NewsPlusNotes

Frontier City's New Crowd Pleasing Water Attraction

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 28 May 2012 00:09:00 +0000

Next on the list of attractions that just opened this weekend is Frontier City's brand new Wild West Water Works, a massive water playground that has expanded the park's reach from dry rides into true water park style attractions.

Granted, with the nearby location of White Water Bay I doubt that Frontier City will expand their water park offerings much more, but the new attraction is still sure to be a hit during the hot Summer months. Wild West Water Works was built by WhiteWater West, and is one of their AquaPlay RainFortress attractions.

The five story tall new structure took its initial theming design from the minds of those running Frontier City. WhiteWater was able to turn their design dreams into reality, adding items such as a western general store, tepee, horse back riders, and plenty of other traditionally 'wild west' decorations.

With the opening of Wild West Water Works, adventurers will find 200 different interactive play elements located throughout the structure. There are also eight separate water slides connected, ranging from small ones for toddlers all the way up to larger, twisting models.

Naturally, the 1,000 gallon tipping bucket, themed as a barrel, is the show stopper. When it dumps that much water on the ground below it is rather hard not to notice!

Bonzai Pipeline Thrills Riders at Six Flags St. Louis

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 27 May 2012 20:56:00 +0000

Another new attraction that just had its grand opening is the Bonzai Pipeline set of water slides at Six Flags St. Louis. The new attraction is located in the theme park's Hurricane Harbor area, which is a full waterpark that is included in the property's general admission fee.

Bonzai Pipeline stands six stories tall, and once riders get to the top they enter one of two different launch capsules. After proper instructions are received the countdown begins, and suddenly the floor drops out from underneath the riders.

After dropping they spiral down 290 feet of slide at a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour, heading through a twisted horizontal loop, and finally slowing down in a splash-filled run out. Traditionally quick slides such as these were thrill enough, but adding a true freefall drop at the start really turns things up a notch!

To help celebrate the opening of the Bonzai Pipeline, four local couples tied the knot at the top of the tower and made taking the plunge their first activity as husband and wife. For more on their thrilling wedding, and some video of the slides in action, check out the park's news release.

Bonzai Pipeline is Hurricane Harbor's new attraction this year, while the previously opened Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast is also thrilling the masses at the theme park next door.

Sea World San Diego's Manta Open to Guests

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 27 May 2012 01:12:00 +0000

This weekend marks the grand opening of many new rides and attractions, and one of the largest is Manta at Sea World Sand Diego. The park's brand new double-launch roller coaster is taking its first riders around the course, inviting them to feel as though they're swimming with a ray.

One of the largest expansions that Sea World San Diego has ever undertaken, the coaster represents a close blend of the ride elements with a natural ray habitat and other theming elements. The coaster stretches 2,835 feet in length and starts with a trip under the sea in a tunnel with a 270 degree projection screen.

As the train slowly moves forward and backward guests are treated to a glimpse of rays swimming underwater, when suddenly the launch doors open and the train takes off, reaching a top speed of 43 miles per hour.

The trip includes a dive under the bridge that guests use to enter the Manta ride plaza and ray exhibit. As the train dives down toward a water feature fountains shoot as if the ray-themed trains had skimmed the water.

The ride's entrance features a beautiful rock structure that holds the ride's marquee, and guests descend down under it as they enter the ride's queue. The winding queue takes guests past the 100,000 gallon marine life exhibit, including 400 fishes and 65 California bat rays.

Manta was created for Sea World San Diego by Mack Rides, of Germany. The coaster is designed for families to be able to experience together with a low height requirement of 48 inches. The four trains have a beautiful Manta ray shaped first car that leads the trains through the two LSM launches.

If you are interested in checking out a point-of-view movie of Manta, check that out at this link!

Legoland California Celebrates Pireate Reef's Grand Opening

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sat, 26 May 2012 22:57:00 +0000

Pirates have one again invaded Legoland California (Carlsbad, CA), this time in the form of a multi-million dollar family ride named Pirate Reef that is opening this weekend. The attraction is a scaled down shoot-the-chutes ride, perfect for riders big to small.

Guests board their own boat and head up the lift hill. After rounding a 180 degree curve the boats plunge down a 25 foot drop at 26 miles per hour between two massive Lego pirate ships and under a spectator filled bridge. After riding Pirate Reef guests exit across the bridge that connects the two ships, named Captain Blue Brick and Captain Red Brick, and discover plenty of interactive water elements that allow them to do battle.

As with other attractions as the Legoland California park, plenty of Lego characters can be found in the area. According to the park, "throughout Pirate Reef, guests encounter more than 30 pirate-themed models including pirates, monkeys, parrots, and frogs, all created out of more than 223,000 Lego bricks."

The new ride is situated between the Pirate Shoes area of the theme park and the Legoland Water Park, accessible from both. The park has shared some video footage of the ride and its surrounds, check it out!

2012 Waterpark Preivew - Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Funtown Splashtown, located in Saco, Maine, has added a large slide tower for the park's 2012 season. Interestingly named The Mount Olympus Water Slides, the structure features several experiences from one launch point.

The tower has a set of four racing mat slides which start out with a unique curving section before a steeper than average plummet down to the finish. There are also two slides that start with trap door launches, one that features two large horizontal loops, and another that's a straight freefall.

The park has also built a new restaurant and added a significant amount of lounge space to the Splashtown. Sounds like a great season is planned!

Staying in New England territory we move to New Hampshire's Water World, billed as the region's largest waterpark. New this year is Dr. VonDark's Tunnel of Terror, a fully enclosed Tantrum slide that has added special effects.

