Hong Kong Disneyland Expansion Announced

Hong Kong Disneyland announced aggressive expansion plans today for three new lands to be built at the park, which will increase its overall size by 23%.

The projects will be built over a five year span, at a cost of around $465 million dollars. Disney will be funding almost all of the expansion project, but will now hold a larger stake in the park at 48%, up from the previous amount of 43%.

The announcement comes after a couple years of intense negotiations between the Hong Kong Government and Disney, and I'm sure glad that they were able to work something out! This little park surely needs the new rides and attractions.

Let's look at what they're adding:

Here we have Toy Story Land. This looks to be a close copy of what is going to be going into Walt Disney Studios in Paris pretty soon. The area will contain three rides for families, a 25 meter tall parachute jump tower themed to those famous green army men, a 'U' shaped shuttle coaster ride themed to RC Racers, and a Slinky Dog themed flat ride.

The land looks to be adorned with plenty of Pixar characters and prop recreations from the Toy Story movies, and will contain the usual assortment of amenities you'd find at a Disney park.

Here is Grizzly Trail, themed to an abandoned mining town named Grizzly Gulch. It will feature what sounds like a big E-Ticket roller coaster ride named the Big Grizzly Mountain Coaster. From the art it sorta looks like it could be a clone of Expedition Everest, especially because the description mentions traveling backward, but at the same time the track is shown flying around the whole land so it could also be more spread out a la the original Big Thunder Mountain Rides. Plus, in the map of the expanded park you can see the layout of the ride and it's quite different from Everest. I'm sure more info will leek soon on that one.

The land also contains food and merchandise locations, and a large water play area that looks like a lot of fun! It's like a mini-land themed around one big attraction, though, which is sorta like the last area:

Mystic Point. The home of mysterious forces and supernatural events taking place deep inside uncharted regions of the rain forest. The big deal here is Mystic Manor, which sounds like a new age Haunted Mansion of sorts - but it features trackless vehicles. It's said to contain animatronic characters, with plenty of audio and visual effects and a story line based around an adventurers collection of artifacts, a magical music box, and a mischievous monkey. Interesting!

As a big fan of the Haunted Mansion this attraction is my most anticipated of the bunch.

You can also dine at the Adventurer's Club which is the other large building inside the land, as well as explore the ancient ruins lying around that provide guests with tricky optical illusions.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for construction to start!

A Freestyle Music Park Giveaway Contest!

NewsPlusNotes is proud to present our readers with a fun Freestyle Music Park giveaway contest! To help celebrate their grand opening, Freestyle Music Park, located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has provided us with two (2) tickets (valid throughout the 2009 season) and two (2) tee shirts to give away!

So how do you enter? Simply identify the five Freestyle Music Park rides and attractions featured in the photos below. Make sure you use their new names! All entries that correctly identify all five rides or attractions will be entered into the random drawing. One first place winner will receive the two free tickets, and two second place winners will each receive a tee shirt.

Contest entries should be e-mailed to contest@newsplusnotes.com. In addition to your answers, please include your name and a preferred e-mail address where you can be reached should you happen to be one of our lucky winners. (Names and e-mail addresses will not be used for any purpose other than this contest.) Only one entry will be accepted per person. If you submit multiple entries, only the first entry we receive will be evaluated. All entries must be received by Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Okay, here are the 5 photos to identify!

Mystery Photo #1:

Mystery Photo #2:

Mystery Photo #3:

Mystery Photo #4:

Mystery Photo #5:

Remember to send your entry to contest@newsplusnotes.com with your name and e-mail address. Good luck! Winners will be notified on July 8. We will reveal the full photos as well as the names of our winners as soon as all three have been confirmed. (Please note that if your name is drawn and we are unable to reach you within a reasonable amount of time, an alternate winner will be selected.)

In addition to the contest prizes, Freestyle Music Park has also provided us with a number of discount cards good for $5 off up to six admissions to the park. If you are interested in obtaining one of these discount cards (regardless of whether you enter the contest), please e-mail Carol for details. Available while supplies last!

Again, good luck to everyone who enters and many thanks to Freestyle Music Park for enabling us to have this contest!

Battlestar Rising

The Sentosa Theme Park blog has a new video that features very recent construction photos from Universal Studios Singapore. These photos are from that video, and we can see that some major progress has been made on the Battlestar Galactica dueling Vekoma designed roller coaster.

Red track is now up and the lift hill supports have reached what looks to be their peak. I'm so intrigued by this ride!

This shot is very Dueling Dragons-ish, no?

I really like the idea that one track is an inverted ride while the other is a sit-down coaster, it will really make both sides of the ride totally different experiences.

Check out the video on the Sentosa Theme Park Blog.

You're A Good Ice Show, Snoopy Rocks

Sometimes having tons of information at your fingertips is just distracting, and sometimes it's a real blessing. An instance of the latter took place yesterday when I was able to read Dorney Park's twitter that they would be having a sneak preview of their new Snoopy Rocks! On Ice show yesterday evening.

Away from my desk I flew, having just enough time to get to the park and snap some photos before the first show ever took place inside the new Good Time Theatre.

What's this? A preview just for moi?!

But wait y'all, you know we have to cover some history here before we jump into the new show. This wouldn't be one of my stories if I didn't include at least some background!

When you think of Ice Skating and Snoopy, you'll probably land somewhere near Knott's Berry Farm - and for good reason (which we'll get to), but Snoopy and Ice Skating really goes back to the Redwood Empire Ice Arena, located in Santa Rosa, CA.

Charles M. Schulz, creator of the Peanuts gang, opened the ice arena back in 1969 and it quickly became known as "Snoopy's Home Ice." The arena features the Warm Puppy Cafe as well as a Snoopy gallery and gift shop.

The entrance to the new theater's plaza, formerly a big picnic tent

The Beagle himself started appearing in traveling Ice Shows in the early 1970s, and it wasn't long before Knott's Berry Farm opened their own Snoopy themed show in the park's Good Time Theater in the early '80s. The park has created a slew of new shows for the Beagle to star in over the years, including the ever popular Holiday themed presentations.

With the passing of Mr. Schulz, Knott's renamed their theater the Charles M. Schulz Theatre in the year 2000 and premiered the last Ice Show that its creator worked on, "Snoopy's Fabulous 50th on Ice." The shows remain popular today, and the park has continued to premier new productions every few years.

Nice landscaping around the area as well

Dorney Park isn't the second park to feature a Snoopy Ice Show though, as back in 2002 Cedar Point premiered the same show in their Good Time Theatre, which was converted from their IMax location. The production was a hit with guests of the Point and they as well have been debuting new shows since.

So here we are, back at present day, and Dorney Park is finally ready to premier their much anticipated show.

This is what we're here for, folks, and he Rocks!

Dorney's Good Time Theatre is really the park's 'next step' in providing awesome family live entertainment for guests at the park. Previously, shows only took place at the park's Center Stage, and while that's still true, that location's fancy new sister is much appreciated at the park.

Seriously, it's really big inside!

The theatre itself is a massive, 18,000 square foot, air-conditioned building that's located near the park's main entrance area. The addition cost $5 million and seats 600 people per show - so this is unlike anything we've ever seen at Dorney Park before now.

And as for the show, well, it rocks! It's a high quality production filled with a nice selection of musical tunes, great performers, and plenty of neat effects.

OMG it's really him!!

Oh, and did I mention Snoopy is in it? The famous beagle made his debut to a cheering crowd, and since we all know he loves attention that must have been welcomed. Families packed the theatre for the inaugural performance, and everyone seemed pleased with the production.

Gooooo team! Lots of outfit changes in this show

Since the show is currently in sneak-peek mode, not all the sets and effects are up and running, but even without them the lighting, music, skaters, and characters really come together to grab your attention and hold on to it. The show lasts just about 30 minutes, a perfect length for families with smaller children with smaller attention spans.

The gang's all here!

Sorry for the blur, they just wouldn't stay still

There are some neat effects during the show as previously mentioned, like a rain curtain that falls across the length of the 60 ft stage for the above scene. It drew plenty of Ooos and Ahhhs from the crowd!

It's a great big world out there

And there's a neat section that takes place under black light as well during the Halloween themed section. Spooky!

Wait am I in church?

Much of the music is really upbeat and will have your toes a tappin' along with the score. Did I mention the performers are really talented? I hadn't seen one of these shows since at a Busch Gardens a long, long time ago and didn't realize I'd see so many spins and jumps. The park obtained some great talent for the production.

All the ladies love Snoopy

I can imagine that other Cedar Fair parks that do not have an Ice Show would be interested in adding something similar, it sure looks to be a smash hit with the family sector.

The grand finale features the whole cast

I look forward to seeing the show again once it is 'officially' open to see what additions they have made. Like I said, it's not even totally complete yet and is very impressive!

I'll leave you with the above photo, and to be as corny as possible I'll summarize that Snoopy Rocks! On Ice looks to make quite a splash this summer! Ack! Get it!?

Daily Spin 6.28.09

© 2009 Andy Cross, The Denver Post

Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver has confirmed that their signature woodie, Cyclone, may be down for the count this season. Park spokeswoman Connie Moore told the press that the coaster is undergoing extensive maintenance in an effort to get it back into prime condition for its 70th birthday next year. Apparently the original intent was to complete the work in time for the 2009 season, but things simply fell behind schedule and it is now unknown whether the coaster will run at all this year. The Denver Post has the full story.

After receiving more than 800 suggestions for the new name of the former "Little Laser" kiddie coaster, Dorney Park has narrowed the pool down to five and they want your input! You have until 4 p.m. on July 4 to place your vote on the park's web site (lower left-hand column). The contenders are Little Lightning, Kiddie Hawk, Kiddie Coaster, Slightly Possessed, and Steel First.

A couple weeks ago, while analyzing the inaugural brochure to come out of Freestyle Music Park, I noted the irony of the park being located on "Hard Rock Parkway". Apparently that won't be a concern for any future brochures, as the Horry County Planning Commission has approved a proposal to change the road's name to "Fantasy Harbour Boulevard". According to this article, the park's new owners sought the change and there were no objections from any of the other property owners on the street.

In a rather amazing coincidence, MySanAntonio.com chose yesterday of all days to republish this story about Six Flags Fiesta Texas's infamous Rattler. (You know, the same ride I covered in Part 3 of my Fiesta Texas TR literally a few hours beforehand.) The article, which was originally published in 1999, outlines the coaster's troubled history and the scores of allegations, injuries, and lawsuits which led to its many "surgeries". Agree or disagree with the author's slant, at least the article gives some perspective on how we ended up with the current incarnation of this ride.

Dorney Park Haunt Is In The Air

I stopped by Dorney Park today to check out the park's new ice show, Snoopy Rocks On Ice (Which you would already know if you followed us on Twitter!) and happened to notice that the facade for Scream Works is being transformed for The Asylum.

I took the above shot just a few weeks ago because I had a feeling that since Scream Works is history that the facade would bite the dust soon.
And here we have a shot from a few hours ago. I love the new theme that's starting to show, although they clearly are not done. I also love that they added the entrance room to give the facade more depth.

And again here's the banner that's hanging next to the work area - can't wait to try it out this fall!

Beech Bend Pays Tribute to Michael Jackson

It seems the entire world has been affected by Michael Jackson's untimely passing, and the amusement industry is no exception. Beech Bend Park, home of the Sea Dragon swinging ship that once operated at Michael's Neverland Ranch, has been inundated with phone calls and visits from fans who wish to pay their respects by riding this piece of history. A memorial has actually formed at the base of the ride, which is rumored to have been Michael's favorite.

To pay tribute to Michael and honor all of his adoring fans' requests, Beech Bend will be offering free admission and complimentary rides on the Sea Dragon for one night only, Sunday, June 28, from 5-7 p.m. They also welcome additional contributions to the memorial. What a nice gesture!

Instant Theme Park: Just Add Quarry (Part 3)

Editor's Note: This post is the third in a three-part series covering my recent visit to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 as well!

Before we dive headfirst into our last themed area at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, let's get something straight right now. A few weeks back when I published my significantly less tardy (though not as perfectly aged) Schlitterbahn TR, I proclaimed myself a newfound water park enthusiast. So I'm sure that more than a few of you are wondering why all of my magnificent White Water Bay photos have gone MIA. There's a simple explanation for that: White Water Bay was closed the day of our visit! [Apparently we're really good at that.] So there. I will tolerate no finger pointing, and I will entertain no accusations that I have grossly misled you about my quest to become boogie boarding champion of the world. Word is bond!

Since I have no White Water Bay TR to speak of, I will let you chew on the following fun facts instead. Yummy! [Not to be confused with "Yummy Yummy Fruit Salad". I have no idea what the heck that even means. Seriously.]

• Fiesta Texas's water park made its debut a few short weeks after the park's grand opening in 1992.


• It has gone by three different names during its brief 16-year history: The Ol' Waterin' Hole (1992-1998), Armadillo Beach (1999-2005), and White Water Bay (2006-present). Why the identity crisis? Personally, I don't see what was wrong with the original name.


• White Water Bay's wave pool, Lone Star Lagoon, is shaped like the state of Texas. Don't mess with it.


• Forget about 10-gallon hats! Texas Treehouse, a 5-story interactive water play structure, features a 1000-gallon cowboy hat which periodically dumps its watery contents on unsuspecting guests. Everything really is bigger in Texas!


• They call it a "lazy" river, but names can be deceiving. White Water Canyon features whirlpools, rapids, and waterfalls, all as you wind through a series of cliffs.

