Who chooses the names for coasters???

Is it the individual parks? The company as a whole? Marketing departments? Some young kid who's the son of a top exec? People speak of Six Flags as if they're some big group of "tyrants" running around cloning coasters and making up bizarre names for them. Can someone enlighten us as to how this process works? I get the feeling that each park has the ability to give their new coaster any name they wish, is this true? Jeff?

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Thank you Disney, thank you...

Im pretty sure its the parks. I have some friends who are ride ops at sfgadv and i asked them myself that question. They said its the indivdual parks who do it, for location and themeing. Thats why Medusa was built in the western themed area, and batman in the movie town area.


Nitro - the next sphere of thrills!!

The gone but not forgotten Steel Phantom at Kennywood was named by the employees. As for Phantom's Revenge, it must have been pretty easy to decide.

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http://communities.msn.com/coastersbysteve

the beast was named by locals ina contest

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May the fleas of a 1000 camels infest your armpits for all eternity!!

Steel aint better, WOOD FOREVER!!!

Different parks do it differently. For example, IOA had very specific themes they wanted the coasters to have so I'm sure they went through a very detailed name selection process. I'd be willing to wager that most coaster names are developed by PR to ensure that the name is one that will draw a crowd.

As a side note, the "Medusa in the western" part of SFGAdv is one of the most bizarre decisions I've ever seen/heard of. Medusa is, obviously, out of greek mythology. What does that have to do with the wild west?

Come on, how hard was it to say Dueling Dragons, or the Incredible Hulk.
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I did a double take reading that Medusa was put in the western section for theming. I'm not sure I understand the connection.

AIMCOasterguy, they could have named the Hulk coaster the Thing, or Nova, or Hyperion, or She-Hulk, or Guardian, or Hercules, or Wonder Man, or Human Torch, or... Marvel Comics has a lot of characters, many of which could be used to theme a ride. IOA probably did have a lengthy process of determining which characters would win most favor with guests, which lent themselves best to theming, which lent themselves best to a roller coaster attraction....

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LIfe is something that happens when you can't get to sleep.
--Fran Lebowitz

In some cases the designer names it, but the park has the right to change the name if they don't like it. I think B&M originally named Mantis the Banshee. Cedar Point thought it was a little too satanic so they changed it. If they don't want their names to be satanic, then why not change the name of Demon Drop?

No... not even close. Banshee was the park's doing. Read the official position on the name change here:

http://www.guidetothepoint.com/thepoint/rides/mantis.asp

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Apparently, the medusa/western connection is that a mining company accidentally unearthes the gorgon.

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I'm 2 for 2 so far!!!