Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Summit Plummet Water Slide

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Summit Plummet Water Slide Oct 27th 2011, 10:21 Walt Disney World isn't known for its thrills, but Summit Plummet is one of the world's tallest, fastest water slides. And it just may be the single most thrilling attraction at the Florida resort. Summit Plummet Up-Front Info Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 9 Insane height and speed for a water slide Water slide type: Speed slide Height restriction to ride: 48 inches Height of slide: 120 feet Speed: Varies according to rider--approx. 60 mph for adults and 50 mph for kids Summit Plummet and other Blizzard Beach Scenes Photo Gallery Over the edge The signature attraction at Blizzard Beach, Summit Plummet towers over everything. Sitting atop Mount Gushmore, it's designed to resemble a ski jump. Every few moments, a rider braves the faux icy slide, and a whooshing spray of water shoots from the end of the jump. It appears as if the riders are careening off the jump and vanishing into thin air. In reality, Summit Plummet sends riders zooming through a short tunnel that's behind the ski jump. It's a wacky and audacious sight. Getting to Summit Plummet, by taking the Mount Gushmore chairlift, can be part of the fun. Since the line for the lift can get quite long, however, riders have the option of walking up a (considerably long) path. From the chairlift station, riders must ascend a few flights of stairs to reach the mountain's summit and the slide's start. An attendant helps riders get into position--lying face up with legs and arms crossed to prevent flailing limbs from crashing into the sides of the slide--and gives them the OK sign. It takes tremendous audacity to shove off. Although it's not quite a 90-degree angle, Summit Plummet is so steep that riders can't see anything if they peer over the edge of the slide before they get down into position. It takes blind faith to accept that there is, in fact, a continuous slide that will deposit riders at the base of the mountain. Ironically, once they begin the descent, some riders may momentarily float into the air and freefall as if the slide vanishes. It's the water slide equivalent of roller coaster airtime. Would you be able to handle Summit Plummet? Racing through the darkened tunnel and pelted by a curtain of water, riders become temporarily disoriented. Emerging from the tunnel, they regain their bearings and soar down the face of the mountain. Hitting the straightaway at the bottom, riders create a huge plume of water--and possibly, an industrial-strength wedgie. If you plan to tackle Summit Plummet, make sure you wear appropriate swimwear and check it carefully before the ride. As each rider reaches the end, a digital readout displays his top speed. Overall weight and body shape appear to affect the speeds. Children hover around 50 mph. Medium-sized adults seemed to register the highest speeds, topping out at a bit over 60 mph. Would you be able to handle Summit Plummet? That depends. If you're overly afraid of heights, my guess is that it would be difficult to overcome your fears. Unlike a roller coaster, which begins at ground level and takes control of the process, Summit Plummet riders have to walk to the 120-foot level and initiate the descent themselves. If you're afraid of high speeds or water, you may fare better. The whole ride is over in a matter of seconds, so there's not much opportunity to get too frazzled. Even the heartiest thrill-seekers, however, will test their mettle on Blizzard Beach's speed slide.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Kingda Ka

