What is your mentality towards riding non-kiddie “+1” type coasters?

[Matt N]

Hi guys. Previously, I made a thread asking about people’s mentality towards riding kiddie coasters, as I’m aware that it certainly divides opinion. Today, I’m making another similar thread, and I’m wondering about your mentality towards riding non-kiddie “+1” type coasters, as I’m aware that some people may have a different mentality towards non-kiddie +1s. For clarity, I’m referring to the type of non-kiddie coaster that you might ride just to tick it off the list and get the +1, and have no strong inclination to ride again afterwards. I’m thinking of common cloned models like Reverchon spinning wild mice, Zyklons, SLCs, Boomerangs, Volares etc, but more generally, I’m talking about any non-kiddie coaster type that you personally aren’t a huge fan of and would only really ride to get the +1. I’d be really intrigued to know; what is your personal mentality towards riding these non-kiddie “+1” type coasters?

As I did with the kiddie coaster thread, I’ll specify four categories where I think most people would probably fall into one of them:

• Category A: I’ll ride any non-kiddie “+1” you put in front of me, and I’ll go any distance to ride it. I want that sweet, sweet +1 in my count!
• Category B: I might go to a park exclusively to ride its non-kiddie “+1”s if it’s close to home or close to another major park I’m visiting, but I wouldn’t go far out of my way to visit a park that only has “+1” type coasters.
• Category C: I’ll ride a non-kiddie “+1” if it’s within a park I’m visiting for its more major draws, but I wouldn’t go to a park that only had “+1” type coasters regardless of distance.
• Category D: I don’t bother with any non-kiddie “+1” type coaster. I only want to ride coasters I really enjoy!

I’d be really interested to know; which of these categories do you feel you fall into?

I’m a staunch Category D in terms of kiddie coasters, but I’d probably describe myself as more of a Category B when it comes to non-kiddie “+1”s. If a non-kiddie +1 is nearby, I’ll probably go and ride it to tick it off the list. I rode the Reverchon spinning wild mouse on the end of Blackpool South Pier before when I was in Blackpool to visit the Pleasure Beach, and I recently went to Brean Theme Park, my nearest theme park, for the first time to ride its 3 non-kiddie “+1”s. If a non-kiddie “+1” is located close to home or near to somewhere else with major draws I’m visiting, I will probably go and ride it.

With that being said, I probably wouldn’t travel any significant distance just for “+1” type coasters. I may have been to Brean Theme Park, but I mainly went due to it being reasonably local to me, only being located in Somerset. If it had been located somewhere further away like, say, Newcastle or Norfolk, I wouldn’t have bothered unless I was in the area for other reasons.

But what is your mentality towards riding non-kiddie “+1”s? Which category would you say you fall into?

 

[Trax]

B for sure. If it is close to me, I'll gladly take it as a reason to get the +1, but the pricing has to be somewhat in line (e.g. I wouldn't go to Epcot just to ride Guardians) and the distance shouldn't be too far. I wouldn't travel 100km just for a "+1". Pretty much the same as for kiddy rides to be honest. If it ain't great, it has to be close and affordable.

 

[Sandman]

Another Category B here.

 

[Rob Coasters]

Category A. Done it before, will do it again. The amount of them that I don't really enjoy anymore are growing, but when the funny number goes up higher & higher, me = happy.

 

[Hixee]

Category B, for sure. I won't go [far] out of my way, but have no issue including them in plans. Applies to most creds, to be honest, kiddie or not.

 

[uwurawrus]

+1 is a +1 BAYBEEEEEE

 

[Hyde]

Category B, with a further qualifier of any park ticket above $30-$40 is probably a no-go for me. Dutch Wonderland shall remain an elusive credit for me as result.

 

[Strathven]

I was torn a bit between Cat C and D. I'm not really interested in adding to my coaster count just for its own sake, but sometimes a coaster that seems like it'd be unexciting and more-of-the-same can turn out to be more unique than you expected, and I think that makes trying them out worth it if you have the time between riding the stuff you know you care about.

 

[TPoseOnTantrum]

I'd probably be more Category B, but was pushed to A this past summer as due to work I couldn't travel far/long enough to visit new parks. All kinds of shenanigans ensued as I scraped the bottom of the barrel for regional credits this year, which resulted in a ton of random kiddy tick-offs and completely cleaning up the fair circuit in this part of the country. You know you're too far gone when you find yourself chatting with Quebecois carnies on what fairs their wacky worm typically appears at (six hours away).

