The Coaster101 Podcast
Coaster101 has been a source for theme park news, reviews, interviews, engineering breakdowns and more for over 15 years. Now, finally, we've figured out how to record ourselves, and are coming at you in audio form! Follow us on all social media platforms @Coaster101, and visit www.coaster101.com for more. The Coaster101 podcast is property of Coaster101.com, LLC.
Episodes
161 episodes
Discovering The Meadows at Kentucky Kingdom with Logan Sanderson
Kentucky Kingdom is a park with a storied history - and they've recently announced one of the biggest investments in park history - the retheming of an area of the park, now known as Discovery Meadow. Three new rides, 10 reimagined rides. Two n...
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27:44
2025 at SFOG & Carowinds with Chris Foshee
On episode 14 of the podcast, we interviewed Chris Foshee about all things social media. Now, five years and 146 episodes later (don't do the math, making a weekly show is tough!) - Chris is back, where he's now Regional Manager of Public Relat...
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44:59
Ozarkly Is Fitting Adverb For Silver Dollar City
If you follow theme parks on social media, you'll notice that a park in the Ozarks is built just a little differently. Interspersed with the "Buy your Season Pass Now" and "Hey, we're opening soon" graphics, you'll find a healthy dose of memes ...
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53:28
A Coaster By Any Other Name
Last week, Six Flags Over Georgia shocked the theme park world by giving their originally-new-for-2024-but-now-new-for-2025 roller coaster - formerly known as a Georgia Surfer - a new name and backstory, before the coaster ever gave its first r...
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49:05
Armchair Blue Sky-ing: Universal Orlando + Epcot
As theme park fans, especially recently with D23 announcements, we're familiar with the term "blue sky," used to tease ideas that are just that - ideas. They might happen, they might not. Usually, the people making these decisions have an idea ...
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1:13:14
The Return of Nik Walker: Broadway Actor & Theme Park Superfan
Several years ago, we interviewed Broadway actor Nik Walker on our podcast, and talked all things theme parks. Many people claim to be theme park "nerds." Nik, who played Aaron Burr in Hamilton, Otis Williams in Ain't Too Proud
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1:04:13
Alexa, Play "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye" (to Roller Coasters)
It's our first podcast episode of 2025 - so of course, we have to join the discourse of the news that dominated the last few months of 2024 - closed and closing roller coasters. Roller coasters like Scorpion at Busch Gardens Tampa ...
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55:55
Eric & Shane Go To IAAPA 2024
Do you like the sound of Andrew's voice on the Coaster101 podcast? Well, sorry. Because this week, there's no Andrew, but there is the dynamic duo of Eric and Shane, who attended the 2024 IAAPA Expo in Orlando!You can connect with the s...
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41:47
Inside Mattel Adventure Park With VP of Attraction Design Cindy Emerick
One of the more fascinating ongoing stories in the theme park world in the past several years has been the construction of Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona. Featuring two roller coasters from Chance Rides, including the first-ever lau...
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41:16
2025: The Best Coaster Year in North America Since...?
Deep in the throes of announcement season, the Coaster101 team comes together to talk all things "New for 2025" Coasters in North America. Yes, there are coasters opening elsewhere, but have you looked at our listening audience?What's o...
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1:05:55
Coaster101's Thoughts on D23
No Blue Sky. Dirt is Moving. We're getting the long rumored door coaster, the Rivers of America are being replaced by Cars, and the best Disney Parks announcement might be at Hong Kong Disneyland? That can only mean one thing, it's D23 time.&nb...
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1:08:08
The Legacy of Schwarzkopf with Kris Rowberry & Robert Ingle
Following the success of their "Legacy of Arrow" Documentary, the team behind shorts and films including the "Lost Parks of California" and "The Path to Railblazer" is back again with a new documentary, "The Legacy of Schwarzkopf," debuting thi...
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45:07
Activating with Carowinds Brand Activation Manager Chris Keith
It's no surprise that we talk about Carowinds a lot on this podcast, but this week, we're joined by one of the people whose job it is to make Carowinds look and sound good, both in and outside of the park. A longtime friend of the ...
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49:01
Palindrome, Circuit Breaker, and All Things COTALand with Park VP Matt Hughey
What if we told you that over the past few years, a major project that has been on the minds of coaster enthusiasts isn't at a "traditional" theme park but rather at a motorsports complex that hosts NASCAR, F1, and Moto GP races each year?<...
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38:57
Six Flags and Cedar Fair Have Merged...Now What?
The biggest news in recent theme park history happened last week, so, officially a week after the dust has settled, Andrew and Eric are here to talk about it. We're talking all things Six Flags Entertainment Corp this week. Should ...
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45:11
We Got A First Time Over Here! - Cedar Point & Dreamworks Land
You always remember your first time...Wait. That sounded weird. But as coaster enthusiasts, heading to a park for the first time can be a memorable experience, especially when that park is Cedar Point. Shane joins Andrew to talk ab...
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48:38
Top Thrill 2: Electric Boogaloo
Baby, we're ready to go! Coaster Enthusiast eyes around the world were fixated on Sandusky, OH for the debut of Top Thrill 2, the spiritual successor to Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster. Fortunately for us, two C101 team members w...
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42:00
Our Thoughts on Dorney Park's Iron Menace
We've reached the point of the year where new roller coasters are opening all across the country - and fortunately for us, we have some "boots on the ground" taking first rides!Andrew is joined this week by Coaster101's newest writer Ev...
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38:46
Spring Break at Disney on Both Coasts
Spring Break at Disney...but make it a double! C101 writer Nick joins Andrew on the podcast to talk about their respective Spring Break Disney Trips - Nick with a traditional family vacation with his wife and two kids on a four-day...
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56:49
Coaster101 Goes to Busch Gardens Tampa
Recently, members of the Coaster101 team took three separate trips to Busch Gardens Tampa - some repeat visitors, some first time visitors, and we're here to bring our experiences to you. C101 Founder John and one of C101's newest ...
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51:08
1 on 1 with "Mr. Theme Park," Dennis Speigel
When you have the opportunity to connect with a long-time industry veteran, you're bound to get some incredible stories. When that industry veteran is Dennis Speigel, the stories are even better. A former Kings Island and Kings Dominion...
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45:00
Pleading the FITH: The C101 Guide to Silver Dollar City
Nestled deep in the Ozark Mountains of Branson, Missouri is a park that has long been on Andrew's theme park bucket list - Silver Dollar City. A park with an immensely rich history, Silver Dollar City is celebrating 64 years of operation this s...
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1:26:31
An EPIC (Universe + More) News Recap
After we dropped our most recent episode, a good amount of news dropped in the theme park industry, and in true podcast fashion, we're a few days late in covering the news. Nick and John join Andrew to talk all things Epic Universe...
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55:12