Hi all,<\/p>\n
\nShort of having a TV guide available, here\\’s the list of dates\/episodes
\nfrom the show.
\nPatience will be required if you wish to see the episode in which my
\nnephew, niece and I participated, as it is the last one being aired!
\nRus
\nTop thrill rides compete in Travel Channel\\’s \\’Insane Coaster Wars\\’ <\/p>\n
Carowind\\’s Intimador will be one of 24 contenders in \\”Insane Coaster Wars\\”
\non the Travel Channel.(Carowinds)
\n\u00b7 <\/p>\n
(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-insane-coaster-wars-travel-channel-06201226-pg,0,4870949.photogallery)
\n\u00b7 _Photos: Photos: 24 rides competing in \\’Insane Coaster Wars\\’_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-insane-coaster-wars-tra
\nvel-channel-06201226-pg,0,4870949.photogallery)
\n\u00b7
\n\u00b7
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-six-flags-magic-mountain-full-throttle-03201207,0,2643870.story)
\n\u00b7 _Six Flags Magic Mountain spills plans for record-setting
\ncoaster_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-six-flags-magic-mountain-full-throttle-03201207,0,2643870.story)
\n\u00b7
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-manta-coaster-seaworld-san-diego-review-05201228,0,1914859.story)
\n\u00b7 _Review: Manta joins new class of themed coasters at SeaWorld_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-manta-coaster-seaworld
\n-san-diego-review-05201228,0,1914859.story)
\n\u00b7
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-superman-ultimate-flight-six-flags-discovery-kingdom-06201206,0,3343210.story)
\n_Bird? Plane? It\\’s Superman coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-superman-ultimate-flight-six
\n-flags-discovery-kingdom-06201206,0,3343210.story)
\n\u00b7
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-cedar-point-wing-coaster-2013-05201231,0,1808130.story)
\n\u00b7 _Cedar Point plans a record-setting winged coaster in 2013_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-cedar-point-wing-coaster-
\n2013-05201231,0,1808130.story)
\n\u00b7
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-wild-eagle-dollywood-coaster-09201113,0,1955551.story)
\n_Wild Eagle winged coaster to debut at Dollywood in 2012_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-wild-eagle-dollywood-coaster-09201113,
\n0,1955551.story)
\nThe new \\”Insane Coaster Wars\\” coming to the _Travel Channel_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/media-industry\/television-industry
\n\/travel-channel-(tv-network)-ORCRP000017532.topic) this summer lets
\nviewers take a virtual ride on many of the best roller coasters in the United
\nStates right from the comfort of their living room couch.
\nPremiering at 9 p.m. on July 8, each themed half-hour episode will let
\nviewers vote online for their favorite coasters in six categories: speed,
\nheight, G-forces, inversions, wooden coasters and suspended coasters. A
\none-hour finale on Aug. 12 will count down the top 10 overall vote getters.
\nThough most of the coasters in the series debuted in the last decade,
\nseveral hail from the 1990s, with a few from the 1970s and \\’80s. More than half
\nthe featured rides rank among the top coasters in the world.
\nThe documentary-style TV show will feature physics, engineering and
\ncoaster experts commenting on the rides while footage from point-of-view camera
\nmounts and remote-control helicopter shots play on screen. Riders will wear
\nvests that monitor heart rate and G-forces.
\nEvery \\”Coaster Wars\\” show will pit four rides against one another in a
\nbattle for supremacy in a particular category. The results of
\n_already-concluded online voting_ (http:\/\/www.travelchannel.com\/i
\nnterests\/family\/articles\/insane-coaster-wars) will be shown at the end of each episode.
\nLet\\’s take a closer look at each of the six themed episodes:
\n\\”G-Force Giants\\” (July 8)
\nAll the coasters in the first show come from Swiss-manufacturer Bolliger &
\n Mabillard, representing four distinct ride styles that each pull more than
\n4 Gs.
\nThe showdown should be between a pair of _Busch Gardens_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/tourism-leisure-industry\/amusement-the
\nme-parks\/busch-gardens-orlando-PLREC000048.topic) rides: SheiKra in
\nFlorida and Apollo\\’s Chariot in Virginia, both favorites among coaster
\nenthusiasts.
\nThe show\\’s other two coasters hail from smaller parks: Afterburn at
\nCarowinds and Medusa at _Six Flags_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/six-flags-inc.-ORCRP013991.topic) Discovery Kingdom.
\n\\”Hang \\’em High\\” (July 8, immediately following the premiere episode)
\nThis episode combines suspended, inverted and flying coasters — all of
\nwhich hang below the track. Three more B&M coasters from the _SeaWorld_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/tourism-leisure-industry\/am
\nusement-theme-parks\/seaworld-PLENT000232.topic) chain of parks (which
\nalso owns Busch Gardens) represent the main contenders in this category: Manta
\nat SeaWorld Orlando, Montu at _Busch Gardens Tampa_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/tourism-leisure-industry\/amusement-theme-par
\nks\/busch-gardens-tampa-PLREC000048110.topic) and Alpengeist at _Busch
\nGardens Williamsburg_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/tourism-leisure-industry\/amusement-theme-parks\/busch-gardens-williamsburg-PLREC
\n000049.topic) .
\nThe also-ran in this race: Aftershock from Idaho\\’s Silverwood, a Vekoma
\n_Boomerang_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/media-industry\/television-industry\/boomerang-(tv-network)-ORCRP000017442.topic) -style
\ncoaster that has fallen out of favor with most enthusiasts but is still
\nbeloved by everyday park visitors.
\n\\”Splintering Speedsters\\” (July 15)
\nThe wooden coaster category looks like the class of the \\”Coaster Wars\\”
\nseries, with all four rides ranking in the top 10 of the annual _Amusement
\nBusiness Golden Ticket_ (http:\/\/www.goldenticketawards.com\/) coaster poll.
