Review of the News: February 27 – March 3

Monday February 27, 2017

Melt Bar & Grill Opens at Cedar Point this Summer
More than a decade after their first location opened, this new location will occupy the space previously inhabited by Joe Cool Café, near Planet Snoopy.

What to eat at Epcot's flower and garden fest
The 2017 edition of the fest will feature 15 “outdoor kitchens,” including two new marketplaces, Northern Bloom (think Canada) and Berry Basket.

'Frozen' perfume debuting at Epcot
A perfume inspired by the Disney animated film goes on sale this week at Epcot.

M&D’s Tsunami rollercoaster removed from theme park - eight months after horror crash
The Tsunami ride at M&D’s in Motherwell derailed at 40mph and injured 10 people when it came off the tracks last June.

Thorpe Park Half Marathon: Thousands of runners turn out for inaugural dash around famous theme park
Instead of running to get a seat on Stealth or Colossus, runners descended on Thorpe Park for its first ever half marathon on Sunday morning


Tuesday February 28, 2017

Cedar Fair to launch season drink plan
The company has announced a new option to sip even more disposable income from its season passholders — a season pass drink plan that it will roll out at all 11 amusement parks, including its flagship Cedar Point park in Sandusky.

Seaside Heights Upgrading Roller Coaster Following Hurricane Sandy
After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Jetstar roller coaster in Seaside Heights became an iconic image of the devastating storm after it was swept into the ocean off the end of Casino pier. Fast forward four years and a brand new roller coaster called Hydrus is under construction along with a 131-foot tall Ferris wheel.

Comcast Pays $2.3B To Buy Rest Of Universal Studios Japan
Comcast on Tuesday said that its NBCUniversal unit will shell out  ¥254.8 billion ($2.3 billion) to snap up the remaining stake of Universal Studios Japan that it doesn’t already own, buying out its partners in the theme park that included Goldman Sachs and private equity firm MBK Partners.

SeaWorld posts $12 million loss amid attendance drop
The Orlando-based company lost $11.9 million in the last quarter of 2016, up from $11 million lost in the fourth quarter of 2015.


Wednesday March 1, 2017

Dreamland to search for seasonal workers to fill 195 jobs
The amusement park in Margate will hold a recruitment fair on Friday, March 17.

Epcot arts fest coming back in 2018
The event, which debuted in January, will return in early 2018, according to a post on the official Disney Parks Blog. No dates or addition details were given.


Thursday March 2, 2017

Coney Island (Cincinnati) announces renovations
The renovations center around the sunlight pool -- which will be rebranded "the sunlight water adventure."

Knoebels' Leanna Muscato Named Pennsylvania Amusement Parks Association President
On February 28,Leanna Muscato, third generation Knoebel family member became  the Pennsylvania Amusement Parks Association (PAPA)  organization’s first-ever female president.

Tax break request for Legoland scaled back
The developer behind the proposed $500 million Legoland theme park has scaled back its request for a 30-year tax break to a 20-year deal, increasing Legoland's projected payments to $87 million over 30 years instead of $61 million.

Busch Gardens new president faces headwinds in amusement park industry
After spending more than 30 years working at SeaWorld Entertainment parks across the country, Busch Gardens' newest park president, Stewart Clark, still wasn't prepared for the backlash he and his family faced after the release of the documentary, Blackfish.

SeaWorld Orlando: New 'Dolphin Days' to replace 'Blue Horizons'
SeaWorld Orlando is replacing a long-running show featuring dolphins doing tricks alongside acrobats with a new one designed to educate audiences about the animals’ personalities.


Friday March 3, 2017

Silver Dollar City confirms 'single biggest thing ever done' is under construction
Aerial photographs taken by the News-Leader on Feb. 15 reveal a vast construction site adjacent to a Silver Dollar City amphitheater, complete with concrete footings and a large scaffolding structure.

Six Flags Over Georgia brings in $301 million in economic impact
The economic impact of Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags White Water rose by $73 million between 2015 and 2016, according to Cobb Travel & Tourism.

Six Flags Great Adventure Celebrates Additions Of 3 Baby Giraffes
The theme park announced Friday it is celebrating the birth of three female reticulated giraffes — Xena, Eddie and Charly.

First look: Universal's Race Through New York With Jimmy Fallon
The humor of Jimmy Fallon moves into a higher gear with a new attraction at Universal Studios, which began “technical rehearsals” for its new ride on Thursday.

Lightwater Valley to host recruitment day to find staff for the summer season
The North Yorkshire attraction is this weekend hosting its last recruitment day to find staff for the summer season.

Review of the News: September 12 – September 16

Monday September 12, 2016

Carowinds' Fury 325 named one of world's best roller coasters
Fury 325 won the “No. 1 Steel Coaster in the World” award Saturday at the Golden Ticket Awards ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio.

