Five ways roller coasters have changed since you were a kid

by Joel Bullock on



Roller coasters have evolved immensely since they were patented in 1898. Advances in technology in recent history have also triggered a number of exciting changes in the way we enjoy today’s thrill rides. In the past two decades roller coasters have reached greater heights and speeds than ever. In 1991, the looping coaster boom was winding down. Throughout the 1980’s amusement parks added roller coasters that turned riders upside-down on both a large and small scale. There was a good chance you could find a roller coaster with a loop or even two. The next craze was just beginining as theme parks created what’s been called The Coaster Arms Race as parks battled to create the tallest and fastest roller coasters. Rather than emphasizing loops, most of these coasters emphasized height and speed. Twenty years ago, in 1991, the new contender to the height and speed championship, Steel Phantom, opened at Kennywood.

Launch coasters revolutionized the industry
Probably the most noticeable technological advancement in the the past two decades is of the birth of launch roller coasters. Originally, driven by powerful magnets, these coasters don’t need a traditional lift hill to generate speed. Instead, they rocket guests to blistering speeds in only a matter of seconds. In, 1991 Steel Phantom set a new speed record of 80 mph thanks to a drop down a natural ravine. Today, Formula Rossa at Ferrari World uses a hydraulic launch that accelerates riders from 0 to to an unprecedented 150 mph in under 5 seconds.

Riders experience every riding position imaginable
If a roller coaster fan from 1991 entered a theme park in 2011, they would marvel at the wide variety of roller coasters. A number of new seating positions have created exciting new experiences that were not around a few decades ago. Today, riders find themselves below tracks on ski lift-like inverted coasters and face down in a Superman-like flying position all while being thrown into a variety of loops and maneuvers. The most unnerving new ride position can be experienced on 4th dimension roller coasters like Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2. Like the combination of a spinning amusement ride and a moving roller coaster, these thrill machines place riders outside the track in seats that spin on their own axis. Meanwhile, the roller coaster travels enormous heights and insane speeds.

Roller coasters achieve lofty heights and provide unbelievable drops
The aforementioned Steel Phantom boasted a once record-breaking drop of 225 feet. Currently, the World’s longest drop (and tallest roller coaster) can be found on Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. It nearly doubles Steel Phantom with a 418′ drop from a 440′ tall tower where riders are said to be able to see both Philadelphia and New York City on a clear day.

These are not your father’s wooden roller coasters
Even wooden roller coasters have seen changes. El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure features an ultra-smooth and un-wooden like ride with super steep angles. The Gravity Group designed roller coasters like Hades and The Voyage have featured extreme 90 degree banking that hadn’t been seen on wooden coasters until recently.

Steep drops have gotten a whole lot steeper
That stomach dropping feeling has been taken to a whole new level with today’s ultra-steep roller coasters. Rides like the new Untamed at Canobie Lake and Dare Devil Dive at Six Flags Over Georgia are so steep that the coasters actually travel back up under the crest of their drops. Currently, the United Kingdom’s Mumbo Jumbo at Flamingo Land holds the record with an unreal 112-degree drop.
Roller coasters have changed in so many ways over the years and these were just a few. Do you think that they’ve changed for the better? What’s your take?

Photo Credits: MrProgrammer, Six Flags, & Chrkl

Fast & furious roller coasters: 6 coolest race car themed rides

by Joel Bullock on




After watching the Daytona 500, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at race car themed roller coasters. Although there have been many over the years, for me, these six really stand out. They emphasize speed as they include some of the fastest roller coasters in the World. And, the coasters that I feel deliver the best race car-like experience, also offer intense acceleration and cheek flapping g-forces.

Intimidator at Carowinds (Charlotte, North Carolina – United States)
Built in the heart of NASCAR country, Intimidator at Carowinds, bears the nickname of legendary race car driver Dale Earnhardt. Pictured above, the coaster’s trains are designed to look like his black #3 Chevy Monte Carlo. The attraction also includes a full-sized replica of his car as well as a tribute area that details his enormously successful career. While the ride itself is one of the best of its type and it is well-themed, it doesn’t do the best job of delivering a NASCAR feel with a hilly course and only one banked turn that reminded me of a turn in a race.

Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion (Doswell, Virginia – United States)
Like Intimidator at Carowinds, Kings Dominion’s Intimidator 305 has a Dale Earnhardt and NASCAR themed experience. Intimidator 305 starts with an un-race like 305 foot tall lift hill, but the heavily banked turn that follows the first drop and top speeds in the 90 mph range incorporate the racing feel better than the aforementioned Intimidator. Also, the train’s restraints are padded belts that are somewhat similar to what race car drivers use. Still, a roller coaster with a lift hill isn’t the best for simulating a race car.

Speed – The Ride at NASCAR Café (Las Vegas, Nevada – United States)
Speed – The Ride, is a launched shuttle roller coaster at the NASCAR Speed Café in Las Vegas. The ride begins with an exciting 0 to 70 mph launch in 2 seconds thanks to a magnetic propulsion system. After the launch, riders speed through a vertical loop and eventually climb a 224 foot tall pike. Then the train slows and reverses its path. The launch is race-like, but the loop and backwards traveling doesn’t simulate any races that I know of.

Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point – (Sandusky, Ohio – United States)
For years, Cedar Point had a track record of topping everyone in terms of the biggest and fastest roller coasters in the World. In 2003, they continued their trend with Top Thrill Dragster. It not only set a new speed record with a 0 to 120 mph launch in 4 seconds, it also set a height record with an unheard of 42-story tall top hat tower. The ride’s cars are themed like dragsters and the ride begins with the same “Christmas tree” lights used in official drag races. I’ve ridden a very similar and slightly faster coaster in Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. The launch alone is one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had on a roller coaster. The sheer power of these hydraulic launches is quite remarkable.

Ring°Racer at Nürburgring (Nurburg, Rhineland-Palatinate – Germany)
Located at the famous Nürburgring motorsport complex and race track, Ring°Racer might have the best location of any race car-themed roller coaster. The coaster uses a compressed air launch system that delivers a quicker accelaration, and likely a more intense launch, than Top Thrill Dragster. Unfortunately, Ring°Racer has been closed due to defects in its launch system. Hopefully, Nürburgring and the ride’s manufacturer S&S can reopen it this year. It was designed to feature a blistering 0 to 134.8 mph launch in only 2.5 seconds.

Formula Rossa at Ferrari World (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
When Formula Rossa opened last November at the new Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi it became the World’s fastest roller coaster. Designed by Intamin AG, the launch coaster rockets riders from 0 to 149.1 mph in 4 seconds generating an intense 4.8g’s. With trains resembling red Ferrari Formula One race cars and guests wearing safety glasses just like the real drivers, Formula Rossa looks like the coolest race car themed roller coaster.




[Image credits: Flickr users – daveyinn, woofiegrrl, & mjohn2101]

Top five new roller coasters opening in 2011

by Joel Bullock on

With theme parks around the country set to open soon, here’s my take on the most anticipated new roller coasters opening in the United States this year. I’ll start with my top pick.

Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens Tampa (Tampa, Florida)
Busch Gardens Tampa’s Cheetah Hunt is by far my most anticipated new roller coaster. The multi-launch coaster looks to be an adventure that will rocket riders from 0 to 60 mph. Launch coasters are nothing new, but one with such a diverse layout is. At times the coaster will climb up 100 feet into a unique figure eight element, then dive down below the ground as it charges through a trench. Add to that a corkscrew and an airtime hill and you’ve got an action-packed journey with Busch Gardens Tampa’s Serengeti-themed area as the backdrop. The park has a history of well-themed, well-executed thrilling roller coasters and Cheetah Hunt looks to be no different.


Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas (Dallas, Texas)
Six Flags Over Texas is completing a potentially ground-breaking $10 million upgrade of the Texas Giant. The twenty year old wooden coaster has been re-tracked with steel rails in order to provide a smoother and more exciting ride. Thanks to the new rails, constructed by Rocky Mountain Construction, Six Flags claims the Texas Giant will achieve two World records for a wooden coaster. It will have the steepest drop at 79 degrees and the steepest banking at 95 degrees. I argue that the ‘Giant is now technically a steel coaster, but either way the redesigned Texas Giant could be an amazing ride that encourages similar transformations in the future.

