Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Disney World Tips

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
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Disney World Tips
Nov 30th 2011, 13:07

  • Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 2.5
    Gentle motion simulation, moderate height, and "soaring" simulation.
  • Height Requirement: 40 inches
  • Location: Living with the Land Pavilion in Epcot
  • Fastpass: Yes

A captivating Disney E-ticket ride that incorporates technology in a new and exciting way, Soarin' is a charming and giddy adventure up, over, and through the sights of California. It will engage your senses and figuratively, if not damn near literally, send you soarin'. Think you're a ride wimp? Don't worry about Soarin'. Even the most thrill-challenged Disney World visitor should be able to handle the ride, so put it on your must-do list.

Other Disney World ride info you might enjoy:

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Ohio Theme Parks

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Ohio Theme Parks
Nov 30th 2011, 13:07

Ohio theme parks and amusement parks are arranged alphabetically.

Do you have a favorite theme park in Ohio? Have you had a memorable experience at a theme park or amusement park? Write a review of an Ohio theme park and share it with the Theme Parks community.

Cedar Point
Sandusky (on Lake Erie)
Affiliated water parks: Castaway Bay Indoor Water Park Resort and Soak City outdoor water park.
One of the world's great amusement parks, with an incredible collection of roller coasters.

Coney Island
Cincinnati
No, not THAT Coney Island. The classic park dates back to 1867.

Erieview Park
Geneva-on-the-Lake
The small, traditional park closed in 2006.

Geauga Lake
Aurora (near Cleveland)
NOTE: The amusement park closed permanently in 2007. The water park, however, is still open.
Wildwater Kingdom

Jungle Jack's Landing at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Powell (near Columbus)
NOTE: The amusement park and the adjacent Zoombezi Bay water park used to be known as Wyandot Lake.
Affiliated outdoor water park: Zoombezi Bay Waterpark

Kings Island
Mason (near Cincinnati)
Affiliated outdoor water park: Boomerang Bay
Affiliated indoor water park: Great Wolf Lodge at Kings Island

Memphis Kiddie Park
Brooklyn (near Cleveland)
(216) 941-5995
Classic park built in 1952. Very small with 11 rides, including a kiddie roller coaster. Geared to families with children from 2 to 5 years.

Paramount's Kings Island
Mason (near Cincinnati)
NOTE: Paramount sold the park. It is now known simply as "Kings Island."
Affiliated outdoor water park: Boomerang Bay
Affiliated indoor water park: Great Wolf Lodge at Kings Island
Huge amusement park with a great collection of roller coasters.

SeaWorld Ohio and Six Flags World of Adventure
Aurora (near Cleveland)
SeaWorld used to operate a separate marine life park. Between 2000 and 2003, Six Flags bought SeaWorld Ohio, combined it with Geauga Lake, and called the mega-park Six Flags World of Adventure. Six Flags sold the property to Cedar Fair in 2004. Cedar Fair closed the marine life park and reverted to the park's original name, Geauga Lake The amusement park closed permanently in 2007. The water park, however, is still open.

Wyandot Lake
Powell (near Columbus)
The park closed in 2006 and reopened in 2008 as Zoombezi Bay Waterpark and Jungle Jack's Landing, both part of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Top 10 Wooden Roller Coasters

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Top 10 Wooden Roller Coasters
Nov 30th 2011, 13:07

The Wild One Coaster Review

Six Flags America in Mitchellville, MD (near Washington, D.C.)

A wonderful, classic wooden coaster that dates back to 1917. We should all give thanks to Six Flags for preserving this great, old woodie.

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Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Theme Parks: It's Despicable What's Coming to Florida

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It's Despicable What's Coming to Florida
Nov 29th 2011, 16:31

I've begun compiling Ride Guide 2012, my annual roundup of all the new goodies coming to parks. And what an incredible year it will be. Last week, I presented the Roller Coaster Ride Guide. Today, let's turn our attention to the theme park mecca. The Florida Ride Guide 2012 has the lowdown on Iceploration, the new skating extravaganza at Busch Gardens Tampa, the new water park coming to Legoland Florida, and all of the new rides and features on their way to Disney World (The Great Goofini and Dumbo The Flying Elephant), Universal Orlando (Despicable Me and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man), and SeaWorld Orlando (TurtleTrek and Freshwater Oasis). Whoee! Lotsa new stuff. Read all about it in the Florida Ride Guide 2012.

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Photo: Universal Orlando, 2011. Used with permission.

