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• About The Coaster Critic
  I'm a native of Virginia and I got my first taste of roller coasters at Kings Dominion. A few years ago I merged my interests for writing and roller coasters by creating this blog. Read more on the About Page.
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  Latest Posts by The Coaster Critic

• Dare Devil Dive Coming to Six Flags Over Georgia in 2011

  Written by The Coaster Critic 17 Comments
  Last Updated: September 1, 2010
  

  We can check off another one of the 11 Rumored Attractions for 2011. Today, Six Flags Over Georgia announced that they’ll be adding Dare Devil Dive in 2011. The looping roller coaster will feature a vertical lift, beyond vertical drop, and three inversions. Here’s more from Six Flags Over Georgia’s web site: Dare Devil Dive’s mission begins as you’re pulled straight u...

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• Intimidator 305 @ Kings Dominion | Roller Coaster Reviews

  Written by The Coaster Critic 21 Comments
  Last Updated: August 31, 2010
  

  Kings Dominion’s Intense NASCAR-Themed Giga Coaster Doesn’t Dissapoint The train rockets around the final turn. Guests waiting in the queue hear it roar by and into the final brakes. Somehow the short stretch of magnetic brakes slow the charging train to a crawl. Immediately, the train erupts with adrenaline-fueled applause and laughter as Intimidator 305 has just delivered another th...

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• WindSeekers Announced for Cedar Point, Kings Island, Knott’s & Canada’s Wonderland

  Written by The Coaster Critic 15 Comments
  Last Updated: August 26, 2010
  

  Four WindSeekers To Debut at Cedar Fair Parks in 2011 Anyone monitoring Theme Park Syndicate on Tuesday might have thought they were experiencing deja vu. All afternoon theme park news sites and blogs were reporting on announcement after announcement as Cedar Fair announced the addition of  a new ride called WindSeeker at Cedar Point, Kings Island, Knott’s Berry Farm, & Canada’s W...

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• Superman Krypton Coaster | Most Wanted Roller Coasters

  Written by The Coaster Critic 10 Comments
  Last Updated: August 24, 2010
  

  For the first time Most Wanted Roller Coasters features a roller coaster in the U.S. San Antonio, Texas is home to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The park is located in an old quarry and some of the roller coasters use the quarry cliffs in their layout. Here’s a satelitte view of the park. The most notable of which is the 2000 Bolliger & Mabillard Floorless coaster, Superman: Krypton Coaster. U...

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• Kings Dominion Trip & My 200th Coaster

  Written by The Coaster Critic 14 Comments
  Last Updated: August 20, 2010
  

  For my next and probably last trip of the season I’ll be headed back to my home state and former home park. Kings Dominion is where it all began for me. I had only ridden a few smaller roller coasters until I was coerced into riding Grizzly. Next thing I knew I was hooked. I’ve been to Kings Dominion dozens of times over the years, but my last visit was in 2004. So, I haven’t bee...

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• Sky Rocket @ Kennywood | Roller Coaster Reviews

  Written by The Coaster Critic 19 Comments
  Last Updated: August 18, 2010
  

  Aric Davis is a working writer, body piercer, and the author of From Ashes Rise. He rarely updates his website, www.aricdavis.com, but plans to someday. When not writing, Aric can be found riding rollercoasters, playing hockey, listening to punk rock and knocking holes in people. If you’re at a park in the Midwest and see a guy covered in tattoos with really big ear piercings, it’s pro...

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• Happy Roller Coaster Day & USA Today’s 10 Roller Coasters

  Written by The Coaster Critic 11 Comments
  Last Updated: August 16, 2010
  

  Happy National Roller Coaster Day! Today’s National Roller Coaster Day. On August 16th of 1898 the first roller coaster was patented. And, in some strange twist of fate, today’s also my birthday. Since I’ve found out this weird coincidence I’ve had a hard time convincing some people that I didn’t create the holiday so that it coincided with my birthday. It’s rea...

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• Coaster Stock 2010 Recap Pt. 4: Trivia, Videos, & Night ERT

  Written by The Coaster Critic 3 Comments
  Last Updated: August 15, 2010
  

  This is the final part of my coverage of Coaster Stock 2010 at Carowinds. After the Intimidator Tour, there was another break. Again, attendants dispersed throughout the park. I headed for the above average Arrow looper, Carolina Cyclone only to get caught by a thunder storm. All rides were halted for fear of lightning strikes. I waited in the station hoping that the storm would pass quickly, but ...

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• Trip Report: Filming Bert the Conqueror at Carowinds

  Written by The Coaster Critic 12 Comments
  Last Updated: August 12, 2010
  

  After signing a few waivers, the group of about 30 of us made our way to Intimidator. It was hours before the park opened to the public and it was neat seeing the normally busy park empty, but not lifeless. Maintenance and groundskeepers were hard at work making sure that Carowinds looked pristine as always. We entered the station where the crew, except Bert, were already setting things up. There ...

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• 5 Most Missed Defunct Roller Coasters

  Written by The Coaster Critic 16 Comments
  Last Updated: August 11, 2010
  

  I hope that you have some tissues nearby. This post could be a real tear jerker if you’re still missing a rollercoasterthat’s no longer with us. I invite you to let go. A good cry could help you move on. A recent comment on the Drachen Fire post inspired me to take a look at some of the most missed defunct roller coasters of the past decade or so. Unfortunately, I don’t have the ...

