Creating an attraction is far more than installing track and building a station. Theming and ride design are easy to overlook, but they can add so much more to the experience. Correspondent Bob Randolph meets with Rick Backstrup, president of R&R Creative Amusement Designs, to shed new light on this key facet of the ride experience.
You may not be familiar with his name yet, but if you’re listening to our podcast, you’ve probably seen his work. His team has developed many themed attractions including elements like station design, queue lines, colors, names and more on legendary rides, including Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain), Exterminator (Kennywood), Adventure Express (Kings Island), Merlin’s Mayhem (Dutch Wonderland) and so many more. One of their beloved attractions is Kings Island’s defunct Phantom Theater. Will that be making a comeback? Listen to find out!
In this Episode:
[1:30] Meet Rick
[8:50] R&R Creative’s unusual origin story
[15:15] How Phantom Theater came to be
[23:11] Creating backstories
[34:09] Working on the National Roller Coaster Museum
Buy Rick’s book! Adventures of a Theme Park Designer from Rivershore Press
Share your ideas and thoughts about this podcast via email: podcast@aceonline.org. Did you know anyone can join ACE? Visit ridewithace.com to learn more about the non-profit organization American Coaster Enthusiasts.
Join the team of ACE volunteers. Volunteering offers different ways to share your talents by:
- Having an impact on the future of ACE
- Providing opportunities for rewarding experiences
- Developing friendships in a small group
- Learning new skills or sharing your talents with ACE
Podcast Volunteer Team
Host: Jessica Gardner
Producers and Correspondents: Derek Perry and Doug Perry
Editor and Correspondent: Bob Randolph
Show Notes: Liz Tan
Production Manager: Corey Wooten
Correspondents: John Davidson and Bryant Yeager
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