The web's most authentic roller coaster expert

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The science behind why roller coaster corkscrews are so beautiful

Who doesn't love a good corkscrew?

Ever wonder why the double corkscrew element on classic Arrow and Vekoma roller coasters are so pleasing to the eye? True, the entry and exit isn’t too pleasing to your neck, but there sure feels like there’s some artistry put in those curves.

Turns out, there’s a lot more math at work, too.

Whether it was done on purpose I can’t say, but the reason for their inherent beauty lies in the…

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Should roller coaster influencers be criticized for not wearing masks?

When you see a recent photo of people at gatherings - without masks - how does it make you feel?

The “mask wars” of the COVID-19 pandemic have finally made it to the amusement park fan community.

Recently, several prominent ride / park fans have been hit with online criticism recently for posting updates of them without masks from parks and facilities across the country.

Putting aside the fact that the Centers for Disease Control(or CDC) as of 8/26/20 says, “Travel increases your…

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Debunking Common Theme Park Decision-Making Misconceptions

Confirmed, plausible or busted? Here's four common misconceptions about how theme parks make decisions:

Sometimes theme parks might make a decision that raises your eyebrow, at least for some of the most ardent of park fans. Some decide to make videos expressing their displeasure with certain parks, like this one:

While “Shock Wave Dan” notes in his description that some of his points are “jokes,” I couldn’t help but notice…

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When thrills and storms collide!

When thrills and storms collide, magic happens.

Crank your amps all the way up to 11, it’s time to “Ride the Lightning.”

Photo by Kris Rowberry.

Captured during last night’s severe storms that passed through the DFW Metroplex, Judge Roy Scream at Six Flags Over Texas provided a stunning visual to go along with even more spectacular sights from Mother Nature.

I’ve been shooting lightning now for about a year, and it’s like playing the…

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Hurricane Laura potentially threatens three Galveston amusement parks

Hurricane Laura potentially threatens three Galveston amusement parks

As if 2020 wasn’t bad enough for the amusement industry, Hurricane Laura is currently and rapidly intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico, and could strike three Galveston-area amusement parks with heavy rain, high wind and significant storm surge.

While Kemah Boardwalk and Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pierlie just outside the potential path of the growing storm, park enthusiasts can take…

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The Amusement Industry Needs Fans More Than Ever

The very industry park fans love needs them more than ever before. So what can you do to help?

As we slip into yet another week of seemingly endless COVID-19 despair, lock downs and quarantines, our nerves just seem to get more frayed. We’re all snapping at one another more than ever, both online and in-person (myself included). The stress level we’re all under is perhaps only eclipsed by a nation at war.

Many amusement parks and ride vendors across the country have had to make…

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False active shooter report leads to panic inside California's Great America

Heartbreaking to watch, but necessary to see. This is where we are as a society in 2019, folks.

It gives me no pleasure to write a piece about this, but I think it IS important to see what happens when societal paranoia meets the reality of our society.

On Saturday night, reports began to circulate online of a group of disruptive teenagers inside California’s Great America. What happens next isn’t clear; some say it was a fight or even a robbery. What is clear is that this group – at…

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Six Flags Qiddiya Announces World's Tallest, Fastest & Longest Roller Coaster

With the Dubai project fresh in their heads, the skeptics are definitely out on this one: Can Six Flags and Saudi Arabia pull off the world's biggest roller coaster? #GreatAmericanThrills #QiddiyaSoMuchMore

Today, Six Flags ($SIX) and the Qiddiya Investment Company announced what they hope will be the final word in roller coasters: Falcon’s Flight. While details are thin at the moment, the company claims that it will be the tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster ever built.

P/C: Six Flags.

The announcement coincides with the release of the Qiddiya Master Plan yesterday, outlining…

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Are Social Media Influencers Good Stewards of your Brand?

This is some cringe-worthy stuff for park fans and safety advocates to watch. #GreatAmericanThrills

You hear about them all the time, these so-called “social media influencers.” They’re people or groups with massive amounts of followers or subscribers online who get paid to appear at locations or promote products in their feeds. The hope from brands hosting them is that their popularity garners tons of positive publicity in an otherwise crowded media landscape.

