CoasterRadio.com #648 - Season Six Finale

It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating Memorial Day, the unofficial kickoff to summer.

Now, Labor Day weekend is upon us and the hot summer will soon turn to the chilly fall.

The end of the summer season also means the end of the sixth season of Coaster Radio.

To celebrate this memorable season, we're bringing our "in-park" shows to a whole new level.

This week, we podcast from not one, but TWO parks.

Mike Collins comes to us from America's Roller Coast, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.  EB comes to us from America's Friendliest Park, Holiday World and Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana.

The guys look back on the past year of the show and look ahead to what's coming to theme parks in 2013.  This includes Gatekeeper at Cedar Point!  Mike will have an interview with a Cedar Point PR Representative to talk about what riders can expect from the new attraction.

The guys also have an idea about a certain celebrity that Cedar Point should invite to their Gatekeeper Media Day.

Plus, the guys will have in-depth reviews and stories from their visits to both parks.

It's two parks for the price of one, this week on the Original Theme Park Podcast!

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CoasterRadio.com #635 - Cars Land Review and Insider Park Tips!

On the week's show, we have one of the first on-site reviews of the new CARS LAND at Disney California Adventure.

You'll hear about the rich detail of the new land as well as reviews of all three attractions!

And then we have a question for you.

If you took everyone who listened to the Coaster Radio podcast and put them in a giant room... what would you get?

EB might have a snarky comment here... but what you'd have is a huge collection of knowledge about theme parks all across the world.

I'd bet each of those people would have specific knowledge about certain parks they call home.

On this week's episode, we ask the audience to share their best tips for having a great time at their home park.

What rides should you visit first?  Which attractions should you skip?  What food is "must-eat?" What show is "must-see?"

It's also fascinating to listen to all of these tips and realize how many of them apply to parks everywhere.

We also take a look at the story of a teenager who dressed up as a famous Disney fairy while visiting  Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World.  She was asked to change out of her costume because she looked too similar to the "real" thing.

Who's right in this situation?  Who's wrong? Did the media blow this way out of proportion for ratings?  We'll get to the bottom of it all.

PLUS, we have a Live Trip Report from Coney Island and more summertime news!

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CoasterRadio.com #632 - Give George Lucas Whatever He Wants!

For the next few weeks, Disney's Hollywood Studios is being over run with Jedi Knights, Sith Lords, Wookies, Droids, Bounty Hunters and a bunch of other characters from "a galaxy far, far away."

"Star Wars Weekends" is the hot ticket at Walt Disney World and it seems to be more popular than ever.

With the Boy Wizard making so much noise down the street at Universal Orlando, we want to know why Disney hasn't gone after the ultimate Potter Killer.

Why hasn't Disney done whatever they need to do to get George Lucas to sign off on a dedicated land or a dedicated park solely devoted to Star Wars?

We'll discuss it on this week's show and look for your opinions too!

EB also has a full-scale review of the two new rides that debuted at Holiday World - Mammoth and Sparkler.  Will the world's longest water slide live up to the hype?

We also have a Live Trip Report from Disneyland AND a winner in our SOUNDWAVE Contest!!!

It's all this week on the Original Theme Park Podcast!

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CoasterRadio.com #606 - Mike is a Stupid Idiot!

Yes, it's a strange title for this week's episode... but it will all make sense once you take a listen!

This week, Mike and EB catch up on a bunch of backlogged calls from the Coaster Radio Voicemail Line.

We'll hear what happened to some of our favorite callers over the summer and introduce you to someone who we're sure is going to be a fan favorite.

We also interview Scott Wegener. the author of "Things to do in Theme Park Queues."

Scott has written a book (and a companion smart phone app) that will help even the most impatient person be able to stand the hour-long lines for your favorite rides and attractions.

Plus, we'll have dueling Live Trip Reports and exciting news about upcoming shows and contests!

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CoasterRadio.com #543 - I Hope the Brakeman Isn't Drunk!

Labor Day Weekend is here and the parks are starting to wind down from the Summer Season.

But the Original Theme Park Podcast is still going strong with an all new episode!

This week, we welcome back an old friend to the show!

Greg K. (of "Kiss My Shiekra" fame) makes his triumphant return to talk about his recent trip to Walt Disney World.  This visit was unique because for the first time ever, he made the trip with his wife and two daughters (ages 2 and 2 months!)

