Are you a roller-coaster fanatic?

[ckay87]

I am! And if you are, here's what I'm wondering. As coasters get bigger and faster, do you find it more difficult to get that "thrill" from a ride? I don't know if I'm getting old or numb or what. But I'm at the point where you can shoot me down the track at 70 mph and it feels....normal . It's sad, really. Our local park opened a new coaster last year (Hydra at Dorney) and my kids love it. For me, it's ho-hum.

I beleive what happened is that last year I rode this little machine called Shei-Kra at Busch Gardens Tampa. That one had it all. Among plumeting you straight down (yes, face down toward the earth, 90degrees) two times at around 200 ft, it has corkscrews, water, and I believe a loop or 2. Wow. But sadly everything I've ridden since has greatly paled in comparison. It's a bummer. Does anyone else find this to be true?

You know which one will get me everytime, though? The Rock&Rollercoaster. Which is funny because it's just not that big. I think it's the Aerosmith, I really do

 

[lindakmonty]

I've been to Dorney park and several other parks and totally agree...most are just "ok"... fun but no biggie... I live about 50 miles from Cedar Point and have gone there more times than I could count. I love the coasters!!!! Thankfully I live pretty close to one of the best parks there are!! Plus we have Geauga Lake and Kings Island right here in Ohio.... they're all fun but the coasters are the best for me! Yes ...RnR is incredible...but so is EE!!! Come on over to CP... you'll get your coaster thrills

 

[puffkin]

I think it is more about the quality of the WHOLE ride. Too many of today's coasters just have a gimmick (ie huge drop, 0-70 launch, etc) to get you on, but then the rest of the ride is forgotten. I want a good ride from start to finish! For instance, the hulk is a great coaster because it has the launch and then a great rest of the ride. Don't get me wrong, I love Rock N Rollercoaster, but after the launch, the rest of the coaster is relaxing (probably would say boring if it wasn't in the dark with an awesome soundtrack). One of my favorite coasters is the Wild Cat at Hersheypark. Fast, wicked and fun the whole ride without any so called gimmicks.

 

[ckay87]

I've been to Dorney park and several other parks and totally agree...most are just "ok"... fun but no biggie... I live about 50 miles from Cedar Point and have gone there more times than I could count. I love the coasters!!!! Thankfully I live pretty close to one of the best parks there are!! Plus we have Geauga Lake and Kings Island right here in Ohio.... they're all fun but the coasters are the best for me! Yes ...RnR is incredible...but so is EE!!! Come on over to CP... you'll get your coaster thrills

Yes! That is actually a dream destination of mine. I've been grooming my sons all these years to appreciate the fine art of coaster-riding. DH does not enjoy them at all. So I think I finally have one boy tall enough and tough enough to keep up.

Yea, I think CP might do it for me.

 

[ckay87]

I think it is more about the quality of the WHOLE ride. Too many of today's coasters just have a gimmick (ie huge drop, 0-70 launch, etc) to get you on, but then the rest of the ride is forgotten. I want a good ride from start to finish! For instance, the hulk is a great coaster because it has the launch and then a great rest of the ride. Don't get me wrong, I love Rock N Rollercoaster, but after the launch, the rest of the coaster is relaxing (probably would say boring if it wasn't in the dark with an awesome soundtrack). One of my favorite coasters is the Wild Cat at Hersheypark. Fast, wicked and fun the whole ride without any so called gimmicks.

Wicked is not the word for the Wildcat! I thought my sneakers were gonna fall off!

See, for me, I do think RnR is the whole experience, other than the fact that it's smallish. It has that whole theme thing throughout. And I sure do like the theme!

 

[cardaway]

I can see people not beign thrilled by the VERY smooth steal coasters because they are so smooth. We recently rode one of the best newer wood coasters (Tremors at Silverwood in ID) and it is everything a wood coaster should be, including tons of air time.

Unless you have the track memorized I still find the suspended coasters to be thrilling because you cannot see where you are going.

 

[Cindy B]

I get weird looks when I tell people that Kingda Ka (fastest, tallest in the world) is BORING! Really, its one big hill and thats it.

El Toro is a great ride though.


I've ridden coasters in many states so I guess its all a perspective.

 

[hiwaygal]

speaking of coasters...

"rumor" has it that BG-Williamsburg is planning a new coaster for the 2007 season.

