If you’re a kid going on your first roller coaster or thrill ride, then there isn’t a whole lot you can do other than grit your teeth and get through it. This kid, named the grandson in the picture, is learning that. Oh boy is he learning that. This face – or at least this kind of face – is heavily featured throughout this article, as one might expect.
The first coaster face. First-coaster faces take on many forms, but it’s essentially what a child wears when they realize that they aren’t in control anymore. They were growing up, learning stuff, getting a handle on life, and then the parents put them on something like this. It can sometimes be a hard lesson to learn, but it’s an important one.
All on Her Own
We were a little confused by this picture the first time we laid eyes on it. It seems like a perfectly normal pic... but then we spotted the lady in the third row. Arms crossed, forehead wrinkled, jaw clamped shut like she’s giving someone the stink eye. Who could it be that deserves such a look all the way through the camera? Somebody who works at Splash Mountain?
It turns out that the husband of the woman that we’re focused on didn’t want to go on the ride with his wife. And it’s not like she was about to enjoy the ride on her own! We’re going to guess that she’s gone on this ride more than once since she knew exactly where the camera was going to be. And she knew how to hold her pose.
Doing Their Best Impressions
There’s a famous lady from Splash Mountain who eventually came to be known as “Angry Splash Lady.” Maybe you’ll see her on this list, maybe you won’t. This family, having enjoyed the image, all decided that they would try to do their best impressions of that famous lady (except for the lady in the first row. We don’t think she was in on it).
All three of them give us some goofy faces to enjoy, but we think that the kid in the second row has the best scowl out of the three. It was, apparently, his idea. Dad’s face looks too much like his kids made a mess, and the girl in the back has a face that makes us think that she’s about to accidentally swallow an entire almond.
Wouldn’t They Be Occupying Themselves?
In a move that will confuse absolutely nobody who knows anything about how the Occupy Wall Street movement got started or ended up, the people carrying the signs haven’t thought this entire thing through. The guys who are holding up signs seem to be mad at themselves, since they’re taking a staged photo on Splash Mountain, which is turning into one of the more popular rides on this list.
All three of them had hand-written signs to hold up during the photo. We don’t know if the guy in the front is in on it, but it looks like he’s also trying to make his own little photo. Also, we guess that these guys just want to go on Splash Mountain over and over until they...capitulate to their demands?
Getting Used to It Young
Roller coasters aren’t always a kid’s favorite thing. They can get really tall! And also, at the same time, go really fast! This can be a lot to handle. It looks like this little guy might be taking his first ride on the rails. Thankfully, he’s holding tight to both his date and the lap bar that is keeping him locked down.
It probably also isn’t the craziest ride in the world – that kid looks like he’s, what, five? Maybe? Maybe a short six? He’s not going to be riding the Death Spiral or anything like that. But get your kid on baby’s first roller coaster early, and they’ll be ready to get onto some of the more fun stuff before too long. Roller coasters have that kind of effect.
A Long Way From Pride Rock
We’ve been told that every year this guy goes on this roller coaster and takes a planned photo, and this was the best one. Instead of just enjoying the roller coaster like the rest of the passengers, he slipped on a mask to make him look like Rafiki and held up a little stuffed animal that looks a whole heck of a lot like Simba from the start of “The Lion King.”
The photo was taken on “Magnum XL200,” a roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, hence the garment that says “Browns.” We wish that this picture had been taken at a Disney theme park, but we guess that not everything can be perfect. Check out the grip he’s keeping on the toy there – that thing isn’t going anywhere.
Getting Ready for Their Big Day
An entire family was in on this one, and it might be one of the more incredible photos on this list. Mom is double-checking her makeup, the sister is brushing her hair, Dad is brushing his teeth – and having a tough time of it, it seems – and the brother is somehow attempting to shave his face while on a roller coaster.
That last one is the most spectacular since there is a chance, though small, that he was actually wielding a blade while riding a roller coaster. Hopefully, it was safely covered, or it wasn’t a blade at all but just something that looks like a razor. We wonder if the people running the rides would have even cared if the kid had a real razor. Seems like a security issue.
That’s How We All Look the First Time
Play Land isn’t all fun and games, we guess. This guy took his girlfriend on her very first roller coaster, and we’re not sure she’s such a big fan of the things after all. It seems like he’s having a good time, but that’s only during the ride. Afterward, we wouldn’t be surprised if he has to treat a bruise on his shoulder or something like that. Because she slapped him across the face.
Then again, how else are you going to react to going hurtling down a tiny train at a hundred miles an hour? Don’t worry lady, you’ll get used to it eventually. You might be going with a different guy the next time, but it will be more fun.
Perry the Platypus Gets up to Some Stuff
There is a lot to enjoy in this picture. The kid giving double fist pumps next to the kid who loves the splash in the first row. The guys in the second row both look like they might have eaten too many nachos. The two guys in the third row are having a good time – one of them even tried to do a little staged photo magic.
But nothing is going to beat the dude who pulled his shirt over his head and stuck a Perry the Platypus toy out the neck hole. The lady next to him is giving us a classic scream, but even that can’t beat an image that has actually been going around as a meme a little bit in recent years.
This Isn’t the Ranch!
A pair of brothers figured out that a lot of roller coasters have on-ride photos, and they decided to have a good deal of fun with them. They dressed up as army guys, pulled open their shirts to reveal their secret identities underneath.
They had to set up quite a lot for some of these pictures, and they’re some of the most intricate that we’ve seen yet. Just look – the guy in the back has an army helmet and a fake mustache, while the guy in front has one of those rubber horse heads, a rein, and a couple of black gloves. All that and then they had to pose for the camera!
