Farscry rides a rollercoaster, Fyedaddy almost dies...

MaxShrek wrote:
nsmike wrote:
MaxShrek wrote:

If you're in the NY-Metro, it's time to get on this ancient one. 81 years of omfug:

Yeah, the Cyclone is legendary, but I have never ridden. I was never really impressed by it's appearance. The Thunderbolt in Kennywood is said to be better.

It's deceiving, the first drop is a butt-pucker.

The Thunderbolt doesn't have an immediate climb up a hill. Thanks to the hilly topography of the Pittsburgh terrain, the first drop is RIGHT out of the station into a deep valley. Thing is, this is not immediately apparent in the station. First time I rode it many years ago, I think I peed a little.

Farscry wrote:

If there's one thing I can be happy about, it's that I didn't get motion sick at all. And that as Fyedaddy noted (I never actually saw this) I terrified the sh*t out of those little kids on the second coaster. :twisted:

Last time I was there, I rode the Demon. A kind in the car behind me was riding with his mom. By the end of the ride and as we're pulling into the station, the kid is just balling and his mom is laughing her ass off. Great parent, that one.

kaostheory wrote:

Last time I was there, I rode the Demon. A kind in the car behind me was riding with his mom. By the end of the ride and as we're pulling into the station, the kid is just balling and his mom is laughing her ass off. Great parent, that one.

I'd be laughing, too. The kid was physically fine, and he psyched himself out over nothing.

kaostheory wrote:

Last time I was there, I rode the Demon.

I have nothing to add, I just think this is a badass sentence.

Childhood was spent alternating between Cedar Point and Kings Island. I'm also afraid of heights, but the rush after that initial sense of terror is so powerful that it's a bit addicting.

Yeah, when I was kid, I was a total wimp. I was scared of rollercoasters, and anything high up in the air. At some point, though, I embraced that feeling. I get the same vertigo feelings I have always had, but it is now a rush.

Here I was thinking that tonight will be one of my typical Team Fortress 2 nights. But no, you had to change it to Rollercoaster Tycoon! Now I won't go to sleep until I successfully induce vomiting in at least 100 peeps. And I thought that this obsession is over...

wanderingtaoist wrote:

Here I was thinking that tonight will be one of my typical Team Fortress 2 nights. But no, you had to change it to Rollercoaster Tycoon! Now I won't go to sleep until I successfully induce vomiting in at least 100 peeps. And I thought that this obsession is over...

Oh don't make this an obsession for me again. I made a custom coaster in my park right beside a stock design one. The one corner I made a little too tight and I had a coaster jump the tracks fly through the air and crash into a coaster of the ride beside it. Killed 60 patrons. Hmm... I couldn't get riders to go on either one after that for a LONG time. (I can't imagine why.)

Actually, it's impressive they can build that logic into the game. (The impressive crash and paranoia.)

VicD714 wrote:

Farscry, I didn't see it mentioned anywhere, so I gotta ask. You did ride in the front car, right? The unobstructed view is always more fun.

Front car is more fun visually, but the back car gives a much more exciting physical experience. At the start of the first big hill, the front car goes over while the rest of the train is still ratcheting, but the back car hits the top at speed. At every hill, the back car generally hits the apex faster than any other car. Gotta go with the back seat.

wonderpug wrote:
VicD714 wrote:

Farscry, I didn't see it mentioned anywhere, so I gotta ask. You did ride in the front car, right? The unobstructed view is always more fun.

Front car is more fun visually, but the back car gives a much more exciting physical experience. At the start of the first big hill, the front car goes over while the rest of the train is still ratcheting, but the back car hits the top at speed. At every hill, the back car generally hits the apex faster than any other car. Gotta go with the back seat.

I generally prefer the front car. Usually there's some delay going over that hill that adds some suspense while the train gets up to speed. And the back car, especially on wooden coasters, is generally a much rougher ride. Plus, on some of these newer steel coasters, especially inverted and hanging coasters, you get absolutely no view riding in anything BUT the front car. The view is at least half the fun, IMHO.

Uberstein wrote:
nsmike wrote:
MaxShrek wrote:
nsmike wrote:
MaxShrek wrote:

If you're in the NY-Metro, it's time to get on this ancient one. 81 years of omfug:

Yeah, the Cyclone is legendary, but I have never ridden. I was never really impressed by it's appearance. The Thunderbolt in Kennywood is said to be better.

It's deceiving, the first drop is a butt-pucker.

