What's New at Theme Parks and Amusement Parks?

A major expansion at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida will more than double the size of Fantasyland. With phases scheduled to open in 2012 and 2014, the land will offer richer, more immersive experiences and will introduce a wider array of characters. Instead of simple meet-and-greets, the new mini-lands will envelop guests in the worlds of Disney's classic films and get them involved in hands-on adventures.

Read more:

• Enchanted Tales with Belle- My review of the interactive attraction.
• Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid- My review of the dark ride.
• Fantasyland Forest- An overview of the new land, including a photo tour of its features.
• Storybook Circus- An overview of Dumbo's new home.

It's already a big hit at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal's park in Singapore. Learn how the attraction will use a Spider-Man-style roving motion base system to bring the gargantuan transforming robots to life.

• Transformers: The Ride-3D overview
• Interview with Universal's Thierry Coup about the Transformers ride

It's another exciting year at theme parks. Wild new roller coasters, cutting-edge attractions, and so much more await park fans in 2013. To help you decide how to plan your park visits, I've compiled all the new developments in a handy-dandy, park-by-park list. Are you ready to ride? Check out the Ride Guide 2013 and find out what's new at amusement parks and theme parks in 2013.

There will be plenty of new thrill machines to thrill you in 2013, including hybrid wood-steel ones that will look like woodies but include inversions like steel coasters and a crazy "wing" coaster that will provide passengers with three near-miss moments. Yikes! Learn about these and more in the 2013 new roller coasters guide.

There are some spectacular coasters and other rides coming to Six Flags. How spectacular? Well, how about a 400-foot spinning swing ride? It will cause hearts to race, armpits to perspire, and acrophobics to seek medical intervention at Six Flags Over Texas. Learn about these and other new attractions in the guide to what's new at Six Flags parks in 2013.

Check out all of the new slides, rides, and other attractions, such as the the world's tallest and fastest water coaster, coming to water parks this season. There are even entire new parks, including two in Las Vegas, that will be opening.

With Cars Land and Transformers opening in 2012, it was a banner year for California theme parks. But the coming season will see plenty of coasters and other goodies as well. See what's in store by perusing the California Ride Guide 2013

Humungous knock-'em sock-'em robots? Check. Adorable penguins that'll have you waddling right alongside them? Yup. The fairy tale version of l'amour? Be still my heart. It's all true, and all coming to Florida theme parks in 2013. Get a park-by-park rundown in the annual Ride Guide.

For its 16th thrill machine, the coaster-crazy Ohio park is introducing GateKeeper, a $30-million winged coaster. It will be located at the front of the park and perform crazy acrobatic maneuvers through towers located in the entry plaza. It looks to be a wild ride.

Full Throttle will be all about its record-breaking 160-foot loop. Passengers will soar upside down inside the massive loop as well as fly on the outside of it. Confused? I spell it all out and have a video preview of the unique ride.