Theme Parks: Drops Splashy New Video

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Drops Splashy New Video Feb 28th 2012, 16:00 Towering high above Disneyland and Disney World's Magic Kingdom is Splash Mountain, one of the classic E-Ticket attractions that comprise Disney's celebrated mountain range. It's a fairly standard log flume ride (although it's quite long and has a comparatively high and steep drop), but its charming and clever incorporation of characters and scenes from the animated film, Song of the South, renders it one of Disney's most beloved attractions. Splash Mountain is profiled in the most recent video. It features insight from Deb Wills of the Disney parks-loving Website, AllEars.net. Find your laughing place and take a virtual ride by enjoying the Splash Mountain video. Five Best Rides for Kids at Disney World Video Connect with Arthur: Twitter | Facebook Photo: About.com, 2012.

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Theme Parks: Seasoned Pros Shed Light on Best Dark Rides

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Seasoned Pros Shed Light on Best Dark Rides Feb 27th 2012, 12:18 The term "dark ride" has always bothered me. In the industry, it refers to any attraction in which a vehicle moves through an indoor space. Classic scary dark rides such as Coney Island's Spook-A-Rama were once amusement park staples. Many parks also had a tunnel of love that offered refuge for young (and not-so-young?) paramours who welcomed the dark hideaways. Contemporary dark rides have evolved into highly sophisticated attractions. Some, such as Disney's Haunted Mansion, maintain a scary theme, but others are decidedly sweet. It seems odd, for example, to refer to the gentle, colorful, and bright It's a Small World as a "dark ride." Whatever they may be called -- story-based attractions, themed rides, theatrical rides, dark rides -- the Seasoned Pros List Show run down the top 10 best ones on the latest podcast. The Seasoned Pros include Doug Barnes of the Season Pass Podcast, Joel Bullock of The Coaster Critic, and me. Joining us to offer his expertise and picks for the best themed rides is Robert Niles of Theme Park Insider. Give a listen, and see if your favorite attraction made the list.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: New Rides at Six Flags 2012

