Giving Thanks...for Coasters

Like the rest of the country, I'll be gorging on a festive meal with my family this Thanksgiving. As I drift off into a turkey-induced tryptophan stupor, I'll be thinking back over the past year and all that has made me thankful. So you don't think I'm a total theme park geek, there are things besides parks for which I give thanks. But since it's likely you didn't come to the About Theme Parks site to read about my wonderful kids, here are a few things in the world of theme parks, water parks, and attractions that have made me thankful over the past year.

• All of us park geeks (and you know you are) need to tip our Pilgrim hats to Disneyland for celebrating its golden anniversary in style this year. Disney has given its grand old lady some TLC and the park really sparkles.
• I'm thankful that Six Flags Great Adventure launched Kingda Ka, the world's tallest, fastest roller coaster this year. But, I'm even more thankful that I was standing on the loading platform, and not sitting in the train (which I was supposed to board in a matter of minutes) when the passenger-less Kingda Ka had a serious malfunction that put it out of commission for most of the season.
• Let's hear it for Busch Gardens Williamsburg and its stunning Curse of DarKastle ride. The sophisticated attraction is, in my estimation, the unsung hero of the season. Put the Virginia park on your New Year's resolution list as one of the places to visit next year.
• I'm thankful for the explosion of indoor water park resorts. Places like the fabulous Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg give us the opportunity to have water park fun all year round.
• After I put the turkey carving knife and all of the cutlery away, I want to salute the folks at Universal Orlando for their wild, over-the-top Halloween Horror Nights. Somehow, they mange to pull off a sweet ode to the whimsical Dr. Seuss while offering graphic blood sacrifices a mere few hundred feet away.
• There were plenty of other great developments at parks in 2005, but I'm also thankful for what's in store at parks next year. These are exciting times in the world of parks and I'm thankful that I get to cover the industry and share the good news with you. High on parkdom's most anticipated list for 2006: Holiday World and its new Voyage coaster. The huge woodie will anchor a new land at the park themed to...Thanksgiving.

And that brings us back to the holiday at hand. Happy Thanksgiving everybody.