The menacing sky in the background of this photo really fits with the theme, no? The new slide is a major addition to the park, and will send riders down in rafts seating two at a time. They will twist through the darkened path, past waterfalls and projection elements and into the funnel section.

Dr. VonDark's Tunnel of Terror isn't meant to be the biggest or scariest water slide around, but instead will give a thrill to the whole family. It is expected to open with the park on June 9th.

One of the largest waterpark openings of the year is Aquatica at Sea World San Antonio. Like its sister park in Orlando, the new property is quite beautiful. Sea World has taken what was an average water park before and made some dramatic changes, creating a top notch facility.

They've also not been shy to add some unique attractions along the way.

Take for instance the Walhalla Wave, seen above. Rafts have an enclosed portion that's thrilling enough on its own right, but then drop into a massive curved wall, providing a floating feeling.

If you look closely at the pool of water under the brightly colored slide above, named Stingray Falls, you can see that at the end of the slide rafts actually go underground. This is such an awesome idea! Riders get an undersea view of the rays swimming in their habitat as their rafts pass through an underwater grotto.

The entire park has plenty of features that are meant to provide a true escape from reality, complete with lots of theming and a dense offering of amenities. Be sure to read up on the park, I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more from Sea World San Antonio in the future!

Legoland Florida is riding on their initial success by reopening the waterpark that was built as part of Cypress Gardens. Opening this holiday weekend, the Legoland Water Park has been totally renovated and includes new theming, shade, amenities and a special children's area.

To really kick things off the park just held an attempt at gaining a world record for the most beach balls being bounced into the air - a record they easily grabbed with over 1,300 participants! Looks like fun!

Seen above is the Joker Soaker, a water play area that features a giant bucket that periodically soaks everyone below. Guests can also relax in the Lego Wave Pool, or add their own Lego creation to their inner tube as they float down the Build-a-Raft River. For thrill seekers the Twin Chasers and Splash Out slides are sure to deliver.

The park will naturally be accented with plenty of humorous Lego creations, everything from surfing Lego characters to those just looking to lay out and catch some sun!

Bluegrass Boardwalk: Possibly Delayed + Coasterless?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:40:00 +0000

Some significant news has broken about the possibility of Bluegrass Boardwalk having its opening delayed to Summer 2014.

From this news story it sounds like the decision is not final yet, but delays in financial related issues, including tax incentives, are making the 2013 opening increasingly difficult. The final lease will not be signed until those items are in place, and they're taking much longer than expected.

Regarding the park's coaster selection when it does reopen, it sounds like there won't be much offered. The news report that due to certain coaster's age, reliability, and cost prohibitive repairs they will not be brought back online - including the Twisted Twins (1998 CCI dueling wooden coasters) and T2 (Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster). The park's classic Schwarzkopf shuttle loop, Greezed Lightnin', was not mentioned specifically.

According to the plan when the park opens only select rides will be included, such as the park's river rafting ride, several flats and kiddie rides and the carousel. In future years other rides will be brought back, like the Ferris wheel and Thunder Run wooden coaster. All waterpark attractions will be reopened.

So, that leaves me wondering - will that be enough? Will the focus on the waterpark be enough to overshadow a small selection of rides? I expected many rides not to reopen, but thought a larger balance between water and dry rides would be achieved. Developers do point out that this is not set in stone, so available rides could change quite a bit once the lease is signed and full inspections are done.

Scott and Carol Present: Verbolten at Busch Gardens Europe

noreply@blogger.com (Scott and Carol) — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Finally the day has arrived, media day for one of the most anticipated coasters, by families at least, of 2012.

Following the signs we made our way into the parking lot.

If you look closely there is a rare image of Carol appearing in the mirror.

Gerta and Gunter Schwartzwald, the brother and sister team who virtually run the entire Oktoberfest village at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. We will learn more about them later.

Carl Lum, Park President offers his insights. "When I moved here a year and a half ago I was amazed about how much people talked about Big Bad Wolf. So I knew it was a big deal and whatever we put here to replace we really needed to think carefully through it and do a good job because the Big Bad Wolf was a big deal."

"One of the strengths of this park are the European countries so when we redesigned all the buildings here what’s important is that we stayed with the German theme. We tried to make sure we did a nice job with that and the ultimate compliment was when the ride manufacturer was here about three weeks ago they said “I feel like I am back in Germany. So that was pretty cool!"

Busch Gardens Creative Director, Brian Morrow began telling us Verbolten's back story, "The story starts in Oktoberfest, where that holiday is celebrated every day in Busch Gardens Virginia. Imagine yourself as a tourist in Germany, which is what Busch Gardens is about, immersing yourself in different cultures. One thing you always want to do when traveling abroad is see the countryside and rent a car. So that is where this all started was this car idea. We knew we wanted to do a car themed ride because cars are really sporty and fun. Everyone can relate to them because everyone drives cars."

Brian continued the tale "Gerta the operator of the visitor center where travelers can rent cars and Gunter operates the garage that supplies the cars. Gerta loves the people, loves the village, but she is very afraid of the Black Forest, and gives us lots of warnings to stay out of it."

"Gunter on the other hand, is obsessed with the Black Forest and he wants to protect it from people who think it’s evil and bad. He does a lot of work for the forest like pulling the personal belongings out of the cars reclaimed by the forest."

Two of the five trains that will concurrently operate on Verbolten.

Brian said, "Gunter makes a lot of his own equipment to monitor the forest and to explore the forest so what you see in the queue and in the station is the closed circuit television system that shows six individual story lines along with Gerta and Gunter. In the station are also view ports into Gunter’s greenhouse where his collection of plant specimens are overgrowing his office and the station."

