In our last round-table discussion, we looked back on 2018. Now it’s time to turn toward the future and discuss our plans for 2019. 2018 was a great year for Coaster101 thanks to our amazing readers and fans. We want to keep this momentum going into the new year. We plan on continuing our annual posts like Park Madness, Attraction Awards, and Photography Contest. We also plan on doing more unique content and special interview features. We’ve also been kicking around an idea for a podcast that would be a little different than any existing amusement park podcast.
Yes, we’ve got big goals for 2019. Now here are some of our individual plans for 2019:
Andrew
Parks Planned to Visit in 2019: The usual suspects: Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Hoping to make it to Hersheypark, Knoebels, and Kennywood, and hopefully a trip to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City or Kings Island. There’s always a chance for me at an Orlando park trip. Hoping I can get to Legoland during a trip to IAAPA next year!
Most Anticipated Attraction for 2019 you’ll probably definitely ride: This one is too easy. Copperhead Strike. I. Cannot. Wait. For. This. Coaster. It’s exactly what Carowinds needs!
Most Anticipated attraction for 2019 you probably won’t get to ride: Anticipated for me? West Coast Racers at Six Flags Magic Mountain looks really fun, but flights to the west coast flights aren’t exactly what I’d call cheap! Anticipated for the general population? The Star Wars attractions at Disney, specifically in Hollywood Studios. I’m admittedly not the biggest Star Wars fan, but I know that a large portion of society are fans of the franchise, and those crowds are going to be NUTS. I’m most excited to see social media photos of the lines on opening day, week, month, etc.
Sleeper hit of 2019: I think something that isn’t necessarily on the radar for a lot of people for 2019 is the American Dream Mall outside of New York. According to RCDB, it’s going to have five credits. The “Steepest Drop” Gerstlauer (which will be lit by KCL Engineering), a long Gerstlauer spinning coaster, a Chance Family Coaster, an Intamin Launch, and Intamin Surf Rider. Maybe no one is really talking about it because it’s in a mall, but that’s a pretty solid lineup set to debut next year!
John
Parks Planned to Visit in 2019: My goal is to travel to California for the first time in my life this spring. I’ll be in the Southern California region for a limited amount of time, so I’m going to have to pick one park to visit. The likely candidate is Six Flags Magic Mountain due to the number of coasters and my Six Flags season pass. I’ll also visit Dollywood, Six Flags Great America and hopefully Kings Island. I’m sure I’ll add more to that list as the season progresses.
Most Anticipated Attraction for 2019 you’ll probably definitely ride: Maxx Force at Six Flags Great America. 0-78 mph in two seconds? Sign me up! Unfortunately, I doubt West Coast Racers at Six Flags Magic Mountain will be open when I visit. It would be a close second for me.
Most Anticipated attraction for 2019 you probably won’t get to ride: Anything Star Wars. Coaster-wise, I think Steel Curtain at Kennywood is the coaster I’m most excited to see built.
Nick
Parks Planned to Visit in 2019: Next year I will definitely be visiting the woods: Dollywood and Kennywood. Beyond those two I’m not sure. Kentucky Kingdom is an option since my son will be tall enough to ride the new Gravity Group coaster. I’d love to take my kids to Legoland Florida. And I’ve always wanted to visit the Mall of America. I’m also the only C101 writer to have not visited Carowinds and ridden Fury 325 so that is high on my priority list, especially since my coaster count is sitting at 184 and I desperately want to hit 200 next year.
Mike
Parks Planned to Visit in 2019: My big roller coaster trip this year will take me to the Lone Star State of Texas. I plan on visiting Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and SeaWorld San Antonio. I haven’t been to any of the Texas parks, so this will be an exciting summer trip! I also plan on taking a trip or two up to Six Flags Over Georgia to get the most out of our Six Flags season passes. Of course, I will also have my share of visits to the theme parks here in Central Florida. I haven’t been to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure in a few years, so this might be a good year to head back to check out the new Harry Potter coaster. It has some rather large shoes to fill for me, as Dueling Dragons was a personal favorite of mine. Depending on crowds, I may take a swing at visiting the new Star Wars land at Disney Hollywood Studios. Based on the opening crowds for Pandora, I’m not exactly holding my breath though.
Most Anticipated Attraction for 2019 you’ll probably definitely ride: Definitely Tigris at Busch Gardens Tampa. Tigris is exactly the ride I’ve imagined having in the Jungala section for years. It’s just what that section of the park needed, and should be a nice holdover until the 2020 RMC project gets here.
Most Anticipated attraction for 2019 you probably won’t get to ride: I’d definitely like to get back to California to ride West Coast Racers at SFMM. However, unless work unexpectedly takes me out to California in 2019, a trip back to Southern California probably won’t happen for me until 2020.
Sleeper hit of 2019: I’ll have to go with Kentucky Flyer at Kentucky Kingdom. A modern, family-friendly woodie fits that park’s profile perfectly. And based on what I’ve seen so far, the ride still packs quite the punch into its small frame. Definitely looking forward to future trips to Kentucky Kingdom with my family.
Eric
Parks Planned to Visit in 2019: As always I should make it to all of the major California parks next year. I also am expecting to be in Orlando next September, so hopefully I’ll be able to hit up some mix of Disney and Universal Parks (and maybe even a Funspot?). I imagine somewhere else will pop-up as well, I always seem to make it on at least one “coaster” trip a year (probably nothing as epic as my 7 park road trip last year, though).
Most Anticipated Attraction for 2019 you’ll probably definitely ride: West Coast Racers for sure. It looks great, I’m a fan of Premier Rides, and I’ll make sure to swing a Magic Mountain trip or two after it opens. Can’t wait!
Can’t wait for West Coast Racers at Magic Mountain!
Most Anticipated attraction for 2019 you probably won’t get to ride: Hmm, Steel Curtain looks pretty awesome, but I don’t think another trip to Kennywood is likely to happen for me (after all, a few of us were just there last Spring). I love that it’s football themed, and it’s exciting to see a new S&S coaster design coming! I also considered Yukon Striker, who doesn’t love a good B&M Dive Coaster?
Somewhere in between these two categories is the giant herd of elephants in the room that is Star Wars Land. Obviously I’m super excited for it and the rides coming with it (which sound pretty awesome). I’ll definitely make it to Disneyland once or twice this year, but the question is will Galaxy’s Edge be so completely packed that I won’t ride anything. I’m not sure I can bring myself to wait 4 hours for a ride, even a Star Wars ride. I’d put it somewhere in between Definitely will ride and probably won’t, but I am really excited for it (especially Rise of the Resistance).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=TSxE-b2YDAQ
Sleeper hit of 2019: I’m going to join Mike and say that, at least coaster-wise I think Kentucky Flyer will be a hit. I’ve only heard good things about the other Gravity Group family coasters, I assume this one will be solid too. Someday I’m going to have to ride one of them.
To get this year started off right, we’re giving away FIVE PRIZE packs! Click here to go to the contest page.
What are your plans for 2019? Let us know in the comments below.
Yukon Striker at Canada’s Wonderland just outside of Toronto Canada looks amazing
I really love the idea of you guys starting a podcast! We really need a good family-friendly podcast with a main focus on coasters. Please look into going that route!
Kim – it really does! It’s in our top five most anticipated new coasters for 2019.
Davian – thanks for the feedback! We will certainly take that into consideration.