In my previous post, I alluded to the fact that every "theme" park known to mankind features an area themed to the wild west. Except that I didn't "allude" to it so much as I flat out stated it. 'Cause it's true. (What is with this innate fascination with cowboys, saloons, and tumbleweeds, anyway?) The requisite western area at Six Flags Fiesta Texas goes by the name of Crackaxle Canyon.

Hackneyed or not, Fiesta Texas has managed to take the traditional wild west theme and kick it up a notch. Visually speaking, Crackaxle Canyon is easily the most impressive area of the park. Each and every ride, attraction, and building is brilliantly themed, and the quarry wall provides a magnificent and highly appropriate backdrop for all the action. It's everything a themed area should be.

Unlike other areas of Fiesta Texas, Crackaxle Canyon has seen few significant changes through the years. This is likely due to its location within the park, backed up against the quarry wall on one side and bordered by neighboring themed areas on all others. This lack of development has no doubt been a contributing factor in preserving the original theming.

As far as "big" rides go, Road Runner Express is as new as it gets in Crackaxle Canyon. This family favorite, which made its debut in 1997, has its own claim to fame: It was the last Arrow mine train ever constructed. [Single tear...I heart mine trains!]


If you think back to those classic cartoons where the ever nefarious Wile E. Coyote is on a mission to destroy his arch-nemesis the Road Runner, you'll have a good sense of how this ride is themed. Weaving up and around the quarry wall and tangling with its neighbor the Rattler on numerous occasions, Road Runner Express delivers an action-packed ride with all the herky-jerky goodness of your typical mine train.


Across from Road Runner Express is the Sundance Theatre, one of the many uber impressive entertainment venues at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. You know a park is all about live entertainment when they hand you a daily show schedule at the entrance! But I expected no less from the park which has won Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award in the "Best Shows" category for 10 consecutive years.

Sadly, we did not have the opportunity to enjoy any of Fiesta Texas's major productions during our visit (although we did catch bits and pieces of some of the smaller shows). It was a short day, and I simply couldn't manage to squeeze a show into my riding/tweeting/photographing schedule. It's a shame, but sometimes you just have to pick your battles. Something tells me they aren't in need of my seal of approval!

Are those stairs drooling? Gross...

We may be in the wild west, but there's no need to worry about robberies on this train! Whistle Stop treats its passengers to a leisurely, scenic journey that takes them around the perimeter of Spassburg and right through the quarry wall.

Few things could make this scene more visually stunning. I suppose if they added three waterfalls that cascade off the top of the quarry wall, that might look pretty freakin' sweet. Oh wait, they already HAVE those! I even see evidence that they exist. So why the heck weren't they turned on?! I feel cheated! I've been deprived of the full Fiesta Texas experience!!

Seriously, the waterfalls really do exist, and I sincerely hope that they were simply turned off on the day of our visit as a cost saving measure due to the light crowds. It would be an absolute crime if they were removed altogether, and an equally appalling crime if they were not removed and Six Flags has simply chosen not to use them. But I have hope that they are alive and well, for they were drawn on the park map! And if it's in print, it must be true...

In terms of this park visit, my regrets are few. But the biggest one has got to be the fact that we took a pass on the Gully Washer. This rapids ride, whose water is tinted a beautifully gory shade of red for the park's annual Halloween Fright Fest event, is one of Fiesta Texas's signature attractions and its setting is bar none. Nestled among the rocks and trees, weaving alongside the quarry wall and beneath the very structure of the Rattler, Gully Washer has a natural visual appeal that other parks can only hope to manufacture for their rapids rides.

If it weren't for that whole "being soaked all day" thing, I would have been first in line to challenge these rapids. But water and electronics don't mix, so I was forced to take every precaution to keep my various high-tech reporting gadgets safe and dry. [The truth of the matter is that I'm a ginormous wuss when it comes to being wet all day. But that's a rather embarrassing admission for an enthusiast, so let's just stick with the "high-tech gadgets" excuse. Okay?]

And last but not least: The Rattler. The poor, carved up, misunderstood Rattler. This coaster's reputation precedes it, so I was under no illusions about what I was getting myself into. While en route to Fiesta Texas, I administered the following stern briefing in the car.

"Look, here's how it's gonna go down. This coaster is going to be miserable. It's going to be miserable and disappointing, but we're gonna suck it up. We're gonna sit in the FRONT seat of a car, apologize in advance to our spines, and get it over with. And that will be that."

So you can imagine my reaction when, during our first lap around the park, we arrived at the entrance to find the notorious "This attraction is temporarily closed" sign hanging dejectedly beneath that signature serpentine logo.

"Nooooooooooo! Why is it closed?!! This is so unfair. I'll never be in Texas EVER again! This thing better open by the end of the day or I'm gonna cry. I'm gonna throw a temper tantrum! I'm gonna call up Mark Shapiro and tell him that he now owes me two ice cream cones!!"

Yeah. Y'all know what I'm talking about.

"Please come ride me. Please! I was built to thrill! I'm not such a bad fellow!"

That was the moment when I realized exactly how much this particular coaster intrigues me. It was simultaneously the ride I was dreading the most and the ride I was anticipating the most. Fortunately (or not?), it did open later that day. I squealed with delight when I spied an empty train making a test run as we waited to board the Whistle Stop. [See above. Sorry, no sound effects.]

"Do you see it? Do you see where they chopped FORTY-TWO FEET off my first drop?! Oh, the humanity!"

I came. I saw. I rattled. When the train finally came to a stop--a freakishly abrupt, organ-crushing, ejection quality stop--I found myself sitting on the brake run in what could best be described as a stunned silence. What the heck was that? This coaster has no personality!

My husband was a bit more vocal on the matter. In the most calm, cool, overdramatic way imaginable, he slowly turned to me and asked, "Did the people who designed this coaster have any idea what they were doing?" I told him that's not really fair, considering that Rattler has probably been reprofiled more times than our combined number of years on this planet. But he has a point: This coaster was lost in translation.

"Look how picturesque I am! I was built to dominate this skyline. Why, oh why have they ruined me?"

In an unprecedented act of masochism, I immediately got back in line for another spin because quite frankly, I just didn't "get" it. I sat closer to the back the second time (bad idea), but the experience was very much the same. Not necessarily terrible, mind you. There are definitely some bright spots to this coaster, particularly in the latter half of the course. And to be perfectly honest, it wasn't anywhere near as uncomfortable as I had expected. Rough in spots? Yes. Son of Beast caliber? <expletive deleted> no!!

"Help me, Mark Shapiro! You're my only hope!"

The problem with Rattler is that it has quite literally lost its identity. Since I never had the opportunity to experience this coaster in all of its raw original glory, I can't speak to whether the rounds upon rounds of modifications were truly necessary. But they sure didn't do a lot for the ride experience. This coaster is now in need of a different kind of help, a la the Texas Giant treatment. Surely there is something that could be done for it that would split the difference between comfort and thrills!

Top ten contender or not--and sadly, we all know the answer--Rattler has taken up a special place in my heart. Consider me emotionally invested! I'd love to see Six Flags partner up with a company that can go back to the drawing board with this ride and figure out how to fix it the right way. It's such a unique coaster, with its terrain-based layout and proximity to the quarry wall. And it is massive to boot! With all those things going for it, Rattler should be awesome. Period. And it could be...with a little TLC.

Before I wrap this up, I need to give a shout out to my peeps at Six Flags Mercado. Continuing in the fine tradition of all the other friendly park employees we encountered during our visit, this team went out of their way to hook me up with a much desired souvenir park map from a few years ago, and then gave me a 25% discount on my entire purchase because they felt bad for making me wait so long! [Little did they know exactly how long I was willing to wait...] Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the "new" Six Flags.

Met the most intriguing older man at the park. Magnificent dancer, he was. Swept me right off my feet. Shhh....Don't tell my husband!

I'm a tough critic. I bust Six Flags' chops about many things, not the least of which are brochures, ride names, and their ever-inflated ice cream prices. But there's a term for that, folks. It's called "tough love". This chain is on the upswing, and the better they get, the higher I'm going to raise the bar.

Aside from a few minor annoyances, I had a fabulous time at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. And I liked what I saw. The fresh paint, clean midways and restrooms, and friendly employees were telltale signs that this park--and indeed, the entire chain--is destined for bigger and better things. I was also pleased to see that a great majority of the fabulous theming I've read so much about is still very much intact. The "new" Six Flags would be wise to build upon that solid foundation and use it as a model for the rest of their parks. Fiesta Texas stands as proof that a little theming can go a long way!

For even more Six Flags Fiesta Texas photos, check out our public album on Facebook!

Dorney Park's Laser Reborn

When Laser was removed from Dorney Park this past winter we knew it was headed back to the motherland, Germany, to travel in their grand fairs as it was originally intended. Well, now it's the summer so I thought, "Oh self, I wonder if Laser is back up and running yet?" The short answer is no, but it will be soon.

Laser is now "Test Track" and sports brand new trains that are themed to Formula 1 race cars - though I haven't seen any photos of the ride in its new home surface yet. This article says that it is standing already awaiting it's new trains, and should open on the 24th of July.

I want to go ride it again, I miss it at Dorney. I wonder how expensive airfare to Germany is?

Colombia Park Promises World Record-Breaking Thrills

I stumble across a LOT of industry headlines on a daily basis. And there is only so much time in a day, so I have to choose my battles wisely. I honestly have no idea what compelled me to click on a link to this story yesterday, and even less of an idea what compelled me to read it all the way to the end. But it's a good thing I did, because if all the plans outlined in this article come to fruition, "Vertigo Theme Parks-Buga" is destined to become a household name in the enthusiast community.

Allow me to introduce you to Vertigo Theme Parks, Inc. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, this "theme park company featuring Adrenaline Rush Adventures" has big plans. So big, in fact, that I'm filing this one in the "I'll believe it when I see it" category. Their goal is to build seven "state-of-the-art" theme parks over a seven-year period, with the first already under development in the municipality of Buga, Colombia.

The big idea behind Vertigo Theme Parks is to combine "many diverse elements in a synergetic fusion". Oh la la! In layman's terms, that translates into "destination" theme parks which feature everything from shopping areas to animal attractions. The Buga park alone will feature (supposedly) a shopping center with 70+ retail stores, a 90,000 square foot casino and gaming space, a performing arts center, an equestrian center, bird shows, concerts, and reality shows. It will also be the first theme park to go cashless, with guests using E-Monee "wallet cards" for all monetary transactions within the park.

Oh, and they plan to throw in a double world record-breaking roller coaster too. Just for good measure.



The video above is supposed to be a simulation of Vertigo Force, slated to become "the fastest launch coaster in the world" and Vertigo Theme Parks-Buga's star attraction. (And if you're wondering why I say "supposed to be", just watch it. Color me confused.) According to the press release, Vertigo Force will feature a 100+ mph launch up a 320-foot hill and will then "accelerate down the mountain side at over 130 mph". It will also be more than 8500 feet long, making it the longest coaster on the planet.

Vertigo Force was custom designed by Interactive Rides, Inc. If built, it will actually be a terrain coaster, which would certainly make it unique among other coasters of its type. It will also feature at least one inversion. I took a peek at the Interactive Rides web site and I believe this is our guy.

But the "adrenaline rush" doesn't end there. Vertigo Theme Parks-Buga also has plans to add a 150-foot high "family coaster" (huh??) as well as a Frequent Faller from Interactive Rides. If you'll recall, the latter model was originally scheduled to make its debut at Hersheypark a few years back but the project got canceled due to rising steel costs. So if built, this would be a first of its kind.

If and when Vertigo Theme Parks-Buga finally opens, it will do so with a total of 17 rides. The development plan was approved by the Municipal Government of the City of Guadalajara De Buga back in July 2007, but since then it seems that the target opening date keeps getting pushed back further and further. At the moment it is hovering around late 2009 or early 2010. But based on the press release, it does appear that the company has done its homework in terms of feasibility studies, and another article I found also mentions that they recently secured a $75 million line of credit from venture capital fund Gutmen Investment Corp.

So will it all happen? Your guess is as good as mine. The whole plan sounds pretty darn ambitious to me, so I'd like to see some footers before I put any stock in this one.

Is It That Time Already?!

Universal Studios Florida has already announced that this year's Halloween Horror Nights event will be titled "Ripped From The Screen" and will feature Chucky, Jigsaw from Saw, and The Wolfman as hosts.

According to the park, "Never before has Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights featured such a catalog of horror. Everyone knows these films. And now everyone will get to live them in person. Guests will experience the physical and psychological horror that Jigsaw, Chucky and The Wolfman have inflicted on the silver screen. They will become victim to the mental games of “SAW’s” maniacal killer Jigsaw. They will come face to face with “Chucky’s” wrath. And they will be there as “The Wolfman’s” alter-ego, Lawrence Talbot, discovers a primal side of himself he didn’t know existed."

I'm surprised they are revisiting the horror film theme so soon after using Freddy and the gang a couple years back, but it'll still be a great event!  I'm partial to their own twisted themes that they come up with though.  Either way, let the games begin!

Universal Studios Hollywood also announced their theme, which appears to stick only with the Saw franchise.  If you want to check out the pages they have up for both events so far, click here.

A Blast From The Past! - Kings Island's International Street

Editor's note: This is the first in what we hope will be a regular or semi-regular peek into our amusement park archives.

Here's a look at the beginnings of Kings Island's International Street, taken from the area where the Eiffel Tower now sits. The buildings & fountains are shaping up, but not much has been done to the entrance or parking lot

Ground was broken on June 15th 1970 and the park officially opend on April 29th, 1972. This photo was taken during the early stages of construction.

Instant Theme Park: Just Add Quarry (Part 2)

Editor's Note: This post is the second in a three-part series covering my recent visit to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 3 as well!

