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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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Amusement park proposed for Virginia Beach
Sun Rise Co. LTD is proposing a $4 billion resort
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©Sun Rise Co LTD
$4 Billion Proposal: If both sides agree, Virginia Beach could have new additions to its skyline, including an amusement park.
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A South Korean company proposed a $4 billion resort to the city Virginia Beach yesterday. The planned resort would feature 3,800 condiminiums, 1,500 hotel rooms and seven towers rising up to 40 stories high.
Sun Rise Development Co. LTD, the South Korean Company planning this massive resort, proposes a golf academy, a hotel, a condominium building, and - best yet for thrill-seekers - an amusement park.
However, though the project seems promising for the residents of Virginia Beach and tourists, the city could lose its biggest employer: the navy. Towering buildings near Oceana, a jet base for the Navy, would surely be unfavorable to the Navy. The city already has been warned of encroachment problems from the Navy.
The cost of the project to taxpayers is still unknown. Clearly much risk is involved in the project for the city of Virginia Beach. With their tourism industry already well endowed, is this too much growth for the city?
Previous theme parks included a Busch-Gardens-style theme park proposed in the early 1990s and a boardwalk amusement park proposed in 1999. Neither project made it past the drawing boards.
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ShockTower roller coaster revealed for Wild Escape
X-car coaster to debut along with new park next year
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Wild Escape Theme Park and the Aspen Heights Resort and Shopping Center in West Virginia is looking forward to opening its doors in 2007 as part of Phase I of The Highlands development project in the northern part of West Virginia. Steve Minard, president of Wild Escape Theme Park, has recently announced the plans for one of the park’s roller coasters that will make its debut when the park opens next spring.
This unique roller coaster coming to Wild Escape is planned to be the centerpiece of the park, and will be appropriately named the ShockTower. The ShockTower will lay claim to the world’s tallest inversion. However, this record isn’t official yet because the coaster’s statistics haven’t been announced yet.
This massive steel roller coaster is an X-car roller coaster and is custom designed by the German ride manufacturer Maurer Söhne. This X-car design is only the second of its type in North America, but the design has already become a success in Europe because the company’s headquarters are located in Germany. X-car roller coasters have also become popular because the trains are designed to give each rider the feel of stadium seating. This means every rider get an excellent view of what acrobatic elements are coming up next.
This is just one of many rides that will open at the Wild Escape Theme Park in 2007. In addition to the ShockTower, the park plans to construct one or possibly two other roller coasters for the opening season. The entire park itself is based around entertainment, and Wild Escape plans to offer an abundant amount of musical entertainment and shows for park guests to enjoy.
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Six Flags Magic Mountain will remain in operation
Property will remain an amusement park even if it is sold
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© Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park's future is now secure: "Magic Mountain is open for business and will stay open for business," said Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro at a recent conference call.
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Since the announcement that Six Flags Inc. was considering selling Six Flags Magic Mountain as well as other Six Flags owned properties, many people have been concerned about the possible future of Six Flags Magic Mountain and other Six Flags parks across the United States.
However, roller coaster enthusiasts and park guests no longer need to worry because Six Flags Inc. CEO Mark Shapiro made it clear that the properties that are now currently for sale will remain amusement parks if they are sold. Six Flags Inc. has decided not to sell its properties as real estate value, and hopes to make a decision about which parks they would like to sell by the end of the year.
At the moment, Six Flags is considering selling Six Flags Darien Lake in New York, Six Flags Waterworld in California, Six Flags Elitch Gardens in Colorado, Wild Waves and Enchanted Village in Washington, Six Flags Splashtown in Texas and Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor both in California. It’s predicted that Six Flags will only be able to sell some of these parks gaining around $500 million even though they would like to profit about $800 million from the sale to progressively pull the company out of its $2.2 billion debt.
Attendance at Six Flags Magic Mountain has dropped about 12% since Six Flags announced that they were considering selling the park, but Snyder isn’t worrying about that too much. He now thinks that the park’s attendance will climb beyond where has been in recent years because of the future additions to the park, which will draw families into the park and the confirmation that Six Flags Magic Mountain will remain an amusement attraction.
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Son of Beast will continue to operate but without its loop
Modifications coming next year as a result of accident
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© Paramount's Kings Island
No more loop: Son of Beast, the world's tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster, has had its share of troubles and modifications in its six years of operation.
