Coaster Radio: The Original Theme Park Podcast (Mike Collins and E.B.)

Depending on where you live, there's anywhere from 70 to 90 days before the regional parks open their gates for the 2011 season.

So for the title of this week's show, we averaged it out to 80 days.

Here at Coaster Radio, we're pretty excited about the 2011 theme park season.  So, we're spending this week talking about the new attractions we think are going to make some noise this summer.

To help us out, we're joined by long-time friend Arthur Levine, the theme parks guide from About.com!

He'll help us figure out which attractions and going to be hits and which ones might be duds.  He'll also let us in on the details behind The 2011 Readers' Choice Awards on About.com.

We'll also look ahead to 2012 and talk about what Walt Disney World has planned for the Magic Kingdom.  This week, Disney unveiled plans for "New Fantasyland," the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's 40-year history!

Plus, we'll have a live trip report, tons of calls from the audience and a plea for a "Coaster Radio Day" at Quassy Amusement Park!

We've reached the end of another season of Coaster Radio!

To celebrate, we're podcasting from one of the most unique amusement parks in the world...

Wiener Prater in Vienna, Austria!

The Prater was once an imperial hunting ground and only accessible by the aristocracy,  But then, Austrian Emperor Josef II donated the area to the Viennese in 1766 as a public leisure center.

Since then, it has gone on to become the place where the people of Vienna gather to relax and unwind with food, drink and wild rides.

That's right! In recent years, it has become home to some of the most outrageous and intensely thrilling attractions in Europe!

Join Mike and EB and they talk about some of the Prater's most iconic attractions - the roller coasters, Ghost Houses, water rides and gravity defying flat rides.  There might even be some on-ride audio from one of the oldest attractions in the park!

 They'll also talk about how The Prater is run much differently than your average amusement park and howit's full of attractions not seen many other places.

Be sure to come back next week for the premiere of a video podcast showing off all of the rides that the guys discussed on this week's show!

Thanks to everyone who has made this season of CoasterRadio.com the most successful ever! We can't wait for Season Six to begin in October!

Once again this week, we take your listener questions.

Plus, this year, we take LIVE PHONE CALLS during the show!

Thanks for listening to CoasterRadio.com!

This week, we broadcast from the Media Day of the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster - Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure!

Join us as we talk with park officials, engineers and coaster enthusiasts about the new ride. We'll also give you our review and let you know if it's worth traveling from your hometown for a ride.

We'll also put a wireless microphone on E.B so you can hear exactly what it sounds like as he gets launched from 0 to 128 mph in 3.8 seconds and then travels up and over a 456 foot tower. Maybe, just maybe, you'll hear some profanity. (You've been warned.)

We'll also tell you all about Great Adventure's new land, The Golden Kingdom.

Also, as if one media event weren't enough, we'll check in with our Florida Correspondent, Will, who will report from the media day of Busch Gardens Tampa's new "Dive Coaster" ShieKra! We'll ask Will if the new roller coaster from B and M lives up to the hype.

It's all coming up on this week's CoasterRadio.com!

2019 is shaping up to be one of the more amazing years in recent memory when it comes to theme park attractions.

Sure, we're all excited by the amazing things we are hearing about Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, but there are dozens of other new rides and attractions coming to parks across the world.

This week, we are joined by our good friend, theme park expert Arthur Levine. Arthur writes about theme parks for USA Today, Trip Savvy, IAPPA and other companies. He says we are are currently living in a "golden age" of theme parks.

On this week's show, we'll preview rides like Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland, Maxx Force at Six Flags Great America, Reese's Cupfusion at Hersheypark, Kind Heaven at the Linq in Las Vegas, Steel Curtain at Kennywood and much, much more!

This week, we come to you from inside Cedar Point as the park unveils Top Thrill 2! We'll have a ton of interviews and one of the first reviews of the record-breaking roller coaster.

THIS WEEK:

It's the Season Eight Finale of CoasterRadio.com!

We start off this week's show with a story about a Marine who was denied admission to a theme park because of a shirt he was wearing.

Falcon's Fury at Busch Gardens Tampa is finally accepting rider.  We have a Live Trip Report!

Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain is no more... but is there a way to replicate the experience?

Take our Season Eight Listener Survey!

And we close out the season with a fantastic round of Theme Park Smarts!

Plus, we have a major clue about a BIG EVENT in Season Nine!

As a bonus to this week's regular episode of CoasterRadio.com, we have produced one of our "Coaster Commentaries!"

Yes, we know Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom at Six Flags Magic Mountain isn't a roller coaster, but it's unique and downright scary enough to devote an entire video podcast to it.

While the CoasterRadio.com podcast is on hiatus, check out the "Weekend Edition" of Theme Park News from CoasterRadio.com!

We'll be back with all-new episodes in October!

The show might be in hiatus until October 3rd, but this week, we take you back in time to see the origin of one of the most talked about inside jokes on CoasterRadio.com!

It's the time of year when our favorite parks are decked out for the holidays. This week, Mike talks about his trip to WinterFest at Kings Dominion. The guys also have the latest news from around the industry and some interesting items in the Listener Mailbag.

We looking ahead and then we're looking FURTHER ahead! Plus, news from around the industry and reports from inside the parks!

Last week's Listener Question Show was a huge hit!

Like all good parties, we didn't want it to end.  So, we extended the show into a second episode!

This week, we answer more of your questions sent in through our blog, Facebook, Twitter and our voicemail line.  PLUS, we take more of your live calls... it's podcasting without a net!

Listeners called in with a bunch of good topics and started some create discussions.  We were even surprised by a few somewhat "famous" callers.

This week, we also unveil our nationwide charity project... Theme Park Change.

The event begins on April 1st and we'll have a lot more information for you between now and then.  But basically, we're asking theme park fans across the world to give up one thing from the upcoming theme park season and then donate the cost of that item to a worthy charity.  Our 2011 charity for Theme Park Change is Project Angel Food!

This event isn't just solely for CoasterRadio.com either.  We're inviting any theme park fan site (Disney fan sites too) to join us in raising money for this incredible charity.

