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New Florida Law to protect theme parks from Lawsuits

A new law has been passed that prevents Florida attractions from being sued by customers. The legislation (SB 2440) is designed to overturn a December 2008 state Supreme Court ruling that invalidated parental waivers, which have long been used by businesses around the state that… Read More »New Florida Law to protect theme parks from Lawsuits

Timelapse Video of Canned Food Sculpture Build

Yesterday Disney revealed a giant World Record Setting canned food sculpture – titled “Celebrate Volunteers” – and then promptly dismantled it and shipped it off to regional food banks. Disney VoluntEARS shaped the sculpture with a larger-than-life Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Pluto –… Read More »Timelapse Video of Canned Food Sculpture Build

New Theme Park Attractions Opening in 2010

IAPPA has updated their list of major attractions opening at theme parks around the world in 2010. It’s quite a banner year. If the list looks thin when it comes to Disney Parks, that’s because most of Disney’s new stuff will be opening between 2011 and 2013.

“Each year parks and attractions look for new and innovative ways to entertain guests and provide unique opportunities for friends and families to spend quality time together,” said Charlie Bray, president and CEO for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. “2010 is shaping up to be an exciting year as several multi-million dollar, record-breaking investments have already been announced.”

Here’s a preview of some of the new developments already announced throughout the world for 2010:
North America:

  • In spring 2010, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa Bay, Fla., will welcome families to an all-new, Sesame Street-themed playland featuring Elmo, Big Bird, and all their friends. “Sesame Street Safari of Fun” will feature rides, shows, and adventures that celebrate the spirit of Africa, including a new “Air Grover” family roller coaster. www.buschgardens.com
  • Canada’s largest themed waterpark, Calypso Waterpark, is scheduled to open in June 2010 in Limoges, Ontario. The park will span more than 100 acres and feature 35 waterslides and a 50,000-square-foot wave pool. www.calypsopark.com
  • Carowinds in Charlotte, N.C., will introduce a new roller coaster inspired by racing legend, Dale Earnhardt. The 232-foot-tall “Intimidator” will send riders plummeting down a 211-foot first drop, then race at 75 miles per hour through more than a mile of high-speed twists, turns, and seven more extreme drops. www.carowinds.com

  • Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, will open a new 2,100-foot-long water thrill ride, “Shoot the Rapids,” which simulates white-water rapids. The three-minute ride will take guests on 10-passenger boats through a ride complete with an 85-foot drop and meandering rivers along the Frontier Trail and Millennium Island. www.cedarpoint.com
  • A $1 million water slide is planned for Dollywood’s Splash Country Water Adventure Park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Modeled after one of Dolly Parton’s favorite childhood activities, the “Slick Rock Racer” will span 300 feet and feature four side-by-side lanes with riders belly down on mats sliding downhill head first. http://www.dollywoodssplashcountry.com/

  • Holiday World in Santa Claus, Ind., will open the second-largest ride addition in the park’s history in 2010. Touted as the world’s longest water coaster, “Wildebeest” is one-third of a mile long and will cover more than two acres. The new water coaster will feature four-person rafts in which guests will experience a 38-foot drop at a 45-degree angle and travel up and down seven additional hills, three tunnels, and around a helix. http://www.holidayworld.com/
  • Kennywood in West Mifflin, Pa., will introduce a new roller coaster for 2010. The new launch coaster “Sky Rocket” will take riders from zero to 50 miles per hour in less than three seconds. The ride will feature a 95-foot vertical climb, a 90-degree plummet, three inversions, and a corkscrew. www.kennywood.com
  • Kings Dominion in Doswell, Va., will also introduce a Dale Earnhardt-themed coaster, the “Intimidator 305.” This 305-foot-tall gravity-driven roller coaster takes riders along 5,100 feet of steel track at 92 miles per hour. www.intimidator305.com

