originally posted on 2/17/2025
No Coaster Con crew: Front L-R: Randy Geisler, Bob Prenki, Marty Moltz, Bonnie Heck, Jordan Ferris, Tom Rebbie (hanging with us), Scott Heck, Jackie Hodge, Tyler Hodge. Back L-R: Jeremy Wdowicki, Chris Jennings, Jeff Peters, Gary Dryer, Perry Haugen, Renee Haugen.
Photo: Michael Bare. View full-sized image.
ACE’s lead-off regional event of the new year, the 44th annual No Coaster Con (the original and first), was held at the Hyatt Place Hotel conference center in Rosemont, Illinois, on January 18.
Marty Moltz served as No Coaster Con's marvelous master of ceremonies and jovial jokemeister.
Photo: Michael Bare. View full-sized image.
No Coaster Con attendees enjoyed 10 hours of presentations and comradery with fellow enthusiasts.
Photo: Randy Geisler. View full-sized image.
The 160 attendees and guests (from 17 states and two countries) savored a glorious and fun 10-hour day with fellow enthusiasts and amusement industry friends. The event kicked off officially with welcoming remarks by ACE Western Great Lakes Regional Representative Jeff Peters, followed by comments from the marvelous master-of-ceremonies and jovial jokemeister Marty Moltz.
In addition to providing the ACE update, Derek and Doug Perry ably manned the ACE merchandise table.
Photo: Michael Bare. View full-sized image.
ACE Update
Providing an update on ACE’s activities was Communications Director Derek Perry, who noted that $44,000 had been donated to ACE Preservation in the last year. With that, ACE gifted funds to the following: Little Fire Ball at Bartlesville Kiddie Park (Bartlesville, Oklahoma), the ACE Landmark Big Dipper at Camden Park (Huntingdon, West Virginia), the Flitzer opening at Kirby Family Farms (Williston, Florida) and Dragon Coaster at Playland Fresno (Fresno, California), for a total of $43,100.
Perry detailed ACE’s national events for 2025: the Spring Conference at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Williamsburg, Virginia) and Kings Dominion (Doswell, Virginia); Coaster Con 47 at Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, Illinois), Little Amerricka (Marshall, Wisconsin) and Indiana Beach (Monticello, Indiana); and the Preservation Conference at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California), SeaWorld San Diego and Belmont Park (San Diego). The Digital T-Shirt Gala is an online event in February, celebrating Preservation with speakers, games, auction items and more.
Cedar Point
The always ebullient Tony Clark highlighted the events scheduled at Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio) for 2025: Winter Chill Out (the park’s annual fundraiser for A Kid Again, which helps children with life threatening illnesses), Coastermania, Boardwalk Nights and HalloWeekends.
Tony Clark and Cedar Point's new-for-2025 coaster, Siren's Curse.
Photo: Michael Bare. View full-sized image.
New for 2025 at Cedar Point will be Siren’s Curse, a steel (Vekoma) tilt coaster (“North America's tallest, fastest, and longest tilt coaster”), which will feature on-ride audio and is expected to open in early summer. (This will be the park’s 18th coaster if Top Thrill 2 operates.)
As for Top Thrill 2, Zamperla is still working on modifying the trains, and the ride should be ready for opening day 2025. In other news, Millenium Force is celebrating its 25th year in 2025.
Dalton Fischer highlight's Silver Dollar City's Fire In The Hole.
Photo: Michael Bare. View full-sized image.
Silver Dollar City
Representing Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri), Dalton Fischer discussed the recent work done by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) on the park’s Fire In The Hole dark ride and roller coaster (with its three drops and “millisecond of airtime”), which experienced a $30 million remake in 2024.
This year Silver Dollar City is unveiling a new spring festival: Spring Exposition, debuting in a new Plaza area expansion and offering entertainment, activities and foods. Also new will be a high-tech drone show that will project the park’s logo and other Ozark imagery in the sky and a new comedy saloon, plus something new around Christmas. Silver Dollar City Resort is opening in late 2026 (262 guest rooms, indoor and outdoor pool, restaurant).
Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari
Eric Snow from Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari (Santa Claus, Indiana) announced that his park savored a great year with its newest coaster, Good Gravy! (Vekoma Boomerang) and highlighted that the team did all of the creative work in house (Good Gravy! won the Golden Ticket for Best New Theme Concept).
Holiday World is updating its flying scooter ride, Eagles Flight, which is benefitting from tubs sent from the closed ride at Seabreeze Park. As for the park’s coasters, Snow reported that for The Voyage, “We're going to be putting the Gravity Group pre-cut track on the 4th hill, and then we'll replace all the track after the 4th hill into the spaghetti bowl.” Raven will receive Gravity Group precut track in the first drop and the tunnel, and The Legend will see the camel hump between the spiral and the helix replaced plus some work directly above the Watubee water slide ride.
