Backlot Stunt Coaster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Backlot Stunt Coaster |
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| Previously known as Italian Job: Stunt Track (Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland) Italian Job: Turbo Coaster (Kings Dominion) |
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View of Backlot Stunt Coaster at Kings Island from the Eiffel Tower
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| Canada's Wonderland | |
| Park section | Action Zone |
| Coordinates | 43°50′19.36″N 79°32′28.25″W / 43.8387111°N 79.5411806°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 1, 2005 |
| Kings Dominion | |
| Park section | Safari Village |
| Coordinates | 37°50′18.24″N 77°26′31.92″W / 37.8384000°N 77.4422000°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 27, 2006 |
| Replaced | Diamond Falls |
| Kings Island | |
| Park section | Rivertown |
| Coordinates | 39°20′30.12″N 84°15′56.88″W / 39.3417000°N 84.2658000°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft operation date | April 29, 2005 |
| Opening date | May 20, 2005 |
| Replaced | Antique Cars |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Premier Rides |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Lift/launch system | LIM Launch Track |
| Height | 45.2 ft (13.8 m) |
| Drop | 31.2 ft (9.5 m) |
| Length | 1,960 ft (600 m) |
| Speed | 40 mph (64 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:04 |
| Capacity | 1000 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | 0 to 40 mph (0 to 64 km/h) in 3 seconds |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 3 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 12 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane available at all three parks |
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The Backlot Stunt Coaster is an exciting launched roller coaster found at three different Cedar Fair amusement parks. These parks are Kings Island, Canada's Wonderland, and Kings Dominion.
When the first two rides opened in 2005 at Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland, they were called Italian Job: Stunt Track. The third one opened in 2006 at Kings Dominion and was named Italian Job: Turbo Coaster. All three coasters were designed to feel like the thrilling car chase scene from the 2003 movie, The Italian Job. They even had special effects to make the ride feel more real!
Later, in 2008, the Italian Job theme was removed. This happened after Cedar Fair bought the parks from Paramount. The coasters were then renamed to Backlot Stunt Coaster.
Contents
History of the Stunt Coaster
The idea for the Italian Job: Stunt Track was first announced for Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland on August 12, 2004. At Kings Island, it took the place of an old car ride called Lex Taxis.
The ride at Kings Island had its first previews on April 29, 2005. Its official grand opening was a few weeks later on May 20, 2005. Canada's Wonderland's version opened a bit earlier, on May 1, 2005.
On October 12, 2005, Kings Dominion announced they would also get a similar ride. Their version was called Italian Job: Turbo Coaster. It opened on May 27, 2006. This ride replaced a water ride called Diamond Falls.
At the end of the 2007 park season, all three Italian Job coasters were renamed. They became the Backlot Stunt Coaster for the 2008 season. This change was part of a bigger plan by Cedar Fair. They wanted to remove all themes related to Paramount from the parks they bought in 2006. The special effects on the rides were also changed to remove any movie references. This made the overall theme more general.
Ride Experience: What to Expect
The Coaster's Path
Your adventure begins with a super-fast launch! The train goes from 0 to 40 miles per hour in just three seconds. Right after the launch, you enter a tall "parking garage" building. Inside, the train twists upwards through two big loops, just like a car climbing a real parking garage.
From the top, the train drops down into a "street" area. Here, you'll see highway signs and three police cars with flashing lights and sirens. Your train will swerve between these police cars. Next, you'll go through a really tilted turn, almost sideways, at 88 degrees! After a small dip, you'll travel down what looks like "subway stairs."
The train then stops in front of a tunnel. Suddenly, a helicopter appears to your left, making sounds like it's shooting. In the past, this gunfire made pipes spray "gasoline" (which was really water). Even though the water effect is gone, the gunfire still makes two barrels catch fire. Then, a gas tank explodes!
After the explosion, the train launches again into the tunnel. It twists and drops before bursting out of a "broken billboard." You'll splash down into a water area, like an L.A. Aqueduct, before turning left and arriving back at the station.
The Coaster Trains
The Backlot Stunt Coaster has three trains. Each train has three cars, and each car can hold four people. Riders sit two by two in two rows.
When the ride first opened, the trains looked like cool, smaller versions of MINI Coopers. Paramount worked closely with BMW to design these special cars. They even had headlight stickers and working doors on the sides! Plus, the cars had built-in sound effects. Each train had the same color pattern: the first car was blue, the second was red, and the third was white.
Before the 2010 season, the trains were changed. They no longer looked like MINI Coopers because Cedar Fair didn't have the license to use that design anymore. Now, the trains are simpler. Each entire train is one solid color: one train is all blue, another is all red, and the third is all white.
The Ride's Theme
All three Backlot Stunt Coasters originally had a theme based on the exciting car chase at the end of the 2003 movie, The Italian Job.
To make the ride feel like the movie, special effects were added. These included a helicopter that seemed to attack riders with machine gun sounds. There were also fire effects and water splashes. When the ride launched, you'd hear "Action!" and at the end, "Cut!" The final drop, where the Mini Coopers seemed to jump out of a sewer, had water jets to create a big splash.
