Houston, May 28, 2008 – Many tourists flock to European cities like London, Paris, and Copenhagen to see attractions such as Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, and The Little Mermaid statue. But to one special group of European tourists, the best attractions this summer are in the USA, in cities like San Antonio, Kansas City, and Minneapolis. These cities are home to some renowned roller coasters that the The European Coaster Club (ECC) prizes.
Founded in 1996, The ECC is Europe's premier roller coaster club that publishes a magazine called First Drop. It has more than 1,500 members across the world from countries including the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, France, Brazil, Russia, Australia, Japan, and the United States.
Beginning Saturday, May 31 through Saturday, June 14, more than 50 ECC members will join The American Adventure II and tour seven states and eighteen different amusement parks to ride nearly 100 different roller coasters. These members represent England, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the United States (only two from the group are Americans).
"We've been looking forward to this trip for quite some time," said Justin Garvanovic, ECC Founder from the UK. "We have many great coasters throughout Europe, but there are just so many brilliant coasters here in the US!"
About 25% of the coasters on this trip are "woodies" that these coaster experts especially crave, "though the steel coasters we're visiting are quite exceptional as well," says Yvonne Janik, ECC US Trips Coordinator.
This American Adventure will travel more than 2,600 miles and visit parks in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. They will visit four Six Flags parks in San Antonio, Dallas, St. Louis, and Chicago, SeaWorld in San Antonio, and two Cedar Fair parks, Worlds of Fun in Kansas City and Valleyfair in the Minneapolis area. The trip also includes smaller parks (with big coasters) including Magic Springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas; Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park and Timber Falls in Wisconsin Dells; Indiana Beach in Monticello, Indiana; Silver Dollar City and Celebration City in Branson, Missouri; and Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, which is home to three world-class woodies in the famous Santa Claus, Indiana. Beginning in Texas at Kemah Boardwalk, the trip will end fourteen days and 100+ coasters later with a grand finale at the new Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Coaster trips are central to the ECC. Members are offered the opportunity to join together and visit theme parks throughout the season. Some trips can be one day, a weekend, or sometimes more, and are a very economical way of visiting amusement parks. Trip-goers end up receiving more than is normally available to the general public, including exclusive ride sessions, behind the scenes tours, and other extras.
So what does it take to become an ECC member? There are only two entry requirements for joining the club: having a love of roller coasters and amusement parks and paying a club membership fee. Members come in all ages (from 2 to 92) and from all walks of life and are not limited to the "thrill seeking teenage boy."
Friendships are common amongst members, and there is strong social side to the club. In fact some couples have met during trips and have since gotten married. During a 2002 trip to America, two members planned their weddings to take place during that trip!