This amazing documentary depicts the very best in amusement park and roller coaster engineering. In my mind, Arrow is and always will be the very pinnacle of theme park ingenuity. From small cars to giant roller coasters that soar above the clouds. Arrow has sown the seeds of many young engineers who follow in their footsteps. I applaud 'ACE' for creating such an amazing documentary and cannot wait to see who comes next.-Ben
It was a great documentary. It's almost sad to see that the shortcoming of Arrow sounds like that it didn't have a Steve Jobs. Let's not forget that if it was up to Steve Wozniak he would have just gave away the design (by the way I think any good engineer would have). Sometimes you just need a straight business man to make your business profitable.
Arrow built a ride 14 years ago and even though it directly led to their downfall it remains one of the best roller coasters in the world and I expect that to continue for many years. X2 is something special and Arrow's name will always be there
That one part of the video always get's me teary-eyed, all that work and all those years dissolved into nothing. there aren't many things that get me worked up like that, but this hits that spot many other things don't. From a fellow enthusiast (officially), we'll never forget you Arrow! ♥
This was very well done, and I'm very impressed at what you were able to make with the small budget you had. This was not only great, but was also needed, as many coaster enthusiasts of today don't realize how important and influential Arrow was and is to this day. Thank you for not only making this, but doing so with quality and grace.
Alan Schilke is one of the most influential people on the amusement park industry. He learned from his time at arrow, and is now part of one of the new, most successful amusement park companies.
If there was an amusement park mount rushmore, he would definitely be on it. For me personally he's the single most influential person in the history of the industry. Hope to be able to shake his hand and thank him in person some day.
This is awesome - thanks so much for being a part of it and for posting it here! My dad worked as one of the draftsmen for Arrow from the early sixties through the mid eighties. He worked on the Corkscrew and lots of other innovative rides. I remember the family days at Arrow in the early seventies when the families of the workers got to ride the new rides before they were sent out and then they had a bbq/picnic for us. Great memories!
Hi Dana! That's such a cool story, and thank you for sharing it with us. Do you have any photos if the family archives from Arrow? Thanks, too, for watching the film.
I've worked for S&S under Stan Checketts for over 10 years. I can say that the, Arrow Dynamics rides that we worked on and the refurbished trains were done with pride and respect. I'm proud to say I got to work for both companies. X2 was my favorite :)
27 years later, Magnum is still an incredibly special roller coaster. Please don't completely ignore it in favor of Millie and Maverick, wonderful though they are. It's showing its age a little, but it's got so much personality. Coaster enthusiasts owe so much to Arrow; thanks for the good times, y'all.
I LOVE Magnum even though some people say it's rough. It's a retro kind of rough, and that coaster is what has given us so much to be thankful for in other coasters!
It's definitely a flawed rollercoaster but that's what makes it so good. It has so much personality and the airtime on the final section is just insane. Riding in the middle of the train makes you feel like your body will tear off of your legs.
Magnum will probably always be my favorite rollercoaster in the world. I waited so long to finally be tall enough to ride it and it just holds a special place in my heart. And for over 10 years it was the king of the park. People complain that it’s too rough but for a rollercoaster built at that time without computers it’s brilliant!!
Major developments curtousey of Arrow for the amusement park industy: 1. Tubular Steel Roller Coaster track (Matterhorn, Disneyland, 1959) 2. Log Flume (El Aseradero, Six Flags Over Texas, 1963) 3. Inversions on a Roller Coaster (Corkscrew, Knott's Berry Farm, 1975) 4. Corkscrew Element (Corkscrew, Knott's Berry Farm, 1975) 5. Shuttle Loop / Launched Loop (Demon, King's Island, 1977) 6. Suspended Roller Coaster (The Bat, King's Island, 1981) 7. Hypercoaster (Magnum XL200, Cedar Point 1989) 8. Fourth Dimension Roller Coaster (X, Six Flags Magic Mountain, 2002) While they did not individually manufacture these, Arrow laid the groundwork for Inverted and Wing roller coasters, both of which were "invented" by B&M in 1992 and 2011, respectively.
Not to mention the mine train coaster and inversion designs. From the batwing to the bow tie, butterfly etc. they truly were ahead of their time. It’s a shame that time caught up to them. You can be ahead for a minute but never forever.
I can not thank you enough for this ACE. This gave me a true understanding of where my passion came from and how. This is one of the best videos I have ever seen and the most interesting by far! I am proud to be a member of such a great Coaster Club and can not thank you enough!
My grandpa, Lawrence Cable, worked for Arrow and my mom always told me stories about him working on Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, Haunted Mansion, etc, and going with him to the company Christmas parties growing up. He’s the guy in the dark blue shirt at 35:07! If he were still around, I know he’d appreciate the love and care put into this documentary. Thank you so much, both from me and my mom. It means a lot to us.
Jarod, thank you so much for sharing this and we wish that we could have shared it with your grandfather, too. Do you know if any Arrow photos or materials exist in the family from his time there? Do you know what years he was employed by Arrow? Amazing stuff.
Karl Bacon was my grandfather, I am very grateful I stumbled onto this video. I learned so much, and it helps put things I know into perspective. Thank you so much.
