Coaster-related survey for EPQ

[Mermalizer]

Hello! I'm currently doing an Extended Project qualification at college - where we get to pick a subject and do a research-based project around it - and I've chosen roller coasters as my topic, since I'd consider myself an enthusiast. My plan is to create an 'idealized' set of roller coasters on No Limits 2, so I'm researching aspects like theming, variety on a global scale and variety within a park. The research will go into a 1000 word essay.
(By the way, I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place, I'm still relatively new around here)
One of the things that helps with the research side of the project is setting up a questionnaire - but with this subject it would be useless sending it to other college students as they'd know very little, so I thought this would be the best place to get info from. I'd really appreciate it if you answered this 'questionnaire' of sorts, just so I can get an idea of what enthusiasts think of these things. It's just about your opinions on roller coasters and the aspects I'd mentioned.

Section 1: General

1. What is your favourite roller coaster that you have done and why?
   
   
2. Out of the roller coasters you haven’t done, which one do you want to try the most and why?
   
   
3. Which type of coaster do you think is the best? (i.e. sit-down, flying, etc.)
   
   
4. Which type of coaster do you think is underrepresented in the world today?
   
   
5. Which type of coaster do you dislike the most?
   

Section 2: Manufacturers

1. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think does best?
   
   
2. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think does best?
   
   
3. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better?
   
   
4. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better?
   
   
5. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best wooden roller coasters?
   
   
6. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best launched coasters?
   
   
7. Do you think B&M would do well if they made more launched coasters?
   

Section 3: Variety

1. Choose the theme park that you think has the best variety of roller coasters.
   
   
2. Choose a park (either your ‘home park’ or the one you visit most often) - do you think they have a good variety of roller coasters?
   
   
3. What roller coaster do you think the park could benefit from and why? (This doesn’t necessarily have to be a realistic answer)
   
   
4. If you could take out one of the coasters from the park, which one would you do and why?
   
   
5. What is your opinion on cloned layouts?
   

Section 4: Theming

1. Is theming an important factor in your enjoyment of roller coasters?
   
   
2. Name a coaster you think is an example of excellent theming and why.
   
   
3. Name a coaster you think is an example of terrible theming (or non-theming) and why.
   
   
4. Do you think use of terrain improves the theming of a ride?
   
   
5. Can parks get away with not theming their roller coasters? (in your perspective, not the general public’s)
   
   
6. What themes do you wish to see more of?
   
   
7. What themes do you think are overused?
   
   
8. What is your opinion on the use of intellectual property as theming?
   
   
9. Is theming more important for smaller parks or larger parks? Why?
   

Section 5: Evaluation

1. Overall, are you satisfied with your home park? Why?
   
   
2. Which specific types of coaster do you think are overused?
   
   
3. What coasters do you want to see built in the next five years?
   
   
4. Finally, what do you think is the most important factor in the success of a roller coaster?

Again, I'd really appreciate it if you took a minute to answer, since this would help a ton with the research report. Thank you!

 

[Hixee]

Section 1: General

1. What is your favourite roller coaster that you have done and why? Lightning Rod. The drop and hills are amazing, and the quad-down is the best thing ever. The feeling of speed as you accelerate down each of the drops is incredible.

2. Out of the roller coasters you haven’t done, which one do you want to try the most and why? A tough one, but at the moment I think probably Helix. It looks like a fantastic ride at a fantastic park, with a great layout, inversions and terrain interaction.

3. Which type of coaster do you think is the best? (i.e. sit-down, flying, etc.) Probably sit-down, as it's the most general category I suppose. Looking at my top ten, it's a mix of steel/wood (with a few hybrids in there too), but mostly sit-down. The first non-sit down (Nemesis) is down at 9th.

4. Which type of coaster do you think is underrepresented in the world today? I don't know... It's hard to answer this without just saying something like "more RMCs". EDIT: Thanks to @ASteelersMidget I'd like to add Chance Hyper GT-X coasters to this response. It was so fab, there need to be more. <3

5. Which type of coaster do you dislike the most? Volares. They're ghastly. Or maybe any of the generic Reverchon ****.


Section 2: Manufacturers

1. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think does best? Probably just one of the big manufacturers to be honest. Intamin's catalog is very large, with a lot of different models available (or that have been available over the years).

2. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think does best? It's hard to not say B&M for me. I haven't ridden enough Mack coasters yet, but B&M are, deservedly so, the gold standard.

3. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better? I'd like to see Vekoma expand. With their new coasters for the coming years looking very promising, I think they will be a force to be reckoned with. I look forward to seeing more from them.

4. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better? I really feel like Gerstlauer could do better. They're rides always look cool, but never ride that well as their shaping always feels a little off.

5. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best wooden roller coasters? RMC. As for solely wooden coasters, I really like Gravity Group/Great Coasters modern rides.

6. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best launched coasters? The best launches are the Intamin hydraulic launches, but I think Mack probably make better launched coasters as a whole package.

7. Do you think B&M would do well if they made more launched coasters? Well Thunderbird is great (probably the best Wing coaster I've done), so they probably would, yes.


Section 3: Variety

1. Choose the theme park that you think has the best variety of roller coasters. Another tough question, but Dollywood is a good call here I reckon. They’ve got a good B&M wing coaster, an Arrow looper, a fantastic family coaster, a decent Eurofighter and a good woodie. Oh, and Lightning Rod.

2. Choose a park (either your ‘home park’ or the one you visit most often) - do you think they have a good variety of roller coasters? Probably either Paultons or Thorpe for me. Both are okay. Paultons feels great for its target audience, and Thorpe just need something new and good, but they’ve both got a good spread.

3. What roller coaster do you think the park could benefit from and why? (This doesn’t necessarily have to be a realistic answer). Thorpe could really do with a woodie (a really really good one) to try to break the UK market’s reluctance of woodies. That or a B&M hyper (like Fury 325), showing that a coaster with no inversions can be amazing.

4. If you could take out one of the coasters from the park, which one would you do and why? Saw. I don’t like it one bit.

5. What is your opinion on cloned layouts? They serve a purpose. They’re not the best, but they’re trying to give parks and easier (and cheaper) route to getting a new ride and more guests.


Section 4: Theming

1. Is theming an important factor in your enjoyment of roller coasters? No. It can increase my enjoyment, but it’s not essential.

2. Name a coaster you think is an example of excellent theming and why. Nemesis. The setting, the story, the queue, the station, the waterfalls, I love all of it. Taron is probably similar, but I haven’t been to see it myself yet...

3. Name a coaster you think is an example of terrible theming (or non-theming) and why. Scream! At Six Flags Magic Mountain. Only saving grace is that it doesn’t even pretend to have any.

4. Do you think use of terrain improves the theming of a ride? Yes. It’s rare that it doesn’t.

5. Can parks get away with not theming their roller coasters? (in your perspective, not the general public’s) Of course. Whole chains of parks (Cedar Fair, for example) have very little in the way of theming and yet still have some fantastic coasters.

6. What themes do you wish to see more of? Pass.

7. What themes do you think are overused? Shipping containers? [/obvious]

8. What is your opinion on the use of intellectual property as theming? As with everything, if done well it can be effective. If used carelessly or as a gimmick, it’s a waste of time.

9. Is theming more important for smaller parks or larger parks? Why? Neither. I think it’s equally important/not important for both.


Section 5: Evaluation

1. Overall, are you satisfied with your home park? Why? That wouldn’t be fair to say, seeing as I only visit them once every couple of years each.

2. Which specific types of coaster do you think are overused? Tivolis? Haha.

3. What coasters do you want to see built in the next five years? RMCs, Macks and B&Ms.

4. Finally, what do you think is the most important factor in the success of a roller coaster? Good, well thought-out design. If you’ve got a good coaster, you don’t have to add gimmicks or even theming, for people to enjoy it and to get guests through the gate. Seriously, just start by making kick-ass rides, the rest will come.

 

[peep]

Section 1: General

1. What is your favourite roller coaster that you have done and why? Taron, immersive theming, fantastic launches, close encounters with other bits of track/theming, just a really fun ride experience.
   
   
2. Out of the roller coasters you haven’t done, which one do you want to try the most and why? Has to be Flash, that massive Mack coaster in China or one of the newer launch S&S beasts in China.
   
   
3. Which type of coaster do you think is the best? (i.e. sit-down, flying, etc.) I suppose sit-down, just as there's quite a lot of variety just within that type.
   