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Monday, 28 November 2011

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Chaos Water Park Resort

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
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Chaos Water Park Resort
Nov 28th 2011, 19:51

Chaos Water Park Resort Phone:

(715) 514-2510
1-888-861-6002

Location:

Eau Claire, Wisconsin, adjacent to the Metropolis Hotel.

Indoor Water Park Square Footage:

30,000

Chaos Water Park Resort Admission Policy:

The water park is open to day visitors as well as registered overnight guests of the Chaos Water Park Resort's Metropolis Hotel. The hotel's room rates do not include admission to the park. Hotel and water park packages are available. A number of packages are available that include the adjacent Action City entertainment center as well as other nearby attractions. Check with Chaos Water Park Resort for more info.

Hotel Rates

Compare rates for the Metropolis Hotel, part of the Chaos Water Park Resort, at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.

Directions to the Chaos Water Park Resort:

The water park is located off I-94 at Hwy 93 exit. The actual address is 5152 Fairview Dr.

I-94 to Eau Claire Exit 68. Take Hwy 93 South, then first right onto Lorch Ave. Chaos Water Park Resort is located at the end of the street.

Indoor Water Park Features:

Lazy river, body slides, tube slides, speed slide, whirlpool spa, activity pool, play area for younger children, and water walk.

Official Web Sites:

Chaos Water Park Resort Overview:

Chaos Water Park is a relatively small indoor water park. It features three water slides, including a speed slide, as well as a lazy river. It also offers activities for younger children along with a hot tub and bar for older guests. There is a food court in the park as well as a banquet/party room connected to the adjoining hotel.

Unlike larger indoor water parks, the Chaos Water Park Key lacks marquee attractions such as a water coaster, simulated surfing ride, or a funnel ride. According to the park, it does, however, offer unique ambiance, including mood lighting and a whimsical soundtrack.

Adjacent to Chaos Water Park is Action City, an indoor family entertainment center. Activities include go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, a climbing wall, batting cages, bumper cars, party rooms, and more than 100 arcade games.

The resort includes the Metropolis Hotel, which offers family rooms with bunk beds, themed suites, and standard rooms. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, meeting and event facilities, and a fitness room.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirates' ...

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Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirates' ...
Nov 28th 2011, 19:51

Dead men may tell no tales, but Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean have entertained millions with their salty tales. A landmark achievement in theme park storytelling when it debuted in 1967, Pirates remains one of Disney's--and all of parkdom's--most beloved attractions. First-timers and those returning with nostalgia-tinged memories alike adore its timeless tales and pitch-perfect presentation.

  • Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 2
    Small splashdowns, mildly frightening images.
  • Type: Boat-conveyed dark ride

Pirates of the Caribbean may be the quintessential theme park attraction. It is a masterful blend of fanciful storytelling and high-tech wizardry--but the latter never overshadows the former. The robotics, special effects, conveyance system, music, and other elements meld seamlessly to sweep guests away into a mythical, three-dimensional pirate world.

The experience varies slightly depending on the park. The original Disneyland version, personally overseen by Walt, has an extended "grotto" sequence at the beginning of the attraction. This is where the coveted treasure lies. Also unique to California, Pirates resides in the New Orleans Square area, and its boats drift past diners in the enchanting Blue Bayou restaurant. (Epcot's Mexico pavilion uses a similar concept with its restaurant and boat-conveyed attraction.) In Paris, the boats go up a ramp to begin the attraction and deliver the splashdown as a finale.

The three other Pirates start by sending their boatloads of passengers down a short, but attention-grabbing, drop. (California and Paris feature two small waterfalls.) It is as if Disney transports guests to a mysterious subterranean netherworld where skeletons come to life and break into rousing choruses of the Pirates theme song.

Next page: High Seas High Jinks

Going Below Deck with the Pirates
Background and insight from Disney legend Marty Sklar

Pirates of the Caribbean photo gallery

Pirates of the Caribbean 2007 Photo Gallery

Pirates of the Caribbean theme song lyrics ("Yo Ho...")

Are you looking for hotel accommodations? Compare rates for Disney's Pop Century Resort at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Top 10 Steel Roller Coasters

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Top 10 Steel Roller Coasters
Nov 28th 2011, 19:51

Nitro Coaster Review

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ

Another hypercoaster from the ride wizards at Bolliger & Mabillard (also known as B&M), Nitro is silky smooth. Hypercoasters are all about extreme height, speed, and airtime, and Nitro delivers on all three fronts. Not quite as smooth or as near to coaster perfection as a similar B&M creation, Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but close.

