Tucked away in the wooded suburbs south of Atlanta is a small family-owned amusement park that used to bring in customers thanks to humble attractions like its Ferris wheel, bumper boats, Tilt-a-Whirl, go-kart tracks, Scooby Swing and batting cages.
But as of this year, Fun Spot America Atlanta has transformed itself into something of a destination for the nation’s roller coaster enthusiasts, with the unveiling of a marquee ride, ArieForce One.
It towers above the green landscape, its steel tracks shimmering in the Georgia sun. Its 154-foot lift hill and steep first drop are visible from Highway 85, beckoning to and intimidating passers-by.
The ride is among the newest designed by Rocky Mountain Construction, a roller coaster manufacturer that, in the last decade or so, has become one of the most innovative in the business. The company is a particular favorite among roller coaster fans who make special trips to theme parks around the country to check out the latest advancements in thrill-seeking. And Rocky Mountain Construction’s latest creation was the main reason I paid Fun Spot a visit on a recent Saturday.
Another manufacturer on the wow list is Bolliger & Mabillard, a Swiss firm focused on bold, smooth steel rides, including a new stand-up roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. Yet another company, Intamin, has made its name with launch coasters and rides of extreme heights and speeds.
You’ll hear the abbreviated terms for these companies — “RMC” for Rocky Mountain Construction; “B & M” for Bolliger & Mabillard — tossed around at events attended by roller coaster aficionados, including the annual CoasterMania! at the Cedar Point theme park in Sandusky, Ohio. The day before my trip to Fun Spot America Atlanta, I was among the CoasterMania! revelers who rode roller coasters built by each of these three top designers.
Events like Coastermania! give roller coaster nerds like me a chance to wallow in the details of a great ride with like-minded people. We can express what’s great about the various twists and drops, discuss rumors of what’s coming up at theme parks around the world and have exclusive time to ride (and re-ride) roller coasters early in the morning, before the parks officially open to the public.
This year, we talked a lot about RMC while in line for Steel Vengeance, one of the wildest and most ambitious coasters that the company has made.
The manufacturer has become known for taking old wooden roller coasters whose rides have…
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