Coaster Radio: The Original Theme Park Podcast

Mike Collins and E.B.
  • 4.8 (370)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

A weekly podcast dedicated to theme parks, roller coasters and thrill rides. During each show, we talk about the total theme park experience. We'll have interviews with the people making decisions at your favorite park, reviews and ratings of the newest rides and attractions, discussion about everyday park experiences and chances to win tickets and merchandise from parks around the country!

  1. Rides That Need a Refresh — And Some Wild Ideas for What Could Replace Them

    6d ago

    Rides That Need a Refresh — And Some Wild Ideas for What Could Replace Them

    Internet sleuths just pulled permits for a brand new building in the Dark Universe portal at Epic Universe. Building 1570. Area 680. Listed as a special project. And the building numbers line up with exactly the kind of show building you'd need for a new attraction. Mike and EB have a theory about what it is — and it involves a glass bottom boat, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and an idea that Coaster Radio listeners actually designed in a Real Design Contest years ago. If Universal puts a Coaster Radio t-shirt on one of the bodies in that ride, that's all the confirmation the show needs. Before the speculation though — Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure has been removed from Universal Express. The longest line at Epic Universe is now a standby-only experience, and the people paying for Express Pass are not happy about it. Nate Bargatze wants to build a theme park based on his own life in Nashville and EB has thoughts. And RMC's Wild Moose prototype track has appeared at their Idaho headquarters, with the most interesting theory being that it could go indoors at Kentucky Kingdom in the space that used to hold a Schwarzkopf coaster. Then in the second half — the interactive question that started with Verbolten's new overlay at Busch Gardens Williamsburg produces one of the best listener response segments of the season. Rides that could use a refresh. Listeners suggest Journey to Atlantis, Men in Black Alien Attack, Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom, Flight of Fear, Big Thunder Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, Test Track, and the entire frontier area at Cedar Point. Mike and EB debate each one — and somewhere in the Men in Black discussion, EB invents what might be the greatest unused attraction concept in Universal history. Also — EB is going to Kentucky Kingdom on June 10th, there are collectible pins being considered, and the show closes with a detailed discussion of the 1997 horror film Wishmaster that you absolutely did not see coming. Stay through the Patreon section. You'll understand why.

    58 min
  2. Hot Takes That Will Make Theme Park Fans Lose Their Minds

    May 22

    Hot Takes That Will Make Theme Park Fans Lose Their Minds

    The Hot Take Hoedown is officially here — and the "Sons of Sandusky" are already $150 richer. This week Mike and EB debut their brand new segment featuring the spiciest opinions from around the theme park internet — and then decide whether each one is a genuine hot take, a bad take, or just something EB has been saying for years. Is Iron Gwazi actually better than VelociCoaster? Did Cedar Point peak in 2001? Should Space Mountain at Walt Disney World be permanently retired? Are RMC conversions a net negative for the industry? Was Epcot better before it had roller coasters? EB has thoughts on all of them. Some of them are his own. Before the Hoedown though — Cedar Point's Millennium Force has a seat belt problem and Tony Clark is blaming Intamin. NightFlight Expedition at Dollywood has quietly removed "spring 2026" from its website and now just says "2026." Soarin' Across America has opened at Epcot and it's getting the full Mike and EB treatment — spoiler, the lawn is not that green on the DC Mall. Montezooma's Revenge train has arrived at Knott's Berry Farm but enthusiasts are already upset about the over-the-shoulder restraints. And the Mystical Fountain at Lost Continent says goodbye — though Mike has a CoasterDamus prediction about where it ends up. The Hot Take Hoedown closes with one final take that might be the most genuinely interesting of the night — does consuming too much theme park content rob you of the ability to experience parks with wonder? And is "the price of expertise is the loss of wonder" the new Coaster Radio tagline? One thing is certain. EB wants to wrap up with the theme song. The Sons of Sandusky are standing by.

