In 1992, William Kitchen and Ken Bird invented the SkyCoaster. Kitchen founded Sky Fun I Inc. that same year to sell the product to amusement parks. Canadian firm ThrillTime Entertainment International purchased the company for $12 million in mid-1998, renaming it SkyCoaster Inc. All 12 employees kept their jobs, with Kitchen remaining linked to the company as a consultant. Kitchen's next invention was that of the SkyVenture, sold under SkyVenture, LLC. The first installation opened across from Wet 'n Wild Orlando on International Drive in July 1998. The attraction received a visit by George H. W. Bush. Kitchen next founded US Thrill Rides. US Thrill Rides has since developed the UniCoaster flat rides and SkyQuest transport rides, as well as the SkySpire and Polercoaster.
Polercoaster is an amusement ride offered as a joint venture by US Thrill Rides and Intamin. An installation consists of a large tower structure which features glass elevators to an observation deck, as well as an El Locosteel roller coaster wrapping around the tower. The model was first introduced in 2012. US Thrill Rides' Bill and Michael Kitchen invented the concept to allow amusement parks with little available space to be able to design a full-size roller coaster.
SkyQuest
SkyQuest is a people mover introduced in 2010. The cable-car style ride utilizes covered platforms and gondolas to move rides either around the track or from one platform to another.
SkySpire
SkySpire is an amusement ride offered by US Thrill Rides. An installation consists of a large tower structure which features glass elevators to an observation deck, as well as a ride featuring fully enclosed gondolas wrapping around the tower in the shape of a double helix.
SkyView
SkyView is a proposed concept for lightweight Ferris wheel designs with heights between and and able to withstand strong winds. The wheel itself does not turn like a conventional Ferris wheel, instead a chain-like mechanism is used to move the gondolas around the structure, which could be constructed in shapes other than the traditional circle. In 2009, Park World Online reported that US Thrill Rides planned to erect and operate tall SkyView rides in Orlando and Las Vegas, however the Orlando Eye and High Roller giant wheels have since been constructed in those cities. No SkyView rides have yet been built.
UniCoaster
UniCoaster is an amusement ride with a small footprint designed to mimic the experience of a looping roller coaster. The design is currently licensed exclusively to Chance Rides.
