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COASTER-net.com > Your guide to ride on the wild side > News & Releases

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!

Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH, USA 02/24/05 - By: Alan Johnsrud -

Cedar Point has a new General Manager. John Hildebrandt will take over Dan Keller’s position on March 11th.

Mr. Hildebrandt is the General Manager and Vice President of Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Pennsylvania. Hildebrandt is not a stranger to Cedar Point. He was the vice president of marketing for 10 years before going to Dorney Park.

Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England, UK 02/24/05 - By: Joe Mueller -

Alton Towers has released more information yesterday through e-mail for those wondering about the theme park's newest coaster under construction, Rita: Queen of Speed.

A hydraulic launch will achieve 100 kilometers per hour in 2.5 seconds, and g-forces on the ride will top 4.7. Also, Alton Towers hotel guests will be able to test ride it in a soft opening that will take place from Mar. 25-31st prior to the ride opening to the public on Apr. 1st, 2005.

Six Flags America, Largo, MD, USA 02/24/05 - By: Carl F -

A follow-up to a story posted last September- Six Flags America's waterpark was supposedly closing down forever since day one of the parks operation. Dont fear about a lost water park, its going under a rehab and turning into Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.

Under this transformation, much needed touch ups and improvements are going all over the water park and two new slides to mark Hurricane Harbor's presence with the new brighter colors. The first is, sigh, another clone of ProSlide's popular Tornado slide, known for its distinctive giant funnel called Tornado.

The second new slide for the transformation includes a giant family water slide called Bahama Blast. Many twists and turns make the layout along with a few tunnels to thrill thrill seekers of all ages.

The Third addition is just for the little ones with a new water play structure called Bucaneer Bay. Designed especially for little ones and their families, Bucanner Bay's slides made especially for the younger crowd and many water activities for the parents as well.

Admission should not be a problem, like its predecessor, Six Flags America's Hurricane Harbor is free with park admission and is set to open on May 28, 2005 for daily summer operations.

Six Flags New England, Agwam, MA, USA 02/23/05 - By: Carl F -

Six Flags New England has officially announced the park's 2005 attractions. The main addition will be a Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster similar to Spinning Dragons at Worlds of Fun called Mr. Six's Pandemonium. Themed after Six Flags' successful advertising mascot, the ride takes you over five stories high and moves through hairpin turns as the four person car spins around.

Also this year at the park, a new water slide, a Master Blaster slide called Typhoon. Being dubbed as a "water coaster" by the park, Typhoon will take riders up hills on the slide via rocket-propelled water and conveyer belts.

The park and Mr. Six's Pandemonium is set to open for its 2005 season on April 16th. Hurricane Harbor will open later on in 2005 with Typhoon.

Six Flags Parks, CA, USA 02/19/05 - By: Carl F -

Yesterday, Six Flags announced they have flagged two new parks in the San Francisco area. The water parks both used to be Waterworld USA Concord and Waterworld USA Sacarmento. The two new parks are now known as Six Flags Waterworld Concord and Six Flags Waterworld Sacarmento.

But, is that all? Nope, both parks, in celebration of their flagging, will get new water slides.

Six Flags Waterworld Concord will get a Six Flags clone of ProSlide's popular Tornado slide called Tornado . Tornado is known for its iconic giant funnel you go through before splashing into the pool.

Six Flags Waterworld Sacramento will get another ProSlide creation, but guess what, its not a Tornado clone! Honolulu Halfpipe, a slide which is a U-shaped slide more than four stories high with a near vertical experience, giving riders a sensation of freefall.

Both parks are slated to open for their 2005 season and their first season under the Six Flags name on May 21st on weekend operation. Daily summer operations for 2005 start on June 18th.

Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, Winter Haven, FL, USA 02/17/05 - By: Carl F -

Cypress Gardens Adventure Park has announced their 2005 plan for the park. The plan includes a brand new waterpark added to the historic gardens, rides, and soon to be opened animal habitat mix.