    1h 1m
  3. Whatcha Gonna Do When Coastermania Runs Wild On You

    May 15

    Whatcha Gonna Do When Coastermania Runs Wild On You

    Every coaster enthusiast has one. A specific ride. A specific day. The moment that turned a casual park visitor into someone who plans vacations around roller coasters, studies manufacturer lineups, and listens to theme park podcasts at 11pm on a Tuesday. This week Mike and EB asked the Coaster Radio community to share theirs — and the response was overwhelming. From Steel Phantom at Kennywood to Dueling Dragons at Islands of Adventure. From Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland at age six to Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 1991. From watching Top Thrill Dragster launch for hours as a child to being forced onto a coaster by an older sibling and never looking back. From Dick Knoebel of Knoebels personally replying to a young fan's handwritten letters to a nine-year-old standing under a flickering chandelier at the Haunted Mansion and thinking "this is what I want to do with my life." Dozens of stories. Dozens of different rides. One common thread — the moment everything changed. But first — Cedar Point tried to cancel Coastermania and replace it with Morning Rush. The Coaster Maniacs responded. Tony Clark listened. And the Hulkster had some thoughts. Brothers, Coastermania is incoming. Also this week — Epic Universe opens Celestial Park to convention goers for the first time ever, giving the world its first look at how the portal system actually works. A bomb threat at Six Flags Magic Mountain delays opening until 12:30pm and nobody can explain why it was called in at 7:45 in the morning. The Family Kingdom Raptor coaster gets pushed to 2027 due to permitting issues. Busch Gardens Tampa files permits for a possible $16.5 million water ride to replace Stanley Falls. And Holiday World launches the most elaborate teaser campaign in park history for the mysterious Town of Boulder Canyon. Plus — a live trip report from Six Flags Great America on opening day, and the show teases something new coming to Coaster Radio very soon. Go read the full listener responses on the Coaster Radio Facebook page. Bring tissues.

    59 min
  4. Universal Horror Unleashed the Disappointment

    May 8

    Universal Horror Unleashed the Disappointment

    They're back. Two weeks off, one terrible cold, and one truly spectacular failure in Las Vegas. Mike and EB return with a packed show — but first, an apology. The Universal Horror Unleashed trip report that was promised at the end of Episode 2114 is not happening. Not because the show didn't go to Las Vegas. Not because Mike didn't convince an entire table of colleagues to pile into taxis at 9pm on a Tuesday. And not because the outside of that abandoned warehouse didn't look absolutely incredible. It's because there's a rule on the Universal Horror Unleashed website. Buried. In small print. That says you cannot enter within two hours of closing. And nobody read it. The security guard was unmoved. The group was turned away. Area 15 was completely deserted. And Mike spent the rest of the evening explaining to his coworkers why they had taken a 10 minute cab ride to stare at a very good looking warehouse. Universal Horror Unleashed will have to wait for another trip. On the bright side — the show has a lot of news to get through. The USA Today 10 Best list is back and EB has officially had enough of it. Mako at number four on the best roller coasters list. Phantom's Revenge at number two. No Fury 325. No VelociCoaster. No Dollywood. No Disney. No Universal. Mike and EB spend considerable time asking whether this list has any business existing at all — and then asking the listeners to vote on whether it should ever return to the show. Also this week — Lost Continent demolition has officially begun at Islands of Adventure. Phantom Theater Opening Nightmare opens at Kings Island and it's getting excellent early reviews. Epic Universe gets its first major financial validation from the Comcast quarterly earnings report. And the teen takeover story continues to escalate with another ICON Park event on May 9th and a Universal CityWalk takeover announced for June 15th. Plus the Coaster Radio mailbag delivers a spectacular Spain trip report from listener Alex — five days, four parks, four zoos, DragonCon, Shambhala, and a Port Aventura Express Pass that was absolutely worth the 19 euros. And somewhere in Las Vegas, a Golden Tiki porthole is calling Mike and EB's names.

    57 min
  5. Something Big Is Coming to Epic Universe's Portals — We Just Don't Know What

    Apr 17

    Something Big Is Coming to Epic Universe's Portals — We Just Don't Know What

    Something strange is happening at the portals of Epic Universe — and Mike and EB saw it coming. Weeks ago, walking out of Isle of Berk, Tom from Louisville spotted three capped utility holes flush in the concrete right at the portal entrance. Nobody knew what they were. This week, Universal installed facial recognition turnstiles in those exact spots. And Universal has said absolutely nothing about why. Mike and EB break down every theory — per-portal tickets, open Celestial Park access like a City Walk, corporate buyouts locking guests out of entire lands for the night, after-hours experiences, and the unexplained pockets of empty retail space in Celestial Park that have never made sense for a fully ticketed theme park. Nobody has the answer yet. But this is the most interesting story in theme parks right now. Also this week — Universal Orlando launches Express Now, an app-based Lightning Lane-style line skip at $25 per ride. Yes, including Yoshi's Adventure. There are layoffs happening across Disney and Six Flags that aren't being reported widely but are affecting people the show knows personally. Six Flags reinstates park presidents at 10 parks — and the list of who made the cut says everything about which parks matter to the new company. The Stolen Kingdom documentary from the makers of Closed for Storm is coming — including the Buzzy animatronic mystery, the most unresolved crime in theme park history. And a new S&S tower ride is going up at Area 15 in Las Vegas. Then in the second half — Mike is 48 hours from boarding a plane to Las Vegas, and he's got a very specific list of things to do at night. Universal Horror Unleashed gets the full breakdown — four haunted houses, small group dispatches for maximum scares, a $49 one-time ticket, and a $20 Fraidy Cat option if you just want the bars and atmosphere. Plus Odyssey Manor, the Golden Tiki, the shrunken head induction ceremony that COVID stole from everyone, and an AI-generated Coaster Radio tiki bar t-shirt from Matt the Archivist that Mike is genuinely considering wearing to the Las Vegas Convention Center. ]Tune in next week for the full trip report.