The Thunderbolt doesn't have an immediate climb up a hill. Thanks to the hilly topography of the Pittsburgh terrain, the first drop is RIGHT out of the station into a deep valley. Thing is, this is not immediately apparent in the station. First time I rode it many years ago, I think I peed a little.

I was just at Kennywood mid-June for my brother's 40th Birthday family-get-together. I hadn't been there in over 20 years (we grew up in Greensburg.)

Had a blast, rode the Thunderbolt for old times sake, it still thrilled me. Then I rode the new one, (OK it was built in 2001, but hey it was new to me), Phantom's Revenge. Holy crap. We were at the top of the first hill, and I was babbling nervously, saying, "Boy this is higher than it looked..." etc. Then I pretty much screamed the entire ride. Lots of zero-G, which frankly is the part of high speed coasters that scares the crap outta me, going over hills at high speed and feeling for a split second as if the coaster has left the damned track and is sailing out over the park, death imminent.

I went on it two more times, it was so fun. :-)

Yeah, the Phantom's Revenge is actually a redesign of the old Steel Phantom. The first hill down, and the second, large hill that goes through the structure of the Thunderbolt is still original to the Steel Phantom. Much of what follows was changed, due to the original Phantom being called "too rough" by many park patrons. Personally, I preferred the original, and found the Revenge to be much rougher.

nsmike wrote:
MaxShrek wrote:
nsmike wrote:
MaxShrek wrote:

If you're in the NY-Metro, it's time to get on this ancient one. 81 years of omfug:

Yeah, the Cyclone is legendary, but I have never ridden. I was never really impressed by it's appearance. The Thunderbolt in Kennywood is said to be better.

It's deceiving, the first drop is a butt-pucker.

The Thunderbolt doesn't have an immediate climb up a hill. Thanks to the hilly topography of the Pittsburgh terrain, the first drop is RIGHT out of the station into a deep valley. Thing is, this is not immediately apparent in the station. First time I rode it many years ago, I think I peed a little.

I was just at Kennywood mid-June for my brother's 40th Birthday family-get-together. I hadn't been there in over 20 years (we grew up in Greensburg.)

Had a blast, rode the Thunderbolt for old times sake, it still thrilled me. Then I rode the new one, (OK it was built in 2001, but hey it was new to me), Phantom's Revenge. Holy crap. We were at the top of the first hill, and I was babbling nervously, saying, "Sh*t this is higher than it looked...Oh Sh*t, oh sh*t" etc. Then I pretty much screamed the entire ride. Lots of zero-G, which frankly is the part of high speed coasters that scares the crap outta me, going over hills at high speed and feeling for a split second as if the coaster has left the damned track and is sailing out over the park, death imminent.

I went on it two more times, it was so fun.

Ahh I just read about the Steel Phantom. I missed that one entirely.
I moved to FL in '91, when it came out, in fact.

Best coaster I've ever been on:
The Avalanche, in Blackpool, England. No track, just a halfpipe. No climb, the coaster drops straight outta the gate. The fact that there is no track means the coaster itself is almost silent; being in the front car (and every time I went in after the first time, I went in the front car) was like riding alone. There was no track noise, and you couldn't hear the people behind you. It was an awesome rush.

Scariest coaster I've ever been on:
The Wild Mouse (don't remember where). Wooden track, lots of wrenching 90 degree turns. Not really scary until after I got off. After one of the turns, there was a kind of thump; we didn't realize until we were off the ride that the 'thump' was the car falling back onto the track... *shudder*

Chumpy_McChump wrote:

Best coaster I've ever been on:
The Avalanche, in Blackpool, England. No track, just a halfpipe. No climb, the coaster drops straight outta the gate. The fact that there is no track means the coaster itself is almost silent; being in the front car (and every time I went in after the first time, I went in the front car) was like riding alone. There was no track noise, and you couldn't hear the people behind you. It was an awesome rush.

Scariest coaster I've ever been on:
The Wild Mouse (don't remember where). Wooden track, lots of wrenching 90 degree turns. Not really scary until after I got off. After one of the turns, there was a kind of thump; we didn't realize until we were off the ride that the 'thump' was the car falling back onto the track... *shudder*

Heh, the "Wild Mouse" is an amusement park standard. They're all meant to look like they're JUST about to go over the edge, and turn away quickly.

nsmike wrote:
kaostheory wrote:

Last time I was there, I rode the Demon. A kind in the car behind me was riding with his mom. By the end of the ride and as we're pulling into the station, the kid is just balling and his mom is laughing her ass off. Great parent, that one.