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Theme Parks: I'd Be Thrilled if You Voted for My Site

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I'd Be Thrilled if You Voted for My Site
Nov 28th 2011, 11:25

Behind the Thrills is conducting its annual poll to determine the best theme park news site. Since I'm not above groveling, I humbly ask that you consider voting for About.com's Theme Parks site, the place on the Interwebs where you find yourself at this moment. I'd be most appreciative. Here's the link to the poll. (My site is listed as "Arthur Levine-About Theme Parks.")�Thanks!

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Thursday, 24 November 2011

Theme Parks: Heart Felt Thanksgiving Wishes

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Heart Felt Thanksgiving Wishes
Nov 24th 2011, 06:30

To those of you in the States who celebrate Thanksgiving, here's hoping your meal is bountiful and your tableside chatter remains reasonably civil. In the spirit of the holiday, I want you to know how thankful I am for our shared passion and for your interest in my site and my ramblings. Because of you, I'm able to have this wacky, but incredibly wonderful job covering the world of parks.

After you've given your thanks and indulged in far too much food, may I suggest that you set aside a couple of hours from your Christmas/holiday shopping frenzy and see the new Muppets movie? It's getting incredible reviews, and it's heartening to see one of our most precious cultural touchstones return to prominence.

While they've been more or less out of the mainstream for some time, the wonderful Muppet Vision 3D attractions at Disney California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios have been chugging along. Here's hoping that the film does well and inspires renewed adoration for the lovable felt wiseacres and their attractions. And maybe, just maybe, Disney will see fit to update the Muppets' park shows and/or develop some new attractions. Now that would truly be something for which to give thanks.

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Wednesday, 23 November 2011

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Xcelerator

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
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Xcelerator
Nov 23rd 2011, 10:53

Like the rest of Knott's, Xcelerator is a curious blend of old and new. While the overall park melds its Old-West ghost town with high-tech rides, the thrill machine blends a 1950s motif with a new-age coaster experience. Using a sophisticated hydraulic launch, the train positively screams out of the station; if your hair wasn't slicked back into a Fonz do before you boarded the coaster, it will be about 2.3 seconds after the ride begins and you're Xcelorating 82 mph towards a 205-foot tower.

  • Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 9
  • Incredible launch, acceleration, speed and height, plus a 90-degree descent
  • Coaster type: Hydraulic launch
  • Top speed: 82 mph
  • Height restriction: 52 inches
  • Height: 205 feet
  • Drop: 205 feet
  • Ride time: 1 minute, 2 seconds

As with most launched coasters, Xcelerator is all about the launch--and what a launch! With trains tricked out like '57 Chevys, this baby peels rubber and accelerates on a straight section of track from O to 82 mph in 2.3 seconds. Nothing can quite prepare you for the extreme launch (although the ominous "PLACE YOUR HEAD AGAINST HEADREST" sign in the station does hint at the mayhem that's about to ensue).

Before you have a chance to catch your breath, you're soaring straight up a 205-foot "top hat" tower. There is some airtime as the coaster nears the top of the tower. The train takes a barely-there respite at it rounds the apex and then it's straight down--and I mean, literally, 90-degrees straight down--205 feet for a wild adrenaline rush.

Up to this point, and we're talking a matter of seconds, Xcelerator is a coaster for the ages. But, after the thrilling launch and top hat cruising, the ride is kind of nondescript. It includes a couple of highly overbanked turns (but no actual inversions). Despite the incredible pent-up energy, the coaster doesn't incorporate any bunny hills or other elements to deliver any significant airtime. 62 seconds after you blasted out of the station, you're in the brake run and wondering what the heck just happened. It's a short, but, yes, sweet ride.

Xcelerator, manufactured by Intamin AG of Switzerland, was the first coaster to use the innovative hydraulic launch system. Since its debut, Cedar Point's similar Top Thrill Dragster has eclipsed the Knott's coaster in speed and height. After scaling a 420-foot top hat tower, the Ohio park's ride sends its passengers careening down a 90-degree drop filled with corkscrews.

Xcelerator Photo Gallery

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Canada's Wonderland

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
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Canada's Wonderland
Nov 23rd 2011, 10:53

Note:

Formerly known as "Paramount Canada's Wonderland," Paramount sold the park in 2006. It is now known simply as "Canada's Wonderland."

