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Best at Twisting and Terrorizing? Audience Decides

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travel channel extreme roller coasters

By Mekado Murphy

  • July 6, 2012

Which roller coaster packs more chills: the one that launches you down the track at 128 miles per hour or the one that sends you up a 310-foot hill with only a lakefront view and your fellow riders’ screams to keep you company?

For the squeamish, either option is terrifying. But for coaster enthusiasts, these are tough questions that sometimes need to be settled in a battle, like the one starting on Sunday with “Insane Coaster Wars,” on the Travel Channel. It pits one twisty thrill machine against another, and, in a kind of “Coaster Idol,” asks its audience to decide the winner.

The channel has featured big drops and fancy loops in various roller coaster shows, but this time it turned to experts, like a physics professor who developed a device to measure riders’ heart rates and the G-forces exerted on a coaster, and Robb Alvey, who has fashioned an entire career out of coaster riding.

Mr. Alvey runs the Web site Theme Park Review , which collects posts about, and photos and videos of, theme parks and coasters all over the world. He also organizes tours to popular parks, for which he and his wife serve as guides and give their guests exclusive ride time on the best coasters. But Mr. Alvey also knows the technical terminology, like zero-G rolls (inversions in which weightlessness occurs), and on the show his function is to explain a coaster’s key elements and analyze how well they are executed.

How did he come to be considered a coaster expert? Speaking by phone from Disneyland Paris, where he was on a tour, Mr. Alvey explained.

“I’ve been working in theme parks pretty much all my life,” he said. “We just started traveling to theme parks for fun when I was in my 20s, and we started our Web site in ’96.”

That led to work with the Travel Channel , supplying serious coaster riders for its shows. “When you’re doing a film shoot, you need people that can ride over and over, because sometimes you’ll do 20 or 30 takes on a coaster, and if you get your average Joe in there, they want to vomit after a couple of rides,” he said, adding that he has been on more than 1,500 rides globally, including all of those in the series.

But Mr. Alvey’s record pales next to that of some fans on the show, like Darlene Bell, who has ridden the 230-foot-tall Diamondback at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, nearly 3,000 times. And as of this week, another fan, Gary Coleman, has ridden Diamondback 7,000 times since it opened in 2009.

The Diamondback falls under Extreme Heights, one of several categories highlighted. Others include G-Force Giants (rides that do the most to push you into — or lift you out of — your seat) and Splintering Speedsters (towering wooden coasters). The winner, determined by viewer vote, is revealed at the end of each episode.

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But first the Travel Channel had to winnow the field to 24 coasters, explained Andy Singer, the network’s general manager. “We did a great deal of research that included interviewing enthusiasts, reading blogs, industry magazines and Web sites,” Mr. Singer said. “And then we were able to pick a cross section of what fan favorites were and the current record holders.”

The network also wanted to go beyond big parks like Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, or the various Six Flags parks. “There’s a coaster in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, called Aftershock , and even though it doesn’t see some of the big numbers the other coasters do, it has a really loyal fan base,” he said.

As coaster technology has developed over the years, so have the methods for capturing the thrills on video. The production crew mounted small high-definition cameras on miniature remote-control helicopters to get shots of some of the coaster’s heights. And cameras were mounted all over the cars to record point-of-view shots, reactions and train speed. Some cameras used a fish-eye lens to cover more of the coasters’ tracks and surrounding environments.

“When we showed footage to some of the parks,” Mr. Singer of the Travel Channel said, “it was the first time they were actually able to see how their coaster technology worked.”

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Top thrill rides compete in Travel Channel’s ‘Insane Coaster Wars’

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The new “Insane Coaster Wars” coming to the Travel Channel this summer lets viewers take a virtual ride on many of the best roller coasters in the United States right from the comfort of their living room couch.

PHOTOS: 24 rides competing in “Insane Coaster Wars”

Premiering at 9 p.m. on July 8, each themed half-hour episode will let viewers vote online for their favorite coasters in six categories: speed, height, G-forces, inversions, wooden coasters and suspended coasters. A one-hour finale on Aug. 12 will count down the top 10 overall vote getters.

Though most of the coasters in the series debuted in the last decade, several hail from the 1990s, with a few from the 1970s and ‘80s. More than half the featured rides rank among the top coasters in the world.

