RCCGB FORUM

Nemesis Nick · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:26 pm Post subject: What Makes A Good Ride?

Some steel coasters boast vertical loops, horizontal corkscrews etc. Do you really need them though?

On the Wood v Steel thread, I've said that you surely wouldn't be able to build those features into a woodie. A woodie is just ups and downs, plus the odd u-bend. However some reckon woodies give more AIRtime.

What's more important to you - lots of thrill features such as vertical loops, inversions, barrel rolls horizontal corkscrews; or just a simple structure with just ups and downs plus lots of AIRtime?

What about re-ridability? Is that important to you? This now goes for both coaster and non-coaster rides. Last October, I said on my thread about my own solo visit to Paultons (18 October 2008) that I can ride the Stinger roller coaster (a steelie) eight times*, but can only take two goes at a time on their pirate ship. Do you like rides that you can have say six, eight, ten or even twelve goes on straight off without feeling giddy, sick or getting a headache? Or do you just like to ride something once and go on to something else?

*N.B. That day queues for the Stinger and most other rides were minimal if at all, so I was able to leave the ride at the end of a go, run round and get back on for the next ride, with no long queuing time to give my body a rest between goes. I suppose if you went to Alton Towers or Thorpe Park on a busy day, you may have to queue for half an hour or even an hour, giving your body time to recover between goes.

During the ERS on Roller Coaster at last year's Summer Bash at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, I clocked up no fewer than eight goes on it without feeling sick or giddy, but I should think I would have been sick if I'd tried riding Disko or Evolution eight times!

What factors should be taken into consideration in judging whether a coaster or non-coaster ride is good or bad?
Thrill Factor
Features (in the case of coasters), i.e. horizontal corkscrews, barrel rolls, inversions, vertical loops etc.
AIRtime (in the case of coasters, but this can also apply to certain non-coaster rides, or even Astra slides)
Re-ridability (how many times can you ride it without feeling sick, giddy or getting a headache - with minimal gaps between rides?)

Discuss what makes a good or bad ride here.

Rough Rider · Strata Poster Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 403

When it comes to "AIRTIME" the best ride is a woodie. Laughing

Just ride "VOYAGE" or even "SHIVERING TIMBERS"
When it comes to ride-ability ...................there is no comparison
As for the point, can you ride a good ride 30 plus times...........................................................Ride the "RATTLER"
you wont get better Laughing

...........Hmm!!
Could the "RATTLER" be a "WOODIE" Laughing

YES!!!!
Saying that... as an example.......
I have ridden "MEGAFOBIA".............over 5000 times Very Happy

say no more guys Very Happy

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Roll on 2011 "RATTLER" here we come!!
DENISE DINN LARRICK & CHARLIE BOY, WALK ON WATER.
"RATTLER" LIVES ON.
You haven't ridden a coaster till you've ridden "RATTLER"
"RYAN"......One of the original "MUSKEGON 4"

USfriends · Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:53 pm Post subject:

I voted for reridability ( Is that a real word?)
A ride can have great features....Millenium Force, Nemesis
Airtime....Timbers, Nash
Thrills...Dragster, Power Tower

But to me , the greatest way to experience a ride is an ERS, with the club!
You may ride the ride during the day and think, " Not all that"
Then a nightime ERS can make the ride Legendary!! ( Texas Giant)

Therefore it must be reridable for an ERS, and No one knows better
than El Presidente, which ride will povide a great ERS. All Hail!

I knew you could work Rattler into your post Ryan......
I wouldn't expect anything less!

Pete
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Steven Burns · Strata Poster Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 1777

I like ones with bits that go up and then the downy bits Very Happy

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RCCGB No. 2293

c anderson · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:11 am Post subject:

Rides alter during the day and weather conditions so they alter so much, thus is especially true of the woodies. For example when the club had an ERS on the BOSS at night with it raining it was a mad, fun, fantastic ride. the next moring it was just rough and painful. Millenium Force in the rain is hurtful but still good, but better when its dry. Phoenix is great what ever is happening, it is a fun ride at all times, unlike Son of Beast which is terrible at all times, even worse than the Rattl**.
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Magic · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject:

For me it's about fun and not inducing pain. Do I get off with a huge smile on my face. A few of the rides that have done this to me include Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, Ravine Flyer II, Phoenix, Twister, Cobra, Orange County Choppers Moto Coaster, Vortex, It's a Small World, Spiderman, Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Flying Fury, Black Mamba, Winjas Fear, Flying Circus.

None of these have a common factor except they made me smile. Some are thrilling like TTD and Flying Circus, some have airtime like Ravine Flyer II and Millennium Force, some are re-rideable like OCCMC and It's a Small World, some have great features like Winjas Fear and Flying Fury.

Likewise Adventures of Winnie the Pooh isn't thrilling, Flying Fury and Flying Circus are far from re-ridable and Cobra doesn't have any unique features.

In my mind getting a good ride takes a bit of luck as well as skill. Until it's built and you ride it, there's no real way of telling if you'll get off smiling. On paper Voyage, Rattler and Tango look good but because they incorporate large amounts of pain they take away all the fun and in my mind aren't good rides.
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JamesC · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:46 pm Post subject:

I voted "none of the above" because I'm a theming type of person. To me theming can add a huge amount to a ride. Not that I don't love normal amusement coasters, I just generally prefer themed ones!

Take Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disneyland Paris for example - the coaster itself is average, but when all of the special effects are working it is just plain incredible! It was easily my favourite ride back in 2002/2003. Wink

Sadly though the maintenance crews can't seem to keep everything working anymore and quite often lots of those special effects don't work. I still like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, but it's no longer an "extra" special ride to me.