Canada's Wonderland Location and Phone:

Maple, Ontario, just outside Toronto
(905) 832-8131

Admission Policy:

Canada's Wonderland offers a number of admission options and prices including pay-one-price all-day passes, general grounds admission (no ride passes), and admission plus a sample of rides. Discount tickets are available for children and seniors. Splash Works water park is included with admission.

Directions:

Highway 400, exit at Rutherford Rd. Paramount Canada's Wonderland is north of Toronto, about 10 minutes north of Highway 401.

New for 2012:

Leviathan
Get ready to ride one of the world's tallest (306 feet!) and fastest (92mph!) coasters. The Giga-Coaster will be the sweet 16th thrill machine at the park -- and what a doozy of a thrill machine.

New for 2011:

WindSeeker
Seated in two-person swing-style seats with their feet dangling, passengers will get lifted to the top of a 300-foot tall tower and spin around for a three-minute ride. As they spin, riders' seats will lift away from the tower at a 45-degree angle. Cedar Fair says that the ride will cost $5 million.

Starlight Spectacular
Evening show with synchronized lights, animated effects, 3-D images, fountains, and music.

Canada's Wonderland Featured Attractions:

Huge assortment of coasters including Behemoth, an enormous hypercoaster, the themed Back Lot Stunt Coaster, the Time Warp flying coaster, Flight Deck, an inverted looping coaster, and the Mighty Canadian Minebuster wood coaster.

Halloween event info: Halloween Haunt

Water Park

The adjacent 20-acre Splash Works water park is included with admission to Canada's Wonderland.

Pictures of the Park:

Official Web Site:

Canada's Wonderland Overview:

Canada's Wonderland is Canada's largest and most popular theme park. In fact, it frequently boasts the highest attendance of any seasonal park in North America. Coasters are the park's main draw, and its impressive arsenal of thrill machines includes nearly every kind: flying, magnetic launched, suspended, wood, and inverted looping to name a few.

The Nickelodeon characters, such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer meet and greet children in the park and provide inspiration for some of the rides. SpongeBob even has his own 4D motion simulator attraction. The park offers plenty of shows as well, including stunt spectaculars and musicals.

The adjacent 20-acre Splash Works water park is included with admission and offers slides, a wave pool, interactive water play station, and a lazy river. Among the featured attractions is Barracuda Blaster, a funnel ride.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Expedition Everest Review

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
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Expedition Everest Review
Nov 23rd 2011, 10:53

As a roller coaster, Expedition Everest is just OK. And as a themed dark ride, the attraction would be just OK without the coaster elements. But the combination of the coaster, which is integral to the ride's story, and the attraction's lavish, immersive environment, creates another Disney E-ticket tour-de-force and a welcome addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Expedition Everest up-front Info

  • Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 6
    Fairly intense positive G-forces, backwards coaster motion, darkness
  • Coaster type: Indoor/outdoor steel
  • Top speed: 50 mph
  • Height: 112 feet
  • Drop: 80 feet
  • Height restriction: 44 inches
  • Fastpass-enabled
Will you be able to handle Expedition Everest?
Expedition Everest does not have any inversions, does not soar to nosebleed heights, and reaches a relatively tame top speed of 50 mph. Disney considers it a "family" attraction (although I'd say it's at the upper end of that category), and while it's more aggressive than Space Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain, it's certainly less intense than coasters such as Sea World's Kraken.

But Expedition Everest does reverse direction and race backwards (in the dark, no less), delivers some formidable positive G-forces (also in the dark), and feels way more out of control because of the sections in the dark. If you can handle the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney-MGM Studios, you'll be able to face the yeti. If you're on the line, I'd advise you to suck it up, hold on tightly to the rider next to you (hopefully, someone you know), and join the expedition. The attraction is a Walt Disney World highlight, and you owe it to yourself to try it at least once.

What is it with Disney and mountains?

The 200-foot "mountain" commands the skyline at Disney's Animal Kingdom and looms large throughout the resort. By using forced perspective (a common theme park trick), it appears much taller. Joe Rohde, executive designer at Walt Disney Imagineering and the colorful, larger-than-life creative head of the park, says that the Mouse House often bases its attractions on mountains because they help give stories their power. "Mountains are pregnant with meaning," he says. "They are a primal mythic concept." Speaking of myths, Expedition Everest combines the lure of tackling the legendary mountain with the powerful myth of the yeti, Everest's abominable snowman protector.

