Arthur's Theme Parks Blog September 2006 Archive

The end of summer used to mean the end of water park fun in most parts of the U.S. With the advent of indoor water parks, that's no longer true. ... Read More

You know that dream where you feel like you're freefalling? Six lucky season pass holders and 100 of their friends will get to freefall on tower rides and roller coasters ... Read More

Until 1972, the year that Knott's Berry Farm transformed its Southern California park into Knott's Scary Farm, amusement parks and theme parks didn't embrace Halloween. Most parks generally threw in ... Read More

When Wet 'n' Wild closed on the Las Vegas Strip a couple of years ago, it left the wildly popular tourist destination and booming metropolitan area as just about the ... Read More

How big is Shamu? The only thing he can wear is a Sha-mumu. That especially lame joke sounds a heckuva lot funnier when the Jealous Penguin, an animated character who ... Read More

The Old West comes to Minnesota? You betcha. Valleyfair theme park will be rolling out the new cowboy-themed Renegade wood coaster in 2007. It won't break any records, nor will ... Read More

Fear is a big part of Six Flags' appeal. Ultimately, it's all about fun. But that sense of apprehension we get when we stare up at one of Six Flags' ... Read More

They're the bane of every park fan: lines. We may love riding roller coasters, but waiting over two hours in the broiling sun for a three-minute ride can drive us ... Read More

It seems there as many places called Atlantis as there are killer whales named Shamu. When SeaWorld San Antonio opens for the 2007 season next spring, it will debut Journey ... Read More

After years of dwindling attendance, Cypress Gardens closed in 2003. Before the real estate speculators and bulldozers destroyed the quaint Florida park, however, Kent Buescher from the Wild Adventures theme ... Read More

For its 17th coaster, the thrill machine cowboys at Ohio's Cedar Point (God bless 'em) have decided not to attempt any height or speed records. In fact, when Maverick opens ... Read More

By now, the photo concession booth, which allows passengers on coasters and other attractions to purchase still pictures of themselves braving the rides, is nearly ubiquitous. While they're a great ... Read More

Things get pretty wacky here at About.com's Theme Parks site as Halloween approaches. That's because things get really wacky at theme parks that host Halloween events. Universal Studios Hollywood is ... Read More

Holiday World, the little Indiana park that could (and that's not so little anymore), just announced its new attractions for 2007. Bakuli, a bowl ride that will feature a 73-foot ... Read More

Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Florida introduced North America's first diving coaster, SheiKra, in 2005. For the 2007 season, Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Virginia will get its own diving ... Read More

They may make strange bedfellows, but the Budweiser kings at Anheuser-Busch have been featuring PBS's Sesame Street characters for many years at the Busch Entertainment-operated Sesame Place theme park in ... Read More

When people plan a vacation to Orlando, they have to choose which theme parks they will visit. With so many options, it can be frustrating. Most, however, would consider it ... Read More