Tag: california coaster kings

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SeaWorld San Diego to Debut New Launch Coaster in 2023

Arctic Rescue, one of SeaWorld San Diego’s most anticipated attractions, will open in the spring of 2023. Arctic Rescue will join other thrill rides at the amusement park as the West Coast’s longest and fastest straddle coaster. This family-friendly multi-launch ride invites guests to mount a snowmobile and race through the unpredictable arctic climate at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour in an effort to save endangered animals. Arctic Rescue has a height requirement of 48 inches, but thrill-seekers of all ages will enjoy its thrills and chills.

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SeaWorld San Diego Wild Arctic Coaster Track Pieces on Site

SeaWorld San Diego closed the original Wild Arctic simulator on January 10, 2020 to make room for a new attraction. This new attraction was originally going to debut in 2021, however, was significantly delayed because of the pandemic. A few ride designs later, track has now appeared on site and land clearing is under way for the park’s newest roller coaster!

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Knott’s Scary Farm 2021 Details!

Southern California’s largest immersive Halloween experience, Knott’s Scary Farm, returns with innovative new scares and bone-chilling thrills for its 48th frightful year. Terror comes to life as the theme park shifts into your worst nightmare, with horrifying monsters and hair-raising scares looming around every turn. This year, guests will have to confront their greatest fears with 15 haunted attractions, including five sinister scare zones, eight mesmerizing mazes, and two seasonal ride overlays to some of your favorite park attractions. Knott’s Scary Farm returns for 27 terrifying nights from September 16 – October 31.

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Six Flags Magic Mountain – Fright Fest 2021 Details!

Six Flags Magic Mountain’s 28th season of  Fright Fest is back with 24 terrifying nights of monsters, ghouls, and crazed characters ready to  strike fear in any one who crosses their path. The bone-chilling lineup of haunted attractions  features two new spine-tingling scare zones, a dark and twisted photo experience, two new  mind-numbing shows, and added days. Six Flags Magic Mountain leaves no tombstone  unturned to deliver what guests want most…an all-out terrifying experience.

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Lost Coasters of California – Part 10: Déjà Vu

In Part 9 of this series I briefly mentioned Six Flags ambitious expansion throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.  A growing American economy made the expansion of the theme park market seem unstoppable.  A series of park acquisitions and the acquisition of Six Flags by Premier Parks that was finalized in 1998 expanded the company’s portfolio to include European parks, movie themed parks, and animal parks.  At the park level Six Flags unveiled park expansions and additions at a dizzying rate.  From the years 1997-2003 Six Flags Magic Mountain received a brand new coaster every year.  It is worth noting that with the exception of 1999 each one of these additions was a major, and in many cases record breaking coaster: 1997 saw the addition of the record breaking 400 ft tall Superman: The Escape.  1998’s Riddler’s Revenge remains the largest Stand-Up coaster in the world. 2000’s Goliath opened as the world’s tallest continuous circuit coaster. 2002’s X introduced the world to the 4th dimension coaster.  And 2003’s B&M floorless Scream was built to be a reliable addition after X‘s problems. X was originally set to open in 2001 but was delayed significantly.  Six Flags chose to open another major thrill machine from Vekoma. Unfortunately, this coaster would have its own set of problems. In August of 2001 Six Flags and Vekoma unveiled the world’s first “Giant Inverted Boomerang”, Deja Vu.

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Lost Coasters of California – Part 8: Invertigo

Last week we focused on Windjammer Surf Racers and how it was a product of Knott’s Berry Farm’s attempt to navigate the space between the family and thrill market.  It faced the problem of Magic Mountain dominating the thrill market with major coaster additions, many of which we’ve discussed here, and Disneyland’s hyper detailed themed experiences.   Northern California in the late 90s had a far less competitive theme park market.  After the construction and runaway success of Tidal Wave in 1977 Marriott’s Great America, eventually Great America in 1985 and then Paramount’s Great America in 1993, had remained consistent with coaster trends.  In 1986 they opened the wooden Grizzly, 1991 saw the addition of the B&M standup Vortex, and 1993 saw the addition of the still-beloved B&M invert Top Gun.  These consistent additions, despite changes in ownership, resulted in a solid coaster collection any regional park could be proud of.  

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California Theme Parks – Where Do We Go From Here?

After months on top of months of waiting, California theme parks finally received reopening guidelines yesterday during the state’s weekly COVID-19 briefing. Governor Gavin Newsom along with other high-level representatives from the Golden State have decided to split up theme parks into “larger theme parks” and “smaller theme parks”. The placement of a theme park is based on its capacity. The state says it will allow smaller theme parks to reopen at 25% capacity (or 500 people, whichever is fewer) once the county the park resides in is placed into the orange tier. Reservations will be required, all park guests must live in the same county the park is in, and only outdoor attractions will be allowed to operate. For larger theme parks, the restrictions are even more suffocating, with the guidelines stating that the county the park resides in must be in the yellow tier in order to reopen. Like the smaller parks, reservations will also be required and the park capacity will have to be 25%. Continue reading “California Theme Parks – Where Do We Go From Here?”