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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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Harry Potter cleared for landing at Universal Orlando
Harry Potter will fly in on his broomstick as early as 2009
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Universal Studios Island of Adventure, Orlando FL, USA 05/31/07 - By: Ryan Blevins -
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©Universal Studios & Warner Bros.
Harry Potter makes a landing: The new Harry Potter addition is coming to Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure in late 2009. |
There weren't many details to be found - only a vague concept. But that concept was enough to excite theme park fans the world over.
Today, Warner Brothers Entertainment and Universal Studios Orlando announced what they describe in a press release as "the world’s first fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment based on the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling and blockbuster feature films from Warner Bros." This "theme park within a theme park" was announced for Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure in Orlando.
The new area will be called "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," and is going to be located partly in and next to the existing Lost Continent "island" of the theme park. The park plans on revamping some of the existing attractions in the Lost Continent section while expanding outwards into current backlot property for a total of 20 acres for the new section.
© Warner Bros.
Hogwart's Castle: The famous wizarding castle will be recaptured in this new addition, one of the future themed area's highlights. |
The new themed land will enable guests to visit some of the most memorable locations found in the books and movies. These areas will include the village of Hogsmeade, the dark Forbidden Forest, and even the famous icon of the stories, Hogwart's Castle.
The new area is expected to open in late 2009, early 2010. A vague description for the types of attractions to expect in the new themed land was given in the press release today.
"The new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions, as well as experiential shops and restaurants that will enable guests to sample fare from the wizarding world’s best known establishments," the press release states. "Also debuting will be a state-of-the-art attraction that will bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting way that guests have never before experienced."
No further details were given, helping to further enhance the mystery surrounding this new themed area. Fans of the theme park, books, and movies may just have to wait a little over two years before all of the mystery surrounding the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is revealed.
Devin Olson contributed to this article.
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Trimper’s Rides looking to survive in Ocean City
Another beachside amusement park may be forced to close
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© CoasterJosh
A Family Tradition: Trimper's Rides has been known as Ocean City, Maryland's amusement park since the year 1890. |
Trimper’s Rides has been a landmark on the coast of Ocean City, Maryland for 117 years now, and is a signature attraction along the resort town’s boardwalk. However, this could be the last summer where park guests, young and old alike, can come and enjoy the rides and the arcades at Trimper’s Rides.
Trimper’s Rides offers a variety rides and some of the park’s signature rides include the antique wooden carousel, the Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Tidal Wave roller coaster. The revenue of these rides along with of the rest of the rides and arcade games are not matching the soaring value of their three-block site.
The Trimpers say they are considering closing the amusement park and arcade after this year’s operating season. Ocean City has grown in recent years into a boardwalk filled with multi-million dollar resorts and more modern tourists attractions. In the past couple years, property taxes have soared for Trimper's, which operates on the last piece of undeveloped land on the town's three-mile boardwalk.
In the past three years, the value of the property owned by the Trimpers has tripled, from $21 million to $65 million. In addition to property taxes, insurance and energy costs are up, and the family is split over what to do. Some members want to sell the property, but others want to find a way to keep the family business going.
Trimper's Rides is the oldest continuously owned amusement park in the United States, and may end up having the same fate as some of the other beachside amusement parks. The famous Astroland amusement park in Coney Island, N.Y., the Myrtle Beach Pavilion amusement park in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City, Fla. have been forced to close because of a recent development boom along the east coast of the United States.
Granville D. Trimper, the president of the company is 78 years-old, a former mayor and City Council president, is asking the Maryland government to help preserve this longtime tourist attraction. According to Granville Trimper’s son, Doug Trimper who helps manage the park, no developer has talked with the family about buying the property.
The park was founded in 1890 by Granville's German immigrant grandparents. Today, the park is owned by 14 family members, who are divided over whether to sell the property. Granville Trimper, who owns the most shares of the family business, would like to keep the business.
The loss of Trimper's Rides could do damage to Ocean City's economy, which each years draws 8 million tourists. Trimper’s has a payroll of about $2.5 million, and about 300 park employs.
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'Magnum' reopened after minor collision
Three injured on Cedar Point coaster
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© Cedar Point
Memorial Day Weekend: Despite the accident on the Magnum XL-200, Cedar Point officially opened the Maverick roller coaster last Saturday. |
Three people were injured last Saturday when two trains collided on Magnum XL-200. The collision occurred at a slow speed and the accident was considered a minor one.