We Have No Idea How They Achieved This
We’ve seen this group of four before and we’ll probably see them again, but this one very well might take the cake when it comes to on-ride photos. They were somehow able to bring on board a ride: a Nintendo Gamecube, a pair of controllers, a TELEVISION, and, once you think about it for a moment, a way to power all of that. Did they have a big battery? A really...REALLY long extension cord? It’s truly a picture of epic proportions.
There’s always time for a little bit of “Super Smash Brothers Melee,” even while riding Splash Mountain. We’d like to think that this pic is genuine and that they were really playing the whole time. Is there any chance it isn’t? Could they have used a little Photoshop? We hope not.
A Whole Play on a Roller Coaster
We counted a total of eight people who had to be in on this gimmick. The two boxers, the guy that got in between them, the photographer to their left, the guy decked out in American garb behind them, the two announcers, and the Russian fan holding the flag. A little bit of thought and movie knowledge tells us that this is a very short and very sweet recreation of “Rocky IV.”
This, despite the fact that the ride they’re on is called “Raging Bull.” It was right there, guys. Then again, it was probably going to be hard to work eight people into a display for a movie that we don’t think has all that many characters. Still, it can be done if they need another option.
You Don’t Have to Provide Your Own Water
It turns out roller coasters aren’t as cut-and-dry as a lot of people would have us think. Specifically not dry, since the whole point of Splash Mountain is you’re going to get wet. There are actually a couple of things to talk about from this picture, including a little girl who doesn’t look all that happy and a kid who looks to be holding in his lunch as hard as he can.
But the real draw is the guy dumping out a bottle of water on his own face like he’s been mowing the lawn for a few hours. Maybe Disney World was going through a dry season, or maybe they’re working on cutting costs a little bit, but we don’t think that bringing your own bottle of water is necessary.
A Little Peckish
People try their hardest to make every picture on the ride something special, but we’ve never actually seen anybody consuming food while on one of these rides. How a guy managed to sneak a ham and cheese sandwich into Disney World — a place that is so unlikely to allow outside food that we bet they employ dogs designed to sniff our hidden snacks — is beyond us.
That’s why they charge so much for food — because they know you aren’t supposed to bring in any of your own. Odds are he just stuffed it down his pants so that nobody would notice, but that means he’s paying for it now that he’s taking a bite. We hear that it can get pretty warm down in Florida. Warm and sweaty.
Hold on Tight
We sure hope that these two know each other because otherwise there will be issues. Then again, the lady in question doesn’t seem to be too upset about it – we’ll have to put that issue aside for a moment. Whether this was a planned moment to give the camera a peek at a loving relationship or not, these two are making the most of the moment.
One of the many appellations for such devices is airbags, so maybe he was just worried about his safety. It also keeps her from being thrown forward if the ride were to come to a sudden and unexpected stop, so maybe he was thinking of her safety even more than he was thinking about his own. What a gentleman.
YOU DIDN’T TELL ME ABOUT THIS PART!
So a kid uploads a picture of himself riding Splash Mountain in the late nineties. Which child do you think he is? He’s the one in front, who must not have fully understood the whole roller coaster concept. However, his dad is the one right behind him, holding on for dear life, so maybe nobody in the family was aware of exactly what the phrase meant.
Everybody else seems to be having a good time, so we don’t think it’s the ride’s fault that they look like they’re about to lose their minds. There’s also a non-zero chance that someone who saw this picture eventually went on to be the inventor of googly eyes, though we’re going to guess that the kid in the front blocked the whole thing out of his memory.
Once More Unto the Breach!
We are so surprised at what the people working at Splash Mountain will allow you to take on the ride. This article features food, video games, and personal beauty products, but we feel like a SWORD is liable to take the cake. Actually, we wonder if anybody has taken a cake onto Splash Mountain. That would really... you know what we mean.
And if they happen to pass this guy, he could cut the cake. Seriously though, how did this guy get the okay to take what appears to be a deadly weapon onto a ride like this one? It probably isn’t a real sword – genuine sabers aren’t that easy to come by – but it still seems like the sort of thing security wouldn’t be fond of. Maybe he had to get it from one of the stores.
Guess Who We’re Going to Talk About?
There are seven whole people on this ride, and we’re going to talk about the doofus who is absolutely making the most of his chance after waiting in line for three hours. A couple of people are decked out in protective gear, the little kid in the front is bent down so far that he’s almost impossible to see, everybody else is just having a normal one, and the one guy in the second row is reaching up so high we wonder if he has a chance to touch the top.
We imagine that Splash Mountain and all rides of this nature are constructed to avoid such disturbances, but this guy is really trying his hardest. He’s also great at signaling when his football team scores a field goal.
Honey, Please Stop Crushing My Hand
A guy and his gal were in the midst of celebrating their engagement when they went on Splash Mountain, which must have been the first time she ever took the trip. They’re sitting in the second row, and you can see her try her hardest to break the guy's hand before she even manages to take it in marriage.
It’s not the easiest thing in the world to crush a guy’s hand to powder just by squeezing it, but if you’re plummeting down a drop, then you might have some of that stress strength, like when a lady lifts a one-ton car off of her son or something like that. Let’s also give a nod to the little girl behind the happy couple, who is rethinking the whole roller coaster thing a whole lot.
I Want to Get Off This Wild Ride
The first time you go on something like a roller coaster or Splash Mountain, it really changes you. The first one we ever went on was Wild Thing at Valleyfair, which is two hundred feet tall (the definition of a hypercoaster) and goes a max of seventy-five miles per hour! Terrifying. Got a great picture out of it, though, just like the people who were on this ride.
A guy takes his niece and nephew on Splash Mountain for the first time, and neither of them seems to enjoy it. The niece is hanging on for dear life with her uncle giving the assist, and the nephew is just about ready to take his chances by leaping off. Please stay seated, little guy, everything will be all right soon.
