Roller Coasters and Simular Rides: Yes or No?

[Agrippina]

What are your views on rollar coasters and other simular rides where you go upside down? I happen to hate them and everyone I know loves them, or can at least tolerate them. The last time one of my friends happened to pressure me onto a rollar coaster was six years ago or so. And if someone is able to get me onto a rollar coaster I usually get off crying and yelling to my friend, "I'll kill you!" I usually got on them (even though I knew I was afraid of them) was because I thought I was being foolish. I don't know what it is about rollar coasters, I'm just really, really afraid of them. I was always afraid I'd pass out on one of them and then I'd slip out of the restraints.

A simular ride I was on was in some arcade either in a casino in Las Vegas or at Disneyland about six or seven years ago. It was this ball of sorts that you could see inside and what it was was a flight simulator. It looked fun, at first, so I decided I wanted to go in. I was strapped up and the guy told me if I ever wanted to get off before the ride was over with, I could press the red button. I did press the red button before the ride was over. It wasn't so much the going upside down and around and around, but the fear that I would fall out of my restraints because I was so little and skinny.

[Cyn]

Feel free to say you don't like roller coasters and simulators. It isn't a character flaw to dislike the sensation of being flipped around. The thrill rides are for people who like their inner ear messed with. Even if you know you are strapped in securely, if you don't enjoy simulators, don't pay to go on one. I always say my life is scary enough without paying money to be frightened by roller coasters and horror movies. My SO urges me to uncover my eyes when the bad stuff starts to unfold before me on TV. I ignore this bad advice.

[Drastic]

I'm fine with roller coasters.

Rides that really focus on spinning you around, though--tilt-a-whirls, anything called "the Scrambler"--no thank you.

[elelle]

I love 'em absolutely, even if I puke afterwards. The bigger, twistier, and upsidedowner, the better. Mebbe it's a constitutional thing, but I've loved it since I was a wee tot. The odd thing is, they make me laugh hard. The puke comes more from laughing so hard over any equilibrium disturbance.

I haven't used this Ol' Sweet Sig in awhile, but seems appropriate in this case..

[racinchikki]

YES!

i love roller coasters and spinning things and all of that.

However I can NOT stand going backwards while upside down. There is a roller coast at the Great Escape theme park in Lake George, NY called the Boomerang that takes you backwards through a loop de loop and that scared the crap out of me and left me screaming cusswords in combinations that made no sense, in front of a nun. I felt guilty for being a wussy and cussing at nuns.

[elelle]

What the spinning ferk? The old sig showed up in the preview, but not on the final thang...

Lessee 'bout it now... Ok, kiddees, I see, ya gotta check the Show sig thang Every time.

[VitrolicBump]

Ohhh! Yesss! I love roller coasters and similar attractions. I guess I just love the rush it gives me. Delicious!

One particular roller coaste is Ghost Rider(sp?) at Knott's Berry Farm. Lifts me right off of the seat. Wheeee!

[Falcon]

Nope. Nope nope nope. Don't like 'em at ALL. Friends forced me on one of those swinging ship things once, and said they SAW me turn green. Never again was I forced to do anything. :)

[Creaky]

Eeewww!

No, please, Aunt Mary, don't make me go on the Scooby Doo Roller Coaster! I know I'm "this high" and can legally ride it, but I'm scared!

Nooo....pleeeaaase! Holy Mother of God, somebody help meeee...!

(Barfing SFX)

Don't like roller coasters. Uh,uh.

[Jman]

I am an all-out Roller Coaster enthusiast. I visit coaster web sites on a daily basis, to find updates on new coaster construction. I make trips around the country for the sole purpose of riding roller coasters. Yes, people, I am a roller coaster nut. They are one of my passions. I'll ride anything. The more intense, the better. Hey...I could have my own thread: "Ask the roller coaster enthusiast."

Millennium Force on a hot summer day = heaven.

Jman

[Dark Lord Davidson]

HELL YEAH! Whenever I can. The bigger the better. :D

It's such an adrenaline rush!

[Mothra's Pilot Car]

There's a really fun, MILD ride that I would have never ever gone on by the looks of it. Every time I've seen it, it's been called The Gravitron, tho i hear it sneaks around under pseudonyms at some carnivals.

