Toy Story Land Celebrates Grand Opening at Disney's Hollywood Studios

© Disney's Hollywood Studios

This weekend is the premier of a major, 11 acre expansion to Disney's Hollywood Studios - a part of Walt Disney World in Florida - named Toy Story Land.

Themed as Andy's backyard from the famous Toy Story films, visitors encounter a world filled with seemingly giant toys and other objects assembled to create the rides and buildings, as guests are now the size of a toy.

In addition to two new attractions, Disney's Hollywood Studios' popular ride, Toy Story Mania, has been given a new entrance that is a part of Toy Story Land, officially incorporating it into the area's offerings.  A new dining location, Woody's Lunch Box, has also been built, featuring classic American dishes along with treats like old-fashioned soda floats.

© Disney's Hollywood Studios

Arguably the most exciting addition to Toy Story Land is a brand new roller coaster, Slinky Dog Dash.  Guests ride in an extended version of Slinky himself, and the coaster (created by Mack Rides) features two separate launches.  Designed for families the ride is by no means as intense as some launched coasters, but a perfect fit for Toy Story Land.  Plus, it has a low 38 inch height requirement.

Here is a great video from Sharp Productions showing off ride and on ride footage of Slinky Dog Dash! 

© Disney's Hollywood Studios

The final new attraction in Toy Story Land is Alien Swirling Saucers, a gentle whip-style ride with guests being pulled behind the adorable Aliens that are perpetually mesmerized by "the claw."  The attraction features two separate sections that allow for higher capacity.

For more on Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios, check out the theme park's official website.

Carowinds Starts Teaser Campaign for 2019 Expansion

Some interesting new teasers have been posted by Carowinds on Twitter today, showing off what appear to be two signs posted on a construction wall inside the theme park.  Until now it was clear that some construction work was underway at the park, but one of the two signs now confirms the link between the work and the 2019 season.

© Carowinds

Here is the first photo the park shared, which isn't too large of an image but is all about the Byrd Farm Expansion that is taking place.  While pending approval from the Great Carolina Agricultural Department, the graphic advertises that "sweet corn" will fill up the area in 2019.  It also mentions a list of construction partners, some of which are familiar.  For instance, the name of one of the companies links back to characters the park created for an expansion project just a couple years ago.

© Carowinds

This is the second image that the park posted, an advertisement for barns built by the Miami River Lumber Company, which was also the company used to tease Kings Island's Mystic Timbers and then used in the coaster's back story.  The text gives more hints, possibly red herrings as well.

For instance, one line says "our lumber is obtained by means of vengeance."  This is seemingly a reference to Cedar Point's makeover of Mean Streak into Steel Vengeance.  The very bottom also reads that the company is out of Southern Yellow Pine until next season, which is a wood that is commonly used in wooden roller coaster construction.  There are even more hints in the text if you look hard enough.

© Bing Maps

Carowinds currently has heavy construction work going on in the area inside the pink outline seen here.  The former home of the park's shoot-the-chutes, along with a small water park play area has been joined to land that once held the station for Thunder Road to create a big space to work with.  Seemingly, this is where the 2019 additions will go.

For some photos of the work that has taken place thus far, check out this gallery from Carowinds Connection.  There is plenty of speculation out there as to what the park is building, and it is fun to see them now teasing the project, which looks like it could be a new themed area in addition to at least one large new ride (or a big addition to the Crossroads section). 

Waterville USA to Retire Cannonball Run Wooden Coaster

© Waterville USA

Waterville USA, located in Alabama, has announced that they plan to retire their wooden roller coaster, named Cannonball Run, at the end of the 2018 season.  The park, as the name would imply, is mainly focused on water park attractions, but also includes a small selection of family rides along with the coaster.

Cannonball Run is a medium sized wood coaster that opened in 1995 and was built by Custom Coasters International, a long defunct company that built more than 30 wood coasters during the 1990s and early 2000s.

© Waterville USA

Cannonball Run stands 65 feet tall and features a track length of 1,700 feet with a top speed of 43 miles per hour.  It features one Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters train with five cars.  The layout, most of which can be seen in the above photo from the park, features a series of air-time hills on the trip out and back, with a traditional 180 degree turn in the middle.

© Google Maps

As for why the roller coaster is being removed, the park's owner just stated that they are making room for new attractions.  Since the coaster borders the edge of the parking lot for most of the trip, it doesn't appear (at least in the aerial above) that too much room will be gained from its removal.

Riders will have until September 16th to get their final rides on Cannonball Run.

