ACE: worth it?

I want to join ACE but it's very expensive. $50 for one person and $65 for a couple. My girlfriend thinks we should not join because it is too expensive and there are not many events here. (My home park is SFA. We can drive to Hersheypark and PKD. Also BGW but it's a little further away.) But I would really like to join! I just have to convince my girlfriend it is worth it. Anybody have suggestions?

You get a great magazine with it, and you seem close enough to several parks to take advantage of some of the ACE events that are held at some of the parks. If you want to join a cheaper club, try Coasterbuzz.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Thats a tough one. I'd say if you plan on going to some ACE events go for it. You do get the magazine quarterly and newsletters monthly. I don't know if the magazine alone would be worth the price of membership. With your membership you also get discounts at some parks, Dutch Wonderland (not far form you Lancaster, PA), Holiday World, and a few others.

I'd say if you have the extra $50 laying around go for it but, you could always put that money toward a park trip like Knoebels, Kennywood or Dorney which aren't a bad drive from the SFA area.

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Knoebels visits in 2002. 4

It really depends on what you plan to do with your membership. If you pay $50 and don't go any event then it may not be worth it to you, even for the publications (which can be bought seperately too if you get one of their order forms)
We get 4 Roller Coaster! color magazines a year, plus a bi-monthly ACE News newsletter that is very cool.

But if you plan on going to even one event, it is well worth it! The ERT alone is worth it alone!!
Plus you will save a lot of money by going to these events!
Take the California Con $130 for the Registration included three park admissions for the six days, some very good buffet dinners/breakfast/lunches, ERT on all the popular rides, parking, and having an opportunity to get discounts to some of the other Cali parks like Disney's Cali Adventure (plus we also got a free pass to ride the West Coaster at Pacific Park) and some other cool stuff. The convention itself is very cool too, with the presentations and videos and sales tables. I mean.......$130??? My lord two people could spend that at a day at King's Island!!!!!
The one day events are always cool too. I don't do them all but I did the Coaster Con last year and this year and will probably do the rest of them as long as I am living, and I also try to get to some of the local things like the KennyKon.

Most importantly, however, you get to meet and hang out with an awesome group of people! I have made a lot of close friends with this club.
I live in West Virginia, but am close to King's Island. If you are an ACE member you can get into PKI at half price anytime, plus you get the "walkback" where you can be "escorted" back to either the Tomb Raider or Beast before all the other guests do. I guess you could say that a membership in ACE is paid for with two trips to PKI! LOL!
Other parks offer similiar discounts. I was just at Holiday World and showed my ACE card and got in for half price.
I have been in ACE for a little over two years and have been very pleased. You meet some very nice people and have a lot of fun. Like I said, the ERT is worth it alone! Go for it! You won't regret it. I thought the same thing you are doing. I was like "$50 a year?" But believe me, once you join and start to participate a little you will wonder why you didn't join up earlier.

And why not join now? Next year's Coaster Con is going to be at Busch Gardens and PKD, that is near you.

Tina

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Feel The Adrenaline....
www.intenserides.com

*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN on 7/8/2002. ***

The publications are cool and all...(hey, even I got *published*)....but the real reason to join is for the people. I manage to find a few folks I've gotten to know over the past few years at every event now, and it makes the whole thing a LOT more fun. Even during the events: [url="http://www.aceonline.org/events.htm"]http://www.aceonline.org/events.htm[url="http://www.aceonline.org/events.htm"][url="http://www.aceonline.org/events.htm" target="_blank">

you'll notice some of the "old-timers" saying how much more crowded the events are now than they used to be, I figure there's just more people enjoying the greatest hobby of them all.....now if only the larger parks could learn from HW and KG how to "run" an ERT session....

*** This post was edited by rollergator on 7/8/2002. ***

Remember though that you can go to ACE events as a non-member. You might pay a little more, but it has never been so much that I've felt the need to join.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"We used to hate people, now we just make fun of them. It's more effective that way." - KMFDM, "Dogma"

When SFGAm announces their next coaster, I'm gonna see if I can join ACE and get the media day pass... Otherwise, it wouldn't be worth it for me because I have no means of transportation to other parks

I don't think you can get a media day pass for just being in Ace can you.

I became am member because I wanted to support coasters and coaster enthusiasts you get a magazine and you can go to events. I would say it is worth it!

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-Sean Newman
88 coasters in Track Record!! Hypersonic XLC Coaster # 100 in July.
Nitro Laps:105
B+R Launches:28

JoNoJ27, Teenage Ninja.....NO, you won't get a media-day pass just for being an ACE member, although that *would* be a perk worth joining for....;)

"Media Days" are for media....most ACE members that get to attend have some other relationship with the park that is much stronger than ACE affiliation....(former employees, people knwon by the *shirts*, etc.)...

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Welcome to the Cedar Point skyride....we'll take you up 50, drop you down 30, all at an amazing speed of 6 miles per hour....we won't see you back unless you make the return trip!

Darn, that's not what I remember reading....

Thanks for the heads-up... DARN!

On my vacation this year ACE membership saved us on admission to Indiana Beach, Holiday World and PKI. These alone paid for the dues. Ace membership also helps you to get invitations to media events which can be fun and interesting.