Ya get in this spacedisk-lookin' thingie and you stand. No belts, no bars. This baby isn't gonna jerk you around. Against the walls are long pads that can roll up and down. You're supposed to lean against one.

When the ride begins, you don't feel anything. You can't tell from the inside that the disk is spinning fast.
Then, gradually, {depending of course upon the sobriety and constitution of the carnival worker of course}
you feel pushed up against the pad behind you. Your shirt presses to your chest, your hair flies back and sticks to the pad. Then your feet leave the ground as the surface rolls up the wall!

Less gravity with no dizzy sensation: now, that's for me.

-wussy Mothra

[rjung]

Originally posted by neptune_1984
A simular ride I was on was in some arcade either in a casino in Las Vegas or at Disneyland about six or seven years ago. It was this ball of sorts that you could see inside and what it was was a flight simulator.
Odds are good that this was the ultra-deluxe version of Sega's arcade game Afterburner. It wasn't really a flight simulator at all -- the game simply consisted of blowing up as many enemy jets as possible while dodging their missiles. The cabinet didn't even move in sync with the game, but simply swirled and twisted all over the place.

I can't stand roller coasters myself (even simple ones), because I'm always afraid the cars will fly off the track at the next turn. On the other hand, I love simulator rides, though I've never been on one that actually flipped me upside-down. *Shrug*

[DynoSaur]

Love roller-coasters. The higher, the faster, the more evil, the better.

Simulations, now...ugh. Just...ugh. Those things kick my ass.

I used to like spinny-rides, too. Sometime a few years ago, I turned into a wuss, apparently. No more Tilt-a-Whirl for me.

[Agrippina]

Originally posted by rjung
Originally posted by neptune_1984
A simular ride I was on was in some arcade either in a casino in Las Vegas or at Disneyland about six or seven years ago. It was this ball of sorts that you could see inside and what it was was a flight simulator.

Odds are good that this was the ultra-deluxe version of Sega's arcade game Afterburner.

Yeah, I think it probably was. I do remember it was a Sega.

[Yankee Blue]

I love proper, traditional roller coasters - the old wooden jobs are the best. Most of the modern flip coasters are a bore, the ride is usually shorter than the ascent and breaking process.

What I hate, depise, and otherwise loathe are ferris wheels. You will not get me on one of those bastards again for love or money. The last time I took the dare and went on one the bugger broke and we all started wheeling around backwards until they could rig a break --shudder--.

[Kayeby]

Love rollercoasters and hate spinning rides because they make me nauseous. However, I always go on the damn spinning things - as soon as I'm strapped in, I remember how much I hate them, and as soon as I'm unstrapped, I forget again.

[fierra]

I hate them...partly because, like the OP, I'm small & skinny. The seat restraints are designed as one size fits all & aren't usually adjustable. The one time I went on one, my back was black & blue for weeks from being thrown against hard plastic seats at xG. (That's why I'm never going paintballing again either - I bruise easily. healing takes a hell of a lot longer). I actually went on the same ride twice, because I was the only english kid there (french exchange trip, & none of my friends could spring the day off school to go to an amusement park :)). Queued for 45mins to go on the ride, wnet on it, hated it, and my french pen friend & her friends loved it...so I went on it again to not let the side down ;) (closest thing to patriotism I've ever showed in my whole life). I closed my eyes at the top of the first hill & screamed (on I'm sure it was just one breath) for the whole ride.

Never going again. I do like the old fashioned/kiddie rides though - carousels and things like that. Even simulators too.

[Eo Echo]

I love roller coasters. Absolutely love them. The faster and more violent, the better. I went to Paramount's King's Dominion each of the last two Sundays, just for that rush, and am planning 3-5 more amusement park excursions this summer. Can't wait!

[Geobabe]

I love roller coasters of all sorts, but I absolutely cannot stand rides that do nothing but flip you upside down. My idea of Hell is being stuck on the Zipper for all eternity. My ex-boyfriend got me to go on that ride once and took great delight in making the thing flip over and over and over. I hope he got permanent hearing loss from my screaming.

