Premier Rides

Premier Rides is an American manufacturer of amusement rides and attractions, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.^[1] The company specializes in designing, fabricating, installing, and maintaining innovative roller coasters and other thrill experiences for theme parks and leisure venues worldwide, with a particular emphasis on high-tech magnetic launch systems using linear induction motors (LIM).^[2][1] Since its inception, Premier Rides has built a reputation for delivering unique and thrilling attractions, supported by a global network including offices in Europe and Asia.^[1] Its product portfolio encompasses a range of offerings, such as traditional roller coasters, water rides, special effects dark rides, drop and tilt towers, and custom-engineered experiences, all backed by comprehensive engineering support, ride rehabilitation services, and 24-hour emergency spare parts availability.^[3][2] Notable models include the multi-launch AlpenFury, recognized as one of the longest, tallest, and fastest launch coasters in North America, and the Sky Rocket II series of shuttle coasters.^[4] Premier Rides prioritizes safety, technical expertise, and customer service through its dedicated project teams and constant technological advancements, ensuring seamless communication and rapid response for clients globally.^[1] With a focus on innovation, the company continues to supply cutting-edge attractions that enhance visitor experiences in the competitive amusement industry.^[2]

History

Founding and Early Years

Premier Rides was founded in 1995 by Peter Schnabel, a veteran of the attractions industry who had previously headed Intamin's North American operations.^[1] Schnabel, drawing on his experience with international ride manufacturers, established the company to innovate in thrill ride design, particularly focusing on advanced propulsion systems.^[5] Engineer Jim Seay, whose expertise in aerospace and entertainment engineering had caught Schnabel's attention, joined as executive vice president of engineering in 1995, playing a key role in early technical development.^[6] The company's initial headquarters were located in the Baltimore, Maryland area, providing a base for prototyping and client collaborations in the U.S. market.^[1] From its inception, Premier Rides emphasized innovative launch technologies to enhance coaster performance and rider experience, leading to the development of its first Linear Induction Motor (LIM) roller coaster in 1996.^[7] This breakthrough came through major contracts with Paramount Parks, where Premier supplied prototype LIM launches for the Flight of Fear coasters at Kings Island in Ohio and Kings Dominion in Virginia, marking the company's entry into high-profile theme park projects.^[5] These installations demonstrated the potential of LIM systems to accelerate trains rapidly without traditional lift hills, setting a new standard for launch coasters despite the experimental nature of the technology.^[7] The late 1990s brought challenges as Premier Rides pushed boundaries with more complex designs, including early dual-launch coasters that encountered significant operational hurdles.^[8] A notable example was The Chiller at Six Flags Great Adventure, which debuted in 1997 as a dueling LIM shuttle coaster but suffered from frequent downtime due to issues with its launch system, computer controls, and electrical components, leading to prolonged closures and maintenance demands.^[9][10] These setbacks highlighted the risks of pioneering untested multi-launch configurations in a competitive industry, though they informed subsequent refinements in Premier's engineering approaches.^[7]

Expansion and Milestones

In the early 2000s, Premier Rides expanded its operational footprint by enhancing manufacturing capabilities and introducing dedicated support services. The company established its Premier Service™ program, offering 24/7 client support through a rapid response network and global spare parts supply to ensure ongoing maintenance and reliability for installed attractions. This initiative marked a shift toward comprehensive lifecycle management, allowing Premier Rides to provide turnkey refurbishments, vehicle replacements, and emergency assistance worldwide.^[11] By the 2010s, Premier Rides scaled its operations significantly, relocating its headquarters from Millersville, Maryland, to a larger facility at 1007 East Pratt Street in Baltimore in 2010 to accommodate growing production demands. This move supported increased output of custom attractions and facilitated the establishment of additional offices in Europe and Asia, strengthening its international presence and enabling closer collaboration with global clients. The expansion reflected the company's rising profile in the industry, with partnerships forged alongside major operators such as Six Flags, which installed Premier Rides' LIM-launched coasters like Joker's Jinx in 2001, and Cedar Fair, featuring installations including Backlot Stunt Coaster models in the mid-2000s.^[12][1] Key milestones in the 2010s and beyond underscored Premier Rides' innovation and market growth, including the development of advanced launch systems that enabled more dynamic ride experiences. By 2019, the company had manufactured over 36 roller coasters worldwide.^[13] As of 2025, Premier Rides has manufactured approximately 40 roller coasters.^[14] Recent achievements include the July 12, 2025, opening of AlpenFury, a dual-launch coaster at Canada's Wonderland, which debuted as the tallest, longest, and fastest of its kind in Canada, featuring nine inversions and speeds up to 115 km/h. This project, part of ongoing collaborations with Cedar Fair, highlights Premier Rides' continued evolution in delivering high-impact attractions into 2025 and beyond.^[15][16]

