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Does a name really matter?

there is a simple way to decide this. Would you happy to see Nemesis rebranded RON, the king of loops, or would you perhaps rather see RITA adopt a name like 'adrenalin'?

Either way, for some it will matter, for some it won't; so the very fact there is some that it matters to, means that getting a name right is important.
 
If there's one thing that gets to me its

East Coast(er) General said:
Personally, I also love nicknames given to some coasters like Alpie, Nessy, Dommy, Mavvy, Dash or even the Wild Bull.
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that.

Personally, a name makes no difference, no. If a ride's good its good. It could be called Fluffy Pink Pony Coaster for all I care if I enjoy it. A good name will attract a coaster to the general public sometimes maybe, but I really don't think it makes a difference. Yeah, i'll mock a silly name, but it won't affect how I like a ride.
 
^Cornball Express falls into that category for me. What a dumb name for a ride but what an amazing coaster.
 
The only time a name matters is in the off season, when we have **** all else to talk/bitch about other than how **** ty the names for next-season's coasters are.

It makes absolutley jack **** difference by the time we manage to get on them.
 
LiveForTheLaunch said:
^ Haha, is there even any backstory or purpose to that name, or was it just named that because their mascot is a piece of corn?
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Well.. Indiana is known for corn.. so.. make the connection. :lol:
 
Ollie said:
Names like Rita are <img>. They should give a strong link with the ride and sound right when looking at the actual coaster.
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Rita does this though. It's launched, with quite a bit of speed, it has speed in the name.

It's actually quite an original name.
 
Ehh, I want to say yes but I don't think it really matters. A good name encapsulates what the coaster is in a few words. For coasters that you can't see (Space Mountain, Beast) the name is the 'hook' that draws you in.

For coasters that are out in the open (Scream!) the name doesn't matter all that much, since the riders get plenty of other hints and clues as to what the ride is about.
 
I do think ride names matter. When I hear of a coaster called roller coaster I always think of it as a wooden coaster, I have no reason why but it sort of fits??? But rides like Nemesis Inferno, the name FITS it is intimidating, it sums the ride up. Inferno- volcano, just fits and makes the ride nicer. Plus the ide would have a bettter logo if they all had their own name, because one name some of the logos would be very similar!! :D
 
Seriously. You get back from whichever park and have a chat to your mates about the new thrill ride.

"Yeah, i rode fluffy bunnykins ride of teapot joy 15 times"

Said ride could be an absolute terror but the name says otherwise. However properly named:

"Yeah, i rode The brain impaler 15 times"

Does add to the whole perception of the ride's ability to thrill.
 
kimahri said:
fretboardpyro said:
"Yeah, i rode fluffy bunnykins ride of teapot joy 15 times"
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Why does that make me think of furie?
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I was just about to say, that's the kind of name I'd give to one of my thrill rides :)

Names don't mean a lot - most people can't remember the names, and most people can't even tell the difference between the rides anyway.

Reminds me a Garfield cartoon. Jon's friend has three cats called cat, cat and cat. "Why name an animal that will never come when it's called?"

Same principle here, why worry too much about a name most people won't remember anyway? Just stuff any old rubbish there :)
 
furie said:
kimahri said:
fretboardpyro said:
"Yeah, i rode fluffy bunnykins ride of teapot joy 15 times"
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Why does that make me think of furie?
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I was just about to say, that's the kind of name I'd give to one of my thrill rides :)

Names don't mean a lot - most people can't remember the names, and most people can't even tell the difference between the rides anyway.

Reminds me a Garfield cartoon. Jon's friend has three cats called cat, cat and cat. "Why name an animal that will never come when it's called?"

Same principle here, why worry too much about a name most people won't remember anyway? Just stuff any old rubbish there :)
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I think I memorable and unique name can set a ride apart in your memory. For instance, the Batman clones just seem to run together because of the similar experiences.. but Great White, yet another Batty, gets rave reviews.. and something that COULD help might be the name being unique.