I'd be laughing, too. The kid was physically fine, and he psyched himself out over nothing.

Unless, like me, the kid actually has a phobia. In which case it's out of their control.

I have regular fears, and I confront them and overcome them. I've tried confronting and overcoming my acrophobia, and in some cases I've succeeded (I'm ok with flying in planes, for instance), but overall it rules me instead of me conquering it. It's actually frustrating. I wouldn't have ridden a second coaster if I didn't want to try to conquer my fears.

I find Wild Mouse rides too jarring. I already have enough neck problems from a head-on collision 13 years ago. Busch Gardens used to have a ride called Drachenfire which was an early steel coaster. Too much horizontal G's thought; a lot of smashing the side of your head into the shoulder restraint. My wife swore off of it because of its brutal effect on earrings. They finally tore it down a few years back.

I am not going to lie, I didn't even skim...

So we went to Six Flags Great America yesterday with my 2 sisters (11 and 13) and 2 of their friends, and Erik's sister (23) and brother (12). We also went on the Whizzer (which is not my favorite because I don't like roller coasters, but I enjoy because the turning keeps your guts from feeling like they are plastered to your throat).

I don't know what you were thinking going on the American Eagle.

If you are looking for one that is more stylistically like the American Eagle (mostly just drops) but smaller like the Whizzer, you should try the Viper. It is a small wooden track that is just a bunch of hills. I will go on it (stomach tensed the entire time and no smile to be seen, of course), which means anyone who has been on the AE should find it quite tame.

ranalin wrote:

Childhood was spent alternating between Cedar Point and Kings Island.

Ditto. I grew up & my parents live 45 minutes due South of Cedar Point. Since I've moved to NC, I haven't been back there and I really miss it. I'm a confessed rollercoaster nut and faster, higher, blinder, oh baby yeah that's the good stuff.

So if any Ohio GWJ'ers want to have a S&T at Cedar Point, let me know and I'll do my best to join in on the fun. Assuming I can sneak into the state without my mom getting wise to it

Farscry wrote:

Unless, like me, the kid actually has a phobia. In which case it's out of their control.

I have regular fears, and I confront them and overcome them. I've tried confronting and overcoming my acrophobia, and in some cases I've succeeded (I'm ok with flying in planes, for instance), but overall it rules me instead of me conquering it. It's actually frustrating. I wouldn't have ridden a second coaster if I didn't want to try to conquer my fears. ;)

From the sound of your reaction, you did MUCH worse than a crying kid. Er... No offense. But it's likely the kid was just scared, didn't want to do it, and cried to get back at his mother.

It helps if you learn to ride roller coasters as a kid. As a full-grown adult, riding one of those for the first time would be pretty intense.... adding in acrophobia too, wow.

I gotta say, Fars, you have guts to try it a second time. In all seriousness, I'm impressed.

Fye's observation of the six year olds who were scared to death by your reaction -- that part was incredibly funny.

edit to add: the last time I was there, Busch Gardens had this really horrible wooden roller coaster that bumped like crazy and crippled my lower back; I was in pain for a week coming off that thing. I never ever ride wooden coasters anymore.

second edit: I've heard some doctors use video imagery of coasters to work on acrophobia. Maybe some exposure to Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 might help?

Malor wrote:

edit to add: the last time I was there, Busch Gardens had this really horrible wooden roller coaster that bumped like crazy and crippled my lower back; I was in pain for a week coming off that thing. I never ever ride wooden coasters anymore.

I think that was probably Drachenfire. I thought it was wooden (looked and felt that way) but apparently was just a really really bad steel construction. Horrible ride. I love coasters but I don't see the need to pay to get whiplash and poke holes in my neck if I dare keep my earrings in during the ride. I could still feel the effect of that ride for days after.

I swear Fars, I don't mean to laugh so hard at your terror, but i'm laughing my ass off here.

Prederick wrote:

I swear Fars, I don't mean to laugh so hard at your terror, but i'm laughing my ass off here.

Hey, I wouldn't have posted it the way I did if I didn't want anyone to laugh at the way it went down. Sure, it was terrifying, but I didn't end up harmed, so in retrospect it's easy to laugh even if I'll never do it again!

Prederick wrote:

I swear Fars, I don't mean to laugh so hard at your terror, but i'm laughing my ass off here.

And that without actually seeing him lumber out of the coaster cart and stagger down the exit ramp.

My SO reminded me to add that her 92 year old grandmother gave Fars no end of crap when we saw her on Sunday and provided a recap of our trip. Her mother added "The Whizzer?! Even *I* go on the Whizzer...".