Products and Services

Roller Coasters

Premier Rides specializes in compact, high-thrill roller coasters designed for urban amusement parks, where space constraints demand efficient footprints typically under 5 acres. These rides prioritize launch-based propulsion to deliver intense experiences in smaller areas, making them ideal for city-center attractions and family entertainment venues. The company's focus on innovative, space-saving layouts allows parks to integrate thrilling elements without expansive traditional hill structures.^[17][18] The product line categorizes roller coasters into single-launch models for straightforward acceleration bursts, dual-launch variants that provide sequential boosts for extended airtime, and multi-launch systems like quadruple setups for complex, multi-phase thrills. Additional categories encompass spinning coasters, which rotate vehicles for disorienting effects—including recent models like the Crazy Crab—and family-oriented models featuring gentler inversions or hills to accommodate younger riders. These designs often incorporate LIM propulsion as a key enabler for smooth, repeatable launches. General statistics across models include track lengths ranging from 600 to 1200 meters, maximum heights up to 60 meters, and top speeds up to 115 km/h, balancing intensity with operational efficiency.^[19][20][21] Customization plays a central role in Premier Rides' offerings, enabling parks to tailor theming, vehicle aesthetics, and layout configurations to fit specific site constraints and branding. For instance, family coasters can include mild launches and themed elements to enhance accessibility and immersion, while high-thrill models support modular elements for seamless park integration. This flexibility ensures rides align with diverse operational needs, from indoor dark ride hybrids to outdoor racing formats.

Other Attractions

Premier Rides has expanded its portfolio to include a variety of water rides, such as flume and shoot-the-chute styles, which are custom-engineered for seamless integration into regional parks and provide immersive splash-based experiences for families.^[3] These attractions emphasize water flow dynamics and durable construction to ensure reliable operation in outdoor environments.^[22] The company also specializes in tower attractions, encompassing drop towers for high-adrenaline freefalls, tilt towers that rotate riders to vertical positions before descent, and observation towers offering elevated scenic views.^[3] These structures feature advanced braking mechanisms, including magnetic systems adapted from the firm's launch technologies, to deliver precise control and smooth deceleration for enhanced rider safety and comfort.^[20] Beyond standalone rides, Premier Rides provides hybrid experiences that integrate interactive elements with dynamic motion, such as racing formats enhanced by gamified features, alongside comprehensive ride systems that include integrated controls, thematic enhancements, and operational software.^[23] Family-oriented options like pedal rails, go-karts, and aqua explorers further diversify their offerings, blending transportation-style movement with recreational appeal.^[3] Overall, these attractions prioritize modular construction, allowing for efficient assembly, disassembly, and upkeep in compact or challenging site conditions.^[24]

