"Ooo, I was one of the first to ride it!"

[Ian]

The topic about riding Thirteen first got me thinking. Does it matter to you if you're one of the first to ride a new coaster?

Obviously as enthusiasts, we like to ride something new, especially if we've been closely following the construction.

But can you wait?

Do you find yourself waiting anxiously and emotionally aroused outside the park really early, ready to run to the new ride just so you can be one of the first to ride it?

It goes without saying that if you're not one of the first on opening, then it's likely you'll have to queue longer, but it's those who run off early tend to have a sense of smugness about then and end up bragging.

"Ooo, I was one of the first to ride it!"

Ignoring what type of ride it could be, does being one of the first few (say, 100 or so) people to ride a ride mean a lot to you?

 

[Steven]

It has to have the kinks worked out personally. Though saw was still a balls up when I went 2 months after opening.
There are a few I wanted to ride first and I can safely say after waiting 4 hours for Thorpe to open its gates for the first ever time for Nemesis Inferno then running flat out to be the first ever public person to get on the ride and getting it with my dad second. I say **** it now because that experience I don't want to repeat and once is enough to my name. Maybe one more but that's it.

 

[Ollie]

I usually don't care but if I'm given the chance/opportunity to ride it before others and I can make it to the park then I probably won't turn it down.
It is something to brag about if you get on it before any of the general public but otherwise there's no point in doing it.

Usually it's best to leave it a couple of months to let it sort out it's teething problems.

If I went to an opening day with CF like we did with Saw then I'd rather wait and ride it with friends than run off to boast about riding it first 'like Martyn H was thinking of doing'.

If I can sit and wait for half an hour in the dome for people to turn up before walking over to ride SAW then I think I can easily wait for any ride.

 

[Ben]

I don't really, but, Saw and Th13teen I both do/did want to be, just because I had the *chance* to be "the first" on both, but, got spited out of both of them...

And I think/thought they both look/looked ****...

I'm odd. Generally, no. Specifically for those two, yes.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

It'd be fun bragging rights, but I'd never pay thousands of dollars to be the first to ride anything.

 

[Snoo]

^Maybe a few hundred of extra cash tho..


I think, if it's just you, and you really really want to do it, then yes. I did so with Maverick. But.. at the end of the day.. it's all just a personal experience not really worth boasting about unless it is to a goon like Taylor.

My ride on Maverick wasn't just a personal experience either, as my brother came with and got to ride it with me.. something we don't do very often.

 

[Ingested Banjo]

Generally, couldn't care less, want to ride it before my friends though, so I can watch their reactions instead of focusing on the experience

I'd probably want to ride any new ride near me within the first 6 months of it opening, just because it would still be new.

And if I someday become a VIP and get a chance to board the first 'human-filled' train on a ride, that would feel special. But if it's not the very first, or maybe second, it doesn't matter whether I ride the third or three millionth train after that.

 

[Inverse]

I'm not sure where I come in this. If the opportunity to ride a new coaster early comes, i'll take it. Last year I went to the AP opening of Saw to ride it before the official opening. But I won't work too hard for it, I'll be riding Thirteen in late April and I rode Mumbo Jumbo a month or so after opening. So I guess it doesn't matter to me, but i have caught myself saying to non-enthusiast friends "I rode Saw the day before it opened", so when I do, I guess I will brag about it!

 

[Smithy]

I hate queuing. So with Saw, I was going to go down during schools term time last year when it wouldn't be too busy (but that never worked out due to many issues). And then with Thirteen, I'm going to look at going when all the kids are back at school, probably in September.

 

[gerstlauer]

I definitely love being the first to ride! Don't know why I do, but I do

 

[A-Kid]

I got the very first car of Saw

But then I was so pissed off with the day before (after waiting around for hours staring at the thing with nobody else in the park (other than staff testing Colly and Rush and builders)) I wasn't letting ANYBODY on before me. So I'm proud to have that one.

For normal events though, I'd take it if I had the chance but other than that I'm not bothered. Nothing is like the atmosphere though comming back into the station with the cheers though.

 

[gerstlauer]

I got the very first car of Saw

We must of been on the same car then Did you go normally or did you win the comp to go in earlier?

 

[A-Kid]

^ I was invited back after the Media day fail because it was ment to be a reward for helping them with the viral videos. First car, front row, far right.

On the 12th we knew the ride was fooked and needed at about 10am. It was too late to send the enthusiasts away. So Colly and Rush were made readly.

 

[Rush]

I can't say I'm too bothered to be honest.

I'd go for the opening day if it was convenient. I find there's generally a better atmosphere in the park when something new is opening. (I'd even agree to that with Saw until it broke.) I'm not too fussed about running straight for it and would never think about paying money to be the first to ride.

 

[kimahri]

Not really, I don't think it would feel right being the first one to ride it. I like waiting in a ,reasonable ,queue and watching other people go round screaming and stuff. With out that I think I'd find it boring and too quiet...

Passenger nummber 345235634634634 ftw.

 

[Martyn B]

I really couldn't care less.

I was one of the first peeps to go on Rage, but that was purely because it opened in January when nothing else is open then, and I was bored.

Its best t leave it a while to sort out its teething problems and let 'break in' properly. And on that basis I'll probably going to leave Alton until the Autumn this year.

I haven't even been on Saw yet, thats how much it means to me!

 

[DjTommyB]

I'm not really bothered if I don't get the first ride and I certainly wouldn't pay tons of money just to be one of the first few people to ride.

 

[Ollie]

I wouldn't pay loads as well which is why I didn't go on the Th13teen Weekend. I was lucky enough to go to the Media day of Saw for free. Sadly technical problems means we didn't get a ride.

 

[Brookes]

I would like to be one of the first to ride Th13teen as Alton is my home park and I have never been to the open day of a new coaster, so that will be a big one for me. However, as this is the first time I might not be bothered after and the novelty will probably wear off. If you think about it though unless there is a competition for first rider like Th13teen, loads of staff and workers have rode it anyway so it doesn't matter that much really.

 

[CreditCrazy]

It's always cool to ride something before the public/on opening day. I don't think of it as "HAHA I'm riding it before you", I just think it's cool to be one of the first to experience a ride that you've been following for nearly a year and then write a review.

For example, I got the chance to ride Terminator before the public. It was a great experience and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, no matter what the ride is.

Be honest, if something like Intimidator 305 was coming to your home park, one of the biggest coasters built in years, would you not want to ride it on its opening day? I would. Again, not for bragging rights, but just to do it!