Coaster Dad Season 7

My daughter has cleared 50 inches and has been extremely brave about trying new rides. Last year I got to tell you about her new love for spin and barf style rides and her first inverting coaster, Wicked Cyclone. I also gave you the preview that we had planned a trip to DIsneyworld. The trip to Disney was honestly the best family vacation ever, and I wasn’t expecting that at all since Disney doesn’t really serve my demographic, or so I thought. However my demographic on that trip was not adrenalin junkie, it was Dad. Disney delivered an awesome family experience and a few new credits for all three of us. Just like the spin and barf rides last year, I now have a renewed interest in Disney. I surprised myself after we left, already talking about when we could return.  While they don't deliver high thrills they kept the whole family entertained the whole time including myself. My daughter was enamored with Expedition Everest, her first backwards roller coaster. She really loved Tower of Terror, her first drop style ride. She also experienced Rockin' Roller Coaster, her first launch coaster, and wanted to ride again! However she didn't just try those rides she marathoned them like a champ along with Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. It wasn’t just her having a blast and enjoying the family style rides, it was all of us. This trip marked a more important first for us. We rode everything together, that was my biggest feeling of accomplishment for us. In the past my wife and I would often take turns going on the more exciting attractions, but this time from roller coasters, to dark rides, rafts & flumes we did everything together. That is really something that could have only been accomplished at Disney.

We did our local parks in the fall, but we didn't wait until spring to get started in 2023. We decided to go to Kings Dominion in February to check out their new winter event. I figured Apple Zapple would be the main attraction for her since she loves wild mouse coasters, and she did love the new to her large park model. However she surprised both my wife and I by going on Twisted Timbers, her second RMC. She absolutely loved it, we spent a majority of our time getting laps in on Twisted Timbers. She was very impressed with the ride and herself too for deciding she wanted to go on the big rides. When the spring brought opening days we hit up Knoebels. She surprised us again asking to try Twister and Stratosfear, two rides she passed on in the past. We went on both so many times I lost count and absolutely loved them. And just like the previous year she will tell anyone who will listen about all of the new rides she has conquered. 

 I now regularly catch her watching POV videos on YouTube. She is asking for return trips to other local parks to try some of the bigger rides. She is still unsure about inversions, and we don’t try to talk her into rides she isn’t sure about. But there are plans for her to try her first hyper coaster in about a week. She even asked for our road trip this summer to be to Dollywood, a park I didn’t even know that she was aware of. She has even started double checking every time we make plans, she will ask, “That won’t get in the way of a coaster trip, right?” I love her priorities. I think she really gets the adventure of not only going on rides but going on new ones. She doesn’t know that enthusiasts count credits, but she does get the appeal of trying new rides out & having favorites.  I am hoping this theme continues and she is able to grow into new ride types and we can enjoy more experiences together as a family. Even though she tells me she is nervous before she tries out a new ride, she always comes off of it with a sense of accomplishment and more importantly joy. In about two more inches she will be ready for anything, I’m looking forward to a great season.

Author
Jeff Goodman