Splash Island, a small family waterpark, will be added and will hopefully open by this summer. Though the attractions of what will be in store for the new waterpark remains to be unannounced, some rumors say it would be a clone of the Splash Island waterpark at Kent Beuscher's other park, Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia.

Cypress Gardens opened back in 1936 as gorgeous gardens and later on added to the mix with the famous water ski show, the Southern Belles. On April 11th, 2003, the park closed down due to low attendance. In early 2004, Kent Beuscher bought the park and turned half of the park into an amusement park with four coasters, including the Triple Hurricane wooden coaster, and numerous flat rides.

Since the park's reopening in November, 2004, Cypress Gardens has enjoyed high attendance and season pass sales with some 250,000 guests and 80,000 season passes sold which are good at both Cypress Gardens and Wild Adventures.

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville, KY, USA 02/16/05 - By: Carl F -

Today, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom made official of what the park is adding for the upcoming 2005 season. Another clone of Torando, a ProSlide creation that is being cloned at many Six Flags parks this season.

Tornado is known for its giant funnel you travel through in the slides final stages. Tornado is also being installed at Six Flags Darien Lake's Barracuda Bay water park, Six Flags Astroworld's WaterWorld water park, and lastly, Six Flags St. Louis' Hurricane Harbor water park.

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom is set to open for the 2005 season on April 2nd.

Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH, USA 02/16/05 - By: Carl F -

Top Thrill Dragster, the ex-record holder for tallest and fastest coaster in the world, is now under even hotter water with the park, Cedar Point.

On July 13th, 2004, the ride's cable launch system was frayed and when a train roared at it's 120 mile per hour speed, metal shards were thrown in the air, injuring 4 people.

Well, 2 of the victims of the incident are suing the park over this. Joel Neidenthal and Whitney James, the names of the people, are suing for an unknown amount of money, but is believed to be around fifty-thousand dollars.

We will have more on this story as this progresses.

Paramount's Kings Dominion, Doswell, VA, USA 02/14/05 - By: Devin Olson -

Paramount's Kings Dominion wants to hear from fans about new additions being considered for upcoming seasons. The Virginia Paramount park has put out a new survey presenting new concepts in the works for the 2006 and 2007 seasons in an effort to narrow down the possibilities.

Among the ten concepts in the survey are versions of rides currently being erected or operating at other Paramount parks, including a version of the Italian Job Stunt Track coaster opening this year at Paramount's Canada's Wonderland and Paramount's Kings Island. Other signature Paramount attractions on the survey are a Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay waterpark retheme, a Nickelodeon Central expansion featuring Rugrats Runaway Reptar, and a Top Gun: the Jet Coaster Bolliger and Mabillard inverted coaster. Kings Dominion is the last remaining Paramount park without a Top Gun-themed coaster.

This year's new ride, Tomb Raider: Firefall, is also present on the survey, along with a Tomb Raider: Chamber of Fire walkthrough show and an original Paramount-themed action production, the Mission Impossible Stunt Show. Two more coaster concepts are the SpongeBob indoor coaster, and an enclosed rock-themed coaster dubbed Sound Wave that would presumably be a retheme of the park's Flight of Fear. Finally, an option on the survey is for the addition of a Huss Giant Frisbee similar to Paramount's Kings Island's Delirium.

To take part in the survey, click here.

Stratosphere Tower, Las Vegas, NV, USA 02/09/05 - By: Devin Olson -

Braving heights of over 900 feet in the air, workers secured the four pieces of the Stratosphere Tower's new ride into place this morning, assembling the fourth and last ride on the top of the landmark Las Vegas building.

The steel pieces, totaling out 50 thousand pounds, were lifted to the top by helicopter were they were secured to the tower's deck. After thirty minutes, the entire ride was in place. A previous attempt to airlift the ride into place on the first was called off due to high winds.

