Dorney Park Voodoo 9.29.07 Update

Well, a lot has actually changed since just last week at the Voodoo construction site. Above, you can see that the area has been totally flattened out and the surveyors were by as there are wooden stake markers all over the site now.

A pan to the right of the above shot. You'll notice that Skyscraper's foundation is now totally removed.

You have to click on the above image to see what I'm talking about. They've spray painted all over the walkway in front of the patio for Monster Grill. This almost always means that this concrete is coming up. There is another large section marked off to the left of the above image as well. I'd expect changes to that entire area next summer.

A closer look at the straight line of markers now on the site.

This is the middle of the construction site. It doesn't show up in the picture but there are more markings on the midway here. It looks like some of the angled sections will be removed to push out the midway border further.

Cedar Fair haters can unite over the fact that they've removed some trees for the project. This is a view from the Laser side of the site.

This is the area directly behind Laser Refreshments. You can see some remains from Skyscraper's loading platform. What's interesting though is that the markers back here spread out almost into a big square. Perhaps this is where one of the coaster's spikes will be located?

The track for the ride. There's some new stuff that is covered in blue tarp. There were several employees working back here by the track today.

Finally, I noticed these today. They are now selling Voodoo refill souvenir cups. I like that it's a skull - that also works perfectly with Halloweekends.

That's it for this week!

Dorney Halloweekends 2007 Part 3

Here's the final part of the Halloweekends pictures.

As you can see Zephyr is closed. It's still wearing its pumpkin hat, though.

This just isn't the kind of stuff I expect to see at a property that has like $50 million+ a year in revenues. I don't get it. I really don't.

Scream Works is back as well.

The graveyard by Steel Force is back again as well. The organ player is there also, but it's not dressed up like the Steel Force guy.

Old prop, new location.

Okay maybe they didn't finish decorating, as this was taken the first weekend of the event. But this is a perfect example of the overall feel of the event this year. Just throwing the stuff from previous years around the park, and in this case with even less effort than past year (no alien props), does not cut it.

Boo Hill, back again.

Last photo - Camp Spooky and Mr. Snoopy himself.

I really, really hope that the park can grab some money to expand this event next year. Another year of repeating the same stuff will really start to kill this event.

Halloween Horror Nights Start Today

Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights start this evening!

I wish I was there. I can't wait for photos and reports to start to pop up!

That's all.

Behemoth Update

Canada's Wonderland has posted some new pictures of the work they've completed on Behemoth.

With that Talon color scheme, it's going to be a very visually impressive ride. Also, is it the angle of the photo or is the transfer track on a downward slope after the brakes?

Check out the pics on Canada's Wonderland's website.

Dorney Halloweekends 2007 Part 2

Here's the next part of my Dorney Park 2007 Halloweekends photo review.

Toilet skeleton is back. He's awesome.

Fright Zone is back as well. I do like the entrance, it is somewhat imposing.

A shot of the inside of part of the Fright Zone during the daytime.

The other hearse. With the birds.

The former ride graveyard is back again, along with the Hercules car.

They're crossing the Zephyr tracks!

I noticed these boxes in front of the display in the previous picture. They caught my eye because they look really old and authentic. I just made me curious as to where they came from.

Final part coming up soon.

Hershey Park 2008: Fahrenheit

What a busy day with announcements!

Hershey Park has announced their new Intamin coaster for 2008, Fahrenheit. Sorta a weird name if you ask me, but I'm sure in a week it'll sound perfectly normal.

The $12.1 million Intamin ride starts with a 121 ft. vertical lift, followed by a 97 degree drop at 58 mph. The 2,700 ft. long ride includes 6 inversions, including a Cobra Roll, two corkscrew elements, and a Norwegian loop.

The ride will have 3 trains, each seating 12 riders, for a hourly capacity of 850 riders. That means, get there when the park opens and ride first.

But wait there's more!

