Mickey Sends His Passport in for Mo Review by Piyush Mistri

Mickey Sends His Passport in for Mo Review by Piyush Mistri

UK Theme Parks Rides

                                                 Adventure Land
A kids dream come true, ball pools, slides, playgrounds and the Beastie children's coaster are all here in this colourful zone. The fantastic Sonic Spinball spinning roller coaster offers thrills and spills for the whole family in a giant pinball machine experience and you can travel through the tree-tops on the Squirrel Nutty Ride.

                                               Cloud Cuckoo Land
Home to the fantastical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory : The Ride, taking you on an amazing journey through the wondrous chocolate factory and soaring over the park in the great glass elevator! There's a chance for little one's to take to the road and get their own driving licence at the Driving School. A whole host of other rides and attractions await, including the Twirling Toadstool, Frog Hopper, Gallopers Carousel, Wobble World indoor play area, and the Cloud Cuckoo Land Theatre.
                                                                                  
                                         Dark Forest
Discover an area of unexplored woodland beyond the gothic ruins of the Towers, where mysterious wraiths roam the trees and undergrowth. Here you will find a long abandoned raceway that is home to Rita, a powerful launched roller coaster, and the unearthed ancient crypt of Thirteen, where you can surrender yourself to the world's first psychoaster.


                                       Forbidden Valley
The ideal thrill seekers destination, a edge of the earth zone with some amazing adrenaline filled rides. Here you will find the legendary and very intense Nemesis inverted roller coaster, and Air where riders assume the flying position for an amazing experience. Action-packed rides come thick and fast with the swinging ship Blade and the twisting, rolling Ripsaw .


                                         Gloomy Wood
A spooky place where ghosts and ghouls await, hidden within the spine chilling woods there's Duel - The Haunted House Strikes Back where you can battle against evil forces in an interactive laser adventure ride. If you dare, take a short cut through Haunted Hollow, but beware of the eerie tombstones, headless statues, and ghostly goings-on.

                                        Katanga Canyon            
Go on a wild adventure in this African settlement, exploring the dramatic lake and rocky landscape. You can roll through the canyon on the wild track of the Runaway Mine Train or splash through it on the Congo River Rapids. For even more wet and wild fun, take a ride on The Flume for an extra soaking.




                                            Mutiny Bay
The centrepiece of this pirate-themed family area is an interactive Splash battle' water attraction called Battle Galleons where swashbucklers are assured of a spectacular soaking! Explore the underwater world at Sharkbait Reef, this Sea Life attraction gives you the opportunity to come face to face with creatures from the deepest depths. There's also a thrilling 'rock-n-tug' boat ride named Heave Ho along with spinning sensation Marauders Mayhem which is accompanied by explosives guaranteed to shiver your timbers.


                                           The Gardens
The gardens are a great place to relax and unwind, with elegant conservatories surrounded by a vast array of trees and flowers. Enjoy a stroll through the valley by taking one of the many winding pathways, or look down over them with spectacular views from the Sky Ride.




                                           The Towers  
Across the beautiful lake and gardens you will find the legendary Towers, why not venture into the ruins and discover the history behind the theme park we have today. Enter the haunted chambers, home to Hex, an incredible ride exposing you to the forces of a dark legend that will leave you spellbound.


                                          Towers Street
As you step into the park you'll find yourself surrounded by a plethora of quirky shops and cafes, an ideal place to enjoy a bite to eat and grab some souvenirs of your day out. You can also board the Sky Ride, which can take you to either the Forbidden Valley or Cred Street.




The futuristic hi-tech home of the mighty Oblivion vertical drop coaster, don't look down! There are two other amazing thrill rides here, the gravity defying vertical spinning ride Enterprise, and Submission, which will flip you up and over until you beg for mercy.

Disney Turns to Guests to Promote Theme Parks

In one video, a little boy dances during a parade at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. In another, a young girl dressed as a princess embraces her father. And in a third, two women explore Cinderella Castle.
All are part of Disney’s new campaign called  “ Let the Memories Begin — a promotion that relies on what the company refers to as guest-generated content.

Let the Memories Begin is about real guests making real memories in our parks,” said Leslie Ferraro, executive vice president of global marketing for Disney Destinations. “Disney guests have always loved sharing their vacation memories with us and each other.

New technologies like YouTube and Facebook have made it easier and faster for our guests to share their memories, for Disney Parks to spotlight those memories on a larger scale, and for us to reinforce to our guests how important we think their memories are.”

Disney isn’t alone. The travel industry — which for years considered videos as byproducts of a happy vacation, if not liabilities that occasionally found their way on to the Internet — has also had a change of heart.

User-generated videos aren’t exactly new. They’ve been popular for years and have big audience online. According to ComScore, 178 million U.S. Internet users watched online video content in August, the latest month available. That’s an average of 14.3 hours per viewer. Many of the clips online are produced on the cheap, using a cell phone and rudimentary editing software on a PC.

But Disney’s campaign marks a turning point. The grainy videos with the tinny sound that occasionally went viral are now being accepted and even celebrated as authentic representations of a vacation experience.

