What's New at Theme Parks and Amusement Parks?

There may not be the bounty of new rides and attractions that parks have debuted in other seasons, but in these austere times, there are nonetheless a bunch of new coasters, shows, and other goodies to discover at parks. Find the new fun that awaits in the Ride Guide '09.

When the last strain of "Happy Birthday to You" ends and you blow the candles out on your birthday cake, do you actually make a wish? If you wish upon a star, and you long to visit a Disney theme park, your dreams can come true--in 2009 anyway. As part of Disney's "What will you celebrate" event, Florida's Walt Disney World and California's Disneyland Resort are offering free park admission for birthday boys and girls of all ages.

• What You Need to Know about Disney's Free Admission on Your Birthday Offer
• Disney's What will You Celebrate? Video

Fans of one of the most beloved series of books and films will be able to visit J.K. Rowling's fanciful lands and characters when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter comes to Universal Orlando in early 2010. There may be a soft opening in late 2009.

When most people volunteer for a good cause, they generally aren't looking for any kind of reward. But hey, getting something in return for volunteering is always appreciated, right? And when that something is a day at a Disney theme park, with passes going for as much as $79, well that's really appreciated. That's exactly what Disney is doing for 2010 with its Give a Day, Get a Disney Day promotion. If you're ready to start helping out so you can help yourself to a free Disney theme park ticket, here's what you need to know.

The transformed park will include a new entry plaza, a new Cars Land, new attractions, a new nighttime spectacular, and more.

Universal Studios Florida will take ride interactivity to new heights when Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit debuts spring 2009. The 167-foot tall, 65 mph thrill machine will give passengers the ability to control the attraction's soundtrack, and will allow them to "rip" a take-home memento of their wild coaster experience. Read about the new coaster's unique X-Car seats (they have no over-the-shoulder restraints, despite the ride's inversions and high speeds) and more at the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit preview.

A major expansion at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida will more than double the size of Fantasyland. With two phases scheduled to open in 2012 and 2013, 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.

For its 15th coaster, Kings Dominion is looking up for inspiration. Way up. 305 feet up, to be exact. That's the incredible height that the "Giga-Coaster" will soar when it debuts in April 2010. Kings Dominion is also looking up to the heavens to racing car legend Dale Earnhardt, whose nickname, the Intimidator, will grace the ride.

Kennywood's wonderful collection of roller coasters includes its classic Jazz-age woodies, Racer, Thunderbolt, and Jack Rabbit, the latter of which dates back to 1921. For its seventh thrill machine, however, the park will be going decidedly New Age. While Kennywood has yet to name the new coaster, which is set to debut in May 2010, it has revealed that the high-tech ride will use Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) technology to launch passengers from 0 to 50 mph in 3 seconds.

It won't go quite as fast as the speed demons driven by racing car legend, Dale Earnhardt, but the new coaster coming to Carowinds that bears his nickname, the Intimidator, will race at speeds up to 80 mph. The hypercoaster will also soar 232 feet in the air and offer loads of airtime.