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Fear on a Ride


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1 hour ago, ChessingtonSam said:

After standing by Colossus for an hour trying to make a desicion I wanted to do Swarm but my family decided they couldn't wait 10 more minutes and they wanted to go home. So angry.

At least you are getting to know your way round the park, so when you have managed to grab someone who wants to ride, you will know the short cuts.

 

Part of the enjoyment is watching other people and the way the ride runs.

 

 

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For me personally I have a very unhealthy fear of heights/depths.  This can be as bad as feeling sick just looking at a pov of a large ride on you tube.  I have no idea how to get over this fear.  I have done quite a few of the larger coasters in the UK, and once I get past the lift hill then it is smooth (depending on the ride) sailing.  The worst bit is the slow lift hill climb, for example Oblivion was not a good experience in the dark, the anxiety took over and ruined the ride for me.  Another one was Stealth, which I have only ridden once, if you know what a 3 year old girl screaming sounds like, than imagine that come out of a big 30 something man, not something I'm proud of.

 

I struggle looking up at high objects as well as being on them.  I have had this fear since I was about 8. No idea how to get over it, but I also don't want it to stop what I enjoy.  If you have a fear just try and be logical about it, don't think about it too much or over analyse it, as that will just make it seem bigger and harder to conquer.  If you can't do it one day, then so be it, there is always another time to try.

 

On a side note, I have lots of fears, and to lead a half normal life I have just to suck it up and deal with it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm with you regarding Oblivion - that was the only ride I was terrified about when I first visited AT 3 years ago - went on all the other rides fine, got to Oblivion and I cried in the lift hill - though thankfully I loved it, but that anticipation for me was intense.

 

Ive also watched a few POVs which have left me feeling sick - namely those ones on the top of that huge building in Las Vegas - I was watching one and it gave me a panic attack.

 

Its kind of reassuring the know I'm not the only one that struggles looking up at high structures - was watching my niece on Detonator once and had to sit down as I freaked myself out a bit.  I also have a bit of an issue with the sky(!!!) which is hard to get away from on lift hills in general, Saw being the worse - sometimes just looking directly up at the sky will spark off an anxiety attack.

 

Do you think you will ever try Stealth again?  That ride terrified the life out of me when I first went on it - I bought the ride pic as I never thought I would ride it again - I came off of it shaking and with tears in my eyes.  It took a little while but I'm fine on it now, will ride it by myself and always put my arms up as bizarrely I find it easier to not hold on.

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When I would get nervous before rides, the thing I would mainly be nervous for wasn't actually the part of the experience that scared me.

 

E.g.

When I rode Summit Plummet, my main worry was that I though I would fly off the front of the slide (as it is really steep) and the height I thought would freak me out. None of those worries were my issues during the slide, the actual scary part was the speed in which I was falling. Because of that, I found the slide more surprising than scary.

 

Another example, when I rode Stealth for the first time. Before I rode it, I didn't really pay any attention to the idea of a launch so what I was nervous for was in fact the drop. That all changed when the launched freaked me out and the drop was literally nothing.

 

My message here is that what you may be nervous for in a ride, may not be the aspect that actually scares you.

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7 hours ago, Han30 said:

Do you think you will ever try Stealth again?  That ride terrified the life out of me when I first went on it - I bought the ride pic as I never thought I would ride it again - I came off of it shaking and with tears in my eyes.  It took a little while but I'm fine on it now, will ride it by myself and always put my arms up as bizarrely I find it easier to not hold on.

 

I will try it again, however having panic attacks, which are normally brought on by large crowds, loud noises and fear, I don't get to go as often as I like.  I want to do all of the big coasters in Europe when I get the chance, I don't want fear to be the reason I haven't.

 

Also Equoaster  Airtime's Falcon is a very good point.

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10 hours ago, 'Airtime Falcon' said:

Another example, when I rode Stealth for the first time. Before I rode it, I didn't really pay any attention to the idea of a launch so what I was nervous for was in fact the drop. That all changed when the launched freaked me out and the drop was literally nothing.

 

My message here is that what you may be nervous for in a ride, may not be the aspect that actually scares you.

 

Oh yes - with Stealth it was the sheer height of the thing that terrified me before riding - but it was the freaking launch that actually made me almost soil myself (I didn't actually notice the height all that much once I was on it

 

8 hours ago, Roodie said:

 

I will try it again, however having panic attacks, which are normally brought on by large crowds, loud noises and fear, I don't get to go as often as I like.  I want to do all of the big coasters in Europe when I get the chance, I don't want fear to be the reason I haven't.

 

Also Equoaster  Airtime's Falcon is a very good point.

 

I also suffer with panic attacks so totally understand, hence why I prefer to go to parks when it is quiet but its not always possible especially if I am with my niece.  I'm sure you will get round to doing all the big coasters in Europe at some point - I would love to go to Europa Park, Port Aventura and Phantasialand - and back to DLP - the main thing stopping me (other than lack of funds) is flying - I've never flown and even the thought of it terrifies me.

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1 minute ago, planenut said:

You've done Stealth, more G than you will experience on a flight, and the height is only relative to your seat on the ride/plane.

On the other hand, if you have the finance, you could go by Eurostar.

 

I would love to conquer my fear but I am so petrified of flying - I don't even know why as I've never flown before.  It's the thought of all that space between the plane and Earth that would play on my mind (yeah I'm odd)!  I went on the London Eye - once - convinced myself the pod was going to drop off and had a huge panic attack.  Luckily flying isn't an essential part of life so it doesn't affect me too much although I've lost count of the amount of disturbing dreams I've had regarding planes and air travel

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Does taking friends help with getting on coasters? Asking because when we went to Chessie with my sister's friend her sister (confusing) who is the same age as me helped me get on Vampire, mainly because of the Ride Access Pass.

