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Welcome to Cabin Crew Coaster Kings, californiacoasterkings.com‘s nomadic evil twin.
For previous Trip Reports ranging from parks across the Pacific to parks on the other side of the Atlantic, visit the original blog: Thrillography
Silverwood – Home to a Deja Vu: Aftershock
Sean: Six Flags Magic Mountain’s now relocated roller coasters Deja Vu was one of my all-time favorite coasters. The Vekoma Giant Inverted Boomerang, the particular type of coaster, was plagued with maintenance and operational downtime which led to the relocation of the ride from Six Flags Magic Mountain to Six Flags New England in 2011, where it opened as Goliath in for the 2012 season. – Fast forward to 2018, it was time for us to check out the last remaining Giant Inverted Boomerang in the United States to run the original Vekoma trains. Thus we made the pilgrimage to Silverwood in Idaho. Home to a Deja Vu named Aftershock. Continue reading…
10 Coasters That Should Be RMC’d (And 10 That Shouldn’t)
Alexander: Here at Coaster Kings, we like to fantasize about how things could be. We like imagining how things could be better (or at least different), especially when it comes to coaster performance. By now, pretty much every enthusiast has had a “this needs to be RMC’d” moment when riding a wooden coaster that isn’t what it could be, but in the wake of a bakers dozen Rocky Mountain Coasters Iron Horse projects since 2011’s game-changing New Texas Giant, the conversation has changed. Continue reading…
Lagoon – Utah’s Coaster Oasis
Alexander: For a fun 1-day trip from Southern California, Sean and I decided to pay a visit to Salt Lake City’s Lagoon Amusement Park – “The Country’s Largest Family-Owned Amusement Park”! It’s been less than 2 years since my last visit to Lagoon, but much has changed already! Let’s go see! Continue reading…
Top 50 Coaster States!
Alexander: Since we love lists, we thought it was time for something a little different: a ranking of all 50 States, in order of coaster quality. Quality is key, here; it would be very easy to just list states based on # of coasters, but that wouldn’t be very interesting. We’ve compiled our countdown based on a comprehensive look at each state and its coasters, carefully scrutinizing each one down to every possible comparison. We know which states have more or less; today we consider which are best. Continue reading…
Our First Trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Sean: I am going to say it right off the bat, I am absolutely in love with the country’s two Busch Gardens parks. After dying over how amazing Busch Gardens Tampa was, I am now back to share with you all my fascination with the smaller, higher-detailed Busch Gardens Europe, a.k.a Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Continue reading…
Nickelodeon Universe Update
Alexander: Another day, another visit to Mall of America while on call for work. Let’s check in on Nickelodeon Universe, shall we? Continue reading…
Six Flags America
Alexander: Welcome all to Cabin Crew Coaster Kings’ coverage of the American Coaster Enthusiasts’ annual roller coaster convention, Coaster Con! It’s ACE’s 40th Anniversary, so the convention is being hosted where the club began: Virginia (Six Flags America is also part of the itinerary, located in nearby Maryland). After picking up our registration packets and reuniting with some of the hundreds of folks I’ve been riding coasters with the last several years, we set out for Six Flags America. Continue reading…
Kickin’ it @ Kennywood
Alexander: Another day, another coaster-laden layover! This time it’s Pittsburgh and beautiful Kennywood Park! Continue reading…
Valleyfairowinds
Sean: This week we ventured to yet another few parks around the country. On some quick layovers we hit up two Cedar Fair parks. Valleyfair! was a new park for me, as where Carowinds was a much appreciated re-visit. Both visits took place within 24 hrs of each other, so why not create one report? Continue reading…
LOLiday World
Alexander: Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana is an iconic brand in the American theme park landscape, famous for its friendly staff, spotless midways, excellent value, enormous water park, and stellar collection of modern wooden coasters. Holiday World’s reputation is often louder than the park itself; the moves they make at this point are often not as boisterous as the enthusiast communities’ response to them. Everything – from management conflict to new rides – has been hotly discussed over the last 15+ years or so, and whether one’s opinion is positive or negative, it goes without saying that opinions of Holiday World are often strong ones. Continue reading…
Cabin Crew Coaster KINGS ISLAND
Sean: Summer is almost here and that means theme-park season has begun! We have made quite some trips around the globe already this year, but there is no better time than Spring to explore some of the United States’ best parks. In this Cabin Crew Coaster Kings report, I’ll be sharing my first time experience at Kings Island. Continue reading…
Avonturenpark Hellendoorn
Alexander: When work sends you to Nederlands on 3hrs notice, what do you do? You go to a theme park, of course! Avonturenpark Hellendoorn is a park that Sean and I wanted to hit on our Europe trip, but there just wasn’t enough time! Lucky for me, the opportunity to visit came less than a month later! Continue reading…
Disneyland Paris Resort
Alexander: After a trip of wins, we finally took a loss on the final parks of our Europe tour, Disneyland Park Paris and Walt Disney Studios. While Efteling, Walibi, De Warbeek, Slagharen, Movie Park, and Phantasialand (swoon) all shattered expectations, Disneyland Paris Resort showed us why it’s the weakest link in Disney’s 6-link chain. Continue reading…
SLAGHAREN!
