The Coaster101 Podcast

This week on the Coaster101 Podcast we kickoff what we hope will be an ongoing series featuring close looks at the home parks of the Coaster101 team. We're starting with our resident Carowinds expert, Andrew Stilwell. We get into a bit of Carowinds history, as well as Andrew favorite rides, favorite foods, and tips for first time visitors. While Carowinds isn't open in 2020, there's lots of reasons to plan a 2021 trip, and hopefully this episode can help you do that!

If you're a Carowinds fan, let us know what your favorite things about the park that we missed are! Email [email protected], or find us on social media @Coaster101.

Also be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

This week Andrew and Eric are joined by Coaster101 founder John Stevenson. While our normal hosts have been stuck in lockdown and haven't been to any parks this summer, John's been to a bunch! So he's joining us to recap his visits to Dollywood, Kings Island, Kentucky Kingdom, and Six Flags St. Louis. We get some comparison of the parks safety procedures and crowds, and get into some ride talk (so it's not all bad).

Tell us about your park experiences this summer! Have you caught a mask in the face like John did? Email [email protected], or find us on social media @Coaster101.

Also be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

This week Andrew, Shane, and Eric are chatting defunct coasters. For all kinds of reasons roller coasters get closed down. Sometimes that's tragic, sometimes that's great, and sometimes we don't care at all. We talk about coasters we miss, coasters we wish we'd had a chance to ride, and coasters that we don't miss at all (or wouldn't mind seeing get removed).

Send your feedback to and ask us questions at [email protected], or find us on social media @Coaster101. And please please please subscribe and give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps us out a ton!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

With the pandemic keeping us from riding rides, we've been writing a lot about roller coaster history on the website. This week on the podcast, we dive into our recent list of the oldest roller coasters in every state (https://c101.co/2FzjNFb), and talk about some of our favorite rides from our list of the best operating roller coasters over 50 years old (https://c101.co/311oW0G).

Send any feedback to and ask us questions at [email protected], or find us on social media @Coaster101. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

This week, we’re talking about one of America’s most unique themed destinations, Give Kids The World. Andrew is joined by GKTW President Pamela Landwirth and Director of Development Steven Amos to learn more about the history of the Village, how they’re operating in times of COVID-19, and how we can all support GKTW through their annual “Coasting For Kids” event. For more information about Give Kids The World, be sure to visit their website at www.gktw.org.

Have podcast feedback or any questions for us? Send feedback to [email protected]!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

This week we shift from discussing rides to our other favorite thing at theme parks: FOOD! We discuss both some theme park restaurant mash-ups we'd love to see, as well as our Mount Rushmores of theme park restaurants and dishes.

Let us know your favorite theme park eats at [email protected], or find us on social media @Coaster101. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

This week we're finally off the topic of coronavirus and park re-openings, and instead we're just chatting roller coasters. Eric, Andrew, and Shane get into a lengthy discussion about coasters that we think are overrated and underrated. Hopefully some of you are delighted that we praise your favorite coasters while talking our underrated rides! And almost definitely some of you will be pissed off (particularly at Andrew and Eric) when we talk our overrated coasters!

Send your angry feedback to [email protected], or find us on social media @Coaster101. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

This week Kyle is back on the show to talk about his visit to Kennywood for their re-opening, with thoughts on their new Dark Ride, Old Mill, and Jack Rabbit at 100 years old.

You can find more on the Old Mill at Coaster101.com, and find us on all social media platforms @Coaster101. Send any podcast feedback to [email protected], and be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

After discussing Candymonium last week, Kyle and Shane are back on to talk about their (re)opening day experience at Hersheypark. Learn about the new health safety measures, some other nice touchups Hershey did last offseason, and what Kyle and Shane's new favorite flat ride is!

For more on Hershey, check out our review of Candymonium and why Reese's Cupfusion is one of our favorite dark rides:
https://www.coaster101.com/2020/07/03/candymonium-media-preview/
https://www.coaster101.com/2020/07/07/4-reasons-why-reeses-cupfusion-is-our-new-favorite-dark-ride-shooter/

Find us on all social media platforms @Coaster101, send any podcast feedback to [email protected], and make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.

This week on the Coaster101 Podcast we've got reviews of TWO new roller coasters. First, Andrew and Eric are joined by Coaster101 writer Nick Weisenberger, who rode Orion at the First Rider Auction for the new giga coaster at Kings Island. Then, Kyle Lindner and Shane Joseph give their review of Candymonium, the new B&M hypercoaster now open at Hersheypark!

For more info, check out the our full review of Orion: https://www.coaster101.com/2020/07/02/orion-giga-coaster-drops-into-kings-island/
And our full review of Candymonium: https://www.coaster101.com/2020/07/03/candymonium-media-preview/

Find us on all social media platforms @Coaster101, and make sure to subscribe and review to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Thanks to JM Music Designs for providing our music. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesigns.com.