How to Make the Most of Amusement Park Roller Coaster Rides

Roller coasters aren't nicknamed "scream machines" because people whisper while they ride them. People scream! They get scared! Plunging down the first hill of a roller coaster is sure to bring a thrill to even the most experienced coaster enthusiast.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Plan to spend the majority of a day at any amusement park that has plenty of roller coasters, like Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio, or Six Flags, which has locations throughout the United States and one each in Canada and Mexico.

2. Join a line that has most likely already formed to ride the roller coasters near the back of the amusement park. Make sure you're tall enough to ride by sizing yourself up against the measuring stick that should be near the end of the line.

3. Watch the coaster in action while waiting in line to see what you can expect if you're unfamiliar with the ride.

4. Wait the extra time it takes to snag a seat in the very first car of a roller coaster train. There will be nothing to block the view in front of you as the wind slaps at your face as you're blasting over hills and around the hairpin turns.

5. Try the ride again if you enjoy it, but for round two, aim to sit in the very last car of the train. This car is yanked over the top of the hills as the rest of the cars are already plunging downward.

6. Strive to keep both arms raised straight up into the air throughout the entire ride so you can't brace yourself with your arms against airtime-the points on a roller coaster where you feel weightless, even if it is for less than a second.

Tips & Warnings

• Amusement parks are busiest on weekends and holidays in which they stay open, so plan on heading to one on a weekday if you can.
• If you want to ride roller coasters, you must be willing to wait sometimes up to several hours for the most popular ones.
• Start in the back of the park and ride those coasters first instead of getting in line at the first one you see. Then work your way to the front unless you pass a ride you want to go on and see that the line is relatively short.
• Don't save the best ride for last because the line may be too long for you to wait near the end of the day. Go on the most popular coasters around lunch or dinnertime when others may be taking a break to eat.
• Be sure to pay attention to the warning signs for each ride because some roller coasters are unsuitable for pregnant women or those who have certain medical conditions.
• If you're taking a child with you to the park, be aware that most rides have height restrictions. This means that park personnel won't allow children who are too short to go on some rides for safety purposes.