Roller Coaster Ride Guides

There will be three coasters opening this year that will include inversions -- a feature that has been tried before, but never successfully. All three will use different concepts to accomplish the feat. Other highlights will include a new wing coaster at Cedar Point and a wacky new launched coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

It's a banner year for major coasters with new, wild rides coming to SeaWorld San Diego, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Hersheypark, Dollywood, Canada's Wonderland, and other parks. Among the highlights will be two "wing" coasters. Now you're probably wondering, "What's a wing coaster," right?

The economy, still wobbly as we enter into 2011, has put the kibosh on many parks' capital budgets and has prevented them from rolling out the heady number of coasters that we used to see debuting a few years (and one honking recession) ago. Still, there will be a few new roller coasters opening in the U.S. this season, including a couple of especially intriguing ones. Note that some of the "new" coasters are existing rides that are being transplanted from other parks--and, in one case, a hunka-hunka bunch of wood will take shape as the King's favorite coaster. Beyond the U.S., the race for fastest coaster bragging rights has taken some new turns.

The economy, at least at the beginning of 2010, is still on its roller coaster journey. While economists, politicians, and cash-strapped coaster fans hope the financial situation rebounds, wary park owners have put the brakes on many coaster projects. Still, there will be a few coasters rolling into the U.S. this season--including a couple designed to intimidate you. Beyond the U.S., the race for fastest coaster bragging rights is heating up.

With the stock market gyrating wildly, the economy taking a nosedive, and our rickety nerves taking a beating over the money woes, it's no wonder that pundits and headline writers often use roller coasters as an analogy for our troubled financial times. As the global economy goes on a roller coaster ride, how has it affected actual roller coasters? It turns out that, despite the troubling financial dips and turns, there will be quite a few new coasters debuting this season. Read about Terminator: The Coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Prowler at Worlds of Fun, the Carolina Cobra at Carowinds, and plenty more new thrill machines on tap in the Coaster Ride Guide 2009.

Highlights include Evel Knievel at Six Flags St. Louis, Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland, X2 coaster makeover at Six Flags Magic Mountain, The Dark Knight themed indoor coasters at Six Flags parks, SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge at Nickelodeon Universe, and Fahrenheit at Hersheypark.

Highlights include Griffon, a floorless, diving coaster at Busch Gardens Europe, Starliner at Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, Renegade at Valleyfair, Maverick at Cedar Point, and Mystery Mine at Dollywood.

Highlights include El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure, Tatsu, a record-breaking flying coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Expedition Everest at Walt Disney World, Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia, and The Voyage at Holiday World.

Highlights include Kingda Ka, the record-shattering rocket coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure, SheiKra diving coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa, Powder Keg at Silver Dollar City, and Silver Bullet at Knott's Berry Farm.

Highlights include the twin Revenge of the Mummy rides at Universal Studios parks in Hollywood and Florida, Storm Runner at Hersheypark, The Thunderhead at Dollywood, and Journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld San Diego.