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New Rides at Six Flags 2012 Feb 27th 2012, 11:04 Jan 26 2012 After a few years in which the park chain had been trying to become more family-friendly, the latest management team is returning Six Flags to its tried and true formula of amped-up, teen-targeted thrills. That's not to say that every park will be getting a new heart-pounding roller coaster in 2012 (although there are a couple of cardiac-crazy thrill machines on the way). But the emphasis is clearly on white knuckles once again. While a major thrill ride may or may not be heading to your local Six Flags, you can be sure that something will await you in 2012. The company says it is committed to reinvesting and bringing new attractions to each of its parks. But it is a bit liberal in its use of the term, "new." As has been the case recently, the chain will be shuffling rides around amongst its parks. In some cases, the "new" attractions will really be relocated older rides that will be getting different names, fresh coats of paint, and new leases on life. Among the highlights are a few attractions that may inspire ride warriors to book long-distance trips. California's Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, for example, will be getting an intriguing new Superman coaster that will use a novel layout and ride system to approximate a flying experience. The world's tallest vertical drop ride is on its way to Six Flags Magic Mountain, also in California. And Six Flags Great America in Illinois will be spreading its wings with a wild take on a new(ish) coaster concept. These and other developments are detailed below. You may want to start getting your knuckles in shape for the thrills ahead. Looking for Six Flags tickets? Save money and time. Buy direct discounted tickets online from Six Flags. In addition to all of the Six Flags goodness, there are many other plans underway at a host of parks. To see what's happening during this especially exciting time, go to What's New at Theme Parks and Amusement Parks. THE SIX FLAGS 2012 RIDE GUIDE The guide is arranged alphabetically by US state. Canada's La Ronde and Six Flags Mexico follow at the end of the list. CALIFORNIA Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Vallejo (near San Francisco), CA Superman Ultimate Flight The unique launched coaster will send passengers soaring up, up, and a way up a 150-foot-tall loop. Instead of a more traditional coaster experience, in which gravity would then take over, the new Superman thriller will instead hold riders for a few tentative moments and then blast them into a second inversion down the opposite side of the loop. Sound confusing (but nonetheless tantalizing)? Perhaps this video will help explain it better: Superman Ultimate Flight Animated Preview Video Six Flags Magic Mountain Valencia, CA Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom When it debuted, Superman: Escape from Krypton was the tallest coaster in the world. It's since been eclipsed, but it's still pretty dang tall. By attaching a drop ride to the back of the coaster's tower, Six Flags will now be able to boast that it will have the world's tallest (and scariest?) freefall ride. Read more about Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom. Drop of Doom Preview Video GEORGIA Six Flags Over Georgia Austell (near Atlanta), GA New Shows OK. So maybe Six Flags cheated a bit, when it said that it would introduce major new attractions at all of its parks. The promise of six new shows probably won't get the turnstiles spinning madly at the Georgia park. But, 2012 will be the park's 45th anniversary, and one of its shows will feature its celebrated history. Also, since Six Flags introduced Dare Devil Dive, a "Euro-Fighter" coaster that sends riders straight up and beyond straight down a 95-foot top-hat tower, in 2011, perhaps we should cut it some slack in 2012. Six Flags White Water Marietta (near Atlanta), GA Nothing new announced to date for the water park in 2012. ILLINOIS Six Flags Great America Gurnee, IL X-Flight The wing coaster, one of two debuting in 2012 (the other one will be at Dollywood in Tennessee), will bring a new style of seating to the ride experience. You can read more about the wacky thrills in store at my X-Flight overview. X-Flight Preview Photo Gallery X-Flight Preview Video MARYLAND Six Flags America Mitchellville, MD (near Washington, D.C.) Apocalypse Although it sounds fashionably ominous (2012 is the year of the much-prophesized end of the world as we know it, after all), the new coaster coming to Maryland is actually an old standup coaster that has been giving wedgies to riders at Six Flags Great America in Illinois since 1990. MASSACHUSETTS Six Flags New England Agawam, MA (near Springfield, MA and Hartford, CT) Goliath Another transplant (this one was originally at Six Flags Magic Mountain where it was known, coincidentally, as Deja Vu), Goliath will be a shuttle coaster. Unlike the more typical shuttle boomerang coaster, Flashback, that is already at the Massachusetts park, however, this ride will be considerably taller and faster and will feature an inverted train that will hang beneath the track. MISSOURI Six Flags St. Louis Eureka, near (...come on, you know what city it's near) Bonzai Pipeline Hurricane Harbor, the adjacent water park that is included with admission to Six Flags St. Louis, will be getting an Aqua Loop water slide that will nearly send riders upside down as they soar at speeds up to 40 mph through its clear acrylic tube. NEW JERSEY Six Flags Great Adventure Jackson, NJ SkyScreamer A spinning swing ride, SkyScreamer will rise 240 scream-inducing feet into the air and reach speeds of 40 mph. The park will also be getting new bumper cars and a Scrambler spinning ride. NEW YORK The Great Escape Queensbury (near Lake George), New York Splashwater Kingdom, the water park that is included with admission to the park, will be getting two new rides: Alpine Freefalls will feature a nerve-wracking speed slide that riders will start by entering a "Skybox" capsule with a trap door. The slide complex will also offer a four-lane mat racing slide. TEXAS Six Flags Fiesta Texas San Antonio, TX SkyScreamer Another one of the spinning swing rides coming to Six Flags parks, the Fiesta Texas version will rise about 200 feet into the air and reach speeds of 40 mph. Six Flags Over Texas Arlington (near Dallas), TX New Show Another one of the chain's parks (like Six Flags Over Georgia), that won't be getting anything truly major in 2012. At the time this article was written, the best the park could come up with is that it would be getting a new live show. Then again, like the Georgia park, Six Flags Over Texas debuted a well-received ride in 2011, the "new" Texas Giant, and perhaps should be forgiven for keeping it modest in the coming year. CANADA La Ronde Montreal, Quebec Vol Ultime A swinging tower ride that will soar about 150 feet will open this season. MEXICO Six Flags Mexico Mexico City Nothing new announced at the time this article was written. Sheesh Six Flags! You did promise that you would be introducing some major new feature at all parks, si?

