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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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Canada's Wonderland unleashes the 'Behemoth' in May 2008
'Behemoth' to become Canada's tallest and fastest roller coaster
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Canada's Wonderland
A behemoth of a roller coaster: Canada's tallest and fastest roller coaster will be highlighted by its 85 degree angle first drop and its new prototype seating. |
After 18 months of planning and construction, Canada's Wonderland has announced what is the largest investment in the park's history. This approximately $26 million investment is for what will be Canada's tallest and fastest roller coaster, the Behemoth.
Behemoth will change the park's skyline forever standing 230 feet tall with a first drop at a near-vertical angle of 85 degrees. At the bottom of the first drop, riders will hit a top speed of 77 mph. The Behemoth will have a total track footage of 5,318 feet, which is over a mile long, and will last approximately 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
Throughout the ride, riders will experience an out-and-back layout that will include eight drops, number airtime filled hills taken at high speeds, and a double helix. The ride will also feature prototype open-air seating that will give riders a clear view of the thrills that lie ahead of them.
Behemoth was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland, which has consistently be known as one of the leaders in roller coaster development. Canada's Wonderland consists of over 200 rides, shows, and attractions they are hoping that Behemoth will make them on of the elite amusement parks in the industry.
This being Canada's Wonderland's 15th roller coaster will be the first since 2005 when the park, known as Paramount's Canada's Wonderland created the Italian Job Stunt Track roller coaster. Construction has already begun and the Behemoth is planned to make its debut May of 2008.
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City of Memphis claims ownership of the Zippin Pippin
Zippin Pippin riding a roller coaster itself
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© Libertyland
Still standing: The Zippin Pippin originally open in 1923, but hasn't operated since October 29, 2005 when Libertyland closed. |
During a recent Memphis parks committee meeting, city attorney Elbert Jefferson claimed that the city of Memphis once again owns the Zippin Pippin classic wooden roller coaster.
Elvis’ favorite roller coaster has been on a roller coaster ride itself since the closure of the Libertyland amusement park in October of 2005. Soon after the park closed, the Zippin Pippin was sold for $2,500, and it was announced that the it would open as part of the Carolina Crossroads amusement area.
However, after many disputes and issues with obtaining full ownership of the 84-year old wooden roller coaster, the Carolina Crossroads facilities, located in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, decided to not reconstruct the Zippin Pippin on their property.
Earlier this year, the Zippin Pippin was donated to Save Libertyland, an organization dedicated to saving the theme park. Members of the group recently went before the council committee to talk about the possibility of keeping the roller coaster and the Grand Carousel and using them as a centerpiece for a mini-park on the former Libertyland site. However, during these discussions, officials representing the city of Memphis claimed that they own the Pippin, and that they could do whatever they wanted with it.
“We placed Save Libertyland on notice several times: If they failed to remove the Pippin from the grounds by a certain date, it reverts back to the city,” said Elbert Jefferson.
Denise Parkinson, the co-founder of Save Libertyland said that if the city tries to dismantle the Zippin Pippin, Save Libertyland is prepared to take the city back to court. The council committee has decided to release further details about this story sometime next month.
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Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk shines in the summer time
Park remains popular while similar parks fade
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© Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Surviving the test of time: The Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster survived the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. |
In recent years, many of the older beachside amusement parks have faded into history. However, one particular 100-year old beachside amusement park has managed to stay on top. This park is the ever popular Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Celebrating its 100th anniversary as a beachside attraction, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk was actually first home to a string of bathhouses in the late 1800’s. Over the years it’s grown from a small coastal boardwalk to a classic amusement park that features thrilling rides, entertainment, and old fashion food.
Even though similar amusement attractions like the Myrtle Beach Pavilion amusement park in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and the Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City, F.L. have been forced to close, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been able to thrive without the help of a modern, thrilling roller coaster or a multi-million dollar heavily themed attraction.
The Canfield family has operated the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk attractions since 1952, when Laurence Canfield bought a controlling interest in the Seaside Co., which operates the boardwalk. His son, Charles, is currently the president of the company at the age of 67.
Admission into the boardwalk is still free, and guests can purchase a wristband that allows access to all of the rides all throughout the day for $28.95. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is located about 75 miles south from San Francisco, which was a logical place for such an attraction in the early 1900’s when trains brought travelers through the area.
The Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, a National Historic Landmark, remains the signature ride at the boardwalk. It originally opened on May 17, 1924 at a cost of $50,000 and has been thrilling visiters ever since then. Today, it costs $4.50 or the use of an all day wristband to ride the Giant Dipper. However, it orginally cost 15 cents to ride the half-mile long wooden classic.
