By Scott Ronalds

My wife made the mistake last year of telling my niece and nephews that we’d take them to Playland as soon as the youngest was tall enough to go on the rides. Well, Finn cracked the 48-inch mark recently and has been judicious in his daily reminders of our promise. With amusement park season in full swing, we were on the hook the other weekend for a day of fear, laughs, tears, lineups, mini donuts and stomach aches.

Everyone’s heard the analogies about investing and roller coasters – both are full of ups and downs – but that’s not where this is going. It’s about the ride of the day, or ROD in 7-year-old speak.

After a solid eight hour shift at the park, there was a lot of discussion, banter and debate during the ride home about what the highlight of the day was. The bumper cars, log ride and corkscrew roller coaster got strong consideration, but it was the Coaster – the original wooden roller coaster built in 1958 – that took the prize.

From its rickety ascents to its steep dives, whiplash corners and bone-hard seats, it was a horrifying experience. Yet, it was thrilling at the same time, which is what a roller coaster is supposed to be all about. The Coaster had a number of things that propelled it to ROD status:

  • A nice balance of speed, drops, twists, and camel hops.
  • A storied history. The coaster has been going strong for over 50 years and carries half a million riders annually. It’s been rated as one of the top 10 roller coasters in the world and it didn’t disappoint.
  • It’s uniquely simple. There are no extra bells and whistles. What you see is what you get. From the weathered wood planks to the vintage seat belts, it’s all part of the charm … and the terror.
  • Low Fees. The ride was included in the all-day ride passes we bought, whereas other big name rides cost extra. This scored big in the uncle’s rating.

In other words, the Coaster is a well-diversified, low-fee ride that has a wealth of experience (the gray hair factor is clearly evident) and a strong track record. It’s a throw-back to simplicity surrounded by other rides that flaunt flashy steel pistons, blinking lights and loud noises, but little substance. The famous wooden roller coaster has a lot of similarities to a good investment product. Or maybe that’s just the donuts talking.