Resort Ranking – The Fantawilds, by coasters (2025)
We’re definitely overdue an update on this old classic. Since my original guide in 2020, Fantawild have opened at least another dozen parks and I’ve managed to bring my total up to an almost absurd 25 individual Fantawild park visits. They’ve also diversified in their styles of park a fair amount since the original trilogy of themes, which is exciting, and there are plenty more interesting and unique attractions to spotlight as their dark ride game has gone from strength to strength.
Rather than expanding on the original ranking in the same style which only looked at a handful of attractions each, I figured I’d try take a similar approach to the old Happy Valley/Six Flags ranking posts (both also overdue an update). This means separating each park that I’ve visited into two main categories – the coaster rankings for the coaster fans, and the dark ride rankings for the dark ride fans. Then we’ll combine the scores, figure out some convoluted system for how the multi-park resorts are affected, and highlight which locations have the most overall appeal right now. Plus a bit of location logistics again for good measure.
Wish me luck.
Fantawild Park Ranking by Coasters
#24 Fantawild Adventure Zhengzhou – Stress Express, Terror Twister, Mount Tanggula, Spiteful worm
#24 Fantawild Dreamland Xiamen – Stress Express, Terror Twister, Mount Tanggula, Spiteful worm
Tied in dead last we have these two parks, which demonstrates an interesting overlap in time periods for the Adventure and Dreamland brands. Both opened within a year of each other and both received exactly the same coaster lineup, while their dark rides are a whole different game. The reason these sit in last is that you have to suffer not one, but two large and terrible thrill coasters. Boomerangs are bad enough, but I absolutely despise Sky Loops these days. The best in the park for both is the mine train and even they ride comically poorly. For added insult to injury, they also contain a worm coaster that adults can’t ride. Not a strong start.
#23 Silk Road Dreamland (Jiayuguan) – Silk Road Speed, Stress Express, Puppy Coaster
The only other park that, like the above, operates two large scale abominations, but I’ll take the SLC (which is also a rare, China exclusive layout) over the Sky Loop any day. Plus no spiteful worm.
#22 Fantawild Dreamland Wuhu – Golden Whirlwind, Puppy Coaster
Not much going on here. Golden Whirlwind is a bit of an anomaly for the chain, the only Sameco looper they ever installed and it’s not good. At the time of my visit, it was just that and a worm that you couldn’t ride. Looks like they’ve since added a Puppy Coaster, so they’ve had a bit of an upgrade.
#21 Fantawild Adventure Jiayuguan – Flare Meteor, Vesuvius Volcano, Spiteful worm
Classic combo of SLC, mine train and one you can’t ride. It’s a real shame that both of the Jiayuguan parks have the same ride type as their headline coaster.
#19 Fantawild Adventure Zhuzhou – Flare Meteor, Vesuvius Volcano
#19 Fantawild Dreamland Qingdao – Flare Meteor, Mount Tanggula
Bare-bones coaster lineups here, same as above but without the worm. They fill a void, a box tick for both the park and the coaster enthusiast.
#17 Fantawild Adventure Tai’an – Flare Meteor, Vesuvius Volcano, Puppy Coaster, Spiteful worm
#17 Fantawild Adventure Shenyang – Flare Meteor, Vesuvius Volcano, Puppy Coaster, Spiteful worm
These aren’t much of an upgrade, but a mine train AND a puppy? At least we’re back into +3 territory. Shame about the worms.
#16 Oriental Heritage Mianyang – Grand Showman, Pine Tree Rocket, Puppy Coaster, Water Coaster, Spiteful pedal
These were the unfortunate Oriental Heritage parks of the chain that were seemingly not deemed worthy of a world class headline coaster, unlike most of the others. Instead they got just another SLC, but it’s the rare layout again. Pine Tree Rocket is the first of many family Vekoma coasters on the list, Puppy is always a plus, although this one is in name only, and a worm is always a spite. Also the first pedal-powered children’s coaster that we can’t ride and are ending up everywhere just to annoy.
