Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: PortAventura Shambhala

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PortAventura Shambhala Nov 5th 2011, 10:24 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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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Grizzly Falls Resort

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Grizzly Falls Resort Nov 5th 2011, 10:24 Grizzly Falls Resort Indoor Waterpark Status: It's not open yet! UPDATE: The property was originally scheduled to open in spring 2008. In August 2007, however, the deal to build the indoor water park resort appeared to have fallen apart. Rosemont's other entertainment features were still proceeding, however. Location: Rosemont, Illinois, near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Grizzly Falls Resort Indoor Waterpark Admission Policy: It is expected that the water park will be open to registered Grizzly Falls Resort hotel guests only. Indoor Water Park Square Footage: 100,000 Indoor Water Park Features: Nothing has been announced yet, but it's likely that there will be water slides, an interactive water play structure with dump bucket, an activity pool, lazy river, and other attractions typically found at indoor water parks. Official Web Site: Grizzly Falls Resort Indoor Waterpark Overview: When it opens, the Grizzly Falls Resort will feature Illinois' largest (and among the industry's largest) indoor water parks. It will also offer 400 hotel rooms, many of them family suites, a spa, restaurants, including a food court and buffet, and an arcade. Grizzly Falls Resort will be part of Rosemont Walk, an entertainment, shopping, and recreation complex that will include a 22-screen multiplex theater and restaurants.

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Theme Parks: Most Popular Articles: Things to Do at Disney World

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Things to Do at Disney World Nov 4th 2011, 11:34 As the Theme Parks Guide for About.com, you'd expect that I'd have Disney World tips to share. And you'd be right. If you're making a pilgrimage to Florida, I've got ten things to do at Disney World that I just wouldn't want you to miss. And I'm not just talking about the best rides (although rides and attractions figure heavily on the top-10 Disney countdown). Disney World is a massive vacation resort with many hotels, an astonishing number of restaurants, shopping and entertainment districts, and a wealth of other features to explore. There's so much to see and do, it would be easy to dole out way more than ten Disney World tips. Among the intriguing options that didn't make the list, for example, are the mesmerizing Cirque du Soleil show, "La Nouba," Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and the Battle for Buccaneer Gold attraction at the "virtual theme park," DisneyQuest (located in Downtown Disney). Here is what did make the list of Best Things to Do at Disney World: Dine Out at a Fancy Restaurant--at Least Once Many Disney World visitors chow down on the same nondescript fast food typically found at traditional amusement parks. And that's a shame. They are missing out on some extraordinary restaurants at the Florida resort and an opportunity to make their vacations more memorable. Try Some Great Casual Restaurants Of course, not every meal during your Disney World visit will be at a high-end table-service restaurant. You'd go broke and be too jumbo to enjoy Dumbo. But that doesn't mean that you'll have to subject yourself to a steady diet of burgers and fries. There are are some wonderful buffets and counter-service restaurants throughout the resort, and, lucky for you, I've compiled a rundown of the Top 10 Best Walt Disney World Casual Restaurants. Yo Ho with Pirates of the Caribbean 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 at Disneyland in 1967, Pirates remains one of Disney's--and all of parkdom's--most beloved attractions. Drop In on the Tower of Terror The Tower of Terror is a modern-day classic Disney theme park attraction. Combining a thrilling freefall ride, dazzling effects, and an inspired and fiendishly clever storyline based on the seminal "The Twilight Zone" television series, Disney Imagineers have created a ride that, like a select few E-ticket attractions, is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Head for the Mountains on Expedition Everest 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 must-ride. Glide Over to Soarin' 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'. Stay at One of the Disney Hotels Being a guest at a Disney World hotel will have you right in the middle of all the magic. When you leave the theme parks, you'll return to your own little themed Disney world: your room. Spring for Typhoon Lagoon Both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are among the most spectacular, thrilling, and downright fun water parks anywhere on the planet. Get Thrilled Known more for its charm, whimsy, and cuddly characters than for white-knuckle, thrill rides, Disney World nonetheless offers some exciting thrills. Here are the best and most thrilling. Seek Out the Best Rides and Shows Here's a rundown of the the rest of the must-do Disney World attractions.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Theme Park Pictures