They’re real,”said Jason Stein,a writer, producer and director for Laundry Service Media. “No script, no actors. I understand why the travel industry wants to employ more user-generated videos: It’s a real person documenting a real experience.”

It's about more than lowering production standards and handing over some of the creative control to a customer, said Wojciech Lorenc, an assistant professor at Columbia College's television department. “It's more like a convergence,” he said. “Consumers and smart brands like Disney interact with each other and share similar aesthetic values because digital media has leveled the playing field.

Disney California Adventure Overview

Combine the magic of Disney with the best that California has to offer and the result is Disney   California Adventure, a theme park that celebrates     the Golden State in style. Once you enter the gates of this park, you are transported to the land of promise, opportunity and glamour. Disney California Adventure is a journey from the California of yesterday to today and   a tribute to this   land of dreams. Its larger than life images and icons seem to be plucked from a Hollywood blockbuster. From Grizzly Peak (an icon at the park) to a white knuckled roller coaster, the sights and sounds are inspired by the rich history of this majestic state. Guests can ‘soar’ high above the pacific coastline, bobbing along white water rapids, tumbling down an elevator shaft or simply savor a glass of wine from the Napa Valley. Whether you prefer "action, comedy or romance," Disney California Adventure has something for everyone.

When the "Entertainment Capital of the World" gets a touch of Disney, you know that Disney California Adventure will be an unforgettable experience.

Disney World of Color at Disney California Adventure Park

Highlights from the World of Color Show at Disney's California Adventure. World of Color combines fountains, movie projections and lighting effects to produce the highly anticipated show.

Legoland lands rides

We have a couple of Legoland Florida renderings and more complete information about the Winter Haven theme park, which is scheduled to open in October 2011.


These are renderings from the park’s Castle Hill section, which will be new construction at the park. The castle will be home to the Dragon indoor-outdoor roller coaster.  To repeat my favorite quote from yesterday’s media briefing,  general manager Adrian Jones said, “



There’s a perception in Central Florida that you have to build a castle in order to have a successful theme park.So we built one.OK, let’s examine the ticket situation. Pre-sales have begun on single-day tickets and annual passes. They can be purchased at  Source http://www.LegolandFloridaResort.com.

Flying Boat Theme Park Ride

A Self Operated Water ride at an Austrian park, with very Funny laughing.

Hotels near Hershey Park

The most famous of the attractions located in Hershey, PA is Hershey Park, an amusement park that first opened in 1907 as a place for Hershey employees to enjoy some downtime. Today, it’s where you can find 13 thrilling roller coasters of all styles and more than 50 other rides and attractions.

As a big roller coaster fan, I made it a point to ride as many as possible in the single day I spent at Hershey Park. The park is home to plenty of coaster history, including the first coaster with an inversion on the United States east coast, the SooperDooperLooper, and the first wooden racing/dueling roller coaster, Lightning Racer. While Racer was my favorite ride of the park, coaster enthusiasts will enjoy the 95-degree   downward drop of Fahrenheit and the historic value of Wild Cat, originally built in 1923.

North America biggest mall

At first glance, it seemed like any other large shopping center. Then I saw giant the roller coaster.

Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta, Canada, doesn't seem like the sort of place that would be home to North America's largest mall, but here it is. In a city of less than a million people, this huge surbuban complex has become the city's best-known landmark.

West Edmonton Mall is, to some degree, just like Australia's mammoth shopping centres - endless lanes of chain stores selling electronics, homewares and clothes, clothes, clothes - but there are a few factors that set it apart, such as the indoor amusement park (complete with rollercoaster), the enormous water park and the resident sea lions (seriously).

These extra features mean the mall has more in common with some of the mega-casino complexes in Las Vegas than with your typical shopping centre (and, yes, there's a casino here too). But first and foremost, my girlfriend and I are here to shop. We're nearing the end of our Canadian trip and it's time to start picking up souvenirs and gifts (mainly for ourselves). In fact, every time I had been dragged into a store elsewhere in Canada I'd used the Edmonton visit as a get-out clause.

"Don't buy that now! Wait until we get to the mall," I'd say, and it worked a treat.

On the negative side, I was now paying for it by being dragged into many of the mall's 800 stores to look at handbags, dresses and boots. For the most part, the mall's fashion stores tend to be well-known chains, some available in Australia (Espirit, French Connection, Hugo Boss) some not (Gap, Banana Republic and the seemingly much sought-after Zara). If you're looking for unique or local fashions, the mall's probably not the best place to find them. Edmonton also boasts the very funky Whyte Avenue, which is populated by an endless parade of hip young things and is home to a multitude of cool stores, bars and restaurants.

Back at the mall, I was beginning to discover what sets it apart from Chadstone. The first thing I saw was the ice-skating rink. A huge space in the centre of the mall, it's where young Edmontonians come to show off their skills on the ice. They leap, spin and occasionally fall over, but for the most part they're exceptionally good. You probably have to be, because the rink is open to the rest of the mall, meaning shoppers can stop and watch while they sip their Tim Horton's coffee.