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In July of 2006, Paramount’s Kings Island’s wooden roller coaster, Son of Beast, left riders injured after an accident involving the ride’s support structure partially failing. The accident itself occurred just after all of the Paramount Parks, including Kings Island, all of which were owned by CBS at the time, had been sold to the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. This now left Cedar Fair with the decision of what to do with the Son of Beast wooden roller coaster.
The State of Ohio’s Department of Agriculture was brought in to inspect the ride for obvious safety reasons, and a final report was recently released. This report describes the outcome of the incident and contains information about the near future of Son of Beast.
Son of Beast opened in 2000 as the world’s tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster, and it also became the world’s only looping wooden roller coaster. Well this massive wooden coaster will lose that title in the future months as construction crews make modifications to the 218-foot tall ride, including the removal of the 118-foot tall loop.
Kings Island plans to reopen Son of Beast next season, but not until the park is completed the project of reinforcing the ride’s wooden structure, removes the vertical loop, and installs lighter trains. Using these trains should reduce the load and create a more comfortable ride experience.
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Kings Dominion to open next summer with a new splash
Water park expansion, reduced tickets to highlight 2007 season
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Paramount's Kings Dominion, Doswell, VA, USA 12/14/06 - By: Devin Olson -
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© Clint Novak
Tornado Warning: ProSlide Tornado models have become a familiar sight at water parks and resorts around the world since their release in 2003.
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In its first season under the ownership of Cedar Fair, Paramount’s Kings Dominion is hoping to bring in the crowds next year by turning the tide on two recent trends.
First, the Virginia theme park will break a pattern of the past 32 seasons: reduce the price of admission. While last year’s rates for a regular single-day ticket rose to $49.95, the 2007 rates will drop five dollars. Furthermore, the park will initiate a $24.95 ticket price for junior and senior guests and “starlight” pricing of $29.95 after 4 p.m.
Along with the reduced rates, Kings Dominion will expand WaterWorks, its once-19-acre water park. While a water slide complex and kiddie play area were removed over the past three years to make way for 2006’s Italian Job Turbo Coaster, that trend will reverse as well with the coming of three new attractions.
The most prominent of the new summertime treats will stand 65 feet in the air, sending rafters dropping sharply from the sky and gliding through an enormous funnel. If you’ve seen something similar to Tornado before, that’s probably because several dozen slides like it have swept the world in a storm of popularity since the concept hit the market in 2003. ProSlide of Ontario, Canada is the company behind the new fad finding its way to Kings Dominion.
Next, Zoom Flume will provide a more family-friendly escape from the summer fervency. The slide will sport a course that meanders its way through constant curvature from the top platform back down to water level.
Finally, WaterWorks will see a very familiar sight to all seasoned guests: a new wave pool. While the water park has boasted a wave pool by the name of Big Wave Bay since 1999, Kings Dominion saw the need for a second such attraction due to the original wave pool’s sheer popularity. The new wave pool will go by the name Tidal Wave Bay.
"New water attractions, new price, new year," said Richard Zimmerman, the park's vice president and general manager stated in today's press release. "We know our guests are looking for ways to stretch their entertainment dollar and next year, Kings Dominion will be an even better value."
The new attractions will be located behind the wooden coaster Rebel Yell adjacent to attractions introduced during the last water expansion that took place in 1999 when WaterWorks was created out of Kings Dominion’s original 1992 water park, Hurricane Reef.
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Wooden coaster coming to the Kemah Boardwalk in 2007
New compact wooden coaster designed by the Gravity Group
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The Kemah Boardwalk is a small amusement park and boardwalk area located on the shores of Kemah, Texas, in between Houston and Galveston. The boardwalk area is home to many restaurants, shopping complexes, a hotel, and an amusement park, which will open an all-new wooden roller coaster in the late spring or early summer of 2007.
This new wooden roller coaster will be Kemah Boardwalk’s first roller coaster, and has yet to receive its named. This wooden coaster was designed by the Gravity Group, and will use two, six-car trains from the Philadelphia Toboggan Coaster Co. Martin & Vleminckx Rides LLC is overseeing the project and will also build the ride’s wooden structure.
The Gravity Group designed this compact wooden twister to where it can fit in a footprint that is less than one-acre. This new wooden roller coaster will feature the most crossovers in a single wooden coaster, and will include several tunneled sections.
