How did you get interested in roller coasters?

WElllll my first coaster was Ripsaw at Camp Snoopy in the Mall of America. I was 8, and I liked it, so I went to Valleyfair, and rode High Roller and Corkscrew and Wild Rails (later Rails, later destroyed) and Excalibur, and I went back every year after that. I liked them suddenly, so before I went somewhere I would check to see if there were any parks nearby, and then pressure the parents to bring me there, so now I go on at least 2 coasters during almost every trip we, we being my family, take.

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Cedar Fair hates valleyfair... boohoo.
2001: SFWoA,KCS,VF,SFEG,CP,BC
2002: SFMM,PKD,BGW,VF,KCS

I used to go to SFGA all the time with friends when I was little, but really never rode coasters,, maybe the whizzer, and demon,, and that was soo scary then! But one day, I just said, Im going on the Shockwave, it looked soo fun, and I went, with my dad.. And then, every other ride.. Thats the way my friends were, now we all love coasters!! Im soo close to the park too, we always go,, for an hour,, maybe the day, it doesnt matter,, its down the street.. I love coasters now!
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AMERICAN EAGLE!! (RED TRAIN)BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My love started back in 84 when Knoebels announced they were relocating the Rocket from Texas. I was about 8 or 9 at the time. Every time the local newsparer would run an article and pictuers of the construction I'd cut them out and save them. I still have them to this day.

After the Phoenix I finally got to other area parks Hershey, Dorney, Rocky Glenn(RIP), Angela Park (RIP) and rode other coasters but didn't think much of it as a kid.

When I got really hooked is when Knoebels announced Twister. From early December in 99 till it's completeion I visited the park once a week to get construction photos. I also clipped the articles in the paper again. After watching Twister grow from a few bents and markers in the ground to an operating coaster I knew I loved them. I've been addicted ever since.
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Hello, My name is Dan and I'm a coasterholic.

Fall 1995: Fifth grade...I take my first rollercoaster ride with friends on SFGAd's Runaway Mine
Train. I was scared half to death and I did not ride another coaster again for more than a year.

Spring 1996: Seventh grade...a friend drags me on my first coaster in more than a year; The
Great American Scream Machine. I almost died going up that lifhill, and although I remember trying
to play it cool, i was trembling head to foot. I was ecstatic post ride though, and we went on and
enjoyed the rest of the park's coasters including the newest; Batman: The Ride.

Memorial Day Weekend 96: By channel surfing, I caught the rollercoaster shows on Discovery
Channel and my interest in rollercoasters was piqued. I went back to SFGAd and got an
application to become a ride operator there.

Late Summer 96: SFGAd *finally* calls me and I start work at SFGAd. We also planned our
first coaster trips that summer, visiting BGW and PKD and later Cedar Point.

1997-2001: I've been to almost 70 different parks, traversed 30 states, and have ridden
180 different rollercoasters. This year that number will almost double when I ride my 300th
coaster. :)

-rob

I can't really say when,Its all I've ever known.My parents took me to amusement parks all the time when I was growing up so thats all
i ever did was ride coasters.I started the same traditon with my five year old last year!

I got into coasters about one year ago when i watched the top 10 roller coasters. Then i started to play roller coaster tycoon. I went over my cousin Jon's house and i saw that he to was a huge roller coaster enthusiast (GOFULLFORCE on coasterbuzz). He was a coaster enthusiast that told me about all of the different companies, amusement parks, and roller coasters. I would definately have to say that the biggest influence on my coaster obsesion is definately when i heard about a 310 ft. beast that rose at Cedar Point, oh what is it called, MILLENNIUM FORCE.

I owe it all to my roller coaster enthusiast cousin Jon, who showed many cool coaster websites, thank you Jon, for always annoying my parents to go to amusement parks. My parents both think that amusement parks are money pits and they aren't worth what u pay 4, but with the help of my cousin, we are goin to many amusement parks this summer.

I got in to coasters about 1 or 2 years ago when I went to Knotts one night. I went on Ghostrider and Boomerang for the first time. I loved those rides so much that I im always wanting to ride more coasters.

When I was five and rode the Comet and The sooperdooperlooper.

I got into coasters 'twice' so to speak. First time, it was entirely the fault of Disneyworlds Thunder Mountain...

