Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

[bluestreak]

I take it from the implied joke ... that Dorney is not very crowded?

 

"Not very crowded" is an understatement. The water park is the only reason that place still exists.

 

This is unfortunately a very true statement. Can always go for a ride on Talon though.

[storms555]

I dunno I think its pretty awkward if yall think its awkward to sit next to a stranger on a coaster. Its happened to me a good amount and I always try to at least say hi and make some friendly small talk. I've even made a few really good friends with this way.

 

So you're about to do something for the sole purpose of fun and it happens to be with someone you don't know who is also doing this thing for the sole purpose of fun and you're going to ignore them the whole time? Lamesauce with a side of awkward and a dash of weirdo.* Say hi, ask them if they've ridden the ride before, have they been to the park before, tell them how much of a geek you are... Trust me it makes life more fun.

 

*I know... its like the recipe for coaster enthusiasts.

Well....some people have social anxiety and/or are also socially awkward. Being social doesnt come easy for everyone even if it is at a super fun place.Also if they do happen to talk to me I will respond back. I am not rude its just im not very comfortable with those situations.

[coasterbill]

socially awkward

 

Coaster enthusiasts? Nah

[BigBad]

I think a roller coaster would be a good place to practice being social. We're all pretty comfortable on them, and you probably won't see that person again.

[boldikus]

I dunno I think its pretty awkward if yall think its awkward to sit next to a stranger on a coaster. Its happened to me a good amount and I always try to at least say hi and make some friendly small talk. I've even made a few really good friends with this way.

 

So you're about to do something for the sole purpose of fun and it happens to be with someone you don't know who is also doing this thing for the sole purpose of fun and you're going to ignore them the whole time? Lamesauce with a side of awkward and a dash of weirdo.* Say hi, ask them if they've ridden the ride before, have they been to the park before, tell them how much of a geek you are... Trust me it makes life more fun.

 

*I know... its like the recipe for coaster enthusiasts.

Well....some people have social anxiety and/or are also socially awkward. Being social doesnt come easy for everyone even if it is at a super fun place.Also if they do happen to talk to me I will respond back. I am not rude its just im not very comfortable with those situations.

 

I know from experience. I probably should have mentioned I have suffered from near crippling social anxiety for most of my life and only in the past few years have I (mostly) gotten over it, thanks partly to this hobby. You can get over it, and the only way to do that us to push through it and come out the other side to realize how pointless it is to waste that much of your energy worrying about nothing.

 

Beer certainly helps.

[PixelRush]

and also enjoys furry parties.... Yeah.... So on that occasion, I think just riding a coaster in silence with a stranger would have been less awkward.

[MidwestThemeParks]

When did the offseason turn into almost a counseling session about our social awkwardness

Only 120 offseason days left.....

[boldikus]

^ in this hobby, it had to happen eventually.

[storms555]

I would put "wanting seat dividers on coasters so you don't have contact with a stranger" up there with people not knowing how to say "excuse me," "pardon me" (why do so many say a quick and nervous "sorry"). It's wonderful to squish a friend on a classic coaster (Kennywood Thunderbolt). So we need seat dividers on all coasters (don't we have enough seat dividers???) so the stray single paired up with a stranger doesn't have to come into contact with them??

 

Times have changed. Geez, I'm going to sound silly and old here... Years ago, if someone was single and saw you alone, it was like "hey, are you alone!? mind if I ride with you?!" In recent years, I've rode with single riders (who were told to sit with me) that would barely make eye contact with me let alone acknowledge me. People will walk 2 inches behind you at a Six Flags, but don't have (what used to be) very common and practical manners.

 

Ok, getting off high horse. I know I know... Nina Kleppe likes this (that I'm getting off my high horse).

 

(Ok, one more. Seat dividers have made people not like laterals and think that the Holiday World Legend's curves should be banked more. We only have a few remaining coasters without seat dividers, I will get out and enjoy them while I can!)

If you dont mind me asking why would you expect said stranger next to you to acknowledge you anyways? There is no written rule someone HAS to say hi to you...I'm not saying this in a mean way by the way just saying there is no social guidelines to follow when you are just suppose to have fun at an amusement park. I mean yes there is social rules at amusement parks as in the form of dont cut in line. Dont push and shove. Dont act rude and aggressive when in the crowds. Dont be rude to the workers(and workers shouldn't be rude to you). Dont hold up the lines for any reason. Dont act inappropriate and vulgar. etc. Those arnt just social rules but rules of being a decent person,and a lot of the rules I listed are most likely actual rules for amusement park visitors. However something like "you must make eye contact smile and have small talk with the single rider your are paired with" Thats just silly.