I really had no idea how much Arrow impacted the industry. So many types of coasters, so many rides we take for granted, came about because a bunch of people had fun pushing the limits of engineering. I've noticed in many ways that the creation of video games is similar to the creation of rides in theme parks, and games are what I want to go into. I hope that I can create fun experiences like Arrow did.
I really can not describe how much I love this documentary ... This is just a work of art and it's sad that it doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. Amazing work!
Outstanding work guys, you perfectly showcased Arrow's awe inspiring and innovative rides. The coaster industry will never be the same because of Arrow, and they will never be forgotten.
Michael DiPrima i've heard a couple of people mentioned it was aired there. Where exactly did they show it? Were people sitting in a theatre for an hour of the day at Magic Mountain?! Or was it like some sort of special screening?
Being a coaster enthusiast myself, this is sort of the magnum-opus of amusement park documentaries. It has become not just one of my favorite documentaries, but one of my favorite films in general. The legacy of the legendary Arrow Development is extremely well captured and respected in this documentary. Everyone who worked on this did a amazing job capturing the history of the company and how their influence and models have evolved and live on to this day.
Rollercoaster enthusiast since childhood, Ride operator at Disney for more than a decade,... Rode almost 200 and counting. Thanks to you I've learned something new, it's amazing how Arrow shaped the industry as we know it today... Even though some of their rides are rough and highly uncomfortable i'll see them from another brand new eye from now on and possibly drop some tears. Brilliant and passionate, thank you for that beautiful documentary and for the butt kick it just gave me, i'll recommend it to all of my fellows enthusiasts !
I never got to ride any Arrow's ride because they didn't got to Spain. But i saw an enormous ampunt of pictures of their iconic roller coasters in magazines, videoclips, movies or tv shows in the 70-80-90's. That pictures gave me the feeling that life at tthe USA had to be something amazing. Arrow always will be a truly american myth for me. Faboulous and important documentary. Thanks so much for sharing. Long life and memory for Arrow!!!
Amazing documentery! Arrow has got so much history! They were the manufacurer where the future of Roller Coasters all started, so it realy is sad that they had fallen. We will never forget what Arrow meant to the Theme Parks!
DealWithTheSeal Arrow en schwartzopf zijn beide verantwoordelijk voor de moderne achtbaan, jammer dat er steeds minder Arrow coasters en Schwartzkopf coasters overblijven.
I Can't believe I am just seeing this now In 2020. This is the best coaster documentary I have ever seen. Really leaves me with a great respect for Arrow as a company. One of my fondest childhood memories is staying at Cedar Point campground and hearing my father scream all the way back in the campground riding the Magnum. Thankyou for sharing this.👏
Fantastic Video!!! Thank You Arrow!! For Providing me with the Screams, The Fun and all of the Excitement!! Thank You ACE for making this Video. I was a Member many Years ago and will never forget the Time we went to Texas to Six Flag over Texas. Rode the Original Texas Giant over 30 times that weekend!! Riding it in the Dark was the highlight!!
My favorite Coaster of all time is of course an Arrow, it had interlocking loops and the worlds FIRST Boomerang/Kamikaze element, but sadly Worlds of Fun and Cedar Fair decided that it was too expensive to maintain anymore and they scrapped it. I was so upset when I learned that they scrapped it, and even as I watch this AWESOME arrow documentary tears roll down my face because my kids will never get to ride the greatest Coaster of ALL time! RIP Orient Express, I miss your rough red tubular tracks and dragon trains!!
Right there with ya. Orient was part of my childhood and it crushed me when I heard it was being torn down. It deserves /far/ more recognition than it gets. Loch Ness Monster might have been the first to have interlocking loops, but it lacks the teeth of the dragon.
This was a wonderful documentary that showed just how key a role Arrow Development played in creating the roller coasters and other attractions we love so much at our favorite amusement/theme parks. From the antique cars rides, to the log flumes I love, to Steamin Demon, a loop, double corkscrew at Great Escape, which was the first coaster with an inversion I ever rode as a kid. I thank Arrow for so many great days at my favorite parks. I think the Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is my all time favorite Arrow coaster. I even have fond memories of when Great Escape had Danny the Dragon, which was torn out to make way for a Boomerang. I never even knew the story about Arrow and Vekoma, Anyway thanks for making this. Would be cool to see a documentary about B and M or Philadelphia Toboggan Company/Coasters.
Brilliant documentary. I almost cried because of the fact that some of arrow's creations were torn down and scrapped. Like the great American scream machine. I hope parks keep their arrow rides up and maintain them. Rather than tear them down.
AMAZING I just watched this entire thing. I remember thinking Ron Toomer was a genius when I watched "America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills" when I was like 4 years old. I SO wish they built that Stratosphere coaster. X is amazing
+lampshades120 The "Fishhook coaster" was and still is a radical concept. It's hard to imagine how the world's tallest and fastest coasters would be different if that had made it. Thanks for watching!
American Coaster Enthusiasts The idea could attempt to be reintroduced... Its different people living in the area now.... It may be well received with coasters getting 400+ ft now. Its a different world today than yesterday 😉 Especially if combined with the rotating chair idea😉 With selectable ride intensity... Or an easy way to control your own speed and spin within a tollerence max/min range.
What an excellent film and tribute to one of the most important companies in amusement history! It was fascinating and very informative... I learned a lot! Thank you for making this!