   
4. Which type of coaster do you think is underrepresented in the world today? Stand-Up? Not really sure with this one, Togo stand ups are actually fab but I feel the B&M stand-ups sort of ruined the ride type with layouts that used forces better suited for sit-downs rather than the awkward standing position.
   
   
5. Which type of coaster do you dislike the most? Flying. I just find the position very uncomfortable. Granted there can be some great moments but if I spend most of the ride feeling uncomfortable then yeah, I'm going to find it harder to approve.

Section 2: Manufacturers

1. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think does best? Mack. They have such a diverse range of attractions, both in flat rides and in coasters. They're also one of the more innovative ride manufacturers out there, always combing different elements to create a whole new ride type.
   
   
2. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think does best? B&M. They're the luxury brand of the coaster World, always provide a solid, smooth experience.
   
   
3. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better? B&M? Yet at the same time I'd rather they stuck to what they're good at.
   
   
4. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better? Intamin. They create so many interesting rides but they're always plagued with issues, would like to see their products be a little more reliable.
   
   
5. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best wooden roller coasters? *shrug*
   
   
6. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best launched coasters? Tough one this as none of them are consistent with their quality. Going to go with Intamin purely for Taron and making the Stealth/Ka/TTD.
   
   
7. Do you think B&M would do well if they made more launched coasters? No idea, B&Ms are rather large and a park can probably get more for their money when it comes to a launch coaster with other manufacturers.

Section 3: Variety

1. Choose the theme park that you think has the best variety of roller coasters. Six Flags Magic Mountain. Is there anything they don't have? So many great rides in their giant range too.
   
   
2. Choose a park (either your ‘home park’ or the one you visit most often) - do you think they have a good variety of roller coasters? Gonna have to choose Disneyland Paris as it's my most visited on a regular basis. I suppose they do, a great powered kids coaster, two great launch coasters, fun thrill coaster, fantastic family coaster, fun spinning coaster and a fun shuttle coaster.
   
   
3. What roller coaster do you think the park could benefit from and why? (This doesn’t necessarily have to be a realistic answer) Would love to see them get a Vekoma bike launched coaster either Tron or one themed to that Star Wars forest scene with the Stormtroopers racing after you.
   
   
4. If you could take out one of the coasters from the park, which one would you do and why? RC Racer. Least fav of the lot but I still like it.
   
   
5. What is your opinion on cloned layouts? I'm not as against them as most people. Cloned rides in the same park is too far but in the same country? I can deal with that. Sometimes theming can make all the difference too, Indianna Jones in Disneyland Paris and Raging Spirits at Tokyo DisneySea are the same yet provide difference experiences due to the theming.

Section 4: Theming

1. Is theming an important factor in your enjoyment of roller coasters? I would be lying if I said it wasn't. Yet I can still enjoy a coaster that has zero themed elements.
   
   
2. Name a coaster you think is an example of excellent theming and why. Taron. The entire area is just an example of excellent theming. The entire area is just an immersive area full of buildings, themed rockwork, layered paths and Taron (and Raik) just flying around, through and over everything.
   
   
3. Name a coaster you think is an example of terrible theming (or non-theming) and why. Banshee (Kings Island). One building and some gravestones does not make a "themed" environment. I'd prefer it if they'd just concentrated on making a good queue that doesn't sit in the sun.
   
   
4. Do you think use of terrain improves the theming of a ride? Yes, thinking you're not that high up and then to be exposed to a giant drop into a valley or whatever can be extremely awesome.
   
   
5. Can parks get away with not theming their roller coasters? (in your perspective, not the general public’s) Yeah, not every park is a theme park. Amusement parks with zero theming are just as popular as those that bother creating a more immersive experience.
   
   
6. What themes do you wish to see more of? Steampunk. I think there's a lot of things that could be done and parks don't really touch it (even when they do, it doesn't seem to be much more than a sign or a bit of a station).
   
   
7. What themes do you think are overused? Bland, short-lived IPs.
   
   
8. What is your opinion on the use of intellectual property as theming? Depends on how it is used. It can be immersive and provide a great experience or it could just be some cardboard cut outs and some signage.
   
   
9. Is theming more important for smaller parks or larger parks? Why? I wouldn't say it's important for either

Section 5: Evaluation

1. Overall, are you satisfied with your home park? Why? If I'm still talking about Paris, then yes. Always have a great time and there's usually something new for me to experience. If you mean what's closest to me (so Chessington: WoA, Thorpe Park and Legoland) then I'll tell you I haven't visited any of them this year and don't really intend to go next year either - I think that says enough.
   
