Vibrations and Sensations!

[vrf19977]

I'm talking about the various sensations and motions that different kinds of rides deliver. Everyone knows that it's kinda hard to know what a ride's going to feel like, just from looking at it. Getting on the thing is usually a whoooole different experience than you thought! Something that looked exciting might turn out to be lame. Something that looked snoozy might turn out to scare the bejeepers out of you. Etc, etc, etc.

 

Share your stories about rides that yelled "SURPRISE!" at you once you got on them, whether in a good or bad way!

 

I'm still trying to figure out why I don't mind being hurtled down a 200ft drop on a roller coaster, but I can't STAND the spinning of a Tilt-A-Whirl. It seems like, the older I get, the easier it is to make me dizzy. It sucks. I used to love spinning rides

 

By the way, for those of you who've ridden a "Rodeo" (see pic below) - what would you compare the sensation to? It looks really fun, but if it's like being on a Tilt-A-Whirl-Cow, I don't wanna do it.

 

[coasterfreak101]

^Reppin' Six Flags America!

 

Rodeo is basically a Tilt-a-Whirl on steroids. Especially this year - I have a feeling that SFA played around with the ride cycle, because it's about a minute longer and is now broken into two sections: rigid cows spinning for the first half, then free-whipping cows for the second. If you can't do a Tilt-a-Whirl anymore, Rodeos aren't for you.

 

Also, if you're feeling sick, it takes a good three minutes just to unload the thing. So being trapped on it might not be the best thing in the world if you get nauseous!

[jynx242]

^ and ^^ - Isn't Rodeo a themed BreakDance?

 

If so - they are more Side to Side than spinny like a tilt-a-whirl (depending on the cycle they are running.) Most of the time they are just kind of fun - but at Coney Island a couple of years ago - that crazy Brooklyn carney had the ride set to PSYCHOTIC. I swear I thought I would die.

 

My first ride at Bug Out (Or Go Banannas) at Wild Adventures scared the crap out of me. It's a wild mouse - but for some reason, the way it charged the corners just scared the holy bejesus out of me. Still ride it, still scares the crap out of me.

 

David

[vrf19977]

Wow, thanks for the (terrifyingly!) honest replies, guys! Dang it, that ride looked so fun, but I don't wanna be spun into puking...

 

I've yet to ride a Wild Mouse, but they look SERIOUSLY fun!

[jynx242]

The Six Flags America - Rodeo didn't run too crazy of a cycle when I was there. I think the cow spun around maybe twice. Most of the time it was a quick swing to the left, direction change, quick swing to the right, direction change, repeat.

 

Wild Mice. Some of them have the wheels kind of in the middle of the car. When the cars are designed like this, it gives the impression of overshooting the track at each tight corner. They don't, of course, but it is unnerving.

 

David

[Godwyn]

Most of the time they are just kind of fun - but at Coney Island a couple of years ago - that crazy Brooklyn carney had the ride set to PSYCHOTIC. I swear I thought I would die.

 

The pirate ship was pretty wicked also. I swore the little kid that was riding in the row in front of us was going to come flying out seat!

 

And the one ride that surprised me (in a good way) was Jack Rabbit at Kennywood. A little wooden coaster running a pink train can't be that bad, can it? We sat in the back row and got the biggest surprise of airtime going down into that ravine!

[Angry_Gumball]

The Rodeo is basically a scaled down "Family Size" Breakdance. Depending on the program, and you, the ride can be surprisingly intense. I've done 2 different Rodeos/Breakdancer 4's: the one at Santa Cruz Boardwalk (Wipeout), and CGA's Peanuts Pirates. Our local Rodeo rides aren't themed, just a generic pod. If you lean at the right moments, this can whip you around in what feels like tight circles...plastering you in your seat.