Awesome story! I grew up next to Kennywood ( could see my childhood home in the view from the top of the lift hill of the Steel Phantom ) and spent countless hours at the park riding who knows how many Arrow rides that they had. This was a very educational and entertaining documentary. Thank you so very much!
I have to say I loved the documentary, the only thing that saddened both my husband and I is that ACE did not include Orient Express. Orient Express was one of Arrow's most beautiful coasters, and had the first boomerang element ever used on any coaster. Still, a great documentary to the company that almost single-handedly built the amusement park industry.
I agree. A mention of Orient Express was the first thing I looked for in the comment section. I grew up in the 80s just 3 hours away from Kansas City and the Orient Express was the first "big" coaster I had ever seen.
If not for Arrow, much of what we've come to know and love throughout the amusement and theme park industry would be different. This is a bittersweet documentary, as Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland, and Knotts were all the parks I grew up with. I consider myself an Enthusiast, and despite the amount of times I have watched this, it still amazes me the amount of innovation, creativity, and the legacy Arrow had left behind. I am glad that some of whom worked for Arrow are still out there, creating rides for the next generation. I hope that the Creativity shown by Arrow never stops in this industry, and we continue to get those like Arrow throughout the rest of time. Thank you for such a wonderful, detailed, and heartfelt documentary for the most influential company to the amusement and theme park industry.
Towards the end when discussing the demise of the mega loopers, Great American Scream Machine (shown and identified at 1:02:51) is attributed to Six Flags Great America. It actually operated at Six Flags Great Adventure.
The Arrow-built Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure, in Jackson, NJ, has always been my all-time favorite roller coaster. BEST EVER!!!!!!
They should never have gotten rid of it. Green Lantern will never be as beloved as GASM. Maybe now they'll think twice before doing the same with Viper.
Arrow in a sort of way is still around today. If you’ve seen Morgan’s hyper coasters, they’re basically an improved version of the Arrow hypers. In fact, the trains on the Morgan Hypers appear in a somewhat similar fashion to that of Magnum at Cedar Point or Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach (The only exception being Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood) Morgan became part of Chance Rides in 2001 and was rebranded to Chance Morgan. Chance Rides built Lightning Run at Kentucky Kingdom, which opened in 2014 as the world’s first (and so far only) Hyper-GTX coaster, and most recently in 2019, they opened the Nickelodeon Slime Streak Coaster at Nickelodeon Universe in the new American Dream Mall in NJ. Morgan and Chance Rides are one of few examples of Arrow still being around even after they went out of business in 2002. I too imagine what’d be like if they were still in business. They probably would’ve built a Giga Coaster or maybe even a Tilt Coaster. The possibilities are endless after all.
Awesome work. I really learned a lot about Arrow. Although, it would have been nice to see a mention of Carolina Cyclone at Carowinds. It was after all the first with 4 inversions. But I guess I am so fond of Carolina Cyclone because it is at my home park. And the first looping coaster I rode. And still ride it every time I go to Carowinds. Again, awesome work on this film. I never knew Arrow was the creator of the modern steel coaster.
Thanks for the amazing documentary of my favourite roller coaster manufacturer! It was truly amazing seeing never seen before concepts that Arrow had thought of and tested during the 1980s. Thanks for the amazing documentary! I greatly enjoyed every minute of it! :-)
This blows me away, as I'm seeing my life in these clips. My mother would tell me about seeing them making the teacups when she was a high school teenager, the building of which became B&B Auto Body later for many years, and is practically just across the street from my grandmother's house. I remember seeing some of their experimental tracks while going to the M.V. drive-in, as they were just to the right of the movie screen on the other side of the fence. I specifically recall that waterslide-like coaster track that they say crashed during testing. I also recall a small suspended coaster not seen in the vid that I suppose was another experiment. I rode Danny the Dragon at Happy Hollow and went to Frontier Village several times as a child and then a teen before it closed. I rode those little boats and the track-guided cars in the mid 1960s and rode the mine train at Magic Mountain and the pre-Demon Turn-of-the-Century coaster at Marriott's Great America back around 1976 or '77 (now called Six Flags great America...). I had NO IDEA so many attractions at Disneyland and far more creations for other parks were created right here in Mountain View. I thought they just made the Teacups and not even the entire ride. To think, Walt was just down the street several times in the 1950s makes my jaw drop. I never would haveseen him though, being born in 1960. Thanks for all that local history.
@32:00 the documentary missed a key detail regarding the demise of “The Bat” where engineer/designer Messerschmitt was noted in mentioning the necessity of banking the turns of the hanging coaster...
really enjoyed watching this i remember riding the Big one for the first time took me 5 hours to build up the courage to get in the Q i just thought it was way to high but have ridden it hundreds of times since and still enjoy the first drop so much
Great recounting of a historically significant era and company in the theme park industry. A very interesting history at that...Arrow seemed to have 9 lives.
Fantastic documentary. I've ridden many of their rides featured, remember them opening, and had no idea of the story behind them. My 3 year old son loves their kiddie-car ride still in operation at Happy Hallow, so their legacy lives on. Thanks to the people who put this together!
Absolutely fantastic documentary, thank you for doing this. As an engineer, I am dying to know more about why the track wouldn't work on Drachen Fire, and what specifically was changed on Tennessee Tornado that made it so much different? How did they get from "A" to "B" there??