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Theme Park Pictures Nov 4th 2011, 10:23 If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video has to be worth, what, maybe 20,000 words? My math may be getting kind of fuzzy, but with thousands of photos and dozens of videos taken at parks around the world, there has to be, um, zillions of words worth of armchair traveling contained in the following galleries. The wonderful world of theme parks come alive in these original videos produced by About.com. See About.com's Original Theme Park Videos ©Arthur Levine, 2007. Licensed to About.com They are the world's most popular and famous theme parks. And they are incredibly photogenic. See why. Take virtual tours of Disney theme parks and attractions. From its Hollywood roots, Universal has built a theme park empire. It ought to be in pictures--and it is. See Universal's movie-themed attractions and other park highlights. Known primarily for its thrill rides, Six Flags has some wild coasters and other attractions. Take virtual rides by visiting the galleries. See Six Flags coasters and other highlights from the parks. Ogle thrill machines and take virtual rides without breaking into a cold sweat. See some of the world's most amazing coasters. See water park fun in action. Take virtual tours of water parks. Take the plunge at water parks without getting wet. Take photo tours and see videos from theme parks and amusement parks. See parks throughout North America and around the world.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Best Haunted Attractions

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Best Haunted Attractions Nov 4th 2011, 10:23 Roller coasters get most of the glory, carousels get plenty of PR spin, and whirling rides get lots of...dizzy passengers and the occasional visit from a clean-up crew. But haunted attractions, also known as spooky rides or by the industry term, dark rides, have been, and continue to be, an integral part of the theme park and amusement park experience as well. Herewith, in no particular order, are the best haunted attractions at North American parks. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Arthur Levine, 2004. Licensed to About.com. Sure, the freefall drop tower part of the ride is thrilling, but the pre-show and effects leading up to the finale, particularly in the original version at Disney's Hollywood Studios, is downright chilling. The "fifth dimension," as the elevator cars move horizontally through a star field towards impending doom, is haunted attraction nirvana. Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World, FL Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland, CA Walt Disney Studios, Disneyland Paris Tokyo Disney Sea, Tokyo Disney Resort, Japan Read a review of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Revenge of the Mummy Universal Studios, 2004. Used with permission. Universal incorporates so many innovations into its utterly unique dark ride/coaster, it has coined a new label for Revenge of the Mummy: psychological thrill ride. With its inky darkness, creepy scarabs, and other freak-out inducers, the ride plays a winning mind-games hand. But Universal, never shy about its in-your-face fun, also unleashes physical thrills, including a surprisingly potent coaster experience, to produce a wild, kinetic, frenetic attraction. You'll be screaming for your mommy. Universal Studios Florida, Universal Orlando, FL Universal Studios Hollywood, CA How the CA and FL Mummy Rides Compare Read a review of Revenge of the Mummy. Haunted Mansion Arthur Levine, 2003. Licensed to About.com. Coming on the heels of the wildly successful and innovative Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion was part of an incredible burst of creative energy from Disney and one of its high watermark moments. An overnight sensation (that was actually many years in the making), the classic ride has remained enormously popular; casual and ardent fans alike typically pair it with Pirates as the archetypal Disney attractions. More funny than scary, Haunted Mansion nonetheless includes some classic and modern-day haunted attraction gotchas. Disneyland, CA Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, FL Disneyland Paris Tokyo Disneyland, Japan Haunted Mansion History Haunted Mansion Ride Secrets Haunted Mansion Video Haunted Mansion Facts Song Lyrics Read a review of Haunted Mansion. Spook-A-Rama Arthur Levine, 2004. Licensed to About.com. While it may not have the cachet of Nathan's hot dogs, the Cyclone roller coaster, or the Wonder Wheel, the Spook-A-Rama at New York's Coney Island is nevertheless a seminal piece of living amusement park history. One of the few remaining classic haunted attractions, enthusiasts consider the Spook to be the Sistine Chapel of dark rides. Read on mortals...IF YOU DARE! Coney Island, NY Coney Island Photo Gallery Read a review of Spook-A-Rama. Curse of DarKastle Arthur Levine 2005. Licensed to About.com. Think of a traditional amusement park dark ride. On steroids. Curse of DarKastle is a 20th-Century-style romp through a haunted, Gothic 15th-Century castle using 21st-Century technology. As with the dark rides of yore, there are spooky corridors, things that go bump in the faux night, and loads of scary "gimmicks" or gotchas. But Curse's gotchas use 3-D CGI animation, roving motion-base vehicles, and other new-age features. It's an incredible achievement, particularly for a seasonal park. Busch Gardens Williamsburg, VA Read a review of Curse of DarKastle. Pirates of the Caribbean Disney 2007. Used with permission. 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. This isn't strictly a haunted attraction, but those scary pirate skeletons and cries of "Dead men tell no tales," can get pretty spooky. Disneyland, CA Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, FL Disneyland Paris Tokyo Disneyland, Japan Going Below Deck with the Pirates Pirates of the Caribbean Photo Gallery Pirates of the Caribbean Theme Song Lyrics ("Yo Ho...") Read a review of Pirates of the Caribbean. Haunted Mansion Knoebels. No, not that Haunted Mansion. While the more famous Disney dark ride relies on a lot of big-budget Imagineering trickery, the Haunted Mansion at Knoebels is a retro dark ride that owes more to classic amusement parks of yore. Designed in-house and partly using sets and components from closed dark rides, the Knoebels attraction is generally regarded as one of the best modern-day examples of a traditional spooky ride. Knoebels, PA Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye Disney. Used with permission. 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 film's stories, it creates a new plot and casts riders in leading roles. It is one of Imagineering's crowning achievements. This isn't a "haunted" attraction per se, but Indiana Jones Adventure does incorporate all kinds of dark ride gotchas, such as snakes, "poisonous" darts, and--of course--a giant, forbidden eye. Disneyland, CA Read a review of Indiana Jones Adventure. Ghostwood Estate Kennywood. An interactive dark ride, Ghostwood Estate arms each passenger with a blaster to shoot at haunted characters and rack up points. While there are a number of similar shoot-em-up rides, Kennywood's attraction is among the best. Kennywood, PA Looking for More Haunted Attractions? Sadly, many of the classic amusement park dark rides have closed, but to find a directory of those that are still operating as well as a look back at the rides' glorious history, go to Laff In The Dark. Lovingly maintained by dark ride fans, it is a wonderful ode to the rides as well as a treasure trove of feature articles and info.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Great Wolf Lodge Ohio

