Roller-Coasting Into Summer
May 26, 2006 — -- They are the screams of summer -- roller-coaster fans shrieking with joy as they ride on more than 700 roller coasters across the country.
Amusement parks take in more than $11 billion a year. This year, the big business of roller coasters is getting bigger.
"Oh, you may see as many as 150 new rides across the country," said Beth Robertson, spokeswoman for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.
At Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., ABC News' David Muir took the first ride of the day on Nitro.
Muir rode with "Coastin' Steve" O'Donnell, a member of American Coaster Enthusiasts, the largest roller-coaster club in the country. It was O'Donnell's 1,009th roller-coaster ride.
After a ride on Nitro -- which takes 56 seconds to climb 215 feet, drops down with 70-degree steepness, and then accelerates to 80 mph -- O'Donnell couldn't wait for his 1,010th ride.
After all, roller-coaster riding is serious business to fanatics and among the parks that lure them.
Six Flags has a new ride called the Kingda Ka, which goes from zero to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds. Magic Mountain, an amusement park outside Los Angeles, just built Tatsu, the world's tallest "flying" coaster.
Amusement park industry experts say this year the clickety-clack of wooden coasters is back. Holiday World Theme Park offers the Voyage roller coaster in Santa Claus, Ind., and Six Flags has El Toro, which breaks the world record with its 76-degree angle of descent.
No matter which coaster you ride, the kids say you have to keep your hands up.
ABC News' David Muir reported this story for "Good Morning America."
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