More unusual than the skating rink was the life-sized replica of Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria, sitting in an indoor lake that's reportedly the biggest in the world. Next to this was the sea lion pool, where a pair of Californian sea lions and their trainers perform free shows twice a day. The pool is next to an enclosure featuring several lemurs and a three-toed sloth. I began to realise why the mall was accredited as a zoo.

Originally opened in 1981 by the Ghermezian family (patriarch Jacob moved to Edmonton from New York and his decendents, including 30-odd grandchildren, still reportedly live in the city) the mall started with 220 stores, but within two years this had grown to 460. Over the next 16 years, at an overall cost of $C1.2 billion ($1.3 billion), it continued to grow and hold the record as the world's largest mall.

It lost that status in 2004, as Asian and Middle Eastern construction booms saw it overtaken (it now ranks as the world's fifth largest).

Still, many of the mall's stats are mind boggling. It covers 492,000 square metres and is home to the world's largest car park (room for 20,000 vehicles). There's 23,500 jobs here – on basic maths that means about 3 per cent of the city's 780,000 population works here.

So large is the place that I can believe it when a taxi driver tells me that groups of teenage girls runaway from home to come and live in the mall (I fail to see any evidence of these girls for myself). And for those visitors who really never want to leave, there's a 355-room hotel, suggestively called Fantasyland, on site.

For many, though, the mall has two major non-shopping drawcards: World Waterpark and Galaxyland.

The first, as the name suggests, is an enormous indoor water park, complete with waterslides several storeys high and the world's largest indoor wave pool. Even though it's a warm day outside, this indoor oasis is packed with families enjoying fun in the … skylight. Not wanting to pack wet togs when we depart in the morning, we opt to give the water park a miss and head instead to Galaxyland.

Galaxyland claims to be the world's largest indoor amusement park, but a first glance at the carousel and toy train it all seems a little smaller and, well, kiddie-sized compared with outdoor parks. But that's before step into the rear section and see the rollercoaster. Called the Mindbender, it's 14 storeys high with three loops and yet, like all the attractions here, it's indoors.

Now, I may be in my mid-30s, but I still love a good rollercoaster. And yet, I like to watch it go around a few times before biting the bullet and getting on board. Unfortunately, it looks like the Mindbender isn't running, as we wait around for several minutes and see no activity. But just as we're about to give up, we see people boarding. Turns out that, as it's a Monday, it's just quiet. We head downstairs and are first in line for the next ride.

As far as rollercoasters go, it's a good one. As we rapidly ascend to the apex at the beginning of the ride, we're treated to a window view out across the top of the mall. Then, the plunge kicks in and we're also turned upside down.

After we can walk straight again, we take on a couple of the tamer rides in the park, before remembering what we came here for in the first place: shopping.

We've been here for hours and still haven't bought a thing. As my girlfriend takes me through another series of clothing shops, I spot a couple of good-looking bargain shirts and a jumper. After the purchase, I lead the shopping stakes 3-0. It's an upset no one would have predicted.

Trading hours are running out, but my girlfriend finally finds something she likes: a bag from Urban Outfitters. Eight hundred shops later, we've come back to the very first place we went into. Still, it's best to shop around.

Craig Platt travelled as a guest of the Canadian Tourism Commission and Tourism Edmonton

The cultural life of North Korea

A street scene in Pyongyang. Photograph: Dan Chung/Guardian

Old men playing cards in a park; a woman shopping for vegetables; tired workers jostling for space on a rusting trolley bus. These tiny glimpses of daily life would be unremarkable anywhere else. But this is Pyongyang, capital of one of the world's most insular countries, and even the mundane is an extraordinary sight – more fascinating to a journalist than the pomp of North Korea's largest military parade, the real reason we have been allowed in.

We expect to see the portraits of Eternal President  Kim Il-sung and his son, the Dear Leader Kim Jong-il, gazing down at us from roadsides. We have been well briefed on socialist haircuts and vinalon, the miracle fabric made from limestone and better known for durability than comfort. We have read the propaganda, combining revolutionary fervour, the vocabulary of 30s potboilers and accounts of Kim's visits to potato-starch factories.

But who knew that The Da Vinci Code was a hit in this strictly controlled city? That Céline Dion is a karaoke favourite? Or that the mass performances are not only a tribute to the leadership and motherland, but the way that many young people find partners?

Few foreigners see this city at all. Around 2,000 western tourists visited last year, plus perhaps 10 times as many Chinese visitors. The expatriate population, excluding Chinese and Russian diplomats, and including children, stands at 150. Mobile phones are confiscated at entry; visitors are accompanied by official escorts at all times; tourists' photos are inspected and frequently deleted, even when their subject matter is – to outside eyes – entirely innocuous.

Information is so sparse that interpreting North Korea is not so much like reading tea leaves in a saucer as examining them while they float in a milky brew. People devote their careers to the country yet acknowledge they know little about it – one Seoul-based expert, Park Hyeong-jung, is reportedly writing a paper on "just how terrible our research and predictions are", though others say information about daily life – such as market prices – is much better than two decades ago.

