CoasterBuzz Podcast

Jeff, Carrie, Mike and Gonch reunite after more than seven years to talk about what they're up to, and ponder the future of amusement parks in a post-pandemic world.

Jeff and Carrie talk about stuff that is loosely related to roller coasters and the amusement industry.

• It sure has been a long time since we did this.
• The noise in online communities (football and politics).
• Cliques, inside jokes, making the community better by participation.
• Voting up posts, the scoring game.
• The process of moving cross-country, Carrie and Jeff share their stories.
• The wing coaster is an interesting "thing" now for coaster enthusiasts. Jeff approves of the Dollywood ride.
• Cedar Point's new front end, with GateKeeper.
• A great year of fundraising for Give Kids The World across several events. Jeff explains why CoasterBuzz supports it, and why you should help.
• Another good year coming for new rides. Jeff shows love for Premier Rides.
• Is Kentucky Kingdom ever really going to come back?
• Attention Conneaut Lake Park: It's a business, not a constant fundraiser.
• Jeff would totally pay for a tour of the rotting Six Flags New Orleans.
• BooBuzz is coming up October 12 at Cedar Point.
• CoasterBuzz Club is eleven years old!
• You can get the latest headlines on CoasterBuzz from the Twitter. Follow us @coasterbuzz. You can also like us on Facebook.
• CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.

Jeff, Gonch and Mike review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• New Orleans can't sell the former Six Flags site. Is it even viable? How is the city doing?
• Cedar Fair going to spend $90 million in its amusement parks. Leviathan is the big one at Canada's Wonderland.
• US travel goes a long way, some people don't feel like they need to leave the country.
• Not a lot of 300-foot roller coasters open, so any new one is an event.
• Universal Orlando continues to score big time, mostly because of the Harry Potter attractions. Jeff is playing Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7.
• Dollywood's Wild Eagle is track complete. Jeff has high hopes for this B&M flavor, particularly with Dollywood's terrain and tree retention.
• Remember what a big deal it was when the first floorless roller coaster opened in 1999?
• Speed won't be a part of the new Sahara, which is a bummer.
• Dippin' Dots files for bankruptcy.
• Jeff is skipping IAAPA this year, but is regretting it, missing people. Hopes to go next year.
• Coney Island has a record year, which has to be good for Zamperla. Will the numbers stay up after a year of newness?
• Occupy is all about the free camping. Occupy Sillynonsense!.
• Welfare dollars appear in Orlando from Missouri. Moral and political debate ensues.
• Disney hitting much higher margins as room rates jump. Jeff researches some packages. The magic of Disney is mostly paying for as much as possible ahead of time.
• When you work from home, every day is pants optional day.
• CoasterBuzz Club is ten years old!
• You can get the latest headlines on CoasterBuzz from the Twitter. Follow us @coasterbuzz. You can also like us on Facebook.
• CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.

Jeff, Carrie and Mike review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• Obligatory excuses about why we haven't had a show in a month and a half.
• As quarterly results come in for amusement park companies, the results just keep getting better and better. So how is it that the economy is allegedly so terrible?
• How did Six Flags realize a 44% boost in profit?
• The national tone toward the economy is so negative. From the tea bag to the occupy movement, no one actually seems interested in innovating or doing anything.
• Carrie talks about perspective: This ain't the Great Depression.
• Where did hamburgers come from?
• Mike is a Disney Kool-Aid® drinking freak.
• Jeff describes his drive back across the country. And his new drill. That thing can screw.
• PETA sues SeaWorld for slavery. The whales are apparently making keychains 20 hours a day for sale in the gift shop.
• Legoland Florida opened, and Jeff wants to go next year. Mike will skip it because his kids are princess freaks.
• Jeff finally understands why Disney has so many parades. His 20-month-old loved the Halloween parade at Cedar Point.
• Does anyone know the total number of boat rides inside the gates of Disney World's four parks?
• The cast is disappointed about the no-duel rule of Dragon Challenge at Universal's Islands of Adventure. Despite the gruesome accident, we hate that it can't just be chalked up to "bad things happen."
• Carrie gives a shout out to the staff of Dorney Park for the VIP tour service.
• Several parks out east have their seasons cut short because of the crazy Nor'easter storm that dumped snow on them.
• You can get the latest headlines on CoasterBuzz from the Twitter. Follow us @coasterbuzz. You can also like us on Facebook.
• CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.

Jeff, Mike and Gonch review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• Jeff gives a trip report for Silverwood, and it isn't very favorable.
• Iron Wolf being retired from Six Flags Great America.
• Zippin Pippin starts doing night rides, city has a huge success on its hands.
• Disney has a damn good quarter.
• So is the economy really as bad as the headlines would lead you to believe? Our bubbles don't indicate that.
• Legoland Florida is doing all of the right things prior to opening the park, now giving teachers annual passes. How did Hard Rock Park miss this boat?
• Off topic: Don't hate the pretties. Take care of yourself. Don't wait until you can't fit in a roller coaster. Jeff tells a Coke story, with extra sugar.
• Six Flags Magic Mountain's Deja Vu moving to Six Flags New England.
• Canada's Wonderland announces Leviathan, a 300+ foot B&M roller coaster. Jeff approves. Enthusiasts whine a little.
• Cedar Point announces fake dinosaur walk-through, retirement of Paddlewheel Excursions. Cedar Point fans are annoyed, especially if they have kids.
• Lightning strike at Discovery Cove sends some people to the hospital.
• Off-topic: Hot tennis players.
• The Fall Affair at Holiday World will be September 17, 2011. The registration deadline is approaching! Also, BooBuzz is Friday, October 7. Get the details!
• You can get the latest headlines on CoasterBuzz from the Twitter. Follow us @coasterbuzz. You can also like us on Facebook.
• CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.