What got you interested in...
- Thread starter The Grape Wizard
- Start date
coastermac
Roller Poster
Visiting LegoLand Windsor in 1998, Whilst only being small the Dragon coaster amazed me! I went to Alton towers in '99 whilst Oblivion was still the 'Best in the west' and that just finished the deal for me 
Mackem Lad
Mega Poster
Well I had been visiting theme parks as a kid as a typical family would do.
I only really start getting interested in rollercoasters after I got broadband at home. Prior to an upcoming trip to Flamingo Land I did a little search on what was new for that particular year. It was from here that I discovered the whole rollercoaster community and soon enough found myself coming back more and more.
I only really start getting interested in rollercoasters after I got broadband at home. Prior to an upcoming trip to Flamingo Land I did a little search on what was new for that particular year. It was from here that I discovered the whole rollercoaster community and soon enough found myself coming back more and more.
Deano
Mega Poster
Well i went to Clarence pier a number of times with my family when i was very very young. Eventually i got the guts to go on Skyways and loved it so that was one of my first coasters. Legoland was also one of my first proper theme parks that i went to and rode the rides. What really got me into them a lot and into a enthusiast was a trip to Orlando and going to Magic Kingdom, IOA, Universal Studios, MGM and Sea World. I loved the Hulk coaster and Kraken and have gone on most coasters since. The only reason i went was because a charity called Dreamflight paid for kids that had been through a lot to go on a holiday to Orlando and to a bunch of theme parks. I probably wouldn't be into roller coasters if it wasn't for that.
CreditCrazy
Hyper Poster
Well, living in Southern California my whole life, I went to Disneyland often (even though I don't really remember it).
I rode my first coaster when I was three (Little Dipper at Castle Amusement Park) and really liked it; I remember riding it over-and-over.
When I was four I was forced to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland because according to my parent's it was just a "choo-choo train". I hated it.
For several more years I was forced on rides and hated all of them (Pirates of the Carribean, Pteranodon Flyers at IOA, Mulholland Madness, etc.) although as I got older, even though I was still scared of coasters, I loved going to parks! I remember visiting SFMM and KBF in 2006 and not riding one ride, not even kiddie coasters or log rides, but still having a lot of fun. I was fascinated by how big the coasters were, and I could watch and take pictures of them for hours (and I did).
Eventually, after a couple more years of doing this, in March of 2008 I went on a "mini-trip" to Northern California to visit family and go to CGA, SFDK, SCBB, and GG. I rode the kiddie/family coasters at all of the parks and the log rides.
I slowly eased my way into coasters, by then riding rides like Revolution and Ninja, and then Viper, Batman and Scream, and then Tatsu and Riddler's, etc. Now I will ride any coaster (unless it spins rapidly).
So, really, I've been "in to" coasters for a while now. I think I started looking up/learning about roller coasters around 2007 and I joined my first forums in 2008.
By the way, at the beginning of last year, my coaster-count was 7. Now it's 126.
I rode my first coaster when I was three (Little Dipper at Castle Amusement Park) and really liked it; I remember riding it over-and-over.
When I was four I was forced to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland because according to my parent's it was just a "choo-choo train". I hated it.
For several more years I was forced on rides and hated all of them (Pirates of the Carribean, Pteranodon Flyers at IOA, Mulholland Madness, etc.) although as I got older, even though I was still scared of coasters, I loved going to parks! I remember visiting SFMM and KBF in 2006 and not riding one ride, not even kiddie coasters or log rides, but still having a lot of fun. I was fascinated by how big the coasters were, and I could watch and take pictures of them for hours (and I did).
Eventually, after a couple more years of doing this, in March of 2008 I went on a "mini-trip" to Northern California to visit family and go to CGA, SFDK, SCBB, and GG. I rode the kiddie/family coasters at all of the parks and the log rides.
