ACE Coaster Classics

An ACE Coaster Classic is about a traditional experience. One that has been shared by generations of thrill seekers since the golden age of the 1920s when the wild, uninhibited, free wheeling thrills of the wooden coaster established it as the premier thrill ride and an icon of popular culture.

The concept of ACE Coaster Classics was developed during a period when changes in the design, equipping, and operation of wood coasters threatened to erase these time-honored experiences and rituals. ACE awards ACE Coaster Classic status to coasters that still adhere to these principles that allow riders to safely experience the thrill of the classic wooden roller coaster ride. To be eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status, the coaster must meet the following criteria:

  • The coaster must use traditional lap bars that allow riders to experience so-called airtime, or negative G's (that sensation of floating above the seat!). Individual, ratcheting lap bars do not meet this requirement.
  • ACE Coaster Classics allow riders to experience free lateral movement. Coasters with seat dividers are not eligible for this designation. Seat belts that do not interfere with free lateral movement of the riders are eligible for this designation.
  • ACE Coaster Classics allow riders to view the upcoming drops and thrills. Coasters with headrests on every seat, or the majority of seats, restrict this view and are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status.

Coasters Designated

The following coasters have been designated ACE Coaster Classic status:

Big Dipper – Camden Park – Huntington, West Virginia, USA

Blue Flyer – Blackpool Pleasure Beach – Blackpool, England

Blue Streak – Conneaut Lake Park – Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania, USA (Removed)

Classic Coaster – Washington State Fair – Puyallup, Washington, USA

Comet – Waldameer Park – Erie, Pennsylvania, USA

Cyclone – Lakeside Amusement Park – Denver, Colorado, USA

Cyclone – Luna Park – Brooklyn, New York, USA

Cyclone – Williams Grove Amusement Park – Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA (SBNO)

High Roller – Valleyfair! – Shakopee, Minnesota, USA

Hochschaubahn – Wiener Prater – Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Hullámvasút – Vidámpark – Budapest, Pest, Hungary

Jack Rabbit – Kennywood Park – West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, USA

Kiddy Coaster – Playland Park – Rye, New York, USA

Leap-the-Dips – Lakemont Park – Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA

Lil’ Dipper – Camden Park – Huntington, West Virginia, USA

Little Dipper – Six Flags Great America – Gurnee, Illinois, USA

Meteor – Little Amerricka – Marshall, Wisconsin, USA

Montaña Suiza – Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo – San Sebastián, Guipuzcoa, Spain

Nickelodeon Streak – Blackpool Pleasure Beach – Blackpool, England

Roller Coaster – Pleasure Beach Great Yarmouth – Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England

Rutschebanen – Tivoli Gardens – Copenhagen, Denmark

Scenic Railway – Luna Park – St. Kilda (Melbourne), Victoria, Australia

Sea Dragon – Jungle Jack's Landing at the Columbus Zoo – Powell, Ohio, USA

Skyliner – Lakemont Park – Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA

Teddy Bear – Stricker's Grove – Hamilton, Ohio, USA

Thunderbolt – Kennywood Park – West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, USA

Tomahawk – PortAventura – Salou, Spain

Vuoristorata – Linnanmäki – Helsinki, Finland

Wooden Roller Coaster – Playland at the PNE – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Zach’s Zoomer – Michigan's Adventure – Muskegon, Michigan, USA

Classic Coaster

Washington State Fair
Photo: Bobby Nagy

Leap-the-Dips

Lakemont Park
Photo: Rendell Bird

Rutschebanen

Tivoli Gardens
Photo: Curt Schimmel

Golden Age Coasters

Nearly 2,000 roller coasters were built during the so called Golden Age of coaster construction during the 1920s. Hardly any of them remain today. ACE established the Golden Age Coaster designation to recognize significant roller coasters that were built during the 1920s. ACE later changed this designation to ACE Roller Coaster Landmark designations so that it would be able to recognize historically significant roller coasters that were not built during the 1920s.

Coasters Designated

The following coasters were designated Golden Age Coaster status:

Giant Dipper – Belmont Park – San Diego, California, USA

Giant Dipper – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – Santa Cruz, California, USA

Giant Dipper

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Photo: Jon Edwards