The original theme park podcast is back!This week, EB and Mike tackle H1N1 in the parks.  Is the outbreak affecting the amusement industry?  Or is it not turning out to be the panic inducing event everyone feared?The guys also talk about having a piece of theme park history in your home.  There are a ton of places to buy theme park artifacts.... everything from Disney resort shower curtains to full size attraction vehicles.  But how much would you spend to take a part of the park home with you?There's also discussion about possible CoasterRadio.com contest ideas.EB and Mike also go Off Topic to talk about owning full-size arcade games and the introduction of Google Wave.Plus, there's a possible lead in The David Arquette Project!

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EB and Mike reveal the answers to two simple listener questions:1) What attraction is so good, you'd wait as long at it took to ride?2) What attraction is so terrible, you wouldn't ride even it if it had no line at all?You'll be surprised at some of the answers!Plus, EB tries Holiday World's Voyage Extreme Brownies.

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EB and Mike reveal what CoasterRadio.com listeners do to get a theme park fix in the off-season.The guys also welcome Kyle and Stacey, who just finished Orlando's 67 Days of Smiles.  They talk to them about what it was like to experience 120 different attractions in 67 days.The guys also go Off Topic to talk about EB's experience with a loud man in church and Mike reviews the pilot episode of "V".  Plus, Mike laments the increase of 80's remakes with a little help from The Karate Kid's Ralph Macchio.And don't forget about The David Arquette Project!

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EB & Mike celebrate Halloween by talking about some of the best Halloween events across the US. They also play some audio from inside the scare zones. The guys also talk about the storylines behind some of the more creative haunts and reveal your ideas for theme park attractions based on the best horror films ever. Plus, they go Off Topic to talk about EB's Mystery Novel and Mike's puzzlement over a Halloween Nostradamus scam used to pick up girls in college.

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EB and Mike talk about an old ride from the 80's headed to California, a costumed family being denied entry to Busch Gardens Tampa and current rides that could be turned into Halloween attractions.The guys also go "Off Topic" to discuss Ghost Hunting and the saga of the "Balloon Boy."Plus, there are several off-track tangents about Fonzie, the movie Scream and The David Arquette Project.

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Mike is back from Walt Disney World and has stories from all over the resort.  He also has a full review of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at The Magic Kingdom.EB has new Spring vacation plans and the guys continue their discussion about Backyard Imagineering for Halloween.Plus, more info about the progress of The David Arquette Project!

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EB and Mike do a "time machine" show and talk about how minimum wage affects theme park employees. The guys also talk about their Halloween "Backyard Imagineering" before being rudly cut off by a technical difficulty.

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EB and Mike talk about on-ride cameras and their ability to record mishaps. How do these clips make their way out of the parks?The guys also talk about the sneakiness of DirecTV and ABC's Flash Forward.

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Mario returns to join EB and Mike as they talk about the new details surrounding the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter."Will the park live up to the hype or will it be a giant Potter themed shopping mall?They also talk about the possible re-release of Captain EO. Is it a good idea to bring back an old attraction to honor "The King of Pop?"Also, the guys read your horror stories from your encounters with rude people at the theme park. Amazingly, there are stories of people going to the bathroom where they shouldn't once again!The guys go "Off Topic" to discuss EB's emergency room story, Twitter woes and Patrick Swayze.Plus, details on how The David Arquette Project has gone worldwide!

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EB and Mike are back with your comments about the Disney-Marvel deal.Mike talks about his trip to Busch Gardens, including thoughts about Quick Queue and rude guests.EB dishes on Geo-caching and Mike misses Casey Wilson on SNL.Plus, the audience embraces The David Arquette Project!

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EB and Mike tackle the Disney/Marvel deal and what it means to the theme parks, especially Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. We talk about weight as it relates to fitting on rides. Several of our listeners "weigh in" on the topic. We go "Off Topic" as Mike gets upset by a "Teen Wolf" reboot and EB isn't sure whether he likes blogger Dave Moyer. Plus, the David Arquette Project rolls on!

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This week EB and Mike talk about Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion, your ideas for the new CoasterRadio.com podcast and the launch of The David Arquette Project. We also go "Off Topic" to talk about disappearing bats and training cats to use the toilet.

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8-20-09 - Welcome to the relaunch of the podcast! We talk about our new show segments, 2010 ride announcements, centralized Disney FastPass distribution and body odor on Brittish roller coasters. Plus, we unveil our plan to make David Arquette part of the show.

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A new version of CoasterRadio.com will launch on Thursday, August 20th.  This is a preview of the new show.

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We launched CoasterRadio.com on April 25, 2005 with a podcast that was frankly a liitle rough around the edges. But what followed has been three years of good times on-line and at the parks. A lot has changed in three years, but we're back today with a brand new podcast to celebrate the occasion. Mario, Flava and I don't spend a lot of time looking back, but we do spend time talking about some of the latest stories and trends in the amusement industry. We also talk about some of our upcoming podcasts and events for Summer, 2008. Thanks to all of you who have stuck with us during the past three years.

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Today we're re-launching CoasterRadio.com with some all-new features, including this new blog and the return of the "New Forum Forums". To help explain it all, we produced an all new podcast episode. This is the first of three new episodes we promised our listeners for putting us over the $1000 mark during the 2007 Coaster Crew Single Riders Marathon. Enjoy!