New Pendulum Thrill Ride - Tigeren - Opening in 2019 at Djurs Sommerland

Large pendulum thrill rides, available from several ride manufacturers, are proving to be a hot ticket in the amusement industry over the past few seasons.  Several of these rides have opened each season in parks across the globe, and it looks like the trend will continue in 2019.

Djurs Sommerland, located in Denmark, has announced the addition of Tigeren to the park's Wild Asia themed section for 2019.  The ride will be one of Intamin's Gyro Swings, which hits speeds of up to 62 miles per hour and a maximum swing angle of 120 degrees.  At the top of that swing the highest part of the pendulum will be around 147 feet in the air, according to the park.

This animation of Tigeren shows just how tall the ride will be, and it will indeed tower over all of the park's existing roller coasters.  When Crazanity opens this summer at Six Flags Magic Mountain it will be the tallest pendulum ride at 172 feet, not that the 147 feet of Tigeren is any less impressive!

Djurs Sommerland continues to expand on a regular basis, with two new family rides opening in 2018, and a unique Intamin suspended inverted ride, DragonKongen having opened in 2017.

Ohio's Zoombezi Bay Waterpark Opens New "Otter Banks" Expansion

© Zoombezi Bay

The Zoombezi Bay Waterpark, located adjacent to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, has opened a brand new themed section called Otter Banks.  The expansion contains three brand new attractions that offer fun from mild to wild, leaving no member of the family left out.

The attractions also offer some unique items not found in many water parks in the U.S., which is interesting to see.  The above image shows the entire Otter Banks area, which has been built on previously undeveloped land behind one of the park's main slide towers and near the wave pool.

Here are some photos of Otter Banks that the water park shared earlier in the year, when it was still under construction:

© Zoombezi Bay

The largest additions are the Sandpiper Splash Drop Slides, the blue and green body slides that can be seen above.  The fast slides empty into a deep pool below, but allow sliders to fall between 4 and 6 feet to the water below as they exit the slide.  The park notes that the pool is deep, and that Sandpiper Splash Drop Slides are for strong swimmers only.  Many parks have removed slides of this type through the years, so it is neat to see a new set open.

Sea Challenge is an inflatable obstacle course that puts two participants head to head as they race through the course, which takes place over and in the water.  The race finishes with a slide down the last obstacle into the pool below.  This is another pretty unique attraction for a water park, and looks like a lot of fun.

Finally Otter Banks also includes Sand Dollar Shores, a zero-depth entry play area that includes cascading water falls, basketball hoops, and more.  Perfect for smaller kids, the area also allows parents to relax along the shoreline as the kids play.

For more on Otter Banks, check out Zoombezi Bay's website.

Noah's Ark Waterpark Opens Raja - World's Largest King Cobra Slide

© Noah's Ark Waterpark

Billed as the largest King Cobra waterslide on Earth, Noah's Ark Waterpark has officially opened their new attraction, Raja.  Created by Polin Waterparks, the King Cobra style slide is only the second in the United States, with the other being at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Great Adventure.

Raja stands an impressive six stories tall and features two separate parallel paths that twist through turns right after leaving the boarding area.  The slides cover 335 feet long and riders can hit a maximum speed of 32 miles per hour while on Raja.

© Noah's Ark Waterpark

The end of the slide is the most exciting, when riders, each seated in tubes, head down a very steep 37 foot drop.  They then slide up directly under the menacing head of a giant cobra, water spraying from its fangs.  They then oscillate back and forth in the u-shaped trough, before coming to a stop and exciting the slide.

Raja has been built right along Wisconsin Dells Parkway, giving those passing the park an enticing view.  The park also shared this video chronicling the building of Raja, along with on new on-slide footage.

Pixar Pier Welcomes First Guests at Disney California Adventure

© Disney

This weekend marks the opening of Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure, which is a reimagining of the Paradise Pier area which opened along with the theme park.  Obviously, everyone's favorite Pixar characters have moved into the land, creating four Pixar-themed "neighborhoods:" Pixar Promenade, Toy Story Boardwalk, Incredibles Park and Inside Out Headquarters.

The area's main attractions have been rethemed to the popular Pixar franchises with the exception of Toy Story Midway Mania, which already nicely fits in with the Toy Story Boardwalk area.  The section's large Ferris wheel is now called Pixar Pal-A-Round, featuring new colors and character themed gondolas.

© Disney

The largest attraction of the area has always been the large launched Intamin-designed roller coaster, formerly named California Screamin', now called the Incredicoaster.  A perfect them considering that Incredibles 2 is smashing the box office right now!  The ride has received a light retheme to include the main characters from the films.

