From Arthur Levine,
Your Guide to Theme Parks.
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May 1 2008

New parks, new coasters, new shows-- 2008 is shaping up to be quite a season at theme parks and amusement parks. No matter where you may live throughout North America or where your vacation travels may be taking you this year, there's bound to be some new excitement awaiting you.

The guide is arranged alphabetically by U.S. state. Canada follows at the end. This page includes what's new for the 2008 season at theme parks in U.S. states from Arkansas to Massachusetts.

The next page includes what's new for the 2008 season at theme parks in U.S. states from Michigan to Ohio.

The third page includes what's new for the 2008 season at theme parks in U.S. states from Oklahoma to Washington plus Canada.

ALABAMA

Find Alabama Theme Parks

ARKANSAS

Find Arkansas Theme Parks

CALIFORNIA

California Theme Parks 2008 Ride Guide
There are plenty of new additions for the 2008 season, including Toy Story Mania at Disney's California Adventure, the Pony Express coaster at Knott's Berry Farm, and The Simpsons at Universal Studios Hollywood. With its many theme parks, California has its own page of new rides and attractions for the 2008 season.

COLORADO

Find Colorado Theme Parks

CONNECTICUT

Find Connecticut Theme Parks

FLORIDA

Florida Theme Parks 2008 Ride Guide
There are plenty of new additions for the 2008 season, including Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the new Aquatica Water Park at SeaWorld Orlando, and The Simpsons at Universal Studios Florida. With its many theme parks, Florida has its own page of new rides and attractions for the 2008 season.

GEORGIA

Six Flags Over Georgia
Austell (near Atlanta), GA
Thomas the Tank Engine land
For younger park-goers, the park will introduce a new area themed to the popular children's TV and book series, Thomas the Tank Engine. There will be new rides (including, of course, a Thomas train ride) and characters to meet.

Wild Adventures
Valdosta (near the Florida border)
The Rattler thrill ride, new Veggietales show, and new animal exhibits.

Find More Georgia Theme Parks

IDAHO

Silverwood
Athol
New coaster It appears that the inverted boomerang coaster known as Deja Vu will be relocated from Six Flags Great America.

IOWA

Adventureland
Altoona (near Des Moines)
Kokomo Kove interactive water play station

Find More Iowa Theme Parks

ILLINOIS

Six Flags Great America
Gurnee (near Chicago and Milwaukee), IL
The Dark Knight themed indoor coaster
Capitalizing on The Dark Knight frenzy that Six Flags hopes next year's (2008) Batman movie of the same name will generate, the chain is adding a themed indoor family coaster that should appeal to riders of nearly all thrill tolerance levels. Read more about The Dark Knight coaster.

Find More Illinois Theme Parks

INDIANA

Holiday World
Santa Claus, Indiana
Kima Bay, Star Spangled Carousel, and Reindeer Games
Splashin' Safari water park gets a new, huge interactive water play station and the theme park will welcome a carousel and a mini tower ride.

Indiana Beach Theme Park
Monticello, IN
Steel Hawg steel family coaster
The unique coaster will have a 120-degree first drop--that's a 30-degree incline from a 90-degree straight drop. That's nuts! At a height of 96 feet and a top speed of 41 mph, it will fall within the "family coaster" category, but the angle of the drop will be unnerving.

Find More Indiana Theme Parks

KANSAS

Both of the state's parks, Joyland and Wild West World (which lasted less than one season), are closed.

KENTUCKY

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Louisville
Mega Wedgie water slide
The Splashwater Kingdom water park will debut a bowl ride. The water slide will send riders aboard tubes down a tunnel and into a bowl where they will swish around a few times before getting flushed out the bottom into a splashdown pool.

• Want to learn more about water park bowl rides? Read this review:
  Dragon's Den at Splish Splash Bowl Ride Review

Also, the park is removing the Superman: Tower of Power ride after the ride caused a gruesome accident in 2007.

Find More Kentucky Theme Parks

LOUISIANA

Six Flags New Orleans
New Orleans
The Katrina-damaged park will still remain closed this season.

Find More Louisiana Theme Parks

MAINE

Find Maine Theme Parks

MARYLAND

Six Flags America
Mitchellville, MD (near Washington, D.C.)
Tony Hawk's Halfpipe
The adjacent water park, Hurricane Harbor (which is included in general admission to Six Flags America), will debut a water slide that looks like a skateboarding halfpipe. Riders will slide back and forth on the u-shaped slide

Find More Maryland Theme Parks

MASSACHUSETTS

Six Flags New England
Agawam, MA (near Springfield, MA and Hartford, CT)
Glow in the Park parade
The spiffy new nighttime Glow in the Park Parade will incorporate music, singing, dancing, floats, stilt walkers, and lots of twinkly lights. It will incorporate the creative talents of designers who have developed projects for Universal and Disney theme parks as well as Cirque du Soleil.

Six Flags New England was among the chain's parks to debut The Dark Knight coaster this season, but was unable to get the proper permits from the city of Agawam. The ride will not open in 2008.

Find More Massachusetts Theme Parks

Next Page: The 2008 Season Ride Guide continues with parks from Michigan to Ohio.