Our rare media trip has been organised by the government at little notice to show the world that Kim Jong-un, the leader's youngest son, is now heir apparent. We arrive in Pyongyang less than 24 hours after flinging scribbled applications at the Beijing embassy and officials admit they hadn't expected so many journalists. With minders in short supply we have more freedom than usual, visiting the railway station, department store, vegetable shops and kiosks and a local restaurant. This is by far the wealthiest section of the wealthiest part of the country.

"Nobody who lives in Pyongyang is an ordinary person. This is the top five to 10% of the population," points out Barbara Demick, whose book Nothing To Envy offers a vivid account of ordinary life in North Korea.

On top of that, we have arrived amid unusual celebrations. The party has promised special supplies to households in the capital, including a bottle of alcohol, cooking oil and sweets. Most passersby are drab, in grey, khaki or navy outfits; their only colour the red Kim Il-sung badge pinned to each lapel. But women attending the military parade have brought out their bright traditional gowns for the holiday and others show a thirst for colour, with vivid bags or jackets. Hot pink is a surprisingly popular shade in Pyongyang. Most are immaculately made-up and all are neatly coiffed. Hair is a serious matter in North Korea, which licences a limited range of haircuts – in 2005, state television launched a series titled Let's Trim our Hair in Accordance with the Socialist Lifestyle.

On the streets, a handful of residents lick ice lollies; one tiny girl holds a candy floss stick in each hand. Across from our hotel, people jostle at food stalls for savoury pancakes, fritters and pizza (reportedly a favourite of Kim Jong-il's). An enormous white frosted cake with pink icing roses is priced at 9,000 won (£6.25), while a dish of shaved ice with syrup costs just 5 won. Young men take aim at shooting stalls, and around town crowds gather to watch open-air concerts, the bands lined up in neat rows like Merseybeat-era Beatles.

But some who know the city suggest that attractions such as the street lighting will vanish once we have gone. Even during our visit, most roads away from our hotel are dark. The sleek restaurants surrounding it are almost empty. The central department store is gloomy, illuminated only by late-afternoon light and a string of fairy lights. As at a rainy English fete, the effect of the bunting above the counters is more plaintive than festive. Stock lies untroubled in glass counters or on the shelves behind them: lengths of plaid fabric, clocks, footballs, pastel towels, TVs and even a cafetiere set. There are perhaps 20 visitors sprinkled across four sizeable floors and the only actual customer appears to be a small child buying a cheap plastic toy.

Our Bollywood Theme Park Rides

Anil Ambani’s Reliance ADA is discussing a tie-up with Universal Studios to build a massive theme park in Mumbai or Delhi. The $1.5 billion facility is to have a mix of Hollywood- and Bollywood-themed attractions.

That got us thinking: What would make for a good Bollywood amusement park attraction?

Here are some suggestions from India Real Time.:

1) Bollywood Karaoke: Pick a film, a song, a dream-sequence background (Swiss Alps, Singapore, etc.) and sing at the top of your lungs.

2) Fake Encounter: An arcade shooting game in which a rogue police officer guns down a local gang member with whom he has a long-running feud and then is never brought to justice for the murder.

3) Big B’s Carousel of Time: An easy-does-it ride that transports you through the career of  Amitabh Bachchan, with scenes from early hits like Sholay through to the slump and  retirement of the late 1990s, the revival with Kaun Banega Crorepati (Who wants to Be a Millionaire Knock-off) and recent hits like Paa. It could be like the Haunted House at Disney World, where you see yourself in funny mirrors: Each mirror could put one of Big B’s very wide range of hair styles and colors on your scalp.

4) Super Krrish: A high-speed, loop-the-loop roller coaster built in honor of Hrithik Roshan’s Krrish, the superhero with extraordinary speed and strength. Videos along the route show Mr. Roshan doing high-difficulty dance numbers.

5) Yeh Dosti: Hop in a motorcycle-and-sidecar and get ready for a ride as bumpy as the one you remember in Sholay, when Veeru and Jai sing “Yeh Dosti!” across the countryside.

NEW karnatak amuserment park

This splendid neo-Dravidian granite building that dominates the northern boundary of the Cubbon park, is the home of the State Legislature and the Secretariat. It took four years of work by 5,000 labourers and 1,500 craftsmen to finish this magnificent structure in 1956. It is a fusion of four architectural styles - Dravidian, Rajasthani, Chola and Kannadiga. It is a magnificent structure granite with 12 massive pillars, archways and a wide flight of steps leading up to its entrance. The Indian national symbol four lions stands atop the biggest dome.

The massive sandalwood door of the  room is a spectacular feature of this imposing building. The Vidhana Soudha is bedecked in illuminated glory during special periods and is a sight worth viewing. The building is open for visitors only after 3 PM.

The Bangalore Race Course

The Bangalore Race Course is one of the finest in India, with racing events almost all year round (May to June and Nov to Mar). Some of the biggest field stakes in the country can be witnessed here.