When we last parted ways, I was trying to put the "Germany" back in Spassburg. I'm not sure I succeeded, but it was a noble effort if I must say so myself! Now we move on to an area of Six Flags Fiesta Texas which needs considerably less help finding its identity: Los Festivales.

Colorful buildings, strings of lights, and a statue of a Folklorico dancer are but some of the sights that greet you after you pass through Fiesta Texas's gates. If first impressions are everything, this park has it made. Los Festivales, which pays tribute to neighboring Mexico, is one of the original themed areas at Fiesta Texas and provides a taste of what the original owners were trying to achieve with their new theme park.

Who were the original owners? Well I'll tell you, since you asked. It's actually a two-part answer. Fiesta Texas was built by the USAA Real Estate Company (a subsidiary of the San Antonio-based USAA corporation), which owned the property and remained the majority owner of the park. Minority owner Gaylord Entertainment (of Opryland USA fame) handled the management duties.

Fiesta Texas was built to be a show park--both literally and figuratively--and its extensive theming and focus on entertainment turned more than a few heads during the park's early years. In fact, the amount of attention it garnered is pretty amazing considering that Fiesta Texas boasted only 15 amusement rides and a smattering of water park attractions when it opened in 1992. But that figure wouldn't stand for very long.

In 1996, Gaylord Entertainment sold its stake in the park back to USAA (which consequently became the sole owner) and management of Fiesta Texas was handed over to Time Warner. Enter the Six Flags brand. And of course we all know how the rest of the story goes. Premier Parks purchased both Six Flags Inc. and the recently rechristened Six Flags Fiesta Texas in 1998, and the rest is history. Well...Technically everything I just told you is history. But why split hairs?

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest Boomerang of them all?

Time to get back on track (so to speak). Since it occupies the entrance area of the park, Los Festivales is rather light on the ride count. There are two, to be exact. But both involve track!

First up is Boomerang. (Can ya guess what type of coaster it is? Huh? Huh? Can ya??) As far as head-banging Vekoma torture devices go, this one takes the prize for flashiest color scheme and best landscaping. If you're going to willfully subject yourself to one of these for the sake of a credit (and you know you are), it might as well be a pretty one, eh? Walk-on rides are also appreciated. Check, check, and hello credit. Moving on!


Los Festivales is also home to the newest member of the Fiesta Texas coaster family, Bat--GOLIATH. (Whew. That was close.) I think I had better brush up on my history, because I don't recall "Goliath" being an ancient Aztec name. (Come to think of it, I've never met a Mexican named "Boomerang" either.) But to heck with semantics. Let's just enjoy the fact that both of these coasters look spectacular. That bright yellow paint doesn't lie, my friends! Perhaps it's my imagination, but I even felt that this particular installation delivered a better ride than some of its clones.

Does it quack like a duck?

I'm told that this twice transplanted B&M can't be labeled a "parking lot coaster" because of its entrance plaza and grassy surroundings. I'm not convinced. While I sincerely appreciate Six Flags' efforts to incorporate Goliath into its themed area, the fact remains that it was installed in the parking lot! And I don't necessarily mean that as a criticism. This is simply one of those cases where "it is what it is". I guess after you've ridden a coaster across the park that brings you within a stone's throw of a magnificent quarry wall, your expectations just change.

In addition to coasters, entertainment venues, and shops, Los Festivales is also the home of the $13 ice cream special! [Actually, I believe it was closer to $14.] That's right, ladies and gentlemen. For just an arm, a leg, and a firstborn, you too can savor two tiny dishes of the ever flavorful Ben & Jerry's! WOW. I know Ben & Jerry's is expensive to begin with, but my wallet literally jumped out of my pocket and started running for the hills when it heard that figure.

If Mark Shapiro holds another blogger conference call, perhaps I'll suggest that he should treat me to an ice cream the next time I bump into him at a park. [Preferably vanilla soft serve with rainbow sprinkles. Just thought I'd throw that out.] His paycheck is most likely bigger than mine, and after all, the purchase would ultimately benefit his company. Besides, the more money I save on ice cream, the more money I have to squander elsewhere in the park. So you see, everybody comes out a winner. It's a brilliant plan, really.

But I digress. Our whirlwind tour of Los Festivales is el finito! Since we've already covered the middle of the park, let's take a giant leap to the back to check out Fiesta Bay Boardwalk. (As a tour guide, I'm sporadic at best!) Perhaps we'll stumble upon some fun diversions along the way.

Oh. My. GOD!!! Speaking of everybody coming out a winner... I could win a cape just by participating in a game? My wildest dreams had just come true. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Nothing spells fun like a cape.

Conversely, nothing spells frustration like a game booth full of empty seats! Each and every time I stumbled across one of these fanciful cape-dispensing games, there were no potential competitors in sight. Such is the downside of visiting a park on a slow day. But the story has a happy ending, because I banked that $5 I saved and I fully intend to put it toward half a spoonful of ice cream the next time I visit a theme park. With the accrued interest, I should be able to afford that much.

Fiesta Bay Boardwalk, added in 1994, was the last notable achievement of the USAA/Gaylord team before they parted ways. True to its name, this area attempts to capture the aura of a traditional seaside amusement area. Boardwalk favorites such as a Ferris wheel (Crow's Nest), pirate ship (S.S. Overboard), and scrambler (Wave Runner) fit nicely into this setting. I'd say this is one of the most consistently themed areas of Fiesta Texas.

Traces of more extensive theming are evident throughout Fiesta Bay Boardwalk. First off, it's a boardwalk! Really! And that boardwalk is lined with decorative touches such as palm trees and fishing nets.

"Raggy, relp!!"

But if we're going to be brutally honest here, Fiesta Bay Boardwalk is a shadow of its former self. Flashback to 1994: Paddle boats floated alongside the boardwalk. There was a miniature golf course. What is now the site of Scooby-Doo Ghostblasters was a roller skating rink.

Sounds quaint, right? I thought so too! Yet each of those attractions only lasted a handful of seasons. Whether that was due to poor patronage or poor decisions by the previous management team, I haven't a clue. But it's a shame, because this beautiful area of Fiesta Texas is no longer being used to its full potential.


The star of Fiesta Bay Boardwalk these days is none other than Tony Hawk's Big Spin, which sits in the location formerly occupied by Joker's Revenge. I must say, this was one of the nicest surprises of the trip for me. I was fully prepared to take motion sickness to a whole 'notha level on this coaster, but it never happened. It's just plain fun!

The cars are designed to resemble skateboards. They even have fake wheels! This ramp is a nice effect too.

Those are some sick laterals.

Crazy as this may sound, the Big Spin felt like a Big Tilt-A-Whirl. And anyone who has visited a park with me knows that the Tilt-A-Whirl is the one spin-and-barf ride that I simply can't resist, regardless of how dizzy it occasionally make me. [No blonde jokes, please!] There's just something about them that gives me that little tingle in the pit of my stomach, and Tony Hawk's Big Spin had the same effect. I found that boarding the car sitting backwards provided the better ride experience, although you don't stay that way for long!

Fiesta Bay Boardwalk is a charming area. But how about some water back there, Six Flags? I'm having a hard time suspending my disbelief when I look around and all I see are bone dry quarry walls. This boardwalk needs a seashore! I'd really love to see Six Flags restore this area of Fiesta Texas to its former glory.

The end of our tour draws near, my friends. But wait! Something is missing. It's that one themed area that is duplicated in every single theme park known to mankind. It's wild. It's western. And by the time we're through, you'll be thoroughly rattled. Stay tuned...

The Time Is Now

Editor's Note: Just in from our friends at Coney Island Developement Corp. If you feel passionate about this cause, please take a minute to sign the petition.

A NOTE FROM PRESIDENT LYNN KELLY
The Time Is Now

Dear Friends and Residents of Coney Island:

Our collective efforts to revitalize Coney Island are now at a critical juncture. As the City Council takes up the Coney Island Comprehensive Plan -- a plan to grow and protect the amusement area, bring jobs and opportunity to the entire neighborhood, and provide housing and services to the Coney Island community -- I am writing to ask you, one last time, to show your support.

Today, our elected officials face an important choice. Down one path is a continuation of a decades-long decline in the amusement area that has left the neighborhood with vacant lots and broken promises. And down another path is a Comprehensive Plan that was generated by this community to move forward in a thoughtful and sensitive way, working together to make Coney Island the world-class amusement destination and neighborhood we all know it can become.

Please log on to our website now and take a quick moment to register your support by signing our Online Petition, which will be delivered directly to City Council.

Thank you for everything you've done to get us to this point. I'm confident that, with your support, we'll accomplish great things in Coney Island.

Warm regards,
Lynn Kelly

Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Lake Winnepesaukah 2004

Ah, Lake Winnepesaukah. Kinda just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? If only my keyboard were more like a tongue! I think I'll just stick with "Lake Winnie" from this point forward.

Opened in 1925, Lake Winnie is a charming traditional park featuring some of the most historic rides in existence. And thanks to their slogan--"Come on, get happy"--I now have the theme song from The Partridge Family stuck in my head. What have I done to deserve this??!

Lake Winnie didn't install any blockbuster new attractions in 2004, but perhaps that's why they were able to advertise "2004 fun at 2003 prices". While the park has welcomed some modern thrill machines through the years, good old-fashioned traditional rides remain its bread and butter. Some of the rides pictured here have been around since the 1950s and 1960s.

Here's a peek at those prices they advertised. Although there is a minimal gate admission charge, Lake Winnie is primarily a pay-as-you-go park. One item of note on this page is that Travel and Leisure magazine apparently ranked Lake Winnie as one of the top 10 family amusement parks in the country. I'm a bit surprised that the folks at Travel and Leisure even know this park exists, considering that it receives a lot less fanfare than its corporatized brethren in the industry. Props to T&L for doing their homework, as well as to Lake Winnie for being the beneficiary!

Lake Winnie's classic Cannon Ball, designed by John Allen of PTC, is the center of attention in this spread. But let's not overlook the significance of that top right photo inset of the Boat Chute! The Boat Chute, which was designed and built by park founder Carl O. Dixon, was Lake Winnie's very first ride. It opened in 1927, making it the oldest remaining mill chute ride in the country.

When I first read these park policies, I was sure I must have been hallucinating. "All guests under 21 must be accompanied by a guest 21 or over"? What the?! But yes, that's really what it says. Turns out there was a bit of a skirmish at the park back in 2003 which involved 50-100 "youth". In the aftermath, the park instituted this new admission policy in an attempt to prevent similar events from occurring in the future.

WOW. Can you imagine what would happen if a Six Flags or Cedar Fair park instituted such a policy? Forget about skirmishes--I think there would be a full-fledged riot! In any event, the owners of Lake Winnie are still sticking to their guns on this one, although they've since lowered the age cut-off to 18. Thank goodness. Old enough to die for your country but not to visit an amusement park? Now that's just silly.

Lake Winnie is the most famous park in Chattanooga that's not actually located in Chattanooga. In fact, if you look closely at this map, it's not even located in the state of Tennessee! Lake Winnie's physical address is in Rossville, Georgia. How in the world did this error slip past that eagle-eyed brochure writer?!

Well if we're going to get technical here, Lake Winnie's mailing address is in Chattanooga, and the park itself is really only a few miles away. So I guess it makes sense that they market by metro area. "Rossville, GA" isn't likely to ring a bell for most people, but Chattanooga sure will!

I still have that Partridge Family theme song stuck in my head. Analyzing brochures is dangerous work!

Granite Park: A Lost Cause?

So we haven't heard much about the development of Granite Park in Fresno, CA, in some time, at least aside from tales of development financial woes. Well, it appears as though the woes go on and on. In a recent article on the overall development surrounding Granite Park things still sound bleak for the rides area ever opening. Restaurants have closed, more are unfinished, and I've seen ads for the rides from MGM Grand Theme Park listed as for sale again.

Such a shame, I really wanted to see those MGM attractions operate again! Plus who wouldn't love a new park.

Instant Theme Park: Just Add Quarry (Part 1)

Editor's Note: This post is the first in a three-part series covering my recent visit to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Be sure to check out Part 2 and Part 3 as well!

Good trip reports are like fine wines: They just get better with age. Based on a series of highly scientific calculations, I determined that a Six Flags Fiesta Texas TR reaches its peak around the 3.5 week mark. So without further ado, I present to you the perfectly aged second segment of my San Antonio adventures.

Given the amount of time I had to take this photo, it should have been museum quality.

I waited many long years for the opportunity to visit Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The parking lot attendants intuitively sensed this and said, "Eh, what's another 15 minutes?" I kid you not, the "parking lot ride" was our longest wait of the day. Shocked and flustered, this converted Six Flags fangirl began questioning everything from God to the theory of relativity. How could this be?? I immediately sought solace in Twitter, for park frustrations are that much more bearable when shared with my NPN friends.

In the wake of the parking ordeal, the entrance plaza was a sight for sore eyes! A gentle, placating, empty sight...Where were all the people?? I had expected light attendance on the day of our visit, given that it was a Thursday in late May. [Did I just admit how late this TR is? DOH!] But the park was almost eerily uncrowded. It kind of depressed me.

Crowds or not, I have a system and I was sticking to it so we headed directly for the back of the park. On our way we passed a group of suits, but they didn't talk to us. Apparently they didn't realize who I was, nor did they realize that I was about to single-handedly wipe out a significant chunk of Six Flags' debt through my lavish in-park spending. [Sadly, not quite enough.] The former point may not be worth much, but surely the latter would have merited at least a handshake.

