Meet the Coaster Geeks
February 24, 2016 11:38 PM Subscribe
"It's not just about knowing the rides; it's about knowing manufacturers, plans, build spends. Everything. There are geeks who know how many bolts are in any Disneyland ride. Others have spreadsheets charting their top ten rides and what dates that order changed. It's very, very serious."
Themepark Review
Coaster Buzz
ACE: American Coaster Enthusiasts
Themepark Review
Coaster Buzz
ACE: American Coaster Enthusiasts
I don't know anyone who likes roller coasters more than my brother-in-law. The first time I met him, one of the things over which we somehow bonded was that I also had severe difficulties with communication. And so, in that first visit, every time I said, in my halting German, "I'm really sorry, but I don't understand," he would say, "Frimble is English".
The next time we saw each other, before even saying, "Hello," he launched into a list of proper names. I explained that I was really sorry, but that I didn't understand what he was trying to say. I asked his family, and they also didn't, and my brother-in-law's only response to my apology or my questions was to say firmly, "Frimble is English".
It was several days before I thought to google any of the names that he had listed off, only to then realise that it was a list of every roller coaster in England and what amusement park they were in – a way of saying, through a very specific lens and focus, "I care enough to try to learn something about you."
posted by frimble at 12:39 AM on February 25, 2016 [36 favorites]
The next time we saw each other, before even saying, "Hello," he launched into a list of proper names. I explained that I was really sorry, but that I didn't understand what he was trying to say. I asked his family, and they also didn't, and my brother-in-law's only response to my apology or my questions was to say firmly, "Frimble is English".
It was several days before I thought to google any of the names that he had listed off, only to then realise that it was a list of every roller coaster in England and what amusement park they were in – a way of saying, through a very specific lens and focus, "I care enough to try to learn something about you."
posted by frimble at 12:39 AM on February 25, 2016 [36 favorites]
What the heck is wrong with Seattle that we don't have a single amusement park with reasonable coasters in it?
Set up a project. Kickstarter? Press release saying it's the first ever internet coaster (it doesn't matter that that means nothing)? Competition to design a ride worthy of Seattle? Metacoaster.com?
posted by Segundus at 1:43 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Set up a project. Kickstarter? Press release saying it's the first ever internet coaster (it doesn't matter that that means nothing)? Competition to design a ride worthy of Seattle? Metacoaster.com?
posted by Segundus at 1:43 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
We have more than a few serious "jet coasters" in Fuji-Q Highland
posted by oheso at 3:05 AM on February 25, 2016
posted by oheso at 3:05 AM on February 25, 2016
Last year, I found a sign next to the door of a large hotel meeting room: "American Coaster Enthusiasts." My mind spun.
What would people obsessed with small circles or squares that keep beverages from leaving marks on tabletops fixate upon? What did they get enthusiastic about?
Were there members who insisted that only wood made for a true coaster? Did the square-coaster fans and the round-coaster fans form hostile factions? Are there discrete eras of coasters? Historical breakthroughs? Political infighting about the Lost Coasters of Toots Shor?
What I wouldn't give, I thought, for a guide to that madness.
My wife then pointed out that they were, in fact, roller coaster enthusiasts.
Such a disappointment.
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 6:23 AM on February 25, 2016 [18 favorites]
What would people obsessed with small circles or squares that keep beverages from leaving marks on tabletops fixate upon? What did they get enthusiastic about?
Were there members who insisted that only wood made for a true coaster? Did the square-coaster fans and the round-coaster fans form hostile factions? Are there discrete eras of coasters? Historical breakthroughs? Political infighting about the Lost Coasters of Toots Shor?
What I wouldn't give, I thought, for a guide to that madness.
My wife then pointed out that they were, in fact, roller coaster enthusiasts.
Such a disappointment.
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 6:23 AM on February 25, 2016 [18 favorites]
My wife then pointed out that they were, in fact, roller coaster enthusiasts.
My wife once saved me from a potential nightmare situation when she told me that the "Bellringers Wanted" sign outside the Salvation Army headquarters near our house was probably not recruiting for a handbell choir like I initially thought.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:51 AM on February 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
My wife once saved me from a potential nightmare situation when she told me that the "Bellringers Wanted" sign outside the Salvation Army headquarters near our house was probably not recruiting for a handbell choir like I initially thought.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:51 AM on February 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
I love a good rollercoaster. I used to walk up to the top of Nitro at six flags in NJ when I worked there as a teen. It was terrifying the first time but after that it became super relaxing to sit at the top of the hill looking down at the lakes and rides getting booted up for the day.