Dare Devil Dive at Six Flags Over Georgia (Atlanta, Georgia)
Six Flags Over Georgia will be opening their 11th roller coaster in the ultra-steep Dare Devil Dive. The ride will boast a vertical lift hill followed by a beyond vertical 95 degree drop. Then, the rocket-themed cars will traverse a thrilling course with three loops, a zero gravity hill, and a tunnel. Dare Devil Dive follows the removal of the park’s Deja Vu roller coaster in 2007. This should be an excellent replacement as a similar roller coaster, Dollywood’s Mystery Mine, was well-received.

Green Lantern at Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, New Jersey)
Six Flags has a history of reusing themes and ride names at a number of their parks. So, it’s no surprise that there will be two Green Lantern roller coasters to tie in with the forthcoming film. Six Flags Great Adventures’ Green Lantern coaster is a stand-up coaster that was previously at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. One of the largest of its kind, it features five loops and a 144 foot first drop. The 14-year old coaster is getting a paint job and may also receive new trains and special effects. While it’s not a completely new roller coaster, it should still be one of the best to open this year. It’s easily one of my favorite stand-up coasters and I really enjoyed it when it was Chang at Kentucky Kingdom.

Green Lantern: First Flight at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California)
Six Flags Magic Mountain is set for a big year. Not only will Magic Mountain reclaim the title of the theme park with the most roller coasters (surpassing Cedar Point) with 18, the park will be adding two new roller coasters. The most noteworthy of which is Green Lantern: First Flight. Similar to the park’s extremely intense X2, this new ride will be a 4th dimension roller coaster where riders are positioned in spinning seats on either side of the track rather than on top or below it. While First Flight will be a much smaller coaster than X2, it should still deliver an exciting and disorienting ride.

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All I want for Christmas is a backyard roller coaster

by Joel Bullock on

I’ve traveled to theme parks all over the country. In my ongoing quest to experience new parks and conquer famous and infamous roller coasters, I’ve used numerous forms of transportation. At one time or another I’ve traveled by subway, car, train, monorail, bus, plane, and taxi cab. While traveling is part of the fun, having a roller coaster in my own backyard would be ideal. What roller coaster enthusiast wouldn’t want to look out of their window and see a beautiful vertical loop or majestic wooden coaster peak?

There would be a number of benefits besides getting a coaster fix whenever I needed one. Summer cookouts and parties would be amazing. Plus, there would be the possibility of charging people from the neighborhood and making a little money on the side.

There are a few coaster fans out there that have made my dream gift a reality. Two of the most prominent backyard roller coasters are a steel looping coaster called Blue Flash and a wooden coaster called Oklahoma Land Run.



John Ivers, the creator of Blue Flash, followed up with a sequel in the two-seater, known as Blue Too. It seems like over the years hundreds of others have tried making their own backyard roller coasters, but none appear to be as extensive as these three.

What do you travel for that you wish was in your backyard? Would you want a snow covered mountain, a rapid-filled river for rafting, a beautiful tropical beach, or something else?

Holiday World offers exclusive roller coaster photos online

by Leigh Caldwell on

Holiday World is known for its roller coasters, including The Voyage, which has been named the world’s top wooden roller coaster for the past four years.

The holiday-themed park plays host to thousands of coaster enthusiasts each year, and many of them like to capture photos of the coasters from different angles. In fact, park officials say, some coaster enthusiasts beg for a behind-the-scenes look, just to snap a few pics.

To feed that desire, Holiday World has introduced a collection of photos of its wooden coasters in its online “HoliShop”.

“Enthusiasts just love taking photos of our roller coasters–but these photos are taken from angles they could never get,” said Holiday World President Dan Koch

The 8×10 photos are matted and framed in an 11×14 black metal frame. They sell for $14.99. These could make a pretty cool Christmas gift for the roller coaster lover in your life.

There are eight different photos in the current collection. Koch says the Santa Claus, Indiana, theme park hopes to introduce new framed photos each season.