After discovering that Fiesta Bay Boardwalk would be opening late, we found ourselves in Rockville, face-to-face with the flashiest tower ride known to mankind: Scream. We had the ride all to ourselves! This was our first encounter with Fiesta Texas ride ops, and it set the tone for a standard of friendliness and helpfulness the likes of which I haven't seen at too many other parks. The man at the controls was all smiles as he issued the top secret combination of button pushes, lever pulls, and magic words that would send us shooting up to kiss the Texas sky.


Next up was Poltergeist. Another empty queue! "You're our first riders of the day!" one of the ride ops told us jovially. Two rides all to ourselves and friendly employees? I felt like a rock star.

This coaster surprised me. After the way its enclosed cousin at Kings Island jerked me around earlier this year, I was prepared for the worst. But Poltergeist delivered an amazingly smooth ride, allowing me to walk away with my rock star persona (and my spinal column) firmly intact.

Rockville High Theatre

My obsession with visiting Six Flags Fiesta Texas had little to do with their ride line-up, although they do have a nice mix of attractions. For me, the fascination was purely visual. Every photo of this park I had ever seen was drop-dead gorgeous and impossibly charming.

The charm factor is directly attributable to Fiesta Texas's elaborate theming. Rockville, for example, is a throwback to the 1950s. It's anchored around a streetscape that is so realistic, you almost forget you're in the middle of an amusement park. It even has functional traffic lights! At the end of this street is the Rockville High Theatre, an impressive entertainment venue where the park's popular "Rockin' at Rockville High" and "Groovin' at Rockville High" musical productions are staged.


At this point you're probably wondering (and rightfully so) how rides like Scream and Poltergeist fit into this old school Americana motif. In a nutshell, they don't. Remember that much publicized capital spending spree that Premier went on shortly after purchasing Six Flags? You know, the one that landed current day Six Flags in bankruptcy? Many of Fiesta Texas's rides were a product of that insanity.

Scream and Poltergeist, for instance, were two of fifteen new rides installed at Fiesta Texas in 1999. Yes, you read that correctly: FIFTEEN NEW RIDES IN ONE YEAR! (Oh, and by the way that package included multiple roller coasters.) When you're adding attractions at that rate, obviously theming is not your number one priority. Great rides, all of them--but what a disgrace to the original owners' vision for this park. It makes you appreciate what original theming is left even more.

As we wandered the streets of Rockville, my husband remarked that he needed an ATM. As if on cue, we were immediately approached by yet another uber friendly park employee who asked if we needed help finding something. By this point I was becoming suspicious that some marketing exec had issued a frantic distress signal alerting all employees that there was a crazed enthusiast blogger loose in the park, tweeting obscenities about how long it took to get into the parking lot, and that everyone should be on their best behavior. (I have a very overactive imagination.)

Rock star? You betcha.

Time to switch gears. (And languages!) Spassburg is Fiesta Texas's tribute to Germany, although this area of the park seems to have lost much of its identity to popular culture in recent years.

Papa John's: A German delicacy

Some details of Spassburg remain true, such as the pavers which line the midway and the icon that is Sangerfest Halle, a food court which actually does serve up German specialties in addition to the more traditional American and Mexican fare.

Despite its "looney" storyline, even Bugs' White Water Rapids blends into Spassburg nicely. Its towering castle facade, which doubles as a queue, features scenes from a popular Bugs Bunny cartoon which continues to play out along the course of the ride. Castles, dragons, and knights in shining armor? Yeah, that works.


Bugs' White Water Rapids is a bit eccentric as far as flumes go. In addition to the fact that it's just plain odd to refer to a log flume as "white water rapids", this non-traditional flume features four-bench, eight-seater "logs" and chain lifts. It's small but quaint, and dumps more than a little water on the laps of the people sitting in the front seat. (Trust me.)

I would have expected this queue to be full on a hot Texas day, but it was yet another walk-on! In fact, the ride op even offered to let us stay in our log and go for another round. [Boy, those suits must have felt really guilty for not saying hello to us earlier.]


Once you pass beyond Bugs' lair, "Willkommen" quickly turns into "Wigglekommen". New for 2009, a small area has been carved out of Spassburg and transformed into Wiggles World. As part of the transition, the Vekoma junior coaster formerly known as Der Rollschuhcoaster has taken on the notably less German title "Romp Bomp A Stomp". (It's catchy, don't get me wrong! Just...not very German.)

Now before y'all go accusing me of being a Wiggles hater, I think it's great that Six Flags added a special themed area for the kids. Really, I do! (Truth be told, I have never seen the Wiggles show...Is it a show?) It's just unfortunate that it came at the expense of slicing Spassburg in half.

Then again, you'd be hard-pressed to find any semblance of Germany in the other half of Spassburg anyway. Rides which once boasted colorful ethnic names such as Die Fledermaus and Steingasse have been rebranded as Whirligig and Fender Bender. Sigh...How pedestrian. It's almost as if this area of the park has already seceded from Spassburg and is simply waiting on Mr. Six to make it official.

Faster than a speeding bratwurst

But all is not lost, my friends! The Spassburg annex has a coaster. And it's a big one.


Superman: Krypton Coaster affords us our first glance at Six Flags Fiesta Texas's signature quarry walls. Arguably the most stunning natural feature of any theme park in the country, the rock quarry provides an incomparable backdrop for many of the park's rides, including the Man of Steel's spawn.

At the risk of swinging the vote in this month's poll, I must pause to give this coaster its due props. In terms of the ride experience itself, Superman: Krypton Coaster is very much what you would expect from any B&M floorless, and many of its elements are de rigueur. But when you throw a big honking wall of rock into the mix, you're bound to end up with something extra special. Both the first and second drop come swooping off that massive cliff, and it is an experience like none other. Even the rest of the course, which dances along the quarry floor, provides a heightened experience due to its mere proximity to that massive wall of rock.

Der cobra roll

The only thing that could have made this ride better is some good ol' fashioned German theming. (We are still in Spassburg. Remember?) Seriously, Six Flags: Would it have been so hard to at least name it Superman: Der Krypton Coaster? I'm just sayin'.


Judging from the fact that we actually had to wait in line for Superman (horrors!!), I'd say it's one of the most popular--if not the most popular--rides at Fiesta Texas. Of course, the wait also could have been due to the fact that they were only running one train and the dispatch times were atrocious. Imagine: One of the highest capacity rides at the park had the lowest throughput! Now that takes talent. Sadly, this also hampered my ability to get photos of the ride in action. My patience only stretches so far, people! (I actually got my best shots from the train, which ran virtually its entire course without our seeing hide nor hair of the Man of Steel.)

With that, I conclude both our tour of the identity crisis that is Spassburg and Part 1 of this very--ahem, fashionably--late TR. How does that line go again? Oh yeah: "Baby, please. You're making a German spectacle of yourself!" Indeed. Next we leave Europe behind and head to Mexico!

Holy Moley It's a Giga!

© 2009 user pkdcoaster at ThemeParkReview.com

If you say the word "giga" many times in quick succession, it sorta sounds like the gibberish that came out of my mouth when I spied the latest updates to this thread on Theme Park Review! (Scroll down to the third post.) I then proceeded to drool all over my desk. But that's neither here nor there.

While we have no official confirmation, all signs (not to mention packing slips) now point to Kings Dominion getting an Intamin giga coaster in 2010! The slip above, which clearly reads "Giga Coaster" in the lower left-hand corner, was affixed to a mere box of washers. But that box of washers sits beside many, many pieces of bright red track which continue to arrive at the park. Barring an elaborate hoax or the possibility that Intamin simply ran out "non-giga" packing slips, I'd say this is pretty solid proof.

I, for one, am floored by this news. I thought for sure that we'd never see another one of these bad boys, and the timing is puzzling at best considering that Cedar Fair has been floating the possibility of shedding some properties. As excited as I am to see what materializes down there in Doswell, I really hope Cedar Fair didn't break the bank on this one!

Check Out The Valley Girls

I have to have love for all other bloggers out there, so when a park starts a new blog why not help spread the word.  The latest I've seen is the Valley Girls blog from Valleyfair! Amusement Park.

Isn't the name pretty smart, too?  Published by Kim and Kara, who work in Marketing at the park, the blog will feature news as well as inside looks at the popular Minnesota amusement park.

Long live blogs!  Click here to check it out.

Ring Racer

© Mr. Rollercoaster via onride.de

The track has been completed for the other 'world's fastest' coaster (aside from the one at Ferrari World) - the Ring Racer at the Nurburgring track in Germany.  The turnaround, really the only other element to the ride aside form the launch track, can be seen above.

Onride.de has plenty of new photos of the ride on their site, including close up shots of the trains for the ride on the track.  It'll be a quick thrill, but still intense!  The ride is said to launch to speeds of 134.8 mph.

Check out the photos.

iSpeed OnRide

E-Coasters has uploaded an onride video of iSpeed at Mirabilandia, the park's new Intamin Accelerator coaster for the 2009 season. I'll let the ride speak for itself - and I claim no 'inside' information, but I sure wouldn't cry if something similar to this is what the track at Kings Dominion gets used for!

A Family Affair at Family Kingdom

From the same crack reporting team that brought you the Freestyle Music Park brochure featured in SBS this week, I now bring you photos of a much more established Myrtle Beach landmark: Family Kingdom!

Fun Fact #1: Family Kingdom has the largest Ferris wheel in the state of South Carolina!

I had a hankering for a Myrtle Beach TR, and surrogate enthusiasts Bob and Dolly were hot on the trail. Since they prefer to forgo most of the actual "riding" these days, a gated park was out of the question. Luckily for them, Family Kingdom has never charged admission.

Our super sleuth reporting team tracked down their target on the 300 block of S. Ocean Boulevard. They've shared their high-tech GPS device with us so that we can have a frame of reference too. This is a nice touch. Well done, surrogate enthusiast Bob.

View from the spyglass

From the moment they stepped foot in the park, it became clear to our reporters that Family Kingdom has come a long way since its previous incarnation as Grand Strand Amusement Park. Back in the day when I was a kid, this park resembled a glorified carnival: Dingy with a collection of uninspired, semi-permanent rides whose operators didn't exactly dispel the feeling that their charges might collapse at any time.

Fun Fact #2: Family Kingdom's carousel (a.k.a. PTC #87) was built in 1923 and originally resided at New Jersey's now defunct Asbury Park. Read more here.

Not so anymore! Family Kingdom may be the only park on the planet that has a hurricane to thank for its revival. When Hurricane Hugo tore through Myrtle Beach in 1989, it destroyed much of Grand Strand Amusement Park, including the park's famed Swamp Fox roller coaster. Shortly thereafter, William and Cynthia Parker--the original owners--sold the park to the Ammons family, who own a nearby oceanfront resort. The new owners proceeded to rebuild and expand the park, which reopened in 1992 under its current name.



Family Kingdom's signature attraction has always been the Swamp Fox. Designed by John Allen of PTC fame, the Swamp Fox was built in 1966 and now stands as one of the few remaining seaside woodies in the country.

I haven't a clue who or what bestowed that advertised #8 ranking upon this coaster (or how long ago, for that matter). But our reporters know all too well that enthusiasts love stats and rankings of any kind, so they captured this one for posterity. It's all a matter of opinion anyway! And from what I can recall--though it has been an ungodly long time since I've ridden this thing--it is a good coaster. So give it a go before dismissing that claim!


Sling Shot provides 110 feet of freefalling fun. This is technically Family Kingdom's newest ride, although our reporters tell me that everything at this park looks brand new: Fresh paint, beautiful litter-free midway, even clean restroom facilities! If Family Kingdom is looking for a ringing endorsement, I know exactly where to direct them.

Among Family Kingdom's 30+ rides are quite a few treats for adults, including the aforementioned Swamp Fox and Sling Shot. But family and kiddie rides are where this park really shines. In addition to family favorites like a log flume and bumper cars, Family Kingdom boasts a wide selection of rides for the smaller set. Our reporters were impressed. "I would definitely bring a child here," reports surrogate enthusiast Dolly.

What's a seaside amusement park without an accompanying water park? Family Kingdom is home to Myrtle Beach's only oceanfront water park. No need to manufacture a beach ambiance here. Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby!

Fun Fact #3: The Hurricane, located in front of the Ferris wheel on the right, was featured in a 2005 music video by country singer Kenny Chesney.

As I reflected upon this trip to Family Kingdom that I never took, two thoughts crossed my mind. First and most importantly, I have my parents trained well. (Very well.) And secondly, great parks come in all shapes and sizes. Don't be too hasty to dismiss that smaller, traditional park in favor of the nearest concrete jungle. There is plenty of wonderment to be had at both!

Many thanks to our surrogate enthusiasts for sharing this trip report with us!

Six Flags Commercial

I never saw this one on TV, but I really like the above Six Flags commercial! Sorta a welcome back message to the Six Flags Theme Park's current mascot, Mr. Six.

New Universal Singapore Items

Some new photos of a model of the new Battlestar Galactica coaster at Universal Studios Singapore have hit the web, which you can see in this thread over at CoasterForce.

It's sorta hard to make out exactly the path of the ride but it sure looks twisted and a very unique design - certainly not a ripoff of Dueling Dragons at Islands of Adventure.  Can't wait to see more of the ride as it goes up!

The official website for the park has also updated with some new construction photos, two of which are featured here.  Above we see the "Dragon Coaster" which is the family ride at the park.

You can see the gallery they have up at this link.

Cowabunga Bay Photos

© 2009 Cowabunga Bay Construction Blog

Check out these photos and videos from the Cowabunga Bay Construction Blog taken at the park on it's opening day, which just took place last week.  The new 'neighborhood' water park is located in Utah and look pretty fantastic for its size.

