To help realize Disney's insatiable bid for global domination (I don't think the company will give up until every newborn child on the planet comes out of the womb humming "It's a Small World"), the Chinese government gave its final thumbs-up to a new theme park resort planned for Shanghai. It would be the Mouse's fifth Disneyland knockoff and its first on mainland China. Details are sketchy, but according to the Associated Press, the first phase of the property, a classic Disneyland-style park, would open in 2014. It really is becoming a Disney world (after all).

• Disneyland Resort Paris
• Best Walt Disney World Rides

The bankrupt Six Flags park chain is probably hoping Santa brings sleighloads of customers in the coming year as well as a resolution to its lingering debt problems. If so, CEO Mark Shapiro and his lieutenants can ask the red-suited gent themselves. St. Nick will be visiting four Six Flags parks this holiday season as part of the chain's Holiday in the Park events. I just posted a Holiday in the Park mini photo gallery. You can also find out which parks are participating and learn more about the fun planned in the Six Flags Holiday in the Park overview.

Photo: I tawt I taw a Santa cap. Sylvester the Cat gets in the spirit at Six Flags Christmas event, Holiday in the Park. Six Flags. Used with permission.

With parks and manufacturers always conjuring and building new coasters (thank goodness!), best rides lists can't remain static. I just expanded and reshuffled my best steel coasters list. The top two remain the same, but a new thrill machine, Diamondback at King's Island, sneaks in at number three. The ride opened this season to rave reviews (including mine). Want to know what other rides made the cut? See the Best Roller Coasters lists.

Photo: Diamondback is incredibly smooth--and slides into the best steel coasters lsit. ©Arthur Levine, 2009. Licensed to About.com.

The battered economy has not slowed the turnstiles at Disneyland. That's partly because the resort has been offering enticing deals. And the deals keep coming. Case in point: The Resortketeers recently announced an early 2010 offer that tosses in two free hotel nights with a 3-night package. (The hitch is that vacationers have to purchase a 5-day Disneyland pass.) Learn more about this and other SoCal money-savers at my California Theme Park Discounts and Travel Deals page.

• Christmas and the Holidays at Disneyland
• Disneyland Dolls Up Small World