Disney California Adventure released some footage of the various theming elements that have been added to bring the Incredicoaster to life.

Although Pixar Pier is opening this weekend, it's not quite finished yet.  Coming later this year and in 2019 are several additions.  The park's classic Carousel will be rethemed to Jesse's Critter Carousel, with Western themed Toy Story additions.

© Disney

Next year the Inside Out Headquarters area will gain an attraction lifted from A Bug's Land, once it closes this summer.  Known as Emotional Whirlwind, visitors will ride in balloons themed to various emotions.  Later this year the area will also open Bing Bong's Sweet Candy Tears, a sweets shop featuring a plethora of items to choose from.

SeaWorld Orlando Shares Infinity Falls Construction Update + New Concept Art

© SeaWorld Orlando

Although the summer season is now underway, the brand new river raft ride, Infinity Falls, isn't quite ready to open at SeaWorld Orlando.  While everyone patiently waits for the large attraction to open, the theme park recently held a tour of the ride's construction site, which shows that plenty of progress has been made in recent weeks.

Above is some of the new concept art that SeaWorld Orlando has released for Infinity Falls.  The art shows off the entire ride and surrounding area, and highlights different aspects of the rapids, new food and retail offerings, and more.

© SeaWorld Orlando

It looks like SeaWorld Orlando has changed some of the ride's concept for the main plunge, removing one of the large decorative towers at the top of the drop.  This art shows the one tower that is still in place, with a few smaller ones alongside the ride's mid-course lift hill.

Several of the ride's main statistics were also released with the tour, including a river length of 1,520 feet, a 5 minute ride time, hourly capacity of just over 1,000 riders, a 30 foot lift and a 40 foot drop.  Each raft will seat 8 passengers and riders must be 42 inches tall to journey down Infinity Falls.

For more photos and video of the Infinity Falls, check out both Attractions Magazine and also Orlando Theme Park News.

A view of #InfinityFalls big drop. @SeaWorld pic.twitter.com/Dl5sy9OMHU

— ThrillGeek (@thrillgeek) June 20, 2018

And for those curious, here is a photo from ThrillGeek that shows what the main drop and surrounding area looks like as of right now.  Neat to see a large drop like that on a river rapids ride, not too many feature such an element.

Aerial views of Infinity Falls round raft ride opening this summer at Sea World Orlando. pic.twitter.com/6Cn9uNusqX

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) June 16, 2018

Last but not least, Twitter user Bioreconstruct took to the skies again this past weekend and shared plenty of aerial views of Infinity Falls.  Click through to their Twitter feed to see more.

While a bummer that the ride isn't ready yet, I have to say that it looks really wonderful so far and SeaWorld Orlando is obviously taking the time needed to get it done right, with plenty of theming, rockwork, heavy landscaping and more going into the project!

Party Into the Night at SeaWorld San Antonio's New Electric Ocean Celebration

© SeaWorld San Antonio

SeaWorld San Antonio is excited to present their new nighttime celebration, called Electric Ocean, which premiered this past Friday, June 15th.  The event, which "transforms the park into a sea of glowing color and energy," was well received last year at SeaWorld Orlando and San Diego and is now taking up residence at SeaWorld San Antonio.

“When the sun goes down, our park comes alive with a celebration of illumination, featuring vibrant night shows with exhilarating performances,” said Carl Lum, SeaWorld San Antonio park president. “Immersed in exotic worlds of light, music and incomparable special effects, our guests can experience their favorite SeaWorld rides and attractions in a whole new way – lit by the Electric Ocean glow.”

© SeaWorld San Antonio

Electric Ocean allows visitors to experience the park in a new light once the sun goes down, with special entertainment, glowing decorations and tons of energy.  The park's hours have also been extended to allow guests more time to experience all that Electric Ocean offers, even offering night rides on the park's coasters.

Each night's event is capped with IgNite, a spectacular fireworks show that lights up the sky over the park.  The show also utilizes the park's central lake, and is backed by a unique soundtrack of electronic dance music.

© SeaWorld San Antonio

The park's party atmosphere is exemplified in the Electric Ocean Party Zone, filled with "Latin beats, glow zones and an interactive atmosphere."  There is also a Deep Sea Silent Disco where guests pick their own tunes via headphones and dance together in silence.

Shamu's Celebration: Light Up The Night is another returning fan favorite with original music, high-energy production elements and a celebratory atmosphere.  The show features the park's famous orcas and takes place in Shamu Theater.

