Six Flags Great Adventure to debut wooden coaster
"Six Flags Great Adventure, after the balky bow of record-breaking steel coaster Kingda Ka in 2005, will add a woodie, dubbed El Toro, in 2006. From Amusement Business.

Submerged Six Flags New Orleans in limbo
"A corporate tussle, 75-year lease and a heavily damaged array of rides and attractions all are coming into play at one tourist attraction devastated by Hurricane Katrina: Six Flags New Orleans. The park's 35 rides sat in as much as 12 feet of water after the levees broke in New Orleans, creating some of the more spectacular floodwater pictures with its tall roller-coasters jutting out from the deluge. Water around the theme park, located about 12 miles northeast of central New Orleans, had yet to be fully drained as of last week, said Debbie Nauser, Six Flags spokeswoman. "We don't know the state of the park and likely won't know for some time," Nauser said. From MarketWatch.

Fewer guests visit Tivoli
"A year-old roller coaster and a closed concert hall are not big amusement park draws, the operators of Copenhagen amusement park Tivoli were forced to admit on Monday, a day after the park closed for the season. After 2004's record number of visitors, many of whom were drawn by the park's newest attraction, the Demon roller-coaster, the park registered 200,000 fewer guests in 2005. According to park PR manager Stine Lolk, this year, 3,160,000 people visited Tivoli. Last year, the park had 3,346,000 guests." From Denmark.dk.

Water park, rink being studied
"A decision on a proposed ice skating rink and water park could come as early as late October, according to a town of Gilbert [AZ] spokesman... The council voted unanimously in April to enter into talks with Hawaiian Falls Waterparks and Polar Ice Entertainment Inc. for a water park and ice-skating rink on 11.5 acres at the park, northwest of Greenfield and Ray roads... The project was not popular for some residents in the adjacent Cottonwood Crossing subdivision, who fear noise and traffic congestion will disrupt their lives and possibly devalue their property." From NewsZap.

Honda to Give Away a Civic-A-Day at the Disneyland Resort
"Starting October 1, Honda will present a month-long 2006 Civic-A-Day giveaway at the Disneyland Resort [CA] as part of the re-launch of "Space Mountain," American Honda Motor Co. and Disneyland Resort jointly announced today. Honda's "The Coolest Ride in the Galaxy" sweepstakes is the latest addition to the 18-month celebration of Disneyland's 50th Anniversary that
continues through 2006. Each day, one lucky guest at Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure will win a new 2006 Civic. Park guests will receive a scratch-off card upon entry, with finalists participating in a daily ceremony to award the car at a replica of "Space Mountain" in the Disneyland Resort Esplanade." Press Release on PR NewsWire.

Western Playland bids farewell

"The Western Playland that you, Rene Rodriguez and thousands of El Pasoans grew up with will be dismantled after this weekend, as the 45-year-old amusement park moves from Ascarate Park to Sunland Park. The 17-mile move will begin next week, after the park shuts down at 8 p.m. Sunday on the final weekend for this summer's season." From The El Paso Times.

Behind the Magic: The Influence and Impact of Walt Disney and Disneyland
For the academically inclined: the Benson Ford Research Center and the University of Michigan Museum Studies Program are sponsoring a conference on Disney and Disneyland in Dearborn, Michigan, on November 11th. Follow the link above for more information.

National Geographic Documentary to Include Indiana Roller Coaster
"A crew from the National Geographic Channel will visit Holiday World on Friday to film construction of The Voyage wooden roller coaster. The day-long shoot will include a series of interviews about the design and construction of the park's record-breaking coaster, due to open in May of 2006. The two-hour documentary, Coasters: Riding Into the Extreme, will take a look at the science behind roller coasters. The show will examine the evolution of coaster design, materials used in construction, and the physics behind what makes coasters so fun to ride." From Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.

Magic Springs to launch $4 million Maurer X-Coaster
"Magic Springs & Crystal Falls theme park in Arkansas will install a new attraction called the X-Coaster, from Munich, Germany-based Maurer Rides GMBH. The $4 million piece, billed as the highest inversion ride in the world, will debut in April." From Amusement Business.

Warner Village Theme Parks $65 million expansion
"Warner Bros. Movie World once again breaks new ground in live entertainment with the launch of an ogre-whelming new attraction starring the world's most famous and loveable ogre. Opening Saturday 17 September, 'Shrek 4D Adventure' is a cutting edge multi-sensory attraction -- a totally new movie with spectacular visuals and multiple special effects yet to be seen, heard and felt in a '4D' attraction in Australia." Press Release on e-Travel Blackboard. "New ground" except for the Universal Studios theme parks where it's already playing...