 

[Trax]

Just thinking about it… maybe I am more a B+ category. I neither go out of my way for a +1, nor do I pay every price. But from time to time (every 2-3 years) I like to do a small trip including multiple small parks and therefore plenty of +1 as well.

 

[Changa]

I would probably sit as a Cat D, as I am not fussed about bumping up my credit count, and have passed up going on new rides in parks for the sake of rerides (recently: Reriding Goliath instead of trying to get to Speed of Sound).

However, I'm usually jazzed to go on most semi-major rides and would seek them out for the experience of going on them anyway. Eg: If I ever get around to flamingo land, I'd love to try comparatively minor rides like hero and mumbo jumbo as they look like a laugh, and I was 12 when I rode a Volare so the novelty still there. But seeking out something like an SLC would be a lower priority as the +1 aspect would be the key draw there over the ride's novelty, or ride experience, in my opinion.

 

[TilenB]

I think my mindset has changed a few times since I became an enthusiast, though at the moment, I feel like I'm more in the B category rather than A. And even if I do go on trips to regions that don't have any worthwhile coasters, I usually try to tack something else that is of interest on. But yeah, if I'm in the area of a +1 coaster (regardless of whether it's a small or a large one), I'll generally try to grab it. It still depends on the entrance price and the sort of people I'm with, as I've skipped places like Aussie World that were too expensive for what they offered or Tivoli World in Spain when I was travelling with people that weren't interested in visiting theme parks.

 

[ECG]

If it's only a +1, why bother? Cat. D for me.

However, I did get @Ian to ride Hurricane Coaster at Fun Spot Atlanta (+1 for him) on Saturday just for laughs, as it might be the worst coaster in the world currently operating. We skipped the kiddie cred, of course.

 

[witchfinder]

If it's only a +1, why bother? Cat. D for me.

So that 1000+ cred count doesn't consist of any +1's?

Firmly Category B for me now, but I was probably Category A for the first couple of hundred creds in my count when the idea of riding any coaster was exciting. These days I might make the effort if there's a bunch of new creds, +1 or otherwise, but wouldn't spend a lot of time or money for an odd one.

 

[ECG]

So that 1000+ cred count doesn't consist of any +1's?

Oh it does, but that was then and this is now. The older you get the more things change...

 

[witchfinder]

Oh it does, but that was then and this is now. The older you get the more things change...

Oh I definitely agree with that!

 

[Howie]

C, but as I approach 50 I'm becoming more D by the day. In fact, these days I'd sooner ride a nice gentle kiddy cred for the +1 than something that's gonna beat me up.

 

[Boodangy]

I put myself in C, but it might border on D. The thing is, if there's something I'd rather be doing and especially if I'm not with a friend who I wanna have some laughs with on a "bad" ride, I'll skip credits. Especially if they're clones and/or infamously bad models like Volares, most SLCs, Skyrocket IIs or wild mice. I don't wanna waste my time with something that's not thrilling, fun or comfortable unless someone I'm with wants to go. Kiddie coasters (as in not fun for the whole family but actual actual kiddie) I will almost never go on.

 

[I'veGotFourB&MsInMyGarden]

I put B. I'll go on any coaster at least once. That might be because I haven't ridden any that I truly dislike. I won't go an obscene distance purely for a +1. This thread seems pretty fitting given that I'm just on my way home from getting a wacky worm cred. But it's on route when I go to college so other than the 3 quid to ride, it didn't cost me anything.

 

[Flash Shift]

Generally around a C or D. I'll go on medium coasters but won't go miles for them. I've definitely skipped things because I felt like it wasn't worth paying a fiver for a coaster that goes around a small oval or some nonsense like that. Yeah I could have got a +1, but it wouldn't be an important or memorable one. I still don't have the Octonauts credit at Alton Towers to this day as there's just never time for it.

I even skipped Liseberg's two kiddie coasters because I was on my own anyway so it would be weird. Plus it also meant more time on Helix and Balder, which was way more important to me than +2. Whereas I did the kiddie coaster at Tivoli with my mates because it was funny.