At Least the Grandparents Are Enjoying It
From 1999 comes this photo, which shows almost an entire family getting to enjoy everyone’s favorite water roller coaster at Disney World. The kids are going through various states of shock, Grandma is locked down like she’s going through a busy intersection. It looks like Mom is a pro at managing rides like these – raising three kids does make you a little inured to these kinds of twists and turns. This is probably nothing to her.
Grandpa, way in the back, looks like he’s doing nothing more stressful than sitting in the park and watching the dogs run. Maybe he was a fighter pilot back in the war or something. There aren’t even any negative G forces! This is like going down a sled on a snowy mountain to him.
We Need More Thrills
Splash Mountain is the number one place for staged roller coaster photos, it seems, but not everybody has the means to make an entire turkey dinner or play their favorite video game when the camera snaps a pic. These girls (well, most of them – there is that one in the back) decided they would try to shame the ride by acting like it so isn’t all that.
Maybe they’ve gone on the ride too many times, or maybe they’re all worried about an upcoming math test, but sometimes Splash Mountain just doesn’t cut it anymore if you’re looking for real thrills. Except for the girl in the back, who might not have gotten the memo, or did get the memo and then threw it in the trash because she’s her own woman.
This Is What We Think of Your Rules
For some strange reason, a brother and sister duo were told that they weren’t able to ride Splash Mountain with the rest of their family, and this is the result. There was enough space for the entire family on the one ride, but for some reason, the people running the rides wouldn’t allow everybody in the same log.
Weight restrictions? Balance issues? Maybe they just wanted to separate the clear troublemakers from the rest of the people. We can’t say, and even if we could there’s a chance that it wouldn’t make sense to us, the people who have never worked as a ride manager at a big theme park like Disneyland. They probably have a lot of rules that we’ll never fully understand.
The Odd Man Out
It looks like everybody was in on this planned photo except for one person. Was it his first time riding this roller coaster? Did he forget all about the planned picture of holding your arms out to the sides because he was so enthralled by the twists and turns? Maybe the kid in front of him had something on the back of his head that was even scarier than the roller coaster itself?
Maybe he wasn’t part of this crew and somehow got added into the middle of the mix thanks to some sort of seating arrangement that the ride controllers have in their heads. Well, the picture was still pretty good. Even the kid who didn’t have his arms out gave us a face to remember.
Is This All?
There are probably millions of pictures of kids freaking all the way out while riding Splash Mountain or any of the rides that they can fit on, but how many pictures are there of a kid going on something like this and seeming to not care in the slightest? A little tiny kid, at that? Dad, who is sitting in the front, is having the time of his life – so is Mom, next to the kid.
The four in the back, wearing matching t-shirts, are all enjoying themselves. It’s only Junior who doesn’t seem to realize that he’s supposed to be having fun. Instead, he’s showing us his best thousand-yard stare. That’s the kind of kid who can’t wait to do something a little more exciting. Like go to SPACE.
Even Dictators Like Roller Coasters
Yes, it seems that even Kim Jong Un sometimes takes time off from ruining North Korea to go incognito to Disneyland, where he can find out the joys of capitalism. You think he springs for the Fastpass? He seems like the kind of guy who isn’t all that used to waiting his turn in line. He also got to be at the very front of the ride while going down Splash Mountain.
Maybe the magic of Disney will eventually get him to change his mind about being a cruel and violent dictator and instead get him to start designing roller coasters. We don’t really know if North Korea has the kind of money for that sort of creation. Some of these roller coasters can be pretty dang pricey.
Taking the Bread for a Ride
These guys proudly said that they got a good photo while they were on Splash Mountain, and we guess it’s possible they did if they have a really big affinity for small pieces of bread. They were literally flashing their bread at the camera, but that’s probably not what the rappers had in mind when they started using the term.
Everybody else in the log looks like they’re just having a perfectly normal day of fun, but these two guys decided they would do their best to just take a really weird photo. These staged photos are becoming so common that we bet almost every time a photo is taken, somebody on the log has something for the camera. This time, it was bread.
This Is What You Wanted
Everybody here looks pretty normal and standard. The couple in the back are holding hands as they plummet down Splash Mountain. The two adults in the middle knew what they were getting into, so they were prepared. The girl in the front was NOT aware of what she was going to be getting into, and now she’s paying for it.
We’re told by the attached story that she BEGGED to get to go on Splash Mountain, despite being told over and over what the ride would entail. You can see the result in all its glory. She exited the ride soaked, terrified, and dedicated to never going on another water ride in her entire life. Maybe the next time, young one, you should listen to the people who know better.
The Face of True Terror
You never know what you’re going to get when you get into Splash Mountain. Other than wet, we guess, which should have been clear right from the word go. This little nephew got on Splash Mountain with either not enough of a champ to handle the wild ride even though he knew what was going to happen, or he didn’t get enough of an explanation from the people he was riding with. But look closer.
This isn’t normal terror – this is special terror. This isn’t just scared – the poor boy’s brain has whited out. All he can do is scream and scream and scream until the ride is over. His mental state has been ironed smooth, and as soon as the ride comes to a complete stop at the station he’s probably going to just fall asleep.
The Duality of Man
A lot of jokes start with the idea that there are two kinds of people, and we have the punchline right here. The guy is throwing up the double horns like he’s watching Yngwie shred from the front row, but the gal he’s sitting next to looks like it’s her first time watching “Paranormal Activity” after a lifetime of watching Hallmark movies. It’s a classic pic, but there’s a big problem.
If the lady really was scared, then she would probably be doing something to secure herself, like holding onto the bar that is right in front of her, or maybe hanging on to the guy that is a lot less likely to go flying out of his seat. She’s making a face for the camera, which is fine – at least it’s a funny face.