This week, Six Flags Over…

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Kings Island Announces Massive New Ride - Online “Fans” Decide they Already Hate It

You'd think this was an Onion article, but it's actually about Orion. #GreatAmericanThrills

Talk about entitled!

On the eve of National Roller Coaster Day, Kings Island in Ohio announced their tallest, fastest, steepest, longest and most expensive steel roller coaster ever. It checks off all of the superlatives any marketing manager would drool over and is just the sort of ride a family watching the news would immediately say, “Let’s go to Kings Island next summer!”

Except, of…

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California's Great America Celebrates National Roller Coaster Day with Tongue-in-Cheek Celebration of Kiddie Coaster

A kiddie coaster never looked so cinematic! #GreatAmericanThrills

Warning: this is a really cute video.

As part of their National Roller Coaster Day festivities, California’s Great America commissioned arguably one of the best tongue-in-cheek social media videos this year: a celebration of their 1999 Miler Kiddie Coaster, Lucy’s Crabbie Cabbies.

Enjoy the hilarity (be sure to look at the titles) and well done, CGA!

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…

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Why Virtual Reality Roller Coasters Seemingly Died

If VR roller coasters are here to stay - God help us all.

It seemed like virtual reality (VR) on roller coasters was about to be the “next big thing” in the amusement industry. Many parks / chains figured they could breathe new life into older attractions with a VR update. So why are we seeing less and less of them all of a sudden?

Slow Operations / Long Lines

The first thing folks noticed about VR coasters was their wait times – and it wasn’t because…

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How to Make Ride Announcements Better for Amusement Park Chains

All-In-One or By-The-Park: which is the better way to make lots of new ride announcements?

It’s that time of year again – time for park fans to begin serious speculation about what may (or may not) be coming to their favorite parks in 2020.

With SeaWorld Parks already making announcements (or teasing them) for all of their parks, Cedar Fair and Six Flags are up next to reveal what’s in the works for next season.

All of the SeaWorld parks are expecting major, new additions to their…

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No More Free Rides: Companies Need to Stop Asking for Free Marketing from Fans

Fan-generated content is great, but when it comes to quality work and your company's image - you get what you pay for:

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: a company puts out a call to its fans online, asking if they have any photos or videos of their product they might be able to use at upcoming trade shows.

The fans get the satisfaction of helping their favorite company. Sometimes, they get recognition for the project and some company swag.

Meanwhile, the company gets a life-long license to market and use that…

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Disney Makes Unprecedented Statement Debunking Ride Removal Rumor from Internet

It's not often Ronald Reagan and roller coasters go together - see why in my latest piece:

This week, a completely unverified rumor on the alleged fate of a ride at Walt Disney World grew so massive, the company took the unprecedented step of making a public statement saying that the rumor was completely baseless.

Let me repeat that: Disney. Had to make an official statement. About a rumor on the internet.

Just let that settle in for a moment.

With larger parks and chains, it’s become…

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Kris Rowberry Returns to Great American Thrills

Kris Rowberry Returns to Great American Thrills

Hey everyone! It’s been awhile since we last talked. Two and a half years, to be precise.

No, it wasn’t you – it was me. A necessary hiatus what with me taking a position in the Communications Department of a major theme park here in the south.

But as of this week, that restriction have been lifted, so you’ll be able to expect hearing from me on a semi-regular basis once again.

I’m so sorry.

You’…

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Winterfest at Great America Gives a Shimmering Debut

Forget "Black Friday" - there's a new holiday tradition in the South Bay - #GAwinterfest:

It is rare in the amusement industry to meet expectations, especially for hardcore park fans. It is an even rarer event to exceed those expectations.

After I experienced Winterfest at California’s Great America this past Friday, I am happy to report that my expectations for this park have been forever shattered, in the most wonderful of ways.

Star Tower has been magically transformed into the…

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