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Airtime Misfits Podcast
Airtime Misfits Podcast
Author: The Chain Lift
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Welcome to the Airtime Misfits Podcast! We have a deep love and appreciation for defunct roller coasters and amusement parks of the past and this podcast is a great opportunity for us to keep the memories of these former attractions alive. Each episode will be will be dedicated to sharing the history, demise and our thoughts of one specific defunct park or coaster of the past.
Be sure to check out airtimemisfits.com for some quality, handmade goods inspired by defunct coasters and amusement parks.
— Airtime Misfits was founded by roller coaster enthusiasts for roller coaster enthusiasts. Like most of you, we seek every opportunity to ride shiny, new, record-breaking coasters and get that next coveted “credit.” It would be a disservice to our namesake, however, if we did not acknowledge the “misfit” coasters of yesterday. The ones in the back of the park. The ones that have been chopped down, re-purposed, re-imagined or otherwise forgotten. Thanks for checking us out!
Be sure to check out airtimemisfits.com for some quality, handmade goods inspired by defunct coasters and amusement parks.
— Airtime Misfits was founded by roller coaster enthusiasts for roller coaster enthusiasts. Like most of you, we seek every opportunity to ride shiny, new, record-breaking coasters and get that next coveted “credit.” It would be a disservice to our namesake, however, if we did not acknowledge the “misfit” coasters of yesterday. The ones in the back of the park. The ones that have been chopped down, re-purposed, re-imagined or otherwise forgotten. Thanks for checking us out!
31 Episodes
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Hey Friends! On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're discussing Superman: Escape From Krypton, located at Six Flags Magic Mountain. When this coaster made its debute in 1997, Superman held the record of tallest coaster in the world and first coaster to reach 100mph. On March 28, 2025, Six Flags confirmed that Superman: Escape From Krypton would be demolished to make room for future new developments. We dive into all of this and more. Thanks so much for listening!Follow us on Instagram: @airtimemisfits
Hey Friends! On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're discussing Big Bad Wolf, formerly located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, VA. Since opening in 1984, this coaster was loved by many park goers and enthusiasts alike. So when it's closure was annouced in 2009, it left many Big Bad Wolf fans pretty upset. Fear not because soon you'll be able to relive some of the magic of Big Bad Wolf, sort of. In 2025, Busch Gardens Williamsburg will debut Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge as a homage to the orginal. Although the name is lacking in creativity and the ride itself doesnt look near as exciting as the original, We're happy to see the park pay an homage to a previous iconic coaster. Thanks so much for listening!Follow us on Instagram: @airtimemisfits
Hey Friends! On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're discussing the very short lived log flume, Shoot the Rapids, formerly located at Cedar Point. With the vacant land formerly occupied by Shoot the Rapids, in addition to the recent announcement of the removal of Snake River Falls, Cedar Point certainly has A LOT of room to work with for a future ride addition. Thanks so much for listening!Follow us on Instagram: @airtimemisfits
Hey Friends! On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're discussing the massive news Six Flags Great Adventure announced about the removal of Kingda Ka, Green Lantern and a few additional flat rides! All of these removals are to make way for a future "multi-record breaking coaster" coming in 2026! Thanks so much for listening!Follow us on Instagram: @airtimemisfits
On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're talking about the Arrow Looping coaster, Vortex, formly located at Kings Island. Vortex debuted as the tallest, full-circuit roller coaster in the world with a height of 148 feet. It was also the first coaster to feature six inversions. Vortex thrilled over 46 million riders in its lifetime, until it closed permanently in 2019. Vortex was not known to be the smoothest coaster ride ever, but what it lacked in comfort it made up for with its iconic views from the midway. Hope you enjoy this episode!Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @TheChainLift, @airtimemisfitsFind some awesome roller coaster shirts at: www.thechainlift.com
During this episode we're talking about arguably the most infamous defunct coaster of all time, Son Of Beast. With it's record breaking height, length, speed and large looping inversion, Son Of Beast was supposed to be Kings Island's boundry pushing new coaster to bring in the new millennium. Unfortunately for Kings Island, things did not go as planned. This behemoth of a coaster was plagued with maintenance issues from the very beggining. It also quickly gained a reputation from those brave enough to ride it as being a very rough and uncomfortable experience. Due to these many issues and a series of serious accidents occuring on the ride, Kings Island made the decision to shut down the ride permanently in 2009. Not even ten years after it made its debut. Perhaps this ride was just built ahead of its time. Still, there's no denying that this coaster is legendary for it's boundry pushing stats and inspired innovation.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @TheChainLift @airtimemisfitsFind some awesome roller coaster shirts at www.thechainlift.com
On this episode we're talking about the one and only T3, located at Kentucky Kingdom. Like most Vekoma SLC's, this was not a very enjoyable coaster experience and was widely considered to be one of the worst coasters around. We're were not fans of T3 by any means but the history of the coaster was fun to discuss nonetheless. Hope you enjoy the episode!Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @TheChainLift @airtimemisfitsFind some awesome roller coaster shirts at www.thechainlift.com
On this episode, We're sharing our lists of the top 5 defunct coasters we wish we had the chance to ride before they became extinct. Lots of great defunct coasters to choose from so this was no easy task. Let us know in the comment section below if you had a chance to ride any of the coasters on our lists before they were removed and what your memories are of riding them. Also, feel free to let us know some of the defunct coasters you missed out on that you now regret. Thanks for listening!Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @TheChainLift @airtimemisfitsCheck out www.airtimemisfits.com for awesome defunct coaster/amusement park goodsFind more roller coaster shirts at www.thechainlift.com
This was a fun episode for us to do. In this episode we discuss our top five favorite defunct roller coasters that we've ridden. So many great defunct coasters to choose from, but for us, it all comes down to one major factor. Nostalgia. Listen along as we reminisce about some great coasters of the past.Be sure to keep a look out for part two of this podcast series. In that episode we'll be discussing our top five defunct coasters that we wish we had the chance to ride before it was too late. Thanks for listening!
