The Skyplex Entertainment complex on International Drive in Orlando, Florida has announced another attraction, a 1,500 foot long zipline. The zipline will take you 600 feet in the air before sliding you towards the ground. The ride will feature amazing views and a mechanical braking system and plastic hard seats. It does not have a name yet but will join Skyscraper the World’s Tallest Roller Coaster, and SkyFall the World’s Tallest Drop Ride. Both the coaster and drop ride will be manufactured by Intamin Worldwide, however the manufacture of the zip line has yet to be named. All three attractions are expected to open in 2017 with a combination ticket available for purchase. This property will also be home to the World’s Largest Perkins
Posts By: Drew
Walt Disney World announces “Coolest Summer Ever” and 24 Hour Day Kickoff
Walt Disney World today announced the “Coolest Summer Ever” event which will take place during the whole summer. Included in this is the major announcement was The 24 hour day at Magic Kingdom. From 6am May 22nd to 6 am May 23rd the Magic Kingdom will be open for its guests to enjoy all of the fantastic attractions. This year to no surprise will be Frozen themed. It will be hosted by Olaf the Snowman and will Kick off the start of the summer season. With frozen involved this truly will be the “Coolest Summer Ever” at the resort.
Also The Frozen Summer Fun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is returning for its second season, Including the end of the night Frozen fireworks show. This will run June 17th – September 7th.
Walt Disney World Resort will kick off the “Coolest Summer Ever” with 24 hours of nonstop fun during a special event May 22-23 at the Magic Kingdom, hosted by Olaf, the summer-loving snowman from Disney’s blockbuster animated hit “Frozen.”
To announce the 24-hour event and the cool summer season, Disney today brought to life a warm summer scene inspired by Olaf’s dream, creating a 20-foot-wide beach complete with a Cinderella Castle made of sand in the middle of winter-weary Boston.
Surprised pedestrians near historic Faneuil Hall were greeted by Olaf and joined by playful beach-goers in summer attire with beach chairs and beach balls – all reminders of an exciting season of fun ahead at Walt Disney World Resort and a welcome relief from the city’s near-record snowfall approaching nine feet.
24-Hour Kickoff to Summer Travel
Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start of family vacation time, and Walt Disney World Resort will launch into the season full force. The Magic Kingdom will be open 24 hours to guests from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m., Friday May 22 to Saturday, May 23*. Guests will be invited to come in costume** to show their Disney Side while a selection of favorite attractions, entertainment, special event merchandise, plus food and beverage are on tap all night long to celebrate the start of the “Coolest Summer Ever” at Walt Disney World Resort.
The around-the-clock celebration features Disney character greetings, dance parties and surprises into the wee hours of the night.
‘Coolest Summer Ever’ Brings Excitement Throughout Walt Disney World Resort
During the “Coolest Summer Ever,” with Olaf as the official host, Walt Disney World guests can get their cool on all summer long at four theme parks and two water parks.
Among the highlights:
- Frozen Fun – “Frozen” Summer Fun LIVE will bring together Princess Anna, Queen Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf with citizens of Arendelle, all appearing daily in shows and experiences at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, June 17-Sept. 7. Guests will find cool thrills this summer including a royal processional, a sing-along show, Frozen-themed treats and merchandise, plus a Frozen fireworks display above Hollywood Blvd.
- Cool Thrill Rides – Guests will find thrills from mild to wild to out of this world in all four Walt Disney World theme parks. Don’t-miss attractions include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom; Test Track presented by Chevrolet and Soarin’ at Epcot; Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom; Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- Star Wars Weekends – Guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will find stars from another galaxy during Star Wars Weekends May 15-June 14.
- New Restaurants and Shopping – Throughout the summer, new waterfront dining and boutique shops flow into the Downtown Disney shopping/dining/entertainment district as its transformation into Disney Springs continues.
- Epcot Entertainment – New entertainment acts will appear throughout Epcot World Showcase, which also brings a fresh summery twist on a fan favorite, Voices of Liberty.