The other one I’m considering a minus here is the water coaster, which is just a ridiculous ordeal to have to put yourself through for a questionable +1. Too wet.
#15 Oriental Heritage Jingzhou – Grand Showman, Pine Tree Rocket, Puppy Coaster, Spiteful pedal
As above, but dry.
#14 Fantawild Dino Kingdom (Zigong) – Fire Mountain, Turbo Dino, Dino Dash
It has taken us to about halfway through the list to reach ‘respectable’ territory, which is a shame as at least some of the parks above are amazing in almost every other aspect. There’s no rollercoaster here in Zigong that’s going to actively try and hurt you, but the headline is a Vekoma SFC which, while enjoyable, is only a filler attraction at other Fantawild parks and also pretty common worldwide these days. Turbo Dino is another family Vekoma, this time some junior boomerang fun, but we’ve got them at home (Paultons in my case). Dino Dash is cute.
#13 Oriental Legend Handan – Flying Dragon, Sky and Earth, Puppy Coaster, Water coaster
The first of the headline coasters to get excited about, Flying Dragon is a modern Vekoma sit-down thrill coaster, Fantawild’s go-to since 2019. The layout is solid, being a lift-hill version of Formula at Energylandia, one of the pioneers of this design style, but also with an extended finale section.
Sky and Earth is a unique family coaster for Fantawild, and Chinese exclusive as a family layout.
+1 for the puppy, -1 for the gross water coaster, you know how it goes now.
#12 Oriental Heritage Changsha – Celestial Gauntlet, Big Top, Puppy Coaster
Celestial Gauntlet is the same Vekoma as above, with a better aesthetic. Big Top is proof that the SFC headling in Zigong is only a secondary coaster elsewhere. That still being a solid ride in its own right, and the lack of a water coaster, edges Handan out by one spot.
#11 FT Wild Land (Taizhou) – Invincible Warriors, Pine Tree Rocket, Puppy Coaster
Invincible Warriors is a so far unique Vekoma thrill coaster, the Renegade model. I’d rate it slightly stronger than the predecessor layout on this list and it also lives in one of my favourite themed areas of any Fantawild, so that’s nice. Outside of that we’ve got another Vekoma Junior and a Puppy. All good here.
#10 Oriental Heritage Xiamen – Jungle Trailblazer, Galaxy Express
The first of the big woodies, and the least impressive. Fantawild had an incredible run of installing Gravity Group creations called Jungle Trailblazer, which changed at least my life for the better. We can fall back on the specific rankings here for more detail, but it’s a shame this one didn’t meet expectations. It still kicked ass, in places.
Galaxy Express is another Vekoma SFC, a good second place. There’s no other filler here, for better or worse.
#9 Oriental Heritage Ningbo – Jungle Trailblazer, Stress Express, Night Rescue, Spiteful pedal
The next of the Jungle Trailblazers was built twice, at the next two parks. I feel I need to mention here that all of the wooden coaster rankings in this list need to be taken with a pinch of salt as I can only base things on when I personally experienced them.
Ningbo’s was the last in the set for me (when it should have been the first) and a good number of years after it first opened. It rode extremely aggressively, but in a way that demonstrates it was already past its prime, in dire need of some good maintenance work. I’ve since received reports that this may be the case across the chain (and Chinese woodies in general), with the roughness outweighing the underlying thrill. There was a golden age for these incredible specimens and sadly we may already be past it.
Elsewhere in the park we’ve got a Boomerang, which is a shame, and the first of the indoor mine trains for the list, which are interesting for some light (dark) theming.
#8 Oriental Heritage Jinan – Jungle Trailblazer, Stress Express, Night Rescue, Space Vehicle, Spiteful worm, Spiteful pedal
Same woodie, Boomerang and indoor mine train from above but they’ve also added a family coaster from Jinma since I last visited so it’s an extra +1. Along with 2 things you can’t ride instead of 1.
