Side Friction: Roller Coasters and the Parks They Live In

Side Friction - Episode 35 - "Zamperla Inaction" May 18th, 2024 CoasterBro of CoasterCuzzies and Airtime Myke of basically everywhere else join Steph and Bob as they talk about the elephant in the room as well as a very controversial coaster ranking situation and a few other hot takes on various news stories. Baby, I'm not ready to go Holiday World Opens Good Gravy! Fresh Tornado PTC trains return...

Side Friction - Episode 34 - "Gravy Gate" May 11th, 2024 Staying on topic gets a little difficult for Steph and Bob this week but they manage to make it through the whole episode without talking about.... that thing that everyone keeps talking about entirely too much. Super Slide Amusement Park open for the season - Bismarck   City Museum   Super Mario World Delgrosso's Updates Sky High Coaster Cu...

Side Friction - Episode 33 - "Mega AI Land" May 4th, 2024 Steph gushes about Top Thrill 2 while Bob remains a somewhat skeptical, Six Flags lets everyone down, and Universal lights up the sky as well as a few other stories to cover this week. No More Melt AI Guest Services DreamWorks Land and Mega Movie Parade CineSational Cinesational Description   Hogwarts Always May 2nd, 2024   Lakemont Park Re...

Side Friction - Episode 32 - "A Charge Like No Other" April 27th, 2024 Bob gets angry about Top Thrill 2. Honestly, did you expect anything else? Well, if you act now Steph will throw in a tiny little ferris wheel at a tiny little park and both Bob and Steph will try to figure out exactly what's going on at Santa's Village. Top Thrill 2 POV   Top Thrill 2 Safety Guidelines Fun Spot America is Mean...

Side Friction - Episode 31 - "5 Parks and a Fair" April 20th, 2024 Bob and Steph talk about 5 parks and a fair.....  oh you want more?  Well then, take a listen and find out what rabbit trails they encounter (hint, the critters aren't rabbits). Kennywood Fried Ice Cream Steel Curtain Closed 2024 Top Thrill Dragster Suit Settled Top Thrill 2 Pit Stop 11   Triple Looop Opening! Retro Universal Orlan...

Side Friction - Episode 30 - "Barefoot in the Park" April 13th, 2024 First Steph and Bob talk about the sun disappeared and then get into the news including what can only be described as one giant wedgie. More Rider Restrictions for Top Thrill 2 Water Ballast Blasted   New launch coaster at Playland to open in July   Good Gravy's Turkey Test   Sneak peek of Kings Island's new coaster: Snoopy's Soa...

Side Friction - Episode 29 - "Unforeseen Circumstances" April 6th, 2024 Right out of the gate Steph and Bob find a double rabbit trail which gets Bob fired up about.... various things..... eventually Steph changes the subject and gets the show back on track to talk about what might be one of the most interesting collection of stories the show has reported on in a single week. Evolv's technology be...

Side Friction - Episode 28 - "Kno. M. G." March 30th, 2024 In this special episode you're not going to get a lot of news but you will get a lot of history as Bob and Steph have a conversation with Brian Knoebel and Stacy Yutko of Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA.  You'll get to hear some interesting stories about the park, the history, and the family (and how the definition of family goes...

Side Friction - Episode 27 - "The Top Tier" March 23rd, 2024 Not a ton happening this week but Steph and Bob still managed to fill a whole show and dug up a few news stories that aren't getting much attention elsewhere.  Oh.... rabbit trails too. Fury 325 Crack Summarized Full Fury 325 Crack Analysis Mattel Adventure Park proposed for Kansas City A chat with Roller Coaster Tycoon Creator Chris Saw...

Side Friction - Episode 26 - "Macrovision At Work" March 16th, 2024 After nearly 3 hours last week you get a shorter show this week but it's really just a ton of fun starting with a couple huge rabbit trails before getting into this week's news. Thoosie Mob on VHS   Lightning Rod High Speed Chain Lift Marineland Guilty of Animal Abuse   Local Officials on Six Flags Over Georgia Safety Six Flags Sh...

Side Friction - Episode 25 - "Positive Complaints" March 9th, 2024 Airtime Myke stops by and the entire show becomes one big huge rabbit trail but they sneak in news here and there.  It's the longest Side Friction show ever but time flies by like you were on the OG Top Thrill Dragster (before it got it's buckeye card). New surprises from Six Flags Great Adventure to start 2024 season   New Seats a...

Side Friction - Episode 24 - "Big Dam Disappointment" March 2nd, 2024 The day Bob has waited for has finally arrived - Steph is upset with Cedar Point.  Not that anything else really matters but then Steph and Bob both talk about the latest news stories of the industry. Alabama Adventure Loses a Woodie Bye i232...hello... Thunder Striker? Bye i305 while we're at it Keansburg Drama Playland Park Ca...