Holiday World continues Golden Ticket tradition
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari’s Wildebeest water coaster took top honors once again during the 2016 Golden Ticket Awards ceremony.

3 Pennsylvania amusement parks named best of the best in international awards
Pennsylvania amusement parks are home to the best food, carousel, children's park and funhouse in the world. At least, that's what the polls say.

Europa Park named world's best amusement park
Germany's biggest amusement park, the Europa Park in the town of Rust near Freiburg, has beaten the global competition to win the award for best amusement park in the world for the third straight year.


Tuesday September 13, 2016

Dollywood takes several top amusement park top honors at the Golden Ticket Awards
The theme park picked up four "best of" awards and placed in the top-five in five other categories.

Man threatens to bomb Cedar Point
An unidentified suspect made bomb threats against Cedar Point on Sunday, but local officials quickly determined the threat was not credible.


Wednesday September 14, 2016

California Law Bans SeaWorld Orca Shows
California Gov. Jerry Brown is approving legislation requiring SeaWorld to follow through on its plan to end killer whale breeding and entertainment shows.

Sum of All Thrills, StormStruck closed
The Sum of All Thrills and StormStruck, two exhibits within the Innoventions area of Epcot, closed for good on Tuesday, a Walt Disney World spokeswoman confirmed.


Thursday September 15, 2016

Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce ranked top wooden roller coaster
The Boulder Dash coaster at Lake Compounce in Bristol outscored the competition. The Wooden Warrior coaster at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury also cracked the top 50, coming in at 46.

Italian fest to return to Delgrosso's
This Sunday is the annual Italian Food and Heritage Festival at Delgrosso's Amusement Park.

Coney Island to host world's largest waterless pool party
It’s the world’s largest waterless pool party, and it happens Saturday, Sept. 24 at historic Cincinnati Coney Island Amusement Park on the banks of the Ohio River.

Legoland adding to Star Wars land, water park
Capitalizing on the popularity of all things “Star Wars,” Legoland will add still more iconic characters and scenes to its themed miniland next year, drawing inspiration from last year’s “The Force Awakens.”


Friday September 16, 2016

Last rites Friday for Cedar Point’s ‘Mean Streak’
The ride officials at the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park call “the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world” has its last trips and scares on Friday.

Halloween Horror Nights 2016 survival guide
Universal Studios begins its 26th round of Halloween Horror Nights this weekend. The format remains the same, but there will be fresh offerings among the theme park's haunted-house mazes, scare zones and stage shows.

Review of the News: July 18 – July 22

Monday July 18, 2016

8-year-old drowns in pool at Knoebels Amusement Park
An eight-year-old boy has died after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool at a Northumberland County amusement park.

M&D's safety officer banned after he gave Tsunami rollercoaster all-clear 16 days before horror crash
The inspector who passed the M&D’s Tsunami rollercoaster as safe 16 days before June’s horror crash has been banned, the Record can reveal.

Two Minors Injured While Visiting Lake Winnie
The two were riding the Fly-O-Plane when officials say they were injured and quickly taken to a local hospital.

Disney intern fired over alligator tweet gets job back
A Walt Disney World intern is back on the job after she was briefly fired for tweeting a photo of a sign telling employees how to respond to questions about alligators in the theme park’s waters.


Tuesday July 19, 2016

Disneyland Resort celebrates 61 years
The Anaheim resort celebrated its 61-year anniversary this week.


Wednesday July 20, 2016

Rye threatens legal action over Playland deal
Any new construction being considered should need approval from the city, Mayor Joe Sack contends. This includes a proposal to replace the decades-old public pool there with a dining patio.

What the truck? Kings Island drops another hint about new attraction
In a unique press release, park officials sent a small blue truck to the newsroom. A stack of logs wrapped in twine was in the toy truck’s bed.

Parents won't sue Disney over son's death by gator
Matt and Melissa Graves of Omaha, Nebraska, said in a statement that they want to focus on their family's future health. A family spokeswoman, Sara Brady, said she couldn't say whether a financial settlement had been reached with Disney World.


Thursday July 21, 2016

Throne, nativity statutes on block at theme park estate sale
A motorcycle, nativity statutes, mannequins and a gold-and-silver-painted throne are among the scores of items being sold off in a massive estate sale by The Holy Land Experience religious theme park as it deals with a financial crunch.


Friday July 22, 2016

Lanarkshire’s M&D’s theme park reopens after rollercoaster crash
M&D’s theme park has reopened almost a month after a rollercoaster crash that left 10 people in hospital.

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.

