Six Flags Steps Up Entertainment, Cirque Style

by Chris Owen on

California’s Six Flags Discovery Kingdom this week announced a partnership with Cirque Productions’ Neil Goldberg and his Cirque Dreams entertainment brand to add a new cutting edge dolphin show featuring Cirque Dreams in spring 2013 titled Cirque Dreams Splashtastic – the Most Amazing Show Above H20.

This new aquatic production teams up the park’s marine mammals with Cirque’s company of acrobats, aerialists and Cirque Dreams acts that promise a unique theme park experience. If this is anything close to the quality of Cirque Dreams and Dinner, featured on Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest cruise ship, Norwegian Epic, theme park fans should love it.”We are excited to bring the unique magic of Cirque Dreams to our guests,” said Dale Kaetzel, park president, in a Wall Street Journal Marketwatch article. “This mesmerizing new water spectacle is a great complement to our existing line-up of rides, shows and animal attractions making us Northern California’s best entertainment destination.”

Cirque Dreams Splashtastic joins wildlife shows and animal attractions that include Pinnipeds of the Caribbean sea lion show, Odin’s Temple of the Tiger, Birds of the World, Elephant Encounter, and Walrus Experience educational demonstration shows.

Cirque Dreams stable of popular shows include Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Cirque Dreams Illumination, Cirque Dreams & Dinner onboard Norwegian Epic and upcoming Norwegian Breakaway, Cirque Dreams Rocks, and Cirque Dreams Holidaze, now in its fourth consecutive touring season and success from The Kennedy Center.



[Photo- Cirque Productions]

Six Flags theme parks re-theme rides for 2011

by Leigh Caldwell on

While theme parks around the world add more rides, more shows and more dining options for guests in 2011, there’s one thing you will find less of at Six Flags parks next year: character.

Six Flags plans to re-theme many of its rides in a cost-cutting measure.

Evel Knievel, Tony Hawk, Thomas the Tank Engine and The Wiggles are among the losers in the deal as Six Flags unravels some licensing agreements.

As the Los Angeles Times reports:

  • The Tony Hawk Big Spin ride at Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Six Flags Over Texas will be rethemed as the Big Spin, without the famous skateboarder’s name or likeness.
  • At Six Flags St. Louis, a wooden coaster named the Evil Knievel will renamed American Thunder.
  • Thomas the Tank Engine will disappear from Thomas Town kiddie lands at Six Flags America (which just opened its Thomas Town this June), Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Six Flags New England and Six Flags Over Georgia.
  • The Wiggles will no longer sing at the Wiggles World children’s areas at Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Great America, Great Escape, Six Flags New England and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, where five rides have already been stripped of the kid’s band theming.

Despite the re-themed rides, characters from the Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Hanna-Barbera will remain at the parks.

[Image credit: Flickr user bravo!]

Photo of the Day (9/8/07)

by Justin Glow on

Gadling reader and Flickr user Buck Forester snapped this shot of a white tiger diving underwater to retrieve a tasty piece of steak at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA. “There’s a twice-a-day feeding of the tigers in the water which you can view through a window,” Buck’s description goes. “The railing and legs you see in the image are reflections on the glass of the watching crowd, and the red thing is a suspended piece of meat that was just tossed and has the full attention of the hungry tiger.”

Makes me hungry.

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