There are a lot of coaster clones out there from the numerous iterations of “Batman” at the Six Flags parks to the Sky Rocket II rides across Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. However, the one that may be the most numerous is “Spinning Coaster” by Italian manufacturer SBF-Visa. This simple figure 8 spinning coaster seems to be everywhere from family entertainment centers to small amusement parks. By my count on Caosterpedia there are at least 66 installs of the several different variants of this ride all in just 10 years from its 2014 debut.

As I began to visit some smaller places to up my credit count I began to notice some recurring themes. You get used to seeing things like Tilt-a Whirls or Scramblers everywhere, but there was one particular coaster design I saw again and again. It would often just be called “Spinning Coaster”, but occasionally there would be a little bit of theming like the “Spinning Parrot” version at The Island in Pigeon Forge. Some people like the Incredible Pizza chain seem to have gotten a bulk discount as I’ve seen one at all of their facilities that I’ve been to thus far. So it got me online wondering what is this ride and how many installs of it are there? There may be another coaster model with more installs, but I haven’t found it. Other popular models like the Wacky Worm have about 20 installs, but nothing close to the 60+ spinning coasters out there.

The specs on this aren’t awe inspiring at 190 feet of track maxing at a little under 19 feet high. However since it does many “laps” the ride traverses well over 1,000 feet of track. There are 4 cars with 4 riders each for 16 total riders propelled by a tire drive. The ride fits in a 36 x 72 foot rectangle and can be indoors, outdoors, permanent and mobile on a trailer.

This coaster is so popular with good reason. First, it’s compact and can fit into almost any space, indoor or outdoor. It also strikes a good balance of of being approachable for kids while still offering some level of thrill with the spinning action. Finally, it’s relatively inexpensive. Although cost figures are somewhat hard to come by, I’ve seen numbers of $500,000 – $700,000 reported online.

In terms of a review, this is a coaster designed for families, not enthusiasts, but it will give you ~90 seconds of fun. There are a few variants out there with some being slightly taller, double length or 3 “loops” instead of the “2 loop” standard figure 8, but they’re all highly similar. I do like some of the different names with personal favorites like Barnyard Dance, Nuclear Rush, Myrtle Turtle, Strohnado and Poogee Penguin’s Spin Out.

Congrats to SBF-Visa for making a “best selling” coaster. Although it might not have specs that enthusiasts seek out, it’s a great introductory family ride at a price point places like family fun centers can afford. This could very well be many people’s first coaster experience and spark a love for roller coasters. If you believe a credit is a credit, you can also pad your count and maybe get some cheap pizza too!