Plus, there's a chance for you to win some pretty cool prizes if you donate $10 or more!

Check out the website and listen to this week's show to learn more!  We're hoping you'll find it to be as good of an idea as we do!

What are the Top 17 Amusement Parks in the United States? One magazine claims to know. We'll see how correct they are.

Plus, a ton of news from around the industry and a hot take in the CoasterRadio.com Mailbag!

When we did our annual Listener Question Show a few months ago, we had a TON of them!

In fact, we had so many that we couldn't answer them all in one show.

So this week, we dig back into the mailbag and answer more of your "burning questions."

The best part about shows like this is that we have a lot of great pop culture and behind-the-scenes content along with fun theme park talk too!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

The amusement industry was shocked this week when Apex Park announced that they would be closing Indiana Beach.  What will become of their classic rides and roller coasters?

Then, we'll talk to Blake Braswell, Show Director at Universal Orlando about the resort's Mardi Gras celebration! There's a lot that goes into bringing the spirit of Bourbon Street to the park. We'll hear all about it!

This week, hear the story of EB's visit to Glenwood Caverns to experience the grand opening of their new attraction, The Haunted Mine Drop!

EB tells us all about the park, the surrounding area attractions and ultimately, what it was like to experience this new ride!

He also has interviews with park owner Steve Beckley and ride designer Stan Checketts.

To celebrate the 600th Episode of our podcast, we played our most ambitious game show EVER! We had 100 listeners take part in a trivia competition LIVE on our show!

Now that we're past Thanksgiving, it's time to turn our attention to the holidays! Many parks have decided to stay open to celebrate. This year, there seem to be more than ever! We'll talk all about it and hear a Live trip Report from the return of Winterfest at Kings Island.

Our Quick Hits segment takes a look at four interesting news stories from the amusement industry. This week, we take a look at the newest info about Nintendo Land at Universal Orlando. We also run through the 2018 additions at Holiday World. Mike get's excited about a "Throwback Day" at Disneyland and finally, the final pieces of the old Geuaga Lake have been torn down.

EB tells us about an unscheduled stop to check out the site of the now shuttered "Hard Rock Park," and then, the guys welcome two guests who will review the IAAPA Convention from two different perspectives.

Dwayne from CoasterAddict.com tells us about the show from the fan/media perspective. Clint Novak from Central Park Funland tells us about the show from the buyer's perspective.

It's been announced that Disneyland is going to add characters to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge that don't (necessarily) fit in the timeline of Battu.  But does it matter?

We'll talk about whether we'll see OG characters in the uber-themed land. We'll also talk about similar lands could be built at a park near you.

Plus, EB visited Kentucky Kingdom and has a full review.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg has just unveiled their newest dark ride and it looks like it is going to be one of the top new attractions in 2005.

"Curse of DarKastle: The Ride" is a dynamic, motion-based, 3D attraction that sends guests on a terrifying, gravity-defying ride through the mysterious corridors of a Bavarian Castle.

Across the country, teams of animators, engineers and designers worked for 13 months to bring this ride from concept to completion. The result is an amazing attraction that one would only expect to find in Orlando theme parks.

Mike Collins and Flava were on hand at the media preview of"DarKastle." Instead of using their press credentials to ride the attraction with the rest of the media, they waited to ride with the general public to see what the reaction was like. In this week's show, they'll tell you all about the attraction (without giving too much away) and let you know how average park guests were reacting.

They'll also talk with Brent Young of Hollywood-based Super 78. Brent's company created all of the animations for this new attraction. They'll ask him about some of the technical advances that were made in the design of this ride. One of the biggest is that DarKastle's animated scenes are digitally projected and stored on massive servers located in Williamsburg. Brent and his team can update the scenes in Hollywood and upload them to the servers at any time. This allows scenes to be tweaked constantly and possibly even updated or replaced in the future.

The guys also will talk to Dave Mauck of Orlando-based Oceaneering.Dave and his team designed the motion-based ride system for DarKastle.Dave will explain how in 13 months, his team had to create intelligent ride vehicles that used "linear, circular and vertical motion" and allowed for "varying rates of acceleration."

In English, that means the vehicles have to give perfect rides to 1,450 people per hour all season long.

Not an easy job.

There was no winner in last week's "Soundwave" contest. We received a lot of guesses that were very close, but no one has sent in the correct answer. So, the guys will give a clue this week to help you figure it out. To hear the Soundwave, listen to our first show found in the Show Archive section.

Speaking of the Show Archive, this week's show is a special episode of CoasterRadio.com. Because of intense media demand, the entire crew was not able to attend the media event at Busch Gardens. So, if you are a new visitor and want to hear the show with all five hosts, head to our Show Archive section to listen to last week's show.

Mike, EB and listeners from all over the world are at Cedar Point for the first-ever CoasterRadio.com Listener Meet-Up! The first-half of the show is from the Breakfast Tailgate party before the park opened. The second-half of the show is from the Lunch Cookout! The show features reviews of Cedar Point, a live raffle and interaction with the CoasterRadio.com Characters! This and a whole lot more!

It's Day Two of the 2018 CoasterRadio.com Listener Meet-up in Branson, MO!

This week, Mike and EB are on stage at the Dockside Theater inside Silver Dollar City in front of a LIVE audience of CoasterRadio.com Listeners!

The guys will review the park and all of its major attractions...including Outlaw Run, Wildfire, Powderkeg and the all-new, recording breaking attraction for 2018: Time Traveler!

There will also be special guests...like Brad Thomas, President of Silver Dollar City Attractions. AND, we'll have some fun surprises and announcements too!

There is a TON of news to cover this week... including a story about a guy climbing to the top of a 325 foot ride... to dance.

We are living in weird times.

We also have your in-park trip reports and lots more!

EB and Mike have spent weeks searching the internet to create the PERFECT list of holiday presents for that special park enthusiast in your life.  Or, let's face it, maybe you just want to buy this cool stuff for yourself.

As you listen to the show, check out the links to every gift at giftguide.coasterradio.com.