Did Greg K. survive the Florida heat,  multiple Teacup Rides and the long wait to meet Mickey Mouse? And more importantly, will he let loose with his trademark catch-phrase?

Then, Mike recalls his trip to Hungary and his visit to Vidampark - the country's one and only amusement park.  What was it like riding their 90-year old coaster with a surly brakeman in charge of keeping the ride on the tracks?

Mike and EB also take a look at some of the most recent ride announcements made by the parks.

Which 2012 attractions look like hits and which ones look like misses? Will we see any record breaking attractions?  Will we see more upcharge animatronic dinosaurs?

Plus a Live Trip Report from Canada's Wonderland and MUCH MORE!

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CoasterRadio.com #542 - The Tale of the Pink Monkey

We all have them.  And we've probably spent hundreds of dollars on them.

Yes my friends, I'm talking about Theme Park Souvenirs.

From on-ride photos to Disney Vinylmations to the dozens of park shirts you have in your drawers, the amusement industry makes a TON of money off of us and our need to commemorate our visits to their parks.

But some of the souvenirs we buy hold a special place in our hearts (and in our homes.)

On this week's show, we explore the best and the worst souvenirs owned by the CoasterRadio.com audience.  Believe it our not, there are some heartwarming stories that come along with some of them!

We also hear all about EB's trip across America.  Not only did EB encounter the ghosts of lazy Civil War soldiers, he also had a chance to ride a major roller coaster with his son for the first time.

The guys also talk about how they saw "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" with the new D-Box Motion Technology that is making its way to movie theaters across the country.

Did EB and Mike enjoy having their theater seats move, sway and vibrate along with the action?

All of this, plus a Live Trip Report and MUCH, MUCH MORE!!!

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CoasterRadio.com #529 - Time Machine Show - Part 1

A few weeks ago, we celebrated the 6th Anniversary of this crazy podcast.

EB and I got a little nostalgic for the old days.  So, after a movie marathon where we watched Back to the Future Parts I, II and III while drinking nothing but Diet Mountain Dew, we had an inspiration!

We decided to build our own time machine and go back to listen to a show featuring a past version of ourselves!

This week, EB and I head back to September 26, 2005 to hear a show featuring Flava and Greg K.  The topic that week, was "Dating at the Theme Park."

We'll listen to our 2005 commentary on the topic, talk a bit about our past thoughts and then go "Back to the Future" so we can give you our 2011 take on things.

Let's just all be careful we don't cause a temporal paradox, OK?

We also hear about EB's Opening Day trip to Holiday World and listen to a Live Trip Report from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk! 

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CoasterRadio.com #528 - A Fresh Start

There's a great reason for this picture!

We usually try to pick show titles that are both creative and ones that give you a hint at what's to come.

That's why I think "A Fresh Start" works well this week.

To begin, we wrap up Theme Park Change with some important words about last week's show

There is a lot to say and a lot to be thankful for, so we hope that you'll all take the time to listen to the first part of our podcast.

We also have a final tally on our fundraising for Theme Park Change and celebrate by inviting two old friends back to Coaster Radio!

This week's show also lives up to its title because we'll hear your favorite stories from Opening Day at the parks.

It's one of the best days of the theme park year because the parks are clean, the paint is fresh and the rides are running like new!

Mike and EB will tell you their own unique "opening day" tales while also hearing from the listeners about their unique experiences from their home park's first day of operation.

Plus, we'll have a Live Trip Report from Texas and a few other surprises! 

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The Results Are In!

2011 marked the first year for About.com's Readers' Choice Awards for Theme Parks!

Park fans passionately embraced the awards and responded with an impressive voter turnout and boisterous comments and opinions.

Unlike a number of other park awards programs, what made About.com's a bit different is that it focused exclusively on achievements in the past year. Think of it as the Academy Awards or People’s Choice Awards for parks.

There was no prize... just the bragging rights that come with getting recognized by the readers of a leading website owned by The New York Times.

The winners are as follows:

Best New Water Park Ride of 2010: Wildebeest

Best New Roller Coaster of 2010: Intimidator 305

Best New Theme Park Show of 2010: World of Color

Best New Theme Park Attraction of 2010: Ghost Ship

Congrats to Arthur for running such a successful awards program!  You can find out more by visting his website!

