300+

[ITzEPiiC]

I first want to say that over the past year I have made great strides in becoming a coaster enthusiast. I rode my first 200+ roller coaster and have loved every ride on one since. I love the airtime and like to leave a click or so space just for that. However, when I made a huge trip with my parents to Ohio and visited Cedar Point, King's Island, Geauga (sp?) Lake I had to pass on Millennium Force and TTD, because honestly, while I am now greatly comfortable with HyperCoasters, I am still hesitant about the Gigacoaster.

 

With a King's Dominion trip in my future and the hope of riding I:305, I wanted to know how bad the 300+ coasters REALLY are compared to ones like Diamondback or Apollo's Chariot. First time experience stories are great welcome.

[dammie16@vt.edu]

Bad? Very far from bad. The giga coasters, especially MF and TTD are SMOOTH. They just have greater speeds. You will now probably see a lot of posts bashing MF and calling it boring with no airtime but just know that if you like Apollo and Diamondback you will more then likely enjoy the 300+ coasters.

 

Another fun point is that the lift hills generally take less time on say MF then Diamondback, if you have a heights anticipation issue!

[ITzEPiiC]

Well, not how BAD as in bad ride....but bad as in "Jesus, God, oh I'm going to die....is this going to be too bad?"

[Coaster Cow]

The great thing about 300+ coasters is that the parks that have paid for them have paid so much that anything less than a quality job would not be tolerated at all.

 

In comparison to Apollo's Chariot and Diamondback, they kind of differ. MF is wonderfully fast and intense, but it is all about the speed, compared to the quick transitions and steep hills on the B and M's. TTD and Kingda Ka are different from that in that they are quite different rides. I would relate them more to maybe another launch coaster than a hyper, as there is no first drop to get your speed and the tophat element is quite different from the airtime hills on other hypers.

 

Rather than that last point, I would just like to say that if you took Apollo's Chariot and Diamondback in stride MF should be fine (and I305, too, I'm assuming) and TTD shouldn't be anything horrible, either, unless you hate launches.

[Carnage]

Well with MF, the lift hill only takes about 20 seconds. So you'll be nervous for a little while, but it's all over quickly.

 

With TTD waiting in line the first time watching it run is the worst part. The ride itself isn't that bad at all, as it goes too quickly to give you time to be nervous. By the time you realize what's happening the ride will be over.

 

I think if you've ridden a hypercoaster and was fine with it, you should have no problem with something bigger.

[Skycoastin Steve]

The way I see it, there's nothing to be afraid of with roller coasters or heights in general, so no.

[saxman47]

IMO there isn't a significant difference in ride experience between hyper and giga coasters. Heck, I'd say MagnumXL-200 is scarier than any modern hyper or giga

[AWill961]

Wait... you got to go to Cedar Point and you passed on TTD and MF?

 

You're lucky to have gone there.....

[TheCoasterTaco]

The way I see it is that the scariest part of a first time big coaster is not even on the ride. It is waiting in the station. All of the coasters I have been on, the scariest part is the line. It seems odd, but it's true for most of us. So I bet you'll have a great time on the 300+ coasters especially since you loved the 200+ ones.

[Chris Benvenuto]

Well with MF, the lift hill only takes about 20 seconds. So you'll be nervous for a little while, but it's all over quickly.

 

With TTD waiting in line the first time watching it run is the worst part. The ride itself isn't that bad at all, as it goes too quickly to give you time to be nervous. By the time you realize what's happening the ride will be over.

 

I think if you've ridden a hypercoaster and was fine with it, you should have no problem with something bigger.

 

When I'm in line for TTD, sometimes my heart pounds so much I think it's going to fall out of my chest. But, no. In the end I have alot of fun, and the ride's over quickly.

 

But, like said in the thread, anything less then a 110% job wouldn't be tolerated by CP or Six Flags.

[Capitalize]

There's no real reason to be scared of coasters because of height... Think about it this way - a hyper coaster like Diamondback is already pushing 230ft. What is another 70-80 feet? 70 feet is the height of a smaller wood coaster. Its just a number...

[JEAPUgrad]

I'm terrified of heights when not on coasters but I've been stuck at the top of MF and it wasn't fun...

[Em-Z]

I'm not a huge fan of heights so the first time I rode Millennium Force I just looked at the track directly in front of me going up the hill, kind of like I was watching a POV, to distract me from the height, which might help you. But after the first ride I realized it wasn't that bad and was really fun and exhilarating, and I started looking around at the view. And like other people have said, it's not that much taller than a 200 something foot coaster.

 

On TTD, I was really nervous in line and waiting to launch, but honestly, the drop felt like nothing. It was about half as intense as the launch and over very quickly. I think you won't have a problem with these coasters if you've liked hypers.

[99er]

but I've been stuck at the top of MF and it wasn't fun...

I too have been stuck up there (30 minutes at the longest) and I loved it.