The documentary-style TV show will feature physics, engineering and coaster experts commenting on the rides while footage from point-of-view camera mounts and remote-control helicopter shots play on screen. Riders will wear vests that monitor heart rate and G-forces.

Theme Park Review’s Robb Alvey will serve as the coaster expert for the show with commentary filmed at Cedar Point in Ohio.

“The list of coasters they ended up with certainly covers a lot of ground,” Alvey said. “I don’t think anybody would be disappointed walking away from this collection of rides.”

Alvey has traveled to more than 400 theme parks around the world and ridden 1,486 coasters during tours set up through his Theme Park Review fan website.

Every “Coaster Wars” show will pit four rides against one another in a battle for supremacy in a particular category. The results of already-concluded online voting will be shown at the end of each episode.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the six themed episodes:

“G-Force Giants” (July 8)

All the coasters in the first show come from Swiss-manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, representing four distinct ride styles that each pull more than 4 Gs.

The showdown should be between a pair of Busch Gardens rides: SheiKra in Florida and Apollo’s Chariot in Virginia, both favorites among coaster enthusiasts.

The show’s other two coasters hail from smaller parks: Afterburn at Carowinds and Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

Alvey’s pick to win: SheiKra.

“Hang ‘em High” (July 8, immediately following the premiere episode)

This episode combines suspended, inverted and flying coasters -- all of which hang below the track. Three more B&M; coasters from the SeaWorld chain of parks (which also owns Busch Gardens) represent the main contenders in this category: Manta at SeaWorld Orlando, Montu at Busch Gardens Tampa and Alpengeist at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

The also-ran in this race: Aftershock from Idaho’s Silverwood, a Vekoma Boomerang-style coaster that has fallen out of favor with most enthusiasts but is still beloved by everyday park visitors.

Alvey’s pick: Montu edges out Manta.

“Splintering Speedsters” (July 15)

The wooden coaster category looks like the class of the “Coaster Wars” series, with all four rides ranking in the top 10 of the annual Amusement Business Golden Ticket coaster poll.

The Voyage at Holiday World in Indiana, a Gravity Group-designed hybrid ride with a steel frame, is the reigning No. 1 wooden coaster in the Golden Ticket awards. Former No. 1 Thunderhead at Dollywood in Tennessee is a twister-style ride built by Great Coasters International.

The other two coasters in the category are no slouches either: the air time-heavy El Toro at New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure and The Beast at Ohio’s Kings Island, the longest wooden coaster in the world.

“This is the one category people will be fighting over on the Internet,” Alvey said. “It’s a very interesting mix with lots of different coaster styles and manufacturers.”

Alvey’s pick: El Toro.

“Wrong Way Up” (July 22)

The coasters with the most upside-down inversions all reside overseas, leaving the U.S.-centric “Coaster Wars” with a strange cast of contenders in this category.

Dorney Park’s Hydra the Revenge has an unusual slow-motion inversion right out of the station and Kings Island’s Vortex was the first coaster with six inversions way back into 1987, but neither coaster is on any enthusiast’s must-ride list.

And Wild Eagle feels like the producers wedged the Dollywood ride into this episode when they couldn’t find any other place for the brand new wing coaster in the series. In fact, Medusa, Montu, Afterburn and Alpengeist would have been better contenders in this category.

That leaves Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando. The B&M; floorless coaster with a trio of subterranean dives and seven inversions looks like the best of the bunch by default.

Alvey’s pick: Kraken.

“Extreme Heights” (July 29)

The tallest coaster category probably includes the most impressive collection of steel coasters of any “Coaster Wars” episode.

The episode features a pair of B&M; Mega coasters (Carowinds’ 232-foot-tall Intimidator and Kings Island’s 230-foot-tall Diamondback) as well as an Intamin Giga ( Cedar Point’s 310-foot-tall Millennium Force) that are all known for extreme heights and speeds.

But when it comes to pure numbers, nothing compares to the 456-foot-tall Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure, the world’s tallest roller coaster.

Since all the coasters soar to the relatively rare air of 200-plus feet, Alvey decided to go with his favorite of the world-class group: Millennium Force.

