Theme Parks: Disney Parks Take a Leap into 2012

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Disney Parks Take a Leap into 2012 Jan 1st 2012, 17:49 Did you see Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve last night? If you did, it was hard to miss the big announcement about the One More Disney Day event planned for Disney's US parks in 2012. (The Rockin' show is broadcast on ABC, which is owned by Disney.) To celebrate leap year, both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Disney World will remain open round the clock on leap day, February 29. The Mouse is also presenting a sweepstakes that kicks off today and is offering a buy-three-nights, get-one-free deal for packages that includes on-property hotel and park tickets. Read more about One More Disney Day. Top Magic Kingdom Thrill Rides Best Walt Disney World Rides Connect with Arthur: Twitter | Facebook Photo: � Arthur Levine, 2003. Licensed to About.com.

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

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Country Springs Hotel Jan 1st 2012, 11:08 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: Dollywood

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Dollywood Jan 1st 2012, 11:08 Overview: As you might expect for a park themed to the country music icon, Dollywood offers plenty of live music and lavish stage shows. As you might not expect, it also offers some great thrill rides and attractions, including the highly themed roller coaster, Mystery Mine, the unique wing coaster, Wild Eagle, the highly regarded Thunderhead wooden roller coaster, and the specially produced Heartsong, a 4D film about Dolly Parton and the Smoky Mountains. While she's the inspiration, the park that bears her name doesn't focus exclusively on Dolly. The Smoky Mountains and its people also take center stage. Blacksmiths, glass blowers, and other craftspeople demonstrate the area's traditions. And the region's southern delicacies, including flat bread sandwiches, fried chicken, and freshly prepared pork rinds elevate Dollywood's food a notch above typical theme park fare. Dollywood has a well-deserved reputation for its overall guest experience and is frequently cited for its friendly park staff. Dollywood features a lot of festivals and special events, including country music concerts, a Festival of Nations, KidsFest, and a National Gospel & Harvest Celebration. Although it is a seasonal park, Dollywood has one of the longest seasons. It generally opens in late March and remains open through the end of December with its Smoky Mountain Christmas holiday celebration. Location and Phone: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 865-428-9488 Hotel Info Compare rates for Dollywood-area hotels at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Admission Info: Passes to the theme park include admission to the ride park only, not Dollywood's Splash Country water park. Combo day passes that include the water park are available. Dollywood offers discounted tickets for seniors (60 and older) and children (4-11). Children under 3 admitted free. Season pass tickets are available online and at the park. Water Park: Dollywood includes a separate admission water park: Dollywood's Splash Country Park Highlights: The park features a great assortment of coasters and attractions, including: Mystery Mine themed roller coaster. Thunderhead wooden coaster Tennessee Tornado steel coaster Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure Tour motion simulator ride Timber Tower swinging tower ride Blazing Fury water coaster Dollywood also offers a lot of musical performances, shows, and Smoky Mountains exhibits, including: Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame Smoky Mountain Home- Replica of Dolly Parton's childhood house. Heartsong- 4D film about Dolly Parton Directions: I-40, to Exit 407 toward Gatlinburg / Sevierville / Pigeon Forge. TN Hwy. 66S which becomes US 441. Left at eigth traffic light in Pigeon Forge. Follow signs to Dollywood. Nearby airport: McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville. Other Dollywood Info: Dollywood Photo Gallery Dollywood's Splash Country at Dollywood water park overview Mystery Mine themed roller coaster preview Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival New at the Park: New for 2012: Wild Eagle Riders aboard the wing coaster will sit on seats mounted to the left and right sides of the track where they will experience a series of elements from a unique and especially unencumbered perspective. New for 2011: Barnstormer Using compressed air, the 60-second thrill ride will send passengers soaring 81 feet into the air at speeds up to 45 mph on two pendulum arms. The arms will rotate up to 230 degrees. Themed to daredevil stunt pilots from the 1920s, the ride will appear to cut a swath through an old red barn. The new attraction will also include play areas for younger children. Official Web Site:

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: Grand Rios

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Grand Rios Jan 1st 2012, 11:08 SPECIAL NOTE: It appears that the Grand Rios Hotel and Water Park has gone into receivership and closed in June 2011. According to receivership trustees, the property remains closed and will remain so indefinitely. Phone: (763) 566-8855 (866) 472-6374 Grand Rios Location: Brooklyn Park (North Minneapolis), Minnesota. The actual address is 6900 Lakeland Avenue in North Minneapolis. Grand Rios Tickets and Admission Policy: Open to registered guests of the Grand Rios Ramada hotel. Grand Rios also makes tickets available to the general public. Compare Prices for Grand Rios Compare rates at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Grand Rios Directions: The actual address is 6900 Lakeland Avenue in North Minneapolis. From the South: 35W North to I-94/694 W. Take Exit 31, County Rd. 81 and proceed north to Grand Rios. From the North/West: I-94 E to I-694 E to Exit 31, County Rd. 81 and proceed north to Grand Rios. From the North/East: 35W S to 694 W. to Exit 31, County Rd. 81 and proceed north to Grand Rios. From the Airport: Highway 5 E to Highway 55 W to Highway 62 W to 35W North to 94/694 W to Exit 31, County Rd. 81 and proceed north to Grand Rios. Indoor Water Park Square Footage: 45,000 square feet Indoor Water Park Features: Lazy river, "toilet bowl" slide, interactive children's water play structure, whirlpool spas, and water slides. Grand Rios Pictures: See some action photos of the Grand Rios Indoor Water Park. Official Web Site: Grand Rios Overview: Grand Rios features a good-sized indoor water park with tropical Caribbean themeing. Other amenities include an arcade with redemption center, workout facility, and a separate indoor pool and whirlpool. The Grand Rios Ramada hotel offers 224 guest rooms, including family suites and executive suites. On-site restaurants include the family-oriented Coconut Charley's Grill and the more upscale Beach House Bar & Grille. The resort can also host functions and meetings.

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Theme Parks: What's Hot Now: King's Pointe Waterpark

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King's Pointe Waterpark Jan 1st 2012, 11:08 King's Pointe Waterpark Resort Phone: 712-213-4500 Location: Storm Lake, Iowa King's Pointe Waterpark Resort Admission Policy: The indoor and outdoor (weather permitting) water parks are open to registered hotel guests (admission is included with room rates) and the general public (for a fee). Hotel Rates: Compare rates for King's Pointe Waterpark Resort at About.com's booking partner, Kayak. Indoor Water Park Square Footage: 17,000 King's Pointe Waterpark Resort Directions: From Des Moines (app. 155 miles): I-35 N to Exit 111B, US-30 W toward Iowa State Univ. Take US-71/Lincoln St. for 53 miles to Storm Lake. Resort is on US-71, E. Lakeshore Dr. From Omaha (app. 125 miles): I-29 N toward Sioux City. At Exit 75, take US-30 E toward Missouri Valley. US-30 E becomes US-59 N / IA-141 W. Turn onto IA-39. Turn onto IA-175. Left onto US-71 for 22 miles to Storm Lake. Resort is on US-71, E. Lakeshore Dr. Indoor Water Park Features: Interactive raft ride with water screen imagery, body slides, interactive water play elements, activity pool, water channel, and lily pad walk. Outdoor Water Park Features: Interactive raft ride with water screen imagery, pool, lazy river, body slides, tube slides, speed slides, bowl ride, activity area for young children, and lily pad walk. Other Water Park Info: Want to learn more about one of the signature rides at King's Pointe? Read this review of a similar attraction at another water park: The Cyclone Bowl Ride at Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park King's Pointe Waterpark Resort Overview: The indoor water park at King's Pointe is quite small compared to most indoor water parks, but it does offer some nice features. The centerpiece is the Electric Eel, an enclosed "interactive" raft ride. Guests choose a theme before riding, and imagery is projected onto water screens inside the tube along with accompanying sounds. The park also offers two water slides, Intrepid Cyclone and Runaway Rebel. During the warmer months, the outdoor water attractions open, including a lazy river, speed slides, the Twisted Tornado bowl ride, and another interactive slide, Discovery Plunge. King's Pointe offers family suites as well as standard rooms along with supervised children's activities, a restaurant, an arcade, a fitness room, and meeting and function facilities.