The attraction casts guests in the role of explorers as they trek to the fictional Nepalese village of Serka Zong. The richly themed area is filled with bright prayer flags, indigenous plants, weathered buildings, and other artifacts that Rohde and his team developed based on their extensive research in Asia around Mount Everest. There are shops hawking climbing gear and other supplies, but the bustling air of adventure and anticipation in the village is punctuated by subtle and outright ominous warnings about the yeti.

The queue line meanders through the booking and permit offices of the Himalayan Escapes tour company, a pagoda-style shrine that's brimming with yeti totems, a general store, and the Yeti Museum. A makeshift exhibit in a converted tea warehouse, the museum offers evidence of the importance that the yeti plays in art and culture as well as the reverence and fear that he inspires. The displays also present information that appear to corroborate the existence of the mythical beast. Oh oh! The stage thus set, guests proceed to the railroad station where they board old trains, once used to haul tea, to take them to Everest's base camp.

Expedition Everest will put hair on your chest

When the queue is packed (which is most of the time), ride ops may not give guests the choice of seats, but the first car offers unobstructed views while those in the rear offer the most intense ride. From my experience, the next-to-last row, number 16, is prime seating for thrill-seekers.

The ride starts innocently enough with a pass through bamboo trees and ferns filled with twittering birds. The train climbs the lift hill and passes a huge yeti mural etched into the rock wall. According to Rohde, Disney had the coaster's manufacturer, Vekoma, use magnetic fields to modify the anti-rollback device so that it wouldn't emit the characteristic coaster click-clack-click sound and compromise the tea train theme.

The train takes a small dive into the mountain, emerges to the sight of twisted, impassable track, and stops on the incline. The yeti, apparently infuriated by the violation of his sacred ground, unleashes his wrath on the explorers. With nowhere to go, the train hesitates, shudders, and proceeds backwards into the mountain. This is where Expedition Everest gets nuts.

Next page: You'll Flip Over Expedition Everest

Expedition Everest Photo Gallery

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Water Parks in Washington

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
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Water Parks in Washington
Nov 23rd 2011, 10:53

Washington water parks are arranged alphabetically.

Do you have a favorite water park in Washington (or two or three)? Have you had a memorable experience at a waterpark? Write a review of a Washington water park and share it with the Theme Parks community.

Birch Bay Waterslides
Birch Bay
Relatively small outdoor water park.

Great Wolf Lodge
On the Chehalis Reservation in Grand Mound, Washington
Indoor water park resort.

Splash Down Waterpark
Spokane Valley
(509) 924-3079
Small park includes a bowl ride and a speed slide.

Slidewaters
Chelan
509-682-5751
Attractio

Wild Waves
Federal Way, WA
Affiliated theme park: Onsite theme park is also called Wild Waves.

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Tuesday, 22 November 2011

Theme Parks: New Coasters Waiting in the Wings

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New Coasters Waiting in the Wings
Nov 22nd 2011, 19:30

Oh. My. Goodness. Anticipation for the 2012 park season is boiling to a fever pitch, and it's only November. The new roller coasters that await those of us who crave their thrills are among the most exciting batch to debut in a long time. Unique concepts (such as the two "wing" coasters taking shape at Dollywood and Six Flags Great America) and insanely tall and fast rides (such as Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland) are among the highlights. You can drool over these and a whole bunch of other wonderful thrill machines (and pine for spring and the opening of the seasonal parks) in my Roller Coaster Ride Guide 2012.

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Photo: Cedar Fair.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: PortAventura Shambhala

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
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PortAventura Shambhala
Nov 22nd 2011, 10:18

Nov 1 2011

PortAventura will be decidedly more adventurous in 2012 when the Spanish park unleashes Shambhala, an enormous new coaster. How enormous? When it opens, it will be the tallest (and one of the fastest) in all of Europe.

Shambhala Coaster Stats

  • Location: In the China section of PortAventura in Salou, Tarragona, Spain, about one hour south of Barcelona.
  • Type of coaster: Hypercoaster.
  • Height: 249 feet (76 meters)
  • Length of first drop: 256 feet (78 meters)
  • Top speed: 83 mph (134 km/h)
  • Cost: 20 million euros, or about $27.6 million US.
  • Special note: At the time this article was written, PortAventura had not revealed the name of the coaster it, but it is widely expected that it will be called Shambhala.

Tunnel Vision

At 249 feet, Shambhala will make its presence known. It will positively tower over its neighboring coaster, the relatively puny, 148-foot (45 meters) Dragon Khan. In fact, it will be one of the tallest roller coasters in the world. Sitting in the rear of the park, it should provide a dramatic backdrop.

