Biggest, tallest, not always the most fun?

After hearing a lot of so so reviews of KK, it makes me think that maybe the tallest and fastest coasters aren't the funnest.

My favorite coaster is Millennium Force, no doubt. To me, it's perfect. The drop is steep and long, the g forces are great, the airtime is good as well, and it's a non stop adrenaline rush.

Superman ROS at SFDL is good but it doesn't have the extra oomph to make it that thrilling. I rode it 26 times in 4 hours on my past trip to SFDL and after a while it was so predictable and boring.

I like TTD but would I really wait 3 hours for this? http://rcdb.com/ig1896.htm?picture=55

Sure it's a cool drop but I'm so dazed from the launch that I don't even notice it or even get the freefall sensation that I do on Millennium Force.

I love rides like MF and Raptor where you go from element to element, loop, zero g roll, cobra roll, helix, corkscrew. I find it very thrilling. After going on Superman so many times I went over to Mind Eraser and had a blast because you are flipped upside so many times and it's constantly changing direction. Sure it's a cheap Vekoma hang 'n' bang, but in some ways it's more thrilling than Dragster.

Do you think we'll see more rides like Storm Runner instead of these 400+ foot tall coasters with 1 drop and an occasionally bunny hill with no airtime?

I'd love a 400 foot version of Millennium Force but I've noticed that even if it's 400 feet after while it's not that fun. It's like riding Magnum all day compared to a 500 foot Intamin drop tower.

The first time the drop tower will be more fun, but after a while Magnum will still be better.

Any thoughts?

Proof:

Raven, Legend, Cornball Express, Avalanche (Timber Falls), Thunderhead, Phoenix, etc. All under 100 feet. Not very fast, and not very long. Yet most people agree these are some of the best coasters in the world.

On the flip side I can sum it up in 3 words. Son of Beast! (not to mention Mean Streak, Rattler, Hercules, etc)

The same can be said for Steel coasters. When I rode Steel Dragon 2000 it was the tallest, longest, fastest coaster in the world. I could have taken a nap on it. To take it to the extreme. Look at the 18 foot tall littke "High Speed Thrill COaster" at Knoebels. Now THAT's fun!!!! *** Edited 6/2/2005 7:36:56 PM UTC by Peabody***

Honestly there are not steels in my top 10. Even S:ROS at SFNE became a bit predictable and boring after 30+ rides. Now I've ridden coasters like Raven, Boss, ST, Legend and other wood over 40 times in one day and not once got bored with it, Matter of fact, They haunt me saying come ride me, come ride me.

Certain parks think you have to go for a record to be marketable. Well this works short term bringing people in the gate then, Then you have to build something bigger to top it.

A good mid sized woodie will maintain popularity longer and keep em comming back far longer and be talked about far longer than almost any steel coaster.

Chuck, who thinks Gemini is one of the best coasters in CP but it's never talked about and quite honestly, People don't visit there for it but overall its a big plus in the parks collection of mediocre rides.
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For that matter, I'd hardly consider MF perfect. Or even close.

I'd add Cyclops and Boss to the list of coasters I'd put way, way above any giga and most hypers.

-'Playa

It would be nice if people did not complain so much about strata coasters. There are only two of them and they are a lot of fun for a lot of people. For those who prefer something else, there is plenty of that too...even at the parks that have the strata coasters. Now if a park had only one or two coasters and one was a L-TH-B, then maybe I could understand a few complaints. I happen to love TTD, as well as MF, Magnum, Raven, Legend, Cornball Express, Avlanche, Thunderhead, and Phoenix. HSTC is way overrated though. I got on that because of all the good reviews and, quite frankly, I was embarassed to be on it and could not wait to get off.

Ah, but did you ride High Speed Thrill COaster during Phoenix Phall Phunfest? That's when they REALLY crank it up :)

I don't think anyone's saying that KK/TTD aren't thrilling. The problem is that it's a one trick thrill that in time diminishes. On the flip side, Charles makes the point perfectly.

I don't buy the "one trick pony" argument because most of the people who make it will also rave over IB's double shot. There was just some anticipointment that the coaster was not longer which could have been due to CP's prolonged teasing, but it is still a good ride even with only one trick. I don't see people saying how great MS is just because it is 5 min (well 7 now with the trim). It may be just me, but ride time is pretty much a moot point. I think the quality/quantity distinction is very important and applies to ride time just as much as park coaster counts.

And no, I have not been to PPP.

As for Gemini, I keep hearing about air on it, but the only good air I can find is in the back on the first drop. That is VERY good, but there are still a ton of waisted hills. I do enjoy the racing though.

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RavenTTD said:
It would be nice if people did not complain so much about strata coasters.

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Thank you. I heard countless people getting off TTD and saying how it was the best ride they have ever ridden. And haven't we beaten this to the ground already? Majority of the enthusiast community prefers the smalller intense wooden coasters and the air time laden steel coasters. That does not mean that it is written in stone what is "good." Anyway...

True, that bigger is not always more fun. Notice that I did not say, is not better.

A roller coaster is a sum of its emements and pace. These giants seem to have few elements and no pace, they remind me of a flat ride to some degee.

I am definently partial to height and speed. I absolutely love Top Thrill Dragster, Millennium Force, Superman the Escape, Etc. I would say that many enthusiasts prefer the medium, intense, wooden coasters. I think that all enthusiasts agree on airtime though. Airtime is the uniting factor of all coaster enthusiasts, in my opinion.