I'd also have to walk up there when the cars would get stuck on the hill with guests in them to calm them down and let them know what was happening. One time a bunch of army or national guard guys were there and the ride got stuck and one of them in a row of four was bawling in fear. Freaking out so badly that he was screaming that they were going to die. It should have been funny, but this big macho military guy crying like a baby because they were stuck 60 ft up a lift hill was surreal. Didn't help that his friends were laughing uncontrollably about it. I don't think that guy lived that one down any time soon.
posted by Ferreous at 6:53 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'd also have to walk up there when the cars would get stuck on the hill with guests in them to calm them down and let them know what was happening. One time a bunch of army or national guard guys were there and the ride got stuck and one of them in a row of four was bawling in fear. Freaking out so badly that he was screaming that they were going to die. It should have been funny, but this big macho military guy crying like a baby because they were stuck 60 ft up a lift hill was surreal. Didn't help that his friends were laughing uncontrollably about it. I don't think that guy lived that one down any time soon.
posted by Ferreous at 6:53 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
I love that people can geek out to intense lengths over just about anything - one of my favorite time-sucks online is to read through hobbyist forums for topics I'm not actually into myself. It's kind of amazing and endearing to me that different people can put equal amounts of emotion and passion into things as varied as pencil collecting, or pet hermit crabs, or mountain climbing ... looking forward to delving into the world of Coaster Geeks.
posted by DingoMutt at 7:12 AM on February 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by DingoMutt at 7:12 AM on February 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
And roller coasters scare me, but not so much that I won't go on them - the worst ones are those that are so intense that I have to - HAVE TO - immediately go on them again to see if they really were as bad as I thought the first time. I don't think I could ever be a coaster geek, but I'd love to find a group of "oldey-timey ride" geeks; the older rides at Kennywood are among my favorite rides anywhere.
posted by DingoMutt at 7:20 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by DingoMutt at 7:20 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
What the heck is wrong with Seattle that we don't have a single amusement park with reasonable coasters in it?
Or bumper cars. I miss the Fun Forest.
posted by y2karl at 7:40 AM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Or bumper cars. I miss the Fun Forest.
posted by y2karl at 7:40 AM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
What they know is how many bolts are supposed to be in the Disneyland rides. They do not know how many bolts are actually still in the Disneyland rides.
posted by srboisvert at 7:57 AM on February 25, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 7:57 AM on February 25, 2016 [7 favorites]
It should have been funny, but this big macho military guy crying like a baby because they were stuck 60 ft up a lift hill was surreal. Didn't help that his friends were laughing uncontrollably about it. I don't think that guy lived that one down any time soon.
"They call me Coaster because I'm cool. I just coast through life."
"Really? 'Cause I heard--"
"--BECAUSE I FUCKING COAST THROUGH LIFE, I SAID."
posted by Etrigan at 8:12 AM on February 25, 2016 [13 favorites]
"They call me Coaster because I'm cool. I just coast through life."
"Really? 'Cause I heard--"
"--BECAUSE I FUCKING COAST THROUGH LIFE, I SAID."
posted by Etrigan at 8:12 AM on February 25, 2016 [13 favorites]
the older rides at Kennywood are among my favorite rides anywhere.
We're season pass holders at Kennywood (mostly because I'm unashamed in my desire to eat Potato Patch Fries for dinner at least four times a year) and one of our visits last season coincided with what appeared to be an ACE chapter visit. The Racer is one of my favorite rides in the world and due to it's closed loop nature, the folks in front of us were GEEKING OUT. It was pretty fantastic to see. I was also pretty jealous of their "tour shirts" - detailing lists of their summer park visits like they were Springsteen. It was my second favorite visit to the park, ever. (This Mefi Comment is my first.)
posted by librarianamy at 8:14 AM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
We're season pass holders at Kennywood (mostly because I'm unashamed in my desire to eat Potato Patch Fries for dinner at least four times a year) and one of our visits last season coincided with what appeared to be an ACE chapter visit. The Racer is one of my favorite rides in the world and due to it's closed loop nature, the folks in front of us were GEEKING OUT. It was pretty fantastic to see. I was also pretty jealous of their "tour shirts" - detailing lists of their summer park visits like they were Springsteen. It was my second favorite visit to the park, ever. (This Mefi Comment is my first.)
posted by librarianamy at 8:14 AM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Cedar Point is my mecca.
posted by lock sock and barrel at 8:55 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by lock sock and barrel at 8:55 AM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
I grew up within driving distance from Cedar Point. I have more homesickness for that place than my hometown.
posted by LMGM at 10:11 AM on February 25, 2016
posted by LMGM at 10:11 AM on February 25, 2016
Old rollercoasters are the worst, they destroy your body. Blue streak at cedar point is designed to break your tailbone
posted by Ferreous at 11:30 AM on February 25, 2016
posted by Ferreous at 11:30 AM on February 25, 2016
I don't know about Blue Streak at Cedar Point, or what your definition of 'old' is, but in general, I beg to differ; The Giant Dipper (1924) at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is hands-down the best rollercoaster I've ever been on.
Runners-ups include The Wild Mouse (1958) and The Grand National (1935), both at Blackpool, both old wooden coasters, both buckets of fun for different reasons.
Perhaps a matter of taste, but I much prefer these to the steel coasters at, say, Great America.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 12:49 PM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Runners-ups include The Wild Mouse (1958) and The Grand National (1935), both at Blackpool, both old wooden coasters, both buckets of fun for different reasons.
