The Coaster101 Podcast

Spring Break at Disney...but make it a double! 

C101 writer Nick joins Andrew on the podcast to talk about their respective Spring Break Disney Trips - Nick with a traditional family vacation with his wife and two kids on a four-day Disneyland Vacation, and Andrew with a "Smash & Grab" day and a half at Magic Kingdom and Epcot while in Orlando for a conference. 

We talk TRON, Guardians, Genie+ a triple 999,999 on Buzz Lightyear, and a Service Dog getting loose on Peter Pan. Yes. You read that correctly. 

We also discuss lockers and shoes and Top Thrill 2, because it feels like that's a significant news item this week. 

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 JMMD Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

Recently, members of the Coaster101 team took three separate trips to Busch Gardens Tampa - some repeat visitors, some first time visitors, and we're here to bring our experiences to you. 

C101 Founder John and one of C101's newest writers Evan join Andrew on the podcast to talk all things Busch Gardens Tampa - Iron Gwazi, the Skyride, Eating Vegetarian (or not), Falcon's Fury, 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 JMMD Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

When you have the opportunity to connect with a long-time industry veteran, you're bound to get some incredible stories. When that industry veteran is Dennis Speigel, the stories are even better.

A former Kings Island and Kings Dominion General Manager, Dennis Speigel joins Andrew to talk all things development of Kings Island and Kings Dominion with some great coaster talk in between. Check out Dennis in the documentary "The Roller Coaster Wars That Birthed a Beast" on the VeryLocal streaming service!

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 JMMD Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

Nestled deep in the Ozark Mountains of Branson, Missouri is a park that has long been on Andrew's theme park bucket list - Silver Dollar City. A park with an immensely rich history, Silver Dollar City is celebrating 64 years of operation this season with an all-new roller coaster, Fire in the Hole. 

Andrew is joined on the podcast this week by Dalton Fischer, Communications Manager for Silver Dollar City Attractions, to get the run-down on all-things SDC. From history, to coasters, to finding out if there are indeed sharks in Mystic River Falls, to Fire in the Hole, and more - you might even find out Silver Dollar City's secret ingredient for Cinnamon Bread in this week's episode. 

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 JMMD Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

After we dropped our most recent episode, a good amount of news dropped in the theme park industry, and in true podcast fashion, we're a few days late in covering the news. 

Nick and John join Andrew to talk all things Epic Universe, SeaWorld's name Change, Busch Gardens' Skyride $5 charge, and Lakemont Park before wrapping up on a more topical announcement - the Super Bowl bet between Worlds of Fun and California's Great America! Missed any news in the past 2 weeks? Here's a great way to catch up! 

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!

Our podcast is created on Zencastr. Visit https://zen.ai/_9ik4a95vlEomVaMwgRjTY5uTY166mUmml21q79pzhM for 30% off your first month of Zencastr services!

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

There's not a lot of news in the industry this week, which means it's a perfect time for a good ole-fashioned coaster draft, and this time, we're taking the coasters SeaWorld Parks - SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Sesame Place.

C101 writer Larry, who apparently was involved in Coaster101's original podcast (that pre-dates this current edition by years - who knew?!) joins the podcast for the first time to compete with Andrew for a 12-round draft taking our favorite SEAS coasters. Head to our Twitter account - because we're not calling it anything else - to vote for who had the best 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

Articles Mentioned In The Show:
Are We In The Middle of a Family Coaster Renaissance?

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!

Our podcast is created on Zencastr. Visit https://zen.ai/_9ik4a95vlEomVaMwgRjTY5uTY166mUmml21q79pzhM for 30% off your first month of Zencastr services!

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

Hurler at Carowinds is getting RMC’d. Pause for gasp. But not quite in the way you’re thinking those letters typically represent, where Rocky Mountain Construction is involved.

Instead, Hurler is receiving Routine Maintenance by Carowinds. 

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Steve Jackson, Carowinds’ Director of Maintenance and Construction, for a first-hand look at Hurler’s reconstruction, which Carowinds is doing in-house – and according to Steve, one of the few parks out there with an in-house team capable of re-construction and re-profiling of a wooden coaster like Hurler. We learn a little history about the land itself, the process of reconstruction and reprofiling, the importance of having a classic wooden roller coaster, and generally just nerd out for about 20 minutes with Steve. 

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

Articles Mentioned In The Show:
Hurler's 25th Anniversary on the Carowinds Blog
Interview with GCI

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!

Our podcast is created on Zencastr. Visit https://zen.ai/_9ik4a95vlEomVaMwgRjTY5uTY166mUmml21q79pzhM for 30% off your first month of Zencastr services!

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

In the early day of the podcast, (episode 31, to be exact) author Seth Kubersky joined us to talk about his book - the Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, then in its sixth edition. Luckily he's back (105 episodes later!) to talk all things about the ninth edition! 

Seth joins Andrew to talk all things Unofficial Guide, but the conversation delves a little bit into Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Dreamworks, Minion Blast, and of course, Epic Universe!

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!

Our podcast is created on Zencastr. Visit https://zen.ai/_9ik4a95vlEomVaMwgRjTY5uTY166mUmml21q79pzhM for 30% off your first month of Zencastr services!

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

Our new year's resolution is to be more consistent with podcasting, and we're back for 2024, ready to ride every new roller coaster opening this year. 

Andrew is joined by C101 team members Mike (who makes his first ever podcast appearance), Nick and Shane to talk all things 2024 as it relates to new attractions. What's our most anticipated attraction? Listen to find out! 

We cover a bit of everything -- and it's a great show to jump back into the Coaster101 podcast in the new 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!

Our podcast is created on Zencastr. Visit https://zen.ai/_9ik4a95vlEomVaMwgRjTY5uTY166mUmml21q79pzhM for 30% off your first month of Zencastr services!

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

Real life has a funny way of getting in the way of podcasts, but after Andrew planned his wedding and got married, followed by kidney stone removal surgery - the Coaster101 podcast is officially back, and there's no better way to jump back into the news of the amusement industry than with a recap of the 2023 IAAPA Expo. 

Andrew is joined by C101 team member Shane, who walked the "9 miles of aisles" at the Orange County Convention Center, taking in the coaster train unveilings, edu-sessions, flying theaters, and the Condiment Sow! All in a few days' work for Shane! 

We cover a bit of everything -- and it's a great show to jump back into the Coaster101 podcast! 

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!

We're currently selling 2024 Roller Coaster Calendars, and 100% of the proceeds go to Give Kids The World. Check them out at c101.co/24calendar!

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