The western-themed coaster will stand 96 feet tall, have a 92 foot first drop, reach a top-speed of 51 miles per hour, and riders will fly through a layout comprised of 3,236 feet of track. The new wooden coaster is sure to become a popular tourist attraction considering the Kemah Boardwalk draws about 3 million visitors per year.
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Six Flags announces new additions for 2007
Family orientation is main goal for next year
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© Michael Ingerson
2007 Season: This year we will see no new roaring B&M's but we will see many other new additions.
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CEO Mark Shapiro of Six Flags revealed the company’s plans for 2007 at the conference on December 12.
The new additions to the park include: “Thomas and Friends” areas in several Six Flags parks; “Wiggles World” areas, themed after the Disney show; two spinning coasters themed after Tony Hawk; Cold Stone Creamery will be on site; and Heinz Ketchup will become the official ketchup of Six Flags.
“This will be the first year we’re able to put our ‘family-friendly’ stamp on a full Six Flags season, from preparation to execution. Our plans to diversify the family entertainment experience are well underway and that strategy will permeate the entire company,” said Six Flags President and CEO Mark Shapiro. All the new attractions are ways to create a family image for Six Flags.
Also, Mark Shapiro said that all parks that were up for sale will remain running for the 2007 season and beyond. To thank all the loyal customers of Six Flags Magic Mountain, with every purchase of a season pass, customers will also get a free kid’s season pass.
In addition to all the new attractions, Six Flags said that they are planning to launch a variety of even more entertainment for the 2007 season.
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Six Flags Great Adventure announces improvements for next year
Wiggles World and Wild Safari Exploration Station coming soon
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© Six Flags Great Adventure
Times Change: New ownership is looking to draw families and children into the park in upcoming years with some family additions instead of building thrill rides.
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Even though next years additions for Six Flags Great Adventure were approved by the city a couple months ago, these changes weren’t officially announced until today. The park will open a new Wiggles World themed area next year along with an interactive Wild Safari Exploration Station next year.
The new Wiggles World area, themed after the Wiggles children’s entertainment shows, will be Six Flags Great Adventure’s fourth area designed for young children to enjoy. Kids will be able to find all of the Wiggles characters and supporting cast who will perform daily shows and make appearances throughout the 2007 season. The Wiggles World area will also include many specially themed rides including The Big Red Car ride, The Big Red Plane ride, Dorothy the Dinosaur’s Racing to the Rainbow balloon ride, Bouncin’ with Wags ride, and the S.S. Feathersword Pirate Ship.
Six Flags Great Adventure’s Wild Safari will also open a new Exploration Station where visitors can interact with animals from all across the world. Guests will be part of educational animal shows featuring exotic birds, snakes, and retiles. Visitors will also be able to explore interactive science exhibits and get up-close to touch these animals as part of the Wild Safari Exploration Station.
“Today’s announcement represents Six Flags Great Adventure’s continued focus on family entertainment,” said Mark Kane, Six Flags Great Adventure’s Vice President and General Manager. “In addition to our world-class coaster collection and unparalleled line-up of thrill rides, the park now features four distinct areas devoted to families with young children, offering entertainment and thrills for all ages.”
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Six Flags Fiesta Texas takes a big spin with Tony Hawk
New Tony Hawk themed spinning coaster coming in 2007
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© Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Tony Hawk's Big Spin: Six Flags Fiesta Texas's newest family thrilling spinning coaster will stand almost 53 feet high and will spin riders through 1,351 feet of track.
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Six Flags Fiesta Texas hasn’t built a roller coaster since the year 2000 when the park opened the Superman Krypton Coaster, one of the world’s largest floorless roller coasters. That will change in March of 2007 when Six Flags Fiesta Texas opens an all-new family roller coaster that takes its name from one of the best, if not the greatest, skateboarder of all time, Tony Hawk.
Today, Six Flags Fiesta Texas announced that they would open Tony Hawk’s Big Spin roller coaster next spring. This new spinning roller coaster is designed to give families the thrill of flying through the air and spinning through tricks as if the were riding skateboard. The ride even includes a large spinning figure of Tony Hawk at the top of the ride, and monitors in the queue lines displaying highlights of the history of action sports.
