"What Do I Count As a Coaster Credit?"
I usually follow what RCDB lists on their site, but I know that they aren’t the only word on what counts as a credit. Generally, I feel like my opinions on what counts as a credit or not fall with the majority opinion, but I have some deviances. Additionally, I was inspired by Season 2, Episode 16 ("Is This A Credit Or Nah?") of the Coaster Kings Radio podcast; a lot of the options I present here are also discussed in that episode.
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Author's Notes
(Note #1: This doesn't include the more “obvious” options, such as dueling coasters and RMC conversions. I just want to talk about the options that have drawn contention within the community.)
(Note #2: This also excludes credits where I didn’t get the chance to ride in it’s first state (or probably won’t), such as Steel Phantom/Phantom’s Revenge, Lightning Rod, Mystery Mine, Hades/Hades 360, Python (Efteling), Dodonpa/Do-Dodonpa, etc. However, it does include credits that I haven’t been on, but still have the opportunity to ride.)
- Clones: I count clones as individual credits; even if they’re the same model, each coaster is its own installation. Additionally, the clones can have minor (or major) differences in how they run (For example, Magic Mountain’s Batman clone is more intense but slightly rougher than Great Adventure’s Batman clone).
- Relocations: If a coaster I’ve been on previously gets relocated to another park and I happen to visit that park and get the opportunity to ride it again, I do not count it as a new credit. It’s still the same track (and usually the same trains), so a major alteration needs to occur for me to count it as a new credit. However, I’ve yet to ride a coaster that fits this category.
- Racing Coasters: Even if the tracks are identical to each other, they are still two separate coasters with two separate loading areas (or three, if you’re talking about BPB’s Steeplechase); Each track is its own credit.
- Alpine Coasters: Despite the ability to control the speed at which you coast through the track, I would still count these as credits. However, I’ve yet to ride an alpine coaster.
- Powered Coasters: Despite being driven by electricity, I would still count these as credits. As mentioned in the podcast episode, there are moments on powered coasters where gravity influences how fast the ride is going. However, I’ve yet to ride a powered coaster.
- Train Conversions: This category goes for coasters like Mantis, which is now known as Rougarou and gained new floorless trains to replace its stand-up trains. While I’ve yet to ride a coaster that fits this category, I wouldn’t count it as a new credit because the track is unchanged.
- ([2024 UPDATE] Another thing going against this is the existence of coasters who have two kinds of seating positions (Hagrid’s, DC Rivals, TRON, the SBF Visa “Hamster Wheel” car). While one could argue that you’re getting a different ride experience being in a sidecar/spinning car/backwards car, it and the coaster’s “standard” seating are all part of one ride. It’s a nice bonus that I would include in my credit count documentation, but wouldn't count as a separate credit).
- Möbius Loop Coasters: This category applies to coasters like Grand National and Kennywood’s Racer, and this is probably the category where I’m bound to piss someone off lol. I consider Mobius Loop coasters to be two credits; this is because you are forced to leave the train after completing your trip on one side of the coaster. You need to ride the coaster twice to experience both sides, making it two credits. However, on the off chance you do not have to get up after riding the first side, it would be one credit. I’m “cheating” with this option because while the sides are part of one big structure, they are normally treated as two different coasters by the parks they reside in.
- Skyline Attractions’ Skywarp Model: I’ve heard nothing but bad things about these rides. I feel like this model is similar enough to a powered coaster; mainly controlled by something other than gravity, but gravity does have influence. In that case, I would consider them credits (but I probably wouldn’t enjoy them lol). I’ve yet to ride a Skywarp.
- The 2016 Refurb of “Incredible Hulk” at Universal Studios IOA:
I got the credit for this B&M Sitdown back in 2014; two years later, that coaster was no more. The park had decided to completely rebuild the coaster during that time; because the Hulk that currently stands at IOA is essentially a clone of the first hulk, I consider it a new credit. I hope to get back to Universal Studios Orlando to ride this, Hagrid’s, and Velocicoaster.- ([2024 UPDATE] When I originally wrote this, I was under the impression that Universal had essentially built a second Hulk during the refurbishment. However, I later learned that the launch, station, and final break run (as well as most of its supports) are from the original build. Additionally, no changes were made to the ride’s layout (or seating position) during the refurbishment. This document was created at a time where this kind of refurbishment was uncommon for steel coasters. But after comparing Hulk to similar (and more recent) cases, I’ve come to the conclusion that Hulk is one credit regardless if you’ve ridden it Pre- and Post-Refurbishment. My reasoning is that, compared to an RMC Hybrid or TT2, Hulk was given new track & trains with the intention of preserving the essence of what was there; this is reflected in how Universal themselves talks about the ride, calling it a “relaunch” and how it had a “re-opening”.)
- Traveling Coasters/Fairground Coasters: If it’s a traveling/fairground coaster that’s one of a kind and therefore easily trackable (Olympia Looping) or is a permanent fixture (Classic Coaster), I would count it as a credit. But unless I can track every traveling coaster I’ve been on to make sure I’m not counting them twice (which is currently none), I wouldn’t count them as credits.
- Larson Superloops: I’m sorry Six Flags, but I just can’t count these as credits. While Alpine Coasters can be ridden while using the breaks on the train as little as possible, iirc a Superloop has to be controlled by the op during the entirety of the ride cycle. This is just a flat ride and nothing more (and a poor replacement for Rolling Thunder, glad it’s gone lol). However, I’ve yet to ride a Larson Superloop.
- Zamperla Disk'Os: I’m sorry Cedar Fair, but I just can’t count these as credits, regardless if it’s the extended version or the standard version. There are rides made by other manufacturers that are coasters and have a similar feel to the Disk’Os, such as the Intamin Half-Pipe, so if you want to count these as credits, there are coasters out there that do what the Disk’O does (but with gravity and arguably do it better). However, I’ve yet to ride a Zamperla Disk’O.
- Intamin 1st Generation Freefalls: Despite the argument presented in the podcast, I still wouldn’t consider these to be credits. This is due to two reasons; (1)- The direct successor (and all future successors) to this model is a more traditional drop tower, leading many parks to supersede their Freefalls with them and (2)- The existence of the Intamin Reverse Freefall model, which took the 1st Gen Freefall concept, scaled it up, and built it as a launch coaster. Additionally, Superman: Escape From Krypton and “Freefall” coexisted at Six Flags Magic Mountain from 1997 to 2007, and the park wouldn’t receive a new drop tower until Lex Luthor: Drop Of Doom in 2012, filling the void that Freefall left when it was demolished. However, I’ve yet to ride an Intamin 1st Gen Frefall.