Side Friction: Roller Coasters and the Parks They Live In

Side Friction - Episode 130 - "Round Rage"
May 30th, 2026
Bob, Greg, and Ryan the Ride Mechanic start with the expected chicken nugget story, well, after a rabbit trail of course. The rest of the show covers about an equal mix of news and rabbit trails.
Cedar Point guest gets lifetime ban from Six Flags parks for roller coaster stunt 'I understand': Man speaks out after Cedar Point bans him for eating nuggets on coaster

Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Will be Discontinued for Universal Orlando's Express Pass Hagrid's Equality

SpongeBob, Shrek and Minions are getting a new theme park this summer
Frontal Lobe: Home Edition Frontal Lobe Ride 

A Nearly 100-Year-Old Roller Coaster Reopens This Weekend After Being Shut Down Over Safety Concerns
The First Roller Coaster Is Going Up At Oasis, And They Named It 'Shootout': Here's What We Know
Mattel's immersive indoor water park coming to North Carolina
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress refresh to bring new decades, Easter eggs to Tomorrowland classic
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Side Friction - Episode 129 - "Cheaper than a Ballroom"
May 23rd, 2026
Bob and Ryan the Ride Mechanic have a lot of fun and entertaining conversations about the recent news in the park industry and step into the tech industry a bit including an incredibly cool project you can build.
Google Search as you know it is over 
Project Purple, Six Flags coaster coming in 2027. What we know about it
Cedar Point Officials Address Fans' Claims They Installed Shorter Seat Belts on Beloved Coaster
'Gross negligence': COTA roller coaster riders stuck 120 feet in the air file $1M lawsuit
Get a First Look at the New Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney World — Including the First Animatronic Muppets 
Disneyland targeted in class-action lawsuit claiming new program is violating guests' privacy
Bring Disneyland Home With This Gorgeous New Lego Set
RCT IRL: Roller Coaster Tycoon Ratings in Real Life 
First look at Nate Bargatze's $350 million Nateland theme park
Verbolten: Forbidden Turn roller coaster to open at Busch Gardens Williamsburg on May 30 
Why Dolly Parton Doesn't Ride the Coasters at Dollywood — and Why She Might Finally Break Her Own Rule
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Side Friction - Episode 128 - "Ultra Plywood Canyon"
May 16th, 2026
Bob, Greg, and Ryan the Ride Mechanic are back to talk about a selection of dumb park moves, Six Flags Themeing, parks that are closing (and aren't) as well as some other random stuff including the typical off the rails talk mixed in.
Cedar Point cancels 'Morning Rush' after fan outcry
Cedar Point's Coastermania is back with 12 exclusive rides.
Six Flags Magic Mountain on lockdown as armored police trucks roll in
Purple Parking Lot Coaster
Man Left Dangling on Suspended 'Tilt' Coaster for Over an Hour Sues Texas Theme Park
Woman Describes Being Stuck in the Rain for Nearly an Hour on a Roller Coaster
Florida officials launch criminal investigation into death of 31 sloths at now-closed "Sloth World" Warehouse permitted for cars, not animals
Accreditation | Association of Zoos & Aquariums 

Breaking! Mythos survived nearly every era of Universal Orlando — until now
Hersheypark locked in union dispute ahead of its summer opening
'Not the outcome we wanted': Niagara Amusement Park and Splash World won't open for Summer 2026 Niagara Amusement Park won't open for 2026 season; Grand Island fireworks still a go 

Regal Debuts Reimagined Roller Coaster Intro Before All Showtimes on May 8
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Side Friction - Episode 127 - "Gone Wild"
May 2nd, 2026
Bob, Greg and Steph keep rabbit trails to a minimum this week but that's only because a lot of the stories in the news are entertaining enough so there is plenty to laugh at even amongst some of the negative stories for the week.
Over 1,000 Teens Storm Icon Park in Orlando as Fights Break Out and Deputies Are Injured, Leading to 9 Arrests  Sheriff sends clear warning to stop 2nd planned 'Takeover' of Icon Park 

Chaos at Six Flags St. Louis opening day as 'large fight' involving 100 people breaks out 
Six Flags ride abruptly shut down over cell phone violation, leaving riders stuck 200ft high
Ride collapses at amusement park in Brazil, video shows 
Six Flags New England shares information regarding ride evacuation
Q&A with new Carowinds boss as Six Flags shakes up leadership across its parks 
Thirty-one sloths die in Florida before opening of attraction
Epic Universe News Update: Open Hub Technology and Fireworks Tests
Court fight puts local coaster at risk as county alleges lease violations at Lakemont Park
2,000 bats, cavern glow-up among wild changes at Magic Kingdom's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Family-Owned Amusement Park Named Best in the U.S. for 2026 — and It's Free to Enter Knoebels Amusement Resort marks 100th anniversary

3 Bald Eagles Remain Missing from Sanctuary at Dolly Parton's Dollywood After Storm Damaged Enclosure 
Restored Smithsonian carousel returns to the National Mall
60-Ton Animatronic Dinosaur Bursts Into Flames at Kansas Theme Park After Getting Struck by Lightning  Lightning strike destroys Touchdown Jesus statue 

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Side Friction - Episode 126 - "Balls"
April 25th, 2026
Bob, Greg, Ryan the Ride Mechanic and Steph talk about..... everything? While touching upon huge park rumors and other industry news it seems like every corner brings another rabbit trail and tons of laughs. 
Six Flags names park presidents returning to 10 properties | blooloop  Possible sale of Six Flags parks to Herschend
Rumor Additional Six Flags Parks Up For Sale? 

Jeffrey Siebert Leaves Six Flags 
Quantum Accelerator valleyed
Cedar Point gate tickets to exceed $100 
3 sue Six Flags St. Louis for waterslide injuries
Hersheypark backs off mask guidance after backlash
Disney Parks Brings Back "Ladies and Gentlemen" 
COTALAND, Austin's first major theme park, expected to open this summer 
Wild Moose on the loose
Camden Park selling vintage Ferris wheel cars
Disneyland loosens up on facial recognition
Eddie's House of Monsters at Indiana Beach
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