Backlot Stunt Coaster Review, Premier Rides Launch Coaster | Cedar Fair's Best Themed Coaster

[@ericthomason8463]

When I visited Kings Island, I tricked my mom and brother into thinking Backlot Stunt Coaster was gonna be a gentle family coaster. I wouldn’t even call it a family coaster at all. That triple helix is intense!

[@CanobieCoaster]

That helix is intense!

[@TheNinjaDC]

Honestly, is a perfect family coaster to transition riders to thrill coasters. It has a punchy launch, high sustained G triple helix, has an almost 90 degree overbank, and a dark section. And some fun effects add a bit more spice.

[@CanobieCoaster]

It is a good family coaster.

[@mrcoasterswag]

Great family coaster. The tunnel portion is my favorite part, makes you feel like you’re going really fast

[@CanobieCoaster]

It does have a good sense of speed.

[@levisimp3860]

I did the one at canadas wonderland, the turns were jarring but the dark indoor section was alot of fun, it just felt like you kept going dowm

[@CanobieCoaster]

It is a fun section.

[@richey0995]

I always enjoy the one at Kings Island whenever I decide to ride it, but if it was removed I wouldn’t be that upset about it. If they replaced this with something higher capacity and put the entrance at the middle of the park, it would do wonders for Kings Island and taking a bit of foot traffic away from the edges of the park, cuz you really don’t see many people walking through that middle area. I only rode it once, but I much prefer the one at Kings Dominion, it was noticeably faster than the one at Kings Island, and the fire effects actually worked! I haven’t seen them working at Kings Island since Mystic Timbers first opened.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I had the fire working at Kings Island in 2020 and 2021.

[@cmazzei_]

One thing I never knew about the backlot clones until this year is that the back of each car have a set of small wheels on the bottom of them that allow the car to swivel to the left and right ever so slightly to simulate drifting. I’ve been riding the version at Canada’s Wonderland for years and never noticed it until someone told me, and now knowing this, certain aspects of the layout make much more sense, primarily the sudden directional changes & s-bends. It’s pretty cool!

[@CanobieCoaster]

That's a good point!

[@Jazz-Man1910]

00:09 I feel, that it's less Disney, and more Universal in the early 2000s. But I do see where you're coming from, as I have ridden it myself.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Fair!

[@mattyorshin]

I love these little coasters. Having theming really adds to them as a whole.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Yes it does.

[@Stagnant_Gravy]

Done all three, KI’s is my fav by far.

[@CanobieCoaster]

It's my favorite too.

[@Paolo8772]

I've ridden Back Lot Stunt Coaster at Canada's Wonderland in August 2021 and Kings Island in June 2023. I ranked it Canada Wonderland's 5th best coaster and Kings Islands 10th best, a testament to how good Kings Island is. You keep forgetting the most famous section from Der Ring des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner: Music from the beginning of Act 3 of the 2nd of the opera "Die Walkure" used during the shooting helicopter" (MCBR) part of the ride, which was roughly themed to the movie "Apocalypse Now" which forever made American movie lovers associate that music, (otherwise known in English is "The Ride of the Valkyries") with helicopters the Vietnam War. (In the famous Wagner opera, the music denoted winged horses piloted by the bravest of women, who'd take the dead male heroes from any battlefield to Valhalla. Thanks for posting, I always love your content. I don't know how, but somehow I'm feeling a Diamondback review coming.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I didn't know the name of that song, but it is great.

[@Paolo8772]

@@CanobieCoaster Wagner probably would've had a fit if he thought anybody called even any part of his epic allesgesumtpkunstswerks (all encompassing art works) songs, but I have no issue. 😆

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

I was shocked by that helix on my first ride. As someone who almost never greys out, I was not expecting to grey out on this ride. It is so much fun for a family coaster. I have fortunately not encountered long lines for it. I rarely see long lines for anything at Kings Island or Kings Dominion, and I waited about 10-15 minutes at Canadas Wonderland. They all seem to have very quick dispatches. At KI & KD, I usually will hop on it when I'm walking by. If the line looks to be 10+ minutes, I tend to skip it on that round.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Looks like you've had great luck with crowds. I've had mixed crowds at Kings Island.

[@TheNinjaDC]

The police sirens and lights still work at KI version.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Ah ok, thanks. I didn't see them active my last visits.

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

That first launch and helix are ridiculous for this coasters size

[@CanobieCoaster]

Yes they are.

[@michaelcook4194]

I don't remember seeing the helicopter propellers working last week. I think at night the cop cars do have the lights and sirens going.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Thanks for the update.

[@spentron1]

Humm "kick" makes me think of the initial slam your head back accel of FoF. But after a gentle start (with screech) yeah Backlot may accel harder. The helix is a good g-force "test" before riding I305. Ride Dominator if you're not sure you're ready for Backlot. ;) The second launch is short, but the first time being forcibly pushed into the dark is terrifying. KD's version not only often lacks fire, even more often the fire above goes off after the train is gone. I never experienced the water effects, that sounds great, never knew!

[@CanobieCoaster]

I'm glad I got to see all the effects back in 2006.

[@elidavidson5503]

Did you know it was originally was supposed to have some kind of drifting feature on the cars? Apparently they tested it at KI and gave up on it. Always wondered what it would be like. Also, tiny note, the splashdown was working at KD as of 2022.

[@CanobieCoaster]

That would be interesting!

