Review of the News: September 26 – September 30

Monday September 26, 2016

HarvestFest marks end of park’s season
DelGrosso's Amusement Park Director Elliott Geist said the park's 30th annual season finale, HarvestFest, brought thousands of people Saturday and Sunday.

Grim reaper catches fire at Utah haunted house
Patrons at Lagoon Amusement Park in Utah looking for a scary thrill got more than they bargained for Saturday night, Sept. 24, as a portion of a haunted house attraction caught on fire.

SeaWorld introduces passes that let you bring a different guest each day
You buy an annual pass to SeaWorld for the normal price of $168. You can buy a second transferrable pass at the same time for $208. Whenever you visit on your "host pass", a different person can come with you using the transferrable one.

Alton Towers engineer whose mistake contributed to Smiler crash 'felt pressure to restart ride quickly because of bonuses'
The HSE report found that theme park management had set targets for staff for the length of time rides were out of service and that bonuses were then linked to staff achieving low levels of this “downtime”.


Tuesday September 27, 2016

SeaWorld in 2017: New coasters, rides and shows to turn the tide
With its announcement of new roller coasters, rides, shows, and other features coming in 2017, SeaWorld offers a sense of its new vision and how the parks will evolve.

Universal Studios Hollywood gets an Android app
Ticket purchasing, resort map, wait times, itineraries, alerts for your optimal ride wait times, notifications, news, and more are available within the free app, so you can focus on enjoying your Minion Mayhem ride or take Potter's Forbidden Journey whenever it's convenient to you.

Alton Towers operator fined £5 million over crash in which two girls lost legs
Merlin Entertainments admitted breaching the Health and Safety Act over the June 2015 crash of The Smiler roller coaster at the park.

45 more Disney autism lawsuits dismissed, appealed
An Orlando federal judge has dismissed 45 more lawsuits over access to Disney theme-park rides and attractions for disabled people, but the lawyer handling them is already appealing them.

Kentucky Kingdom claims attendance record
The Kentucky Kingdom amusement park and its Hurricane Bay water facility had an estimated 800,000 visitors in the recently completed 2016 season, surpassing the previous year's attendance by more than 200,000.


Wednesday September 28, 2016

Knott’s Shuts Down Attraction Denounced by Mental Health Advocates
Less than a week after it opened, Knott’s Berry Farm Tuesday shut down a Halloween attraction criticized by mental health advocates for perpetuating the social stigma of mental illness.

Waldameer announces $2 million water park expansion for 2017
Waldameer is planning a $2 million expansion to Water World for next summer, park officials said.

Universal Orlando to celebrate Mardi Gras for 49 consecutive days in 2017
Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando will run for 49 consecutive days in 2017. The party will run from Feb. 4 to March 24 and will include Cajun food, parades and bands from New Orleans.

Alton Towers withdraws free entry for Blue Peter badge holders
Holders of the much-coveted badges awarded to viewers of the flagship BBC children’s television programme have benefited from the perk at Merlin attractions for at least a decade as part of a list of 200 places offering free access to those wearing the show’s famous insignia.


Thursday September 29, 2016

Great America closes virtual reality ride after claims of insensitivity
A virtual reality experience at California’s Great America has been pulled from its park following concerns that the attraction was harmful to people who suffer from mental illness.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach unveils details of new rollercoaster
The £16.25 million ride, which is currently being referred to as Construction 2018, will reach heights of 88.5ft, feature drops of up to 82ft and hit speeds of up 80km/h (49mph).

Alton Towers visitors yet to recover a year after Smiler crash
The owner of Alton Towers has said visitor numbers have not yet fully recovered more than a year after the horrific rollercoaster accident that saw it fined £5m.

Disney World announces 2017 US military discounts
From now until Dec. 16, 2017, active and retired military personnel or their spouses can purchases specially priced tickets for themselves and up to five additional family members or friends.


Friday September 30, 2016

Grandparents can get free tickets to Drayton Manor theme park
The theme park is offering all grandmas and grandpas the chance to visit for free to celebrate National Grandparents Day on Sunday 2nd October.

Princesses set for month of royal meetings
There will be a month of royal encounters at Disney Springs starting on Saturday. Disney Princesses will be holding court, greeting the public every day in October.

Busch Gardens welcomes another baby gorilla
The gorilla population at Busch Gardens has gotten a little bit bigger. Oliver, a western lowland gorilla, was born at the Tampa theme park on Aug. 18.

Disney World's Yacht and Beach Club plans convention space expansion
Walt Disney World's Yacht & Beach Club Resort plans to expand its convention space with an additional 25,000 square feet.