The new ride will be a speed demon as well. Unlike Furius Baco, the unique launched coaster at Port Avenutura with slightly faster stats, Shambhala will use a traditional coaster lift hill and gravity to deliver its nerve-rattling speed.

How, you might wonder, will Shambhala rise 249 feet, but have a first drop of 256 feet? At the bottom of the drop, it will enter an underground tunnel. Other coasters, including Bizarro at Six Flags New England, use first drop tunnels to great effect. Racing headlong toward the ground from such a height, the tunnel opening will appear to be impossibly small to passengers aboard the new ride. The "we're not going to make it!" illusion will add to the thrills.

Emerging from the tunnel, the coaster will soar into a series of five airtime hills, the smallest of which will be 70 feet (21 meters). The ride will follow a sweeping out and back course that will keep twists and turns to a minimum. With no inversions and few twists, the raison d'etre for the coaster will be speed and airtime.

Head for the Mountains

Manufactured by the coaster cognoscenti at the Swiss-based Bolliger & Mabillard, it's likely that Shambhala will follow in the tracks of such stellar rides as Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Intimidator at Carowinds. Those and other B&M hypercoasters are butter-smooth (despite punishing heights and speeds) and are airtime bonanzas.

The Spanish name for a roller coaster is "montana Rusa," literally "Russian mountain." The name derives from the ride's origins as a 17th-century winter sport in which daredevils would lug a toboggan made out of ice up a St. Petersburg mountain and race down a snow-packed wooden frame embedded into the mountainside.

The montana Rusa name is particularly apt for PortAventura's new ride, which will be themed as a mountain climbing expedition. Shambhala is a mythical Tibetan kingdom that is surrounded by mountains made of ice. For mountaineers, the thrill is typically scaling the peak and reaching the summit. For the coaster, the thrill will surely be racing down the mountain after reaching its peak.

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Baby's First Year: What's Hot Now: Crochet Baby Hats Take on Animal Theme

Baby's First Year: What's Hot Now
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Crochet Baby Hats Take on Animal Theme
Nov 22nd 2011, 10:03

What I remember of the crocheted hats that my grandmother made me was while they were nice, the cheap yarn she used sometimes felt like a Brillo pad. Thankfully, today knitters and crocheters have many types of yarn from which to choose.

When making this crochet baby hat, the designer choose a super-soft chunky yarn made from acrylic fiber. As you can see, the yarn itself reminds you of a stuffed teddy bear too. Not only cute, but it makes for a warm hat during cold weather. Cute and practical, you can have it both!

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Monday, 21 November 2011

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Hard Rock Park

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Hard Rock Park
Nov 21st 2011, 10:18

Special Note- Park Closed in 2010:

After a truncated opening season in 2008, Hard Rock Park filed for bankruptcy. The Hard Rock Park reopened in 2009 as Freestyle Music Park. Freestyle Music Park closed at the end of the 2009 season and did not reopen in 2010.

Read more about the re-branded park in an interview with the president of Freestyle Music Park.

Freestyle Music Park Overview

Hard Rock Park bankruptcy News briefs:

Location:

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Airport Info:

The Myrtle Beach International Airport is minutes away from Hard Rock Park.

Hotel Info

Compare rates for Hard Rock Park-area hotels at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.

Hard Rock Park Directions

From Charleston: US-17 N. Merge onto US-501 N. In Myrtle Beach, take the Waccamaw Blvd. ramp. Left onto Waccamaw Blvd., left onto River Oaks Dr.

From Wilmington: US-17 S. Merge onto SC-9 toward SC-31. US-31 ramp to US-31 S. Merge onto US-501 S. Take the George Bishop Parkway/River Oaks ramp to George Bishop Parkway.

From Columbia: I-20 E to I-20 Spur E. Take Palmetto St., US-76 E to SC-576 E, which becomes US-501 S. Follow 501-S directions above.

From Charlotte: I-77 S toward Columbia. Exit 16A to I-20 E to I-20 Spur E. Take Palmetto St., US-76 E to SC-576 E, which becomes US-501 S. Follow 501-S directions above.