Great Doc!!! Looking forward to the next one. I just read about the happenings of the World Largest Theme Park Geauga Lake and its downfall. Could be a great topic!!
my life now makes perfect sense after having watched this documentary. those arrow guys left a huge mark on my various thrill ride experiences, and i had no idea all those years that it was the same company and creative minds behind all of it the entire time. so cool!
This was great to watch. Love Arrow Dynamics for Magnum XL200 - the best coaster I've been on thus far.
4 года назад+1
I'm not teary eyed, YOU'RE TEARY EYED! :'( This was a real treat. My first coaster ever was American Scream Machine. It quickly became my favorite despite the bumpy ride due to it's wedged 'arrow dynamic' aesthetic and the track design really reeled me in for some reason. Learning about their last really makes those memories of my first coaster ride ever, even more special. Just knowing I got to ride a legend :D
The demon at great america in santa clara was my first looping coaster and made me the coaster enthusiast i am today. I paid homage with my first trip to cedar point this year and rode magnum. We owe arrow a great deal of thanks for the awesome rides we get to ride today...and beyond.
![The Path to RailBlazer [FULL DOCUMENTARY]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GlZYh5cnnOs/mqdefault.jpg)
![Alan Schilke Interview: Former Arrow Engineer [Arrow Bonus Content]](/img/1.gif)
This amazing documentary depicts the very best in amusement park and roller coaster engineering. In my mind, Arrow is and always will be the very pinnacle of theme park ingenuity. From small cars to giant roller coasters that soar above the clouds. Arrow has sown the seeds of many young engineers who follow in their footsteps. I applaud 'ACE' for creating such an amazing documentary and cannot wait to see who comes next.-Ben
Thank you for your wonderful comment! We really enjoyed making it.
I really enjoyed this documentary also!
Benjamin Amoon they maybe remembered for being innovative but all I remember them doing is sending me to the hospital with a concussion
It was a great documentary. It's almost sad to see that the shortcoming of Arrow sounds like that it didn't have a Steve Jobs. Let's not forget that if it was up to Steve Wozniak he would have just gave away the design (by the way I think any good engineer would have). Sometimes you just need a straight business man to make your business profitable.
B&M are light years ahead
Arrow built a ride 14 years ago and even though it directly led to their downfall it remains one of the best roller coasters in the world and I expect that to continue for many years. X2 is something special and Arrow's name will always be there
I understand.
That one part of the video always get's me teary-eyed, all that work and all those years dissolved into nothing. there aren't many things that get me worked up like that, but this hits that spot many other things don't. From a fellow enthusiast (officially), we'll never forget you Arrow! ♥
I am so proud to have been a part of this production. Marvelous job, everyone worked SO hard on this and it shows!
+Upstop Media Thank YOU, for helping us at some critical moments!
Brilliant documentary, thanks for creating!
Same! 😄
I thought I might have found you here!
HI THEMEPARKWORLDWIDE!!! I love your videos!!!!!!
+Theme Park Worldwide Theme park worldwide !! great too see you here. Love your videos
Without arrow we wouldn't have are amazing coasters like shambhala and other big things like bm
This was very well done, and I'm very impressed at what you were able to make with the small budget you had. This was not only great, but was also needed, as many coaster enthusiasts of today don't realize how important and influential Arrow was and is to this day. Thank you for not only making this, but doing so with quality and grace.
I couldn't agree more!
CoasterCritique Hear hear!
more of dont care instead i believe.....b&m and intamin are the only two they probably kmow of
CoasterCritique Was was the time to stop and grab some your
horseshoe28016 Was was the time to stop and grab some fresh food from your vacation day
Alan Schilke is one of the most influential people on the amusement park industry. He learned from his time at arrow, and is now part of one of the new, most successful amusement park companies.
If there was an amusement park mount rushmore, he would definitely be on it. For me personally he's the single most influential person in the history of the industry. Hope to be able to shake his hand and thank him in person some day.
This is awesome - thanks so much for being a part of it and for posting it here! My dad worked as one of the draftsmen for Arrow from the early sixties through the mid eighties. He worked on the Corkscrew and lots of other innovative rides. I remember the family days at Arrow in the early seventies when the families of the workers got to ride the new rides before they were sent out and then they had a bbq/picnic for us. Great memories!
Hi Dana! That's such a cool story, and thank you for sharing it with us. Do you have any photos if the family archives from Arrow? Thanks, too, for watching the film.
Dana That's awesome!
Hey! No, unfortunately I don't. The only photo I have is one of a bunch of Arrow execs and MAYBE my dad on Gemini at Cedar Point.
If you think we'd be interested in seeing either of those, shoot me a line: nlaschkewitsch(at)aceonline.org - if not, thanks again for watching!!
This deserves an award for best coaster documentary! Is there going to be one on B&M?
+Sarus Crane That means so much to hear - thank you!
+Sarus Crane Thank you! Let's give B&M a few more years on their history first. :-)
+ACE NorCal what about Schwarzkopf?
That would be awesome!
+Rock&Roll_Pat schwartzkopf are realy good coasters, i just rode thunderloop a looping star from schwartzkopf and its asome!
I've worked for S&S under Stan Checketts for over 10 years. I can say that the, Arrow Dynamics rides that we worked on and the refurbished trains were done with pride and respect. I'm proud to say I got to work for both companies. X2 was my favorite :)
That's awesome, thank you for sharing!