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Baby's First Year: What's Hot Now: Throw a First Birthday Cupcake Theme Party

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Throw a First Birthday Cupcake Theme Party Jan 1st 2012, 11:01 Throwing a first birthday cupcake theme party is a wonderful way to celebrate this special milestone in your child's life. Since cupcakes are appealing to people of all ages, you can be assured that adult guests will have just as much fun as your little partygoers. Party Invitations for a Cupcake First Birthday Cupcake themed birthday party invitations are available from larger party supply stores as well as online specialty shops like Etsy. If you'd like to make your own party invitations, Scrapbooks Etc. has a free pattern for a cupcake paper piecing that would be adorable as a decoration for the front of your card. Add a cute saying such as "Lil' Cupcake" or "My Little Cupcake" if desired. First Birthday Cupcake Ideas for Party Decorations Decorate for your cupcake party with balloons and streamers that match your chosen color scheme and create a giant cupcake flower arrangement to use as your table centerpiece. If you're going to have the guests decorate cupcakes as a party activity, add a few aprons, chef's hats, and decorating tools to help set the mood. First Birthday Party Activities For a first birthday, it's best to keep the entertainment simple in order to avoid cranky and over stimulated guests. However, you will still want to have a few fun activities to make the occasion seem special. If letting the children decorate real cupcakes sounds too messy, Melissa and Doug makes a wooden cupcake decorating toy that would be fun for little ones to play with. If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff would be a good story to read to children at a first birthday cupcake theme party. Make the story more exciting for your young guests by rounding up a cat puppet and a cupcake toy so you can act out the plot. A cupcake piñata would be a fun addition to a birthday party that includes children of all ages. You can either make a piñata or purchase a cupcake piñata from a party supply store such as Party City. First Birthday Cupcake Cake Ideas Obviously, a tower of cupcakes is the natural choice for a first birthday cupcake theme party. However, if you'd prefer to have one large cake, Wilton makes a giant cupcake pan that you can use to keep to your first birthday theme. Another possible idea would be to have a giant cupcake surrounded by a circle of small cupcakes. This would also be a good compromise if some of your guests require accommodations such as gluten-free cupcakes. If you're looking for something beyond a traditional white cupcake, About Busy Cooks and About Southern Food both have extensive collections of recipes for unusual cupcakes. Party Favors Party favors aren't necessary for a first birthday, but it can be fun to send guests home with a small token of your appreciation. Handmade rainbow crayon cupcakes accompanied by a cupcake coloring sheet would be cute and in keeping with your first birthday party theme. Other First Birthday Party Ideas The Very Hungry Caterpillar Party Crayon Birthday Party Halloween Birthday Party Mother Goose Birthday Party

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Theme Parks: Most Popular Articles: N. American Indoor Water Parks

