ORLANDO, FL

​Imagine yourself transported back to Ancient Rome where a ruthless emperor reigns and gladiatorial games are put on for bloody entertainment. Add in bloodthirsty creatures and you’ll find yourself in the middle of Nightingales: Blood Pit – an all-new haunted house at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights.
Here’s what you need to know about the next chapter in this fan-favorite original storyline of the nightingales.
StoryAncient Rome is suffering its worst drought in centuries. The ruthless emperor has declared the gladiatorial games to continue nonstop until the rains return. The gruesome bloodshed of the games is horrifying enough, but then come the creatures.
The NightingalesAs the blood soaks into the earth, the nightingales feed on the dead and dying. The nightingales are a grisly race of creatures that have been here since the dawn of time. You may think you’re familiar with their past feeding frenzies, but you haven’t seen them like this. You’ll try to survive alongside the gladiators as the ravenous nightingales tear into their victims and notice that fresh blood has come into their midst…

FULL STORY

Yoda is going to Disney World.
Frank Oz will reprising his role as the wizened green Jedi at the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge  attraction opening this year at Disney’s theme parks.
The Imagineers who have been designing the world made this and other revelations at the Star Wars Celebration fan gathering today in Chicago.
Josh Gad — who introduced himself as someone you know “from movies” —  moderated the presentation, providing a new glimpse inside the closed barriers of the hottest ticket in the galaxy.
Yoda’s Spirit
“Not every character that we hear is a character we can see,” said Scott Trowbridge, the Imagineering creative executive in charge of Galaxy’s Edge. “Sometimes those voices come to us from…”
“Maybe the Force?” said Imagineering creative director Chris Beatty. “The force is a very mysterious thing and sometimes maybe Jedi from the past can visit us and be part of your experience. Maybe a small, green Jedi …”
“… Darth Maul?” Gad joked.

​FULL STORY

SANDUSKY, OH

Waiting is the hardest part.
Especially at amusement parks on hot summer days, where people can wait for more than an hour for a minutes-long ride on a popular roller coaster.
Cedar Point, the huge amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, is offering roller coaster enthusiasts the chance to skip the waiting and ride all season long.
It will only cost you about $1,000.
Season pass holders can buy an “All-Season Fast Lane” package for $849. That’s on top of the $146 a regular season pass costs or the $218 a “platinum pass” will set you back.

FULL STORY

SPRING, TX

A  worker was found dead Friday at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown, Harris County deputies said.
The incident was reported at 3:20 p.m. in the 21300 block of North Freeway.
Deputies say the man fell from a structure at the water park. Investigators said the incident was accidental.
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown released a statement:


FULL STORY

VAUGHN, ONT

Canada’s Wonderland is bringing out the big guns this season.
The biggest in the world, actually.
The park’s world-record breaking dive coaster Yukon Striker, with a 3,625-foot-long track and a 90-degree drop into an underwater tunnel, will be making its debut on May 3.

And while the coaster is a major draw towards the park this year, it’s not the only new addition you’ll notice. The whole area that houses the ride is newly themed as Frontier Canada.
Meant to represent the Klondike Gold Rush era of the late 1890s in the Yukon, the section is also home to Mighty Canadian Minebuster, Lumberjack, Soaring Timbers, Flying Canoes, Vortex, Timberwolf Falls and White Water Canyon.
The classic rope ladder climb, previously known as Jacob’s Ladder, is also in the space – it’s now titled the Lumberjack Climb.