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'Hollywood' to become FL Disney studio park's middle name
Disney-MGM Studios renamed on heels of contractual expiration
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Disney-MGM Studios, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA 08/10/07 - By: Devin Olson -
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© Josh Davidson
What's In a Name?: The MGM name has been in place since the park opened as Disney's third addition to their resort just outside Orlando, Florida. |
For the past two decades, "MGM" has been one of the most widespread acronyms thrown around in Walt Disney World conversation. Next year, that may begin to change.
Now, Disney-MGM Studios, one of the four theme parks comprising the Walt Disney World complex, will become Disney's Hollywood Studios. Come next January, all ties to classic Hollywood media giant Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and its famous Leo the Lion logo are scheduled to be completely severed — just a year and a half shy of the park's 20th anniversary.
Still, Disney insists that the Hollywood enchantment enshrouding the experience of its third Florida theme park will remain in place now more than ever. An official statement offered enthusiastic words from Meg Crofton, the resort president of Walt Disney World.
"The new name reflects how the park has grown from representing the golden age of movies to a celebration of the new entertainment that today's Hollywood has to offer — in music, television, movies and theater," she said. "As a park all about entertainment, Disney's Hollywood Studios will deliver like never before. Now we can say that Hollywood is literally our middle name."
© Disney Enterprises
A Story Unfolds: Conceptual artwork shows off the newest attraction for the soon-to-be-renamed park: 'Toy Story Mania.' |
Disney's official statement also included mention of next year's major ride investment for a park known for attractions like the steel coaster Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and freefall ride Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. That attraction is the interactive, family-geared dark ride known as Toy Story Mania, which will join a counterpart at Disney's California Adventure at the original Disney theme park location of Anaheim, California.
According to the Disney news site Jim Hill Media, the name change reflects a requirement in the contract between Disney and MGM Studios. Jim Hill also reports that Disney's initial idea to change the name to "Disney-Pixar Studios" was rejected after a group polled naturally associated other Disney parks' attractions with the Pixar name.
While Disney will officially instate the new Hollywood Studios name next January, references to "Disney-MGM" will be removed over the last several months of 2007.
Crofton emphasized the uniqueness of next season for the Florida park.
"This is easily one of the most ambitious attraction roll-outs in the 18-year history of the park," Crofton said. "With so many great coming attractions, we are thrilled to be launching a Studios year unlike any other, wrapped in a brand-new name: Disney's Hollywood Studios."
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Maintenance worker injured at SF Great America
Paramedics fly man from park after 20-foot fall
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Six Flags Great America, Gurnee Illinois, USA 08/08/07 - By: Ryan Blevins -
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©Six Flags Great America
Locomotive Fall: A fall from a train injures a 52-year-old man, causing back and spine pains disabling him from walking. |
A two-story fall left an elderly man injured at Six Flags Great America, just outside Chicago, Tuesday.
The man was apparently doing routine maintenance on a park's locomotive when he fell from the top of the train down below to the tracks. When paramedics arrived they said that “the man was complaining of back pain.”
The Six Flags employees immediately called the Health Care authorities.
Local Fire Chief Tim Tanner stated that the employee was transported by helicopter to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, a city located just southwest of Gurnee where the incident took place.
Previously, four people were taken from Six Flags Great America to the hospital after complaining of injuries on Orbit, a flat ride.
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Two dead after French fairground incident
Passengers killed on vertical ride 'Booster'
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Fete des Loges, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France 08/06/07 - By: Zach Wik -
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© Fete des Loges
Fairground Nightmare: Two men died on a Fabbri 'Booster' at a fair located just west of Paris. |
Two men were killed on an attraction at a popular French fair located just west of Paris, Fete des Loges. The victims were a 48-year-old man and his 21-year-old son.
The accident occurred when one of the cars broke free of the structure that spins it vertically at high speeds.
There were a total of four people in the car when the accident happened and the two survivors were sent to a local hospital and will be okay. There were also two other people at the other end of the ride who were stuck for hours at 120 feet in the air and were evacuated with no injuries.
Xavier Saguet, an official for the Fete des Loges said that the ride was inspected and and said to fine "nothing abnormal" with the attraction. Police are investigating the incident to see if there were any problems with the ride and to find out who is responsible.
The ride was a "Booster" model from the manufacturer Fabbri, which is based in Italy. A Fabbri "Booster" is a ride consisting of a long vertical pole with a group of four sitting at both ends. The pole rotates from a center point, sending riders in complete loops while their individual cars flip on a second vertical axis. The ride reaches heights of 131 feet and speeds of 60 m.p.h.
The Fete des Loges is France's oldest fair and has been celebrated every summer since 1652.
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Teenager ejected from Coney Island ride
Brooklyn accident latest in trend for ride type
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Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, USA 08/04/07 - By: Devin Olson -
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When the ride operator checked the restraints yesterday on one of Coney Island's rides before its spin cycle began, everything appeared in working order.
Yet, when the Polar Express got into full spin, 15-year-old Lanique Watts' lap bar gave way to her own weight and the lateral g-forces the ride relies on in part to deliver its thrills. In a split second, she was thrown to the ground, losing consciousness upon impact.
