Traveling the Globe for the Best Coasters and Theme Parks
Last week I discussed the short lived Psyclone at Magic Mountain. Psyclone’s trains designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger and Mabillard caused much of it’s woes. This week’s article looks at the first coaster these designers worked on, and one with lasting impacts in the coaster industry.
Continue reading “Lost Coasters of California – Part 6: Flashback”
In Part 4 we looked at the construction and eventual transformation of California’s tallest wooden coaster, Colossus. Today’s lost coaster resided at the same park. This story includes a natural disaster, a young Swiss ride manufacturer, and the unfortunate death of a coaster design icon.
Continue reading “Lost Coasters of California – Part 5: Psyclone”
When a park sets out to build the biggest, fastest, and baddest coaster around the problem always arises that its records and stature will eventually be surpassed. For Magic Mountain’s Colossus this was not a problem for much of its life. From its construction in 1978 until the construction of Viper in 1990 it was the tallest full circuit coaster in all of California. After Viper Colossus reigned as the king of the California wooden coasters until it’s RMC conversion in 2014, passing the crown to the nearby GhostRider.
Continue reading “Lost Coasters of California – Part 4: Colossus”
New Event Safely Brings the Thrill of the Renaissance Era Back to Northern California.
Continue reading “Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Announces Renaissance Days”
Cruis’n the Park Car Show
World’s first drive-thru auto show inside Six Flags Magic Mountain, presented by West Coast Customs.
Continue reading ““Cruis’n the Park Car Show” Coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain”
I’ve had the distinct privilege of traveling around the world and riding all three of the large Arrow/S&S 4D Coasters. Having lived next to Magic Mountain for many years, I’m very familiar with X2‘s distinct last Raven Turn, but how do the other two compare? Eejanaika and Dinoconda look similar but deliver vastly different ride experiences. Join me as I take a look at all three 4D Coasters, their differences, ride experiences, and learn which one is my favorite.
Continue reading “X2 vs. Eejanaika vs. Dinoconda”
For about as long as Six Flags Magic Mountain has been in operation, nearby Hollywood has frequently mined the park for on-location filming of amusement park scenes for feature films, television, advertisements, and more. Classic sequences, like National Lampoon’s Vacation at “Walley World”, remain cultural iconography.
In 1990 the opening of Viper (and the advent of a professional camera rig that could be mounted to the nose of the train) catapulted Magic Mountain even further into Hollywood notoriety, with major productions now having utilized the enormous Arrow Looper countless times over the last 3 decades. Let’s take a look at some, shall we?
Continue reading “Viper: Hollywood’s Favorite Coaster”
Since their creation amusement and theme parks have utilized landscaping and theming as an important part of the experience. The massive popularity of Disneyland standardized the idea of themed lands within a park. Most parks which opened in the resulting regional park boom incorporated this idea. Theme parks have the ability to transport guests to different times and worlds. A well-themed area can be an attraction in and of itself. But these areas often fall flat. The following are five of the weakest theme park areas. Also included are some ideas on how they might be refreshed. This is by no means an exhaustive list so please make your own suggestions, they may find their way to a part two!
Continue reading “Weakest Theme Park Areas”
Earlier this year documents were uncovered on the LA County permitting website that show plans for a new roller coaster for Six Flags Magic Mountain! The proposed ride, an RMC Raptor/single rail coaster would re-use the former Green Lantern station and use some of the area currently occupied by Tidal Wave. New permits show that Six Flags Magic Mountain has been granted approval for $1.3M of foundations for the coaster’s supports.
Continue reading “Six Flags Magic Mountain Gets Approval to Lay Foundations of New RMC Coaster”
It’s been 2 years since our last comprehensive countdown of California coasters, so for 2020 we bring you now a Top 20 for the Golden State. Things in California have changed a LOT in 2 years, and the landscape and hierarchy of its coasters is no exception. Continue reading “Coaster Kings’ California TOP 20 – 2020”
Following the launch of our Twenty-Year Top 20: The Best Coasters of 1999, we immediately decided to make it an annual thing – Here’s what we think are the 20 best coasters that turned 20 in 2020!
