Comments on: How to Overcome A Fear of Roller Coasters

By: The Coaster Critic

The Coaster Critic — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:49:55 +0000

Thanks Matt. I’ve always tried to make that a goal for the site. To bridge the super geeky and the general public as best I can.

By: Matt McIrvin

Matt McIrvin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:36:50 +0000

Yeah, maybe if you’re at the point of realizing that airtime can be scarier than loops, you know too much about coasters to really need the Thrill Scale…

I always appreciate it when knowledgeable people are willing to reach out to the general public in that way!

By: The Coaster Critic

The Coaster Critic — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:48:27 +0000

Good point on the quibble. I think I created it that way because of the reactions that I’ve overheard thousands of times in queues from people wondering if a ride “went upside-down” or not. It seems to me that the average park-goer puts loopers on a higher intensity scale than even an intense woodie from just the looks of rides. Of course, this isn’t always accurate, but the scale’s meant for the general coaster riding public and I think it works that way. Good point though, I can see what you mean completely. Thanks for the comment.

By: Matt McIrvin

Matt McIrvin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:34:47 +0000

…My daughter, however, has informed me on the basis of POV viewing that she’s never going on an inverting coaster, and if she doesn’t change her mind, that’s OK. They just aren’t for some people.

Loops are interesting, though–I was terrified of the *idea* of them before I had actually ridden one, but, in my youth, when I finally worked up the courage to ride the good old Loch Ness Monster at BGW, I was surprised to find that the loops were the least scary thing about the ride! Big drops and big airtime always unnerve me a least a little, but, somehow, loops and other inversions are just fun, not frightening. I think I just get more of a scare from negative Gs than from visual discombobulation.

(Which is my one quibble with the Critic’s Thrill Scale: to me, old-timey woodies (class 2) are scarier than simple steel loopers (class 3)! But this is a subjective thing that will vary from person to person, so I don’t suppose it’s a legit objection.)

By: J3ss1

J3ss1 — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 03:42:34 +0000

Well, my 1st roller coaster was Dragon Challenge at Islands of Adventures and Rockin’ Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios. When I went on it, I was actually holding on to the holding bars and half of the ride I had my eyes closed, later I just opened my eyes and found out that everything was O.K ….. it was in 5th grade. Last year I was in 7th grade and I chickened out to go on Dragon Challenge!!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!!Now i’m in 8th grade and i’m going in Oct. 29 but I want to ride it without chickening out!!!!

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:48:15 +0000

I am somewhat guilty of the first tip. Anytime my friends chicken out on rides I make fun of them and really try to force them on the rides. Although I do say alot of tips to them like the chances of dying and that the rides are inspected every day. I don’t want them to miss out. I don’t have that problem anymore because my method worked. Almost all my friends love roller coasters now. One of my friends puked on his first coaster and won’t go on anymore coasters, and wont even go to an amusement park now though. But most of my friends love to go to amusement parks and ride roller coasters.

By: ToDreamOn

ToDreamOn — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 03:03:05 +0000

This has been a really helpful post, because I was terrified of coasters until I was 20! I started facing my fears and riding last year at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and this year at King’s Dominion. I’ve gone from chicken to coaster junkie in that time. My advice is to get some info about the ride before you get on it. Read reviews, learn how it works if you like. Sure, nothing can really prepare you for the forces you will feel, but it does help to learn as much as you can. Tell yourself “Look at all the people getting off the ride. They’re fine, see? The ride isn’t going to hurt you” Also, I find that if you can make yourself wait in line and get fastened in the seat, than the hardest part is over. Tell yourself, “No backing out now, so just sit back and enjoy the ride!” After you facing your fear on one ride, you will hopefully have a good feeling of accomplishment that should help you feel braver about facing new ones! Thanks to the Coaster Critic for a great blog too! Love reading your reviews and planning my next coaster conquests!

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:38:41 +0000

I went to Cedar Point last year and rode Raptor. Iblcked out on thethe drop andloop but the I was fine from there. Iwan to ride Millenium but just don’t knw what really to expect because it looks very intimidating. Ihink if I went on it it I would love it I just ahte the anxiety whn in line and on the lift hill. Any tips???

By: Quil

Quil — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 13:23:39 +0000

I think Steel coasters may tend to be a bit better for starting out than woodies.

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:58:06 +0000

Hi Coaster Critic! I love your blog and have really enjoyed reading it. This post caught my attention because I used to be very afraid of tall coasters and water slides up until I was about 12 years old.

I actually had some friends convince me to ride Viper at SF Magic Mountain when I was 11. I stood in the line scared to death and the only thing that consoled me was thinking that everyone I had seen walk off the ride was still alive and smiling.

I think the only tip I would add to this list (all of them good tips) is to try closing your eyes on your first really big coaster. This is what I did on the Viper and it helped a lot. After that, I never had to close my eyes!

I will admit that I did like tamer roller coasters before then like Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain at Disneyland, so the peer pressure I gave into was probably something I was ready for.

I made the mistake of taking my sister in law on a woodie at Lagoon, and she hated it; she definitely wasn’t ready, so I think that talking someone into something can go either way depending on the person.