The Coaster101 Podcast

Coaster101
  • 5.0 (42)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Coaster101 has been a source for theme park news, reviews, interviews, engineering breakdowns and more for over 15 years. Now, finally, we've figured out how to record ourselves, and are coming at you in audio form! Follow us on all social media platforms @Coaster101, and visit www.coaster101.com for more. The Coaster101 podcast is property of Coaster101.com, LLC. 

  1. 1D AGO

    Our Wishlist For The New Enchanted Parks

    Some of the biggest industry news in a while dropped late last week, with Six Flags announcing that the chain was selling seven of its parks - Six Flags St. Louis, Worlds of Fun, Valleyfair, Six Flags Great Escape, Michigan's Adventure, La Ronde, and Schlitterbahn Galveston - to EPR Properties, and a majority of the parks would be managed by the new "Enchanted Parks." Enchanted Parks' CEO James Harhi recently gave an interview to the St. Louis Post Dispatch talking about what fans could expect at the park soon to be known as Enchanted Parks' Mid-America, which got us thinking about a wishlist for the other parks involved in the sale.  Andrew is joined by two separate Eric/k's from the Coaster101 - Eric with a C in California, and Erik with a K in Canada, to talk about what we'd all like to see at these seven parks going forward.  You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

    57 min

  2. MAR 2

    Six Flags Qiddiya City with Scott Schaffer & Hunter Hernandez

    Since it was first announced in 2018, the park that would eventually become known as Six Flags Qiddiya City has fascinated theme park fans and coaster enthusiasts around the world. Now that the park is open, we're still fascinated, but we also have the ability to talk to people who have visited the park now that's officially open.  Andrew is joined this week on the podcast by Scott Schaffer (CoasterForce, Upstop Media) and Hunter Hernandez (Theme Park Hunting on YouTube), who visited Six Flags Qiddiya City in early February as part of a wider Middle Eastern theme park trip.  Of course, we talk all things Falcon's Flight - the world's tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster - but also about the rest of the park's roller coasters, attractions, food and more.  We also talk briefly about what it was like to film a POV on Falcon's Flight - watch Scott's POV video filmed for CoasterForce by clicking here!  You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

    1 hr

  3. FEB 24

    No One Funs Like Wild Adventures

    As a theme park fan and coaster enthusiast, Andrew has a few blind spots for parks he's never visited, despite them being located in his greater geographic region. One of those parks is Wild Adventures, located "halfway between Atlanta and Orlando" in Valdosta, GA - a park we wanted to learn more about.  Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the park has a robust lineup of attractions including six coaster credits, more than 300 animals, a water park, and a summer concert series that's bringing some top-name musical acts to south Georgia in 2026.  Andrew is joined by the park's Director of Sales and Marketing Adam Floyd and PR Specialist Asher Raymond to talk all things Wild Adventures. One thing is for sure, No one "Funs" quite like Wild Adventures!  You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

    45 min

  4. FEB 19

    Six Flags Great Adventure's 2027 Coaster and more with Ryan Eldredge

    Several weeks ago, we scheduled podcast recording time with Ryan Eldredge, Six Flags Great Adventure's Regional PR Manager. Ryan's been on the podcast before, talking Iron Menace at Dorney Park, wanted to get him on to talk about his other primary park that falls under his responsibility as PR Manager.  We were going to talk about the park in a pretty general sense - How great The Flash is - 2026 improvements - there are plenty! - the Safari Adventure Park being nominated for a 10Best Award (Vote for them!) for the first time, pretty standard stuff.  Then, yesterday, the park broke the internet when they opened a giant shipping container and unveiled a very purple piece of launch track for their new-for-2027 record breaking launch coaster. So, you know we had to talk about that too, right? Dive in as Ryan talks all things Great Adventure, Content Creation, and yes, that fresh piece of roller coaster track that emerged from a shipping container.  You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmentgrp.com