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Myrtle Beach Pavilion

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Myrtle Beach Pavilion Feb 27th 2012, 11:04 Jeremy Levine, 2005. Licensed to About.com. Special Note: The park closed permanently in 2006. A handful of the rides are now at the Pavilion Nostalgia Park at Broadway at the Beach. The Myrtle Beach Pavilion Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Rides and attractions: Wood coaster, wild mouse coaster, two dark rides, river raft ride, log flume, vintage carousel, thrill rides, kiddie rides, clown shows. Photo Gallery: Scenes from The Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park See the Park Being Torn Down: Myrtle Beach Pavilion Demolition Photo Gallery Overview: The following info was written when the park was still open: Myrtle Beach is in a period of transition. Vacationers have always flocked to South Carolina's Grand Strand for its miles of glorious beaches, and Tiger Woods wannabes still descend on the golf-mad area for its 120 courses (and nearly 50 mini-golf courses). But for generations of fun-seekers, The Pavilion, and the arcades, gift shops, food joints, and other funky, honky-tonk establishments that surround it have also defined Myrtle Beach. That may be changing as developers kick around plans to gentrify and redefine the area. And that would be a shame. The free-admission park crams a surprising number of rides and attractions into its compact, 11-acre footprint. The highlight is The Hurricane, a CCI-built wood coaster that straddles one side of The Pavilion. Other signature attractions include the Haunted Hotel, a wonderful, traditional dark ride that incorporates Disney-style illusions, Treasure Hunt, an interactive dark ride in which passengers rack up points by shooting Pirate Booty targets, and the Hydro-Surge river raft ride. The park also offers some wild thrill rides like a Top Spin and Enterprise, as well as a stunning 1912 Herschell-Spillman carousel and a decent collection of kiddie rides. But The Myrtle Beach Pavilion is more than a collection of rides. There's something about the sand, the surf, and the screams of coaster riders that dovetail perfectly. The smell of the salt air complements the distinctive aroma of the fries, and a shoreline sunset melds seamlessly with tacky, mismatched carnival lights. Seaside parks are a piece of Americana that's quickly fading. Visit The Pavilion before its rough-hewn, shaggy charm gets tossed out to sea in favor of some bland, homogenized mall-like retail-dining-entertainment complex. Instead of authentic greasy burgers at the vintage food stand, they'll be serving retro greasy burgers at the corporate restaurant chain.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Country Springs Hotel

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Country Springs Hotel Feb 27th 2012, 11:04 Country Springs Hotel Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin Phone: 1-800-247-6640 Country Springs Hotel Tickets and Admission Policy: Open to registered guests of the Country Springs Hotel. Limited day passes available for the general public as well. Contact park for availability. Indoor Water Park Square Footage: 45,000 Indoor Waterpark Features: Boat slide, tube slide, body slide, interactive water play structure, lazy river, indoor/outdoor whirlpool. Country Springs Hotel Photo Gallery: Country Springs Hotel Pictures Country Springs Hotel Directions: From Milwaukee: Go west on I-94 (to Madison) about 20 miles to Hwy. T. Go 1/4 mile to Golf Road, then west on Golf Road about 1 mile to the hotel. From Gen. Mitchell Intl. Airport: Go west app. 1 mile on airport freeway spur (119) to I-94 W. Go I-94 app. 2 miles to 894 west bypass. Go 894 app. 12 miles to I-94. See directions above. From Madison: Go east on I-94 to Hwy. G (Exit 291). Go north on Hwy G. to Golf Road, then east on Golf Road about 1/2 mile to hotel. Official Web Site: Country Springs Hotel Overview: Attractions at Country Springs Hotel includes Triple Dog Dare, a three-person raft ride with high-speed curves, Double Trouble, a thrilling enclosed two-person ride, and the Cyclone, a body slide. Whistle Stop Wash is an activity pool featuring water basketball and a lily pad walk while the Waukesha Waterworks provides an interactive play structure with slides for younger children. The Springs Waterpark also offers Night Springs, an indoor and outdoor whirlpool. The park features fiber optic lighting and colored halogen lights that illuminate its sky windows. In addition to the water rides, the adjacent Country Springs Hotel features an arcade, restaurants, a golf course, exercise facility, conference center, and other amenities. The hotel offers lodging and water park packages and specials. Accommodations include family suites and include complimentary continental breakfast.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: The Cyclone at Coney Island

