Early March is too soon to ride coasters in western Pennsylvania but certainly not too soon to anticipate what one’s favorite parks might be planning for the upcoming coaster season. To catch up on what’s happening, 219 attendees gathered on March 7 for ACE Western Pennsylvania’s nonriding winter event CoasterBash! XXXVII. It was a surprisingly warm 72 degrees outside, but all the action was inside Salvatore’s, an event space in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.
Corey Maley and Heather Macdonald helped out at the mini ACE General Store.
Photo: Val Lucas. View full-sized image.
Martin Windisch and Sarah Windisch manned the Preservation Fund table.
Photo: Sarah Windisch collection. View full-sized image.
Bake sale coordinator April Kanai and Zalayna Cole organized a table full of donated baked goods.
Photo: Pam Kanai. View full-sized image.
Beginning at 1:30, attendees could check in and enjoy 90 minutes of “social time,” during which they could choose their table and canvas the vendors, a mini ACE General Store, silent auction items, the door prize tables, the ACE Preservation Fund Sales Table and a bake sale. Making memories at the free photo booth generated much hilarity.
Left to right: Robin Mullen explained the workings of the Prize Wheel ‘n’at, while Steve Smith supervised ticket sales for the Penguins prize basket.
Next to it was the Prize Wheel ‘n’at, where “every spinner is a winner,” plus a charity raffle of a Pittsburgh Penguins prize basket. The popcorn on the tables and the nonalcoholic beverages were all free, plus adult beverages were available as well. Voting also began for the Photo Contest.
The lights dimmed at 3 p.m., with a “welcome to CoasterBash!” and a showing of Ken Simmons’ “New Coasters of 2025.” This was followed by Garrett Sauers’ “Summer Flashback,” which featured photos from all the region’s 2025 events at parks.
What followed was “6 Minutes,” an exposé based on television’s “60 Minutes,” in which investigative reporter Ace Cooper (played by Bill Linkenheimer III) interviewed Kennywood’s general manager, Ricky Spicuzza, and director of operations, Marie Ruby, on their rumored participation in a lip sync battle. This ended with a beach ball being tossed around and a video of them lip synching “Dancing Queen” (that took place at a Herschend senior leadership gathering). You had to be there!
Regional Rep Bill Linkenheimer III welcomed attendees to CoasterBash!.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Regional Rep Linkenheimer then welcomed everyone and remarked on the record CoasterBash! attendance. The person who had traveled the farthest distance to attend was David Lipnicky from Texas. Linkenheimer then introduced a brief video honoring Bob and Barbara Ranker, Pam Kanai’s parents and ACE members, who died in 2025.
Hunter Lawrence explained the advantages of The Gravity Group’s engineered precut track.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Hunter Lawrence, an engineer from The Gravity Group (TGG) who grew up in Cecil in western Pennsylvania and worked for Kennywood at one point, began the presentations by describing her work with TGG and updating attendees on the company’s recent activity. TGG recently moved into its own building with 32,000 feet of shop space that is called “The Center of Gravity.” TGG’s signature product is engineered precut track, both horizontal and vertical, which has improved the ride and extended the life of a number of wood coasters. Lawrence reviewed TGG’s engineered precut track projects for 2025 and mentioned the wood coaster the company is building at MagicLand in Italy, whose projected opening is in 2027. Coaster Con 48 attendees will experience TGG’s The Bobcat at The Great Escape (Queensbury, New York).
Leslie Przybylek announced the Heinz History Center’s 2027 exhibit on the history of the amusement industry in western Pennsylvania.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Director of Publications Brian Butko and Senior Curator Leslie Przybylek from the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh brought news of upcoming publications by and exhibits at the museum. Butko shared some photos that will not be included in his long-awaited Kennywood: Behind the Screams, Ride All Day Edition (projected publication 2027), and Przybylek described the upcoming 2027 exhibit on the history of the amusement industry in western Pennsylvania. The western half of Pennsylvania will be the focus of the exhibit, and contributions will come from the museum’s affiliates and partners. A theme of the exhibit will be why amusement parks matter, and not just to park and coaster enthusiasts.
Steve Gorman brought news from Waldameer & Water World in Erie.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Steve Gorman, president and general manager of Waldameer & Water World in Erie, presented a recap of 2025 and plans for 2026. The season didn’t look promising early in 2025 because of bad weather and low attendance, but things soon picked up. Time Twister, a Zamperla NebulaZ that replaced the Spider, was a popular success, and the expanded Water World entrance shortened the lines.
Since Labor Day, a picnic shelter has been removed, and the paratrooper will be reinstalled at a new location. The biggest changes have been to Water World. Four slides have been removed, and a new Endless River called Winding Waters will be completed in phases. A slide tower will be added.
