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
153 episodes
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
The SeaWorld Parks Coaster Draft
There's not a lot of news in the industry this week, which means it's a perfect time for a good ole-fashioned coaster draft, and this time, we're taking the coasters SeaWorld Parks - SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Sesame Place.C101 writer...
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56:12
Carowinds' Hurler Is Getting RMC'd...No, Not That Way.
Hurler at Carowinds is getting RMC’d. Pause for gasp. But not quite in the way you’re thinking those letters typically represent, where Rocky Mountain Construction is involved. Instead, Hurler is receiving Routine M...
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30:26
Seth Kubersky Returns to Talk Universal Orlando
In the early day of the podcast, (episode 31, to be exact) author Seth Kubersky joined us to talk about his book - the Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, then in its sixth edition. Luckily he's back (105 episodes later!) to talk all things ...
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50:55
New Year, New Coasters Opening in 2024
Our new year's resolution is to be more consistent with podcasting, and we're back for 2024, ready to ride every new roller coaster opening this year. Andrew is joined by C101 team members Mike (who makes his first ever podcast app...
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1:35:14
IAAPA Recap-a
Real life has a funny way of getting in the way of podcasts, but after Andrew planned his wedding and got married, followed by kidney stone removal surgery - the Coaster101 podcast is officially back, and there's no better way to jump back into...
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1:15:44
All Things Rocky Mountain Construction with COO Jake Kilcup
It's been a busy 2023 for Rocky Mountain Construction. Two all-new coasters, a major retrak-ing project in Orlando, a merger, bringing Silver Dollar City's Fire In The Hole to a new generation, and arguably, most importantly, WILD MOOSE. <...
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37:52
Iron Menace 2 Society with Dorney Park's Ryan Eldredge
Happy National Roller Coaster Day! Last week, Dorney Park announced Iron Menace - the park's first ground-up roller coaster to be built since Hydra: The Revenge in 2005. Standing 160' tall, Iron Menance will truly change Dorney Park's Skyline.<...
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40:58
As The (Deno's) WonderWheel Turns: One on One with Deno "DJ" Vourderis
You never know when you'll find a podcast guest in the wild. During a visit to Deno's Wonder Wheel earlier this summer, Andrew was riding their new roller coaster, Phoenix when he struck up a conversation with a ride operator. As it turned out,...
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50:51
The Universal Draft
It's a big week for theme park news, so before all that drops, we wanted to have a little bit of fun. Andrew, Shane, and Nick join forces for a 12-round Universal draft! There are some caveats -- you had to take at least two Intern...
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1:10:57
1 on 1 With The "Chief" of Lost Island Theme Park, Eric Bertch
We can count on one hand the number of new, full-scale theme parks that have opened in the United States in the past 15 years. One of those parks happens to be Lost Island, located in Waterloo, Iowa. By all accounts, this park is a hidden gem, ...
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55:29