NewsPlusNotes

New Wooden Coasters for Efteling in 2010

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Efteling Theme Park, in the Netherlands, has announced that they will add a new pair of racing/dueling wooden roller coasters for the 2010 season. The coasters are said to be 25 meters high (82 ft.) and 1,400 meters (4,593) long, although that sounds like it may be for both tracks combined. No manufacturer is listed yet, although I'm sure we all can agree that that's one of the most important factors!

The ride will be George and the Dragon and will replace the recently closed Pegasus, a wooden roller coaster that opened in 1991 and recently closed for good.

Daily Spin 7.18.09

sabrina@newsplusnotes.com (Sabrina) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Fans of Nut Tree Park, the short-lived family theme park which operated in Vacaville, California from 2006-2008, may take some comfort in knowing that a handful of the park's rides may be resurrected elsewhere within the overall Nut Tree complex. The project's assets were just purchased by a development company called Westrust, and spokespeople for the company have stated that they plan to bring back or relocate some of the park's key elements. Specifically mentioned were the train, carousel, and ice cream pavilion. Read more from The Oakland Tribune.

As the season progresses, more and more rides and attractions are springing back to life at Conneaut Lake Park. Splash City Water Park recently reopened, as did the Bessemer Railway System and Musik Express (which previously had been targeted for removal). If you're planning a visit, be sure to check the park's web site frequently as they continue to update their operating schedule and post new pricing specials.

Schlitterbahn Vacation Village in Kansas City opened in "sneak peek" mode this week, affording anxious guests the opportunity to enjoy a limited selection of attractions at a heavily discounted admission price. Attentive Schlitterblog readers received a sneak peek of the sneak peek, as the park posted a special offer which allowed readers to visit one day before the park's official opening day. Schlitterbahn Vacation Village will continue to operate in this limited capacity as their crew puts the finishing touches on this spectacular new water park. For a full list of attractions which will be open during this period, refer to the Schlitterblog.

Gregory Stanton of Lanham, Maryland has a new credit to his name: Pretzel Coaster Build-Off Champion! The 22-year-old's rendition of Apollo's Chariot won the judges' favor at this inaugural contest, which was held at Busch Gardens Williamsburg on Thursday. The full story, complete with photo gallery, can be found here. One of the judges has also created a photo gallery on Flicker. The contest was so successful that co-sponsors Busch Gardens and Snyder's of Hanover are discussing the possibility of making it an annual event!

In other contest news, Dorney Park's former "Little Laser" finally has a new name. The results are in, and "Steel First" has emerged victorious with 39.5% of the votes. The park is currently working on a logo and they plan to install new signage soon. When they do, you can bet that Mike or I will be there with a camera in hand! If you'd like to see where the rest of the votes fell, the full results have been posted on the park's web site.

Let's Check Out Wet'n'Wild Phoenix

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Now that Wet'n'Wild Phoenix has opened I wanted to take a minute to look at it a little more closely. It has a wide variety of new attractions, most of which are the latest and greatest of the water park industry. The park was formerly known as Waterworld Safari and featured this selection of attractions:

Pretty much your typical run of the mill water park, sorta under developed and in need of expansion. Well, the new owners took care of that real quick, turning the park into this:

Now comparing the above map to the aerial photo of the former park, you can see that the new owners, Village Roadshow, really put the $30 million they used to expand the park to good use.

In fact, it doesn't appears they kept much of the old park at all, really. They've added new attractions from Proslide and WhiteWaterWest from what I can tell, including:

• A family Boomerango slide
• Family rafting slide
• Racing mat slides
• Bowl slide
• Selection of family tube slides
• Interactive family water play structure
• Proslide Tornado slide
• Dueling Master Blaster slides.

The dueling Master Blaster slides, known as Maximum Velocity, apparently opened a little later on than the park but appear to big the big draw at the park. One article I read said they had an hour and a half wait after the park opened!

If you want to see some photos of the cool stuff they've added, About.com has two galleries with some shots: here and then here.

The park was smart and also added a lot of shade structures to protect guests form the hot Phoenix sun, and also has an assortment of merchandise and food locations for visitors to enjoy.

The park certainly looks like a winner, so best of luck to them. If any of you readers visit let me know!

New Disney's California Adventure Site & Info

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:14:00 +0000

Disney Parks just launched a wonderful new website that allows visitors to learn about and follow the progress of all the changes they are making at their Disney's California Adventure theme park.

The site is stuffed full of photos, videos, drawings, plans, and more that details all the exciting new attractions coming to the park. One of the major new attractions is the World of Color lagoon show that will premiere next Spring and looks to be out of this world. (art above)

Disney also took the chance today to have a press event in connection with the reopening of their Blue Sky Cellar attraction at the park which allows visitors to see even more of the plans they have for the park. The current displays focus mainly on the World of Color show, and if you want to see some amazing photographs of what they have to show check out Mice Age's update.

Personally, I cannot wait for the World of Color show, as I have a feeling that Disney is going to really amaze audiences with what they can do with their take on a water fountain show!

