Shane's Amusement Attic

[Erik Johnson]

That was cool to see the Vancouver Expo video footage. I was able to go to that but was way too afraid to ride coasters back then. I finally was able to earn that missed credit with my visit to St Louis last summer. Unfortunately, the ride was quite horrible.

[montezooma]

ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT:

SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN

 

Today we are going way back...back to a time when Leeza Gibbons ruled the 7:00 time slot, the biggest Coaster in the world was the American Eagle and before Kirk Cameron loved Jesus.

 

In this clip from Entertainment Tonight we take a visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain to ride their new ride sensation...the stand-up coaster, "Shock Wave"

 

God I miss the 90's

 

[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Entertainment_Tonight_599l[/coastertube]

[astroworldfan1]

Isn't it sad to think about that once great coaster, Shockwave at SFMM, now just laying inert at Darien Lake? Hopefully, it's still there...

 

Also, I can see where Chance got the idea for their Trabant/Wipeout at 5:59-6:01.

 

Thanks for sharing, Shane. However, the video lacked because it didn't mention anything of AstroWorld.

[BrownStreak]

Near the end- a neat look at Disaster Transport when it was not enclosed (why does it still close in the rain?!)-

 

Also I have always LOVED the pictures and films about those trolleys at Coney Island that traveled on the same track and moved over each other to pass.

 

At about 1:30 into the video- I thought that only smaller parks like DL and GL (RIP) used the straight-line conveyor belt loading systems for rapids rides- I thought that the turn-table was the standard for larger parks (and I thought that was the standard for the first several of those rides).

[ebl]

Thanks for sharing that video, Shane. The mid- to late-'80s was a great time at SFMM, especially when Colossus raced those big PTC trains with one facing backwards all year long! Shock Wave was a lot of fun, too.

 

It was funny watching those people waterskiing on that lake---what is now Hurricane Harbor. Good times!

 

Eric

[larrygator]

Great stuff as usual Shane, always love old Luna Park footage.

 

^^FYI - SFGAdv's Rapids never operated with a turntable either.

[ebl]

SFMM's Roaring Rapids uses a conveyor belt loading/unloading system. I think also the one at BGT uses a straight belt system (can't remember). Most if not all of the rides with smaller six-, eight-, or nine-passenger rafts use a turntable, correct? That's what I've observed here in California.

 

Eric

[kongker]

Thanks Shane for posting!

 

I loved Shock Wave!! Unfortunately there is very little (if any) video of it anywhere on the internet. The black trains on the black track were awesome. At the time, the four abreast trains & massive rectangular spined track were bold & very striking to look at. The roar that coaster made as it traveled the track was awesome. Great video.

 

Do you happen to have any of the "86-91" era commercials in your vault? I found your "Psyclone" posts online but can't find any earlier rides, especially Shock Wave.

[BrownStreak]

^^ CP Thunder Canyon has 12-seaters with a turn-table while Darien Lake has six-seaters with the straight-line boarding and I think GL was the same. SFGrAm also has a 12-seater with a turn table.

[RobWarren]

Thanks Shane.

 

The intro and title graphics along with the hair really let you know when this package was produced. Thanks for digging that up! I love seeing those rides from the perspective of the time period when they opened. It was also great to hear them talking about The American Eagle being the tallest coaster. I was alive then, but still it's weird to think that my home park's American Eagle was the tallest coaster, when I ride it every summer without thinking twice about it.

 

-Rob

[darienlakerules]

To all those wondering about unknown coaster at darienlake, as of last year is is still there, hopefully it will bust people's nuts once again in the near future and won't just be scraped

[bgwfreak777]

Nice find. But wouldn't this have been in the 80s since rcdb says that Shockwave only ran till 1988?

[Pirouettes907]

^ I'm pretty sure at the end of the footage the year 1986 was listed, which would be right if Shockwave had just opened, so in that case you'd be right.

 

But anyway, I love stuff like this. Not only is it funny to laugh at what the hosts are wearing and what their hair looks like, it's also great to get a perspective of what people thought about the big, new rides of the day. It makes me wonder how we'll think of such notable rides as Balder or Bizarro 20 years from now.

 

And the early Coney Island stuff is fantastic footage too, especially with those people falling into the water at the end of one of the water rides. Think of the legal consequences if that were to happen today!

 

This was a great find and thanks for posting it!

 

~Megan

[CorkscrewFoley]

86 would be about right. That was a year after Boblo (being my home park) had opened the Screamer, which is now at the PNE. How cool was that to have my then home park on ET?

 

Thanks for posting this, Shane.

[montezooma]

Thanks for clearing up the date of this video. I kind of went off the top of my head.

 

As far as the rapids conveyor loading system, I believe the first ride to incorporate the turn table system was Roaring Rapids at Six Flags Great America. At the time the ride also had a different name, something like "White Water Rapids" or White Water Canyon".

[thrillrider]

Thank you for posting this.

 

It was great to see some footage of boblo island. I have a lot of memories as a kid of that park. I miss the park and the boat cruise to it.

[Guy T. Koepp]

Awesome Shane! Simply awesome!

[RandyV]

Oh man -- I swear, I have this exact same episode of ET on video tape stashed somewhere in a box for the same reason you have it - coasters at Magic Mountain. This was definitely the mid-80s at its best.

 

Funny that the American Eagle at Great America (my home park) was still the tallest when this aired. The Eagle opened in '81 and its hard to believe it held the title of tallest coaster for so many years - especially given the recent decade of coaster wars where holding any kind of title (height, speed, etc.) for more than one year was a feat.

 

Thanks for digging this one up and posting. It really brought back some memories.

[snoflake15]

Great footage!

 

Were the credits at the end ALL for that 10 minute programme? The credits nearly lasted longer than the programme itself.

[pkdcoaster]

Cool video thanks

 

LOL at the people flying out of the chute the chutes ride from the 20's

 

JEFF

[Olsor]

At the time the ride also had a different name, something like "White Water Rapids" or White Water Canyon".

White Water Rampage! I hated when they changed it.

 

[montezooma]

Ah yes..."White Water RAMPAGE" thanks for clearing that up. Too bad they changed it, it is such a better name than Roaring Rapids.

[BrownStreak]

If you should ever happen to come across any of the 1970's - 1980's commercials from Fantasy Island (NY) i.e. "Fun! Wow!" I WANT THEM! They break the tacky meter- even when they were new they seemed dated and cheesy:)

[montezooma]

GRAVITY GROUP

 

Here is more of my IAAPA installments. This time, Gravity Group. This is all the postcards and company information I picked up from the show.

 

Although I have ridden most of GCI's coasters, I have only ridden one Gravity Group creation, the Fireball in China. It was quite a ride and hopefully I will get to more sometime this year.

[FilmoreISnAZN]

I wish Knott's Berry Farm would get some of the Timberliner trains! Those would make Ghostrider Tons and Tons better!!