Plus, it's home to the world's largest tipping bucket and play structure!

Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Freestyle Music Park 2009

A couple weeks ago, I dispatched a crack reporting team (otherwise known as my parents) to Myrtle Beach on a top secret brochure-gathering conquest. They executed their mission with guts and gusto, and the fruits of their labors arrived in my mailbox this week. The crown jewel was this, our very first look at what the new owners of the former Hard Rock Park can do with a few flaps of paper. Did they earn the Sabrina seal of approval? Let's find out.

Covers are important. Good ones grab your attention. Great ones grab your attention and give you an instant visual synopsis of what the featured park is all about.

Score one for Freestyle Music Park. Right off the top, they hit us with a catchy new slogan and an accompanying photo that capture the mission of the new management team: This is a family-friendly park with a musical flair. And just for good measure--or perhaps as a blatant act of overcompensation for the marketing shortcomings of the previous owners--they have super-sized this brochure! This baby's so tall, it's sure to stand out amongst the other brochures in the rack.

So far, so good.

Freestyle Music Park is so much fun, they had to use a DOUBLE exclamation point! I heart double exclamation points!! (This is starting to sound like a Seinfeld episode!!!!)

The inside of this brochure is consistent with the cover in terms of the message it is trying to convey. There's no sign of any hard-core thrill rides yet; it's all about the children. They've also managed to inject all sorts of musical language into this intro paragraph. It's catchy and creative. Score two.

Now we get into the meat of this brochure. This page highlights all the shows and attractions that are new for 2009. Or as this brochure states it, "for for 2009". Huh? Haste may make waste (as the aforementioned crack reporting team used to tell me), but in this case I think it's a small miracle that they were able to get a brochure out at all. It seems like new announcements have been coming out of Freestyle Music Park practically on a daily basis over the past couple months, and they didn't have a lot of time to turn this park over to begin with! So let's give 'em a break and forgive the typo, eh?

But going back to the matter at hand, y'all know how I feel about details, and this brochure's got a LOT of them. I'm a fan. Score three.

Oh dear...not this again. It's the return of the cheesy coaster rider wearing the even cheesier park t-shirt! Not only that, but in this case the park logo has been very obviously Photoshopped onto that otherwise plain black tee. [And if it wasn't, I'll eat this brochure.] That's two strikes on one page! And they were doing so well!!

Well, nobody's perfect. There is a photo of people eating ice cream on this page, and I like ice cream. So that sort of makes up for it. But the level of cheesiness attained in the Time Machine (a.k.a. Led Zeppelin) photo prevents me from awarding a point here. I simply can't do it.

In case you've long since lost track of all the name changes at this park (as I have), this map provides a good summary. Oh, to have an identity crisis at the ripe old age of one...

This map definitely merits some points though. It's colorful, well organized, and very detailed. And when I say detailed, note that it actually includes pictures of the food items featured at each of the dining locations! Now I know precisely where ice cream products can be procured at this fine establishment. Thank you, Freestyle Music Park! Bonus score.

Legacies, like old habits, die hard. Take, for instance, the directions to Freestyle Music Park: "...Turn left on Hard Rock Parkway. Follow signs to Freestyle Music Park." Ouch! Or maybe in this case, "shhh" would be more appropriate--There may be intellectual property rights tied up with that street name! Horrors!!!

In conclusion, the answer to the question posed at the beginning of this post is a resounding "Yes!". In what little time was allotted to them, I think the folks at Freestyle Music Park have done a great job with this brochure. I'd like to see a bit more in the thrill rides department, but I think they have their primary target audience--families--pretty well covered. Here's hoping that the park has a successful season so we can analyze many more of their brochures in the years to come!

New Ferrari F1 Coaster Photos

© 2009 DJSonic via Onride.de

Check out these new photos of the almost completed "F1 Coaster" (that may not be the official name) at the Ferrari World Theme Park in Abu Dhabi on Onride.de.  The ride is said to be the world's fastest coaster when it opens.

In my original article on the park I speculated that the ride may be done by Premier, but it has since surfaced on several sites that the ride is actually an Intamin design.  That would certainly explain why the track that showed up at Kings Dominion is so similar!

Looks like like a fun ride for speed freaks... and it's got a lot more to it than just the launch and then the brakes, lots of swooping turns and a great bunny hill section on the return to the station!

Mark Shapiro Reaches Out to the Blogging Community

As part of Six Flags' continuing efforts to keep the lines of communication open in the wake of their bankruptcy announcement, President and CEO Mark Shapiro held a special conference call yesterday to discuss the company's past, present, and future with the blogging community. (Hey, that's us!) Following a brief presentation in which he recapped all the information that's hit the press over the past several days, Mr. Shapiro opened the floor for questions and let us pick his brain to our hearts' content. The discussion which ensued was quite enlightening, as Mark shared his thoughts with great candor and obvious enthusiasm. We'd like to share some of the highlights with you.

The Right Thing to Do
"Bankruptcy" is an ugly word. Nobody likes to hear it let alone utter it, and that includes the Six Flags management team. But as Mark explained--and as I'm sure you all know by now--it simply was the only feasible solution in this case, given the company's debt load and the current state of the economy. "The decision to restructure our debt was difficult for management and the board of directors, but I know it's the right thing to do for Six Flags," he told us.

Six Flags has reached a point where interest expenses total nearly $200 million a year, making it impossible for the company to climb out of the financial mess it inherited--even in a good economy. If the management team's pre-negotiated reorganization plan is approved by the court, much of this outstanding debt will either be converted into equity or erased altogether, leaving Six Flags with a much more manageable balance sheet.

While the team has received unanimous support for its plan, Mark admits that the court process will be necessarily convoluted. Many different factors (including the chain's performance this summer) could ultimately influence the final decision. However, the team remains optimistic and hopes that the proceedings will conclude by the end of this year.

In the meantime, it's business as usual for the parks, which--according to Mark--will be running at "full throttle" all season long! He also stated that Six Flags "will not be closing any parks whatsoever" or cutting any staff as a result of the restructuring process.

Out, darn debt. Out, I say!
"Not only for the three plus years that I've been here, but really since Premier Parks bought Six Flags from Time Warner, the word 'debt' has been associated with the Six Flags name," Mark lamented. "We're looking to disconnect that." As enthusiasts, we're all painfully familiar with the general mismanagement that accompanied the Premier era. Mark broke the mistakes down into three key areas in an effort to illustrate how the company managed to rack up all this debt.

The trouble began with the very act of purchasing the Six Flags parks from Time Warner. The fact is, Premier overpaid for many of the properties. They then began expanding at an aggressive pace--particularly internationally--which they could not support financially. But the final nail in the coffin was capital expenditures. While the current management team is spending about $100 million in capital each year, the previous team was approaching $200 million at times through their lavish spending habits, which frequently included the installation of multiple roller coasters at one park in a single year or bank-busters such as Kingda Ka.

"In short, you overpay for the company, you expand internationally and maybe domestically as well at a rate and a pace and a financial level that you can’t afford, and then just overcapitalizing, really at all of the parks each and every year," Mark explained. "The return just wasn't there."

Show me the capital plans!
"This restructuring process will not in any way slow down or hamper our capital plans," Mark assured us. And yes, that includes the previously announced plans to do it up big for the chain's 50th anniversary celebration in 2011. But he stressed that the nature of Six Flags' capital expenditures will vary from park to park and from year to year, with the primary criteria being the specific needs of each park in the family. Thus, in some cases big new attractions will take a backseat to much needed deferred maintenance.

That being said, Mark also stressed that Six Flags strives to bring a new and exciting attraction of some form to all of the parks each year. Whether it be something as significant as Terminator Salvation or a more entertainment-focused attraction such as the Glow in the Park parade, the goal is to always have something new and different for families to enjoy. He saw this as being particularly important in today's economy, where many of Six Flags' competitors are scaling back. "We saw that as an opportunity," he told us, noting that they hope to see many more families come out to "sample" the new Six Flags this year.

The best news is that Mark tells us Six Flags will continue to focus on themed, immersive ride experiences, so I think we have much to look forward to!

A Financial Roller Coaster
In what was perhaps one of the most interesting discussion topics of the call (to me, anyway), Mark opened up and spoke very frankly about the financial impact of installing blockbuster new roller coasters as well as his own personal take on these thrill machines. "I don't want anyone to mistake this. When you talk about my favorite rides, they are rides like El Toro and Nitro at Great Adventure and Goliath out at Magic Mountain," he said, adding that he's very grateful to the past management team for bringing these high-caliber rides to Six Flags. "It's easy for me to say 'We don't have the money to put those in' because I already have them, and I don't forget that."

But according to Mark, the "harsh reality" is that today's industry can no longer afford such rides, particularly if you are a regional park operator with a seasonal business. He illustrated his point by breaking down a mock budget for us using Six Flags' $100 million target, which he believes is the maximum figure a chain can support while still remaining healthy. If Six Flags were to install a $25 million coaster at one park and then proceed to spend $25-30 million on deferred maintenance across the chain, that leaves only $50 million of marketable capital at best for ALL other parks. Looking at it this way, it's easy to see why many parks--including Six Flags--are forgoing the gigacoasters these days. Mark also noted that the ROI just isn't there for such rides, and that the parks which continue to install them will most likely never see a full return on their investment.

However, this does not mean that we won't see rides like Bizarro and Terminator Salvation popping up across the Six Flags chain from time to time. These smaller, more affordable attractions round out the parks' existing line-ups nicely while still providing a thrill for families. Mark fully understands that the die-hard thrillseekers may not be 100% satisfied with such additions, but hopes that they will view them within the context of the "full package" of rides and attractions offered at the various Six Flags parks.

Close But No Cigar...Yet
Surely anyone who has visited a Six Flags park over the past couple years would have noted many obvious improvements across the spectrum, from cleanliness to ride maintenance. But Mark still sees a lot of room for improvement. "It's really clear to me that we're not where we need to be," he told us. "I think if someone could hand me a check for $200 million, that’s how much these parks need to get back to the days when I grew up in these parks, where everything's got a fresh coat of paint, where you don’t see cracks in the sidewalk or the pavement, where roofs aren't leaking, where your maintenance cars aren't falling apart."

He cited the deferred maintenance "hole" left by the previous management team as one of Six Flags' greatest challenges, and stressed that it will take time to fully rectify the situation. But you can rest assured that the current management team is under no illusions in that department, and they will continue to work hard to bring all parks in the chain back up to the Six Flags standards of old.

Be Our Guest
One of the most refreshing qualities of Mark Shapiro is his obvious concern about the happiness of Six Flags' guests. Time and time again during the call, the issue of guest satisfaction came to the forefront of the discussion. "A great and entertaining season for families everywhere is first and foremost on our priority list," he stressed. He especially enjoys reading all the comments and stories submitted by park patrons who are making their own family memories at the "new" Six Flags. This positive feedback "keeps us all motivated and inspired," he told us.

Image Is Everything
Six Flags' restructuring is a delicate subject for many parties and for many different reasons, but Mark feels that the media have been doing a good job of covering it. "I think it's being covered with the kind of sensitivity and detail that is right for the story," he told us, adding that he feels the press have been very accurate and very fair in assessing the situation. Of primary importance to him is getting the point across that park operations will in no way be affected by this action, and he feels that this message is coming through loud and clear. Nevertheless, we can expect to see a heavier than normal marketing blitz this summer to reinforce that notion.

Looking Ahead
Mark Shapiro's energy and enthusiasm are undeniable. We all read about it on a daily basis, but to hear the man himself speak about his company in a frank and candid manner really drives this point home. He is extremely optimistic about the future of Six Flags. "I'm excited to grow this company," he told us. "Once we get out of this restructuring process, I really believe that with the ingenuity of the employees at this company, with the creativity of the employees at this company, with the passion of the employees of this company, I truly believe we’re going to be off to the races."

Well Mark, we certainly hope so and we wish you and your team the very best!

NPN would like to sincerely thank Mark Shapiro for hosting this call and taking the time to connect with our community on such a personal level. It's wonderful to meet a CEO who's willing to make himself this accessible and speak so frankly about both the challenges and the possibilities which lie ahead for Six Flags. Yesterday may have been the first ever Six Flags "blogger conference call", but we certainly hope it is not the last! We look forward to seeing what the future holds for this reemerging chain. If nothing else, I think it's safe to say that this ship has the right captain and that goes a LONG way.

New Book: America's Top Roller Coasters & Amusement Parks

Pete Trabucco has written a book aimed at two audiences; those who ride roller coaster and those who fear roller coasters. I have already read the entire book so let's look at the second group first.

When people who love roller coasters want to go riding with their friends, it can be somewhat overwhelming at first. Your normal coaster enthusiast wants to jump on all the big rides right away, to beat the lines, while their friend(s) are still working up the nerve to take on the milder rides. As a general observation of life, "Common sense isn’t so common," and the excitement of being back in the park with someone you want to share a ride with can overcome their reluctance and totally ruin their day. However, if someone spends an hour in the car saying "I’m not sure I want to go upside down" and then rides Raptor with your best friend while you're at the restroom, maybe they are ready to be pushed. (Carol's note: Good grief, will you ever get over this? I just wanted to not seem like a wimp to your friend. We rode it together later again that day.)

Pete has segregated coasters into the easy, more intense, big-time rides, and 'what were they thinking of when they designed this' categories in various parks. He has good advice about how far to push people, especially children, and offers various anecdotes to illustrate his points. One thing he doesn't stress is that kiddie coasters have riding stock designed for the smaller set, and people who are all arms and legs above 54" tall can bang said appendages on every piece of hardware in the car. The tolerances are tight, so be warned. Various parks' coasters are discussed and a general order of how to introduce newbees to each park is laid out to make it easier to plan their education.

