Expert: Melissa Mayntz - 5/12/2006

Question
I am working on a class project. I know the limit is five questions, but my teacher wanted me to ask 10. I will understand if you cant answer them all.

Here are the question:
1.What is you favorite ride?
2.What is your favorite amusement park?
3.What do you think the scarriest ride is?
4.How many amusement parks are in the U.S?
5.When was the first amusement park built?
6.What types of rides were at the first amusement park?
7.What was the first amusement park you went to?
8.What roller coaster do you think is the best in the United States?
9.About how much does it cost to build a roller coaster?
10.When is the best time to go to an amusement park?  

Answer
Hello Jordan,

I will try to help you as best I can, but for the ones that you can research elsewhere, I'll have to leave you to do the work on your project that way.

1. My favorite ride is Kraken at Sea World in Orlando -- it is a very smooth, very powerful roller coaster with great theming and colors. I've been on it dozens of times (10 in a row, once).
2. My favorite amusement park is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio -- Since I worked there for five years, I know it very well, and I've been visiting the park for more than 20 years. Every park has it's own good points, though.
3. I don't really think that any ride is particularly scary, because they are all very safe. The ones that scare me the most are the skycoasters (Ripcord at Cedar Point), where you are almost skydiving and hang-gliding at the same time.
4. This you can look up -- try www.rcdb.com to start.
5. This question you can look up in an encyclopedia.
6. This is also amusement park history (try a web search).
7. The first amusement park I went to that I can remember was probably Cedar Point or Disney World (The Magic Kingdom) in Florida, I can't remember which one came first, but I was only 5 or 6.
8. I can't say which coaster is the best -- I haven't been on them all! I've been on 82 coasters across the country, and Kraken at Sea World in Orlando is exquisite, as well as Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. Every roller coaster has a different personality and characteristics, so they all have their good points.
9. This you can look up online -- Cedar Point's website (www.cedarpoint.com) will have information on its coasters.
10. I think the best time to go to an amusement park is in late May or early June, when the weather is pretty nice but the crowds aren't very big yet. You can go on a lot of rides and have a good time without waiting forever in line.

I hope this has helped, Jordan, and good luck with the rest of your project. I'd appreciate it if you'd rate me here at AllExperts if you have a chance; thanks!

Sincerely,
Melissa Mayntz