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Kingda Ka Oct 27th 2011, 10:21 Less a roller coaster and more a thrill machine designed for bragging rights, Kingda Ka is, in my opinion, a one-trick pony. Granted, it's a heckuva trick and a once-in-a-lifetime rush. But, for me, once is enough. The launch scared me silly--and I'm a fairly seasoned coaster vet. But, in the end, despite its record-breaking 456-foot tower, Kingda Ka left me flat. Kingda Ka Up-Front Info Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 10 I can't imagine a more thrilling ride. Insane acceleration, speed, height, and drop. Type of coaster: Hydraulic launch rocket coaster Height: 456 feet (world's tallest in 2006) Top speed: 128 mph (world's fastest in 2006) Location: Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey Coaster elements: 456-foot tall top hat tower, with 90-degree ascent and descent 129-foot second hill designed to provide free-floating airtime. Ride time: 50.6 seconds Ticket Info Save money and time. Buy discounted tickets for Six Flags Great Adventure online, direct from Six Flags. Hotel Info Compare rates for hotels near Six Flags Great Adventure at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. More Kingda Ka Info Kingda Ka and other Six Flags Great Adventure Rides Photo Gallery Kingda Ka Onboard Video Kingda Ka History Channel Video Clip Kingda Ka Opening Photo Gallery How Kingda Ka Works Kingda Ka Malfunctions Kingda Ka Preview Photo Gallery "I'm going up and down...THAT?" The anticipation is unnerving. As riders board Kingda Ka's trains in its dual-loading platforms, and the trains stack up at one end of the horizontal launch track, the ominous 456-foot top hat tower looms at the other end. The tower can be seen virtually everywhere throughout the park, and it looks incredibly tall. But staring at it head on from the vantage point of a locked and loaded train, it looks beyond nuts. All I could think was, "I'm going up and down...THAT?" Every few minutes a train takes off, adding to the pre-ride jitters. It barrels down the launch track at a brain-scrambling 128 mph, and then goes straight up the tower. As it climbs 456 feet, it decelerates and appears to barely have enough oomph to make it over the top. (In rare instances Kingda Ka and other rocket coasters do, in fact, peter out and slide backwards down the tower. The rides are designed to handle the anomaly.) Kingda Ka then plummets straight down the other side and enters into a 270-degree vertical spiral. Racing back to the station, it climbs a relatively puny 129-foot hill for a spurt of airtime. No matter how many times I watched the trains cycle through the ride, nothing prepared me for the actual ride. Yeeeee-ahhhhhh! As with most launched coasters, the brakes release just before Kingda takes off and leave the train briefly free-floating in neutral. Then, yeeeee-ahhhhhh!, it's impelled with a staggering burst of energy down the track. Traveling 128 mph in an open vehicle is an unearthly sensation. After zooming up the tower, the few seconds of quasi-hesitation--are we gonna make it?--was unsettling. The view at the crest of the tower, if riders can peel their eyes open, is impressive. Up to that point, and we're talking maybe 10 seconds, Kingda Ka was wild. Anticlimactic Coming down the tower, however, there were some unexpected rough spots as the train shuddered a bit. The vertical spiral was disorienting and detracted from the ride's sheer height and speed. And the 129-foot airtime hill was anticlimactic and mostly lame. With that much pent-up energy, I thought there'd be an explosive burst of airtime. (For airtime nirvana, head over to Great Adventure's premier coasters, El Toro and Nitro.) Returning to the station, I was a bit shell-shocked from the launch and extreme height. But I was also a bit let down. After all that anticipation, the ride is over in a blink. I tip my top hat to Intamin, the ride's manufacturer, and Six Flags for having the audacity to build the record-breaking Kingda Ka. But, breaking records doesn't necessarily translate into a dazzling ride experience. Instead of the symphony of thrills--the crescendos, the releases, the peaks, the bridges--that a great roller coaster delivers, Kingda Ka was a sustained, single-note, heavy-metal roar.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Splash Universe Michigan

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Splash Universe Michigan Oct 26th 2011, 10:23 Splash Universe Indoor Water Park Phone: 877-752-7482 Location: Dundee, Michigan Indoor Water Park Square Footage: 25,000 Splash Universe Indoor Water Park Admission Policy: Registered hotel guests receive passes to the water park as part of their room fees. Day passes are available for the general public as well. A regional resident pays less for a day pass than someone from outside the area. Half-day and full-day passes are available. Guests of the adjacent Holiday Inn Express can also purchase packages to use the Splash Universe water park. Hotel Rates Compare rates for Holiday Inn Express at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Directions to the Splash Universe Indoor Water Park: From Detroit: I-94W toward Chicago, to exit 180A onto US-23S. Exit 17 for M-50 toward Dundee/Monroe. Turn right at M-50/Tecumseh St. Turn right at Cabela Blvd E. Turn right at Whitetail Dr. to RiverRun. From Ann Arbor: I-94E to Detroit. Exit 180 A-B for US-23 toward Toledo/Flint. Exit 17 for M-50 toward Dundee/Monroe. Follow directions above. From Toledo: I-75 N to Exit 204 on the left to merge onto I-475 W toward US-23/Sylvania/Ann Arbor. Exit 14 to merge onto US-23 N toward Sylvania/Ann Arbor. Exit 17 for M-50 toward Dundee/Monroe. Follow directions above. Indoor Water Park Features: Lazy river, tube slides, body slides, interactive play structure with dump bucket, activity pool, whirlpool spa. Official Web Site: Splash Universe RiverRun Indoor Water Park Splash Universe Indoor Water Park Overview: At 25,000 square feet, RiverRun is a comparatively small indoor water park. It is part of the Splash Universe chain. It lacks the marquee attractions of bigger indoor water parks such as an uphill water coaster, a surfing ride, a bowl ride, or even a family raft ride. It does, however, offer the basic water slides, a lazy river, and an interactive water play station. The 150-room hotel includes family suites and standard guest rooms. In addition to the indoor water park, the resort offers an arcade, restaurant, and a gift shop. It also features the Adventure Quest Kids Clubhouse which provides crafts, storytelling, and other activities for younger children.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Sesame Place

