Disneyland's Splash Mountain Closes as Tiana's Bayou Adventure Makes Progress

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Disneyland's Splash Mountain closed for good yesterday evening after sporting waits that hit around 4 hours long, at least according to the park's app.  The ride went out without any sort of big fanfare from the theme park, as the focus is on the future of the attraction, not the past.  That future is Tiana's Bayou Adventure, a total retheme of the ride which is slated to open in both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom in late 2024.  The ride closed in Florida earlier this year, and Imagineering is already hard at work on the changes.

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Splash Mountain was a beloved attraction that maybe, probably, never should have had the theme it did, and it didn't age well.  But that's not the point of this post, the point is more to look at some new news that Disney has put out about Tiana's Bayou Adventure... and to saw farewell to Splash Mountain.  Many of us have happy memories of the ride for various reasons, whether on a family vacation to Orlando or with friends in California.

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Tiana's Bayou Adventure will see visitors enter the word of The Princess And The Frog, and be led through the ride by Tiana and her friendly alligator pal Louis.  The pair will be planning a special Mardi Gras celebration and we're invited, of course!  Since the plot of the feature movie, Tiana has started her own food company, aptly named Tiana's Foods, and purchased a salt mine and brought it and the surrounding area back to life.  There's a boutique farm and a professional kitchen area, I'm assuming all of which will be seen in the ride.  Overflowing with success, Tiana is now ready to throw that big celebration for us all as we visit her bustling salt mine food company combination.

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This recent video from Disney gives am idea of how the exterior of the attraction will look, which includes a tiara-topped water tower up on the hill.  According to Disney that water tower will be lifted into place on the Florida ride sometime this summer.  The ride is taking on a more New Orleans feel, obviously, but generally we're not going to see anything super dramatic that will change how the ride looks from the midway.

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Lastly, and most recently, Disney has revealed that the ride will also feature Mama Odie during the ride, and the character will be voiced by Jenifer Lewis as she was in the movie.  The above concept art was released depicting guests seeing some magic performed by Mama Odie after meeting her for the first time.  Disney is also stressing that Tiana's Bayou Adventure will feature brand new characters that park fans can fall in love with, "dozens" of new audio-animatronics, new music along with familiar songs from the movie, the scent of baking beignets in the ride's queue and much of the cast of the original movie reprising their character roles for the ride.

RipQurl Blaster Water Coaster to Open Soon at Six Flags America

* Had to get a new computer, back in business now!

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One of the last 'surprise' announcements that Six Flags made earlier this year that I haven't covered was for Six Flags America's new water roller coaster addition.  Joining the park's Hurricane Harbor area, RipQurl Blaster is being billed as the largest part of the park's biggest investment in the water park in over a decade.  The water coaster itself will be the "regions tallest master blaster water coaster" though I am not sure what is considered the region.  The ride itself is a long way from one of the largest of its kind to be built, but still an exciting addition for the property.

 

© Six Flags America

RipQurl Blaster's layout is seen above, and it features "three powerful uphill rip currents" that rafts will encounter.  There is a total of 550 feet of twist and turns, and there will be three separate drops.  Special features in the layout also include "AquaLucent hairpin turns, a pitch-black wallhugging helix and of course a big splashdown" at the end of the ride.

© Six Flags America

“We are excited to debut RipQurl Blaster, which will be both a thrilling and refreshing experience for guests visiting this summer,” said General Manager Ramar Vaughan. “This is just one of many investments we’re making to be the DMV’s most convenient and enjoyable out-of-home experience for the whole family."  The new attraction is expected to be built next to the park's wave pool and will replace the floor drop slides that were previously there.

Six Flags America has a new general manger who is committed to making a lot of changes to the park.  The changes include more special events such a Viva La Fiesta, Pride Week, Thrill-A-Thon and more, plus a ton of cosmetic changes.  This year the park will see updated restrooms, new shade structures, restored decorative fountains, new paint and theming all over, expanded seating areas, new midway games, additional landscaping and plenty more.

Lake Compounce Keeps Wildcat Closed for Renovations + Adds Titan Track to Boulder Dash

© Lake Compounce

The historic Wildcat wooden roller coaster at Lake Compounce will be closed for 2023 while work on the ride takes place, the park has announced on social media.  The park is only saying they are working on a large "improvement project" that requires the ride to stay closed this year.  The ride will probably be receiving a large amount of track repair and replacement, and perhaps even some more modern fixes to help smooth out the track. 

 

Thankfully the park is being clear and there is no need to worry that the classic wooden coaster is on its way out, in fact the park notes that the ride "is an iconic part of our park’s history, and we intend for it to be a cherished part of our park's future."  The PTC designed ride opened in 1927 and was designed by Herbert Schmeck.

© Lake Compounce

In other Lake Compounce news, the park has reported that Boulder Dash has received Great Coaster International/Skyline Attraction's Titan Track on its first drop, showing off the renovations on social media as well.  A full 580 feet of the no-weld steel track has been placed on the drop, meant to make a smoother ride and prolong the life of the coaster as well.  Looks great!  I have to wonder if Wildcat will feature any of this track as part of its renovations this year?