A Blast From The Past - Where Did The Term Roller Coaster Come From?

carol@newsplusnotes.com (Scott and Carol) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:36:00 +0000

Well one version originated in Haverhill Massachusetts, patented by Stephen Jackman & Byron Floyd, the Sliding-Hill and Toboggan opened in Sept of 1887 in Haverhill. The ride was built around the inner walls of the Globe Skating Rink. It was located on the third floor of the building with an elevator lift taking riders to the top.

1500 foot of track ran around the walls from ceiling to floor criss-crossing the rink in a spiraling figure eight formation." The Sliding-Hill and Toboggan survived for just three years and did little for the development of the roller coaster. The roller coaster did get something very important from the Haverhill ride - a name both Jackman & Floyd laid claim to the term "roller coaster."

The coaster and the building were demolished 2/1/1890, the 7 story Winchell building stands on the site today.

Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Joyland Amusement Park 2002

sabrina@newsplusnotes.com (Sabrina) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:52:00 +0000

I always enjoy a good mystery. There's a certain sense of gratification that comes with solving them. But when it came to tracking down a year for this brochure, my gratification was incomplete! Ultimately I decided to go with the copyright date, but I have reason to believe that it is suspect. Let's investigate!

When I first laid eyes on this brochure cover, I thought for sure that it must have come straight out of an Adam Sandler movie. First they tell you to "wet your pants", then they follow it up by saying, "It's just cool!" Is Joyland in cahoots with Pampers?!

But a bit of research revealed that there is a logical explanation for all of these things. This particular brochure was the product of a partnership between Amusement Today and TL Creative Design. According to TL Creative Design's web site, the slogan "It's Just Cool" was developed to promote the "new" Wild River log flume (pictured here), which made its debut at Joyland in 2001.

Wait, 2001? The copyright on the back of the brochure clearly states 2002! That's the first half of the mystery. But in order to get a photo of a ride for a brochure cover, that ride needs to be open. And back in 2001, it was still under construction! So unless this photo is an imposter, it stands to reason that this brochure must have been printed no earlier than 2002.

I've never had the pleasure of visiting Joyland, but I'm a real sucker for quaint traditional parks so I'm sure I would love it! Not to be confused with the other park by the same name in Wichita, this Joyland is still very much alive and well in Lubbock, Texas and it features some great throwback rides. For instance, the Mad Mouse is a Herschell model that was relocated from Bell's Amusement Park back in the '70s. Heck, this park even has a Skyride and those have become rarities in recent years.

[*Note that there is yet another Wild River photo on this page--Score 2 for the 2002 theory!]

Here we see even more photos of Joyland's classic mix of rides, including the aforementioned Skyride. The Train, Big Splash, Whip, Rock-O-Plane, and Galaxi coaster round out this collection.

And of course, there's that notorious dated copyright notice at the bottom of the last page! What you may not be able to see, however, is that the operating calendar is a sticker which has been placed on top of the calendar that was actually printed on this brochure. Typically such measures are only taken when a park wishes to reuse an existing brochure from a previous year... HMMMMM... Could this actually be a 2003 brochure? Or even later? We may never know, because that calendar contains no actual dates! (In fact, it doesn't even make sense if you look at it closely. Each month has four rows instead of five!) This one is a tough nut to crack for sure.

I have yet to develop a system of applying dates to brochures when the same one is used multiple times, so I'm not going to think too hard about this one. But I'll tell you this much: If Joyland did in fact resurrect this brochure for multiple seasons, I have no doubt that it was due to the popularity of the "wet your pants" slogan!

New Attractions for Disneyland's Halloween Celebration

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:57:00 +0000

Disneyland, California, has announced that it will add a scary theme overlay to Space Mountain and a new themed fireworks display for this year's Halloween Time event.

According to the Funland Blog the ride should be similar to Hong Kong Disneyland's Halloween makeover of the Space Mountain, called Ghost Galaxy. Disneyland left all the lighting rigs up inside of Space Mountain from when it was Rockin' Space Mountain a few years back, so the transformation already has that going for it.

The park will also add a Halloween themed fireworks display, one of the coolest part of the similar celebration at Disney World in Florida, said to be hosted by the King of Halloween, Jack Skellington.

Odin's Temple Of The Tiger

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:41:00 +0000

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has announced that their new Tiger show and habitat, Odin's Temple of the Tiger, has opened at the California theme park. The area's 2,500 seat theater has been completely refurbished to allow guests to enjoy a 20 minute presentation featuring the Tigers in a replica of their natural habitat.

The addition also provides guests the opportunity to view the park's 11 Tigers in their 'backstage' areas in a lush setting complete with roaring waterfall. Above we see Odin himself officially opening the attraction for guests!

The park also released this video which provides a peek at what you can see when visiting Odin in his new area at the park. If you want to learn more you can check out the park's official Facebook page and website.

A Long Beach Island Fantasy: Part 2

sabrina@newsplusnotes.com (Sabrina) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:41:00 +0000

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

On behalf of Mayor Gator, I'd like to welcome you to the second and final segment of our Beach Haven adventure!

Pictured above is yet another one of Fantasy Island's stately entrances. The grandeur of it all might give you the impression that this is a gated park. Not so! Everything is pay-as-you-go, although a POP admission is available on certain days.