Perhaps a matter of taste, but I much prefer these to the steel coasters at, say, Great America.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 12:49 PM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Old rollercoasters are the worst
Aw man, different strokes for different folks and all but I couldn't disagree more. Librarianamy already mentioned Kennywood's Racer (1927) and its fascinating moebius track, but my heart will always belong to the Jackrabbit (1920) - every time we go to Kennywood, my poor wife (who does NOT do roller coasters) has to hear me jabber on about how elegantly it follows the contours of the terrain and how wonderful it sounds and smells and rattles and how there's this one marvelous double-dip where it feels like the train jumps right off the tracks ... and best of all is the thought that these rides were also part of my parents' lives AND my grandparents' lives - they're practically part of the family.
I do dread the day my body says "no more" to all the bone rattling, but even then, I think/hope I'll still be able to enjoy just being around them. Old rollercoasters are glorious.
posted by DingoMutt at 1:41 PM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Aw man, different strokes for different folks and all but I couldn't disagree more. Librarianamy already mentioned Kennywood's Racer (1927) and its fascinating moebius track, but my heart will always belong to the Jackrabbit (1920) - every time we go to Kennywood, my poor wife (who does NOT do roller coasters) has to hear me jabber on about how elegantly it follows the contours of the terrain and how wonderful it sounds and smells and rattles and how there's this one marvelous double-dip where it feels like the train jumps right off the tracks ... and best of all is the thought that these rides were also part of my parents' lives AND my grandparents' lives - they're practically part of the family.
I do dread the day my body says "no more" to all the bone rattling, but even then, I think/hope I'll still be able to enjoy just being around them. Old rollercoasters are glorious.
posted by DingoMutt at 1:41 PM on February 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
I feel fine on steel track coasters (mostly, mantis at cedar point before it was converted from stand up to bottomless was one of the most painful rides I have ever experienced. ) but even in that category there's lots of things that are incredibly shaky and if you're taller than 5'6 they will whip your head back and forth like a cocktail shaker.
posted by Ferreous at 7:53 PM on February 25, 2016
posted by Ferreous at 7:53 PM on February 25, 2016
The "rumble and sway" of old wood coasters is a feature, not a bug :) Glad to see I have already gotten to go on so many favorites of people in this thread. Giant Dipper is a classic, great memories of that one, and I agree that the Jackrabbit at Kennywood is also extremely awesome.
But yeah, I know once my dad hit his forties his back just couldn't take it anymore. The only coaster he could still ride was Disneyland's Space Mountain, because the steel track was pretty smooth and he knew the course so well he could anticipate every curve and drop, even in the dark.
This thread made me curious about how Colossus is doing and apparently it was shut in 2014 and retrofitted to be a steel-wood hybrid called "Twisted Colossus" with a Mobius Loop track, barrel-roll inversions, and a near-vertical drop :( I get why, and I'll readily admit the new ride looks fun as hell, but it makes me sad. The glory of Colossus was that it was so huge and creaky and rumbly and legendary that it didn't need inversions or other gimmicks to be exciting.
posted by town of cats at 8:51 PM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
But yeah, I know once my dad hit his forties his back just couldn't take it anymore. The only coaster he could still ride was Disneyland's Space Mountain, because the steel track was pretty smooth and he knew the course so well he could anticipate every curve and drop, even in the dark.
This thread made me curious about how Colossus is doing and apparently it was shut in 2014 and retrofitted to be a steel-wood hybrid called "Twisted Colossus" with a Mobius Loop track, barrel-roll inversions, and a near-vertical drop :( I get why, and I'll readily admit the new ride looks fun as hell, but it makes me sad. The glory of Colossus was that it was so huge and creaky and rumbly and legendary that it didn't need inversions or other gimmicks to be exciting.
posted by town of cats at 8:51 PM on February 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
What the heck is wrong with Seattle that we don't have a single amusement park with reasonable coasters in it?
Bring back the Wild Mouse from the Worlds Fair.
But looking up the images of the mouse I found a site dedicated to past PNW coasters!?! wow
posted by sammyo at 5:57 AM on February 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Bring back the Wild Mouse from the Worlds Fair.
But looking up the images of the mouse I found a site dedicated to past PNW coasters!?! wow
posted by sammyo at 5:57 AM on February 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Kennywood rules.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:47 AM on March 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Chrysostom at 7:47 AM on March 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
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I mean, I'm a geek-of-Disneyland at heart and therefore stupidly hard to please when it comes to theming but I would happily settle for a Six Flags sort of experience. Just something with some loops and corkscrews... maybe something with a LIM launch... is it so much to ask?
I definitely know the first coaster I fell in love with. Any kid who spent as much time going up and down the Grapevine in the backseat of their mom's car as I did had to be obsessed with Colossus, at Magic Mountain. From the freeway that thing looks like it takes up a full city block. I dreamed of it for years before I finally got to ride it. Worth the wait.
Never met a roller coaster I didn't like.
posted by town of cats at 11:56 PM on February 24, 2016 [3 favorites]