Calling all roller coaster enthusiasts and theme-park goers alike! The Analytics of Thrills dives into the data behind your favorite rides and parks, revealing how the numbers power all the twists, turns, and endless fun!
Kira talks about whether or not a traditionally large coaster makes it better. We run regressions to find the correlations between a coaster’s top stats and its rank. We’ll then discuss the r^2 values and what they tell us.
https://captaincoaster.com/en/ranking/?page=1 (https://captaincoaster.com/en/ranking/?page=1)
https://rcdb.com/ (https://rcdb.com/)
17 Aug 2026
Is the most statistically average coaster an average ride?
In this episode, Kira contrasts the most statistically average coasters in each theme park with the qualitatively most average coasters in each theme park. Kira talks about the both overlap and lack of overlap between these two different averages, and why that might be so.
Sources:
https://rcdb.com/ (https://rcdb.com/)
https://captaincoaster.com/en/tops/7293 (https://captaincoaster.com/en/tops/7293)
https://captaincoaster.com/en/parks/73/busch-gardens-tampa (https://captaincoaster.com/en/parks/73/busch-gardens-tampa)
https://captaincoaster.com/en/parks/84/universal-islands-of-adventure (https://captaincoaster.com/en/parks/84/universal-islands-of-adventure)
https://guidetosfot.com/rides/miniminetrain/ (https://guidetosfot.com/rides/miniminetrain/)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Mine_Train_(Six_Flags_Over_Texas) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Mine_Train_(Six_Flags_Over_Texas))
https://www.sfotsource.com/rides/canyon-blaster (https://www.sfotsource.com/rides/canyon-blaster)
https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Air_Grover (https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Air_Grover)
23 Jul 2026
Do inversions make a ride better or worse?
Kira discusses whether or not inversions make a coaster better or worse. Kira compares the median amount of inversions per coaster at a few different theme parks, and then compare sthe general ranking of those theme parks to see if more inversions generally correlates with a higher park ranking.
https://grokipedia.com/page/Roller_coaster_inversion#:~:text=A%20roller%20coaster%20inversion,below%20their%20feet (https://grokipedia.com/page/Roller_coaster_inversion#:~:text=A%20roller%20coaster%20inversion,below%20their%20feet)
chatgpt.com (http://chatgpt.com)
rcdb.com (http://rcdb.com)
22 Jun 2026
What if every park had to remove half of its coasters?
In this episode, Kira discusses the fun "what if" scenario of getting rid of half of the coasters in a couple of theme parks. She compares and contrasts which coasters she personally would get rid of with the coasters that would lose in each stat category, for example the shortest coasters.
https://rcdb.com/ (https://rcdb.com/)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bad_Wolf:_The_Wolf%27s_Revenge (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bad_Wolf:_The_Wolf%27s_Revenge)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYIYNvc-YM0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYIYNvc-YM0)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BRGhKVoyQY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BRGhKVoyQY)
https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/DarKoaster (https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/DarKoaster)
https://kids.kiddle.co/Grover%27s_Alpine_Express (https://kids.kiddle.co/Grover%27s_Alpine_Express)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwQTUJzHepY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwQTUJzHepY)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI9dMHKWb-A (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI9dMHKWb-A)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozR2hWXKRnM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozR2hWXKRnM)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCKhkRPq8rI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCKhkRPq8rI)
https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Verbolten (https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Verbolten)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92M6cPJfRxs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92M6cPJfRxs)
https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Drachen_Fire (https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Drachen_Fire)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbo_Jet_(Morey%27s_Piers) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbo_Jet_(Morey%27s_Piers))
30 May 2026
Hershey Park Deep Dive
In this episode, Kira presents a brief history of Hersheypark and then compares the coasters of Hersheypark and Hersheypark as a whole using data.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hersheypark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hersheypark)
https://rcdb.com/ (https://rcdb.com/)
https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-ThingsToDo-cAmusementWaterParks-g191 (https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-ThingsToDo-cAmusementWaterParks-g191)
28 Apr 2026
Deep Dive into Six Flags
Kira discusses the history of the Six Flags chain pre-merge (2024,) and highlights the differences between the statistically 'best' coasters/parks and those which are actually regarded as the best.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wild_One_(roller_coaster) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wild_One_(roller_coaster))
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bobcat_(roller_coaster) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bobcat_(roller_coaster))
https://rcdb.com/ (https://rcdb.com/)
https://scnstargazer.org/9111/opinion/ranking-the-top-5-thrill-coasters-at-six-flags/ (https://scnstargazer.org/9111/opinion/ranking-the-top-5-thrill-coasters-at-six-flags/)
https://thecoasterkings.com/six-flags-parks-ranked/ (https://thecoasterkings.com/six-flags-parks-ranked/)
https://chatgpt.com/ (https://chatgpt.com/)
22 Mar 2026
Safety by the Numbers
Kira discusses the safety features of roller coasters, and how roller coaster safety has evolved over time. Kira also compares data regarding roller coaster accidents to those of everyday activities to show the chances of injury.
