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Your favourite rides to take a first time rider on?

Matt N

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Hi guys. As enthusiasts, many of us have ridden certain rides an awful lot of times. We know these rides like the back of our hand, and that means that it is sometimes all too easy to forget that many, many people haven’t ridden these rides before. Every single day, many people experience these rides for the very first time. With that in mind, I’d be keen to know; what are some of your favourite rides to take a first time rider on? What ride do you particularly love to see people’s first time reaction to?

I’ll get the ball rolling with my suggestion.

For me, one of my favourite rides to take a first time rider on is Thirteen at Alton Towers. The ride may be 13 years old now, but plenty of people still have absolutely no idea that that drop track and backwards section are coming! I have distinct memories of taking my Nan on there for the first time in 2019, and I remember turning to her on the second lift hill and saying “Did you enjoy the first bit, Nan?”… her face when I said “first bit” was an absolute picture! She genuinely thought we were about to get off, and was very surprised when the track dropped and we launched backwards… even excluding my Nan, everyone who I’ve ever been on the ride with for the first time seems to have had a similar reaction to the one every news anchor seemingly had when the ride first opened:



I’m taking my Grandad on it for the first time in 8 days’ time, and I can’t wait to see how he reacts to it!

But what are some of your favourite rides to take a first time rider on?
 
TH13TEEN for me too. Second place would be Saw: The Ride with its steep indoor drop, inverison and water spray element, of which both are also indoors.
 
Depends on the first time rider.
If they like a surprise then thirteen.

If not then wickerman, they can mutter at you during 'take a breath' corner.

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I can’t wait until my children hit 1.4m so that I can take them on Stealth. They did Icon (which was their first launch coaster) and thought that was fast so I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when Stealth launches and they feel the force of that sweet hydraulic launch.
 
The ride gets a lot of hate but one of the best things about Thirteen is bringing first timers on.

Took my youngest daughter on it for the first time today, my partner, older daughter and I have all kept ‘the secret’ from her for ages. For all she knew it was just a spooky themed outdoor coaster in the woods. She loved the first part, smiled and cheered all the way to the second lift.

She was not expecting the drop and dark section and it was written all over her face when we came out of the dark. She’s only 7 so the drop would have felt much bigger and the dark section would have felt much faster than it does to us adults I’d imagine. It was hilarious. She said she prefers wickerman though, my girl has good taste.
 
Before it was tragically burned to the ground, it would have to have been Vineta in the Scandinavian themed area of Europa-Park. I still remember my first time experiencing this unique attraction, and dearly miss seeing the reaction of those who are new to the park.
 
Another vote for Th13teen here. I went on for the first time back in June 2011 with my younger brother, though we used the SRQ. I knew what was coming, and was quite impressed. We went on it again later in the day with four friends from my school (was a genuine coincidence that we were all there on the same day), and we deliberately neglected to tell them about the drop (also neglected to tell our parents about it, and we saw then entering the SRQ when we were in the main). The reactions from my friends were hilarious. Don't think our parents were overly thrilled that we didn't tell them about the drop, though. :p
 
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