Carl added, "We always want to do things to accommodate our guests with any type of disability but we also wanted to do that because when you design that the right way you get better throughput and more people can get on the ride. You don’t want to build a ride and then have a line that is three hours long to get on it. We can operate five trains concurrently on this ride. "

The train rolls out of the station into some swooping turns with undulating hills.

Here the train is rolling into position for the launch into the "Black Forest." Just inside the building there is a nice pop of air before you encounter a wide sweeping upward spiral where you are stopped for the "show."

Brian gave us some more details, "We are the first people to use the new ultraviolet strobe lights. They are LED black lights and these are directional and focus able, so we can control exactly what we want you to see. We can dim them and strobe them, and while there are other types of lights in there too these are the majority of them."

The second launch takes you out of the "Black Forest" where you encounter a bridge.

Again from Brian, "Of course it is the wrong bridge, ready to collapse, so you encounter the main drop, down to the lake." The Rhine River on the park map is really a lake and Larry offers his ideas. "What we try to do at Busch Gardens is to utilize the terrain when we design our rides to bring the coaster and have it follow the great terrain we have available to us instead of trying to force fit in into the park.

The train slows to a crawl on the bridge, to better heighten the anticipation and also allow the guests to better experience the "Creaking Timbers," before the big drop.

Larry Giles, Vice President of design and engineering said "That is part of what we try to do at Busch Gardens is utilize the terrain when we design our rides is to bring the coaster and have it follow the great terrain we have available to us instead of trying to force fit it.

There was a lot of genius in Big Bad Wolf, there’s no denying it. And one of our discussion points early on was could we really improve that final drop. The answer that came back was probably not. Why would we want to try, if we tried to make it better, might end up making it worse. It was such a great finish to a ride, let’s go ahead and do it. We made it ten feet taller to give you a little more airtime in the back seat which you will feel and it ended up being a nice finish for the ride."

Carl told us, "The footers are in what is called an environmentally protected area, a wetland in this case, and because environmental responsibility is very important to our company, as part of the design were purposely reused those footers. It didn’t save us much money but I thought it was important to minimize the impact in that wetlands area so we reused them."

Larry said, "We want people to ride rides, not wait in line and we know that with two-across seating we can load quickly and get the train out of the station very quickly. We figured with a flat floor we could unload and load much faster. We ended up with a sixteen passenger train, we originally wanted a smaller train but we could get to our capacity expectation that way."

One of the banked turns on Verbolten. The trains all have side mounted lap bars as ride restraints.

Carl said, "The nice thing about the queue is that there is an experience there with the office and we purposely put the line on the other side of the building so people could see the trains coming in and be entertained by that. We knew we wanted to make the queue experience interactive and entertaining. Brian also had an interesting observation, "I am really happy with the way the guests are understanding the story that we have woven here and their appreciation for the fact that all the family members can ride. Lots of kids can ride the attraction with their moms and dads. We feel it is a powerful imagination based attraction that turned out as thrilling as we hoped it would be."

As for our thoughts on Verbolten, join us for a ride!

Thanks to all the kind folks at Busch Gardens Europe for the opportunity to share the Verbolten experience with NPN readers!

New Views of Goliath at Six Flags New England

noreply@blogger.com (Scott and Carol) — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:24:00 +0000

Scott & Carol happened to be at Six Flags New England this past weekend when the park was having their season pass holder preview of Goliath, and sent along a few shots for us to check out!

While the ride's former name Deja Vu was quite fitting since the ride repeats itself backwards after the initial run, its new moniker is equally descriptive.

Goliath absolutely towers over the surrounding midways. The bright green lift towers are as vibrant as ever.

In this photo you can see the large letters attached to the towers, one spelling out Goliath and the other Towers.

Goliath was originally announced to be receiving a brand new train that would have opened with the ride at Six Flags New England. While I have not heard any official reason, it has instead opened with the old train.

Perhaps the new train was just not ready from supplier Premier Rides, and will be added later in the season. Or, perhaps not.

Either way Goliath is as impressive a ride as ever, and looks great in its new home!

All photos © Carol Holmes.

2012 Waterpark Preview - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:22:00 +0000

Casino Pier and Breakwater Beach, located alongside the ocean in New Jersey, is adding a two-for-one slide tower this season. This is another attraction that doesn't have a name yet due to the park holding a contest for that reason, but it took quite a mighty effort to fit the new slides into the already cramped park.

One of the new slides will be a Tantrum, where there are different mini-funnels along the way down. The other is a traditional bowl slide that takes guests on a bit of a spin cycle.

The photo here on the left really shows off how the park crammed the new slides into the existing park. You can see that both of the new slides actually go out and over the lazy river, which is going to make for some great interaction!

Breakwater Beach also features a selection of existing slides and attractions, such as the uniquely themed Perfect Storm water play structure.

The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom is also building a new slide tower that features two different attractions. The six story structure will offer two very different experiences in the form of a racing set of slides and a freefall drop.

On the left of this photo from the park you can see the steep drop that makes up the Cliffhanger slide. It will utilize a skybox start that will literally drop the floor out from under riders, sending them flying down the slide. Fun!

The braided set of slides that are under construction above are the Twisted Racers, from the Proslide line of KrakenRacers. Flying down on individual mats, riders race toward the finish through the undulating slides, along with a large final drop.

The new slides won't be quite ready for this coming weekend, but have a planned season pass holder preview on June 1st.

I wrote in a post earlier this Spring that 2012 should probably be named the year of the mat racer slide, there are so very many of them going in at parks across the country.

