Ever looked at people on an amusement ride and asked yourself, ‘but WHY are they having such a great time?’
Settle down, Plato. There’s no need to philosophise about amusement rides! But since you asked, we’re going to get our Sigmund Freud hats on and try to explain what makes amusement rides exciting… to satisfy the one person on your committee who wants ‘supporting evidence’ for hiring amusements at the primary school fete. Don’t they sound like fun?
Amusement rides offer a new sensation
Being tossed, turned, flung and flown about is, simply put, heaps of fun. While you don’t need to be a genius to work this one out, we’ve dug up some research done by Scientific American journal to provide some good solid evidence. They state:
“Enjoying roller coasters is linked to sensation seeking—the tendency to enjoy varied, novel and intense physical experiences such as rock climbing and parachute jumping.”
So, there you have it. Sensation-seeking. When you’re flying on an amusement ride, being spun at a million miles per hour, you’re having fun because it’s a new sensation!
Fight or flight
Your fight or flight response usually kicks in when you’re in a fearful situation. But some of us actually enjoy the odd encounter with fear. Horror movies, for example – why else would people watch them if it weren’t for the enjoyment of feeling slightly scared?
The signs of fear include heart beating faster, quicker breathing and perspiration. If you experience any of these before hopping on an amusement ride, chances are, you’re a little scared… in a good way!
Adrenaline can boost our endorphins
There’s also research that shows adrenaline-pumping activities like going on a rollercoaster can boost our endorphins, one of the hormones that increases our feelings of wellbeing.
So, it’s true that money can’t buy happiness. But it can buy amusement ride tickets, and that’s scientifically pretty much the same thing!
Amusement rides are a special occasion
What’s your favourite meal and how often do you eat it? Let’s say you’re favourite food is pizza. But you don’t eat pizza all the time, do you? In fact, you probably only eat once every so often. If you ate pizza all the time, you’d get a little tired of it.
Same goes for amusement rides. They’re not an activity you get to enjoy every day, week or month. There are probably only a couple chances per year that you get to enjoy them, making them a special occasion.
Advanced Amusements are Melbourne’s best team for fantastically fun amusement ride hire. If you’ve got a festival, school fair, corporate event or film or TV shoot, then get in touch with Advanced Amusements and make your event a truly memorable one. With rides to suit the whole family and an unparalleled commitment to safety, Advanced Amusements are your one-stop-shop for carnivals games and rides.