Backlot Stunt Coaster
| Backlot Stunt Coaster | |
|---|---|
View of Backlot Stunt Coaster at Kings Island from the Eiffel Tower
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| Previously known as Italian Job: Stunt Track or Italian Job: Turbo Coaster | |
| 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 | Racing Rivers |
| Kings Island | |
| Park section | Coney Mall |
| Coordinates | 39°20′30.12″N 84°15′56.88″W / 39.3417000°N 84.2658000°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening 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 a steel launched roller coaster built by Premier Rides at Canada's Wonderland, Kings Dominion and Kings Island.
All three had similar themes revolving around the climatic chase scene at the end of the 2003 film, The Italian Job. Special effects were incorporated throughout the ride such as a helicopter that attacks riders with a simulated machine gun sound, pyrotechnics and water effects. The last drop portrayed the Mini Coopers jumping out of a sewer featuring spraying water jets to simulate a splashdown effect. Some of the effects have been removed in recent years.
The Italian Job: Stunt Track was announced by Paramount's Kings Island and Paramount Canada's Wonderland on August 12, 2004. It replaced the Lex Taxis antique car ride at Kings Island. The ride opened at Kings Island for previews on April 29, 2005 then held its grand opening on May 20. It opened at Canada's Wonderland on May 1, 2005. On October 12, 2005, Paramount's Kings Dominion announced they would be adding a clone of Italian Job: Stunt Coaster but with a slightly different name, Italian Job: Turbo Coaster. It opened on May 27, 2006.The ride at Kings Dominion replaced the Racing Rivers water slide complex.
At the end of the 2007 season, all three Italian Job coasters were renamed to Backlot Stunt Coaster for the start of the 2008 season. This directly coincided with the sale of Paramount Parks to Cedar Fair. Special effects throughout the ride were modified to remove references to the movie and to generalize the theme. The MINI Coopers were removed in time for the 2010 season.
After accelerating from 0–40 miles per hour (0–64 km/h) in three seconds. out of the station, the train enters into a three-story "parking garage" shell, passing through two upwards helixes meant to mirror the ascension of a car through a true parking garage. The train then drops from the top of the helixes into a "street" lined with highway signs and three police cars, with sirens and lights flashing. Riders then swerve between the police cars. Riders then go through an overbanked turn at 88 degrees, followed by a dip and then traveling down a set of "subway stairs". The train then comes to a halt in front of a tunnel. A helicopter rises to the train's left, shooting simulated gunfire. Under Paramount's operation, the gunfire cracked pipes and barrels, which sprayed "gasoline" (truly, water) all around riders. Though that effect has since been removed, the second round of gunfire still ignites where the gasoline would've splashed, catching two barrels on fire before a gas tank explodes. The train is then launched again into a tunnel, twisting and dropping before coming out of the "broken billboard", splashing down in an L.A. Aqueduct, and turning left into the ride's station.
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