Top Thrill Dragster vs. Kingda Ka
I am going to compare Top Thrill Dragster and Kingda Ka. Top Thrill Dragster was built in 2003 and opened as the tallest and fastest coaster in the world. Two years later, Kingda Ka took the same concept and added 36 feet and a 129' second hill. I haven't ridden Kingda Ka, but I'm going to compare the two based on what I've observed about the world's tallest coasters.
Theme
Top Thrill Dragster is themed like a dragster. It has a stop light next to the launch that turns green as you are hurled forward at 120 mph. It also makes dragster accelerating noises as you are launched and dragster braking noises as the ride comes to a stop. The station is dragster-themed also. The trains look like dragsters.
Kingda Ka's Golden Kingdom theme isn't as creative.
Edge: Top Thrill Dragster
View from the top
Top Thrill Dragster offers a view of the whole peninsula, Lake Erie, and Canada.
On a clear day on Kingda Ka, you can see NY City and Pennsylvania.
I think that Top Thrill Dragster's view would be more breath-taking.
Edge: Top Thrill Dragster
Trains
Top Thrill Dragster has six trains, with five cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the first car), for a total of 18 riders per train. The restraints are T-shaped lap bars, allowing body movement.
Kingda Ka has four trains, with five cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the last car), for a total of 18 riders per train. The restrains are OTSRs (over the shoulder restraints (see picture below)).
Top Thrill Dragster has more trains, has 1500 riders per hour (compared to KK's 1400 rph), has a more creative theme, and has a more comfortable restraint.
Edge: Top Thrill Dragster
Ride experience
Top Thrill Dragster launches you from 0-120 mph in 4 seconds as the stop light turns green and you hear accelerating noises. Then you climb the 420' hill at 90 degrees, get a breath-taking view, and plunge back down towards the ground. A camera takes your picture before and after the hill.
Kingda Ka launches you from 0-128 mph in 3.5 seconds. Then you climb the 456' hill at 90 degrees, get a pretty good view, and plunge back down towards the ground. Next you get the bonus 129' second hill.
Top Thrill Dragster has a more creative launch, but Kingda Ka accelerates you faster. Kingda Ka's hill is taller, and there is the bonus second hill.
Edge: Kingda Ka
Vertict
Theme: Top Thrill Dragster
View: Top Thrill Dragster
Trains: Top Thrill Dragster
Ride experience: Kingda Ka
As you can see, Top Thrill Dragster won 75% of the competitions. So I guess that TTD won today! Remember though, I have not ridden Kingda Ka.
Winner: Top Thrill Dragster
Leave a comment and tell me which one you think should have won. If you have ridden both, I have a poll on the side of my blog that you can vote on! Thanks for reading! Next week I will post Coaster Contest: Wild Eagle vs. X-Flight.
I thought that Top Thrill Dragster would win. I can't wait for next week's, I love wing coasters!
ReplyDeleteI've ridden both coasters and found TTD to be a better ride than KK. The trains were more comfortable and there was even a bit of airtime at the top! They're both fun though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your opinion, coasterguy! I noticed that airtime too. Which launch did you find to be more enjoyable: which was more smooth, which one felt faster, etc.? Thanks for commenting!
DeleteWell, I only rode KK once (as opposed to nine times on TTD) so I don't remember it as well. From what I recall the two had about the same launch, probably because they have only 8 mph difference.
DeleteThanks for sharing your experience!
ReplyDelete