The recent announcement by Cedar Point of the retirement of Top Thrill Dragster was a tough pill to swallow for coaster enthusiasts across the world. Being the first full circuit roller coaster in the world to break the 400 foot tall barrier made this coaster legendary in many coaster enthusiasts eyes. So to have this coaster shuttered for good after 19 short seasons was a bit of a surprise. You could also say it was a bit predictable considering the rides history of having consistent mechanical issues causing larges amounts of downtime. The final nail in the coffin, a freak accident in 2021 where a small piece of metal from the ride became dislodged and struck a guest waiting the ride queue, causing serious injury. The coaster has not operated since this incident.However, some of the wording that Cedar Point chose to use in their released statement concerning the fate of Top Thrill Dragster, has left us with a little spark of hope. Particularly the phrases “Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired” and “Our team is hard at work, creating a new and innovative ride experience.” What does this mean exactly? Nobody is certain. BUT, it does leave open the possibility that Top Thrill Dragster won’t be leaving the park completely, which is a very intriguing thought.In this episode we discuss the history of Top Thrill Dragster and what our best guesses are for the future of this towering behemoth. Let us know what you think the future holds for Top Thrill Dragster in the comment section below.Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @airtimemisfitswww.airtimemisfits.com
The recent announcement from Cedar Fair about the sale and the inevitable closing of California's Great America has the roller coaster community shook. It's always a bad day when an amusement park closes its doors. Especially to the locals who claim Great America as their home park. While this is terrible new for the coaster community as a whole, it's good news for the smaller, neglected parks in the Cedar Fair chain. These parks now eagerly await to learn which of CGA's hand-me-down attractions they will be gifted.In this episode, we briefly discuss the history of Great America, Nick's experience visiting the park and our thoughts of why Cedar Fair decided to pull the plug. Most fun of all, we give our best guesses as to which parks will become the new owners of these hand-me-down roller coaster and thrill ride attractions.
In this episode we’re talking about one of the most infamous defunct coasters in the United States. Drachen Fire, formerly located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, VA. This Arrow Dynamics designed coaster made its debut in 1992 and only remained open until the middle of the 1998 season, when it was shut down for good. The coaster structure was SBNO for several years, leaving many enthusiasts hoping to have another chance to ride it. Ultimately, the coaster was removed from the park in 2002. The land that formerly occupied Drachen Fire is now rumored to be home to a brand new Giga Shuttle Coaster coming to Busch Gardens in the very near future affectionately named Drachen Spire by coaster enthusiasts. Did you have the chance to ride Drachen Fire during its short life span before it was removed from the park? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @airtimemisfitswww.airtimemisfits.com
The Stand-Up roller coaster model made its debut in 1982 at Yomiuriland in Tokyo, Japan when stand-up style coaster trains were added to the existing Momonga Standing & Loop Coaster. The following year, this revolutionary model was introduced to the United States when stand-up trains were added to the existing Extremeroller roller coaster located at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, MO. In 1984, King Cobra, which became the first ground up designed standing coaster model (TOGO), made its debut at Kings Island in Mason, OH. What initially seemed like a revolutionary and exhilarating new coaster riding experience, quickly proved to be a rather uncomfortable ride experience for guests. This was especially true for male coaster riders, who often complained of a painful ride experience due to the forces of the coaster pushing them downward onto the very uncomfortable bicycle style seat between their legs. Leading these riders to question whether or not they would ever be able to impregnate a woman after experiencing such trauma to the nether regions. As years past and these coasters became less popular with park guests, B&M introduced a solution to bring new life to these dying coasters. The solution was to convert the coaster from a stand-up style coaster to a seated floorless coaster by swapping out the coaster trains. Next, add a fresh coat of paint, new theming and a new name. Voilà, your park has a "new" coaster at a relatively low cost. May not be a perfect solution but seems to have helped revive some of these forgotten about coasters and increased popularity among guests. What are your thoughts of Stand-Up roller coasters? Let us know in the comment section!Be sure to check out www.airtimemisfits.com for some awesome defunct coaster/park inspired goods.
