Nerdiest Coaster/Theme Park thing you've done.

[kongker]

Oh WOW,

 

There were so many, lol. Let's see, I used to..

 

 

- Re-create my favorite SFMM commercials (via tape recorder) & play them back for my own "amusement".

 

- Draw/design existing & non-existing coasters on countless pieces of notebook paper, book covers, folders. Even drew coaster logos on my white Air-Jordan's.

 

- Attempt to make coaster models (FAIL).

 

- Check out the same dozen or so theme park related books over and over again fr: my local library.

 

- Engage non-enthusiasts in convoy about coasters even if they weren't interested.

 

- PRESENTLY: haunt the inter-webs, TPR forums &, make the occasional theme park trip (when schedule permits).

[uwgbdork]

I am proud to be a coaster dork!! When people ask me about it I simply reply: "Everyone is entitled to dork out about something. Mine happens to be Theme Parks" How dorky am I? Let me count the ways.

 

1. Took a tour of duty on the college program at Disney World. Nothing wrong with having no less than 8 major parks at my disposal for an entire semester of school and getting 12 college credits. 6 class credits 6 Internship.

 

2. My cube at work is littered with coaster porn and odds in ends.

 

3. I work as a dispatcher for a trucking company. When i send drivers for loads, I think about the parks they would be passing on their route.

 

4. Just this week I was bored before work, ( I work second shift and my fiance works during the day so we don't see each other during the day a couple days a week) I photoshoped together the google maps of SFGAm and the foot print of Chang to figure out where they might put it if the rumors are true that it is being put up there in 2011.

 

5. I take the time at midnight to make a post on TPR about how dorky I am

 

6. I convinced my fiance' to go to SFMM next year as we are planning our honeymoon out in in SoCAl next fall

 

7. Have the wall above my desk covered in park maps.

 

 

Hail to all of our dorkiness!

[Angry_Gumball]

My cousin tends to exaggerate the amount of coaster nerdiness I may have as she can't tell 1 manufacture from the next, other than B&M track. She tends to say things like "I know exactly how many nuts and bolts hold this ride together, how much the coaster weighs, etc..." pretty much stuff we wouldn't know.

 

When I discovered my coaster addiction, I used to print out RCDB pages of coasters I've ridden and post them on my wall, or use as photos as reference for drawing. This was before I had a digital camera and got to visiting parks frequently.

 

On the other hand, I do tend to enjoy the classic "Nerd Shots" spotted on here, and I'll do some myself just to get a closer look at the mechanical components of a coaster.

 

Another thing I'm guilty of - looking for the so-called Sign of Quality (Manufacturer's name stamped somewhere, or label) on a given ride. Some are quite easy as it's out in plain sight, some involve looking at a small tag or something on the side of the coaster/ride car, or looking at the name stamped on the wheels, and others are simply not shown at all. If in plain sight, I'll usually snap a photo of it on it's ride.

[atem122]

 

Another thing I'm guilty of - looking for the so-called Sign of Quality (Manufacturer's name stamped somewhere, or label) on a given ride. Some are quite easy as it's out in plain sight, some involve looking at a small tag or something on the side of the coaster/ride car, or looking at the name stamped on the wheels, and others are simply not shown at all. If in plain sight, I'll usually snap a photo of it on it's ride.

Haha guilty as charged here *cough* look at my avatar *cough* So far I've seen 3 Intamins and 1 Arrow tag (all on wheels). Of course I couldnt find the Intamin tag on California Screamin's wheels, those crafty Disney people. I've always wanted to ask, does B&M tag their ride in any way?

[themeparkman25]

^I have yet to find B&M tagged anywhere on a coaster, including the wheels. The only time I have ever seen Intamin on a coaster though was on Steel Venom at Valleryfair! I guess I can't really say I was looking on the other impulses I have ridden though. At least I have my shiny Intamin tape.

 

Real quick, looking at the Intamin wheel looks strikingly identical to my Vekoma wheel I have. Like completely identical besides the words. Are wheels even made by the companies, or are the metal hubs produced by an outside company for everyone?

I see you

[Homer]

I have framed posters of BGT, SFGAm, SFOG, and CP on my wall.