Other Hard Rock Park Info

Hard Rock Park Photo Gallery

The Guide's First Impressions of Hard Rock Park

Other Things to Do and See in Myrtle Beach

Hard Rock Park Features:

Music-themed rides and attractions, including the signature dark ride, Nights in White Satin- The Trip, and coasters such as:
  • Led Zeppelin- The Ride
    World-class thrill ride with a wild Led Zeppelin overlay
  • Eagles Life in the Fast Lane
    Mine train-style family coaster
  • Maximum RPM!
    Prototype wheel-lift coaster
  • Slippery When Wet
    Inverted coaster with onboard water cannons
Plus, shows such as the Bohemian Rhapsody nighttime pyrotechnics display and the wonderful Country on the Rocks ice show, lots of live music including an amphitheater for major concerts, plenty of rock memorabilia, and retail stores.

Hard Rock Park Dining:

Lots of choices, with generally decent food, including:
  • Alice's Restaurant
    The park's full-service eatery features Thanksgiving dinner and clam chowder
  • Taste of Paradise Grill
    Tropical island fare
  • The Whammy Bar
    Biker-themed pub with appetizers
  • Carnaby Street Cafe
    British specialties such as bangers with mash
Food prices are reasonable for theme park dining. Beer and alcohol prices, on the other hand, are high.

Oddly, there is no Hard Rock Cafe at the park. However, there is a Myrtle Beach Hard Rock Cafe, in a distinctive pyramid building, at the nearby Broadway at the Beach complex.

Official Web Site:

Hard Rock Park

Hard Rock Park Overview

The 55-acre, $400-million Hard Rock Park is the first park themed to rock music. It offers rock-influenced attractions, along with lots of rock 'n' roll memorabilia, shows, live music, restaurants, shops, and an amphitheater that presents concerts. The park features six zones:
  • All Access Entry Plaza What would a Hard Rock Park be without retail shops? This is the place to make impulse purchases on the way in and out of the park.
  • Cool Country It's only natural that a park in the South--even one that's focused on rock and roll--would tip its cowboy hat to country-rock music.
  • Rock & Roll Heaven This area is dedicated to Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, and other rock legends who are no longer cranking it up to 11. Curiously, it includes a reggae-themed interactive water play structure and a Malibu Beach Party diving and stunt show.
  • British Invasion The Beatles, Stones, Who, and more modern-day UK artists get their due here. This is the most lavishly themed area of the park.
  • Lost in the 70s An indoor area that uses the decade's dubious mix of disco, punk, and glam music as its backdrop. This is the least lavishly themed area of the park.
  • Born in the USA celebrates US-bred rockers (who are presumably not dead, didn't record in the 70s, and have nothing to do with country music).

It doesn't have the squeaky-clean persona, highly immersive environments, or blockbuster E-ticket attractions of a Disney park (although Nights in White Satin- The Trip is near-Disney quality--and quite trippy). Nor does it have a Six Flags-worthy arsenal of thrill machines (although the 150-foot tall, 65-mph Led Zeppelin coaster more than holds its own among white knuckle rides). But the Hard Rock Park does have a compelling theme that it has cleverly exploited to create an engaging, fun experience.

Music is everywhere: in the background throughout each land, providing the inspiration for every ride, performed live on multiple stages, and piped into the restaurants. The music even follows guests into the park's bathrooms.

The level of detail is often astonishing. For example, the original version of a song, say "Purple Haze," that's playing along the walkways in the Rock & Roll Heaven area seamlessly morphs into a note-for-note calypso version of the tune as guests approach the Reggae River Falls attraction. Those kinds of moments, along with the park's considerable whimsy (i.e. an Elvis-looking cow statue makes small talk with onlookers before spraying them with his udders) and innocuous irreverence (the neon in the Great Meals Diner sign is conveniently broken to read "Eat Me") set an infectiously upbeat tone and can't help but generate smiles.

Rock music, which ironically once served as a generation-defining clarion call, now bridges generations and serves as an ideal point of reference to connect the park with its broad range of guests. Having said that, is the Hard Rock Park for everyone?

Don't let the "Hard Rock" tag throw you. Like the Hard Rock Cafes, the park features many music genres, with an emphasis on age-spanning classic rock. Unlike the cafes however, the music is not ear-splitting, so families and older guests can maintain their sanity--and their hearing. With the shows, live music, and cool vibe, coaster-averse visitors should find enough to do. It would be nice if the park had more attractions like the Moody Blues ride, however. Parents may balk at paying full price for young children; the activities geared for kids under 36 inches might not justify the cost.