This also isn’t the first time Tony Hawk and Six Flags have worked together. Last season, the Tony Hawk Boom Boom Huck Jam tour performed at several Six Flags parks across the United States. This tour is comprised of several skateboarders and action sports athletes, including Tony Hawk himself, putting on a show for the park guests. This tour is expected to continue at numerous Six Flags parks next year.
Gerstlauer of Germany will design the ride and it will be very similar to the Mr. Six’s Pandemonium spinning roller coaster at Six Flags New England. Each skateboard themed car will hold up to four riders, and the new coaster itself will be located in the park’s Fiesta Bay Boardwalk area. Also, the Fiesta Bay Boardwalk will be renovated as part of the project with new wooden planks for the boardwalk’s deck and a new restaurant.
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Theme park found guilty for death
Student died from ride malfunction
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Light Water Valley, Ripon, Yorkshire, United Kingdom 12/02/06 - By: Cory Gross -
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After a death on Treetop Twister at Lightwater Valley theme park in June 2001, the manufacturer and park were found guilty for the death.
A 20-year-old student at Durham University, Gemma Savage, died when the roller coaster cars crashed. Treetop Twister is a coaster with spinning cars that stands 42 feet tall. It goes up 30mph over its 1,377 foot course and was built by the Paris-based company, Reverchon.
The park and firm were found guilty of failing to make sure that the ride has a safe design and had safe construction. They were also found guilty of not properly testing the ride before opening it to the public. The firm who built the ride will be sentenced on Friday.
The ride had a wiring fault, which meant that the ride was not safe and this should have been detected while testing.
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Lagoon’s largest roller coaster ever will open next spring
Wicked will launch into Lagoon history in 2007
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© Lagoon
Lagoon's wicked thrilling roller coaster: Wicked's design will comdine a number of thrilling elements to create the park's largest roller coaster yet.
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Lagoon, Utah’s largest amusement park, recently announced the addition of a new one-of-a-kind roller coaster, and it will be the largest in the park’s 121-year history. This new launched roller coaster will appropriately be named, Wicked.
Wicked will launch riders to a top speed of 55 mph before climbing a 110-foot tall vertical tower. Then riders will be launched a second time over the top of the tower and plunge vertically back down to earth before completing the rest of the 2050-foot long course. Riders will experience 4.8 G-Forces, multiple highly banked turns, and a zero-g-roll as part of this 1 minute 46 second long whirlwind of a roller coaster.
Both the famous Stengel Engineering Company of Germany and the roller coaster manufacturer Zierer, also from Germany, designed this new roller coaster for Lagoon at a cost of $10 million. Wicked’s launch system will be made up of LSM’s or Linear Synchronous Motors, which will launch the eight passenger cars. These smaller cars will secure riders around the waist and the legs and will allow rider's shoulders to be free.
Wicked will be completed and ready to make its debut in the spring of 2007. Wicked is sure to stand out above all of Lagoon’s other roller coasters in being that it’s the most unique and the most thrilling roller coaster in the park’s history.
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Knott’s Berry Farm unveils the Sierra Sidewinder for 2007
An all-new spinning coaster coming next season
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© Knott's Berry Farm
The Sierra Sidewinder: This new spinning roller coaster will be Knott's Berry Farm's third roller coaster since the year 2002.
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Knott’s Berry Farm will be the home of a new roller coaster style, and this coaster will officially make its debut in the spring of 2007. Knott’s newest roller coaster creation plans to take the spinning coaster design to the next level. This new spinning creation just happens to be the Sierra Sidewinder.
Unlike most spinning roller coasters, which use only single cars to spin riders, the Sierra Sidewinder will have four spinning cars of two separate trains. Riders will be seated back to back and each train will spin 16 riders through the ride’s 1411-foot layout. Riders will experience a series of banked curves, multiple drops, and a 39-foot first drop at a top speed of 37 mph all while the cars are rotating riders in circles over and over again.
This spinning coaster was designed by Mack GmbH Rides of Germany and is only the second of its type in the world. The other roller coaster that features this spinning design is the Euro Mir at Europa Park in Germany.
The Sierra Sidewinder will be constructed at the entrance of the park’s Camp Snoopy area, and will become Knott’s eighth roller coaster. Knott’s Berry Farm hopes that the Sierra Sidewinder will be draw in families of all ages because it can be enjoyed by both kids and adults.
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