Are Coaster Enthusiasts too critical?

[JJLehto]

Probably a bit yes, in fact I'd say almost certainly!

 

However, I also have spent many years on a music forum, (which of course dives into other topics such as movies, art, food etc etc) and basically: If you're an enthusiast you are too critical

The intense, passionate, fights you'll see over the craziest things...I get coasters seems like a funny thing compared to various arts, but I have no doubt that we can find enthusiasts over postage stamps, and things can get heated between a few of em!

 

Tis the nature of being enthusiastic long as it doesn't actually take away from your experience

[XII]

Absolutely not for the most part. I'm a big believer in criticism and comparing, whether its roller coasters, movies, music, restaurants, I'm a firm believer that we should be critical of anything we're going to spend money on. I find it interesting to listen to everyone's opinion and seeing what everyone thinks of a ride, and then experiencing that ride and throwing your own opinion into the mix. Reviews help us find the best of the bunch to seek out as well as the worst of the bunch so we can avoid those. Yes, some people can go a little overboard, but for the most part, I support people reviewing and critiquing roller coasters.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

There are 2 things I'm critical about parks/coasters

 

1. When parks just remove something to add a coaster/ride instead of planning 3 more minutes to build the ride around the other ride.

2. When coasters/rides aren't being ran at high capacity when they easily could. (1 train operations with a 2 hour wait.)

[rcjp]

Absolutely not for the most part. I'm a big believer in criticism and comparing, whether its roller coasters, movies, music, restaurants, I'm a firm believer that we should be critical of anything we're going to spend money on. I find it interesting to listen to everyone's opinion and seeing what everyone thinks of a ride, and then experiencing that ride and throwing your own opinion into the mix. Reviews help us find the best of the bunch to seek out as well as the worst of the bunch so we can avoid those. Yes, some people can go a little overboard, but for the most part, I support people reviewing and critiquing roller coasters.

That's right! And if we are critical, it's because we would like the parks to pay attention in order to provide better experiences for everyone! Also, I don't think being critical will make your rides less enjoyable. I really only thing about what to say when I come off.

[BigBomer]

90% of Coaster Enthusiasts are too critical of every park except for one IMO

[robbalvey]

1. When parks just remove something to add a coaster/ride instead of planning 3 more minutes to build the ride around the other ride.

I'm critical of coaster enthusiasts that think they know everything about how parks are managed and operated, but in reality know absolutely nothing and just make themselves and the rest of enthusiasts as a whole, come across like complete and total idiots.

Edited July 18, 2014 by robbalvey

[Arrow Dynamics fan]

For starters, lets all realize that we are all COASTER ENTHUSIASTS. Why do many feel the need to bash coasers for their ride quality. Whether they be rough, or smooth, all of them receive critic. Let's assume that it is a ROLLER COASTER, they all ride differently, and such we love them. Everything I see or read, is either..."its too rough" or, "its too smooth", or, "its too forcefull", or, Its not "forcefull enough". lets just agree to love these rides regardeless. you're not on a "MAG-LEV" train, and such these rides succomb to physics and gravity. Even though a ride may be rough, or too smooth, can't we recognize them all for what they are, and not what our personal desires dictate?? Don't these contributing factors add to the over-all ride expirience?

 

Dan "lets not be so critical of the things[roller coasters] we love" Stricklnad

Yep and I am guilty as anyone, which is why I am trying to use a filter on my thoughts. In my view, what determines a coaster to be a good coaster vs. a bad coaster can be different from the criteria that others apparently use as we have different tolerances partly because we ride coasters differently. Some prefer to ride the same coaster back to back several times as a result they tend to prefer less intense coasters with more focus on smoothness. I rarely ride back to back unless it is the end of the day at the park it is on my favorite coaster, ergo I prefer intense coasters.

 

Like most things in life, there is a need for balance. We need to give credit where it is due for things done well (which is something we as a culture do too little), give constructive criticism where it is due (the first part we tend to forget), and give suggestions on how to improve it (if possible). Most of the coasters I have ridden have been positive experiences while only 4 coasters I have ridden were truly completely painful and not enjoyable in the least. The way I try to judge a coaster is to see when it has an undesired characteristic on my initial experience (head banging for instance), is there a way I can lessen this to make what could be an outstanding ride otherwise live up to its positive elements. From learning how to ride coasters with OTSR from most manufacturers, I have been able to improve the initial experience from a bad head to being thoroughly enjoyable by sitting taller to where my shoulders press against the top of the OTSR and press the handle bars inwardly on either side lessens the likelihood of head banging. Other ones like the Beast, I had to learn that riding it in the last seat in the back is just not a good location; therefore, sit up front and you will enjoy the ride.

