Review of the News: March 21 – March 25

Monday March 21, 2015

You can help name a Virginia roller coaster
The ride at Busch Gardens Williamsburg will have a "Viking invasion" theme and, evoking the old style of roller coaster construction, will be made of wood.


Tuesday March 22, 2015

Disneyland Food & Wine Festival returns
After a six-year absence, the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival returns from April 1 to May 1, 2016.

Pleasureland unveils new £5m Southport Eye as town's tallest landmark
A new Southport Eye, now the town’s tallest structure, will begin turning this Easter, part of a landmark multi-million pound investment at Southport Pleasureland.

Nagoya amusement park in hot water for safety mishaps
The safety mishaps occurred at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, where all 16 attractions have since been suspended for safety checks.

Miracle Strip rides sold and removed from property
There's a visual reminder that Miracle Strip Amusement Park will not be reopening in Panama City Beach. All of the rides have been broken down, sold, and hauled off.

Westchester Lawmaker Proposes New 30/30 Playland Deal
Westchester County, and the company it is working with to revamp Playland, would each fork over $30 million under a new deal being floated by the county Board of Legislators' chairman, according to a report on lohud.com

Cedar Point amusement park says track is finished on its new dive coaster
Park officials in Sandusky tell The News-Messenger in Fremont that the track has been completed and crews now are focusing on landscaping, electric and computer work.

Thrill-seekers are left hanging upside down screaming in terror after a BIRD brings rollercoaster to halt at a Chinese theme park
The thrill-seekers were upside down on the halted Crystal Wing ride at Beijing's Happy Valley Amusement Park for almost 20 minutes on March 19, the People's Daily Online reports.

Fate of controversial Six Flags solar farm could be decided Wednesday
Testimony from a handful of people is apparently all that is left in the grueling process that has been Six Flags Great Adventure's application to construct a 66-acre solar farm.

Six Flags to open parks in Vietnam
Grand Prairie-based Six Flags (NYSE: SIX), announced Monday a strategic partnership with NaVi Entertainment, a private company in Ho Chi Minh City, to build a theme park and water park under the Six Flags and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor brands.

Wonderla Holidays readies its third theme park at Hyderabad
Wonderla Holidays Limited is hoping to earn Rs 60 crore in top-line in the first year from its third amusement park to be opened next month in Hyderabad.

Student dies falling off Fantasy Kingdom ride
A first year student of BAF Shaheen College died yesterday after falling from a water ride in Fantasy Kingdom, a theme park in the outskirts of the capital in Ashulia, Savar.

Dubai theme park confirms white-knuckle rollercoasters
After a year of teasers, motiongate Dubai has now confirmed exactly how 13 Hollywood blockbusters will be re-imagined.

Universal Studios Hollywood raises daily ticket prices ahead of Harry Potter opening
The prices of daily tickets sold at the front gate jumped over the weekend to $115 from $95, according to the theme park's website.

Walt Disney World Introducing New ‘Disney After Hours’ Paid Event at Magic Kingdom
An announcement has been made on Monday afternoon, revealing that Magic Kingdom park is going to introduce “Disney After Hours” for the months of April and May where guests can pay an extra fee to enjoy different attractions late into the night.

Fire disrupts Disney’s Lion King show at Animal Kingdom
A small fire broke out at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando on Monday afternoon, forcing Walt Disney World park officials to evacuate about 1,000 guests.


Wednesday March 23, 2015

Conneaut Lake Park leaders could put nearly $490K toward debts with sale of lakefront lots
Proposed sales of two lakefront lots on Conneaut Lake may help Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park clear almost $490,000 toward its debts.

A ‘monster’ change is coming to Adventureland
Construction is under way for Adventureland’s first new roller coaster in more than 20 years, The Monster.

Knoebels: Free-admission park still growing at 90
Knoebels Amusement Resort has expanded greatly since it opened on July 4, 1926, with a borrowed steam-powered merry-go-round, a pool and a few food stands.


Thursday March 24, 2015

The Screamin' Eagle at Six Flags is turning 40
When Six Flags St. Louis opens for the 2016 season, its flagship ride reaches a milestone. On April 10, 1976, the longest, fastest and largest roller coaster ride in the world made its debut.

Six Flags theme park gets OK to cut 15K trees for solar farm
Jackson Township’s planning board on Tuesday granted a request by Six Flags Great Adventure and KDC Solar to move forward with a project that opponents argue will have a devastating effect on the environment.

Oakwood Theme Park is back for Easter - and Megafobia has had a birthday makeover!
To mark the occasion, the the high-thrill ride has been decked out with a new gold and silver livery, and as part of the celebrations the park is also planning a weekend of special events and activities around April 30, the coaster's opening day in 1996.

Carowinds unveils newest attraction: Plants vs. Zombies
The attraction, located on the south end of the park behind the Afterburn roller coaster, is based on a popular video-game franchise from PopCap Games that pits – duh, what else? – plants against zombies.

Enchanted Forest: Oregon theme park marks 45 years
It started with $4,000 and an empty 20 acres south of Salem in 1964.

Disney's Halloween party gets early start
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom is getting an early start on the holiday in 2016. The first night of the event will be Sept. 2-- three days before Labor Day and more than eight weeks before Halloween.


Friday March 25, 2015

Coney Island’s Luna Park Amusement Park Opens
Coney’s Island Luna Park is opening at noon Friday for the season.  An opening day ceremony will be held Saturday.

Kentucky Kingdom getting major gateway sign
A major new sign identifying Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay that will go at Gate 2 off Crittenden Drive has been approved by the Kentucky State Fair Board.

Disney: Very Merry Christmas Party starts Nov. 7
We now have the dates for the 2016 edition of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, the after-hours, extra-ticket holiday event at Magic Kingdom, courtesy of the Walt Disney World website.