  • “Flying Turns” will open for the 2010 season at Knoebels Amusement Park in Elysburg, Pa. The thrill ride features a train that rides in a trough guided by the curved walls surrounding it. The cars are allowed to freewheel with the centripetal force creating the effect of a bobsled ride. www.knoebels.com

  • La Ronde in Montreal, Quebec, will introduce a suspended roller coaster. The ride features five inversions, more than 2,200 feet of track, and two 20-passenger trains. www.laronde.com
  • LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., will open the world’s first LEGOLAND Waterpark this June. The park will include a lazy river, several water slides, a splash tower, spray LEGO models, and two beach areas. www.legolandwaterpark.com
  • Nashville Shores in Nashville, Tenn., will expand this year with new attractions including a 25,000-square-foot wave pool and a 1,000-foot-long lazy river. www.nashvilleshores.com

  • Noah’s Ark Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., will open a 10-story-high looping tube waterslide, “Scorpion’s Tail.” Riders of America’s first looping water slide will zip through the 45-degree-angle loop-de-loop at speeds up to 40 mph. www.noahsarkwaterpark.com
  • Quassy Amusement Park will open “Free Fall ‘N,” a family-friendly drop-tower ride. With a circular seating arrangement, the ride will lift 12 riders to the top of the tower before releasing the ring of seats for a series of thrilling drops. www.quassy.com
  • Seabreeze Amusement Park in Rochester, N.Y., will open “Revolution 360°.” Guests will face outward aboard a giant disk which rotates 360 degrees in both directions five stories high. www.seabreeze.com
  • Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., kicks off its year long 50th Anniversary celebration with the opening of “Tom & Huck’s RiverBlast.” Raft riders and spectators, armed with water soakers, battle each other raft-to-raft and raft-to-shore. http://www.bransonsilverdollarcity.com
  • Opening Memorial Day at Six Flags Great America near Chicago, Ill., is the new “Glow in the Park Parade,” featuring state-of-the-art floats, intricate light design, and Cirque-style music. The “Glow in the Park” nighttime parade will start in Hometown Square and will take approximately 30 minutes to wind through four themed sections, including Carousel Plaza, Orleans Place, and Mardi Gras. www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica
  • Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Jackson, N.J., will open “Tornado,” a seven-story water ride that will send passengers plummeting down a tunnel into a 60-footwide funnel.  www.sixflags.com/HurricaneHarborNJ

  • Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s best-selling novels, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter a multimillion-dollar project at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Fla., will provide visitors with an immersive experience. Opening in spring 2010, the new world within the park will transcend generations and bring the wonder and magic of the amazingly detailed Harry Potter books and films to life. www.universalorlandoresort.com/harrypotter

Europe:

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Photo of Finished Hogwarts Castle Exterior

Universal Orlando has sent along a photo showing the finished exterior of Hogwarts Castle in the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter land set to open this spring. Although still very much a work in progress, the magnificence of Hogwarts castle is beginning to take… Read More »Photo of Finished Hogwarts Castle Exterior

Merlin buys Cypress Gardens. Can Legoland be far behind?

Merlin Entertainment Group, a division of Blackstone Group (owner of SeaWorld and co-owner of Universal Orlando), was just uncovered by Screamscape as the purchases of Cypress Gardens. Merlin Entertainment owns the Legoland theme park brand and it has been rumored to be considering the Winter Haven historical park for some time, even before it closed last year.

I really hope that this works out. The park’s location has a lot of problems. But Legoland has made stand alone theme parks work before and Cypress Gardens does have a lot going for it that makes it a good prospect for a Legoland.

Read more about the deal at the Orlando Sentinel and the Motley Fool.

Below the jump I’ve placed a few ideas on what sort of change I think the property needs to work going forward, no matter what is built there.

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Disney World reports on Monorail Safety Enhancements

Today Walt Disney World received the OSHA report listing its findings following its investigation of the Monorail accident last summer that resulted in the death of a cast member. The Resort was also fined $44,000 and provided a list of changes it needs to implement.… Read More »Disney World reports on Monorail Safety Enhancements