Last year, I let you know about a new partnership between Universal Parks & Resorts and Nintendo. Today, I am going to update you on this historic collaboration – and share a glimpse at the creative vision behind it. Imagine the fun of stepping into a larger-than-life Nintendo adventure. Gigantic Piranha Plants spring to life. Question blocks, power-ups and more surround you. And Mario and all his friends are there to pull you into a brand-new world. You’ll enter an entire realm filled with iconic Nintendo excitement, gameplay, heroes and villains. And it’s coming to three Universal theme parks around the globe.

• Nintendo-themed areas are coming to Universal Studios Japan, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.
• These will be expansive, immersive and interactive. They’ll be highly themed and authentic environments filled with multiple attractions, shops and restaurants.
• You’ll feel as if you’re playing inside your favorite games – in real life.
• There will be something for everyone—regardless of their age or gaming experience level.
• Planning and creative work on these areas is well underway; they will open separately over the next several years.    

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Santa's Village AZoosment Park outside of Chicago has announced a brand new coaster for the 2017 season.  Super Cyclone will be the park's 2nd roller coaster and will be built new by Interpark.  The ride will have a Galaxi layout with a height of 32 feet and will reach speeds of 30 mph.  The ride will also have 3 trains that can carry 8 passengers at a time.

At IAAPA, it was announced that the park was selling their Dragon roller coaster to Joyland in Texas.  Many hoped that this was a sign that the park would be expending for the 2017 with something even better.  The park had made a previous attempt to add a major roller coaster to their collection with Wildcat.  Wildcat was purchased from the now defunct Fun Spot park in Indiana.  However, the ride proved to have too many problems to work efficiently and regularly.  After just a partial season of operation, the park announced Wildcat was going to be removed and scrapped.  Despite this setback, Santa's Village has proven that they are committed to giving a quality family amusement park experience to its guests with the addition of Super Cyclone.

It’s been nearly a decade since SeaWorld San Antonio added a new roller coaster, so there is plenty of pent-up anticipation over the planned arrival of Wave Breaker next year. SeaWorld San Antonio President Carl Lum said he expects the theme park’s latest capital investment will pull in visitors from a larger geographic area. “It’s been nine years since we’ve had a new coaster. This is a big deal for us,” said Lum, who was in Orlando this week for the 2016 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions expo. “This is an iconic ride. There’s not anything like it.” 

Indeed, Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coaster will be the first attraction of its kind in North America. SeaWorld officials said it was inspired by actual marine animal rescue missions. Park officials would not disclose the cost of the new coaster. But they did confirm that work on the ride is progressing and Wave Breaker is on schedule to open in early summer 2017.

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PRESS RELEASE:
​S&S Worldwide, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Dutch Wonderland, owned and operated by Festival Fun Parks, LLC, Palace Entertainment of Delaware, to build and install a Family Inverted Coaster. This new coaster, called “Merlin’s Mayhem,” will feature a 20-passenger train with on-board audio and has been designed to provide a delightful experience for kids and families. Dutch Wonderland will be the first amusement facility in the world to provide the new S&S Family Inverted Coaster to their guests.

Palace Entertainment proudly hosts millions of visitors annually at 22 locations across the United States. With a total of eight theme parks, nine water parks, and five family entertainment centers, Palace Entertainment is the largest operator of water parks and family entertainment centers in the U.S. Dutch Wonderland is committed to young children and their families with a place just for them called “A Kingdom for Kids.” S&S Worldwide, the largest U.S. manufacturer of major amusement rides and roller coasters, has been manufacturing major amusement rides since 1994. The company has installed over 450 rides and roller coasters in 30 countries, including over 180 tower rides. Gerald Ryan, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing for S&S Worldwide, said, “We are thrilled to be working with Palace Entertainment and Dutch Wonderland to develop a ride we know kids and families can enjoy together. The concept and theme of this ride are very cohesive, and we feel the story adds even more excitement to the ride.” This coaster is projected to open May 2017.

Peter Barto, Director of Sales for North America and Europe for S&S added, “It has been such a great experience working with the folks at Palace Entertainment and Dutch Wonderland; they have been intimately involved in the design of this coaster.” Additionally, Michele Wischmeyer, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Palace Entertainment, commented, “We are looking forward to expanding the family thrill experience at Dutch Wonderland. This attraction will fill the need for more excitement and advanced thrills to expand our guest demographic with Dutch Wonderland.”

PRESS RELEASE: 
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has been awarded the prestigious Liseberg Applause Award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) at the opening ceremony of the 2016 IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, Florida. 
 
Since 1980, the Applause Award is presented by an international committee of theme park and amusement industry professionals, honoring an amusement park “whose management, operations and creative accomplishments have inspired the industry with their foresight, originality and sound business development.”
 
“We are honored to be recognized by the Liseberg Board of Governors and by the members of IAAPA for the prestigious Applause Award. The unique and unparalleled combination of world-class thrill rides and impressive animal collection continues to position Busch Gardens Tampa Bay as a leading family destination,” said Jim Dean, president and general manager of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. “We share this award with all of our hardworking park ambassadors.”
 
Previous winners of the global Liseberg Applause Award include domestic theme parks Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Cedar Point, and Opryland, among others. International honors have been awarded to Ocean Park, Hong Kong, Puy du Fou, France, EuropaPark, Germany, Efteling, the Netherlands and Xetulul, Guatemala.
 
IAAPA represents nearly 5,000 amusement industry members, located in 99 countries worldwide, and represents all styles of location-based entertainment facilities including amusement parks, theme parks, family entertainment centers,  museums, water parks, aquariums, science centers, zoos, and resorts.