VAUGHN, ONT

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a leader in regional amusement parks, water parks and immersive entertainment, has signed a pair of hotel services agreements with a Hyatt affiliate for a dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotel on the site of its Canada's Wonderland amusement park near Toronto in Vaughan, Ontario. The dual-branded hotel will offer 203 rooms – both spacious guestrooms and apartment-style suites – in a high-tech contemporary environment. Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2019, with an opening date planned for late 2020.
Cedar Fair president and CEO Richard Zimmerman said, "The new dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotel will continue Cedar Fair's significant investment in Canada's Wonderland, one of the portfolio's largest and most successful parks. We expect strong attendance growth there, driven by the introduction of a new record-breaking roller coaster, Yukon Striker, and addition of an immersive holiday event, WinterFest, both launching in 2019. This development will mark the next evolution in the park's diverse offerings, providing park guests, business travelers and tourists with convenient accommodations in a growing area. The Hyatt Place and Hyatt House are respected brands worldwide and we look forward to working with the Hyatt team to ensure exceptional guest satisfaction."
The eight-story dual-branded hotel will be located on a 16-acre parcel of the park's land adjacent to Ontario Highway 400, 15 miles from Toronto Pearson International Airport. It will feature amenities important to both business and leisure travelers, such as free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, an indoor pool, 24-hour fitness center, coffee and cocktails bar, casual dining options, business center, flexible meeting and event spaces, and an outdoor sun deck.

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ERIE, PA

Waldameer is due for another coaster. The last time this park received one was during the 2008 season with Ravine Flyer II. Waiting 11 years (and counting) for a new coaster is quite a long time. When will the park decide to bring in something different for its guests?
A brand spanking new coaster doesn’t have to be a massive addition. It’s not too hard to get a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter to the park. They aren’t as expensive as some of the other makes and models on the market. There are always companies like Zaire, who designed Impulse at Knoebels. The point is, Waldameer doesn’t have to break the bank for something massive.
Compared to most parks, Waldameer isn’t very big. They don’t have the money of a Cedar Point or a Kennywood. Still, Ravine Flyer II proved that spending money can have significant returns. The coaster is widely regarded as one of the best woodies in the world. Enthusiasts come from all over to get a ride on Ravine Flyer II.

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ORLANDO, FL

2018 is the 90th birthday of one of the most famous fictional characters ever created and you can be sure Disney's biggest theme park will pull out all the stops to celebrate Mickey Mouse. Disney has unveiled everything they have planned at Walt Disney World to celebrate the mouse as well as what's going on at all the other theme parks as well. Get ready for parades, special merchandise, and a lot more as the birthday celebration is set to roll into 2019 with the World's Biggest Mouse Party.
Mickey Mouse's "birthday" is officially recognized by Disney as November 18, as it was that day in 1928 that Steamboat Willie was first released. Walt Disney World will spend that entire weekend, November 16-18, celebrating Mickey as the Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party, that regularly takes place at the Magic Kingdom will include the famous Dapper Dans barbershop quartet leading the crowd in a performance of Happy Birthday. In addition, the Rockettower Plaza Stage at Tomorrowland will be host to a special Mickey's birthday dance party for guests to enjoy. There will also be special celebratory food items available and of course, Mickey's birthday merchandise to pick up.

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​Gamescom, a video game convention held in Germany, is underway this week, and one of the most popular attractions does not belong to a new or upcoming video game. Instead, huge crowds are forming around the booth for Fortnite, the battle royale game that is still captivating the world over a year after its release.
While some fans might be stopping by the official Fortnite booth to catch another round of game time, many are there to experience the Fortnite theme park that was constructed by developer Epic Games. The set is full of references to the game, but more importantly, much of it is interactive. You can go down a slide, shoot baskets, have pickaxe duels, ride a mechanical rocket, and even use a zipline glider.

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BAINBRIDGE TWP, OH

After several years in the planning stages, Meijer confirmed this week that the company won’t build a new store on the old Geauga Lake land.
The news comes as officials in the neighboring city of Aurora continue to explore options to develop the former amusement park property.
“Our contract to purchase that site has expired, so we currently have no plans for a store at that specific location,” Frank Guglielmi, senior director of communications with Meijer, said in an email. “The Bainbridge Township area remains of interest to us though, although at this point we have no site under contract in that area.”

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BROOKLYN, NY

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and NYC Parks today announced plans to bring a new large-scale water ride, adventure park, and public plaza with open-air food options and an arcade to Coney Island’s world-famous amusement district. The City has selected Central Amusement International (CAI) to activate 150,000 square feet of City-owned land in the heart of the amusement district. This adds momentum to the Administration’s investments in affordable housing, infrastructure, cultural facilities, and economic development across the neighborhood.
"Coney Island is both a cherished summertime destination and an important economic engine for South Brooklyn,” said James Patchett, President and CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation. “With these exciting new attractions and our ongoing investments in housing and infrastructure, Coney Island’s future has never looked brighter.”
“The Coney Island Amusement District is a nostalgic New York City destination, and we are proud to be a part of improving and evolving it for future generations to enjoy,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “We are confident that the new developments to Luna Park will add even more fun for the thousands of families that flock to Coney Island each year.”

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GURNEE, IL

In less than a week, all Six Flags parks will be announcing their new attractions for 2019, including Six Flags Great America. WGN's roller coaster enthusiast Marcus Leshock speculates on what's coming...
The park has removed The Pictorium, cleared out the land around it and posted a sign there saying, "New thrills are coming here in 2019." At first, many thought that a water park expansion was on the horizon. But after analyzing the park's four teaser videos, Marcus believes that full circuit launch coaster could be coming! We'll find out for sure on Thursday.
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ANAHEIM, CA

In a surprise move, Walt Disney Co. asked the city of Anaheim, California -- home of its Disneyland theme park -- to let it out of two tax agreements that would have given the company hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies.
The incentives had created an “adversarial climate” in the city, Disneyland Resort President Josh D’Amaro wrote in a letter to the mayor and city council, requesting that they be dropped.
The move could prevent Disney, Anaheim’s largest employer, from being subject to an $18 minimum wage that could be approved by residents in a ballot measure in November. The measure only applies to employers that accept tax subsidies in the city.

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SANDUSKY, OH

​Cedar Point Tuesday revealed plans for a new interactive play area dubbed "Forbidden Frontier," debuting next year in the space currently occupied by Dinosaurs Alive! The animatromic dinosaurs, added to the park in 2012, will scare their last guests at Cedar Point on September 3.
Taking their place, according to Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark: "A redevelopment of the island in the middle of Cedar Point that will include immersive, interactive play elements, live characters and other surprises." Additional details will be revealed in the coming weeks and months, he said.

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