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Sesame Place Oct 26th 2011, 10:23 Where is Sesame Place?: Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street? Sure! It is located in Langhorne (near Philadelphia), Pennsylvania. The actual address is 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA 19047. Directions: From Philadelphia: I-95N to Morrisville Exit 46A. Rt. 1N to Oxford Valley Exit, right onto Oxford Valley Road. Right at the third traffic light. From New York City: NJ Turnpike S to Exit 7A. West on I-195, to 295N, turns into 95S Philadelphia, to exit 46A Langhorne. Rt. 1N to the Oxford Valley Road Exit, right onto Oxford Valley Road. Right at the third traffic light. Phone 215-752-7070 Hotel Info: Compare rates for Sesame Place-area hotels at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Admission Info and Operating Season: Admission to the park includes all rides, attractions, and shows. Children 23 months and younger are admitted free. Reduced rates are available for seniors and AAA members. Sesame Place offers a Twilight Admission for guests arriving in the afternoon. Season passes are available. The park is open May through October, plus select dates for the Christmas holiday season. Highlights: The park features a great assortment of Sesame Street-themed rides, shows, water rides, events, and attractions geared to younger children, including: Vapor Trail coaster Sesame Neighborhood- Replica of the famous street. Elmo's World themed land Sesame Streak water slides More Sesame Place Info: Sesame Place Photo Gallery The Count's Spooktacular- Each fall, Sesame Place presents a low-scare Halloween event. Sesame Place Holiday Party-Info about the park's Christmas-season event. New at Sesame Place: New for 2011: Neighborhood Street Party New parade with 11 floats will debut in 2011. Official Web Site: Sesame Place Overview: Themed to the landmark PBS children's show, Sesame Place is designed for a pre-teen audience with a special emphasis on the program's preschool audience. Granted, the park offers a coaster, spinning rides, and other attractions typically found at parks. But the relatively small Sesame Place foregoes the hyper-adrenalized atmosphere of a Six Flags in favor of a more low-key vibe. Reflecting the whimsy of the show and its Muppet stars, it features unique opportunities to visit mock-ups of the famous street and interact with the iconic, cuddly characters. And like the show, there are some "edutainment" attractions such as a fruit stand that encourages kids to pick out produce and ring up their sales. Don't forget your bathing suits. In addition to the dry rides, Sesame Place offers a good collection of water slides and other water park attractions, including Big Bird's Rambling River, the family raft ride Sky Splash, and a mini wave pool that's ideal for mini guests. The park also presents musical shows, a daily parade, and an ongoing schedule of special events such as fireworks and concerts. In October, Sesame Place presents a scare-free Halloween festival, and in November and December, it offers a Christmas event.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Disneyland Park

