Credit whores

In general, I'm someone who won't go to a park if going alone is my only option. I make an exception if I'm traveling for business or the like, but I've never found being by myself for a full day in an amusement park to be much fun, and more than a little depressing. With that in mind, being with others really tamps down the urge to jump on coasters that don't interest me just for the hell of it. If you're by yourself, you might be able to rationalize it, but just contemplate saying this aloud: "Next, we are going to solicit the children of strangers so that we can go on a ride designed for children. This is so I can post online and impress other people who are very good at procuring unfamiliar children in order to go on rides designed for children, and thus have a higher arbitrary number than me." Given the choice between speaking those words or saying "Yeah, we don't need to go on that," the latter is much more attractive, especially if one wants to continue having companionship at amusement parks.

I am of the opposite mindset in terms of company at an amusement park. I go by myself willingly, although I would rather travel with someone, and I usually despise going with more than one or two other people. However, many times I will ride stuff I have no desire to ride because someone with me wants to do it. Example: Stinger at Dorney Park. I hate it. At least from the front seat I hate it, and I always get worried it is going to get stuck because of its history. Plus, I don't like hanging by my harness as it goes up the first hill. My best friend wanted to ride it though to increase her count, so I got stuck riding it with her. While it is not a horrible ride from the middle of the coaster, I would ONLY ride if someone else just had to do it.

I don't consider myself a credit whore. But that could be because I keep visiting the same parks year after year, and usually try to ride every coaster at whatever park I am visiting. But, I don't do it for the count.

My main reason for visiting a park, is for a ride that interests me. But, I also consider other factors, like what city is near by, and what I might be able to do there, just in case of bad weather, or if there is a major event going on. I think the only parks I have ever made a special trip just for the coasters are Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, Kings Island, and Indiana beach.

My other trips are usually filled with other plans, like shopping, or going to a large event, or just to visit the near by city. Which in the case of Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal, the City was my main destination, and the parks were just on my "to do" list.

But, I do have Holiday World and Dollywood on my wish list. So, it depends on where I am going, and why. On one trip to Indiana Beach, my friend and I drove down to Indianapolis, just to say that we had been there. But, it was pretty much a wasted trip, and not fun there at all.

Timber-Rider said:

On one trip to Indiana Beach, my friend and I drove down to Indianapolis, just to say that we had been there. But, it was pretty much a wasted trip, and not fun there at all.

Yeah, I didn't enjoy my trip to Indianapolis that much either. That most fun I had was finding a small shop that was hosting a cheap local punk show on a Thursday night. But you can find those in most cities that size

We thought Indianapolis was pretty neat for the kids. The zoo and the children's museum were both pretty good (plus you get a credit at the zoo).

The 'One Day At A Time' museum is good, too. I especially liked the Schneider exhibit.

Do they display Mackenzie Phillips' drug paraphernalia?

Seriously, I didn't know it existed (the museum, not the drug stuff)

How ironic that "One Day at a Time" happens to be one of the main slogans for a 12-step program....or is it fitting?

Thanks for that, Mike. You've relit my age-old crush for Bonnie Franklin.

Break Trims said:

"Next, we are going to solicit the children of strangers so that we can go on a ride designed for children. This is so I can post online and impress other people who are very good at procuring unfamiliar children in order to go on rides designed for children, and thus have a higher arbitrary number than me."

This is awesome.

Yes, I admit it I am a total credit whore. I will try to ride every coaster at a new park before I do anything else. It was great, when my son was young, to have built in access to the kiddie coasters. If I was with friends who had young kids, at a new park, I would definitely use the kids to get access to the kiddie coasters. But, I would never ask a stranger to use their kids to get access... even whores have morals....

I guess you have to give credit whores credit where credit is due.

I ride roller coasters to get the credit, I'll admit it, but I also like riding roller coasters. It's allowed me, even forced me, to ride rides and because I have an analytical mind, I compare this park's roller coaster against that park's coaster of the same type. I know I'm not going to feel well after riding some, but I give it a shot anyway.

It's fun to ride, and I want to give it a shot. There's something to being able to tell my son that I've ridden X number of roller coasters to help give him a little bit of an incentive to try to ride roller coasters like daddy so it passes that love down to him, and eventually to his kids. My daughter is still too young for the big coasters, but I'm going to love the day we all ride together!