From The Vault: Castles 'n' Coasters 1997 Brochure

Here's a fun one that has been buried away for a long time, a 1997 brochure from Castles 'n' Coasters, located in Phoenix, Arizona.  The actual brochure is not date specific, but it was sent to me that year so let's go with that!

The park is a mix of amusement park and family entertainment center, and obviously there is a castle theme going on somewhere in there, too.  The park's small size means they pack a lot of attractions into the boundaries, and also as the name states that includes a couple of roller coasters.

The park opened in 1982 and changed names a few times as additions were make and new attractions opened.  This page of the brochure describes the park as Arizona's "newest" park - I'm pretty sure the list of amusement parks in Arizona is a really short one however!

The park has two roller coaster, Desert Storm which is featured prominently here, and also the Patriot.  Both were created by Hopkins.  Desert Storm has two loops so it is aimed more toward thrill seekers, while the Patriot is a smaller family ride.

The center of the brochure is a map of the park that shows all the rides and attractions that were offered as of that time.  You can see that the mini golf courses take up a lot of real estate, but as an amusement park / family entertainment center they are a must. 

The log flume, named Splashdown, has a really interesting description in that it says its theming includes a logging town, African elephants, and a Polynesian village.  What!

There were also bumper boats, go-karts, and some flat rides like a Carousel, bumper cars, Sea Dragon, and a Magic Carpet.

Aerial Antics: Castles 'n' Coasters

Arizona is a state of few amusement parks and very few coasters, only a handful in fact.  The two largest ones are both located at Castles 'n' Coasters, a small park that sits adjacent to a huge mall in Phoenix.

Here is a view of the whole park from the sky.  The upper left is the start of that large mall I mentioned above.  The park derives its name from having a large building that is, well, a castle and also the two roller coasters that can be found here.  There's also some elaborate mini-golf courses, a log flume, zip-line, and a few other flat rides including a free fall.

Of the two coasters offered the more family oriented one is named the Patriot.  It was designed by Hopkins and features a layout that is similar to a Vekoma roller skater but not the same.  It's a perfect started coaster for those still waiting on trying out bigger rides.

The second coaster is Desert Storm - and this one features two vertical loops and a unique lift hill support structure to make room for the log flume underneath.  The track also has a couple large helices thrown in for good measure!

The park is a bit out of the way for coaster fans, seeing as the state doesn't have much to offer - so you don't really hear much about these rides.  Both opened in 1992 (the names make more sense, considering that fact) and are still going strong.

To check out the aerials on Google, click here.

Castles N' Coasters Builds Sky Wire

Phoenix, Arizona will be getting a new thrill later this spring with the arrival of Sky Wire, a large zip-line complex at Castles N' Coasters. Where space is at a premium, the park is seeking to build vertically.

Sky Wire's zip line is 600 feet long, and the ride is estimated to last about 10 minutes. In addition, the park is adding a rope climbing course, about 290 feet each way. This season's new additions seem to complement the park's family-friendly atmosphere very well, and I'm hoping to seeing more of these pop up around the country.

Read the full story here.