The Coaster101 Podcast

When one door closes, another door opens - and this week's news saw the announcement of a new roller coaster and the closure of another.

Andrew is joined on the podcast this week by C101 Writers Larry & Mike to talk about Lagoon's new-for-2027 "Hot Racer" roller coaster from Intamin, and the closure of X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

While we never want to see any roller coaster close, the show also features a little levity as all three writers participate in a "Defunct Coaster" Draft - head to our social media channels on Twitter and Instagram to vote for the defunct lineup you think is the best!

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

Andrew was recently at a networking event for the Charlotte-area chapter of the Themed Entertainment Association, when he struck up a conversation with Matt Ferguson, President & Founder of the EverAfter Group, and also an Ambassador (and formerly Chief Innovation Officer) for Storyland Studios.

Matt's got a unique resume in the themed entertainment world - with stops at the Walt Disney Company's in-house marketing agency Yellow Shoes Creative Group, the Mower Agency - where he worked on Earned Media Opportunities for Cedar Fair (now Six Flags parks), and Storyland Studios, where he was involved with a wide array of Experience Design projects. (Proving how small the world is, one of the Mower Agency's clients in the early 2000's was Pinehurst Resort, where Andrew's dad was Vice President of Marketing at the time.)

From marketing ESPN's Wide World of Sports and Disney's Animal Kingdom, to the opening of Fury 325, to Storyland Projects including the revitalization of North Carolina's Ghost Town in the Sky and Nate Bargatze's "Nateland" park in Nashville, we touch on a little bit of everything across Matt's 30-plus year career in the industry!

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

It's Episode 200, so it calls for a milestone - our first ever episode LIVE from inside a theme park. And as the Halloween season approaches, why not do an episode live from inside a haunt maze?

We head to Carowinds, where SCarowinds is gearing up for the 26th season of frights on the state line. Joined by Live Entertainment Manager Matt Riggle, we talk all things Halloween Haunt - including Carowinds' eight new experiences for 2026.

If you've ever wanted the nitty gritty details of what goes into a Haunt experience, working with IP or original ideas for mazes and scare zones, learning more about the new maze Jason: Blood Reign, or what it takes to get 400+ monsters ready for the night, this is the podcast for you!

Also, if you are primarily listening to the podcast - it's worth checking out on video - especially if you want some outtakes at the end!

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

For years, in theme park circles, the name Tony Clark has been typically associated with Cedar Point. However, Tony has also taken over the PR efforts for another park in the Six Flags family - Six Flags Over Texas, meaning he got to lead media day efforts for Tormenta: Rampaging Run.

This week, Tony joins Andrew and Shane on the podcast, not just to talk Tormenta, but all things theme park PR, his background in the industry, the Halloween season, and so much more. It's a fun conversation, and there's even a soundboard involved.

It was a great dive into how industry professionals create memorable experiences and the stories behind iconic rides.

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

It is National Roller Coaster day, and what better way to celebrate than with one of the United States' most recently announced roller coasters?

Coming to Silver Dollar City in 2027 is Miner's Mountain Express: America's Most Legendary Family Coaster. This MACK Rides Mine Train features nearly 3,500' of track and will be the anchor of the park's new Daredevil Pass section.

Joining us live from the Silver Dollar City Podcast studio to talk all things Miner's Mountain Express is Joey Thorsen, Silver Dollar City's Director of PR and Content. We go into the true story that inspired the coaster, the 150' tall tower that was moved to Silver Dollar City from a real Missouri mine, and why this coaster is the next great family thrill ride in Silver Dollar City's lineup.

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

Did you know that in the state of Florida, there is just one (1) traditional wooden coaster made up of exclusively wooden track and wooden supports? That Coaster? Coastersaurus. Did you know that Coastersaurus recently underwent a multi-month refurbishment, and is set to re-open on National Roller Coaster Day, August 16?

This week on the podcast, we're joined by Cory Lytle, Technical Services Director for LEGOLAND Florida, to learn what went into a restoration of this magnitude for Coastersaurus, and how the LEGOLAND team has ensured that this coaster will be providing that true "wooden coaster" experience to park guests for years to come.

We talk timelines, restoration of thematic elements, the decision to keep Coastersaurus a tradional wooden coaster, and what Cory's looking forward to most when the coaster reopens. Plus, if you watch on our YouTube channel, we discuss Cory's LEGO model collection in his office!

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

Some called it Project Purple. Others called it Phantom Spire. Some people even thought it was Gargantuan Vertical Vengeance. But we now know the real name of Six Flags Great Adventure's newest coaster: Bakunawa. The record-breaking 382' spinning coaster is already dominating the park's skyline before opening next year.

This week on the podcast, Andrew is joined by Six Flags Great Adventure Park President Mike Fehnel and Director of Marketing & Sales Ryan Eldredge to learn more about the coaster that has been referred to as a "spiritual successor" to a former very tall coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure.

We talk coaster names, the ride experience, how hard it is to keep a secret when a nearly 400' tall coaster is being built at your park, purple flags being an actual real warning for sea creatures, and so much more!

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

The skyline at Universal Studios Hollywood has changed forever with the addition of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, opening at the southern California park sometime in the near future. You might even say that it's the newest addition to the Universal Roller Coaster family.

Andrew is joined this week, not only by California-resident Eric and Fast & Furious super-fan Shane, but also Vice President of Universal Creative, Jon Corfino, where we learn about everything that went into the new coaster.

Whether it's the difficulty of building a roller coaster over an escalator and on the side of a hill, the Easter Eggs that are definitely there to be found on the ride, on-board audio, or the differences and similarities between Hollywood Drift's Orlando counterpart that's currently under construction, no stone is left unturned!

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

Growing up, like many American Coaster Enthusiasts (Coaster enthusiasts from America, rather than ACE members, but they're great too!), we played Roller Coaster Tycoon, where we were introduced to a simulation of a park called Alton Towers, and now several members of the Coaster101 have grown up and visited it in person.

John and Eric, fresh from a trip across the Atlantic, talk about their trip to Alton Towers, and tell Andrew everything there is to know - from the coaster collection to the dark rides, to the first-ever Coaster101 brick in a theme park (a number that has increased over the years!)

Join us for a discussion on what happens when two Americans visit a European theme park and are blown away by their experience!

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

Holiday World is a place where holidays can be celebrated all-year round, and on the heels of the 4th of July Holiday, the park recently announced a new-for-2027 to Holiday World's "4th of July" Section - a new MACK Rides water coaster called Cannonball.

Andrew is joined on the podcast this week by Leah Koch-Blumhardt, Director of Communications for and 4th-Generation Owner of Holiday World. There's Cannonball talk, for sure, but there's so much more going on at Holiday World - beyond the world-class wooden coasters, award-winning water park, and free parking, soft drinks and sunscreen that make Holiday World a must-visit family destination.

We talk about Holiwood Nights, embracing the absurdity of giant gravy boats and neighborhood swimming pools becoming settings for new attractions, how the "blue sky" process often devolves into a "yes, and" improv session, and the manifestation of inviting Nick Offerman to Cannonball's opening day! (We told you, it's a great conversation!)

You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com

Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us!

Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch

Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com