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Dear Listeners of CoasterRadio.com, Thank you so much for being a part of our lives during the past two years. It was a great experience producing the show and we couldn't have done it without the support of the thousands of you who came along for the ride every week. Working on this show reminded us of how much fun it is to go to an amusement park with your friends and forget about everyday life for awhile. We hope that listening to this podcast did the same thing for you. There were a lot of great moments both on-air and off-air, but here are some of the highlights: * We produced 80 original shows (about 48 hours of podcasting!) * We produced 13 on-location shows at The Walt Disney World Resort, Holiday World, Hersheypark, Six Flags Over Georgia, Kennywood, Busch Gardens Europe, Knoebels, Paramount's Kings Dominion, Six Flags Great Adventure and Dorney Park. * We were the only non-official podcast invited to the grand opening of Expedition Everest at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom. * We were Commissioned by the State of Pennsylvania Office of Tourism to produce a "road trip podcast" to four of its amusement parks. * We interviewed Disney Imagineers Joe Rohde (Expedition Everest), Eric Jacobson (Rock 'n' Roller Coaster) and Mike Lentz (Mission: Space). * We interviewed Holiday World's Will Koch and several of the designers from The Gravity Group (The Voyage / Hades). * We were featured on Adam Curry and iTunes' Podfinder podcast. * We were featured in a July 2006 article about theme park podcasting in the amusement trade publication Funworld. All of these things happened because we were able to point to an large, active and loyal group of listeners. Without you guys, the show would have never taken off. This week, we present our series finale. It clocks-in around two hours long because we wanted to get in as many of your e-mails, voicemails and questions as possible. We also have a few surprises in there for you as well, including an original song written for the end of our show by Deidre Rodman of the Lascivious Biddies. Even though this is the end of the weekly version of CoasterRadio.com, we're hoping to keep this site alive to continue the friendships we have made while doing the show. We'll probably even produce new "special" episodes of the show during holidays and other times when it makes sense. So make sure you stay subscribed to our RSS feed! We're also working on a new podcast that will hopefully premiere sometime in 2007. While it won't be strictly about coasters, I'm sure we won't be able to go very long without mentioning them once in awhile. Thanks again for listening! We'll see you at the parks! Your friends, Mike, Mario, Flava, EB & Greg

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This week, we had originally scheduled our Series Finale. But so many of you have been sending in messages and other things for our final show, we decided to bump it back one week so we could fit everything in. So for this week's Bonus Episode, we're going to talk about our last-second trip to "Hersheypark In The Dark". It was the first time in over two years that we've been to an amusement park without taking along all of the audio equipment. We'll also be joined by Mike and Greg's brother Ryan, who spent the weekend at Busch Gardens Europe's Howl-O-Scream. He'll tell us what the event was like from a "General Public" perspective. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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We've all had the experience of standing in line at a park and having to wait an extra cycle while a disabled guest is loaded into the row for which you were waiting. Most of us have no problem with this. But have you ever wondered how the parks decide who gets to jump to the front of the line and who doesn't? What constitutes a reasonable accommodation? This week, we'll talk about the different physical and mental challenges that people face and how it affects their trip to the theme park. We'll also talk about how some people try to abuse and cheat the system. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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We've always said that Cast Members in a theme park can make or break your trip. They're the hardest working people at the parks. So, the least we can do is dedicate one of our last shows to them and their stories. Thanks to our friends at StupidGuestTricks.com, we have some fantastic stories about what Cast Members have to put up with each and every day. This week, we're joined by Mike Collins' wife Molly, who was a Cast Member at the Walt Disney World resort in the mid-90's.

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If you're a fan of theme parks, October is one of the best times of year. Halloween is right around the corner, and most parks are open for special "scare-fests" where you can ride all day and scream all night. Most parks have to create artificial ghosts, but it turns out one park doesn't have to. Six Flags Over Georgia recently played host to the Atlanta-based Ghost Hounds, who spent several hours after the park closed searching for signs from the beyond. Guess what... they found something. This week, Christy Poore from Six Flags Over Georgia joins us to talk about what they found. She'll also tell us about last week's "Ticket to Terror" promotion where 28 lucky guests volunteered to eat a live Hissing Madagascar Cockroach in order to skip to the front of the line of their new roller coaster, Goliath. We'll also have a series of reports from EB, who spent the weekend at Knoebels Phoenix Phall Phunfest. It's one of the most anticipated coaster enthusiasts of the year and EB was there! He'll give us his unqiue spin on what he saw. Plus, we'll tell you about our upcoming shows, all leading up the the big series finale on October 30th. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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We're looking forward to talking with you guys after this show. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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Back in December of last year, we did a show about Extreme Rides where we talked about the different attractions that truly frighten us. One of the best stories to come out of that show is when we talked about how Mario had to ride Drop Zone on a cold, rainy April day...several times... alone! We were all working on a Washington, DC based television show for kids and this particular episode was about new thrill rides. Drop Zone at Paramount's Kings Dominion had just opened, so they invited the host of our show to give their new ride a try. Mario was the host of the show, but is very afraid of heights. However, he but on a brave face and took the ride on. But during television shoots, you often have to videotape the same action several times from different angles to make sure you have enough footage to complete the segment. So, Mario had to ride Drop Zone four or five times for us to get all the shots we needed. Also, since the show was produced daily, we had no choice but to shoot on a rainy Friday afternoon, before the park opened to the public the next day. That helped to add to the fear. This week, we present a video podcast where you finally get to see what that segment looked like! Don't forget to nominate your favorite park or attraction in our 2006 CoasterRadio.com Awards!

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Back by popular demand, it's the EB and Mike Morning Zoo! OK, the guys aren't exactly back doing a duo-show because of popular demand..... Flava, Greg and Mario were away this week. But this week, EB and Mike get to finally tell you guys about their trips to Las Vegas. They'll talk about the city, the casinos, the lights and of course... the thrill rides. They'll talk about: * X-Scream, Insanity: The Ride and Big Shot at the Stratosphere. * The Roller Coaster at New York, NY * Speed: The Ride at the Sahara * Canyon Blaster at Circus Circus * Star Trek: The Experience at The Las Vegas Hilton * Desperado at Buffalo Bill's. Don't forget to nominate your favorite park or attraction in our 2006 CoasterRadio.com Awards! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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This is the time of year when many of the different theme parks and amusement parks all over the country announce their new attractions and additions for the 2007 season. During this week's show, we'll talk about two of the most recent announcements: Maverick at Cedar Point - The Point's 17th coaster will be a terrain-hugging ride that features a 105-foot drop at 95-degrees, three inversions and a 70 mph launch through a dark tunnel Griffon at Busch Gardens Europe - The 205-foot floorless dive coaster will be the tallest ride of it's kind anywhere in the world. It will feature a 205-foot, 90-degree drop, two Immelmann loops, a second 130-foot dive and a water splashdown effect. These rides sound pretty cool. right? Well, there are some members of the coaster enthusiast community who aren't very happy. They expected more and are disappointed that we're not seeing more height and speed out of this year's crop of announcements. This week, we'll talk about the hype surrounding new and future announcements. Can anything satisfy us anymore? We're also looking for stories from cast members about their time working at a park. If you have a funny or shocking story from your days on the job at a theme park, e-mail us at feedback [@] coasterradio.com. Don't forget to nominate your favorite park or attraction in our 2006 CoasterRadio.com Awards!