27 years later, Magnum is still an incredibly special roller coaster. Please don't completely ignore it in favor of Millie and Maverick, wonderful though they are. It's showing its age a little, but it's got so much personality. Coaster enthusiasts owe so much to Arrow; thanks for the good times, y'all.
It sucks it’s rough and bumpy
I LOVE Magnum even though some people say it's rough. It's a retro kind of rough, and that coaster is what has given us so much to be thankful for in other coasters!
Row 16, last car first row, best ride!
It's definitely a flawed rollercoaster but that's what makes it so good. It has so much personality and the airtime on the final section is just insane. Riding in the middle of the train makes you feel like your body will tear off of your legs.
Magnum will probably always be my favorite rollercoaster in the world. I waited so long to finally be tall enough to ride it and it just holds a special place in my heart. And for over 10 years it was the king of the park. People complain that it’s too rough but for a rollercoaster built at that time without computers it’s brilliant!!
Major developments curtousey of Arrow for the amusement park industy:
1. Tubular Steel Roller Coaster track (Matterhorn, Disneyland, 1959)
2. Log Flume (El Aseradero, Six Flags Over Texas, 1963)
3. Inversions on a Roller Coaster (Corkscrew, Knott's Berry Farm, 1975)
4. Corkscrew Element (Corkscrew, Knott's Berry Farm, 1975)
5. Shuttle Loop / Launched Loop (Demon, King's Island, 1977)
6. Suspended Roller Coaster (The Bat, King's Island, 1981)
7. Hypercoaster (Magnum XL200, Cedar Point 1989)
8. Fourth Dimension Roller Coaster (X, Six Flags Magic Mountain, 2002)
While they did not individually manufacture these, Arrow laid the groundwork for Inverted and Wing roller coasters, both of which were "invented" by B&M in 1992 and 2011, respectively.
Not to mention the mine train coaster and inversion designs. From the batwing to the bow tie, butterfly etc. they truly were ahead of their time. It’s a shame that time caught up to them. You can be ahead for a minute but never forever.
I can not thank you enough for this ACE. This gave me a true understanding of where my passion came from and how. This is one of the best videos I have ever seen and the most interesting by far! I am proud to be a member of such a great Coaster Club and can not thank you enough!
Who knew I'd watch a 1 hour long documentary 3 times.
That's nice.
My grandpa, Lawrence Cable, worked for Arrow and my mom always told me stories about him working on Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, Haunted Mansion, etc, and going with him to the company Christmas parties growing up. He’s the guy in the dark blue shirt at 35:07! If he were still around, I know he’d appreciate the love and care put into this documentary.
Thank you so much, both from me and my mom. It means a lot to us.
Jarod, thank you so much for sharing this and we wish that we could have shared it with your grandfather, too. Do you know if any Arrow photos or materials exist in the family from his time there? Do you know what years he was employed by Arrow? Amazing stuff.
Thank you for this! I ... had no idea Arrow was THE driving force of innovation for coasters and theme parks ^-^
Many people didn't - but glad they know, now!
why would somone dislike this
:-)
+Moonman Well we're ALL that, but it's an asshole move to dislike.
+Ben Roe the video only has 5 dislikes
+Coaster Dave 5 too many
Ben Roe
Yup
Karl Bacon was my grandfather, I am very grateful I stumbled onto this video. I learned so much, and it helps put things I know into perspective. Thank you so much.
I really had no idea how much Arrow impacted the industry. So many types of coasters, so many rides we take for granted, came about because a bunch of people had fun pushing the limits of engineering. I've noticed in many ways that the creation of video games is similar to the creation of rides in theme parks, and games are what I want to go into. I hope that I can create fun experiences like Arrow did.
We didn't know how much they did until we made this, either! Pretty amazing.
A welder Dennis Stewart a welder down Stewart who work for Errol development a diamond stamp
I really can not describe how much I love this documentary ... This is just a work of art and it's sad that it doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. Amazing work!
Outstanding work guys, you perfectly showcased Arrow's awe inspiring and innovative rides. The coaster industry will never be the same because of Arrow, and they will never be forgotten.
Congrats your first 1,000,000 views!! I am sure there will be millions more to come!
Thank you, Sean!
Ohoho
Watched this when it aired at SFMM and i'm here to watch it again!! Awesome work guys!
Michael DiPrima i've heard a couple of people mentioned it was aired there. Where exactly did they show it? Were people sitting in a theatre for an hour of the day at Magic Mountain?! Or was it like some sort of special screening?
Wow! VERY well done! Great job folks. This is the best coaster documentary I have seen!!
Thanks again for your assistance, Sean!
+American Coaster Enthusiasts You are very welcome. Anytime!!
+Sean Flaharty I'm sure we'll cross ways again...
Mark lowery
I hope arrow dynamics makes a comeback because i like arrow dynamics suspended coasters
Being a coaster enthusiast myself, this is sort of the magnum-opus of amusement park documentaries. It has become not just one of my favorite documentaries, but one of my favorite films in general. The legacy of the legendary Arrow Development is extremely well captured and respected in this documentary. Everyone who worked on this did a amazing job capturing the history of the company and how their influence and models have evolved and live on to this day.
Fantastic documentary, it's amazing to think of the impact Arrow had on the industry.