I slowly eased my way into coasters, by then riding rides like Revolution and Ninja, and then Viper, Batman and Scream, and then Tatsu and Riddler's, etc. Now I will ride any coaster (unless it spins rapidly).
So, really, I've been "in to" coasters for a while now. I think I started looking up/learning about roller coasters around 2007 and I joined my first forums in 2008.
By the way, at the beginning of last year, my coaster-count was 7. Now it's 126.
CMonster
Giga Poster
I've been going to BGA since I was two and Disney World when I was 18 months old, not riding any roller coasters of course but just being near them. We started to go to the Magic Kingdom every year with our family, so my first roller coaster ever was the Barnstormer when I was about 3 maybe.
Then I started riding the "big" rides like Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain when I was about 4 or 5 years old, and my dad persuaded me to go on Scorpion when I was 5 or 6 as my first looping coaster.
When I was about 7 I rode Python, and I was 7-9 when I rode Gwazi and went to SFoG, where I rode Ninja and GASM. That was when I started really loving and becoming interested in coasters, although I wasn't a full enthusiast.
When I was 9 or 10 I rode Montu and Kumba, my first actually big roller coasters, and that completely hooked me. My parents bought me a roller coaster book, and I started becoming a "real" enthusiast. When I was like 11 I rode Sheikra, and later I found this site and eventually joined.
Oh, yeah, and RCT helped a lot, too.
Then I started riding the "big" rides like Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain when I was about 4 or 5 years old, and my dad persuaded me to go on Scorpion when I was 5 or 6 as my first looping coaster.
When I was about 7 I rode Python, and I was 7-9 when I rode Gwazi and went to SFoG, where I rode Ninja and GASM. That was when I started really loving and becoming interested in coasters, although I wasn't a full enthusiast.
When I was 9 or 10 I rode Montu and Kumba, my first actually big roller coasters, and that completely hooked me. My parents bought me a roller coaster book, and I started becoming a "real" enthusiast. When I was like 11 I rode Sheikra, and later I found this site and eventually joined.
Oh, yeah, and RCT helped a lot, too.
M_Force_4_ever
Roller Poster
I remember being "interested" in roller coaster from a very young age (I want to say around 5) because my parents had gotten my family season passes to SFGAm for as long as I could remember, and even though when I was that young I was to scared to ride them I still was fascinated by them. My parents also got me copies of "America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills in 3D" and "World's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills" and I watched those tapes all the time. Than when I was on my 7th grade field trip to SFGAm my friend talked me into riding the Demon and at that moment my passion for riding roller coasters was born.
I rode my first kiddie coaster when I was 4 years old & my first woodie when I was 7 or 8. I also remember the thrill of going to Carowinds the year it opened. I always rode all the coasters at all the German fairs I went to every year & went to SFGAdv every year after I moved to New York (in 1982) just to ride the coasters. However, I was never a coaster enthusiast until I joined CF just over a year ago. So put me in the same boat as Ian & Gavin and thanks to all of you for making this change in my life. :--D
When I was very young (I'm talking 2 or 3 years old) I had a strong interest in trains and would ask my parents to take me to as many railways as possible.
Then, when I was about 3 or 4 years old, my parents took me to Port Aventura and I was amazed by these "modern" railways (coasters) and the spectacular theming and landscaping of the place.
After that it was out with trains, in with coasters and theme parks! I tried to find out as much as I could about them. I remember how excited I was when my parents took me on a surprise visit to Chessington for the first time. I would try to find books, magazines, TV programmes - anything with coasters in them!
Then RCT came along and really boosted my interest. I found out so much from that game.
And then finally in 2005 I got access to the internet which was the ultimate resource.
Despite all this, I was actually terrified of coasters when I was little. But I still loved to go to theme parks and admire them. I've also grown up loving theming, which is why I have such an obsession with Disney parks.
Then, when I was about 3 or 4 years old, my parents took me to Port Aventura and I was amazed by these "modern" railways (coasters) and the spectacular theming and landscaping of the place.