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N. American Indoor Water Parks Dec 31st 2011, 12:25 If you are planning a visit to an indoor water park or a hotel with a water park, you've come to the right place. The listings that follow provide the most comprehensive guide to parks in the US and Canada on the Web. They are regularly updated. Note that very small parks and most municipal parks are not included. First, a Little Background It used to be that if folks in North America who lived pretty much anywhere outside of Florida wanted to ride down a water slide during February, they had a couple of options: Wait until June, or book a flight to Florida (or some warm-weather location outside the continent). That's no longer true. Indoor water parks now offer a low-cost alternative to expensive tropical vacations in the winter. And because they are weatherproof, they provide a surefire way to have water park fun any time of the year. The concept began in earnest in 1994 when a Wisconsin Dells hotelier thought that if he erected an outdoor water park attraction in his indoor pool, he might be able to get a little more business in the early spring and late fall. When hordes of guests showed up -- and kept showing up straight through the winter -- he knew that he was onto something. (Read more about the history of Wisconsin Dells water parks.) The idea caught on and exploded in the Dells and around Wisconsin, expanded into the Midwest, and eventually spread throughout the US (even to Alaska!) and into Canada. Before we Get to the Listings... Here are some articles and info that may help you as you plan your vacation or visit to an indoor water park: The Top 10 Indoor Water Park Resorts A Lotta Water: Who Has the Biggest Indoor Water Park? Great Wolf Lodge CoCo Key Water Resorts US Indoor Water Parks Parks and resorts are arranged alphabetically by US state. Although there are some standalone indoor water parks, most are connected to hotels, and some restrict admission to the park for hotel guests only. Click on a park below to find out about its policy and to get more info. Indoor water parks in Canada follow at the end. ALASKA H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark Anchorage, Alaska Alaska's only indoor water park is open year-round -- even when it's 30 degrees below zero outside. CALIFORNIA Great Wolf Lodge California Garden Grove Part of the Great Wolf Lodge chain. COLORADO APEX Center Arvada Small park. CONNECTICUT CoCo Key Water Resort Waterbury Waterbury, Connecticut (west of Hartford) Medium-szied park open to hotel guests and to the general public. FLORIDA CoCo Key Orlando Water Resort Orlando, Florida Note that unlike the other CoCo Key Resorts, the Orlando property has an outdoor, but no indoor water park. GEORGIA Grand Empire Resort Indoor Water Park Lithonia in DeKalb County (near Atlanta), Georgia Don't get too excited. The grand plans for this indoor water park and theme park didn't materialize, and it was never built. But you can see what its developers had planned. IDAHO Silver Rapids Water Park at Silver Mountain Resort Kellogg, Idaho Medium-sized indoor water park at the Silver Mountain Ski Resort. Raptor Reef Waterpark at the Holiday Inn Express Hayden, Idaho Small indoor park. ILLINOIS Illinois indoor water parks have their own page. INDIANA Big Splash Adventure at Valley of the Springs Resort French Lick, Indiana Medium-sized indoor water park. Caribbean Cove Indianapolis, Indiana Medium-sized indoor water park resort. Splash Universe WanaWaves Shipshewana (near South Bend), Indiana Comparatively small indoor water park IOWA 'Boji Splash at Bridges Bay Resort Arnolds Park, Iowa Indoor water park open to registered hotel guests. Grand Harbor Resort Dubuque, Iowa Indoor water park open to registered hotel guests. Huck's Harbor at PZAZZ! Resort Hotel Burlington, Iowa Indoor water park open to registered hotel guests and general public. King's Pointe Waterpark Resort Storm Lake, Iowa Indoor and outdoor water parks open to registered hotel guests and general public. Wasserbahn Waterpark Resort Amana, Iowa Indoor water park for hotel guests with waterslides, interactive children's play area, spa, and sauna. KANSAS Great Wolf Lodge Kansas Kansas City, Kansas Open to registered hotel guests only. Kansas Splashdown Hutchinson, Kansas (in the Grand Prairie Hotel) Open to hotel guests and to the general public. Schlitterbahn Vacation Village Kansas City, Kansas Outdoor and indoor water park resort MASSACHUSETTS Cape Codder Resort Hyannis, Massachusetts Small, indoor wave pool, 2 slides, whirlpool, kids' play