Watts suffered visible scrapes and other injuries on her legs and head, but her current condition is unavailable. She was transported to Brooklyn's Lutheran Medical Center several blocks away from the park.
Polar Express is a Himalaya spinning ride manufactured by Reverchon. The ride's design consists of a chain of 20 cars forming a circle that travel up and down two slopes both forward and in reverse. The ride, located at 12th Street, was on its reverse spin when Watts was thrown from it.
Tragic 'Himlaya' History:
- June 11, 1999 - Coney Island, NY - One killed, nine injured
- March 19, 1998 - Austin, TX - One killed, two injured
- 1991 - California - Two seriously injured
- 1990s - Missouri - Rider(s) injured
- 1990s - Florida - Rider(s) injured
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The Himalaya is a type of ride plagued with accidents since its introduction in 1973, including another one at another small Coney Island amusement park.
On June 11, 1999, a 17-year-old girl was killed and nine others minorly injured when a car flipped and landed on cars across the ride during the reverse cycle of the Super Himalaya. The cause was found to be a damaged coupling linking the cars together.
A 1991 accident left two female riders at a California fair seriously injured, then an accident on the same ride killed a girl and ejected two others at an Austin, Texas rodeo on March 19, 1998.
Two other accidents threw riders from their cars due to damaged restraints in Florida and Missouri during the 1990s.
Investigations into past accidents have found weak pins attaching lap bars to the cars, and poor maintenance and inspection were to blame.
On March 23, 1999, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Reverchon began offering new maintenance and inspection procedures to the roughly 25 Himalaya rides operating in the country.
However, a new investigation will now determine the exact cause of yesterday's own accident — the latest in a string of tragedy.
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Girl tumbles from spinning ride at Six Flags America
Youngster hospitalized after fall of up to 16 feet today
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Six Flags America, Largo, MD, USA 08/03/07 - By: Devin Olson -
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© Devin Olson
Thrills Gone Wrong: The ride involved in today's accident is known as a 'Polyp' model. It was installed at Six Flags America by Sartori Amusement Rides in 2000. |
The latest in the string of summer accidents left a girl with minor injuries.
after suffering a fall from a spinning ride at Six Flags America just outside the Nation's Capital.
Between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m., reports came in that a girl had fallen from the Octopus, a spinning ride with cars attached to the ends of arms that lift and descend while rotating around a central point. Her age has been said to be either 4 or 6 years old.
The Prince George's County Fire Department responded to the accident, taking her to a local hospital simply as a precautionary measure. Her injuries were described as minor and non-life-threatening.
The park says that the girl stood up in her seat at the beginning of the ride's cycle, slipping out somehow and falling to the platform.
Witnesses' accounts given to the fire department and local media provided little insight, placing the height of her fall anywhere from four to 25 feet off the ground. However, the ride's manufacturer blueprints declare its maximum height to be 16' 5".
Six Flags America has closed the ride until inspectors have a chance to look it over Saturday.
The Octopus is a Polyp spinning ride model from Sartori Amusement Rides installed in 2000, the year after Six Flags assumed management of the theme park. The ride is located at the front of the park.
This is the first reported accident on the Octopus.
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Evacuation turns hazardous on Efteling's 'Python'
Train rolls over lift with restraints open, staffer on board
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Efteling, Kaatsheuvel, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands 08/02/07 - By: Devin Olson -
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© VKmag.com
Caught on Camera: A guest filmed the evacuation as the accident occurred yesterday at Efteling theme park in the Netherlands. |
It was a routine evacuation for being nearly 100 feet in the air. That is, until something went wrong.
When a technical glitch caused the steel looping coaster Python to stall at its pinnacle Monday evening at the Netherlands' Efteling theme park, employees climbed the lift hill's catwalk to began freeing riders.
The ride crew started at the back of the train, moving forward. After freeing the back two cars of their combined eight guests, they started on the third-to-back, releasing its four over-the-shoulder restraints. That's when the accident occurred.
With half of the train over the hill's crest already, the diminished weight in the back two cars caused it to roll over the pinnacle. Riders grabbed for their restraints as one staff member still standing on the side of the train waited several seconds, then leapt onto the catwalk again as the train rolled on its way.
The one employee was the only one involved to receive minor scratches and bruises as a result of the ride's unexpected completion of the 2,461-foot circuit.
A group of onlookers on the ground could be heard gasping as riders took off screaming in shock on their potentially fatal trip through the ride's four inversions at its approximate 47-m.p.h. speeds.
One of those onlookers had a camera in hand and posted their video on the web site VKmag.com.
Efteling issued a statement that its evacuation procedures have been modified and all employees notified while the park works with an independent agency to investigate yesterday's incident.
Twenty-six of the coaster's 28 seats were occupied at the time of the accident.
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