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The Coaster Critic's Blog is your source for opinionated roller coaster reviews, theme park reviews and a coaster enthusiast's take on all the latest theme park news. Read more...
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  • Universal Orlando Super Bowl Commercial

    Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
    Last Updated: February 2, 2009
    Universal Orlando Super Bowl Commercial
    All the beer commercials were cool, but like many coaster enthusiasts I perked up when I saw the Universal Orlando ad during the Super Bowl. I thought the ad was neat. Universal has to differentiate itself from Disney and the hero appeal is a nice approach. Also, I don’t feel like you normally see an ad that targets the Dads, but I could be wrong. As a former Marketing major I’d have t...
    • Six Flags Announces Terminator Coaster @ Magic Mountain

      Written by The Coaster Critic 4 Comments
      Last Updated: October 23, 2008
      Six Flags Announces Terminator Coaster @ Magic Mountain
      Magic Mountain Announces Details of Terminator: The CoasterTerminator: The Coaster will be a Great Coasters International twister woodie. Twisters offer lots of banked turns and speed. The ride will also feature a station fly-through like the acclaimed Thunderhead at Dollywood. Also, like Thunderhead, Terminator will feature GCI’s Millennium Flyer trains. That’s about where the similar...
      • New Transformers Ride, Terminator Coaster & More

        Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
        Last Updated: October 21, 2008
        New Transformers Ride, Terminator Coaster & More
        Recent Theme Park News Stories – Transformers, Terminator, & MoreSince I’ve been busy working on Coaster Portal, I’ve missed a few news stories. Here’s a recap of the biggest stories from the past month or so: Gravity Group Launches Blog & Podcast – GravitycastThe Gravity Group, acclaimed wooden roller coaster designers, recently launched their blog and podcas...
        • OCC MotoCoaster @ Darien Lake | Coaster Reviews

          Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
          Last Updated: July 30, 2008
          OCC MotoCoaster @ Darien Lake | Coaster Reviews
          MotoCoaster Marks New Era for De-Flagged Darien Lake On my recent trip to Darien Lake, near Buffalo, NY, I was happy to see that the park is thriving post-Six Flags. PARC Management, the new operators, have the park hitting on all cylinders. They even invested in a first-of-its kind motorcycle-themed launch coaster in the Orange County Choppers MotoCoaster. Darien Lake did a great job tying in the...
          • Top 3 Top 3 Thursdays Lists

            Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
            Last Updated: July 24, 2008
            Top 3 Top 3 Thursdays Lists
            The Best of Top 3 ThursdaysFor this week’s Top 3 Thursday I’m doing a ‘Best of’ post. I’m recapping my favorite Top 3’s and their number 1’s. Top 3 Most Annoying Things at an Amusement ParkI ranted about the most annoying things I find at my favorite places to be. Number 1 was line cutters.Line CuttersThere’s nothing worse than waiting in a long line...
            • Terminator Coaster Coming to Magic Mountain

              Written by The Coaster Critic 5 Comments
              Last Updated: June 27, 2008
              Terminator Coaster Coming to Magic Mountain
              New Wooden Coaster to have a Terminator Theme?UPDATE 10/23 – Six Flags Announces Details of the Terminator Coaster For a while now there have been confirmed mentions from Six Flags that Magic Mountain will get a new Great Coasters International (GCI) wooden coaster in 2009. Apparently at an American Coaster Enthusiast conference, Mark Shapiro CEO of Six Flags spilled the beans about the new ...
              • Coaster Enthusiasts Unite to Lose Weight

                Written by The Coaster Critic 2 Comments
                Last Updated: May 31, 2008
                Coaster Enthusiasts Unite to Lose Weight
                Biggest Loser for Coaster Enthusiasts, So They Can Ride AgainIt goes without saying that safety’s important when riding roller coasters. If restraints like lap bars and over the shoulder harnesses do not fit correctly, riders would be in danger. Add the U.S.’s growing obesity rate and you have more and more theme park guests getting turned away just as their about to enjoy a great coas...
                • Simpsons Ride | Universal Studios Florida

                  Written by The Coaster Critic 4 Comments
                  Last Updated: May 20, 2008
                  Simpsons Ride | Universal Studios Florida
                  Simpsons Ride Opens at Universal Studios Florida Last week, the new Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Florida opened. Island of Adventure Central has coverage of the grand opening. Universal went all out for the event. Visitors adorned blue Marge Simpson wigs handed out by the park. And Krusty the Clow was on hand to lead an orchestra during the ribbon cutting. The ride is a six minute long simul...
                  • Mariah & Nick Take Over Six Flags Magic Mountain

                    Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
                    Last Updated: May 15, 2008
                    Mariah & Nick Take Over Six Flags Magic Mountain
                    Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon Buy Six Flags For the NightEven celebrities can’t resist roller coasters. This week, newlyweds Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey bought out Six Flags Magic Mountain for a private party. If you’re thinking of doing the same for your next get together, you better have $250,000 laying around, because allegedly that’s what it costs. I doubt Tom and Kate Crui...
                    • Orange County Choppers MotoCoaster

                      Written by The Coaster Critic 1 Comment
                      Last Updated: April 25, 2008
                      Orange County Choppers MotoCoaster
                      Darien Lake’s MotoCoaster Gets a New NameDarien Lake, near Buffalo, NY, is building the first Zamperla MotoCoaster. This week, the park announced a new name for its first new coaster in nine years. Named after the popular reality show, the ride will be known as the Orange County Choppers MotoCoaster. The partnership makes sense. Especially when you consider that the show is based in Orange C...
                      • American Idol Meets Disney?