 

There are other ones however that as far as I am aware cannot be redeemed as it currently exists. The restraint change in 2001/2002 on the Mr. Freeze is a good example of how to redeem a good but painful coaster. The Mr. Freeze was a good intense coaster, but the restraints were ruining the experience. Once they changed this the problem was solved. In other cases, some coasters do better with a different set of trains. The Legend (HW) switched to PTC from Gerstlauers which helped to improve the experience of the ride; however, if the wrong trains are chosen this can make the experience worse (Hades 360). Sometimes I ride needs to be completely redefined. The Rattler was one of them, my entire experience was smashing my rib cage from side to side and nothing I did could prevent this. This coaster required a complete rebuild and redefinition to fix. In some cases, the ride is completely unredeemable due various factors (using inferior materials, having a lower tier builder, bad elements, etc.), in these rare cases is when the coaster really should be torn down (Son of Beast) after numerous incidents which is damaging the parks reputation or the cost is high and the attendance is low.

 

When it comes to force problems, I think the key there is to have a variety of coaster segments and manufacturers so then those who like floaters have some there for them and those who want an ejector experience can have that. In other cases, I think some coasters could be much more if they would redo certain elements to make them more forceful.

 

Long story short, I think it is good to share the techniques with each other for improving the riding experience to make it as enjoyable as possible, important to warn others about ones that have been irredeemably unpleasant, and express both our positive and negative (without outright bashing) about the different rides.

[Mater]

I'm gonna go ahead and skip over reading all the replies and give the only answer this topic needed-

 

 

Yes.

[BlahBlahson]

This topic's headline question is really really deep and a response would be a book on philosophy.

 

So I won't answer it...

 

However, coaster enthusiasts are responsible for a LOT of good things that happen to theme parks: Exposure and press, advertising claims, the simple fact that we spend craploads of money at these parks, having input into the design of rides (which yes, has happened), raising money for charity and for raising money for historical projects...the list goes on.

 

The only thing a coaster fan can really do wrong in my opinion is to have a lack of perspective or wisdom on something. Everything that is not good from our community stems from that.

[Jcoaster]

1. When parks just remove something to add a coaster/ride instead of planning 3 more minutes to build the ride around the other ride.

I'm critical of coaster enthusiasts that think they know everything about how parks are managed and operated, but in reality know absolutely nothing and just make themselves and the rest of enthusiasts as a whole, come across like complete and total idiots.

 

^ This. Alvey keeping it 100% real. I share the same sentiments. In reality, none of us know what really goes on or goes into parks behind closed doors. The best we can do is make an educated guess, some enthusiast try an turn pure speculation into absolute fact, and when their "fact" doesn't end up being correct.....Guess who looks stupid?

[FaithPlus1]

90% of Coaster Enthusiasts are too critical of every park except for one IMO

 

Very true! Or you may have a guy that hates anything from his home town or country for some reason. Sorta like they were bullied and refuse to like anything from that region. There was a guy named something like "Gizmo" that's like that. He hates anything from Ohio, yet loves anything that's built in Europe.

[gerstlaueringvar]

I would say no for most coaster enthusiasts. Coaster enthusiasts want better things and there's nothing wrong with that. GP just go to a park, do rides and go home but coaster enthusiasts pay attention to the tiny things that most GP don't even care about. These tiny things, however, can be the essential factors to decide whether a park is good or not. Coaster enthusiasts are not hypercritical IMO.

 

But I do need to apopogize for being too critical on certain coasters like Hades360, X2 and Gatekeeper

[RCF]

To me, being critical about a ride does not mean I didn't have fun on the ride. Almost every ride I've been on I've had a good time. The only time I feel a ride is bad so I wouldn't ride it again is if I get hurt or sick enough on it. Other than that, I have fun on the ride no matter what even if I'm being critical of Tremors helix's being VERY forgettable or many B&M Hypers having the same airtime-less hills with that one turn back toward the station.

[Superbatboy]

Society as a whole is critical, not limited to the coaster community. I think the current era of instant gratification has taught us to be less appreciative and crave more, more, more. If it's a coaster people want more airtime, if it's a car people want more horsepower, if it's a house people want more square footage etc;