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Most Important Part of a Coaster?


TheBEASTunchained
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Earlier today, Kings Island's Vice President / General Manager, Greg Scheid, asked a question to his followers.....

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........So to help give Mr. Scheid some feedback, What is your answer to the above question?....

His Twitter followers have given their answers, now it's time for KICentral to voice ours (in one specific topic :P )

What is most important to you on a coaster?

(After answering the poll, please explain why you chose what you did, If you want)

This should be an interesting discussion.

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Most important to me are negative g's and pacing. Pacing is maintaining a sense of speed and excitement throughout the entirety of the ride. I find negative g's to be the most thrilling element of most roller coasters. Pacing is important to me because I don't like it when a ride feels like it is petering out towards the end. Capacity is important also, but I would be happy to wait for an exceptional ride.

P.S. It seems the gears of a five year plan are turning. :)

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I voted "Other" because all these elements make for a great coaster. Yes, Maverick is my favorite because it yanks you down the drops and around the turns with blazing speed, but I think theming also has to count for something too. Mystery Mine may not be the tallest and fastest, but that second drop with the

pre-drop fire effect

really gives it a nice touch.

There are also other factors others than those listed, such as nostalgia, which is pretty important to me (which explains why Adventure Express, The Bat, and Vortex are my most ridden KI coasters and also why I love Firehawk so much!) and location. Location explains why Gatekeeper is so visually appealing and why The Beast is so great at night! So yeah, I hope that explains it well enough! :)

EDITed to add blurb about location.

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All of the above and more. Really, it is the entirety of the experience. I can't just pick out certain elements and say "that's what makes a good coaster," or I wouldn't be able to have a soft spot for so many of the wildly different coasters at Kings Island. There are elements I like about all of them, even the couple I'm not as fond of as the others.

I think if Kings Island is looking to expand their lineup, uniqueness from their current coasters is the most important factor to me. Just being taller or faster or having more loops or whatever doesn't really impress me on its own.

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I voted for turns and negative gs. My favorite coaster is The Voyage. It's is like 3 coasters in one. It's an airtime machine with 90 degree turns. The pacing of the ride is just fantastic. I feel like pacing is more important than speed. If the ride is paced well then it will feel fast no matter what. Theming isn't really important to me but leaving trees or bushes up around a ride are a must to me. Could you imagine Diamondback or Banshee with trees near it. It would make the rides even more intense. I think the way new rides are going in on great terrain but with the trees completely cleared is disappointing.

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I voted for turns and negative gs. My favorite coaster is The Voyage. It's is like 3 coasters in one. It's an airtime machine with 90 degree turns. The pacing of the ride is just fantastic. I feel like pacing is more important than speed. If the ride is paced well then it will feel fast no matter what. Theming isn't really important to me but leaving trees or bushes up around a ride are a must to me. Could you imagine Diamondback or Banshee with trees near it. It would make the rides even more intense. I think the way new rides are going in on great terrain but with the trees completely cleared is disappointing.

I really wish I "got" Voyage and the adoration and respect it garners. I don't.

It's probably in my bottom 10 for wood coasters.

Ravine Flyer II is, for me, at least a five times better coaster. Or Tremors. Raven. Legend. Wild One. Thunderhead. Big Dipper at Geauga Lake. SFNE Cyclone. El Toro. Beast. I could go on for days.

Voyage just leaves me unimpressed. And that's being nice.

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That's okay Terpy. I love dive coasters, some think they are boring. I really love the airtime on Diamondback but my buddy says it might be the most boring B&M he has ever ridden. That's what I like about coasters, they can produce completely different experiences from two people.

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Theme. What else is new.

Theming makes Verbolten more than just a family coaster;

Flight of Fear more than Joker's Jinx;

Adventure Express more than Cedar Creek Mine Ride;

Maverick more than iSpeed;

Mystery Mine more than any other Eurofighter;

Tomb Raider more than The Crypt;

Banshee more than Raptor.

the point is, theme matters. Not just a barn station for every ride. A storyline; props; fog; plot; pacing; effects; music; commitment to those elements over time...

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Well....the Upstops....of course! ;)

I take it you aren't a fan of Leap the Dips, Avalanche, or Flying Turns? :)

That's okay Terpy. I love dive coasters, some think they are boring. I really love the airtime on Diamondback but my buddy says it might be the most boring B&M he has ever ridden. That's what I like about coasters, they can produce completely different experiences from two people.

I can relate to that. I have a friend who adores Milennium Force and thinks it the most exciting thing since sliced bread, while I think it's about as exciting as a slice of bread. Like I learned from TV, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum, what might be right for you might not be right for some.

The difference, of course, is that MY drum is the one that sounds correct :P (JK, of course)

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i like my coasters to give me sensations similar to driving a roadster (or sport bike) on a curvy road through hilly countryside...so a mix of speed, lateral Gs, air time (negative G's, I guess), pacing.

It's really a cocktail, all of the ingredients need to be in a certain balance in order for the entire experience to be right.

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I think the theme of a coaster is important take Space Mountain at DisneyWorld for example, throughout the entire ride it sticks to its theme being space. Another great example would be the Banshee, I mean walking through a graveyard and having the Banshee wail at you, how awesome is that? I overall think that theming a coaster is pretty important, as well as special effects.

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1) Other: A truly successful coaster is one that I can smile before, during, and after while making memories with friends and family.

2) Negative Gs: My favorite aspects on coasters. Which is why El Toro>>>all :D

3/4) Theme/special effects: While not a make-or-break factor in my ranking of coasters, ones with more effects and theming provide a better overall experience and leave a great impression.

5) Speed: Launches. 'Nuff said.

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