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Is it September already? Where did the summer go? We'll start this week's show by telling you about some upcoming events happening at CoasterRadio.com. We'll also re-cap some behind-the-scenes stories from last week's podcast at Six Flags Over Georgia. Then, we'll welcome Kevin and Beth from CoasterFamily.com to discuss the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards that were announced recently at Holiday World. The movies have the Oscars and the Amusement Industry has the Golden Tickets! We'll talk about the Top 10 Wooden and Steel roller coasters, the Top Dark Rides, The Best New Attraction for 2006 and the Best Overall Park. Plus, we'll announce how you can nominate your favorite park or attraction in our 2006 CoasterRadio.com Awards! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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Six Flags Over Georgia is the second oldest park in the Six Flags chain. It opened in 1967, which was four years before Disney opened The Magic Kingdom in Orlando! Since it's one of the oldest parks in the south, it also happens to have a lot of history and tradition. This week's show marks the first time CoasterRadio.com has podcast from a Six Flags park on a normal operating day. During this week's show we'll: Review Goliath, their new Hypercoaster, Review the Flash Pass virtual line queuing system, Interview park guests (the former mayor of Capetown, South Africa), Play midway games to win our listeners fabulous prizes, Review the park's other coasters and attractions, Preview Six Flags Over Georgia Fright Fest and let you hear what it sounds like inside the park's famous dark ride, Monster Plantation. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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We're back with Part 2 of our Listener Questions Show! On this week's show, we'll talk about: * What we'd do if we were Imagineers * Theme Park Burnout * Back To The Future: The Ride * Flava's ghostly encounter * What annoys us about podcasting * And what we'd do differently if we could start CoasterRadio.com all over again. We'll also play a clip from London Composer Nick Hutson's new musical based on one of our characters. Get ready for CoasterBoy: The Musical. Next week, you'll hear our podcast from Six Flags Over Georgia. We'll experience the southern hospitality at the 2nd oldest theme park in the Six Flags chain. It was there 4 years before The Magic Kingdom in Orlando! Join us as we check out their new attraction for 2006, Goliath! We'll also talk about some of the other changes at the park this year. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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Every six months or so, we dedicate an entire show to your listener questions. Over the past few weeks, we received so many good ones that we had to break this bi-annual show into two parts! On this week's show, we'll talk about whether independent parks can survive in a corporate climate, we'll discuss our thoughts on the closure of Back To The Future: The Ride at Universal Orlando, we'll play you a "deleted scene" from an old episode of CoasterRadio.com and we'll also talk about whether or not we hate our listeners. Plus, we finally have a winner in our Soundwave Contest. It took seven weeks, but someone finally figured it out! On Saturday, August 19th, we'll be on-location at Six Flags Over Georgia. We'll be producing the show around 3pm in front of the Drive-in Theater. We hope to see you there! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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It's nice to go on vacation, but it's a great feeling to finally come back home. This week, we return to our Washington, DC studios to look back on our Pennsylvania Amusement Park Roadtrip. We'll let you in on some behind the scenes info and tell you some stories that we didn't share while we were on location. We'll also hear a live trip report from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia and announce where our next on-location show will be. Plus, get ready to hear another clue in our Soundwave Contest. We're already into our sixth week and no one has guessed the sound yet! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com.

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We're at the fourth and final stop on the Pennsylvania Amusement Park Roadtrip - Kennywood in West Mifflin, PA. Beautifully landscaped and designated as a National and State Historic Landmark, Kennywood features 31 major rides, including three wooden roller coasters, an antique carousel, the Phantom's Revenge steel coaster, the indoor Exterminator, three water rides, and 14 Kiddieland rides. The park also has 35 various games, as well as four gift shops and four arcades. The 2006 season features the new Swing Shot---a 32-seat swing thrill ride. The Pennsylvania Amusement Park Road Trip is brought to you by VisitPA.com.

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We're at stop three on the Pennsylvania Amusement Park Roadtrip - Knoebels Amusement Park and Resort in Elysburg, PA. Pennsylvania's largest free admission amusement park is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Knoebels features more than 50 rides, including the Phoenix---voted one of the top wooden coasters by Amusement Today; the Twister---go for the sharp vertical drop and the long ride time; and the High Speed Thrill Coaster. Built in 1955, it's believed to be the only operating Overland Coaster in the world. The Haunted Mansion has been named as one of the best dark rides anywhere. The Grand Carousel includes 63 horses, 3 chariots, two antique organs and a brass ring machine. Knoebels is currently building a classic wooden ride called Flying Turns. This rollercoaster-like ride will take riders rolling down wooden tracks, much like a bobsled run.

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Join us as the Pennsylvania Amusement Park Roadtrip rolls on to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, PA! From high speed world-class roller coasters like Hydra The Revenge, Talon, Steel Force, and ThunderHawk to soaking wet water slides, you're sure to enjoy a day spent at the park. The park originally opened in 1884 as âDorneyâs Trout Ponds and Summer Resort." It quickly became more when rides such as the Old Mill, Circle Swing, Cable Ride and Ferris wheel were added. In 1923, the parkâs first coaster was built. The Wildwater Kingdom was added in 1985. At the time, it offered the Northeast one of the only seasonal water parks in the country. Its exciting collection of water slides, activity pools and the gigantic wave pool created a new experience for people throughout the Northeast. The Pennsylvania Amusement Park Road Trip is brought to you by VisitPA.com.

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Join us as we kick off the Pennsylvania Amusement Park Roadtrip at Hersheypark in Hershey, PA! Rated the No. 1 Amusement Park in the Northeast by FamilyFun Magazine, Hersheypark celebrates its 99th year by offering fun and excitement for every member of the family! Hersheypark is home to over 60 rides and attractions, 6 drenching water rides, and over two dozen kiddie rides. With live entertainment daily, a dolphin and sea lion show, games, food, and shopping, Hersheypark has something to delight every member of your family. The Pennsylvania Amusement Park Road Trip is brought to you by VisitPA.com.

