Staff Writer

 A group of roller coaster enthusiasts from around the world will descend on Saco next week to ride the state’s only wooden coaster.

Nearly 100 travelers from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada and all areas of the United States will arrive at Funtown Splashtown USA on Sunday to ride Excalibur, the largest wooden roller coaster in New England.

Robb Alvey of Theme Park Review organized the event for coaster amusement park and coaster buffs from across the world. The Valencia, Calif.,-based Theme Park Review started as a blog in 1996 to document Alvey’s travels. He said he and his wife, Elissa, worked in amusement parks in the past and enjoy seeing parks all over the world.

“It’s sort of been in our blood forever,” he said in a phone interview from California.

As Alvey posted more videos and photos to his blog, he began hearing from people who said they wished they could go along. In 2004, he led his first amusement park tour and has since brought groups to as far away as Australia and Japan.

Theme Park Review has 35,000 registered members and 10,000 fans on both Twitter and Facebook.

Alvey said he traveled to Funtown when Excalibur first opened 14 years ago. He said the park is a desirable destination because of its unique wooden roller coaster and water park.

Ed Hodgdon, marketing manager for Funtown Splashtown USA, said the park has arranged for the group to have exclusive ride time after the park closes Sunday.

Excalibur, now in its 14^th season, was the first wooden coaster to be built in Maine in more than 50 years, Hodgdon said. It is 100 feet at its highest point .