The physiological manifestations of fear include rapid heartbeat and change in facial expression.In March 2009 NewScientist magazine reported that UK engineers are creating a fear detector that can make amusement park rides work at a thrill level tailored to the level of excitements riders would like. Fear of theme park rides is not uncommon. The device would use such information to control ride motion.
Even student science projects can shed light on fear of theme parks. One specific school project involved a group of friends monitoring pulse rates before and after riding three rides. Each ride was also rated according to perception of scariness.The participants’ heart rates significantly increased the most after riding the scariest ride, showing a direct relationship between fear level and increased heart rate.
Seeing many parents holding their children’s bags and other impedimenta while the children rode, park management at Chessington World Of Adventures decided to try to help parents calm their fears. Management has attempted to use hypnosis to tempt parents of thrill seeking children onto thrill rides.
Chessington World of Adventure acquired a hypnotherapist to organise sessions at the amusement park in Oct 2009. According to a park spokesman, if the hypnotherapy helped parents not just grit their teeth and bear riding, but rather help them actually enjoy it, the techniques could be applied in other areas of life that are troublesome. Participants were put forward by their kids who wanted their parents to enjoy the rides.
That said, theme park fears are not entirely unjustified. While the overwhelming majority of parks do their utmost to prevent injury, there are occasional freak accidents. One of the most ghastly was the failure of a tower drop ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in the US that resulted in one rider’s feet being severed.
When all is said and done, while fears of amusement park rides may be exaggerated, and while most theme park rides have excellent safety records, there is some justification for fear, particularly among those who may have other medical conditions such as heart problems. Theme park rides are, after all, optional activities, like sky diving or skiing, and many people can have a jolly good time at a theme park without going on the rides that they find too frightening.
Andrea Smith is a freelance writer and Theme Park enthusiast from the UK. She writes for Techy Zone about roller coasters, thrill rides and theme parks in the UK.
How Can I Overcome Fear of Theme Park Rides
The physiological manifestations of fear include rapid heartbeat and change in facial expression.In March 2009 NewScientist magazine reported that UK engineers are creating a fear detector that can make amusement park rides work at a thrill level tailored to the level of excitements riders would like. Fear of theme park rides is not uncommon. The device would use such information to control ride motion.
Even student science projects can shed light on fear of theme parks. One specific school project involved a group of friends monitoring pulse rates before and after riding three rides. Each ride was also rated according to perception of scariness.The participants’ heart rates significantly increased the most after riding the scariest ride, showing a direct relationship between fear level and increased heart rate.
Seeing many parents holding their children’s bags and other impedimenta while the children rode, park management at Chessington World Of Adventures decided to try to help parents calm their fears. Management has attempted to use hypnosis to tempt parents of thrill seeking children onto thrill rides.
Chessington World of Adventure acquired a hypnotherapist to organise sessions at the amusement park in Oct 2009. According to a park spokesman, if the hypnotherapy helped parents not just grit their teeth and bear riding, but rather help them actually enjoy it, the techniques could be applied in other areas of life that are troublesome. Participants were put forward by their kids who wanted their parents to enjoy the rides.
That said, theme park fears are not entirely unjustified. While the overwhelming majority of parks do their utmost to prevent injury, there are occasional freak accidents. One of the most ghastly was the failure of a tower drop ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in the US that resulted in one rider’s feet being severed.
When all is said and done, while fears of amusement park rides may be exaggerated, and while most theme park rides have excellent safety records, there is some justification for fear, particularly among those who may have other medical conditions such as heart problems. Theme park rides are, after all, optional activities, like sky diving or skiing, and many people can have a jolly good time at a theme park without going on the rides that they find too frightening.
Andrea Smith is a freelance writer and Theme Park enthusiast from the UK. She writes for Techy Zone about roller coasters, thrill rides and theme parks in the UK.
Related pages