Top Eleven Questions! - Seasons Greetings
Please try to answer them seriously, as they are being asked in the spirit of just wanting to know.
11) What person, group or company would want to rent out Splish Splash's parking lot? Sure they are offering it, (It's on their web site) but the park is not going to open (rain or shine) on the available dates.
10) I may not be as knowledgeable about rides, as most of you here, but I haven't figured out the reference to "trolling" that comes off when a topic goes awry. Does it have something to do with fishing, another hobby that I enjoy? What is it?
9 & 8) Two other terms that have bothered me (because I don't really understand them) are "gravy" and references to buffets. I like both. Sadly I look the part, but why are they usually used to either tease or intentially mock others.
7) Another topic. I have been fortunate to have been to Knoebles a couple of times. I love the place and thankfully, my family like it too. I have often read about snapping on the flyers. I have NEVER been able to do it, nor have I seen it in action. What is the physics behind it? Usually, I ride with my son. Is it better to have more or less weight? Is there a trick?
6) Some people have mentioned here that some of the ride ops don't like snapping or warn against it. If we are who we claim to be, (guardians of what is right and wrong at parks) why do we still try to do it? (Or why do I want to try it?) I have to admit, I've done some things at some parks that I'm not too proud of, but NOTHING that would ever comprimise rider or operator, or mechanical safety. Any time I have been asked by park staff NOT to do something, I ALWAYS comply. (Usually it's about Running). The real bad stuff that I do, can never be detected.
5) At 2007 Great Adventure is offering an early morning on two rides for season pass holders during the week. Between the teacher tickets that I get, and the ones from my radio station friends, I am now at an impasse. Do I run with the bulls to get in line for the big attractions at the "rope drop" or do I run to the Q-Bot Station to get the gold bot? Or do I need a season's pass to get both? (I don't want this to be another thread of is the bot fair or not, but I do want maximum riding time - at all cost. Which way should I go?
4) How do you get your non-rider friends to go? Pretend that money isn't the object, how can you best convince them to go? Or should you?
3) Do you get a little dissapointed when you see SECRET on the board? You know that something is up,...but just not for you. I am VERY greatful for the dialog on this board and for the very good moderators and simple technology needed to access it. It's just that sometimes I feel a bit left out. Yes, I know it's a necessity. Hey, is this trolling?
2) Why is there so much animosity against other clubs (Particularly ACE) on this board? Someone recently had a thread about it or mentioned it in another topic. Don't we all want and appreciate the same things? By the way, I do not personally know or belong to any coaster organization...I just post here and enjoy what I read.
1) What advice would you give about attending a "coaster club event." I am usually a hotel not a campground person, and I would be driving solo from Long Island. They seem like fun, but is it a family environment or is it an excuse to drink and use other illegal things.
Thank you for your answers and for sharing your experiences with me and each other.
May you have a happy "whatever you want to celebrate" and a super 2007!
Let's have a safe and accident free new year.
Ride on!
Here's To Shorter Lines & Longer Trip Reports!
Hobbes: "What's the point of attaching a number to everything you do?"
Calvin: "If your numbers go up, it means you're having more fun."
10) Trolling-As far as I understand it, a troll is someone who invades an ongoing topic and either tries to ruin it, or becomes a pest that no one wants around. They typically start insulting other users when their views aren't liked.
9) and 8) Gravy and Buffets: Seen at many a coaster-enthusiast gathering I'm guessing. I've only been to three, and yes they had a buffet, but I don't remember any gravy. This refers to one of your other questions about ACE members. It's a running joke.
7) Snapping on Flyers involves pulling the cable in such a way so the tub actually gains slack, I believe, and the rider is pulled free of the tensions of the cables. This is my understanding from someone who has done it. This has been discussed in the past on here. I'm sure someone could explain it again.
6) It must be fun. I'm not a flyer person.