Redskins owner seeks to stop Six Flags AstroWorld sale
"Washington Redskins football team owner Dan Snyder is seeking to stop the closure and sale of AstroWorld theme park ahead of his own attempts to take control of Six Flags, a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission shows. The SEC document filed Friday includes a copy of a letter Snyder wrote to Michael Gellert, presiding independent director of the Six Flags board, arguing against the planned divestment of the 109-acre Houston park. Six Flags' industry competitor, Cedar Fair, has expressed an interest in picking up the park for its own chain, Snyder said. He said the sale would be inappropriate without stockholders' approval." From KFOR.

Redskins owner nears takeover of Six Flags
"Washington Redskins owner Dan Synder finalized plans to take control of Oklahoma City-based Six Flags Inc., renewing his call for a change in leadership at the company. In a revised proxy filing Friday, Snyder asked the theme-park chain's shareholders to back his slate of nominees to the board of directors and dump top Six Flags executives Kieran Burke and James Dannhauser, as well as director Stanley Shuman. Six Flags put itself up for sale last month in what analysts said was an attempt to stifle Snyder's takeover plans." From HoustonChronicle.com.

WFSB Family plans to sue amusement park over child's death
"A Connecticut family has hired an attorney and is expected to announce a lawsuit against Rye Playland in connection with the death of their seven-year-old boy. The family of Jon Kely Cassara says the lawsuit will charged the park and Westchester County with negligence, carelessness and wrongful death. The family has hired Manhattan attorney, Marvin Salenger, who specializes in personal injury lawsuits." From WFSB.

Six Flags to Close AstroWorld Theme Park in Houston and Sell 109-Acre Site; Increased Real Estate Value Of Site Prompts Disposition
"Six Flags, Inc. today announced that it will permanently close its AstroWorld theme park in Houston at the end of the 2005 season, and that it has engaged Cushman & Wakefield to market the 109-acre site to the real estate development community. The sale is subject to the approval of Six Flags' bank lenders. The company said it expects a sale would yield significant proceeds given the property's size and location within a revitalized and dynamic area of the city and its proximity to so many of Houston's civic, healthcare and business enterprises. Proceeds from the sale would be used for debt reduction and general corporate purposes, the company said. The company said a disposition compares very favorably with other alternatives for the 37-year-old park, such as making significant additional investment to improve the park's performance by upgrading facilities and adding new rides and attractions. Among the factors that favored a sale were the park's relative performance over the past several years and continued uncertainty over offsite parking rights related to Reliant Stadium and the Texans football team and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, the company said." From Business Wire.

Hong Kong Disneyland receives controversial welcome
"Disney's new Hong Kong theme park opened yesterday to both fanfare and a chorus of criticism. High hopes are riding on the park - and not just for Walt Disney, an American icon whose presence in communist China has lagged behind rivals despite its household name. The company is exporting a piece of the Magic Kingdom to China's doorstep in a bold bid to gain a bigger foothold in the vast Chinese market. And analysts say Hong Kong Disneyland will also give a much-needed boost to the city's economy. Disney has faced criticism over claims of dangerous sweatshop conditions at factories in China that make Disney toys and concern that the park's nightly fireworks display will worsen Hong Kong's air pollution. A blanket of thick smog, mainly from factories in southern China, choked much of the territory for a second day yesterday as Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong opened the park." From The New Zealand Herald.

Conneaut Park board wants out; judge says not so fast
"The 12-members of a board that runs Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania want off the job, but a judge has told them to remain at their posts, according to a local media report. The board, which has run the park since 2003, cited a lack of expertise, time and energy in seeking to be recused, but Crawford County Court of Common Pleas Judge Anthony Vardaro said he would only consider letting them go if he was provided with a full accounting of park finances, according to the Meadville Tribune." From Amusement Business.

Marking a Park's Social Revolution
"The last time Dion Diamond walked through the gates of Glen Echo Amusement Park, he was ushered out after two minutes. The last time Michael Proctor tried to ride the merry-go-round there, he was arrested. That was in 1960, when blacks were not allowed to swim in the park's famed Crystal Pool, with its slide and fountain, and also could not ride on the roller coaster. On Saturday, the two civil rights activists returned for the first time to mark the anniversary of the picket lines that led to the desegregation of the park and ultimately to a U.S. Supreme Court case." From The Washington Post.

Iger: HK Disneyland 'Definitely' Opens Next Week
"Giant Mao posters, make room for eerie Mickey heads. Robert Iger isn't just wishing upon a star Friday: He said that Hong Kong Disneyland is 'definitely ready' to open next week." From Forbes.