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Great Wolf Lodge Ohio Nov 4th 2011, 10:23 Share Your Review: Have you been to Great Wolf Lodge Ohio or another indoor water park? Was it a memorable experience (either positive or negative)? Write a review of Great Wolf Lodge Mason Ohio and share it with the Theme Parks community. Special Note: The Great Wolf Lodge is adjacent to Kings Island and is the amusement park's "official resort," but the two properties have different owners and are run independent of one another. Location Mason, Ohio (near Cincinnati) Adjacent to King's Island Great Wolf Lodge Ohio Phone: 1-800-913-WOLF (9653) 1-513-459-8885 Indoor Water Park Square Footage 78,000 Great Wolf Lodge Ohio Tickets, Admission Policy, and Rate Info: Admission to the indoor water park is included with the hotel room rate and open to registered guests only. All rooms are suites and come in a variety of sizes, configurations, and prices. The resort is open year round. Expect to pay more during high-demand times such as school vacations. Great Wolf Lodge sometimes offers deals for mid-week bookings, particularly during off-peak times. Search for Great Wolf Lodge at Kings Island rates at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Packages are available from Great Wolf Lodge that include admission to Kings Island. Great Wolf Lodge Ohio Directions: From Cincinnati: I-71N to Western Row Rd, Exit 24. Left onto Kings Island Dr. From Dayton: I-75S to OH-63 Exit 29 to Monroe/Hamilton. Left at OH-63E. Right at OH-741, right at Kings Mill Rd., bear right at Kings Island Dr. Indoor Water Park Features: 11 water slides, uphill water coaster, bowl ride, family raft ride, wave pool, lazy river, interactive water play center with tipping bucket, two whirlpool spas Wondering what the heck an uphill water coaster and some of Great Wolf Lodge's other rides are? Read these reviews of similar attractions at other indoor water parks: Zip Coaster Uphill Water Coaster at the Kalahari Indoor Water Park Hurricane Hole Bowl Ride at Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Fantastic Voyage Family Raft Ride at Wilderness Indoor Water Park More Great Wolf Lodge Resorts Info: Great Wolf Lodge at Kings Island Photo Gallery Find other Great Wolf Lodge resorts in the Great Wolf Lodge Resort Guide. Affiliated Theme Park: Official Web Site: Great Wolf Lodge Ohio Overview: The Great Wolf Lodge at Kings Island boasts a large indoor water park with many slides and attractions. Among the highlights is Hydroplunge, an uphill water coaster. Unlike most uphill water coasters, which use water jets to propel the rafts uphill, the Great Wolf Lodge version uses magnetic induction to send riders zooming around its rafters. The park also offers a bowl ride, a family raft ride, and a decent-sized wave pool. Younger kids will enjoy Fort Mackenzie, a four-story interactive water play station with a dump bucket. In addition to the water park, the resort includes 400 all-suite guest rooms, a huge arcade with redemption games, and an Aveda Concept Spa. The Cub Club activity room offers crafts and other activities for kids ages 5 to 12. The Lodge issues nifty high-tech bracelets to all guests that serve as admission to the water park, electronic guest room keys, and on-site charge cards. Great Wolf Lodge also offers a MagiQuest interactive attraction. The extra-charge experience immerses players in a high-tech, multi-player fantasy environment that is somewhat like walking into a video game. Unlike standalone MagiQuest locations, the Great Wolf Lodge incorporates the video screens and other MagiQuest elements into the hallways and common areas of the resort. On-property dining choices include Camp Critter Restaurant and The Loose Moose Cottage. The latter is a buffet that is open for breakfast and dinner. The variety, quantity, quality, and value of the food make The Loose Moose Cottage a good choice. The Great Wolf Lodge features an impressive convention, meeting, and function facility. It can accommodate everything from small business meetings up to 660 guests in its ballroom. As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodations for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: CoCo Key Clock Tower Rockford