Guys, Stop Doing the YMCA Dance, I’m Trying to Focus
There’s a famous comic from XKCD that has a guy gluing chess pieces to a chess board in order to get almost this exact photo, and thus a ton of people have gone on to recreate it. This is just one of many examples, and as a bonus, all the guys in the back are doing the YMCA dance moves. For some strange reason.
Also, they’re all dressed up in business attire like button-downs and ties and sweater vests. Apparently, there is a reason for that, but we don’t get to know. Maybe they were there to test the rides to make sure they performed to the expected specifications? Maybe they were there to test the pictures specifically. Maybe it’s a ploy to get their trip to Disney on the company credit card.
She Thought It Was Going to Be a Movie
Sure, not everybody is prepared to have fun on a roller coaster, but it’s not like they don’t know what a roller coaster is, right? It’s not like that lady way in the back waited in line for three hours and didn’t know what she was getting into, right? Everybody else looks like they’re having a good time – in fact, some of them look pretty bored!
Except for the lady that is in the final row, who is getting all of her bravery drained right out of her in one quick moment. Heck, the guy in the front looks like he’s viewing a somewhat-funny episode of a show that didn’t impress him the first time. Maybe she just wasn’t ready for Space Mountain in particular.
How Many Times Does It Take to Accomplish This?
We’ve seen people look a little less interested in Splash Mountain than others, but they’re usually doing it because they’re trying to make a specific image for the camera. This picture has a pair of guys who don’t seem all that excited by the amazing piece of engineering and imagination that they’re currently getting to enjoy.
The guy in the front looks like he’s...we don’t know...counting on his fingers or something, but the guy in the third row honestly looks like he’d rather just head back to the hotel. It looks like he’s had a long day. But we know the truth about this guy. All he can think about is the amount of money that this trip is costing him. Flights, theme park tickets, hotel rooms, food, souvenirs...it all adds up.
C’mon, Mom, You Can Do a Little Better
The whole family was in on this one, and now we can rank them from top to bottom. At the top is Dad for sure, who sacrificed his ability to see in order to make the best picture possible, and even exposed himself to the camera! We wonder if you can get kicked out for that sort of thing. After that, it’s probably the son, who has a couple of big Mickey hands and is using them to fine effect.
After that, it’s the daughter, who is giving out a couple of peace signs that almost perfectly frame her face as she gives a chill look. At the bottom of the pack is Mom, who couldn’t figure out anything better than a thumbs up and an open mouth.
Sometimes You Can Go On a Ride Too Many Times
The first dozen times you ride something like Splash Mountain it can be exciting, even if you know what is coming over the next hill. But, eventually, even a ride that is as much-loved as this one will start to be a little boring.
This group of people was on their last legs as they went over the photo drop at Disneyland. Most of them were nodding off even as they were on the ride, which is something straight out of an episode of “Mr. Bean.” The guy in the back looks like he’s doing okay, but maybe he got more sleep on the plane or something like that. Or maybe he wasn’t part of the group that needed to catch up on their winks.
All the Best From the Start of the Decade
If you were online from 2008 to about 2012, you probably saw a lot of these cartoon faces in memes and other kinds of pictures. They’re just a little bit of pencil work that people were able to use to talk about something that had happened during their day or make a joke. But, like so many other internet fads, they disappeared and are now considered outdated at best.
Still, in 2011 they were the height of humor for people who spent too much time online, and these five people decided to each grab a different one and jump aboard Splash Mountain. We especially like the fact that the lonely face is on his own in one of the rows.
No, I Was Really Scared, for Real
Yes, it turns out that thrill rides can be pretty scary if you aren’t prepared. Some people love that about them – even if you know you’re going to be hurtling down a metal rail at almost a hundred miles an hour, possibly going upside down or spinning around curves with so many G-forces your bones might turn to jelly, it can still be daunting.
It’s hard to say whether or not this guy is enjoying himself. Just look at the sign that he’s holding! We can’t think of a single reason why a guy would be holding a sign that says such a thing unless he was actually scared. Maybe they hand those out while you’re in line so that you can give immediate feedback to the people running the ride.
Feeling the Rush
Most of the pictures on this list are from the official cameras that the roller coaster or thrill ride provides, but this time it’s just a guy taking a photo from his phone (we think, anyway. We’re told this is Splash Mountain, and none of the other pictures from that same ride look like this). The picture wasn’t even supposed to be of the guy in the front who was holding the camera – he knew what the real subject of the photo would be.
That would be the kid in the second row, who was going on the thrill ride for the very first time. He aged seventy years in the span of just a few seconds, and he looks like he’s about to hork up that thirty-dollar burger his dad just bought him all over his uncle.
Picking up the Pieces Is Really Hard
We’ve seen lots of pics of people playing games while on rides like this one, but Jenga is a step beyond the normal even for those kinds of pictures. Obviously, they aren’t playing the game for real, since doing so would immediately result in wooden pieces flying all over the place. But even if they aren’t, just think of the work they had to go through to set up this shot.
They had to glue the whole game together, except for maybe a few pieces, and then they had to bring the whole thing onto the ride, which meant carrying it through a Disney theme park, and those things aren’t small at all. We wonder if they went and bought a copy of Jenga just to take this picture.
They Need a Little More Awesome
So a couple of little kids think that they’re hot stuff, do they? Think they can take everything that life throws at them? How about you get them on a thrill ride that is going to shock them right out of their big boy pants and back into their little kid heads? Then you buy this picture and show it to them every time they start to think that they say they’re tough.
Maybe you can tell them that Splash Mountain is, compared to most other roller coasters, a pretty easy ride. No negative G-forces, doesn’t go that fast, just a few drops and all you get is a little wet. Put them on a hypercoaster and watch them find out that they are small fish in a big pond.