 

So many people I know are afraid of heights but love roller coasters. I have always thought this was sort of weird but then again, I am not afraid of heights. I actually love being high (height) and feel vary comfortable at high heights when doing work. I have found that after about 180 feet, anything further up is the same and there is no difference. Unless of course you are talking 600 feet but I don't think we need to worry about a coaster that high for awhile.

[CreditCrazy]

You will have no problem on a giga or hyper coaster. Like others have said, if you have ridden a hyper coaster, there's really no difference between the two types. You really don't notice that you're 70-80 ft. higher up. I wouldn't get too caught up in the whole hyper/giga/strata thing. If they were all classified as hyper coasters would you ride them?

[Noxegon]

I was going to say, a lot of smaller coasters can be far more violent and less comfortable than the 300ft rides. Magnum is a fine example. Millennium Force (and Steel Dragon 2K) are great rides, if a little on the dull side; they have amazing speed and they don't do much with it.

[Dailey Enterprizes]

Let's say that I am more afraid of going to the dentist than going on a 300ft coaster. I think going up in the space shuttle would be less scarier...

[Xizor_Racer]

I remember the first ride on MF..... it was the first time that the drop took my breath away... it was AWESOME!! The lift at times on the bigger coasters can at time be a little nerve racking, but once you are upa nd over you get into the ride and forget about that.

 

I actually got some ejector air on the drop on my first Diamndback ride. Pretty cool and smoooooth.

[Yamez]

If you rode Maverick or Magnum XL-200 (<3) then you should be fine riding TTD and Millennium Force (I305 is TBD). Magnum and Maverick surpass the intensity level (albiet MF has a breathtaking drop and view of the park and Lake Erie). You are safe, and if the ride does break down (duno if thats a concern for you) you will be compensated for the time lost on the ride and the park staff will work as quickly as possible to evacuate the ride or to fix the problem and get you moving.

 

Hope that helps some.

[palmerleeberry]

Okay, it's time for my take on the 300+ coasters.

 

First of all - There aren't that many giga coasters in the world (i.e. 300 feet or more on the first drop). We began the year 2000 with MILLENIUM FORCE being the very first one, followed by Japan's STEEL DRAGON. KINGS DOMINION's newest coaster INTIMIDATOR 305 will be the planet's third giga coaster. As for TOP THRILL DRAGSTERS and KINGSTA KA, I consider them as mega launch coasters, not giga coasters.

 

And second to that - If you enjoyed riding Hyper Coasters (i.e. 200 feet or more on the first drop), then I know you will enjoy riding giga coasters. Not only they are fast, but they are also SMOOOOTH!!!

 

And finally - With KINGS DOMINION being the closes park to where I live, you can bet the whole farm I'll be riding the INTIMIDATOR 305 and be back for more.

 

"I'm just the thing you need after a long day riding coasters!"

[larrygator]

300 is just a number.

 

I'm more scared in a car going 80MPH, than on a coaster going 80MPH. Why, because the car is more dangerous.

[themeparkologist]

^I also heard somewhere that the modern coaster is much safer than your bathtub. I haven't ridden a 300+ coaster but larrygator makes a good point, there's nothing to be scared of but the line/station(I just get very anxious and nervous in stations. Anyone else this way?)

[Retro_Gaga]

When I went to CP I was terrified to get on MF or TTD not gonna lie, I forced myself into the line for MF and waiting for it was just as terrifying and when I got to the station I was a nervous wreck but I locked myself in real tight as fast as possible and just sat there so I couldn't chicken out and I ended up loving it, trust me i've been where you are now MF feels no higher than a hyper coaster IMO.

 

So then I said hell TTD is only a little bit higher and faster so I forced myself in line for that and I ended up loving it as well.

 

And if you don't like it the first time it's only 30 seconds to a minute and you never have to do it again.

 

Height is only a concept and your mind isn't going to notice much difference between 200 to 300 unless you overthink and let it.

 

Hope that helped

[DOCTOR DOOM!!!]

300 is just a number.

 

I'm more scared in a car going 80MPH, than on a coaster going 80MPH. Why, because the car is more dangerous.

^I also heard somewhere that the modern coaster is much safer than your bathtub. I haven't ridden a 300+ coaster but larrygator makes a good point, there's nothing to be scared of but the line/station(I just get very anxious and nervous in stations. Anyone else this way?)

 

Wow!!! Thats the normal speed I drive on the highway!!! I would feel bad if everyone around me wasn't going the same speed if not faster, especially outside of city limits!

 

However, i'm not scared of Heights on a coaster, but I am scared of LADDERS!!! Also i'm not too fond of steps that one can see thru!!!

 

Doctor "Scariest part of any coaster is the steps that led to and from Chang's station" Doom!!!

[jeronimon]

As some people have said, it is only a number. Especially if you are not from the States.

 

Metric: You are asking if 91.44m is scarier than 60.96m (looks silly does it not? )

 

Imagine me asking you if 328 feet would be scarier then 246 feet. (looks silly does it not? )

 

So if you enjoyed the other high coasters then you will certainly enjoy these. Granted, there is the being launched part and the fact that Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster have a layout that is supposed to accent the height even more.