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There's another aspect of excitement in the world of thrill rides. There's the excitement of the latest announcements of upcoming rides from an industry as secretive as the military at times, and the excitement of all the latest happenings at parks around the world. Sometimes the news is good, sometimes the news is bad, but our aim is to bring you the fairest, timeliest, most accurate details on everything that concerns you. COASTER-net's team of journalists is hard at work around the clock to bring you the in-depth scoop!
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Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, USA 11/28/03 - By: Devin Olson -
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The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has released their report on Disneyland's fatal September 5th accident involving Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and poor communication within the park is cited as one contributing factor to the incident.
It is stated in the report that bolts on the front wheel assembly of the train were not properly tightened during maintenance proceedures three days before the fatality, and that ride operators noticed unusual noises beforehand.
Due to the loose bolts, the left upstop and guide wheels detached from their axle, eventually causing the axle to become jammmed between the train and track, forcing the lead 'locomotive' to derail and strike 22-year-old Marcelo Torres, causing the rider's death.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has not yet reopened, although its sister ride is back in operation, though a state report has declared the coaster safe to operate.
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Gary Story, Cheif Executive Officer of Six Flags Inc., has announced that he is relinquishing his duties as the head man at Six Flags Inc. He stepped down because of decreasing time he could spend with his family and because of his Type 1 Diabetes.
Six Flags Inc. will also add a fifth Executive Vice President under the CEO to supervise overall revenue in park operations.
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Steamboat City, Brunswick, GA, USA 11/28/03 - By: Devin Olson -
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A new 1,000-acre development will soon start get off to a start on a plot of land north of Brunswick, Georgia. With the working name Steamboat City, the park will include wildlife and Georgian themes, with plans to divide the park into two sections - one being an animal park, and the other, a theme park.
The area of the theme park will be approximately 30 acres when it opens, and will include atleast one coaster track among a collection of rides.
If the park remains on schedule, ground should be broken in the early part of next year, with construction likely taking up to a year to complete.
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Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA, USA 11/21/03 - By: Devin Olson -
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New details have come to the surface for Knott's Berry Farm's Bolliger and Mabillard inverted coaster which is now confirmed to be set for an opening on December 24th, 2004.
Named Silver Bullet, the third B&M inverted ride for the Cedar Fair park chain will course through a custom-designed multi-inversion layout from a height of 126 feet containing a 105-foot vertical loop and other elements including flat spin and zero-g roll inversions.
The two minute and thirty second ride experience of Silver Bullet will take riders through a total of 3,125 feet of box track with a portion of the layout extending over Knott's Berry Farm's Reflection Lake.
Knott's is still in the process of relocating the historic Church of Reflections to a site adjacent to the park property to make way for the inverted coaster.
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Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA, USA 11/21/03 - By: Devin Olson -
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It is reported that Busch Gardens Williamsburg has filed plans for a new indoor attraction to be located in the Oktoberfest, Germany themed section.
Although details are being kept under wraps until an official announcement, the new experience will likely be a heavily-themed, possibly interactive dark ride. It will be contained within a 40,000-square-foot, eight-story high building of similar dimensions to the neighboring landmark Festhaus building.
Wilde Maus will be removed from Busch Gardens Williamsburg, as recently rumored on our site, and the enclosed attraction will be constructed on the site of the 46-foot wild mouse-type coaster. Meanwhile, the Wild Maus coaster will be relocated to the Williamsburg's sister park, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg's closest competition, Paramount's Kings Dominion, introduced the custom-designed mouse coaster Ricochet in 2002 and is adding the interactive dark ride Scooby Doo and the Haunted Mansion for next season, while the Williamsburg theme park has gone four years without a major ride.
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Clementon Park, Clementon, NJ, USA 11/18/03 - By: Devin Olson -
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The rumors are true... After eighty-four years in operation, Clementon Park's historic Jack Rabbit will be removed to make way for a new wooden coaster which will open in its place next year.
Jack Rabbit was the fifth oldest operating wooden coaster in the world, having operated at the New Jersey amusement park since 1919. The wooden coaster was built by John Miller, with 1,380 feet of track and a maximum height of 50 feet. The Jack Rabbit operated for the last time in 2002, and failed to open this year.
Replacing the historic coaster will be a steel-supported, wood-tracked ride from S&S Power of Logan, Utah named Tsunami. The new coaster is expected to be double the height and length of Jack Rabbit, at eleven stories in height and 2,600 feet in track length.
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Galaxyland, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 11/17/03 - By: Devin Olson -
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West Edmonton Mall's Galaxyland is preparing to introduce several new rides to the indoor Canadian amusement operation. Among the new rides being introduced to the park is the 60-foot Solar Flare, a multi-axis spin 'n' spew ride; and a 300-foot-long interactive dark ride built below West Edmonton's Palace Casino and nearby parking.
The new attractions are part of an atempt to revitalize the twenty-two-year-old Galaxyland, and are expected to be ready for debut next March.
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Just the other day, Walt Disney Company announced that the Disney Shanghai project is to open in 2010. The Shanghai park will be located in the financial district of Pudong. It will also be the third Disney park in Asia along with Tokyo Disney which opened in 1983 and the still under construction Hong Kong Disney. ''The parties are still holding talks and if everything goes smoothly, we hope to open a Disney theme park around 2010,'' Li Wei, an official with the Shanghai government's information office, told a magazine.
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It is now official that the Millenium dome in London will be a theme park for christmas. It will host one of the biggest events in Europe for christmas where visitors can ride a total of 12 rides. Including a giant Big Wheel, Log flume ride, a drop ride and an Inverted roller coaster.
The theme-park director Elliot Hall thinks this is just what the Greenwich peninsula needs to fill the Dome once again. They are expecting up to 250,000 guests in the month of december and specially for the event, the worlds biggest portable ice rink will be constructed which can hold up to 300 people at any one time.
There is also lots for the children to do. Kids will have the chance to watch cartoons such as Johny Bravo,Dexter and the powerpuff girls on a giant big screen. Also there is a chance of some "special" guests arriving! Addmission is free for people under 13 and over 60 but is £10 for adults.
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Yet again have Cedar Point has announced plans for something new! On Tuesday they officially announced that they are to build a 51,000-square-foot indoor water park resort. It is a major expansion to the existing Radisson Harbour Inn situated at the front of the cedar point causeway and will cost something around $22million.
“Castaway Bay” as it’s to be called will be open all year round and is due to open in November 2004. It will have a tropical Caribbean theme and feature 237 hotel rooms and suits for the whole family. The water park itself will be some 38,000-square-foot itself and will house:
· a rousing 35-foot-high, 520-foot-long water roller coaster that will propel riders uphill using water jets. This unique water coaster will twist its way through the water-park, shoot outside the resort’s structure in an enclosed slide and then spiral back into an indoor splash pool;
· a total of 12 exhilarating water slides in various sizes for sliders of all ages that will provide a rush of excitement for all thrill seekers.
· a 100,000-gallon wave pool that will generate 3-foot-tall waves which guests can body surf in true “hang ten” style. A cascading waterfall will serve as a scenic backdrop;
· a children’s play pool chock-full of slides, tipping buckets, spraying gadgets and sea creature play structures designed especially for kids;
· an action-packed 80,000-gallon activity pool with interactive elements for pre-teen to water enthusiasts such as overhead nets, footbridges, floating logs and treasure chests to walk over and manoeuvre around that test skill and agility;
· a gigantic multi-story interactive play area with more than 100 different elements, including a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket that will drench guests every 10 minutes with a downpour of water;
· two 50-person whirlpool spas (one indoor and one outdoor) where guests can kick back and relax in a calming atmosphere. To get to the outdoor whirlpool spa, guests will simply swim through an opening in a natural grotto formation
· a snack bar to satisfy hungry water-goers so there’s no need to leave the water-park for some munchies!
The wetter, the better they say. Is this the key to Cedar Points tourist catch or just a waste of time? Well we will just have to wait and see. It will make the ideal getaway for all members of the family all year round. No matter what the weather. There’s no better way to hit dry, high class, extreme thrill rides by day and by the evening have a nice long soak in a hot spring surrounded by tropical palm trees! Now wouldn’t that be nice! Heaven??? Thought so!
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Hersheypark, Hershey, PA, USA 11/05/03 - By: Devin Olson -
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Hersheypark has made official that the name of the park's 2004 Intamin Rocket Coaster will indeed be Storm Runner, with the slogan 'Vertical Horsepower'.
The decision came after over 46,000 votes came in to Hersheypark over a two-week period for three name contenders, the other two being Renegade and Steel Stampede.
Hershey reports that there was a 3,000 vote difference between each of the names - Storm Runner winning over the competition with some 18,000 plus.
Storm Runner will be the first hydraulically-launched coaster to loop through three inversions when it debuts on Mother's Day Weekend of the 2004 season, with 2,600 feet of red track and speeds of up to seventy-five miles per hour.
Progress on the steel coaster has become visible over the past week with the first supports going vertical, and dozens of footers in place, with most of the ride's track currently on site at Hersheypark.
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