Amusement park evacuated after fights break out
"Six Flags Over Texas was evacuated late Saturday after a series of fights broke out at the amusement park. Police said that just before closing, more than 50 officers and security guards were called to the park where they discovered three large fights had broken out. It was unclear how the fights began. No one was injured, but police said the park was evacuated." From The Star Telegram.

Cypress Gardens Annual Passes on Sale Today
"The park, purchased earlier this year by Valdosta, Ga., theme park owner Kent Buescher, will open on a limited basis at 10 a.m. Nov. 19. Initially, the doors will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Visitors will not be able to see all the park has to offer until the official opening, planned for Dec. 9." From The Lakeland Ledger.

Busch Gardens Announces Plan For The 1st U.S. Diving Coaster
"Busch Gardens [Tampa] said Wednesday it plans to open the first diving roller coaster in North America by May, and hopes that a ride offering a 200-foot straight vertical drop at 70 miles per hour will draw big crowds to the theme park. The announcement ends months of speculation in the theme park industry about details of Busch Gardens' new ride, which it plans to name SheiKra, after a type of African hawk." From the Tampa Tribune.

'Oz' theme park may set up shop in Niagara County
"Town of Wheatfield [NY] Supervisor Tim Demler was off Wednesday morning to see, not the wizard, but developers of a proposed 'Wizard of Oz' theme park near the Summit Park Mall. Wheatfield was selected over sites from either Houston and Atlanta for the massive themed park, as proposed by Oz Central LLC. Demler was flying to the Evansville, Ind., to meet with Oz Central's principals about the proposed $500 million project." From Business First of Buffalo.

Walt Disney World Workers Plead Grievances in Public
"Walt Disney World's largest union, upset over stalled contract negotiations, took its arguments directly to tourists Tuesday, handing out leaflets at Orlando International Airport. The Service Trades Council Union, representing 22,000 of the theme park's 53,000 employees, recently has taken to publicly showing its unhappiness over talks that began in March. Earlier this month, union leaders distributed fliers at the opening of a World of Disney store in New York and at a Disney on Ice show in Philadelphia." AP story in the Lakeland Ledger.

Fear this: Michigan's Adventure's new water ride among nation's best
"Michigan's Adventure will introduce Funnel of Fear -- a "Tornado-class" giant funnel water slide designed and manufactured by ProSlide Technology Inc. of Ottawa, Canada. The new attraction to the park's WildWater Adventure is part of a $2.4 million capital improvement plan for the 2005 season." from MLive.com.

Disney World works on more new thrills
"Stitch's Great Escape is one of four attractions scheduled to open at Walt Disney World over the next 18 months. Here is a preview of coming attractions..." From OrlandoSentinel.com.

Amusement Park Still Battling Hurricane
The cleanup is under way at a century-old amusement park in Easton that was damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan. Bushkill Park suffered around a half-million dollars in damage in September when floodwaters carried away hundreds of picnic tables, submerged the carousel, lifted the bumper car station off its foundation and destroyed a ride called 'The Pretzel.' The old-time amusement park had only $100,000 in flood insurance, so much of the rebuilding work is being done by volunteers." From WPVI.com.

Brighten Your Holiday Season - Theme Park Hosts 'An Old Time Christmas' Amid 4 Million Lights
"Millions of twinkling lights, a five-story musical Christmas tree, and a musical production of 'A Dickens' Christmas Carol' await Silver Dollar City guests in a razzle-dazzle holiday celebration, 'An Old Time Christmas,' Nov. 6-Dec. 30 in Branson, Mo." From PRNewswire.

Theme park ozone gas leak scare
"A gas leak at a Staffordshire [UK] theme park led to a full-scale decontamination exercise by emergency services yesterday. An ozone leak was found by an employee while he inspected the pump room at Cariba Creek, part of the Splash Landings waterpark at Alton Towers, between 7am and 8am. Although he shut down the equipment and alerted technicians, a call to on-site paramedics resulted in Staffordshire Ambulance Service launching a chemical incident training exercise." From ic Birmingham.

Dells merger creates water and theme park hotel complex
"Three well-known Wisconsin Dells [WI] tourist attractions will merge in an $80 million merger and expansion plan expected to create a 'mega park' featuring resort lodging, indoor and outdoor water parks and a theme park. Under the agreement, Treasure Island Waterpark Resort and Family Land Waterpark, both owned by Jim Mattei, and Big Chief's Mt. Olympus Theme Park will merge into one entity called Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park. The owners said the merged entity will become the largest property in the Wisconsin Dells area in terms of amenities offered." From The Business Journal of Milwaukee.

