How I learned to love roller coasters... (IOA)

How I Learned to Love Roller Coasters and Stop Worrying about the Beast

"Inside Edition" reported that your chances of getting into a fatal roller
coaster accident is 1 in 10 million. Yet, everytime I thought about riding
one, I thought that I would die.

I used to avoid riding roller coasters. I chickened out on Space Mountain.
I avoided Busch Gardens Tampa for years. If I didn't ride the roller
coasters, what else is there to do at Bush Gardens? I did ride Big Thunder
Mountain at the Magic Kingdom and I swore to never to do it again!

That all changed when I visited Islands of Adventure in May 1999. I
initially planned to avoid riding the roller coasters. I really just wanted
to ride one ride -- Spiderman. I passed by the Incredible Hulk Coaster and
I kept on thinking, "I'll save it for later." Finally, I decided to ride
it.

I almost ran away from the entrance, but I thought of what my mom said when
I wouldn't eat lima beans -- "How do you know if you don't like it if you
haven't tried it?" I never ate my lima beans and I still don't like them, but I figured I'd ride it once and if I didn't like it, I'd
ride something else. There are plenty of other things to do at the park!

I entered the queue and I felt my heart pounding, my skin crawling, and my
breath becoming shorter. I finally was strapped in and I was terrified! As
the car rolled into the launch tube, people in the back of the coaster
started yelling, "Whoo!" I began to yell "Whoo!" too and suddenly, my fear
turned into excitement and I was launched out!

I yelled "Whoo!" so much that my voice was harsh after the ride. I don't
remember much of what the track looked like because I kept my eyes closed
(especially during the upside-down parts). At the end of the ride, I said,
"What a rush!"

I had planned to ride the Hulk Coaster zero times, but I ended up riding it
seven times. I finally conquered Space Mountain. I visited Busch Gardens
a few months after visiting IOA and enjoyed the coasters there. I'm
planning to visit the roller coaster mecca, Cedar Point, one day.

Perhaps one day I will have the courage to eat lima beans

Wow. Coasterkingoftheworld and I felt the same ways about coasters too! In fact, a ride on Big Thunder Railroad as a kid scared me half to death (what a wimp!) and Joey had the same experience on Space Mountain.

And like you Hulk was our first 'big' coaster when we started riding them again. And we almost chickened out on it but figured we came all the way from Michigan we might as well ride it! I'm glad we did :) That is why Hulk will always have a special place in our hearts :)

Just one tip though: Keep your eyes opened! This prevents motionsickness and makes you enjoy coasters even more!Have fun ridin'!

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Werner Stengel: Ich sprich, denke und traüme Achterbahn!

Oh, I forgot to mention that this was written a few years ago for the Florida Coaster Club newsletter. I have since been to Cedar Point. I've also kept my eyes open on coasters, except on Millenium Force in the rain. :)

Whoa talk about similarity. In 6th grade I went to the Magic Kingdom and shivered in fear when I saw Space Mountain. When I went to IOA in 7th and 8th grade I wanted to hurl when I saw Hulk. I went on Rockn Roller Coaster about 2 years ago only because my girlfriend made me go, then this February I had my first ride ever on the Hulk and I am absolutely hooked on coasters now. Very cool.

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Does this thing go faaaaaast!

I had the same problem. I would ride the woodies at the park once and that was it. A few years ago I went to six flags St. Louis with my friends and with peer pressure I got on Mr. Freeze. I loved the launch and eveything about the ride. I have been hooked on coasters since. I even made my trip to CP.

The Hulk was not my first major coaster, but I agree that it is a great first coaster for anyone. My little bro thought I was so stupid for being so obsessed with coasters, and reading about them all nigh. So at IoA, he started making fun of me for being such a coaster nerd, and I said he was doing this just because he was a wimp, and was scared to go on anything. So I tortured him (metaphorically speaking) until he would go on. We were straped into the front seat, and I saved him the farthest seat which provides the best ride. He bagan to cry as we approached the launch and tried to rip the restraint off. Anyways, after that one ride, he became just as hooked, if not more than me. He would be replying to this post, but he is not thirteen yet so he cant get a name. Anyways, this proves one thing, One Ride Can Change Your Life!!! LoL

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I'm sitting shiva for CCI.