How to spot a coaster enthusiast:

^Whatever works, wish I had 5 parks I went to on a semi regular basis (oh well 4 is going to have to do next year :).) I think its interesting to see how definations vary among enthusiasts, when there is no real standard.

38. Discussing the definition of the term "home park." :)

Ha!

But this brings up a good (geeky) subject. What DOES define a home park?

Going by driving time or distance, my home park would be Bowcraft in Scotch Plains, but I haven't been there in a decade (I will soon as they added a coaster and I realized they still have their Paratrooper). I suppose Great Adventure or Dorney Park would be my home park except I travel a greater distance to Knoebels and Hershey more often.

What do YOU use to define YOUR home park?

39. You have a home park.

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Well I consider a park a homepark when you visit multiple times in one season.

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Interesting take.

This year I have no home park using that criteria.

In 2005 my homepark was Kennywood.

2004 saw no home park again.

In 2003 I had two - CP and DP.

In 2002 I had DP, CP and IOA.

In 2001 they were WDW, Sea World and IOA.

That's fun. :)

How's it feel to be homeless? ;)

Migrant enthusiast! :)

I just wonder if I'm going to turn left (toward Knoebels) or turn right (toward Hershey) at the end of my block.

If only we all had your problems...

I feel like a rudderless ship lost in the middle of the ocean. :)

If you go by Geographic location:

2006 - PKI
2005 - Fun Fore All (or KW, if FFA doesn't count - 3 mile difference)
2004 - FFA or KW
2003 - Dorney
2002 - Dorney
2001 - Orlando Parks
2000 - Orlando Parks

I am a nomad. :)

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Touchdown said:
Because Im punchy this evening

21. You acutally understand the last post (ie the 1-3 seat designation)

22. You either:
a. have season passes to multiple parks
b. have used a season pass at a sister park or
c. own a season pass to a park 2+ hours away from you

23. You call the summer "coaster season"

24. At your home park you have a favorite seat on every coasters

25. If as an adult you have ever asked to stay on a ride when there was no line

26. When the forcast says rain, you get excited because you know no one will be at the park and rain makes coasters more "exilerating."

27. You know Magnum is not sinking into Lake Erie

28. When people say ace your first thought is ACE, not a card, grade or an expert fighter pilot.

29. You own a park t-shirt that is neither from your home park nor a park in Florida

30. You are over 10 and start jumping up and down at a chance to go to Holiday World

31. You arent from Pitt and know that Kennywood has no connection to Kenny Rodgers

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Ok, let's see how I scored on these.
22. Will have CF maxx pass
23. Ugggghhh, I only thought I did this
24. Check. Kings Island is my home park. Back seat on Vortex and Racers. Front seat on Face/Off, The Beast, Adventure Express, and Top Gun. Any seat that isn't over a wheel on S.O.B. Well, that one is more for health reasons than a favorite seat.
25. Believe it or not, I asked for a re-ride on Son of Beast and was told no and that I needed to re-queue.
26. I wouldn't call it exilirating, but I like rain to keep the crowds down.
27. It isn't? ;)
28. That whole ACE thing really hit home. Not a part of the club, but I still think of ACE instead of a card.
29. Own at least two not from my home park.
30. Haven't experienced Holiday World yet. That will change next "coaster season"
31. I thought Kennywood was named after the chicken man. ;)

Ok. The votes are in. I am a coaster enthusiast. (or @ss to some) *** Edited 9/6/2006 7:39:50 PM UTC by Coasterbuzzer*** *** Edited 9/6/2006 7:49:48 PM UTC by Coasterbuzzer***

When I lived in Michigan I considered CP and MA My "Home Parks". Now that I live in Florida I have Nine Major Parks and Several Smaller Parks that are all within a Day's drive from me. (Daytona Beach BTW) However I consider Boomers FEC in Dania, Florida (Between Fort Lauderdale and Miami) my "Home Park" by virtue of having the best Roller Coaster in the State. :) (The Dania Beach Hurricane BTW) :)

Yup! It's a Woodie! :)

38. Although you have several Amusement Parks that are Closer to your home, you Designate "Your Home Park" the one that has the Best Roller Coaster in your State. *** Edited 9/6/2006 8:18:43 PM UTC by Borntocoast***

I agree that the DBH is an exceptional ride. We've been there twice and both times the ride delivered enough for us to take a few dozen laps.

