Rollercoasters: Friend or Foe

[Holdfast]

Not a fan.

Leaving aside the often lengthy queues to get on them in the first place, I've never really enjoyed the stomach-churning, rapid direction changes, etc, etc. The adrenaline is all very well, but in my case roller-coasters are less a happy feeling and more an uncomfortable one.

I do like those motion-simulator/3D type amusement rides though, even though they often put your body through similarly violent direction changes and so on. I think the difference is partly the greater sensory immersion of this sort of ride, giving me a narrative structure to play along with and so a reason to put myself in that situation.

 

[kimc]

I LOVE rollercoasters. This past weekend when sailing out of San Diego we made a point of riding the old wooden one at Mission Bay. I was screaming/laughing the whole time and am proud to say I kept my arms up the WHOLE time.

I prefer the older, wooden ones to the modern ones though.

 

[TheBrew]

I like them well enough. I used to be deathly afraid of them, but when I was 16 I got on one and rode it repeatedly until I was no longer afraid.

 

[nevermore]

I love them. I'm particularly fond of inversions, corkscrews, and the ones where your feet dangle. There are some rollercoasters that I could just ride all day, but I'm not a huge fan of the bumpy ones, because they sometimes give me a headache.

There are no roller coasters in Tasmania so I have never had the opportunity to ride on one

 

[Yeoman Randi]

I would LOVE them if they didn't make me motion sick. I would really get off on the thrill....but...i just get nauseous. Blah.


Heh, one year we took the kids to Hershey, i think it was. Or one of the slightly lesser popular theme parks. And they had this HUGE frigging water slide thing. And for some reason, unknown to me, i looked at my son (who also hates roller coasters and rides) and said, "Wanna do it?" and for some unknown reason he said "YES!"

So, we go on....and we go up and up and up and up and up and so frigging high up.....that by the time we reached the top we both looked at each other and said, "WTF WHERE WE THINKING?!?!?!??!?!"

My husband and daughter were at the bottom, watching, waiting, disbelieving.

Anyway, we came down and screamed our bloody heads off. OMG! It felt like we were going to be thrown out of the car! It was the most thrilling thing EVER!

When we got off i turned to my son and said, "Wanna go again?" and he was like, "NO!!!!!!!!"

It was awfully fun though.

 

[Nerdius Maximus]

Never been on one, never will. Closest thing I've been on is a ride called "The Cliffhanger" at Six Flags in Texas. You basically get in a box and freefall on this track, then it curves at the end. Scary as hell. At least I can derive some satisfaction from knowing that it's been destroyed. (BTW, the original name was Cliffhanger, then they changed it to "Wildcatter," which isn't a word and doesn't make any sense.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymt4Ma4gDuQ

 

[auntiehill]

I freaking LOVE roller coasters. LOVE THEM!!

I especially like the steel coasters---fast as hell, smooth, with lots of steep drops where you can feel your butt leave the seat, despite the huge restraints you have on. Wooden ones are OK, but after wrecking my back in a fall a few years ago, the wooden ones just bruise me up a bit too much. But I'll still go on them, of course, because they're ROLLER COASTERS!

I don't like heights, so there's a sense of "screw you, fear!" about it. I love the feeling of flying, and being in a situation where it is perfectly socially acceptable (and even expected) to scream your head off like a crazy-person. I love the drops, loops, and sharp banking of coasters; it's like flying in my own personal bi-plane--zooming along, screaming and laughing, with the wind in my hair.

Alas, no one in my family likes coasters and my hubby doesn't like scary rides of any kind. I haven't been on a coaster in years. I think the last time was two or three years ago, when I took my nephew to Sea World in San Antonio. We went on the Steel Eel, his first "grown-up" coaster. My sister, her boyfriend, my nephew and I went on, while hubby waited down below.

My sister was a wreck, but my nephew and I high-fived each other and said, "Let's go again!"