5) A season pass is not required to obtain a Q-bot in any fashion. A bigger wallet to get a gold Q-bot is. As I understand it, the early rides will change by day, so you have determine if those rides are worth your time, or if you'd prefer to wait for them later. And if you're getting into the park early, you can still obtain a Q-bot, or gold Q-bot later. Only you can decide whether or not a Q-bot will be warranted.
4) How to get non-riders to go: Pay attention to the dates in your season-pass books that allow you to bring a friend for free, or for a discount. They can always go see shows, go the Hurricane Harbor, or the Safari if the park isn't for them.
3) Stuff marked secret is stuff that the mods are passing back and forth, that's not for the peeps to see. This could be about an upcoming event.
2) I don't think there's any animosity towards ACE per se'. There are a lot of Coasterbuzz members who are ACE members as well. I went to an ACE event (not a member) for the first time and had a great time this year. As someone first said on here, your mileage may vary.
1) Events are usually for people of all ages (always check the flyers and the fine-print), so they are definitely family-oriented. Sometimes alcohol is involved (like at BeastBuzz), but I didn't see anyone getting out of control. And staying in a campground is not a requirement either, as most events aren't always near a campground.
10) Posting to cause trouble or purposely say things that you know will get people angry
9 & 8) ACE sterotyping
7) Never ridden flyers. The only park I have been to with them is Hershey and it always has a huge line.
6) Not sure why
5) It depends on how crowded you expect it to be and how much you want to ride. If it's a crowded day and you want to ride as much as you can go for the bot first
4) I gave up on that. They aren't interested in it or won't go on any big coasters if I can convice them to go to a park. I told one friend about how GADV was getting KK and it was a record breaker and he replied saying he doesn't really care about amusement parks.
3) I never noticed it before.
2) I think ACE has a bad reputation for various reasons. I guess a few bad memebers can ruin the reputation of the whole group (from what I understand most members are ok but it's that select few that cause the problems)
1) I have never been to an event
9 & 8) Gravy and Buffets - ACErs have been stereotyped as being overweight "man children" who horde fattening food (like gravy or fried chicken). Like most stereotypes, there is an element of truth involved, but it does not generally fit the majority of members.
6 & 7) Flyer Snaps - Used to be able to do it at KI in the early 80s. It seems more dangerous than it is, as you experience little pops of air when you fall as the slack is tightened. It could be unsafe if the cable were to come loose or frayed, or the connection to the tub or support arm is compromised. The extra force of the snap could snap the cable. At a reputable park, it should not be an issue.
4) Non-Rider Friends - mention the other non-ride pluses of your destination. I got my best friend to visit Holiday World by mentioning the family environment, the good food, and the girls in bathing suits. It worked and he even rode Raven - his first coaster - at age 39.
3) SECRET posts - I beleive these are used to coordinate the podcast. Really just logistic info or a private conversation. As the name implies, they are SECRET. No grand consipiracy - just not for general consumption.
2) Animosity - other than said comments regarding ACEers, I haven't seen much of this and I have been around since 2001. Some comments a while back about Rob and Elisa's dangerous activities (on ride videos) and the general concept of not being an enthusiass.
1) Events - these are very family friendly - by all means attend. I went to my first two this year and loved them. Besides, you will get to see "Gravy and Buffet" in person. LOL.
BTW - Your mileage may vary was originated (besides the commericial) by Moosh - one of the many worthwhile posters on CBuzz.
". . . don't you know baby that life is a scream!" - Gordon Gano
10- A Troll has nothing to do with rides or amusement parks. A Troll is a person who craves attention from a message board and gets this attention by acting like a brat. If someone repeatedly posted nothing but off-topic insults, he/she would be considered a Troll, for example.
9&8- I've only been to one event, PPP, and I didn't really notice a buffet or any gravy. It's a coaster enthusiast steriotype. I am not sure if more enthusiasts than non enthusiasts like gravy or are overeaters. I'm 6'2" and weigh 220, if that's anyones business.
