Comments on: Top Thrill Dragster Analysis

By: cj friend

cj friend — Wed, 12 May 2010 06:00:26 +0000

it was one of the best rides i have ever been om, i drive 4 hours one way every weekend just to ride it, its great

By: J.A. Povolo

J.A. Povolo — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:21:13 +0000

Oh dear…But, maybe she will take heart in the fact that many people find Wikipedia to be quite useful!

By: The Coaster Philosopher

The Coaster Philosopher — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:35:38 +0000

Ahhh… funny/sad story today. So we were randomly given a task to present on Kant or someone else discussed in class on the topic of our choice in my aesthetics class today, so I figured I’d discuss this article. The presentation is going fairly well, and I pull up this webpage to access some of the photos and view the POV. However, I forgot I had included that line about my aesthetics professor not being more of an intellectual resource than Wikipedia at the end, and after the video finished on the projector I canceled out and left the screen there for at least five minutes with that line fully visible to all… including my professor. I have no idea if she actually read that since she never said anything but other people in class did (and agreed with me). Whoops.

So glad it’s spring break and I don’t have another class there for another two weeks…

By: The Coaster Philosopher

The Coaster Philosopher — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:48:13 +0000

Vince, thanks for the kind praise. The interesting thing is I remember going up to my first ride ever on TTD in 2003 I was quite terrified on the lead-up, but then I couldn’t recall much of anything else about the ride itself except for some vague memories of going down the 270° twist. Now when I ride it I just consider the ride like it’s any other coaster at the park that happens to have a rather long drop, but the lead-up still gets to me a little bit. But generally it’s nothing I bother waiting more than 45 minutes in line for, and one or two Dragster rides a season are all I generally need.

By: Vince

Vince — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:42:01 +0000

I completely agree with your assesment. TTD is one of the most thrilling rides I’ve ever been on, the first time. Ok, so you got me, the launch gets me everytime, but I love the view from the top of the tower, its one of the most, strike that, THE MOST breathtaking view in the park.

Teriffic analysis. I love reading this site, the depth that you go into makes me feel like I’m there again. Keep doing what you’re doing, its wonderful.

By: The Coaster Philosopher

The Coaster Philosopher — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:06:14 +0000

They’re axioms. They don’t have any actual meaning by themselves, but have been repeated so many times that you just have to say “420″ and “120″ together and every enthusiast around the world will automatically draw a mental picture of whatever Top Thrill Dragster’s height and speed mean to them.

I also hope I never decide to write a ride review from the perspective of the unconscious ever again…

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:36:05 +0000

Top Thrill Dragster was the first coaster to truly frighten me since I was a child. But only that first ride… and mostly in those moments waiting to launch. So I agree 100% with about the psychological terror. This ride emphasizes and amplifies that aspect of roller coasters with the weighing of the train, the wait and the launch lights. All of which leave everything to the imagination in stillness as opposed to the distraction and slow motion of a lift hill.

“Try to enjoy this rush of external reality flooding my senses for a single instantaneous moment before we go back down and that thing causes me to close back into myself.” I love that line. That describes the moment I ride for perfectly. I look off into the distance and let everything go and take everything in. Bliss.

It’s a great adrenaline rush if it’s the first ride of the day or even the season. Otherwise the adrenaline can be diminished or absent IMO. Kind of like your friends opinion you described.

Night rides are the reason this ride ranks among my favorites. Literally launching into the night sky. From bright noisy midway to starry void, in a rush of everything to cosmic suspension all within reality. No trick of the senses. But actually being 420 feet above a great lake and a patch of land below lit like a continent is from space.

I was amused by how you repeated “420 feet” and “120 miles per hour” 4 or 5 times. “but these numbers are so great that they cannot imagine or understand it in their head at once.” Good stuff.