New rides are being announced… and old rides are being removed! We’ll tell you all about it.

Plus, we have your Live Trip Reports, an interactive topic and the official schedule of events for the Listener Meet-Up in Las Vegas!

This week, EB reports from Kings Island in Ohio! He has tips and tricks to make your day at the park the best it can be!

This week, we talk with Neil Patrick Harris LIVE from EPCOT! Neil is in Orlando to host EPCOT's Candlelight Processional and Disney Park's Christmas Day Parade!

Also, EB and Mike recap their favorite park moments from 2013 and have details  on the upcoming short film "A CoasterBoy Christmas!"

Plus, Hagrid has a new job for the holidays and a Live Trip Report from Disney's Animal Kingdom!

We're back with a jam-packed, all-new episode of The Original Theme Park Podcast!

This week, we talk about Six Flags Discovery Kingdom's new roller coaster "Superman: Ultimate Flight!"

It may last less than 60-seconds, but what it lacks in ride time it makes up for by being unique.  The new ride includes multi-directional launches, several non-inverting loops and a barrel-roll at 150 feet in the air! (That's one of the tallest inversions in the world!)

As a bonus to this week's audio podcast, the guys have also produced a video podcast that shows you footage of the new ride along with some "Coaster Commentary!"

The guys also discuss Mike's trip to Walt Disney World.

Mike had a chance to try out the new "Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom" interactive game. Is it work trying out the next time you're in Orlando?  Mike will let us know!

Mike also recorded some on-board audio while riding "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" and "Space Mountain" at the Magic Kingdom.  Be sure to wear your headphones while listening... you'll feel like you're there with him!

Plus, we also have a Live Trip Report from Six Flags Great Adventure and news about the CoasterRadio.com Olympics!

Plus, we also have a Live Trip Report from Six Flags Great Adventure and news about the CoasterRadio.com Olympics!

This week, our First Drop segment gives you an opportunity to purchase amazing rides for your own backyard!

Then, our new "Quick Hits" segment takes a look at the biggest news stories in the industry... including an update to the classic Skycoaster, beautiful ride vehicles for "Time Traveller" and a new dark ride concept from Dynamic Attractions!

EB and Mike unveil a new Patreon Goal and talk about how it could lead to innovative daily content from Coasterradio.com

In our "Park Hopper" segment, we talk about Castles and Coasters in Phoenix, AZ. We also have a Live Trip Report from Christmastime at Dollywood!

Finally, the listeners tell us what they are thankful for (and not so thankful for) in the amusement industry.

Metal detectors are in use at the front gate of some parks, but now we're starting to see them before you get on a ride! Is this the future? EB's FIRST trip to Cedar Point is coming up! What is he looking forward to experiencing? EB has opened a T-Shirt Shop! We talk about your Opening Day Traditions and Tips! This and a whole lot more!

This is a preview of our new daily podcast, Theme Park News from CoasterRadio.com!

This is the weekend edition for Friday, September 20th.

If you like what you hear, head to http://news.coasterradio.com to subscribe as a podcast or as a Flash Briefing on your in-home smart speaker.

This week's show starts off with a look at a fantastic new Virtual Reality experience that puts you right in the middle of your own Star Wars story. One of our listeners had a chance to check it out before it opens to the public.

Our Quick Hits segment takes a look at four interesting news stories from the amusement industry. This week, we take a look at a theme park snowball fight that was cancelled... due to snow. We also talk about how great the Wonder Woman coaster at Fiesta Texas looks, some new attractions coming to Legoland Windsor and Mike's trip to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

We get a chance to interview one of the most popular YouTube creators... Taylor from Coaster Studios. We'll find out more about this innovative film maker and how he has created one of the most successful park-related channels.

Then, one of our listeners will step to the microphone and see if he can become a podcast legend as he plays the infamous theme park game show "KNOW YOUR COASTERBOY!"

Plus, we have a Live Trip Report from Christmas at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and a chance for you to cast your vote for the CoasterRadio.com Best New Attraction of 2017 Award!

We usually try to pick show titles that are both creative and ones that give you a hint at what's to come.

That's why I think "A Fresh Start" works well this week.

To begin, we wrap up Theme Park Change with some important words about last week's show

There is a lot to say and a lot to be thankful for, so we hope that you'll all take the time to listen to the first part of our podcast.

We also have a final tally on our fundraising for Theme Park Change and celebrate by inviting two old friends back to Coaster Radio!

This week's show also lives up to its title because we'll hear your favorite stories from Opening Day at the parks.

It's one of the best days of the theme park year because the parks are clean, the paint is fresh and the rides are running like new!

Mike and EB will tell you their own unique "opening day" tales while also hearing from the listeners about their unique experiences from their home park's first day of operation.

Plus, we'll have a Live Trip Report from Texas and a few other surprises! 

A lot of things can happen now that Six Flags and Cedar Fair have announced they are merging. But what would happen if the same people who name rides at Six Flags got a hold of the attractions at Cedar Fair parks? Our listeners have some ideas.

"Lucky" Season 13 begins!

This week, we'll pull back the curtain of the podcast to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what listeners had to say in our 2018 Survey. What parts of the podcast were hits and what parts bombed?

We'll also take some time to give some commentary on some of the big new stories in the amusement industry that happened while we are on break.

Finally, we'll talk with Ed Hiller, CEO of Ride Entertainment Group. He'll tell us all about his company and how they are respobsible for bringing us rides like Mystery Mine at Dollywood, Powder Keg at Silver Dollar City and Skycoasters all over the world. He'll also tell us some funny stories from his long and successful career!

Welcome back!

On this week's show, we take a look at a very cool new Robot Theme Park that is on the way!  We also talk about how you'll soon be able to live in a closed theme park!

We take a look behind the construction walls of The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train now that they're starting to come down.

We also have an interview with Jeff Hornick, the Director of Design and Enginnering at Busch Gardens Tampa. He tells us about what we can expect from Falcon's Fury - their new drop tower for 2014.

All that, plus a Live Trip Report from Sea World San Antonio, the return of our original game show THEME PARK SMARTS and a whole lot more!