- A Splash at Water Parks – A cool new deal doubles the fun at Disney’s two iconic water parks – Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach. Purchase a one-day water park ticket and park-hop between the two water parks in the same day that both are open.
For more information, visit Disneyworld.com/CoolestSummerEver.
VIDEO: Construction Update of Batman The Ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Batman: The Ride is starting to look more like a roller coaster every single day. Randall stopped by to check out the progress. Join him as he shows off the ride from the ground, and on the train.
Batman is the worlds first free spin 4th Dimension style roller coaster, built by S&S World Wide. Riders will flip upside down six times as they zig and zag across the track. Taking the place of the old car ride, Motorama Turnpike, Batman: The ride is in the Rockville 50’s themed section of Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
Silver Dollar City’s Fireman’s Landing First Fire Drill preview
Silver Dollar City’s new 2015 attraction Fireman’s Landing had its first Fire Drill. The area is set to open March 14th adding 10 family adventures, Including FireFall an S&S Worldwide drop tower.
New for 2015, Silver Dollar City presents Fireman’s Landing, an $8 million all-new themed area with 10 new family adventures, as the park launches its biggest family year ever.
Set to open March 14, Fireman’s Landing substantially increases the park’s attractions, adding 10 family adventures in all. The new area has six family rides and four interactive play zones for kids and families in a highly themed area, saluting the spirit and training activities of community volunteer firefighters. The area, with theming recognizing the contributions of community heroes who serve as firefighters, is an 1880s volunteer recruitment fair. The storyline creates the atmosphere of the rides serving as “training” adventures for recruits and community heroes – all seeking to become part of the Silver Dollar City Fire Brigade.
This theming has historical background to the internationally-awarded theme park (founded 1960), as the 1880s town Marmaros, once located on the site of Silver Dollar City, was burned to the ground by a blaze more than 100 years ago. “Now fast forward to the fictional story for Fireman’s Landing, where the citizens share a desire to band together to prevent such an event — to be ready with volunteer recruits who have trained to test their preparedness,” said Brad Thomas, General Manager of Silver Dollar City. “The message carries that everyone can give back through volunteerism and community spirit.”
10 Family Adventures
Fireman’s Landing expands into a new previously undeveloped region of the park, adding 10 family adventures — six family rides and four interactive play zones. The
development brings the number of the park’s rides and attractions to over 40 and increases ride capacity to over 21,000 per hour.
Centered around the headquarters of “Fire Station #3,” rides include FireFall, an
8-story fire tower free-fall drop ride for the more daring recruits; Fire Spotter, with soaring balloons for spotting fire dangers; Fire Wagon Frenzy, a bouncing ride for bucket brigade
volunteers; Lucky’s Dizzy Dogs, a bouncy ride on Dalmatians racing around a fire hydrant; Up The Ladder, a smaller tower drop ride for junior recruits; and Fireman’s Flyer, a low-flying swing ride for little firefighters.
Attractions include Firehouse Splash Yard, with squirting water jets and pump hoses for outdoor play. Inside Fire Station #3, enclosed and temperature controlled for season-long comfortable play, are Firefighter’s Fire Drill, with buckets, pumpers, foam ball cannons and targets for showering mock fires; Firefighter’s Fire Escape, an obstacle course of tubes, mazes, climbing structures and slides, and Firefighter’s Junior Fire Escape, a soft play area for toddlers.
Kids can meet the Fireman’s Landing official chief rescue dog Lucky, a costumed character that encourages new recruits to have fun and be ready in the firefighters’ tradition of neighbors helping neighbors.
Silver Dollar City is an 1880s-style theme park in Branson, Missouri, featuring 7 world-class festivals and events, 100 resident craftsmen demonstrating America’s heritage crafts, rides from high-speed thrills to an authentic steam train, music and entertainment, all in a park-like setting. The park has been internationally awarded numerous times for excellence in theme, presentation and operations, including the worldwide Applause Award for excellence and the THEA Award (Themed Entertainment Association).
