Rain Rides: Epic or Excruciating?

[Jarrett]

Sometimes if you have unusually good or bad luck, depending on how you look at it, your spin on a cred could get rained on. Whether it had been raining and they just kept it open or the skies opened while you were riding, it definitely alters the experience. Some might think it's for the better. As a GateKeeper ride op said earlier this season, "What happens when it rains? The tracks get wet. What happens when the tracks get wet? The trains go faster..." On the other hand, some might not appreciate hitting the rain face-first at 60+ miles an hour and find it painful. So while I'm sure nobody wants to have all of their credit runs rained on, do you think you could enjoy a rain ride as a unique experience on a coaster? Post your response and what you think of rain rides.

In general, I think it's about which cred you ride obviously, but I do enjoy them for the most part. Banshee, which I've gotten rained on quite a few times this season, is amazing and riding a cred with that theme on matching landscape with dreary, cloudy skies and rain dripping down on you feels amazing and completes the experience, though I'll take a night ride over a rain ride any day. The Bat is also pretty fun in the rain. Also ridden GateKeeper in a shower as it started on the lift hill and Maverick in a light mist. I think the only time it ever made it worse was on Adventure Express, which is just rough in general and rain did nothing for the crumbling theming.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Like you said, it really depends.

I find most rides better in rain, but some rides, like old woodies, to be a "worser" ride.

Sent from my VS840 4G using Tapatalk

 

[Chris Coasters]

They are epic yet excruciating. I only have rain rides on Racer at Kennywood, Magnum at Cedar Point and I believe GateKeeper. Racer was an absolute legit downpour and it hurt but it was fun. Even Magnum in light rain hurt because of the speed. Overall I like them.

 

[Hutch]

I've only ridden one ride in the rain it hurt real bad.

It was a Boomerang.

 

[gavin]

It makes me laugh actually. You know in that "this is painful yet funny" way?

I'm pretty sure I remember getting a ride like that on EGF.

Vertigo at Tivoli was quite ridiculous though. I had to turn my head sideways to deal with it. Still laughing my head off though.

 

[DelPiero]

Both.

Launched by Rita into rain/hail, unbelievably bad.
Nemesis back row, epic, but even more epic the run after when it stopped raining.

I love a bit of mistyness on a run, and don't mind if it rains, the face pain goes after a few minutes.

 

[Robbie]

Went to Thorpe Park on a very rainy day and had a great time. Best thing was I only had 2 hours there (it was a stop-off) and the rain made the rides walk-ons so I did most of them. The Swarm was a bit rubbish, but reaching the top of Stealth while hail stones pound your face is AMAZING!

 

[ThomVD]

I don't like it. I find it too distracting to actually enjoy the ride. During my visit to Europa Park, I had rain rides on Silver Star (ouch), Blue Fire and Wodan, and those three rides were my least fun rides on the coasters. I do like riding after it rained and the track is still wet.

 

[ATTACKHAMMER]

It's both. Rain rides are epic because they can be excruciating. I rode Swarm in the hail, that is the most excruciating ride that I have. It was epic!

 

[CookieCoasters]

It depends on the strength of the rain. For example, I've ridden Piraten and Karacho in quite light rain and it didn't detract from the experience, nor really add anything to it. Whereas, I've ridden Hungarian Horntail, Rip Ride Rockit and EGF in quite torrental rain and that was definitely excruciating.

Riding after the rain is definitely the best. After about an hour or two of extremely heavy rain at Walibi Holland, I took a ride on Robin Hood and the wet track had transformed this very mediocre woodie, into a pretty good one.

 

[Hobbes]

I really don't have many rain rides to talk about, but the couple that I have experienced were both fun.

One was Intimidator in a light rain. The speed of the coaster put it close to the border of what could be considered too painful, but in that case I thought it was fun. Something about the rain just made it enjoyable.

The other that comes to mind is a back seat ride on Batman (SFGAdv) in a steady rain. This possibly my favorite individual ride of all time. The intensity of the ride combined with the mild pain of the rain and getting absolutely drenched made it such stupidly fun ride. I was all but laughing the whole circuit; it was an absolute blast

 

[Hyde]

I visited Cedar Point during a downpour two years ago in the fall. Cedar Point is notorious for having a fascist ride operations policy when it comes to rain, shutting down rides at the hint of a drop of moisture. However, during the Halloweekends event with weekend only operations, Cedar Point has been known to disregard their rain policy if horrible weather is predicted throughout the entire day of operation.

And let me make it clear, it was a downpour.

During the trip, we rode:

- maXair
- Wicked Twister
- Maverick
- Mantis
- Millennium Force
- Mean Streak (without trims!)

As gavin mentioned, there is a funny painful at times to the ride. But emphasis more on the pain. Water is not pleasant when it hits your face at 70+ mph, as was absolutely the case with MF. The only comical moment was my attempt to keep my hood up and around my face as we blasted through the rain, but it was all to no avail as the rain still had a knack for hitting any exposed skin and leaving its mark. maXair was also markedly awful in the rain, as the spinning wheel of the gondola became a game of russian roulette for if the next swing would be painful or extra painful.

Rides are perfectly operable in rain, but when it comes to rider comfort - rain, rain, go away.

 

[Screaming Coasters]

Nemesis at Alton Towers, rainy back seat rides = pure amazingness!

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

It's not painful by any means really; however, I wear makeup and I do my hair, which rain generally ruins, so that makes it excruciating.

 

[IntaminToWin]

El Toro in the rain wasn't too bad. Nitro was. **** that, and we were in the front row to boot

 

[Kebab]

The stormier the better for me. I find visiting Theme Parks in obscure weather conditions a huge plus in terms of atmosphere, and its always great when you're with friends who equally don't mind the rain.

Coasters like Nemesis of course, really take to life in stormier weather conditions, they look so much more intimidating and become more intense when riding.

Easy 'Epic' from me!

 

[Ian]

Rides in the rain can be awful. I remember hating Nemesis and Stealth when it was pissing down. Call me old fashioned (which I am) but I like to see where I'm going and enjoy the air rushing through my hair. It's horrible having to close my eyes and cover my face.

 

[Mysterious Sue]

Personally, I love rain rides. Although you wouldn't want them all the time. I particularly like them in the dark (adding to the night ride experience and meaning that no one sees my bedraggledness). Stealth, Troy, Bizarro (SFNE) and of course Nemesis have given me some great rain rides (and in some cases snow rides). I love the feel of the cold breeze and the faster train you usually get.

 

[Sythe]

I went on the front row seat of intimidator 305 in the rain once. It wasn't raining very much, but it goes 90 mph! I was covering my face with my hands the whole time.