“Millennium Force was built to break height and speed records,” Alvey said. “When Millennium Force opened in 2000, it blew people away. Here we are 12 or 13 years later and it’s still doing the things it set out to do.”

“Speed” (Aug. 5)

Much like the height category, the speed episode comes down to a choice between raw statistics and personal preferences.

The final themed show includes a pair of Intamin Accelerator coasters ( Knott’s Berry Farm’s 82 mph Xcelerator and Cedar Point’s 120 mph Top Thrill Dragster) featuring nearly identical straight-up-and-down “top hat” elements.

Once again, it appears the producers wedged the 77-mph Bizarro into this category to ensure the renowned coaster found a place somewhere in the series. The Six Flags New England ride has been ranked first or second in the Golden Ticket award for the past decade, an impressive accomplishment.

The oddest choice of the entire “Coaster Wars” series goes to Desperado at Buffalo Bill’s Resort and Casino on the California-Nevada border. The 80-mph Arrow Hyper coaster is certainly the most terrifying coaster I’ve ever ridden (due in large part to lax oversight by the ride’s employees), but I’d be hard pressed to put it on any of my “best of” lists.

That leaves us with three coasters in the 75 to 85 mph range and Top Thrill Dragster, which blows away the competition by at least 35 mph.

“It’s hard to do a ride category with extreme height or extreme speed and not include Kingda Ka (128 mph) or Millennium Force (93 mph),” Alvey said.

Alvey’s pick: A tie between Top Thrill Dragster and Xcelerator.

In each instance I agreed with Alvey’s picks, although I would have broken the speed tie in Top Thrill’s favor.

Overall, “Coaster Wars” does a good job of pulling together some of the top coasters in the nation into an engaging, interactive format.

I was disappointed to see Six Flags Magic Mountain shut out of the series, especially since the California amusement park holds the coveted Roller Coaster Capital of the World title with 17 coasters ( and another on the way ).

Alvey would have wanted to see Magic Mountain’s X2 fourth dimension coaster and Kings Dominion’s Intimidator 305 make the cut, blaming park availability and production schedules for the omissions.

Travel Channel promises more coaster-themed shows should “Coaster Wars” draw an enthusiastic audience.

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The Coaster Critic – Roller Coaster & Theme Park Reviews

Roller Coaster Reviews & Theme Park Trip Reports

Insane Coaster Wars Coming to the Travel Channel

Insane Coaster Wars Coming to the Travel Channel

Insane Coaster Wars to Debut this Summer on the Travel Channel

Hydra's Jojo Roll - Dorney Park

Here’s more from the Travel Channel:

From May 7 – June 1, log on to http://www.TravelChannel.com to cast your vote. Tune in to Travel Channel beginning July 8 and watch as coaster experts argue the pros, cons, advantages and weaknesses of each ride, and see which coaster won the most votes for the best in its class. Categories and coasters include: “G-Force Giants” – Medusa (Six Flags – Vallejo, CA), SheiKra (Busch Gardens – Tampa, FL), Afterburn (Carowinds – Fort Mill, SC/Charlotte, NC) and Apollo’s Chariot (Busch Gardens – Williamsburg, VA). Vote online May 7 – 18. Episode premieres July 8. “Hang ‘em High” – Manta (Sea World – Orlando, FL), Montu (Busch Gardens – Tampa, FL) and Alpengeist (Busch Gardens – Williamsburg, VA). Fourth coaster TBD. Vote online May 7 – 18. Episode premieres July 8. “Splintering Speedsters” – Thunderhead (Dollywood – Pigeon Forge, TN) and El Toro (Six Flags – Jackson, NJ). Remaining coasters TBD. Vote online May 14 – May 25. Episode premieres July 15. “Wrong Way Up” – Kraken (Sea World – Orlando, FL), Wild Eagle (Dollywood – Pigeon Forge, TN) and Hydra the Revenge (Dorney Park – Allentown, PA). Fourth coaster TBD. Vote online May 14 – May 25. Episode premieres July 22. “Extreme Heights” – Intimidator (Carowinds – Fort Mill, SC/Charlotte, NC) and Kingda Ka (Six Flags – Jackson, NJ). Remaining coasters TBD. Vote online May 21 – June 1. Episode premieres July 29. “Speed” – Xcelerator (Knott’s Berry Farm – Buena Vista, CA), Bizarro (Six Flags – Agawam, MA) and Desperado (Buffalo Bill’s Resort and Casino – Primm, NV). Fourth coaster TBD. Vote online May 21 – June 1. Episode premieres August 5.

