SeaWorld San Antonio announces Aquatica Texas

by Joel Bullock on

SeaWorld recently announced plans to build another Aquatica water park. More than just a traditional water park, SeaWorld San Antonio’s new Aquatica Texas will include thrilling water slides, serene rivers, a large sandy beach area, and animal encounters.

Among the new water rides, Stingray Rapids sounds the most interesting. The 5 seat raft ride is described as the only one of its kind in the World. It will feature twists and turns with an underground grotto and where guests will see with tropical fish and stingrays. Another stand out may be Wahalla Wave a family raft ride with a zero-gravity wall providing riders a roller coaster-like sense of weightlessness. Aquatica Texas is scheduled to open in May 2012.


The Dania Beach Hurricane may be demolished

by Joel Bullock on

Last month Boomers in Dania Beach, Florida closed their wooden roller coaster known as the Dania Beach Hurricane. The ride could be seen from Interstate 95 just south of Ft. Lauderdale. It could also be seen from the Ft. Lauderdale airport as I found out a few years ago. I thought I was seeing a mirage when I landed there for a connecting flight as I wasn’t aware of the coaster at the time.

While details around the ride’s closing have been scarce, a Sun Sentinel article points to the high cost of maintaining a wooden roller coaster in a warm humid climate. The article stated:

“The high cost of maintenance and insurance, plus low ridership as the ride became rough,” likely contributed to the Dania Beach coaster shutdown on April 26, Doppelt said. “I’d say they couldn’t afford to redo it.”

The company that owns the coaster has cited “business reasons” for the closure, but did not offer details.

When news first broke that the park had closed the Hurricane, enthusiasts hoped that another park would buy the ride. Now it appears that there’s a good chance that the area landmark may soon be no more. According to Screamscape, the Dania Beach Hurricane may be scheduled for demolition as soon as June. Meanwhile, roller coaster enthusiasts at ThemeParkReview and CoasterBuzz have shared their love for the ride. If it is demolished, it sounds like it will be missed.


Space Mountain shut down after rider found unconscious

by Chris Owen on
It wasn’t all fun and games in Orlando Florida this afternoon as Walt Disney World shut down the Space Mountain ride for inspection Saturday after a woman was found unconscious at the end of the ride.

“Our thoughts and concerns are with the guest and her family. We have sent a representative to the hospital to assist them with their needs,” Walt Disney World spokeswoman Andrea Finger told WESH 2 News.

The 48-year-old woman was treated by emergency services and taken to a local hospital in Orlando. While condition of the woman was not yet available, Disney said that it appeared to be a medical issue and not a result of an injury or ride malfunction.

Walt Disney World personnel are examining the ride to ensure it is safe. It is normal procedure for the theme parks to shut down, inspect and test a ride when someone becomes injured or seriously ill.

This is not the first problem with the ride. In 2006 a 7-year-old boy, a terminal cancer patient visiting as a part of the Give Kids the World program, fainted after riding Space Mountain, was taken to a local hospital where he died of natural causes.

Also in 2006, a 73-year-old man lost consciousness while riding Space Mountain and died three days later. The medical examiner found that the man died of natural causes due to a heart condition.

Flickr photo by BestofWDW

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SkyScreamer opens at Six Flags St. Louis

by Joel Bullock on
There are a number of new tower rides debuting this year at amusement parks across the country. One of the tallest is Six Flags St. Louis’ SkyScreamer. At 234 feet tall, the ride lifts guests in chair swings some 23 stories above the park. Then at that lofty height, SkyScreamer spins riders at 43 mph. The ride should offer some great views if you’re brave enough to look down. Acrophobics should steer clear of this one.

A few days ago, SkyScreamer opened. Guests pointed to the ride’s similarity to the old school amusement park staple, known as the swing carousel or wave swinger. Of course SkyScreamer is about ten times taller than those rides.


American Dream at Meadowlands to open in 2013

by Joel Bullock on


New Jersey governor Chris Christie and developer Triple Five announced plans for the new Meadowlands retail and entertainment complex. Formerly known as Xanadu, the renamed American Dream at Meadowlands will be a sprawling complex that will include an indoor amusement park, an indoor water park, an ice skating rink, an observation wheel and the only indoor ski slope in North America (pictured above). Triple Five’s plans to complete the project also include improving the aesthetics of the exterior.

The developer has compared the project to similar multi-faceted complexes Mall of America and the West Edmonton Mall. Those massive malls are the first and second largest such facilities in the World and are also managed by Triple Five. American Dream hopes to not only attract tourists, but also locals with retail, restaurant, and nightlife establishments.

At a cost of $3.7 billion, American Dream is projected to attract 55 million annual visits while creating up to 35,000 jobs and millions in tax revenue. American Dream is scheduled to open in late 2013 a few months before Super Bowl XLVIII at the nearby Meadowlands Stadium.

[Photo Credit – Flickr user LancerE]