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Enhancing Animal Experiences in 2023

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Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is once again turning its focus to the park's various animal exhibits in 2023 with the addition of The Rainforest Trail.  The attraction will be "set amongst water features and plant life designed to represent the special ecosystem of a rainforest" and will feature "over 500 free flying butterflies from around the world, colorful fish, a slot and more."

Guest will be able to take the whole family on the journey to the Rainforst Trail, which is meant to "transport guests to a lush tropical environment which includes encounters with exotic animals."

 

© Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

“We are excited to continue the park’s 37-year legacy of providing educational and thrilling wildlife adventures for our guests,” said General Manager Kirk Smith. “The Rainforest Trail, new Shark Experience, and other recent animal additions solidifies our commitment to delivering the most unique and innovative experiences for our guests. From world-class rollercoasters to breathtaking animal presentations, we have it all.”

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom will also be creating a newly enhanced Shark Experiences for visitors to explore.  The park will make state of the art audio and visual enhancements and add-on interactive educational opportunities to "compliment the existing walkthrough underwater tunnel and floor to ceiling viewing windows" that visitors have enjoyed for three decades. 
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Other animal additions in 2023 include new animal interaction programs:

    Dolphin Discovery – Swim alongside these amazing ocean creatures;
    Wildlife Adventure Tour – An intimate and private tour around the park with awe-inspiring meetings with the park’s majestic animals;
    Sharks in the Dark – Sleep overnight in the park’s Shark Experience amongst the calm shadows of these creatures of the deep;
    Backstage Safari – Go behind the scenes and learn how the park’s animal care specialists care for the unique assembly of animals at Six Flags;
    Merlin’s Fins & Friends – Come face-to-face with the park’s famous Bottlenose Dolphins;
    Paint N’ Create – Create a truly unique work of art with a dolphin or penguin;
    Cain’s Lion Encounter – Discover the unique personalities of the park’s lion pride; and
    Sal’s Slither & Scales – Burrow into the fascinating world of reptiles.

Dino Off Road Adventure Family Ride Opening at Six Flags New England in 2023

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Six Flags New England is gearing up for the opening of a new family adventure ride named Dino Off Road Adventure, which is scheduled to open Memorial Day Weekend.  The attraction will feature life size animatronic dinosaurs with "realistic sound and movement" placed along one of the park's existing family car rides in the Kidzopolis area.

Billed as the "first of its kind in New England," the ride is a combination of "technology and innovation" featuring an "off-road adventure where guests come face to face with life-size dinosaurs, thematic elements, state of the art sound, interactive Adventure Guides, educational components and more."

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“Family-fun is part of our DNA here at Six Flags New England and Dino Off Road Adventure delivers exceptional thrills for our youngest thrill seekers,” said Park President Pete Carmichael. “Our guests will experience an adventure of prehistoric proportion as they step back in time and come face to face with life-size dinosaurs with larger than life effects and sound. Our Team is committed to creating exceptional experiences and the 2023 season promises to deliver for dinosaur lovers of all ages.”    

 

© Six Flags New England

Highlights of the Dino Off Road Adventure include:

• Life-size dinosaurs including a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dilophosauras, Maiasaura, Pachycephalosaur and many more;   

• Select dinosaurs feature life-like sound and state-of-the-art animatronic movement with realistic head, eye, tail and body movement; 

• Safari style vehicle driven along a track with a capacity of two riders;

• Young adventurers traverse through an interactive off-road adventure with dinosaur theming, interactive Baby Tyrannosaurus Rex and Adventure Guides;  

• Educational queue line with interactive QR component;  

• Midway Dinosaur Photo Opportunity for social media and family photos; and 

• Dinosaur themed specialty food items and drink options that will please any ROARING appetite. 

Rookie Racer Family Coaster Headed to Six Flags St. Louis in 2023

© Six Flags St. Louis

Six Flags St. Louis had a fun surprise for smaller visitors earlier this year when they announced the addition of Rookie Racer, a kid friendly brand new roller coaster.  The ride will be loosely themed to Formula 1 racing, with guests sitting in the driver's seat their own cars as they "careen along the steel track."

© Six Flags St. Louis

© Six Flags St. Louis

“We are very excited to be able to provide coaster thrills to our younger guests with the addition of the new Rookie Racer,” said Park President John Krajnak. “This family ride has the look and feel of a major coaster with a height requirement that will allow smaller kids to ride with their parents and older siblings to provide an adrenaline charged experience like only Six Flags can.” 

 

© Six Flags St. Louis

Rookie Racer will be manufactured by Vekoma and feature one train with 8 cars.  The ride stretches 843 feet in length, features "a series of s-curves and a 540 degree horizontal loop," and hits a top speed of 27 miles per hour.  As a true family ride, the coaster will only have a 36 inch height requirement.  The Rookie Racer will be located near the entrance to The Boss roller coaster.