© SeaWorld San Antonio

Electric Ocean's entertainment roster does not end there, as there are other shows such as Sea Lions Tonite, a "hilarious, off-the-wall parody of a trip to SeaWorld through the eyes" of the park's sea lion superstars.  Seen above is HydroPower: Xtreme FX, a water ski stunt show that features "non-stop action, including unique stunts and comedy capers" along with a live rock band and plenty of pyrotechnics.

For more on Electric Ocean at SeaWorld San Antonio, check out the park's website.

Brand New DreamWorks Theatre Featuring Kung Fu Panda Now Open at Universal Studios Hollywood

© Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood has completed another transformation inside the park, this time turning the former Shrek 4-D theater into the all-new DreamWorks Theatre featuring Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor's Quest.

Obviously based on the popular Kung Fu Panda franchise, the theater "takes guests on a thrilling journey that fuses captivating storytelling with state-of-the art visual effects for a highly engaging experience."  The film takes place on the morning of The Emperor's Great Feast of Heroes, when Po goes on a perilous mission to deliver the Liquid of Limitless Power to the grand palace, taking visitors to the theme park along with him.  Throughout the experience visitors will encounter "raging rapids, river pirates, awesome magic" and, of course, Kung Fu.
 

© Universal Studios Hollywood

Having officially premiered on June 15th, the attraction's opening ceremonies featured a plethora of DreamWorks Animation characters from films including Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Trolls and Shrek.  The ceremonies also included a martial arts demonstration, which can be seen above in a press image.

As for the attraction, it is described as a multi-sensory experience, using the "first-ever integration of interior projection mapping designed to engulf guests in 180 degrees of immersive adventure. Developed by the innovative team at Universal Creative, this never-before-adapted technique depicts a series of immersive and visually dynamic scenic designs that will transform within the interior space and enhance the story. With detailing that is so precise, it will be near impossible to realize the projected imagery is a mere illusion."

The film is coupled with high-end cinema projectors and 360 degree surround sound, and even the plush seats pivot to keep up with the 180 degree action.  In theater effects such as wind and water are also utilized.

Early reviews of Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor's Quest are glowing, highlighting the advanced technology that has taken this type of theater experience to the next level.

Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration Announced for Universal Studios Florida

© Universal Orlando Resort

The long rumored new nighttime fountain show for Universal Studios Florida has finally been announced, and it will be called Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration.

The new show will take place on the central lagoon of Universal Studios Florida each evening starting this summer, a more specific date has not been announced.

Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration will "bring thrilling and fun moments to life inspired by characters from popular Universal Orlando experiences and blockbuster films," including Harry Potter, Jurassic World (seen in the concept art up top), Fast & Furious, Despicable Me and many more.  The show will be projected on giant water screens in the lagoon and utilize 120 separate dancing water fountains.  Projection mapping will transform the entire waterfront of the park's buildings into scenes that blend into the show.

Universal Studios Orlando is currently transforming a large part of their Central Park area that borders the lagoon into a dedicated viewing area for the new show.  Multiple levels of standing room are being built to accommodate visitors that will no doubt start lining up early to see the show.

Tokyo Disney Resort Unveils Massive Expansion for Tokyo DisneySea in 2022

© Oriental Land Co.

Oriental Land Company has announced that they have reached an agreement with Disney to build an all new themed Port inside Tokyo DisneySea along with a new hotel, all scheduled to begin operations in 2022.

The expansion, costing roughly $2.3 billion, appears to be the final version of major additions planned for Tokyo DisneySea, which date back an announcement in 2014 that were clarified in 2015 that a new Frozen themed Port was coming to the park.  The plans were eventually reconsidered, with a new Soarin' attraction announced while final plans were drawn up.

Now, the company has released details of their plans for Tokyo DisneySea, which will expand into a much larger area than previously planned.  The resort already is hard at work constructing a large addition of Tokyo Disneyland's Fantasyland area.  Also of note, the licenses between Oriental Land Co. and Disney have been extended another 30 years, all the way through 2076.

© Oriental Land Co.

The brand new, 8th themed Port at Tokyo DisneySea can be seen in concept above, and is based around "magical springs that lead to a world of Disney fantasy," and will include areas based on Frozen, Tangled and Peter Pan.  It will be bordered by a brand new hotel that is themed to the Port, and accessed from a pathway between the Arabian Coast and Lost River Delta areas.

© Oriental Land Co.