Worlds of Fun readies Patriot missile
"Cedar Fair's Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City, Mo., unveiled plans Wednesday to open in April the $14 million Patriot, billed as the longest, tallest and fastest full-circuit inverted roller coaster in the region. The ride, designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Monthey, Switzerland and boasting the red, white, and blue colors of the American flag, will be the sixth coaster at the 33-year-old park." From Amusement Business.

A Roller Coaster Ride
"Like the roller coasters at its parks, the month of August was a series of ups and downs for Sandusky-based Cedar Fair LP, the operator of Geauga Lake in Aurora and Cedar Point in Sandusky. And, because of drops earlier in the season, the company announced it would lower its expectations for the year and now estimates its full-year revenue will be in the range of $555 million to $565 million. The company previously predicted full-year revenues of $569 million to $580 million, according to a statement released on Aug. 1. The company reported revenues of $542 million in 2004. Overall, the company reported that the combined attendance at its seven amusement parks and five water parks for the month of August and through Labor Day increased 2% to 3.3 million guests from 3.24 million during the like period of 2004. The company also reported that average in-park guest per capita spending was up 2% and out-of-park revenues, including resort hotels, were up 12%. The company reported its combined revenues in August were up 5%, or $6.1 million." From Crain's Cleveland Business.

Witherspoon photographer cited for assaulting theme park employees
"A photographer who tried to snap actress Reese Witherspoon at the California Adventure theme park has been cited for allegedly assaulting two employees. Anaheim [CA] police Sergeant Rick Martinez says Todd Wallace was cited for misdemeanor assault and battery on Friday." From KESQ.

Splashtown waterpark is searching for a new owner
"Officials with Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services Inc. confirm that Splashtown San Antonio [TX], located along Interstate Highway 35 near SBC Center, is for sale... Its current ownership includes managing partner Keith Kinney, who is also president of the park. Splashtown features one of the largest wave pools in Texas, as well as some 50-plus rides and attractions." On MSNBC.com.

Black market for tickets is dark side of theme park tourism
"Roberto Alvarez was jealous of the amount of time his girlfriend spent with the head of a crime family that dealt in millions of dollars of contraband, so he became a confidential informant for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Not long after talking with the agents, the 38-year-old Alvarez was shot to death; his body was found in a pool of blood 15 feet from the bus he drove in his job shuttling tourists to the theme parks. If it had been guns or drugs that Alvarez was snitching about, his unsolved murder would have had a familiar ring. But, in an only-in-Orlando scenario, Alvarez was helping investigators track down theme park tickets illegally purchased with fake or stolen credit cards." From SignOnSanDiego.com.

Six Flags raises Katrina funds in Los Angeles
"This Saturday, Sept. 3, the American Red Cross will be on-site at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor near Los Angeles from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. collecting cash and check donations to be used for hurricane Katrina relief efforts." From Amusement Business.

Brunswick, Walt Disney World Team Up for Hurricane Relief
"Brunswick Corporation and the Walt Disney World Resort announced today that they have partnered to deliver nine Trophy center console boats with Mercury Marine engines to New Orleans to support Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Coordinated through the US Marine Division of the Brunswick Boat Group, these boats will be turned over to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and used to shuttle refugees, officials and medical supplies in the devastated city. US Marine makes and markets Bayliner, Maxum and Trophy boats as well as Meridian Yachts. 'We approached Walt Disney World because it has one of the largest concentrations of Trophy boats close to the affected areas of the Gulf Coast, and this would allow for those boats to be pressed into use quickly,' explained US Marine's Mark Zobel, vice president of marketing." Press Release on PR NewsWire.

Woman thrown from Long Island amusement park ride; 2nd death this week
"For the second time in as many days, a person has died from injuries suffered at a Long Island [NY] amusement park, this one thrown from a ride and into a nearby parking lot, police and state officials said Thursday. An unidentified middle-age woman was killed after being thrown from the Top Scan, flying over a 20-foot-high wall before smashing into the windshield of a car parked next to the Adventureland Amusement Park, said Detective Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick, commander of the Suffolk County homicide squad." From NY Newsday.

Six Flags Over Georgia Prepares to Unleash a GIANT
"Six Flags Over Georgia is preparing to unleash a GIANT in 2006. Soaring over 200 ft. above the park and covering an area 8.5 acres in size, this much-anticipated steel monster will appropriately be called: GOLIATH. Not since the Six Flags Over Georgia's grand opening in 1967 has the park made such an announcement. Traveling over 4,400 feet on a journey that takes over 3 minutes and reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour, GOLIATH will stand as a GIANT among coasters. Beginning on a spot once occupied by the Great Gasp, GOLIATH will serve as Six Flags Over Georgia's new skyline icon, visible for miles around." Press Release on PR NewsWire.