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• What Will Cedar Point’s 2011 Ride Be?: Possibilities & a Poll

  Written by The Coaster Critic 11 Comments
  Last Updated: August 8, 2010
  

  What do you give the park that has everything? Once again the Web is buzzing over what new ride, roller coaster, or attraction year. Even the Coaster Capital has a hole or two in its massive lineup of thrill rides and roller coasters. To be honest, I don’t follow the park that closely, but I’ll throw out some rumors and thoughts on what the ride could be. Let’s take some time and...

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• Coaster Stock 2010 Recap Pt. 3: Intimidator Tour

  Written by The Coaster Critic 2 Comments
  Last Updated: August 6, 2010
  

  When we last left the Coaster Stock attendees they were enjoying lunch while being treated to a rare Q&A session with B&M rep Bob Mampe. Next, the attendees had a break for a few hours where they could enjoy the park at their leisure. Since I live about 30 minutes from the park, I headed home to help out with the kids and cool off. When I returned around 6 PM, everyone was finishing dinne...

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• Bizarro Will Be Featured on the Travel Channel this Wednesday

  Written by The Coaster Critic 6 Comments
  Last Updated: August 3, 2010
  

  National Spotlight on The World’s Best Roller Coaster Bizarro at Six Flags New England, the roller coaster that many consider to be the Best in the World, will be featured on the Travel Channel this Wednesday night at 10 PM EST. This week’s episode of Bert the Conqueror finds comedian Bert Kreischer facing Bizarro in all of its upgraded, special effects laden glory. It’s my top r...

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• Coaster Stock 2010 Recap Pt. 2: Q&A with Bob Mampe of B&M

  Written by The Coaster Critic 8 Comments
  Last Updated: August 2, 2010
  

  This is the continuation of my coverage of Coaster Stock 2010 at Carowinds. During lunch, we were treated to a Q&A session with Bob Mampe from Bolliger & Mabillard. I’ve paraphrased the questions and responses below. In hindsight, I should have video taped the session, but I think that I’ve been able to summarize the bulk of the Q&A session. The picnic area where the sessio...

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• 11 Rumored Roller Coasters & Attractions for 2011

  Written by The Coaster Critic 35 Comments
  Last Updated: July 31, 2010
  

  It’s the time of the year when theme park fans turn into detectives. We scour the Web for documents from public hearings, take pictures of pavement and dirt and proudly upload them, and we bite our nails as we countdown to August and September announcements. Here are 11 confirmed and rumored projects for 2011: Confirmed 2011 Roller Coasters Mr. Six’s DanceCoaster at Six Flags Magic Mou...

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• Coaster Stock 2010 Recap Pt. 1: Morning ERT & My Intro to Flyers

  Written by The Coaster Critic 5 Comments
  Last Updated: July 28, 2010
  

  Coaster Stock Part 1: Morning ERT Carowinds’ roller coaster enthusiast event Coaster Stock kicked off with morning ERT (exclusive ride time). Hours before the park was open to the public, we had Afterburn, Woodstock Gliders, Lucy’s Crabby Cabbie & Flying Ace Aerial Chase all to ourselves. Are you wondering why three of the four rides are located in Planet Snoopy (the park’s chil...

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• Amusement Park Tips for Overweight Guests

  Written by The Coaster Critic 14 Comments
  Last Updated: July 27, 2010
  

  According to WebMD the percent of Americans who are obese has now reached 26%. And, the percent who are either obese or overweight is now at an alarming 63%. This trend means that more and more guests will be too large to be safely seated on some theme park attractions. If restraints like lap bars and over-the-shoulder harnesses do not fit correctly, riders could be in danger. Last month, guests w...

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• MSNBC’s 10 Gut-Churning Attractions

  Written by The Coaster Critic 2 Comments
  Last Updated: July 26, 2010
  

  MSNBC.com’s 10 Gut-Churning Attractions – Amusement Park Rides For the Emetically Immune Recently, I was interviewed by MSNBC.com for an article about extreme thrill rides and roller coasters. I came up with a list, but the writer only chose a few of them. He also chose a few rides from Robb Alvey of Theme Park Review and Robert Niles of Theme Park Insider That’s some great comp...

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• Most Wanted Roller Coasters: Expedition GeForce – World’s Best Coaster?

  Written by The Coaster Critic 12 Comments
  Last Updated: July 21, 2010
  

  This edition of Most Wanted Roller Coasters takes us to Germany for the roller coaster some believe to be the Best in the World. Holiday Park’s Expedition GeForce has been battling it out with the United State’s Bizarro at Six Flags New England ( formerly Superman: Ride of Steel) for years. In the past five years of Mitch Hawker’s Internet Coaster Poll Expedition GeForce has tie...

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• New B&M Concept Will Debut on X-Raptor at Gardaland in 2011

  Written by The Coaster Critic 22 Comments
  Last Updated: July 19, 2010
  

  There’s been talk for years about a new Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster type. Last week, the rumors about the ride’s design were confirmed as Italian theme park Gardaland released an image of their 2011 roller coaster X-Raptor. Gardaland is pleased to introduce a spectacular new attraction in 2011: X-Raptor – the most extreme roller coasters, the flight that defies limi...

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