I participated in the filming at Carowinds for Afterburn . So I may make an appearance in the “G-Force Giants” episode. I didn’t really have a good idea of what the show was about at the time so I didn’t know when I was chiming in that I was comparing Afterburn to the other coasters in its category. Mostly I just spoke on g-forces, the sensations that they produce, and what I thought about Afterburn. We’ll see how it turns out in a few months.

Until then, we can start voting on Monday (May 7th) at Travel Channel’s Insane Coaster Wars .

How do you think Insane Coaster Wars sounds? Are you planning on watching it? Leave a comment below. This story was submitted as a (You)Report. Got some news you’d like me to cover on the site? Submit a (You)Report . Image courtesy of CoasterImage .

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Get your coaster fix this year with the 10 best roller coasters across the US

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Best Roller Coaster (2023) May 5, 2023

While theme park rides come in all shapes and sizes these days, nothing beats the adrenaline rush of a well-designed roller coaster. A panel of theme park experts chose 20 coasters, then our readers voted for their favorites. Here are the 10 best roller coasters in the United States.

Emperor

No. 10: Emperor - SeaWorld San Diego

Kingda Ka

No. 9: Kingda Ka - Six Flags Great Adventure

Phantom's Revenge

No. 8: Phantom's Revenge - Kennywood

Goliath

No. 7: Goliath - Six Flags Over Georgia

Skyrush

No. 6: Skyrush - Hersheypark

Steel Vengeance

No. 5: Steel Vengeance - Cedar Point

Iron Gwazi

No. 4: Iron Gwazi - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Titan

No. 3: Titan - Six Flags Over Texas

Phoenix

No. 2: Phoenix - Knoebels

Mako

No. 1: Mako - SeaWorld Orlando

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Featuring the highest, fastest, newest and most cutting-edge coasters on the planet, this is an exciting adventure into coaster mania. Features 'Stealth', 'Goliath', 'Roar', 'California Screamin', 'X', and many more.

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  • Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!

Extreme Terror Rides

By coasterdude5 August 7, 2008 in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!

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Coasterdude5.

It's been a while since there has been a new show on coasters but it looks like a new one is premiering tonight on the Travel Channel.

Catch Extreme Terror Rides tonight at 9:00 eastern.

From the Travel Channel's Website:

Think you've been on some extreme rides? The Travel Channel has the list of some oldies, newbies and some rides not even open to the public yet. Join us, as we get VIP access to America's "Extreme Terror Rides."

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Rct3man777

Popular Days

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Aug 10 2008

thrillgeek

Nice! I've been waiting for a new coaster show to appear. Thanks for telling us about it.

Fate

Thanks for the heads up, it feels like four or five years (maybe a little less) since there's been a new coaster show anywhere. Hopefully it's a good one.

dragsterfan420

dragsterfan420

I'm recording it tonight. It looks like it should be a good show. A couple TPR members are supposed to be on it I think. I know "JoshDavidson" is. (if this is the show I'm thinkin' of)

dragonskeep

Thanks a lot for the info.

Wow, I'm an idiot.

Anyways, I hope its not just like all the other coaster shows. But hopefully it'll have some new rides. The last coaster show I saw on the Travel Channel was from like 2003.

Kennyweird

Thanks, I'll take a look at it.

astroworldfan1

It's starting now!

Just incase you miss it at 9pm eastern time its on again at 10pm eastern. Right after the one at 9.

So far I'm unimpressed. It's just like every other coaster show I've watched.

It seems to be a pretty average show but it's still awesome to see something new! It's weird seeing the Stratosphere coasterless...

It does seem to be a little better. First commercial is on now.

The narrator is a lot better and they have a lot of the same rides (Kingda Ka, MF, Stratosphere rides). But, they do have Fahrenheit!

Oops its coming back on now!

Has feirenheight been on already?

sam06pr

thanks for the info...so far so good...the show lacks some coaster enthusiasts lol

They just showed TTD and MF and now another commercial.