Cedar Point officials say the accident occurred at the end of the ride when one of the coaster’s trains rolled into another train which was stopped in the loading station.
Three people were injured and taken to the first-aid center. Two of the people were treated and released. However, the third passenger was transported to an area hospital for an asthma condition.
Witnesses of the accident have reported that a train made it through one of the final sets of block brakes on the ride and then collided with another train stopped in the loading station. After a brief investigation, the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster reopened on Sunday, the day after the accident.
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Extreme makeover: Cedar Point edition complete
‘Maverick’ on track again, set to debut this Saturday
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Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH, USA 05/24/07 - By: Devin Olson -
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© Carsten Anderson
Before…: ‘Maverick’ was originally planned with a heartline roll taking place at high speeds, low to the water. |
One of the year’s highly-anticipated new thrill rides has had a change of course, but that change is complete, with an inaugural launch in sight this weekend.
Maverick, Cedar Point’s seventeenth coaster, has been delayed by two weeks while one of the ride’s three inversions has been removed. Now, the inversion has been replaced and the park has announced a grand opening scheduled for this Saturday.
Originally, Cedar Point was to launch the coaster May 12, with a media day May 10. Instead, crews worked through the night removing four track sections a week ago.
The track sections removed comprised the ride’s signature heartline roll, a quick inversion following the coaster’s second launch and a drop nearly to ground level. However, due to unanticipated forces generated by the quick roll, the ride’s manufacturer sent Cedar Point replacement track segments to form a banked S-curve.
© Cedar Point
And After!: This picture posted to Cedar Point’s blog today shows the completed track tweaks. |
The modifications have occurred quicker than the park anticipated. After announcing the track modifications, Cedar Point stated that they hoped to have the ride open early June.
Maverick’s changes may feel like déjà vu to coaster enthusiasts who witnessed another multi-inversion ride, Batman & Robin: the Chiller at New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure, lose its own rolls this year in favor of S-curves due to excessive stress exerted on its trains.
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Classic PA park closed down
Conneaut Lake Park shutting its doors
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Conneaut Lake Park, Conneaut Lake, PA, USA 05/23/07 - By: Zach Wik -
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© Conneaut Lake Park
Conneaut Lake Park Closing its Doors: After 115 years of operation, Conneaut Lake Park will be closing its doors before the 2007 season. |
After 115 years of operating in its same Pennsylvania location, Conneaut Lake Park will be shutting its doors.
This classic amusement park has been operating for many generations and has rides dating back to the 1920's. The park, featuring such classic rides such as the Blue Streak Roller Coaster, Paratrooper, and many other classics. It also has a picture perfect location right off the lake.
After a meeting on Monday, the announcement was made that the 115 year old park would close its doors. All staff has already been layed off by the park. No deconstruction has started in the area yet.
More than $10,000 has been collected in an effort to save this classic piece of history. There is also a rumor that a private donor is willing to donate more than $100,000 to the park in an effort to reopen Conneaut Lake Park. As of now, there have been no further announcements.
It is a shame that this park is closing because of money. It just shows that everything can't last forever.
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Griffon dives into Busch Gardens Europe
World's tallest dive coaster makes its debut
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Busch Gardens Europe, Williamsburg VA, United States 05/18/07 - By: Ryan Blevins -
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©Busch Entertainment Corporation
Busch Gardens' Newest Attraction: Griffon is now operating and open at Busch Gardens Europe. |
After years of speculation, Griffon, the world's tallest, fastest, and currently only floorless dive coaster makes its unofficial debut with Busch Gardens Europe's "Sneak Peek Week." Park officials released information about this sneak peek at the Wednesday May 16th Media Day, where members off the press and other media were able to ride the ride.
As most thrill-seekers know by now, Griffon carries riders 205 feet up, and then drops them 90 degrees face down.
The ride features two drops, two immelmann inversions and a water-brake area just before the final brake run. Keeping with the Busch Gardens tradition of theming around Europe, a beautiful new French Village section of the park was built to accommodate this new ride. Also new this year is the newly renovated "Bistro 205", previously called "Le Mans Bistro" based on the family-friendly car attraction that once stood where Griffon is today. This past weekend on Sunday, Mothers day, anyone at the park was lucky enough to catch a soft opening.
If you want to beat the crowds of opening weekend, just head up to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg anytime between now and May 24th to catch your sneak peek. If you still plan on going the 25th, there will be a special presentation and ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick off the ride's official opening.