As for the coasters, some track work has been done on Ravine Flyer II and less on Comet, which will celebrate 75 years in 2026. Ravine Flyer II now has had all its wood track replaced since being built in 2008.
Waldameer and Seabreeze Park in Rochester, New York, will be featured in a film called “Trolley Park: Great Lakes,” which is part of a PBS documentary series featuring historic trolley parks and their evolution into modern amusement parks. Gorman’s son David recently published his eighth book, The Ferris Wheel Fright, in the Waldameer Mystery Files series.
As for Gorman? Since Labor Day he has visited Santa’s Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire, and has met its owners, the Gainors.
Preservation Director Josh Brown updated attendees on recent ACE developments, in addition to the club’s preservation efforts.
Photo: Lee Ann Draud. View full-sized image.
ACE’s preservation director, Josh Brown, provided updates on many aspects of ACE operations. He covered the launch of ACE’s new website, recent donations from the preservation fund, the upcoming ACE election of new officers and ACE’s flagship events.
In the awards department, ACE’s latest ACE Roller Coaster Landmark is Flying Turns at Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, Pennsylvania), which will be awarded during ACE Flies With Knoebels 100 in July. ACE will bestow two Centennial awards in 2026: one to Kennywood’s Jack Rabbit and the other to Jack Rabbit at Seabreeze in Rochester, New York, both of which opened in 1920.
Pete Carmichael summarized developments at Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags New England.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Pete Carmichael, regional general manager of Six Flags’ Northeast parks, brought news from Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, New Jersey) and Six Flags New England (Agawam, Massachusetts). The log flume will open this year at Great Adventure, and track improvements have been made on El Toro. Also, the Safari Off Road Adventure will return. Intamin launch coaster Quantum Accelerator will open with the new season at Six Flags New England.
Returning to regional news, in the Rep Rap segment, Linkenheimer introduced his regional rep team and described their individual responsibilities: Dave Altman, Stephen Gray, Dave Hahner, April Lucas, Ryan Lucas, Brett Weissbart and the newest addition, Elena Marziale. He also acknowledged the western Pennsylvania regional parks and thanked them for their support and the great value they provide.
The dessert cakes were reminders of regional events and Knoebels’ 100th anniversary.
Time for a dinner break! At 6:05 attendees were called up by table names (which were ride names) for a delicious dinner of Chicken Romano, roast beef, pasta and many sides. Four cakes celebrating ACE Western Pennsylvania regional events and Knoebels’ 100th anniversary were a tasty dessert. There was plenty of time during the dinner break to visit vendors, the bake sale and preservation tables and the Prize Wheel ‘n’at, plus vote in the Photo Contest and clown around at the photo booth.
Mark Frazee shared 2025 and 2026 news from Kennywood.
Photo: Lee Ann Draud. View full-sized image.
Kennywood is the traditional first after-dinner speaker, and Mark Frazee, regional content manager for the western Pennsylvania Herschend parks, was ready with news from the West Mifflin Park. He first reviewed 2025 activities in the park, including the big news that Herschend had taken ownership, and then looked ahead to 2026, when Kennywood will celebrate its 128th year of operation.
In ride news, the Whip’s 100th anniversary will be acknowledged with a new logo on each car. New fencing, audio and merchandise will help mark the 25th anniversary of The Phantom’s Revenge, the Arrow/Morgan terrain coaster. Track work was done on all the wood coasters as well as Old Mill, the oldest ride in the park. Bright new red benches will be located near Thunderbolt, the John Miller/Andy Vettel wood terrain coaster.
A new event will debut in the spring [since announced as Celebrate Kennywood Weekends in April and May], and familiar events will return: Bites and Pints, All-American Summer, Fall Fantasy Parades, Phantom Fall Fest and Holiday Lights. Looking ahead to 2027: Racer, Turtle and Merry-Go-Round will all turn 100. In Sandcastle event news, efforts are being made to reintegrate Kennywood and Sandcastle Waterpark in West Homestead by scheduling more microevents.
Ron Mazur, 2026 winner of The Golden Kenny award.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
It was time for Kenny Kangaroo to help Ruby present The Golden Kenny, an annual award, to a regional member to acknowledge their enthusiasm for ACE Western Pennsylvania. Linkenheimer named all past winners of The Golden Kenny before Ruby announced Ron Mazur as the 2026 winner.
