What made you interested in roller coasters?

[supkarma]

Shockwave at Six Flags Great America did it for me.

[TPDave]

I'm not sure I had one defining moment that I can isolate, I just remember that I used to be scarred of coasters then when I was about 12 I got really interested in them and started wanting to ride them. odd.

[andybarnes84]

I think it was RCT for me, can't remember why I chose to get the game but once I did, I started becoming interested in how they worked and looked up coaster sites. Then in Florida I somehow got myself onto Kumba and that was it, forever cursed.

[jfruge]

I've always had a real fascination with roller coasters. I've explained to friends and family that some people can look at a piece of artwork in a museum for hours, and never quite catch everything in a painting; for me, that artwork is roller coasters. I have loved looking at and studying them since I was a child, although, to be honest, I never rode. In 2000 on a church youth trip, my youth minister convinced me to ride The Rattler at SFFT. Having never been on a wooden coaster, and most definitely not on any coaster over 30-40 feet tall, I freaked out the entire time we traveled up the lift hill. I can remember, very clearly, the moment when we started heading down the first drop. Since then, it has all been, no pun intended, downhill.

[VinTheAttendant]

There was no one thing that got me interested, but a bunch of the right things at the right time. Living 15 minutes from a growing amusement park helped a lot, Rollercoaster Tycoon lent me a helping hand, but I think the one thing that really got me hooked was a book of roller coaster themed mazes I got in elementary school. The school was having its annual book fair, and the only book I could afford was that roller coaster maze book. I was obsessed with the fun facts and turned to the internet to learn about more, just to discover that my home park held the #1 steel coaster in the world. At this time, everybody seemed to have their calling. Everyone was really smart, great at a sport, played an instrument, could skateboard, and I was none of these. Turning into a coaster enthusiast was the first time in my life I felt like I found my calling, which is why I am not shy to admit to anyone that I'm into roller coasters.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Thought it would be a good way to pick up Dude's. Apparently I was right.

 

Gregg "If only I was into Dude's" C.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

98 Or 99 when Discovery Channel aired their annual Thrills, Chills, and Spills.

[DanM64]

My Mom's family has always loved amusement parks, and they always dragged me along when I was young. That was that!

[SFOGdude25]

It was a day at Six Flags Over Georgia (my first park) around '93 or '94. My family lived near Atlanta at the time and attended a charity event because of my sister who was healing from cancer at the time (she is alive and well today!) Anyways, we were at the picnic grove for lunch. Those of you that have been to SFOG know that the picnic grove is right next to Ninja. I was sitting in my stroller and couldn't help but notice Ninja doing its thing. I was so fascinated watching the train race across the bright red track. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. From then on I was hooked. I begged my parents to go back over and over again. I should also mention that Georgia Cyclone was my first BIG coaster I ever rode when I was 7 or 8. So yeah, this is why SFOG is one of two parks I am closest to (the other being Kings Island) and is the inspiration behind my screen name.

So basically, I became a coaster enthusiast even before my first ride, which was a year or two later at Opryland on its kiddie coaster (RIP Opryland ).

The irony of course is that Ninja is the worst coaster at the park, but it still sort of holds a place in my heart as the roller coaster that got me into roller coasters.