Two months ago, I wrote about my favorite amusement park aromas, and writing that made me think of what my other senses encounter when at an amusement park. My attention turned to my ears. Your ears inundated with different sounds when at an amusement park, which isn’t exactly a quiet place. Below I’ve listed a few of my favorite sounds that I often hear when at the park.
Turnstiles… Turning
One of the first sounds that you hear at many amusement parks is that of turnstiles turning and clicking as guests enter the park. Turnstiles always fascinated me as a child. They signified the start of a fun-filled day ahead. Even as technology progresses, many parks still stick to the tried-and-true method of counting guests via turnstiles. I’m definitely okay with that.
B&M Roar (+ Rattle)
Bolliger & Mabillard coasters emit a distinctive, thunderous roar. The below Vine video shows one of the louder (B&M) coasters that I’ve experienced: Batman: The Ride at Six Flags over Georgia.
Unfortunately, some newer B&M coasters are filled with sand to reduce noise. Since I enjoy the B&M “roar,” I am opposed to this practice.
Sometimes, B&M coasters contain a “rattling” noise, as heard in the video of Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America below:
The rattle doesn’t bother me. It instantly reminds me of B&M coasters.
Lift Hills
The click-clack of a coaster train ascending a towering lift hill is synonymous with anxiety and adrenaline for new riders. It marks the point of no return. And until launched coasters, nearly every roller coaster featured the iconic lift hill sound. The familiar sound is not caused by the chain itself, but by the anti-rollback device which prevents the coaster from falling backwards down the lift hill if the chain fails.
Each manufacturer seems to have a slightly different lift hill sound. I can easily differentiate a B&M lift hill from an older Arrow lift hill.
Wooden Coasters
The wooden coaster is a staple of the classic amusement park. Older wooden coasters may give off a considerable amount of wooden “racket,” but that noise goes hand-in-hand with the roughness of old-fashioned wooden roller coasters.
Music
Most parks have ambient background music in at least one area of the park. Some parks match the music to the theme of the area. Others play upbeat pop music or old-fashioned ragtime tunes. Some parks even feature live music, which is even better.
Distant Screams
One of my favorite sounds when approaching a park or a roller coaster is the faint sound of distance screams. I know that I am getting close to the park when I hear them.
Did I leave any sounds out? Is there a sound that is specific to a certain park? Add your own favorite sounds in the comments section below.
I like the sound of launching roller coasters such as Maverick, Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka, etc.
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