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Disneyland Park Oct 26th 2011, 10:23 Disney. Used with permission. This, park fans, is where it all began. Sure there were amusement parks before Walt Disney mortgaged the farm in the 1950s to develop his dream, but nothing compared to the grandeur, the scope, the sheer audacity of Disneyland. It uses a "hub and spoke" layout to connect the iconic Sleeping Beauty's Castle at its center with the themed lands: Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Mickey's Toontown, Adventureland, Fronteirland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country, and Main Street, USA. To walk the same streets that Walt himself walked and ride the attractions he helped design imbues Disneyland with a special, enchanting charm. It is the prototype theme park and it retains its magic even in these more jaded times. Disneyland Tickets Disneyland offers single-park tickets for one day or park-hopping tickets with access to both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure for one day up to six days. Park-hopper tickets must be used within 13 days of first use. Reduced price for children, ages 3 to 9. 2 and under are free. Discounted tickets may be available online Save money and time. Get Disneyland California tickets in advance of your visit, and check for online discounts. Get the lowdown on other deals, discounts, and ways to purchase passes in About.com's Disneyland tickets overview. Disneyland Highlights Yes, there are some spectacular attractions here. But the timeless lure of say, hopping aboard Dumbo -- essentially a pedestrian kiddie ride -- shows that nearly everything at Disneyland is a highlight. Winnowing the list down to the E-Ticket attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean The Haunted Mansion Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage it's a small world Indiana Jones Adventure Space Mountain Splash Mountain Fantasmic! Honey, I Shrunk the Audience Star Tours Believe: There's Magic in the Stars fireworks See Disneyland Disneyland Park Photo Gallery it's a small world Photo Gallery Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island Photo Gallery Disneyland History Photo Gallery Disneyland Dining The Top 10 Best Restaurants at Disneyland Disneyland Tips Grab a spot for Disneyland's parades at least 30 minutes before they start or you'll be stuck three rows behind mouse-eared guests. Check Disneyland's Fastpass attractions and learn how to make the most of the Fastpass program. Prime viewing spots for Fantasmic! (along the Rivers of America in Frontierland) are limited. Stake yours out at least 45 minutes before the show begins. Are you looking for hotel accommodations? Compare rates for Disney's Grand Californian Hotel at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. New for 2011 at Disneyland Let the Memories Begin The yearlong campaign will incorporate guests' images into a nightly show. Learn how to share your Disney memories in a big way. Star Tours II- The current Star Tours will close in October 2010, and spiffed-up attractions will reopen in 2011. The rides will get a complete makeover, including 3-D imagery and all-new footage. The new Star Tours ride is now open. Read my review of Star Tours - The Adventures Continue Video preview of Star Tours II Disney's HalloweenTime Info about the resort's Halloween events. Christmas and the Holidays at Disneyland Info about the resort's holiday events. Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirates Ride for Me Check out the seminal Pirates of the Caribbean E-Ticket attraction, including a review, some below-deck insights from Disney Imagineering legend Marty Sklar, a 16-photo gallery--even the lyrics to the rousing "Yo Ho" song. Drink up, me 'earties! The Best of Disneyland Top picks for rides at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure They're Dying to Meet You at the Haunted Mansion An overnight sensation (that was actually many years in the making), the classic Haunted Mansion ride has remained enormously popular; casual and ardent fans alike typically pair it with Pirates of the Caribbean as the archetypal Disney attractions. Here is my full review, plus links to behind-the-screams secrets revealed, Museum of the Weird facts about the ride, a Haunted Mansion Photo Gallery, a history of the attraction from Disney legend Marty Sklar--even the lyrics to "Grim Grinning Ghosts," the Haunted Mansion theme song. Jonesing for Disneyland's Indy Ride An E-Ticket tour de force, Indiana Jones Adventure immerses guests into the world of the popular movie series through the use of Disney's innovative Enhanced Motion Vehicles, highly elaborate sets, and a stunning array of effects. Rather than retell one of the Indiana Jones films, it creates a new story and casts riders in leading roles. It is one of Imagineering's crowning achievements. Nemo Subs for Mermaids in Disneyland's New/Old Submarine Voyage When the Submarine Voyage, a classic ride that was one of Disneyland's signature attractions, closed in 1998, it left a literal and figurative void at the park. It took an enormously popular lost clownfish for Disney to find the inspiration and budget to bring the subs back. With its new Finding Nemo overlay, the ride is perfectly positioned to appeal to today's Pixar-lated kids as well as their nostalgia-fueled parents. The combination of deft storytelling and Imagineering magic makes the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage an alluring, sea-worthy E-ticket attraction for Disneyland's next 50 years. Peeking into the Mouse Hole Discover how the Disney Imagineers develop the Disney theme parks and attractions.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Sea World Orlando