Six Flags [New England] chief moving on
"The general manager of Six Flags New England is leaving after three years for a similar job in Chicago. Ronald C. Sevart will become vice president and general manager of Six Flags Great America in the coming weeks, a corporate spokeswoman said. The Chicago-area park is larger than Six Flags New England, and officials characterized the move as a promotion for Sevart. The company also confirmed that Marketing Communications Manager Mary Ann Stebbins-Burns will be leaving the park at the end of the month. The departure is to pursue other ventures and not related to Sevart's move, officials said. The company has not yet named a replacement for either executive, said spokeswoman Debbie Nauser." From MassLive.com.

Cypress Gardens job fair set
"Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in Winter Haven [FL] is looking for a few good men and women to finish staffing the state's oldest theme park before it reopens next month. For the four-day job fair, the park's human resources officials are interviewing on specific days for specific positions. On Oct. 20, they are hiring ride operators, groundskeepers and animal care specialists for the live animal exhibits. On Oct. 21, interviews for food service staff from cashiers to cooks will be held. Oct. 22 is the day for applicants for retail, guest services, cashiers, warehouse, games and cash control positions to apply. And on Oct. 23, all positions will be available for applicants." From Orlando Business Journal.

Halloween Profits
"October used to be a slow time for business at Busch Gardens, the nationally known theme park in Tampa, but Halloween is changing that. Like other tourist destinations in Florida and elsewhere, attractions increasingly leverage Halloween to draw visitors - and their dollars." From The Tampa Tribune.

Disneyland Offers First-Ever Opportunity for Some Lucky Soul to Become Honorary Resident of Famous 'Haunted Mansion'
"Disney fans who have been 'dying' to become a genuine part of Disneyland history are being offered a 'once-in-an-after-lifetime' opportunity to become an honorary ghostly resident of the park's classic 'Haunted Mansion' attraction. The lucky bidder of an online charity auction on eBay, The World's Online Marketplace will receive their own personalized 'tombstone' in the finale graveyard scene of the beloved attraction, marking the public's first-ever chance to be an enduring part of a Disneyland attraction." Disney PR Release on Yahoo!

Disney's Salute to Central Florida Hurricane Heroes
"From October 14 through December 20, 2004, the Walt Disney World Resort is reaching out to the many men and women who helped bring relief and aid to Central Florida residents and tourists impacted by three major hurricanes hitting the region this season.
This program is available to power company and emergency relief workers who, as employees or contractors of eligible agencies and companies, directly contributed to relief or restoration efforts in Central Florida in the aftermath of Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne." Click link above for details from Walt Disney World.

Halloween and Autumn Activities At Amusement Parks and Attractions
Check out the event listings at TicketForFun.com.

Holiday World Amusement Park to Expand Water Park
"The Holiday World amusement park will expand its Splashin' Safari water park next year. Groundbreaking for the $6.3 million expansion is taking place Wednesday. The park in Santa Claus [IN], about 30 miles east of Evansville, will add a second wave pool that's nearly twice the size of the pool built in 1994. The park will also update the Roundhouse ride, renaming it Revolution, and increase the capacity of The Raven roller coaster by adding a second train." From WISH TV.

Legislature sets hearing on reforming carnival ride inspections
"The push to reform the state's [MA] lax amusement ride inspection system that's been gathering momentum since a fatal accident at a Shrewsbury church fair last month moves to Beacon Hill next week. Industry officials and state safety regulators are scheduled to appear Thursday before the Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Safety to answer questions about safety regulations and amusement ride inspections. 'Clearly something is horribly wrong,' said state Sen. Stephen Brewer, a Worcester Democrat whose district includes Shrewsbury. 'The information that has been coming out leads us to believe there has to be staffing problems or technology problems or better oversight.' State Department of Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Gatzunis is said to be mulling a complete overhaul of his agency's procedures for inspecting carnival rides." From BostonHerald.com.

Charles Wood, philanthropist and theme park founder, dead at 90
"GLENS FALLS, N.Y. -- Charles R. Wood, a northern New York philanthropist and businessman who founded what is now the Great Escape amusement park, died Thursday at his home here after a long bout with cancer. He was 90. Called the 'grandfather of the American amusement park,' Wood opened Storytown USA in 1954, then a single-themed 'amusement center' on the southeastern edge of the Adirondacks." From Newsday.