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The Cyclone at Coney Island Feb 26th 2012, 11:04 A treasured piece of living history (a term that applies to much of Coney Island), the classic Cyclone evokes an earlier era, yet packs a surprisingly potent punch--even when compared to modern-day coaster behemoths. It is, perhaps, the archetypal roller coaster and probably the world's most famous thrill machine. While the Cyclone can get more than a bit rough, coaster freaks and casual fans alike nonetheless adore the sentimental favorite. Cyclone Up-Front Info Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 7 Unusually steep first drop, traditional coaster car lacks seat dividers and seat belts (the only safety restraint is a single-position lap bar), plenty of airtime, can be excessively rough, traditional rickety wood coaster ride. Coaster type: Wood (although the structure is steel), prototypical "cyclone" twister layout Top speed: 60 mph Height of lift hill: 85 feet Ride time: 1.5 minutes Cyclone Photo Gallery Coney Island Overview Screeching into the Coney Island station on the New York City subway, the landmark comes into view: the white lattice, the faded red railing, the "CYCLONE" block letters at the top of the lift hill. Generations of passengers have peered through the trains' windows and shared the giddy sensation of having arrived at Coney Island as well as the anticipation of joy and fear that the sight of the roller coaster elicits. Riders line up along Surf Avenue under the Cyclone's glorious vintage neon sign. After paying the cashier in the old cage booth for a ticket, passengers snake under the track and through the structure up to the loading platform. The ride has never been updated with a computerized brake system, and the Cyclone is one of the few classic coasters that still uses manual brakes. It's a hoot to watch ride operators slow and stop the trains by pulling on the ride's tall brake handles. Hey, Let's Go! The scene in the station is sooo Brooklyn-esque. Instead of the silly matching uniforms typically found at theme parks, the Cyclone's crew members dress in do rags, baseball caps, Yankees jerseys, tank tops, and whatever else they felt like throwing on that morning. They hustle the exiting passengers out of the trains at one end of the station, hop aboard the cars as they creep into the loading area, then accost riders with hand gestures and chiding commands to "Get on! Come on, come on! Hey, let's go!" They have to be the most efficient and aggressive ride-op team in the business. It's as if they get paid by the number of trains they fill per hour. Like nearly everything else about the Cyclone, the design of the traditional 24-passenger trains has essentially remained unchanged for decades. The low-slung seats do not have headrests, and the only safety restraint is a single-position lap bar. The two-person bench seats do not have dividers, so seatmates need to really like each other. The seat bases, the chassis, and the sides of the cars are articulated so that they can move independently and accommodate the wild ride. Once cleared for departure, the brakeman eases up on the handle, and the train rolls out of the station to engage the chain lift. Riding past the wonderful "Final warning: No standing!" sign and up the 85-foot hill to the stirring clackety-clack sound, passengers can feel the odd movements of the articulated car as it navigates the track. Facing the beach and the ocean beyond, the view from the top of the hill is spectacular. The Cyclone Is a "Good" Aggressive Coaster Then all hell breaks loose. At nearly 60 degrees, the first drop is incredibly steep. A friend has aptly described the drop as the equivalent of riding down an 85-foot ladder and hitting every rung along the way. A 180-degree turn at the bottom of the hill sends the train racing up the second hill and delivering the first of many bursts of airtime. The turn also sends the passengers on one side of the train slamming--and I mean slamming--into their seatmates. There are six 180-degree turns in all, so there are plenty of lateral G-forces and opportunities for riders to crash into one another. The Cyclone features 12 drops and loads of euphoric airtime. There are also 18 track crossovers. Unlike an out-and-back coaster which travels a single loop, the Cyclone is able to fit 2640 feet of track into its compact footprint by twisting in and out of itself. The thrill machine is so groundbreaking and legendary, all twister roller coasters are generically known as "cyclone" coasters in its honor. The ride varies according to the seat position and other factors such as the time of day and the weather. The back seats, especially, can be insanely rough, although I once had a front-row ride that was not for the squeamish. The structure groans and shakes, riders get tossed to and fro with abandon, and the trains can suddenly lurch skyward only to whack into the upstop wheels tethering them to the track. For all of its punishment, however, the Cyclone is, at its core, an exciting and decidedly fun ride. It invariably elicits equal doses of laughter and screams. There are "bad" aggressive coasters (such as the hideous Manhattan Express, or whatever Las Vegas' New York, New York Casino is calling its coaster these days) and "good" aggressive coasters. The Cyclone falls squarely in the latter category. The Cyclone has, ahem, had its ups and downs. It debuted in 1927 to great acclaim and quickly gained worldwide fame. Coney Island's popularity waned through the years, however, and the Cyclone's customers dwindled. Its fate appeared grim when the city condemned it in 1969. Thankfully, Astroland's owners lovingly restored the Cyclone and reopened it in 1975. New York listed it as an official city landmark in 1988. In 1991, the state of New York entered the Cyclone in its Register of Historic Places. That same year, the ride gained National Historic Landmark status, which protects it from the whims of developers. In 2007, Thor Equities bought Astroland and other nearby parcels, and has been pursuing a massive Coney Island redevelopment plan. The proposed project has generated lots of controversy and opposition, and the city has not granted the necessary permits. Whatever happens with this or any other plan, the protected Cyclone will remain intact and delight riders for years to come. As the Cyclone comes roaring back into the station at the end of the ride, crewmembers jump on the sides of the train and hawk re-rides at a reduced price. If you want to score a front-row seat (highly recommended), pay for a re-ride and try to quickly hightail it to the front car. Then, get ready for another sweet Cyclone slamfest.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Six Flags Flash Pass Program