Take for instance the brand new Dragster Drench going into Martin's Fantasy Island.

The 4-lane ProRacer slide features a checkerboard pattern that will enhance the feeling of speed as riders race down.

The new slide will be an important addition to the park's growing water area, by adding some much needed capacity. Unlike many other racing slides the Dragster Drench will be a straight shot down the multiple hills, without any twists and turns.

Another place to get your race on this Summer is Rochester, New York's Seabreeze Amusement Park. They will open their new racing slide this year, named Hydro Racer.

The slide also has four separate lanes, each of which is navigated by one rider on a mat. Each lane starts out by performing a large diving helix, at the end of which the lanes line up and it is a race to the finish line.

The blue, green, and white color scheme is a perfect fit for a park named Seabreeze! The new slide is also provided by Proslide, and is of their Octopus Racer series.

Racing right along, another racing slide complex is currently going up at Soak City, adjacent to Cedar Point. Part of an overall refreshing an renovating of the waterpark, the new slides will be named Dragster H2O, in honor of the park's famous 400 foot tall coaster.

Much like Hydra Racer above, Soak City's ride will feature a twisted start as all six lanes dive through their own independent helix. Then after they meet up they plummet down smaller hills toward the finish.

Many of Soak City's existing slides were redone with new paint and vibrant colors, bringing a much needed upbeat feeling to the property.

Phew, and that's not even all of them! Earlier we covered Lake Compounce's new Riptide Racer, as well. DryTown Waterpark in California is also adding Dusty's Mineshaft Racer, and Noah's Ark will build the Quadzilla racing slide this year, too. And I'm positive there are more that I'm missing!

Kings Island has been very busy this past Winter working on totally transforming their waterpark into Soak City, which includes several new attractions and many other renovations.

One of the biggest features of the newly renamed park is Tidal Wave Bay, a massive new wave pool:

Tidal Wave Bay is actually Soak City's second wave pool, joining Breakers Bay. The park has also built a totally new entrance to the waterpark so that guests can easily get in and out with a shorter walk.

The park's lazy river has been totally changed as well, and is now known as Splash River. Packed with interactive features, the river is anything but lazy these days. The rest of Soak City features additional lounging areas, sand beach volleyball courts, and plenty of paint on all the slides.

Six Flags New England Opening a Goliath

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:21:00 +0000

This past weekend was a season pass preview of Goliath at Six Flags New England, the park's newly relocated Giant Inverted Boomerang roller coaster. Above is a video that the park released showing a very neat time lapse view of the construction of the ride, from the very start to finish.

The construction of the ride was quite a project for the park, moving the structure all the way from California. The Boston Globe has a nice story up about the process of moving such a large ride, and all the details that needed to be covered by the park for a proper instillation.

My eyes got a bit stuck on one of the quotes from the President of Six Flags New England when he said that "Six Flags is hoping to get a minimum of “two years of rides off of Goliath.” I supposed that could be taken different ways, but I have to wonder if this implies that the ride may be moved again in the future?

I could also see it meaning that it will serve as the park's big draw for two seasons as well, and it is hard to be sure without more context. But with Six Flags seeming to be interested in moving rides again, it's a curious thing to say.

Either way Goliath will open to all park guests starting this Friday, May 25th at Six Flags New England.

Thrilling Fire Ball Coming to Lake Winnie

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:50:00 +0000

If rides that flip you upside-down over and over again sound like fun to you, then Tennessee's Lake Winnepesaukah has just the new ride for you - Fire Ball.

According to the park, "This is the first ride we’ve ever added at Lake Winnepesaukah that completely inverts all the riders,” stated Talley Green of Lake Winnepesaukah. “A skilled pilot can invert our Fly-O-Plane, but everyone who boards the Fire Ball will get a view of the Chattanooga skyline from an inverted perspective!”

Created by Larson Manufacturing, the Fire Ball will be located near the park's entrance gates. Twenty riders at a time will sit in the train as it slowly starts to rock back and forth, eventually picking up enough speed to complete a full trip around the circle. From there the looping continues, as riders sit back to back allowing them to see the faces of other passengers.

The Fire Ball is set for a Memorial Day Weekend grand opening at Lake Winnie.

Hersheypark's Skyrush Point of View Video

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 21 May 2012 21:13:00 +0000

Hersheypark has released a point of view video of their brand new roller coaster, Skyrush. One of the most anticipated new coasters of the season, fans have been eagerly watching test videos of the ride, and counting down the days till they can take a spin.

And while not everyone will be able to make it to the park right away to try out Skyrush, at least now they can get a feel for how the coaster will be! The crisp video shows just how quickly the train rockets through the 3,600 feet of track.

But enough with the screen caps, head on over to the park's Facebook account and take a spin!

2012 Waterpark Preview - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 21 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

With Memorial Day weekend quickly approaching it's a great time to check out what's new at North American waterparks. The popularity of these facilities seems unstoppable, and there's plenty new for Summer 2012. We will check out some of these additional this week, leading up to the long weekend, which is traditionally when many waterparks open for the year.

* * *

Dixie Landin' and Blue Bayou Waterpark offers guests both amusement rides and water slides when they visit, and this year the waterpark has more than ever before to offer. The park is adding a set of four Aqua Loop water slides this Summer.

The slides all depart from one tower, and above you can see that half of them have been installed so far. When complete the ride will have quite a visual impact. The park hasn't really published an official name for the attraction yet, but I'm sure they'll have something unique when they do!

Other renovations include bath house renovations and a complete overhaul of the lazy river, making it look brand new.