+Coolcabbage43 - Theme Park Videos - Thank you for watching!
Couldn't have said it any better myself
I know the impact arrow coasters have had on my back and neck...
Jimmy Danger Gonzalez. lol you earen a sub
arrow Roller coasters Suck They are falling In disrepair
3 years later and I still love watching this documentary! Great job! It is sad to see Arrow went bankrupt.
Rollercoaster enthusiast since childhood, Ride operator at Disney for more than a decade,... Rode almost 200 and counting.
Thanks to you I've learned something new, it's amazing how Arrow shaped the industry as we know it today... Even though some of their rides are rough and highly uncomfortable i'll see them from another brand new eye from now on and possibly drop some tears.
Brilliant and passionate, thank you for that beautiful documentary and for the butt kick it just gave me, i'll recommend it to all of my fellows enthusiasts !
Thank you so much for this wonderful comment. It means a lot!
This is an amazing documentary! It makes me happy, especially since some of my favorite rides were made by them.
One of them being the Goldrusher at Carowinds.
I never got to ride any Arrow's ride because they didn't got to Spain. But i saw an enormous ampunt of pictures of their iconic roller coasters in magazines, videoclips, movies or tv shows in the 70-80-90's. That pictures gave me the feeling that life at tthe USA had to be something amazing. Arrow always will be a truly american myth for me. Faboulous and important documentary. Thanks so much for sharing.
Long life and memory for Arrow!!!
Amazing documentery! Arrow has got so much history! They were the manufacurer where the future of Roller Coasters all started, so it realy is sad that they had fallen. We will never forget what Arrow meant to the Theme Parks!
DealWithTheSeal
Arrow en schwartzopf zijn beide verantwoordelijk voor de moderne achtbaan, jammer dat er steeds minder Arrow coasters en Schwartzkopf coasters overblijven.
I Can't believe I am just seeing this now In 2020. This is the best coaster documentary I have ever seen. Really leaves me with a great respect for Arrow as a company. One of my fondest childhood memories is staying at Cedar Point campground and hearing my father scream all the way back in the campground riding the Magnum. Thankyou for sharing this.👏
Thumbs up for the Steel Phantom/Phantom's Revenge!
+Ike Sparkblast We had a blast walking up and down that hill!
Fantastic Video!!! Thank You Arrow!! For Providing me with the Screams, The Fun and all of the Excitement!! Thank You ACE for making this Video. I was a Member many Years ago and will never forget the Time we went to Texas to Six Flag over Texas. Rode the Original Texas Giant over 30 times that weekend!! Riding it in the Dark was the highlight!!
My favorite Coaster of all time is of course an Arrow, it had interlocking loops and the worlds FIRST Boomerang/Kamikaze element, but sadly Worlds of Fun and Cedar Fair decided that it was too expensive to maintain anymore and they scrapped it.
I was so upset when I learned that they scrapped it, and even as I watch this AWESOME arrow documentary tears roll down my face because my kids will never get to ride the greatest Coaster of ALL time!
RIP Orient Express, I miss your rough red tubular tracks and dragon trains!!
Right there with ya. Orient was part of my childhood and it crushed me when I heard it was being torn down. It deserves /far/ more recognition than it gets. Loch Ness Monster might have been the first to have interlocking loops, but it lacks the teeth of the dragon.
This was facinating to learn about such a huge impact on the industry that so many people will never know.
You really don't find documentaries like this one. I love coasters and to see this and how they evolved was awesome!
Outstanding production, this is one of the best things I have seen in awhile!
Ayy lmao
+CraftedCoasters ayyyy!
GREAT DOCUMENTARY! Loved it!!!
This was a wonderful documentary that showed just how key a role Arrow Development played in creating the roller coasters and other attractions we love so much at our favorite amusement/theme parks. From the antique cars rides, to the log flumes I love, to Steamin Demon, a loop, double corkscrew at Great Escape, which was the first coaster with an inversion I ever rode as a kid. I thank Arrow for so many great days at my favorite parks. I think the Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is my all time favorite Arrow coaster.
I even have fond memories of when Great Escape had Danny the Dragon, which was torn out to make way for a Boomerang. I never even knew the story about Arrow and Vekoma, Anyway thanks for making this. Would be cool to see a documentary about B and M or Philadelphia Toboggan Company/Coasters.
this documentary was incredible, I feel as if I learned so much! thanks ACE
This was the only video that is over 1 hour that I watched because it was so interesting. Great documentary
Now that is high praise! Thank you!
@@ridewithace ur welcome
What A Brilliant video/documentary! Long Live Arrow!
Brilliant documentary. I almost cried because of the fact that some of arrow's creations were torn down and scrapped. Like the great American scream machine. I hope parks keep their arrow rides up and maintain them. Rather than tear them down.
AMAZING I just watched this entire thing. I remember thinking Ron Toomer was a genius when I watched "America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills" when I was like 4 years old. I SO wish they built that Stratosphere coaster. X is amazing
+lampshades120 The "Fishhook coaster" was and still is a radical concept. It's hard to imagine how the world's tallest and fastest coasters would be different if that had made it. Thanks for watching!
American Coaster Enthusiasts
The idea could attempt to be reintroduced... Its different people living in the area now.... It may be well received with coasters getting 400+ ft now.