Alexander: Hello again, peeps! The shortest update of our Europe visit is Attractiepark Slagharen. We only spent an hour and a half at this little park (the rest of the day was spent at Movie Park Germany), but what a gem this place is! Continue reading…
Nickelodeon Universe Update: Jimmy Neutron GONE!
Alexander: Hey peeps! It’s been a minute since we’ve paid a visit to one of our favorite indoor theme parks, Nickelodeon Universe. There’s been some big changes, so we thought we’d clue everyone in on what’s new! Continue reading…
Lowkey Wannabe @ Walibi
Alexander: What’s shakin, peeps? Who’s ready for the drug trip of a lifetime??Today we’re at Walibi Holland to score some serotonin; there’s no better place than this, the greater Amsterdam area’s primary regional park, to scrounge up goods of this nature. Walibi is ready for us, but are you? Continue reading…
A Look at Shanghai Disneyland
Sean: As you may know we visited Shanghai Disneyland a few weeks back, and we had an absolutely amazing time. Instead of a trip report, I decided to make it a bit more structural and discuss each of the 5 themed lands at Shanghai Disneyland, their attractions, and my thoughts on them! Continue reading…
The World is not Good Enough for TRON: Lightcycle Power Run, but Walt Disney World Might Be.
Sean: It has been a few weeks since I traveled across the globe in search for an exciting roller coaster that not many people have had the chance to ride, but that everyone is already obsessed with. My travels took me to Shanghai Disneyland, which is home to TRON: Lightcycle Power Run. Perhaps the best coaster Disney has ever opened. Continue reading…
Shanghai Disneyland in the Snow
Alexander: Ni hao! Welcome to a very special Disney update! Those of you who follow us on social media may be aware of a little Shanghai, China trip we took at the end of last month.
We were treated to some very special weather conditions on our visit. The first day had some valuable hours of sun before turning overcast at noon; that evening, snow flurries materialized. The next day, by the time we were back at Shanghai Disney, big fluffy snowflakes came down in profusion! Continue reading…
Nascar SpeedPark Trip Report
Alexander: Following our ideal Dollywood day, Sean and I popped over to nearby NASCAR Speed Park so that Sean could get a ride on the park’s resident coaster, Speedway Drift. NASCAR Speed Park was so kind to host us during our visit (especially since it’s a very expensive coaster credit), but we have some concerns about the park’s future. We hope that, if nothing else, their good customer service can keep them afloat. Continue reading…
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas 2017
Alexander: If you ask me, to two best places to be during the holidays are Disney or Dollywood. On the heels of our Disneyland visit last month, we now bring you some December coastering courtesy of Dolly! Continue reading…
Six Flags St. Louis Freeze-tacular
Alexander: Who’s ready for another layover adventure?? This time my work brings me to St. Louis, where Sean and I were able to enjoy what is arguably the most underrated Six Flags park. Coaster wind-chill was below freezing, but that didn’t stop us from having a Freeze-tacular Six Flags day! Continue reading…
Como Town and Daytona Beach – CCCK
Alexander: Being a flight attendant has many perks, not the least of which is getting paid to go places that happen to have roller coasters nearby! My recent layovers to Minneapolis and Daytona Beach were fruitful in the credit department. Two new parks, two new coasters! Continue reading…
Small Parks of NorCal – CCK and CCCK Take NorCal!
Alexander: Who’s ready for a whirlwind tour of the tiny parks of Northern California?? There’s so much personality and charm tucked away in these little spots; some of them we hadn’t even heard of before we planned this trip, but we’re so glad we took the time to visit each one! Continue reading…
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – CCK and CCCK Take NorCal!
Alexander: Hey peeps! I know it’s been a while since Pt. 1 of this series (we wanted to get our California’s Great America report live while it was still topical), but the rest of our NorCal adventure should be going live here this week! Let’s continue with a visit to this years Golden Ticket Award winner for best Seaside Park: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Continue reading…
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom – CCK and CCCK Take NorCal!
