Negative-G Magic Springs and Crystal Falls Water and Theme Park 2016 Page Nine

Click on any photo to see a larger version of it.

Magic Springs and Crystal Falls Water and Theme Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Magic Springs is a really delightful and relaxing park. If coasters get you too worked up you can always head to the lake in the middle of the park and feed the huge fish and turtles that are there excitedly waiting for a few food pellets from park visitors.

The Arkansas Twister roller coaster at Magic Springs and Crystal Falls Water and Theme Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas

While the beauty of the park really appealed to us we had one more coaster to conquer before it was time to hit the road and head to Texas.

The coaster that I am speaking of is the Arkansas Twister.

Like Big Bad John the Arkansas Twister is a coaster that moved around and was tough to work into the park. This Don Rosser & Bill Cobb design started out at Florida's Circus World park (also known as Boardwalk and Baseball in the parks later years before closing) in 1978 as the Florida Hurricane. As that park changed names and themes the coaster had numerous names including the Roaring Tiger and Michael Jackson's Thrill Coaster. Yes Michael Jackson did ride it and if you look around the internet you can find a photo of the gloved one riding with movie director John Landis.

In 1992 it moved to Arkansas where Magic Springs had the hard task of finding a long and flat stretch of terrain to put it. That bit of land is all the way in the back of the water park making for a little hike if you want to ride.

Being all the way out there and only having one train after the park reopened in 2000 the transfer track hasn't seen any use in decades.