Lost Coasters of California – Part 3: Tidal Wave

As we discussed in the last article on the Whizzer the Marriott’s Great America parks were bold designs that applied many lessons learned at other regional parks.  Part of this was a plan and specific plots designated for expansion.  In 1977, a year after its opening, the Santa Clara park was the first to receive a major coaster addition, the Tidal Wave.

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Spanish Theme Park History – Part 1: Camps Elisis

Today we’re starting a new series about Spanish Theme Park History. This eight part series will be released bi-weekly. Come back every other week for another article! We’ll be covering the history of thirteen Spanish amusement and theme parks. Some of them no longer exist and others are still operating and receiving guests. In this series, we’ll travel through 168 years of theme park history, starting in 1853, to our days in 2021. Today we’ll focus on Camps Elisis, the first Spanish amusement park.

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A Look at the Oldest Rollercoasters in Europe

We’re all so used to exploring different theme parks around the world and riding loads of different rollercoasters and rides beyond our imagination. We often forget to appreciate how advanced and state-of-the-art a lot of the modern technology which allows rollercoasters to be manufactured, built and operated really is. So I thought to myself, let’s go back to the roots of the amusement park industry. What was the inspiration for theme parks in general and what were the first designs for rollercoasters, the materials used and the elements and experiences created by these historic and revolutionary ideas. We’re taking you over 100 years back and some of the oldest rollercoasters in Europe are still operating today. So join us as we take an exciting and historical adventure across Europe!

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X2 vs. Eejanaika vs. Dinoconda

I’ve had the distinct privilege of traveling around the world and riding all three of the large Arrow/S&S 4D Coasters. Having lived next to Magic Mountain for many years, I’m very familiar with X2‘s distinct last Raven Turn, but how do the other two compare? Eejanaika and Dinoconda look similar but deliver vastly different ride experiences. Join me as I take a look at all three 4D Coasters, their differences, ride experiences, and learn which one is my favorite.

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Lost Coasters of California – Part 1: Corkscrew

The Golden State has long had the reputation as one of the recreation capitals of the world.  Beautiful weather combined with a diverse landscape created an environment where leisure became a serious business.  It is no surprise that California is home to some of the world’s most famous roller coasters.  Unfortunately many great rides are no longer part of the California coaster landscape.  In these series we will be exploring some of California’s great coasters that are no more!

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Lightwater Valley – A Park Update for the 2021 season

Over the last weekend many enthusiast noticed some changes on the Lightwater valley website in regards to this season’s rides. There has been a lot of speculation around this park over the past year. The park updated us all a few days ago with some information on the rides they plan on closing and opening this year. Here we will discuss those changes and the potential future of The Ultimate.

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Ice Breaker – Sunset Testing Photos

While I wasn’t planning on visiting SeaWorld Orlando today, I swung by about 90 minutes prior to park closure to see if we could catch a glimpse of the new Premier Rides launch coaster testing. While Ice Breaker went through lots of different types of testing, it only navigated the full layout once during my trip. Luckily, I’ve got a couple of fun photos to share with you!

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Kondaa Construction Update – February 2021

Walibi Belgium has been working on their new Intamin Mega Coaster, which has been confirmed to be named Kondaa, during the whole winter season. So, it was long overdue for us to take another visit and show their progress to the world. We mainly got some shots of the new area around Kondaa which will be heavily themed and we got some looks at the station area.

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Scandinavia Series- Part 11: Tivoli Gardens, Denmark

With the theme park season drawing to a close in many countries and people forced to stay home again, we thought we’d bring you a brand new article series. Expect regular updates from myself as we explore one of the most beautiful, cultural and historical regions of Europe: Scandinavia!

We’ll be taking you from Norway across to Finland, through Sweden and then down to Denmark. We’ll be providing you with detailed insights and top tips into the theme parks each of these countries has to offer. We will also be diving into which rollercoasters and attractions you aren’t going to want to miss out on. So grab a cup of coffee, a slice of cake and enjoy!

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Possible SeaWorld Orlando “Project Penguin” Track Spotted at Ohio Manufacturing Plant

One of our awesome team members, Ian, spotted some B&M track at the Clermont Steel Fabricators Inc. plant in Ohio. Based on our recent findings of the corrections made to the SeaWorld Orlando “Project Penguin” permits, we have reason to believe some of this track may be for the new Surf Coaster coming to Orlando. Let’s take a look at the track!

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VelociCoaster Marquee, Water Features and More! – Late January, 2021 Update

We’ve got a few exciting new things to share with you since our update last weekend! While we welcomed new raptors to the entrance plaza last week, we’ve now got a ride marquee (entrance/sign) as well as active water features. In this update we’ll also look at changes added to Wizarding World of Harry Potter to hide the new Jurassic World coaster.

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Major Brands and Franchises Not Yet In Theme Parks

Like many, we got quite surprised after hearing the name of Plopsa’s coaster for 2021: The Ride To Happiness by Tomorrowland. Although a music festival might seem weird to theme a ride and area, the aesthetic of the Tomorrowland brand does actually fit. It did get us thinking, what other brands or franchises haven’t we seen in theme parks yet and could be interesting to see? Let’s talk about 10 themes not yet seen!

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Scandinavia Series- Part 10: Bakken, Denmark

With the theme park season drawing to a close in many countries and people forced to stay home again, we thought we’d bring you a brand new article series. Expect regular updates from myself as we explore one of the most beautiful, cultural and historical regions of Europe: Scandinavia!

We’ll be taking you from Norway across to Finland, through Sweden and then down to Denmark. We’ll be providing you with detailed insights and top tips into the theme parks each of these countries has to offer. We will also be diving into which rollercoasters and attractions you aren’t going to want to miss out on. So grab a cup of coffee, a slice of cake and enjoy!

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