How Millennials Ruined Roller Coasters

In the 2000s, roller coasters raced to be the tallest, fastest, and most intense — and it all started with Disney. But now, parks are shifting gears, swapping record-breaking thrill rides for immersive, family-friendly attractions. Why the change? Economist Kyla Scanlon and producer Karin Shedd explore how Disney's innovations sparked the coaster wars, why companies like Six Flags shifted strategies, and how changing economics, customer tastes, and technology have reshaped roller coasters forever. Huge thanks to the following channels for letting us feature their footage! ‪@ColiwoodStudios‬ ‪@coasterforce‬ ‪@XtremeCoasters‬ 0:00 The roller coaster arms race — and why it’s slowing down 0:36 What the coaster data shows 1:41 From ice slides to the first coaster boom 1:57 The 1920s peak: 1,500 coasters built 2:20 Coney island’s cyclone: the old-school test 3:02 Why early parks felt seedy, then collapsed 3:35 Disney’s big idea: parks as family destinations 4:09 The Matterhorn moment: tubular steel is born 5:15 Tubular steel kicks off the coaster wars 6:42 X: the extreme coaster that broke Arrow 7:30 The wars hit a wall: costs vs. demand 8:39 The pivot: parks go family-friendly 10:31 The economics: ROI, attendance, and “don’t alienate families”