Splash Kingdom Waterpark, located in Redlands, California, is a popular local establishment where families can enjoy a day in the sun. Filled with an enormous tower that features eight different slides along with a surfing simulator, the park has a major new addition this year.

New for 2012 is a 17,000 square foot wave pool, currently unnamed. The attraction is something that the park has wanted to add for a while, and brings with it a tremendous increase in capacity. Also seen on the above drawing is a mat racing slide, though I think that may be a future addition.

The park is having a contest to name the new wave pool. You can submit your ideas via the park's official website.

If you're headed to Denver, Colorado any time this Summer you might want to stop by Water World, one of the largest waterparks in the country. New this year is the Mile High Flyer, which is one of the highly regarded Proslide hydromagnetic water coasters.

The new slide features a black and yellow color scheme, and plenty of twists and turns. I actually have to admit that from the new park map the ride appears to resemble the layout of Holiday World's Wildebeest.

The ride will use a conveyor belt lift so that there is no tower to walk up, though the ride fits into the landscape which is a decent sized hill. I can't find the length of the ride anywhere, but one story puts the maximum height of the $4.5 million Mile High Flyer at 45 feet.

When My. Olympus Water and Theme Park announced the addition of the Lost City of Atlantis I assumed it was just a large water play structure. Well, it is, but it's also a lot more! Now that the structure has been completed we can see all that is offered:

There are some full sized slides in there, much like ones that you'd find standing alone at many parks. In total there are 7 different slides that come off the structure, along with a geyser that shoots water 120 feet in the air, and a giant tipping bucket.

The orange and pink slide to the left of the photo is especially interesting, as riders end up dropping down into the "boomerango" section where they climb the wall and then fall back down.

Taking a Tour of Bluegrass Boardwalk

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:38:00 +0000

It may not be much right now, and certainly not very easy on the eyes, but the former Kentucky Kingdom theme park is on the verge of its transformation into Bluegrass Boardwalk.

Brother and sister team Natalie and Dan Koch, of Holiday World fame, are champing at the bit to get their crews in the park to start to get it ready for a 2013 reopening.

While the park has definitely looked better the foundation for a theme park is still there, and with a little tender loving care I'm sure the property will once again shine.

The Kochs are just waiting for the final approval of their lease to operate the park for work to begin. They're still mum on what new additions will be coming to the park, but they gave a tour of the property to a local news station that shows off its current condition.

They're also happy to point out that Bluegrass Boardwalk will feature the same family friendly atmosphere of Holiday World, including free amenities such as soft drinks and sunscreen. Alcohol will no longer be sold at the park as well.

I'm sure that some rides that were leftover from Kentucky Kingdom will have to be removed, as several hadn't operated in some time before the park even closed. The Kochs have planned an individual investment plan for the park, different from how Holiday World is expanding.

Scream Zone Adding New Thrill for Summer 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 20 May 2012 01:21:00 +0000

First came Luna Park in 2010, followed by Scream Zone this past Summer, and now the latter is already expanding! The last parcel that was designated by the City for amusement rides has been busily worked on this off-season, turning it into an extension of Scream Zone.

The new area is a bit small, so it really only features two attractions. One's going to be extremely noticeable from all around Coney Island, and the other is a perennial favorite that's got fans all revved up for their return.

The tall, rather noticeable ride is the Boardwalk Flyer, a SkyCoaster attraction that stands 200 feet tall. Riders will swing down directly over the busy Coney Island boardwalk at over 60 miles per hour. Needless to say this will create quite a spectacle for those strolling by the park! SkyCoasters have been successful at parks around the world for a long time now, and this one's beautiful ocean side setting will only make the view even more spectacular.

The ride that fans are eagerly awaiting the return of will be named the Coney Island Raceway - yes - go-karts are back! The 900 foot long course will twist and turn its way through the Scream Zone expansion, giving riders the ability to test out their driving skills.

The expanded Scream Zone area has a planned opening of May 25th.

Mammoth Thrilling Riders at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:01:00 +0000

Guests to Indiana's Holiday World and Splashin' Safari are having a blast, quite literally, on the park's new Mammoth water coaster, the longest of its kind in the world.

The park forwarded some photos of the ride in operation, showing off just how much fun guests are having while traveling the 1,763 feet of the massive, 12 foot wide slide.

One of the coolest qualities of Mammoth (there are many!) is the fact that guests can choose which style of raft they sit in. Above we see the 6 passenger round boat, but there is also an 8 seater version where guests sit facing forward, much like a traditional boat.

Here we see another of the rafts being literally launched up one of Mammoth's hills. The water coaster uses hydromagnetic linear induction motors to keep things moving at a quick pace. This allows larger than average drops and hills, creating a true coaster-like experience, including air-time and tunnels!

Holiday World has also released a video of Park President Dan Koch taking a couple test spins on Mammoth!

Mammoth opened to the public May 11th, and was provided by ProSlide Technology of Ontario, Canada.

SkyScreamer and Adventure Alley Debut at Six Flags Great Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:31:00 +0000

Last year Six Flags Great Adventure added the Green Lantern, a thrilling stand-up coaster that tested the courage of even the bravest rider. A great addition to the park, it was a hit with the thrill seeker crowd immediately after its opening.

For 2012 the park took a different approach, one that fits the old saying "a little of something for everyone" with its new additions. The rides and attractions that are new for this season cross the spectrum of riders, from the very young to the very young at heart.

Obviously the largest change to Six Flags Great Adventure this year is the addition of SkyScreamer, which has forever modified the skyline of the park. The presence of the ride can be felt over large parts of the park, with riders screaming and swinging high above the midways.

