91. Roller Coasters

A new thrill ride can cost an amusement park $20 million or more — but roller coasters attract customers like nothing else. Zachary Crockett must be at least this tall to host this episode.

• SOURCES:

  • Korey Kiepert, engineer and partner at The Gravity Group.

  • Dennis Spiegel, owner and founder of International Theme Park Services.

• RESOURCES:

  • "These two amusement park giants just merged. Rollercoaster fans are nervous," by Nathaniel Meyersohn (CNN, 2024).

  • "1,000-foot-tall roller coaster may soon be a reality," by Brady MacDonald (Seattle Times, 2024).

  • "A Century of Screams: The History of the Roller Coaster," (PBS).

  • "The Business of Building Roller Coasters," by Zachary Crockett (Priceonomics, 2014).

  • Roller Coaster Census Report.

  • The Gravity Group.

• EXTRAS:

  • "January 1884: First U.S. Patent for a Roller Coaster," by LaMarcus Thompson (Advancing Physics, 2004).

  • American Coaster Enthusiasts.