I love roller coasters. And when I say “roller coaster” I mean the big metal things. If I can make an accurate model of the thing out of popcicle sticks its not a coaster, it is a bumpy, shakey, death trap. (With the exception of Gemini at Cedar Point. Don’t ask why, I don’t know.)
I’ll ride any metal coaster…some of the scarier ones I need a partner willing to bribe me. And hold my hand. But I will, eventually, give in.
My blood pressure went up a few notches just reading some of the posts to this thread. My breathing also changed.
Have you figured it out yet? I loathe roller coasters! I finally admitted this to myself at the ripe old age of 19. The last time I got on one I wanted to kick myself.
Clank…Clank…Clank…
Each ‘clank’ the car made as it made its way uphill for the first drop just made me regret getting on that contraption. If I weren’t so embarrassed and terrified, I would have cried each time. I’m so terrified at the descents that I can’t even scream! I just clench my jaw and fists, close my eyes, cease breathing and wait for the terror to end.
The funny thing is I love going fast, love the twists and love the loops. If there’s a roller coaster near Maryland that has just those elements, I’d love to ride it.
I also love those simulated roller coaster rides. You know the ones that have moving seats and a big, Imax-size screen? Those are loads of fun!
That pirate ship that rocks back and forth? Don’t get me started!
I LOVE roller coasters! The faster, the higher, the better. You couldn’t keep me off a roller coaster. Best one I ever rode was Batman: the Ride at Magic Mountain in CA. Really excellent.
Now, the Ferris wheel…that’s another story. Something about being in that little rickety car that swings and stops and starts and makes you sit at the top forever…shudder. I don’t mind heights if I’m only up there for a second. Making me sit there while Joe Schmoe takes his time loading into the car sucks. Especially because I’m always with someone who wants to rock back and forth. I sit there with my eyes closed, knuckles white as I grip the lap bar, just enduring the awful thing.
Funny.
Not anymore. 
They put new seats in the old wooden cars. Now, not only do you not get that “flying out of the car” feel, they’re too narrow for any body with any kind of figure to sit in comfortably.
Check out their website. Quicktime videos of all the good coasters they have there. I agree with you - Raptor rules.
Millenium Force. What a beautiful machine. Three hundred feet STRAIGHT (well, what’s 10 degrees among friends?) down. And it goes up the hill pretty fast, too - and gains speed the higher you go. Plus, if you’re not in the front seat, you can’t see how much farther you have to go up to get to the top of the hill. Oh - did I mention that, as you go up, all you can see to your left is Lake Erie? Oh, it’s INCREDIBLE! Beautiful! Phenomenal!
–Julie
Sunshine, I totally agree with you. I LOVE a good, fast, twisty, scares the crud out of you, roller coaster. All the adrenaline is wonderful. Usually I am a little reluctant to get on at first, but once the ride is done, I wanna do it over and over and over. Anyone else here ever ridden Top Gun at Paramonts Great America. That is a great ride. Although I don’t suggest Drop Zone. Extremely anti-climactic.
Anyway, I Love Roller Coasters, but Ferris Wheels I won’t touch with a ten foot pull. Those things are horrible. Especially the ones that twist. I always know that I am going to fall out of the seat. I hate them with a passion. You have to pay me big bucks to gt me on one of those.
Eutychus, if I recall correctly, you are a bit of a Disney fan so let me give you a bit of a review of the new roller coaster at DCA (Disney’s California Adventure).
It is a very tame “fast” coaster. You will never really feel in danger. It has a decent launch and one loop.
The problem is that it is actually too tame considering the speed. Disney put so much work into making it smooth (to cut down on noise) that it feels like you are going 10-15 miles per hour slower than you really are. I was able to ride it without my head or shoulders being thrown in my restraint.
Not a great roller coaster, but for a Disney coaster it is right up there with Rockin’ Roller Coaster (slightly better in my opinion).
[Side note: Disney has advertised that all their queues are fully accessible by the handicapped. I rode this ride with Tony and Adrienne Phoenix from MousePlanet and we were disturbed to be presented with two stairways. Fortunately, while Disney has announced no need for SA passes for queues, the Cast Members working were fully prepared to help us.]
…And I’m a coaster junkie.
(“Hi, Eric!”)
Yup. The taller, the faster, the steeper, the loopier, the better. I have been fortunate to live almost my entire life within easy driving distance of Cedar Point (“America’s Roller Coast”).
The Millennium Force is incredible, not so much for the ride as for the engineering that went into it–and the view. I must agree that it’s an awesome ride, but, frankly, the Raptor remains tops in my book. The Force is missing… something. It’s a bit short, and after the first big hill, is mostly over.
But, damn, that’s a spectacular view from the top.
(Caveat: I’ve only had a chance to ride it once (Hey, that place is expensive). My opinion may change after a second or third ride. YMMV.)
Now, if only Cedar Fair will get their butts in gear in the next five or so years and build two more coasters at Cedar Point so they can maintain their record for most coasters in one place…
(Jadailey, I absolutely agree with you about the Blue Streak. Those old bars were the best–unlock the seatbelt and, suddenly, you’re floating. I hate the new seats.)
LL
Montu, Kumba, and Hulk are all great Central FL rides. I’ve ridden the first two countless times. But this summer I went to Dallas and rode a ride better than all three of those combined. Mr. Freeze at the Six Flags in Arlington, TX. As one patron said, “This ride is the sh~t.” It really was. It does the Hulk-esque instant-start boost, then goes through a loop and a batwing, then forward and STRAIGHT up a vertical tower. It comes to a stop (d~mn you Gravity!) and goes in reverse, completing the course again BACKWARDS! Lines as long as Hulk, but thrice the thrill.
The man and I went for two days in late August this year - comparatively short lines (longest we waited for ANYTHING was an hour and 15 minutes for Millenium Force), and rode the beast three times. First time, we lucked out and got the first car. My feeling - the first hill is great, but it’s that first turn that puts the thing on the map. And the 92 MPH throughout. I must admit, though, that the Raptor (longest wait: 40 minutes) is my all-time fave.
The last time I was there was four years ago (prior to this summer’s visit) - living in Phoenix, it’s not QUITE as easy to get to as it was when I lived in Warren, Ohio! This was before they put in the new seats. The line then was as long or longer than other coasters (Corkscrew? what Corkscrew?). This time, with the seats, you could walk right on the thing, and they only had one of the trains running. Sigh.
Then there’s the Mean Streak. I loved that thing when it was built. Went on it this time (another walk on) - they desperately need to use a couple cans of WD40 or something. It isn’t even fun - just beats you to death. Bleah. 
–Julie
Oh, no, it’s worse than that. Instead of whipping out the WD-40, they slowed down the ride. This happened, I think, two years ago now. They put a brake (of all places) about halfway down the first hill, effectively slowing the whole thing down to a point where it shouldn’t jostle you as much.
'Course, it still jostles you just as much. Now it’s just no fun 'cause you’re going about 28 miles an hour through the whole thing. Bleah.
LL
Ah! I FELT that. I wondered why we were had a little jolt there - I figured it had something to do with the track getting old. No wonder we just walked right on it.