Technology and Innovations

Launch Systems

Premier Rides pioneered the application of linear induction motors (LIMs) to roller coaster propulsion, marking a significant advancement in launch technology for amusement rides. In 1996, the company debuted the world's first LIM-launched roller coasters with Flight of Fear at Kings Island and Kings Dominion, both operated by Paramount Parks (now Cedar Fair Entertainment). These installations represented the initial commercial use of LIMs in the industry, adapting electromagnetic propulsion originally developed for industrial applications in the mid-20th century.^[5][6] LIMs operate by generating traveling electromagnetic fields along the launch track to accelerate ride vehicles without mechanical contact. Stator coils embedded in the track receive pulsed electrical currents, creating a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in conductive aluminum fins or plates attached to the underside of the train. This interaction produces a repulsive force that propels the train forward, enabling precise control over acceleration profiles. The contactless nature of this system eliminates wear on moving parts, contributing to its reliability in high-thrill environments.^[25][26] Compared to traditional chain lift systems, which rely on physical sprockets and links to gradually ascend trains to operational speeds, LIM launches provide superior efficiency and performance. Chain lifts typically achieve slower accelerations over longer distances, often requiring 30-60 seconds to reach hill crests, whereas LIMs can propel trains to full speed in under 4 seconds, reducing energy consumption per cycle and enabling compact layouts. Additionally, LIMs require less routine maintenance due to the absence of mechanical components prone to friction and breakdown, resulting in lower operational downtime and costs over time.^[25] Over time, Premier Rides evolved its LIM technology from single-stage launches to multi-launch configurations, enhancing ride throughput and experiential variety. Early single-launch systems, like those on the 1996 Flight of Fear coasters, dispatched trains at intervals of around 60 seconds, but multi-launch designs allow for sequential operations with tighter spacing. For instance, the quadruple-launch Ice Breaker at SeaWorld Orlando (opened 2022) employs four progressive LIM boosts—alternating forward and backward—to build speed incrementally, enabling reduced dispatch intervals and supporting higher hourly rider capacity. This evolution prioritizes sustained momentum and airtime moments while optimizing park efficiency.^[4] Premier Rides has also adopted linear synchronous motors (LSMs) for more precise acceleration control and efficiency in later designs. LSMs use permanent magnets on the train and electromagnets in the track to create a synchronous magnetic field, allowing for multiple launches and fine-tuned speed adjustments without slip. The first such implementation was on Phobia Phear Coaster at Lake Compounce in 2016, marking the Northeast's initial LSM coaster and featuring the region's highest inversion at 150 feet (46 m). Recent projects, such as the dual-launch AlpenFury at Canada's Wonderland (opened 2025), incorporate advanced multi-launch systems, potentially utilizing LSM technology for enhanced performance.^[27][28] A notable adaptation of LIM technology by Premier Rides involves reverse launches, first implemented on Mr. Freeze at Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis in 1998. These shuttle coasters use LIMs to accelerate trains backward from a standstill to 70 mph (113 km/h) in 3.8 seconds before releasing them into an inverted top-hat element, reversing the typical forward propulsion sequence for added thrill. This configuration demonstrates the versatility of LIMs in non-linear track geometries, maintaining the system's core electromagnetic principles without additional mechanical complexity.^[29][30]

Vehicle and Track Designs

Premier Rides' vehicle designs emphasize enhanced rider thrill through innovative free-spinning cars that enable 360-degree rotation on multiple axes, providing uncontrolled spins and variable experiences during the ride. These designs appear in the company's Family Spinning Coaster models, increasing the perceived intensity and unpredictability for passengers.^[4] The company's track construction utilizes fabricated steel tubing, which supports compact layouts while incorporating specialized elements such as heartline rolls and inline twists to optimize ride dynamics. This steel tubing approach facilitates tighter turns and more efficient space usage compared to traditional rail systems, contributing to the versatility of Premier Rides' installations.^[31] Safety and braking systems in Premier Rides' attractions feature magnetic eddy current brakes, which provide precise, contactless deceleration by generating opposing magnetic fields to slow vehicles without physical friction. These brakes are integrated into fixed structures for reliable performance and reduced maintenance, as demonstrated in various coaster upgrades.^[32][33] Premier Rides employs modular track sections constructed from lightweight steel materials, enabling custom configurations of inversions and thematic elements while minimizing installation time through prefabricated components that assemble on-site. This modularity supports tailored ride layouts and faster deployment, aligning with industry standards for efficiency.^[2]

