Carowinds Unveils Fury 325's Lead Car!

© Carowinds

During a special event today for industry fans, Carowinds unveiled the first of Fury 325's lead coaster cars.  The sleek trains are the standard Bolliger & Mabillard "sit down" models, complete with some great looking decals and the ride's logo on the front.  Gray is used heavily on the front piece, with the seats and restraints reflecting the ride's track colors.

© Mike Fehnel

Here is one more shot of the car, zoomed out slightly, showing off more of the mechanics under the car.  This style of restraint has long been a favorite of coaster fans, as it gives a truly open and free feeling while on the ride.

And while we're speaking about Fury 325, the park has nearly completed the track!  There's only one more camel back left to be installed until the track will meet up with the already in place brake run.  It's amazing how quickly the instillation went by!  Keep up to date on the ride's final progress via the park's webcams.

Carowinds just recently loaded their 2015 operating season onto their website - so click on over and get planning!

Bay Beach Amusement Park Adding Three New Rides

© Bay Beach Amusement Park

A new expansion has been announced by Bay Beach Amusement Park, one that will see the addition of three new rides over the next two seasons.

In addition to the new attractions, the park will expand their train's route.  The path will be extended so that the tracks run all the way out and around the Zippin Pippin roller coaster.

The park plans to have two of the new rides open this coming Summer.  They are the 40 foot tall Tot Jumping Spring, a gentle drop tower aimed at kids and a Rockin' Tug.  The Rockin' Tug is brand new, while the Tot Jumping Spring has been purchased from another park.

In 2016 the park plans to build a Falling Star, a bigger ride that is more thrilling.  This ride is also used, and according to this news story both used rides were too good a deal to pass up.

Bay Beach Amusement Park is city-run, and uses donations and its own profits to expand.  The park previously released a long term growth plan that is being accelerated by its success - great news for the park!

Legoland Florida Hotel News + 2015 Expansion Revealed

© Chip Litherland for Leogland Florida Resort, Merlin Entertainments Group

Legoland Florida Resort has announced a May 15th grand opening of their new hotel, located directly adjacent to the theme park's entrance.  A part of changing the property into a multi-day destination, the hotel will sport 152 highly themed rooms, play areas, and a restaurant.  The date was announced by the hotel's General Manager, Kevin Carr, seen above earlier today.

“Legoland Hotel offers a unique experience unlike any other in Florida,” said Carr. “Imagine how excited children will be to wake up in a giant toy box full of Lego bricks and to be the first to enter the theme park each day.”

© Chip Litherland for Leogland Florida Resort, Merlin Entertainments Group

The resort's construction is starting to enter the final phases, with the main structure now enclosed and work on amenities now underway.  Here is a look at the hotel's pool area, with the theme park just beyond the tree line.  Also announced today was the moving of the Master Model Builders Workshop to the hotel, to be open exclusively for resort guests.  Guests will be able to learn from and build along with the Master Builders each day.

© Legoland Florida

In addition to the hotel news, Legoland Florida also announced an entirely new themed area for the park, named Heartlake City.  The new area will feature a Zamperla Disk'O Coaster, themed to horses and called Mia's Riding Adventure.  The area will also have a new interactive show called "Friends To The Rescue," and new shops inside Heartlake Mall.  The area is based off the popular Lego series of the same name.

With so many recent expansions, a full water park, and now a hotel, Legoland Florida is proud to call itself a multi-day experience for both Orlando residents and tourists alike.

Scott And Carol Present - Construction Update on ZDT'S Amusement Park's Switchback

Back on Wednesday November 19th 2014 we brought the ZDT"s Amusement Park/Gravity Group Switchback announcement. Today we are pleased to provide you  a photo update of Switchback's construction. But first a little back ground on ZDT's Amusement Park. 

Off of I-10 approx 40 miles East of San Antonio, in Seguin Texas  ZDT's is a family owned park, geared toward families. In fact the park's name comes from the first initial of the owners children.