   
2. Which specific types of coaster do you think are overused? Can any type ever be over-used?
   
   
3. What coasters do you want to see built in the next five years? Ones with more interesting and unique layouts.
   
   
4. Finally, what do you think is the most important factor in the success of a roller coaster? Just be a solid, fun ride that is available to the largest range of peeps. No gimmicks.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Section 1: General

What is your favourite roller coaster that you have done and why?
My favorite roller coaster is The Voyage at Holiday World. I like it because it is long, has numerous moments of airtime, has a variety of elements, and it uses the terrain quite well.

Out of the roller coasters you haven’t done, which one do you want to try the most and why?
I would like to ride Lightning Rod the most, because it has a very consistent speed and layout(it packs a punch all the way til the end, no drawn out ending), has lots of airtime, and uses the terrain extremely well.

Which type of coaster do you think is the best? (i.e. sit-down, flying, etc.)
My favorite type of coaster is a wooden sit-down coaster made by Rocky Mountain Construction.

Which type of coaster do you think is underrepresented in the world today?
I feel that Lightning Run at Kentucky Kingdom(Chance Hyper GT-X) is quite underrepresented, as it is a very good coaster, despite it being the only model in existence.

Which type of coaster do you dislike the most?
I despise SLCs due to their roughness and unoriginality.

Section 2: Manufacturers

When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think does best?
I think that Intamin has the most variety, with numerous types of coasters, flat rides, towers, water rides, etc.

When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think does best?
B&M constantly opens quality rides throughout the world, so them. I'd say Mack, but their earlier creations aren't the best.

When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better?
I think that RMC needs more variety, but that's simply due to the short lifespan it's had so far. It has 2 additional models out for sale, and I'm sure more are on the way.

When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better?
Zamperla really needs to get their **** together when it comes to making (good) coasters.

Which manufacturer do you think makes the best wooden roller coasters?
If they count, RMC by a landslide. But if you don't think so, Gravity Group constantly pushes the boundaries of Wooden Coaster technology.

Which manufacturer do you think makes the best launched coasters?
Intamin, however Mack isn't too far behind.

Do you think B&M would do well if they made more launched coasters?
I think that B&M can benefit from making more launch coasters, but it wouldn't hurt them to not make any, either.

Section 3: Variety

Choose the theme park that you think has the best variety of roller coasters.
I'm going to say Hersheypark, because they really have a ride for everyone. Want a super-intense ride with lots of speed? Skyrush and Storm Runner covers that. Want a gentle ride without a lot of intensity? Trailblazer, Sooperdooperlooper, and Laff Trakk can do that. Want a ride with numerous inversions? Fahrenheit and Great Bear. Want a classic woodie? Comet. Modern woodie? Lightning Racer. They have it all.

Choose a park (either your ‘home park’ or the one you visit most often) - do you think they have a good variety of roller coasters?
Six Flags Great America- I feel they have a great variety- lots of woodies, high-thrill, family, and kiddie creds of all types. The two big holes I see in the park are for a full-circuit Launch Coaster and a sit-down mega looper.

What roller coaster do you think the park could benefit from and why? (This doesn’t necessarily have to be a realistic answer)
Going off of what I said, I think that a Mack Launch or Mega Coaster(i.e. Helix, Flash, Blue Fire, etc.) would do the park wonders.

If you could take out one of the coasters from the park, which one would you do and why?
Coaster-wise, I'd remove The Dark Knight Coaster because it'd simply a bad experience. Not to mention that it replaced a theater with a queueline, which could've easily gone outside. However, if I had the chance, I would remove Buccaneer Battle(a Mack Splash Battle) immediately. It never has a line, wastes water, and looks quite tacky now that the paint has been sunbleached for just under a decade now.

What is your opinion on cloned layouts?
I think they're a great idea business-wise. If it's successful at one location, why not build that ride, which is known to be successful, instead of experimenting with a new coaster type? However, if you travel a lot, it can get quite redundant.

Section 4: Theming

Is theming an important factor in your enjoyment of roller coasters?
Not really, but it is a nice touch.