Andrew Sarris Harshes on 'Casino Royale' and 'Barefoot in the Park

"CASINO ROYALE" is said to be doing spectacular business despite moderately unfavorable reviews. Most of the proceedings were too esoteric for this reviewer. At times, it seemed that the only joke in the film was the impunity with which the name of James Bond was bandied about. Bond is more than a sociological artifact: he is a fiduciary property. And it's funny to see more than one set of producers with their claws in him. As funny as Johnny Carson regaling his studio audiences with jokes about his successful raid on NBC. Or Jackie Gleason being expansive about his stature in Miami. People seem to laugh at these things nowadays without the slightest trace of resentment. Power, success, money, even conceitedness seem to be their own justification. Dean Martin doesn't make five million a year because he's great. He's great because he makes five million a year. This public attitude can be attributed partly to the low-pressure realism of television, and partly to an ominous swing to the right.
Popular complicity with power and success tends to stifle feelings of injustice. If Bond and Carson and Gleason and Martin deserve to be where they are, then Negroes and migrant farm workers and poor people generally are somehow to blame for their own plight. Not that America has ever been an egalitarian society. It is just that I can't think of a folk hero in human history with fewer redeeming qualities than James Bond. He's not even a human being, but just a department store dummy going bang-bang. And he is beyond criticism or spoofing.
"Casino Royale" tries to capitalize both on the James Bond name and the "What's New, Pussycat?" art nouveau nuttiness. I liked "Pussycat," but I don't like "Casino Royale," particularly when John Huston is flaunting the hardened arteries of David Niven and Deborah Kerr in a Scottish castle. Things pick up a little bit when Orson Welles, Peter Sellers, and Woody Allen stumble into the scene, but the total experience remains boringly incoherent. Also, this is one of the most sexless movies ever made. Of course, this reviewer is too wise in the ways of brainwashing to believe that any of his readers will believe him. So see it for yourself, but don't blame me, like the song says.
"BAREFOOT IN THE PARK" (at the Radio City Music Hall) contains a good opening sequence that was not in the play. Jane Fonda and Robert Redford make an attractively sexy couple of newlyweds. Mildred Natwick delivers two funny lines. Charles Boyer is miscast as a grotesque continental type. Gene Saks directs his first film so clumsily that he even muffs Mike Nichol's exploitation of the climbing the stairs gag that kept Neil Simon's feeble farce running for 79 years on Broadway. The movie is full of physical details that I found impossible to believe. The skylight, for example, with the hole in it.Over a bed during the winter snowstorm. The hero lies there with the snow coming down. Anything for a laugh. As for the hero walking barefoot in the park to prove that he is not a stuffed shirt, let us just say that this kind of Broadway philosophizing is a quaint sample of pre-hippie humor...

Top 10 Amusement Park Rides for 2009 & Swine Flu Travel Deals

Amusement parks gear up for sizzling summer

By: Nicole Sipe
Journal Register News Network

This summer there’s no better way to beat the heat and have a great time than to hit a few amusement parks. Lucky for you, four of the nation’s best amusement parks are located within easy range of Montgomery County, and they are offering all new shows and attractions to help make the best of your summer.

For those with a sweet tooth, Hersheypark is featuring a variety of new and exciting attractions. With productions like “Tap: The Show” an exhilarating display of tap dancing; “Rock the Jukebox!,” a musical ride through entertainment history; and “Frontier Frenzy” for the country and bluegrass lovers in the crowd, it’s guaranteed that you can never be bored at Hersheypark.

“There are some exciting things in store at Hersheypark this summer. We now have shows every 15 minutes, now through Aug. 28. We also have all of our old favorites, like the Boardwalk,” says Kathy Burrows, public relations manager for the park.

Along with its ever-expanding entertainment, Hersheypark boasts some of the country’s best roller coasters and rides. Thrill seekers will not want to miss “Fahrenheit,” with its 121-foot ascent and 97-degree drop at speeds of up to 58 miles per hour. Other notable coasters include the “Sooperdooperlooper,” the first looping rollercoaster on the East Coast, and the “Wildcat,” a thrilling wooden rollercoaster.

If adrenaline isn’t your style, enjoy a lazy ride on the Ferris Wheel or a relaxing twirl on the carousel. Hersheypark also knows how to beat the heat with its water rides, so don’t forget your bathing suit.

If you prefer more aggressive coasters, Six Flags Great Adventure is the place for you this summer. Home to more than a dozen roller coasters, Six Flags is a thrill-seeker’s delight. Coasters like “Batman the Ride,” “Nitro” and “Kingda Ka,” the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world, will be sure to take your breath away.

But don’t worry about finding a babysitter, Six Flags is family-friendly. Offering four areas just for kids, like “Wiggles World” and “Bugs Bunny National Park,” it’s a guarantee that no one in the family will get bored.

And Six Flags is so much more than just an amusement park. It also offers a drive-through safari that will transport you to the deserts of Africa, the forests of North America and all the way down under to Australia. The wildlife preserve is home to more than 1,100 animals and has a nearly five-mile autotrail, allowing you to view the animals as if they were in their natural habitat.