So it looks like the highest count of any Fantawild on paper, but only ties it with Handan and Mianyang thanks to their water coasters.
#7 Fantawild Wonderland (Xuzhou) – Cloud Shuttle, Pine Tree Rocket, Puppy Coaster
Back to Vekoma, and this is the most recently built Fantawild I have currently visited. They were somewhat put on the map for western enthusiasts for this particular coaster, as it shares the layout with Six Flags Great Adventure’s new Flash coaster which opened the following year. Of course I rode Cloud Shuttle and then subsequently skipped the chance to go to SFGAdv this year (yay, clones). It’s pretty awesome, with some very special sensations, particularly in the stall element. Round it out with a Vekoma Junior and a Puppy and you’ve got a good day out.
#6 Glorious Orient Ningbo – Fighter Jet, Frontline Charge, Sky Track, Spiteful pedal
The strongest Fantawild Vekoma for me so far has been installed at every Glorious Orient park to date, it’s the signature for the theme with the aircraft carrier station launch combo and custom train decoration. Round it out with a Vekoma Junior and a Puppy, but with different names and trains, and you’ve got a good day out. Capacity is horrendous though, so make sure you’re the first one on it for the day.
#5 Glorious Orient Huai’an – Fighter Jet, Frontline Charge, Sky Track
As above, but it doesn’t have the pedal-powered thing to annoy.
#4 Oriental Heritage Wuhu – Jungle Trailblazer, Stress Express, Land of Lost Souls
I think the first of the truly exceptional woodies trumps the most exceptional Vekoma for me, and that begins in Wuhu. This is the only other unique Trailblazer and it packed some serious punches. Grouped with another boomerang and indoor mine train combo, it’s your classic Oriental Heritage coaster lineup and as good as they get.
#3 Fantawild Dreamland Zhuzhou – Jungle Trailblazer, Stress Express
Unique to Fantawild, but a clone of Fjord Flying Dragon, one of China’s first big names in the wooden coaster scene. It is (was) incredible as a lengthy layout packed with everything I love about this style of ride, and near perfect. Shame about the boomerang.
#2 Fantawild Asian Legend (Nanning) – Jungle Trailblazer, Stress Express, Puppy Coaster
My favourite Jungle Trailblazer and Gravity Group coaster full stop. It is (was) perfect. Shame about the boomerang.
#1 Fantawild Dreamland Zhengzhou – Jungle Trailblazer 1, Galaxy Express, weird spinner
As above, but paired with the far superior Vekoma SFC and it looks like they’ve since added a weird kiddy spinner so it beats out Nanning on two counts now. Unless you can’t ride it.
Best bang for your buck on Fantawild coasters. Unless the woodie destroys you.
That’s it for the coasters. I guess if they’re all you care about we can take a quick look at logistics here.
Ningbo is the obvious answer, sadly, as I’ve got a bit of a love hate relationship with that particular resort. For having both the best of the Vekomas in Fighter Jet, and a Jungle Trailblazer in two adjacent gates it’s the highest ranked one-two coaster punch in the chain, something which every single individual gate currently lacks. Even if the woodie might kill you these days, you might love it. Ningbo is also one of the closest to Shanghai and the highest density theme park region of the country. Though the Fantawild is nowhere near either city and a bit of a pain to get to, it’s China, logistical pain is to be expected.
Wuhu is similarly positioned not too far from Shanghai, potential day trip material with faff or a solid stop-off point along a route. Next best option for giving a woodie a try. The rest would have to be built into a more bespoke itinerary, but let me know if you ever need advice on that. As for the next best Vekoma, it’s in America…
Beyond that, I think this list just highlights Fantawild aren’t your go-to chain for coasters in the country. Your next best can be ridden in the U.S. under more or less duress and this is why I probably started off on the wrong foot with these parks many years ago. They’re about much, much more. Which leads us nicely into part 2.