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On this week's show, we'll celebrate the 4th of July by shooting off some of the lamest legal fireworks that the Commonwealth of Virginia allows. Our fireworks display isn't gonna be like what you'll see over Cinderella Castle, but it's better than nothing. We'll also fire up the deep fryer and pay homage to the greatest theme park food ever made - Fried Oreos! Yes, we know this is a theme park podcast and not a cooking show. But when we were at Holiday World a few months ago, we were blown away by this strange dessert. So, after a lot of testing in the kitchen, we have come up with what we believe is a very close version of our own. We'll also bring back Bryan Temmer to the show. Long time listeners will remember Bryan from a show we did last November. Bryan is a normal guy, with a normal job and a normal family. But he has a dream that is far from normal. Bryan has a dream of building his own theme park and he's making progress! We'll check in with Bryan and find out what's been happening since we spoke with him six months ago. We'll also hear a live trip report from Lee in Los Angeles, CA. He recently had a chance to experience the new story overlay at Pirates of the Caribbean at The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. We'll find out if Captain Jack Sparrow fits in with the older pirates who have been in the attraction since the late 60's. We'll also announce the winner of the On-Line Sign Generator Contest and give you another clue in our Soundwave Contest! Don't forget, next week we begin our 4-week long Pennsylvania Amusement Park Road Trip brought to you by VisitPA.com. We'll start the road trip by visiting Hersheypark and experiencing their new attraction for 2006, Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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On this week's show, Flava returns from his seven day Orlando vacation and has a detailed trip report. He'll have news and reviews from EPCOT, Disney Studios, Magic Kingdom, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. He'll even explain how he got a chance to wrestle an alligator at Orlando's famed Gatorland Zoo. Plus, Flava will unveil what he believes is the greatest thrill ride in Orlando. You won't believe what attraction he chose and what attraction gave him a feeling of major anticipointment. We'll also talk about an article in last week's Washington Post about how several Six Flags America employees were asked to cut their hair in order to comply with the park's theming. Our own Mario Williams currently styles his hair in one of the ways that is frowned upon at Maryland theme park. According to the Post, dreadlocks are not allowed. We'll discuss the situation in-depth and offer our opinions on the matter. We'll also hear a live trip report from Tim in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who experienced Conja, the world's largest in line waterslide at Blue Bayou Waterpark. Plus, we'll give you another clue in our Soundwave Contest! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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This past week, the record breaking wooden coaster El Toro opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. Immediately, several coaster enthusiasts began to claim that it was better than the rides they took on The Voyage at Holiday World. We'll have a live trip report from In The Loop's Will Holder and some on-ride audio to help us decide if this could be true. We'll also give you another clue in our Soundwave Contest and we'll tell you about the latest entry in our Spread The Word contest that has the clubbers in New York City going CRAZY! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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In the mid-1990's, Mike's wife Molly worked at Walt Disney World as a Skipper on the Jungle Cruise and as a Buccaneer on Pirates of the Caribbean. We've been trying to get her on the show for over a year and this week, she finally gave in! We'll grill her about her days working at The Mouse and what it was like to work on these two world famous attractions. She'll even tell us the story about her encounter with the ghost who haunts Pirates of the Carribbean! To help get you in the mood for this week's show, we're offering a video podcast that includes footage of an actual trip on the Jungle Cruise with Molly at the helm. On this week's show, we'll give you another clue in our Soundwave Contest. We'll also tell you about the first entries we've received in our Spread The Word contest. One of our listeners got us some airplay on a national BBC radio show! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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A video podcast to enhance CoasterRadio.com episode #207. Take a ride on the Jungle Cruise with Molly at the helm!

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As most of you know, CoasterRadio.com is not our full-time job. Sometimes, the show has to take a back-seat when professional disasters strike! Throughout the past two months, Mike Collins has been working on a major television project at his job. Earlier this week, the storage system that held all of his video files crashed. So, it's taken a lot of extra hours to bring the files back online so that the project stays on schedule. Unfortunately, this means that we were unable to produce a new show this week. But, we're going to re-post one of our most talked about shows - the Podcast from Kingda Ka's Grand Opening at Six Flags Great Adventure. This was one of the most technically demanding shows from Season One. Not only did we have a live call from Sheikra's Media Day at Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, FL, we also had an on-ride segment where EB rode Kingda Ka during the show. For newer listeners, this is a show you might not have heard before. But for long-time listeners, we want to make downloading the podcast worth your while. So, we'll also include the clip for our first Soundwave Contest of the year. If you check out the end of the show, you'll hear an easter egg that contains the clip. The first clue will be given out during next week's show. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback[@]coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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This week, we'll tell you more stories from our trip to Holiday World and Splashin' Safari. We'll also comment on a live trip report from Phantasialand's Black Mamba. Plus, we'll give you our take on Cedar Fair buying Paramount Parks. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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Join us this week as we podcast from Holiday World and Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, IN. We're there to check out 2006's most anticipated roller coaster, The Voyage. The stats on this coaster say it all: * The world's top air-time wooden coaster * Air-time of 24.2 seconds * Track length: 6,442 feet (1.2 miles) * Maximum speed: 67.4 mph * Five underground tunnels * 2 min., 45 sec. ride time * Eight underground traverses * Three 90-degree extreme banked turns * 173 feet tall, with drops of 154, 107 and 100 feet * First drop's angle of descent a U.S. record: 66 degrees * Among the world's top three longest and fastest wooden coasters But The Voyage is only one of many reasons that we're visiting the park this week. Holiday World and Splashin' Safari is known throughout the country for their cleanliness and world-class service. The atmosphere at this park is truly unlike any other. During this week's show, we'll talk with Mrs. Pat Koch about the park and why it has been so successful. We'll also talk with Holiday World's P.R. Director Paula Werne about the fanaticism surrounding the park. We'll also be joined by CoasterRadio.com listeners who have come from all over the country to ride Holiday World's three legendary coasters The Raven, The Legend and now, The Voyage. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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These days the cost of entertainment is skyrocketing. Movies, sporting events, theater and yes, even theme parks are more expensive than they used to be. But, your trip to the theme park doesn't necessarily have to blow out your entertainment budget. This week, with the help of our listeners, we'll talk about ways you can have a great time at the theme park while saving a buck or two. You'll be surprised at how many ways you can be thrifty while having fun. We'll also talk with Erik Yates who is coordinating the Coasting For Kids coaster marathon. On Saturday, May 20th, Erik and some friends will be riding Cypress Gardens' wooden coaster Triple Hurricane for one hour per thousand dollars that they raise. All of the proceeds will be going to the Make A Wish Foundation. You can find out more about this event and donate to the cause by visiting http://myspace.com/coastingforkids. Join us next week when we podcast from Holiday World and Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, IN. We'll be there to check out 2006's most anticipated roller coaster, The Voyage. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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Join us as we start the second season of CoasterRadio.com! As the Ghostbusters once said.... We're ready to believe you. We'll start off the 2006 season by reviewing many of the new rides and attractions coming to theme parks this summer. We'll talk about new roller coasters such as: The Voyage at Holiday World El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure Thunderbird at Power Park, Finland Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom X Coaster at at Magic Springs Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain Italian Job Turbo Coaster at Paramount's Kings Dominion Flying Turns at Knoebels Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia Goliath at La Ronde Patriot at Worlds Of Fun Stealth at Thorpe Park, United Kingdom Kentucky Rumbler at Beech Bend And we'll talk about other attractions like: Panic Plunge at Silverwood in Idaho Skyhawk at Cedar Point Swingshot at Kennywood Thunder N Lightning at Lake Compounce Timber Tower at Dollywood We'll also have some major announcements about upcoming events in Season 2! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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We're on vacation until our Season Two Premiere on May 8th. Until then, we'll be presenting a video podcast each week that takes a look at upcoming attractions for 2006. This week, we'll preview Patriot at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri.