Continue reading “Twenty-Year Top 20: The Best Coasters of 2000”
In 1981 Dutch fantasy park Efteling decided to add their first roller coaster. Already a well established theme-park they chose to make an investment that would make a big impact on the European market. Working with Dutch manufacturer Vekoma they unveiled the largest roller coaster in all of Europe, Python. Although a copy of the existing Arrow Huss Carolina Cyclone, this 4 inversion monster was unlike anything in the region. It was only 2 years after Blackpool Pleasure Beach had unveiled Europe’s first modern looping coaster and the first time modern inversions appeared in continental Europe. Efteling had built something loopier, larger, and unlike anything else that Europe had seen and it became a phenomenon. Python has been featured in numerous Dutch TV programs, was used by Porsche to film a television commercial, and continues to be one of the most popular attractions in the park. So beloved is this ride that in 2018 the park spent an estimated 4.5 Million Euro ($5.3 Million USD) to re-track the majority of the ride and ensure it continues to run for future generations. Continue reading “5 of America’s National Coaster Icons”
Holiday festivities have begun here in Southern California. And while it does seem quite a bit different compared to what it was in years past, we are still trying to soak in every single moment. The first park we visited this year for the holidays is Six Flags Magic Mountain. Because the park is currently not allowed to be open for normal operation, they have adjusted Holiday in the Park to make it a drive-thru experience. In this review, we’ll share some basic information on the event along with our review. Continue reading “Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience Review – Six Flags Magic Mountain”
After months on top of months of waiting, California theme parks finally received reopening guidelines yesterday during the state’s weekly COVID-19 briefing. Governor Gavin Newsom along with other high-level representatives from the Golden State have decided to split up theme parks into “larger theme parks” and “smaller theme parks”. The placement of a theme park is based on its capacity. The state says it will allow smaller theme parks to reopen at 25% capacity (or 500 people, whichever is fewer) once the county the park resides in is placed into the orange tier. Reservations will be required, all park guests must live in the same county the park is in, and only outdoor attractions will be allowed to operate. For larger theme parks, the restrictions are even more suffocating, with the guidelines stating that the county the park resides in must be in the yellow tier in order to reopen. Like the smaller parks, reservations will also be required and the park capacity will have to be 25%. Continue reading “California Theme Parks – Where Do We Go From Here?”
Neal Thurman, known to many for his work with Six Flags as Park President of Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags Great Adventure, and most recently Six Flags Magic Mountain, Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles and Hurricane Harbor Phoenix, has left the Six Flags Corporation and is joining SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (SEAS) as Park President for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Continue reading “Neal Thurman Leaves Six Flags Magic Mountain to Join Busch Gardens Tampa Bay”
Alexander: Eager to explore how different parks tackle CDC–based measures for limiting the spread of germs, Sean and I set off for a couple new parks (plus a 3rd, major favorite of ours) opening for the 2020 season.
Alexander: Greetings! Who’s ready for another Coaster Kings Top 5? This time we’re looking at one of B&M’s most enduring product lines, the Flying Coaster!
Alexander: Everyone that knows us knows we live for a good Arrow coaster – especially their loopers. We love nothing more than getting rattled around on some of Arrow’s rowdier concoctions, which brings us to this fairly-exhaustive list of our favorites (though we’re still missing some cool ones, like Fantasia Special and HotWheels Sidewinder). Continue reading “The 5 Best Arrow Loopers”
Documents have been uncovered on the LA County permitting website that show plans for a new roller coaster for Six Flags Magic Mountain! The proposed ride, an RMC Raptor/single rail coaster would re-use the former Green Lantern station and use some of the area currently occupied by Tidal Wave. Read on to take a closer look!
Continue reading “Permit Shows New Coaster Planned for Six Flags Magic Mountain”
Alexander: We’ve got a long road ahead of us, folks. In the ever-changing fight against CoVid19’s triple threat of illness fears, financial anxiety, and quarantine-induced boredom, we’ve decided to fight fire with Fives – Top 5s, that is. Continue reading “Top 5 Six Flags-Built Coasters”