Columbia, Ill., snubs Legoland
"Columbia is saying no to big development — again. The City Council has rejected a proposal for a massive theme park on the Columbia Crossing tract. On Monday night, the council voted down an incentive package aimed at luring the theme park, an alderman told the Post-Dispatch.
Two months ago, in an advisory referendum, Columbia residents rejected a plan for a massive retail development called Columbia Crossing near the Jefferson Barracks Bridge. On Tuesday, Alderman Brad Oberkfell said a representative with St. Louis developer G.J. Grewe told council members in a three-hour, closed-door session meeting Monday that the firm was pursuing a plan to bring a Legoland theme park to Columbia Crossing, now a swath of farm ground northwest of the town in Monroe County." From STLToday.

Parents Accused Of Leaving Toddler In Sun For 45 Minutes At Disney Ride
"Two Orange County [FL] parents face child abuse charges after riding the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' ride at Walt Disney World -- with their toddler left in a stroller in the sun for about 45 minutes." From WKMG.

Astroland Will Thrill Until '09
"This won't be the final summer after all for Coney Island's [NY] fabled Astroland Park, The Post has learned. Councilman Domenic Recchia Jr. (D-Brooklyn) brokered a deal to keep the rides in business in 2008, sources close to the deal said." From The New York Post.

Dunkin' Donuts Opens in Hersheypark
"As Hersheypark celebrates '100 Years of Happy,' Dunkin' Donuts is helping make park visitors happier still. The world's largest coffee and baked goods chain today continued its aggressive national expansion with the opening of two new restaurants within Hersheypark, the very first Dunkin' Donuts stores in the world located within a theme park. The stores include a full Dunkin' Donuts restaurant just outside the park entrance, and a Dunkin' Donuts beverage kiosk within the new Boardwalk at Hersheypark theme area." From QSR Magazine.

Girl's Feet Severed At Ky. Amusement Park
"A girl's feet were cut off Thursday at Six Flags' Kentucky Kingdom, police confirmed to Louisville, Ky., TV station WLKY. Police said they got the call around 5 p.m. Thursday. Both of the girl’s feet were detached at the ankle. According to MetroSafe dispatch supervisors, the girl was riding the Superman Tower of Power, which is 177 feet tall and drops riders at 54 mph." From WLKY Louisville.

Judge's plan: New park board. Conneaut Lake Park custodian to be relieved in 30 days
"Conneaut Lake Park [PA] will soon have new leaders. Whether they will be able to open the troubled amusement park and resort this summer remains to be seen." From GoCrawfordCounty.

Two tourists abducted, robbed after leaving Downtown Disney
"Two young tourists from Connecticut were finishing up the first day of their Walt Disney World vacation just after midnight on Sunday when a man in a black car called out to them. Thinking they were just answering an innocuous question, the couple walked over to the car in the Downtown Disney parking lot. That is when their vacation turned violent. At gunpoint, Justin Stetzer and Jessica DellaCamera, both 20, were forced inside the Volkswagen Jetta, driven around and then Stetzer was ordered to withdraw money from an automated-teller machine." From The Orlando Sentinel.

Roller Coaster Riders Left Hanging, Power Outage Strands 12 Upside Down On The X-Coaster At Magic Springs
"A dozen riders on a roller coaster spent half an hour hanging upside down — 150 feet above the ground — after a power outage shut down the attraction. It took about 30 minutes for the city Fire Department to rescue the riders using a ladder truck Saturday evening, said Aundrea Crary, spokeswoman for the Springs & Crystal Falls amusement park." From CBSNews.com.