[@tannert.2296]

Honestly premier rides is so consistent. They don’t build the biggest or baddest coasters but they build products that work as advertised and draw crowds. Backlot stunt coaster(s), skyrocket 2(s), revenge of the mummy(s), full throttle, ice breaker, etc. Arguably their biggest dud is west coast racers because of the advertising that went into it prior but that is still an objectively good coaster

[@CanobieCoaster]

I wish they made better trains, but their coasters are quality.

[@steveprodanovski]

I believe the reason (maintenace issues aside) that Canada's Wonderlands effects were turned off entirely was that we have laws that require full time licensed pyrotechnicians to be on site in case anything ever goes wrong with pyro effects here in Canada. Cedar Fair (rightfully, IMO) decided it's not worth the cost and the ride was programmed to float on through. Having ridden the ride with full effects on launch year I do kinda miss it all, but I get it.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Thanks for explaining why the pyro effects were removed. I still think the showscene could work with water effects as an alternative.

[@SkyrushFanboy]

A lot of people say that the fire effects don't work for them, but on both of the backlots at KI and KD the fire effects worked every time. Maybe I just got lucky but it's really cool!

[@CanobieCoaster]

I have good luck at Kings Island.

[@mitchellries256]

I think this is the second best themed coaster in terms of theming. Flight of Fear feels like the best for that. As for ride experience, that depends on which ones we're talking about. I prefer them all (except the one at Canada's Wonderland as I haven't been there yet) over the version of Flight of Fear at Kings Island, but I prefer Flight of Fear at Kings Dominion over all of them.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Flight of Fear has better theming leading up to the ride, but I prefer this theming on-ride.

[@wboyajian]

I actually like that wonderlands version doesnt stop, it makes the ride so fast paced and the show scene is pretty middling now anyways. KDs is my least favorite by far, the show scene is just sad and it tracks like crap compared to other two. Last time i rode it was even launching slower but I'm assuming that was a temporary magnet issue or something.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I prefer the show scene to kick in.

[@car_tar3882]

They should revamp this with a new theme at kid

[@CanobieCoaster]

Especially with that area.

[@jacobselleck9750]

I like that Canadas Wonderlands doesn’t stop, it makes the pacing feel much more out of control

[@CanobieCoaster]

I prefer the showscene myself, but I can see how that helps the pacing.

[@m.hreels9822]

This was my first roller coaster

[@CanobieCoaster]

Nice!

[@m.hreels9822]

@@CanobieCoaster yep I was 13. I was so excited when this ride first. Back when it was called The Italian Job

[@stephenboshears4832]

It should be a good family coaster, it’s got nice theming and a solid layout but the height requirement is to high. It’s seriously got the same height requirement as rides like Lightning Rod and Arieforce One

[@CanobieCoaster]

I do wish it had a lower height limit.

[@FlashFoxBox]

Ohh, so that is the theming? I thought, the theme was still under construction from the looks of it.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I thought it was a stunt track.

[@tiegrumble]

When I was at Kings island the ride op called all the cars fruit names, and I thought was kinda funny.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Lol

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

So far only rode the one at Kings Island

[@CanobieCoaster]

The best one.

[@wendyokoopa7048]

This coaster was my last of the day this was a beast and I rode Wilde beast

[@CanobieCoaster]

It's a fun ride. My favorites at Wonderland are Leviathan, Behemoth, and Yukon Striker.

[@CortezIngram-n7x]

I've ridden one of them 4 years ago

[@CanobieCoaster]

Nice!

[@WeTheCoasters]

I think Flight of Fear has better theming than Backlot but it's not a bad ride at all. I started working at Kings Island this year as a ride op and Backlot was the first ride I worked at. My main ride is White Water Canyon but I was placed at Backlot at the start of the season until White Water opened. So this coaster will always be a bit special to me. -Kyle

[@CanobieCoaster]

Flight of Fear has the better theming leading up to the ride, but I prefer Backlot's theming during the coaster itself.

[@ianmortimer5325]

Any chance for B&M Batman the Ride clones coasters review including some clones that don't have Batman the Ride name?

[@CanobieCoaster]

Possibly in the future.

[@Frankenberry]

Just for the record... At Kings Island, when the coaster opened as "The Italian Job " Stunt Coaster... It actually WAS actually part of King's Island's "Action Zone"... River town has expanded over the years for Mystic Timbers and Diamond back... So, it wasn't so close to the edge of Rivertown back then when it opened... because river town has grown forward toward the front of the park now.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Thanks for clarifying!

[@richardrockwell]

@@CanobieCoaster He's wrong about that. I've been going to KI every single years since 1979. The Action Zone has never been anywhere near BLSC.

[@Frankenberry]

@@richardrockwell Actually we were both wrong... It was part of Coney Mall... I think I was confused about action zone because thats where they had the mini-coopers sitting to advertise it the year before it opened... this is from the Wiki "In 2020, the ride's location in the park was relisted as part of the Rivertown section of the park, having formerly been considered part of the Coney Mall section of the park since opening."

[@davidpalomeque4689]

Average thrill of this vs Big Thunder Mountain?

[@CanobieCoaster]

Similar

[@micoasters]

This thing killed my back. It also felt rough, it may have been a wheel issue tho

[@CanobieCoaster]

I have never had that issue.

[@HugeRMCFanBoY-bx3od]

My backlot stunt coasters ranked 3 Kings Dominion 2 Canada's Wonderland 1 Kings Island

[@CanobieCoaster]

Same top one.

[@dytamic]

live Literally Anything at Knotts reaction:

[@CanobieCoaster]

What?

[@unseeninja]

I hate this ride soo much. I just end up with a massive headache and it ruins my day. But thats a me problem and i don't ride it anymore. It just really needs to be rebuilt. At least the wonderland one does.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I've never gotten a headache from it.