Arkansas Twister
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| Manufacturer | Marvin M. Black Co. | ||||||||||||
| Designer / calculations | Don Rosser | ||||||||||||
| Type | Wooden | ||||||||||||
| Track layout | Out and Back | ||||||||||||
| Propulsion | Chain lift hill | ||||||||||||
| Height | 95 feet | ||||||||||||
| Drop | 92 feet | ||||||||||||
| Top speed | 50 mph | ||||||||||||
| Length | 3340 feet | ||||||||||||
| Inversions | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | |||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Gerstlauer (2000-present) Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (1978-1995) | ||||||||||||
| Riders per train | 24 | ||||||||||||
Arkansas Twister is a wooden roller coaster currently standing but not operating at Magic Springs & Crystal Falls in Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA. It was designed by Don Rosser and built by Marvin M. Black Co.. It stands 95 feet tall and has 3,340 feet of track in a loose out and back layout.
History
Arkansas Twister debuted at Circus World in Haines City, Florida. The roller coaster was designed by Don Rosser and constructed at a cost of $2.5 million. Opened on June 18, 1978, it was initially named the Florida Hurricane.[1] It was renamed Roaring Tiger in 1980,[2] was briefly renamed to Michael Jackson's Thrill Coaster, and again renamed to the Florida Hurricane, which opened on February 14, 1987. The ride closed along with the park in 1990, and was bought by Magic Springs for $10,000.
The ride was rebuilt at its current location by Martin & Vleminckx, the total cost of relocation was nearly $900,000. The ride debuted at the park on May 30, 1992,[3] and shut again with the park in 1995. In 2000, the ride opened once again with new trains. The park had not been operating the coaster since early 2020, and had removed the coaster from the park's webpage. It had been added back to the park's website on January 2021.[4]
In March 2025, Magic Springs published a statement on its website stating that Arkansas Twister would be permanently closed as of the 2025 season, but would not be demolished.[5] It likely last operated on the park's final day of the 2024 season on October 27, 2024.[6]
Design
Trains
6 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 24 riders per train.
The ride's final trains were built by Gerstlauer.[7]
References
- ↑ "New 'Hurricane' Roller Coaster Shoots Into Circus World". The Tampa Tribune.
- ↑ "Facelift". The Orlando Sentinel. 1980-12-19. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
- ↑ Arkansas Twister - Martin & Vleminckx
- ↑ Magic Springs web archive
- ↑ "A Fond Farewell to Arkansas Twister". Magic Springs & Crystal Falls. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ↑ "Last Day Goodbye!". Facebook - Magic Springs Theme and Water Park. October 27, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ↑ 4-Seater Wooden Coaster Cars - Gerstlauer
External Links
- Arkansas Twister on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