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Six Flags Flash Pass Program Feb 26th 2012, 11:04 Things to know What: Flash Pass virtual line program eliminates waiting in long lines for popular rides. Cost: varies by park. The per-person price generally drops with additional guests for the Q-bot program. Where: Click here for participating Six Flags parks. Waiting and waiting (and waiting) in rat-maze lines is as much a part of the theme park experience as riding roller coasters. Enduring 90 minutes of inching along in stanchion hell is the price you must pay for 2 minutes of coaster heaven. Or is it? Parks have been introducing programs to alleviate the bottlenecks and move people out of lines. Six Flags' version, called Flash Pass, is actually two programs with the same name. Depending on the park, guests can either purchase low-tech, go-to-the-head-of-the-line paper tickets or a high-tech, electronic "Q-bot" device. In either case, if a park is crowded, Flash Pass may be the way to go. Flash Pass Q-bot gets you out of the queue Essentially retrofitted beepers, Q-bots are like virtual placeholders. They calculate the amount of time you would have waited in line, then vibrate and flash a text message when it's time to report to the ride--while you're off doing other things. Six Flags says that the Q-bot version of Flash Pass is fair because guests using the device wait the same amount of time as the Q-bot-nots; they just don't have to suffer in infernal lines. While the explanation sounds convincing, it still feels as if you are pulling a fast one when you sashay up the special Flash Pass entrance and walk past the huddled masses to the front of the line. Having said that, it's incredibly satisfying to skip a one- or two-hour queue and hop aboard a popular attraction. More Flash Pass Info: Next page: Does Flash Pass work? Is it worth it? Participating Six Flags Parks

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