Manager charged with murder in Pigeon Forge ride death
"A Sevier County [TN] grand jury has indicted a Pigeon Forge amusement park manager on murder charges in the death of a woman who fell from a ride. Charles Stan Martin, 56, is charged with second degree murder and reckless homicide in the death of 51-year-old June Carol Alexander, of Nashville, on March 14th. Alexander fell from the Hawk, a ride at the Rockin' Raceway in Pigeon Forge. Authorities say the ride was in motion when the safety strap came undone." From WATE.

Fastest Roller Coaster on Earth and New Jungle Domain With Tiger Exhibit
"Six Flags Great Adventure will be launching the tallest and fastest roller coaster on earth ... Kingda Ka is the cornerstone of a new 11-acre jungle themed paradise called the golden kingdom, which will also feature an elaborate children's area, exotic animals, and a massive tiger exhibit. Kingda Ka will rocket riders from 0 to 128 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds before catapulting them 45 stories into the air. Kingda Ka and the entire golden kingdom are slated for a spring, 2005 opening." From PR Newswire.

'Bonanza' ranch rides into pop culture sunset
"INCLINE VILLAGE, Nevada (Reuters) - A great symbol of the rugged old West, or at least as it was portrayed by Hollywood, is riding off into the sunset. The Ponderosa Ranch, an American West theme park where the television show 'Bonanza' was filmed, closed on Sunday after its sale to a financier whose plans for the property are unclear. The show, which ran on NBC from 1959 to 1973, was the top-rated U.S. program in the mid-1960s." From Reuters.

Disney World reopens after latest storm; industry nervous
"Walt Disney World reopened on Monday after the fourth hurricane in six weeks to sweep Florida closed the resort for a day and sparked wider fears that tourists might start avoiding the state. The Walt Disney Co. resort sent guests to their rooms on Sunday, but cleanup crews worked overnight to put the Orlando-based park in shape for guests on Monday morning." From CNN Money.

Bonfante balance sheet: Gilroy [CA] theme park is saddled with financial trouble
"For the first time since Bonfante Gardens opened, the horticulturally themed park made a net profit in its 2003 operating season. But public financial records are testament to the park's dire financial straits during its first three years of operation. Responding to requests from The Dispatch, the Bonfante Gardens' board of directors Friday afternoon released figures that showed the park earned $119,000 in net profit in its 2003 operating season. In an odd twist, the park earned $1.17 million less in admission sales between its 2002 and 2003 operating seasons, the document shows, but $1.12 million more in concessions and other in-park sales." From The Hollister Freelance.

Frontier Town on tax-sale auction block
"Frontier Town, a defunct Old West theme park in the Adirondacks, will be sold at auction Oct. 21. The property was seized Aug. 6 by Essex County after the park's owner ran up a delinquent property-tax bill of $318,000." From The Times Union.

Bell's Amusement Park's Newest Ride
"There's a new thrill ride in Tulsa [OK], guaranteed to give you a lift. Bell's Amusement Park began construction on the Mind Melt Tuesday. The ride ascends slowly, carrying 12 people to the top of a 141-foot tower. Then, instead of dropping to the ground, the car is forced to the ground. It goes from 0 to 60 miles an hour in 1.1-seconds. " From KOTV.

Fall means fun times at Disney World
"The ninth annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival takes place Oct. 1 to Nov. 14 at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring products from 100 wineries, guest chefs, wine schools and seminars, beer tastings and dinners. For little ones too timid to embrace the creepy side of Halloween, check out the Magic Kingdom's 'Not-So-Scary Halloween Party,' held evenings at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1, 3, 8, 12, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29 and 31. The events include a parade, fireworks and trick-or-treating." From The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Japanese owners announce major expansion of Tokyo Disney parks
"Plans for a $1.28 billion expansion of the two Disney theme parks in Tokyo were revealed today. The Oriental Land Co., which owns and operates Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea parks, pays royalties to the Walt Disney Co. for the use of its name and other services. According to Bloomberg News, plans to improve the two parks and add attractions will be spread out over the next four years. The company says it is also considering spending another $800 million over the next three years for hotels and theaters in the resort complex, located in the Chiba prefecture south of Tokyo. " From The Orlando Business Journal.

Six Flags Builds Colossal New Water Park Next to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL Opening Spring 2005
"Say 'bon voyage' to the outside world! Six Flags officials have announced plans to build a massive new water park on a site next to Six Flags Great America, in Gurnee, IL. Carrying the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor brand name, details of this 13-acre, outdoor water park include a lavish Caribbean theme with more than 25 major water slides, the world's largest interactive waterplay structure and a 500,000-gallon wave pool." PR Newswire release on Yahoo!

