LOUISVILLE, KY

​Kentucky Kingdom wants to build a new family friendly wooden roller coaster. However, it needs one more acre and the Kentucky State Fair Board's approval.
Kentucky Kingdom CEO and President Ed Hart said he wants love and not war when it comes to building the new roller coaster. However, he doesn't understand where the resistance is coming from.

Hart said he wants to use the one acre promised to him to expand the park, but the State Fair Board won't agree to the transfer. In addition, Hart said the fair board also violates its yearly $1 million leasing agreement by charging Kentucky Kingdom customers $10 to park. Kentucky Kingdom filed a lawsuit against the board three months ago.

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ORLANDO, FL

What is Epcot without Spaceship Earth? In a couple of years, we’ll find out. The rumor broke last month that everyone’s favorite geodesic sphere at Walt Disney World would be undergoing one of its periodic ride updates. Now it seems the attraction’s overhaul will be much more extensive than anyone previously imagined.
The good news is, they’re not getting rid of the ride, abandoning the park’s traditional centerpiece as they did with the Great Movie Ride over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios last year. The bad news is, Spaceship Earth will reportedly close for a whopping two and a half years as it, the surrounding Future World, and Epcot’s entrance all undergo work as part of an initiative called “Project Gamma.”

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WINTER HAVEN, FL

Have you ever fancied a flight aboard a Triple Decker Couch? Aspired to ascend the heights of Cloud Cuckoo Land? Fantasized fighting against a DUPLO alien invasion? LEGOLAND Florida Resort delivers all this and more at THE LEGO MOVIE WORLD where guests can step into THE LEGO MOVIE universe and onto the streets of Bricksburg.
"THE LEGO MOVIE WORLD at LEGOLAND Florida Resort is the only place in the world that you can experience the pure wonder and imagination inspired by THE LEGO MOVIE universe," said Rex Jackson, general manager of LEGOLAND Florida Resort. "We've been hard at work, building brick-by-brick, to create state-of-the-art experiences that bring THE LEGO MOVIE to life."
Opening spring 2019, THE LEGO MOVIE WORLD, created in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, will feature three family-friendly marquee attractions, inspired by the characters and themes of the worldwide blockbuster THE LEGO MOVIE and THE LEGO MOVIE 2: The Second Part.

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AGAWAM, MA

Six Flags New England on Thursday delivered more than 500 boxes of diapers to Springfield's Square One, following a successful promotion at the Agawam amusement park.
Six Flags recently held a diaper drive to support the children and families served by Square One, where thousands of diapers were donated by Six Flags patrons who were, in exchange, given free admission to the theme park.
"We are so grateful to the team at Six Flags for constantly thinking of creative, fun ways to support Square One and so many other community organizations," says Kristine Allard, Chief Development & Communications Officer for Square One. "We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Six Flags leadership and members of the community who donated diapers to help us continue to serve families in our programs."

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ORLANDO, FL

Each week, we ask you, our readers, to vote for your favorite food, ride, land, or activities at theme parks around the world. This week, we’re at the Universal Orlando Resort, on the search for the top table service restaurant at CityWalk or in one of the two theme parks.

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The Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners has approved a lease agreement that allows Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:SIX) to operate Magic Waters Waterpark starting in the spring of 2019. This lease agreement is expected to be signed in the near future, and allows the largest regional theme park company in the world to bring its unique and innovative brand to the Rockfordmarket.
This press release features multimedia.
​View the full release here:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181009006186/en/
Magic Waters Waterpark, a 43-acre waterpark located in Rockford, Illinois, has been owned and operated by the Rockford Park District since 1988. The park features a wide array of tube slides and body slides, an expansive children’s play area, a 1200 ft. lazy river and Tsunami Bay, Illinois’ largest wave pool.
“We are excited about the prospect of welcoming Magic Waters to the Six Flags family of parks,” said Six Flags Great America Park President Hank Salemi. “This is a fantastic property that complements our theme and waterpark in Gurnee and provides tremendous added value for our Season Passholders and Members. We look forward to sharing the thrill of Six Flags with guests of all ages in this important market.”
The lease agreement is expected to be finalized in the near future and commence in spring of 2019.
“The Rockford Park District has always had a strong culture of collaboration,” said Jay Sandine, Rockford Park District Executive Director. “Partnering with Six Flags means great things for our community and will enhance the experience for local families looking for affordable family fun. By having the Six Flags brand in this market, we expect a major increase in tourism, which will have significant economic impact for our community. Six Flags will continue to make capital investments in the waterpark, which frees up District resources to invest in our communities’ priorities such as parks, playgrounds, and youth.”
When the lease begins, Six Flags Gold Season Passes and Memberships will offer admission to Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Magic Waters and any other Six Flags theme park, as well as free parking and special admission offers for friends.

Forget those long days in the sun, waiting in line for drop slides, wave pools and Ferris wheels, because at these properties, it’s all just beyond your hotel room. These thrill-filled hotels aren’t just attached to theme parks, they actually are theme parks with jaw-dropping rides and water park experiences onsite.
At these entertainment megaplexes there’s no need to separate lodging from a vacation packed with family-friendly fun. From a surprise Southern adventure to a gravity-defying Caribbean slide and a roller coaster’s skyline view of Tokyo to a hotel in Las Vegas designed for energetic kids, these are the best fun-filled hotels around the world.

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It's been more than two years since Disney (NYSE:DIS) started opening its most popular park 75 minutes early for guests willing to pay a premium to get a leg up on other day guests, and now the theme park giant is raising the event's cover charge. Disney Early Morning Magic will bump its price to $79 come December, a 14% increase from its debut price in the springtime of 2016.
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Disney Early Morning Magic finds Disney World opening the Magic Kingdom on select mornings at 7:45 a.m. to guests who can enjoy a few Fantasyland rides. When the park officially opens at 9 a.m., they can head over to a counter-service restaurant for a complimentary breakfast. Disney is increasing the price of the event, but it is adding a few new nearby attractions to enhance the value proposition. The move makes sense, and Disney shareholders won't be upset to see Disney expanding capacity for an event while also boosting its rates.

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Following the release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Universal Brand Development (UBD) has revealed how new initiatives, including immersive LBE experiences and gaming add-ons, will keep fans interested in the dinosaur franchise.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has grossed nearly $1.3 billion worldwide – 25 years since the original Jurassic Park first came to cinemas. Jurassic World was named the #4 licensed property in the UK in June. Retailers in the UK will see expanded product lines from Mattel and LEGO following earlier success.
Hannah Mungo, Universal Brand Development, Country Director for UK and Ireland says, “This momentum, plus much more, is key to the lead up of the third Jurassic World film slated for 2021. We know that there is a strong appetite for this enduring entertainment brand and we are committed to adding breadth and depth to the franchise, which continues to propel Jurassic World as an always-on franchise.”

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NORTH HUDSON, NY

Frontier Town is getting a boost from the state of New York. The former western theme park in the Adirondacks has seen about $25 million in public and private funding to re-purpose it into a camping and community area. Now, project organizers are celebrating the completion of the first phase.
The Wild West is back. Frontier Town -- but just a little bit different than the former western theme park.
"I'm just walking down and there are horses and what? I had no clue there would be horses here, so it was touching," said Randy Preston with the Essex County Board of Supervisors.

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