[JT325]

I know from experience. I probably should have mentioned I have suffered from near crippling social anxiety for most of my life and only in the past few years have I (mostly) gotten over it, thanks partly to this hobby. You can get over it, and the only way to do that us to push through it and come out the other side to realize how pointless it is to waste that much of your energy worrying about nothing.

 

Thank you for saying that. I dealt with some serious anxiety issues for a few years (much better now!), but still get overwhelmed from time to time, especially at crowded parks. I need time outs. Luckily, it doesn't affect my one-on-one manners with people.

 

Beer certainly helps.

Lucky! Being in recovery, I can't have any booze. Well, I can.. but then it would be really REALLY bad, very quickly.

[JT325]

If you dont mind me asking why would you expect said stranger next to you to acknowledge you anyways? There is no written rule someone HAS to say hi to you...I'm not saying this in a mean way by the way just saying there is no social guidelines to follow when you are just suppose to have fun at an amusement park. I mean yes there is social rules at amusement parks as in the form of dont cut in line. Dont push and shove. Dont act rude and aggressive when in the crowds. Dont be rude to the workers(and workers shouldn't be rude to you). Dont hold up the lines for any reason. Dont act inappropriate and vulgar. etc. Those arnt just social rules but rules of being a decent person,and a lot of the rules I listed are most likely actual rules for amusement park visitors. However something like "you must make eye contact smile and have small talk with the single rider your are paired with" Thats just silly.

 

For me, it would be VERY strange and uncomfortable to sit directly next to someone without acknowledging them or saying hi. Sure, you don't have to do it. I'm 43, we were raised in different times... I understand things change (and I'm OK with that). It's still very awkward (to me) being that close to someone when we haven't mutually acknowledged each other.

 

I also find it strange (well, rude) when people check out at the grocery store and never stop looking at their phone (and not acknowledging the cashier). Again, times change.

[DoubleDown]

 

I hope I was wrong in misunderstanding...this is not the same tunnel that goes under Perimeter Road to get into CP on the Magnum Entrance side is it? Because IMO the tunnel by Magnum is AWESOME and it wouldn't make any sense to get rid of that one with all the traffic that goes that way. But I was looking at Cedar Point on google maps and I can't seem to find any other tunnel, maybe I just don't know where it's at? Because the tunnel above is different from this one below, correct? PLEASE SAY I'M CORRECT!?!?!?

 

[bluestreak]

^ No. That's the only tunnel in the area

[coasterbill]

I hope I was wrong in misunderstanding...this is not the same tunnel that goes under Perimeter Road to get into CP on the Magnum Entrance side is it? Because IMO the tunnel by Magnum is AWESOME and it wouldn't make any sense to get rid of that one with all the traffic that goes that way. But I was looking at Cedar Point on google maps and I can't seem to find any other tunnel, maybe I just don't know where it's at? Because the tunnel above is different from this one below, correct? PLEASE SAY I'M CORRECT!?!?!?

 

This is really proof that people will complain about everything.

 

The Marina gate has a crosswalk and the world hasn't ended yet. There are far fewer cars driving over the bridge than driving on Perimeter road near the Marina gate since the only people driving over it are staying at Hotel Breakers specifically or are employees going to the park offices. This is such a non issue and I'm sure the new gate will look much better.

[PKI Jizzman]

I'm still stoked about the water park upgrade. It really rounds out the experience when staying 2+ days. We had the place to ourselves for the 2-3 hours we were there and didn't wait a minute for any slides. It'll be nice to see it more populated.

 

Soak City needed attention badly - the "sand" was like cat litter, the paths weren't the cleanest, and it just felt out of date. I'm excited to see the changes (hopefully) later this summer.

[Ape]

That tunnel was essential to me as i am a ginger and need any shade I can find at Cedar Point.

[PKI Jizzman]

That tunnel was essential to me as i am a ginger and need any shade I can find at Cedar Point.

 

Nomination for post of the week.