 

A Spanish project I did back in high school was about doing a brochure on a Spanish speaking country and one page was supposed to be miscellaneous. I did Spain and I did a page on WBMW, Parque de Attraciones, and Port Aventura.

 

I always doodle squiggles of roller coaster inversions on paper when I am really bored. Somehow cobra rolls and loops never get boring.

[KnottsDisneyFarm]

I've always wondered where coaster manufacturers put there company name. Now I will be looking at the wheels.

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

I've always wondered where coaster manufacturers put there company name. Now I will be looking at the wheels.

 

In the case of Vekoma I think it's not just on the wheels. I think most Vekoma coasters also have a sign in the station as a "proof of brand".

 

Printing pictures off RCDB, another one I'm guilty of. No wonder the colour printer at my house is always out of ink.

You gotta love these "proof of brand" nerd shots!

[Jds03]

^I have yet to find B&M tagged anywhere on a coaster, including the wheels.

 

I believe B&M does tag their wheels but it's on the wheels inside face making it nearly impossible to see. Or so I've been told...

[B-RadG]

B&M doesn't put anything on their coasters, not even the wheels. Or at least not on Apollo's Chariot, Alpengeist, or Griffon.

Shockwave at KD also has a "Ride Info" plaque in the station saying all the stats and maker.

 

I think the nerdiest thing I've done would be going on the behind the scenes tour at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Which is awesome.

[screaminkid2005]

My parents let me skip school to go to the public opening of Bizzaro at SFNE! So I drove the 2 hour drive, i made it on the first train, bought my picture, rode it once more, then left. =]

 

Also when I was little I used to go to Lincoln Park, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts,which closed in 1987. I just walk around and find things such as the coasters trains, bumper car cars, flying cages cages, and the mini golf fountain.

 

So far this year, every single one of my college papers have been on roller coasters or roller coaster related!

 

Finally, i'm going to college to one day be a roller coaster designer/engineer, not sure which one yet.

 

I'm such a nerd but i love it =] lol

[Fat-G]

I once researched so much about Disneyworld that I knew more about the Magic Kingdom then some tour guides.

[ohiocoasters]

On KI's opening day this year I waited two or three hours to ride DB, got a first rider t-shirt, rode flight deck and left.

 

My friends all thought it was wierd/nerdy to go to KI ride two coasters and leave. I don't care however... I got a free t-shirt!

[screaminkid2005]

B&M doesn't put anything on their coasters, not even the wheels. Or at least not on Apollo's Chariot, Alpengeist, or Griffon.

Shockwave at KD also has a "Ride Info" plaque in the station saying all the stats and maker.

 

I think the nerdiest thing I've done would be going on the behind the scenes tour at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Which is awesome.

 

I 'm pretty sure that Batman: The Dark Knight at SFNE has something that says B&M on it, but i don't think it was the company that did it, but the park itself.

[Capitalize]

My most nerdy moments are related to school mostly...

 

- In middle school as part of a basically optional assignment I spent the entire year making a massive wooden roller coaster model and wrote a 20 page book describing the history and different types of roller coasters to accompany it.

 

- In high school I wrote my IB diploma history paper about Cedar Point and the effect their ride additions have had on the amusement industry over the years. It was about 25 pages if I remember correctly.

 

- In college I created an interactive guide to Cedar Point for a final project for a web design class.

 

 

Beyond that my room has always been decked out in roller coaster posters/banners.

[mightypotato]

Another thing I'm guilty of - looking for the so-called Sign of Quality

 

Yep...I'm totally guilty of doing that.

[ebl]

I rode a kiddie coaster at a local fair because I'd never ridden a coaster with a nine-car train. Single, two-, three-, four-, five-, six-, seven-, eight-, ten-, 12-, 13-, 14-, and 15-car trains, but not a nine till that one ride.

 

Note I skipped 11---I got that when Terminator opened.

 

I also keep an Excel spreadsheet with all of my credits, including details---right down to the color of track, supports, and vehicles. At one time, I had little AutoCAD .wmf drawings of the cars, but took those off and just put "2 rows of 2 across" instead. That was easier.