As for events, HoliWood Nights is sold out already, regrettably. Friday Night Live will be Fridays, 5 to 10 p.m., August 22 through October 24.
Dollywood
Representing Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) was Josh Sauer, who reported that the park enjoyed a fantastic year in 2024. As for 2025 festivals, he mentioned the I Will Always Love You Festival, Flower and Food Festival, Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration Festival, Harvest Festival with great pumpkin LumiNights and Smoky Mountain Christmas. Thrills in the Hills will happen September 26 and 27 and CoasterFest on November 15.
As for Lightning Rod, Sauer remarked that though it's been open since 2016, after the recent conversion to the lift chain, 2024 was its first year it recorded 1 million riders: “It operated at 94% capacity.… We put a heavier weight on the bottom of the train. So I actually think that it's faster.”
Kings Island
Tony Clark spoke briefly for Chad Showalter of Kings Island (Mason, Ohio), who couldn’t attend. ACE’s Spring Conference was held at Kings Island in 2024, with more than 600 members attending. New for Kings Island this year are two waterpark additions: River Racers (dual racing water coaster) and Splash River Junction (seven new kids water slides). Coasterstock is happening May 30-31.
Rachel Kendziora and Kevin Shaw are thrilled that Six Flags Great America will host ACE's Coaster Con 47 in 2025.
Photo: Michael Bare. View full-sized image.
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, Illinois) was represented by Rachel Kendziora, Kevin Shaw and Lisa Scheuring, who made a great comedic team. They noted that Batman The Ride was updated in 2024, with more work planned for 2025. Returning are some of the bells and whistles that were present when the ride opened, plus some special effects and a paint job.
New for 2025 is Wrath of Rakshasa, with the steepest drop on any dive coaster at 96 degrees and the most inversions with five. Interestingly, the coaster has no block brakes. Here’s the animated video ride:
Six Flags Great America will be co-hosting ACE’s Coaster Con 47.
National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives
Kris Rowberry brought news from the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives (NRCMA) in Plainview, Texas, which has added two new board members: Mark Rosenzweig (Principal, CBO at 3dx Scenic) and Rowberry himself, both ACE members.
The NRCMA purchased the inversion part of Canobie Corkscrew from Canobie Lake Park and intends it to be included in an outdoor display as part of the “track garden.” Also acquired were a Fire In The Hole vehicle and segment of track from Silver Dollar City, the Dopey car from Walt Disney World’s Snow White’s Scary Adventure’s dark ride, Disney Quest Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters, West Edmonton Mall’s Mindbender coaster model, a car from Sand Serpent at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and an IAAPA donation of a Morey’s Piers sign and one from Avalanche Run (Cedar Point) from International Rides Management and Sam Shurgott (IRM president, sales and consulting).
Coming to the museum in 2025 will be a Chaparral ride antique car and a bobsled car from La Vibora (Six Flags Over Texas). The museum is open to visitors with advance notice, plus the 2025 West Texas Roundup is happening on July 26, with a museum visit being part of the event.
Kris Rowberry, Scott Schaffer and Bob Randolph discuss “The Legend of Schwarzkopf” documentary.
Photo: Randy Geisler. View full-sized image.
“The Legacy of Schwarzkopf” Documentary
ACE’s “The Legacy of Schwarzkopf” documentary was shown, recounting the life, history and achievements of the late great Anton Schwarzkopf, one of the most legendary ride manufacturers of all time, creator of 146 roller coasters along with such rides as the Bayern Kurve, Enterprise and Monster. The film was directed by Nicholas Laschkewitsch and produced by Kris Rowberry, Robert Ingle, Scott Schaffer and R.D. Dewberry. Rowberry, Schaffer and Ingle answered questions from No Coaster Con attendees after the film’s showing.
Indiana Beach
Tom Crisci of Indiana Beach (Monticello, Indiana; another co-host of Coaster Con 47) was next up. He hastened to point out that the park has two Schwarzkopf coasters running right now (All American Triple Loop and Tig’rr [a Jet Star]). The park has been working on its two woodies, Cornball Express and Hoosier Hurricane, during the offseason.
About the All American Triple Loop, Crisci admitted that the Mindbender trains acquired from West Edmonton Mall were an initial challenge because of the over-the-shoulder restraints. Fortunately, the restraints have been removed. On selected days in 2025, the last car on Triple Loop will face backward. A second train is being considered as well.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
Deno Vourderis of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park (Brooklyn, New York) could not appear in person but spoke to the group virtually. Deno’s offers three steel coasters, including Phoenix, a Vekoma suspended family coaster, as well as Spook-a-Rama, a 1955 Pretzel Amusement Ride Company dark ride.
Vourderis’ presentation covered some of the maintenance done on the 150-foot-tall Wonder Wheel, which is a New York City landmark. Its claim to fame is that it has not only stationary gondolas around the outside, but also roller coaster-type cars that swing in and out on the inside — sort of a thrilling mega-Ferris wheel. Vourderis’ photos and videos showed the structure and one of the gondolas and how they are maintained during the off-season.