Name a coaster you think is an example of excellent theming and why.
Taron at Phantasialand, because the area was designed to incorporate the coaster around it, not the other way around like most coasters. Plus, Phantasialand is known for creating extremely immersive, well-themed areas.

Name a coaster you think is an example of terrible theming (or non-theming) and why.
Valravn at Cedar Point. Similar to Banshee, a building, a giant throne with the ride logo, and a wall doesn't make a theme.

Do you think use of terrain improves the theming of a ride?
I wouldn't say t'heming' per say, but rather the experience as a whole, absolutely yes. The terrain improves a ride experience by a large margin.

Can parks get away with not theming their roller coasters? (in your perspective, not the general public’s)
Yes, as long as they don't market the ride with one. A good example is Millennium Force. The ride doesn't really have a theme(I guess the year 2000 maybe?), but it's still regarded as a great roller coaster by many. Cedar Point didn't market with a theme, they used the records it broke to market it.

What themes do you wish to see more of?
Agreeing with peep, Steampunk is such a good looking theme with so much potential, yet only a handful of rides have that theme.

What themes do you think are overused?
Any form of IP. They can quickly go out-of-style, and only work when that IP is popular. An example is The Dark Knight coasters at many Six Flags parks. They were made in the same timeframe as The Dark Knight movie. So by now, it's a rather outdated IP.

What is your opinion on the use of intellectual property as theming?
See above

Is theming more important for smaller parks or larger parks? Why?
Like said above, it's not a necessity for either.

Section 5: Evaluation

Overall, are you satisfied with your home park? Why?
Yes, it has a wide variety of coasters, as well as a fair few quality coasters. The theming is better than most Six Flags parks, and still has themed areas(although loose by now, you can still see them quite clearly).

Which specific types of coaster do you think are overused?
I'm going to say Boomerangs. They're quite repetitive, they're used in almost every major theme park company, and are quite rough.

What coasters do you want to see built in the next five years?
I think I'd like to see the new Vekoma Launch/Mega coasters popping up within 5 years. Also, RMCs and Macks still have quite a lot of areas to work in(RMCs in Europe and Asia, and Macks in America).

Finally, what do you think is the most important factor in the success of a roller coaster?
I think that the 'Wow' factor is the most important part of a coaster. When you hit the brake run, you want to ask yourself 'Wow, what did I just do?', and you want to do it again and again to get the full experience.

 

[Mermalizer]

Thanks for all the replies so far - hopefully some of your opinions will help me with my report

 

[seamaur]