    50 min

  5. FEB 11

    Creating Themed Entertainment on Land, and at Sea with Justin Mabry

    Theme Park live entertainment is a sector that's only continuing to grow at your favorite parks. From musical acts to "streetmosphere" characters, the idea of "Live E" as it's known to many is becoming a mainstay in the industry, especially post-Covid.  This week, we're joined by one of the intellectual forces behind some of your favorite theme park shows over the year, Justin Mabry of JM Entertainment. With springtime shows like "Brew Beatz" and "Stick(y) Paint" to fall and winter work like "Blade Drummers" and "Four Drummers Drumming," the JM Entertainment team is behind some of your favorite theme park shows, even if you didn't realize it.  We talk the creation of theme park shows, what it's like to work with a park on a specific show, and the challenges of opening a show at sea - which JM Entertainment has done recently for Norwegian Cruise Line!  (A bonus! For 176 episodes, we've had the same theme song for our podcast - masterfully created by the team at JM Entertainment. Justin and team were kind enough to refresh the song and bring it into 2026!) You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JM Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

    35 min

  6. JAN 5

    It's 2026 and Coasters Are...Opening?

    It's officially 2026, and with a new year, comes roller coasters that go from opening "next year" to "this year!"  Eric and Evan join Andrew to discuss some of the new roller coasters opening in North America in 2026 - is it as big of a year as 2025? Overall, probably not! But that doesn't mean that there aren't some incredible coasters opening this year.  From Fast & Furious to Flying Fox and everything in between, it's a primer for all of the new coasters scheduled to open this year. A great time to jump in!  You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JMMD Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

    1h 18m

  7. 12/09/2025

    The Holiday Draft That's Not Really A Draft.

    We're deep in the midst of the 2025 Holiday Season, and with not a lot of news going on - there are a few winter events here and there - we thought it might be fun to have a draft of our favorite holiday "things" at parks - decorations, food, entertainment, ride overlays, etc.  Except, Shane doesn't understand the concept of a draft and sent Eric and Andrew his list before we started recording - so this "draft" episode really turned into a discussion of our favorite holiday moments at the parks.  From the antics of Universal's walk-around Grinch character and discussions of how cold it actually gets in Central Florida to the long-lost traditions Gobbler sandwich at Carowinds' WinterFest and Kings Dominion's "Four Drummers Drumming" show, we encourage you to gather around the fireplace with a warm beverage and listen to three grown men discuss the Christmas season at theme parks. There's even a little "Earl the Squirrel" lore!  You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JMMD Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

    49 min

  8. 12/03/2025

    IAAPA Expo Recap with Jessica Gardner, The Themeparkette

    When you don't get to go to the IAAPA Expo, you're usually stuck following along on social media as all of the new ride vehicles are revealed, news breaks, and other general excitement abounds on the Expo floor.  Luckily, we were able to connect with Jessica Gardner - an actor, audiobook narrator, host of the American Coaster Enthusiasts "Ride with Us" podcast, and above all - theme park fan, probably best known by her online "persona" (which is really just her real personality) - The Themeparkette.  Andrew joins Jessica to talk all things IAAPA Expo, including ride reveals, what news is more shocking between Family Kingdom getting an RMC and Mango's on International Drive getting an S&S coaster, and just how serious Nate Bargatze is about his theme park aspirations.  Follow Jessica on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook at @themeparkette! You can connect with the show by hitting us up on social media @Coaster101: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram. We also have a website, if you're into that sort of thing: www.coaster101.com Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode! And please give us a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps new listeners find us! Find the latest and greatest Coaster101 and theme park-inspired merch at coaster101.com/merch Thanks to JMMD Entertainment for providing our theme song. For more on them, check out jmmusicdesign.com.

    1h 4m
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5
out of 5
42 Ratings

About

Coaster101 has been a source for theme park news, reviews, interviews, engineering breakdowns and more for over 15 years. Now, finally, we've figured out how to record ourselves, and are coming at you in audio form! Follow us on all social media platforms @Coaster101, and visit www.coaster101.com for more. The Coaster101 podcast is property of Coaster101.com, LLC. 

Information

  • Creator
    Coaster101
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    181
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Coaster101, LLC
  • Show Website
    The Coaster101 Podcast

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