7&6- I don't think weight has an impact on the ease of snapping the flyers. All you have to do to snap is turn the wing to the left so that you are as high as possible and then very quickly turn it to the right so that the front cable gains slack. If done correctly you will hear a loud thud when the slack is tightened. I, for one, am scared to death to do this, and even though it looks/sounds dangerous, I believe it is fairly safe.
5- You do not need a Season Pass to be allowed to buy a Gold Bot or run to a ride after the rope is dropped. As dishonest as I feel it is, Gold Flashpass is the way to go if you want the most rides possible. I noticed that Gold Flashpassers were let on the rides about 5 minutes after they scanned there bot. I was told by one guy that the time he was given was just long enough for him and his family to walk to the place to get on the ride, thus no wait at all. This probably depends on how busy the ride is at whatever time of the day, so ymmv.
4- I always dream of a day when my whole family can go to a park and enjoy it together. My family just doesn't do the "Park Thing". It's also difficult to get any of my friends to go to a park with me too. Most of them don't care at all about parks. I have got a friend to go to a park with me a few times by offering to pay.
3- At first I felt left out when I saw "SECRET!" on the board, but now that I know that it isn't a consipacy against me, I am okay with it (lol). Most of us have nothing to do with moderating this baord, so we don't need to know what lies under the link to "SECRET!". Jeff has said a few times that it is a flaw in the program and he will address the issue when the new Coasterbuzz comes out.
2- I'm not in any clubs either. I only go here and Screamscape for my coaster info. I just ignore the the mud slinging. Life's too short to be rivals with people with whome you share the same interests.
1- I've only been to PPP once, like I said. I don't drink or hang out with the illeagle drug type people. I took some friends from work and an 11 year old family friend. It seemed family friendly to me.
That was fun! It was like 11 mini-topics.
Happy Hollidays to you too!
10) See Here
9 & 8) Coaster enthusiasts are notorious gluttons when it comes to event food. The Gravy Buffet joke takes it to the extreme.
7 & 6) I'm not a Flyer person either. I have seen enthusiasts in action and it is quite a spectacle when you get a group of people who know what they're doing on a set of Flyers. Crazy stuff!
5) The simple fact is that the Gold-bot will get you on the most rides. Regular-bot will get you less and general admission will get you even less. With that said, I've never used a Gold-bot in my life.
4) I've never really had a problem getting people to visit parks. The catch is, I usually have a worse time with friends or family that are 'casual park-goers' - things are more hectic, less efficient and confusing. On top of that, if you go with total novices, sometimes they think there's something special in going with an enthusiast. Like something great is going to happen.
Once visited with a large group of casual aquaintances and a brother of a friend hopped in the Racer (KW) seat beside me and gleefully proclaimed, I've never ridden a ride with a coasterfan before. I'm just thinking, "Don't get you hopes up, I'm so jaded that I'll probably bring the experience down" - somehow I think he expected me to go nuts or put on a show of some kind. After a hands down, silent lap from me...he knew he was sadly mistaken.
3) The SECRET threads are just mod stuff. The feature is less than implimented well and I'd expect it to not be so obvious when things get changed around here. 90% of it is discussing podcast stuff. If you're really curious you can click on the thread and the real title (not "SECRET") will appear on the page that loads.
2) I don't think it's animosity at all - especially towards ACE. Many people here are ACE members. But if you want to poke fun, where better to poke than the largest, most recognizable enthusiast group? Plus with a group as large as ACE, there's bound to be bad apples and stereotypical behavior...and it's quite funny at times.
1) I've only been to CoasterBuzz events. I tend to avoid the enthusiast thing in 'real life' but being as I spend most of my time here, I see CB events as a chance to put faces to screen names as much as I see it as an enthusiast thing. We always have the kids in tow and as much as I might like running into 'illegal things' ;) - I've never seen it go down. And, like you, I'm a hotel guy. I'd sooner jam a fork into my face than "camp." No reason you couldn't bring the Pre-flux along (although it may hinder your ERT).
