Daily Spin 7.18.09

Fans of Nut Tree Park, the short-lived family theme park which operated in Vacaville, California from 2006-2008, may take some comfort in knowing that a handful of the park's rides may be resurrected elsewhere within the overall Nut Tree complex. The project's assets were just purchased by a development company called Westrust, and spokespeople for the company have stated that they plan to bring back or relocate some of the park's key elements. Specifically mentioned were the train, carousel, and ice cream pavilion. Read more from The Oakland Tribune.

As the season progresses, more and more rides and attractions are springing back to life at Conneaut Lake Park. Splash City Water Park recently reopened, as did the Bessemer Railway System and Musik Express (which previously had been targeted for removal). If you're planning a visit, be sure to check the park's web site frequently as they continue to update their operating schedule and post new pricing specials.

Schlitterbahn Vacation Village in Kansas City opened in "sneak peek" mode this week, affording anxious guests the opportunity to enjoy a limited selection of attractions at a heavily discounted admission price. Attentive Schlitterblog readers received a sneak peek of the sneak peek, as the park posted a special offer which allowed readers to visit one day before the park's official opening day. Schlitterbahn Vacation Village will continue to operate in this limited capacity as their crew puts the finishing touches on this spectacular new water park. For a full list of attractions which will be open during this period, refer to the Schlitterblog.

Gregory Stanton of Lanham, Maryland has a new credit to his name: Pretzel Coaster Build-Off Champion! The 22-year-old's rendition of Apollo's Chariot won the judges' favor at this inaugural contest, which was held at Busch Gardens Williamsburg on Thursday. The full story, complete with photo gallery, can be found here. One of the judges has also created a photo gallery on Flicker. The contest was so successful that co-sponsors Busch Gardens and Snyder's of Hanover are discussing the possibility of making it an annual event!

In other contest news, Dorney Park's former "Little Laser" finally has a new name. The results are in, and "Steel First" has emerged victorious with 39.5% of the votes. The park is currently working on a logo and they plan to install new signage soon. When they do, you can bet that Mike or I will be there with a camera in hand! If you'd like to see where the rest of the votes fell, the full results have been posted on the park's web site.