Top 3 Most Common Roller Coaster Name Themes
For this edition of Top 3 Thursdays I thought I’d take a look at the most common roller coaster names. Instead of trying to find the specific roller coaster names, I figured naming themes would be a bit easier. I perused the indispensable Roller Coaster Database until I came up with a handful of common namethemes. I’m sure that there are a few others. If you can think of any, fe...[Read More]
Top 3 Day Jobs for Roller Coaster Enthusiasts
If you’re a coaster enthusiast then you’re probably always planning your next trip and thinking about what new roller coasters you hope to ride. And, if you’ve entered the workforce full-time you’ve realized that work seems to be getting in the way of your theme park plans. Paid time off is limited and sometimes weekends aren’t long enough for a full-fledged theme par...[Read More]
Top 3 Halloween Theme Park Events | Top 3 Thursdays
Every year theme parks seem to be ramping up their Halloween events. In the past decade they’ve proved to be new streams of revenue while attendance starts to wane as cooler weather moves in. This edition of Top 3 Thursdays will list the Top 3 Theme Park Events according to the popular travel blog Gadling’s article: Top Ten Halloween Theme Park Events 3 – Mickey’s Not-So-Sc...[Read More]
Top 3 States for Roller Coasters
In a potentially controversial edition of Top 3 Thursdays, I’m going to share my Top 3 States for Roller Coasters. Instead of a top three ranking, I’m going to list the the three states and explain why. Here’s the list in no particular order: Pennsylvania – Quantity, Variety, & History Pennsylvania is the roller coaster mecca in my opinion. There’s a lot of histor...[Read More]
Top 3 Arrow Design Failures
For this week’s Top 3 Thursday, Aric Davis takes a look at Arrow’s three biggest design failures. Prepare for an entertaining history lesson. Give just about any historical subject a long look in the rearview mirror, and you’re going to see some ugliness. Some things are worse than others of course, but for every VHS player, there is a Video Disc unit, clinging to the unfortunate shado...[Read More]
Top 3 Theme Park Foods
Everyone knows that theme park food is expensive, terrible tasting and terrible for you. For the most part, those assumptions are all too true. Yet after much diligent research-read, being a pig-I have uncovered three food items that actually are worth the money, even if most of them are still pretty terrible for you. Now then, before anybody gets all huffy, these are subjective reviews, based on ...[Read More]
Top 3 Most Underrated Wooden Roller Coasters
After my post last December on the most overrated roller coasters, a visitor asked me to write the opposite. A post about the most underrated roller coasters. For this week’s Top 3 Thursdays, I will be covering the unsung heroes of the wooden coaster world. Here they are in no particular order: Hellcat (Formerly Avalanche) at Timber Falls Adventure Park (Wisconsin Dells, WI) For a such a dim...[Read More]
Top 3 Stand Up Roller Coasters
No, this is not an April Fool’s joke. There are (exactly) three Top Stand Up Roller Coasters in the latest edition of Top 3 Thursdays. After a reader requested I do a Top 3 Stand Up Coasters list for Top 3 Thursdays I thought to myself that I must have done one already. I hadn’t, and then I remembered why. There aren’t many stand up coasters and most of them are pretty bad or at ...[Read More]
Top 3 Theme Park Souvenirs
No trip to a theme park is complete without that trip to the souvenir shop on the way out. You’ve got to pick something up that will remind of your great day at the park. How about a t-shirt reminding you that you survived The Beast or a stuffed animal to take the place of the one that you couldn’t win. Here are my Top 3 Theme Park Souvenirs in no particular order: Shot Glasses I have ...[Read More]
Top 3 Urban Roller Coasters
If you ask me every major city should have its own roller coaster. Right there in the middle of downtown. It could be managed and maintained by the parks and recreation department of the local government. Imagine a unique, thrilling roller coaster in Chicago’s Grant Park, New York’s Central Park, or Atlanta’s Centennial Park. Until I’m elected mayor of a city or I get Obama...[Read More]
Top 3 New International Coasters for 2009
There are some really cool roller coasters opening around the World this year. I’ve already written about the new speed champ Ring°Racer and Great Britain’s horrifically steep Saw – The Ride so this week I’m counting down three more International Coasters opening in 2009. El Toro at Freizeitpark Plohn – Germany This El Toro, not to be confused with Great AdventureR...[Read More]
Top 3 New Water Rides for 2009
As the weather gets warmer, people will be looking for ways to cool off. At an amusement park, there’s no better way to stay cool than a thrilling, drenching water ride. This week’s Top 3 will list the top new water rides opening in 2009. The list is no particular order. Buccaneer Battle at Six Flags Great America – An Action-Packed Water Battle Six Flags Great America (near Chi...[Read More]