Something drew me to this particular token booth. I can't quite put my finger on it...

Ar! It seems me kiddie pirate ship captain be stashin' his booty in a heavily guarded booth. How many doubloons ye be askin' for the Giant Wheel, matey?

Oh, I suppose you were expecting tickets! In that case, you're out of luck because tokens are the standard form of ride currency at Fantasy Island. The kind man in the booth noticed that I was taking photos and went to the trouble of finding me a bright, shiny token to use, but sadly that photo is horribly out of focus so these will have to do. (My husband mentioned to him that I was doing a story about the park for my blog. I'm sure he was very impressed.)

The use of ride tokens is not the only thing to add an extra touch of class to Fantasy Island. The park's carousel, which was added in 1988, is a throwback to the carousels of the early 1900s. It was custom designed for the park by Chance Rides, and the horses were forged from molds that were based directly on the hand-carved designs of such greats as Charles Looff and Gustav Dentzel. The folks at Fantasy Island obviously take great pride in their carousel, as an entire section of the park's web site has been dedicated to it.

It ain't big and it ain't flashy. But it does earn Fantasy Island a spot on RCDB! The Dragon coaster opened in 1986. It was one of several new rides that Ed Florimont added to the former park's existing line-up when he took over.

For reasons that I cannot explain, there are some rather off-the-wall props sitting behind the Dragon coaster. Like this doll house...

...and this angry looking man!

I guess I'd be angry too if I had peg legs and was stuck behind bars.

Fantasy Island touts itself as a "Family Fun Park", and its wide selection of family-oriented rides is more than enough to validate that claim. But in the evenings, they kick the fun up a notch with yet another form of diversion: Free entertainment! The park's rotating entertainment line-up features a wide array of kid-focused entertainers who specialize in everything from magic to animals.

Though many new rides have been added to Fantasy Island over the past 25 years, Hartman's Park lives on through a handful of rides that have transcended the ownership changes. Among these are the bumper cars, tilt-a-whirl, and scrambler, which Florimont chose to keep and refurbish when he took over the park.

Park history lessons sure work up an appetite. Think hamburgers, fries, and cotton candy. Can't eat foods like those without paper products getting involved. Oily, sticky, ketchup-covered paper products....YUM!! This clown was moved to tears just thinking about it.

Ed Florimont was in the business of games, so it stands to reason that Fantasy Island would have a pretty impressive collection. But those shown here are just the tip of the iceberg! Right inside the park's main entrance is the legendary Casino, a family arcade featuring hundreds of games in a plush, upscale setting. The original casino building was 7000 square feet, but a massive $1 million expansion project doubled its size in the year 2000.

Fantasy Island is a place where old and new coexist harmoniously. For instance, the Himalaya that has resided at the park since its rebirth in the mid '80s stands next to the comparatively new Drop Zone, which was added in 2002. Yet one thing has remained constant through the years: Fantasy Island's commitment to character, cleanliness, and families.

That is one hungry, hungry hippo.

So what do you get when you cross a Victorian-style family fun park with a series of lip-smackin', refuse-eatin', cuteness factor-havin' trash cans? One enchanted enthusiast!

It all could have ended when the Hartmans decided to get out of the business in the 1970s. But thanks to Ed Florimont and the many capable staffers who have revitalized and cared for this park over the past couple decades, Fantasy Island remains a gem of Long Beach Island and, indeed, the entire Jersey shore community. If you're in the area, be sure to drop in and pay them a visit!

For even more Fantasy Island photos, check out our public album on Facebook!

The United States Officially Joins Expo 2010

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:20:00 +0000

The United States has finally confirmed that they will participate in the 2010 World Expo being held in Shanghai, China saying that our Pavilion will be completed "on time and on budget." Unable to use Government funds per American law, about half of the estimated $61 million needed to build the American Pavilion has already been raised.

The World Expo is expected to attraction some 70 million people during it's run, and currently has 240 countries signed up to participate. America's Pavilion will be located across from China's on the central corridor of the Expo.

The theme of the American Pavilion will be "Celebration 2030, in which a guided tour led by an American Chinese will allow the visitors to experience the space of future and personally feel the US cities in year 2030."

On another note, I was looking at some of the Pavilion designs from different countries and check out the Switzerland one:

Its going to have a chair lift system like those that can be found on the Alps start inside the Pavilion and go up and onto the roof for a nice little ride! Neat.

Kings Island's Roller Coaster Momma!

carol@newsplusnotes.com (Scott and Carol) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:43:00 +0000

Is Diamondback a huge success for Kings Island? Just ask Darlene Bell of nearby Dayton, Ohio. Having visited Kings Island 28 times this season, the self-proclaimed “Roller Coaster Mama” became the first park guest to ride Diamondback 500 times. That's an average of 18 rides per visit on the park's new $22 million steel roller coaster!

Photo provided courtesy of Kings Island

That's Darlene (front seat, left) enjoying her 500th ride on Kings Island’s Diamondback roller coaster Saturday 7/11/2009, accompanied by a Diamondback rides associate, Bryan Miller.

Photo provided courtesy of Kings Island

Congratulations Darlene! Hope to see you in line!