The original theme park podcast is back with a brand new episode!

Back in 1954, Walt Disney had a weekly television show on the ABC Network where he unveiled his plans for Disneyland.

Not only did it help finance his park, but it also got people all over the country excited to make the trip to California to see it in person.

This week, EB and Mike talk about whether not it would be a good idea to bring this style of TV show back to television.

What would a show like this look like?  What parks could you broadcast from?  Would anyone watch?

The guys also take a look at a video showing what Six Flags New Orleans looks like five years after Hurricane Katrina.  They talk about what it would take to get them to set foot on the property and why we're fascinated by videos like this.

There's also news with The Neil Patrick Harris Project.  This week, it was announced that NPH is the new "Launch Voice" behind California Screamin' at Disneyland!  The guys also announce a holiday project where listeners can help get the attention of Mr. Harris.

Plus, you'll hear a live trip report from EPCOT's World Showcase and the story of Mike's failed attempt to get to Disneyland last weekend!

It's all on this week's new episode of CoasterRadio.com!

This week, our First Drop segment tackles a very weird rumor about how Busch Gardens Williamsburg might be closing "Curse of DarKastle." WHAT?!?!?

Then, our new "Quick Hits" segment takes a look at the biggest news stories in the industry... including a new coaster at Darien Lake, a "stunning" fight at a Halloween event, Pixar Pier and new webcams at Knotts.

EB and Mike unveil a new Patreon Goal and talk about how it could lead to innovative daily content from Coasterradio.com

The guys get into a good discussion about how it will be difficult to re-open Hall of Presidents in today's polarizing political climate.

Finally, there is a great Listener Interactive Topic where everyone discusses the parks that do the best job of taking us away from the outside world.

This weel, we feature Live Trip Reports from listeners all over the world!  We have trip reports from Alton Towers, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Cedar Point, Thorpe Park, WB Movie World, California's Great America, Disneyland, Drayton Manor and many more!

Week after week, we get a lot of interesting feedback from you guys.

One listener will write in and say that we need to focus on the regional parks more and less on what's happening at Disney.

An hour later, we'll get an e-mail from someone wanting more talk about the Disney Parks and less about Six Flags and Cedar Fair.

It's impossible to come up with topics that please everyone, but this week we might have one that comes close.

On this week's show, Mike and EB will take a look at things that the regional theme parks can "copy" or "outright steal" from Disney to make the guest experience better for everyone.

The audience steps in with their ideas, as we discuss ways our local parks can improve the family experience.

We'll talk about ride capacity, front-of-the-line programs, food quality, attraction diversity and a bunch of other ideas that might make a trip to Six Flags a little more like a trip to Disneyland.

Plus, we'll have a Live Trip Report from Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and the return of "Off-Topic!"

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

This week, a headlining coaster is down for the count and one Disneyland gets news while another Disney park gets a new name. Plus, Mike is back from Las Vegas and has noticed a big change over his 20 visits.

This week, Mike and EB discuss the recent changes to Disney's Genie+, now called "Lightning Lane Multi Pass." We know people will pay for it, but will it make life easier for guests? The guys also discuss the latest amusement news stories, including one about a bear that caused a stir by entering a concession stand at an amusememt park.  EB also has Part 2 of his multi-park trip report!

We have a lot of fun traditions here at Coaster Radio, but one of our most cherished happens every year at this time!

This week, it's the 2nd Annual...

SPARKTACULAR EXPLOOSIOLOOSA!

Each year, EB risks life and limb so that he can bring our wireless microphones as close as possible to the flames, sparks and explosions.

Last year, EB got hit with a projectile wall of fire.  What could go wrong this year?

We also will hear from Mike as he gives his "complicated" review of Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion.  How does it rate when compared to other rides in the park and will Mike be brave enough to ever ride it again?

We also delve into the world of roller coaster enthusiast clubs.  What are some of the reasons people join?  Are there any drawbacks?  What about the recent trend of several clubs "hating" on one another.

We'll hear from the CoasterRadio.com audience as they tell us about what clubs they belong to and the pros and cons of each.

Plus, we'll have a Live Trip Report from a park in Germany! 

Mike and EB have returned from from Dollywood and are back in-studio!

This week, they spend the First Drop segment going over all of the news they missed while out on the road... including a new roller coaster coming to Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2017!

In this week's Park Hopper segment, the guys turn their attention to Kennywood in West Mifflin, PA!

And, the guys review what happened after the Dollywood Meet-Up! It's a full review of a bunch of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg attractions including Alpine Coasters, Haunted Houses and MOONSHINE!

Plus, CoasterRadio.com Theater returns!

All this and much, much more!

The theme of this week's show is simple... we play Live Trip Reports sent in from listeners all over the world!

It's a fun, rapid-fire show where we all get to hear the sounds of different parks and different rides while hearing honest reviews of what people have been experiencing at the parks in 2016.

Arthur Levine, the Theme Parks Expert at About.com, joins for for a preview of some of the best new attractions coming to theme parks in 2015! Including:

     - Fury 325 at Carowinds

     - New Wooden Coaster at Ireland’s Tayto Park 

     - Rougarou at Cedar Point

     - Slideboard at Wet 'n' Wild Las Vegas

     - Thunderbird at Holiday World

     - Rampage returns to Alabama Splash Adventure

     - Cannibal at Lagoon

     - Starliner returns to the Miracle Strip in Florida 

     - "Paint the Night" parade debuting at Disneyland

     - T3 Returns to Kentucky Kingdom 

     - Switchback at ZDT’s

     - Fast & Furious Supercharged at Universal Studios Hollywood

     - Springfield Themed Area at Universal Studios Hollywood

     - Maison Rouge: Labyrinth of Fear at La Ronde

     - Laff Trakk at Hersheypark 

On this week's episode, we crown a winner in the 2020 Ride Design Contest. You'll hear from our panel of judges:

ROB DECKER - Former SVP of Planning and Design, Cedar Fair
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS - Actor and Theme Park Enthusiast
TIMOTHY JACOBI - Prototyping Engineer, Zamperla
KOREY KIEPERT - Roller Coaster Designer, The Gravity Group
ARTHUR LEVINE - Journalist and Theme Park Expert
MARK McDONOUGH - President, Creative Visions
TIM WILSON - Reigning Champion
ERNEST YALE - Founder, Triotech

A new theme park opens in Iowa, Universal is set to let us take part in a "Back to the Future" story and Disney wants us to pay $100K to visit all 12 of their theme parks.