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Sea World Orlando Oct 26th 2011, 10:23 Sea World Orlando Phone: (800) 327-2424 or (407) 351-3600 Operating Schedule: The park is open year round and generally stays open longer during holidays and the peak summer season. Location: International Drive in Orlando, Florida Sea World Orlando Directions: The physical address is: 7007 SeaWorld Drive, Orlando, FL 32821 From Orlando: I-4 to Exit 72. From Tampa: I-4 to Exit 71. Sea World Orlando Admission Policy: SeaWorld Orlando requires separate admission from the adjacent Aquatica water park and from Discovery Cove, SeaWorld's dolphin experience park. Reduced price for children 3 to 9. Ages 2 and under are free. Season passes and special promotions available for Florida residents. Discount packages are available online at Sea World Orlando's Web site that combine Sea World Orlando passes with admission to one or more area parks: Aquatica, Busch Gardens Tampa, Discovery Cove, Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Wet 'n Wild. Hotel Info: The Renaissance Orlando Resort at Sea World is one of Central Florida's finest hotels. Its rooms are unusually large, its decor is striking, and it offers one of the best breakfast buffets in the area. Search for Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld rates at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Find Nearby Hotel Accommodations Compare rates for Orlando-area hotels at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Sea World Orlando Features: SeaWorld is both a marine life park, with compelling stadium shows and exhibits, and a ride park with wild coasters and other attractions. The marine life highlights include: The Shamu stadium show, "Believe," is SeaWorld's signature presentation. Combining choreographed stunts, music, video, and, of course, lots of splashes, the large-scale show matches the killer whale's size. Blue Horizons melds trained dolphins and birds with Cirque-du-Soleil-style theatrics. Shark Encounter sends guests through an acrylic tube into a giant shark tank to get up-close and personal with the fearsome animals. Penguin Encounter offers views of the Arctic creatures. As a bonus for guests who visit on a hot and humid Florida day, the exhibit is kept at a penguin-worthy 30 degrees. At Stingray Lagoon and Dolphin Cove, guests can view, pet, and feed the animals. The ride and attraction highlights include: Manta- A flying coaster. Journey to Atlantis- A themed water ride/roller coaster/dark ride. Wild Arctic- A ride/exhibit hybrid, the attraction "transports" guests to the Arctic with a nifty motion simulator ridefilm and then offers a chilly view of real polar bears and whales. Kraken- A wild floorless coaster. Families with younger children will want to head to Shamu's Happy Harbor for pint-sized rides. What's New at Sea World Orlando: New for 2011 One Ocean All three SeaWorld parks (in Orlando, San Antonio, and San Diego) will debut a new killer whale show this spring called "One Ocean." As with past presentations, there will be giant LED screens, original music, and special effects to help tell an overarching story--in this case, that we all share the planet and need to play a role in its ecological stewardship. New for 2009: Manta Flying Coaster Manta- Learn about the stingray-themed coaster. Manta Point-of-View Video More Sea World Orlando Info: SeaWorld Orlando Photo Gallery Halloween event info: SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular Other Sea World Orlando Parks: Aquatica Water Park at SeaWorld Orlando- Overview of the unique water park. Discovery Cove- Overview of the swank, exclusive swim-with-the-dolphins park. Discovery Cove Photo Gallery Official Web Site: SeaWorld Orlando Sea World Orlando Overview: When SeaWorld first opened, it was little more that a souped-up marine life park with exhibits that could be found at many municipal aquariums. Since the Busch folks took over however, the "Adventure Park" now features great rides along with the Shamu shenanigans. Many of the attractions combine coaster and other ride experiences with the fishy stuff. Sea World is a huge park with lots of shows, exhibits, rides, and things to do. If you've never been, you could easily spend two days exploring the park. (And Sea World often offers free second-day admission with a one-day ticket. Check with the park to see if it is available.) If you have limited time at Sea World, take a few moments to get a sense of the lay of the land, note the times of the shows, and plan a rough itinerary before you wander aimlessly into the park. During peak season, the park often presents nighttime Shamu shows and an evening show over its lagoon that includes fireworks. Check the schedule. The park offers lots of extra-fee opportunities, some of which allow guests to get closer to the animals. Check with Sea World for info, reservation details, and prices for activities such as behind-the-scenes tours, VIP tours, and animal interaction programs. There are plenty of dining choices, and like the other Busch parks, the food is mostly pretty good. Sea World's waiter-service restaurant, Sharks Underwater Grill, features dinner and a show provided by the sharks swimming in the tank along the see-through walls. Make reservations in advance or early in the day at the popular restaurant. Sea World also offers special dining experiences such as a nightly luau, a dine with Shamu experience (Oddly, the buffet includes "Seafood Creole." Ew! Don't tell Shamu.), and a character breakfast with the Sesame Street gang. Make reservations well in advance for these popular choices.

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Theme Parks: Santa Claus is Coming to Parks

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Santa Claus is Coming to Parks Oct 25th 2011, 16:04 You better watch out. You better not cry. Before you know it, Christmas will be busting out all over, and we'll be consumed with gift lists, office parties, and carols repeated ad nauseum. Heck, you won't even be able to avoid the holiday overload at theme parks and amusement parks. But, at least you'll be able to go to parks during the holiday season. It wasn't all that long ago that they packed away their coaster cars soon after Labor Day. Now, most parks remain open through the end of October with Halloween events. And more and more are toughing it out through the end of the year with Christmas events. Even parks in places where passengers' tongues could freeze onto coaster lap bars. Joining the holiday hoopla for the first time this year are Kennywood and Sesame Place, both in chilly Pennsylvania. To find out what these and other parks will be up to this Santa season, see my Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Parks: Guide to 2011 Holiday Events. Silver Dollar City's An Old Time Christmas Photo Gallery Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas Photo Gallery Connect with Arthur: Twitter | Facebook Photo: Silver Dollar City. Used with permission.

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