Josh's post on my CHANG thread, where he mentioned his first big looping coaster, brought back memories of my first.

My first looping coaster was SooperDooperLooper at Hershey. It was on a 7th grade class trip in 1977. I went on with a girl named Jenny, who I had a grade-school crush on. She grabbed my hand just as we went into the loop, and I forgot at that moment how scared I was! I even got my first coaster t-shirt that day, a beige shirt emblazoned with the message I SURVIVED THE SOOPERDOOPERLOOPER!.

My next two, both the following year, were Lightning Loops and Nessie.

How about you folks? Your first looper?

Mike

> Josh's post on my CHANG thread, where he mentioned his
> first big looping coaster, brought back memories of my
> first.

> My first looping coaster was SooperDooperLooper at Hershey.
> It was on a 7th grade class trip in 1977. I went on with a
> girl named Jenny, who I had a grade-school crush on. She
> grabbed my hand just as we went into the loop, and I forgot
> at that moment how scared I was! I even got my first
> coaster t-shirt that day, a beige shirt emblazoned with the
> message I SURVIVED THE SOOPERDOOPERLOOPER!.

> My next two, both the following year, were Lightning Loops
> and Nessie.

> How about you folks? Your first looper?

> Mike

My 1st looping coaster was Lightning Loops back in 1984 followed by Dragon Mountain at marineland in canada(also in 1984).

skc2000

My first looper would have been Screamin' Demon at Kings Island.
Don't remember the year, but I didn't like it.

http://rcdb.com/313.htm?p=4440

Well obviously, you all know mine. Viper really freaked me out when I rode it. I had my head forward during the loop, I wasn't at all prepared for the launch (nowadays, the launch seems puny lol.) The whole day was pretty much awful. It was VERY hot out, I didn't feel well most of the day, and I chaffed very badly (never wore jean shorts to a park ever again.) I even got sick after riding the rapids ride (I had chugged a large Coke just before.) So yeah, not a fun memory.

My first looping coaster that I actually enjoyed was Demon at SFGAm. Though, I wasn't a huge fan of the corkscrews, but I didn't mind them. MUCH better day than that day at SFOG.

-Josh

My first looper would have been Screamin' Demon at Kings Island.
Don't remember the year, but I didn't like it.

Same here Rob, But I did like it!

Deja vu again! Laser Loop at Kennywood. I was working there as an extra for the day. Harry Henninge, Jr. (Henny) was appalled that I had already put in a few hours collecting tickets and had not yet ridden his "baby." He replaced me at the ticket-taking location and promptly placed me in the front seat with him beside me. At the base of the loop, he yelled that it was best with your hands up and proceeded to help me do so.

Loch Ness Monster, Busch Gardens: The Old Country then.

Paul

Mind Eraser at then Adventure World, 1995.

I was 14 at the time and had not been on a coaster since my father took me on my first "big" coaster (Grizzly / KD) when I was 7.

Joe
Great_Ump

Black Widow at Riverside (known today as SFNE).

http://rcdb.com/181.htm?p=0

Mike B.

Very hard to scrape the cobwebs off my memory banks, but me thinks my first looper may have been the Screamin' Demon at Kings Island---and I loved it!

Don't know which was more 'thrilling' though: the shaky scaffolding you had to climb to get to the platform or the ride itself, lol!

~MommaBeast

Lightnin Loops at Great Adventure. I barely made the height requirement. I remember after we went to the other side I was trying to stand up and get out and when I found out I had to go backwards, I started to cry!

Jen

My parents forced me on The Scorpion at Busch Gardens. I came off crying. I think I was crying more because they made me go on and I didn't want to, rather than because I didn't like it.

-Bill

> Lightnin Loops at Great Adventure. I barely made the height
> requirement. I remember after we went to the other side I
> was trying to stand up and get out and when I found out I
> had to go backwards, I started to cry!

> Jen

You've come a long way! Now you only cry when your boyfriend KK receives visitors AFTER you go back to Iowa!

Mike

> Lightnin Loops at Great Adventure. I barely made the height
> requirement. I remember after we went to the other side I
> was trying to stand up and get out and when I found out I
> had to go backwards, I started to cry!

> Jen

> You've come a long way! Now you only cry when your
> boyfriend KK receives visitors AFTER you go back to Iowa!

> Mike

Cheating bastard! ;~)

Jen

First looper for me has to go to Rock 'n' Roller coaster at Disney [then MGM] studios. I forgot when I rode it, probably 2000. It was a rush with the launch and then the first loop it goes into.. I have to say it was a good thing it was in the dark where I couldn't see anything, so it actually made things easier for me :)

And yes, it was only 9 years ago that I started riding coasters, but it took my cousins to drag me onto other rides like Dueling Dragons and the Hulk to finally get me to face my fear of coasters and ever since I love riding almost any roller coaster.

My first looper was Laser at DP. I rode it with my gram.I was so scared with just a lap bar and no harness.After I rode it I loved it,looping was easier than the drops.

Brushing away the cobwebs out of my brain, my first coaster with inversions would have been at Marriott's Great America in Santa Clara ...