Its a different world today than yesterday 😉
Especially if combined with the rotating chair idea😉
With selectable ride intensity... Or an easy way to control your own speed and spin within a tollerence max/min range.
I've always wanted to see a maglev coaster ❣️💞
What an excellent film and tribute to one of the most important companies in amusement history! It was fascinating and very informative... I learned a lot! Thank you for making this!
Awesome story! I grew up next to Kennywood ( could see my childhood home in the view from the top of the lift hill of the Steel Phantom ) and spent countless hours at the park riding who knows how many Arrow rides that they had. This was a very educational and entertaining documentary. Thank you so very much!
I have to say I loved the documentary, the only thing that saddened both my husband and I is that ACE did not include Orient Express. Orient Express was one of Arrow's most beautiful coasters, and had the first boomerang element ever used on any coaster. Still, a great documentary to the company that almost single-handedly built the amusement park industry.
Budgets and time constraints what they were - there was only so much we could get to!
We have some great, old footage of Orient Express - we may post it up at some point!
I agree. A mention of Orient Express was the first thing I looked for in the comment section. I grew up in the 80s just 3 hours away from Kansas City and the Orient Express was the first "big" coaster I had ever seen.
This is a great documentary on Arrow's legacy.
If not for Arrow, much of what we've come to know and love throughout the amusement and theme park industry would be different. This is a bittersweet documentary, as Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland, and Knotts were all the parks I grew up with. I consider myself an Enthusiast, and despite the amount of times I have watched this, it still amazes me the amount of innovation, creativity, and the legacy Arrow had left behind. I am glad that some of whom worked for Arrow are still out there, creating rides for the next generation. I hope that the Creativity shown by Arrow never stops in this industry, and we continue to get those like Arrow throughout the rest of time. Thank you for such a wonderful, detailed, and heartfelt documentary for the most influential company to the amusement and theme park industry.
Wow.. Arrow really had a mark on the industry. The doc was well put together..
Belmont Park in San Diego at 4:33. The coaster is still there, has been restored, and is running today.
46:23 I see Wicked Cyclone blueprints! (And a certified engineering badass.)
Wow! Without the doubt one of the best American roller coaster documentaries I've ever seen! Amazing work!
This video is truly amazing. I can't imagine how much work was put into this, to be so well put together. You deserve millions of views - well done!
Thank you so much for your very nice comment! We had a blast putting it together.
There aren't many documentaries that manage to keep me interested the whole time, but this did it. What an awesome video.
That means a lot to us, thank you!
My favorite is Lochness Monster at Busch Gardens and Verboten!! 😍😍😍
I really loved this. Thank you for creating it. I have a newfound respect for Arrow.
+Keegan Connolly Frankly - after making it, we did even more so!
Beautiful documentary. Can’t wait to ride the Matterhorn again and think about everything I learned in this video
Towards the end when discussing the demise of the mega loopers, Great American Scream Machine (shown and identified at 1:02:51) is attributed to Six Flags Great America. It actually operated at Six Flags Great Adventure.
The Arrow-built Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure, in Jackson, NJ, has always been my all-time favorite roller coaster. BEST EVER!!!!!!
They should never have gotten rid of it. Green Lantern will never be as beloved as GASM. Maybe now they'll think twice before doing the same with Viper.
Matthew Miller The Green Lantern sucks and is just plain painful. If they get rid of anything, it should be that. Maybe put in a Giga coaster.
Amazing documentary! I now respect Arrow even more after watching this. Without Arrow, the coaster industry wouldn't be the same.
Arrow will always be my most favourite coaster design. Its so old school and cool :D
JustPlainJoel! Mine is B&M And RMC
+Flip Tube - Hey You :p
Utterly fantastic. Got chills several times throughout.
If Arrow had survived, imagine what the coaster world would be like today.
I miss them :(
In a way, they sort of did, through RMC.
@@steveo7771286 mainly RMC, Morgan, Chance Rides and S&S have picked up on the legacy and some are doing pretty well!
@@plazasta definitely
Arrow in a sort of way is still around today.
If you’ve seen Morgan’s hyper coasters, they’re basically an improved version of the Arrow hypers. In fact, the trains on the Morgan Hypers appear in a somewhat similar fashion to that of Magnum at Cedar Point or Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach (The only exception being Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood)
Morgan became part of Chance Rides in 2001 and was rebranded to Chance Morgan. Chance Rides built Lightning Run at Kentucky Kingdom, which opened in 2014 as the world’s first (and so far only) Hyper-GTX coaster, and most recently in 2019, they opened the Nickelodeon Slime Streak Coaster at Nickelodeon Universe in the new American Dream Mall in NJ.
Morgan and Chance Rides are one of few examples of Arrow still being around even after they went out of business in 2002. I too imagine what’d be like if they were still in business. They probably would’ve built a Giga Coaster or maybe even a Tilt Coaster. The possibilities are endless after all.
I love this. It makes me stand up and freaking cheer. Arrow for ever.
Awesome work. I really learned a lot about Arrow. Although, it would have been nice to see a mention of Carolina Cyclone at Carowinds. It was after all the first with 4 inversions. But I guess I am so fond of Carolina Cyclone because it is at my home park. And the first looping coaster I rode. And still ride it every time I go to Carowinds.
Again, awesome work on this film. I never knew Arrow was the creator of the modern steel coaster.