Alas, I've gotten quite ahead of myself already! First things first. Today was the media and VIP event for SkyScreamer, a prelude to a season pass holder preview that will last several days. Greeting us at the park was Communications Director Kristin Siebeneicher, and yes that's a whole lot of Elvises behind her! To fit with the retro vibe of the new park area that contains SkyScreamer, Adventure Alley, the park invited 30 Elvises to help kick things off.

According to Kristin "when completed Adventure Alley will be home to five rides." These include the park's classic 1960's Ferris wheel, SkyScreamer and three new rides - a music themed scrambler named Deja Vu, the Air Jumbo elephant ride, and Fender Bender bumper cars.

Park President John Fitzgerald thought about dressing up like Elvis for today's event, but according to him we'd "have to hear him sing, and that wouldn't be pretty." Speaking of the park's new rides he filled us in on some back-story.

"In 2011 we asked our guests through focus groups and online surveys what they wanted to see in 2012. The results may surprise you, overwhelmingly families and teens told us they wanted more attractions that they can ride together. This is how the concept for Adventure Alley was born. The area features rides and attractions that deliver thrills for all ages. The rides and attractions are rooted in a simpler time before the mega-coasters and giga-coasters."

Not that we mind the mega and giga coasters! Still, it was time for the park to focus on the whole family in one year, and they've done a great job of doing just that in 2012.

Streamers! What ride opening is complete without them? These marked the point where the 30 invited Elvises were able to take the inaugural spin on SkyScreamer, before any other guests.

And ride they did! Afterward there were many reports of the ride being described as "nothing like a hound dog," and that SkyScreamer left them feeling "all shook up." I take that to mean shook up in a good way!

It was a cute idea of the park to invite the impersonators, complete with white and red jumpsuits and strap on wigs. You wouldn't want Elvis' hair to come flying off over 200 feet in the air, after all! I have a creeping feeling that several of the Elvises were park enthusiasts, so I'm sure they didn't mind helping out. Judging by the faces of these two I certainly don't think they did!

But how about that ride, right? SkyScreamer seats 32 guests in two person seats. The seats are about as open-air as you could ever want. There is a simple bar that comes down and locks into place, along with a seat belt. Still, the feeling of freedom while on the ride is incredible! After loading the ride starts to rise up, and slowly begins spinning.

Before you know it the ride has you up some twenty four stories in the air, spinning you at 40 miles per hour. The seats make a 98 foot circle at the maximum, which means that while on the ride you're able to realize just how far out you're swinging. Speakers installed on the ride carriage keep things festive, pumping upbeat tunes out during the ride.

The ride program quickly takes the carriage up to the top, where it spins for a while. It then lowers about a third of the way down, only to quickly head back up to the top for some additional full speed swinging. The view from the top is understandably gorgeous - you can check out all of Six Flags Great Adventure, and even plan where to head next!

The park pointed out that the park's old Flying Wave, an original Wave Swinger attraction, was located right where SkyScreamer is today. While there are certainly parallels between the two you can be sure that the ride experience is quite different! Still, an interesting comparison to make to point out how different rides are in present day from a few decades ago.

And speaking of several decades ago, the park's new section, Adventure Alley most definitely has a retro vibe to it. John Fitzgerald pointed out that in "Adventure Alley you'll see mementos of our history. During our earlier years in the 1970's the hot air balloon and rainbow logos were synonymous with Great Adventure, and you'll find them on the new rides, in some sort of hidden locations. You'll also see some subtle updating of one of the old standards with SkyScreamer."

Deja Vu is a ride where the park's history is played out through the use of old logos on the cars. The located of the scrambler style ride was formerly a smoking area for some years, and it's wonderful to see a ride in that spot again. It's tucked in a nice shady area, giving it almost a restful appearance. The scrambler is a ride that never has gone out of style, and as the park made clear one that you can ride as a family.

If even Deja Vu is a bit too much for your little ones then Air Jumbo will be perfect for them. Located adjacent to SkyScreamer, the ride was once located in Balin's Jungle Land, which has since closed at the park. After taking a season off the ride is back and looks better than ever, filling another previously empty ride pad.

The Fender Benders bumper car ride is not operational at the park quite yet, but is expected to open in June.

SkyScreamer will preview to season pass holders only today through May 20th, and will open to the general public on the 23rd. Air Jumbo and Deja Vu are already open to the public.

Later this Summer the greater Six Flags Great Adventure property will debut the King Cobra water slide at Hurricane Harbor, which will be the first of its kind slide in the United States. As always plenty of adventures await guests in the Wild Safari, located just next to the theme park.

Many thanks to Six Flags Great Adventure for having NewsPlusNotes out for the ride opening, it looks like SkyScreamer and Adventure Alley in general will be a great success this year! Here's a short video of SkyScreamer from today - but the best way to experience it is to go take a spin!

Scott and Carol Present: More On X-Flight At Six Flags Great America

noreply@blogger.com (Scott and Carol) — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

On Thursday May 10th we covered X-Flight's opening ceremonies (if you missed that, check it out here) and from the cheers, clapping hands & smiles heard throughout the day the first announced "wing coaster" in the country proved to be a tremendous hit!

Things happen fast and often on X-Flight, starting with a diving inversion on the 120 foot first drop. Riders experience five inversions, including a zero-g roll, an in-line roll and a barrel roll over three minutes while sitting in trains with cars located on either side, not on the track, with their feet dangling.

The $15 million, 3,000 foot long thrill ride, designed by Bolliger & Mabillard also has a kick butt signature element, a sideways roll through an air-traffic control tower replica. Referred to as the "Keyhole," it is followed by an inverted "head chopper" which the park has named “The Yellow Jacket.”