Vourderis’ concluding remarks went beyond the fun of parks and coasters: “I see ACE as a partner in making our industry a place for all people, regardless of where we're from, where we pray, or who we love.… And here we found one thing that unites us, and we use that one thing to stay human in an increasingly inhuman world. When we get on a roller coaster we find a way to celebrate life. The world can learn a lot from ACE.”
Lost Island Amusement Park
Gary Bertch, father of Eric Bertch, co-owner and general manager at Lost Island Amusement Park in Waterloo, Iowa, spoke via Zoom (Eric was unable to join). He remarked on the nice turnout for the ACE Preservation Conference in August and proceeded to give an update on the installation progress of the newest and only RMC Raptor coaster in the Midwest — Fire Runner — being erected at Lost Island.
Bertch showed a video of the construction site for Fire Runner and added that Fire Runner will be the first compact Raptor with a 12-car train. Much of what will make Fire Runner unique is the theming, including a lava tube entry to the queue and the dramatic Mura-realm building architecture. Also planned is the long-awaited opening of the wooden carousel, which will feature more than 40 carved wooden figures, including horses, frogs, turtles and sea creatures.
Print My Ride: Detroit's Matt Schmotzer shows off the huge Steel Vengeance model he created.
Photo: Randy Geisler. View full-sized image.
Print My Ride — Detroit
And now for something completely different! Matt Schmotzer introduced himself: “I'm Print My Ride. I do basically merchandise and just cool enthusiast stuff you can get that parks don't offer.” Schmotzer began building roller coaster models using 3-D printing, beginning with a small coaster (Kings Island’s Invertigo) and moving on to something larger (Cedar Point’s Steel Vengeance). Later Schmotzer got involved with Coasterdynamix, as they were interested in ramping up nanocoasters. To learn more about Print My Ride, go to www.printmyridedetroit.com.
Santa’s Village
Santa’s Village has been a beloved destination in East Dundee, Illinois, since 1959, known for its rides (such as three steel roller coasters, including Super Cyclone, an Interpark Zyklon), petting zoo and waterpark. Brian Kopeck zoomed in from his park, as he was overseeing the reopening of its ice-skating arena, the Polar Dome. As for other new developments at Santa’s Village in 2025, Kopek mentioned a four-lane racer slide at the waterpark, some kiddie rides, a family attraction that's basically a magic carpet ride and the North Pole Expedition (a dark ride).
Tom Rebbie and Janine Matscherz show off PTCI’s new logo for 2025.
Photo: Randy Geisler. View full-sized image.
Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc.
Tom Rebbie, president/CEO of Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc. (PTCI), who has been with the legendary company for 48 years and owned it for the last 33), and his daughter, Janine Matscherz, operations manager, offered the final presentation of No Coaster Con 2024. Rebbie commented that PTCI has featured many logos over its 121 years, and he showcased the newest for 2025.
Rebbie next described what PTCI has been working on over the last year. Adventureland’s The Underground coaster was a complicated project that required reverse engineering. Other projects were trains from Lake Compounce’s Boulder Dash, Arnold’s Park’s Legend, Stricker’s Grove’s Tornado, Six Flags Great Escape’s Comet, Six Flags America’s Wild One, Frontier City’s Wildcat and Dorney Park’s Thunderhawk. Projects for 2025 include Kemah Boardwalk’s Boardwalk Bullet, Six Flags Over Georgia’s Great American Scream Machine, Six Flags America’s Roar, Cedar Point’s Blue Streak and Bay Beach’s Zippin Pippin.
Tom Rebbie and Janine Matscherz use one of Rebbie’s “things I see” to reinforce the point that what people share is greater than what divides them.
Photo: Randy Geisler. View full-sized image.
In personal news, Rebbie’s horse ACE is doing well, as is Rebbie, after falling off ACE, breaking five vertebrae and spending five days in intensive care. He also shared “things I see” (odd things, funny things, interesting images seen in his travels and online). In closing, Rebbie echoed Vourderis’ earlier remarks about focusing on ways people are similar and how an interest in parks and roller coasters has brought people from many different backgrounds together in ACE. Matscherz thanked ACE Western Great Lakes for inviting PTCI to No Coaster Con and invited everyone to contact PTCI if they’d like to visit.
Cedar Point offered a huge Siren's Curse banner to be auctioned off to raise money for ACE's funds.
Photo: Jeremy Wdowicki. View full-sized image.
In closing, it was announced that the raffle, live auction, silent auction and Heads or Tails prize games raised $2,423 for ACE’s various funds. Attendees were grateful to Peters, his team of assistants and volunteers and the presenters for making the day such a great success. Peters added, “I would like to thank the ‘greater power’ who finally kept the snow away from the Chicago area for No Coaster Con 2025! See you January 17, 2026.”
— Randy Geisler
#ACENews