Roller coasters are a huge passion of mine. I have been on 238 coasters worldwide. They truly provide some serious thrills that I’m sure many people enjoy. However, every coaster has a lifespan, and many parks may decide to close iconic coasters that in their minds have reached the end of their service. Here are some defunct coasters, in no particular order, that are sorely missed by me or those in the roller coaster enthusiast community.

Dragon Challenge

Universal Studios Islands of Adventure

Opened May 28, 1999

Closed September 4, 2017

Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard

These iconic dueling coasters were very unique, for they were both inverted coasters, which means the track is above you. There was a very cool element in which you feel like you could touch the feet of riders on the other train as they face off in vertical loops. Unfortunately, after two accidents in 2011, the dueling aspect of the coaster was suspended. This removed the most iconic feature about these two coasters, and it lost the popularity it once had when it dueled. Now, these coasters just seemed out of place. After 18 years of operation, these coasters were removed. Bolliger & Mabillard makes some great coasters, and these two were no exception. To demolish an iconic B&M is a very big disappointment. In Dragon Challenges’ place, you can now find Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which is definitely not a traditional coaster. I’ll leave you to experience it if you ever get around to Islands of Adventure.

Vortex

Kings Island

Opened April 11, 1987

Closed October 27, 2019

Manufacturer: Arrow Dynamics

While it may not be closed yet at the time of this article’s publishing, I still felt that it was necessary to include this coaster. This was the first coaster to invert 6 times and has been a staple at the park for over 30 years. I have a love for Arrow loopers that many people don’t necessarily share with me, and this one is definitely one of the better ones. When I went last summer, it was a walk-on and I was able to get a few rides on it. It may not have been the most popular ride in the park, but it did some great things. Vortex will be truly missed.

Volcano the Blast Coaster

Kings Dominion

Opened August 3, 1998

Closed 2018

Manufacturer: Intamin

This was one of those coasters that was unfortunately plagued with a lot of technical difficulties from the beginning. It was closed more than it was operating, especially during its last few seasons. It’s honestly a shame that this was the case, as I have heard from other people that Volcano was a fantastic coaster. This launched inverted coaster actually went through and around a man-made mountain. It was glorious to look at. Unfortunately, due to the coaster getting harder and harder to maintain, and its fragile structure making it difficult to fix problems, this coaster closed early in the 2018 season, and it was announced at the beginning of the 2019 season that Volcano would be removed.

Big Bad Wolf

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Opened June 15, 1984

Closed September 7, 2009

Manufacturer: Arrow Dynamics

This coaster was by far one of, if not the most iconic suspended coaster to ever exist. A suspended coaster is a roller coaster where the track is above you and your car swings from side to side as the train goes through the layout. What made this one special was its near-miss elements as you travel through a mock village, along with its signature drop and swaying across some water. It was a gorgeous piece of work to see, and it’s a shame that its service life was 25 years.

Bob

Efteling

Opened April 3, 1985

Closed September 1, 2019

Manufacturer: Intamin

Bob was the first bobsled coaster I ever went on. The cars aren’t fixed to the track, which tends to look like what you would see on a water slide. While you did receive a lot of vibrations from this coaster, which may make it slightly uncomfortable for some people, this coaster was still really fun for me! This coaster may not have been the most thrilling coaster out there, it still provided fun for the whole family.

Hypersonic XLC

Kings Dominion

Opened March 24, 2001

Closed October 28, 2007

Manufacturer S&S Sansei Technologies

Like Volcano, this coaster was also located at Kings Dominion and was plagued with extensive downtime. Hypersonic XLC was an air-powered launch coaster, sending riders from 0 to 80 mph in 1.8 seconds. A prototype model, this coaster’s launch was much faster than those with LIM (Linear Induction Motor) or LSM (Linear Synchronous Motor) launches. Kings Dominion did what they could to keep this coaster running, even closing the ride for 3 months in the 2002 season to repair it and replace the trains. But it became too much for the park to handle. Those who got the chance to ride will definitely remember its intense launch. However, if you didn’t get to ride it, then you can travel to Fuji-Q Highland to ride Do-Dodonpa, which is the same model as Hypersonic. However, this coaster has significantly faster acceleration, going from 0 to 111.8 mph in 1.6 seconds. In fact, this is the fastest acceleration on a roller coaster to date.