Disney unloaded a million dreams as well as some great new (and one old/new) attractions at its theme parks. Other parks debuted new coasters and other fun stuff as well. Let's take a look back at the 2007 season.
1. The Year of a Million Dreams- Part 1. At the U.S. Disney parks.
©Arthur Levine, 2007. Licensed to About.com
After wrapping its successful 50th-anniversary celebration of Disneyland in 2006, Disney launched the multi-park event, The Year of a Million Dreams (which curiously spanned 15 months). The highlight of the event was a Disney Dreams Giveaway sweepstakes that awarded large, small, and one-of-a-kind prizes, such as a one-night stay inside the Cinderella Castle suite, to guests.
2. Nemo was Lost Again in Classic, Found Disneyland Ride
©Arthur Levine. Licensed to About.com
When the Submarine Voyage, a classic ride that was one of Disneyland's signature attractions, closed in 1998, it left a literal and figurative void at the park. It took an enormously popular lost clownfish for Disney to find the inspiration and budget to bring the subs back. With its new Finding Nemo overlay, the ride is perfectly positioned to appeal to today's Pixar-lated kids as well as their nostalgia-fueled parents. The combination of deft storytelling and Imagineering magic makes the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage an alluring, sea-worthy E-Ticket attraction for Disneyland's next 50 years.
3. No Record-Breakers, but Lots of Coasters
Busch Entertainment, 2007. Used with permission.
The roller coaster wars of the past few years, during which parks were battling with one another to lay claim to the tallest and fastest thrill machines, appeared to have entered into a period of detente--at least for 2007. While no record-breaking coasters rolled out this past season, there were some exciting new rides to discover, including the diving coaster Griffon at Busch Gardens Europe, the saved Starliner woodie at Cypress Gardens, Cedar Point's wonderful Maverick, and the highly themed Mystery Mine at Dollywood.
4. The Indoor Water Park Revolution Continued
©Arthur Levine, 2007. Licensed to About.com.
A relatively new concept, the explosion of indoor water park resorts proves that it is clearly here to stay. A ton of new parks opened, including a bunch of CoCo Key resorts.
5. Six Flags Parks Reached Out to Families
Six Flags, 2007. Used with permission.
Three years ago, Six Flags earned bragging rights when it debuted Kingda Ka, the world's tallest (456 feet) and fastest (128 mph) roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. The new management team that took over the chain in late 2005 determined, however, that the company's reliance on teen-targeted coasters such as Kingda Ka was one of the primary reasons it had amassed over $2 billion in debt. To attract a larger and more diverse audience, particularly well-heeled moms and dads with young kids in tow, the chain's new mantra for 2007 was "family friendly."
6. ...and All the Rest
Valleyfair 2006. Used with permission.
See what else theme parks had to offer last year in About.com's 2007 Ride Guide.