40. You call a park your "home Park" even though you have to cross two state lines to get to it (I live in VA but sometimes call HersheyPark my home park even though I have to cross the MD and PA state lines to get there...actually, I usually go VA-MD-DC-MD-PA cause it's shorter to cut through DC).

41. You know which coaster is Lola and which is Stella (I *still* dont know)

Lola is the one that is open. :)

You mentioned crossing state lines -- that isn't really a big deal in the Northeastern area as the states are smaller. Now if you lived in KC and said your homepark was Holiday World -- that would be pushing it as both MO and IL are HUGE going East/West when comparing to states like MD and even PA depending on how you go.

42. Somehow, only to you, the term "PUTZ" has a positive connotation.

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Rob Ascough said:I suppose Great Adventure or Dorney Park would be my home park except I travel a greater distance to Knoebels and Hershey more often.

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That just makes you a SMART coaster enthusiast... ;)

Before the DBH was built I used to LOATHE Miami. :( (My first visit was in 1968 when my Parents were Delegates in the 1968 Republican Convention (They were backing a Candidate named George Romney) The beach was in TERRIBLE condition and I vowed never to go there again. Then Miami Beach did an extensive Rehab of South Beach and then the DBH was built. Nowadays Miami RAWKS!!! :) South Beach and Boomers, now that's what I call a Weekend! ;) *** Edited 9/7/2006 2:21:53 AM UTC by Borntocoast***

Some more:

42. When a friend says to you his/her favorite ride is Batman you are confused and must ask which one and which park despite living less then a half an hour from the nearest Six Flags park.

43. People seek you out to ask you about coaster trivia

44. Your friends are both excited and afraid to visit an amusment park with you.

45. You know the difference between an amusement park and theme park.

46. These words mean somthing to you: Bolliger, Mabillard, Intamin, S&S, Stengal, Schwarzkopf, Cobra Roll, Innelman, Jojo Roll.

47. What S:TE exactly is perplexes you.

48. What ERT is though does not, you adore ERT.

49. You have ever used the old Discovery Channel Thrills, Chills and Spills special event to help guide you in planning your vacation.

50. Arriving as the gates open at a park causes you to panic because you got there late.

51. On your last ride of the day you think to yourself (or worse anounce it to the world) my next ride will be __________ in ________ days.

52. You have ranked and counted the coasters you have been on.

53. You have a plan of attack, carefully researched to achive the minimum of queue waiting time, for any park you go to and stick to that plan.

54. You start up random conversations with ride ops guarding the queue enterance.

55. You know not to trust the Dippin Dots man for new ride information, but only because you were once chastised online for posting bad ride intel in a fit of newbie excitement.

56. You bring your season passes with you on business trips, *just in case.*

57. You have at least one park clothes set, designed to be confortable, capable of getting wet and drying quickly.

58. When someone mentions where they went on a trip, you instantly catgorize what parks were nearby and ask if said person went to one of them.

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rollergator said:

That just makes you a SMART coaster enthusiast...

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I'm glad someone recognizes that ;)

You can't remember any friends' or relatives' birthdays or anniversaries, but you can remember the exact date you rode every coaster on your ride list for the first time (plus what you were wearing, what you ate, what the relative humidity was, etc.).

Not to mention the "special moments" of hitting those 50s and 100's.

*You curse those friends and relatives for getting married during an enthusiast event, or you try to see how many parks you can "squeeze into a weekend" while attending an out-of-town wedding.

*I know a lot of coworkers will ask you "what park are you going to now?" whenever you ask for time off, but how about when your local rental car company asks you the same thing? "Oh so you are going to PA again? Didn't you just go to Dorney Park?"

*You get angry with your friends because they paid full gate price at a park without consulting with you first. ;)

*The Steak-N-Shake in Sandusky knows you by name, even if you visit Cedar Point a couple of times a year!

-Tina

*** Edited 9/14/2006 7:07:16 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***