​FULL STORY

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a leader in amusement parks, water parks and immersive entertainment, is partnering with Feld Entertainment, the worldwide leader in live family entertainment, to present Monster Jam® Thunder Alley™, a new interactive experience coming to select Cedar Fair parks this season.  Combining Cedar Fair’s best-in-class parks with Feld Entertainment’s expertise in immersive attractions, the event will feature the shared capabilities in the production of exceptional shows and entertainment, award-winning attractions, and branded merchandising to create unique new experiences for Cedar Fair guests and fans of Monster Jam.
Monster Jam Thunder Alley will feature multiple interactive zones where guests can experience Monster Jam’s most popular trucks - Grave Digger®, Max-D™, Megalodon®, Zombie and El Toro Loco® - like never before. The Monster Jam Freestyle Ride Truck Experience puts guests in an authentic Monster Jam truck for a ride over a thrilling freestyle-inspired course. Fans will learn how the Monster Jam trucks come to life in a first-of-its-kind Monster Jam Garage behind-the-scenes interactive experience.  In the Monster Jam Build-a-Truck area, guests can build their very own custom mini Monster Jam truck.  And the Monster Jam Pit Stop Play Area allows fans to create their own action using authentic Monster Jam die-cast trucks on a miniature track with ramps and obstacles.   
Monster Jam Thunder Alley will kick off at Cedar Fair’s flagship park, Cedar Point, on May 18, 2019 and run through June 30. The event is also scheduled for Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, July 20-September 2; and Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, September 14-November 3.
Cedar Fair CEO Richard Zimmerman said “Partnering with Feld Entertainment brings together two of the world’s premier entertainment companies. The combination of our shared capabilities will enhance our ability to deliver an even broader and more immersive guest experience.  The opportunity to bring Monster Jam Thunder Alley exclusively to our parks represents the first installment of our strategic collaboration and is another demonstration of Cedar Fair’s commitment to delivering unique guest experiences, while also introducing our parks to Monster Jam’s legion of worldwide fans. We look forward to further collaboration on additional compelling entertainment and experiences.”
“We are thrilled to be working with Cedar Fair on Monster Jam Thunder Alley,” said Feld Entertainment Chairman and CEO Kenneth Feld.  “Over the past 10 years, our strategy has been to evolve Monster Jam into a brand that reaches our fans year-round, wherever they are through television, licensing, consumer products, social media and, of course, our live events.  The creation of Monster Jam Thunder Alley builds upon this strategy as we have created a highly innovative theme park experience that goes beyond how our fans have ever engaged with Monster Jam before.”
Entry to Monster Jam Thunder Alley is included in park admission. Some features of the event require advance reservations or an additional fee. 
About Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world, is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. Focused on its mission to make people happy by providing fun, immersive and memorable experiences, the Company owns and operates 11 amusement parks, including its flagship park, Cedar Point, along with two outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and four hotels. It also operates an additional theme park under a management contract. Its parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan and Toronto, Ontario.
About Feld Entertainment
Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, DreamWorks Trolls The Experience and Jurassic World Live Tour. Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit www.feldentertainment.com for more information.

ORLANDO, FL

A new book for Disney World visitors is designed to help them pack -- and hack – their way to productive vacations. Susan Veness’ “Walt Disney World Hacks” features helpful hints for first-timers and veteran theme-park goers.
The tips are “ways to make your trip less stressful, get more out of it,” she said. “This is not a guide book, but more of a planning resource.”
Her book covers the vast options for issues such as transportation, eating, souvenirs, tickets, photography and more. One section succinctly breaks down FastPass+, Disney’s app-based system for reserving ride times.

FULL STORY

BROOKLYN, NY

Honoring a 60-year tradition of opening on Palm Sunday, Coney Island Amusement Park will be back in business this Sunday, April 14th. One of the many activities will be the annual blessing of the rides at Deno’s Wonder Wheel. The 150-foot-tall, 100-year-old structure is one of the most iconic pieces remaining at Coney Island. But there’s a lot that goes into this seasonal opening than even the most well-versed New Yorker may not know. Each winter, the 200-ton ride is repainted, and all of its 24 cars are removed. But come spring, second-generation co-owner Steve Vourderis goes through the process of precisely reinstalling and aligning the cars. We were lucky enough to visit Steve and his brother Dennis on a recent frigid Sunday to watch the magic happen.

FULL STORY

KANSAS CITY, MO


There’s nothing like a ride on a wooden roller coaster, and Worlds of Fun is lucky enough to have two of the best in the world: Timber Wolf and Prowler. In order to keep these two scream machines running their best, occasional track work is needed throughout the lifespan. This off-season, we’ve continued our commitment to re-tracking Timber Wolf, and we’ve made some enhancements to the first drop on Prowler. 
Fresh Timber...WolfWorking alongside acclaimed roller coaster manufacturer Great Coasters International, around 70-percent of Timber Wolf’s track been re-tracked and re-engineered. A large portion of the work was completed last season with the installation of our new 70-degree banked turn, and you can revisit some of that work in our previous Words of Fun blog post, Timber Wolf Reborn. This year, we’re continuing this effort by reprofiling that section of the ride to fit last year’s new element.

FULL STORY

BUENA PARK, CA

At Knott’s Berry Farm, boysenberry season is in full swing, meaning that the theme park’s annual lineup of boysenberry-laden eats is back.
This year’s Boysenberry Festival features some super-sized and creative items never seen before, with nearly 75 unique dishes on display for everyone to try. Here’s a look at some of the wildest and most decadent treats in the park you have to track down.

FULL STORY