And in 1999 - after not riding coasters for two years - one ride on Nemesis, front row, did it for me. I realised at that point this was what I was interested in, and wanted to work with. Since then, besides following the industry, I've became an active campaigner against the planning restrictions unfairly placed on many parks, and got my total coaster ride log up to 99 different coasters.

cernelli, same here. The first time I went to Cedar Point, I was like 7. I couldn't get enough of Iron Dragon and Blue Streak. I actually cried the whole 2 hours while the rest of family waited in line for Magnum. I was too short. Everytime we went to Cedar Point I got more excited than I did at Christmas. It feels only naturally for to try to design them as a career. Many coaster-holics crave the thrill and adrenaline as I do.

I was always terriffied of coasters, until i don't know like 4th or 5th or maybe 3rd. Who knows.. Anyway, i rode wizzer at SFGAm, and i loved it. Then i think i rode maybe demon, but i don't think so. But the next time we came to the park i made myself go on Batman, and let me tell you it was amazing. Ever since i always have loved coasters.
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RCman4 *** This post was edited by Neil H. on 4/16/2001. ***

Lot of "rookies" on the board. What probably hooked me was when the Dragon (I think this was 92 or 93) first opened at Adventureland, and my brother lifted me up to show me the train and I freaked out and ran back down to my parents.

A few years later (the year the Outlaw opened) I went on a class field trip and I was bound and determined to ride teh thing and a friend of mine reccommended this great idea. "Open your eyes" so I did, and I've loved going on coasters since.

Kind of a lame story, but its mine.

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Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it...eventually

All I did was take one look at the Crystal Beach Comet and I was hooked!! During the time when I didn't meet the hight requirement for the Comet, I rode "The Yellow Coaster". The Comet, although on longer standing at Crystal Beach, will always be my very favorite coaster.:)

All I had to do was take one look at the Crystal Beach Comet and I was hooked!! At the time of this amazing experience, I was not tall enough to ride the Comet, so it was endless rides on "The Yellow Coaster"( I love both of these coasters.)However, the Comet of Crystal Beach will always remain my favorite.:) I have been a coaster fan ever since!!!

Well, I have always been interested in vehicles, first trains, hydrofoils, hovercrafts, and helecopters, and one day, We went to williamsburg. (i was 6) I started drinking the best glass of saspirilla of my life, and turned to see a coil of ellow steel in the distance. "Dad, whats that?" Sure enough, we went the next day and my first roller coaster was Loch ness monster. I immediately became facinated in the ideas, and desighns, so I checked my school library, and checked out a small black and white book about roller coasters. This is where I first learned of the designers, manufacturers, and building process. I shortly after purchased a book called "white knuckle ride" (i still have it today) and just went from there.

I'm an Architect, and since I was a little boy I was fascinated that wood, designed with triangles, could do the wild sinuous things it does, both vertically and horizontally. When I finally got up the nerve to ride the Comet at Lincoln Park in 1978, I was hooked. At 36, my track record is adequate at 110. I try to get on at least five (5) different rides each summer, some years are better than others. However, this summer I hope to get that count up to 130, we'll see. If you like free time, do not pursue being an Architect. Don't get me wrong, it's a great profession but extremely time consuming. Weekends were for riding coasters not Life Safety Plans and Wall Sections (ha, ha, ha).

I hated coasters and only went on four of them at SFGAm when i went there three years ago. I was too scared to go on the rest of them. Then i got RCT and that got me interested in them. Then I went to Big Chief's in Wisconsin Dells. I had to get the nerve to ride Zues, but when i did i was hooked. I recently went to CP and went on Millennium Force. Now i'm an addict.

I have always lived within 40 minutes of SFGadv.Way back in 1978 i was 6 years old and my mom took me on my very first roller coaster there.I have ridden almost every roller coaster that SFGadv has ever had.I have a small track record but,i plan on changing that when my kids are a little older.Last saturday i took my 3 year old on his first little roller coaster.It was a mini mine train coaster and,he was a little tense but,i see him getting back on it. My husband loves them as much as i do so,i see my track record growing and,i see coaster trips becoming a family tradition.We are going to SFA in July and i can't wait!

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Rickyswmn

I fell in love with coasters in the summer of 1996, five years ago, when I first rode Flight of Fear and King Cobra at Paramount`s Kings Island. However, I had riden the Beast in 1995 and rode Iron Dragon and Cedar Creek Mine Ride at Cedar Point in 1994 and then Top Gun at PKI in the fall. Now, I`m addicted. I remember one day when I was in hanna Barbera Land at PKi and my mom said some day, you`ll have to like roller coasters and ride them because if you don`t ride them there`s not much to do up here. Now I want to go to PKI every week!