The other target audience is not so well served. It appears the book was begun in 2002 and recently finished according to his talking about his daughter's age. Unfortunately things that were fact in 2002 are no longer true but the text doesn't reflect this, and some of the very old historical items are also incorrect, but that won't matter to anyone who is not a historian or coaster geek. The amusement industry is changing so fast with parks opening and closing in less than a season, anything written last year can be hopelessly out of date!

In conclusion, this is a book that allows various audiences to take away the parts of the book that appeal to them, and leave what they don't like alone. It can be ordered through the publisher's website, Tate Publishing at this link. ~Scott

Aerial Antics: California's Beach Parks

The East coast is particularly rich in it's history of seaside amusement parks and piers, but let's not forget that there are some West coast classics as well!

First up we have Belmont Park.  Located in the Mission Bay area of San Diego, the park has a long, rich history of providing seaside amusements to throngs of people.  The star of the park is the Giant Dipper, which opened on July 4th, 1925.  Designed by Prior and Church, the classic wooden coaster is still thrilling riders today.

Here's a link to Bing's aerials.

Here's Pacific Park, located on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California.  Look familiar?  Well, that's probably because the park has been featured in countless TV shows, movies, and commercials.  It's quite often that I flip on the old boob tube and see the park in a car commercial, or Lifetime movie.  (did I just admit that I watch Lifetime movies!?)  The coaster is named West Coaster and was built by Morgan Manufacturing in 1996.

Pacific Park also made headlines last year when they auctioned their Ferris Wheel on Ebay, which ended up selling for $132,000 and will eventually reside in Oklahoma City.  Click here to see Pacific Park's aerials.

Last, but not least, we have the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, which was founded in 1907 and is California's oldest operating amusement park.  Above we see a selection of the rides and attractions that the seaside park offers.

The Giant Dipper wooden coaster is easily Santa Cruz's most famous attraction.  The classic ride opened in 1924 and is now a National Historic Landmark.  Another Prior and Church design, the coaster was built in just 47 days at a cost of $50,000.

That Log Flume looks like fun!  We all know that I'm partial to flumes, though.  You can see the wide variety of rides that the park offers in this photo, including the park's kiddie coaster, the Sea Serpent.  Here's the link to the Bing aerials.

Starlight Video

Pointbuzz has a video up that not only shows off Cedar Point's new Starlight Experience, but also gives a ton of background into how the attraction runs and more technical details than you could shake a stick at.  But why would you be shaking a stick anyway?

Regardless check out the video on Pointbuzz's site.

I Smell More Sesame

Florida Thrills has discovered some new permits for a project soon to be underway at Busch Gardens Tampa.  You can read the permit on their site, but the highlight is the description which mentions the construction of 4 buildings, a roller coaster, and some other various demolition.

Rumors have pointed to a new Sesame Street themed land much like Busch Gardens Williamsburg added this season for a while now, so this is all falling into place nicely.  Looks like families will be able to visit the Sesame gang in 2010!

More Universal Singapore

I just discovered the Sentosa Theme Park blog which is covering all there is to cover (I mean that in a good way, it's just hard to get solid news and facts) of Universal Studios Singapore.  I was browsing through the older posts when I came across this link to a recent You Tube video that was taken at the construction site.

The video shows some things that I haven't seen before going on at the site.  There's a flume portion of some ride that comes out of the back of a large show building... I'm pondering maybe that's part of the Madagascar ride?  You can also see a halfway constructed family/kiddie roller coaster that I haven't seen before.

Lots of buildings are still going up and others look significantly further along.  There's also footage of the Battlestar Galactica dueling Vekoma coaster that everyone's interested in. 

Speaking of, here's a screen grab from the video showing the coaster's progress.  The building in front must be the entrance area to the ride, concept art of which just recently surfaced:

See the similarities in the long, curved building?  Can't wait to see more of the park as it goes up!

A High Class Act

First Karl Wallenda performed an amazing tightrope walk at Kings Island some 35 years ago, then last year his grandson Rick broke world records during another walk at the park.  This summer, Rick's grandson Nik Wallenda will visit almost all (sorry Michigan's Adventure!) Cedar Fair parks on a national tour performing amazing tightrope walking feats.

You can see the dates and get further details on Nik's tour on Cedar Fair's webpage for the event.  I know I want to be at Dorney's to check it out!

A Tower of Terror

Here's a video of the 'other' vertical drop coaster that opened three years after Oblivion did at Alton Towers - Tower of Terror at Gold Reef City in South Africa.  The ride features a 90 degree first drop into a dark tunnel, but then fizzles out much like Oblivion does after the intense first drop.

The coolest part is that the ride is built around a real tower from a former gold mine which adds to the theming of the ride greatly.  It's just not a ride that you hear or see much of, really!

Six Flags Seeks Bankruptcy Protection

When their plans to privately restructure their debt fell though this became pretty inevitable, and so Six Flags has decided they will file Chapter 11  bankruptcy protection.

The company is stressing that the filing status will not affect any of the parks in any way.  They're burdened by the massive amount of debt the previous management team left them with and this is the only way for them to get their heads above water.

Hopefully what will emerge from bankruptcy court will be a stronger company than ever that will provide all of us with many more years of fun at the Six Flags parks!

Dorney Park 6.12.09 Update

I finally had some free time today and since I hadn't visited Dorney Park since their opening day I figured I'd stop by and do a quick photo update. Let's go!

Signs are now up on the construction fences surrounding the Good Time Theatre which will be showing Snoopy Rocks! On Ice this summer.

The theatre has been painted a beige color but it still stands out and towers over the entrance area of the park.  Here we see the stairs being poured for entrances on the side of the structure.

This is the front side of the theatre that faces the inside of the park.  They've got some signs up on the side which very much remind me of something you'd see at Cedar Point.  Not sure what sorta finish will be added on the bottom part... maybe something with some color?

And here's a view from further back showing how the building really towers over the area.

Signs are up listing summer entertainment but Snoopy Rocks! is still only listed as "Coming Summer 2009."  

Moving on to a few other odds and ends, the former location of Laser has had some grass grow in but still no movement of any sort toward doing something with the area.

The park has also added a ton of these history signs around the park to celebrate the park's 125th anniversary this year.  I hope to feature all of them in a future article.

Another banner went up in front of Club Blood advertising the park's 13 haunted attractions that will be featured at this year's Haunt.

Just liked this peaceful photo, I love how the log flume starts out among so many trees.  The top half of the ride lost almost all of it's trees to Steel Force and then Hydra on the other side.

I also took a quick stroll through the water park since I hadn't been in there yet this year and grabbed this nice shot.  Not much new to see aside from some new food offerings and updated sinage.

And we'll finish with a closer shot of the new Pirates of Dorney Park shooting gallery that was added this year.  It's cool!

Ba Da Ba Ba Baaa I'm Lovin' It

© 2009 KDFansite.com

I used the McDonald's slogan as the title to this post because with the new red track that has shown up at Kings Dominion and the yellow supports previously delivered, we now have another fast-food-color-scheme Cedar Fair coaster!

All kidding aside, track has now shown up and KDFansite has exclusive photos. I honestly have no idea what kind of track that is. The only other place I've seen something similar to that is on the track for the world's fastest coaster at Ferrari World... but some say that ride is Premier and some say Intamin.

Either way, it's exciting!

Magic Springs' Rides Not Ready

According to this little news article about 24 of Magic Springs & Crystal Falls' amusement rides are currently down for maintenance. Sounds like Six Flags Great Adventure in the early 2000s!

Really though, that is quite a lot, representing a third of the rides at the PARC Management property. I would certainly hate to visit the park and see that list of closed rides at the entrance!

The park hasn't started it's full summer season yet, and hopes to have most of the rides open as soon as possible. I have to wonder why they didn't wrap up these maintenance issues before opening for the year, though.

Progress Continues at Conneaut Lake Park

In the wake of what park officials hailed as a successful grand reopening weekend, Conneaut Lake Park continues its slow but steady march back to full operation. Ken from Ride Operations has informed us that the following rides are now open:

• Sky Diver (new)
• Tilt-A-Whirl
• Paratrooper
• Flying Skooters
• Tumble Bug
• Bumper Cars
• Carousel
• The Devils Den
• The Witches Stew
• Trabant
• All rides in Kiddieland, including the Little Dipper

Ken also mentioned that the Log Cabin gift shop (which features an arcade) has reopened as well, and that the Rollo Planes, Round Up, and train are expected to open soon. Conneaut Lake hopes to have its water park back in operation by July 4, which would surely give the park an extra boost over the holiday weekend. Officials estimate that park attendance hit 25,000 over Memorial Day weekend, so let's hope they achieve equally high numbers over the 4th of July!

But if you don't feel like waiting that long to visit, Conneaut Lake Park is offering some additional incentives over the next couple weeks. The park has announced a "$5 Fridays" promotion which will allow you to purchase an unlimited rides wristband, valid from 4-10pm, for just $5 plus tax ($5.50 total) on June 12 and 19. Parking will also be free on Fridays. This is a big savings, so be sure to drop in and take advantage of this special offer if you can! More information is available on the park's web site.

Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: La Ronde 2005

Bonjour! Aujourd'hui nous allons à Québec pour visiter La Ronde. Je parle le Français un peu, mais il y a BEACOUP d'ans... Je m'arrête. C'est très mauvais!

Oh thank goodness--This brochure includes both French and English translations! Anybody know the French word for "woo hoo"?

Actually, I just noted one thing that has not been translated into English but I think this one's pretty self-explanatory: "Membre de la Famille de Six Flags". Had they not kept the "Six Flags" part in English, I would have suggested that perhaps La Ronde is embarrassed by this affiliation! But it does sound quite lovely in French, so I'll assume they were just trying to be suave.

We'll learn more about this in a couple pages, but the big new thing at La Ronde in 2005 was "Pays de Ribambelle", a family area featuring the park's new mascot. Pictured on the cover of this brochure is a rendering of Ourson Fripon, one of the new area's featured rides.

Mmmmm, a pyrotechnics exhibition...tasty! I tried to think of something intelligent to say here. (Really, I did!) But all I came up with was the following: FIRE! FIRE! heh heh FIRE! heh heh heh

Alright, alright: I'll try a little harder because this point merits elaboration. L’International des Feux Loto-Québec, otherwise known as the Montreal Fireworks Festival, is widely regarded as the world's largest and most prestigious fireworks competition. And since its inception in 1985, it has called La Ronde home! Each year, the world's best "pyromusical" masters converge upon the park over a period of weeks to compete for top honors and--according to this brochure--"seduce and dazzle" their audience. Ooh la la!! *blushes and giggles*

Okay, so going back to this Ribambelle creature--and by the way, has anyone else noted the conspicuous absence of Looney Tunes characters in this so-called Six Flags brochure? La Ronde is sans Looney Tunes! (Colloquial Americanized use of an otherwise French word intended!)

It's also "sans" a lot of other things, including Batmans and Supermans. Instead, you will find crowd pleasers such as Monstre, Monsieur L'Arbre, and my personal favorite, Autos Tamponneuses!! [Everything sounds fancier in French.] I suppose we did have a "Goliath" creep in there recently, but at least in this case it was appropriate so I'll let it slide. (Just don't let it happen again!)

But in 2005, it was all about Ribambelle and her new "pays". In addition to Ourson Fripon, five other rides were also installed in this area, several of which are pictured here. And if you compare these whimsical renderings to the actual ride photos that appear on La Ronde's web site today, you may have a hard time telling the difference. I mean wow, talk about attention to detail!

Quelle belle brochure! While the whole "circles" motif is reminiscent of other Six Flags brochures, at least this one's got some meat on its bones. Or does it just appear that way because the dual language presentation results in twice as much text? No matter. I'm still enchanted. Or shall I say, enchantée!

Two Big Kids, One Big Yellow Bird: Part 2

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out Part 1 of this two-part series as well!

When in doubt, begin with a topiary.

Thus far, our tour of Sesame Place has taken us through some of the newer--and drier--areas of the park. But rewinding a couple decades to a time when these newfangled traditional rides were just a twinkle in Big Bird's eye, Sesame Place was all about water.

Rubber Duckie Pond

As Sesame Place scrambled to keep up with growing crowds during its first decade of operation, a flurry of new attractions were added. The park's first water slides made their debut in 1983, in the form of the 130-foot long Zoom Flume and the 75-foot long Slippery Slope. Both became overnight sensations, thus setting the stage for a prolonged period of growth and expansion that focused primarily on the addition of new water attractions.

The oldest existing water slides at Sesame Place--Slippery Slopes, Sesame Streak, and Bert & Ernie's Slip & Slide--are nestled into a cozy little area bordering Elmo's World. (And by "nestled", I mean not particularly easy to photograph...although if you go back to the Elmo's World photos, you can catch a glimpse of a few of these in the background!)


One notable departure from the water slide building extravaganza that took place in the '80s and '90s was the addition of a life-size replica of a certain famous street in 1988. You know which one I'm talking about: It's Sesame Street! If you have a hankering to visit Ernie & Bert, Mr. MacIntosh, or the Sesame Street Engine House, this area of the park will be right up your alley--er, street. Sesame Neighborhood also doubles as a backdrop for the park's Rock Around the Block Parade, in which all your favorite Sesame Street characters dance and march their way from the main entrance all the way to the back of the park.