What is your favourite roller coaster that you have done and why?
My favorite roller coaster is Maverick at Cedar Point. I like it because it is long (for a launch coaster), has crazy ejector air, is very intense and fits in really nicely to CP's Frontier Town.
Out of the roller coasters you haven’t done, which one do you want to try the most and why?
I want to ride Expedition GeForce at Holiday Park. It has always been rated very high, looks like it has crazy amounts of airtime and speed, and has a very solid layout. Plus, it's Intamin, so can you really go wrong?
Which type of coaster do you think is the best? (i.e. sit-down, flying, etc.)
My favorite type of coaster is sitdowns made by either Intamin or B&M.
Which type of coaster do you think is underrepresented in the world today?
I think that the world needs more Six Flags made (Viper - SFGAm) woodies. Viper is really awesome, has tons of airtime, and I would love to see what else they can come up with.
Which type of coaster do you dislike the most?
SLCs - Rough and not at all enjoyable, even with new restraints.
Section 2: Manufacturers
When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think does best?
Intamin has the most variety, but it is very hit or miss on whether they open on time and are full of problems.
When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think does best?
B&M makes really good rides that are super reliable and stay smooth.
When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better?
I know it is difficult to change a woodie, but I would love to see some crazy announcements/new ideas come from GCI.
When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better?
While have not ridden any of Gerstlauer's new infinity coasters, the Euro Fighters all look pretty good, but really aren't. I would say they need to pick it up to get into the bigger parks.
Which manufacturer do you think makes the best wooden roller coasters?
I am a giant GCI fan. I love the twisty and quick transitions. The airtime is great and the rides have excellent pacing.
Which manufacturer do you think makes the best launched coasters?
Intamin. Really forceful and usually are very smooth.
Do you think B&M would do well if they made more launched coasters?
I love the launch on Thunderbird at Holiday World. I think that it really adds to the variety of B&Ms and can't wait to see what will come from them in the next few years.
Section 3: Variety
Choose the theme park that you think has the best variety of roller coasters.
I'll have to go with the cop out answer for this one - Cedar Point. They have almost the entire B&M catalog now, the big three Intamins, an old school woodie, mine train, hyper, suspended, a really good racer, old school looper, an impulse, and some decent kiddie coasters.
Choose a park (either your ‘home park’ or the one you visit most often) - do you think they have a good variety of roller coasters?
Six Flags Great America- I think they have one of the best coaster collections in the country. With three awesome woodies, the last Schwarzkopf Speed Racer in the country, a unique hyper, a Batman clone, a really fun wing coaster, a Superman clone, a Joker clone, Mack wild mouse, a cheesy 1980s Arrow looper, an impulse, and some pretty good kiddie coasters with a Vekoma roller skater and PTC Jr. woodie. Quite a few clones, but at least the are good rides.
What roller coaster do you think the park could benefit from and why? (This doesn’t necessarily have to be a realistic answer)
I think Great America needs a full circuit launch coaster from either Mack or Intamin. V2 just doesn't cut it anymore.
If you could take out one of the coasters from the park, which one would you do and why?
I would get rid of Dark Knight. Not all the effects work anymore, it took up one of the big theaters in the park, and never has the lines that it used to. Also, I just wouldn't be able to get rid of any of the other "real" coasters.
What is your opinion on cloned layouts?
I think they are great if they have a solid layout. The Batman clones are pretty amazing, however the Superman flyers leave something to be desired. I also really enjoy the Premier Spaghetti Bowls and the Backlot Stunt Coasters.
Section 4: Theming
Is theming an important factor in your enjoyment of roller coasters?
No, in fact, if it makes the queue longer because they added theming, it just annoys me.
Name a coaster you think is an example of excellent theming and why.
Expedition Everest - the mountain is pretty awesome and disco yeti used to be pretty cool as well. Disney always hits it out of the park when theming coasters.
Name a coaster you think is an example of terrible theming (or non-theming) and why.
Superman Ultimate Flight - Take your pick on the park. Cardboard cutouts, and the Superman theme song do not make a ride themed.
Do you think use of terrain improves the theming of a ride?
I would say it could. A great example would be Nemesis at Alton Towers. Crazy trenches and tunnels are what make that ride as good as it is.
Can parks get away with not theming their roller coasters? (in your perspective, not the general public’s)
Absolutely, but if it is not a strong theme, do not even attempt it. I would say the light theming on Voyage compliments quite nicely, however any of the DC coasters at Six Flags parks are pretty bad imo.
What themes do you wish to see more of?
I would love to see more rides themed to popular things of the 80s/90s. There is not a whole lot of rides themed to that time period.
What themes do you think are overused?
I agree with just about every IP, especially any superhero.
What is your opinion on the use of intellectual property as theming?
Hate it - gets outdated and is usually done with tons of cut corners and budget cuts.
Is theming more important for smaller parks or larger parks? Why?
I feel like smaller parks can much get out of a theme much easier. It is easy for them to just be themed as an old fashion amusement park/
Section 5: Evaluation
Overall, are you satisfied with your home park? Why?
Yes, it is a great Six Flags park, has one of the best coaster collections imo, and I really just love the overall feel of the park.
Which specific types of coaster do you think are overused?
Boomerangs and SLCs - Rough and it seems that just about every park has one.
What coasters do you want to see built in the next five years?
I think that we will see quite a few more Mack and Vekomas slowly take over Intamin. Intamin just doesn't have the business it used to and the US needs more Mack.
Finally, what do you think is the most important factor in the success of a roller coaster?
The most important factor, for me, is just an overall enjoyable ride - smooth, airtime, re rideable, and the less the tech difficulties, the better.

 

[Amy Lloyd]

Im starting my EPQ too next month on this subject Ill answer your questions

1. What is your favourite roller coaster that you have done and why? Nemesis, the sheer force is why I like it
   
   
2. Out of the roller coasters you haven’t done, which one do you want to try the most and why? X2 and SFMM, because I can't imagine a sensation like it, im curious about what you may feel on it.
   
   
3. Which type of coaster do you think is the best? (i.e. sit-down, flying, etc.) Flying, I just love to feel like I'm actually flying around.
   