Interestingly, Peter Pan will be a major part of the new Port, featuring both Captain Hook's ship and Skull Rock.  It will have two attractions, the first of which will see riders flying "over the jungles of Never Land in a battle with Captain Hook and his crew of pirates."  In the story, Captain Hook has kidnapped John, Wendy's brother, and visitors go with Peter Pan to save him by floating down the river with the Lost Boys.  Tinkerbell sprinkles a bit of her magic, and suddenly riders are flying through Never Land "on an unprecedented adventure that features iconic music and dynamic 3D imagery of the characters of the film."

The area's second ride lets visitors enter Pixie Hollow, to see Tinker Bell and her friends.  The area will also have a restaurant inspired by the Lost Boys and their hideout, and will feature views of Never Land while they dine.

© Oriental Land Co.

Tangled with be featured heavily in one section of the Port as well.  Rapunzel's tower will stand over the area, along with a forest setting and a restaurant set in the hideout of the thugs that appear in the film.  The area's attraction will be a boat ride through Rapunzel's "best day ever," following her journey to the lantern festival with Flynn.  The press release states that the ride will see "countless flickering lanterns illuminate the attraction's climactic scene while Rapunzel and Flynn sing an iconic song from the film."

© Oriental Land Co.

Frozen, at long last, will be the third theme of the new Port.  Downsized from originally being an entire new Port, the village of Arendelle will rise at the park.  Set after Queen Elsa has "embraced her magical power to control snow and ice," the castle gates are now open and welcoming visitors.  The area's ride will tell the story of Elsa and Anna, via a boat ride.  The attraction will tell their journey to get to the current happy era, and of course feature many songs from the film.  A new restaurant will open that is set inside Arendelle Castle, sure to be a popular dining location.

© Oriental Land Co.

This is a concept of the new hotel that will be built with the project, which is be inside the park and rise up from the magical springs that the Port is based on.  The Port's theme will be further explained through a retail location on the hotel's first floor that faces the park.

The hotel will have 475 rooms and offer deluxe and luxury accommodations, in fact the luxury rooms will be the "finest accommodations in Tokyo Disney Resort."  The hotel will have two restaurants of its own, a lobby lounge and a dedicated parking area.

Oriental Land Co. is dedicated to expanding and growing the resort, and they definitely are putting their money where their mouths are with this expansion!

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Planning New Attraction for 2019

Busch Gardens Williamsburg has received a height limit waiver from the James City County Board of Supervisors that will allow them to construct a new attraction for 2019, according to several news sources.

The waiver will allow the park to build up to a height of 115 feet above finished grade, or a maximum of 155 feet above sea level.  No clues about what kind of ride might be added were revealed during the appearance for the waiver.

© James City County

This news article featured the above map of where the new attraction was approved to be built.  The location appears to have the development take place in the Ireland themed section of the park, near the bridge that connects Scotland to Ireland, but on the Ireland side.

© Google Maps

For those familiar with Busch Gardens Williamsburg, this aerial view will help make the location more clear.  After exiting Scotland the new attraction will be located right as you enter Ireland, on the left.  That location looks to be right on the edge of the hill that leads down to the Rhine River below.  Behind the new attraction are the park's train tracks and a service road, and Griffon's station beyond that.

And that's about as much fact as we can get from what was released as part of the height waiver process.  However, BGWFans did a bunch more digging and have created a theory as to what kind of attraction this might be.  I'd consider it a possible spoiler for now, so click through to their article and take a read if you like.

Regardless of what the new attraction is, it's great to see the park adding another ride into Ireland after this year's debut of Battle for Eire, their new virtual reality simulator ride.

Thrilling New Cyborg Cyber Spin Opens Tomorrow at Six Flags Great Adventure

© Six Flags Great Adventure

It's time for some serious spinning at Six Flags Great Adventure, as the theme park has announced that their all-new ride, Cyborg Cyber Spin, will officially open tomorrow at 2 pm.

The unique new ride, seen above, will send riders on an "unrelenting and intense anti-gravity experience as it whirls them on three axes high above the ground."  The ride is the first to be themed to Cyborg, who is a part of the Justice League, and features matching red and gray colors throughout the ride, queue and new plaza.  The attraction has been built in the park's Metropolis themed section, not far from last year's blockbuster addition, Justice League: Battle for Metropolis.

© Six Flags Great Adventure

“Six Flags Great Adventure is thrilled to launch its newest innovation, an unparalleled, hi-tech ride unlike anything our guests have ever seen or experienced,” said Park President, John Winkler. “Cyborg Cyber Spin is the first-of-its-kind in the world, and the perfect addition to our renowned collection of record-breaking attractions.  Our new Metropolis section is now home to the most futuristic, jaw-dropping thrill ride in the park.”