As for the OP, if you don't like roller coasters and similar rides, there is nothing to be ashamed of, lots of people feel the same way you do. Don't let your friends pressure you into going on rides you're afraid of. True friends respect their friends' wishes.

[Skelji]

I love roller coasters. The rides that make you go upside down will make me a bit queasy. I stay off of 'em. I also have a preference for classic wooden roller coasters...they just have a nicer feel.

[m4sim]

There is infact a flight and motion simulator that will take you completely upside down. It's called the M-4... I have been the owner/operator of this ride for over 16 years since it was introduced to the world. We travel the US visiting air shows. If your lucky, you will see us at an airshow near you. This is the BEST Simulator in the US. Universal would kill to get their hands on the technology behind it, which we have safe guarded and patented the design. If you see us some where... mention this post and I'll give ya a free bee.

[Anaamika]

I love them, except for the backwards ones. Don't like not seeing where I am going. But I was thrilled a few years ago when we went to Disney in Cali and my brother was just as fearless as me, and we sat in the front row in every coaster. Most of my life I end up with scaredy-cat people who don't want to go on any ones...which is fine, but I do kind of wish they had told me BEFORE we went to the amusement park!

[tdn]

I used to, but these days if I want to be in fear and thrown upside down, I'll go to my dentist.

I went to a carnival a couple of years ago. I went on a ride that's like like a tilt-a-whirl except I was lying on my stomach. That was about my speed. My companions went on the ferris wheel. There's no way in hell I'm getting on one of those. (I have a thing about heights.)

[cjepson]

As a kid, I could not deal with roller coasters. Now I can appreciate them, to a limited extent, if they're not extreme. Will not go on anything that turns me upside down.

[ugly ripe tomato]

I get motion sickness just riding in a car on a straight road, so I avoid pretty much all amusement park rides like the plague.

[dangermom]

I used to love them, but then once a ride took me the wrong way and I got really sick. Ever since then I don't seem to be able to tolerate the really good ones like I used to, but I still like a nice tame rollercoaster.

[Rachellelogram]

I liked extreme thrill rides a lot when I was younger and skinnier and reckless-er, rode everything Great America and Sandusky, Ohio had to offer. But once I passed the 175 pound mark (I'm quite short), some of the belts got hard to buckle. So I stopped riding them in order to avoid the embarrassment of being told I couldn't ride. And now that it's been years since I rode on one, I don't think I'd like that out-of-control feeling anymore. I think they would make me hurl now.

I'd probably ride a water ride, and waterslides are fun, but that's it.

[MentalGuy]

I have to take dramamine, but when I do, I love roller coasters. I especially love wooden ones, with The Voyage at Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN being my favorite. I don't mind the ones that go upside down, but since they are always steel, they don't feel as out of control and I don't think they are as thrilling. I don't care that much for spinning rides, though. I can tolerate them if I have taken the dramamine. I do like freefall and double-shot rides.

If I had others in my family that liked coasters as much as me, I would probably be like Jman, traveling around the country to ride different coasters.

[Czarcasm]

There is infact a flight and motion simulator that will take you completely upside down. It's called the M-4... I have been the owner/operator of this ride for over 16 years since it was introduced to the world. We travel the US visiting air shows. If your lucky, you will see us at an airshow near you. This is the BEST Simulator in the US. Universal would kill to get their hands on the technology behind it, which we have safe guarded and patented the design. If you see us some where... mention this post and I'll give ya a free bee.I've heard nothing but good from friends that have tried your machine(one thought your P-51 simulation was top notch!). When will you be in Oregon?

[Sigmagirl]

Love roller coasters; like Yankee Blue, especially the classics. No problems with up and down, upside down, over and back. No nausea, no vertigo, no fear. What I cannot tolerate is the ones where your head goes side to side left and right, with head restraints so you end up banging your head repeatedly on the side walls. Instant migraine and I am done for the day. Escape from Gotham at Six Flags Astroworld, I'm looking at you.

[tdn]

I just found this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaOnigfJgfo&feature=related) coaster simulation. I should send a link to my cousin. We rode that 27 times in one day.

Any KC residents remember it?