 

[RoJoHen]

I think they're fun, but they give me really bad headaches, so I usually can't ride more than one or two.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I LOVE roller coasters so much. A few years ago, my friend and i went to Six Flags Magic Mountain, and just had a total blast with all the coasters there. I love the speed, the thrill, the rush of it all. Coasters FTW!

 

[Aurian]

Oh so not a fan.

 

[Mary Ann]

When it comes to rollercoasters I'm firmly in the "spineless wimp" camp. I have height nerve and vertigo, and though I know the rides are perfectly safe I cannot escape the constant feeling of falling. Not fun. I do, however, love slides, dry and water ones. I suppose I have a firmer sense of control on these slides, whereas on rollercoasters I have no control at all.

 

[John Clark]

They're ok. Most of the ones I've been on haven't been particularly scary but I guess they're fun enough.

When we go to our local theme park, it's usually only the brand new rides that are packed out. The queues for the slightly older ones aren't too bad.

 

[Marten]

I hate them.

 

[Jetfire]

I love em'.

Not that it is an amazing feat or anything...I road The Hurler at Kings Dominion 20somthing times in one day back in the 90's.

 

[propita]

I have no interest in them. They are not "scary" for me, they just makes me physically ill. I understand the attractive of the adrenaline rush, but between the chest-shattering tachycardia, the stomach-turning motion sickness and the knuckle-whitening pressure spike, I would rather avoid them.

This.

I have an overactive equilibrium.

When I was little, the swings made me dizzy. In 1973, I went on "Spin Out" or whatever it was at Magic Mountain. I lay on the grass for over a half-hour afterwards. I avoid rollercoasters, even most minor ones. I can take Disneyland's Matterhorn and Splash Mountain. The last time I was on:

Space Mountain--I turned around too fast afterward and almost fell down.

Big Thunder--I had to sit down. Hubby walked away, saying I was green and looked like I was going to throw up and he didn't want anyone to know I was with him.

Tower of Terror--I was out of it for over 2 hours afterwards. Had to stretch out on a bench and stay horizontal for most of that.

Going to Disneyland at the end of the month, for the first time in years. I will not be going on rollercoasters. I did offer to wait in line with Hubby and let him go on without me. He shouldn't miss out if he wants to go on them.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Heck YES!! *Wooooohooooooooo*

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[MetalPants]

I have balance issues, and just watching them makes me feel ill.

(BTW, the original name was Cliffhanger, then they changed it to "Wildcatter," which isn't a word and doesn't make any sense.

Wildcatter–noun an oil prospector.

Makes perfect sense for a ride in Texas to be named wildcatter.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Rollercoasters are not my thing. I'm not that adventurous. I like to go to Coney Island, but all I do there is wander up and down the boardwalk...(not many rides left there anyway )

 

[Gary Mitchell]

I love rollercoasters. I'd ride one everyday if I lived near a park.

Speaking of rollercoasters, I haven't seen mrcoaster around for awhile. I figured that he'd have something to say on the subject.

 

[auntiehill]

I have an overactive equilibrium.

When I was little, the swings made me dizzy. In 1973, I went on "Spin Out" or whatever it was at Magic Mountain. I lay on the grass for over a half-hour afterwards. I avoid rollercoasters, even most minor ones. I can take Disneyland's Matterhorn and Splash Mountain. The last time I was on:

Space Mountain--I turned around too fast afterward and almost fell down.

Big Thunder--I had to sit down. Hubby walked away, saying I was green and looked like I was going to throw up and he didn't want anyone to know I was with him.

Tower of Terror--I was out of it for over 2 hours afterwards. Had to stretch out on a bench and stay horizontal for most of that.

Going to Disneyland at the end of the month, for the first time in years. I will not be going on rollercoasters. I did offer to wait in line with Hubby and let him go on without me. He shouldn't miss out if he wants to go on them.

*GASP*

TAKE ME WITH YOU!

I'll ride any ride at Disneyland for you. All you have to do is pay my airfare.