More On Carowinds 2010

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:31:00 +0000

User JamminJ over on the Carowinds Connection boards posted a great new photo update from the construction of the park's new coaster for 2010. They've got the first footer about ready to pour, other holes dug for a bunch of footers, and the drainage pieces sitting around where they will be placed.

From this, I made the above excellent piece of art. No really, no matter how bad my art is you can totally tell how this ride will start in this area from what they've done so far. The drainage pieces would be for a splashdown, which after Diamondback we're all sure would happen on this ride. Then you have the big footer ready to be poured which just screams "I'm for the base of the lift hill!" Also, there's tons of little footer holes dug for the transfer track area, just like on Diamondback. Add in a queue, station and put the rest of the ride out into the parking lot and presto! New B&M hyper coaster.

Exciting!

Daily Spin 7.13.09

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Remember the contest that Snyder's Pretzels and Busch Gardens Williamsburg had for people to build a roller coaster out of their pretzels? Well, six finalists have been chosen (above) and will compete at Busch Gardens Williamsburg this Thursday for the grand prize. The finalists will have three hours to build a replica of Apollo's Chariot and the winner will receive 4, 2-year season passes to the theme park and a year's supply of pretzels. I wonder how much is a year's supply of pretzels, hmm? Anyway, check out the official contest page here to see more photos!

Kings Island has announced that their new hyper coaster, Diamondback, has already given over 800,000 rides since it opened this past Spring. The ride is trying to beat the park's current first year ridership record holder, Vortex, which gave almost 2.2 million rides in it's debut season. Good luck to Diamondback! Be sure to keep us updated, Kings Island.

Did you think the 'tunnel' of Superman logo shaped rings at the bottom of Bizarro's (New Jersey) first drop were cool? Well those cool LED lights were provided by Elation Architectural, a firm that specializes in projects such as Six Flags Great Adventure's coaster transformation. And they have a link to a great close up video of the lights in action! Check out the story and video link here.

Six Flags Great America and Pert Plus shampoo teamed up a few days ago to try to snatch two world records - both of which are interesting sounding: The World's Largest Shower and Most People Showering Simultaneously In One Venue. Now that's a publicity stunt if I've ever heard of one! This article has the details, but it actually sounded like a lot of fun and was probably successful!

This probably does not bode well for Freestyle Music Park, but the park has decided to keep their 4th of July admission promotional price for the entire month of July. If purchased before 4 p.m., you can get two entrance tickets for only $17.76, or only $8.88 a person. What a deal! If you show up after 4 p.m. one ticket is still only $17.76, considerably less than most parks evening admission rate. Click here to read the details.

Schlitterbahn Kansas City Closer to Opening

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Schlitterbahn Vacation Village, in Kansas City, Kansas, is moving closer to its grand opening, with an official date set to be released this week.

The new water park is the first phase of a massive project that will include resort amenities as well as a large shopping/dining complex. In the end, a full and unique water park resort will have been created.

If you want to check out recent photos of the property, like the one above, be sure to also check out the Schlitterblog for more! I can't wait to see plenty of photos once the Kansas City location opens!

A Long Beach Island Fantasy: Part 1

sabrina@newsplusnotes.com (Sabrina) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:05:00 +0000

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

As the saying goes, one tardy trip report deserves another. Or at least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! It seems my keyboard simply can't keep up with my suitcase this summer. (And the summer is far from over, my friends...) The following TR eclipses even my Six Flags Fiesta Texas TR in terms of being "well aged". Fortunately for me, this park's appeal is timeless!

A few short weeks ago (or maybe more, but who's counting), I had the opportunity to visit what is arguably the Jersey shore's most charming seaside amusement park. (Perhaps those of you with really good memories will recall my rambling tweets.) Tucked away on the comparatively sedate shores of Long Beach Island, Fantasy Island Amusement Park truly lives up to its name.

Fantasy Island is celebrating its silver anniversary this year, but it was not the first park to occupy this location in Beach Haven, New Jersy. Its predecessor, Hartman's Park, dates back to 1960. The Hartman family put their park up for sale sometime in the 1970s, and by 1985 it found itself in the very capable hands of Ed Florimont.

Ed Florimont was no newcomer to the amusement industry. Both he and his father had long histories as game concessionaires along the Jersey shore, and Ed in particular had built up quite a reputation as an "upscale" businessman. He was determined to bring his unique vision of a Victorian-style amusement park to Beach Haven, and he spared no details in making his dream a reality.

Everywhere you look, Fantasy Island screams class and charm. From its intricate entrance archways to its Victorian-style lampposts and Z-brick paved midways, this park truly is the stuff of fantasies. There's nary a piece of litter to be seen, and the rides may as well have been installed yesterday for how vibrant and well-maintained they appear.

But most importantly, Fantasy Island was well-equipped to satisfy my penchant for park fetishes. (The value of this trait cannot be underestimated.) There is a great abundance of "characters" at this park, and you just never know where they'll show up next...

Gators: The next best thing to crocs.

Case in point: Meet the Mayor of Fantasy Island, Al E. Gator! This replica's full-size costumed counterpart is frequently seen roaming the midways, though sadly we did not catch a glimpse of him during our visit. And the "mayorship" thing is no joke. Al--or "Mr. Pickle", as he apparently is known by friends--was formally inducted into office on August 16, 2006. He even has his own e-mail address! (I am not making this up. Visit Fantasy Island's web site and see for yourself!)