After that it was out with trains, in with coasters and theme parks! I tried to find out as much as I could about them. I remember how excited I was when my parents took me on a surprise visit to Chessington for the first time. I would try to find books, magazines, TV programmes - anything with coasters in them!
Then RCT came along and really boosted my interest. I found out so much from that game.
And then finally in 2005 I got access to the internet which was the ultimate resource.
Despite all this, I was actually terrified of coasters when I was little. But I still loved to go to theme parks and admire them. I've also grown up loving theming, which is why I have such an obsession with Disney parks.
Chris Coasters
Strata Poster
When I was little i was scared and afraid of them and I didn't like them at all but I use to go to Canobie Lake Park every year and I warmed up to them. Once I went on bizarro i became addicted and I love everything about coasters speed, loops, height, everything. I found CF after looking up on ride pov's on youtube.
ATTACKHAMMER
Strata Poster
It was Space Mountain that got me interested.
Brett7710
Mega Poster
I have a vague memory of really enjoying a day at Alton Towers when I was young, my parents don't do theme parks so I didn't make it to another major park until about 10 years after. By that time AT had grown into some kind of magical place in my mind. For that reason I was pretty enthuiastic about getting to Alton and BPB when I was old enough to go without an adult.
RCT and youtube are the reasons for me becoming an 'enthusiast' though. Hours spent building parks and watching POV's made me realise just how many awesome coasters and parks are out there.
RCT and youtube are the reasons for me becoming an 'enthusiast' though. Hours spent building parks and watching POV's made me realise just how many awesome coasters and parks are out there.
madhjsp
Giga Poster
Starting when I was about 7 or 8, my family used to go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg a couple of times a year, and over time I just really warmed up to all the coasters there & grew to love them, where I had once been terrified of them. I was also subscribed to the Boy Scouts magazine, and they ran an article called 'Scream Machines' back in 1998 (Google books link here if you want to check it out - the article starts on pg. 16) which really got me thinking about coasters more. Then somewhere in there I picked up a copy of RCT and got hooked on that.. I got both expansion packs when they were released and managed to beat most (though not all) of the scenarios. That certainly had a lot do to with nurturing my growing admiration for roller coasters.
Then I think around the time we made our first family trip to Busch Gardens Tampa (2003-ish), I had just discovered RCDB while browsing around the internet, and I remember being completely fascinated by the wealth of information & pictures on the site. I'd literally spend hours just looking up coasters I'd heard of and ones I wanted to know more about, then use the information I found there to search other websites for more facts and stories. I'd say by that point, coasters had become a full-blown obsession, though I'd only ridden less than 10 of them! As it turned out, that aforementioned trip to BGT was the first one where I can remember thinking "Ok, gotta try to ride all the coasters here" while also being completely unafraid of trying even the biggest ones. I guess I would retroactively consider that the unofficial start of my "enthusiast" phase, though I wasn't aware of and didn't start to use that term until much later, probably right around the time I joined CF.
Then I think around the time we made our first family trip to Busch Gardens Tampa (2003-ish), I had just discovered RCDB while browsing around the internet, and I remember being completely fascinated by the wealth of information & pictures on the site. I'd literally spend hours just looking up coasters I'd heard of and ones I wanted to know more about, then use the information I found there to search other websites for more facts and stories. I'd say by that point, coasters had become a full-blown obsession, though I'd only ridden less than 10 of them! As it turned out, that aforementioned trip to BGT was the first one where I can remember thinking "Ok, gotta try to ride all the coasters here" while also being completely unafraid of trying even the biggest ones. I guess I would retroactively consider that the unofficial start of my "enthusiast" phase, though I wasn't aware of and didn't start to use that term until much later, probably right around the time I joined CF.
Pink Cadillac
Giga Poster
Probably going to lots of theme parks as a young kid (especially Disney) and roller coaster tycoon 1+2