Coaster accident at Disney's California Adventure park injures 15
"The 'California Screamin'' roller coaster at Disney's California Adventure theme park remained closed Saturday, a day after an accident that slightly injured 15 people. Most of the victims were treated for minor neck and back injuries at a hospital and released late Friday night, Anaheim city spokesman John Nicoletti said. Another 33 people were examined at the scene but did not require treatment. The crash occurred at about 6:40 p.m. Friday when one coaster rear-ended another. The ride was closed but the rest of the park remained open... The Disneyland Resort said in a statement that a moving train struck a stationary train and neither derailed." On sfgate.com.

New GCI coaster for Beech Bend Park
"Beech Bend Park & Splash Lagoon in Bowling Green, Ky., unveiled plans Thursday for the region's 'most twisted' roller coaster. Built by Great Coasters International of Sunbury, Pa., the coaster -- parkgoers will vote on the name -- will feature a track length of 2,827 feet, a maximum elevation difference of 96 feet and 30 crossovers (anywhere a track crosses over another track). Top speed will be almost 50 mph, and the train will be a 24-passenger Millennium Flyer modeled after the classic coasters of the '20s and '30s." From Amusement Business.

Complaints lead to seizure of horses at park in W. Ocean City
"Horses seized from an amusement park are being examined to determine whether the owner of the animals will be charged with abuse and neglect, the Worcester County [MD] sheriff's office said yesterday. Capt. Stuart Murray said authorities hope to have the veterinarian's report on the three horses seized Tuesday from Frontier Town by the end of the week. After an examination, the animals were removed by the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation and taken to a horse rescue farm for medical treatment. Murray said if charges are filed they would be against the horses' owner, not Frontier Town, which contracts them... All the horses seized were ones that pulled the stagecoach" From The Baltimore Sun.

Manager of amusement park where woman died on ride gets probation
"An amusement park manager convicted of reckless homicide in a Nashville-area passenger's fatal fall from a ride was sentenced yesterday to four years of probation but no jail time. Charles Stan Martin, 57, manager of the defunct Rockin' Raceway in Pigeon Forge, left the courtroom smiling with his family but made no comment. He had faced up to four years in prison. Sevier County Circuit Judge Richard Vance gave him the lesser sentence of probation, plus 200 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. Martin is not allowed to work on or operate amusement rides during his probation." From The Tennessean.

Roller coaster success story: Krantz family makes fun their business at Adventureland
"'I always enjoyed amusement parks,' recalled [Jack] Krantz, now 75, 'and it was one thing Iowa did not have. I thought it would be a good thing to build in Iowa.' More than three decades after diversifying into the business of fun, his Altoona empire - 164 acres encompassing Adventureland Park, Adventureland Inn and campgrounds - is firmly established as an Iowa and Midwestern tradition. As an independent, family-owned theme park in an $11 billion industry, 10 members of the Krantz family, through three generations, are intimately involved in the business. Most started when they were about 12 years old." More in the Des Moines Register.

Founder of Christian theme park leaves position
"The founder of the Holy Land Experience has quit after a dispute with the Christian theme park's board and plans to start a new ministry. The Rev. Marvin Rosenthal, a Baptist minister, cleaned out his office Wednesday. 'We just had a difference of opinion, the board and I,' said Rosenthal, who wouldn't elaborate. Rosenthal said he will continue to serve on the board that runs the attraction through the end of the year. Scott Pierre, chairman of the nonprofit Zion's Hope Inc. board that runs Holy Land, insisted the parting was amicable. He said a unanimous board and Rosenthal agreed the park needed to be guided with a stronger business eye after running over budget each year since it opened in February 2001." From The Miami Herald. Link may require registration.

Roller Coaster In Works
"Fun Plex near 70th and Q [Omaha, NE] is looking for a new spin on summertime entertainment. A roller coaster is on the agenda for next year... The roller coaster would stand 90-feet tall and cost around $2 million." From WOWT.

Universal shelves Shanghai park, open to options
"General Electric's Universal unit said on Wednesday its plans to build a theme park in Shanghai have been shelved, potentially paving the way for rival Disney to build a park in China's largest city." From Reuters.

Pennsylvania's oldest amusement park announces expansion
"Pennsylvania's oldest amusement park is planning a million-dollar waterpark expansion. Idlewild Park officials said the new pirate-themed waterpark will open for the 2006 summer season. The expansion will include six water slides, more than 100 interactive play areas, a 500-gallon tipping wash bucket, a children's wading pool and a birthday party pavilion. The park has not chosen a name for the new area yet." From PennLive.com.