Side Friction - Episode 23 - "Rename My Cream" February 24th, 2024 In the weird recent trend of Steph and Bob going off topic while still somehow staying on topic they'll revisit that behavior..... right after they have a random conversation about cell phones. Hurler get..... RMC? or probably wood   Top Thrill 2 Passholder Preview New Look for Sky Ride Something BIG? Besides a terrible name?   Why...

Side Friction - Episode 22 - "Ready to Go... Hubless" February 17th, 2024 It's a long one but there was a ton of news that Steph and Bob had to cover but they keep it entertaining.  Watch out for a rant or two from Bob though. Soma on Steam   Horrible news from Liseberg   Lakemont announces new general manager   Intamin presents to Hershey   T Express gets RMC'd   Cedar Fair 2023 Results   Legolan...

Side Friction - Episode 21 - "People for the Ethical Treatment of Lakemont" February 10th, 2024 From the funny infuriating to the just plain infuriating followed by interesting topics and even a little bit of "what are they thinking" explains the range of news that Bob and Steph cover in this show. PETA targets Chance Rides   Angry Voicemail We Got From an Alamo Drafthouse Customer Lakemont Park c...

Side Friction - Episode 20 - "EPIC PRKS" February 3rd, 2024 An oddly on-topic show but a fair amount of anger as Bob and Steph talk about.... just an odd collection of news this week. Man used $8 ticket to get into Disney World   Judge dismisses Disney lawsuit   Disney appeals federal judge's dismissal of its lawsuit against DeSantis   Oversight District History   WDW land suitability changes   In...

Side Friction - Episode 19 - "This Changes Everything" January 27th, 2024 While the show starts by Steph saying they're going to stay on topic it only takes a short time before the rabbit trails are spawning their own rabbit trails but both Steph and Bob do manage to talk a lot about the news which, it's self, isn't exactly stable this week. DOJ seeks additional info from Six Flags, Cedar Fair on...

Side Friction - Episode 18 - "The Evil Alliance" January 20th, 2024 All kinds of evil on this episode.  Steph and Bob discuss a major alliance to harvest your data followed by some ups and downs of the industry this week. Six Flags Launches Largest Digital Alliance in Theme Park Industry   Large Areas of Universal Studios Florida Now Opening Late to Cut Costs   Walt Disney World drops most park re...

Side Friction - Episode 17 - "The Downfall Jamboree" January 13th, 2024 You might say the doors got blown off this episode.  Steph and Bob discuss mostly Disney but without a ton of news stories there's only way this really was ever going to end -- lots of rabbit trails. Rock N' Roller Coaster Closed for Refurbishment New Details About Country Bear Musical Jamboree   State of Florida Regulating Di...

Side Friction - Episode 16 - "Flushing mAPPs Down the Sewer" January 6th, 2024 Welcome to 2024!  Bob and Steph start off talking about some predictions for 2024 and then head into the news with a lot of the typical rabbit trails to include coffee, sewers, and their recent favorite topic to hate: Corporate America   Leaked Launched Wing Coaster at Kings Dominion Steamboat Willie is in the Public Do...

Side Friction - Episode 15 - "Six Flags Glamp Adventure... Plus" December 23rd, 2023 Bob and Steph talk all about corporate greed and artisan marketing amongst all of these news stories in the last episode of 2023.  Happy Holidays! Ohio Supreme Court rules that Cedar Point must turn over records   Cedar Fair Investor Cries Foul   Six Flags Great Adventure Updates Name Glamping Resort   Universal G...

Side Friction - Episode 14 - "Watch Your Step" December 16th, 2023 Bob and Steph get you through the latest news in the industry but most of this is all things you expect, things we've been watching, or just outright stupidity.  A slighly shorter episode than normal but there's plenty of content. Top Thrill 2 is testing; Completes full circuit   BGW's New for 2025 coaster leak   New Concept Art an...

Side Friction - Episode 13 - "Daddy's Barn Burner" December 9th, 2023   Steph and Bob are all over the place this week from printers to video games and a whole lot of.... well, kiddie rides. This episode has more of a focus on rabbit trails and other coaster related discussion than news but it'll certainly entertain you.   Epic Universe Updates Universal Kids Resort Busch Gardens Drachen Fire (Spi...

Side Friction - Episode 12 - "The Streaking Ghosts of Kings Island" December 2nd, 2023   If there was ever an episode that was all over the place, this is the one. After a lot of talk about the past week in general, including a trip to Kennywood, Bob and Steph dive into the news and they..... well, they don't really stay on topic at all. You're sure to enjoy this chaotic, but hopefully informative...

Side Friction - Episode 11 - "All Aboard" November 18th, 2023   New Trains for Comet at Hersheypark Hot Wheels train reveal and other IAAPA notes Top Thrill 2 Trains Revealed: Tony's P-Stop Kennywood announces Potato Patch bumper cars Good Gravy Boats Transformers Axis Trains revealed Largest American Flag and aerial logo created at IAAPA Fire in the Hole reveal Sally Dark Rides presents Spongebob...