[Wheelz]

I'm 47 years old and have yet to outgrow my love of rollercoasters. Wood, steel, upside-down, backwards, whatever -- bring 'em on!

Drop rides, too. The Tower of Terror at Disney? I'll go on that 4 or 5 times in a row, and laugh harder every time. I can't explain why, I just can't get enough.

Simulator-type rides: depends. Good ones can be really fun (the old Star Trek ride in Vegas was great, and I always liked Star Tours at Disney), but some can make me queasy. I think if the visuals and the motion aren't synched up just right, it messes too much with my equilibrium.

I used to enjoy the spinny rides quite a bit, too. Then about a decade ago my body decided, ugh, I'm done with those. I keep waiting for the same thing to happen with rollercoasters, but so far, thankfully, it hasn't.

[Fear Itself]

I haven't been on a roller coaster in over 20 years, so I imagine I have missed a lot of the new tubular steel technology. But I liked coasters when I went to amusement parks. I remember the wood Sea Serpent roller coaster at POP in Santa Monica, and the 1921 wood coaster at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah, and the Giant Dipper wood coaster at Belmont park in San Diego. They were noisy, and they shook a lot, which added to the thrill.

[panache45]

I love the IDEA of roller coasters, the CONCEPT, but due to vertigo I can't go on them. I can take the old wooden ones that never go upside-down, though not if there's a lot of zero-gee involved. Even other rides, like the ferris wheels where the cars spin around, I can't take those either. I wish I weren't this way, because I truly love the idea of distressing people's bodies and minds that way.

[Chopper9760]

*shudder* I'm not a fan of rides. Roller coasters are fun on the sharp turns but the drops hurt my heart and unnerve the bejesus out of me.

I always figured my risk assessment bits were broken. Amusement parks fill me with cold, slick terror but I love kayaking, flying helicopters, and driving like an idiot.

[DCnDC]

Love rollercoasters and hate spinning rides because they make me nauseous. However, I always go on the damn spinning things - as soon as I'm strapped in, I remember how much I hate them, and as soon as I'm unstrapped, I forget again.

Bingo.

Roller coasters? Bring it on.

Spinning rides like the teacups? No thank you. If I want that sensation I'll just go and get hammered.

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

I love all of the amusement park rides except the ones that spin around and around and nothing else. I'm looking at YOU teacup rides (http://www.cupspot.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/teacupsmadteaparty_wb.jpg)!

[Zsofia]

I hate hate HATE them (although I do like the Rainbow, which I ought to hate, but I think that's because you always look straight out, never down at your doom.) A couple years ago I went to the fair with my boyfriend and he didn't know I don't do the fucking roller coasters and I DEFINITELY do not do the pirate ship. So he begged and pleaded and emotionally blackmailed me to get on the Crazy Mouse, you know, the little kid roller coaster? (Honestly, he thought I'd have fun if I just tried these rides out - he's not a monster or anything.) Well, on the Crazy Mouse you share a car with some other people, which for us was, like, three seven year olds. Who I terrified absolutely with all my carrying on - I just do not enjoy it and really hate the "getting air" bit where you hit zero g in your stomach.

But then we tried the Rainbow, which I LOVED. So I was emboldened. And volunteered to do the pirate ship. I would have clawed all the skin off his arms only I was holding onto the bar too tight to hold onto him. He honestly, actually thought I was screaming because it was fun and not because I was scared out of my damned mind. So, never again.

I love spinny rides, though - the teacups and Tilt-a-Whirl are my favorites!

ETA - and HELL no no drop rides. Don't even suggest it.

[Two Many Cats]

I love rollercoasters. I like the upside downs, the no floor ones, in pitch black ones, whatever.

But the ones that I am most passionate about are the old-fashioned wooden ones.

I once used vacation time to go to central Pennsylvania to ride the official oldest rollercoaster still operating. It's called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap-The-Dips Leap the Dips.

I fell in love, and rode it again and again. More or less had to because the rest of the amusement park was such a dump. I wasn't disappointed though, since the last side-friction rollercoaster up and running was why I came at all.

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

I love spinny rides, though - the teacups and Tilt-a-Whirl are my favorites!

BURN HER! BURN HER! Who is this woman who defies nausea?

