Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Hi guys. @Ethan made a really interesting comment in the Nemesis thread earlier today:
Admittedly, I imagine that some of you are perplexed as to how Ethan’s comment is relevant, but it is relevant, because when I read it, it got me thinking; can a coaster ever be too smooth? Enthusiasts often complain about roughness, and say that it detracts from a ride, but can it work the other way? Can smoothness detract from a ride as well, in your opinion?
I’ve heard numerous people argue that they feel a ride can be too smooth.
For instance, I’ve heard Shawn Sanbrooke of TPW say this a number of times, such as in the context of the retracked Colossos at Heide Park (“It’s too smooth; it doesn’t feel enough like a wooden coaster”), and some of the RMCs in America (Shawn used the criticism of “too smooth” for both Iron Rattler and Lightning Rod in the front, from memory, and said that they felt “very tame”, even referring to them as “feeling like family coasters”). I remember in the same park as Iron Rattler, he also praised the mine train next to it for being a bit rough/jolty; I think he actually liked the mine train more than Iron Rattler because of this.
Away from Shawn, I remember hearing the PBE crew say the same about B&M hypers; the main criticism was that they lack character, and I remember Scott saying that B&M hypers are generally “boring”, and would be enhanced by “a Magnum-style triangle hill” or “a jolty Arrow-style transition or two” to really throw you around.
In terms of someone closer to me, my dad is often bemused that I like Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, a smooth hyper, so much; he says that it’s “too smooth to feel thrilling” and is just “a boring, slow ride back to the station” after the first drop. However, in terms of the other hyper we’ve ridden, the Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach; my dad loves that and holds it up as one of his favourite ever rides, saying that it’s “one of the most insane things [he’s] ever done” and that it has “such an amazing sense of adrenaline and danger about it”. Dad also said to me after a ride on Smiler “I don’t know how you can rank tripe like Mako and Icon above that; that’s one of the most insane things ever!”.
As for me personally, my answer is no. A ride can never be too smooth, in my personal opinion. My very favourite coaster, Mako, was exciting as anything to me, what with the phenomenal sustained airtime and great sense of speed, but it was also smooth as glass, with some of the most comfortable ride restraints I’ve ever sat in. As much as my love of the ride was almost entirely shaped by the amazing elements of the layout itself, that smoothness and comfort was the cherry on top for me! Smoothness is a pretty important element of coasters for me; if a ride is rough, I often find it can inhibit the fun factor and rerideability, which are the two crucial things I look for in a coaster.
But what’s your opinion? Do you agree with me in thinking that a ride can never be too smooth, or do you think I’m talking rubbish, and that a good ride needs to be a bit rough round the edges?
(Hope you don’t mind me using your comment as inspiration, Ethan!)
Admittedly, I imagine that some of you are perplexed as to how Ethan’s comment is relevant, but it is relevant, because when I read it, it got me thinking; can a coaster ever be too smooth? Enthusiasts often complain about roughness, and say that it detracts from a ride, but can it work the other way? Can smoothness detract from a ride as well, in your opinion?
I’ve heard numerous people argue that they feel a ride can be too smooth.
For instance, I’ve heard Shawn Sanbrooke of TPW say this a number of times, such as in the context of the retracked Colossos at Heide Park (“It’s too smooth; it doesn’t feel enough like a wooden coaster”), and some of the RMCs in America (Shawn used the criticism of “too smooth” for both Iron Rattler and Lightning Rod in the front, from memory, and said that they felt “very tame”, even referring to them as “feeling like family coasters”). I remember in the same park as Iron Rattler, he also praised the mine train next to it for being a bit rough/jolty; I think he actually liked the mine train more than Iron Rattler because of this.
Away from Shawn, I remember hearing the PBE crew say the same about B&M hypers; the main criticism was that they lack character, and I remember Scott saying that B&M hypers are generally “boring”, and would be enhanced by “a Magnum-style triangle hill” or “a jolty Arrow-style transition or two” to really throw you around.
In terms of someone closer to me, my dad is often bemused that I like Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, a smooth hyper, so much; he says that it’s “too smooth to feel thrilling” and is just “a boring, slow ride back to the station” after the first drop. However, in terms of the other hyper we’ve ridden, the Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach; my dad loves that and holds it up as one of his favourite ever rides, saying that it’s “one of the most insane things [he’s] ever done” and that it has “such an amazing sense of adrenaline and danger about it”. Dad also said to me after a ride on Smiler “I don’t know how you can rank tripe like Mako and Icon above that; that’s one of the most insane things ever!”.
As for me personally, my answer is no. A ride can never be too smooth, in my personal opinion. My very favourite coaster, Mako, was exciting as anything to me, what with the phenomenal sustained airtime and great sense of speed, but it was also smooth as glass, with some of the most comfortable ride restraints I’ve ever sat in. As much as my love of the ride was almost entirely shaped by the amazing elements of the layout itself, that smoothness and comfort was the cherry on top for me! Smoothness is a pretty important element of coasters for me; if a ride is rough, I often find it can inhibit the fun factor and rerideability, which are the two crucial things I look for in a coaster.
But what’s your opinion? Do you agree with me in thinking that a ride can never be too smooth, or do you think I’m talking rubbish, and that a good ride needs to be a bit rough round the edges?