Fantasy Island is only 25 years young, but it has grown and changed with the times just like any other park. A miniature golf course which used to sit just inside the park's main entrance was replaced by the Giant Wheel and two kiddie rides (pictured above) in 1994. The Giant Wheel was an expensive investment for a park of this size, but it was a wise one. No seaside park is complete without a Ferris wheel overlooking the water, and in the case of Fantasy Island you have the option of the ocean or the bay!

The kiddie swings and train ride made their debut in 1990. The majority of the rides at Fantasy Island cater to the smaller set, but that suits Long Beach Island just fine. This shore point features 18 miles of the quietest, most peaceful beaches you'll find anywhere on the East Coast of the U.S. Mind-blowing thrill rides and towering coasters would seem out of place here. It is a family retreat, and Fantasy Island captures that vibe.

I got a tracheotomy just so I could eat your trash!

A-HA! So this is how Fantasy Island manages to keep its midways so clean. Discarding garbage is a form of entertainment at this park! Little did I know how much more entertaining it would become...

Unlike its brother down at Beech Bend, this particular Sea Dragon opted not to lead a life of celebrity. Fantasy Island has been its home since 1989! The Sea Dragon is one of many rides at the park that the entire family can enjoy together.

The Sea Dragon is thrilling and all, but it was the kiddie pirate ship that took the prize for best ride op. This animated fellow puts the "fantasy" in Fantasy Island. Sporting a pirate hat and a black wig, he beckoned passing children to challenge the seven seas on his small but mighty vessel. When he noticed me taking photos, he practically begged to be in one of them! I'm a big fan of enthusiastic ride ops, so I gladly obliged. Carry on, matey!

Well no wonder he's so jovial--Stationed at the foot of the kiddie pirate ship is yet another tricked out trash can! Just look at him licking his chops in anticipation of your soiled napkins and sticky soda cups. I'd be lion if I told you that I didn't have a hankering to be wasteful at that moment.

Nothing puts an exclamation point on a story like ending it with a really bad pun, and I like to go out on a high note. So with that, I'll conclude Part 1 of this fantasy-astic TR! (Alright, that last bit was pushing it...) Stay tuned for more rides, more history, and most importantly, more trash cans!

Deadline for Feedback Draws Near at Coney Island

sabrina@newsplusnotes.com (Sabrina) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:26:00 +0000

The great American tradition that is the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has put Coney Island smack dab in the middle of the national media spotlight over the past couple weeks. But what all of those media reports failed to mention is that even the iconic original Nathan's location is not safe from redevelopment under the City's proposed rezoning plan.

As the battle for Coney Island wages on between the City, Thor Equities, and the countless local residents and enthusiasts who have a very personal stake in the matter, it has become very obvious that something needs to be done to secure the area's future. For its part, the City has put together a comprehensive master plan which goes a long way toward accomplishing that goal. Yet many people, while acknowledging the overall merit of the plan, have raised concerns that it contains several fatal flaws which could spell doom for Coney Island in the long run.

Among the concerned is Dick Zigun, unofficial "Mayor" of Coney Island and founder of the not-for-profit arts organization Coney Island USA. In fact, he has gone so far as to produce the embedded PSA, in which he urges residents to contact their City Councilmembers and request three key changes to the plan: (1) moving a series of proposed high-rises north of Surf Avenue, (2) expanding the amusement district, and (3) eliminating financial incentives for destroying Coney Island's historic buildings.

Zigun, in conjunction with the grassroots organization Save Coney Island, is trying desperately to spread his message as the deadline for feedback draws near. This Monday, July 13, 2009, is the last day to request changes to the City's plan. Zigun's PSA delivers a humorous yet genuinely sincere and well thought-out message that is worth a listen even if you disagree with him. But if you live in Brooklyn and you do agree with him, by all means make those phone calls because you may not get another chance!

To keep your finger on the pulse of this continuing saga and all things Coney Island, be sure to check out Amusing the Zillion, a great blog written by New York-based writer and "former carny kid" Tricia Vita.

Mice Gone Wild

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Just a random video I took a while back of the Wild Mouse at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom.

One Slice of The People's Playground, Please!

sabrina@newsplusnotes.com (Sabrina) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:51:00 +0000

The main course was hot dogs. Now it's time to move on to dessert! As the title insinuates, this mini trip report is a departure from my usual excessively verbose format. (Please hold back your tears!) In fact, it's not so much a TR as it is a whirlwind tour of a few of the major landmarks at Coney Island. My time at The People's Playground was brief, so the amusements had to take a backseat this time around. (Blasphemous, I know!)

Nevertheless, certain "sights" at Coney Island simply must be photographed during every visit, regardless of how ubiquitous they have become within modern culture. Who am I to break tradition? So pay close attention, because I'm sure you've never seen any of the following landmarks before!

Dormant since 1968, but still standing proud!

