How did you get interested in roller coasters?

I was forced onto the Big Dipper at Geauga Lake by my mom. Crying when I got on, running to the entrance again when I got off.

When I got thrown into one when I was around 5 or 6. That one being the tallest in the park, the Gemini !

I had always been interested in coasters and amusement parks, but only last year did I really act on it. A huge coaster nut friend ("cernelli" on this site) of mine and I went to Kennywood together on our high school's day, and after I re-conquered Steel Phantom (after a 7-year absence), I was hooked.

The rest, as they say, is history.

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Matt Lynch
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com

August 17, 2000. Before that day I had loved coasters, but never really thought about them unless I was at a park. On August 17, 2000, went to Six Flags Ohio. When I saw S:UE, I became fascinated. They had nothing like that at SFGAm! How cool to not have a complete circuit! When I got home, my cousin introduced me to RCT, and from that day on I was totally hooked. I played RCT 24 hours a day for the next week, and then everything just went from there.
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May 5th, Gurnee, Illinois...Oh wait! I'll be in Florida. In that case, May 5th, Tampa Bay Florida, "I'm sprinting for Gwazi!"

Back in the mid 1970's my family went on a vacation to Williamsburg and went to Busch Gardens: The Old Country (as it was called at that time). They had a coaster that was some type of Jumbo Jet. That was my first coaster ride.
Through the early to mid 1980's there were a few trips to Hersheypark and one to Dorney.

From about 1988 to 1999 did not vist any park or ride any coaster. Even thought I got free passes to Hersheypark with my season hockey tickets, just never bothered to go. But visited Hershey in 1999 and rode all of the coasters that had been put in since my last visit and got hooked all over again.

Even this past October on my honeymoon to Maine, I was making notes along the highway of distances to places like Bristol CT, Agawam MA, and Saco ME!

My wife has lots of family in Florida, so when she said she wanted to visit them this past March, I gave no argument and instantly started planning what parks to hit. Made it to IOA, Busch Gardens, Sea World, and Old Town (for one rinky-dink coaster) in 5 days.
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"Twenty three stories tall, painted grey, and the old people said termites was eatin' it up..."
- From Bill Cosby's "Rolland and the Rollercoaster"

This is an easy one for me. I grew up about 4 blocks from the old Riverview Park in Chicago (yes, I'm that old). I would spend many a weekend there riding the coasters. I've always loved amusement parks since then and especially coasters. There will never be a park as amazing as Riverview but I do feel fortunate for having been able to go there.

As a note, it was a wonderful surprise for me to find out my new wife loves coasters even more than I do. So, we have one more thing to share together.

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"I'm going off the rails on a crazy train." - Ozzie Osbourne

Well, I have enjoyed coasters for several years now.... But what really got me interested in them was Sky Whirl.After they removed it, I searched the web like crazy for stuff about it, and I came across several interesting sites, like this one... Then i started reading stuff that was NOT about Sky Whirl and here I am today....

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Rest In Peace, SKY WHIRL...

When I finally rode The Mind Eraser at SFNE. I know they aren't bad or terrifying or anything, but considering I had never been on a steel coaster before. I was sort of an enthusiast in late '99 and then when I rode SROS at SFNE in May of 2000, I discovered that I loved these machines and from then on, I have been an enthusiast.

I got into them because at first I was scared of them. I forced myself into going to WoF, KC and the first ride was Orient Express.. I hopped on and now I love all coasters! Everything about coasters is fantastic..

I had always done the fairs, and Disney since I live in South Florida.

But one day I saw S:TE (SFMM) on tv and said, Wow, I must ride that.

Same with Hypersonic XLC, they showed the test on tv a couple years ago, and I was like Wow.

The internet came along, we can book plane rides, rental cars, and hotel rooms online, and the rest is history.

TV means alot, I'm sure the shows on TLC and Discovery have boosted the number of coaster fans.

I actually became obsessed with them after playing Rollercoaster Tycoon too much!

The Matterhorn at Disneyland...then Thunder Mountain, Then The Whizzer....then my very virst looper....The Demon at PGA.

But I'd have to say that I was smitten from the first ride on Matterhorn back in 1975...


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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.

Cedar Point! If my parents wouldn't have taken me there in 1990, I don't think I would be such a coaster freak. Sure, I was too young in 1990 to ride much, but being around all those great coasters sparked my interest. My first coaster rides were at Kennywood, but I conquered all of my fears at CP.

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Joe Cernelli
Head Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com/

Well, living within an hour of a major park my whole life may help... :)


SFoT: 1985- 1988 ( half hour away)
SFGAm: 1988-96 (Lived IN Gurnee, about 2 minute drive from park.) Quarter mile away

SFGAm: 1996-present moved now i live 45 mins away from SFGAm.

I've been going to these parks a very long time. So I guess I grew up with them :)

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May 5th, Gurnee, Illinois, "I'm sprinting for V2"

I lived in Chicago for a few months and bought a season pass for SFGAm. One ride on the Bull and I was hooked.

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Home Park: Silver Dollar City, Branson, MO

I also live within 5 minutes of Astroworld. Passing it every single day on my way to work definitely sparked my interest in hanging out at theme parks a little more.

I liked coasters before RCT, but RCT is the main reason I am posting this message right now.

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www.geocities.com/coasting_ohio for Real/Defunct/mini coasters and parks for RCT

I got interested in RollerCoasters by accidnet. I was at pki when i decided to ride the new runnaway reptar, I was never a big fan of them quit frankly they scared me out of my mind. So once i got off i was amazed and then i decided to ride Top Gun. I got off and was amazed once more at the excitement and thrill it gave me. I got online later that night and talked to one of my friends, PkI FaNaTiC, he was telling me about the saftey and all about them . It made me very safe because he explained how i wouldnt fall out and everything. I then joined this to learn more about them. Next time i go to PKI i am going to ride Face Off. That is how i became interested in rollercoasters.

My parents and Cedar Point.

Actually, my first coaster was the Little Dipper at Memphis Kiddie Park in Brooklyn, OH (a suburb of Cleveland). The ride still operates today.

As far as big coasters are concerned,my folks would take us out to Cedar Point every year. Cedar Creek Mine Ride, Wildcat, and Blue Streak were among my first coasters as well as Geauga Lake's Big Dipper.

And I can't forget Scooby Doo (now Beastie) at PKI. You couldn't get me off of that ride back then. By this time I was hooked!

X Factor



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SFWoA: An Unofficial Guide
http://sfohio.tripod.com