Silver Dollar City opens for select days, beginning March 14, and then opens the regular season with World-Fest presenting performers from around the world beginning April 9. Information: 800-831-4FUN, www.silverdollarcity.com.
Silver Dollar City is the original property of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation, the largest family-owned theme park corporation in America.
First Launch for Thunderbird at Holiday World
Holiday World sent us a Press Release on the successful First Launch of Thunderbird, their New for 2015 launched wing rider. This coaster is build and manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard who are known for creating some of the worlds greatest coasters. Holiday World and Thunderbird open on April 25th, 2015. Below is the press release and POV Video!
THUNDERBIRD’S FIRST TEST LAUNCH
DEEMED HUGE SUCCESSSANTA CLAUS, IND.—–Twenty water-filled test dummies got the ride of their lives today as they experienced the first flight of the nation’s only launched wing roller coaster.
As this week’s snow thawed, Thunderbird roared to life this afternoon and launched its first train 14 stories into the cloudless sky at 2:03pm, completing a full ride circuit on its first try.
“We’ve been joking that on this day when we usually ‘spring forward’ to Daylight Savings Time, we decided to launch forward,” says Holiday World’s president, Matt Eckert. “This is a huge milestone for us – Thunderbird is the greatest investment we’ve made since we opened in 1946. Our season begins in just seven weeks.”
Thunderbird, Holiday World’s first major steel roller coaster, features a zero-to-60 miles-
per-hour launch in 3.5 seconds, followed by multiple inversions – including a 14-story Immelmann loop, Zero-g roll, barrel roll, and a loop soaring 125 feet in the air.Continuing Holiday World’s tradition of sending roller coasters through its thickly wooded and hilly terrain, Thunderbird at first soars and loops high in the air and then hugs the ground, with rapid-fire “near misses” such as a fly-through barn, stone chimneys, other rides, trees, and even the ground.
Holiday World opens for the season on April 25, with the premiere of Thunderbird. Splashin’ Safari opens May 13. For more information about the parks and seasonal job opportunities, visit HolidayWorld.com or call 1-877-463-2645.
Video: Rewind Racer at Adventure City Construction Update
Adventure City in Anaheim, California is adding a family boomerang coaster built by Gerstlauer. Riders will sit two across and will be lifted backwards up and out of the station. Once at the top they will race through the station around the track and up the second spike, where they will then fly backwards and complete the same course in reverse. In this video Braedon shows off the construction progress of this New For 2015 family attraction.
Fun Spot America in Orlando, Florida today announced the closing of their new ride Air Raid. Air Raid, a Crazy Flipping Spinning Flat Ride by Zamperla was added in November, 2014 is all ready being taken out. According to the Fun Spot America Facebook page the ride was having mechanical problems causing safety issues, “It has given us many maintenance problems and for the safety of our guests we are taking it out”. The go on further to talk about potentially getting a permanent version of the ride, ” We’re keeping an eye out for a more in-ground permanent model instead of a portable one”. Space Invader an S&S swing ride will be opening on in the park soon though.
VIDEO: The Attractions at The Quad City River Bandits Stadium Talk on In The Loop
Modern Woodman Park in Davenport, IA is home to several rides and attractions. The home team The Quad City River Bandits offer more than just baseball within its stadium. Join Mike as he discusses the rides as well as the differences between running an amusement park vs. a ballpark with rides within its walls.
VIDEO: Blazing Fury Full Tour with Lights On
Over the weekend Drew had the opportunity to take a rare walk back stage behind the scenes of Blazing Fury, Dollywood’s classic dark ride roller coaster. Within the video you will learn a lot about how they maintain this attraction and what the future holds for this iconic staple at Dollywood. Join Drew as he shows you around the track of this ride all decorated for a Smoky Mountain Christmas.
VIDEO: Holiday In The Park at Six Flags Over Georgia
New for 2014 Six Flags Over Georgia’s Holiday in the Park event includes several rides and roller coasters as well as Christmas and Holiday lights, and even a train ride to the North Poll. Join Drew as he shows off all the lights and fun things from this event.
