CoasterRadio.com #732 - School's Out for the Summer!

This year, theme park fans are feverishly anticipating not one, not two, but THREE wooden coasters with inversions.

The first, Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City opened to much fanfare and success.

Now, we hear about the 2nd inverting wooden coaster to open... Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

We're joined by Arthur Levine, the Theme Parks Guide at About.com, who had a chance to ride the coaster on its opening weekend.

We'll discuss the ride's unique features, it's amazing setting and whether or not this should really count as a wooden coaster.  Oh yeah, Arthur will also tell us if the ride is actually worth riding!

We'll also hear three Live Trip Reports from different parks around the country.  We'll hear reviews of the new "Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin" at Sea World Orlando.  We'll also hear reviews of "White Lightning" and "Freedom Flyer" at Fun Spot in Orlando.

Finally, we'll go live to Layer Elementary School in Central Florida to talk with the winners of their coaster design contest!  Their teacher happens to be a fan of CoasterRadio.com and asked EB and Mike to judge a contest where the kids learned about the physics and technology behind ride design.

Who knows, we might be talking to the next generation of Disney Imagineers!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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CoasterRadio.com #731 - EB vs. The Blue Flash!

Our own EB picked up his family and moved to Indiana a few years ago.

Since then, he's been enjoying Midwestern life... even getting to Holiday World as often as he can.

This past week though, he lived out every "Coaster Boy's" dream.

He rode John Iver's legendary backyard looping coaster "The Blue Flash."

On this week's episode, EB gives an element-by-element description of the ride and what it was like to see this legend in person.

The guys also take-on the recent news story in the New York Post about the rich, socialite mothers who have allegedly been hiring disabled tour guides so that the whole family can skip the lines at Walt Disney World.  EB and Mike have a good debate about the story and all its various angles.

The guys also talk with Chicago Correspondant CMVenom about his Media Day experience at Six Flags Great America.  He was one of the first to try out NAMTAB... or what is really "Batman: The Ride - BACKWARDS!"

Does the ride live up to the hype?  And will Six Flags have a "new" hit ride on their hands without having to shell out the big bucks to build a new coaster?

We'll also have a Live Trip Report from Kings Dominion, a favorite character from the past and MUCH MORE!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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CoasterRadio.com #730 - Theme Park Royalty

When we've had celebrities on this program before, they've talked about how they have to hire park-provided guides to walk them around to the various attractions and rides.

If they didn't have this preferential treatment, people would constantly be hounding them for autographs and they wouldn't be able to have any semblance of a "normal" theme park experience.

But I bet most people don't know that this same exact treatment is available to EVERYONE.

You can have a private, park-provided guide take you around and get you to the front of even the most crowded lines.  But you have to be willing to pony up the BIG bucks.

On this week's show, we'll talk about the different VIP programs offered at many of the parks across the country.  We'll talk about what perks you'll get and most importantly, how much it will cost you.

We'll also talk about one of the newest rumors to come out of the Six Flags chain.  Apparently, a survey is going around asking people what types of new rides they'd like to see at Six Flags Great Adventure.

We'll go through some of the choices and debate the pros and cons of each.

Plus, we have a LIVE Trip Report and the return of our one-of-a-kind game show - THEME PARK SMARTS! You'll have a chance to play along with our lucky contestant!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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CoasterRadio.com #729 - Gatekeeper Media Day

On this week's special episode, join Mike Collins as he speaks with Kevin from Ohio and Cincinatti John about their experience at the Media Day for Cedar Point's new wing coaster "Gatekeeper!"

Kevin and Jon will break down the pros and cons of the ride and tell us all what it's like to be at a massive Media Day attended by hundreds of working press and over 1,200 coaster enthusiasts.

They'll also have interviews with Cedar Fair CEO Matt Ouimet, Cedar Point General Manager John Hildebrandt and Cedar Fair Vice President of Planning and Design Rob Decker.

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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CoasterRadio.com #728 - The Best and Worst of Animal Kingdom

This week, Disney's Animal Kingdom celebrated its 15th Anniversary.

It's fair to say that of all the Disney Theme Parks, Animal Kingdom has the greatest divide between people who like and dislike it.

Some people claim it's the best designed, most well-themed park in the Disney chain.  Others feel that it's a complete miss and not worth spending one of their precious vacation days there.

On this week's show, the CoasterRadio.com audience steps forward to tell us about their favorite and least favorite aspects to the controversial park.  You'll be surprised at some of the responses.

We'll also talk about the strange new signs appearing around the former "Son of Beast" area at Kings Island.  The signs warns that they've had to shut down a section of park because of "mysterious, bone chilling screams" and an "evil phenomenon."

Of course, the park is gearing up to promote their 2014 attraction.  But what could it be and is the park making the most of this "Paranormal PR?"

We also have the inside scoop on a brand new "theme park related" television pilot, a Live Trip Report from the opening day at Knoebels and a whole lot more!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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