The ride is smooth, fast and very re-ridable. Over the course of the day we had the opportunity to ride various seats on the train and while the ride experience differs greatly from the front to the back, there isn't a bad seat on the train.

Between rides Scott took the opportunity to interview a few people and find out a little background information.

Park President Hank Salemi was walking around, grinning from ear to ear, watching the newest addition to the park. When asked to about working with Bolliger & Mabillard, Hank replied, "What a dream for a Park President to be able to build this one-of-a-kind coaster that really delivers."

"We have a long history with B & M here at Great America and we just sent Walter and his team a copy of the space available and asked them what they could do with it. We are very landlocked so to put something in we have to take something out but this is a terrific area right across from the food court and game area."

Salemi also commented on shoe-horning X-Flight into the County Fair section, "We were able to fit an incredible coaster in a fairly defined space. We wanted to add as much theming as we could to the ride with both the space and budget we had to work with for this project. We think it is the top coaster in our park and that makes it one of the tops coasters in the country and we want to invite everybody to come out and try it out."

The park's Director of Maintenance/Construction, Gary Pohlman spoke more about the site preparations than the finished product. "We brought in a grinder and used it to recycle all the old concrete by grinding it into gravel and covering the entire site about 2-3 feet below grade. We gave us a good surface to work on and we reused the spoils from the caissons for the footers. Then we put black dirt on top for the landscaping."

"Through the middle we knew we had a large pipe where we pumped out storm water to the retention lake out front so we exposed it and gave ourselves an open water way. We use that waterway as a catch basin for the water cannons and misters."

Pohlam also gave us a bit of a history lesson, "B & M are great people to work with and they provide great rides. Their roller coasters are easy to put together. They (B & M) gave us a list of parts that are common to all of their rides here in the park. They did their first independent ride project when they built the cars for the bobsled coaster formerly in the park and we also used to have their first ride, Iron Wolf. They built their first Batman coaster here also."

Les Hudson, the Vice President of Design was happy to elaborate on X-Flight's premise, "We wanted to follow the theme of flight testing so we chose the wing rider design and the design elements to accentuate the visceral features of the ride like articulation of the trains, nearly 90 degrees from front to back, and also, despite how large the train is, how nimble and maneuverable it is."

"The physical sensation of the ride is the best part, but the elements and experiences add to the enjoyment of the ride, but it could be built in a parking lot, and it would still be a terrific experience."

“The design evolved as we were working with B & M and nowadays we have the good fortune of being able to work with simulation of the ride and computer generated models so before we actually clear the ground and start building the coaster we can visualize the experience, like a flight simulator."

Hudson added, "We look for the best places to do flybys and experiential things and then we want to make sure the ride is also fun for the people watching it, being impressed by the maneuvers and things that they see and as we all know, people wait in line to do this so we wanted to put them right in the middle of the experience for as much of that time as possible so they are being entertained and in a dynamic space while they are waiting to ride."

"We like to do things that add to the value of the experience of a great roller coaster so we try to focus our efforts on things that are truly going to help the experience and be something that people are going to remember.

President and Co-founder of B & M, Walter Bolliger spoke of the company's newest ride, "We like to give a lot of freedom to the passenger, thus the inspiration for the wing rider. We continued to dream about the flying seat and we like acrobatics too. So we did acrobatics with a crazy pilot and the passengers sitting on the wings, feet dangling, nothing overhead, and a lot of distance to the next passenger. We wanted lots of acrobatic elements like wingover drops, Immelman, inline roll, and things like that. We not only ride in acrobatic planes, we also read about acrobatics and attempt to work not against but with the G forces and use them to our advantage."

Addressing X-Flight's tight fit, Bolliger stated "This ride was very challenging, but this is what we like. It’s a tight area, because there is not a lot of space left at Six Flags Great America, and we wanted to put as many elements in the ride. We wanted to arrange them not one right after the other but with a certain distance so you can enjoy each element."

"We made a lot of studies about what people with special needs required to be able to go on the ride while also being safe. Of course being safe is the first priority. This required a lot of testing and mock ups. It is our goal to allow as many people as possible on the coaster."

Wing walker, Tony Kazian, spoke of the similarities of riding X-Flight and walking on the wing of a real airplane, "The first drop and that first barrel roll, that’s exactly what it feels like on the wing of an airplane. We do that first drop as a part of our air show, only we drop from about 1,000 feet to about 200 feet. But that is the same feeling and the barrel roll it feels like there is nothing out there. This is the best roller coaster I have ever been on, it doesn’t matter how long the line is, it is worth it to ride this coaster."

Six Flags Chief Corporate Engineer, Larry Chickola explained the complications caused by a 17 foot wide train, "The trains are heavier and bigger than they have used in the past, which require larger footers than we have used in the past. The custom design was modified to get the large sweeping turns and the roll above the midway for as much show for people moving along the midway. We wanted to get as many ride elements in as possible. The train looks like a 747 so there is a huge rotation through the elements."

We would like to thank Six Flags Great America for a wonderful, fun filled day! We suggest everyone make a trek to Six Flags Great America and take a ride on X-flight. As you can see if you watch the video below, we really enjoyed!

Darien Lake's New Family Area Opens

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:27:00 +0000

Darien Lake, New York, has opened for the 2012 season, and that also means that the park's new Rowdy's Ridge area has greeted its first guests. The park has expanded and renovated a large section to create Rowdy's Ridge, which features three new attractions and several rethemed rides that are aimed at the whole family.