Review of the News: October 12 – October 16

Monday October 12, 2015

Dreamland railway attraction to open in Margate
The Scenic Railway attraction at Dreamland in Margate will officially open on Thursday.

Ruling may lead to sale of Conneaut Lake Park's assets
This week, Conneaut Lake Park’s creditors – including government entities – may file a bankruptcy plan calling for the sale of the the amusement park’s assets to settle its debts.


Tuesday October 13, 2015

7 sickened by drug-laced brownies in cottage at Knoebels
Seven people required medical treatment Saturday night after eating what authorities say were drug-laced brownies in a rental cottage on the outskirts of Knoebels Amusement Park property.


Wednesday October 14, 2015

Old Chippewa Lake amusement park up for sale
What price can you put on memories?  When it comes to the old Chippewa Lake Park, try $3.7 million.  The once popular swimming beach and amusement park is back on the market.

Spider-Man to join fellow superheroes at Disneyland
As part of the theme park's Super Hero HQ attraction opening Nov. 16 in Tomorrowland, a Spider-Man character will join other Marvel superheroes, including Thor and Iron Man, to pose for pictures and sign autographs with park visitors, the theme park has announced.

Disney to renovate, temporarily close Flying Fish Café
Flying Fish Cafe, a long-standing restaurant at Disney's BoardWalk, will close Jan. 31 to begin a months-long renovation.

Six Flags to reduce scope of solar energy project
Plans for a solar energy project on property owned by the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in Jackson will see a reduction in scale when the application goes before the Jackson Planning Board next week.

Disney future development impacts larger than originally planned
For its long-term growth plan, Walt Disney World wants permission to develop far more wetland acres than it originally proposed to state regulators.

Legoland Florida will premiere new 4D movie in January
Visitors to Legoland Florida Resort might assume the attraction’s Fun Town 4D theater screens “The Lego Movie,” the immensely popular 2014 release. Actually, that’s not the case.  But the characters from “The Lego Movie” will soon appear on the screen at the theater.  Merlin Entertainments, corporate owner of Legoland, is collaborating with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and The Lego Group to produce an animated “four-dimensional” film to Legoland parks and Legoland Discovery Centers around the world starting in January.


Thursday October 15, 2015

ZDT’s roller coaster offers record-setting experience in Seguin
Fast, thrilling, intense and fun were just a few of the words people used to describe ZDT’s Amusement Park’s new roller coaster — the Switchback.

Bay Beach breaks ground for two new rides
Bay Beach Amusement Park has been closed for a few weeks now, but it will have two new rides when it reopens next year.  Crews started initial instillation work for the Jumping Spring and Rockin' Tug rides. However, those rides were originally scheduled to be ready to ride late this past summer.

Six Flags St. Louis to rename coaster for Chicago Cubs after losing bet
Six Flags St. Louis lost a bet with a Chicago amusement park.  The loser of the Major League Baseball’s National League Division Series to rename their coaster after the winning team.  American Thunder will now be known as “Cubs Thunder” for the remainder of the 2015 season.


Friday October 16, 2015

Proposal for world's tallest roller coaster hits snag
The Orange County Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday voted down a request for the complex that would house what would be the tallest roller coaster in the world.

SeaWorld To Challenge Regulators Over California Orca Breeding Ban
One week after SeaWorld proposed an expansion on its orca tanks worth $100 million, the theme park company said it would pursue legal action against the state ruling that outline restrictions on park management - including the ban on breeding, trading and transferring of orcas.

Disney is hiring an intern to help it counter terrorism and beat hackers
The company posted a job opening on its website for a “global intelligence analyst intern”, a role that sits within the counter threat intelligence support team and involves analysis of “developing threats that include counter terrorism, physical threats, cyber-attacks and all reputational risks.”

Disney sets list of Candlelight Processional narrators
Walt Disney World has released the entire list of narrators for the 2015 edition of Candlelight Processional, the annual retelling of the Christmas story at Epcot. New participants include Chandra Wilson, Daniel Dae Kim, America Ferrera and the previously announced Meredith Vieira.

Review of the News: Tuesday October 8, 2013

Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA
Busch Gardens Williamsburg has filed an application with the James City County Planning Division to build a 156-foot-tall attraction in its Festa Italia area.
The Virginian-Pilot

Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
The very first Disney attraction based on a Marvel character experience will debut in Hong Kong Disneyland.
Disney Park Blog

Knoebels Amusement Park, Elkysburg, PA
The Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation, along with the PA CareerLink Northumberland/Snyder Counties proudly nominates this employer for the 2014 Hall of Fame of Older Workers in Pennsylvania.
News Item

Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, TX
A Six Flags amusement park in Arlington, Texas, says it did everything it could to prevent the death of a woman who fell from a roller coaster called the Texas Giant.
CNBC