2008 Announcement Tracker

In order to keep track of everything that the parks are announcing for 2008, I've made this post.

To be used as a handy guide to what's new at North American Amusement and Theme parks in 2008, I will continually update this entry as new attractions are announced.


Dollywood

Name: River BattleOpening: March, 2008
Cost: $5 Million
Capacity: 9 Rafts, 800 pph
Length: 500 feet
Type: Manf. TBA
More Info: Official Release


Nickelodeon Universe

Name: Nick Universe
Opening: March, 2008
Cost: $30 Million
What: Re-theme of Camp Snoopy at Mall of America. Includes 4 new rides, 3 for families and a Spongebob themed Roller Coaster. Additionally themed elements will be added, food service revamped, new merchandise brought in, and a new ticket system added.
More Info: News Article

Hard Rock Park

Name: Hard Rock Park
Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Opening: Spring, 2008
Cost: Between $300-400 Million
Size: 140 Acres
Attractions: Over 40, 4 Coasters, Dark Ride, Lots of Entertainment, Shopping, Themed Restaurants, Flat and Family Rides, all contained in 6 themed sections.
More Info: Official Site, Great Updates, Concepts, Photos

Universal Studios Orlando and Hollywood

Name: TBA, Simpsons attraction
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Simpsons replacing Back to the Future attraction at both American Universal parks. Themed to a visit to Krustyland with the Simpsons family using motion simulators. Original creative and voice talents for the show will be used.
More Info: Official Release, Park Photos

California Adventure & Disney's Hollywood Studios

Name: Toy Story Mania
Opening: 2008
What: Interactive dark ride at both parks. Riders wear 3-D Glasses and are taken on a journey through classic midway games. Riders have a "toy cannon" which allows them to play these midway games, which are loaded with Pixar characters.
More Info: Press Release


Aquatica

Where: Next to Busch Gardens Africa, Tampa, FL
Opening: March, 2008
What: SeaWorld's take on a water park. Full 60 acre water park with 36 water slides, 6 rivers and lagoons, and 80,000 sq. ft. of beach. Features two wave pools that have 9 different wave programs available, two lazy rivers, a water fortress, and kiddie areas.
More Info: Official Site

The Columbus Zoo

Name: Zoombezi Bay water park
Opening: May 17th, 2008
Size: 22.7 acres
Cost: $38 Million for entire redevlopment
What: Rebirth of the former Wyandot Lake park. The Zoo kept the roller coaster and a water play structure, other attractions are new. Water slides include a mat racer, Tornado Slide, a Family raft ride, Bowl slides, Tube slides, free-fall slides, lazy and action rivers, a wave pool and more.
More Info: Article, Press Release, Concepts

Canada's Wonderland

Name: Behemoth
Opening: May, 2008
What: B&M Mega Coaster
Cost: $26 Million
Dynamics: 230 ft. tall, 5,318 ft long, 77 m.p.h.
Capacity: 3 trains, 32 riders each, 1,545 guests an hour
More Info: Official Site

Busch Gardens Africa
Name: Jungala
What: 4 acre land inside the theme park
Opening: Spring 2008
Features: New land contains several themed animal exhibits, new food options, as well as two new family/children's rides.
More Info: Press Release, Concept Art


Holiday World & Splashin Safari
Name: Kima Bay
Cost: $1.7 million
Opening: May, 2008
What: Whitewater West RainFortress in Splashin' Safari
Features: Monkey themed water play area, with 7 water slides attached, 100 water features, 125 spray jets, multi-level play area.
More info: Official Site


Six Flags Over Texas
Name: Tony Hawk's Big Spin
Cost: $6.5 million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Gerstlauer spinning roller coaster.
Dynamics: 53 ft. high, 1,351 ft. long, 31 mph
More Info: Official Site


Six Flags St. Louis
Name: Evel Knievel
Opening: Mid-Summer 2008
Cost: $7 million
What: Great Coasters International wooden roller coaster
Dynamics: 82 ft. tall, 2,700 ft. long, reaches 50 m.p.h.
More Info: Press Release


Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Name: Tony Hawk's Big Spin
Cost: $6.5 million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Gerstlauer spinning roller coaster.
Dynamics: 53 ft. high, 1,351 ft. long, 31 mph
More Info: Official Website


Six Flags Over Georgia
Name: Thomas Town
Cost: $2.5 million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Family area themed to Thomas the Tank Engine. Features full size Thomas train ride, a Sir Topham Hatt meet and greet, and a new souvenir store.
More Info: Press Release


Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
Name: Wiggles World & Wild Wedgie
Cost: $3 Million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Wiggles World family area of park. Two children's rides, stage show, shopping and dining facilities - all themed to The Wiggles. Additionally, a new water slide will be added to the water park named the Wild Wedgie.
More Info: Official Press Release


Hershey Park
What: Fahrenheit
Cost: $12.1 Million
Opening: May, 2008
What: Intamin looping roller coaster
Dynamics: 121 ft. tall vertical lift, 6 inversions, 58 m.p.h., 2,700 feet long
More Info: Official Website


Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags New England
Six Flags Great America
Name: The Dark Knight Coaster
Cost: $7.5 Million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Indoor themed Mack Wild Mouse coaster with special effects and such.
More Info: Six Flags Official Site


Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Name: Goliath
Cost: $15 Million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Former Batman The Ride coaster from Six Flags New Orleans
Dynamics: 105 ft. tall, 50 m.p.h., 2,693 ft. long
More Info: Official Press Release


Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Name: Voodoo
Cost: $8.5 Million
Opening: May, 2008
What: Former Steel Venom coaster from Geauga Lake, steel launched impulse coaster
Dynamics: 184 ft. tall, 704 ft. long, 70 m.p.h.
More Info: Official Mini-Site


Michigan's Adventure
Name: ThunderhawkCost: $10 Million
Opening: May, 2008
What: Relocated Vekoma SLC from Geauga Lake
Dynamics: 105 ft. tall, 50 m.p.h., 2,260 ft. long
More Info: Official Page

Waldameer
Name: Ravine Flyer II
Cost: $6 Million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: Gravity Group Wooden Roller Coaster
Dynamics: 119 ft. drop, 57 m.p.h, 2,900 ft. of track, 6 Tunnels
More Info: Official Page


Legoland California
Name: Land of Adventure and Sea Life Aquarium
Cost: $20 Million
Opening: March, 2008
What: New 1 acres themed area inside the theme park with an interactive dark ride, two family rides, and a play area; an entire new separate admission aquarium next to the park geared toward families and children.
More Info: News, Official Press Release


Six Flags Magic Mountain
Name: X2 and Thomas Town
Cost: $10+ Million
Opening: Spring, 2008
What: New trains, paint job, tunnels with light effects for X turning the ride into X2, a new Thomas Town ride and meet'n'greet area.
More Info: Official Press Page


California's Great America
Name: Firefall, Halloween Haunt
Opening: Spring 2008
What: Firefall - Huss Top Spin from former Geauga Lake, new park name, new Ice Skating show, extended operating hours, new Halloween Haunt event
More Info: Official Press Release


Knott's Berry Farm
Name: Pony Express
Cost: $10 Million
Opening: Memorial Day, 2008
What: Zamperla MotoCoaster roller coaster
Dynamics: 38 m.p.h. launch, 44 ft. high, 1,300 ft. long
More Info: Layout, Official Release, News Article


Carowinds
Name: Bondi Beach
Opening: May, 2008
What: 34,000 sq. ft. wave pool, the park's second, also adding new food stand, retail location, additional cabanas, expanding the water park to 20 acres.
More Info: Official Press Release