Seniors Enjoy Roller Coasters

Mrs. jeb: “Really?” Mr. jeb: Seniors enjoy roller coasters just like many of the younger crowd.  Some the best ones were recently highlighted by Paul Ruben in Park World. He has been riding roller coasters for decades. As you can see by the opening words in this paragraph, my wife wants nothing to do with them.

Six Flags Magic Mountain is Theme Park Insider readers’ pick as the number one roller coaster park in the world. Along came Cedar Point Millenneum Force as #2, located on the shore of Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, about an hour west of Cleveland.

You can get find out where the major coasters are on this link.   #3: Once a simple tropical garden next to a brewery tour, Busch Gardens Tampa offers more world-class coasters than the rest of the Central Florida parks combined.

 Seniors: Upside Down Twice??? I Don’t Think So

Paul likes Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri that turns you upside down twice.  In Valencia, California it’s X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain.  It is an unusual coaster that has not one but two sets of tracks, one for the train and one that controls the seat.

I sure remember a coaster ride at Adventure Land in Iowa.  I took my family for a ride.  Our youngest daughter nearly flew out of the seat and my wife had to grab her to keep her from being flung out into space!

That was it for the Becker family.  No more coasters.  My daughter is over 40 now and neither she nor my wife will go near a roller coaster.

Paul goes on with another top pick with Thunderbolt at Kennywood in West Mifflin, PA. “Things happen in reverse order,” Ruben says. You immediately drop into a ravine. The lift hill is in the middle, and the most fierce drop is at the end. He notes that… “it’s like the coaster was built backwards.”

The Beast at Kings Island in Ohio is another challenge for seniors and others as it is the world’s longest wooden coaster, stretching 7,400 feet.

Glenwood Springs, CO has the Alpine Coaster at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. This sled ride down a hill runs on a track and is totally powered by gravity.

Had enough suggestions for a good ride yet?  Well, I’ll toss in two more. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride at Magic Kingdom at Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Paul says that the G-Forces go “right down through the seat of your pants.” Better visit the bathroom first.

Lastly I found Wildcat at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. It’s non-stop action from beginning to end. It is loaded with negative gravity, just like all the others.  So get up your courage, select a few of these and make a trip around the country just riding coasters.  Enjoy. jeb