This story was reported for the San Diego News Network on June 22, 2009.
Ever since I rode my first roller-coaster at the age of 12 in an indoor mall in Bangkok, Thailand, I fell in love. The thrill of riding on something eccentric, speedy and completely out of your control is just exciting to me. If “funnest” was a word — in my opinion — roller-coasters and all things related would be described as one of the funnest activities ever. That said, when pegged to review the rides at the San Diego County Fair, I happily accepted.
Of course, being the person I am, I wanted to ensure I found a ride for every type of person and I think I did. I hopped into a dirty cage, rode Winky the Whale, and screamed in a seat-belt-less-water-log, all for SDNN’s most valued readers and fellow ride enthusiasts.
(Disclaimer: Don’t even eat before reading the rest of this article.)
So, if you’re…
… a five-year-old, ride Winky the Whale in Kiddieland: Across the racetracks, there’s a magical area called “Kiddieland.” It’s filled with bumble bees, little trains with happy faces, faux Disney teacups and orange rockets. It’s an area that just makes you want to say, “Aww…. I want babies to take on these rides.” Of course, if you have a good friend with you, he or she will tell you — you need more reasons than a “Kiddieland” to have babies (Thanks, Val). What drew me was “Winky the Whale,” a ride with little whales that spin in circles over water while bubbles fly over your head. Unfortunately, the waves were a little rocky while riding Winky — which in turn, hurt my back – but for a five-year-old, who has more room in the whale, I’d say it’s worth it. I mean, there’s bubbles!
… a pre-teenager but you’re not tall enough to go on the “adult” rides, board the Techno Jump: So, you’re 12 (almost 13) but you’re not quite tall enough to ride all the rides your friends can. First of all, don’t be embarrassed — many of us go through this (this is why I rode my first roller-coaster in Bangkok) — then hop on to Techno Jump. It looks like an adult ride but you only have to be 42 inches tall to ride it. It’s an octopus-type-contraption with carts attached to each arm and it spins in circles while “jumping.” It’s a pretty fast ride but you can definitely have a good conversation on it at the same time.
… a teenager on you’re first date, ride the Ferris Wheel, baby: OK, so your mom dropped you off and you’ve flipped enough burgers to take a girl to the annual county fair. Take a tip from John Travolta (Grease) and ride the Ferris Wheel. It’s the classic ride that never lets you down. Good luck!
… a woman (or man) who doesn’t want roller-coaster hair, journey onto the Hi-Miler: It’s a little rusty at first glance but it’s so good to your hair (in fact, the nice breeze just gives you an extra lift you really can’t get on your own). A little bigger than our historic Belmont Park roller-coaster, much smaller than anything at Six Flags — and worth it if you have a strong grip as this ride doesn’t have seat-belts.
… with your mother, hop onto the Skyride: You came with your beautiful mother who isn’t a fan of roller-coasters but is willing to go on a ride — take her on the Skyride. The Skyride takes you over the fairgrounds and gives you an opportunity to view Del Mar’s scenic radiance. For only six tickets, this is something mom will truly enjoy while probing you about your finances, health and personal relationships.
… a thrill-seeker, take the Zipper: You’re in a small cage that topples, spins and rolls on a belt. Your cage then stops in the air — then you topple, spin and roll on the belt in reverse. What do you have to hold on to? Prison-type bars inside the cage with small squares so that very little air may seep in for you to breathe. Incredibly fun and I highly recommend it for the thrill-seeker or the introvert looking to have an exciting one-minute-venture. A tip for women though, tie your hair back and take off any necklaces.
… always on the go, even at the fair, be fast with the Zombie: Your nickname is “Speedy Gonzalez” because you like to get things done quickly and you’re the most efficient person in the world and these traits don’t escape you, even on your days off. So, when you’re at the fair, you want to hop on and off a ride but you want to have fun at the same time. Well, my dear SDNN reader, take the Zombie train. It’s only 20 seconds long but you’ll probably get about 6 screams in (I did). You ride through a dark and short path as zombies, skeletons, bloody dolls and spiders pop out — horribly scary but perfect for the person on-the-go!
… a water-ride enthusiast, get wet on the Water Log: It’s a hot day and you want to get wet to cool down but you didn’t bring your bathing suit, and you can’t slide down the water-slide. Well, it’s OK — hop onto a Water Log ride and get soaked via two big drops. The only recommendation I would make, however, is try to find three other people to take the ride with you as there aren’t seat-belts and you’ll feel much more secure if the boat is completely full. I rode the Water Log with just one other person (who I strategically sat behind so I wouldn’t get too wet) but was a little worried I would slide backwards as there wasn’t anything to secure riders. Then again, that’s the beauty of fair rides.
… an ultimate thrill-seeker, find adventure by bungee jumping: Now, I didn’t actually try bungee jumping because I’m not an “ultimate thrill-seeker,” rather a “thrill-seeker.” But, the ultimate thrill-seekers I saw bungee jumped looked like they had a lot of fun and screamed the loudest of the entire “Fun Zone” area. In fact, as I’m writing this, I’m contemplating whether I should go back just to bungee jump.
Hoa Quach is an SDNN contributing writer.