Scared of Roller coasters

Roller Coaster riding is putting yourself into a situation that you can not control.
The "big drop" on coasters always has that almost-suicide aspect to it.
It's probably very healthy not wanting to do that.
However - doing it can cheer the re-gained rest of your life up somewhat.

I would try to explain how rarely ever an accident happens - and take the fears seriously.
Of course, if the two of you have a kind of "he needs someone to push him" onto the roller coaster - just talk him into it by all means and let the two of you enjoy the game.
:)
*** Edited 3/28/2004 8:46:33 PM UTC by superman***

Three years ago I wouldn't dare to step in line for even the Iron Dragon. I loved watching the giant beast sour above but never thought of going on them. Once I got to know a little about the roller coasters and Cedar Point mostly I felt like I should give them a try. I started off on the small ones and worked my way to the Gemini. Then my uncle talked me into going on MF before I had a chance to go on Magnum or something inbetween. My big tip is to go all out and go on the biggest of them all. TTD might be a little too extreme for a first time rider but MF works great. Once you go on a ride that's the size of MF you can go on anything. Just asure the person he'll make it through it just like millions of others have in the past.

---

Rctycoon2k said:
tricktrack, there has been numorous seminars like that in the states. 2 sessions have been broadcast in some coaster shows on Discovery Channel, one at Santa Cruz on the Big Dipper, and one at IOA, on Hulk.

---

Oh, now that you mention "Hulk" I remember having seen that on tv too.

Well, there goes the "worlds first".

Thanks for reminding me.

I agree that the Corkscrew might be a good place to start (once he's agreed to do loops). My first looping coaster was a corkscrew, and I was terrified, but after I rode it once I thought the loops were just plain fun. The only part that scared me after that was the hill - it took me awhile to get used to the "stomach in the throat" feeling. But the Corkscrew only has one hill, and once he's done one looper, I bet he'll be much less scared of the others.

Getting him on MF or Magnum might be a different story altogether though...

~me

My first looper was a Togo Stand-up, can't believe I actually enjoyed the ride enough to go on a second time. Felt pretty woozy after lap 2 though.

I agree with thrillerman1 that Woodstock's Express may be a good place to start, it all depends just how "scared" he is of roller coasters. Like how this guy hasn't sent in a single reply since he posted this though.

I would try him out on a few easy flats first. Perhaps just the concept of a train rolling on tracks seems intimidating to him. Try a mild one first, perhaps the Troika or Matterhorn, then try him a small coaster: I recommend Woodstock Express, Wildcat, CCMR, or Blue Streak. I wouldn't do DT, since the darkness and special effects can be wierd for a first timer.

But just don't force him to ride coasters he's not ready for, that'll ruin the trip for both of you.

Forget all that man, just drug him. j/k.

Seriously, start out with the small stuff and work your way up, but please don't force him. He will ride when he is ready. :-)

-Tina

Dont start too small, at SFGAm my favorite ride to break people in on is B:TR, due to the fact that it is a good coaster, has loops (lets kill that phobia right away), is small and short. However since CP doesnt have a ride that satifys all of those requirments I suggest you break him in on Magnum (not in an ejector row) and dont tell him it is 200ft.

If you break in a person on a bad/boring roller coaster their first impression of the rides will not be good (first impressions are important), dont shoot for the Moon but make his first ride be a ride on a good coaster.

