Coaster Names: Imagination vs. SuperHeros...

Hi,
What would you like to see? New names for coasters or a ninth generation superman? If you could change the name of any coaster, which one would you change and what name would you give it?
my choice: Magnum, the Mighty non-sinking Coaster!

TOS the vs. coaster? Who knows, I might be horribly, horribly wrong ;)

As long as new coasters are being built, I don't care what they are named. The name doesn't change the quality of the coaster.

I said,

"Six flags stop naming all your rides superman or batman it gets boring"

In a completely different topic I said,

"Wouldn't it be better if their was a different theme at six flags parks other than just superman and batman. Just anything but that!"

Yep I see where you got the idea of this topic from. Anyways like what was already said in the sixflags mexico announcement and the CP/GL improvement forum yes they need to stop theming all their rides after superheroes especially the same ones. Everypark or atleast most parks should be different.I don't care what the new theme or ride name would be just anything anything but that!

Strange thing is... When names like "Scream," "Borg Assimilator," "X," and "Hydra: The Revenge" are announced, most enthusiasts think those names suck too. There's no pleasing some people, so why bother coming up with original names at all?

Good point Soggy.

I say they all should be named "Coaster _" with a number in place of the space. That'll learn y'all to complain about bad names!

Joe "can't wait to hear the reaction to the new rockets name tomorrow!" C.

PS Hi Julie! :)

Seems like two distinct sides to me. Those who don't care either way and those that like originality. (I'd imagine there's also a group who prefers the 'comfort' of common, repeated names too)

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Strange thing is... When names like "Scream," "Borg Assimilator," "X," and "Hydra: The Revenge" are announced, most enthusiasts think those names suck too.

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I think Scream, X, and Hydra are some of the better names out there. :)

They're original, give the ride a bit of personality and in the case of Hydra, even tell a story complete with the history of the ride that stood in the same place prior.

It doesn't affect the quality of the ride at all, but it certainly captures an intangible that can enhance the overall experience. Kind of like theming but on a more subtle level.

Plus, it beats walking up to a Superman coaster and trying to remember if I'm escaping, ultimately escaping, ultimately flying or taking a lap on the Ride Of Steel. ;)

Legendary let me ask you something. If there where 2 idendicle rides same distance away from you. One was called Elmo and the other was called the Predator which would you go to.

The point is that names of things do indeed physicoligically affect people. I would much rather say to my friend that I have been on Predator ( the tallest and fastest coaster in the world) rather than I have been on Elmos adventure ( the tallest and fastest coaster in the world.

I'll answer that question for myself...

I don't ride coasters in order to tell my friends about them. I ride them because I like them.

GIGAFORCE01,

I don't think I care much if the ride has a bad name, I mean initially I would be like "that's really lame" but if the ride is good, then I quickly get used to it.

And the new rocket isn't named Elmo's Adventure, btw. ;)

JC

Thats true me too, but what if someone ask you. I always feel weird when I list all the parks that I have been to needing to say story land. Have not been there since I was 4 but still I have been there.

I prefer the interesting and different names that a coaster can have, in that it separates itself from the pack when talking about the ride. Yes, ultimately if the coaster is good, it will be ahead of the pack regardless. I just keep thinking of Mamba at WoF.

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Lord Gonchar said:
Plus, it beats walking up to a Superman coaster and trying to remember if I'm escaping, ultimately escaping, ultimately flying or taking a lap on the Ride Of Steel. ;)

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I can not agree with this more. It is impossible to say "...on Superman..." anymore.

I too am sick of the Super Hero names, but maybe SF still thinks that since they license the names, then they *should* use them.