\nThe Voyage at Holiday World in Indiana, a Gravity Group-designed hybrid
\nride with a steel frame, is the reigning No. 1 wooden coaster in the Golden
\nTicket awards. Former No. 1 Thunderhead at Dollywood in Tennessee is a
\ntwister-style ride built by Great Coasters International.
\nThe other two coasters in the category are no slouches either: the air
\ntime-heavy El Toro at New Jersey\\’s _Six Flags Great Adventure_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-six-flags-great-adventure-coasters-0
\n7201124-pg,0,6597907.photogallery) and The Beast at Ohio\\’s Kings Island,
\nthe longest wooden coaster in the world.
\n\\”Wrong Way Up\\” (July 22)
\nThe coasters with the most upside-down inversions all reside overseas,
\nleaving the U.S.-centric \\”Coaster Wars\\” with a strange cast of contenders in
\nthis category.
\n_Dorney Park_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/travel\/tourism-leisure\/theme-park-vacations\/dorney-park-wildwater-kingdom-PLREC000061.topic) \\’s Hydra the
\nRevenge has an unusual slow-motion inversion right out of the station and
\nKings Island\\’s Vortex was the first coaster with six inversions way back
\ninto 1987, but neither coaster is on any enthusiast\\’s must-ride list.
\nAnd _Wild Eagle_
\n(http:\/\/articles.latimes.com\/2011\/sep\/12\/news\/la-trb-wild-eagle-dollywood-coaster-09201113) feels like the producers wedged the
\nDollywood ride into this episode when they couldn\\’t find any other place for
\nthe brand new wing coaster in the series. In fact, Medusa, Montu, Afterburn
\nand Alpengeist would have been better contenders in this category.
\nThat leaves Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando. The B&M floorless coaster with a
\ntrio of subterranean dives and seven inversions looks like the best of the
\nbunch by default.
\n\\”Extreme Heights\\” (July 29)
\nThe tallest coaster category probably includes the most impressive
\ncollection of steel coasters of any \\”Coaster Wars\\” episode.
\nThe episode features a pair of B&M Mega coasters (Carowinds\\’ 232-foot-tall
\n Intimidator and Kings Island\\’s 230-foot-tall Diamondback) as well as an
\nIntamin Giga (_Cedar Point\\’s_
\n(http:\/\/articles.latimes.com\/2012\/may\/31\/news\/la-trb-cedar-point-wing-coaster-2013-05201231) 310-foot-tall Millennium
\nForce) that are all known for extreme heights and speeds.
\nBut when it comes to pure numbers, nothing compares to the 456-foot-tall
\nKingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure, the world\\’s tallest roller coaster.
\n\\”Speed\\” (Aug. 5)
\nMuch like the height category, the speed episode comes down to a choice
\nbetween raw statistics and personal preferences.
\nThe final themed show includes a pair of Intamin Accelerator coasters
\n(_Knott\\’s Berry Farm\\’s_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/deals\/themeparks\/la-trb-knotts-windseeker-photos-06201113-pg,0,3889482.photogallery) 82 mph
\nXcelerator and Cedar Point\\’s 120 mph Top Thrill Dragster) featuring nearly
\nidentical straight-up-and-down \\”top hat\\” elements.
\nOnce again, it appears the producers wedged the 77-mph Bizarro into this
\ncategory to ensure the renowned coaster found a place somewhere in the
\nseries. The _Six Flags New England_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/tourism-leisure-industry\/amusement-theme-parks\/six-flags-new-engl
\nand-HPR7.topic) ride has been ranked first or second in the Golden Ticket
\naward for the past decade, an impressive accomplishment.
\nThe oddest choice of the entire \\”Coaster Wars\\” series goes to Desperado at
\nBuffalo Bill\\’s Resort and Casino on the California-Nevada border. The
\n80-mph Arrow Hyper coaster is certainly the most terrifying coaster I\\’ve ever
\nridden (due in large part to lax oversight by the ride\\’s employees), but I\\’d
\nbe hard pressed to put it on any of my \\”best of\\” lists.
\nThat leaves us with three coasters in the 75 to 85 mph range and Top
\nThrill Dragster, which blows away the competition by at least 35 mph.
\nOverall, \\”Coaster Wars\\” does a good job of pulling together some of the
\ntop coasters in the nation into an engaging, interactive format.
\nI was disappointed to see Six Flags _Magic_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/sports\/basketball\/orlando-magic-ORSPT000208.topic) Mountain shut out of
\nthe series, especially since the California amusement park holds the coveted
\nRoller Coaster Capital of the World title with 17 coasters (_and another on
\nthe way_
\n(http:\/\/articles.latimes.com\/2012\/mar\/07\/news\/la-trb-six-flags-magic-mountain-full-throttle-03201207) ).
\nIt would have been nice to see Magic Mountain\\’s X2 fourth dimension
\ncoaster and _Kings Dominion_
\n(http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/topic\/economy-business-finance\/tourism-leisure-industry\/amusement-theme-parks\/kings-dominion-PLREC000074
\n.topic) \\’s Intimidator 305 make the cut, but park availability and
\nproduction schedules are to blame for the omissions.
\nTravel Channel promises more coaster-themed shows should \\”Coaster Wars\\”
\ndraw an enthusiastic audience. <\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi all, Short of having a TV guide available, here\\’s the list of dates\/episodes from the show. Patience will be required if you wish to see the episode in which my nephew, niece and I participated, as it is the last one being aired! Rus Top thrill rides compete in Travel Channel\\’s \\’Insane Coaster Wars\\’ read more