Now this is just me rambling on, but it is proven that something memorable, as bob said, can stay in the mind much longer then something generic and unimaginative.
 
Sorry, I'm going on my experience with people who I talk to who visit a theme park maybe once a year - at the absolute most.

Most of them can't remember the names of the rides they went on. The ones they do remember, it tends to be rides they've been on over the years - but new rides they just can't.

I know people who can't remember what Oblivion is called or Rita. Lots of people on the monorails over Alton will see Nemesis and go "there's that ride, what's it called? fly or something" (meaning air).

Generally people don't really give too much of a stuff about names, it's secondary to if it looks good, and if it has a long queue. It's only after multiple visits that people actually start to remember names (or if people are genuinely interested, the semi-enthusiasts if you like).

That's just in my experience, it doesn't mean it's universal :)
 
Obviously. I was speaking in terms of enthusiasts, not the general public. I still hear people call Millennium Force.. "Millennium XL-200".. :lol:

They could obviously careless but the fact that a memorable ride name could leave a spot in the memory that someone might remember instead of 'that big tall blue one by the lake'.. ;)
 
Yes, they do, massively.

Names should be a part of the ride design and consideration. A concept, carried with little more than a name, can drive a coaster's marketing, feel and overall experiance even if it's just an off-the-shelf model with little to no theming.

I think Air and Oblivion are perhaps the greatest examples of how a clever name, even with little actual theming, can drive a coaster's "theme" and change the experiance entirely.

A name should define the ride and what it's about and give the rider something to expect. This is why I think, despite being instantly regonisable, Rita is such a poor name choice.

On a more simple side of things, how much more usage of the word "Nemesis" did the ride create? I recon it likley accounts for most of the usage of the word. That's excellent branding, if you use a that is widely known and yet almost solely assosiated with your brand.

Of course, many people won't remember names - but a lot of people will.

Lots of people on the monorails over Alton will see Nemesis and go "there's that ride, what's it called? fly or something" (meaning air).
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Despite the fact they are making the link to the wrong ride, calling Air "Fly" demonstrates that the ride concept has stuck firmly. My mother reffers to Air often as "Sky". I think this is almost better, from the park's perspective, than just remembering the name. The two should interlink, but clearly in Air's case the gimmick and theme is such a powerful the name is almost not required. It's odd that Air has such a short and simple name, and it's easilly muddled with similar words.

Kind of cool really.
 
^ All about the subconscious imagery that the name conjures up, instead of the name itself.

Just like those big B+M coasters like 'Kumba'. What the hell's a Kumba? And yet, the name is designed to make you link of something looming, slightly tropical. I think of a big gorilla playing the drums... I've never been on it, but I know it is looming and tropical.

Yeah it's important to get the feel of the name right, but the actual name could be anywhere within constraints. Think of it like the coaster itself - for the coaster, there's a set amount of money, a set space of land, possibly a height limit etc.

With a name, there's a set theme in place, a set target audience etc.

So the name doesn't matter, but the thought of the name matters.
 
Can't help thinking Rita queen of speed should be named "Geoff the god of biscuits"
Especiallly since Rita the queen of speed sounds like a drug haddled bag lady!
 
SnooSnoo said:
I think I memorable and unique name can set a ride apart in your memory. For instance, the Batman clones just seem to run together because of the similar experiences.. but Great White, yet another Batty, gets rave reviews.. and something that COULD help might be the name being unique.

Now this is just me rambling on, but it is proven that something memorable, as bob said, can stay in the mind much longer then something generic and unimaginative.
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A good ride name may improve a ride experience, while a crappy name can not ruin a ride experience.
I think this might be a crappy example, but look at any Space Mountain. It's such a crappy ride, and it think this has more to do with the ride theme, but most GP's love it. A good name plus a theme to back it up will make a ride more memorable.
In other cases a ride name can be effective even without themeing. Take for example Behemoth. While I've never been on it, the name just sticks out.

A good ride can only help a ride, but a bad name certainly cant hurt it.
 
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