The inventor of Coney Island's iconic Parachute Jump had originally set out to build a better training structure for military paratroopers. Turns out it made a great amusement ride too! This model first operated at the 1939 New York World's Fair and was later purchased by the Tilyou family for Steeplechase Park.

I took this photo well before the masses descended upon Coney Island. The boardwalk sure was peaceful first thing in the morning, but that wouldn't last long!

The next few photos capture a piece of Coney Island that isn't so much a landmark as a travesty. "Dream Land" or "Dreamland" or however they choose to spell it on any given day is Thor Equities' attempt to sweep the Astroland debacle under the rug and pretend that they're giving something back to the people of Brooklyn. (And apparently spelling is not their strong suit: "showes"?)

Set up in the lot where Astroland used to stand, this carnival of sorts features a couple dozen rides, a "freak show", and inflatables galore. It was named after the original Dreamland Park which existed at Coney Island from 1904-1911, an association which is...well, laughable.

That being said, I predict that this place is going to make a killing this summer. Why? Two words: Dragon Wagon. Or more specifically, Michael Jackson's Dragon Wagon. That's right folks, it's right here at Dreamland! The story actually broke the day we were at Coney Island and as soon as word gets out, I'm sure that adoring fans will be descending upon this place like vultures. I can't say I blame them. Had I known this information at the time, I may have made a point to ride it myself.

And by the way, don't expect this newly discovered coaster "installation" to show up in the annals of RCDB anytime soon (although there is a brief mention of the ride's current whereabouts). Such privileges are reserved for permanent parks, and Dreamland is anything but that. Come Fall, this Coney Island "squatter" will be a nothing but a memory and the old Astroland lot will return to its empty, abandoned state.

Needless to say, Dreamland was still closed at the time these photos were taken. I didn't bother returning when it was open, partially due to time constraints but primarily because I couldn't stomach the thought of supporting Thor Equities in any way, shape, or form. Nevertheless, if this park manages to draw a few extra visitors to Coney Island, I'm all for that. If you'd like to check it out, this thread on Theme Park Review includes photos of virtually every ride, Dragon Wagon included!

What was I saying about keeping this brief? Let's fast forward to the part where everything is open. By the time the last hot dogs were consumed at Nathan's, Coney Island had become a veritable sea of people--none of whom had the patience for an ogling, tweeting, photo-taking blogger!

Shoot the Freak: An oldie but goodie

In order to truly "get" Coney Island, you really need to experience it firsthand. And leave your "PC" sensitivities at home, because somehow the bizarre, the outrageous, and the downright disturbing make perfect sense here. There's not another place like it on this planet!

Now that Astroland is gone, the burden of preserving Coney Island's legendary amusement history rests squarely on the shoulders of the Vourderis family, owners of Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park. If the message printed on the park map is any indication, they are up to the challenge. It reads: "Open this year, and next year and next and next and next."

Stepping into Deno's is like stepping back in time--in a good way! Although the park has changed and evolved through the years, it has also stayed very much the same. Deno's is classic Coney.

Swinging cars: Only for the bravest of riders and the strongest of bladders!

The centerpiece of this park, of course, is the magnificent Wonder Wheel itself. This 150-foot tall landmark opened in 1920 and has managed to maintain a perfect safety record throughout its history.

Our last stop on this ever so brief tour of Deno's is the Spook-A-Rama, a classic Pretzel dark ride built in 1955. It was the last permanently installed dark ride to make an appearance at The People's Playground. In honor of Spook-A-Rama's 50th birthday in 2005, the Laff in the Dark organization presented the Vourderis family with the Leon S. Cassidy Achievement and Preservation Award for their continuing commitment to the maintenance and preservation of this historic ride.

If you are a history buff (or even if you aren't), do not leave Coney Island without paying a visit to the Coney Island History Project. This not-for-profit organization was founded by Carol Hill Albert and Jerome Albert (former owners of Astroland) in 2004. Its purpose is to increase awareness and appreciation of Coney Island's past, present, and future, with special emphasis being placed on its illustrious history. The History Project's exhibition center is certainly easy enough to find, as it is located right beneath the Cyclone!

Speaking of which...Time constraints or not, there was no way I was leaving Coney Island without taking a spin on the most legendary coaster of them all!

Earlier in the day, before the Cyclone opened to the public, I happened to catch a glimpse of a maintenance worker walking the track. So of course I had to snap a couple photos!

Our friend in maintenance must be doing something right, because the old girl was running like a well-oiled machine! It was even better than I remembered. The Cyclone stands as one of the last survivors of that fabled "golden age" of roller coasters, and it is everything you would expect a coaster built in the 1920s to be: Pure, raw, unadulterated, bone-rattling fun.

I must also give props to the members of the Cyclone's ride crew, as they, too, were working together like a well-oiled machine. The loading and dispatch times were lightning fast. I don't think the line stopped moving once!

I was lucky to get a few seconds to quickly snap some photos inside the station. The crew let me know in their own subtle, friendly, yet unmistakably authoritative way that I was not to dawdle! Point taken. I would not dream of interfering with such an efficient operation!

Now that it's all said and done, I guess this TR ended up being a little longer than I thought. That's pretty amazing considering that I didn't even have many photos to share! Let me assure you that the next time I visit Coney Island, it will be all about the rides. Until then, I hope you've enjoyed your lil' slice of the world's most famous amusement area!