Ernie's Waterworks

Good Ship Sesame

The piecemeal additions of the 1980s gave way to some serious projects in the 1990s. Sesame Place opened the decade by redeveloping a section of its parking lot into Sesame Island, a 2.5-acre Caribbean-themed area. Sesame Island features its own beach, its own ship, and its own elaborate water play structure presided over by none other than Ernie.

Big Bird's Rambling River

This lazy river may not have crocs, but it does have an Elmo topiary!

The star attraction of Sesame Island is Big Bird's Rambling River, a 1000-foot long lazy river. Should you choose to float this river, don't be surprised if you're sprayed by a geyser, doused by a waterfall, or showered by a water-filled coconut!

Silly Sand Slides

Teeny Tiny Tidal Wave

Just a few short years later, in 1993, Sesame Place carved up yet another portion of its original parking lot to build the 1.5-acre Twiddlebug Land. Attractions in this area include everything from super-sized everyday items (designed to give children a view of the world through the eyes of a Twiddlebug) to a "teeny tiny" wave pool designed especially for the youngest swimmers in the family.

Slimey's Chutes

Sky Splash

The most super-sized of all the attractions in Twiddlebug Land opened in 1995: Sky Splash! This massive, 6-story family raft ride built upon the Twiddlebug theme already in progress with its oversize toy props, including an 8-foot Rubber Duckie that spits water.

And then, almost as soon as it began, Sesame Place's water attraction boom was over. If you'll recall from Part 1, the late '90s and early '00s were dominated by the installation of traditional rides, with nary a new splash to be seen. Until...Enter 2009 and The Count's Splash Castle!

The Count's Splash Castle

Twiddlebug Land can kiss its super-sized crown goodbye, because The Count's Splash Castle is the largest attraction ever built at Sesame Place. Spanning over 38,000 square feet, this interactive water play structure occupies some serious real estate at the back of the park.



Featuring over 90 water play elements, Splash Castle is a feast for the senses. I bet it would take nearly an entire day at Sesame Place to find them all! But according to Paula Pritchard, guests are welcoming this challenge.

"It's been very well received, especially on a sunny, hot day like today. There are over 90 different water elements that the kids can experience, and parents are loving that they have a ride they can experience with their child," she told us. "Even when you're waiting in line to go down a slide, there's so much activity. And even the littler ones who don't like the aggressive rides can splash along in the shallow water. So it's really a great, great fit for us at Sesame."

1000 gallons of water comin' right at ya!

With all those valves, water curtains, hydro blasters and the like to distract you, one could almost forget about the signature element of this attraction. Fortunately for you, The Count himself will remind you when it's about to happen by...wait for it...counting! When you hear that familiar "3, 2, 1..." sequence begin, it can only mean one thing: You're about to get doused by 1000 gallons of water, compliments of that 8-foot tipping bucket that sits so prominently atop the structure. Allow us to illustrate with a video.



After witnessing firsthand the throngs of parents and children who were joyfully splashing around the Castle, I don't think there's any doubt that Sesame Place has yet another blockbuster hit on its hands!

Rides and slides are obviously key components of the overall themed experience at Sesame Place, but they are not the only components. The park also boasts three theaters which host live, interactive shows featuring the various Sesame Street characters. And if that's not enough character camaraderie for you, you can take it to the next level and make a reservation to dine with them too!

Opportunities also abound to take one of these fuzzy friends home with you. Tykes seeking a challenge may opt to hone their developing coordination and motor skills on one of the many kid-friendly games offered at the park.

There are plenty of options for those who wish to own a fuzzy friend...

...as well as those who wish to become one.

But if you've had enough riding, splashing, singing, and tossing for one day, there is always the option of paying a visit to a gift shop!

It may look like a theme park, but it's actually a fountain of youth.

By the time we bid adieu to Big Bird and the gang, Mike and I felt a good couple decades younger. Even if you don't have any little ones in your family, do not underestimate the amount of fun that can be had by big kids at this park! Additionally, do not underestimate the powers of subliminal learning. Between the music, the signage, and the visual stimuli, I'm proud to report that I now feel fully confident in my abilities to count to ten, cross the street, and identify healthy foods. (Mom and Dad would be so proud!!)

We'd like to extend our warmest thanks to the staff at Sesame Place for inviting us to take part in this wonderful event. We hope to visit you again soon!

For more great photos of our adventures at Sesame Place, visit the NPN Facebook page!

Scott And Carol Present - Freestyle Music Park Changes Their Tune

With their "Grand Opening" eminent some changes at Freestyle Music Park are already on display during their soft opening. Empty spaces have been filled in with new rides, mainly to make the park more attractive to families. Here's a quick look at some of the improvements.

Fly Like An Eagle is a new Zamperla Kite Flyer that lets the entire family fly together.

A major short coming of the Hard Rock Park was a lack of activities for those who are vertically challenged.

Fly Like An Eagle makes time keep on slippin' slippin' slippin' away!

Now let's journey on over to the next ride.

Mom and Dad may consider this a classic, but to the kids it's an oldie, but goodie!

As long as they keep pedaling, those wheels in the sky keep on turnin'.

The Doo-Wop Buggies have their ups & downs.

Drivers of all sizes are invited to take a spin.

Rolling on around the area, these balloons don't use stones for ballast.

Like most balloons, these don't really fly into clouds.

Stay tuned for another "track" from Freestyle Music Park!

Aerial Antics: California's Great America

This week I thought we would visit sunny California and see the sights at California's Great America. The park, then known as Marriott's Great America opened to the public in 1976, the same year as it's sister property outside of Chicago. The park changed owners a couple times before settling as a Paramount Park, from which Cedar Fair purchased it - and that brings us to current day.

One big attraction during the Paramount era was Top Gun, now known as Flight Deck. The B&M inverted coaster opened in 1993 when the ride style was still very new. As with most B&M coasters, it's still one of the more popular rides at the park.

The amusement industry had a bit of a 'fling' with B&M stand-up coasters in the early nineties, during which California's Great America added Vortex. It's not a huge ride, but the catch isn't a long layout, or huge drop, it's the fact that riders stand the whole time! It sports a pretty funky paint job these days, too.

Invertigo. Never been on one of these since my opportunity to try the similar ride at Kings Island passed me by due to some technical difficulties the ride had. You don't typically hear amazing reviews for these inverted Vekoma Boomerangs, but at least it has a striking color scheme!

Just a side note, you can still see the supports for the park's former Tidal Wave aka Greased Lightnin' Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop coaster which was removed from the park in 2002. Purchased by Six Flags, and moved to Discovery Kingdom's parking lot, the ride was never rebuilt and eventually used as spare parts for Kentucky Kingdom's coaster of the same name. Oddly enough the Kentucky Kingdom version was originally the ride that opened at Great America in Chicago and was also known as Tidal Wave! How weird!

And here's Grizzly. That's all.

The park's water area, known as Boomerang Bay, was focused on a lot just before Paramount sold all their parks to Cedar Fair. Above we see the selection of water slides and attractions that have been added, and you can also see the park's former coaster Stealth's station in there with "Boomerang Bay" painted on it.

Cedar Fair continued the trend of water park expansion by adding the Great Barrier Reef wave pool in 2007. That update didn't make the bird's eye images, but you can see it on a comparison of Google and Ping's aerial images:

So what does the future hold for California's Great America? Well we know a wooden coaster was designed for the park and then not built, and with all the drama surrounding the 49ers plans for a new stadium in the park's parking lot, things look pretty muddy at this point. But we'll hope for the best, ok?

If you want to check out the images, follow this link.

Two Big Kids, One Big Yellow Bird: Part 1

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out Part 2 of this two-part series as well!

They say it's always a "Sunny Day" on Sesame Street, and yesterday was no exception. In utter defiance of Father Time and all things grown-up, Mike and I reverted to the mindset of our youth and headed out to Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA to attend their annual Media Day event. (That whole "reverting" part turned out to be pretty easy...a little too easy.)

Welcome to a land where the "stars" are warm, friendly, and fuzzy! Sesame Place has been serving up smiles for 29 years and counting. And when I say "counting", I'm not just talking about time. Education and childhood development are at the core of this park's mission. Conceived by the Children's Television Workshop, which produces the famed Sesame Street TV show, Sesame Place brings learning to life through its variety of fun, interactive attractions.

Nobody can accuse this park of lacking character. Every detail--even down to the bushes!--has been carefully planned and executed to give children a truly sensational "first theme park" experience. You will find nearly every single one of your favorite Sesame Street friends immortalized in one of these creative topiaries, which are scattered throughout the park. (And, in turn, you will find nearly every one of these topiaries immortalized on my memory card...I had become more than a little obsessed with them by the end of the day.)

Now that's what I call "character".

Having no experience with building theme parks, the Children's Television Workshop sought the help of well established theme park operator Busch Entertainment Corporation to help bring their dream to life. This proved to be a fruitful partnership, as the park was an immediate hit when it opened in 1980. In fact, Sesame Place drew such large crowds during its first season that some people had to be turned away! This success paved the way for the cycle of expansion and growth which began almost immediately and continues to this day.

Vapor Trail

Evidence of Sesame Place's growth is visible from the moment you approach the gates, in the form of a Vekoma junior coaster dubbed Vapor Trail. The introduction of Vapor Trail in 1998 ushered in a whole new era of traditional rides at Sesame Place, which had previously featured only water rides and other sorts of interactive, non-mechanized "dry" attractions.

Topiaries. Roller coasters. Super Grover. Life is good.

Of course Mike and I had to join Super Grover for a couple spins on his intergalactic adventure. It is a refreshingly fun little coaster! We've even captured it on film for you...



Beyond Vapor Trail, the entire right side of the park is now dominated by traditional amusement rides that have been given a Sesame flair.

Big Bird's Balloon Race

Grover's World Twirl

Big Bird's Balloon Race and Grover's World Twirl were added in 2002. Now the skeptic in you may be wondering what could possibly be educational about rides. Allow me to enlighten you! The wise folks at Sesame Place recognize that children absorb all kinds of information, in the most unlikely of places and at the most unlikely times. Consequently, they have incorporated educational theming and visuals into many of these rides. For instance, though you can't see it very well in the photo above, the wall behind Grover's World Twirl is adorned with world flags and the address "123 Sesame Street" translated into countless different languages. Perhaps we could all learn a little something at Sesame Place!

Nets & Climbs. Do you think this big kid joined the rest of the children for a bit of rope climbing action? You bet I did!

Monster Maze

Nestled among all the newfangled mechanical rides are some oldies but goodies. Ernie's Bed Bounce as well as the 40-foot play structure pictured above, which includes Nets & Climbs, Cookie Mountain, Monster Maze, and Big Bird's Court, are among the few remaining original attractions at Sesame Place. It just goes to show: Kids of all ages (myself included) can't get enough obstacle courses!

"I'm the Elmo topiary! Tickle me!"

In 2006, the ever popular "Elmo's World" came to Sesame Place in the form of a new themed area. This area, which features three rides and LOTS of color, was themed after the Sesame Street segment of the same name which stars none other than...Elmo! (See, we're still learning! Those are some important cognitive skills I just taught you.)

Flyin' Fish (*Not to be confused with Flyin' Phil)

Blast Off

Peek-a-Bug

Of the three Elmo rides, Mike and I just couldn't pass up the Peek-a-Bug. This cute contraption is a Zamperla Rockin' Tug in caterpillar clothing. Snuffy's Slides were also located near this area, but sadly I exceeded the age limit by a good 20 years so that was a fail.

Sunny Day Carousel

Just on the other side of some shops from Elmo's World is the Sunny Day Carousel, the last of the traditional rides which can be found at Sesame Place today. This colorful take on the traditional carousel is "last" from a timing perspective as well, as it was just added last year. Might we see even more rides in the future? It's certainly a possibility according to Paula Pritchard, Director of Communications & Resident Marketing at Sesame Place.

"We try to keep a good balance of water attractions, dry attractions, and character interaction shows so that we can extend the seasonality of our park," she told us. "If it was just a water park, our season would be limited." Paula also pointed out that Sesame Place's season now extends beyond the summer, as The Count's Halloween Spooktacular takes over the park in the fall. This event will be expanded again in 2009 to feature an all new Elmo's World Live Halloween show as well as new decorations and opportunities to dine with the characters--always a crowd pleaser!

Sesame Place may excel at striking a balance between wet and dry attractions. But in 2009, the scales--er, bucket--definitely tipped in favor of the former. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our "sunny day" at Sesame Place, which will feature the brand new wet-n-wild adventure known as The Count's Splash Castle!

The Stadium Debate Rages On

I haven't seen too much about the plan to build a new 49ers stadium in the parking lot of California's Great America recently, but now things are getting toasty once again between Cedar Fair and the Santa Clara City Counsel.

The park operator is threatening to sue if their concerns are not addressed property when putting the measure to vote. The financing plan for the stadium was recently approved but the measure needs to pass the general ballot before being finalized.

It's an interesting situation because Cedar Fair seems more than willing to sell the park and be done with it but it appears as though the 49ers aren't very interested. Possible legal action could surely delay the plan enough to cause it to fall apart, so I think we'll see more action on this one sooner than later.

Now That's A Neighbor To Have!

Check out this video of the amazing backyard pool/mini water park that Texan Eugene Lochman built.

The pool area contains a 15 person grotto, a 260 ft. lazy river, water falls, a tunnel, fountains, dramatic lighting, fog, mist, and more. I wish this guy lived next door to me! The price tag, some $200,000 makes this little more than a dream for someone like me but it's pretty neat regardless.

