Friday the 13th is a day rooted in deep superstition. From the days of the Templar Knights all the way to modern times when we have a crazed hockey mask wearing killer, Friday the 13th has been associated with the work luck possible. If you’re a theme park fan, however, you’ll know that bad luck makes for the best rides. You know the ones, everything starts off like a normal everyday event…then something goes horribly wrong? To celebrate this unluckiest of days we are counting down what we think are the best rides where luck is just not on our side.
Unlike many traditional “countdowns” we’re going to start with number one, that is the bottom of our list. If you want the best you have to travel all the way up to the 13th spot! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Photo courtesy of TheCoasterGuy.com
1.Apocalypse:The Ride-Six Flags Magic Mountain
You start off with just a leisurely day at the park, then..the worst possible thing happens. The world ends. Doesn’t get any worse than that! You scream through a wasteland of flame and destruction, at a top speed of 50 MPH and a wooden rattling drop of about 88 feet. That is a bad day!
2.Dinosaur-Animal Kingdom Park: Walt Disney World
Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. So how lucky is it that you get to enter a once secret research facility and go back to the early Cretaceous period to take a nice relaxing stroll with a ton of plant eating dinosaurs. Only, it’s one scientists plan to actually bring a dinosaur back to the present to study. So he sneaks in some top secret codes and not only are you zapped into a time that is filled with more ferocious dinosaurs, but you are also popped into a time right before a huge asteroid hits, that destroys all of the dinosaurs on earth! ARE YOU KIDDING! It’s a fun, but kind of scary ride that works out okay, but who sends tourists to an earth killing asteroid!
3.Revenge of the Mummy-Universal Studios Florida
The cast and crew are filming yet another film in the Mummy Franchise at Universal Studios Florida….only strange things have been happening on the set. The only thing that seems to be helping are the Madji pendants that everyone has…well at least it did, until Reggie lost his and fell victim to the Mummy. With his soul, the Mummy has the power to take your soul through a high speed roller coaster blast off.
4.Verbolten-Busch Gardens Williamsburg
One moment you’re Fahrting around the German country side (Oh, fahrting is a German word for travel) in a specially designed car, the next you’re spinning out of control into the Verboten Black Forest. What’s the worst that can happen? Just a little tryst through the Black Forest? You encounter, dangerous wolves, the spirit of the forest and worse! A sudden drop down into the river!
5. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey-Universal’s Islands of Adventure
How amazing is it that you, a Muggle, is invited into the legendary school of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Such an honor to be let into this magical world, and meet the amazing and powerful Albus Percival Wulfric..Brian..Dumbledore, headmaster at Hogwarts. But, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley have other plans. They want to get you out of the boring classes and show you around a bit. But you know how life with Harry goes, you’re attacked by a dragon, dementors and even have to face Malfoy. Bleh!
6. The Curse of DarKastle-Busch Gardens Williamsburg
There is a legend that the castle is cursed. But that can’t be real, can it? Nah. So you take your tour of the castle anyway. The voice is inviting and even draws you a carriage to take you deeper into the castle. That’s when you see the true colors of your host. He’s a homicidal ghost that can do you harm, and means to keep you in his castle forever.
7.Expedition:Everest-Animal Kingdom:Walt Disney World
The tallest mountain in the world has beckoned travelers for years, trying to conquer the peak and the dangerous climate. You start out on your expedition at base camp, but soon your trip is cut short by the Yeti. Ripping track and stopping you from making your decent, you are hurled backwards in a last ditch effort to escape the beast…down the trail back to camp.
8.Disaster-Universal Studios Florida
Okay, so nothing really goes wrong, it’s all just Hollywood magic! But how is that any fun when you’re starring in a Frank Kincaid Feature, you’re welcome. Disaster takes you through the best parts of the worst things happening in a movie and even puts you dead center in a trailer all your own, after you survive a big earthquake that destroys San Francisco.
9.Incredible Hulk-Universal’s Islands of Adventure
I think…I think this time it’s going to work! Dr. Banner is trying to harness the power of gamma radiation with a new type of sled. It’s supposed to contain the beast within him, and it almost works…until he loses his temper and throws you into the air and through some of the meanest, baddest loops and inversions of this high speed coaster.
10.Indiana Jones Adventure-Disneyland California
All you had to do was go in and find Dr. Jones. Don’t look Mara, the temple deity in the eye, and all would be fine…but you just had to look, didn’t you! Now it’s a race for your life, and for our fearless adventurer, Indiana Jones as you try to escape the certain peril that has fallen the other tours before you. Of course, some have survived…but not with the riches you were looking for.
11.Jurassic Park River Adventure-Islands of Adventure
Time..the ever flowing river. It’s a time when dinosaurs walked the earth at Jurassic Park, and your simple tour is supposed to be a nice leisurely float down the river, through the Stegosaurus paddock and out through the Hadrosaur Lagoon. But a Hadrosaur knocks you off course, and right into the middle of a system breakdown. Why do they even keep Velociraptors anymore anyway? Of course the only way to get you to safety is to take you up the lift to the maintenance bay, and evacuated you safely…but mama T-Rex has other plans, and the only way you can get out is right underneath her in the water main that broke as she was trying to get lunch.
12. The Studios Tour-Universal Hollywood
They’ve started filming an all new film at the world’s oldest working backlot tour! What could possibly go wrong? Our second most unlucky attraction takes you through some of the worst times ever, from an Intergalactic War of the Worlds, to a Great White Shark attack, then a flash flood, awaken a cursed mummy and piss off a really big gorilla all in one huge ride. It’s been through many changes over the years, but it’s always managed to keep you coming out ahead every single time, no matter what they throw at you next. How much more unlucky can you get?
13. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror-Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World
The Legendary Hollywood Tower Hotel was a beacon of high class in the early part of the 20th century. After an accident on the 13th floor, on Halloween Night, a group of guests are sent into the 5th dimension to never be seen again. Or are they? Their journey is now yours, as you tempt fate and ride up to the 13th floor. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Orlando is the most detailed, and beloved of the Tower of Terror franchise. It was the first, and is the only one with the 5th dimension scene that takes you into the realm of the Twilight Zone. Once the doors open, there is no turning back from what awaits. It is the best, of the unlucky rides.
Now keep in mind that these rides are NOT unlucky, they just have themes where everything goes wrong. Perfect for Friday the 13th!
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