Just imagine a frail, 75 pound woman sitting at the kitchen table, walker at the ready, swatting both hands at Fars in disgust as she basically calls him a coward.

Hey now, I doubt Grandma's been on the Whizzer that recently!

Yellek wrote:
Malor wrote:

edit to add: the last time I was there, Busch Gardens had this really horrible wooden roller coaster that bumped like crazy and crippled my lower back; I was in pain for a week coming off that thing. I never ever ride wooden coasters anymore.

I think that was probably Drachenfire. I thought it was wooden (looked and felt that way) but apparently was just a really really bad steel construction. Horrible ride. I love coasters but I don't see the need to pay to get whiplash and poke holes in my neck if I dare keep my earrings in during the ride. I could still feel the effect of that ride for days after.

Malor, did you mean BG Williamsburg or BG Tampa?

Fyedaddy wrote:
Prederick wrote:

I swear Fars, I don't mean to laugh so hard at your terror, but i'm laughing my ass off here.

And that without actually seeing him lumber out of the coaster cart and stagger down the exit ramp.

My SO reminded me to add that her 92 year old grandmother gave Fars no end of crap when we saw her on Sunday and provided a recap of our trip. Her mother added "The Whizzer?! Even *I* go on the Whizzer...".

Just imagine a frail, 75 pound woman sitting at the kitchen table, walker at the ready, swatting both hands at Fars in disgust as she basically calls him a coward.

Damnit! There goes my coffee.

Thanks for the LOL, Fyedaddy.

Fyedaddy wrote:

P.S. - The new 'The Dark Knight' ride (Six Flags - Chicago) is possibly the worst "roller coaster" I've ever sat through.

We surmised that Dark Knight is actually the same track as Ragin' Cajun, but in the dark and with non-spinning cars. That's not really an improvement, if you ask me.

Zablocki19 wrote:

I'm curious of how after you were completely terrified from the first roller-coaster, they got you to go on a second? Mad props for conning you on that one ;)

In my estimation (and I've been going to Great America all my life), The Whizzer is tamer than most water slides. It's really, really lame. The two most exciting things about it are that it makes a lot of noise, and you sit with someone else (E Hunnie) in your lap, "tandem style."

nsmike wrote:
Grenn wrote:

If its testicular bruising you are looking for, then make a bee-line straight towards Iron Wolf. Stand up roller coasters were a baaaaaad idea.

Oh god. The Mantis, a stand-up coaster at Cedar Point, actually put me out of commission. It was the first time I really got sick (I should say, just nauseated, as many people, for some reason, take "getting sick" to mean vomiting, and I've always considered "getting sick" to just be a general feeling of malaise) and suffered pain on a coaster. If the damn thing had had seats, I would've been fine. Never again.

You really have to set yourself up well in those. When I ride the Iron Wolf, I make sure to bend my knees a little until the seats lock in place.

Chumpy_McChump wrote:

Best coaster I've ever been on:
The Avalanche, in Blackpool, England. No track, just a halfpipe. No climb, the coaster drops straight outta the gate. The fact that there is no track means the coaster itself is almost silent; being in the front car (and every time I went in after the first time, I went in the front car) was like riding alone. There was no track noise, and you couldn't hear the people behind you. It was an awesome rush.

Great America had something similar called Rolling Thunder. I heard it hopped the pipe and landed top-down. I think it's in New York somewhere now.

Kennywood is great... went there as a young'un, loved the Thunderbolt and the Steel Phantom was some scary sh*t... with that first or second drop that just kept on going down the hill, never-ending.

Was just at Coney for the Siren music festival, made sure to ride the Cyclone first thing. That first drop looks sort of tame from the street, but it actually bottoms out below street level and is bigger than it looks. It's violent, scary, and a gem. I just love the idea of a still-operational thrill ride from the 1920's. My neck hurt for a couple days though.

Went to Busch Gardens a month ago as well. Loch Ness very good. Apollo's Chariot had some incredible air time. Big Bad Wolf (hanging coaster) was interesting. Regret that I didn't go on the Griffon. When I first spotted the ride, it was from a lower elevation section of the park, and it just looked like the highest thing in the universe. I was utterly psyched out by the time we got near it, even though the drop isn't quite as nuts as my first impression made it seem. Next time. I recommend looking for some youtube POV's of it.

Speaking of youtube, I had some fun making myself completely weak-kneed by watching movies of these thrill rides on top of the tower thingy in Vegas... anyone heard of these? A sample:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfEqf...