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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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Starting this Sunday, Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure, and Walt Disney World are all raising their admission prices.
Disneyland and California Adventure are raising their prices 6 percent, or $2.75; they're being raised from $47.00 (1o years and over) to $49.75. In Florida's Walt Disney World, prices have increased from $52.00 to $54.75.
Disney officials state that the raise in prices are due to the large costs of new investments in the parks. Some of the new ride investments include "Snow White", a musical show in Disneyland, and the "Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror", similar to the "Tower of Terror" at Disney's MGM Studios in Florida.
However, the Disney Company also announced adding a lower-priced annual admission pass on the weekdays, where there are less crowds.
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A 6 year old boy fell 14m from a ferris wheel at an agricultural show.
He was on the ferris wheel with his father when he slipped under the restraining chain and fell to the ground.
The boy has suffered head injuries, a punctured lung and fractured cheekbone. He looks to be okay despite his injuries.
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The world's largest amusement park chain, Six Flags, has launched an advertisement campaign across the country. The national ads began last week and will soon air on television near the regions of Six Flags parks.
Six Flags' senior vice president of marketing, Charles Salemi, stated, "Our campaign research showed that today's families spend more time at work than ever before - they are overscheduled, over-worked and stressed out. And, what families need most, what they desire most, is playtime together."
Six Flags is a possible solution to the need in our society for relaxation and escape. The Six Flags Amusement Park Chain is claiming that they are a solution to the consumer's need for these experiences of relaxation and escape from work, stating that a trip for a day at a Six Flags park is a day of fun for the whole family.
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Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom, Redlands, CA, USA 03/23/04 - By: Devin Olson -
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A small Southern California amusement park will appear on televisions nationwide this May when it makes a cameo on the hit CBS drama 'CSI'.
Crews are filming at Redlands, California's Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom through tomorrow for an episode of the show that will debut May 6th dubbed 'A Screw Turned Loose'. The storyline of the show's episode will be an investigation into multiple deaths on a steel coaster caused by a screw on the ride being loosened.
Other parks reportedly turned down the role in CSI, which is set in Las Vegas. In the episode, the park will be known as 'Sphinx Amusement Park'.
Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom's only major coaster is the secondhand S.D.C 'Galaxi' steel twister Screaming Mummy which originally opened in 1972 and was relocated to the California park in 2000.
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Rockin' Raceway, Pigeon Forge, TN, USA 03/23/04 - By: Devin Olson -
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An unsecured harness is being blamed for a woman's death that occured on the 14th after a fall from a ride at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee's roadside attraction park Rockin' Raceway.
The rider, identified as 51-year old June Carol Alexander, fell from the top of the park's Zamperla Hawk ride while it was swinging upside-down, plunging six stories to the ground.
Investigators wrapped up their work last week, and it is being reported that a failure to properly secure the woman's restraint is being cited as the cause of death.
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2 of 119 firefighters sustained serious injuries when they fell from a gondola helping the rescue people suspended in the air. In a amusement park in Sochon, South Chungchong Province.
According to police and other people that were there, said that there were 15 people that was stuck 27 meters above the ground on there ride called gyroscope. They said they were up there for about 2 hours.
That is when the firefighters were called to get them down. Then thats when they got a gondola and then it tiped over and the 2 firefighters fell. The injured rescue workers were taken to a nearby hospital but were listed in critical condition. The people that were on the ride got off saftly.
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Blue Diamond Park, New Castle, DE, USA 03/22/04 - By: Carl F -
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Delaware was once one of the unlucky states to not have a roller coaster to call their own. That all changed last week with the construction of yet to be named coaster purchased from DelGrosso's Amusement Park for $110,000. While at the DelGrosso's Amusement Park, the coaster went by the name Zyklon.
The Blue Diamond Park Action Sports and Entertainment Complex is a 400 acre facility that features BMX tracks, an off-road riding area for ATV's and dirtbikes, a 36-hole mini golf course, a midway with rides, games, and food, paintball and more. Family Entertainment is set to open sometime in May of this year. The other attractions mentioned are already open and paintball is set to open sometime this summer. Many more attractions are on the drawing board for the complex as well.
You can read more on the Blue Diamond Park by clicking here
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Six Flags New Orleans, Louisiana, United States 03/17/04 - By: Coaster Force -
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Six Flags New Orleans is opening for the 2004 season this Saturday, at 10 A.M. The park will be open only on weekends until Memorial Day weekend. After Memorial Day, the park opens daily until August 15th; it will return to weekend-only operation August 21st through October 31st.
New for the 2004 season is the SpongeBob Squarepants simulator ride, based on the popular children's show on Nickelodeon. Park officials stated, "Guests sit on a motion-based platform that moves in sync with the visual experience." The ride will take guests on a crazy underwater adventure, as Spongebob himself pursues a pickle which will allow him to serve the best Krabby Patty to a customer.
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Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ, USA 03/12/04 - By: Devin Olson -
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Improvements and new shows will be highlights of the 2004 season at Six Flags Great Adventure.
The park is set to add two new shows, one being a stunt show letting Batman and Catwoman face off. Second will be a new 3-D simulation, promised to be a high-speed exerience.
On the list of improvements will be the promise of new theming and landscaping to the 300-acre theme park, restroom renovations, and major catering upgrades.
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Six Flags Inc. 03/10/04 - By: Carl F -
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Today, a Press Release from Cedar Fair announced that they are buying Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. Cedar Fair will be changing the park's name back to the original name of Geauga Lake, which the park had before Six Flags bought the park in 2000.
The reported price that Cedar Fair will pay for the park is $145 million. This purchase will also include the adjacent hotel and campground. However, the Six Flags company will still own the animals that are currently located in the park. A complete agreement between the two park chains is expected before the beginning of the 2004 season. There is no word yet about the park renaming the Superman and Batman coasters that are in the park.
You can click here to read the full Press Release on CedarFair.com.
Also, Six Flags announced that they are also selling its European park division. This includes theme parks in Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, but will not involve Warner Bros. Movie World Madrid. This deal for the European parks is going to a private investment firm for a reported $200 million.
Six Flags Inc. said that although they still saw good opportunities in their European parks, by sellling them off it would allow them to focus on its parks in North America.
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Walt Disney Company 03/04/04 - By: Carl F -
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The Walt Disney Company made a big decision on Wednesday of this week. For years, Michael Eisner was the CEO and Chairman of the board. The board has now decided to separate those two positions, and strip Eisner of his Chairman title. He will however, remain as the CEO of the company.
In a unanimous vote, the board then elected George Mitchell, a former U.S. Senator, to the chairman position. In an interview with Ted Koppel, Eisner said that he has plans to remain the CEO at least until his contract runs out in the year 2006.
To read more on this story, click here.
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Ultimate European Theme Parks Awards 2003 03/04/04 - By: Carl F -
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The voting is now open for the 2003 edition of the Ultimate European Theme Park Awards. This is the second year that these awards have taken place.
You can click here to cast your votes for various categories.
Last year's winners include Expedition GeForce (Best Steel Coaster in Europe and Best Coaster in Europe), Mystery Castle (Best Thrill Ride in Europe), and Pirates of the Caribbean (Best Dark Ride in Europe).
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Belle Island, Pigeon Forge, TN, USA 03/04/04 - By: Carl F -
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Pigeon Forge residents will be glad to hear this great news, but it is not only great news for thrill seekers. A new theme park is set to open in 2005 that will bring around 1,200 new jobs to the area. This will be the largest boost to the area's economy since Dollywood opened.
Along with the new theme park, Belle Island will also provide a historical aspect. Debbie Reynolds, a big movie legend, will have a Hollywood motion picture museum that will house original costumes, memorabilia, and original prints of classic movies that she has been collecting for 35 years.
In addition to the museum, there will be the usual amusement rides, park shops, and even a hotel.
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David Heber claimed he was jolted by a ride on Disney's California Adventure's California Screamin' in August 2001. Heber, a surgeon in Milwaukee said that he felt his restraint was improperly maintained and did not hold him in the right way he said.
Heber went for a suit for $10 million in June 2002. The jurors deliberated for over two hours before voting unanimously to deny the claim. Disneyland was happy with the answer they got.
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