4. Premier Rides

Though it’s altogether a smaller manufacturer than either B&M or Intamin, Premier Rides is nonetheless a powerhouse in innovation. Known for their work on linear induction motor (LIM) and linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches, Premier was the first to use electromagnetism to power contact-free acceleration (versus cable-based winches, which – by being subject to friction – are less reliable and require more repair and replacement). 

The distinctive “hum” and vibration of Premier’s launches can be felt on the three Backlot Stunt Coasters at Cedar Fair parks, Six Flags’ Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast, Magic Mountain’s Full Throttle, and SeaWorld Orlando’s new Ice Breaker. The company’s Sky Rocket II model has also become a hit thanks to its attractive silhouette and its small footprint, having been duplicated 10 times (including Tempesto [above], Tigris,  and Electric Eel at the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens parks). 

But of course, Premier’s most high profile installation is probably the three versions of Revenge of the Mummy operating at Universal Parks, which all use embedded LIMs to slowly advance trains through a dark ride section before launching them into a convoluted coaster.

The First Premier: The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear (1996)

Location: Kings Island & Kings Dominion

In 1996, two Paramount Parks – Kings Island in Ohio and Kings Dominion in Virginia – both launched copies of a new ride called The Outer Limits – Flight of Fear. Themed to the Twilight Zone-esque CBS show The Outer Limits, these twin coasters were entirely enclosed, inviting guests onto a government base where a highly-guarded “Bureau of Paranormal Activity” hangar was opened to the press (that’s us). Aliens, it turns out, are real… and by stepping aboard their full-sized saucer, we were invited to strap in and launch into the infinite darkness and colorful madness of… The Outer Limits.

Okay, okay, actually, the two Flights of Fear are incredible rides, both in that their theming far exceeds what you’d expect for a seasonal, regional park, and because the 54mph launch into darkness emerges in a “spaghetti bowl” of chaotic, intertwined track that looks absolutely incredible from within, all lit by multi-colored floodlights in the dark. For the first several seconds of Flight of Fear, you genuinely can’t tell if you’re upside down or rightside up. Luckily, it’s easy to see what the ride has in store since Six Flags bought two of its own and placed them outdoors instead of enclosing them, so spoiler alert! What a first coaster! 

(Also worth noting: in the time-honored tradition of coaster manufacturers, competitor Vekoma – Disney’s go-to manufacturer – decided that they’d offer their own version of Premier’s “spaghetti-bowl” launch coaster. Disney bought two and likewise enclosed them, and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coasters were born. And just as had happened with Flight of Fear, Six Flags bought a copy of Vekoma’s version and built it outdoors, so if you’ve ever wondered what Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster would look like without the box, here you go!) 

5. Great Coaster International (GCI)

Great Coasters International – GCI – is one of several modern companies still focusing on wooden coasters. That’s a good thing! Remember that before Matterhorn, all coasters were wooden coasters, and hundreds and hundreds of incredible, historic wooden coasters remain as landmarks today. But GCI isn’t interested in building more old-timey rides. Instead, they’re known for wonderful, terrain-hugging, slaloming, low-to-the-ground layouts packed with slick turns, lateral Gs, hopping trains, and relentless speed.

Almost uniformly, GCIs are incredible, delightful rides, exemplified by Worlds of Fun’s Prowler, Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Invadr, SeaWorld San Antonio’s Texas Stingray, Alton Towers’ Wicker Man, and Kings Island’s Mystic Timbers. They’ll return to Worlds of Fun in 2023 with Zambezi Zinger, a rebirth and evolution of a classic coaster removed from the park in ‘97. GCI has also introduced Titan Track – a new steel track system that (like RMC’s Topper Track) can theoretically be used to build a from-scratch steel coaster, but can also be used to retrack old woodies in whole or in part. For example, the viscous Predator at Six Flags Darien Lake isn’t a GCI, but benefited from a section of Titan Track in 2022 all the same.

The First GCI: Wildcat (1996)

Location: Hersheypark

Given that Hersheypark’s Wildcat gave its last rides at the close of the 2022 season, it’s especially appropriate to look back on the coaster as the first of GCI’s. Wildcat definitely had the DNA of many of the wooden giants of the ‘90s (when the “Coaster Wars” incentivized parks to build a new generation of big, mean – and today, either removed, rough and unrideable, or RMC’ed – wooden coasters). But it also had many of the standards of GCI built-in, like a winding, slaloming layout, some great lateral moments, and a few fun, tricky track sections.

6. S&S

S&S is a company involved in amusement parks in many facets. Well-known for its associated with pneumatic (air-powered) ride systems, S&S has been around for decades manufacturing drop & launch towers (identifiable by their signature lattice structures with air tubes inside, like Cedar Point’s Power Tower, Knott’s Supreme Scream, Islands of Adventure’s Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall, and the short-lived Maliboomer at Disney’s California Adventure). They also supply air-powered Screamin’ Swings (like Finnegan’s Flier at Busch Gardens, Skyhawk at Cedar Point, and the Barnstormer at Dollywood). 