This is one of those shows where a lot is covered in 57 minutes.

I hope you're ready....

First up, the guys talk about the new "Iron Man Tech: Presented by Stark Industries" exhibit that opened at Disneyland.

Besides sounding a lot like one of last year's "Reel Design" finalists, could this be the first wave of Marvel-themed attractions in the Disney Parks?  The guys will talk about the speculation and what we might see in the next few years.

The guys also take a look at the progress on "Gatekeeper" at Cedar Point.  The park is already testing their massive winged coaster with almost a month to go before opening day.  You'll hear from one of the park's engineers about what they are doing to get ready for May 11th.

We'll also hear a Live Trip Report from Tom who had lunch with a Disney Imagineer as part of a new program offered by the Disney Parks.  Did he learn any secret info and will he spill the beans for the CoasterRadio.com audience?

Travis from California joins the show to talk about his visit to the grand opening of the Legoland Hotel in Southern California.  Travis will give us the inside scoop about what surprises we can expect to see inside the hotel... including an elevator that doubles as a disco!  Plus, he'll let us know about some of the things at Legoland that even an adult would love.

Finally, the guys go "Off Topic!" EB gives the audience an update on a major home renovation project and Mike fills you in on his "Magical" trip to Las Vegas!  Highlights include a "secret" elevator to the top of the Stratosphere Tower, a ride on the "Big Shot," a front row seat to David Copperfield's show, David making one of Mike's friends disappear and a road trip to the Grand Canyon.

There's lots of fun and a few surprises on this all new episode of "The Original Theme Park Podcast!"

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

This week, Disney's Animal Kingdom celebrated its 15th Anniversary.

It's fair to say that of all the Disney Theme Parks, Animal Kingdom has the greatest divide between people who like and dislike it.

Some people claim it's the best designed, most well-themed park in the Disney chain.  Others feel that it's a complete miss and not worth spending one of their precious vacation days there.

On this week's show, the CoasterRadio.com audience steps forward to tell us about their favorite and least favorite aspects to the controversial park.  You'll be surprised at some of the responses.

We'll also talk about the strange new signs appearing around the former "Son of Beast" area at Kings Island.  The signs warns that they've had to shut down a section of park because of "mysterious, bone chilling screams" and an "evil phenomenon."

Of course, the park is gearing up to promote their 2014 attraction.  But what could it be and is the park making the most of this "Paranormal PR?"

We also have the inside scoop on a brand new "theme park related" television pilot, a Live Trip Report from the opening day at Knoebels and a whole lot more!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

This week, we have tons of news about new attractions coming to parks over the next few years...including details of the Donkey Kong ride coming to Universal's Epic Universe!

Plus, find out how you might see EB riding a bicycle on the streets of Orlando this November.

This week, we're on-location from Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. During the show, we'll talk with park guests and preview the scare zones and spooky attractions at this annual Halloween event.

As we get warmed up for Season Seven, here is another "Coaster Commentary" where Mike and EB take a look at "X-Flight"...the new winged coaster at Six Flags Great America.

The guys also take a virtual ride on Six Flags Great Adventure's new serpentine water slide "King Cobra."

Once again this week, we're joined by theme park expert Arthur Levine to talk about the best new attractions coming to parks in 2018. Over the past two shows, we'll talk about attractions at 50 theme parks across the world!

This week we cover parks like Cedar Point, Sea World San Diego, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Alton Towers and many, MANY MORE!

This week, the very first wish in our "Year of a Dozen Dreams" is fufilled! Kevin and Chris live their dream of going to the IAAPA Expo to cover the event! They tell us about what they have seen, including details about new attractions and ride types. After that, listeners sound-off on ways to get a theme park fix during the off-season. All this and much, much more!

A new year gives us a chance to reflect on the past and look towards the future.

This week, we take a cue from that gnarly, old prognosticator Nostradamus and see if we can predict what will happen at the parks in 2021.

When the talk turns to amusement park rides, the same ones always seem to be brought up. Everyone talks about Millennium Force, Fury 325, Steel Vengeance and basically any ride created by Disney or Universal.

But what about the fantastic rides out there that slip under the radar?  Why don't they get any love?

On this week's show, we talk about amazing rides that should be talked about and praised more!

We also take a look at the biggest stories in the industry, including details on what will happen with Six Flags reopens their parks.

This week, Mike monopolizes the "Off-Topic" segment to complain about ABC's two-hour broadcast that was supposed to be a celebration of Disneyland's 60th Anniversary. (0:57)

"Park Hopper" returns as we go into detail about Busch Gardens Williamsburg. (9:35)

We unveil the next three semi-finalists in the 2016 Reel Design Contest! (18:22)

Plus, we'll interview the production team who created a fantastic documentary called "The Legacy of Arrow." We'll talk about the history and tradition of "Arrow Dynamics" and the unique story of their company. The documentary will be available worldwide on Friday, February 26th at noon Eastern.(31:52)

All this and much, much more!

Last week, we got in to a heated debate on what was the most influential roller coaster of the 70's... and we didn't quite agree on an answer.

This week, we do the same thing with the 1980s.  Will this be a tough call?  Or is the answer obvious?

We also talk about some new attraction rumors and the possibility of a GEEKFEST at Universal Orlando.

This past Tuesday marked the official start of Summer, 2011!

For every summer we can remember, there has always been an unofficial "anthem" recorded by the biggest pop star of the day.  It's a song that EVERYONE listened to on their way to the beach or the theme park.

In the 80's it was the Fresh Prince, in the 90's it was Ricky Martin and today, it might be Katy Perry or Cee Lo Green.