A Blast From The Past - Patent For Stand-up Restraint

carol@newsplusnotes.com (Scott and Carol) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:26:00 +0000

On September 16th, 1986 Giovanola Freres SA of Monthey Switzerland, along with Intamin AG of Freienbach Switzerland filed a patent for a device to retain roller coaster passengers in a standing position.

The abstract reads: To enable a passenger to ride a "roller coaster" in a standing position, the invention device includes a seat placed between the legs of the passenger, a back member with a headrest incorporated in it, and two harnesses which provide retention of the passenger from above as well as lateral retention of his head and good front and lateral retention of his body.

One of the harnesses is movable and can be swung upwardly to enable easy acess to the subject device by the passenger and to enable a ventral bar to be brought into tight contact with the passenger's abdomen before being locked shut in that position.

Because the sliding carriage which bears the two harnesses, the back member and the seat are displaceable and lockable along the cloumns which have their base fixed to the chassis of the train, the present invention can accommodate passengers of differnt height and sizes and reliably retain such passengers regardless of their orientation in space during the operation of the associated roller coaster.

If this description isn't painfull enough to read, the restraint was used on the much traveled Batman The Escape at Astroworld which is currently in storage at Darien Lake, Cobra at La Ronde and Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America

We've Got Footers!

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:45:00 +0000

... and they're really BIG footers! KDFansite has some new photos of the construction taking place for the park's rumored 2010 Intamin Giga coaster. Lots of new track has arrived as well, including what looks to be part of the top of the lift hill!

Check out all the photos at KDFansite.

Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Idlewild 2006

sabrina@newsplusnotes.com (Sabrina) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:35:00 +0000

They say good things come in small packages. This week I'll show you how that same rule can be applied to parks and brochures! Idlewild may not be the biggest park on this planet, but it sure packs in the family fun. Even more amazing is the fact that they continually manage to condense all that fun into a comparatively tiny brochure. This baby is short on pages but long on information!

When it comes to Idlewild and Golden Ticket Awards, it is not a matter of "if". Rather, it is a matter of exactly how high they will place! This park is a shoo-in for the "Best Children's Park" category. In 2006, they captured the #2 spot.

But the biggest "winner" of 2006 was SoakZone, which underwent a massive $1 million expansion that increased its area by twenty percent! The star attraction of this new area was Captain Kidd's Adventure Galley, an interactive water play structure featuring slides, tunnels, spray jets, you name it--all capped off by a 500 gallon tipping bucket.

The strip of thumbnail images across the top of this page is used to showcase Idlewild's seven themed areas. It reminds me of a movie reel, which seems appropriate since it's essentially giving us a sneak preview of what each area has to offer.

It just so happens that one of these themed areas was celebrating a special birthday in 2006: Story Book Forest had just turned 50! This unique area is a perfect example of what makes Idlewild such a great children's park. Story Book Forest is a place where nursery rhymes come to life in the form of life-size displays and live characters.

And I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to point out Idlewild's historic Rollo Coaster, a gentle family woodie that has been putting smiles on riders' faces since 1938!

They've even managed to squeeze a little Halloween into this brochure! One could argue that Story Book Forest injects a little bit of Halloween-style make-believe into every day of the operating season, but Idlewild really kicks it up a notch in the Fall by allowing children to trick-or-treat amongst their favorite nursery rhyme characters. Sounds like fun to me! Where do I sign up? (And no, I will not be dressing as a teenage witch! Darn that stinking TV show...)

As you can see, this brochure is like a metaphor for Idlewild itself: Small, but chock full of good stuff. Of course the paper lover in me certainly wouldn't mind if they were to expand their brochure format in the future!

Freestyle Music Park Giveaway Contest Winners!

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:09:00 +0000

We're pleased to announce the winners of our Freestyle Music Park Giveaway Contest!

Our Grand Prize winner of two tickets to the park is Ryan P. from Ohio! Congrats Ryan!

Our two other winners, who will both receive a Freestyle Music Park Tee Shirt are Darron K. and Doug M.! Congratulations to you guys, too!

Now here are the answers to our mystery photos:

Mystery Photo #1, Iron Horse:

Mystery Photo #2, McGillivray Cab Company:

Mystery Photo #3, Polly Nesian's Splash Bash:

Mystery Photo #4, Fly Like An Eagle:

Mystery Photo #5, The Time Machine:

Many thanks go out to all who entered and especially Freestyle Music Park for allowing us to have the contest! Congratulations again to all our winners!

Aerial Antics: Geauga Lake Before And Afters

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:37:00 +0000

Geauga Lake's aerials on Bing! Maps have some updated images spliced in with the old that allow for some neat (though sad) comparisons.

Like in this case we can see Superman: Ultimate Escape standing and ready to thrill passengers with it's launch.

But then, in this photo it has be ripped out of the ground and at that point was probably already in Pennsylvania preparing to become Possessed at Dorney Park.

Here's the two coasters that were right on the Lake part of Geauga Lake: Thunderhawk and Dominator.

And here we see the land littered with concrete support 'footers' and no more coasters! They headed off to Michigan and Virginia.