https://bmwlawgroup.com/amusement-park-injury-statistics/#:~:text=How%20Many%20Roller%20Coaster%20Accidents,in%20Six%20Flags%20New%20England (https://bmwlawgroup.com/amusement-park-injury-statistics/#:~:text=How%20Many%20Roller%20Coaster%20Accidents,in%20Six%20Flags%20New%20England)
https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafetyProblem (https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafetyProblem)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18520277/#:~:text=Results:%20Extrapolated%20numbers%20indicate%20that,to%20the%20elbow%20or%20knee (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18520277/#:~:text=Results:%20Extrapolated%20numbers%20indicate%20that,to%20the%20elbow%20or%20knee)
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db466.htm (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db466.htm)
https://www.hsinjurylaw.com/virginia-beach-personal-injury-attorneys.cfm (https://www.hsinjurylaw.com/virginia-beach-personal-injury-attorneys.cfm)
https://www.denenapoints.com/death-roller-coaster-startling-united-states-statistics/#:~:text=Our%20roller%20coaster%20accident%20attorneys,One%20aortic%20laceration%2C%20and (https://www.denenapoints.com/death-roller-coaster-startling-united-states-statistics/#:~:text=Our%20roller%20coaster%20accident%20attorneys,One%20aortic%20laceration%2C%20and)
https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-theme-park-accidents-20140103-dto-htmlstory.html#:~:text=The%20analysis%20also%20found%20that:%20*%20Older,such%20as%20asthma%20or%20high%20blood%20pressure (https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-theme-park-accidents-20140103-dto-htmlstory.html#:~:text=The%20analysis%20also%20found%20that:%20*%20Older,such%20as%20asthma%20or%20high%20blood%20pressure)
https://www.abc27.com/digital-originals/coaster-safety-the-mechanics-of-a-roller-coaster/ (https://www.abc27.com/digital-originals/coaster-safety-the-mechanics-of-a-roller-coaster/)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_roller_coaster (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_roller_coaster)
https://webtribunal.net/blog/amusement-park-accident-statistics/#:~:text=3.,are%20caused%20by%20passengers%27%20misbehavior.&text=A%20theme%20park%20accident%20is,in%20case%20of%20a%20lawsuit (https://webtribunal.net/blog/amusement-park-accident-statistics/#:~:text=3.,are%20caused%20by%20passengers%27%20misbehavior.&text=A%20theme%20park%20accident%20is,in%20case%20of%20a%20lawsuit)
16 Feb 2026
B&M vs. Intamin
Kira gives a brief overview of the manufacturers B&M and Intamin and uses data to compare them.
https://www.intamin.com/company/about-us/ (https://www.intamin.com/company/about-us/)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolliger_%26_Mabillard#Notable_roller_coasters (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolliger_%26_Mabillard#Notable_roller_coasters)
https://grokipedia.com/page/Bolliger_%26_Mabillard#roller-coaster-types (https://grokipedia.com/page/Bolliger_%26_Mabillard#roller-coaster-types)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intamin#Roller_coasters (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intamin#Roller_coasters)
https://rcdb.com/ (https://rcdb.com/)
18 Jan 2026
Wood vs. Steel
Kira compares wooden and steel roller coasters, discusses the struggle of the lack of data on roller coaster costs, and examines the varying intensities of wooden and steel coasters.
https://rcdb.com/
https://grokipedia.com/page/Shivering_Timbers#history
https://grokipedia.com/page/Wildfire_(Silver_Dollar_City)#trains-and-technical-specifications
https://www.carneerides.com/wood-roller-coaster-maintenance/#maintenance-costs-wood-vs-steel
19 Dec 2025
What makes a "good" roller coaster?
Kira discusses the different ride elements, both quantitative and qualitative, that have placed some roller coasters in highly ranked spots!
https://rcdb.com/ (https://rcdb.com/)
https://coasterbot.com/votecoasters-fullresults2024 (https://coasterbot.com/votecoasters-fullresults2024)
https://captaincoaster.com/en/ranking/?page=1 (https://captaincoaster.com/en/ranking/?page=1)
6 Dec 2025
Wait Times
Kira discusses the concept of unoccupied versus occupied waiting, looks at what the data says about how effective occupied waiting is, and suggests ways to make wait times feel shorter using occupied waiting. In addition, she talks about causes of and solutions to long ride queues.
Link to study mentioned: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296325000396#s0025 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296325000396#s0025)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
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