But this week, we premiere what might be the #1 hit song for this summer! It's a once in a lifetime colloboration!

We also get a live report from opening day of Windseeker at Kings Island.  Does the 300 foot tall spinning thrill machine live up to the hype?  We'll find out!

Plus, we'll hear from listeners all over the world as they tell us about their favorite spots at their home parks.  We'll find out about the special places off the beaten path at parks where people can get away from the noise and crowds! 

There might be proof of what new coaster Dollywood is getting in 2016. Is Disney coming back to Virginia with plans to finally build a park there? The Plusses and Minuses of "Plussing." Our West-Coast Listener Meet-Up is at Knott's Berry Farm on July 18th! Arthur Levine from about.com joins us to review Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Disneyland's 60th Anniversary. This and a whole lot more!

Phantasialand in Germany announced that they will be building the world's longest flying coaster next year... and it will launch! We'll talk all about it.

Then, we'll do a round-up of all of the latest news... including a look at the POV for Mine Blower, Lightning Rod Rumors and a debate on getting banned from parks.

We'll also talk with the Director of Marketing and PR for "The Park at OWA" to learn about what this brand new park will have to offer!

Thanks for listening to CoasterRadio.com!

If we asked you guys what your "Dream Job" would be, we're guessing a lot of you would have the same answer...

"Disney Imagineer."

Unfortunately, only a select few get to have that title.  So, it's understandable when some of the more famous names become the "rock stars" of the Disney and Theme Park Fan Communities.

On this week's show, we pay tribute to Tony Baxter, a long-time Disney Imagineer who recently announced his retirement.

Tony is responsible for many Disney Attractions that have become household names.

We'll discuss his career and what it means to be an Imagineer in 2013 versus 1955. Plus, we'll hear from listeners about their favorite Tony Baxter rides.

We'll also hear plans for a new theme park in Texas, news about Skyrush at Hersheypark and details about changes to the Fastpass system at Disneyland.

Plus, we'll be visited by our brand-new correspondent who has detailed tips and trivia about some of your favoritetheme park rides. We only had to pay him $1000 for his appearance (and it was worth every penny!)

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

Theme park fans have a personal connection to their home parks. They know everything about them... including what is missing. On this week's show, dozens of CoasterRadio.com listeners tell us about what their home park needs to add to make it perfect.

This week, Mike and EB kick the show off by commenting on all of the news that happened while they were producing the last two weeks of preview episodes. They talk about the transformation of the Galactic Star Cruiser into office space, the rumored record-breakinfg dive coaster at Six Flags Over Texas, and the recent layoffs affecting several theme parks. They also provide updates on Siren's Curse at Cedar Point. Finally, they explore the upcoming Universal Fan Fest nights, weighing the appeal of special events against the reality of past experiences. The guys also discuss listener feedback from their recent survey, highlighting both the positive and negative feedback from listeners.

As we wind down the 2005 Summer Theme Park Season, we wanted to do something special for the thousands of you who listen each week.

We decided to put you in charge of this week's show.

Over the past few months, we've received hundredsof e-mails and forum postings from listeners all over the world who want us to talk about specific topics. Since there isn't time to get to all of them during our regular podcasts, we decided that we would use the show before our summer season finale to answer as many as we could.

This week, we'll answer your e-mails about Cedar Point, looping water slides, on-ride video replacing on-ride photos, smoke-free parks, and annoying park guests. We'll also answer some of your questions about the show itself. Have you ever wanted to know the types of things E.B. says that eventually get cut out of the final show? Well, this might be the show where we tell you. We'll also give you some behind the scenes info about how the podcast is created.

Next week is our Summer Season Finale. We'll be presenting the 2005 CoasterRadio.com Awards! It will be a star-studded event live from the CoasterRadio.com Amphitheater in Washington, DC.

By the way, some of you have asked if we will be going away and not producing new shows during the fall and winter. That was the plan originally, but now we're all set to produce one regular show a month and then produce shorter 5-to-10 minute shows during the other weeks. We're planning on getting a lot of input from our listeners to make those shows interesting.

So we hope to hear from you though e-mail, through our forums and on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433).

Thanks for listening!

THIS WEEK:

News from the annual IAPPA Conference

There were a lot of new attractions unveiled.

A Live Trip Report from Castles 'N Coasters

A winner in the Soundwave Contest!

We review "Escape from Tomorrow"

What listeners are NOT Thankful for at the parks.

The show is on hiatus until October 3rd, but this week, we go back and listen to a favorite episode of everyone here at the show... 10 Things I Hate About You! We discuss the 10 most hated things about visting theme parks.

This week, Off-Topic returns with a strange story about an "amorous" couple who got caught "knockin' boots" on the High Roller Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas. (2:58)

We unveil the first three semi-finalists in the 2016 Reel Design Contest! (14:22)

And we play Theme Park Smarts! The game show where a CoasterRadio.com listener must figure out how much an average person on the street knows about theme parks! (32:04)

All this and much, much more!

Imagine covering 40 different topics of discussion in a 60-minute show.

Sounds exhausting, right?

Mike and EB will attempt to it, as they lovingly "ripoff" one of their favorite ESPN programs, "Pardon the Interruption."

PTI is known for its fast-paced conversation, incessant bickering between the hosts and rapid-fire topics.

The show uses a countdown timer in order to keep the conversation moving.  Once the time expires, the hosts hear a buzzer and they have to move on to the next topic.  They also have an updated rundown of the show on the side of the screen.

If CoasterRadio.com was a video podcast, this week's episode might look like this:

But even though we're an audio podcast, you get the idea.

Topics on this week's show include:

* Doubts about Cedar Point's supremacy amongst theme parks

* Universal getting into the MyMagic+ game

* Choosing the #1 flat ride in the world

* Replacements for Son of Beast

* Lou Mongello being mentioned in the Spiderman comic book series

* Adults-only nights at the parks

* Iconic rides being retired

* Tom Hanks as Walt Disney

* Plus MUCH, MUCH MORE!