If you want to keep it a little closer to home, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom has everything you are looking for. Break a sweat on “Hydra: The Revenge,” the only floorless rollercoaster in Pennsylvania, or “Steel Force,” the first rollercoaster in the East to reach more than 200 feet. After you’re nice and hot, cool off at Wildwater Kingdom, which boasts more than 15 water rides — enough to keep the whole family cool.

Dorney Park also offers live shows for everyone in the family, like “Snoopy Rocks on Ice,” hosted by everyone’s favorite cartoon character; “Across America,” a musical journey from coast to coast; and “Spin,” a break-dancing extravaganza, among others.

If you’re looking to focus more on the kids this summer, Sesame Place has what you need. This summer, Sesame Place is celebrating its 30th birthday and wants everyone to get in on the celebration. For its birthday, the park is offering new shows like “Elmo Rocks!,” starring all of your favorite characters, from Elmo to Zoey to Cookie Monster and more.

As the only theme park in the country based solely on the hit children’s show “Sesame Street,” this park offers a one-of-a-kind experience.

“It’s something for parents and children to experience together. Parents who grew up watching ‘Sesame Street’ can now share that magic with their children. There’s a lot of nostalgia. Guests can use their imagination and see our colorful shows and all of their favorite furry friends,” says Paula Pritchard, public relations representative for the park.

Guests can keep cool with the park’s countless water rides, like the “Teeny Tiny Tidal Pool,” “Bert and Ernie’s Slip and Slide,” “Rubber Duckie Pond” or “Sky Splash.” If you forget your bathing suit, don’t worry; there are plenty of things to do while keeping dry, like “Ernie’s Bed Bounce,” “Monster Maze” or the “Sunny Day Carousel.”

But whatever you do, don’t miss the “Rock Around the Block Parade.” Travelling right through the heart of the park, this is your little ones’ chance to see all of their favorite “Sesame Street” characters up close and personal.

Whether you’re looking for an adrenaline rush or a long, lazy river, these four theme parks deliver everything you’re looking for, and more. Summer means warm weather, fun and family and there’s no better way to incorporate them all than hitting a few amusement parks.

Harry Potter’s Wizarding World brought to life

ORLANDO, Fla. _ Orlando is possibly the best destination for theme park lovers. There is the Walt Disney World Resort, one of the largest theme parks in the world with four amusement parks, three water parks and a number of hotels; Universal Orlando Resort, consisting of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure _ now filled with Harry Potter magic; and SeaWorld Orlando, a marine life theme park.

However, the biggest news this summer is Harry Potter’s magical world brought to life on the Islands of Adventure.

Universal Orlando officially opened "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," its new theme park based on mega-hit books and movie series on June 18. 

It has obviously raised the bar for people's expectations of theme parks by bringing the imaginary, magical world of Harry Potter, featured in the seven-volume fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling, to life.

The books have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide, while the films have grossed more than $5.3 billion, excluding two more movies of volume seven yet to come.

"We have brought to life a cultural phenomenon that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of people around the world," said Bill Davis, president of Universal Orlando Resort.


Wizarding World 

The place is going to be a heaven for Harry Potter fans as they can experience what they have read in the book and seen in the movies themselves.

In the 20-acre Wizarding World area, three main attractions await Muggles, the term used to describe "non-magical" people in the Harry Potter series _ Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff.

The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the village of Hogsmeade have also been painstakingly recreated to give a sneak peak at what the “Wizarding World” is like.

Upon entering the gates, the iconic red Hogwarts Express train arriving to Hogsmeade Station greets visitors to the magical realm.
Past a row of snow-covered shops in the village of Hogsmeade, Hogwarts Castle stands in the middle of the Wizarding World. Guests riding the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey will pass through a green house, moving paintings in the hallway, the headmaster Dumbledore’s room and the Defense against Dark Arts classroom and encounter the Whomping Willow, a horde of dementors and a Quidditch match during the main ride.

For thrill lovers, the Dragon Challenge twin coasters await. The waiting area of the roller coaster is designed after the Triwizard Tournament that appeared in the fourth book _ “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” _ and visitors can see Hagrid's hut here. At the end of the queue, people can choose which dragon to ride _ the Chinese Fireball or the Hungarian Horntail. The red Chinese Fireball coaster has a faster speed, while the blue Hungarian Horntail has more loops. The dueling coasters overlap and intertwine with each other during the ride.

Children will enjoy the Flight of the Hippogriff, a smaller, milder roller coaster giving a glimpse of what it feels like to ride the mythical part-eagle part-horse.



Hidden details

Small extras of the magical world of Harry Potter can also be found at the Universal’s Wizarding World.

Visitors can find out which magic wand is right for them at Ollivander's, the legendary wand shop originally located in Diagon Alley in London. They are allowed in the shop by small groups and one lucky guest will get a chance to try out a few wands to find the perfect fit.

Butterbeer, the favorite drink of Harry Potter, is also available for Muggles at The Three Broomsticks pub. The butterbeer drink is a non-alcoholic butterscotch flavored drink.

Pygmy Puff, the adorable pink familiar of Ginny Weasley, is also available at Zonko's. Originally in the book, Pygmy Puffs are sold at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop owned by Ginny's twin brothers Fred and George.