The park also announced Howler, a Wisdom Industries Tornado falt ride. This is not a picture of Hershey's, but here is a generic Tornado:

Lastly, they finally owed up to creating Nantimi as a viral marketing campaign. It certainly worked, the Nantimi website had 34,000 page views during the month that it was live. They did a really good job with that one. I followed the threads on several message boards about it, it was driving people crazy.

Here's a link to some official press releases, and a link to the Fahrenheit web page.

Holy Six Flags Announcements, Batman

Six Flags just made some massive announcements for their 2008 capital spending plan. Here's a breakdown. I'll try to put more details for each addition when I update the 2008 tracker page.

Great Adventure, New England, and Great America: The Dark Knight Coaster. A Mack indoor coaster that's themed to the Joker and Batman. Sounds interesting, depending no whether they are serious about the theming or not.

Fiesta Texas: Goliath. Bathman the Ride from Six Flags New Orleans, it will not be themed, and will have yellow supports and bright blue track.

Great Escape: Wiggles World, and a new waterslide in the water park.

Over Georgia: Thomas Town to replace Deja Vu, yes that's right Deja Vu is being removed.

Over Texas and Discovery Kingdom: The previously announced Tony Hawk coasters.

St. Louis: Evel Knievel - a GCI Wooden twister coaster.

Phew - that's quite a bit.

I'm by far the most interested in the Dark Knight coasters. Wish there was some art for these rides! Maybe it'll turn up later today.

Six Flags St. Louis New for 2008

Today Six Flags St. Louis announced Evel Kneivel, a new wooden roller coaster for the 2008 season.

The Great Coasters International ride will stand 82 feet tall and go 50 mph. The $7 million ride's two 24 passenger trains will travel over 2,700 feet of track.

The ride has some distinct similarities to Thunderbird, which opened at Powerland in Finland in 2006. You can see the layout of that ride on RCDB's page.

Here's a link to the official press release for Evil Knievel.

Tony Hawk @ Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Tony Hawk's Big Spin will also be added to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in 2008 as well. The coaster is the same as the other Tony Hawk clones.

It's officially being announced tomorrow, but the web page for the ride is already up.

Check it out.

Geauga Lake Rides in New Homes

It's sad that Geauga Lake is closing, but it's going to happen whether we like it or not. In that line of thinking, it is curiously fun to wonder where the park's rides will end up. Let me preface with the fact that I have no insider info, these are just guesses.

Beaver Land Mine Ride: Valleyfair! and Dorney Park are both ripe for this smaller family coaster. Yes, both have Wild Mice coasters for families, but I know many adults who are scared of those types of rides. This coaster is perfect for families to ride together with the younger kids.

Thunderhawk: Michigan's Adventure

Dominator: Kings Dominion

Head Spin: Vekoma Boomerang. This really only makes sense at Carowinds, and an even better idea is to sell it to a park outside the chain.

Big Dipper: Should be sold to a park outside Cedar Fair. Pray that someone will step up and purchase it.

Double Loop: Sell it off, or most likely, it'll be sold for scrap.

Raging Wolf Bobs: Highly doubt this will move anywhere but to a dump.

Villain: This one might be moved, but I doubt it. I'm sure it'll be listed for sale but no one will buy. I'd move it to Great America.

Yo Yo: Sell off or trash.

Time Warp: Does this work well? I thought these rides were operating nightmares. If it's been fixed to work regularly I'd drop it into Michigan's Adventure in a year or so.

Thriller Bees: Great America needs to beef up their flat ride selection. Perhaps it's a fit?

Texas Twister: Looks like it's Great America's new for 2008 attraction.

Starfish: Help with capacity at Kings Island? Maybe rethemed to their kids' area.

Skyscraper: Garbage pile.

Pirate's Flight: Give it back to Great Adventure? No, really, I actually think the cheesy nature of this ride makes it perfect for Cedar Point.

Merrie Oldies: Probably cannibalized to several park's existing antique car rides.

Hay Baler: Probably no where.

El Dorado: Many parks have been removing this type of ride ... can't imagine it being moved.

Americana: Considering the former Paramount Parks don't have Ferris Wheels, you could pretty much throw it anywhere.