Getting All the Ear Wax Out
The kings of Splash Mountain staged photos are here for a bit of legendary fun. They’re using some huge mental floss (that’s what the box the lead guy is carrying says – it’s just really hard to see) to get all the bad thoughts out of their heads. These guys are apparently masters of their field, but we think that we like the lead guy the most.
He’s leading the charge down Splash Mountain, sunglasses on and a small, simple smile telling us that we’re about to have a good time checking out the photo that he and his bros have put together for our amusement. We wonder if maybe he’s the one coming up with the good ideas.
Oh Dear I Have Made a Mistake
Everybody who rides roller coasters has a story about the first one that they went on. For this little tyke, he was just barely above the size restrictions and only three years old when he checked off his very first thrill ride with the family there to support him. He isn’t losing his mind, but he still seems to be rethinking this whole roller coaster thing.
How will he react when he gets off the ride? Will he refuse to go on anything more thrilling than the teacups? Will he demand to go on the biggest, baddest roller coaster in the entire park, just to prove that he can? He might have to wait a few years to be able to meet the height requirements, but he can still do it.
Getting Everybody in on the Fun
So a bunch of people came up with a picture to take together. All it took was a couple of decks of cards and some good timing, as well as some glue, and everybody will have a cool memory to look back on. Except that’s not exactly what happened. The guy in the front did all the gluing to come up with a card tower that he could take on a ride, but he was the only one in on it.
According to the man himself, he took an extra deck of cards and asked the people behind him if they wanted to be part of the show. A couple of them said yes, and that’s how the card players entered the picture. They all did their own little thing.
Enjoying a Good Book
Now that’s living deliberately. Henry David Thoreau is one of those authors that you kind of have to work up to if he’s on your reading list. Once you really get into him, though, he can be hard to put down. Even if you’re on a literal roller coaster, his prose and insights will send your mind on a mental ride of its own.
A couple of the people behind the reader are picking up second-hand information, and seem ready to learn more. The other people in the log, on the other hand, would rather just enjoy their time on Splash Mountain. Both sides of the argument have some good points, and it also occurs to us that the book probably got soaked by the time the ride was back at the station.
Everybody Smile!
Taking a selfie during a roller coaster ride comes with a couple of inherent risks. Sure, you might get an amazing photo out of it – like this guy did – or you might drop your phone two hundred feet and have it shatter into a million billion pieces. Thankfully, it seems like this guy was able to maintain a steely grip on his phone until he was back on solid ground.
What a shot this is, honestly. Every single person on the ride is visible! Also, a bunch of guys from what looks like a college fraternity got matching sweatshirts and wore them while at a theme park during spring break. That sounds like a great time. The guy in the second row is having the time of his life.
Not the Normal Kind of Roller Coaster Picture
Sure, it might not be the kind of picture that we’re used to seeing on this list, but doing something against the norm is often a good way to get even more attention. Instead of a real roller coaster where the people riding it have put on some sort of show, the show is the fact that the people dressed up as a roller coaster!
Even better, it isn’t just the four people in the front – there appear to be four more people in the back who are also in on the fun. Think of how much work it probably took just to make one of these outfits, and then multiply it by eight – along with getting the fake leg costumes and working out a synchronized dance for the...parade?
Reaching Enlightenment
Lots of people like to go on roller coasters or thrill rides, and for good reason, but this is the first time we’ve heard of monks going on one. We imagine that it’s happened plenty of times, but...it’s still the sort of thing that you don’t really think about happening. Of course it does. We assume there’s nothing in a monk’s strictures that says they can’t go on a roller coaster at Universal Studios Hollywood.
It’s just such a clash of cultures to see a bunch of Buddhist monks riding a roller coaster. Perfectly normal, yes, just not the sort of thing you expected to encounter. Maybe they were all trying to prove that they weren’t worried about the stress of life. They did pretty well, but a few in the second row might need to ride again.
Still in the Shot
The way these on-ride photos work is your car flies past the camera, it takes a quick pick, and then it moves on. You can buy one after you’re done or you can let it get deleted in a minute after the next car comes up. But this guy wasn’t willing to just be in one picture – he wanted to double dip on the photo fun.
Somehow he was able to stretch up and get both of his hands and his head in the frame. What did he do, stand on his seat? That can’t be safe. It kinda seems like this guy will be the guy they use as a teaching moment for people who go on the ride after him. Still, he did pull a pretty good face.
The Shirts Match, at Least
We’re always a little amazed that some people are able to not only remember where the camera is for the on-ride photo, but they’re also able to give it a smile that makes it look like they aren’t hurtling down a track at egregious speeds in the slightest. They can just smile. Of course, this takes a little bit of adult control and ability, something that little kids will have to develop over the course of a lifetime.
While the kid couldn’t put on the same kind of smile, at least the two matched. That’s always fun to see at a theme park. Maybe one day that kid will learn how to keep a straight face as he takes his own son onto the ride in a few decades.
Why Is Everybody Screaming So Much?
We step away from Splash Mountain for a quick moment to show you a different roller coaster: the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, from Walt Disney World. It has a max speed of fifty-seven miles per hour and it runs for a minute and twenty-two seconds. Most of the people in this picture are having a great time, but there’s one guy who doesn’t seem all that amped up.
Did we just catch him when his eyes happened to be closed? Was he centering himself for the next big drop? Or, maybe, the camera took a picture and this guy simply couldn’t be bothered. It was just one roller coaster after another for the whole day, and he was just about done with it. He had his mind firmly focused on dinner.
Just Act Natural, Maybe He’ll Stop
These two gals wanted to look unconcerned in their roller coaster photo – just a couple of sisters having a good time and enjoying their day off. They seem to have done pretty well, but there is something in the picture that tends to draw the eye. The guy behind them seems to be regretting eating a big corn dog right before getting onto this ride.