Ride Warriors Unite

Cedar Fair is really pushing their Ride Warrior concept pretty hard this season. First the brand was showing up at all the parks, now most of them have a merchandise location themed to it, and now a new website (to me, at least) has popped up at Ride Warrior Nation.com that allows readers to submit their story of why they are a Ride Warrior.

The website is in conjunction with a Facebook page for the same brand. It's a pretty atypical movement for Cedar Fair in general, so props for that.

Daily Spin 6.6.09

As the "on" season kicks into full swing, the ever innovative marketing gurus at Hersheypark continue to assault our senses with technology. This week the park reminded the Facebook community to check out the "Hersheypark Today" mobile web site (mobile.hersheypark.com), which provides up-to-the-minute information on burning topics such as ride statuses and entertainment schedules. Definitely something to check out for all you technophiles who are cool enough to own an iPhone or some other fun toy that actually makes surfing the web on a mobile device somewhat enjoyable! On another technological front, the team has supplemented the supremely entertaining Hersheypark Hits the Road blog with an equally entertaining series of videos that capture John and Luke's antics during their recent trip to the Sunshine State. These videos are available for your viewing pleasure on Hershey's YouTube channel as well as the blog itself. Hilarious!

Speaking of technology, this week Morey's Piers launched their brand new web site, a facelift that was 10 months in the making. Norris Clark, Director of Sales and Marketing, called the effort "the most involved project the marketing department has undertaken in years". I must say their hard work has paid off, because the site looks great! Among other things, a slew of new multimedia components have been added, including a new and improved 360-degree interactive tour, audio introductions to each of the main navigation areas by their respective team leaders, and the option to view the site in "day", "night", or "thrill" mode. Be sure to check it out!

In other seaside news, the North Myrtle Beach City Council has approved new amusement park guidelines which will allow the proposed plan to build a small, family-oriented park along Ocean Boulevard to move forward. The park, which will be called O.D. Pavilion and Amusement Park ["O.D." referring to the Ocean Drive section of Myrtle Beach], is scheduled to open August 1 and will stay open through Labor Day weekend. If all goes well, it will reopen next year for a full summer season. You can read more about the park in this article from The Sun News.

Carol and Jerome Albert, former owners of Coney Island's beloved but now defunct Astroland, have donated one of the stars that used to adorn Astroland's entrance to the Smithsonian collection according to this article. The 8-foot tall, 200-pound star, which features 160 light bulbs, is slated to be put on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia sometime in 2011. Margaret A. Weitekamp, a curator at the National Air and Space Museum who hand-picked this particular star, noted that the Alberts had originally offered to donate Astroland's famed rocket simulation ride but that particular item proved to be "a little more than the Air and Space Museum could handle". But since the rocket has since found a good home-not-away-from-home as well, the story has a happy ending. Or at least, as happy of an ending as you can get when it comes at the expense of losing Astroland. At least we will not lose its history!

Sabrina Gets Schlitterbahned: Part 3

Editor's Note: This post is the third in a three-part series covering my recent visit to Schlitterbahn New Braunfels. Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 as well!

I see London! I see France! I see America's favorite water ride! (I also see a Skycoaster, but who's counting.)

Are you Schlittered out yet? You better not be, because we still have a whole 'notha section of the park to cover! In 1996, the Blastenhoff area was added to Schlitterbahn East, just a hop, skip and a jump (or a brief walk--your choice) away from neighboring Surfenburg. Like the other two areas of the park, Blastenhoff has something for every member of the family. But where it really shines is in its collection of adult rides, which take the usual water park staples and kick them up a notch.

Exhibit A: Take one lazy river, add some waves, and what do you get? The world's first tidal wave river! Jeff's eyes lit up at the very mention of this attraction. "The Torrent River is awesome!" he told us. (In case you got lost in all that fancy PR jargon, that's Schlitterspeak for "The Torrent River is awesome!")

"We have folks that do nothing but float the Torrent with their families," he added. "It sounds so simple to take a continuous river and then just have a wave every so many seconds, but it is absolutely so much fun." After taking a few laps on it (which were followed by a few more laps), I wholeheartedly agree.

This is where it all begins. Many folks camp out here in the hopes of catching a lift on one of the swells which emanate from the magical wave-making machine.

These waves are no joke. Peep those whitecaps!

By now you've probably lost count of how many times the word "first" has appeared in this series of posts. Let's count 'em down:

• First water park resort


• First man-made bodyboarding ride


• First uphill water coaster


• First tidal wave river


• First (and only) Transportainment river system (This state-of-the-art interconnecting river system was built into the other two--soon to be three--Schlitterbahn properties from day one, and has been incrementally worked into the original New Braunfels park where possible.)

The list goes on and on and on! The folks at Schlitterbahn are perennial innovators, and that trait has played a big role in making this family of parks what it is today. So how important is it to have that ever impressive "first" qualifier attached to a new attraction?

"It's about more than just the innovations," Jeff said. "It all goes back to what do our guests want, and what do they want to see, and what continues to enhance the guest experience. And really, that's the criteria. If it turns out to be a first then great, but if it turns out just to be very cool and compelling, then that's fantastic as well."


When the Torrent River inevitably washes you ashore, you will likely find yourself on Blastenhoff Beach, face-to-face with the mother of all water slide towers. This tower's swagger comes not from its sheer height (six stories!), but from a certain signature attraction which calls Blastenhoff home. Yep, I'm talking about the Master Blaster!


Its de facto Golden Ticket Award proudly emblazoned on its sign, Master Blaster challenges all you thrill-hungry landlubbers out there to leave the rails behind and take to the waters. I definitely fell into this category [note: fell, past tense], so I was anxious to see what all this "water coaster" buzz was about. I'm not gonna lie to you: This was the first thing we rode after we parted ways with Jeff. I was a woman on a mission.

Six stories of splashin', blastin' goodness.

I expected to enjoy this ride, and I was not disappointed. What I was not expecting was the way it attacks you from the back! All that water rocketing you uphill has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is over your shoulders and into your lap, just when you're least expecting it. Sneaky, sneaky, Mr. Master Blaster!


Okay, so we know that Master Blaster is the bomb. But how about some love for its siblings who share that tower? Wolfpack kicks it family style, with its round, family-sized rafts. I'd say this is probably the tamest of the three tower rides, but it's still a boatload--or shall I say, raftload--of fun.


That curvaceous black tubing belongs to Black Knight (appropriate name, I know!), a fast and furious two-person rafting experience. Enclosed water slides are a lot like enclosed coasters: dark, disorienting, and deceptively speedy. Because you never have a chance to reorient yourself with the outside world, you never know what's coming up around the next bend. I'm a fan. Black Knight rounds out the current Blastenhoff collection nicely.

All that blasting and tubing sure works up an appetite, and there is no shortage of tasty food available in any of Schlitterbahn New Braunfels' three sections. But if you're like most folks, trying to save a few bucks in this challenging economic climate, you may wish to pack a lunch instead.

WHOA, wait a minute here. "Pack a lunch"? As in, keep it in my car and exit the park to eat it? Not at Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, my friends! In fact, not at any of the Schlitterbahn locations. In keeping with those family traditions of 1979, each and every Schlitterbahn park invites you to bring your own food and shamelessly consume it right in front of their staff!

And by the way, if you happen to pack up that picnic basket and leave it sitting on the kitchen table, fear not for there is hope. All Schlitterbahn parks also offer free parking! Yes, you read that correctly: FREE PARKING. So go ahead and run home for that grub, because you won't have to pay a dime to get back into the lot.

"It's a real savings for families," Jeff said. "That's going to save you $15 to $20 to $25 just in parking your car. With economic conditions the way that they are, those are things that really have resonated very well for Schlitterbahn." When you combine these increasingly rare perks with the innovations and the theming and all the new rides and attractions that continue to pop up across the Schlitterbahn chain, a day at the water park becomes a very attractive proposition to the average, hard-working American family.

Schlitterbahn Waterparks is obviously doing its part to help keep family vacations affordable during these tough economic times. But how is the company itself weathering the storm? Are families returning the favor?

"Last year was the perfect 'staycation' time," Jeff told us. "This year the economy's gone a little too far south. Traditionally our model has been that if the destination parks are up, like Universal Studios and Disney, the regional theme parks are down. Last year the regional theme parks were up and Disney and Universal were down. This year, the early indicators coming out of first quarter are that everyone is down across the board. And if everyone's down, that means [families are] truly at the next level, which is the 'staycation' where you're staying in your house."

Yet despite this trend, he remains positive. "Luckily for us, our busiest time of the year is toward the end of the summer. The hotter it gets, the more top of mind Schlitterbahn becomes." So if the economy and consumer confidence manage to improve a bit over the next couple months, parks like Schlitterbahn should still be able to eke out a decent season. Texas parks in particular should fare better than most, considering that the state as a whole has not taken as big of an economic hit as many other parts of the country. "We're cautiously optimistic," Jeff said.

"Remember to always bring a towel."

We did our best to stimulate the economy by investing in some Schlitterstuff during our visit!

Han's Hideout. I totally wanted to play on this, but *somebody* would have been embarrassed.

Kinderhaven

For the younger members of the family who are either too small or too intimidated to tackle the big rides, Blastenhoff also features two children's areas. Say, I wonder if Schatze ever makes his way over to this side of the park! (No? Just wishful thinking on my part? Sigh...Well I still maintain my previously noted position regarding wiener dogs and fun.)

There was no good angle to be had on this shot, so allow me to translate the text which appears on this whimsical mural: "On a clear day, if you could see forever, you could see the other 2 great Schlitterbahn Waterparks." It's referring, of course, to the South Padre Island and Galveston Island locations. But you and I both know that a certain little town named Kansas City is about to take the honor of playing host to the first Schlitterbahn water park resort outside the state of Texas.

Is the sky the limit in terms of where we might see other Schlitterbahns pop up? I posed this question to Jeff, and it garnered the shortest response I received from him all day: "Yes." I like that answer! "You just never know!" he added.

But if you're looking for a New Braunfels clone to pop up around every corner, you're out of luck because that's not how Schlitterbahn operates. "There's not a cookie cutter Schlitterbahn, and that was done on purpose," Jeff explained. "This way, if you travel and visit the other parks, they all have their own unique themes, their own personalities. It's not like they're all a duplicate of one another." How refreshing is that!

Well folks, that about wraps up our exclusive tour of the world's best water park. So what were my top 10 takeaways from this experience?

#10 - Leave the trip planning to the enthusiast in the family.

#9 - Leave the trip planning to the enthusiast in the family. (This one bears repeating. In fact, it merits its own top 10 list.)

#8 - If I have any hope of excelling in the sport of boogie boarding, I'm gonna have to move to San Antonio and get a Schlitterbahn season pass. Sometimes in life, you have to make sacrifices.

#7 - When Schlitterbahn says "footlong" sausages and corndogs, they really mean it. In the spirit of innovation, perhaps they should construct a Calorie Blaster right next to Master Blaster.

#6 - Never underestimate the therapeutic powers of a lazy river.

#5 - No bathing suit, no matter how modest, is safe from wardrobe malfunctions at a water park.

#4 - Theming and special effects on water rides are wicked cool. Props to Schlitterbahn for thinking outside the box (as usual) and putting a new twist on some old favorites. I hope to see this trend continue! (I also hope to return someday to experience Congo River Expedition for myself. Refer to #s 9 and 10.)

"You're my boy, Blue!" *single tear*

#3 - If you visit Schlitterbahn East, do indulge yourself by saddling up a croc in Kristal River. You will not be disappointed. Just don't blame me if your trusty reptilian companion steals your heart, as did mine...Consider yourselves warned!

#2 - When it comes to being Director of Corporate Communications, Jeffrey Siebert is the right man for the job. This guy loves Schlitterbahn and it shows. His excitement is contagious! (And I was excitable already...a lethal combination.) I imagine I would enjoy holding that position as well, although if my job required me to say Schlitter-anything on a daily basis I would inevitably be fired for too many inadvertent slips of the tongue.

#1 - Believe the hype. I may not be a water park connoisseur, but it doesn't take a rocket scientiest to figure out why Schlitterbahn New Braunfels is ranked the world's #1 water park again and again and again. This place truly does have it all, from cutting edge thrill rides and themed attractions to deluxe children's areas and 45-minute tubing adventures. Yet despite all that, Schlitterbahn manages to achieve two things that elude so many other parks of our day: It's affordable, and its rich history is still very much alive. And in the off chance that you're still not convinced...their mascot is a dachshund. Case closed!

I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Jeffrey Siebert for being such a gracious and entertaining tour guide. I wish I could fully convey his Schlitterenthusiasm through writing, but take my word for it: It's there. I'd also like to extend my thanks to all the Schlitterbahn New Braunfels employees who made our visit to the park so enjoyable. Consider this former landlubber officially converted into an amphibious enthusiast!

New Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Video

Universal Studios Florida has released this new promo video for the new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster opening soon at the park. It looks awesome! I enjoyed bopping along with the music as well, I'd love it if that was one of the selections on the actual ride! And I have to say that the video looks like it was done by Virtual Image Productions which makes it even better.

The park also just released this photo of the trains for the ride:

Awesome!

Carowinds 2010 Making Progress

© 2009 Wormy via Carowinds Connection

Kings Dominion's coaster supports arrival may have the spotlight right now, but we must not forget that Carowinds has been working on their new ride for 2010 all season long!

The park has just about completed leveling the ground where their former log flume ride was, and they've created a new track layout for their Dora train ride and fenced it off from the construction site.

No parts are on site yet, at least that we can see, but it appears as though that may be right around the corner. If footers aren't already in, they're up next, too. Whatever this ride will be, it sure appears that it'll be big!

Check out the latest update from Carowinds Connection.