Wheatfield On Short List For 'Oz' Theme Park
"A company looking to build a 'Wizard of Oz' theme park says the Niagara County [NY] town of Wheatfield is their preferred site. Supervisor Tim Demler tells Buffalo's Early News that Oz Central LLC has options on 600-acres of land near the Summit Park Mall, and is negotiating for another 200. Demler says he is 'cautiously optimistic' the project will come to fruition. He says the next step will come August 15 when the town board votes to become the lead body in an environmental review process." From WBEN.

Turning 50, the Disneyland way
"Disneyland is now 50, and is celebrating its birthday with the reopening today of its popular Space Mountain ride plus a new parade, new fireworks show and more. To get the most bucks for the bang, the celebration - called 'The Happiest Homecoming on Earth' - began in May and will continue for 18 months at Disneyland and its sister parks, from Orlando to Paris and Tokyo - and at the new Disneyland in Hong Kong which opens in September. Arising among what were orange groves and walnut farms in Anaheim, near Los Angeles, Disneyland was the brainchild of Walt Disney and the first of what is now a theme-park empire on three continents. It opened on July 17, 1955. Since then, more than 500 million visitors have come to Disneyland alone. It opened with 18 major attractions; it now has more than 60 adventures/attractions spread over 85 acres, with many more in the adjoining California Adventure theme park." From The Seattle Times.

Fired worker at HK Disneyland threatens suicide atop Space Mountain
"A fired construction worker at Hong Kong Disneyland climbed to the top of the building housing the Space Mountain roller coaster and threatened to commit suicide, Hong Kong police said Saturday. The labor dispute on Friday dragged on for three hours until the 45-year-old worker climbed down after negotiating with officers, police said. The man was employed by a contractor at the park, scheduled to open Sept. 12." From MSN-Mainichi Daily News.

SeaWorld Orlando Plans Water Park With Animal Encounters
"SeaWorld Orlando has released some details on a proposed expansion that would be a 'naturalistic' park that will have animal encounters. SeaWorld officials said Thursday that one of the park's signature elements would be an attraction that would swoosh swimsuit-clad visitors down clear acrylic flumes amid a lagoon of jumping dolphins. The black-and-white dolphins would come from the SeaWorld park in San Diego, where they are among only a small number on display anywhere in the world. 'The dolphins will be our main animal attraction,' said SeaWorld general manager Jim Atchison. 'We are building this as a high-service park area, from restaurant space to places where you can lie down in the sun.' The park, which is still unnamed, would join the main SeaWorld park and Discovery Cove, a smaller, reservation-only park. The company said the new attraction would add about 1,000 employees to the current work force of 5,000 people." From WFTV.

Couples ‘take the plunge’ at Carowinds’ coaster
"A Grover couple who got married next to a roller coaster Thursday said they thought the coaster ride afterward was a good way to begin their marriage... The grooms stood in the loading station, anxiously awaiting both their brides and permission to begin the ceremony from Three-of-Six, a member of the Borg collective. The Ashleys and nine other couples were married on Paramount's Carowinds' Borg Assimilator, a Star Trek-themed roller coaster, at 10 a.m. Pastor Mark Harris presided over the wedding. The couples exchanged vows in the loading station and then boarded the coaster. After their ride, the couples were pronounced husbands and wives, and the grooms kissed their brides." From The Shelby Star.

Breast-feeding mom upset at Six Flags
"Rebecca Gray was in a wading pool at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee [IL] recently, watching her 2-year-old son splash around and breast-feeding her 4-month-old daughter. 'I used a diaper pin to attach her blanket to my bathing suit strap so that the only thing you could see of the baby was her feet,' said Gray, 26, of North Chicago. But within minutes, a lifeguard told her she would have to leave the pool due to health concerns and informed her the park had two private areas for breast-feeding moms, Gray said... Six Flags officials are investigating Gray's allegations. If true, they would violate a nearly year-old state law permitting women to breast-feed children in public." From The Chicago Tribune.

Fear Factor Live at Universal Theme Parks
The Fear Factor Live audience participation show is open at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida theme parks. Check out the show's website and you could win a trip to the park of your choice to see it. From Universal Studios.

Holiday World gets a new Holiday in '06
"The world's top 'air-time' wooden coaster will be the main course at Holiday World's new Thanksgiving section in 2006! 'The Voyage is going to be an air-time machine, with riders experiencing a feeling of weightlessness for a total of 24.2 seconds,' says Will Koch, the parks' president. 'We're taking the traditional out-and-back layout to the extreme, with the steepest drop on any wooden coaster in the nation. The Voyage will be 1.2 miles long, placing it among the planet's top three longest and fastest wooden coasters.' A feast of 'floater' air-time, The Voyage will feature three drops of over 100 feet, with the first drop's angle of descent a steep 66 degrees. The top speed of the three-train coaster will be 67.4 miles per hour. 'We've carved out five underground tunnels for The Voyage -- which is a world record,' says Koch. 'And some of those tunnels will be wide enough that we'll roar through them twice, creating a total of eight 'underground moments,' one of which will include a 'triple-down' feature.' The Voyage will also have two sections of extreme, 90-degree banking. And the rest... is gravy." From Holiday World.