                        Written by The Coaster Critic 1 Comment
                        Last Updated: February 15, 2008
                        American Idol Meets Disney?
                        Walt Disney World & American Idol Team Up Last week Disney announced plans for an American Idol attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, Florida. It sounds like an immersive attraction where guests can experience auditioning, performing, and being judged. According to the press release: “That experience will include an audition process, open to all who registe...
                        • Transformers Dark Ride | Theme Park News

                          Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
                          Last Updated: January 28, 2008
                          Transformers Dark Ride | Theme Park News
                          Transformers Could Be Rolling into a Theme ParkLike The World of Harry Potter and The Batman Dark Knight Coasters, the Transformers may be making the move from the big screen to the theme park world. There are rumors that Paramount is planning a theme park attraction based on everyone’s favorite robots in disguise. The Transformers attraction is said to be a dark ride and will allegedly ope...
                          • Sega to Open Theme Parks in Middle East

                            Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
                            Last Updated: January 19, 2008
                            Sega to Open Theme Parks in Middle East
                            Video Game Company Looks to Expand Theme Park BusinessSega has plans to open an indoor theme park in Dubai according to an article from GamesIndustry. It will be similar to Sega’s Joypolis centers in Japan. The park will be part of the 76,000 square foot Dubai Mall and also the site of the world’s tallest tower, the amazing Burj Dubai. On a side not, check out this diagram of the world...
                            • Motocoaster Rides into Darien Lake for 2008

                              Written by The Coaster Critic 3 Comments
                              Last Updated: January 13, 2008
                              Motocoaster Rides into Darien Lake for 2008
                              Darien Lake Gets First New Roller Coaster in 9 Years It’s been a long time coming for the Darien Lake faithful. The park located just outside of Buffalo, New York hasn’t received a new roller coaster since Superman: Ride of Steel in 1999. No longer a Six Flags theme park, PARC Management wants to make a splash in 2008 with the addition of a Zamperla Motocoaster. RCDB’s listing is...
                              • Evel Knievel Coaster @ Six Flags St. Louis

                                Written by The Coaster Critic 3 Comments
                                Last Updated: September 30, 2007
                                Evel Knievel Coaster @ Six Flags St. Louis
                                Six Flags St. Louis will Introduce Evel Knievel Coaster in 2008Six Flags St. Louis will follow up this year’s Tony Hawk’s Big Spin coaster with its second new roller coaster in 2 years. In 2008, they will introduce their ninth coaster named after the daredevil Evel Knievel. Great Coasters International has designed the wooden twister that’s reminiscent of the Wildcat at Hersheypa...
                                • Dark Knight Roller Coasters Invade Six Flags Parks

                                  Written by The Coaster Critic 46 Comments
                                  Last Updated: September 28, 2007
                                  Dark Knight Roller Coasters Invade Six Flags Parks
                                  Dark Knight Roller Coasters Swoop into Six Flags in 2008Six Flags looks to mass produce (well mass produce in coaster terms) a new indoor roller coaster for three of its parks. In 2008, Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, NJ), Six Flags New England (Springfield, MA), and Six Flags Great America (Chicago, IL) will get Mack Wild Mouse coasters enclosed in a Batman themed building.The Name GameNormal...
                                  • Italian Job Stunt Track @ Kings Island | Coaster Reviews

                                    Written by The Coaster Critic 19 Comments
                                    Last Updated: September 24, 2007
                                    Italian Job Stunt Track @ Kings Island | Coaster Reviews
                                    Italian Job Stunt Track @ Kings Island | Coaster ReviewsThe most noteworthy thing about the Italian Job coasters are the Mini Cooper themed trains. They’re straight from the ride’s namesake, the 2003 movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. With the aforementioned movie theme and and en vogue Minis, right away Italian Job is the opposite of a timeless classic. But it’ll ...
                                    • Top 3 Family Roller Coasters

                                      Written by The Coaster Critic 1 Comment
                                      Last Updated: August 9, 2007
                                      Top 3 Family Roller Coasters
                                      Top 3 Family Roller CoastersThis week’s Top 3 is fun for all ages. Not all roller coasters push the limits of human g-force tolerance like Kingda Ka. Family roller coasters are crowd-pleasers that are usually pretty tame. Italian Job Stunt Coaster at Kings IslandSeveral former Paramount parks (Kings Island, Kings Dominion and Canada’s Wonderland) are home to launch coasters with Mini ...
                                      • SheiKra Featured on Discovery Channel

                                        Written by The Coaster Critic 4 Comments
                                        Last Updated: July 2, 2007
                                        SheiKra Featured on Discovery Channel
                                        SheiKra will be featured on Discovery Channel’s show BUILD IT BIGGER, which premieres Tuesday, July 10th at 10 PM (ET/PT). In the show, they refer to Sheikra as the world’s tallest dive coaster. I’m sure it was at the time they filmed, but since late May that title has been transfered to Griffon. Speaking of Griffon, I will finally get a chance to ride it tomorrow. Expect a full ...
                                        • Harry Potter’s Magic is Coming to Islands of Adventure

                                          Written by The Coaster Critic No Comments
                                          Last Updated: June 10, 2007
                                          Harry Potter’s Magic is Coming to Islands of Adventure
                                          Harry Potter Attraction Planned for Universal’s Islands of AdventureWarner Brothers and Universal will be teaming up for a new Harry Potter attraction at Orlando’s Universal Islands of Adventure. It has been described as the world’s first fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment. Also, as a theme park within a theme park. Guests will be able to visit the village of Hogsmeade, ...
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