Jim Futrell provided a summary of Knoebels’ 100-year history.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg is celebrating 100 years in 2026, and to mark the occasion, Jim Futrell, historian of both the International Amusement Parks and Attractions and the National Amusement Park Historical Association, was asked to commemorate the occasion by contributing a book on the park to Arcadia’s Images of America series. His talk, “Knoebels: The First 100 Years” provided an overview of the park’s history from its official opening on July 4, 1926; through the period of growth in the 1940s, with the debut of the Grand Carousel and band organ and further expansion; through the park’s reopening in nine days after the devastation of Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and the opening of Haunted Mansion in 1973; through the mid-1980s when the rescue of the Rocket and opening of Phoenix in 1985 brought attention to the park and the issue of coaster rescue/preservation; to the Flying Turns project, which took seven years to complete; and to a new era beginning in 2010 when the park truly became a destination.
Rick Knoebel reviewed updates on 2026 activity at the park plus plans for Knoebels’ 100th anniversary celebration.
Photo: Lee Ann Draud. View full-sized image.
Futrell was followed by Rick Knoebel, who continued a discussion of his family’s park. Created in honor of the park’s 100th anniversary is a new logo, which incorporates images of brass rings from the Grand Carousel. Progress was reported on opening of the Bayern Kurve, refurbishment of the Sky Slide and acquisition of the kiddie Tumble Bug from Conneaut Lake Park. The Panther Cars have been rebuilt, and the Grand Carousel has a new queue. Visitors will notice new track on Flying Turns. New foods and 100th-anniversary merchandise will be available as well as an online system for campground registration.
Knoebels ride anniversaries for 2026: Satellite, 70 years; Black Diamond, 15; Looper, 20; Umbrella Ride, 50; Flyers, 55; Downdraft, 25; and Tea Cups, 40.
Winners of the photo contest (left to right) April Lucas (third), Mark Zacchia (second) and Todd Wilson (first) were congratulated by Jason Ballard, photo contest coordinator.
Photo: Ryan Lucas. View full-sized image.
Time to announce the Photo Contest winners! Contest Coordinator Jason Ballard remarked that all three winning photos were taken at Kennywood. Winners were Todd Wilson, first; Mark Zacchia, second; and April Lucas, third.
Janine Rebbie Matscherz reported on PTCI’s busy 2025 and 2026.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Janine Rebbie Matscherz stepped up to report on what’s been happening at Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc. (PTCI). 2026 will be Tom Rebbie’s 49th year at PTCI. In 2025 PTCI presented at Coasterstock, and Rebbie was elected to the Pennsylvania Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame. In the PTCI shop for rehab are trains from Little Dipper and Viper (Six Flags Great America), Thunderhawk (Dorney Park), Boardwalk Bullet (Kemah Boardwalk), Great American Scream Machine (Six Flags Over Georgia), Rampage (Alabama Adventure), Blue Streak (Cedar Point), The Legend (Arnolds Park), The Comet (The Great Escape) and Timberhawk (Wild Waves).
Jeff Croushore and colleagues from Idlewild and Kennywood re-created Idlewild’s lip sync performance at the Herschend leadership weekend.
Photo: Brian Butko. View full-sized image.
Making his 22nd presentation at CoasterBash! for Idlewild and SoakZone in Ligonier was Jeff Croushore, director of marketing. His presentations are often lively and involve audience participation, so after reviewing Idlewild’s 2025 events and accomplishments, Croushore and assorted Idlewild and Kennywood employees re-created Idlewild’s entry in the lip sync contest at the recent Herschend leadership gathering. You really had to be there for this hilarious happy moment.
Jeff Croushore brought news from Idlewild and suggestions of future plans for the park.
Photo: Lee Ann Draud. View full-sized image.
Back to official news about Idlewild’s 149th season, Croushore noted that 2026 would mark the 100th anniversary of the park’s Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel. Refurbishment of the carousel’s horses continues, and only 12 horses remain to be restored. The Tilt-A-Whirl will be relocated to an as-yet unannounced spot.
In SoakZone, there will be a new bridge to Captain Kidd’s Adventure Galley, and another new pirate-themed attraction will be announced later. As for events, look for a new character event in June, Celebrate America in July, Kids Fest in August and Hallowboo in September and October.
It was time for closing announcements, and first up was April Kanai, coordinator of the CoasterBash! bake sale, who thanked everyone who contributed (a complete sellout!). The total raised for all ACE’s special funds was $4,263. The Penguins basket, donated by the Lucas family, raised $195 for Give Kids The World. “A Symphony of Volunteers” recognized everyone who volunteered to help with CoasterBash!.
Although ACE Western Pennsylvania is a region that honors the traditions of its regional parks, it also stays abreast of current trends, one of which is an increasing use of statistics to document results. Linkenheimer closed the event by showing a bar graph with CoasterBash! a clear winner among off-season ACE events at ending on time!
— Lee Ann Draud, ACE News Editor
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