[thrillrider]

I hear that they had no choice in getting rid of the tunnel because it was a haven for vampires.

[boldikus]

That tunnel was essential to me as i am a ginger and need any shade I can find at Cedar Point.

 

[jarmor]

socially awkward

 

Coaster enthusiasts? Nah

I kinda, not really, hate to bring this back up but why is this the case with a lot of us? I know at least 70% of enthusiasts I have encountered have been kinda "different" in the way that when it comes to things other than coasters they kinda don't know how to blend in. I have met some cool coaster folks who actually do things other than coasters but they are rare.

[Password121]

I think it might be a tendency for socially awkward people to grasp an obsession with something, so it's less so coasters-->awkwardness than the other way around, if that makes sense. That said, I have met a lot of cool people in this hobby and it's always good to be passionate about something (to an extent). I've been an introverted person in the past but (especially in the last few months) have met a lot of really cool people, some even close friends now, because of coasters... so it really goes both ways.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Just from my observations, no formal psychological training, it seems that people who become enthusiasts of anything are the sort of people predisposed to want to know how something works, not just what to do with something. They want to know what makes an engine run, not just how to drive a car.

 

Most people are content with knowing their role in the world. They ascribe to social conventions without really worrying about whether they make sense. But the sort of person who always wants to know why something is how it is will have difficulty understanding these social conventions, which often are formed over long time periods by large numbers of people and for a myriad of different reasons. It's difficult for these people to join in with social conventions precisely because it's difficult to understand them.

 

For people of this propensity, machines are far easier to understand, even highly complex ones like roller coasters. Every part of a roller coaster is designed for a purpose, and they all work together. Reason and design yield easy answers to "why" questions and therefore are much more comfortable.

 

So I think that we're not seeing causation here, but rather two parallel manifestations of the same neurobiological condition. In other words, social awkwardness is neither the cause nor the result of roller coaster enthusiasm, but a tendency toward social awkwardness and enthusiasm are both the result of a certain genetic trait that causes that personality type.

[boldikus]

Thread is officially gettin deep!

 

[cedarpointguru]

Just from my observations, no formal psychological training, it seems that people who become enthusiasts of anything are the sort of people predisposed to want to know how something works, not just what to do with something. They want to know what makes an engine run, not just how to drive a car.

 

Most people are content with knowing their role in the world. They ascribe to social conventions without really worrying about whether they make sense. But the sort of person who always wants to know why something is how it is will have difficulty understanding these social conventions, which often are formed over long time periods by large numbers of people and for a myriad of different reasons. It's difficult for these people to join in with social conventions precisely because it's difficult to understand them.

 

For people of this propensity, machines are far easier to understand, even highly complex ones like roller coasters. Every part of a roller coaster is designed for a purpose, and they all work together. Reason and design yield easy answers to "why" questions and therefore are much more comfortable.

 

So I think that we're not seeing causation here, but rather two parallel manifestations of the same neurobiological condition. In other words, social awkwardness is neither the cause nor the result of roller coaster enthusiasm, but a tendency toward social awkwardness and enthusiasm are both the result of a certain genetic trait that causes that personality type.

 

Wow! Miss Kleppe likey!!!

[Henry M]

socially awkward

 

Coaster enthusiasts? Nah

I kinda, not really, hate to bring this back up but why is this the case with a lot of us? I know at least 70% of enthusiasts I have encountered have been kinda "different" in the way that when it comes to things other than coasters they kinda don't know how to blend in. I have met some cool coaster folks who actually do things other than coasters but they are rare.

It is hard to blend in, especially when you see people who can rave about football and video games with their friends and yourself being the only person you can talk to about rollercoasters. When you try to get your mum and sister into rollercoasters and they get so bored they eventually start being sarcastic and yell at you. It especially all comes out when they have drunk a bit. Then other people around you call you sad for knowing lodes of rollercoasters. Then you become totally isolated . This is why you then get socially awkward as that is what happens when you have nobody to talk to about the one thing you can confidently talk about. Which could explain your statistic of 70% of coaster enthusiasts being "different" when they talk. Confidence is further lost in one's self when they notice in themselves how badly integrated into 'normal' society they have become, leading them, and who they are, to be backed up into a metaphorical and mental corner of their mind. A dark place.

 

This is why being banned for a month totally sucked.