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We're on vacation until our Season Two Premiere on May 8th. Until then, we'll be presenting a video podcast each week that takes a look at upcoming attractions for 2006. This week, we'll preview Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia.

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We're on vacation until our Season Two Premiere on May 8th. Until then, we'll be presenting a video podcast each week that takes a look at upcoming attractions for 2006. This week, we'll preview El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ.

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It's a week of celebration here at CoasterRadio.com!First of all, we're celebrating our 50th episode.  But more importantly, we're celebrating the Grand Opening of Expedition Everest by podcasting from Disney's Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.Expedition Everest features a perilous journey aboard a runaway train through the Himalayan mountains. Adventurous riders push deep into the lair of the feared yeti, guardian of the forbidden mountain.Along the way, they encounter torn tracks, spiral backwards through the fog into an ice cavern and dart into and out of the mountain in a high-speed adventure.CoasterRadio.com was on hand for all of the Grand Opening festivities.  This week's show features:Our review of Expedition Everest along with on-ride audioAn interview with Disney Imagineer and Expedition Everest Project Manager Mike LentzAn interview with Walt Disney World's Vice President of Operations, Lee CockrellAn interview with Disney World Creative Writer and Trivia Master Greg EhrbarReviews of Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show, Soarin' and Mission: SpaceAnd behind the scenes stories about what it's like attending a Disney media event.After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433).Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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If there's one thing we love more than theme parks and roller coasters, it's the movies of the 1980's.  Throughout the past year, we've often said that it would be fun to stop work on CoasterRadio.com and switch to doing a show about 80's movies.  This week, we present The 80's Movie Podcast.  Each week, we're going to talk about movies like The Goonies, Back To The Future, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Revenge of the Nerds, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Ghostbusters.  Is this an April Fools joke?  Is it for real?  You'll have to listen to find out.

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We think Theme Parks are a blast. We're pretty sure you agree with us because you probably wouldn't be a listener of this podcast if you didn't. But there are some really annoying things that always seem to happen whenever you visit a park these days. These things aren't awful enough to make you want to cancel your theme park trip, but they are annoying and have the ability to add frustration to your theme park day. With the help of our listeners, we have compiled a list of the Top 10 most annoying things that happen when you visit a theme park. We're calling it "10 Things I Hate About You". This list isn't specific to one park or one theme park chain, but if you're a regular theme park visitor, odds are one or more of these things have affected you. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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Back in the late 70's, people were crazy for disaster films. There were movies about earthquakes, airplane disasters, war and even one about roller coasters. In 1977, Universal Studios released a film about a madman (played by Timothy Bottoms) who was crisscrossing the country to set off bombs at amusement parks. He wanted the theme park chains to give him one million dollars or he would continue to blow up roller coasters and dark rides. It turns out that the only guy smart enough to stop him was a chain-smoking safety inspector (played by George Segal) who gets on the case after the madman destroys a coaster that he personally inspected. The plot is a bit laughable, but most theme park fans watch this movie for the scenes that were shot at Paramount's Kings Dominion, Six Flags Magic Mountain and the now defunct Ocean View Park. Three of the major on-ride sequences take place on PKD's Rebel Yell, SFMM's Revolution and The Rocket at Ocean View Park. On this week's show, we'll be joined by a Washington, DC film commentator who will give us his professional take on the film. We'll also give you the scoop on the fun things to look for the next time you watch the film. If you do happen to own a copy of the 1998 DVD release, you can now download a full-length commentary where we point out interacting facts and trivia about the movie in real-time. Such as: Who shot the film's producer Jennings Lang and why? What's the deal with the singing mushrooms at PKD? What is Vitamin F and how does it relate to SFMM? After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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Theme parks are designed as a place where friends and family can go and have a good time together. They really aren't set up for people to visit alone. For instance, there aren't any one-seater roller coasters out there. Most times if you're by yourself, there's always that huge empty seat next to you. So, while most people would never consider visiting a theme park alone, there are a lot of advantages to taking a trip by yourself. On this week's show, we'll talk about the pros and cons of hitting the parks alone. Next week, join us as we talk about the Universal Studios 1977 classic "RollerCoaster". We'll be joined by a Washington, DC film commentator and we'll give you the scoop on the fun things to look for the next time you watch the film. If you do happen to own a copy of the 1998 DVD release, you'll be able to listen to a full-length commentary where we point out interacting facts and trivia about the movie in real-time. If anyone actually does this, we'll be amazed. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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We had a topic lined up for this week's show, but a post on the CoasterRadio.com Forums caught our eye. So, we decided to bump our planned show and talk about the debate. One of our listeners was looking into joining ACE, the American Coaster Enthusiasts. While he was reading their code of conduct, he came upon one part of the code that said... "When interacting with the media, members are expected to speak enthusiastically about all parks and roller coasters. While members may have strong opinions about parks and roller coasters, they are to avoid negative criticism to the media." The listener was upset by this because he feels that he should be able to voice his opinion however he wants, whenever he wants. He brought the topic up on our forum, so now we're bringing it up on the show. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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This is the time of year when all of the different Hollywood blockbusters are being honored at the various award ceremonies. What does this have to do with theme parks and roller coasters? Well, many of the best theme park attractions in history have based upon popular films. Back To The Future, Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, Jaws, Star Tours, Kongfrontation, Superman Escape, Terminator 2: 3D, Jurassic Park, Men In Black, The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, Revenge Of The Mummy and countless other attractions have had their story lines adapted from popular movies. For the past month, listeners of CoasterRadio.com have been submitting their ideas for a blockbuster theme park attraction based upon a blockbuster movie. We call it our Reel Design Contest. We narrowed the submissions down to 10 finalists and you'll hear all of them on this week's show. The winner will receive two one day admission tickets to the Walt Disney World Resort courtesy of MapleLeafTickets.com. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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If you're a weekly listener to this podcast, odds are you're passionate about theme parks. You might be a fan of the roller coasters, the scenery or the general ambiance, but most likely your love of theme parks is a big part of your life. Some people are so passionate that they include a theme park experience as part of their wedding. We've all seen video of people "taking the plunge" on board a roller coaster; saying their vows in the front seat with a minister and the entire bridal party in tow. But these days, there are ways to enjoy an elegant wedding while including tasteful theme park aspects. On this week's show, we'll interview Colleen and Mike. They got married at the Walt Disney World Resort in 2004. They'll tell us about their entire experience from planning the wedding all the way up to the activities on the big day. They'll even tell us about how they were able to take pictures inside the Magic Kingdom at 4:30 AM! Then we'll talk with Deidre Rodman of The Lascivious Biddies, a band the Washington Post calls "Manhattan's Hippest Girl Group". Deidre is the group's keyboardist and one of their songwriters. She'll tell us about her theme park and circus-themed wedding as well as stories from when she worked at a small park in Idaho. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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We get a lot of questions sent our way through e-mail, the forums and the voicemail line. But because our show is set up the way it is, we don't get a chance to answer them as quickly as we'd like. So, every few months we save them all up and answer them in one show. We'll talk about a lot of different things... including Flava's HUGE MISTAKE with an Oscar nominated actress. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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Our review of Final Destination 3.