4 hours ago, Han30 said:

 

I would love to conquer my fear but I am so petrified of flying - I don't even know why as I've never flown before. 

There are loads of ways to conquer the fear of flying, or simply distract you from it - I've always hated flying but flying to Florida about 5 or so years ago I just sat watching the TV and that distracted me from the height or anything like that. You could also maybe shut the window or ask for a seat down the middle, or there are some tablets that can help, for example I have no idea what they're called but my mum takes some tablets to calm you down when flying (I'll be taking them on the way to Spain), or I know someone who's aunt takes sleeping tablets.

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My mum was scared of flying when I was a kid, if we went away she was off her face on valium for the flight! She gradually lowered the dose and is fine with flying now. It was prescribed specifically for the flight and she never took it or anything similar otherwise. I doubt Dr's give out valium like this any more!

 

As for taking a friend to help, it depends who they are and what they say! I helped  talk Han through her first detonation years ago and that seemed to help as she had said earlier that day she'd never get on it, but then I have a habit of telling my slightly nervy wife about previous accidents and deaths on rides just as we are getting on. She doesn't thank me for that!

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4 hours ago, pluk said:

My mum was scared of flying when I was a kid, if we went away she was off her face on valium for the flight! She gradually lowered the dose and is fine with flying now. It was prescribed specifically for the flight and she never took it or anything similar otherwise. I doubt Dr's give out valium like this any more!

 

As for taking a friend to help, it depends who they are and what they say! I helped  talk Han through her first detonation years ago and that seemed to help as she had said earlier that day she'd never get on it, but then I have a habit of telling my slightly nervy wife about previous accidents and deaths on rides just as we are getting on. She doesn't thank me for that!

One of my best mates has been on Sheikra and the like, so he goes on everything. Ive known him for about 9/10 years so it should help.

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6 hours ago, pluk said:

My mum was scared of flying when I was a kid, if we went away she was off her face on valium for the flight! She gradually lowered the dose and is fine with flying now. It was prescribed specifically for the flight and she never took it or anything similar otherwise. I doubt Dr's give out valium like this any more!

 

As for taking a friend to help, it depends who they are and what they say! I helped  talk Han through her first detonation years ago and that seemed to help as she had said earlier that day she'd never get on it, but then I have a habit of telling my slightly nervy wife about previous accidents and deaths on rides just as we are getting on. She doesn't thank me for that!

 

My old GP used to prescribe me Valium like they were sweets - at the time I was grateful but now, 7 years later, I am still trying to wean myself off the buggers (though thankfully my GP I have now is fab and has helped me to reduce my valium from 84 a month to 24).  I first started taking them for a dental visit years ago and then when my panic attacks returned in 2009 she happily gave me more - when my mum was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 she doubled the dose without me even asking.

 

Friend definitely help - and as Pluk has said, he did indeed somehow get me on Detonator - I honestly never thought I would ever go on it - and oddly that first time I was the most relaxed - with me it gradually got worse - first time I felt fine, second time ok, third time nervous and the last time I cried.  What helped me what Pluk explaining the noises that thing makes as it helped my nerves.  I used the same sort of technique with my niece - explaining to her what to expect on the rides she went on.

 

Last month I was sat next to a girl on Saw who was bricking it so I did the same and explained what to expect - she asked if she could hold my hand which I obliged - was a tad concerned that she may blow chunks but thankfully she didn't and survived to tell the tale.

 

With certain rides for me it definitely helps having someone with you who knows the rides and can sort of talk you through it - I almost crushed a friends hand the first time I rode Samurai!

 

Oh Pluk - telling your wife about accidents and deaths etc made me chuckle a bit - I have a nervous friend who, once when we were on Swarm I casually said to her on the lift hill "Hmmm I think you are sat in the seat which once fell off on the way round" - bit cruel but her face was a pic - I had to buy the ORP

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  • 1 month later...

Closed season is here and although I didn't get on a proper inverting coaster I did get on Vampire, Dragons Fury, Galactica, Th13teen and the like, as well as getting over my fear of log flumes, so still quite a good year. Next year I will try and take friends to Thorpe or get on something up the Towers in time for PA in May.

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1 hour ago, ChessingtonSam said:

Closed season is here and although I didn't get on a proper inverting coaster I did get on Vampire, Dragons Fury, Galactica, Th13teen and the like, as well as getting over my fear of log flumes, so still quite a good year. Next year I will try and take friends to Thorpe or get on something up the Towers in time for PA in May.

One thing I'll say, the thought of going upside down beforehand can be daunting. But when you actually experience it, you'll be surprised on how "not scary" it is.

 

You've ridden Dragon's Fury, therefore you can definitely ride Swarm, Nemesis Inferno, maybe Colossus (it's got very rough), Dragon Khan, maybe Shambhala and many many more. There are rides which are more intense/scary, but don't let Dragon's Fury be your limit, be adventurous.

 

At PA, it'll be a one chance opportunity, really take it as much as possible. Shambhala is my number 1 coaster and I have no doubt it could be your number 1 as well. Remember, once you leave PA, you won't go back for a long time. I've been waiting over 5 years to go back to Europa, and it still won't probably be at least another 4 years.

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I know from experience how hard it may seem but going upside down is just alright (except barrel rolls which are amazing). Nemesis Inferno is just a fun ride, front row really improves the experience. Swarm is also good, and I would also recommend front row. Next year for me will be Colossus and saw, and maybe all Blackpool rides if I go next year! :)

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Inversions are very overrated and look scarier than they are in my opinion - I remember being so nervous before going on my first inverting coaster (Klondike at Hayling Island), but once I'd been over the loop I thought, "is that it?"

 

At Thorpe, Nemesis Inferno would be a good first looper IMO.

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