medford Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 The one that no one has said, that I think would be a good starter (if you go w/ the start small plan) is flying Ace Arial Chase. I enjoy The Beastie Woodstock Express as much as the next guy, there's even a little bit of air time on it, I love riding w/ my son, look forward to riding it with my daughter and am sad for the time they grow out of it, but there is no question that its a coaster designed for kids. The seats are small, don't know how long/big your legs are, but the great thing about riding w/ my son is that I can turn my legs sidewards into "his space" since 1) he won't care, and 2) his legs don't use up all that space. Two (I'm assuming here) teenagers may not fit all that well. So you kind of insult him by starting off w/ a clear kids ride, and you're squeezing into something that will make it less than comfortable. Meanwhile, Flying Ace Arial chase leaves you a little more exposed, it feels older (it has a taller height requirement), its very smooth and while your appear to be traveling slowly when watching from the ground, you feel like your moving pretty quickly when you ride it. He won't get jerked around like you do on Adventure Express, won't get tossed up and down like you do on The Racer, and don't get banged around like you do on stunt coaster. From there, I move on over to the Stunt coaster. The launch is fun, while most of the ride moves at a steady pace. You get jerked around a bit, but that will prepare him for something bigger. From there to Adventure Express, which jerks you around a ton, but builds up pretty good speed and no noticable high elevations. Now head back to The Racer. He's been on it before, so he'll know what to expect, and better yet, the whole track is in front of him, so he'll know what to expect. Since you said you were going to be honest with him, from there you've got to ask him what he liked about each ride, what he disliked, and use those answers to move to the next ride. Did he love the launch? head to Flight of Fear (do you mention the inversions or not?) Did he like the lift on The Racer and the sound/feel of wood? Time to climb back on The Beast (sit in the middle of your car so your not over a whell, much smoother). Did he like the laterals that Adventure Express provides? Head back to Flight Deck for a lot of side to side swinging. Do those 3 in order of what experiences he liked the best. At that point, its time to make another decision. Did he enjoy the inversion on Flight of Fear? Did he like hanging below the track on FAAC & Flight Deck? Head on over to Invertigo for a little of both. While your in that area of the park, hop on congo falls for some of the best air time in the park. Did he hate the inversions but like running thru the woods on The Beast? Head on over to Diamondback. I'd save Vortex and Firehawk for last. For my money, Vortex packs the most punch in the park. Firehawk is a unique experience to everything else in the park, hagning there below the track w/ only a harness b/w you and the ground. Another tip, take some time b/w coasters, you don't have to coaster, coaster, coaster. Find a flat or two he might like, take time for lunch or a snack of some sort. Take in a show, cool down on boo blasters, etc... KI offers a lot of diversions from coasters, take advantage of them. Get him up on Eiffel Tower so he can relate to the height of everything in the park. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyTheDinosaur Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 You could always start him out with a marathon on Invertigo. There isn't enough aspirin in the world. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXDrummerKiDXx Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 My brother use to be afraid of anything that took him off of the ground.. And I mean everything... He wanted to like them since I go a lot and his girlfriend loves coasters. So we went on an empty Tuesday cause we planned a double date the following Saturday. I didn't want to rush him on anything, so I asked him what he wanted to try first. He said we should try the water park. Despite his fear of off ground things, he loves waterslides. So we spent 2 hours there, I figured it was a good warm-up so why not? We went back to the dry side and walked around for a few. He finally looked over, pointed to it, and said "That..." "Vortex?!" I basically screamed. I gave him the chance in hopes this wouldn't ruin it since it was my first rolly coaster as well... It was a walk on, we sat in our seats, the ride ops checked and cleared us. All I remember on that ride was looking over and him smiling. Now he loves coasters. Vortex should be #1! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfanatic83 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Don't start on a coaster. Start on Drop Tower, and tell him, "If you can get up here and free-fall, everything else will be cake." Go big or go home! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vortex Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Start off on BLSC and flight deck. Work your way up to Adventure Express. Let your friend know its just like big Thunder at Disney that helps well it did for someone I know. Don't push The Beast or Racer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whocares1979 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 What I did with my kids is remind them it only last a few minutes then you never have to do it again, and then you can say you tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyTheDinosaur Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 Thanks for all the suggestions. I think what I may do is take him around the park and show him everything first and see what he wants to do. I would love it if he wants to go straight for Diamondback but I'm not going to force it. He says that he's not necessarily afraid of the speed or height but something about the feeling of being out of control that he didn't like. Two woodies were probably not the best thing for him to ride when he was a kid if he doesn't like an "out of control and nothing you can do about it" feeling. I'll update here after we go to let you guys know how it went. Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnofthedead Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 If you do get him on beast dont put him a wheel seat, middle of the car. Vortex, 5-1. I think up front on flight deck, AE can be a little rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyTheDinosaur Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 If you do get him on beast dont put him a wheel seat, middle of the car. Vortex, 5-1. I think up front on flight deck, AE can be a little rough. I think we are pretty much going to stick to middles all day. A little shorter wait too. The less time he has to think about it the better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I have always had a philosphy in life that applies to many things... including coasters. The more you push someone forward... the more they pull back. I think suggestions such as "make them ride Diamondback first" are ridiculous. I say let the person you are going with call the shots. Work from smaller to larger. As you come up to rides, be honest with them about how intense it is, and if they don't want to ride... don't keep pushing. Move on and make it THEIR day, not your's. When I was a ride op (back in the day) I would occasionally come across parents "forcing" their kids on the ride. I'd often step in, whisper to the parent "If you want them to enjoy coasters with you in the future, don't force them on this one, let them decide on their own terms." I'd then hold the child in the corrall, while the parent rode. As the parent rode, I'd talk honestly to the kid about the ride. Sometimes they rode after I talked to them, other times they still were adverse. Bottom line, it ultimately didn't ruin their, or their parent's day. I was lucky that I had a Dad that didn't push me. He let me grow into rides. Eventually, he became one of my best riding partners. I've always kept that in mind when visiting parks with less experienced, coaster-intimidated friends. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontWantToWait42mar0 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Obviously don't put a young kid on Diamondback off-rip. But with someone 15 or older, going on Diamondback can be the best way to show them there really isn't anything to worry about on any of the coasters. Start them off on a kiddy coaster and their anxiety will be comparable, but then they might have the idea that Diamondback must be like 10x scarier since it's that much taller. Also tell them Diamondback is the most technologically advanced and therefor the safest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBInternational Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Bring some friends too. Peer pressure is your friend... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI-ORIG-EMP Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Do it the same way the army trains its airborne troops. They don't start the new airborne troops jumping out of a C-130 at 1,200 feet. They start teach them how to jump and land and then jump from a 50 foot and 250 foot jump tower with an attached chute. Start riding a smaller, less extreme coaster rather than from a 300 foot coaster. Start out small and build yourself up to The Beast and Diamondback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 If somehow you could get him a Drop Tower. The reset would be easy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TombRaiderFTW Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I have always had a philosphy in life that applies to many things... including coasters. The more you push someone forward... the more they pull back. I think suggestions such as "make them ride Diamondback first" are ridiculous. I say let the person you are going with call the shots. Work from smaller to larger. As you come up to rides, be honest with them about how intense it is, and if they don't want to ride... don't keep pushing. Move on and make it THEIR day, not your's. When I was a ride op (back in the day) I would occasionally come across parents "forcing" their kids on the ride. I'd often step in, whisper to the parent "If you want them to enjoy coasters with you in the future, don't force them on this one, let them decide on their own terms." I'd then hold the child in the corrall, while the parent rode. As the parent rode, I'd talk honestly to the kid about the ride. Sometimes they rode after I talked to them, other times they still were adverse. Bottom line, it ultimately didn't ruin their, or their parent's day. I was lucky that I had a Dad that didn't push me. He let me grow into rides. Eventually, he became one of my best riding partners. I've always kept that in mind when visiting parks with less experienced, coaster-intimidated friends. Speaking as a former kid with a huge phobia of roller coasters, this post is literally all you need to read in this thread. You'll do yourself and your friend a colossal favor by letting your friend set the pace. Light suggestions are appreciated, but don't nag, and definitely don't push for the biggest rides in the park. Learn what your friend likes in what rides he chooses, and see if you can relate what he likes in those rides to rides he hasn't tried yet. But let him choose the rides. Also, Shaggy, I'm pretty sure this I have always had a philosphy in life that applies to many things... including coasters. The more you push someone forward... the more they pull back. is called "Newton's third law". 