Breaking in new riders....

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT said:
Top Thrill Dragster said:
My first big coaster was Gemini. I was seven and after that I didn't ride a coaster for five years.
------------------
2005: Ride Operator
2006: General Manager

Today that makes you. . . what? 12? 13?
:)
------------------
I was the kid who, when the teacher asked all the students to pick up three pieces of paper off the floor, would just pick up one large piece and rip it into three smaller pieces.

Whoever said that I rode Gemini for the first time five years ago? I was seven, therefore the next time I rode it I was twelve. Now I'm 16.
------------------
2005: Ride Operator
2006: General Manager
My track record
My Cedar Point page

Heck with all the "others"..head right for MF...This will break your friend in right. I have done this with a number of rollercaoster virgins over the years...First it was the Gemini, then Magnum was built and that was the first coaster...Now we use MF to break in a new rider. Just get there early, and DON'T let them think about it too much...Once they ride it the rest will be down hill:).

A couple of years ago, I had a group of 17 from New Zealand...most who had never even seen a roller coaster in person let alone ride one. I had them all ride MF first thing and we all survived and they had quite a day.
*** This post was edited by Old Timer Tim 2/10/2003 5:25:48 PM ***

I like the the stat that more people get hurt in automobile accidents than coasters, but in actuality according to the US consumer reports, more people get hurt on lawn chairs than people who get hurt in amusement parks. If she can sit in a lawn chair without fear, then she should be able to ride the greatest of coasters.

------------------
ONE freeway stamp a day... ONE

There is a difference between a lawn chair planted firmly on old Terra Firma than sitting in a coaster 300 ft (or more) in the air. Especially for anyone afraid of heights.

------------------
I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Advice... There isn't any way to 'break in' riders. It's their choice. Attemps at conning them into riding usually just makes them less likely to try it. I was probably the easiest person to get to ride a roller coaster... I instantly agree not knowing what I was getting myself into... I didn't ride another coaster for two years. :)

------------------
Millennium Force 03'

I'm afraid of heights and afraid of big coasters and im the biggest coasterwuss ever and two years ago i went with my whole family and i was scared to ride Woodstocks Express and The Mine Ride and they finally talked me into it and i rode both of them at the end of the night and i loved it.so i thought that i would love coasters and last year we went straight to blue streak and i hated the first drop but the rest was fine and i loved all the airtime and all that.so i found out that i dont like the feeling of going down hills.I rode Iron Dragon and Corkscrew and thats all i rode.This year im going to try to ride Raptor, Mantis (maybe), and Gemini.Is the reason i hate the feeling of going down hills because i hold my breath and tighten my stomach?Should i do something else to enloy going down hills?

I'm afraid of heights and afraid of big coasters and im the biggest coasterwuss ever and two years ago i went with my whole family and i was scared to ride Woodstocks Express and The Mine Ride and they finally talked me into it and i rode both of them at the end of the night and i loved it.so i thought that i would love coasters and last year we went straight to blue streak and i hated the first drop but the rest was fine and i loved all the airtime and all that.so i found out that i dont like the feeling of going down hills.I rode Iron Dragon and Corkscrew and thats all i rode.This year im going to try to ride Raptor, Mantis (maybe), and Gemini.Is the reason i hate the feeling of going down hills because i hold my breath and tighten my stomach?Should i do something else to enjoy going down hills?

I forgot to say what i was going to say.You should have her ride the small rides first and keep on working your way up with her because im extremely afraid to ride coasters and thats what im doin and its working and just keep on going to bigger and bigger coasters and then at the end of the night she might like them and then come back and she might want to ride Millie or even TTD.

If your friend is scared of rollercoasters, then her starter ride should be the Cadillac Cars, or wait, maybe the Peanuts 500, or better yet, just stay on the midway, no riding, then she wouldn't be scared anymore. :)
------------------
Due To Budget Cuts, The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Has Been Turned Off.
MilleNNium is spelled with two n's people!

My first coaster was gemini and during the ride i HATED IT i was so terrified, but as soon as the ride ended i wanted to go on again. Gemini is a good starter roller coaster,not to big, not to small.

A lot depends on whether you want to remain friends AFTER the ride or not....;)

My wife is not a coaster fan (although she'll sit on the back of a horse and get it to jump over things - go figure). When I finally got her to CP, I started her out on the "tame" Blue Streak. She was terrified from about 0.02 of a second after we started down the first hill. I don't mean a little scared, I mean seriously terrified - she was still shaking 20 minutes later.

Later in the day she did go on the Iron Dragon, and even rode it again; but that was about the limit.

The great thing about CP, though, is that even if you end up not going on the coasters, there is a bundle of other stuff to do - we rode the River Rapids til we were completely waterlogged.

Good luck!

------------------
Steve

"Will all those who expressed disappointment at the new ride please leave the park now"

Last year, after finishing training, I went into the park with one of the other BUNAC people (the exchange program we came through). She had just started also, and had never been on a coaster. Well, we went to the magnum. Not a great idea (I honestly didnt know how tall it was/is). The lift takes too long, so she was panicking before the top of the lift hill. She was ok after. Then we went to MF! The lift on that takes less time (even though it's like almost 100ft taller). She didnt have the time to panic as much (the fact that you're looking at the sky helped) and prefered that.

------------------
Louise
----------------------------------------
2002 - Guest Services
2003 - Rides