The History of Backlot Stunt Coaster

Backlot Stunt Coaster is a family ride that thinks it is an action movie. Riders launch through a Hollywood car chase of gunfire, explosions, and a helicopter attack, all packed into about a minute. It was born in the middle of Kings Dominion's movie-studio years.

The Italian Job

When Paramount owned Kings Dominion, it wrapped rides in its films, and in 2006 it opened this launch coaster as Italian Job: Turbo Coaster, recreating the car-chase finale of the 2003 movie with Mini Cooper-style trains. It replaced a water ride called Diamond Falls. The coaster launches out of the station, races past a helicopter that opens fire with a burst of sound and light, dodges an exploding gas tank, and splashes down as if through the Los Angeles aqueduct.

From Italian Job to Backlot

When Cedar Fair took over the park in late 2006, the movie licenses fell away, and for the 2008 season the ride was renamed Backlot Stunt Coaster, dropping the Mini Cooper branding but keeping every stunt-movie effect.

Sister coasters

Backlot Stunt Coaster is a clone. Two identical versions opened a year earlier, in 2005, at sister parks Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland, also as Italian Job coasters, and all three were renamed Backlot Stunt Coaster at the same time. Ride one and you have essentially ridden all three.

One thing to know

Midway through the ride, a helicopter appears to open fire on the train with simulated gunfire, water, and pyrotechnics.

Backlot Stunt Coaster is one chapter in the fifty-year history of Kings Dominion.

Backlot Stunt Coaster at a glance