Sean: In this mix of our Northeast trip reports of some of the continent’s best theme parks and our NorCal trip to hit every coaster in the state of California, we now launch our report of our Six Flags Discovery Kingdom late-summer visit a few days back! The park was a bit of a struggle in the past season or two, but we had a wonderful time! Continue reading…
California’s Great America – CCK and CCCK Take NorCal!
Sean: In this mix of our Northeast trip reports of some of the continent’s best theme parks and our NorCal trip to hit every coaster in the state of California, we now launch our report of our Six Flags Discovery Kingdom late-summer visit a few days back! The park was a bit of a struggle in the past season or two, but we had a wonderful time! Continue reading…
Canada’s Wonderland – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Alexander: We’ve got a BIG one today, folks. One of the world’s largest regional parks is our oyster today: it’s Canada’s Wonderland! It’s a Saturday, but we have guidance from locals and FastLanePlus! Let’s see how this 15-credit-saga unfolds. Continue reading…
Darien Lake and Fantasy Island – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Alexander: It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the parks of Buffalo, NY. (Just kidding. No it doesn’t). With oddball regional parks, you roll the dice. Sometimes you win (Seabreeze), sometimes you lose (Dorney Park), and sometimes the dice spontaneously catch fire and explode (Buffalo Parks). Continue reading…
Seabreeze – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Alexander: The adventures continue with state #3 of the trip: up-state New York, in the lovely northern tip of Rochester, home to Seabreeze Amusement Park! This classic coaster gem is a must-see for any coaster historian. Half of their roller coasters sport very unique and significant historic designations! Continue reading…
Dutch Wonderland – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Alexander: Welcome back, peeps! Everyone knows the East PA Big Three (we sincerely hope you enjoyed Sean’s coverage of these amazing major parks), but there’s more to East PA than KnoeDornShey. Today we’re taking a look at an often overlooked but totally wonderful little park, Dutch Wonderland! Continue reading…
Hersheypark – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Sean: Time for park 4 on our trip around the Northeast! Perhaps my favorite regional park I’ve ever visited, though it may very well be considered a destination park… HERSHEYPARK! I had expectations, quite a few of them, and they were all exceeded. What a fun park with an abnormally solid lineup of coasters that are all unique in their own way! Let’s venture to the ‘sweetest place on earth’! Continue reading…
Dorney Park – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Sean: The third park on our 10-park tour was the Cedar Fair property with three inverted coasters! (Sadly Possessed was closed all day). This regional amusement park was nothing to write home about… but it DOES have a very fun collection of rides we hold very dear, including Stinger and Demon Drop! Let’s find out what else makes this park so unique! Continue reading…
Knoebels – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Sean: The second park on our 10-park tour was the classic Knoebels Amusement Park and Resort located in Elysburg, Pennsylvania! This hidden pay-per-ride park has some of the world’s best classic rides and wooden roller coasters, including the infamous Flying Turns! Continue reading…
Adventure Park U.S.A. – CCK and CCCK Take the Northeast!
Welcome to California Coaster Kings & Cabin Crew Coaster Kings‘ latest adventure: An American Northeast trip through Maryland, East Pennsylvania, Up-state New York, and Ontario, Canada! We’ve got 10 parks and 60+ coasters to enjoy, so let’s get started with Adventure Park U.S.A.! Continue reading…
Let’s Dillydally at Valleyfair!
Alexander: Who puts the fair in Cedar Fair? Who has flair that’s beyond compare? Who has some areas that are… a little bit bare? (and be that as it may, I don’t really care). It’s Valleyfair in Shakopee Minnesota, just outside of Minneapolis / St. Paul! Continue Reading…
Carousel Gardens, New Orleans
Alexander: Sometimes work brings me within reach of some unexpected roller coasters. Some may be more notable (Schwarzkopf in Moscow) than others, but hey; a credit’s a credit. This time, work roulette has landed me in one of the county’s most notable cultural centers: New Orleans! While this vibrant city once played host to an amazing major amusement park or two, these days a charming kiddie park is what makes up NOLA’s roller coaster presence. Continue Reading…
Coaster Con XL Hangover (part IV) – Six Flags Over Texas!