 

Eric

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

Another thing to add, when I worked at Playland this summer I got to know the ride maintainence people which lead to me now owning a track bolt and train sign from the PNE Coaster (which is decorating my bedroom right now).

 

Anyone else got coaster parts sitting around?

[JEAPUgrad]

Unbeknown to us, I happened to be at Geauga Lake in it's final weekend of operation.

 

I have the park map as well as the dated show schedule that I have since had mounted and framed.

 

I've thought about going to Home Depot or Lowes during the offseason and searching for some California Yellow Pine to get a quick fix by inhaling it's scent but have actually gone that far yet.

 

I'm not a fanny pack or coaster tee shirt kind of guy.

 

I'm the guy that shouts inappropriate phrases as the train hits the brake run during an ERT session though. Yeah, I'm that guy alright!

[Pufferfish]

I guess I should go ahead and fess up to my nerdiness.

 

I have never had to use a park map before, I just pick them up to collect them. I constantly doodle full coaster layouts anytime I get bored. I used to be able to mimic the exact sounds a coaster would make. My entire wardrobe consists of coaster/park t-shirts. I own almost all of the TPR DVDs. The backgrounds on all my computers and phones are pictures of coasters. I have all my onride photos proudly displayed in my bedroom. I have multiple pieces of different coasters. I have an entire box full of ticket stubs and park maps from everywhere I've been. Every time my family considers going somewhere on vacation I can quickly and easily name a park that is nearby the area, and I make sure it's included on the trip.

 

I think that's all, I might have some more though.

[frozenflames]

Let's see, what have I done:

 

-I made a newsletter about theme parks with a wide variety of statistics for a class project.

-I made a thirty-slide Powerpoint presentation about Walt Disney World, along with a handmade travel brochure.

-I researched hundreds of tips for successful WDW vacations and compiled them into a multi-page booklet for my parents to use.

-I by theme park travel guides and read them for fun.

-I have numerous books on Imagineering.

-I wrote a research paper on how Audio-Animatronics help provide a means of telling a story in an attraction.

-I recited off facts about various parks and rollercoasters while visiting those parks with non-enthusiast friends.

-I sit down and watch any theme park special on the Travel Channel, even if I've seen them all many times.

[jamesdillaman]

I read this entire thread....

 

OMG to think I've met some of you... Wow...

 

On a serious note I was just thrilled to get retweeted by @themeparkreview a couple minutes ago. Yeah, one of us, one of us...

 

-James Dillaman

[matteocrepaldi]

I once tried to make a Femap (finite element simulation program) model of a B&M track. I failed because I didn't know how to create the elements and run the simulations.

[Angry_Gumball]

Tonight, I struck a new low...they held a Christmas event downtown, where they had a kiddie tea cup ride. I took my 2 nieces on it along with my iPod Touch which has the Coaster Mate app for g-force checking...so I tested the G's on the kiddie ride, and pulled about 3.3 g's or so. So yea, pretty nerdy (and fun!)

[cal1br3tto]

More to add...

Obsessing over carnivals.

--Recognized as a top-5 contributor of flat rides on CoasterCounter.com. I even add rides I haven't ridden (as long as I know they really exist).

--Before I decide to go to a carnival, I always look up the ride list and try to find out what the rides actually are. If I can't, I at least determine the carnival company and get a ride list from another show they've done or their site. I'll even email people to find out, or resort to searching for photos of past years' events. Since I'm so knowledgeable, I can choose to go only to carnivals that have credits and/or "spectaculars". I've been to some carnival sites so many times I feel almost stalker-like!

--Was tempted to apply for jobs as carnival set-up/teardown. Because. It's. A. Carnival. That is completely crazy! SO not appropriate for me.

 

Oh yeah, and...

--Wrote basically a "definition essay"/"guidebook" for, of all things...credits. About 6 pages. WTF??? I think I was thinking that if someone questioned my counting methods, I could whip it out and be all like, "I actually put a lot of thought into this, b----!" Part of it was rantings about things like "It's okay to take counting seriously, to credit whore, to be liberal with your count", etc., and the rest was basically everything that anyone has ever tried to count as an individual credit, and whether I personally would count it, and my reasoning.

I really can hardly believe I did this.