I know: It's only rock & roll. But nearly everyone likes it. And nearly everyone will get a kick out of the Hard Rock Park.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Florida Parks Holidays 2011

Theme Parks: What's Hot Now
These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Florida Parks Holidays 2011
Nov 21st 2011, 10:18

It's the most wonderful time of the year...at Florida's theme parks. Disney World and the Sunshine State's other parks are magical throughout the year. By adding an overlay of Christmas and holiday cheer, the parks supersize the magic and fun between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

Of course, supersized fun can also mean supersized crowds. The week between Christmas and New Year's is among the busiest--if not THE busiest--of the whole year at Disney World and Florida's theme parks. But bustle is part of the holidays, right? Besides, the parks extend their hours, increase the capacity of attractions, and offer a bunch of special events. So, put on your Santa hat and your matching red shorts while we check out the holidays in the theme park capital of the world.

Christmas at Disney World

The entire resort gets decked out for the holidays. Special events include Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Epcot's Candlelight Processional, and the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Read more at Christmas 2011 at Disney World.

Christmas at Universal Orlando

You'll just have to take my word on this, but I used to go to Universal Studios Florida around the holidays, saw the few measly decorations, and thought that the park really should have done something more to get into the spirit of the season. Its New York backlot area was just screaming for some tinsel. "And there's a (faux) Macy's department store," I'd ponder. "What a perfect tie-in for...a Christmas parade!" Well, they must've read my mind. Universal has been going all out the past few seasons -- and Macy's has figured prominently in the holiday hoopla.

Save money and time. Are you planning to head to Universal Orlando at Christmas time? Get discounted Universal Orlando tickets in advance of your visit. Buy direct from Universal Orlando.

Are you planning to visit additional parks? You might want to consider the Orlando FlexTicket, which offer 14 days of unlimited visits to five parks including Aquatica, SeaWorld Orlando, and Wet 'n Wild as well as the two Universal parks. It's a pretty sweet deal (if you commit to visiting all of the parks at least once). There is also a six-park package deal that tosses in Busch Gardens Tampa, along with bus transportation to the Tampa park. Buy direct from SeaWorld.

Universal Orlando Holiday Season Photo Gallery

Universal Studios Florida
Macy's Holiday Parade and other holiday fun

  • 2011 dates: December 3 to January 1
  • Included with admission
It's Universal's version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The theme park rendition includes some of Macy's signature giant balloons, including Uncle Sam and a toy soldier, plus floats, clowns, and guest marching bands. Santa Claus and his reindeer wrap up the parade with a big ho-ho-ho (and not just any Santa, but the actual, authentic, Macy's-certified one, straight from the Big Apple).

Mannheim Steamroller, the musical group known for its quirky takes on Christmas classics, will be performing at the park on December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18.There will also be a Holiday Village (merch alert!) with gifts, holiday treats, and crafts-making. The park will also offer smaller holiday shows featuring some of the its characters such as the Blues Brothers.

Official Holidays at Universal Studios Florida info

Islands of Adventure
Grinchmas

  • 2011 dates: December 3 to January 1
  • Included with admission
A musical presentation of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" will be performed in the park's Seuss Landing. The furry green Grinch will also meet and greet guests. For an extra fee, the park offers a character breakfast with the Grinch. Reservations are recommended.

Official Grinchmas at Islands of Adventure info

SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration

  • 2011 dates: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Nov. 25 to Dec. 11; nightly from Dec. 16 to 31.
  • Included with admission
SeaWorld adds some holiday cheer to its marine park in the form of festive decorations and live holiday music from classical musicians and carolers. The Wild Arctic motion simulator ride gets a holiday makeover into The Polar Express Experience. Scenes from the film are repurposed for the ridefilm attraction. Other features include Sea of Trees, a display of decked-out Christmas trees with lights that are synchronized to carols.

SeaWorld Orlando also features holiday-themed shows, including:

  • The Shamu Christmas Miracles stadium show (featuring the iconic killer whale)
  • A Sesame Street Christmas
  • Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas, a sea lion take on the holidays
  • Winter Wonderland on Ice, featuring ice skaters, fireworks, and colorful water fountains
Official SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration info

Legoland Florida
Christmas Bricktacular

  • 2011 dates: Dec. 8 to 31 (Open every day, except Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 13 and 14).
  • Included with admission
The new park will offer a low-key holiday event in its inaugural year with a Christmas tree made out of Lego blocks, appearances by a Mr. S. Claus, and a Kids' New Years Eve on Dec. 31 (that will actually take place at a kid-friendly 7 p.m.) featuring fireworks and live music.

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