Moaning Myrtle, a ghost who haunts the second floor bathroom at Hogwarts, can also be spotted in the restrooms at Wizarding World.

The 2010 Amusement parks guide

This summer there’s no better way to beat the heat and have a great time than to hit a few amusement parks. Lucky for you, four of the nation’s best amusement parks are located within easy range of Montgomery County, and they are offering all new shows and attractions to help make the best of your summer.

For those with a sweet tooth, Hersheypark is featuring a variety of new and exciting attractions. With productions like “Tap: The Show” an exhilarating display of tap dancing; “Rock the Jukebox!,” a musical ride through entertainment history; and “Frontier Frenzy” for the country and bluegrass lovers in the crowd, it’s guaranteed that you can never be bored at Hersheypark.

“There are some exciting things in store at Hersheypark this summer. We now have shows every 15 minutes, now through Aug. 28. We also have all of our old favorites, like the Boardwalk,” says Kathy Burrows, public relations manager for the park.

Along with its ever-expanding entertainment, Hersheypark boasts some of the country’s best roller coasters and rides. Thrill seekers will not want to miss “Fahrenheit,” with its 121-foot ascent and 97-degree drop at speeds of up to 58 miles per hour. Other notable coasters include the “Sooperdooperlooper,” the first looping rollercoaster on the East Coast, and the “Wildcat,” a thrilling wooden rollercoaster.

If adrenaline isn’t your style, enjoy a lazy ride on the Ferris Wheel or a relaxing twirl on the carousel. Hersheypark also knows how to beat the heat with its water rides, so don’t forget your bathing suit.

If you prefer more aggressive coasters, Six Flags Great Adventure is the place for you this summer. Home to more than a dozen roller coasters, Six Flags is a thrill-seeker’s delight. Coasters like “Batman the Ride,” “Nitro” and “Kingda Ka,” the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world, will be sure to take your breath away.

But don’t worry about finding a babysitter, Six Flags is family-friendly. Offering four areas just for kids, like “Wiggles World” and “Bugs Bunny National Park,” it’s a guarantee that no one in the family will get bored.

And Six Flags is so much more than just an amusement park. It also offers a drive-through safari that will transport you to the deserts of Africa, the forests of North America and all the way down under to Australia. The wildlife preserve is home to more than 1,100 animals and has a nearly five-mile autotrail, allowing you to view the animals as if they were in their natural habitat.

If you want to keep it a little closer to home, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom has everything you are looking for. Break a sweat on “Hydra: The Revenge,” the only floorless rollercoaster in Pennsylvania, or “Steel Force,” the first rollercoaster in the East to reach more than 200 feet. After you’re nice and hot, cool off at Wildwater Kingdom, which boasts more than 15 water rides — enough to keep the whole family cool.

Dorney Park also offers live shows for everyone in the family, like “Snoopy Rocks on Ice,” hosted by everyone’s favorite cartoon character; “Across America,” a musical journey from coast to coast; and “Spin,” a break-dancing extravaganza, among others.

If you’re looking to focus more on the kids this summer, Sesame Place has what you need. The park is celebrating its 30th birthday and they want everyone to get in on the celebration with new shows like “Elmo Rocks!,” starring all of your favorite characters from Elmo to Zoey to Cookie Monster and more.

As the only theme park in the country based solely on the hit children’s show “Sesame Street,” this park offers a one-of-a-kind experience.

“It’s something for parents and children to experience together. Parents who grew up watching ‘Sesame Street’ can now share that magic with their children. There’s a lot of nostalgia. Guests can use their imagination and see our colorful shows and all of their favorite furry friends,” says Paula Pritchard, public relations representative for the park.

Guests can keep cool with the park’s countless water rides, like the “Teeny Tiny Tidal Pool,” “Bert and Ernie’s Slip and Slide,” “Rubber Duckie Pond” or “Sky Splash.” If you forget your bathing suit, don’t worry; there are plenty of things to do while keeping dry, like “Ernie’s Bed Bounce,” “Monster Maze” or the “Sunny Day Carousel.”

But whatever you do, don’t miss the “Rock Around the Block Parade.” Travelling right through the heart of the park, this is your little ones’ chance to see all of their favorite “Sesame Street” characters up close and personal.

Whether you’re looking for an adrenaline rush or a long, lazy river, these four theme parks deliver everything you’re looking for, and more. Summer means warm weather, fun and family and there’s no better way to incorporate them all than hitting a few amusement parks.

Historic wooden roller-coasters near Pittsburgh attract enthusiasts

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - For a city built on steel, some of the most sought- after attractions in Pittsburgh are actually made of wood.

Just ask the more than 400 members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts, who have come to Kennywood amusement park for the 7,000-member group's annual convention. The highlight will be riding three of the oldest wooden roller-coasters in the world — over, and over, and over again.

"There are very few, maybe no places, in the world quite like it," said Bill Linkenheimer, of Pittsburgh, the group's secretary and lifelong lover of the thrill of zooming over the rails, who joined the club in 1980 at age 13.