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This is our video preview of Final Destination 3!

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Theme parks seem to be a popular place to shoot movies. They're colorful, loud and full of perpetual motion. Roller Coasters, in particular, seem to be something that Hollywood likes to use in its films because of the perceived danger and what seems like out of control speed. We haven't had a major studio thriller based around a roller coaster since the 1977 classic "Rollercoaster" (which we'll talk about in a few weeks.) So this week, we're going to spend the show talking about the new horror/suspense film from New Line Cinema - Final Destination 3. For those of you who don't know, it begins with a roller coaster disaster. We'll explain the plot, talk about how it relates to the previous two films, discuss the technical aspects of shooting a coaster disaster scene and we'll talk about how a film like this might affect the theme park industry. This week, we are also unveiling our first video podcast. In this special video episode, we'll show you some behind the scenes footage of the film, interviews with the actors and director, plus a preview of one of the scenes from FD3. On Friday, February 10th, we'll release a 2nd audio podcast that features our review of the film. We'll let you know whether it's worth heading out to the theaters or if you'll want to wait for this movie to arrive at the video store. During that show, we'll be giving away Final Destination "Scared 2 Death" DVD packs. (If you're under 17, you can't be considered for this contest. Sorry dudes.) After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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We'll kick off this week's show with a look ahead at some of the upcoming episodes of CoasterRadio.com. In the next few weeks, we'll preview and review the new Final Destination 3 movie, we'll talk with couples who have tied the knot theme park-style, we'll unveil a new contest and we'll finally bring you our commentary on the movie "Roller Coaster". After that, we'll go through some of your e-mail and voicemail comments about last week's show on ways to beat the lines at the parks. We'll even hear from one of our listeners who used to manage the FastPass system at Disneyland. After that, we'll talk about some of the different things you can do during the off-season if you are in the mood for a theme park experience, but don't live in Florida or California. You'll be surprised at the many ways you can beat the winter blues. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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Let's face it, one of the worst things about visiting a popular theme park are the long lines. Unless you're lucky enough to be waiting in a well themed queue like the one for Dueling Dragons at Islands of Adventure, you're probably going to be miserable. But one of the newest innovations in the amusement industry has been the how the various theme park chains have introduced ways that guests can reduce the time they wait in lines. Some of these programs, like Disney's FastPass are free with your admission. Others, like Six Flags' Lo-Q can be used for an additional fee. There are even some programs like Universal Express at Universal Orlando where you can go directly to the front of the line at each attraction if you are a guest at an on-site hotel. This week, we'll talk about the pros and cons of the different systems and how they have changed the way we experience theme parks. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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One of the fun things about having an on-line community of theme park fans around the world is that there is an abundance of information about current parks and attractions. What's even more fun is that there is also a lot of information about proposed parks and attractions that never quite made it to the construction stage. On this week's show, we're going to talk about the rides and attractions that allegedly made it to the drawing boards, but never made it to the parks themselves. For instance, one interesting rumor says that in the very early planning stages of Walt Disney World's Tower Of Terror, Disney Imagineers gave some thought to turning part of the attraction into an actual, working hotel. Who knows if there is any truth to this rumor, but is is definitely fun to talk about What Might Have Been. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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This week, we bring you a very special podcast as Mike Collins sits by the fire, sipping brandy and smoking a pipe, while he reads passages from the immortal Charles Dickens classic "Great Expectations". Actually, as fun as that sounds, it's not what we're really going to do this week. Instead, each of the CoasterRadio.com guys will pick one thing that we absolutely expect when we visit a theme park. We'll also pick one thing that we absolutely do not want to see when we visit a park. So, that's why we called this week's show "Great Expectations". This week, we'll talk about virtual lines, the cleanliness of park restrooms, rude employees, efficient (or non-efficient) operations, and many more topics. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. This week's episode is brought to you by MapleLeafTickets.com, Orlando's oldest and most trusted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and dozens of other area parks and attractions. Unmatched customer service combined with everyday low prices has made them one of Central Florida's most popular discount ticket agencies. In business since 1983, MapleLeafTickets.com offers the best value of any local ticket agent - guaranteed. Call them at 1-800-841-2837.

