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!

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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Talk about this episode by leaving a comment here on the blog.

CoasterRadio.com #505 - Uncle Walt Had the Right Idea!

The original theme park podcast is back with a brand new episode!

Back in 1954, Walt Disney had a weekly television show on the ABC Network where he unveiled his plans for Disneyland.

Not only did it help finance his park, but it also got people all over the country excited to make the trip to California to see it in person.

This week, EB and Mike talk about whether not it would be a good idea to bring this style of TV show back to television.

What would a show like this look like?  What parks could you broadcast from?  Would anyone watch?

The guys also take a look at a video showing what Six Flags New Orleans looks like five years after Hurricane Katrina.  They talk about what it would take to get them to set foot on the property and why we're fascinated by videos like this.

There's also news with The Neil Patrick Harris Project.  This week, it was announced that NPH is the new "Launch Voice" behind California Screamin' at Disneyland!  The guys also announce a holiday project where listeners can help get the attention of Mr. Harris.

Plus, you'll hear a live trip report from EPCOT's World Showcase and the story of Mike's failed attempt to get to Disneyland last weekend!

It's all on this week's new episode of CoasterRadio.com!

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

Direct Podcast Link

Click here to subscribe through iTunes.

Click here for our podcast RSS Feed.
Click here for our iPhone App.

Or you can listen online by using the podcast player on the right hand side of this page.

Talk about this episode by leaving a comment here on the blog!

CoasterRadio.com #442 - Wizarding World Wackiness!

July 17, 1955 was a famous day in theme parks lore. It was the day of Disneyland's Grand Opening.

Will June 18, 2010 be a similar day in theme park history?

This was the day The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure.

There hasn't been an new land opening in recent memory to attract as much excitement and anticipation as the Wizarding World.

On this week's show, EB and Mike welcome Arthur Levine, the theme parks guide from about.com.

Arthur just got back from spending a few days in Orlando for the Grand Opening of the Wizarding World and he has details about the attractions, stores, crowds and surprises that await Muggles who travel to Hogsmead Village and Hogwarts Castle.

The guys also hear from one of their listeners who calls the CoasterRadio.com hotline to deliver a live trip report. Is the Frozen Butterbeer already a legendary drink?

Plus, EB and Mike are visited by their resident half-giant, Hagrid. It turns out Hagrid prevented a huge disaster from happening on opening day. Will it be enough to convince Universal Orlando personnel to let him back into his hut?

It's POTTERMANIA, this week on CoasterRadio.com!

Direct Podcast Link

Click here to subscribe through iTunes.
Click here for our podcast RSS Feed.
Click here for our iPhone App.

Or you can listen online by using the podcast player on the right hand side of this page.

Talk about this episode in the CoasterRadio.com Forums.

Weekend Theater - This Will Be Worth The Wait!

They've been doing some late-night testing of "World of Color" at Disney's California Adventure.

Guests who are staying at Disney's Paradise Pier hotel are getting a birds eye view of the action!

This is gonna blow other nighttime shows out of the water (pardon the pun)!