 

First time I rode one of these rides, I wasn't expecting much as it was considered a family ride. Once the ride got going, I felt like I was just cruising along, a twirl here and there...a simple fun ride. Suddenly, one of the twirls caught me off guard as it was much forceful than the rest. On my next visit and riding the one at CGA, we found out that if you ride these like you'd ride a tilt-a-whirl with leaning and such, your ride could be that much more intense. Glad my home park has one of these!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJRFQmCCEXs

Santa Cruz's version tricked out with lights - a great feature I must say. I just wish that I shot this using manual focus, not the auto...but this was before I knew much about my camera.

 

While Great America's breakdance may not be as elaborate as it's neighbor 30 minutes away, it has it's surprise moments as the ride seems to be running at variable speeds. With leaning the right way just as the speed picks up, you can be caught in an endless spinning session.

 

I'd say these are like modern tilt-a-whirls, very fun rides!

[vrf19977]

OK definitely avoiding this ride, lol. I rode the Turtle Whirl (Tilt-A-Whirl) twice at DW with my son a few weeks ago, just cause he was begging me to, and by the second time, I got off so dizzy and nauseous, I had to sit down for a good 15 minutes before I was sure I wouldn't throw up. I hate it! I WANT to enjoy the rides, but my body just won't cooperate lol.

[Dailey Enterprizes]

Those Breakdancers scare the crap out of me. I agree with vrf19977 that I feel more comfortable on the world's tallest roller coaster than I do on a spinning flat ride.

[mwm1444]

What about a good old British Waltzer?

 

[alilstronger]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Rodeo!! It is my favorite flat at Six Flags America!! I agree it is a tamed down version of Break Dance. There is a Break Dance in Ocean City, MD and I love that one too.

 

 

I have riden many rides and said to myself this are going to be boring and then they turn out fun:

-Lay down paratrooper

-Down Draft

-Power Surge

-Kingda Ka (now my top steel)

-Flying Falcon (Hersheypark)

-Mountain Sidewinder (Dollywood)

 

 

Also I have riden rides that I thought were going to be fun then turn out boring:

-Avalanche (Trimpers - Ocean City, MD)

-Triple Spin (Kings Dominion)

-1001 Naughts

-The Whip -any

-Dizzy Disk (Dollywood)

[jynx242]

^ I have to agree with the DownDraft! OMG, that was insane.

 

As for the Whip - I've only ridden one that was just out of this world. Rye Playland (aka: STABland.) That thing was going so fast that the entire tub came off of the ground around the back "whip" section. All others - meh... kind of boring.

 

David

[Skycoastin Steve]

Down Draft at Knoebel's almost made me puke, and that NEVER happens. It spins a lot faster than you expect from watching it. Of course, the milkshake I drank prior to riding might have had something to do with almost puking......

[vrf19977]

Those Breakdancers scare the crap out of me. I agree with vrf19977 that I feel more comfortable on the world's tallest roller coaster than I do on a spinning flat ride.

 

Thank you! I'm so glad it's not just me lol. I feel so wimpy when I won't get on a "kiddie" ride, and I'm like "But I love roller coasters - seriously - I'm not a wuss!" lol.

[CorkscrewFoley]

I have to agree with David on Wild Mice. Although spinning mice do it for me. There is something unnatural to them (although I did love Exterminator).

 

I too was caught off guard by Jack Rabbit...I had been told about it's standing air, but I thought it was pure exaggeration. Now MGM's ToT definitely caught me off guard. That seatbelt was fine until I felt how fast it went up to the fourth floor...I loved it though.

[Angry_Gumball]

Another "hidden gem" is those standard chute water rides especially with the double dip. Insane air and only you holding yourself in. Try riding the last row in the boats and you will see. It's like the end of a paddle bouncing you up. CGAs white water falls is a good example of one.

[Anac0nda]

My biggest disappointment so far was this spring when I rode a Fabbri Contact. It didn't do really much.

 

But on the same trip I rode a Gravitron. I had no idea how awesome it would be: I didn't know of the music or the lights inside, so you could say I was positively surprised!

[Philrad71]

This ride....is insane.

Redefines spin-n-puke.