Insanity: the Ride joins 2003's X-Scream, and the original two thrill rides atop the Stratosphere Tower, 1996's Big Shot and High Roller, and fills the final possible space for a ride. When it opens on March 10th, Insanity will send 10 riders at a time over the side of the building in a centrifuge motion as they face the ground far below.

Six Flags Darien Lake, Darien Center, NY, USA 02/03/05 - By: Carl F -

Today, Six Flags Darien Lake announced their 2005 additions as well with improvements throughout the park. The main addition is clone of Six Flags' popular Tornado slide for Six Flags Darien Lake's Barracuda Bay water park.

Alongside Tornado, a nearby concession stand called Gully Washers will open serving snacks and sodas. Even more small improvements come to the park as more RV spots are added to the RV campgrounds behind the park and restroom improvements.

The park reopens for it's 2005 season on May 7th, 2005. Tornado is commonly cloned amongst Six Flags' water parks, with rumor's for one at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom for 2005, and already confirmed at Astroworld's Waterworld park.

Six Flags Over Georgia, Austell, GA, USA 02/03/05 - By: Carl F -

Today, Six Flags Over Georgia announces their new 2005 attraction. Skull Island, a gigantic and interactive water playground made by Koala Play Group and Pro Slide Inc. Aimed at families, Skull Island has many things wet and wild for people of all ages.

Some of Skull Island's main draws include 6 family water slides by Pro Slide Inc. (the manufacturers of the Tornado slides at many water parks). Others include a 50 foot tall volcano that erupts water up to 80 feet in the air and 2 giant water buckets to drench guests every 10 minutes.

Six Flags over Georgia is scheduled to open for the 2005 season on March 5th. Though Skull Island will not open with the park on its opening day, the new water attraction will open on Memorial Day weekend at the park. The attraction is located by the parks classic wooden coaster, Great American Scream Machine, and the ride itself is also being installed at Six Flags Great America's Hurricane Harbor water park.

Phuket Fantasea, Kamala Bay , Thailand 02/02/05 - By: Mike Landers -

Thailand is finally re-opening Phuket Fantasea, their most renowned Cultural Theme park, after being closed due significant impact the tsunami had on their area.

The park is located in Kamala Bay and before the tsunami struck they would pull in an average of 2,500 people per day. After this tsunami they can only manage to bring in 10-20 people per day. The park is slowly regaining it strength and will be back to normal soon.

Ontario Siciene Center, Onterio, Canada 02/02/05 - By: Mike Landers -

Ontario Science Center in Ontario, Canada is pleased to welcome back a popular exhibit that talks about the way thrill rides and coaster effect people and a lot of other information on them.

Scream Machines, the name of the exhibit, shows how different rides moving in different ways can affect the human body. One of the major affects coasters have on humans is G-forces, which this exhibit talks about a lot. There are also motion simulators and mini-rides stationed in the exhibit for your enjoyment.

You can come and check this hands-on, fun packed exhibit in Ontario starting February 2nd.

Paramount's Carowinds Expanding Nickelodeon Central 02/02/05 - By: Mike Landers -

Paramount's Carowinds is re-opening March 19th and things will look a little different around the park. They announced today that the area, Nickelodeon Central, would expand from three acres to 15 acres. The park is calling this plan, ‘The Nickelodeon Makeover.’

This new Nick area will consist of many new thrills and attritions. Some of the new attractions include Phantom Flyers, an interactive spinning glider, The Flying Dutchman's Revenge, miniature pirate ships that twirls and twist while sloping up and down, and Dora the Explorer's Adventure train ride.

Wichita Parks, Wichita, KS, USA 02/01/05 - By: Mike Landers -

Wichita is considering new rules for amusement parks, both traveling and permanent. This act is due to the incident last spring when a 13 year old girl fell from a Ferris wheel. They mayor said these changes are needed because Kansas is one of the few states the do not require inspection of rides.

Mayans said "We need to protect the citizens; my concern is we need to make sure (amusement park rides) are safe for people."

Stick to COASTER-net news and ‘In the Loop’ as this story unfolds.