Backlot Stunt Coaster
Backlot Stunt Coaster (formerly known as Italian Job: Stunt Track or Italian Job: Turbo Coaster) is a steel launched roller coaster currently open at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario; Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia; and Kings Island in Mason, Ohio.[1][2][3]
History
The first two roller coasters originally opened as Italian Job: Stunt Track at Canada's Wonderland and Kings Island in May 2005.[1][2] One year later, Kings Dominion opened the third named Italian Job: Turbo Coaster.[3] All three had similar themes revolving around the climatic chase scene at the end of the 2003 film, The Italian Job. Under its original name and theme, the ride featured unique cars which resemble ¾ scale MINI Coopers. Special effects were incorporated throughout the ride including sound effects built into the cars, a helicopter that attacks riders with a simulated machine gun sound, pyrotechnics and water effects. Sound recordings of "Action!" and "Cut!" were also heard during launch and final brake run, respectively. The last drop portraying the Mini Coopers jumping out of a sewer featured spraying water jets to simulate a splashdown effect.
At the end of the 2007 season, all three Italian Job coasters were renamed to Backlot Stunt Coaster for the start of the 2008 season.[1][2][3] This directly coincided with the sale of Paramount Parks to Cedar Fair. Special effects throughout the ride were modified to remove references to the movie and to generalize the theme. The MINI Coopers were removed in time for the 2010 season.
Ride description
Accelerating from 0–40 miles per hour (0–64 km/h),[1][2][3] the train rockets into a three-story "parking garage" shell, passing through two upwards helixes meant to mirror the ascension of a car through a true parking garage. The car then drops from the top of the helixes into a street lined with highway signs and three police cars, with sirens and lights flashing. Slaloming between the officers, the cars pass a sign reading "Left Lane Must Turn Left". Just then, the train flies upward and into a turn banked at 88 degrees, flying down into a dip and then passing down a set of "subway stairs".
The train then passes a "No Entry" sign and comes to a halt in front of a black tunnel. Just then, a helicopter rises to the train's left, shooting simulated gunfire to the rising score of Ride of the Valkyries. Under Paramount's operation, the gunfire cracked pipes and barrels, which sprayed "gasoline" (truly, water) all around riders. Though that effect has since been removed, the second round of gunfire still ignites where the gasoline would've splashed, catching two barrels on fire before a gas tank explodes. Just then, riders hit the second launch, flying into the darkness, twisting and dropping before flying out of the "broken billboard", splashing down in an L.A. aqueduct, and turning into the ride's station. (As of 2010, Kings Island does no longer have the "L.A. aqueduct" filled with water, hence the splashing effect does not operate).
Trains
Backlot Stunt Coaster has three trains, each with three cars, and each car can sit four people. Originally, all the cars were shaped like MINI Cooper cars colored either blue, red, or white, like in The Italian Job. Each car was equipped with working doors and lights. The cars were supposed to fishtail, but this feature has never been used.
As of the 2010 season, Cedar Fair no longer holds the license to use MINI Coopers on Backlot Stunt Coaster. Because of this, the trains were simplified and do not resemble any specific brand of car. They have also changed the arrangement of the car colors on the trains: One train is all blue, the second is all red and the third is all white.
References
External links
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