Cyborg Cyber Spin is as impressive as they come in terms of the ride's non-stop action.  Standing over seven stories tall, the ride utilizes a "triple box" design that mimics that of a gyroscope.  The center gondola is able to spin around three separate axes, creating both forward, backward and sideways movements in a non-stop rush of thrills.

© Six Flags Great Adventure

The ride can seat 24 passengers per cycle, and the seats allow riders' legs to dangle freely as they turn and soar.  The ride's design allows for each cycle to be slightly different than the last depending on the weight distribution on the gondola, encouraging repeat riding as well.

The attraction already shines during the day with it's bright color scheme and imposing stature, but at night it will feature a bold display of lights that are sure to brighten up the entire Metropolis area.

Cyborg Cyber Spin is the first of its kind to open in America, and is sure to be on the must-ride list for those looking for unique thrills.

Check out the video below of Cyborg Cyber Spin in action, and make sure to give it a ride only at Six Flags Great Adventure.

Carowinds Kicks Off All-New Great Carolina Fest Celebration

© Carowinds

This weekend marks the start of Carowinds' new Great Carolina Fest, which is described by the park as an event for the "whole family featuring lip-smacking specialty food, music, interactive entertainment, festive décor and the best sweet tea this side of Dixie."

The event began on June 9th and will run all the way through June 24th.  The event is meant to celebrate the culture of the Carolinas through a vast selection of food offerings, special entertainment, shopping and more.  Admission to the event is a part of the general admission ticket, and guests can purchase special tickets for food samplings as they wish.

© Carowinds

The mouth-watering food is the centerpiece of the festival, with six special kiosks found around the park's large Harmony Hall dining location.  Some of the different dishes include "Bourbon Peach Pie, Bacon-wrapped Quail, Shrimp and Grits, Crispy Banana Pudding, Roasted Corn and a Pulled Pork Spring Roll."

Several dining locations in the park will have special menus as well during the Great Carolina Fest, including items like fried green tomato and bacon sandwiches, and many of them are even available on the park's dining plan.

During the Great Carolina Fest the theme park will feature live performances from different regional artists, including dueling pianos, a mix of country music at the Stateline Stage, and cool brews to go along with the "unexpected instrumentation of Brew Beatz." 

Other family fun includes games on the park's giant lawn, oversized Adirondack chairs for relaxing and "sipping signature iced tea on the Sweet Tea Terrace while listening to musical storytelling of days gone by."  For more on the Great Carolina Fest check out Carowinds' official website.

RailBlazer Opens June 14th at California's Great America

© California's Great America

California's Great America has announced that RailBlazer will open to the public this Thursday, June 14th.  The highly anticipated single-rail roller coaster, one of only two on the planet, has had all finishing work completed and is now ready to take visitors on a trek through the California wilderness.

The park's post about the ride opening even includes some snips of on-ride footage, which looks great.  I see that they've added a walkway to the first 180 degree turn after the lift and before the first drop:

The adventure begins June 14. #RailBlazer opens to the public this Thursday!

Hit the trail early with Season Passholder preview rides today through Wednesday. Don’t have your Season Pass yet? Don’t wait any longer! Prices go up June 12. https://t.co/s2dHA05Eq4 pic.twitter.com/ReCffiFXkr

— CA Great America (@CAGreatAmerica) June 9, 2018

I love the view at the very end showing the first drop with that tiny opening in the rock formation waiting at the bottom!

Interestingly, the park is actually giving season pass holders rides on RailBlazer right now, as a special preview.  They made it clear it will take place all today, but I'm not sure if it will continue Sunday through Wednesday before the ride's official opening.

© California's Great America

I was just watching the ride for a bit on the park's live webcam, and it appears they are using two trains right now with very quick dispatches.  I'm still quite amazed at how fast the train moves throughout RailBlazer's course, the ride looks like such a blast!

Kennywood Begins Teaser Campaign for New-for-2019 Attraction

© Kennywood

Proving it is never too early to start teasing for next year's latest and greatest addition, Kennywood has started a teaser campaign for their 2019 addition.  And from the sound of it, it's going to be something big!

The park featured a post on their social media that reveals that "Project 412" has already broken ground, and will open in 2019.  Each Thursday the park will scratch off one of the nine boxes seen above, eventually clearing all of the "ride detail" clues.

As for the project name, before anyone starts to think there may be a 412 foot tall coaster, it's important to point out that area code 412 serves Pittsburgh, where the park is located.  So that's probably the only connection to the project name.

As for what the attraction is, both rumor and early construction signs most definitely point to a roller coaster.  More on that below.

