Archive for the 'Water Parks' Category
Water parks vie to open first U.S. looping water slide
November 22, 2009 10:19am
The race is on to see which water park debuts America’s first looping water slide — a gravity-defying attraction that has awed Europe and Asia.
Noah’s Ark water park in Wisconsin and Jay Peak ski resort in Vermont both plan to unveil the combination water slide-thrill ride on Memorial Day Weekend 2010.
Canadian-based manufacturer WhiteWater confirmed that the two locations would install the first AquaLoop slides in the United States.
SeaWorld Aquatica’s 2010 expansion to include 4 new water slides
November 20, 2009 11:33am
The recently opened SeaWorld Aquatica water park in Orlando, Fla. will add four first-of-a-kind water slides in 2010, including a pair of inner-tube rides that go uphill with the help of a hydro-magnetic launch.
The twin Tornado Walls are V-shaped slides that start with a magnetic launch that shoots a six-person inflatable raft up the face of a vertical wall. One of the two launch sequences travels through a tunnel. After reaching the top of the water wall, the rafts race down the incline and along an uphill outrun with a small whoop-de-do hill.
Also on tap for Aquatica in 2010:
Ride-makers roll out new thrills for 2010 at Las Vegas expo
November 19, 2009 5:34pm
Roller-coaster and thrill-ride manufacturers from around the world descended on Las Vegas this week for the annual amusement park convention, offering a sneak peek at what we can expect to see in 2010 and beyond.
In my conversations with show exhibitors, I came away with one overarching message as I toured the massive International Assn. of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) show floor: All the latest and greatest rides are heading to Asia and Europe in 2010. By and large, recession-weary American theme parks are sitting on their thin wallets.
Here’s a few of my favorite new rides and attractions on display at the expo:
> Twist N’ Splash from Germany’s Mack Rides combines a spinning teacup concept with a Splash Battle water ride. Riders squirt each other and landlubbers with water cannons. Two European parks will get the new ride, officials said.
New water park to replace Wild Rivers in Irvine
October 19, 2009 6:42pm
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Wild Rivers water park in Irvine will close forever after next summer.
The off-again, on-again water park nestled next to the old Irvine Meadows Amphitheater claims 2010 will be the final season. Of course, it has said that the last few summers. But this time it just may be the truth.
The business partners behind the 23-year-old Wild Rivers have formed a new venture that’s in the process of raising money for three planned water parks in Temecula, Bakersfield and Irvine under the name Splash Canyon.
The $24-million Temecula and $14-million Bakersfield water parks, set to open in 2010 and 2011, respectively, have already gotten green lights from city officials, according to Waterpark Ventures partner Evan Gentry.
The $28-million Irvine water park, planned for a 25-acre parcel at the Great Park on the former El Toro Marine Base, would open in 2011 pending approval from city officials.
Tentative plans for the Irvine water park include:
Read the rest of this entry »
Theme park news: Legoland water park, Real Madrid theme park, Wizarding World DVD extras, Neverland negotiations
September 12, 2009 5:58am
A roundup of my theme park Twitter updates for the last week:
* Legoland California to open a separate-admission, 5.5-acre water park by summer 2010. (L.A. Times)
* Built in 1927 and rebuilt in 1948 and 1994, Comet coaster at Great Escape in New York gets American Coaster Enthusiasts landmark designation. (Screamscape)
* DVD extras on “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” movie to include short feature on Wizarding World themed land at Universal Studios Orlando. (Orlando Sentinel)
* Report: Michael Jackson’s family negotiating to open Neverland as a Graceland-like amusement park by Christmas. (New York Post)
* Disney: No plans to use Marvel characters in Orlando parks, no concerns about brand confusion with Universal Studios. (Orlando Sentinel)
Golden Ticket awards honor top amusement park rides of 2009
September 10, 2009 5:43pm
Amusement Today magazine awarded the Golden Ticket today to the Prowler wooden coaster at Worlds of Fun in Missouri as the best new amusement park ride of 2009 in the United States.
The Voyage at Holiday World in Indiana remained the all-time favorite wooden coaster, with Prowler claiming the eighth spot in the Top 10 wooden coaster list.