4. Which type of coaster do you think is underrepresented in the world today? Probably the big dipper at Blackpool, it's a classic, and in my opinion, it still runs incredibly despite its age.
   
   
5. Which type of coaster do you dislike the most? Coasters like the Wild Mouse at Blackpool. I don't like the fast corners and I find the carriages very uncomfortable.

Section 2: Manufacturers

1. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think does best? I would say arrow because of it's great history, but I do like B and M because of how comfortable the restraints are, and I like how (on most b and M's) the track is so smooth.
   
   
2. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think does best? B and M.
   
   
3. When it comes to variety, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better? I'm not really sure, (and someone will probably correct me) but I haven't seen much variety on Gertslaur coasters? I haven't really had the chance to get around as im only 16, but I haven't seen much of a variety.
   
   
4. When it comes to quality, which ride manufacturer do you think could do better? Vekoma, as more times than not the rides are very rough, which makes it hard to be enjoyable. However, my guilty pleasure is infusion. I love it.
   
   
5. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best wooden roller coasters? Im not well up on wooden coasters, but because of their age and the fact they're still running wonderfully today, I have to say Charles Paige?
   
   
6. Which manufacturer do you think makes the best launched coasters? Mack
   
   
7. Do you think B&M would do well if they made more launched coasters? Possibly- they are already renound for very good coasters.

Section 3: Variety

1. Choose the theme park that you think has the best variety of roller coasters. Blackpool Pleasure beach- but in America, probably SYMM or Cedar Point.
   
   
2. Choose a park (either your ‘home park’ or the one you visit most often) - do you think they have a good variety of roller coasters? My home park is Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and I think they have a wonderful variety.
   
   
3. What roller coaster do you think the park could benefit from and why? (This doesn’t necessarily have to be a realistic answer) I think they could benefit from a flying coaster. The only one that is kind of a flying coaster in the North is Hero- and lets just say it isn't the best.
   
   
4. If you could take out one of the coasters from the park, which one would you do and why? The wild mouse, which I nickname the 'death trap'. It probably is safe, but to me, it just doesn't feel safe at all, and its extremely uncomfortable and a bit rough.
   
   
5. What is your opinion on cloned layouts? I like them- if it is a good coaster.

Section 4: Theming

1. Is theming an important factor in your enjoyment of roller coasters? Yes- but I wouldn't say that the theming drastically impliments my enjoyment on a coaster.
   
   
2. Name a coaster you think is an example of excellent theming and why. Nemesis at Alton Towers, even though the red river has been removed, it still have brilliant alien theming, and I love it how they themed around the terrain.
   
   
3. Name a coaster you think is an example of terrible theming (or non-theming) and why. The Big One at Blackpool. I'm sure the partnership with Pepsi max has ended, yet the pepsi can is still present. Apart from that, the ride has 0 theming.
   
   
4. Do you think use of terrain improves the theming of a ride? Yes, take Nemesis for example, the theming comes so close to the ride itself because of the hills, and it makes you feel as if you're near the actual Nemesis Alien.
   
   
5. Can parks get away with not theming their roller coasters? (in your perspective, not the general public’s) Yes- take Blackpool. They have next to no themeing on most of the rides, but still get large queues.
   
   
6. What themes do you wish to see more of? I love the racing themes, like stealth or rita- especially on a launch coaster.
   
   
7. What themes do you think are overused? Dark themes, like ghosts, or haunted people etc.
   
   
8. What is your opinion on the use of intellectual property as theming? I don't really have an opinion.
   
   
9. Is theming more important for smaller parks or larger parks? Why? For larger parks- because they can market the coasters with a theme that could be used in advertisement.

Section 5: Evaluation

1. Overall, are you satisfied with your home park? Why? Yes- there is a fantastic range of coasters and flat rides, and with the upcoming project 2018, I am extremely exited.
   
   
2. Which specific types of coaster do you think are overused? Horrid pinfaris in smaller parks
   
   
3. What coasters do you want to see built in the next five years? Obviously project 2018, but hopefully a 4D one at some point in England, a huge looping coaster, a launched wing coaster like furious baco (but not as rough), and maybe another flying coaster.
   
   
4. Finally, what do you think is the most important factor in the success of a roller coaster? If people actually enjoy the ride and come off with a smile.

[/QUOTE]