Castles N' Coasters
Castles N' Coasters is an amusement park and family amusement center located in Phoenix, Arizona. The approximately 10-acre (40,000 m2) park features four outdoor 18-hole miniature golf courses, several rides, and an indoor video game arcade. The park was built in 1976, and is designed in a Middle-Eastern motif though other eras are featured such as the Wild West-themed miniature golf course and log flume ride.
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| Location | 9445 North Metro Parkway East, Phoenix, Arizona, USA |
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| Coordinates | 33.5723°N 112.1188°W |
| Slogan | Arizona's Finest Family Fun and Thrill Park |
| General manager | Darsey Grantham |
| Opened | 1976 |
| Operating season | All year |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 14 |
| Roller coasters | 2 |
| Water rides | 2 |
| Website | Official website |
Other attractions includes a go-kart track, bumper cars, bumper boats, 2 roller coasters called Patriot and Desert Storm, some thrill rides including Magic Carpet, Sea Dragon, Free Fall and Sky Diver drop rides, and a log flume called Splashdown.
History
In 1976, the entertainment park originally opened under the name "Golf n' Stuff". It later turned into "Castles N' Coasters" in 1992 after adding its Ride Park. Also expanding to 10 acres which brought two roller coasters, Desert Storm and Patriot, as well as a multilevel arcade.
Rides and attractions
- Desert Storm is a looping roller coaster that uses a simple lap bar restraint. It is one of the park's main attractions and has two loops. Manufactured by, Hopkins.
- Patriot is a mild roller coaster that is colored red, white and blue as its name suggests. It is centered around a large American flag and does two circuits. Manufactured by Hopkins.
- Splashdown is a log flume. It features a logging town, tunnel, waterfalls, fountains, squirting African Elephant statues, native huts, and two large drops. The first drop measure 10 feet and the second drop measures 30 feet.
- Sky Diver is a 120 foot tall free-fall drop tower.
- Free Fall is a smaller version of Sky Diver (above).
- Sea Dragon is a large swinging Viking ship. Manufactured by, Chance.
- Ram Rods are bumper cars.
- Magic Carpet is a music express. It goes through "Aladdin's Castle" and goes forward and backward.
- Carousel
- Li'l Indy is a go-cart track that passes under the Desert Storm roller coaster (above).
- Bumper Boats
- Flying Bugs & Spinning Tops are kiddie rides located near the queue line for Desert Storm (above).
- Dixie Jr. Wheel is a miniature Ferris wheel.
- Arcades
- Miniature Golf features four courses. Each have trick shots, multiple themes, and many water features.
Incidents
On May 1, 2005, eleven people were left stranded for nearly three hours after a free fall ride malfunctioned. Reports indicate that the floorless, four-sided passenger cabin jerked as it ascended the tower. The cabin, guided by cables, normally drops to the bottom of the 120-foot-tall tower and comes to a stop, however when it reached the halfway point on its ascent, it made loud screeching noises and came to a sudden halt. It took firefighters nearly three hours to rescue the riders, who were locked in their seats about 30 feet above the ground.
The park's manager says that the ride will be closed until investigators determine what caused the malfunction.
"We don't know what happened," he said.
On March 30, 2015, two young boys suffered burns when the bumper boat they were in caught fire.[1]
On November 28, 2015, a twelve-year-old boy named Dominick Leal was seriously injured after falling from a water log flume ride called: the "Splashdown" after standing during the ride, and required immediate emergency brain surgery.[2]
References
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-03. Retrieved 2015-04-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/breaking/2015/11/28/boy12-injured-ride-castles-n-coasters/76496462/