The gathering this week marks the fourth time that the group, founded in 1978, has held its annual convention at Kennywood. It also marks the first time the American Coaster Enthusiasts will honour two coasters at one park with plaques designating them ACE Roller Coaster Landmarks.

The rides — the Jack Rabbit and the Racer — were both built of wood in the 1920s by coaster designer John Miller. The Jack Rabbit is known for its 21-metre double-dip drop, while the Racer is the only single-track racing coaster in the U.S. Through its unique "reverse curve" design, riders start on the right side of the track and finish on the left.


They are just examples of the way coasters were made back then and how a coaster can survive so long and be really fun and really enjoyable," said John Gerard, of San Diego, the group's public relations director.

Although coaster enthusiasts like the newer steel coasters, too, many are partial to the click-click of old wooden coasters. Modern coasters can be extreme and fast, but the ride tends to be the same every time, while everything from the time of day to the humidity can change the ride on a wooden one, Linkenheimer said.

"Every wood coaster truly is unique," said Linkenheimer, who has ridden more than 600 roller coasters...[next page]

Wizarding World of Harry Potter Opens Today - Harry Potter Theme Park Opens

A new mini-amusement park at Universal Orlando, opened up today. The 250 million dollar recreates the world of Harry Potter with such detail, that Tom Leonard of theTelegraph says that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is more “an exhibit than a conventional theme park.”

Crowds began lining up last night for the grand opening of the new Harry Potter theme park, and park employees are predicting 5 hour lines for five minute rides.

The new them park features roller coaster rides Flight of the Hippogriff, and the high-speed ride Dragon Challenge. But the biggest draw to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, which brings Potter fans through a series of J.K. Rawlings imaginary worlds.

Daniel Radcliffe and other Potter stars were at the opening to welcome guests and enjoy the rides.

Theme Parks Looking To Summer Rebound

Today I'm reporting from Disney's [DIS  34.874    0.944  (+2.78%)   ] California Adventure, where the park is unveiling "World of Color," a water and light show, part of a billion dollar renovation of the park. Some 1,600 people are expected to turn out tonight for the unveiling of the Disney-themed show, which is said to put the Bellagio's fountains in Las Vegas to shame.

This summer Disney is phasing out discounts and counting on new attractions like this one to drive attenance. So far it's working: last week Bob Iger said Disneyland and Disneyworld hotel bookings continue to improve.

Disney isn't the only one investing in new attractions- theme parks around the country are investing millions in new attractions. Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando is introducing a new Harry Potter attraction.

Six Flags, which emerged from bankruptcy in May is adding more roller coasters. And Sea World, which is owned by Blackstone Group, is featuring new high tech shows.

What's the potential return? The 400 amusement parks in the U.S. generate some $12 billion in annual revenue from more than 300 million annual visitors. Last year North American parks saw a one percent decline in attendance, but discounting prevented attendance from falling off further.

This summer the mood is more upbeat: parks are bringing back normal prices and the industry is expecting an uptick in attendance this season. The head of the International Association of Amusement Parks, David Mandt tells me that an increase in corporate business and advance bookings is a positive sign.

Cedar Fair ,[FUN  13.035    0.365  (+2.88%)   ] which operates a dozen amusement and water parks around the country, including Knott's Berry Farm and King's Dominion, is on track for an uptick in sales this summer, after suffering an 8 percent decline in sales and an 11 percent decline in 

Holiday World's sudden loss

As a young man, Will Koch set his sights on a serious business. Computer-science and engineering degrees in hand from the universities of Notre Dame and Southern California, he moved to Los Angeles to take a job designing weapons systems for a defense contractor.

But it wasn't long before Koch, known for his "goofy" laugh as well as his brains, returned to his rural Southern Indiana home to take over the family business, an obscure amusement park in a town called Santa Claus.

There, at Holiday World, he found fulfillment and success, over the next two decades helping to design rides, tripling the number of visitors and winning worldwide acclaim among roller-coaster enthusiasts.

Koch died unexpectedly this week at the age of 48. He had suffered from Type I diabetes since the 1980s, said Paula Werne, Holiday World's longtime spokeswoman. Koch's wife and children found him late Sunday upon returning from Louisville, Ky., where they'd watched a movie.

On Monday, the amusement park bustled as usual and Pat Koch greeted guests, as she often does, despite her son's death only hours earlier.

William Albert Koch Jr., was a descendant of a prominent Southern Indiana family whose 19th-century metal shop grew into a major installer of painting systems in factories worldwide.

Koch was the third generation to lead Holiday World, which was founded in 1946 by his grandfather as Santa Claus Land, one of the nation's first theme parks. (Disneyland came nine years later.) The name was changed to Holiday World in 1984.

After taking over the enterprise in 1990, Koch quickly set about expanding it, adding new rides and attractions. He built a water park, Splashin' Safari, which soon was outdrawing the older rides.

In 1995, Koch attracted international attention with the Raven, a wooden roller coaster he helped design in harmony with the area's rolling, wooded terrain.

"Will hated to cut down a tree," Werne said.

The Raven "wasn't the largest roller coaster, but it was fresh," said Tim Baldwin, of the trade journal Amusement Today.