Coaster-wise, S&S is best known for their air-launched coasters like Silver Dollar City’s Powder Keg and Six Flags Great America’s Maxx Force. Unlike LIMs, hydraulic winches or counterweights, acceleration from compressed air is practically instantaneous, creating incredibly quick accelerations. Whereas Intamin’s Top Thrill Dragster accelerates from 0 – 120mph in about 4 seconds, S&S’s Do-Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan accelerates from 0 – 111.8mph in 1.6 seconds – the world’s fastest coaster acceleration). 

Aside from their air-powered lineup, S&S (which inherited the remains of Arrow) also produces the compact, wild El Loco model (like El Loco at Las Vegas’ Adventuredome and Steel Hawg at Indiana Beach), and the new 4D Free-Spin Coaster that – like Premier’s Sky Rocket II – is a great medium-sized, high-thrill, small-footprint draw (like Tumbili at Kings Dominion, Dragon Slayer at Adventureland, and seven installations at Six Flags as either The Joker, Batman: The Ride, or Wonder Woman depending on your park). But unsurprisingly, their first ride was…

The First S&S: Hypersonic XLC (2001)

Location: Kings Dominion

In 1999, S&S constructed a prototype coaster at their facility in Utah. The “Thrust Air 2000” used the company’s compressed air technologies to launch a unique 8-rider train over a 170-foot tall top hat. Just three years after Premier’s first LIM launched coaster, and years before Intamin would do the same with hydraulics, the prototype was a jaw-dropper… and Paramount Parks bought it. “Thrust Air” was dismantled and 60 trucks made the cross-country trip carrying the prototype ride from Utah to Virginia. 

 When Hypersonic XLC opened at then-Paramount’s Kings Dominion, the ride was the first of its kind – the first compressed-air powered launch, with a staggering 0 – 80mph in 1.8s acceleration. Still at the burgeoning start of the modern launched coaster (Intamin’s Xcelerator at Knott’s would only reach the same speed in more time the next year), that was an unbelievable statistic. Unfortunately, the ride was unbelievably low capacity, and terribly unreliable. It was closed for most of 2002 as adjustments were made, but the park put Hypersonic up for sale in 2006. No one bit. It was open for a final season in 2007 before being disassembled in 2008. Still, it’s easy to imagine that Hypersonic’s no-holds-barred focus on launch intensity inspired Top Thrill Dragster.

7. Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC)

Probably the biggest name to erupt onto the roller coaster scene in decades, Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) has made a big name for itself, fast. Like we mentioned, in the midst of the “Coaster Wars” of the 1990s, a wave of big, audacious, rumbling, wild wooden roller coasters popped up around the globe. But changing tastes and aging infrastructure quickly made these wooden giants one-and-dones, fit only for the most hearty of coaster enthusiasts.

RMC burst onto the scene with the unthinkable ability to change that. Actually, RMC today has three different coaster models / systems. The most famous is IBox track – RMC’s signature, often red steel track commonly used when the firm is hired to transform those lumbering old woodies into inconceivably cool steel coasters – Kings Dominion’s Hurler became Twisted Timbers; Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Colossus became Twisted Colossus; Busch Gardens Gwazi became Iron Gwazi (above); Cedar Point’s Mean Streak became Steel Vengeance – all reborn as headlining, award-winning rides filled with RMC’s signature overbanked turns, stalls, and inversions.

RMC also offers Topper Track, which is classified as wood, but basically gives wooden coasters the maneuverability of steel (Goliath at Great America, Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City, and Lightning Rod at Dollywood were all from-scratch Topper Track wood coasters with inversions, though the latter has been partially converted to steel IBox in recent years). Their newest outing is single-rail Raptor track, with blazing, liquid-like layouts as on the Jersey Devil at Great Adventure, Railblazer at California’s Great America, and the Wonder Woman coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Fiesta Texas. But their first coaster was…

The First RMC: New Texas Giant (2011)

Location: Six Flags Over Texas

RMCs first outing was their high profile reimagining of 1990’s Texas Giant. The $10 million retrofit saw the Texas Giant’s general shape and main structures preserved, but with an entirely new layout including a nearly 80-degree drop, 65mph speeds, and an overbanked curve. 

Of course, by today’s standards, RMC’s New Texas Giant was barely dipping its toes into the water of what would become RMC staples… (Their next conversion, Fiesta Texas’ Rattler into Iron Rattler, would include an inversion; transforming Six Flags Mexico’s Medusa into a steel coaster would bring three.) But now, coaster enthusiasts around the globe debate which wooden coasters should be “RMC’ed” next, and for parks, the opportunity to turn wasted wooden giants of yesteryear into park-anchoring headliners is quite the draw…