Gift Guide for Coaster Enthusiasts 2012

The holiday shopping season is upon us once again and if you’re on the hunt for that special gift for a friend or family member who happens to be a roller coaster enthusiast, you’ve come to the right place! This year we’ve organized our gift ideas into several different categories listed below.

Please Note: The prices listed below are the prices listed as of this posting date. They may have changed since.

Roller Coaster Books

Things to Do in Theme Park Queues by Scott Wegener ($9.99 paperback, $2.99 Kindle edition) is an entertaining book that can make your visit to a theme park even more enjoyable. Filled with tips, activities, and trivia, this book will make standing in those long lines fun and something to look forward to. To learn more check out our awesome interview with the author, Scott Wegener.

Theme Park Design by Steve Alcorn ($19.99 paperback). Take a peek behind the scenes, with a theme park engineer – a must read for all aspiring theme park designers! For more information read our review and interview features with Steve.

Fans of Walt Disney World will especially appreciate The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World: Over 600 Secrets of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom ($10.36 paperback, $7.20 Kindle). The book is chocked full of interesting secrets and trivia about the theme parks of the Walt Disney World resort. This is great for the coaster enthusiast who enjoys finding “hidden Mickeys” at the theme parks.

Disney World Vacation and Savings Travel Guide ($29.95). An ex-Disney cast member reveals insider secrets on how to get the most out of your Disney World vacation.

Roller Coaster Games

Theme Park (Nintendo DS) ($34.95) Control everything, from the speed of your rides to the amount of ice in your drinks.

Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum ($14.88 download) RCT3 Platinum combines the excitement and roller coaster, theme park fun of the Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 with included expansion packs Soaked! and Wild! Now enjoy more options than ever. Build your own water slide or create your own safari with real animals. Watch guest reactions to your ultimate theme park!

Roller Coaster Toys and Models

K’NEX Thrill Rides – Hot Shot! Video Coaster ($92.75) Featuring a coaster car with on-board digital video camera, builders can now see what it would be like to ride their own creations, can share their building achievements with family and friends, and can even edit their own personalized movies.

Turtle Amusement Park Ride by Coaster Dynamix ($249.99). While not inexpensive, this unique amusement ride model is hand-assembled in the USA using laser-cut birch plywood and actually works!

Apparel

Between now and Wednesday, December 19, 2012, make any merchandise purchase (various prices) in the Cedar Point marketplace and receive a free 2012 Cedar Point t-shirt.