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We'll kick off this week's show by going through some some of our listeners' picks for the hits and misses of 2005. Then, we'll talk about what could be the New Year's Resolutions of theme parks and amusement parks across the world. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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The year 2005 was pretty good for theme parks across the world. We saw the premiere of record breaking attractions, new high tech thrill rides and traditional forms of amusement park entertainment. We'll take a look back at the highs and lows of 2005 with Arthur Levine from about.com. We'll talk about the attractions that were big hits and some of the ones that missed the mark. We'll also preview what could be big in 2006. We'll also talk with Ian Clark from ozcoaster.net. He was one of the very first people to ride Superman Escape, the new Intamin Launch Coaster at Warner Brother's Movie World. He'll give us a review of this new attraction that opens this week. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. We'd like to wish each of you Happy Holidays and a successful 2006. When we started the show back in April, we had no idea what the reaction would be to a bunch of unknowns talking about theme parks and roller coasters. We figured that a couple hundred people would listen each week at best. But now, here we are eight months later, and a couple thousand of you are listening to the show each week. That totally exceeded our expectations. As cheesy as it sounds, we're really honored that you invite us into your lives (iPods, computers) each week. Like we've said on the show, we're not theme park or coaster experts. Most of you out there know more about this stuff than we do. But the people who truly "get" the show understand that CoasterRadio.com is simply a show celebrating the fun that we all have when we visit the parks. That's all it is and all it ever will be. We appreciate the e-mails we get every day and the many posts on the forums. We appreciate the people who have added themselves to the Frappr map and the people who have left messages on our voice mail line. But we also appreciate all of the people who listen each week that we have NEVER heard from personally. Hopefully we'll get to meet some of you this year. 2006 should be fun and we're glad you're along for the ride. Have a wonderful and safe holiday with your family and friends.

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If you've every spent any time watching ESPN, you've probably seen a program called "Pardon The Interruption" (PTI). It's a daily show where Washington Post columnists Tony Kornhsiser and Michael Wilbon debate the the biggest stories in sports for exactly one minute at a time. In these days of short attention spans, it's the perfect format. So, we decided to follow the homage "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" and do a direct rip-off of PTI. So, that's why this week's show is called "Pardon The Ripoff". We'll discuss 5 different topics for exactly two minutes each. Once the buzzer sounds at the end of the two minutes, we have to move on or else EB will throw a fit. It's the fastest theme park talk out there. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Also, don't forget to check out our CoasterRadio.com Holiday Gift Guide. It's filled with ideas to find the perfect gift for the theme park enthusiast in your life. We've searched the internet for the most interesting toys, gadgets, DVDs, books, calendars, posters and other gifts that are made specifically for a fan of theme parks. We'll also found some outrageously expensive stuff that you can buy to bring the theme park experience into your home. Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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This year, Hades, the monstrous wooden roller coaster that opened at Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin won the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride in 2005. Riders were amazed by it's steep drop (140-feet at a 65-degree angle), two underground tunnels (one of which was the longest underground tunnel on a roller coaster ever), and the extreme 90-degree banked turn. The ride was designed by The Gravity Group. One of the most anticipated rides for 2006 is The Voyage at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana. This wooden coaster will thrill park-goers with a 154-foot drop at 66-degrees, five underground tunnels, three 90-degree banked turns and a total of 24.2 seconds of airtime. This ride was also designed by The Gravity Group. So, it goes without saying that the designers at this young company are pushing the evolution of wooden roller coasters. We're happy to welcome GG designers Korey Kiepert and Chad Miller to CoasterRadio.com this week. We'll talk to the guys about their design philosophies and how they are trying to take the development and technology of the wooden roller coaster to new heights. We'll also talk about the pressures of designing a roller coaster in the age of the internet, where hype knows no bounds. Korey and Chad will also tell us some behind-the-scenes stories about Hades, The Voyage and other projects that they have worked on during their careers. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Also, don't forget to check out our CoasterRadio.com Holiday Gift Guide. It's filled with ideas to find the perfect gift for the theme park enthusiast in your life. We've searched the internet for the most interesting toys, gadgets, DVDs, books, calendars, posters and other gifts that are made specifically for a fan of theme parks. We'll also found some outrageously expensive stuff that you can buy to bring the theme park experience into your home. Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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This week, we hit soft-of a milestone and podcast our 30th episode. To help celebrate, we'll play highlights from some of our favorite interviews that we have done over the past seven months. We'll play clips from Disney Imagineers Eric Jacobson and Joe Rohde, Holiday World's Will Koch, Curse of DarKastle designer Brent Young, travel author Kelly Monoghan, backyard coaster designer Jeremy Reid and many more. We'll also share a few behind the scene stories about each of the interviews. Also, don't forget to check out our CoasterRadio.com Holiday Gift Guide. It's filled with ideas to find the perfect gift for the theme park enthusiast in your life. We've searched the internet for the most interesting toys, gadgets, DVDs, books, calendars, posters and other gifts that are made specifically for a fan of theme parks. We'll also found some outrageously expensive stuff that you can buy to bring the theme park experience into your home. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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In America, the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year. Everyone crowds into the shopping malls and collectively spend billions of dollars on holiday gifts. If you listen to this show on a regular basis, odds are you're interested in buying presents for theme park and roller coaster enthusiasts. You might be looking to buy for family and friends or maybe, you're interested in buying for yourself! You won't need make a frustrating trip to the mall because we've done all the work for you. We surfed the internet looking for some of the most interesting gifts we could find for the theme park fanatic. You can find them all listen in our CoasterRadio.com Holiday Gift Guide. During this week's show, we'll talk about the toys, gadgets, DVDs, books, calendars, posters and other gifts that are perfect for a fan of theme parks. We'll also spend some time talking about outrageously expensive stuff that you can buy to bring the theme park experience into your home. For instance, haven't you always wanted to own your own full-size Skee-Ball machine? You'd be the envy of your neighborhood! After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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It's the week of Thanksgiving here in the United States. For most people, that means stuffing themselves full of turkey and then passing out while watching NFL football. We decided to celebrate the holiday in a different way. We asked out listeners to let us know what they are thankful for within the theme park industry. We received a lot of interesting responses and we'll share some of them with you during this week's show. Next week, the entire CoasterRadio.com gang will be back with a special show dedicated to theme park and roller coaster related gifts. We'll talk about the toys, gadgets, DVDs, books, calendars, posters and other gifts that you can buy for the coaster nut in your life. (Heck, you might even want to buy some of this stuff for yourself!) We'll also spend some time talking about outrageously expensive stuff that you can buy to bring the theme park experience into your home. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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If you're a theme park enthusiast, you've probably had a dream of building and owning your own theme park. But odds are, unless you're very well connected or a multi-millionaire, you'll never get to see your dream come true. If that isn't discouraging enough, most people would probably tell you that your dream was crazy anyway. Heck, people even told Walt Disney that his plans for a new type of amusement park were a horrible idea. They even went so far as to call it "Disney's Folly". But that folly eventually became Disneyland and those critics had to eat their words. So in that sprit, we welcome Brian Temmer to the show. Brian is a theme park fan just like all of us. But he's doing whatever he can to bring his dream of a new type of theme park to life. He'll give us a behind the scenes look at what it takes to push an idea like this from a dream to reality. He'll also give us a few hints as to what this new attraction might be and where it might be located. It's a chance for us all to watch an amusement industry project from it's conception to it's completion. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). You can also let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. Next week, we'll celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving by talking about what our listeners are thankful for at their favorite theme parks. You can participate in this show by leaving your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). You can also post your thoughts in our special forum topic. Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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There really aren't many rides or attractions that theme park fans won't try at least once. But there are a few rides out there that even the most hardcore enthusiasts think twice about before riding. Some people won't ride certain types of freefall rides while others won't ride attractions that spin you in circles. Some people won't ride skycoasters and some people could never bring themselves to ride any of the attractions on top of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas. (That picture over there on the right is X-Scream. You can read our review to find out what it's all about.) We'll spend this week's short "off-season" show talking about the different theme park attractions that freak people out. We'll talk about the attractions that scare us the most and we'll also hear about some of our listener's picks as well. You'll be surprised at some of the responses we got. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). You can also let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com. Next week, we'll be talking with a man who has a dream of building his own theme park. Everyone says he is crazy, but he is actually moving ahead with the idea and has had some early successes already. He'll give us a behind the scenes look at what it takes to bring the idea from a dream to reality. He'll also give us a few hints as to what this new attraction might be and where it might be located. It's a chance for us all to watch an amusement industry project from it's conception to it's completion. Thanks for listening to the show.