    39 min

  6. Apr 10

    Project Purple - Will It Be Good?

    It's a shorter show this week but don't let that fool you — there is a lot happening. Project Purple at Six Flags Great Adventure is going vertical fast. Like, suspiciously fast for a ride that isn't supposed to open until 2027. Mike and EB break down what the unofficial animations are showing — a launch into an upside-down stall, spinning cars, a 375-foot spire that wraps the track sideways around the tower, and absolutely zero consensus in the enthusiast community on whether this is going to be incredible or a complete head-scratcher. Nobody is in the middle on this one. Also this week — NBA superstar Kevin Durant has purchased the former Six Flags America land through his investment group 35V. All 500 acres of it. What happens next is anyone's guess, but Mike has an extremely optimistic theory involving saving the Wild One that he fully admits is not going to happen. Canada's Wonderland is getting new track on the Mighty Canadian Minebuster AND recycled trains from Six Flags America's old Vekoma hang and bang for a rebranded ride called the Daredeveler. Cedar Point's beloved 50-year-old Monster flat ride is retiring quietly and nobody is going to notice until it's gone. And Six Flags is officially removing the Zamperla Disk'O coasters from their roller coaster counts, which raises the eternal question — was it ever a roller coaster in the first place? And then EB opens a very special package from Erik and Emma — a collection of Disney's Galactic Star Cruiser memorabilia that you cannot buy anywhere on Earth because the experience no longer exists.

    28 min
  7. We Were Almost Arrested By the Sandusky Police

    Apr 3

    We Were Almost Arrested By the Sandusky Police

    Part two of the Coaster Radio Listener Question Show is here and this one gets personal. Mike and EB answer the question every longtime listener has wanted to ask — what would you tell your 2005 selves knowing what you know now? The answer involves regretting the name, wishing they'd bought Facebook stock, and making friends with Neil Patrick Harris sooner. Standard stuff. Also this week — is the theme park industry past its peak or is the best still ahead? Where does EB rank on CoasterCount.com and how many coasters has Mike actually ridden? Is Isle of Berk actually better than Galaxy's Edge? A listener from the Netherlands gets a complete Six Flags Great Adventure survival guide including EB's legendary every-90-minutes dining plan strategy that may or may not feed your entire group on one meal ticket. And the full story of the Cedar Point meetup where Mike and EB set up a grill in the parking lot, flew a 24-foot flag made of PVC pipe, and had to be talked down by both park security and the Sandusky Police — saved only by the British charm of Matt from Yorkshire. Plus Coaster Boy makes a surprise comeback. The Discovery Channel almost gave Mike and EB a TV show three times and ghosted them every time. And what is the biggest thing Coaster Radio has accomplished in 20 years? Spoiler: 800 episodes, one puppet, and one Neil Patrick Harris.

    53 min
  8. Quitting the Podcast for a Billion Dollars

    Mar 27

    Quitting the Podcast for a Billion Dollars

    You asked. They answered. Sort of. The 2026 Coaster Radio Listener Question Show is here and there are so many questions this year that it's taking at least two episodes — possibly three — to get through them all. This week Mike and EB tackle the big ones: If you could only live in one non-Disney, non-Universal theme park for the rest of your life, which would it be? What five existing attractions would you steal for your own park? Would you move your podcast to the middle of a desert for a billion dollars? And what cool sounding job title would you want at a theme park? Along the way there are strong opinions about concert disappointments, a heated debate about whether Cake deserves to be the worst live act either host has ever seen, a surprisingly deep discussion about animatronic maintenance at regional parks, a quick update on Six Flags Great Adventure's boardwalk glow-up, a reunion of sorts with the Eastern Motors jingle, and a moment where the whole show almost goes completely off the rails trying to figure out the logistics of actually living inside a theme park. Also this week — YouTube shorts are working, Stardust Racers is finally back up and running, and the Coaster Radio app is your secret weapon for road trips to the parks.

    49 min
See All (855)

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
370 Ratings

About

A weekly podcast dedicated to theme parks, roller coasters and thrill rides. During each show, we talk about the total theme park experience. We'll have interviews with the people making decisions at your favorite park, reviews and ratings of the newest rides and attractions, discussion about everyday park experiences and chances to win tickets and merchandise from parks around the country!

Information

You Might Also Like