Great Coasters International, Inc. (GCI) is a roller coaster designer and manufacturing company based in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1994, and is best known for its wooden roller coasters.
History[]
Great Coasters International was founded in 1994 by Mike Hoodley and Clair Hain, Jr. Boodley had been with Custom Coasters International. Hain had received a reputation throughout the theme park industry as a master coaster builder.
In 1996, GCI opened its very first roller coaster, Wildcat at Hershey Park. It contained many of the signature elements the firm would soon become known for: tight sweeping curves, reminiscent of designs from the turn of the century by such noted coaster designers as Fred Church and Harry Traver.
In 2005, Boodley retired and assigned Jeff Pike with the responsibility as lead designer for the firm.
Roller coasters[]
| Name | Model | Park | Opened | Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roar | Wooden Support Structure | Six Flags America | 1998 | N/A | None |
| Roar | Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | 1999 | 2014 | Converted into a steel/wooden hybrid coaster named The Joker in 2016, manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction. | |
| American Thunder | Six Flags St. Louis | 2008 | Originally opened as "Evel Knievel Coaster", renamed American Thunder in 2011. | ||
| Apocalypse | Six Flags Magic Mountain | 2009 | Originally opened as "Terminator Salvation: The Ride", renamed Apocalypse in 2011. |
Millennium Flyer trains[]
Most GCI-designed roller coasters run with in-house-designed articulated Millennium Flyer trains. The only exception is Roar at Six Flags America, which runs with Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters-designed trains.
These trains are known for their cushioned seats, allowing riders to be comfortable during rides. These trains also contain individual lap bars which automatically lower and lock into a position to accommodate the rider, allowing quicker dispatch times. With their easily identified open, gate-like fronts, usually customized with the logo for the respective ride on which they are running, Millennium Flyer trains are styled similarly to trains seen during the golden age of roller coasters.