Finally, a fun looking kiddie area, packed with rides and attractions for the smaller members of your family.

And now they're all at Cedar Point in Planet Snoopy!

Here's a link to the aerials, you have to play around a while to get the newer ones to come up.

It's Laser! (Test Track)

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Wow what a paint job Laser from Dorney Park has now that it's back in Germany! The ride is being built at the site of the Hamburg Fair, and should open sometime this month. The track is now a screamin' yellow with white supports, except from the loops which are a deep blue.

Check out this thread on Freizeitparkweb for more photos of the coaster going up!

Celebrating Dorney Park's 125th

NewsPlusNotes@yahoo.com (Mike) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:27:00 +0000

Part of the celebration that Dorney Park is having in honor of their 125th anniversary this summer, aside from their new Snoopy Rocks! On Ice show and a slew of new special events, is a tamer offering that history buffs like myself will love - the Dorney Park history Walking Tour.

When the park celebrated their 100th anniversary they first added the Walking Tour. Signs with photos dotted the park and a special brochure was created to guide guests to these signs of famous Dorney Park landmarks.

I happen to be the proud owner of one of these original brochures, and am happy to be able to show it off here.

The original tour featured 20 different locations in the park that featured historic rides, attractions, and other memorable spots.

For the park's 125th, they've brought back 16 of the original 20 signs, spiffed them up for their current use, and are proudly displaying them in the park. For those of us (myself included, as I was, uh, 2 when this took place) who never got to check out the original display, this is a pretty wonderful opportunity!

That said, let's have a look at those signs!

Dance Floor, Skating Rink, and finally the Wacky Shack - the area near the basketball game coming down the big hill in the park featured this famous building.

The Bucket O' Blood was one of Dorney's classic dark rides which burned in 1983. The 'pretzel' style ride system featured gags designed by Bill Tracy, who made quite a name for himself designing dark rides during his era.

Dorney Park started as a picnic property, and judging from the throngs of people I saw having picnics in the parking lot a week ago, it still is. This sign celebrates the long standing tradition of the picnic at Dorney.

Carousels also have a prominent history at Dorney Park, with at least 6 different ones operating at the park during it's history. Today the park features the beautiful 1921 Dentzel Carousel just inside it's main entrance gates.

I don't believe I've ever seen any of the photos before featured on this sign of the railroad at Dorney Park. Those are some classic shots! And the sign isn't kidding, the Zephyr train really did help the park survive the depression era.

The focus is on Camp Snoopy these days, the this sign proves that the kiddies have never been ignored at Dorney Park. Funny how a good idea never dies, as you can see a small Ferris wheel in a couple of the photos, just like the one standing today in Camp Snoopy!

The former home of the Laser roller coaster is also the former home of the park's giant swimming pool, a massively popular place for locals in the first half of the century. I think those old style water slides would rival anything in Wildwater Kingdom for thrills!

The one features photos of the park's original parking lot, which is now only used for employee parking. It features the photo below, which in large size has some cool details:

The aerial of the park in the lower portion is what I'm liking - you can see how picnic groves once littered this section of the park. Also you can check out the layout of Journey to the Center of the Earth and see the original rocket ship swing ride still standing.

And speaking of Journey, or the Mill Chute as it was originally known, this sign features several great images of the ride. I especially liked this one:

Which shows a peaceful view of the ride's loading station in front of The Coaster, now known as Thunderhawk. I love the American flags hanging on the station, too!

While the Cedar Creek doesn't look quite the same nowadays, it has always run through the lower portion of the park. Here we see several very old photographs of the creek's peaceful setting.

The area is only so peaceful though, with the Coaster, or now Thunderhawk, running through the area filling it with the screams of its passengers. The sign makes note of the fact that the ride underwent a major renovation in 1927 which changed it from an out and back ride to the twisted layout it has today.

This photo appears to be from when the ride was being remodeled since it almost looks like the running track is not in place yet, and there is still wood debris around the site. Also worth pointing out is the original trolley track running through the coaster where a shady walkway now exists.

Much like another Pennsylvania park, Knoebels, Dorney once had a road run right through the center of it. Many people will remember the famous "stop" and "go" sign that a guard used to allow guests to move from one side to the other.

Castle Gardens really was a big deal during it's time at the park. For more info on that, I'll refer you to the article I did on it a couple years ago. (I can't believe we've been publishing long enough for me to say that!)

A structure that was removed from the park just a few years ago was the original Dorney Mansion. In it's later years it featured several food outlets and an arcade, but at one time had a humorous walk through spook house in it's lower level called the Gold Mine.

Nuns on the Rooster Ride! How weird does that sound? The Chanticleer was a unique Carousel at the park that featured roosters that you could ride on instead of the traditional horses. As the sign depicts, it was also featured in the movie "Where Angles Go, Trouble Follows."

Finally we end with a photo of another very popular pastime at Dorney Park: The racetrack. People came from far and wide to see the races that were held here, and judging from these photos it looked like quite a time!

Hopefully you've enjoyed this historical treat as much as I did photographing it and writing about it! Many props to Dorney Park for putting these signs back up in celebration of the park's 125th anniversary!