Black Squid: Probably not moving anywhere.

Boardwalk Typhoon: Do Scramblers ever die? I'm sure if they do not wish to move it the ride could be sold.

Bounty: See Boardwalk Typhoon above.

Dodgems: Please for the love to god move these to Dorney Park!

Carousel: I think perhaps Michigan's Adventure's Carousel is a newer one. This one is a wonderful old, classic one. Perhaps swap them out and give it a better location at MIA.

Dino Island/Lego Racers: Bye!

Grizzly Run: Perhaps it can be used as parts for the chain's other rapids rides.

Pepse Plunge: The same place that Cedar Point's log flume went to.

Shipwreck Falls: Move it next door to the water park. For real, it makes sense.

Children's Rides: Perfect for a Camp Snoopy or Nick area at Michigan's Adventure. Also, Valleyfair! could use a revamp of their children's section as well.

Wild Adventures + Cypress Gardens Sold

Wild Adventures Theme Park has been sold to Herschend Family Entertainment and Cypress Gardens to Land South Holdings.

Hopefully Cypress Gardens will thrive under their new ownership. I think Wild Adventures will be the one to watch in the coming years. Herschend could do some amazing things with the property in the future.

Source.

Dorney Halloweekends 2007 Part 1

Here's a photo review of Dorney Park's Halloweekends 2007. Be warned, if you've been to the Halloweekends event last year, or the year before for that matter, this will all seem very familiar.

But wait! The scary fun starts before you even enter the park!

Welcome to Halloweekends.

There's a bunch of new signs up. I'm not 100% sure if they are new, but if they are, then they are the 2007 addition to Halloweekends.

More banners. I do like them though, they're nice.

Still the best Halloweekends prop at the park.

Doctor of Doom is back as well. It had a very small line both times I was there.

Cedar Freak Cannonball returns as well. It actually had a line during the day when the scary stuff isn't going on.

I suppose these are haunted versions of the water cannons.

Umm, pretty?

Always confused me why they put up the Creepy sign during Halloweekends. There's nothing added to the ride, right? I didn't even seen that old Journey to the Center of the Earth prop by the loading station anymore. I'll leave you with that though, why is it creepy?

More earth-shattering Halloweekends in part 2 comin' up.

25,000!

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to all the NewsPlusNotes readers.

As you can see, we've just hit 25,000 visitors since we started. Additionally, yesterday we hit record numbers due to our Voodoo coverage.

Thanks again!

Developers Salavating at Geauga Lake

The Plain Dealer has an article today about the different options being thrown around regarding the development of the former ride side of Geauga Lake.

The only big question is whether it will end up business and offices or residential. The article mentions "golf course communities" several times.

Cedar Fair already hired Colliers International to evaluate the land and the options for it. They need 60 days to do their report, then Cedar Fair will know how to market the land to potential buyers.

Sad.

Tony Hawk @ Six Flags Over Texas in 2008

Six Flags Over Texas will add a copy of their popular Tony Hawk's Big Spin roller coaster for 2008.

The $6.5 million ride will replace the park's Wildcatter free-fall ride. The Gerstlauer coaster is of the spinning variety, and it aimed more at teens and families.

According to this article in the Star-Telegram, the ride will be formally announced on Thursday by Six Flags, along with other additions to other parks.

My take? Yawn - why add a clone to Over Texas when Fiesta Texas just got the same ride this year?

Bye Bye Chiller!

As rumored, it looks like Batman and Robin: The Chiller at Six Flags Great Adventure is on its way out.

This thread at Theme Park Review has some nice pictures of it coming down from this past weekend.

That removal plus the former Freefall space is opening up quite an area of the park. I'm excited to see what they do with that space.

Geauga Lake Petition

Let yourself be heard...

I know that there is a good chance that a petition will not change the mind of anyone at Cedar Fair, but I'm trying to look at it another way.

The petition will certainly be read by them. At the very least you can voice what you think of their decision. Will it change anything? I don't know. Is it important to speak your peace? Yes.

Click here to go to the petition.