I heard yesterday that BG "patented" the word "Griffon" (not sure if I have the spelling right on that). And that the new attraction will be in excess of 50' taller than Alpengeist (roughly 250' drop).

I grew up at CP and have ridden most of the older coasters, it's hard to get a "thrill" from some of the "tamer" coasters at BG. But I also find that as I get older, I'm happy with some of the tamer stuff!

 

[ckay87]

speaking of coasters...

"rumor" has it that BG-Williamsburg is planning a new coaster for the 2007 season.

I heard yesterday that BG "patented" the word "Griffon" (not sure if I have the spelling right on that). And that the new attraction will be in excess of 50' taller than Alpengeist (roughly 250' drop).

I'm not surprised. Does anyone remember that BG had, for a very short period of time, a coaster called "Drachenfire?" I rode it one time and it HURT! On our next visit, probably 2-3 years later, it was mysteriously gone.

So, it's time for a new coaster there. Apollo's Chariot is great. Just out and back, one big hill, though.

 

[hiwaygal]

I'm not surprised. Does anyone remember that BG had, for a very short period of time, a coaster called "Drachenfire?" I rode it one time and it HURT! On our next visit, probably 2-3 years later, it was mysteriously gone.

So, it's time for a new coaster there. Apollo's Chariot is great. Just out and back, one big hill, though.

yes, Drachenfire was an AWFUL ride. Personally, I think it was either poorly designed or poorly built. No steel coaster should have had that many jerks and jolts. I think lots of people were complaining and they got rid of it.

Apollo's Chariot is okay, I prefer Alpengeist. And would LOVE to see a wooden coaster at BG! (My personal all-time favorite is the Mean Streak at CP).

 

[Cantw8]

I LOVE coasters I have got to get to Cedar Point, I have read that they have the best coasters in the world

 

[wvrevy]

DW and I are both coaster nuts. My personal favorite is probably still one of the older "great" coasters out there: The Beast in King's Island. Oh, I've ridden any number of taller, faster coasters. Even a wooden one with a loop (Son of Beast) that has a drop of over 200 feet. Stiull...nothing can touch The Beast for pure thrills.

Some other favorites...The Raptor at CP (better than Alpengeist because, believe it or not, it is slower. Alpengeist just throws so many things at you so quickly you don't really have time to enjoy them, if that makes sense)...Batman at Geauga Lake (not the name since Six Flags sold it, but can't remember the new one)...The Hulk and Deuling Dragons at IOA (fantastic theming on both, better on Dragons, but the Hulk is the better coaster)....

DW and I added up the number of coasters we'd ridden together, and it came out to something like 120...and that was several years ago. We're bringing DD5 up right, too...She took her first rides on Goofy's Barnstormer last year and immediately asked to go on it again. By the end of that ride, she was doing "rollercoaster arms" down the hills...lol

 

[Princess89]

I get weird looks when I tell people that Kingda Ka (fastest, tallest in the world) is BORING! Really, its one big hill and thats it.

El Toro is a great ride though.


I've ridden coasters in many states so I guess its all a perspective.

I can not agree more with your entire post. Kingda Ka was OK, but it is only one drop, and people actually wait in that line for hours. I waited 10 minutes My DS and I just rode El Toro this past Sat, and for the most part the hype was all about the drop, yes, its steep, its fun, and yes, got me for the most part. Loved every minute of it, but what you don't see is IMO the best part of the ride, the twisting and turning, out of a wooden roller coaster something I never expected, and thoroughly enjoyed. The whole ride was completely unexpected. Not many coasters get me excited any more, but El Toro did, and I can't wait to try it again on Thursday night, this time with my niece.

 

[wvrevy]

BTW...There is a website that every coaster nut should have bookmarked.

Internet Roller Coaster Database

Has every coaster I've ever heard of, including any name changes (Batman Knight Flight is now called "Dominator"), is completely searchable by coaster or by location...has TONS of pics and some video...just an incredible site! HIGHLY recommended!

 

[hiwaygal]

BTW...There is a website that every coaster nut should have bookmarked.

Internet Roller Coaster Database

Has every coaster I've ever heard of, including any name changes (Batman Knight Flight is now called "Dominator"), is completely searchable by coaster or by location...has TONS of pics and some video...just an incredible site! HIGHLY recommended!