Opening in March 2007 with 5 attractions, Six years later the park has more than doubled and now offers 12 attractions.  Here is the report we received from the park:

We are currently pouring the foundation piers for the back half of Switchback, which will provide support to the incredible 104 degree over-banked turn! After breaking through this turn, riders will find themselves immediately plunging through the walls of the tin building that lays at the very heart of the coaster's layout. Throughout the ride, this building will provide a key element of suspense as riders are ripped through it's front awning and into it's walls, keeping the entire ride exciting with no dull moments! This will be the first section of Switchback to begin taking shape in the coming weeks, and we're giving you a peak into the progress of it's construction. The following link will allow you to view construction pictures we have taken, a collection that we will add to on a regular basis to keep you all updated.

Opening in 2015 The Switchback will be ZDT's largest attraction and the world's only wooden shuttle coaster. Being a shuttle will allow riders to run the entire course of the ride twice without sacrificing the initial over-hill drop by employing a track switch at the end to shift the riders back to where they started.

Inspired by America's first-ever roller coaster, the Switchback Railway. This 1884 coaster at Coney Island took riders back and forth on a straight wooden track at 6 mph, and set the path for a revolution in rides and entertainment that is still being felt today. 

The Switchback also brings a symbolic touch to the park. An original Santa Fe executive train car sits in the center of the property, commemorating the retired epicenter of commerce and the railway that once ran through it.

Our thanks to the Donhauser family for providing the construction photos. For more information on ZDT's Amusement Park visit their website http://www.zdtamusement.com/

Six Flags Great Adventure Gives Devilish Retheme to 2015 Attraction

Six Flags Great Adventure has given a makeover to it's new for 2015 ride, previously announced as Looping Dragon.  The attraction was originally set to open in the park's Golden Kingdom with the "Asian-inspired" name, but will now be called El Diablo - a decidedly more "devilish" theme.  The ride will now be located in the park's Plaza del Carnaval area next to El Toro.  El Diablo will utilize a part of Rolling Thunder's former footprint, able to use a part of the former wood coaster's queue as well.

"The Jersey devil has deep roots in our state's history, and inspired the new theme for our upcoming thrill ride," said Park President John Fitzgerald.  The giant ride, in a bold red color scheme, "features riders sitting in “face-off” seats rocketing forward and backward pendulum style until the train gains enough momentum to complete a full revolution seven stories in the air."  After fully inverting riders, El Diablo will briefly pause at the top of the structure - with riders totally upside down - and then reverse the direction of travel for more loops.

"El Diablo is the perfect addition to Plaza del Carnaval, as it appeals to both thrill seekers and families alike.  Rides like El Toro and Tango attract a wide audience to this area, which also provides ample opportunities for dining, shopping and relaxation from the excitement of the world’s largest theme park," Fitzgerald added.

The new attraction will have a 48 inch height requirement, and is set to open at Six Flags Great Adventure in the Spring.

New 2016 Dark Ride Approved at Thrope Park

England's Thorpe Park has been given formal approval to move forward with constructing a giant building in the theme park which will house what is assumed to be a dark ride of some sort.  The 2016 project's plans were released when the planning application was filed (available here), which is where the above layout is from.  Since it's just a building, it's not that interesting, though.  It's a pretty big building at over 26,000 square feet, so whatever attraction goes in it will have plenty of room - the queue is outside under a canopy so that doesn't affect things in that sense.

The planning documents have some drawings of the building's elevations, along with proposed theming.  Above is one side of the structure, showing an overall gritty feel to the theme.  Some brickwork is used, but mostly there's a run-down look - also the remainder of the building has a very basic shipping container/metal siding look.

There's some talk of the ride having a Doctor Who theme - but that's purely rumor for right now.  My personal Doctor Who knowledge stops at a blue phone booth, so I have no idea if this artwork would fit in with that series' feel.

Looking forward to hearing more about the theme and nature of this ride - can't have too many dark rides around!