4. X-Flight | Six Flags Great America, Chicago, IL
In most roller coasters, you have the relative comfort of being strapped into a metal car. Not so with Six Flag’s X-Flight, which dangles riders on either side of the track with nothing underneath them but concerned onlookers. Still not impressed? At one point the X-Flight hurdles toward a tower — “Abort! Abort!” — before flipping vertically and narrowly avoiding an unpleasant collision. The ride pretty much feels like being strapped to the wings of an X-wing starfighter during a battle — only without the orange jumpsuit to mask the fact that you’ve wet yourself.
5. Wild Eagle | Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, TN
The Wild Eagle takes the same basic concept as the X-Flight — riders dangle on either side of the tracks — but ups the ante by making the winged car the shape of, you guessed it, an eagle. (USA! USA!) So prepare to be carried through the Great Smoky Mountains on the proud wings of a disconcertingly large bird of prey like a halfling on his way to Mordor. You may be asking yourself, is the Wild Eagle a monument to American ingenuity, or a symbol of American hubris? Well Professor, we’re pretty sure it’s just a kick-ass ride.