Happy Holidays right back at you. :)
Gravy, to many, represents the stuff you put on mashed potatoes, meat, rice, dinner rolls, or whatever else happens to be lying around the house (I know the Southerners can relate, LOL).
But, as many words *evolve* over time (settle down, John Ashcroft), so has the acceptable use of the term "gravy". Gravy is now used to represent all kinds of goodies that parks may give out during coaster events. Sometimes this may be referred to as "Shwag" (SH-tuff We All Got)...although, upon browsing the urban dictionary, you'll need to go to Page 2 to get past all the pothead references to "dirtweed".
For full effect, you'd need to understand the more esoteric term "Coasters and Gravy"...but then I begin to get dangerously close to *teasing* enthusiasts, and I think Homer Simpson and AbsolutelyReliable have that particular market cornered... :)
(and that's not slang for "taking two of everything offered for free" - although it could be and it's kinda cute as well :) )
10. "Troll" is a term overused on 'the Internets', IMO. While there are some people who specifically post something to get a rise out of folks, there are also just sometimes when a person feels strongly about something and will just work it in where s/he can. Often though, I find that people are called trolls simply for having a contrarian opinion (did I ever mention how I dont particularly care for Raptor and Hulk? ;))
9. & 8. I think the others covered this fairly well, though no one yet mentioned that the gravy is less often found on plates but rather is more often found running down shirts.
7. & 6. I have never understood the fascination with flyers and see no reason to discuss them further (is this trolling? ;))
5. I'm not a big "running of the bulls" guy, but I am rich (bi-atch) so I'd grab the Q-bot first.
4. I have no use for non-riders at parks so I dont encourage them to go. If I want to spend time with a non-rider, I rather do something that they like. I'd feel too much like I'm taking advantage of someone making them go somewhere they have no interest in. Unless it's you kid then you can do what my Dad did "You're going! And you'll like it!"
3. I've never even noticed the "Secret" topics. *shrugs*
2. Because a small number of people have taken their club memberships too seriously, as if this is some sort of professional license. All you had to do was fill out a form and send in a check. That entiles you to nothing in the real world.
1. As for coaster events, treat it like a company picnic. Stay hydrated. Rest when you feel like it. Mingle to feel people out, then segregate with the clique that you feel most comfortable with (and that *can* be just the ppl you brough with you!) Also, try to have something else interesting to talk about (religion, politics, sports, shoes, etc.) aside from just parks/coasters. That talk is a good intro, but gets stale quick!
BTW: Everyday that you are alive is an excuse to drink! :)
lata, jeremy
--"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin
10. In my dictionary, the word troll is accompanied by a picture of a shirtless person in an amusement park. :)
9-8. I'm watching my figure... grow. No, actually, I've lost a decent amount of weight in the past year and a half, but somehow the sizes of clothing I wear hasn't changed. Does this mean I have a lower specific gravity?
7. I think I managed to snap once or twice on the KG flyers, but it was totally unintentional. Meaning I really had no clue what I did, so I had no clue what to do to snap again. If they had an award for maintaining the same elevation and tension during an entire ride, I'd win it.
6. I don't think it's the cables they worry about being damaged as much as it is the sails that could be damaged by rapid sudden movements against a good wind. A few experts have told me you don't need to swing the sail too widely or too sharply to get a good snap. But again, read 7, and I'll defer to the sultans of snap.
5.4.3.2. I'm tired of scrolling up to see what the questions are, so I pass on those.
1. The only events I've been to have been "commuter" events (3 PPP's and the Coasterbuzz event @ Dorney). I haven't had to stay over anywhere, so I can't vouch for anyone's offsite behavior. This year at PPP I did see a few smoking hotdogs, well actually they were aflame.
I've had a really good time at the events I was at and found the people from this site that I met to be very friendly. It's always a kick to actually see people in person who've been typing at you for months or years. Some are exactly how you pictured them, others not even close.
Richie, since you like Knoebels a lot, I'd suggest you try PPP next fall.
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