The "Day at the Park with Neil" Contest - Nathan and Neil at Hersheypark and Holiday World

Nathan posted this picture on our Facebook Wall of a recent trip to Hersheypark.

After ten rides on the Great Bear, they were starting to hallucinate.

First, they thought they saw a giant Hershey's Kiss dancing towards them.  The Kiss demanded to take a picture with Nathan and his friend.

Then, they noticed a commotion coming from the portrait stand behind them.

Amazingly. Neil Patrick Harris was there in a full tuxedo and was having an artist draw his picture.

This photo was taken a few second later.

Months after that odd experience, Nathan and his wife were in line for The Voyage at Holiday World.  While standing by the plexiglas window that lets you see the trains rush by, they ran into a young Indiana farmer.  He bore a striking resemblance to the man in the tuxedo Nathan met months earlier.

If you want to participate in the fun, check out our blog post that explains everything you need to know about The Neil Patrick Harris Project and the "Day at the Park with Neil" contest!

The "Day at the Park with Neil" Contest - Sam and Neil at Holiday World

This entry into the contest comes from Sam who says... 

"This is from a few years ago...I can't believe I forgot about it!

My friend and I drove up to Holiday World with NPH back in 2007.  It was a great day!

Things got a little intense when Neil mistook Holidog for Captain Hammer in disguise, but other than that we had a good time.

I've attached a picture from one of our many rides on The Voyage.  That's me in the front right, my friend in the front left, and Neil rocking it out in the back."

Nice job Sam!

If you want to participate in our contest, check out our blog post that explains everything you need to know about The Neil Patrick Harris Project and the "Day at the Park with Neil" contest!

CoasterRadio.com #513 - The Best of 2010

2010 may be officially gone, but it still lives on here at Coaster Radio! (for this week, anyway!)

On this week's show, EB and Mike take a look back and talk about the most interesting stories from 2010.  The listeners also get into the act by calling into the show and giving their opinion on what worked and what didn't in 2010.

From The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to World of Color to Intimidator 305, the listeners get passionate about their favorite stories.

There's also big news in the Neil Patrick Harris Project!  As you may recall, we produced a tear-jerking holiday tribute to NPH and released it on YouTube last Christmas Eve.  We've been waiting patiently to hear Neil's response.  Could this be the week he calls in again?

Plus, we have news about some upcoming shows and summertime activities here at the show!


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CoasterRadio.com #510 - The Tower of Treats!

This is what it might look like when Neil Patrick Harris receives the "Tower of Treats!"

We're just a few weeks away from the holidays and we believe that it's the season of giving.

So, we sent Neil Patrick Harris an infamous "Tower of Treats."

This week, we find out if the TOT made it to the "How I Met Your Mother" soundstage in Hollywood.

We also talk about what type of holiday gifts a theme park fan would like to receive.  We have some practical and outrageous ideas that will make you want to write a letter to Santa Claus immediately.

We also talk about the brave souls who have given up their successful careers to go and work at the theme park.  Did they find success?  Was it worth it?  Is it something you would consider doing?

We also have a Live Trip Report from Mike's performance in the stage version of "It's a Wonderful Life" and details about our holiday show next week!

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CoasterRadio.com #507 - The "Reverse-Thanksgiving" Show

EB's Turkey joins us LIVE on the show this week.

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Just like the Pilgrims had a gigantic feast when they landed in the new world, we have a virtual feast of theme park goodness for you.

This week, we talk about the stories behind our listener's major park disappointments.  We have tales from around the globe all about how different parks have bummed out park guests.

It's sort of a "Reverse-Thanksgiving" show!

We also have a special visit from EB's pet turkey.  The turkey quickly outgrew EB's house and has moved on to a turkey farm in Indiana.  Just in time for the holidays, we have a heartwarming reunion with father and turkey this week.

Plus, some news on the Neil Patrick Harris Project! Don't forget to take part in our NPH Holiday Video!

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CoasterRadio.com #501 - The House at Haunted Hill

"The House at Haunted Hill" is one of the best
home haunts anywhere!

Season 5 of Coaster Radio.com is here!

AND... It's EB and Mike's favorite time of year, Halloween!

This week, the guys interview Matt Ford.  he's the creative genius behind "The House at Haunted Hill," an amazing Halloween show in Southern California.