I don't think anyone is ripping on KK and TTD saying they are no fun and offer no thrill. Some of you are reading too much into that. They are fun...they are a thrill. (I LOVE MF, TTF, etc) But, many of us love the intense mid size woodies just as much, or even more, which confirms the original question. *** Edited 6/2/2005 8:32:06 PM UTC by Peabody***

TTD is an exciting ride but I have more "fun" on Blue Streak...or even Cedar Downs for that matter.

If I thought those complaints were sincere, they would not bug me so much. I never heard some enthusiast saying that TTD lacked elements and pacing just like a Schwarzkopf shuttle looper. I just feel there is some type of anti record breaker/CP/Intamin/whatever movement going on when I read some of the criticisms of TTD. It is not that I expect it to be everyone's number one or even their cup of tea, but it just seems the complaints come out too often, too harsh, and too inconsistent with other views expressed. *** Edited 6/2/2005 8:37:10 PM UTC by RavenTTD***

Words like 'Most' and 'Best' and 'Greatest' are all only important only to you. My personal 'Most', 'Greatest', 'Best' coasters aren't going to be something everyone else likes. Why? I have different tastes. Not only that, but I've not ridden exactly the same rides on exactly the same days and in countless other specific conditions someone else did. If everyone was the same weight/height/sex/etc. and had ridden every single same coaster on the same day in the same seat at the exact same time, then there would be an actual 'est' coaster, I'd imagine.

Thankfully, we aren't living in a world like that, and in my world, Phantom's Revenge is the Greatest, Best, and Most fun coaster I've ever ridden. I also like Millie and TTD, but S:TD (Superman: The Disaster) wasn't fun.

Charles nungester: I'm the complete opposite of you. I rode Shivering Timbers last year about 10 times and I was like, lets go home and never come back. I liked it, but certianly didn't love it. huge anticipointment.

Now on the other hand when I was in Florida I must have rode Fire Dragon at least 70 times and that coaster is just sick. My favorite ride. And after all the 70 rides, I was upset that I had to go home, cause I wanted more rides.

And to the person who said there top ten is all wooden: My top ten is all steel.

obviously this is just my opinion of everything just like you all have your opinion, which I respect

Ride of Steel said: "I rode it 26 times in 4 hours"

"Chuck Nuggy" said: "Even S:ROS at SFNE became a bit predictable and boring after 30+ rides"

Ever thought that ANYTHING that many times isn't going to be fun anymore? Anyone ever see the South Park where Cartman buys the park? You ride something that many times, as much as you claim that the airtime and the rush is the key to the ride, the unknown, the "I wasn't expecting that!" effect is just as much of the ride.

I have only ever ridden a coaster more than 10 times twice. I rode S:UE 11 times one day and almost yaked all over the station on trip 11 which was boring anyway. I rode Steel Phantom (the original) 14 times, but that was a lot more due to a really hot girl who kept wanting to ride again, so I can't really say I remember it getting boring, but that's an "extenuating circumstance". Even going to Cedar Point for the 15th time in a year, if I'm by myself, it's boring, there's no fun. I cut ERT on Talon at CBuzzCon at 10 rides cause that last helix just didn't give that "umph" on the last ride.

I know some of you think that's fun, but come on, you do anything that many times, it's no fun. Take my advice, take a break and go back to it, anything can be fun.

I've yet to ride TTD yet this year, and KK wasn't approved for open yet when I was at GAdv. At the end of last year, I passed on TTD rides because I just didn't care, there was no thrill. Right now though, it's been well over 6 months since I rode TTD and I really am chomping at the bit to ride again cause I haven't experienced that in a while.

Say it with me kiddies: Mod - er - a - shun.

Avalanche at Timber Falls is fun after 30 laps, but for the most part I agree with you.

Absolutely, Brett. I do wish I had ridden Speed a few more times since I bought the all day pass and only rode 2 times whilst in Vegas, but I'm glad we didn't over do it on anything. During ERT at Knott's, I rode everything that morning before the park opened one time. That nite, I rode Silver Bullet once during ERT, since I'd ridden 2 other times that day, and Ghostrider less than 10 times.

Marathoning doesn't appeal to me. Its like Binge Drinking, which I've actually never done, but it makes you sick, tired, and not too happy when its all over.

Even a smaller scale example ... Maxair

As the ride starts, there's some screams from the younger girls. Then you get another swing an some of the guys start puttin' in the "woah!" Another swing and half the wheel is all out screaming. By the time the thing's got it goin', everyone's screaming, yelling and laughing. But, it hits the apex and then what happens? People start to quiet down.

It's the same motion that made them scream their full heads off less than 2 minutes earlier, but they've done it a few times now, it's not new, there's no "What the hell is going on here?" effect, it's the same thing. Now some people are going to run around and do it again right then, but for the most part, you wander away, you ride other things, you dilute that memory, and when you go back on that first swing you're facing straight down you're back to goin "holy s*** what the hell is going on?!?"

Good analogy with binge drinking Tekno - did that once, puked for 2 days, how is that fun? I'll drink enough so my head's spinning and I'm laughing at everything and 4 hours later, I'm sober enough to drive (although I rarely do). I have a damn good time, and the next day I'm functional, unlike most of my friends.

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