[Zsofia]

Oh, I never vomit. Like, never. I can remember throwing up three times in my life. (Once, however, was red wine and it was into that part of your car that's between the seat and the door. And it was a hundred degree July. And I had to go out the next door and face cleaning it up. The smell haunts me still.)

It's funny - I used to LOVE the Gravitron, you know, that centripetal force ride where it's a round room and it spins hard enough that the floor drops out but you stay up on the wall? God, I loved it. Then I hit puberty and I don't know if it changed my center of gravity or hormones or what, but I can't stand it anymore - it feels awful and horrible and terrifying.

[olivesmarch4th]

I LOVE roller coasters. Also, I am afraid of heights. Funny thing, that. For some reason I can force myself through that terrifying ascent, and then once we start to go over the first hill I have an absolute blast. It took me years to get up the courage to ride the Magnum at Cedar Point because it was so tall. I had so much fun I did it again - then went straight to the Milennium Force, which was at the time the tallest coaster there. I rode that sucker with my hands in the air the entire time.

I won't do the things that rely only on height for thrills though - even the space needle, this slow spinny thing that shows you a view of the park - freaks me out. I heard about the Big Shot in Vegas - on top of a skyscraper - and I think I almost died just thinking about it.

[SanibelMan]

I like steel roller coasters more than wooden ones — the wooden ones are too jarring and tend to leave me sore. I'll do a few simulator rides, like Mission: SPACE at Epcot, but most of them leave me nauseous. And I'll skip the scramblers and Tilt-A-Whirls of the world, thanks. My wife loves them, but I can't even stand to watch, it makes me sick.

[Lasciel]

Another on the weird spinny side. I LOVE that sensation - getting all smushed against the wall with your feet dangling in the air, like getting squished by an invisible giant hand. That, and feeling the pressure when you try to pick up your head or put your hands out in the air.

I also like the ones where you're in a little cart on a wavy up-and-down track that spins around in a circle really fast and the person on the outside gets all smushed by everyone else on the bench seat.

Those things are fantastic - I go on every one I can find.

I like wooden roller coasters, and I like any coaster - as long as it doesn't go upside down. I can't do the upsides bit... I pass out. I don't mind sharp turns, or drops, or corkscrews, or being sideways - just can't do upside down.

Rides that are nothing BUT drops don't do much for me. I don't mind the pirate ship types, but they're sort of "meh, what's the point?" I don't dislike them, but they aren't thrilling or anything.

Simulators, on the other hand, are sooo much fun! I like them better than the spinny rides, because the seats are usually more secure-feeling. I can enjoy the sensations more without worrying about the thing breaking down or flinging me off into the wall or something like that.

[cgg419]

I heard about the Big Shot in Vegas - on top of a skyscraper - and I think I almost died just thinking about it.

Also afraid of heights, but that ride was amazing. We went at night and the view was incredible. The X-Scream was pretty cool too, but I have to admit I wussed out on Insanity. :D

Big Shot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59caVJuXRZk)

X-Scream (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqeyGKPfjF8)

Insanity (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqB6GYoCNo0&NR=1)

[Zsofia]

I also like the ones where you're in a little cart on a wavy up-and-down track that spins around in a circle really fast and the person on the outside gets all smushed by everyone else on the bench seat.


The Scrambler! Yeah, I love that. Only, when I was younger I was really skinny (and also very pointy) so I inflicted myself on other people. Now depending on who I'm with I might be the victim rather than the perp.

[Alessan]

I'm in line for the Anaconda right now. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Alessan]

Whoa.

[LouisB]

I've never been on a roller coaster in my entire life. It would take someone holding a gun on me to get me on one. I hate Ferris wheels, too. In fact, I hate all carnival and fun park rides, including ones I've never seen.

All I want out of life is peace and quiet.

[Ximenean]

If you see us some where... mention this post and I'll give ya a free bee.
Hey thanks, will do. Is it tame?

[johnpost]

If you see us some where... mention this post and I'll give ya a free bee.

Hey thanks, will do. Is it tame?

the poster just joined yesterday and that was his only post to a waken a zombie.

i think it is a drive-by.

[Ximenean]

He promised me a bee, and I want my bee.