About this episode
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 . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.