Diamondback at Kings Island in Ohio was named the best new steel coaster for 2009, moving into the seventh spot on Amusement Today’s all-time Top 10 steel coasters list. Bizarro (formerly Superman – Ride of Steel) at Six Flags New England in Massachusetts maintained the all-time top spot in the steel coaster category.
Schlitterbahn water park in Texas snagged best new water ride of 2009 honors for Congo River Expedition.
When, where and how: Marvel characters in Disney theme parks
September 9, 2009 9:13am
I’ve heard the same refrain for the last week or so: How will Disney ever incorporate the dark and edgy Marvel comic book characters into its family-friendly fairy tale theme parks?
While at first glance the task seems daunting, upon further reflection the opportunities appear endless. It’s certainly not a question of “if” but rather “when, where and how.”
It’s been fun to imagine the juxtaposition of Marvel’s assassins, terrorists, serial killers and vigilantes mixing on Main Street USA with Disney’s princesses, fairies and army of anthropomorphic animals. But Marvel also has a deep bench of heroes and villains in its 5,000-character catalog that would blend seamlessly into Disney’s theme parks.
The early contenders will almost certainly come from the ranks of Marvel’s past films (”Spider-Man,” “X-Men,” “Hulk,” “Iron Man,” “Fantastic Four”) and upcoming releases (”Thor,” “Captain America,” “Avengers,” “Silver Surfer,” “Ant Man”). There’s even a few minor characters that would fit perfectly in specific Disney attractions and themed lands.
Disney’s done it before with “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “The Muppets,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” and even Aerosmith.
And while Disneyland might not be the ideal match for Marvel characters, the superheroes fit like a skin-tight spandex suit in Disney’s “studio” theme parks.
So, keeping in mind that Mickey and Spidey have only been in-laws for less than a fortnight, lets take an unofficial and speculative look at how the marriage of Marvel and Disney might play out in the company’s theme parks around the world:
Theme park news: Cedar Point water ride, Fantasmic dragon debuts, Rihanna at Magic Mountain
September 5, 2009 7:16am
A roundup of my theme park Twitter updates for the last week:
* Cedar Point in Ohio unveils the $10.5-million Shoot the Rapids water ride for 2010 set amid an illegal moonshine still.
* Report: Shanghai Disneyland to open in 2013 on a site four times the size of Hong Kong Disneyland.
* Video: New fire-breathing Fantasmic dragon at Disneyland looks stunning and pleases crowd in debut but seems a bit stiff and fails to “breath” fire.
Theme park news: Wildebeest water coaster, Kennywood launch coaster, Epcot tequila bar, water park Speedo ban
August 15, 2009 9:34am
A roundup of my theme park Twitter updates for the last week:
* Holiday World announces the $5.5 million Wildebeest, the world’s longest water coaster, for May 2010 at Splashin’ Safari water park in Indiana. Photos. (Coaster Warriors)
* Kennywood in Pennsylvania announces an as-yet-unnamed $5.5 million launch coaster with a 90-degree drop and three inversions for 2010. Video. (News Plus Notes)
* D23 Expo announces dates and times for keynote speakers Iger (CEO), Cook (Studio), Rasulo (Parks) and Lasseter (Pixar).
* Photos: “Princess and the Frog“ movie exhibit opens in Animation attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Laughing Place)
* Princess Tiana (”Princess and the Frog”) to join finale float in Once Upon a Dream parade at Disneyland Paris. (DLRP Magic)
Fastest water-slide racers win free hotel stays
June 28, 2009 8:10am
Master the “hydro-blade” technique for water-sliding, and “your speed times may break the sound barrier,” according to the Sliders Cup Speed Challenge website. This method involves keeping only shoulder blades and heels on the slide in order to achieve more “hydroplaning speed.”
Sound too amateur? Try combining it with the more traditional “Mummy” technique (arms crossed over chest) for a really fast descent.
Water-sliding is serious business at two KSL Resorts this summer. At Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Palm Springs and La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, the first annual Sliders Cup race series is drawing schools of folks of all ages and sizes to the water for fun and good booty.
Twice weekly at each resort, racers vie for best times as they take on Rancho Las Palmas’ 100-foot water slide or La Costa’s 120-foot slide. Read the rest of this entry »