area. CoCo Key Water Resort Danvers Danvers, Massachusetts Medium-sized indoor water park resort. CoCo Key Water Resort Fitchburg Fitchburg, Massachusetts Medium-sized indoor water park resort open to hotel guests and to the general public. MICHIGAN Michigan indoor water parks are listed on their own page. MINNESOTA There are quite a few indoor water parks in Minnesota, which are listed on their own page. MISSOURI Castle Rock Resort Branson, Missouri Indoor waterpark resort CoCo Key Water Resort at the Clarion Hotel Kansas City Sports Complex Kansas City, Missouri Splash Country at Grand Country Resort Branson, Missouri Indoor and outdoor water park open to Grand Country hotel guests and the general public. MONTANA The Reef at Big Horn Resort and Billings Wingate by Wyndham Billings, Montana Indoor waterpark resort open to the general public and hotel guests. NEBRASKA CoCo Key Water Resort at the Holiday Inn Omaha Central Omaha, Nebraska Indoor waterpark resort, part of the chain of CoCo Key indoor waterparks. Great Adventures Water Resort Bellevue, Nebraska Indoor waterpark resort NEVADA Las Vegas Wet Indoor Water Park Resort Las Vegas, Nevada Indoor waterpark resort and casino NEW HAMPSHIRE Manchester Marriott at the Pines Merrimack, New Hampshire, near Manchester Indoor waterpark resort Kahuna Laguna at Red Jacket Mountain View Resort North Conway, New Hampshire Small indoor waterpark for registered hotel guests. NEW JERSEY CoCo Key Water Resort at the Mt. Laurel Marriott Mt. Laurel, New Jersey Part of the chain of CoCo Key indoor waterparks. Sahara Sam's Oasis West Berlin, New Jersey Indoor water park NEW MEXICO Radisson Water Park Albuquerque Albuquerque, New Mexico Indoor water park at the Radisson Albuquerque hotel. NEW YORK Aquazonia Indoor Waterworld at Glacier Lakes Resort Farmington, NY The Cascades, part of Hope Lake Lodge Resort at Greek Peak Cortland, NY Maya Resort Syracuse, NY Six Flags Great Escape Lodge Lake George, NY 888-708-2684 Affiliated Theme Park: The Great Escape NORTH CAROLINA Ray's Splash Planet Charlotte, North Carolina Small, municipal indoor water park with waterslides, lazy river, and children's play area. Great Wolf Lodge Concord Concord, North Carolina Indoor waterpark resort. Part of the chain of Great Wolf Lodge indoor waterparks. NORTH DAKOTA Splashdown at Sleep Inn & Suites Minot, North Dakota Indoor waterpark open to registered hotel guests and to the general public. Splashers of the South Seas at Canad Inn Grand Forks, North Dakota Indoor water park open to registered hotel guests and to the general public. OHIO Ohio indoor water parks have their own page. OREGON Lively Park Springfield, Oregon 541-736-4244 Small municipal facility with indoor wave pool, water slide, water umbrella, family play area, adult spa, lap pool, and kiddie pool. PENNSYLVANIA Pennsylvania indoor water parks have their own page. SOUTH DAKOTA Evans Plunge Hot Springs, South Dakota 605-745-5165 Indoor and outdoor park. Features geothermal pools. Attractions include speed slide, body slide, kiddie slide, hot tubs, and kiddie pool. WaTiki Rapid City, South Dakota TENNESSEE The Resort at Governor's Crossing Sevierville, TN Small indoor water park. The Water Resort at Pigeon Forge Pigeon Forge, TN Medium-sized indoor water park. Wild Bear Falls at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort Gatlinburg, TN Mid-sized indoor park open to resort guests only. Wilderness at the Smokies Sevierville, TN Mid-sized indoor water park resort. TEXAS Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine, Texas Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Galveston Island, Texas Waterpark at The Villages Flint, Texas VIRGINIA Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg Williamsburg, Virginia Kalahari Virginia Fredericksburg, Virginia Massanutten Resort Massanutten, Virginia VERMONT Jay Peak Water Park Jay, Vermont WASHINGTON Great Wolf Lodge On the Chehalis Reservation in Grand Mound, Washington WEST VIRGINIA Volcano Island Resort Fairmont, West Virginia WISCONSIN There are so many indoor waterparks in Wisconsin Dells and throughout the state, Wisconsin has its own directory: Wisconsin Indoor Waterparks Indoor Water Parks in Canada Fallsview Indoor Waterpark Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Waves Indoor Water Park Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada At the Americana Conference Resort & Spa. World Waterpark in the West Edmonton Mall Edmonton, Alberta, Canada North America's largest indoor water park

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