What are your views on Flat Rides.

I'm in favor.

i love old rides, i want to ride the thing called the rok n roll, and lots of others!

What has the best flat rides: theme parks or state fairs/carnivals?

Parks. Because they are not being put up and torn down constantly they tend to be kept in better shape.

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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone

Ha! Some traveling carnivals (with older rides) aren't in the best condition, but you cannot beat the way the larger traveling shows care for their rides. I'd take the flat rides at a carnival over *any* amusement park any day. Too few parks purchase expensive, modern flats and those that do (PKI) run them like crap. Visit a large carnival some time and perhaps you'll re-think your statement.

-Nate

I love the flat rides that my stomach can handle.

The Rock-o-Plane is my favorite. I love the feeling you get when you lock the car right side up at the top and then flip with the ride as it goes backwards. I also love that you can get your car flipping as other people are loading and unloading. And that you can lock your car and be upside-down when you're supposed to be getting out.

The Kangaroo at Americana always was my favorite as a kid. Tilt-a-Whirls and Round-Ups also are fun but they make me too sick anymore. Same with the Enterprises.

Aside from Topspins, I haven't ridden a single modern flat ride. That'll change with Delerium next year.

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

I tend to agree with Black 7. While most travelling rides are in good shape for being set up and torn down 25-50 times a season, the maintenance performed on most is minimal. Parks generally perform much better maintenance overall. There are always exceptions.....

Actually, that's not really true. Visit a carnival with one of the larger shows (Farrow Shows, Amusements of America, Cumberland Valley Shows, Wade Shows, Conklin Shows, Ray Cammack, etc) and you'll find *perfect* maintenance and spotless paintjobs - much more than you can say for most of the parks out there. I've seen plenty of flat rides at parks that make noises that you should never hear, yet the rides found at larger shows perform extremely well. Remember that, in the case of carnivals, the more people who ride a ride the more money the carnival takes in. Thus, it's far more important for a carnival to have a ride performing and looking nice and safe than a park where it doesn't matter how many people ride every day.

-Nate

I have been to large carnivals, and they are not too bad. I guess I am just spoiled by Knoebels, who do a superb job with maintance.

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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone

Ok, whatever. The topic has kind of shifted here from its original intent. If you want to voice your opinion on classic flat rides, follow this link:

http://www.misterpoll.com/1493907630.html

I've tried to include most of the generally popular ones--sorry if yours isn't on the list. I'm compiling some data and will publish it in the near future. Thanks....

I think flat rides are neccessary. . . to keep the lines on coasters shorter. I ride them every once and a while but I think for some of the waits there can be it is better to ride a coaster instead. I am not as thrilled by flat rides but these take many families and thin some of the coaster lines.

Flat rides do need to go in order to make bigger, better and faster rides!

of course, that is just my opinion.

Canobie Lake Park in NH is a perfect example of a small park which is still up and running (and very successful) with mostly older flats and a few older coasters. They have one of the last fully functioning caterpillars with a working canopy. The bumper cars are...well, actually bumper cars! There is no center divider- allowing riders to actually BUMP one another head on, etc. A blast to ride for any age group. As for coasters, they have a classic and very well maintained PTC woodie called the Canobie Cannonball. Even with Six Flags down the street in MA, the park is always crowded and is profitable. I just wish they kept the Whip! They tore it out in the early 80's. Don't get me wrong, I love the big parks but it is sometimes refreshing to step back in time for a day.