He’s probably thinking of the amusement fair scene from “The Sandlot” and desperately hoping that he isn’t about to live it out. The two girls are acting like they are having a fun drive through the country, and it’s no surprise why they would spring to buy this picture. It’s the sort of picture that will start a conversation.
Where Are They Keeping the Deck?
As if a roller coaster wasn’t exciting enough, these guys had to raise the stakes, literally, with an intense game of hold ‘em. We don’t know what they were betting with, since there was no way for them to go all in with their chips if they didn't have a table between them. Those are some tight grips that they have on those hands, which we guess is par for the course when it comes to roller coasters.
If there’s someone next to you that you trust and they’re okay with you holding on, a lot of people will take the opportunity to squeeze as hard as they can. It seems like the guy in the lower left has decided that he’s ready to raise, which has sent everybody else in the car into a frenzy.
It’s Not What It Looks Like, We Swear
We don’t know why or how these idiots got this sort of idea in their heads, but it sure got into their heads somehow. We’re going to find that person and make sure he or she pays. They jumped onto a roller coaster, took off their shirts, and began to apply sunscreen.
Yes, we know what it looks like, but that’s what the person who posted the photo said it was, and we’re choosing to believe him.
To be fair, applying the proper amount of sun protection while spending all day at a theme park isn’t a bad idea, but most people choose to do it when they aren’t on a roller coaster. It also kind of looks like they needed some a long time ago.
I Thought Roller Coasters Were Supposed to Be Exciting
The whole point of going on a thrill ride is to be THRILLED. If you’re not thrilled while going on a thrill ride – for better or for worse – then what’s the big deal about them in the first place? One of the guys in this picture is trying to puzzle out that question along with his friends.
While they all seem to be having a great time – or at least a time at all – on the ride, he’d rather sit and ruminate with his deep thoughts.
This guy, whom we are going to call Chet because that sounds funny, looks like he would much rather be sitting in a nice easy chair and reading Proust or something like that.
Going for a Spin
It was her very first roller coaster, if that wasn’t clear right away, and she’s reacting the same way we all react on our very first roller coaster. Even worse, this was a steel wild mouse coaster, which looks small and easy to handle, but will actually throw you for a loop if you aren’t prepared.
You might think that the huge steel coasters that go two hundred feet into the sky are the most intense, but a tight, compact coaster can really pack on the G-forces. You have to work up to those kinds of coasters – they look like they’re easy to handle, but they aren’t for the faint of heart. Then again, if she can handle this kind of ride, she should pretty much be able to handle anything else that she comes across.
Hanging on for Dear Life
You always remember your first roller coaster. For some of us, it was the Wild Thing at ValleyFair in Minnesota. We didn’t know what we were getting into, and we didn’t even really like roller coasters, but it was for a friend’s bachelor party, and he convinced us. So we did, and we were terrified the whole time, but also sort of loved it. That’s what a roller coaster will do to you.
You might not enjoy the ride at the time, but you’ll come away with a good experience nonetheless. This kid is starting to understand that first part, but it might take him a while to really get to know the joy of walking away from a roller coaster. It might take him a few more years.
Make Sure You Know Where the Camera Is
Lots of roller coasters and other rides have cameras on them. It’s a way for the theme park to make a little extra cash, and you can pick one up to add to your memories of the day you had that was full of fun. If you’ve gone on a certain ride before – or a lot of times, as might be the case here – you can make the most of your picture.
You can do that even if you don’t end up handing over ten dollars or whatever the price is.
This guy, while surrounded by friends who seem to be hanging on for dear life, is giving the camera a wink and a wry grin, even hitting it directly with a pointer finger. That’s the kind of picture to keep.
Roller Coasters Aren’t the Best Places for Arguments
If you’re on a roller coaster, you can pretty much assume you’re there at the theme park because you want to have a good time. Of course, just because that’s the goal doesn’t mean that’s what is going to happen every time. For instance, this couple seems to be having a bit of a tiff while they’re riding one of the roller coasters.
She has her arms crossed, and he’s flipping her off, which is quite ungentlemanly. Then again, there’s every chance in the world that they were having a great time and just decided to put on a little show for the camera. It’s a little hard to stay in that sort of mad state while on a roller coaster, no matter how angry you actually are.
There’s That Face Again
If you’re a kid going on your first roller coaster or thrill ride, then there isn’t a whole lot you can do other than grit your teeth and get through it. This kid, named the grandson in the picture, is learning that. Oh boy is he learning that. This face – or at least this kind of face – is heavily featured throughout this article, as one might expect.
The first coaster face. First-coaster faces take on many forms, but it’s essentially what a child wears when they realize that they aren't in control anymore. They were growing up, learning stuff, getting a handle on life, and then the parents put them on something like this. It can sometimes be a hard lesson to learn, but it’s an important one.
That’s Not How It Normally Looks
If you look closely, you might notice that all of the faces in this picture are the exact same. That was intentional, and it was something that had to be done after the picture was originally posted. In the original, it was only the girl in the upper left that had such a wild look on her face. Maybe it was her first time.
Some of the other people also had wild expressions, but none of them were as wild as hers. In particular, the girl sitting right next to her, in the white, just kind of looks like she’s whistling. The girl in front of her, in the blue, also has quite a look, but we only get to see the most amazing of the expressions repeated.
Let Them Experience Terror
Rarely does one get all the way through this life without experiencing something like this. If you live on Earth, then you will understand fear at least once. Maybe it’s from a scary movie or a roller coaster, or maybe it will be from something worse. The best bet is to make sure that kids know what it’s like to be scared in a controlled environment when they aren’t really in any danger – a thrill ride is a good choice for that.