Installations

Manufactured Roller Coasters

Premier Rides has manufactured over 40 roller coasters worldwide since the mid-1990s, specializing in launch-based designs that utilize linear induction motors (LIM) or linear synchronous motors (LSM) for propulsion. These installations span various types, including shuttle loops, multi-launch circuits, and compact Sky Rocket models, with a focus on high-speed thrills and inversions. As of November 2025, 36 coasters remain extant, including recent additions like AlpenFury.^[34] The company's coasters are predominantly located in North America, with more than 25 operating or formerly operating in the United States and Canada, reflecting strong partnerships with major operators like Six Flags and Cedar Fair. Additional installations exist in Europe (approximately 8, including the UK, Germany, and France), Asia (around 5, in China, Japan, and Singapore), and the Middle East (3 in the UAE), demonstrating global reach through exports and custom projects. Relocations have occurred for several models, such as Sky Rocket variants, while closures like the dueling LIM shuttle loop The Chiller in 2007 were attributed to persistent mechanical reliability issues with the launch system.^[34][35] Coasters are categorized below by primary type, with key statistics including opening year, park location, track length, height, top speed, and inversions. All data reflects original specifications unless noted for relocations. This list includes selected notable examples; full inventory exceeds 40.

LIM Shuttle Loop Coasters

These early designs featured back-and-forth launches through inversions, but reliability challenges led to early retirements.

LIM/LSM Launch Coasters

Premier's flagship type, emphasizing multiple launches and airtime elements; examples include accelerated circuits with cobra rolls and sidewinders.

Sky Rocket Series

Compact shuttle-style launches with a top hat inversion; the Sky Rocket II variant accounts for most installations, with 11 built.

Family and Spinning Coasters

Premier also produces milder, spinning family models for younger audiences or space-constrained parks.

Other Models (Catapult, Standard)

Miscellaneous designs, including water-integrated and catapult launches. Selected inventory highlights key installations, with some models like Sky Rocket II seeing relocations to extend lifespan. Many incorporate LIM technology for smooth acceleration, though detailed engineering is covered elsewhere.^[41]

Notable Projects

One of Premier Rides' early breakthroughs was Batman & Robin: The Chiller, a dual-tracked shuttle roller coaster installed at Six Flags Great Adventure in 1998. Featuring two parallel LIM launch systems capable of propelling trains to 70 mph, the ride represented an ambitious attempt at synchronized dual launches, with each track themed to Batman and Robin from the 1997 film. However, it faced significant operational challenges, including frequent failures in the LIM propulsion due to overheating and synchronization issues, leading to extended downtime and the Batman track's closure in 2005. In response, Premier Rides and park engineers upgraded the restraints from over-the-shoulder to lap bars in 2001 to improve rider comfort and throughput, alongside interior repainting in 2005, though the coaster ultimately operated only intermittently before its removal in 2007.^[9][10] Similarly innovative was Mr. Freeze, debuted in 1998 at Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis, showcasing Premier Rides' pioneering reverse-launch technology. Riders board facing backward before a LIM system accelerates the train from 0 to 70 mph in 3.8 seconds into a top-hat inversion, integrating seamless DC Comics theming around the villain Mr. Freeze with icy effects and narrative elements. This backward launch orientation, later formalized in the "Reverse Blast" rebranding for both installations in 2012, enhanced disorientation and thrill while fitting compact footprints of about 345 feet in length. The design's reliability improvements over earlier prototypes, such as enhanced cooling for LIM motors, allowed sustained operation and influenced subsequent backward-launch coasters.^[42][29] A more recent highlight is West Coast Racers at Six Flags Magic Mountain, opened in 2020 as the world's first single-track quadruple-launch racing coaster. Spanning 4,000 feet with four sequential LSM launches reaching 55 mph, the ride simulates a high-stakes street race through near-misses and competitive elements, including LED-lit tunnels and audio cues for immersion. Its dueling format on intertwined tracks, without traditional separation, maximized space efficiency in the park's Underground area while delivering multi-lap excitement in under three minutes. This project demonstrated Premier Rides' evolution in multi-launch sequencing, boosting rider capacity to 1,000 per hour.^[43][44] These projects underscore Premier Rides' broader industry influence, particularly in popularizing LIM-based launch coasters after their 1995 debut, which shifted designs from chain lifts to electromagnetic propulsion for smoother, repeatable acceleration. By the 2000s, such innovations contributed to a surge in launch coaster installations, with over 100 global examples by 2020 emphasizing high-thrill experiences in limited spaces. Additionally, models like the Sky Rocket II series advanced compact coaster trends, enabling urban and space-constrained parks to add vertical launches up to 150 feet tall within footprints under 200 feet, as seen in installations at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.^[5][45]