This week, Mike and EB dive into the excitement of Halloween and the impact of recent hurricanes on theme parks. They discuss the kickoff of haunt season, featuring a unique horror short film from Six Flags, and provide real-time commentary on it. The episode also includes quick hits on theme park news, a discussion about the social perception of theme park enthusiasm, and listener interaction regarding whether being a theme park enthusiast is considered cool or uncool.

Fun Spot America in Florida is building a fantastic new Gravity Group coaster for 2017. They finally decided on a name. We'll discuss...

Kennywood has announced that they are adding a virtual reality experience to their some-what new Sky Rocket coaster. We talk about if this is really necessary.

We'll talk about the upcoming auction at Knott's Berry Farm. You'll have the opportunity to bid on a variety of items from the park's past. EB has his eye on one or two items.

Finally, Mike tells a funny, yet serious story about an experience he had recently in an off-topic segment.

Thanks for listening to CoasterRadio.com!

This week, we bring back a listener favorite!

Arthur Levine, the Theme Parks Industry Expert from about.com and USA Today joins Mike and EB to discuss and debate all of the new attractions for 2017.

We'll talk about new attractions coming to parks like Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Disney California Adventure, Carowinds, Hersheypark, Six Flags Great Adventure, OWA Park, Kings Island, Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, Worlds of Fun, Kentucky Kingdom, Morey's Piers and MORE.

Plus, Mike and EB announce the winner of the CoasterRadio.com Best New Attraction of 2016 award!

Thanks for listening to the show!

Jonathan joins us for a first-hand review of Knott's "Voyage to the Iron Reef!" We have an interview with Triotech CEO Ernest Yale The CoasterRadio.com Listener Meet-Up at Cedar Point is a few days away. 

Six Flags opened Batman: the Ride and Justice League: Battle for Metropolis. Will we see ultra-themed lounges at the regional parks? This and a whole lot more!

This week, we welcome Tony Clark, Director of Communications at Cedar Point to the show!

Tony was a busy guy with Tuesday's announcement of "Top Thrill 2," the reimagined experience of the former "Top Thrill Dragster" stratacoaster.

We'll hear the behind-the-scenes story about the creation and design of the ride and other fun details from Tony's job at Cedar Point.

We will also be joined by International Star Illusionist Brad Ross who is headlining his own show at Carowinds this summer as part of their 50th anniversary. We'll find out what it's like to perform for a theme park crowd and what it takes to produce world-class illusions.

There's lots going on behind-the-scenes this week. Instead of taking a break, EB podcasts direct from his trip to Holiday World.

This week, we have Live Trip Reports from all over the world!

Our listeners take us on a tour of some of the best parks with the best attractions!

The title of this episode might throw you off, but don't worry. This week, we're answering your listener questions about a variety of topics, parks, pop-culture, the podcast and more! You'll learn a lot!

This week, we're podcasting from the CoasterRadio.com Fall Listener Meet-Up at Busch Gardens Williamsburg!

The entire meet-up crowd takes over "Grogan's Pub" in Ireland and settles in for one of the best episodes of the season.

We'll tell you all about the many perks of the meet-up including behind-the-scenes tours of Griffon and "Frostbite." Plus, we'll let you know how the crowd did with early-morning ERT on the park's newest roller coaster InvadR!

We'll also have reviews of all of Busch Gardens Williamsburg's roller coasters and major attractions. Plus, we'll have tips and tricks to make your next visit a success.

We'll also be joined by a ton of celebrities and surprise guests!

Our listeners have A LOT of questions for us... so we're taking time to answer them all!

Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point got off to a fast start with great reviews. But now the ride is grounded while they work on the ride's vehicles. How long will the ride be down and when can we expect to ride it again?

This week, the listeners step up to the mic to talk about the park attractions that give us the best off-ride views. Plus, we talk about Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville" empire is now expanding to amusement parks. Will his new park in Biloxi be a hit?

The very first episode of our podcast was on April 25, 2005.

We spent that first show looking ahead at all of the new attractions that would be opening at theme parks across the country in 2005.

Reviewing the new attractions for the upcoming summer has become an annual tradition here at the show and this year is no different.

This week, we take a look ahead at 12 new rides and attractions that will be making their debut in 2012.

From roller coasters to flat rides to water slides... we'll talk about new attractions that will demand your attention.

Joining us on the show to lend his expertise is the Theme Parks Guide from About.com... Arthur Levine!

Arthur will give us in-depth detail about each new attraction... including some breaking news about what will happen inside the event building of Busch Gardens Williamsburg's new coaster - Verbolten!

Plus, we'll announce the winner of our HIMYM Caption Contest and give yet another clue in our Soundwave Contest! (You'll have to listen to the show to find out what that is!)

On this week's show, we'll talk about a new way for you to jump to the front of the line at Sea World Parks.  We'll also discuss how Kings Island is inviting certain passholders to get to the front of the line as well. Tom from Louisville joins us to review Kentucky Kingdom.

Plus we have Live Trip Reports from Elitch Gardens and Six Flags Over Texas and announce a fantastic LIVE show next week!

Riding a theme park attraction is fun enough as is, but now designers at HUSS want us to wear Virtual Reality devices to take the experience to a whole different level. Mike reviews Laff Track at Hersheypark and Flying Turns at Knoebels. Are they worth the hour-long waits? CoasterRadio.com listeners call in and write in for Part 1 of our Cast Member Stories Episode! All this plus a lot more!

The Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg has returned. On this week's show, we'll hear about the new theming, storyline and some incredible surprises that the park has added to this iconic roller coaster.

Halloween is here! Our listeners step up to the mic to talk about the greatest scares they have received at an in-park haunt. 

We talk with the owner and creator of "The Terrortorium," a Halloween attraction in the southeast.

What makes this attraction unique is that it features "The Haunted Castle," the original Bill Tracey dark ride from the Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City Beach!

We'll hear the story of how the famous ride was saved and brought back to life for a new generation.

This week's show comes to you from the 2017 CoasterRadio.com Listener Meet-Up at Carowinds!

It's one of the few shows per season that we get to produce in front of a LIVE AUDIENCE!

