What counts?

[nadroJ]

So I couldn't find a relevant topic that wasn't a BILLION years old, so I've decided to start a new one =]

I know we often end up having this discussion in other topics but I thought I'd make this one exclusively for this discussion:

What, for you, counts as a rollercoaster?

As in, what does it have to do? What must it look like? What must it feel like to ride? Etc, etc.

Anything that you factor in to allow a ride a place on your coaster count, discuss it here!

And let the arguments begin.

 

[Ollie]

All I know is that Droomvlucht. DOES NOT count.
I think it's obvious if something is a coaster or not. I don't think you can actually set certain things it has to cover as there will always be coasters that don't fit into those.

If the general public see it as a coaster (ie. it's that obvious) then you can count it. If not then if it's on RCDB then you can count it.

 

[jayjay]

Like Ollie, I just go with a general gut feeling. There's the obvious attributes that make a coaster: it's given energy by lifting it up a hill or launching and uses up the energy while coasting back to the station on a predefined track. But then there are exceptions and extra coasters that don't fit that. For instance, I definitely think of mine trains as roller coasters even though they're powered. Essentially it's because they both thrill in the same way, just one is powered around the track and one is powered for a short section before gravity takes over.

 

[furie]

I think "gut feeling" is simply understand "what it's sold as". This is either by the manufacturer, park or just the way it's presented.

For instance:
Ghost Train at Blackpool isn't a coaster - it's a Ghost Train with one coaster-like section. It's sold to you as a Ghost Train primarily.

Drenched/Hydro at Oakwood isn't a coaster - it's a coaster-like water chute ride. It's sold by Intamin and advertised by the park as a water chute ride.

Obviously feel free to count whatever you like, but that's the general path I take on deciding. It's neat, simple and beats all definitions about coasting uphill, etc, etc, etc.

 

[gavin]

If you have to look at rides that are blatantly not roller coasters, desperately trying to make them "fit" into the definition, then they're not coasters.

If it's on coaster-count, I count it. That site seems to be a bit more open with their interpretations of what a "coaster" is than rcdb, without being ridiculous and including log flumes etc. They have the option to "check", but not include some of the more debatable entries (alpine coasters, powered etc.) in your count, so you can basically make a count from a more personal definition of what a coaster is.

NOT A CRED:

Log flumes, regardless of uphill sections/dry runs etc. Under those definitions, I could probably add about 15-20 to my count if I was that desperate.

Water splash rides, unless there are very obvious dry, tracked sections.

Boats on ropes. No, just no. Again, I could add about 10 of those.

Those toboggan things, though I can sort of see why people would include them if you get the full circuit on them (lift hill etc.), it's still a bit desperate.

That fairy thing at Efteling is a tough one though. I'd say no basically. It's a dark ride that has one section that almost rides like a coaster, but it's really not.

Anyway, basically if it's not listed on major coaster sites and you have to desperately try and look for coaster-like features, it's NOT A CRED.

 

[Martyn B]

Its easy enough to define them 99% of the time.

The only one I struggle with is the Mack Supersplash... yeah it goes up hill, but it soon leaves the rails then just becomes a boat in water?

 

[Snoo]

If you have to look at rides that are blatantly not roller coasters, desperately trying to make them "fit" into the definition, then they're not coasters.

If it's on coaster-count, I count it. That site seems to be a bit more open with their interpretations of what a "coaster" is than rcdb, without being ridiculous and including log flumes etc. They have the option to "check", but not include some of the more debatable entries (alpine coasters, powered etc.) in your count, so you can basically make a count from a more personal definition of what a coaster is.

NOT A CRED:

Log flumes, regardless of uphill sections/dry runs etc. Under those definitions, I could probably add about 15-20 to my count if I was that desperate.

Water splash rides, unless there are very obvious dry, tracked sections.

Boats on ropes. No, just no. Again, I could add about 10 of those.

Those toboggan things, though I can sort of see why people would include them if you get the full circuit on them (lift hill etc.), it's still a bit desperate.

That fairy thing at Efteling is a tough one though. I'd say no basically. It's a dark ride that has one section that almost rides like a coaster, but it's really not.

Anyway, basically if it's not listed on major coaster sites and you have to desperately try and look for coaster-like features, it's NOT A CRED.

This.

Also, when it comes to racing/dueling coasters, if the ride isn't mobius, I count each track as a credit.

 

[Hixee]

Like people have said above, frankly it all boils down to common sense. Hydro (or Drenched... urgh) is NOT a credit, and neither are the Intamin Super Splash rides. It's just kinda obvious to me. Journey To Altantis however, is.

I do count powered coasters, and like Snoo, mobius coasters and one credit (only when you've ridden both sides) and racing/duelling coasters are two.

I 'often' get asked what makes a coaster a coaster and it's a difficult one to answer. If you use a bit of common sense and judgement it always seems to be an easy enough choice. There is no fine line or rule.

 

[MouseAT]

Like many people, I go by gut feeling. I count powered coasters (although my list of coasters ridden allows me to easily eliminate them from my count if necessary). If I really can't decide on way or another, RCDB is the decider.

I count duelling/racing coasters as two if the coaster has significantly different elements (rather than just following and/or mirroring) from the other coaster. For example, duelling dragons would definitely be two credits, as the two tracks are significantly different. Lightning Racer, however, I only regard as one credit, as the two sides have pretty much the same elements, even if they are spaced slightly differently.

 

[gavin]

^But they're two completely separate, self-contained coasters though; one side could operate perfectly well without the other even being open.

It's personal choice obviously, but let's say for arguments sake that the two different sides were located away from each other, in different parks even. Would you not count them as separate coasters then? What's the real difference?

 

[Hyde]

If you have to ask, it probably isn't.

 

[MouseAT]

^But they're two completely separate, self-contained coasters though; one side could operate perfectly well without the other even being open.

It's personal choice obviously, but let's say for arguments sake that the two different sides were located away from each other, in different parks even. Would you not count them as separate coasters then? What's the real difference?

I guess it's just down to me not looking at this entirely on technicalities. When both sides of a racing/duelling coaster are essentially marketed as one attraction, I've always just counted them a a single credit unless the two sides are unique enough for me to regard them as separate layouts. If there's no real difference between the two sides, it doesn't really matter which side you ride.

I know this isn't the usual way of counting, but it works for me.

 

[mouse]

Log flumes etc. DON'T count.
I would say it counts if it has a track and cars, and comes of the ground.

 

[Martyn B]

Do Mack water coasters leave their rails when they hit the water?

 

[Ben]

^Yes, they do. Although it's never "attached" to the rails like a classic coaster is (and I think like a Premier?), it's just in a special trough.

 

[Martyn B]

Well as they do leave the rails, I can kind of see the arguement for people wanting to count Hydro. If a Mack Water coaster counts, then a Mack Supersplash should also count, which then leads to Hydro...

 

[Anonymous]

^ Hydro don't have any uphill sections , where as the Supersplashes have...

 

[Martyn B]

^ So that one very small uphill section means its a coaster?

 

[Ben]

They're "sold" as coasters, by Mack and by the parks, whereas no-one sells the Intamin things as coasters.

That's the line.

 

[gavin]

^Wait ...

You have a line?