There's plenty of Superman, Batman, and superheros to go around if you have 15 parks all over the country. The only people that are going to be silly enough to care are enthusiasts and it sounds like many of them don't even take into consideration that the GP in Chicago *probably* won't know (or care if they found out) that there's another coaster named Batman The Ride or Superman Ultimate Flight in Georgia. I remember hearing about BTR at GAm when I was younger and I hoped that I would one day get one at SFKK or another *new* SF park. Some people in California, Texas, Missouri, New Jersey, etc. were lucky enough to get one. =p

Random Fun Facts About SF Coaster-Naming in the US:

-3 Six Flags Parks don't have any coasters named after a superhero (SFEG, SFKK, SFMW).
-3 SF Parks have only one superhero-themed coaster (SFDL, SFAW, SFFT)
-50% of the coasters at SFA are named after superhero/villain characters and 50% of their coasters have original names for a SF park. Doesn't prove anything. I just thought 50/50 was fun. ;)
-7 of SFAW's 9 coasters have names not used in any other SF park. The other two are Greezed Lightnin', only used once more at SFKK, and Viper...
-There are six coasters named Viper at Six Flags parks, the most times for any SF coaster not themed after a Looney Tune or Superhero. That's only 2/5 of their flagged parks. Paramount uses Top Gun and Vortex in 4 out of their 5 parks.
-Six Flags Great Adventure has two uses of Batman in the same park, once for Batman The Ride and again for Batman & Robin: The Chiller. Kings Island has *three* "Beast" coasters.
-Six Flags has over 125 coasters at their flagged parks (and more than 15 at non-flagged parks). Cedar Fair and Paramount have less than that combined.
-They have several "imaginative"-named (imo) coasters such as Goliath, Psyclone, Colossus, Revolution, X, Scream!, La Vibora, Great American Scream Machine, Titan, Poltergeist, Rattler, Predator, Rolling Thunder, Nitro, Roar, Zonga, Medusa, Kong, Cobra, Serial Thriller, XLR-8, Ragin' Cajun, Raging Bull,...

If you're sick of superhero names, why not be sick of names that really mean nothing at all. Millennium Force, Steel Force, Wicked Twister, High Roller, Wild Thing, Corkscrew, Boomerang, Head Spin, Wild Mouse, Double Loop, Big Dipper,... They don't tell me anything more than coaster names at SF.

Maybe I'm just a really understanding person *or* I just suck. =^\

+Danny ;) *** Edited 9/28/2004 8:48:30 PM UTC by +Danny***

I would go to Elmo. Sounds like they are trying to hard to be intimidating by calling it "Predator."

More offensive is the tag line "tallest and fastest in the world." Is that a prerequisite of a good ride?

It sure is! Where have you been, my friend?

Record-breaking and innovative coasters are good to bring guests to the park for the first time or come back after forgetting about the park for awhile. It's best to do this after you have great rides to back it up and your operations are going to impress them. SFGAdv probably *thinks* they can do this (Nitro, Medusa, and The Chiller get be coming back from Ohio), especially after their "general improvement" anniversary season in '04. I think they can as well... We'll watch and see.

+Danny

I don't really care so much about the re-use of the name as much as the re- use of the design. I would've rater seen all the Batman the Rides with an original design and the same name than the other way around. Same thing for Superman Ultimate Flight.

When I said tallest and fastest coaster in the world I was referring to a way to express my example of how names affect our first impression of rides. I will say highest rated next time if you want it's besides the point.

I agree with you 100 percent! Danny. Record breaking rides bring people to parks. It's the other rides that keep people coming back which is why CP needs a great wooden coaster not a flyer.

Back to the topic I think CF makes some of the coolest names for rides. MF ( Y2K) Mantis, Wicked Twister or Silver Bullet, the names represent the rides either in location. What they do or when they where made.

However they could of named Powertower, and Steel Venom differenly.

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Legendary said: And the new rocket isn't named Elmo's Adventure, btw.

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It would have to be at Sesame Place if it were ;)

Can you imagine the possibilities?

Elmo: The Ride

Elmo: Ultimate Escape

Son of Elmo

Top Thrill Elmo

The hilarities are endless! :)