Maverick, Mystery Mine Highlight 2007's New Roller Coasters

For the roller coaster industry, 2007 was a year that featured some great new rides, both classic and innovative. Each coaster adds something new to the park that it is built, but certain roller coasters did more for the industry as a whole. Here are a few of the best roller coasters that were built within the last year.

Maverick
Cedar Point

Maverick, Cedar Point's 17th roller coaster, opened up many new doors for the industry. Maverick drops riders at a 95 degree angle after taking them up to the top of a 100 foot hill by launching them up the hill at a speed slightly faster than most lift hills. According to the press release, Cedar Points newest roller coaster takes riders upside down twice, and features a second launch that speeds the train up to 70 m.p.h. Originally the roller coaster featured a third inversion, but it was taken out before operation, as it was causing too much stress on the track and trains (RCDB). Fear not; Maverick offers thrills to compete with the best at it's own park, and is considered one of the top roller coasters in the world. For more information visit www.cedarpoint.com

Mystery Mine
Dollywood

Mystery Mine is Dollywood's largest single investment do date, costing the park over $17 Million to build. This heavily themed ride also drops it's riders at a 95 degree angle, and according to it's press release, also has two inversions. The coaster is quite different from Maverick, however, as it is not launched and is made by another company. The ride also features special effects as it weaves in and out of the themed mine building. For more information visit www.dollywood.com

Griffon
Busch Gardens Europe

Located at one of the two Busch Gardens parks, Griffon is one of the nation's few vertical drop roller coasters created by legendary coaster engineering duo Bolliger and Mabillard. According to the official press release, Griffon features not one, but two completely vertical drops, as well as two inversions. Griffon is also the first floorless vertical drop coaster in the world (meaning the the coaster train has no actual floor for feet), and features a "water feature" that shoots out large streams of water as the roller coaster trains comes inches away from a pool of water. For more information on this innovative and world's first coaster, visit www.buschgardenseurope.com

Renegade
Valleyfair!

With all the talk of all the new steel roller coasters, many forget about the roller coasters ancestor; the wooden roller coaster. Not to be outdone, Renegade at Valleyfair! offers a thrilling wooden roller coaster ride by Great Coaster International, a.k.a. GCI. According to the park's press release for Renegade, the roller coaster features a twisting first drop that has never been seen before, and cost the park a little under $7 Million dollars. More information on Renegade can be found at www.valleyfair.com

The year 2007 gave the roller coaster community some great rides. While these are not the only roller coasters to grace the parks across the country, these are among the best of the newest rides for the year.