The great thing about the show is that it's not located at a theme park or at some commercial venue.  Matt, along with his family and friends, have created this amazing experience at his home!

You'll hear the details behind this innovative home haunt and how it was inspired by Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.  You'll also hear how some Disney theme park voice talent came on board to make "The House at Haunted Hill" even more special.

EB and Mike also will fill you in on some changes to both the podcast and the website for Season 5.  There's also big news about "The David Arquette Project" and our "Arquette Arithmetic" contest!

Plus, EB will fill you in on the behind the scenes story about how his son Mark won Holiday World's "#1 Fan Contest!"

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Help EB's son Mark become Holiday World's #1 Fan!

Holiday World is having a contest to find their #1 Fan.

A lot of people sent in videos to show why they were worthy, but only four finalists remain.  We just received word that EB's son Mark is one of the four finalists!

This is one of times for all of the listeners to unite behind one of our own!  Let's push Mark over the top by voting for him often!  If he wins, he'll receive four season passes to Holiday World.

Of course, this will translate into excellent content for Season Five of the show! (Which starts on October 7th by the way!)

VOTE HERE! Vote for "Mark, the Little Boy!"

poll by twiigs.com

CoasterRadio.com #448 - The Yeti Is Broken! Call 911!

August is here and it's HOT!

But it's not as hot as this week's episode of The Original Theme Park Podcast! (Oh Brother!)

This week, EB and Mike tackle some of the most talked about stories in the amusement industry.

First up, they take a listen to one of the 911 calls that came from a recent breakdown of "Harry Potter and Forbidden Journey" at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. Isn't 911 supposed to be reserved for emergencies?

Then, the guys discuss the recent mainstream press coverage of Expedition Everest's problematic Yeti. The big guy hasn't been moving since 2009. Does this signal a change in Disney's priorities?

The guys also talk about a mom in Indiana who allegedly left her kids in a rat infested home so that she could spend the day at Holiday World. Hopefully the ride on "The Voyage" was worth the possible jail time.

The guys also hear Live Trip Reports from Disney California Adventure's World of Color and Six Flags (fake) attraction BENCH: THE RIDE! Will Mark Shapiro's brainchild take the amusement industry by storm?

Plus, C-Pain joins the show from Paris, France to pave the way for Mike's visit to Disneyland Paris in a few weeks and there is news on The David Arquette Project!

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CoasterRadio.com #441 - Tribute to Will Koch

On this week's show, we take a break from our usual craziness to pay tribute to Will Koch, the president of Holiday World who passed away on Sunday at the age of 48.

Will has always had a special place on this show because he was one of the first "big" guests that agreed to come on when we were first starting out back in 2005.

Back then, not many people in the amusement industry wanted to deal with "the podcast guys." But Will came on CoasterRadio.com and was funny, candid, charming and extremely interesting.

This week, we're replaying that interview as a tribute to Will.

It's wonderful to hear him talk about the park that was his life and the creation of roller coasters that everyone knows and loves. His enthusiasm is contagious and the interview is one of our all-time favorites.

As a way to say thanks, we're donating all of the website profits for the month of June to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in his name.

Everyone here at CoasterRadio.com sends our best wishes to Holiday World and the Koch family.

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Remembering Will Koch

When I woke up this morning and read the news about the passing of Holiday World's Will Koch, I had to read it two or three times before I believed it.

Will's family believes he died of complications from diabetes. He was 48.

EB interviewed Will just a few weeks ago about the opening of Wildebeest.

And you guys will remember the classic interview we had with him back in 2005 about the Voyage.

The thing that struck me most about that interview was how happy Will was about building The Voyage. He and his dad had always wanted to build a gigantic wooden roller coaster that would put Holiday World on the map.

I could tell that he was thrilled beyond belief to do something that would make his dad proud.

I have a feeling he's with his daddy today and they're both smiling.

As expected, Holiday World will be open today.

I figured that a nice tribute to Will would be to repost the interview we did with him back in 2005.

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EB Reviews (and rides) Holiday World's Wildebeest!

I was thrilled to see the invite to come to Holiday World's Media Day for Wildebeest show up in my InBox last week. So of course I didn't pass up on the chance to visit my new home park (for free, natch).

