Arkansas Twister
Specific Type: Wooden
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Magic Springs & Crystal Falls is not a very widely known amusement park, being one of three parks in Arkansas. Then known as Magic Springs, the park opened in July of 1978. It closed after the 1995 season, just to reopen five years later under the combined names of Magic Springs & Crystal Falls. The park opened two new rides, Twist and Shout and Diamond Mine Run. In the coming years, the park would add three more coasters: Big Bad John, an Arrow Mine Train from Dollywood and before that Six Flags St. Louis; Gauntlet, a Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster; and the unique X Coaster from Maurer Söhne. A wooden coaster that Magic Springs & Crystal Falls has had before these renovations is Arkansas Twister.
Arkansas Twister was originally from Boardwalk and Baseball, a defunct park in Haines City, Florida. It opened in 1978 as Roaring Tiger. The ride changed names twice more due to management distribution. First, it was renamed to Michael Jackson's Thrill Coaster, and then to Florida Hurricane in February of 1987. It kept that name until the park closed in early 1990. The ride was then relocated to Magic Springs, constructed by Martin & Vleminckx, and reopened on Memorial Day of 1992. Arkansas Twister can be seen from the parking lot next to the water park. Riders sit down in a 4 rider car, 2 rows per car, 2 riders per row. Riders pull down their restraints, with the attendant ready to check them. The thumbs up is given, and the riders slowly move out of the station, past the transfer, and up the 95' lift hill. Riders scream down the 56 degree first drop, as the train picks up speeds of 50 MPH. The train slightly turns to the left, giving riders plenty of lateral g's. They then go into an airtime hill, which gives a mixture of floater and ejector airtime. Then riders go sky high as they travel through a 180 degree turnaround to the left. Riders don't have a lot of time to take in the beautiful mountains, because the train dives down into another airtime hill. Then there is another turn, right beside the first one. The ride then goes through a floater airtime hill, right beside the lift hill. With another slight turn to the right, riders experience bursts of airtime with two bunny hops. Then the train hits some trims over a third bunny hop, giving more airtime than expected. After a very wide turn to the left, the train slows down in the final brake run. Finally, back in the station, riders disembark from the train and down the ramp into the midway. |
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