From Classic Tricks to New Wonders: Kipper the Dog's Magic Act Evolves

By admin

One day, Kipper the dog decided that he wanted to try his hand at magic. He had always been fascinated by the tricks and illusions that magician's performed and thought it would be fun to give it a try himself. He gathered all the materials he needed - a top hat, a cape, a wand, and a deck of cards. Kipper practiced his magic act in front of his friends - Tiger, Jake, and Pig. He started with a simple trick where he made a coin disappear and reappear behind his ear. The dogs were amazed and clapped their paws in delight.



X coaster magic springs

Magic Springs park in Hot Springs, Arkansas is a smallish park on a hillside with a bunch of flat rides and a decent variety of coasters for such a small park. There's a kiddie coaster, a mine train, a wild mouse, a Vekoma suspended looping coaster, an out-and-back woodie with some nice Ozark scenic vistas, and THIS:

View fullsize

Firstly, that just looks wrong. It looks more like a thing under construction than a finished product. It certainly doesn't look like a coaster. This needs a closer investigation.

View fullsize

Watching it go around the course provides the fill-in information: It climbs the lift, does its little mid-air twist, comes back down. Done. It's the epitome of the one-trick pony ride, so it had better be a good trick.

View fullsize

First good thing: there are no shoulder bars on these cars. Shoulder bars can take a good coaster and just kill it by making it uncomfortable or painful to ride due to the rider's head making contact with the bars on turns and such. There is absolutely no reason to put shoulder bars on a coaster unless there are support poles so close that you need the bars to keep people from raising their arms. Aside from that, a good lap bar system and seats with side support are plenty safe, more comfortable, and far less likely to cause injury to the riders. These cars and the restraint system are pretty comfortable and so I'm a happy guy before the thing even starts going.

View fullsize

The lift hill is vertical - straight up. That much isn't so uncommon.

View fullsize

What messes with your mind, though, is that at the top of the vertical lift, rather than going over the top normally, the chain pulls your car into an upside-down position, fifteen stories above the ground. It's SLOW, too, so you're going to be hanging by your lap bar. It's a doubly-good thing that the restraints are comfy!

View fullsize

It's at this point, when you've been pulled up and over, that the pony's one trick really kicks in: the view. Oh, not the stunning view of the Ozark mountains or even the rest of the park, but the spindly little wisp of track, impossibly twisted, jutting out into space with no visible means of support. Sorry, but there is nothing that you can tell your brain at this point that will convince it that this is actually supposed to look like this. Just no way. It's one of the most mind-bending, disorienting, deliciously bizarre things I've ever seen. You only get a second or two to look at it, though, since the car eases off the chain lift and rolls s-l-o-w-l-y down this track, still upside-down. You're hanging by the lap bar, more than 100ft in the air, the track in front of you doesn't look real, and you're just CRAWLING.

Magic Springs coaster stops

The X Coaster at the Magic Springs amusement park in Hot Springs stopped running this afternoon, KARK reports, and the station quotes the park operator as saying guests are now “enjoying the park.” No reports of ill effects, though it had to be hot for anyone who happened to be on the ride when it stopped. No word on how many, if any, were in that position. But reports from TV news media via Twitter indicate some riders were aboard. The ride stopped at 2:31 p.m. and was returned to the station “manually” at 3:28 p.m . The park statement said the safety system operated “as intended.”

Advertisement

Retired senior editor of the Arkansas Times.

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 48 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

  • Magtic Springs
  • X coaster

magic springs

Welcome back to our annual “A-Z Coaster of the Week” series. This year, we’re selecting some unique or lesser known coasters to highlight. We’ll share trivia, history and the coaster’s need-to-know stats. First up is Arkansas Twister at Magic Springs.

Sep 19, 2016 by John Stevenson Features 1

The dogs were amazed and clapped their paws in delight. Encouraged by their reaction, Kipper decided to try something more daring. Next, Kipper attempted to saw himself in half.

A-Z Coaster of the Week: Twist ‘n Shout

We travel to Arkansas for this week’s A-Z Coaster of the Week: Twist ‘n Shout at Magic Springs. Unfortunately, however, Twist ‘n Shout closed at the end of 2012 season and is now on its way to a new home.

Apr 8, 2013 by John Stevenson Features 1
Kipper thd dog the magic act

He lay down on a table and covered himself with a large box. He waved his wand, said the magic words, and the box split in half - or at least it appeared to. The dogs couldn't believe their eyes. They could see Kipper's upper and lower halves separated by the box. But just when they thought the trick was real, Kipper popped his head out from one side and fooled them all. For his grand finale, Kipper decided to do a disappearing act. He climbed into a large box, closed the lid, and tapped his wand on the side three times. When he opened the box, he was nowhere to be found. The dogs looked around the room in confusion and wondered where Kipper had gone. Suddenly, they heard a giggle from behind them, and they turned around to find Kipper standing there, triumphant. After the magic act, Kipper admitted to his friends that some of his tricks were just illusions. He showed them how he performed the coin trick using a hidden pocket and how he created the appearance of being sawed in half using a cleverly designed box. The dogs were amazed at the deception behind the magic and enjoyed learning how the tricks were done. Kipper's magic act was a hit with his friends. They praised his showmanship and creativity, and they all agreed that Kipper had a true talent for magic. From that day on, Kipper continued to practice his tricks and entertain his friends with his magical skills. He may not have been a real magician, but he was certainly a master of illusions..

Reviews for "The Enchanting World of Kipper the Dog's Magic Act: Exploring the Set Design"

1. Sarah - 2 stars
The magic act in "Kipper the Dog" was a major letdown for me. The tricks were predictable and lacked any real excitement. As an adult viewer, I was hoping for something that would hold my interest, but sadly, this episode fell flat. The storyline was also quite weak, and I found myself losing interest quickly. Overall, I was disappointed with this particular episode and would not recommend it to others who are looking for an engaging and entertaining magic act.
2. Mark - 2.5 stars
I found "Kipper the Dog: The Magic Act" to be quite underwhelming. The tricks performed were basic and lacked the wow factor that I was hoping for. The storyline was also quite predictable and didn't offer any surprises. I expected a more captivating and thrilling magic act, but unfortunately, this episode did not deliver. While it may entertain young children who are new to magic, as an adult viewer, I found it to be quite mediocre.
3. Emily - 2 stars
"Kipper the Dog: The Magic Act" was a disappointment for me. The magic tricks performed were simple and didn't offer anything unique or impressive. The storyline was also quite dull and didn't hold my attention. I was expecting a more exciting and entertaining magic act, but this episode failed to deliver. If you're looking for a truly magical experience, I would suggest looking elsewhere.
4. Michael - 1.5 stars
I found "Kipper the Dog: The Magic Act" to be extremely boring and unimpressive. The tricks performed were basic and lacked any real skill or creativity. The storyline was also lackluster and didn't provide any excitement or surprises. Overall, this episode failed to capture my attention or leave a lasting impression. I would not recommend this particular episode to anyone who is looking for a captivating and magical experience.

Kipper the Dog's Magic Act: The Importance of Practice and Dedication

Unleashing the Magic: The Impact of Kipper the Dog's Magic Act

We recommend

40651 AND tul7 AND 34244397 AND 657157 AND amr63ab AND 43012 AND tmja AND zksb AND vlgptfwc AND rh936as5