And despite my ultra-doubting and lack of enthusiasm for the Wildebeest, I was pleasantly surprised by my visit and my ride.

Talk about the opposite of anticipointment: I expected little but got one of the craziest, most unique water ride experiences I've ever had. Wildebeest gets the EB stamp of approval (thwomp!) Plus, I got the chance to talk about Wildebeest with not only the President of Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, but also the park's number on fan: Will Koch. And here it is:

EB: Where are we and what's happening today?

Will: We're standing on the loading platform for Wildebeest. Take the idea of a roller coaster, take it out of the dry park and put it into the water park. Instead of riding in a big train, you have a four-person inner-tube. And you literally start at ground level - there's no stairs to climb - you ride up a big inclined conveyor, and then you go up and down hills just like in a regular roller coaster. It uses LIM technology - Linear Induction Motors - to push you uphill. It's almost a magical feeling. You don't see what's pushing you! It's just a fun ride. It's going to be the most popular ride in Splashin' Safari this summer, I'm positive!

EB: Holiday World prides itself on being "Number One in Family Fun." You chose to spend $5.5 million dollars on this ride - a ride the whole family can enjoy - instead of a thrill ride that's essentially adults-only.

Will: Wildebeest is a family ride. We are commited. We are focused. Our whole reason for being here is to serve families better then other parks do. And by making the decision to spend $5.5 million on the Wildebeest I think we're reinforcing that commitment. We're all about families! And families are going to love this ride.

EB: Can you break down the stats for me?

Will: The Wildebeest is the world's longest water coaster - it's a third of a mile, 1,700 feet long. Elevation change from the station to the top of the lift is about sixty feet. It's a two-and-a-half minute long ride, which is a long time for a ride. And we'll be able to put over 700 riders per hour on this ride. So we're going to move the line pretty quickly.

EB: Compare Wildebeest to other water coasters out there - specifically the Master Blaster technology.

Will: The Wildebeest uses a LIM technology to push boats uphill. It's Linear Induction Motors, which is a series of magnets basically. It's an electric motor that's unwound and it pushes the boats uphill. The other water coasters out there either use the Master Blaster technology: using water to push boats uphill. And that's a technology that's been around for a while and it works very well. But we like the LIM technology better because it gives us a little bit more speed over the tops of the hills and you get that feeling of air-time that you wouldn't get on a Master Blaster style ride. And there's also conveyor-belt style water coasters. But again, the LIM technology is the third generatino technology and it's just the best there is out there for water coasters.

EB: Can you talk a bit about ride experience? Is the acceleration the same as on a Master Blaster water coaster?

Will: When you're riding the ride and you feel the LIM there is a very definite acceleration. And it's a smooth acceleration - you start out slow at the bottom of the hill and as you get up to the top you reach a peak speed and then coast over the top of the hill. But the great thing is you get that feeling of air time going over the top of the hill, which is just a whole lot of fun.

EB: Now, you're a fan of... well, rides.

Will: Yeah! [laughs] Yes I am!

EB: So tell me, how did you come to the conclusion to build this instead of another roller coaster? You know, you once told us that you would put more into the water park over the other park if you had to choose between the two. Are we going to keep seeing that? What about next year?

Will: Um, well. [laughs] How do I answer that? [laughs] It's really important to us to find a balance with adding new attractions to Spalshin' Safari and to Holiday World. One of the things we really struggle with is - one of the things we really respond to is capacity issues. So we look at our rides. We look at where the back-ups are. Where the waits are longest. And we typically try to fit our new attractions to serve the needs that we see are not being met as well as we otherwise might. So at Splashin' Safari what we've noticed over the years is that the lines for Zinga, for Bakuli and ZOOMbabwe - our three biggest water slides - are actually some of the longest lines in the entire park. So, one of the reasons for teh Wildebeest is to address that problem. To provide another ride that will provide that same high thrill, real high energy experience in the water park and to provide what it is that the customers are looking for. Now, at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, we're of course going to continue looking at developing both, but certainly Splashin' Safari's become a very important part of our mix. A lot of our customers come to us for Splashin' Safari, so Spashin' Safari is a big deal for us.



After the interview, I was able to give the Wildebeest a couple of test runs - and get some great on-ride video (with permission, of course). Make sure you check that out on our Facebook page and listen to this week's show for my full review!



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