Wild roller coaster will be Dorney's newest ride
"It's floorless. It travels 53 mph with a 105-foot drop. And it will be the first roller coaster in the world to twist riders upside down right outside the station. It's named Hydra The Revenge. On Tuesday, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom released details about the coaster that will open in the spring. It will be the first major new ride at Dorney since 2001 and will give the South Whitehall Township amusement park three high-profile coasters. The $13 million steel Hydra will be the 11th floorless coaster made by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland." From The Morning Call.

Alaska Airlines Offers Kids Fly Free to Orlando
"Alaska Airlines is offering its popular Kids Fly Free promotion to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida for travel now through December 15, 2004. The offer is valid for children ages two to eleven accompanied by an adult with the purchase of an Alaska Airlines Vacations package by September 30, 2004." PR Newswire story via Yahoo!

Theme park says 'bye' after 19 years
"Dongfang Amusement Park, which once set a record by attracting more than 100,000 visitors a day, closed on Tuesday, reports the Guangzhou Daily. One of the oldest theme parks in Guangdong Province, it had been failing to attract visitors since the late 1990s. " From China Daily.

Theme park plans a 40,000-sq.-ft. surprise
"A sign on a fence at Busch Gardens Williamsburg [VA] mysteriously reads: "The other side is closer than you think. Coming Spring 2005." It's a teaser. A hint about what the next attraction coming to Busch Gardens could be. Officials at the Anheuser-Busch theme park are saying little, not even when construction will begin. They confirm, though, that it's definitely a thrill ride, one that will be "pushing the envelope of theme park technology," they say. From The Daily Press.

Eisner to leave Disney in two years, ending 20-year reign
"Michael Eisner plans to retire as Disney CEO in two years, the company said Friday. The departure of Eisner -- who sent a letter to the company's board Thursday saying he'll retire when his contract expires on Sept. 30, 2006 -- immediately set off a furious round of speculation about who might succeed him. The embattled Eisner, 62, told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published last weekend that Disney President Robert Iger was his 'preferred choice.'" From CNN/Money.

Hurricane Frances Hits Theme Park City Newslog
Sorry about the recent lack of updates on the NewsLog, folks. Hurricane Frances knocked out the power here at the Theme Park City office in Central Florida back on Sunday, and we're still eagerly awaiting it being restored. Until Progress Energy makes some progress in getting our electricity back it's going to be a bit quiet (and hot, air conditioning is a wonderful thing) around here.

Mom Claims Girls Beat Her At Valleyfair
"A Minnesota mom says two girls attacked her at Valleyfair this summer, after she scolded them for cutting into line for the Steel Venom ride. Lara Max is a nurse, and the mother of three children. On a recent Saturday night, she, two of her sons and their friends went to Valleyfair. They wanted to ride Steel Venom, despite the hour-long wait in line. Max saw two girls cut in line, so she said something to them... Suddenly, the girls attacked Man, her 14-year-old niece and her 12-year-old son." From WCCO.

Hurricane Frances closes Disney World, fills some hotels
"Miami area hotels emptied out on Friday and Disney World prepared to close on Saturday as Hurricane Frances swept toward the Florida coast, but hotels well outside the storm's path were near to bursting. Rooms were full at Orlando-based Disney World, in central Florida, in part because the theme park had evacuated its camp ground and a few low-lying rooms, a spokeswoman said. Tens of thousands of hotel guests are expected to stay over the holiday weekend, traditionally one of the busiest, even though the Walt Disney Co. park[s] will close on Saturday." From CNN.

Judge says: Weeki Wachee water slides can remain open
"The Weeki Wachee water slides will stay open. The embattled water park won yet another 11th hour battle late Wednesday when Circuit Court Judge Richard Tombrink dismissed the Southwest Florida Water Management District's emergency injunction to close the slides." From Hernando Today.

Local water park shut down
"A popular attraction at Lopez Lake [CA] is forced to close, after the discovery of a water-borne illness. San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department shut down Mustang Water Slides at Lopez Lake earlier on Wednesday, after nearly 30 cases of intestinal illness were reported. " From KSBY.

State: Water slides unsafe
"The state [of Florida] wants to force Weeki Wachee Springs to shut down three of its five water slides for safety reasons, a move that could paralyze the water park going into one of its biggest, moneymaking holiday weekends. The Southwest Florida Water Management District, which owns the spring and the surrounding 440 acres, says the slides at Buccaneer Bay are dangerous because the watery landing area in the spring has grown too shallow, causing sliders to injure themselves. The state has asked a circuit judge to force the water park to close the slides, according to records filed late Monday afternoon." From The St. Petersburg Times.