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CoCo Key Clock Tower Rockford Nov 4th 2011, 10:23 CoCo Key Clock Tower Rockford Phone: 1-800-358-7666 (815)-398-6000 Location: Rockford, Illinois At the Clock Tower Resort and Conference Center Indoor Water Park Square Footage: 60,000 CoCo Key Clock Tower Rockford Tickets and Admission Policy: The water park is open to registered hotel guests (and included in the hotel fees), but the resort offers day passes to the general public based on availability. Check with the Clock Tower Resort. Compare rates for CoCo Key Indoor Water Park at Clock Tower Resort at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Directions to the CoCo Key Clock Tower Rockford: The water park and resort is located off I-90 at the East State Street interchange in the northern Illinois town of Rockford. Indoor Water Park Features: Adventure river, body slides, raft slide, kiddie slides, indoor/outdoor whirlpool spa, activity pool, and interactive play structure with tipping bucket. See the Water Park: CoCo Key Water Indoor Water Parks Photo Gallery CoCo Key Indoor Water Park Preview Video: CoCo Key Water Resort Animated Video Official Web Site: CoCo Key Water Resort Clock Tower Rockford CoCo Key Clock Tower Rockford Overview: The Coco Key Water Resort is a medium-sized indoor waterpark themed to Key West. It features two body slides, the Barracuda Blast 2-person raft slide, an adventure river, and an indoor/outdoor spa. It also offers the Parrot's Perch interactive play center with small slides and a tipping bucket. Younger children will also find the "Dip-In Theatre," a shallow pool with a constant display of movies and cartoons. The resort offers nearly 250 guest rooms, as well as a day spa, an arcade with redemption games, conference facilities, party rooms, a fitness room, and a restaurant.

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