JAHill Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I pondered this question today and thought I'd poll the forums about it. This isn't limited to KI, but anywhere. (This may be a difficult question to some because some people memorize the layouts of every ride. Ever.) Which do you think is a more fun coaster experience? Knowing the layout when you are riding, or not knowing the layout when riding? Pros of knowing: You can do something to insure something fun will happen on an upcoming element. (Ex: Moving in your seat for a more comfortable experience on an upcoming hill) Pros of not knowing: Element of surprise (Not much else to say on this one.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI Kevin Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Even before I ride a coaster, I watch POV's. So usually I know what's coming up. But if I had to pick, I'd say the best part about roller coasters is riding new ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby_Doo Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Element of surprise!! I love that! but really ... I like ... knowing the ride layout too! ... so conflicted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dvo Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Not knowing the layout. The example that instantly comes to mind is The Voyage. I watched the teaser video before it opened many moons ago, but I never checked out the layout again. And two weekends ago I went to Holiday World, having no idea where the ride would take me. And wow. That first ride was just fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverick2007 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Not knowing the layout. Just the element of surprise really enhances the ride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bc9755 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 You may think you know, but you really don't until you get on the ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast79 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I could have voted both ways since you can watch any POV all day but it is so much different once you get to ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 I like to know the layout if it is a rough coaster and I can move my body to prepare for transitions. EX: Maverick. Any other coaster though that is smooth I will take the suprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brick52 Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 This one was hard, but I think the element of surprise trumps knowing, but knowing the layout and expecting what's coming can give you a chance to look around at things you normally wouldn't notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 I didn't watch Maverick's POV at all before I rode, and it was a terrific surprise. As many times as I watched Voyage's POV and looked at videos and pics, NOTHING prepared me for that wild, fantastic ride. And as many times as I watched DB's animated POV before it opened, it didn't prepare me for that out-of-your-seat air that puts such a ****-eating grin on my face. I agree with not knowing until you ride.. you can't feel lats or airtime while watching a POV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 And you can't feel shuffling, roughness or bad transitions in a POV either...well, there is one (currently not operating) wooden coaster than in most on-train POV's the high amounts of vibration and shuffling are easily observed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gad198 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 I think it's a two-edged sword for me. If I'm traveling to another city there's a good chance that I'm there specifically because I want to visit a specific park (or at the very least if I'm in the city I'm looking for a new park to visit). So much of how we decide where to go are based on what the park has to offer, and obviously that includes coasters. We like to look at POVs of the "bigger" coasters any park has to determine if it's worth investigating, and therefore, we usually know the layout of those coasters beforehand. However, a lot of those same parks will have rides that aren't on our radar, and we don't know much about those from a layout perspective. Personally, if given a choice I'd probably prefer to know. My friend rode the Voyage for the first time at Holiwood Nights (in the now legendary storm aftermath) and thought that it was too wild for her. We came back for the Coasterbuzz event in September, in the daylight, and she enjoyed it a great deal more simply because she could see what was coming. I do find it interesting that the Voyage has already been mentioned three times in this discussion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Browns Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 I only voted for "knowing" because I'm not sure in recent years or future that I'll ride a ride without knowing the layout. I get so excited about new rides that I research them until I could see the whole ride in my sleep. If I were going to go a park for the first time then I'll likely not be able to contain my excitement and beforehand I'll research every onride, pov, offride, and construction video of each ride in the park. Yes, I also searched for my xmass presents as a kid... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 ^Me too. I already know what I'm getting this year lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Well, I know the layout of almost all major coasters throughout the world (roller coasters are my life, everything I do involves them) so I always know whats coming up and I can prepare for it. But sometimes for fun I'll close my eyes (if I've ridden that ride alot) and maybe even cover my ears so I don't know whats happening just to see what it's like to ride as the general public. I remember when Diamondback was about to be announced and I was tempted to not look at it, or even follow construction at all and just ride in April for the first time so I won't know anything about the ride (besides the noticeable stuff.) But being a giant coaster geek I am, within a second after it was announced I was watching POV's and looking at photos. So really, even though It's fun to have everything be a surprise (like it used to be for me along time ago), I like knowing all the statistics about the ride so I can show off my nerdy-ness to people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TylerRider Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 It is really fun to tell people that Flight of Fear has no loops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 It is really fun to tell people that Flight of Fear has no loops! But it doesn't... It does have a cobra roll, sidewinder, and a corkscrew though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coney Islander Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 ^ Darns, you beat me to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Kid Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Im going to say Rideing without knowing the layout becasue when I first rode Mystery Mine(Dollywood) I was nervouse becasue I didnt know how far the drops were except for the first 2 vertical lifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Effidge09 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 After reading yet another BBFS thread degenerate into a discussion on STDd and HIV I wondered which of the above two is actually more polarizing of the two. You decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Gibson Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I try hard to not know the layout because the element of surprise adds so much. However, I watched DB's webcam nearly daily but that took nothing away from my first ride. I've done the same, so far, with the Intimidators. Otherwise, I try to only watch POV's of rides I've ridden or don't think I'll ride in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCryptRaider Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I'd say not knowing. It's just so fun not knowing where you're gonna go next, which was the best part of The Revenge of the Mummy and Flight of Fear. EDIT: And of course, The Beast!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thekidd33 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I certainly get excited about new rides but there is something about jumping on your favorite coaster (esp for the first time on a trip) that is a bigger thrill to me. Cresting the first hill on Beast or the launch of FoF never fails to get my adrenaline running even though I've ridden them both many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Going to Busch Gardens this year I only knew the layouts of AC and Griffon's layout. The rest I didn't really know what to expect. I did like the suprises on their B&M Invert! That was great. Yet, I wish I would have known what was coming on Big Bad Wolf and Lochness Monster so I could brace myself. I never wanna ride those 2 coasters again. I don't have to worry bout riding BBW anymore anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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