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All month long, we've been on-location at different theme parks celebrating Halloween. Now that it's finally here, we'll spend this week's show talking about your favorite haunted, spooky or scary themed attractions. We'll talk about attractions like The Haunted Mansion, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, The Exterminator, Revenge of the Mummy, The Beast, The Freezer, Burg Falkenstein and more. We're also are really excited to welcome Joe Rohde to the show. Joe is Executive Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering and the Lead Designer for Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Since this week's show is all about mysterious attractions, it's a perfect time to ask him about Expedition Everest, the new thrill ride coming to Walt Disney World in 2006. We'll ask him about the attraction's storyline, the immersive theming and how the legend of the Yeti will come to life. We'll also talk with Joe about and how he and his team of Imagineers are embarking on a real-life trip dubbed Expedition Everest: Mission Himalayas in the search for new species and ancient legends. The scientific and cultural journey to China and the eastern Himalayas began in August and continues though October 2005. We'll find out how this trip to the Everest region will help to create an extremely authentic experience for park guests. Don't worry, we'll ask him about the roller coaster too. We'll also talk with EB about the annual Halloween Extravaganza that he puts on at his house. We'll talk about the process of Backyard Imagineering and go into detail about the unique setup at EB's house. We'll also provide you with some links to other "home haunts" so you can get a few ideas for your own house. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433).Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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This week, we're on-location from Fear Fest at Paramount's Kings Dominion. It's the 3rd stop on our month-long CoasterRadio.com Halloween Terror Tour. Since Paramount is a movie company, Kings Dominion uses film-like storytelling to create their haunted mazes and attractions. When the sun goes down, they specialize in delivering intense environments that make you scream as much as they make you laugh. We'll talk about the evil carnie folks running amuck in Freakshow in 3D, the insane residents of the Maze of Madness, the carnage caused by the Headless Horseman in The Curse of Sleepy Hollow and the terrifying drive you can take on R.L. Stein Fearstreet. In this week's Great Debate, we'll talk about what horror movies would make excellent theme park rides. Then, we'll talk about new attractions coming to Paramount Parks in 2006. Of course, we'll highlight the new "family-thrill" coaster coming to Kings Dominion - Italian Job Stunt Coaster. After the show, join us in our forums to talk about your opinions. You can also record your thoughts on the CoasterRadio.com Voicemail Line at 206-339-RIDE (206-339-7433). Stay tuned, because next week we'll have another Halloween-themed episode of CoasterRadio.com. We'll interview Joe Rohde, Executive Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering and the Lead Designer for Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. We'll talk with him about Expedition Everest, the new thrill ride coming to Walt Disney World next spring. Why interview Joe on a Halloween-themed show? Well, the new Expedition Everest attraction brings guests face to face with the mysterious (and terrifying) Yeti! We'll ask him about the attraction's storyline, the immersive theming and how his team of Imagineers are visiting the Everest region to create an extremely authentic experience for park guests. Don't worry, we'll ask him about the roller coaster too. We'll also be revealing your picks for the best spooky/haunted/scary themed attractions at theme parks around the world. If you want to participate, post a message in our special forum topic or leave us a voicemail message at 206-339-RIDE. Thanks for listening to the show. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.

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CoasterRadio.com is a half-hour podcast dedicated to roller coasters, theme parks and thrill rides. Podcasting each week from our studios in Washington, DC and from theme parks around the country, the CoasterRadio.com crew gets you ready for your day at the park!

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