In this picture, we see a pair of daughters understanding that not everything will go according to plan. Let their looks of terror fuel you. Those are some pretty good expressions, too. The older daughter is trying to eat her top lip, and the younger doesn’t really know what to think, but she’s sure that she doesn’t like it.
Putting on a Show
Once people adjusted to the idea of on-ride cameras on roller coasters, they started to have some fun with them. Whether it was gluing chess pieces to a board, holding up a hand of cards, or just giving a thumbs up, it was yet another way to enjoy your ride. Instead of any of those things, this group of four guys made the decision to really play up the power of the roller coaster for the people who were still waiting in line.
They’re holding on to each other, their faces are twisted in horror, and one man even appears to be trying to escape his car. We recommend not doing that. Just hold on tight until the car returns to the station and you’ll get to see your reactions on the big screen.
Which One Is the Son?
This picture was titled “Son’s first roller coaster ride,” and now we have to sit here and try and figure out which one is the son it mentions. Is it the little kid who is, clearly, a very chill dude? Or is it the grown man who seems to think that pulling a lip down with his middle finger is the height of comedy? There’s just no way for us to tell.
It kind of looks like the kid isn’t having the best time, but his shirt says that he’s a chill dude, so obviously he’s doing fine. On the other hand, the older guy looks confused and befuddled by this “roller coaster” that he’s on, and could very well be wondering when he will be able to get off.
Somebody Isn’t Having a Good Time
Sure, you might not be used to every roller coaster in the world, but when you get on one, you can pretty much guess how they’re going to go. They go up a hill, then they drop and start to hit a bunch of twists and turns, going faster or slower and always keeping you on your toes until the train or car gets back to the station.
It seems as if one person in this picture wasn’t for any of that to happen. Was he bribed? Did he finally gum up the courage to check something off his bucket list? Maybe he thought this was the line for cotton candy, but we feel like there were a lot of external factors that would have tipped him off if that was the case.
Not Everyone Likes to Plummet
When you’re constantly trying to grow and learn in life, it can be discouraging to feel yourself losing ground. That’s not what is going on here, but it can create the same feeling as being on a roller coaster and flying down a big hill. Your stomach flies up into your throat and your hands instinctively lock up around whatever they can find.
Maybe, just maybe, you’ll even start to scream so loud and long that you have a little bit of trouble speaking for the rest of the day.
El Toro is quite the coaster – it has a seventy-six-degree angle drop, which is the steepest of any wooden coaster in the United States. No wonder that poor guy is screaming. At least it’s only nineteen stories high!
I Was Told There Would Be Refreshments
Some people just don’t find roller coasters all that exciting, and that’s fine. This person, for instance, doesn’t even have to hold onto the bars of his security...thing...to make it through the ride. Was he trying to look good for the cutie next to him (who is his wife)? Was he looking good for the camera?
Was he trying as hard as he could not to spew out some funnel cakes?
It’s hard to say, but there’s always the chance that he’s not much of a roller coaster guy. Still, put him on one of those flying tree things that just has you belted into a swing, and maybe this cool guy will be a little more excited.
Like Harry Potter Catching the Golden Snitch
Catching your friend’s reaction the first time he’s going on a roller coaster is something everybody should try to do. You might have to hand over a little bit of your hard-earned cash, but trust us, it will be worth it. On the other hand, you could whip out your phone and try to take a quick pic, even if the people working on the rides tend to not like that sort of thing.
Well, they can’t stop everybody, can they? We bet not.
This guy had a picture taken of his picture, and it was probably something that was shared all over the place among his friends and family. It does indeed look like he’s trying to swallow that globe of light, but that was just a coincidence.
A Three-for-One Deal
We not only get to enjoy one kid’s ridiculous reaction to the pressures of a roller coaster – we get to see a trio. Let’s go down the line: the gal on the left was all kinds of hyped for her first time riding the rails, with her arms thrown in the air and everything. By the time the ride was over, however, she had devolved into just screams.
The guy in the center was looking ahead, ready for some fun, but in the center photo, it was clear he couldn’t handle it. The last photo makes it look like he was about to hurl. The young lady on the right was just as excited as the rest of them at the start, but she quickly decided that roller coasters weren’t exactly her thing.
Built for Thrills
A lot of kids seen in these pictures aren’t super thrilled about the thrill rides that they’re on. Still, there’s always a chance that some of them will really get into it. For instance, this little lady is getting into it while the camera is taking pics. She looks pretty small, so she probably wasn’t going on “The Mangler” or anything like that, but she already knows that putting your hands up in the air makes it more fun.
Just like Kronk taught her. She might not be screaming with joy, but she doesn’t have a terrified expression on her face, either...that might be the coaster’s G-forces bending her face into the shape, though. Don’t worry kid, eventually you’ll get to go on something with a little more energy.
A Tale of Two Reactions
The guys in front are hollering, while the two in the back are keeping their mouths shut tight. We wonder if there is some sort of genetic component to enjoying roller coasters in certain ways – are you more willing to scream for joy if that’s what your parents do? Are you more likely to lock yourself down if that’s how the people you grew up with handled things like roller coasters?
The guys in front look like they’re having a good amount of fun, so maybe they’re just like to cheer. Perhaps the people in the back had never been on this ride before, so they were waiting until they knew what was going on before they started screaming. Or, maybe the camera just happened to catch both of them while they were taking in a breath.
Always Getting Better
This person – the one on the right of the picture, anyway – is reported to have had a fear of roller coasters. Well, you know what we say to fear, right? There are a lot of things, but “I’m not afraid of you” seems to be quite apt. If you're afraid of something there might be a good reason (spiders, snakes, heights, etc) but it’s never a bad idea to face those fears and find out if you should really have them.
