Marvel dropped its first trailer for Captain Marvel this morning, so let's use that as an excuse to talk more about Disney's theme park plans for the brand.
Let's recap: Disney is building a new Marvel-themed land at Disney California Adventure, on the site of the former A Bug's Land. The company lacks the legal rights to use the Marvel name and core Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four characters at Walt Disney World in Florida (since they are at Universal's Islands of Adventure), but Disney is building a one-off Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster in the old Universe of Energy pavilion at Epcot to get some Marvel presence at its largest resort. Hong Kong Disneyland has a Marvel land under development as a rebrand and expansion of its Tomorrowland, having already opened a Star Tours-like Iron Man ride. Disney is re-theming Rock n' Roller Coaster to the Avengers at Walt Disney Studios Paris. Everyone expects Disney to build a Marvel-themed land in Shanghai at some point. But the same Universal deal that keeps Marvel out of Disney World also restricts Disney's use of the franchise in Tokyo, due to the Spider-Man ride at Universal Studios Japan.
So, for now, the first chance that theme park fans will get to experience a fully-realized Marvel land at a Disney theme park will come at California Adventure in 2020. That gives us a couple years to imagine what that land might look like. (Or, at least a few months until firm plans start leaking.) Among the questions: where, and when, will the land be set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

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SeaWorld Entertainment and one of the company's former CEOs have agreed to pay $5 million to resolve federal accusations that they failed to properly disclose the negative impact of a damaging documentary.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Tuesday that it reached the settlement with SeaWorld and ex-CEO James Atchison over their "untrue and misleading statements or omissions" regarding the impact of the documentary "Blackfish" on "the company's reputation and business."
SeaWorld will pay a fine of $4 million, while Atchison will pay $1 million, which includes a fine and compensation disgorgement. Neither admitted any wrongdoing nor denied the allegations, according to the SEC.

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GOSHEN, NY

Soon, little Lego builders can find out what it's like to be their favorite Minifigure, learn the ways of the Ninjago, and build to the extreme when Legoland New York Resort opens in 2020.

The 150-acre amusement park and hotel will have eight different Lego lands to explore, each offering a different Lego theme with different things to do. Merlin Entertainment recently announced what is in each one of the lands and other attractions.
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The $350 million resort will be the largest of the three Lego-theme amusement parks when it opens in nearby Goshen, New York, just miles from North Jersey.

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A "Stranger Things" haunted house isn't the only thing coming to Universal theme parks this fall.
Food inspired by the Netflix series will be available at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort starting Friday, September 14. Universal Studios Florida's executive chef, Tom Danboise, watched the show's first season three times to come up with treats to satisfy the biggest fans of Eleven and the Upside Down.
But you'll have to visit both parks if you want to try them all. The menus at Universal Hollywood Studios and Orlando Resort both have slightly different offerings.

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HERSHEY, PA

We’ll have to wait until October 3 to find out what exactly it is, but Hersheypark on Wednesday teased that it is gearing up to make its “biggest announcement ever” on that date.
The park shared a video on its Facebook page promising exactly that. The 30-second video features photos of the park in its early days and ends with a tease of its big announcement, which will be made at 11 a.m. on October 3.

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TAMPA BAY, FL


Just in time for its 60th anniversary next year, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay unveiled details for a new triple-launch steel roller coaster, which will become Florida's largest launch coaster.
Tigris, set to open in spring 2019, will catapult its riders forward and backward, take them through a 150-foot skyward surge, and give them looping twists and drops at more than 60 miles per hour along more than 1,800 feet of steel track designed to mimic the agility of an actual tiger.

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ORLANDO, FL

The leaders are shifting at SeaWorld Orlando.
Jim Dean, who has led the Orlando theme park since January 2017, is now an executive vice president in the corporate office, said company spokesman Travis Claytor.
Taking his place as park president is Mark Pauls, who had previously been the corporate Vice President of Operations, Claytor said.

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PLEASANT GROVE, UT

“You are cordially invited...”
That was printed on the invitation for the exclusive Lore party hosted by Evermore park and FanX.
“Come join us for a thrilling night of Victorian-themed fantasy,” the invitation continued. “As the gates of Evermore Park open for the first time, discover the darkness lurking within...”

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BRANSON, MO

The spotlight was shining bright on the amusement industry this evening in an awards show hosted by Silver Dollar City, where the winners of Amusement Today’s 2018 Golden Ticket Awards were announced.
The Golden Ticket Awards are presented annually to honor the “Best of the Best” in the amusement industry and are calculated from an international poll conducted by Amusement Today. The prestigious survey asks experienced amusement park voters around the country and world to rate the “bests” in 23 categories.
While the poll reveals continual fan favorites, each year there are surprises. The “Best New Ride of 2018” for amusement parks and water parks are always interesting categories to keep an eye on with Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and Aquatica in Orlando, Fla., taking top honors for their news rides this year. There is an annual good-natured back and forth in the category of “Best Food” between Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pa., and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., with Knoebels re-gaining the title for 2018. In the category of “Best Wooden Roller Coaster,” several popular coasters have been at the top of the list, and this year the designation goes to Knoebels Amusement Resort for its wooden wonder, the Phoenix.
The list of 2018 winners are ...

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Vampirina (aka “Vee”), that lovable girl vampire from the hit Disney Junior series “Vampirina,” is making her Disney Parks debut this weekend, and today we’re giving you a first look at this fangtastic new Disney character!
Starting tomorrow, Vampirina is stopping by Disneyland Resort for Halloween Time, meeting fans at Disney California Adventure park and getting ready to make a special appearance in the “Frightfully Fun Parade” during Mickey’s Halloween Party.

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