Hey guys! Happy New Year! Hope you had a great holiday season with your friends and family. To get 2022 started off on the right foot we decided the first episode of the year can only be about one type of coaster model. The coaster model that happens to be every enthusiasts favorite. The one and only, Vekoma SLC (Suspended Looping Coaster). Typically a cloned model, you can find one of these beauties at many amusement parks across the country and globe. These coasters are not always known for giving a very smooth ride. The sometimes painful ride experience is typically due to an uncomfortable restraint system combined with the overall general roughness of the layout. What are your thoughts about the Vekoma SLC? Check us out Twitter and Instagram: @airtimemisfitsShop for awesome defunct coaster and amusement park: www.airtimemisfits.com
Hey, what's up guys! On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're discussing Blue Streak at Conneaut Lake Park located in Conneaut Lake, PA. Blue Streak made it's debut all the back in 1938! It also happens to be designated as an ACE (American Coaster Enthusiasts) classic coaster landmark. Since opening in 1938, Blue Streak has had it's fair share of lengthy down time. At one point, Blue Streak sat dormant for three years, from 2007 to 2010. Blue Streak also did not operate for the entire 2021 season, and with the rumors of Conneaut Lake's closure, the future is not looking bright for this historic wooden coaster. Will Blue Streak ever run again? Or have we seen the last of Blue Streak and Conneaut Lake Park? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Check us out at www.airtimemisfits.comFollow us on Twitter and Instagram: @airtimemisfits
On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're continuing our "The Making of A Coaster Enthusiast" series. The purpose of these episodes are for you, our awesome listeners, to learn a little bit more about us and how we became coaster enthusiasts.In our part two episode of "The Making Of A Coaster Enthusiast," we're putting the focus on Adam to learn where his love for coasters all started. Listen to find out what it was like for Adam visiting Cedar Point in the early 90's and how he was tricked into riding Mean Streak for the first time.Thanks for listening!
On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're doing something a little different than our normal podcast format. Instead of discussing a defunct coaster or park, we thought it would be fun to share with you on how we became the coaster loving enthusiasts that we are today. In this part one episode of "The Making Of A Coaster Enthusiast," we're putting the focus on Nick and his coaster enthusiasm roots. Listen to find where Nick's love for Mantis started and to hear his experiences of visiting Geauga Lake before it's closure.Thanks for listening!
Hey guys! On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast we're discussing Wicked Twister located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. Wicked Twister has long been rumored to be on the chopping block. Cedar Point finally made the news official by announcing Wicked Twister would be removed from the park to make way for future park improvements. The coaster currently takes up a decent chunk of beautiful beach front real estate. This land, combined with the land formerly occupied by the Oceana Stadium, Cedar Point has quite a large area to work with for future rides and attractions. Will it be a new record breaking coaster? Maybe Cedar Point will finally build that boardwalk/pier enthusiasts have been dreaming about for years. Whatever the park decides to do, it will be exciting to see how this area of the park transforms.Get your last rides in now for Wicked Twister. Final day to ride is September 6, 2021! What are your thoughts about Wicked Twister being removed from the park? Will you miss it or are you more excited about the future potential for this area of the park? What would you like to see Cedar Point do with this beach front area?Thanks for listening!
On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast, we're discussing The Dragon. Making it's debut on May 12, 1990 at Adventureland in Altoona, IA, The Dragon was the first coaster in Iowa to feature an inversion (two back-to-back vertical loops). Not only was The Dragon the only looping coaster at Adventureland, it was also the only looping coaster in the entire state of Iowa for over 25 years. All the way until 2016 when Adventureland debuted The Monster, a Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster featuring five inversions.The Dragon gave its last rides to guests on September 29, 2019. A portion of The Dragon was removed to make room for Dragon Slayer, a 4-D Free-Spin Coaster from S&S. As of the summer of 2021, a large portion of The Dragon is still standing, including the very picturesque back-to-back vertical loops. Did you have the chance to ride The Dragon before it closed for good? Let us know your thoughts about this coaster in the comment section.Thanks for listening!
In this episode we’re discussing Orient Express formerly of Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, MO. Debuting in 1980, Orient Express, designed by Arrow Dynamics, was the second full circuit coaster to feature the interlocking loops element. It was also the first coaster to feature the Kamikaze Curve element (also known as a boomerang or batwing). Orient Express gave it’s final rides in 2003. Did you have the chance to ride this Kansas City legend? Let us know in the comment section. Thanks for listening!




