The Coaster101 Podcast

It's about that time of year where many refer to as "Theme Park Christmas," where parks announce their plans for the following season, and guests reap the benefits of all of the shiny new toys the park unwrap for next year. On August 11, multiple Cedar Fair parks made announcements for 2023, including Carowinds, Canada's Wonderland, Worlds of Fun, and Cedar Point.

You can read more about these announcements on Coaster101.com, but why not hear more about them from the parks themselves. We're joined by Carowinds Director of Communications Courtney McGarry-Webber,  Worlds of Fun Communications & PR Manager Brian McGannon, Canada's Wonderland Director of Communications Grace Peacock, and Cedar Point Director of Communications to get the "low down" on everything coming to their respective parks in 2023!

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

A year ago last week, Glenwood Caverns announced the largest project in their history, the Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster, Defiance. Standing highatop the Rocky Mountains, Defiance opened at the beginning of July to rave reviews.

There's no better person to talk Defiance than park General Manager Nancy Heard, who enjoyed her time so much on the podcast last August that she was super excited to come back on again! She joins Andrew and Nick to talk Defiance, Glenwood Caverns fall events and 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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

Happy 101st Episode of the Coaster101 Podcast.  In celebration of this momentous occasion, we gathered Andrew, John, Kyle and Nick to tell a roller coaster story we've hesitated to tell for three years.

Join us for a humorous oral history of the time that the four of us headed to a family entertainment center in Charlotte to ride a Miner Mike roller coaster that wasn't easily accessible, especially for four grown adults. Not only did we get to ride, but we even got to operate the coaster. Yes, you read that correctly. 

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

It's Episode 100, but the milestone celebration is coming with Episode 101, because we're doing it for the brand. As we enter triple digits, we're revisiting our "Coaster101 Guide to" series with a look at one of John's "Home Away from Home" parks, Six Flags Great America.

Did you know that the Chicago-area park was originally opened by Marriott Hotels? John talks park history, his personal history with the park, his favorites, and provides tips and tricks for first time visitors! 

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

We've got a first time over here! While multiple members of the Coaster101 team have visited Kings Island in the past, Shane had the opportunity to visit the park for the first time recently, and we thought a fresh perspective would be good to showcase on the podcast.

Shane joins Andrew, and brings along his buddy Colin (@AllClearCoasters on Instagram) to talk about his recent trip to Kings Island, as the park celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. 

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

Andrew is traveling for work this week, and hotel internet is less than ideal for recording a podcast. But, the show must go on. Luckily, the work trip brought him to Houston, and there are two roller coasters within a decent drive -- and he got to experience both.

Learn more about the Gerstlauer Eurofighter Iron Shark at Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier and Boardwalk Bullet at Kemah Boardwalk, all while Andrew drives solo on a Texas highway. It's a different format show, and we promise we'll never make you listen to Andrew ramble for 20 straight minutes ever again. 

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

We're back!

One of the least talked about Cedar Fair parks (at least from a coaster enthusiast's perspective) is Michigan's Adventure. It's often considered neglected or forgotten in favor of Cedar Fair's other parks, so OF COURSE we're going to talk about it on our podcast!

Nick joins Andrew to talk about his recent visit to Michigan's Adventure, talking about the park from the perspective a coaster enthusiast who is also a dad to two young children, Titan Track on Wolverine Wildcat, and what Nick's first few weeks as a Cedar Fair Platinum Passholder have been like!

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

We weren't going to have a podcast this week. Then, the news broke that Cedar Fair had sold the land out from underneath California's Great America to a real estate developer, and the park would cease to operate sometime in the next 11 years.

The land is sold...but California's Great America has a number of rides that could end up at other Cedar Fair parks. Join Andrew, Shane, Nick, and Northern California Resident who claims CGA as his home park, Eric to discuss the potential future of the roller coasters and more at California's Great America. No, we don't have insider information. It's purely speculation. We're having fun! 

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

We all recognize the name Roller Coaster Tycoon, or No Limits. But did you know that "Roller Coasters in Video Games" date back nearly 40 years?

This week on the Coaster101 Podcast, Andrew is joined by DJ of the Corkscrew Convos podcast this week to deep dive into the history of theme park and roller coaster video games, talking about some of our personal favorites along the way! 

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

As theme park enthusiasts, we're often told how we should feel about certain rides or attractions. Like something more than everyone else does? You're weird. Like something less than everyone else does? You're also weird. However, the key is liking what you like, because in reality, it doesn't matter otherwise!

This week's show has Shane and Andrew talking about some of their favorite theme park guilty pleasures. There are some controversial picks in this discussion, but at the end of the day, we like what we like!

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 c101.co/teepublic!

Thanks to JM Music Design for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.