Alexander: A week after Coaster Con XL concluded, I was still craving some Texas thrills! I didn’t have time to visit Texas’s cardinal theme park on my con visit, but shortly after going back to work I decided to make some time and run down to Dallas for a visit! Continue Reading…
SeaWorld San Antonio – Coaster Con XL – Part III
Alexander: Welcome to the third and final installment of CCCK’s Coaster Con coverage, featuring Sea World San Antonio! SeaWorld is technically the 2nd park of Con, but since we hit ZDT’s early, it’s the third of three parks in our report. Let’s get wet, shall we? Continue Reading…
ZDT’s – Coaster Con XL – Part II
Alexander: Welcome to our next host park for Coaster Con XL: ZDT’s Amusement Park! Technically this is the 3rd and final park of the tour, but a lot of ACErs went a little early to get some extra time with the park. You see, ZDT’s is very small. With 450 people in attendance, there’s no telling how long the line might get for the park’s signature attraction, Switchback, during ERT! So naturally, lots of ACErs hopped over to ZDT before and after the official ACE visit to make sure they got plenty of rides on this amazing coaster! Continue Reading…
Six Flags Fiesta Texas – Coaster Con XL – Part I
Alexander: It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The dog days of summer are here! And nothing says “summer” like the annual ACE Coaster Con! It’s a big one this year, too: Coaster Con XL! (Coaster Con 40). Since everything’s bigger in Texas, what better place to play host than one of North America’s most bustling regional entertainment playgrounds: San Antonio! Continue Reading…
A Roller Coaster in Russia
Alexander: ??????! (that means “hello” in Russian). Welcome to my 24-hour whirlwind tour of Moscow! Here at Cabin Crew Coaster Kings, we often find ourselves unlikely and interesting places. Sometimes, completely out of the blue, we end up somewhere truly amazing. Continue Reading…
Dollywood Lightning Rod Run!
Alexander: It’s always a good day when you’re at Dollywood, even when Lightning Rod is closed or threatens to be closed. The event may be “Lightning Rod Run”, but whether Lighting Rod runs or not, this is one of the most beloved ACE regional events of the year. Continue Reading…
Six Flags Over Georgia – ACE Preservation Con 2017
Alexander: Our Preservation Conference continued to the final host park, Six Flags Over Georgia, and with it came more than a little rainfall. It was simply too wet to have the camera out until after dinner, which took place in the picnic grove behind Blue Hawk. Continue Reading…
Lake Winnie – ACE Preservation Con 2017
Alexander: The American Southeast is full of amusement park gems. From Alabama Splash Adventure we jump to Lake Winnepesaukah near Chattanooga (but technically in Georgia) to enjoy some really special vintage rides and a few modern ones! Continue Reading…
Alabama Splash Adventure – ACE Preservation Con 2017
Alexander: The American Southeast is full of amusement park gems. From Alabama Splash Adventure we jump to Lake Winnepesaukah near Chattanooga (but technically in Georgia) to enjoy some really special vintage rides and a few modern ones! Continue Reading…
La Feria Chapultepec Mágico + Perimágico — ACE South of the Border
Alexander: Today is the last day of the ACE South of the Border tour. But we still have an amazing last day of Mexicoasters! We have our highly-anticipated day at La Feria Chapultepec Mágico with a bonus visit to a surprisingly great indoor kiddie park, Perimágico! Continue Reading…
Six Flags Mexico – ACE South of the Border
Alexander: Who here’s ready for a “Six Flags Day”? (consider carefully before answering). Today we’re visiting what was — for a lot of ACE South of the Border attendees — the sole remaining SixFlags park to check off their lists: Six Flags Mexico. Continue Reading…
Teotihuacán + La Feria Chapultepec Mágico — ACE South of the Border
Alexander: ¡Hola! I hope everyone had a great Cinco de Mayo! Not ready for the Mexican merriment to end? You’ve come to the right place! Continue Reading…
Selva Magica – ACE South of the Border
Alexander: ¡Buenos Dias! Welcome back to CCCK’s ACE South of the Border coverage! Today things kick into high-gear with one of Mexico’s most sought-after roller coaster destinations: Guadalajara’s Selva Mágica! Continue Reading…
Parque Plaza Sesamo – ACE South of the Border
“Sunny day! Sweeping the clouds away!” “On my way to where the air is sweet!” “Can you tell me how to get – how to get to Sesame Street?!” Alexander: As it turns out, Sesame Street is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Bosque Mágico! Our next park on the ACE South of the Border tour is Parque Plaza Sesamo! Continue Reading…
Bosque Magico – ACE South of the Border
Alexander: Welcome to Cabin Crew Coaster King’s maiden voyage! The American Coaster Enthusiast’s South of the Border Tour! I have been a member of ACE since 2000. With their help (and the help of my enabling family) I’ve racked up over 750 coasters since I first began riding in 1994. Many of CCCK’s adventures will be with the amazing people I’ve met through ACE, and in the case of our first adventure, over 100 ACErs are here to party in Mexico! Continue Reading…
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