© Kennywood

The park urged fans to share the initial post, stating they would reveal the first clue today if enough people did.  True to their word, the first box was cleared, showing the number 197.  As for what that means... well 197 miles per hour seems out of the question, and even 197 meters is only 646 feet, so that doesn't click either for track length.

Considering the new ride is looking to be a roller coaster and might use some of the park's hillside behind where the Log Jammer was, which is also behind the Racer, perhaps a lift height or drop of 197 feet is possible?

If you're looking for some views from inside Kennywood, including footers being worked on, this video from XscreamThrills is perfect.  It not only shows what's currently going on at the park, but also offers some speculation based on markings at the park.

Personally, I can't wait to see the rest of the clues and learn more about this exciting ride! 

Hersheypark Gets Green Light for Massive 23.5 Acre Expansion Plans

Hersheypark has been long rumored to want to expand their theme park onto land that was formerly a golf course, and is located adjacent to the current park.  In order for the plan to become a reality, the first big task was getting Park Blvd. moved, as it ran directly between the current park and the former golf course.

In the past couple of years the large project was completed to move Park Blvd. outward, allowing undisturbed access to the golf course.  The former Park Blvd. is now Chocolate World Way, and is currently serving the park with most public traffic enjoying the expanded and relocated Park Blvd.

© Bing Maps

Here is a look at what we're talking about.  You may need to click the image to get the needed detail.

The red lines follow the path of the old Park Blvd., while green lines follow the new Park Blvd., still seen under construction in these aerials.  The yellow outline then follows the part of the former golf course that could now be a massive, 23.5 acre expansion of the theme park.  The orange box shows the current entrance area, which we now know for sure will be heavily changed and rebuilt for the park's 2020 season, with work starting next year.

That news came from a recent planning meeting where Hersheypark got the approval to move forward with their plan.  This news story covers that meeting, and gives some details on the plan.  It mentions that the park's entrance will be reconfigured, with many buildings removed and new ones built.  The park's drop off area, I'm assuming for the trams, will also be changed - that is just above the orange area above.  Finally, it says that a part of Chocolate World Way will be removed, I would assume bordering the current entrance and down along Skyrush, and the rest of the road will become service access for the park.

© Google Maps

It is not often that we see a U.S. theme park embark on an expansion of this size that they can fully master plan and build over many, many years.  This is some seriously exciting news for any Hersheypark fan, especially when you compare the size of the expansion to the existing park.  The expansion is green in the above image, and very roughly in purple is a huge part of the park, with several themed lands in it, extending all the way up to around Storm Runner's station.

The article mentions that the park will release more details when they're further into the planning process, so stay tuned!

Help Busch Gardens Williamsburg Celebrate Loch Ness Monster's 40th Anniversary June 6-10

© Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is planning to celebrate the Loch Ness Monster's 40th birthday by hosing a series of special events during a celebration lasting from June 6th through June 10th.

The classic Arrow designed double looping roller coaster has been an icon of the industry since it first opened back in 1978.  Its interlocking vertical loops, located over the Rhine River, are probably one of the most photographed elements of any ride and were a true spectacle when they debuted.

The coaster is still going strong, having given more than 58 million rides since it opened.  This year the coaster received brand new trains designed by S&S Worldwide, along with new paint throughout - true fans will also notice a new roar and some other light effects inside the ride's famous helix tunnel.

The five day special event starts off on June 6th with a ceremony and the displaying of the ride's original train inside the park.  Plus, visitors get a special Loch Ness Monster temporary tattoo as they enter the park (I totally want one!)

The celebration also includes plenty of special food offerings themed to the Loch Ness Monster inside the theme park, such as drink specials in Das Festhaus, 40 cent popcorn in Scotland and even Loch Ness Monster cupcakes.  The park will also give 40% off of all Loch Ness Monster retail items, have $4.40 ride photos on the coaster and more.

How wonderful to see Busch Gardens Williamsburg celebrating an integral part of their history with such an event, hope everyone can get to the park to check it out!

Hersheypark Opens Two New Water Rides in The Boardwalk for Summer Season

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Hersheypark recently opened their large expansion to The Boardwalk, the property's included-with-admission water park, which consists of two brand new mega-attractions.

This top photo shows both of them in one shot, and also shows how Hersheypark creatively shoehorned both rides into a small space at the back of The Boardwalk.  Even at that, only one slide, the mat racer, used undeveloped space, and the other, a water roller coaster, goes up and over several other attractions.