I used to be scared of heights up until I was almost 20 years old. Then my friends took me to PKI and put me on the Vortex. Thinking I would freak out at the top of the lift hill, or throw up in the loops or corks, I sucked it up and went along for the ride. Holding onto the restraints as tightly as I could, I braced myself for the G-Forces that my body had never experienced before. I felt a bit queasy when going through the ride, but it wasn't bad at all! After that August day in 1995, I didn't ride another roller coaster until 2001 (I moved from Indianapolis to Birmingham, Alabama in 1999 and back to Indy in 2002). It was during that time my brother got me a copy of RCT and I immediately became hooked on roller coasters. Soon afterward, the Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, and TLC had shows about roller coasters and thrill parks, and one in particular about Cedar Point. I learned about all the safety features and the technology that goes into keeping a ride safe. So I decided I would go to Visionland on the west side of Birmingham. They had a Power Tower - type ride and one Roller Coaster: The "Rampage". I rode that ride about 10 to 15 times that day and didn't fear a thing. Thenm 2002 came, and my divorce (now THAT can be scary!). I moved back to Indy and immediately began my plans to "Get to the Point". If I were to make sure that I have no fear of heights, this is the ultimate test. We got there on October 12, 2002, 9 days after I turned 27. The first ride we went to was Demon Drop (Hey! not my idea!). My (now) fiancee and I soon ditched the others that came with us because they wanted to "sightsee" or something, so we headed to the biggest ride available: MILLENNIUM FORCE. After riding that beast, I never thought that there would be anything taller or faster than that. Well, wrong again! When I visited CP in 200, I got strapped into Top Thrill Dragster. I got this "excited scared" feeling. Just looking down the track and upward will scare some sense into you, and make you excited with anticipation. It was a feeling like no other, barreling down the track at 122 mph. Today, I have no fear of any roller coaster, due to the fact that I am now an adrenalin and coaster junkie, and I also know the safety aspect of it as well. So your friend has nothing to worry about. I would also suggest checking TV schedules about the roller coaster shows so he can see that they are extremely safe, and there for everyone's enjoyment *** Edited 4/1/2004 2:46:18 AM UTC by cp2kforce27***

I went to Cedar Point when I was 8 and the Magnum was brand new. I was sooo excited to go on. I had only been on a Corkscrew before at Myrtle Beach so I guess I thought I was brave. Well, I went on with my mom and we were going up the hill and I told her, " I don't think I wanna go on anymore." I screamed and cried because I never experienced something so intense before. It scarred me for along time.

When the Raptor first opened. My parents wanted to go on but I refused because of the Magnum experince. Well when we left I kicked myself in the butt for not going on. So the next time we went I rode the Raptor and conquered my fear. It still took me until I was 15 to get back on the Magnum, and now it is my favorite ride at CP.

The coasters that scare me are the ones that go underground for a great length of time. the rattler is only coaster that really scared me, plus apparently i rode it before "modifications".

ironically enough mt olympus down the road from me in wisconsin dells is advertising Hades in 05 is going to be the coaster that goes underground the longest in the whole world, i'm sure i'll ride it anyways...btw what coaster currently holds that title??

Ok...here's a story for you all...it's a bit embarassing, but...well yeah...why not...

I had never been on a looping, "upside-down" coaster until the day after my Jr. prom at SFGadv...My friends first took me on Skull Mountain, since I had never been on a coaster before. I wore my glasses on the ride, and it was pretty fun. Next, they took me on the Batman side of Chiller....here's where the madness really started... :-P

Getting on the ride, nobody said anything to me, and I had my glasses still on. So I didn't know about generally taking glasses off on a looping coaster...sure enough, going up through the "inverted top hat", they fell off...fortunately, they fell into the bottom of the car...so for most of the rest of the ride, I was screaming (probably like a little girl...imagine Velma from Scooby Doo) "My glasses! My glasses!"

When I got off the ride, they were still in the bottom of the car...unharmed, and from then on, I learned to take my glasses off on a coaster.

In another "scared of coaster" moments, last year or so, my old roommate and I took a friend of ours to Hersheypark...he had never been on a looping coaster before, and he was really nervous about it, didn't really want to do it. After having him sit out of a few coasters that we went on, and getting him on a few woodies...we managed to convince him to get on SuperDooperLooper...and he loved it! He was screaming "that was awesome!" for the rest of the ride...he was very happy that he got through a loop. So we started him out slow, and he wanted to get back on SuperDooperLooper again after that.

Just thought I'd add my three cents (it's worth more than anyone's two) :-P

ok u can either do wat i did to my friend
A.tell him it isnt scary and keep on buggin him and he will like it cause my friend likes rollercoasers now
B.tell him u will pay him 10 bucks after the ride then not really give it to him.
C.drag him on it and strap him down with duck tape.that always works.
D.or u can just say screw it and take someone else.lol

thanks everyone.......my friend is 13.....he has already done the little ones like disaster and cedar creek mine ride and he seems to enjoy them...i really want him to go on the big roller coasters though because thats what i like to ride .....i dont want to 'waste' my day at cedar point. thanx 4 all the great tips so far!

I don't think putting someone on Batman the first time around is a very good idea. That is an intense ride that packs a punch. I know several people that have stopped riding coasters because of Batman. It really isn't a good one for a person just starting out.