We talk all about our first impressions of Carowinds, including our reviews of top attractions like Fury 325, Intimidator, Afterburn and Plants vs. Zombies!

Plus, we'll talk with people at the meet-up, park officials and we'll hear from some special guests too!

Halloween is just a few weeks away and we start things up with a bit of a controversy.

Knott's Berry Farm has closed a temporary Halloween attraction due to pressure from mental health advocates. Was it a smart move or were they wrong to bow to political correctness?

We also talk about the new HBO series "Westworld," a show set in a futuristic theme park where anything goes. Is there a chance we could see a real-life version of this someday?

And did you hear that someone's e-cigarette exploded into a fireball aboard the Hogwarts Express at Universal Orlando? We're not so sure the explosion was caused by a guest.

We'll also have two Live Trip Reports from Halloween Horror Nights and find out if their R.I.P. (VIP) tours are worth the expense.

Then, it's time to enter the courtroom of "Judge EB" as two listeners argue the case of "Fury 325 vs. Millennium Force!" Each listener will try to convince "His Honor" that their particular favorite coaster is #1!

It's all this week on CoasterRadio.com!

This week's show starts out with a story that apparently is common at the parks.  A Disney Cast Member was punched in the face by a guest over an invalid FastPass.  We'll talk about what happened and what parks can do about it.

We'll also check out some of the top stories in the amusement industry, including an update on the family who started a brawl at Disneyland and some new attraction announcements for 2020.

Then, we'll wrap up the debrief from our California Trip.  We'll have stories from Knotts Berry Farm and EB's strange visit to some truly bizarre places in Los Angeles!

Theme Park expert Arthur Levine joins Mike and EB as they take a look at over 20 new innovative attractions coming to parks in 2024!

Arthur Levine, the Theme Parks Expert at About.com, joins for for a preview of some of the best new attractions coming to theme parks in 2015! Including:

     - Wicked Cyclone at Six Flags New England

     - Ghost: The Haunted House at Legoland Windsor

     - A new vertical coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

     - Zombie at Mexico’s Bosque Magico 

     - Fireman's Landing at Silver Dollar City

     - Karnan at Hansa Park in Germany

     - Justice League: Battle for Metropolis at Six Flags Over Texas

     - Justice League: Battle for Metropolis at Six Flags St. Louis

     - Possible King Kong Dark Ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure

     - Baron 1898 at Efteling in the Netherlands

     - Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas 

     - Voyage to the Iron Reef at Knott’s Berry Farm

     - Impulse at Knoebels

     - The Orlando Eye Observation Wheel in Orlando

     - Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain

Be sure to tune in next week for Part 2 of our podcast!

This week, we answer more Listener Questions about theme parks and other fun topics!

Questions like:
Will Banshee get better reviews than Gatekeeper?
Will we ever see "Theme Park Change" again?
What ride has literally scared us?
Will "Kentucky Kingdom" be a hit or a miss?

Plus, a Live Trip Report from Las Vegas, NV and whole lot more!

Labor Day signals the end of summer, the beginning of school and the close of the theme park season.

But before we start to pack away our t-shirts and shorts and pull out our jeans and sweaters, it's time for one last summer celebration.

This week, we present the 2005 CoasterRadio.com Awards!

Over the past month, thousands of CoasterRadio.com listeners have been voting for their favorite parks and attractions. On this week's show, we'll announce the winners in the following categories:

Best Theme Park or Amusement Park
Park That Cares Most About Their Guests
Best Theme Park Company
Best Steel Roller Coaster
Best Wooden Roller Coaster
Best Dark Ride
Best Water Ride
Best New Attraction for 2005
Most Attractive Park
Best Waterpark
Best New Waterpark Attraction for 2005
Park with The Best Food
Best Park Operations
Favorite Moment from CoasterRadio.com
Favorite Guest Featured On CoasterRadio.com

After the awards, join us in our forums to talk about your thoughts on who won and who should have won. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433).

We have a special "in-park" episode of the show this week.

EB is at Hersheypark and joins the show from the new "Chocolatetown."

He has a full review of the new area, the park's COVID-19 precautions and the new B&M Hypercoaster "Candymonium!"

We also have details on how you can vote for your favorite attractions in our 2020 Ride Design Contest!

There is a TON of news to cover this week, including a popular park changing operators and a former guest of the podcast working in SPACE!

We also take a look at many of the new rides and attractions coming to Europe in 2021!

There's lots of "behind-the-scenes" info this week as CoasterRadio.com listeners send in their "Ride Evacuation" stories.

We've all seen rides break down. But every now and then, the breakdown is so bad that guests need to be removed from the rides.

This usually results in people getting to see "backstage" areas of the park that are normally off-limits to park guests.

So this week, we'll hear a ton of stories about what people saw when they were "EVACED" from a ride!

The Off-Season is here and that means the local parks are closed to most of us (except for you lucky ones in Florida and California!) To help combat the "Off-Season Blues," Mike and EB have some ideas that will tide you over until the parks open again in March.

During our Quick Hits segment, the guys talk about several of this week's most interesting stories in the amusement industry, including:

• What will be inside "Marvel Land" at Disney California Adventure?
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway railroad being built at Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland
• West Coast Racers at Six Flags Magic Mountain has a Preview Center
• A bomb threat was called in to German theme park because the caller wanted to ruin friend’s day.

 After some interesting Live Trip Reports, we open our Mailbag! We also find an interesting blueprint on Amazon.com!

Then, we welcome Disney Imagineer Dave Minichiello to the show! Dave is an Executive Creative Designer with Imagineering and has worked with Disney for close to 40 years! He has been responsible for many of the attractions we have experienced at EPCOT, Disneyland Paris, Magic Kingdom and the Disney Cruise Line. Most recently, he has lead the creative direction for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and the Little Mermaid Undersea Adventure.

But this week, Dave joins us to talk about his most recent project...Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Dave will tell us about the storyline behind the new land and also all about "Slinky Dog Dash," the highly themed roller coaster that is the land's headlining attraction!