Next up is Bungee Jumping and like a free fall thing which I've seen somewhere else on TPR, just can't remember where.

Rollerman87

Rollerman87

I just set my DVR to record the encore. It may be pretty average (as you guys are saying), but a coaster show is a coaster show

Thanks for the heads up.

And, the last show I watched was the one they had on National Geographic. Super Coasters, I think.

feriegnheigth is next.

OK, upnext is Farenheit and Firehawk.

-Tatum "So far, sorta good"

But I SO wanna do that TErminal Velocity thing.

Friggin' SWEET

Some things bug me like "Kings Island amusement park". Kings Island is a theme park. And, also, it bugs me how they add the word "the" before names of coasters like "The Firehawk".

Haha I bet that guy on Fahrenheit was an Acer!

Anyways, why didn't KI just use the B&M Flyer for Firehawk?

BRTeller

Favorite quote so far, "when you go up on that thingy", for Fahrenheit, lol. Also did you notice he called the Norwegian Loop a barrel roll, the Hershey employee. I've notice a bunch of inaccurate stuff on the show, even from the background voice guy.

All the inaccuracies seem so small, ask yourself, would the general public know any different?

Well I don't expect them to know, most of this was filmed with selected people before the parks opened anyways. When its from the experts, its a little annoying. I just thought that quote was funny from the kid, thats all. Your right though, its just little things. Also isn't Steel Hawg the steepest drop, or are people still considering that a inversion.

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Extreme Terror Rides 2

Related to:.

travel channel extreme roller coasters

Photo by: Troy Kelly

Join the Travel Channel's adrenaline-pumping journey on the world's wettest, fastest and highest thrill rides.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark   Galveston Island, Texas This mega waterpark is home to 4 of the biggest and most death-defying plummets in the world: Thunder Tub, Guada Loopy, Dragon Blaster and Cliffhanger. The Thunder Tub is slide like no other; you'll travel 231 feet of twisting terror at speeds reaching 26 mph. It also contains 3 20-foot drops that will make you catch air -- and your breath. Guada Loopy carries riders and their inner tubes 5 stories up and drops back to ground level via some serious twists and turns.

The Dragon Blaster is the world's first uphill water coaster; it uses 3,000 gallons of water per minute to rocket riders uphill at speeds of 35 mph. What goes up must come down, and riders on the Dragon Blaster plummet 270 feet -- in total darkness.

The steepest and fastest drop that Schlitterbahn has to offer is found on the Cliffhanger. A super-slide that towers at 81-feet high -- that's the height of an 8-story building.

Giant Drop   Coomera, Australia Dreamworld Amusement is home to the tallest freefall in the world, the Giant Drop. Thrill-seekers strap into an 8-person open-air gondola that elevates 390 feet -- that's higher than the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. After the 60-second ascent, the Giant Drop lives up to its name, sending riders into a gut-wrenching freefall at speeds close to 85 mph -- and brakes mere feet from the ground.(( Steel Hawg   Monticello, Indiana The Steel Hawg at the Indiana Beach Resort is the steepest roller coaster drop in the country. The vertical drop measures 111 degrees, 21 degrees past vertical -- meaning that terrified riders are actually falling underneath themselves. Each person strapped into the 4-man cars actually lifts out of his seat during the drop but is held in by serious safety restraints.

Slingshot Orlando, Florida Magical Midway Amusement Park 's Slingshot is the tallest catapult launch on the planet. Brave passengers are flung 400 feet in the air at speeds up to 90 mph -- 25 mph faster than the Florida state speed limit. This ride is a sadistic updating of slingshot rides that operate using bungees; this high-tech thriller features steel cables and an enormous magnet that, when released, catapults you into thin air.

Blue Bayou Water Park   Baton Rouge, Louisiana This Dixie Land waterpark is home to 4 of the biggest water slides on the planet: Racers, Azuka, Voodoo and Conja. Racers pits 8 fearless riders against one another on the world's most slippery speedway; each racer travels headfirst at speeds near 30 mph. The Azuka is the world's tallest tornado ride; 4 riders are dropped from 80 feet above the ground into a 70-foot wide funnel. Here they experience pure weightlessness, swinging like a pendulum back and forth inside the funnel.

