For Matt Calabrese, roller coasters have been an important part of his life, right from the start. Growing up within a ten-minute walk of Canada’s Wonderland, the park played a central role in his life growing up. While in University, he was introduced to the Ryerson Thrill Club by a friend, and by attending ASTM F24 meetings and IAAPA, Matt found an industry that was exciting, eager for fresh ideas, and literally an engineer’s place to invent fun!
Matt studied Mechanical Engineering at Ryerson University in Toronto. During that time, he completed internships in Automotive Foam Manufacturing, and provided engineering assistance on multiple R&D projects. He continued with the Thrill Club, helping to organize the first Ryerson Thrill Competition, and later became President of the organization. His training and experience came full circle, bringing him to Canada’s Wonderland as a Rides Maintenance Technician, enabling his passion for rides to flourish in his hometown.
Upon graduation in 2016, he worked at Skyline Attractions as a Design Engineer and moved to Orlando. Over 6 years at Skyline his expertise deepened through a variety of projects for major theme parks, as well as leading manufacturers in the amusement industry. He has even developed his own projects and pursued patents in aerospace and disease transmission prevention.
Matt spends his time in Orlando at patio bars and speakeasies, watching rocket launches, catching live music shows, drinking as much espresso as humanly possible, and surfing really badly. He is a strong advocate of the idea that it’s hard to be mad or stressed while playing the ukulele or lying in a hammock, and impossible when doing both.