In total, $5 million was spent on the resort for this year. The park received the new themed area, but also had many rides go under heavy refurbishment - which costs more than most would think. The resort side of the property also received one million dollars worth of upgrades, including new cabins.

One of the highlights of the attractions added is Moose on the Loose, a unique attraction where you actually ride a moose along an elevated track. Above is a shot of the finished product, which includes some cute theming along the way.

The Hornet's Next is a Flying Scooter type ride, where riders control the outward swing of their vehicles, and Heave Ho is a small tower which lets guests pull themselves up and then gently fall back down. Photos of the new rides are available here.

The finished product of the new area most definitely has the feel of Herschend Family Entertainment, which now manages the property. And that's a good thing! The area looks very nicely landscaped and put together. I'm excited to see what the future holds for Darien Lake.

Aquatica Set to Open This Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:37:00 +0000

The largest expansion ever for SeaWorld San Antonio is set to open this weekend when Aquatica greets its first customers. The water park represents a total transformation for the park's former water area, and more than doubles its size.

New slides and attractions have gone up, along with a total re-theme of the buildings and some heavy beautification of the area. No longer will the water park be a part of general admission to SeaWorld, instead it will now be an additional fee.

One of the slides, seen above and named Walhalla Wave, is the first of its kind to open in America. The ride seats four riders per raft as they make their way down, eventually dropping and soaring up a vertical wall.

Another treat is Stingray Falls, where guests slide down into a cavern that actually takes them below the park's stingray pool. Glass windows in the cavern allow them to see the rays as they pass by. For more shots of the park, be sure to check out this story. Just like the original Orlando, FL version, the park is a beauty!

Shambhala Opens at PortAventura

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:50:00 +0000

This past weekend saw the opening of Shambhala at Spain's PortAventura Theme Park. The coaster is the tallest in Europe, and B&M's second tallest ride to date standing an impressive 249 feet tall with a 255 foot first drop into a tunnel.

The coaster has also been given a wonderfully themed plaza and station area, complete with snow-capped structures and plenty of thematic statues, paintings, and other features. The ride's splash-down section, which is adjacent to the entrance plaza, was previously thought to function like that on Kings Island's Diamondback. Surprisingly, the splash is actually simulated with fountains, but creates a tunnel of water that the trains fly though - impressive looking to say the least.

A site that has meticulously covered the construction of Shambhala, PA Fans, has uploaded some great shots of the coaster from its opening day. The site is in Spanish but it's not too hard to see beautiful photos and click on them, right?

Theme Park Review also uploaded a point of view ride on Shambhala. Check it out:

Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast Now Open at Two Six Flags Parks

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:28:00 +0000

Both Six Flags St. Louis and Six Flags Over Texas have opened their versions of Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast, which is an updated take on the preexisting Mr. Freeze coasters. The shuttle launch rides have had their trains turned around, which means that the first launch is now taken backwards, with riders flying out of the launch tunnel not seeing what is ahead of them.

Likewise riders are now faced with a backwards climb up the ride's 222 foot tall tower, which in turn means a face forward vertical plummet. Early reviews of the coasters are noting that event though the train traveled both directions before, turning it around has made positive improvements.

Both coasters also received new decorations on the trains and launch tunnels, along with new signs and a general sprucing up.

The Six Flags Over Texas version just had its grand reopening, which featured an appearance by mister cool himself, Vanilla Ice. Six Flags St. Louis opened their ride on May 5th, joined by World Series MVP David Freese, from the Cardinals.

X-Flight Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:24:00 +0000

With our X-Flight goodie giveaway now over, we're happy to announce our winner. Our question was how many track pieces make up the entire length of X-Flight at Six Flags Great America.

Our winner was Mike C., who guessed a total of 71 track pieces. The correct answer was 85 track pieces. Mike C. will receive a selection of X-Flight related items, including carrying bag, water bottle, and luggage tag.

Thanks to all who entered!

Weekly Rewind 5.12.12

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sat, 12 May 2012 19:25:00 +0000

WhiteWater West has created China's first Family Python water slide for Chime Long Waterpark, and released the photo at left. Look at how amazing the lighting is inside the tubes!

Holiday World had a preview this week of Mammoth, the park's new hydromagnetic water coaster. The ride looks like a lot of fun! Perfect compliment to the park's other rides and slides.

Yeeeoow! Skyrush at Hersheypark is testing, and boy does this one fly around the course. Haven't seen a ride run this quick since Intimidator 305. Cannot wait to ride!

California's Great America released another set of photos teasing the construction work they have going on. It will be fun to watch the new wooden coaster go up this Summer!

Herschend Family Entertainment has filed a trademark for a new coaster named Outlaw. Sounds perfect for Silver Dollar City, right?

Elitch Gardens is hard at work on their new water slide, named Tube Top. The ride features a bright yellow and pink color scheme, sure to grab as much attention as the slide's name!

Sadly there really weren't many more details released as part of Universal Studios Japan's official Wizarding World announcement. The park has a page for the expansion, but not much in the way of specifics!

Feel free to help out the Coney Island B&B Carousel with votes that would possibly help it win grant money. You can vote one time each day!

Raging Waters, a part of the Morey's Piers family of parks, will debut their new River Adventure on Memorial Day weekend. The highly renovated lazy river now features all new scenery, rockwork, and additional theming.

Follow Us?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sat, 12 May 2012 18:25:00 +0000

I don't know if everyone follows us on Twitter, but please do! We often tweet from events and parks when we're on the road, and during the in-between time all of our posts are fed through Twitter so you can always stay up to date!

I'll be tweeting from Six Flags Great Adventure's SkyScreamer preview this week, so watch out for that!