When you think about it, roller coasters really aren’t that dangerous – driving on the interstate is deadlier by far, and how many people do that multiple times a day, every day? Like this guy, you should take a look at your fears and try to combat them. Beat them!
Hanging on for Dear Life
This kid is most certainly feeling the Gs. It looks like he’s on a log ride with a couple of family members, but he just wasn’t prepared for what this simple ride was going to offer him. When you’re standing on the ground, it seems so simple – you go up the ride, you go down the ride.
There might be some twists and turns in there, too, but that’s the gist of it. But once you’re actually on the ride, it’s a lot different. Sometimes you only have your older brother to keep you from flying out of the log. That’s what older brothers are for. That and teaching you how to deal with getting shoved into the garbage can or something like that.
It Did Nothing to Change Her Mind
There are some people who look at a roller coaster – a machine that is built solely to exert lots of pressure on your body and make at least a small part of your brain think you’re dying – and think “Yeah, that looks fine.” Are those people broken on the inside? Do they not have a healthy fear of death? Are they so understimulated that they need to go past overstimulation in such an extreme way? Maybe.
But then there are the people on the other side of the spectrum, who think that roller coasters need to be stopped. We have a pretty good guess about which one this girl is. We’re very sure, actually: she didn’t like roller coasters, went on one, and continued to not like roller coasters.
Every Face Tells a Different Story
Obviously, the guy in the front is going to draw the most eyes, since he’s flopped over like a fish while going down a roller coaster. But everybody in this picture gives us something to wonder about. The woman in the second row, in the pink shirt, has her hands up but looks a little confused.
The woman in the Star Wars shirt next to her looks pretty cramped and has a thousand-yard stare. The kid in the orange shirt is all about this next big drop, and the girl next to her is hanging on for dear life. Finally, there’s the face in the back, which is a mysterious figure who may or may not be the spirit of someone who really liked this particular roller coaster.
Yup, That’s the First Coaster Face
You might think you know what it will be like riding a roller coaster for the first time, but it won’t be like that. Think of your first time driving a car – it feels so different from riding in the passenger seat. They go so fast, and so high, and they hit you with so many curves and twists, that sometimes you just have to hang on for dear life.
The kid on the right of this image is going on a roller coaster for the very first time, and if you take a look at his face, it’s pretty obvious that’s the case. Instead of a scream or a joyous look, his face is twisted into fear. His entire body is curled around the lap bar and he’s hanging on tight.
We’re Not Sure He’ll Be Coming Back
Ah, the Boomerang, at Wild Adventures in Georgia. The coaster reaches a speed of a mere forty-seven miles per hour, has a max height of a hundred and sixteen feet, and exerts a maximum G force of 5.2. All that to say it isn’t the most extreme thrill ride by a long shot.
However, the kid in the back looks like he’s still not sure if he’s interested in trying out any of the more powerful roller coasters at the park. The people he’s riding with are having a good time, but he has a face that tells us he might have had a little too much to drink before getting belted in. He might have to take a little lie down after the ride is over.
The Mysterious Masked Rider
If you're actually looking for a reason why this guy is wearing a balaclava while riding a roller coaster, we don’t know. Maybe he just wanted to have a memorable picture. Maybe it was cold out, but only for his face. Other than those two options, we’re out of ideas. We don’t think that this is supposed to be his getaway car after robbing a bank – the train just returns to the same station!
The police could just wait there for him to come back! We guess some rides might have multiple stations, but his chances of making a clean getaway are slim to none. Will we ever solve the mystery of this unknown rider? It’s hard to say. And it’s not like we can find him after the fact.
Gritting His Tooth
Childhood has a whole lot of firsts. Your first bike, your first lost tooth, your first roller coaster. This kid has at least had those last two, and we even got a picture of the action from the first ride on a coaster. The kid’s mouth has become a triangle as he likely hangs on for dear life next to what is probably his dad.
There are lots of stories of kids being scared out of their wits by roller coasters and then refusing to get on them again, but this one is a little different. The story is, we mean. Apparently, this kid finished his first time on the tracks and then immediately demanded they go on the ride again. Not every kid has the guts to request a repeat trip.
Like One of Those Troll Dolls
When a pair of people like these two gals go on a roller coaster, it’s pretty likely that they won’t have the same exact reactions. These two aren’t too far off from each other, but one of them is putting a little more energy into it. They’re sisters, and while the one in front is just smiling, the one in the back looks like she’s busting a hot move.
Her hair is in the air and she just don’t care, but her face does seem to betray a little bit of care. There isn’t a whole lot of emotion there, but she does seem quite laser-focused on the next section of the track. If she’s quick enough, she could have hit that ‘do with some spray and gotten started on the next hairstyle trend.
It’s a Popular Shirt
Yes, we get to see more of that life-sustaining terror from five-year-olds who are going on their very first roller coaster, but what about the fact that those two kids seem to have the exact same shirt? “Minecraft” is the kind of video game that is practically perfect for kids – exploration, creation, and destruction.
The game has tons of merch all over the place, and that means lots of kids' shirts. Was it just a coincidence that these two had the exact same shirt? Were they (the shirts) being sold right outside the roller coaster? They could have been, depending on the park. Are they brothers? All that aside, this kid really doesn’t look like he’s having a very good time on his first roller coaster.
We Wonder Why Guys Like Roller Coasters so Much
If you’re seeing a gal and wouldn’t mind her holding tight to you, then a roller coaster is the way to go. As long as it’s intense enough, then your number one girl will be hanging on for dear life. Then again, if she really doesn’t like roller coasters – such as in this picture – then she might pretty quickly clue in on your plan.
And then she might demand that you do things that she wants, like kayaking or something like that. Why girls like kayaking so much we might never figure out. But at least these two got a picture of them on the coaster together, and at least the guy seems to be pretty pleased with the pic.