The Voodoo careens riders down an 80-foot enclosed tube in total darkness. The tube opens into a 60-foot wide pool, called a Behemothbowl, where adrenaline junkies spin and slosh before being spit back out into daylight.

Blue Bayou's biggest waterslide is the Conja -- the world's tallest and longest incline waterslide (think bobsledding, but on water instead of ice.) The 1,400-foot slide twists and turns, carrying 5-person rafts at speeds reaching 30 mph.

The Voyage   Santa Claus, Indiana Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN, boasts a $6.5-million coaster that creates zero gravity. The Voyage provides a combined 24.2 seconds of total weightlessness each time it completes its 1.2-mile track. Its rapid downward acceleration is so powerful it counteracts the force of gravity making riders feels as if they are floating in midair.

Poseidon's Rage   Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Wisconsin Dells, WI, is home to about 20 different waterparks that altogether boast over 200 water slides. Mt. Olympus Park is home to the country's largest surf pool, Poseidon's Rage, where bathers aren't dropped into the water -- water is dropped on them. The pool is bigger than 10 Olympic swimming pools, holds up to 2 million gallons of water and can hold 1,500 bathers at a time. While other wave pools generate 3- to 4-foot waves, this monster pool features whitecaps measuring 9-feet high.

Sand Master Park   Florence, Oregon Sand Master Park is the first and only place in America where you can sandboard (think snowboarding minus the snow). It features 40 acres of dunes that reach up to 80-feet high; the drops are so steep they send riders rocketing at speeds reaching up to 50 mph.

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IMAGES

  1. 5 Thrilling Roller Coasters Around the World

    travel channel extreme roller coasters

  2. ‘Insane Coaster Wars’ Arrives on the Travel Channel

    travel channel extreme roller coasters

  3. World's Coolest Roller Coasters : TravelChannel.com

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  4. Crazy Roller Coasters : TravelChannel.com

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  5. Our Hosts' Favorite Roller Coasters

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  6. Our Hosts' Favorite Roller Coasters

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VIDEO

  1. Gravity’s Edge

  2. The Scariest Roller Coaster in the World

  3. Extreme Roller Coaster Delivery Service

  4. Just Your Average Family Coaster

  5. Roller Coaster Adventures Volume 2 Ride on more great coasters across America! Scream for Summer!

COMMENTS

  1. Xtreme Screams

    About the Show. Regular people set aside their inner fears to ride the world's most adrenaline-busting attractions. Whether on a roller coaster, zip-line, bungee jump or human catapult, these thrill seekers throw caution to the wind and embrace the euphoric rush. Regular people set aside their inner fears to ride the world's most adrenaline ...

  2. World's Coolest Roller Coasters

    Like the New Texas Giant, Medusa is a hybrid roller coaster that was redesigned from its original all-wood structure to replace the tracks with steel I beams. The end result, once again, blew riders away. This time around, Medusa features an inverting first drop — a first for a ride of its kind — several moments of airtime and 3 inversions ...

  3. Extreme (2009 TV series)

    Extreme is a 2009 television series that aired on the American Travel Channel. The series covered so-called extreme activities that features "the absolute best of what the US of A has to offer—to the total EXTREME". [1] Produced by Sharp Entertainment, the show traveled around the United States to document and showcase various places, events ...

  4. Insane Coaster Wars: World Domination

    Insane Coaster Wars is back, and this time we're taking the world by storm! We're jetting around the world on a quest to find the most terrifying rides full of death defying drops, spine-torqueing twists, and impossible inversions. From the world's fastest roller coaster in Abu Dhabi to Europe's tallest wooden coaster to the world's longest and ...

  5. Insane Coaster Wars

    Insane Coaster Wars is an American television series broadcast by Travel Channel that premiered on July 8, 2012, and has three completed seasons. Each episode is based on a certain roller coaster category and features four coasters per category. Before the series began, Travel Channel announced the four roller coasters in each category and allowed voters to decide which one is the best.

  6. 5 Thrilling Roller Coasters Around the World

    For heart-stopping twists and turns, climb aboard these 5 roller coasters.Subscribe http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=travelchanneltvChec...