Girl Critical After Riding Disney's 'Tower Of Terror' Ride
"A 16-year-old British girl is in critical condition after riding the 'Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror' ride at Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World, according to Local 6 News. Officials said Leanne Deacon, of Kibworth, Leicestershire, exited the ride Tuesday at about 9:50 a.m. and complained that she was not feeling well, Local 6 News reported. She sat down with her mother in the theme park but her condition continued to worsen... the girl's condition deteriorated so rapidly that her heart stopped beating and she had to be resuscitated by emergency workers." From Local6.com.

Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold End Their Feud With The Disney Co.
"The Walt Disney Company, Roy E. Disney and Stanley P. Gold announced today that they have agreed to put aside the differences that have characterized their relationship over the past several years. Messrs. Disney and Gold have agreed not to run a rival slate of directors or submit shareholder resolutions for the next five years. Messrs. Disney and Gold have also agreed to dismiss all their pending lawsuits against the Company. In reestablishing ties with him and his family, the Company has named Roy E. Disney Director Emeritus and a consultant. The Company also reaffirmed its commitment to the rotation of committee members and chairpersons on its Board committees as currently required by the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines. In putting aside their differences, the Company noted Mr. Disney's long time devotion to the Company and welcomed the reestablishment of a relationship with him and his family." From SaveDisney.com.

Roller coaster fan braces for 12-hour ride to help charity
"Bryan Bindman is out to prove he can have fun and raise money at the same time. Typically, fund-raisers are events such as walk-a-thons, selling cookies or washing cars. But Bindman, 24, of Fort Lauderdale has decided to ride the Dania Beach Hurricane Roller Coaster for 12 hours to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which helps fulfill the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses." From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Gang Members Brawl At Amusement Park
"HOUSTON -- A huge brawl involving rival gang members at a Texas amusement park was videotaped by surveillance cameras. Around 100 people were involved in the fight at a Six Flags amusement park. Authorities said the brawl spilled over from the parking lot to nearby businesses." From NBC5.com.

Kennywood expansion would double size of amusement park
"Kennywood Park [PA] plans to almost double the size of the historic amusement park using nearby parcels it is buying, but most of the plans are contingent on the completion of a planned $2.5 billion toll road nearby... If all goes well, construction on the park's expansion could start by 2010." From NEPA News.

New ride has Dollywood yelling 'Timber'
"Dollywood [TN] next year will open the $6.5 million Timber Tower, designed by Germany's Huss Manufacturing and the only ride of its kind in North America, the park announced Wednesday." From Amusement Business.

Teen Disappears During Theme Park Visit
"A 17-year-old disappeared during a family vacation at the Wild Adventures Park in Valdosta [GA]. Leah Deltadesco was last seen watching a concert at the park Saturday night. She is 5'5' and 110 lbs. She has brown eyes and brown hair with blond streaks. She lives in New Port Richie." From First Coast News.

Woman Rescued From Amusement Park Ride
"Rescuers pulled an adult woman out of the water after she rode one of the slides at the Six Flags America amusement park in Largo [MD]. Prince George's County Fire and Rescue spokesman says the woman was in cardiac arrest after an apparent medical emergency... The woman was on a water ride called the Shark Attack." From WJZ.

eBay item 4384018028: Donley's Wild West Town
Want to buy your own theme park? Donley's Wild West Town in Union, Illinois (near Chicago), is now listed as for sale on eBay for $7,000,000.00. From eBay.

Mountasia amusement park is to reopen Friday
"This Friday, Mountasia Family Fun Center is bringing back the bumper boats, go-carts and mountainside miniature golf that made it a destination for kids across Northeast Tarrant County [TX]. The amusement park at 8851 Grapevine Highway closed seven months ago after years of financial troubles. A California-based investment group called Trancas Capital LLC bought the property Feb. 28, according to deed records. The business specializes in buying family amusement parks. Larry and Marcela Cossio, who run the South Carolina company that insured Mountasia, leased the center from Trancas Capital on May 13. They say they plan to make Mountasia the flagship amusement park among as many as 35 locations they plan to manage nationwide." From The Star-Telegram. Link may require registration.

Fun center proposed for Marysville
"Water slides, miniature golf and kiddie rides could be coming soon to undeveloped land along I-5, according to preliminary plans filed by a Tukwila developer. The amusement park is just one of several large projects proposed for the west side of the freeway at the northwestern tip of Marysville [WA]. Scott Huish, whose family owns the 5-year-old Family Fun Center in Tukwila, said any development for the land along Twin Lakes Avenue is 'early, early, early' in the planning process." From The Daily Herald.