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The mat racing water slide, with six lanes across, is known as Whitecap Racer.  The slide starts at an impressive 70 feet above the ground and is billed by the park as the longest mat racing waterslide in the world.  The attraction comes with an elaborate timing system to determine who won the race down the slide, and even posts the results on a score board.

Each path heads through two separate horizontal loops along with two large sloped sections - I think making the slide fit into the available space required the extra length, but I'm sure that visitors to the park do not mind!

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The second attraction is known as Breakers Edge Water Coaster, designed by Whitewater West.  Like other water roller coasters, the slide uses hydromagnetic power to allow the four-person rafts to blast not only down, but also up, hills and through soaring curves.  The slide is also the first water coaster to include "flying saucer turns," as described by the park.

Breakers Edge Water Coaster has re-purposed the station from the Roller Soaker, a suspended roller coaster that operated at the park from 2002 through 2012.

PennLive was on site for the park's opening of the ride, and shared video of both of the attractions from an on-ride perspective.  Check it out below!

Dorney Park Memorial Day Weekend 2018 Update

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This past weekend marked not only Memorial Day Weekend at Dorney Park, but also the opening of Wildwater Kingdom for the 2018 season.  That means that the property's largest expansion of the year also had its grand opening, and that's Tidal Wave Cafe.  Apologies for the tardiness of this post, but better late than never!

Above is the main entrance to Tidal Wave Cafe, which is in the center of the expansive new building.

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Drawing backward a bit, you can get an idea of how this midway in Wildwater Kingdom has changed.  It also helps to have Talon framing the shot as well!  The area really looks complete now, with almost the entire stretch (starting with the new locker structure all the way down to the Papa Luigi's) totally rebuilt from scratch in the past few years.

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Tidal Wave Cafe is so large that it is complicated to get the whole thing in one photo, but here's part of the far side of the building.  The structure alternates between green and yellow and has greatly improved the aesthetics of this part of the water park.

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This sign out front gives visitors an idea of what is offered inside... including hand battered shrimp, rotisserie chicken, brisket and even gourmet mac 'n cheese bowls.

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The atrium that you first enter is seen above, with various nautical theming all around.  The park did a wonderful job on both the interior and exterior of the building, it is truly unlike anything else that the water park has offered to date.  To be honest, it is leaps and bounds above the water park's food offerings even as of just a few years ago.

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There are two large serving stations that branch out at 90 degree angles from each other; in this photo only one of the serving stations was open.  The cafeteria style ordering allows guests to pick what they want, have it quickly prepared, and then they're free to move on.

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On either side of the building are two check-out areas that also have some a la carte items offered as well.  The side seen above also has a margarita bar built into the back wall, visible in the far left of the photo.

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I couldn't help but try the gourmet mac 'n cheese bowl my first go, after hearing how popular the item has already become at other Cedar Fair parks.  I added some chicken, bacon and broccoli to mine, seen above, and it was delicious.  Photos do not do it justice, and honestly the serving would have been enough for two!

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In addition to Tidal Wave Cafe the park also made some dramatic changes to the area seen above to add more space for a large dining area.  They used some landscaping to keep the area separate from the main walkway (smart) and also added some great covers to let guests eat in the shade.

I can see myself, and probably many others with the dining plan, making Tidal Wave Cafe their location of choice whether they hit the water park or not!

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Elsewhere in the park I had missed this pre-Haunt display that is located near the entrance to Dinosaurs Alive on the park's opening weekend.  Not sure if there's anything hidden in here or not... we have a pirate themed skeleton and a crypt with 2018 written on it in roman numerals.  Could that mean something is changing related to the park's pirate-themed scare zone?  I've no clue.

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These gravestones are also located adjacent to the display, but I'm not picking up any hints from these.

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Memorial Day Weekend also marked the opening of Thunderhawk for the season after an extensive retracking project was completed.  In the photo above the track coming from the middle left of the photo and down the curve to the center was re-engineered and rebuilt.

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The curve is much smoother now and gives less of a jolt as the train makes its way through, which makes that first air-time hill before the trim even more enjoyable.  Props to the park for continuing to make keeping this classic wooden coaster in great shape a priority!

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Lastly, here we have the park's nicely manicured field, formerly the home of Stinger.  While taking these photos I heard several reactions from guests that had no idea the ride is no longer at the park.

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As expected the area has become a nice field with plenty of grass, and not much else.

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I did notice some pink flags off in the distance (any theme park fan is somehow trained to spot these from miles away) so I zoomed in and found some new landscaping waiting to go in.  Perhaps these are for the Stinger field, to break it up a bit, or elsewhere in the park.

Stay tuned for more updates as the year progresses!