The Wild One (roller coaster)
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| The Wild One | |
|---|---|
| Previously known as The Giant Coaster (1917-1984) | |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1986 |
| Paragon Park | |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | 1917 |
| Closing date | 1984 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Flash Pass Available |
| The Wild One at RCDB | |
The Wild One is a wooden roller coaster at Six Flags America in Prince George's County, Maryland. It features a 450° spiral helix and a series of bunny hills that produce a significant amount of air time. The wooden coaster was previously known as Giant Coaster when it was located at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts. It operated there from 1917 to 1984. It is the oldest coaster in any Six Flags park.
History
When the roller coaster first opened in 1917, it was The Giant Coaster at
On July 19, 1963, Forest Park Highlands in St. Louis suffered from a massive fire, but its roller coaster, Comet, remained standing. When Comet was torn down in 1968, Paragon Park bought its trains as opposed to buying more expensive ones from PTC. The trains continued to have the name "Comet" labeled on the front car during the remaining years of Giant Coaster's operation.[2]
Sale and move
The Giant Coaster closed with Paragon Park in 1984 and was sold to Wild World (now Six Flags America), which acquired the ride in a last minute bid at auction. Charlie Dinn of the Dinn Corporation was contracted to relocate the ride and supervised the reconstruction. Curtis D. Summers reworked sections of the layout, and restored the helix finale that had been lost in the 1963 fire. The ride opened in 1986 as The Wild One and although popular with riders was considered to be fairly intense.[3][4] The financially plagued park owners had difficulties maintaining the coaster, and it quickly developed a reputation for being rough. Several rides, including the coaster, did not open for the 1991 season.[5]
Current design
In the winter of 1991/1992 the park was sold to
Records
When The Giant Coaster opened in 1917, at 98 feet (30 m) tall, it was the tallest roller coaster in the world. Its record was not surpassed until 1925 when the 100-foot (30 m) tall Revere Beach Cyclone opened.
References
- ^ a b c "Coaster Landmark - Wild One". Grand Prairie, Texas: American Coaster Enthusiasts. June 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- ^ ISSN 0896-7261.
- ^ Pressley, Sue Anne (May 4, 1986). "Largo Amusement Park Unleashes 'Wild One'". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
- ^ Harrington, Richard (June 13, 1985). "Sold! One Roller Coaster". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023.
- ^ Potts, Mark (June 15, 1992). "Making a Splash". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
- ^ "Coaster Repair & Refurbishment". Martin & Vleminckx. Retrieved February 7, 2022.