Turn of the Century back in the late 70's, with it's double-corkscrew ending (not to mention the fantastic ejector airtime at the beginning).

When Turn of the Century was converted to the Demon in 1980, that became my first coaster with vertical loops. It's a shame they had to take out the marvelous airtime hills to add those loops though :-(

Rick W - AirBear (would love to have Turn of the Century back at Great America - they desperately need the airtime in that park)

In 1976 at the age of 12, my first looping rollercoster was The Revolution at a recently opened park in Valencia, CA which was then named simply "Magic Mountain." The Revolution was the first vertical looping rollercoaster in CA, but I think The Corkscrew at Knotts Berry Farm opened just about the same time so I'm not sure which one was the first up-side-down coaster in CA. Pardon my digression LOL

I still remember my first Revolution ride like it was yesterday. I went to the park with a bunch of people from my church and I was the only one that rode Revolution. The original Revolution trains only had a single lap bar and no head restraint. The train speed through the untrimmed course with enough speed to even give some airtime in a few spots. WOW, what a ride it was. I only rode it one time that day becuase the line was pretty long, but over the next couple of years I had many returns to Magic Mountin for the biggest and best rollercoaster that I had ridden to date.

Too bad Six Flags has ruined this ride now - it's only a mere shadow of it's former self.

-Streaker-

> In 1976 at the age of 12, my first looping rollercoster was
> The Revolution at a recently opened park in Valencia, CA
> which was then named simply "Magic Mountain." The
> Revolution was the first vertical looping rollercoaster in
> CA, but I think The Corkscrew at Knotts Berry Farm opened
> just about the same time so I'm not sure which one was the
> first up-side-down coaster in CA. Pardon my digression LOL

> -Streaker-

Just FYI the corkscrew at KBF(now at silverwood in idaho)opened up in 1975 a year before revolution.Not only was it the 1st looping coaster in california it was also the 1st looping coaster in the world too.

skc2000

Vortex at Kings Island. I got started late.... =(

It is cool to learn that my first looper was THE first looper! Yes, when I was seven years old my dad took me on Corkscrew at KBF. I remember being so scared that I prayed! Unfortunately I did not want to go backwards on MR. My next looper was either Nessie, or Colossus (the Schwartzkof at Lagoon).

-Tim

My first looping coaster was Orient Express (RIP) in 1984. Man I rode it so many times before it was removed. The memories a park gives you doesn't really hit home tell the later years :) when it changes so much. I have since relived the memory riding Vortex and Ninja.

My first looping coaster was Corkscrew at the now defunct Myrtle Beach Pavilion. I believe I followed that up later in the summer with Steel Phantom at KW. Wow, I just realized that my first two looping coasters don't exist anymore. I guess that's what happens when you start to get older and hit the ripe ol' age of 19.

Zac

> My first looping coaster was SooperDooperLooper at Hershey.
> It was on a 7th grade class trip in 1977.

The Looper was my first looping coaster as well, and it was the same year as you. I remember there was a long line and a person (or persons) were doing a ride marathon in the front seat. As the coaster entered the loop my head snapped down and my glasses fell into my lap.

> It is cool to learn that my first looper was THE first
> looper! Yes, when I was seven years old my dad took me on
> Corkscrew at KBF. I remember being so scared that I prayed!
> Unfortunately I did not want to go backwards on MR. My next
> looper was either Nessie, or Colossus (the Schwartzkof at
> Lagoon).

> -Tim

Well..... the 1st modern looper anyway, lol. The 1st "looper" was actually built in 1895.

My 1st was Screamin' Demon at Kings Island.

Carol H

> My first looping coaster was SooperDooperLooper at Hershey.
> It was on a 7th grade class trip in 1977.

> The Looper was my first looping coaster as well, and it was
> the same year as you. I remember there was a long line and
> a person (or persons) were doing a ride marathon in the
> front seat. As the coaster entered the loop my head snapped
> down and my glasses fell into my lap.
>
We're not far apart in age either, so we sorta share an experience that summer. I believe I started wearing glasses around that time...maybe a year before or after..but I don't recall whether I had them at the park or what I did with them. I do remember my Mom was "chaperoning" so I probably gave them to her to hold, if I in fact had them.

Mike

>> My 1st was Screamin' Demon at Kings Island.

> Carol H

That seems to be a theme throughout this thread!

Mike

Corkscrew at Knott's Berry Farm was my first looper.

I was at Knott's with my grandma, aunt and cousin. I was scared to death of the upside down rides and didn't want to ride, but my grandma insisted. I remember being terrified of the experience, but after that I sort of got used to the rides. I didn't want to try Montezooma's Revenge since the vertical loop looked much worse.

However, on a later visit I tried Montezooma's Revenge and also Revolution at Magic Mountain. After that I distinctly remember liking the vertical loops much better than the corkscrews.

King Kobra: Kings Dominion

Knott's Corkscrew for me, as I used to live only 10 minutes away. It required some peer pressure at the time. I remember that I really liked the effect of spiraling over the pond, but that it fulfilled my need for new experiences that day such that I turned down a chance to go on Montezooma's Revenge later on.