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontWantToWait42mar0 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Or you could do Flight of Fear first which would cover a few bases. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiamondBackGirl Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 ^^^Flight of Fear isnt bad. took my 12 year old little sister on it. she hated coasters before that. we got off and she looked at me with a huge grin and said we gotta do that again! she now loves coasters! except for Firehawk, she did it but didnt care to ride it again. lol her next goal is Top Thrill Dragster! she was too scared last year but shes really excited now! im not saying Flight of Fear is the best option but it may help since its dark 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jr for Birdy Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Were not talking about someone forcing their kid to ride a ride, were talking about a young man with a girlfriend who loves coasters. Stop being a little (parental advisory) and go ride coasters with you lady before she looks at you as one of her girlfriends and not her man! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoungStud Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Ride with his gf and flirt with her in front of him. He will start riding with her then. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnofthedead Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Were not talking about someone forcing their kid to ride a ride, were talking about a young man with a girlfriend who loves coasters. Stop being a little (parental advisory) and go ride coasters with you lady before she looks at you as one of her girlfriends and not her man! Then ride flight deck unitll its no longer scary and kinda boring. Then do the same for each ride, but let him choose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEASTunchained Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 #1 tip for riding roller coasters. Arms down - Head Back - and Hold On ......Or so that's what I was told by a speaker at Cedar Point..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontWantToWait42mar0 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Tips for introducing someone to coasters. or Tricks for inducing someone onto coasters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 My nieces refused to ride anything outside of kiddie land....we talked them into riding Adventure Express...after that coaster they wanted to ride bigger ones...but we always let them choose. We didn't want them to be frightened away from ever riding another coaster. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 To bad we don't have a smooth as glass ride like millenium force here. Yes. A relatively forceless ride like Millennium would be ideal, were it not for its tremendous size and height... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonofBaconator Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 If you want to introduce them to roller coasters, make them watch this video. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver2005 Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 I think a lot of it comes down to exposure. Going to parks multiple times and being exposed to what rides look like in person is probably a big part of it. Watching rides work would be idea. By that, I mean a couple things. For example, watching a ride and observing things like how fast it goes, how riders look at certain moments, and getting used to the noises would serve a lot of purposes in adding familiarity. Seeing the many guests ride and come off with smiles, signs they've enjoyed the ride and showing its safe, may help as well. You can only do so much with using facts and figures. The big thing, at least to me, is making the mental leap from what coasters are from a stereotypical stand point to what they are in reality, especially with how the media portrays roller coasters and amusement parks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyTheDinosaur Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Ride with his gf and flirt with her in front of him. He will start riding with her then. I could always get my wife to go too and he can hold the purses with her while I hang out all day in lines with his girlfriend. We'll just make it a nice awkward day for everybody. In all seriousness I don't think he would really care if she was there or not. We both think she probably would pressure him though and it might turn him off to riding anything. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonofBaconator Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 It'll be hard. My friend is a wimp when he comes to coasters, but his fear is so bad that he is just plain obnoxious whenever I ask him to ride The Racer. Get a hot girl to go with him. It worked for my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback96 Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 If somehow you could get him a Drop Tower. The reset would be easy Reset? Does Drop Tower drop more than once now? Hope it doesn't have lots of downtown... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP&LERR Fan Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 #1 tip for riding roller coasters. Arms down - Head Back - and Hold On ......Or so that's what I was told by a speaker at Cedar Point..... They say that for Top thrill dragster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.