  7. 5 Extreme Rollercoasters

    Tag a fellow adrenaline junkie! No. No. No. I almost puked just looking at this. 6y

  8. 'Insane Coaster Wars' Arrives on the Travel Channel

    A teaser for the Travel Channel series "Insane Coaster Wars." But first the Travel Channel had to winnow the field to 24 coasters, explained Andy Singer, the network's general manager. "We did ...

  9. Top thrill rides compete in Travel Channel's 'Insane Coaster Wars'

    The new "Insane Coaster Wars" coming to the Travel Channel this summer lets viewers take a virtual ride on many of the best roller coasters in the United States right from the comfort of their ...

  10. List of Insane Coaster Wars episodes

    Insane Coaster Wars is an American television series broadcast by Travel Channel that premiered on July 8, 2012, and has three completed seasons. Each episode is based on a certain roller coaster category and features four coaster's per category. Before the series began, Travel Channel announced the four roller coasters in each category and allowed voters to decide which one is the best.

  11. June 10 on the 'TRAVEL CHANNEL

    4:00 pm ET. (60 minutes) Ultimate Thrill: Beyond Speed. TV-G, CC. From towering megacoasters to the newest ride innovations, living in the 21st Century is an adrenaline pumping, body-tossing quest for the ultimate rush. Experience the thrill sensation at theme parks across the nation. 5:00 pm ET.

  12. Insane Coaster Wars Coming to the Travel Channel

    Insane Coaster Wars to Debut this Summer on the Travel Channel Summer is almost here, so we can expect to see more theme parks on cable TV again. This year, the Travel Channel is debuting Insane Coaster Wars. The show will pit the country's best roller coasters against each other in 6 different categories. Insane…

  13. [Discussion] Anyone remember watching the shows about theme ...

    I remember Discovery and Travel Channel would sometimes air theme park/roller coaster specials for an entire weekend or even a full week IIRC. I used to tape some of the shows using a VCR and watch them over and over later on. I also used to watch the "America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills" series DVDs over and over as a kid.

  14. 10 best roller coasters in the United States for 2023

    Phoenix - Knoebels. This classic wooden roller coaster at Knoebels proves that newer, taller and faster aren't always better. Phoenix offers panoramic views of the surrounding hills, as well as thrills in the form of a double out and back layout and speeds of 45 miles per hour. Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando.

  15. Amazon.com: Extreme Rollercoasters [DVD] : Movies & TV

    It's a poorly researced supposedly 'independent' guide to the best rollar coasters. However, strangely, only coasters on the west coast are highlighted and even more strange Magic mountain seems to be the center of attention. Some of these coasters look good, but a roller coaster guide that doesn't include Ohio or Florida is at best incomplete.

  16. Extreme Terror Rides

    1.2k. Posted August 7, 2008. It does seem to be a little better. First commercial is on now. The narrator is a lot better and they have a lot of the same rides (Kingda Ka, MF, Stratosphere rides). But, they do have Fahrenheit!

  17. "Extreme Rollercoasters" DVD

    The Madacy Extreme RC DVD has programs that originally aired on The Travel Channel, including 'Coasters of the West.'. The quality is very good, considering it comes from Madacy (a company not known for quality). Some of the coasters included are California Screamin', Goliath, Roar, Stealth, X, and many more. The disc has no special features.

  18. (Discovery Channel) Extreme Rides 2000

    If this doesn't get you excited about going to amusement parks, nothing will.This is my favorite of the Discovery Channel's Extreme Rides/Wild Rides series. ...

  19. Insane Coaster Wars : Shows : TravelChannel.com

    Ride Medusa in Mexico City 01:50. Roller coasters promise a terrifying trip full of death-defying drops, twists and inversions. Insane Coaster Wars travels around the US giving thrill-seekers a taste of the country's most terrifying coasters.

  20. Tommy T's Extreme Roller Coasters

    Front seat POV's of extreme roller coasters, movie rides and real-life re-creations of actual theme park rides. Welcome to my Extreme Roller Coaster Channel! New uploads monthly, so subscribe so ...

  21. Extreme Terror Rides 2

    Brave passengers are flung 400 feet in the air at speeds up to 90 mph -- 25 mph faster than the Florida state speed limit. This ride is a sadistic updating of slingshot rides that operate using bungees; this high-tech thriller features steel cables and an enormous magnet that, when released, catapults you into thin air.