I guess one of the fun things about being a theme park enthusiast is that we actually get to know the names and personalities of the people behind the rides we love.
Earlier this year, we lost one of the great roller coasters of our time... Ron Toomer.
Ron was the president of Arrow Dynamics and created dozens of rides that we all know and love.
Among his creations were Magnum, Mine Ride, Gemini, Corkscrew, and Iron Dragon at Cedar Point, Desperado at Buffalo Bills in Nevada, Python at Busch Gardens Tampa and Big Bad Wolf, Drachen Fire, and Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
On our next show, we're going to spend some time talking about his roller coasters. We'd like to invite you to call or write in to tell us about your favorites.
Send us your comments to us by Tuesday, November 15th at 8:30pm EST by posting them right here on the blog by using the "Comments" link below. You can also e-mail us your answer by using the address over on the right, write on our Facebook Page or use our Contact Page!
The best option is to call our voicemail line at 206-339-3360. Be a part of the show!
Well, I've been on 18 of his coasters including the Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure, Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and the Python at Busch Gardens Tampa which are nolonger around. My two most favorite are Magnum XL200 at Cedar Point and Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
ReplyDeleteThe three I'll always remember are: The Big Bad Wolf, the best night ride I've ever had on a steel coaster, the Python at Busch Gardens Tampa, the first coaster I rode by myself that went upside down, and the Dare Devil at Circus World near Haines City, FL, one of the first shuttle loop coasters built by AD.
The Dare Devil has an interesting history. First, it's opperated under four names, at three parks, in two locations. It originally opened as Dare Devil at Circus World near Haines City, FL and was later changed to Zoomerang. Then HBJ bought the park and renamed the park Boardwalk & Baseball and the ride the Double O. The park was then bought by Anheuser Busch which closed the park and then sold the ride to Fun Spot in Angola, IN where it opperates to this day as Afterburn. Secondly, this wasn't the first shuttle loop to open at a park, that honor goes to the Deamon at Kings Island, the Dare Devil was the full scale test prototype that was built at the Arrow Dynamics Utah facility. So Ron Toomer may have been on and around this ride (not riding) while they were testing it.
There are so many great Arrow coasters in the world, but the ones I loved the most were the mine rides and the suspended coasters. I love that these types of coasters look deceptively tame but hold unexpected bursts of speed and other surprises. Rides like Adventure Express and Road Runner Express are so much fun, especially at night.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for suspended coasters, I still mourn the loss of one of the best coasters on the planet, Big Bad Wolf, but I love that other great suspended coasters such as Ninja at Six Flags Magic Mountain and the former "Top Gun" at Kings' Island are still around to thrill. One coaster that I particularly loved was XLR8 at the now defunct Six Flags Astroworld which provided a unique sensation when the park ran it backward during the Halloween season.
Ron Toomer brought so much innovation to Arrow and he constantly raised the bar for thrill riders and elevated family fun to the next level. He will be sorely missed.