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Man injured on attraction at a Japanese theme park
Fujikyu Highland has roller coaster incident
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Fujikyu Highland, Yamanashi Japan, Asia 05/16/07 - By: Ryan Blevins -
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©Fujikyu Highland
Accident shakes up many in Japan: The second accident in Japan involving a roller coaster this month has guests worried. |
Over seas in Yamanashi, a man injured his knee on a roller coaster Monday, May 14th. The incident occurred when a piece of the plastic cover snapped off of the ride at the Fujikyu Highland theme park. The man was in the last car of the Dodonpa coaster when the cover broke off and slid backward, hitting his knee.
The man suffered a minor injury most likely because the incideny happened when the roller coaster was slowing on the break run. The cover, was secured by four solid bolts that appeared to have come off due to cracks made from vibrations in the coaster.
The accident revived memories of May 5 when one person was killed and 19 other people were injured on the stand-up roller coaster Fujin Raijin II. This coaster had derailed and hit the emergency catwalk. Ever since that accident, amusement parks across Japan have been conducting rigorous checks on their roller coasters.
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Hold your horses
Cedar Point’s 'Maverick' delayed
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Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH, USA 05/08/07 - By: Cory Gross -
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© Cedar Point
Maverick: Ever since Maverick was announced last year, roller coaster enthusiasts have been long awaiting its opening. |
Cedar Point, one of the top parks in the industry, will open on May 12th, but not with its newest addition Maverick. Maverick was scheduled to open with the park but has been delayed until the beginning of June.
The new roller coaster’s delay was decided after pre-tests and other factors determined that there needed to be modifications. The park needs to replace the steel track after the launch, so that they can reduce excessive stress, therefore making the ride more comfortable.
Cedar Point located in Sandusky, Ohio is one of the top-rated parks in the world. It is home to 17 world class roller coasters including Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, Mangnum XL 200, and many more. Maverick, the parks 17th roller coaster addition is planned to be a world class thrill ride. It starts out with an launched hill 105-feet upwards followed by a 95 degree drop. It then goes through a heavily themed, action packed ride including a second 70mph launch.
Cedar Point has put in three years worth of work to make this ride perfect.
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Universal Studios coming to Dubai
Universal heads out to the Middle East
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Universal Studios Dubai, Dubai Middle East 05/03/07 - By: Ryan Blevins -
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©Universal Studios
Universal Studios newest theme park: Universal's third proposed project for the next 3 years. |
Citizens of Dubai, a part of the United Arab Emirates, are about to be blown away with the addition of a new Universal theme park. This 2.2 billion dollar project in the Middle East would be the fourth Universal studios theme park worldwide.
Government-owned developer, Tatweer, said how it would partner with the Hollywood-based film studio's resorts to develop the new facility. The new park will be modeled after Universal's other theme parks in Florida, California and Japan, and will offer Middle eastern vacationers attractions designed by creative consultant Steven Spielberg. Such attractions are based on movies such as King Kong and Jurassic Park.
Cheif Executive of Universal Parks and Resorts released a model of the Universal City Dubai park on Monday April 30th. This 6.5 million square-foot theme park will be the centerpiece of a gargantuan park called Dubailand, which is being built on the city's desert outskirts. Dubailand is being built as an Orlando-style entertainment zone with several different amusement parks, offices and housing.
Universal City Dubai expects to bring in visitors from all over...Asia, Europe and elsewhere in the Middle East when its first phase is finished in about 2010. Due to the burning hot summer temperatures in Dubai most of the resort will be indoors. This new attraction should certainly bring in the heat for Universal.
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Kennywood Entertainment buys Story Land
Story Land amusement park bought by Kennywood Entertainment
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©Kennywood Entertainment
Kennywood makes a new investment: Story Land will become the newest part of the Kennywood family. |
Later in June of this year, the Morell Corporation and its children's amusment park "Story Land" are planned to be sold to Kennywood Entertainment. Kennywood entertainment officials say that story land couldn't be a better fit to their corporation. Morrell Corporation president Nancy Morrell announced the sale agreement to Story Land employees on May first and introduced Kennywood Entertainment president Peter McAneny. Nancy stated that she wants the employees to view the sale of the park as more of a move into a bigger theme park family, rather than what it is. She also stated that the Morrell company was honored that Story Land is a perfect fit for Kennywood Entertainment.
Story Land has been around for fifty four years. Admission to the amusement park includes rides , numerous shows, plenty of great play areas, and live storybook entertainers. One of New Hampshire's greatest summer destinations will soon be in even greater hands as Kennywood takes over.
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