Cool! I'll have to check that site out! I would LOVE to keep track of all the coasters I've ridden!

And I agree the Raptor at CP is infinitely better than the Alpengeist.

I rode the Beast after hearing about it for years...and I was a tad disappointed. Not sure why...maybe the build up was just too much.

Haven't ridden some of the newer ones at Geauga Lake (it will ALWAYS be Geauga Lake to me ) but their Big Dipper was an incredible old wooden coaster with LOTS of air time!

 

[Bob Slydell]

BTW...There is a website that every coaster nut should have bookmarked.

Internet Roller Coaster Database

Has every coaster I've ever heard of, including any name changes (Batman Knight Flight is now called "Dominator"), is completely searchable by coaster or by location...has TONS of pics and some video...just an incredible site! HIGHLY recommended!

Thanks for the link!!

I agree with you -- The Beast is by far the best wooden roller coaster ever. I haven't been there since they opened Son of Beast -- is it good?

 

[lindakmonty]

BTW...There is a website that every coaster nut should have bookmarked.

Internet Roller Coaster Database

Has every coaster I've ever heard of, including any name changes (Batman Knight Flight is now called "Dominator"), is completely searchable by coaster or by location...has TONS of pics and some video...just an incredible site! HIGHLY recommended!

Thanks for the link

It's driving me crazy...we went to WDW for 10 nights in April/May and now I'm trying to decide which local park to go to... Cedar Point, Kings Island or Geauga Lake... Cedar Point is the ultimate w/all the big coasters...but w/ds5 Kings Island is better for his age...but I love the coasters at Geauga Lake too... more of them remind me of the Raptor at CP... CP is the closest to us of coarse... about 50 miles... Geauga Lake is just over 2 hrs. and KI is 3 hrs.... Oh...decisions decisions... and dh does not ride coasters at all...so I'll be riding most coasters solo!! ds is only 42" so he can't ride too much at cp.

Just an FYI... kids get in CP for like $9.95 this year...!!!!

Kalahari is a great place to stay while going to CP!

 

[wvrevy]

Thanks for the link!!

I agree with you -- The Beast is by far the best wooden roller coaster ever. I haven't been there since they opened Son of Beast -- is it good?

It's...ok. MUCH faster than The Beast, obviously, and the loop is an interesting element for a woody Still...I'm not sure what it is, but it just doesn't seem to have that special "element" that makes for a truly great coaster.

I can spend hours on that website...seriously...lol. I just stumbled onto it a couple months ago and checked out all of the record-holding coasters (The Beast is still the longest wooden coaster in the world)...Parks that I'd been to years ago...Just a really cool time-waster

 

[wvrevy]

Thanks for the link

It's driving me crazy...we went to WDW for 10 nights in April/May and now I'm trying to decide which local park to go to... Cedar Point, Kings Island or Geauga Lake... Cedar Point is the ultimate w/all the big coasters...but w/ds5 Kings Island is better for his age...but I love the coasters at Geauga Lake too... more of them remind me of the Raptor at CP... CP is the closest to us of coarse... about 50 miles... Geauga Lake is just over 2 hrs. and KI is 3 hrs.... Oh...decisions decisions... and dh does not ride coasters at all...so I'll be riding most coasters solo!! ds is only 42" so he can't ride too much at cp.

Just an FYI... kids get in CP for like $9.95 this year...!!!!

Kalahari is a great place to stay while going to CP!

We're taking DD to Geauga Lake early next month for a couple days. Apparently, the old Sea World is now a huge water park, so we'll spend a day there and then a day on the amusement side. Should be fun. We'll probably wait a couple years to take her to CP. Not sure I could stand being that close to that many great coasters and not being able to ride them with everyone...lol

 

[Bob Slydell]

We're taking DD to Geauga Lake early next month for a couple days. Apparently, the old Sea World is now a huge water park, so we'll spend a day there and then a day on the amusement side. Should be fun. We'll probably wait a couple years to take her to CP. Not sure I could stand being that close to that many great coasters and not being able to ride them with everyone...lol

Yep, it took them a whole season to finish (last year, it was partially done), but it is a huge waterpark now (I miss Sea World, however )

Cedar Point does have a surprisingly large number of kids rides, though (I guess I never looked before? ), so I wouldn't write off CP because of having kids.

I would however, agree, that it would be rough to be at CP and not be able to ride most of the coasters.