessor, leading off with a 91-degree drop from its 206-foot-tall peak, followed by corkscrews, inversions, and top speeds of 76 miles per hour.
Taking No. 2 position this year is Mako at SeaWorld Orlando.
Guests looking for thrills at SeaWorld Orlando will find them aboard one of the park's most popular roller coasters, Mako. Orlando's tallest and fastest coaster gets its name from one of the world's fastest sharks — appropriate for a thrill ride reaching speeds of 73 miles per hour.
Coming out the top coaster in the country is Phoenix at Knoebels - Elysburg, Pennsylvania. For the complete list of coasters in the USA Today 10Best Awards, Best Roller Coaster 2024, click here.
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards, with the public voting once per category, per day.
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