What an incredible story! I live near Six Flags in Arlington TX and the Flume Ride my fav, they have Flume, Runaway Mine train, Etc .. wow
Thanks for the amazing documentary of my favourite roller coaster manufacturer! It was truly amazing seeing never seen before concepts that Arrow had thought of and tested during the 1980s. Thanks for the amazing documentary! I greatly enjoyed every minute of it! :-)
37:44 that songs stuck in my head now.
I am only 20 minutes into this and I LOVE it.
Keep going!
What a truly phenomenal documentary... As a coaster enthusiast, I feel like I fell in love with Arrow all over again after watching this.
Would LOVE to see more of these.
I learned something new today. I'm grateful for rollercoasters.
This blows me away, as I'm seeing my life in these clips. My mother would tell me about seeing them making the teacups when she was a high school teenager, the building of which became B&B Auto Body later for many years, and is practically just across the street from my grandmother's house. I remember seeing some of their experimental tracks while going to the M.V. drive-in, as they were just to the right of the movie screen on the other side of the fence. I specifically recall that waterslide-like coaster track that they say crashed during testing. I also recall a small suspended coaster not seen in the vid that I suppose was another experiment.
I rode Danny the Dragon at Happy Hollow and went to Frontier Village several times as a child and then a teen before it closed. I rode those little boats and the track-guided cars in the mid 1960s and rode the mine train at Magic Mountain and the pre-Demon Turn-of-the-Century coaster at Marriott's Great America back around 1976 or '77 (now called Six Flags great America...).
I had NO IDEA so many attractions at Disneyland and far more creations for other parks were created right here in Mountain View. I thought they just made the Teacups and not even the entire ride.
To think, Walt was just down the street several times in the 1950s makes my jaw drop. I never would haveseen him though, being born in 1960. Thanks for all that local history.
Arrow created my favorite childhood coasters! Thanks for this.
So much learned from this document. It's definitely inspiring for Theme park enthusiasts
lol, doccument
I rode the Viper roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain and it was amazing.
Absolutely spectacular piece of work here. Great job!
@32:00 the documentary missed a key detail regarding the demise of “The Bat” where engineer/designer Messerschmitt was noted in mentioning the necessity of banking the turns of the hanging coaster...
i would like to here about schwarzkopf i don't need a huge documentary i would just love to here about the history and what happened to them
I agree, his work is pretty amazing as well
I actually find it very surprising that Schwarzkoph was never mentioned in this documentary
14:09 it's seeing into my soul.
Wow, just wow. This is such a great documentary!
So glad you enjoyed it - feel free to share with your favorite tv channels or streaming services, too!
I have a much greater respect for Arrow. Great documentary! Long live Arrow Dynamics!
really enjoyed watching this i remember riding the Big one for the first time took me 5 hours to build up the courage to get in the Q i just thought it was way to high but have ridden it hundreds of times since and still enjoy the first drop so much
Great recounting of a historically significant era and company in the theme park industry. A very interesting history at that...Arrow seemed to have 9 lives.
This is a fantastic documentary! Thank you so much for doing this, I learnt so much!
+Liam Wright We did too. :-) Thanks for watching!
Fantastic documentary. I've ridden many of their rides featured, remember them opening, and had no idea of the story behind them. My 3 year old son loves their kiddie-car ride still in operation at Happy Hallow, so their legacy lives on. Thanks to the people who put this together!
+terry estioko Thanks, Terry! Glad to get a comment from a NorCal local, especially someone who has been to Happy Hollow! And, you're welcome.
Unbelievable documentary! A must watch for every coaster enthusiast.
Absolutely fantastic documentary, thank you for doing this. As an engineer, I am dying to know more about why the track wouldn't work on Drachen Fire, and what specifically was changed on Tennessee Tornado that made it so much different? How did they get from "A" to "B" there??
Great Doc!!! Looking forward to the next one. I just read about the happenings of the World Largest Theme Park Geauga Lake and its downfall. Could be a great topic!!
I miss you Arrow Dynamics. You and B and M have some of the best rides around.
This was done VERY well. I'm a huge fan of coasters! Absolutely love them!
How do you not have more subscribers? As the daughter of an engineer, I found this fascinating. It made me miss my dad so much!
One last thing... THAT WAS AWESOME
my life now makes perfect sense after having watched this documentary. those arrow guys left a huge mark on my various thrill ride experiences, and i had no idea all those years that it was the same company and creative minds behind all of it the entire time. so cool!
This was great to watch. Love Arrow Dynamics for Magnum XL200 - the best coaster I've been on thus far.
I'm not teary eyed, YOU'RE TEARY EYED! :'(
This was a real treat. My first coaster ever was American Scream Machine. It quickly became my favorite despite the bumpy ride due to it's wedged 'arrow dynamic' aesthetic and the track design really reeled me in for some reason.
Learning about their last really makes those memories of my first coaster ride ever, even more special. Just knowing I got to ride a legend :D
The Great American Scream Machine is my all time favorite coaster. Too bad they took it down. Long live Arrow!!!
The demon at great america in santa clara was my first looping coaster and made me the coaster enthusiast i am today. I paid homage with my first trip to cedar point this year and rode magnum. We owe arrow a great deal of thanks for the awesome rides we get to ride today...and beyond.