Enthusiast Blogs
Theme Park Enthusiast Blogs add a personal touch to the latest news and they offer first-person accounts & tips. Below, you’ll find the latest headlines from the top theme park enthusiast blogs.
- Early Reviews of Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas19 May 2013, 2:31 am
I picked Iron Rattler as the best-looking new roller coaster for 2013, so I’m really curious to see what people [...]… - Early Reviews of GateKeeper at Cedar Point17 May 2013, 12:21 pm
Cedar Point’s GateKeeper has opened. And it’s time to see what everyone thinks of this highly anticipated new ride. Here’s [...]… - Wealthy Hire Disabled to Skip Lines at Disney World17 May 2013, 11:37 am
In, “I can’t believe I’m typing this” news, according to a New York Post article wealthy parents in Manhattan have [...]… - Fox Business Interview, Study on Childhood Injuries at Amusement Parks14 May 2013, 11:45 am
A few weeks ago I was interviewed on The Willis Report on Fox Business. I was asked to give my [...]… - Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City | Full Review13 May 2013, 3:40 am
I found myself drawn to Missouri for this year’s long-distance theme park trip. While there were two amusement parks there [...]…
- Top 10 packing tips for a Disney Fantasy cruise27 March 2012, 4:12 pm
Is tonight formal or semi-formal? What’s the dress code in that dining room? What kind of shoes am I going to need?
Those are just some of the questions that…Top 10 packing tips for a Disney Fantasy cruise is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom… - Getting to know Miami, Florida: Highlights and Alternatives23 March 2012, 7:14 pm
While sun-kissed beaches and family-themed amusement parks are Florida’s universal attractions, Miami has become a popular hotspot for all types of holiday seekers. Art and culture lovers, foodies and nightlife…Getting to know Miami, Florida: Highlights and Alternatives is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom… - Tips for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at Raglan Road16 March 2012, 9:07 pm
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant will be the center of the St. Patrick’s Day universe at Walt Disney World this weekend. The Downtown Disney eatery has plenty of special…Tips for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at Raglan Road is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom… - Cars Land and other Disney California Adventure additions to open June 158 March 2012, 3:17 pm
Disneyland Resort has announced that its new land — Cars Land — as well as two other additions at Disney California Adventure will have their grand opening on June 15.…Cars Land and other Disney California Adventure additions to open June 15 is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom… - LEGO Friends Weekend activities announced at LEGOLAND Florida5 March 2012, 8:23 pm
LEGOLAND Florida has released more specifics on the special weekend they are planning for girls March 24-25. Here’s the press release:
The newly introduced LEGO® Friends – Olivia, Andrea, Stephanie,…LEGO Friends Weekend activities announced at LEGOLAND Florida is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom…
- Shake, Rattler, and Roller21 May 2013, 4:41 pm
Six Flags and Rocky Mountain Construction ain’t fakin’. There is NOT a whole lotta shakin’ going on the much improved, just-about-to-debut coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Did you read my review of Iron Rattler? Today, I’ve posted a gallery of the hybrid beauty. See my photos of Iron Rattler. And if you get a chance to visit San Antonio, be sure to take a ride on the coaster….Read Full Post… - 50 Years of Wonder20 May 2013, 4:23 pm
One of parkdom’s under-the-radar parks is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Dutch Wonderland, located in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country, is geared to the 12-and-under set and features attractions such as the relatively gentle wooden Kingdom Coaster and the Double Splash Flume. It also offers a riverboat cruise around its botanical gardens. On June 1, it will celebrate the big 5-0 with fireworks and special entertainment. Dutch Wonderland is one of a handful of US theme parks geared to fa… - Iron Rattler Sheds Its Skin17 May 2013, 2:59 pm
I just returned from Six Flags Fiesta Texas which held its media day for the highly anticipated Iron Rattler coaster. The 20-year-old Rattler, one of the park’s signature rides, has endured harsh criticism for its rough ride from the day it opened. Like its sister ride, the New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas, the woodie got a radical makeover with an all-new steel I-Box track, a considerably longer first drop, new trains, and more. The verdict for the rechristened Iron Rattler? It’s gone fr… - Cedar Point Opens the Gate on Newest Coaster14 May 2013, 6:17 am
The latest thrill machine at coaster-crazy Cedar Point, GateKeeper, opened over the weekend, and it looks like another winner. Ride manufacturer, Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), have taken the relatively new concept of a winged coaster and pumped it up to Cedar Point-worthy dimensions with the longest drop (164 feet) and the longest track (4164 feet) of the genre. But the standout features of the ride are its two “keyholes,” through which the extra-wide trains navigate, as well as the coas… - Will Brad Paisley Get Mud on the Tires of Ride of Steel?13 May 2013, 6:20 am
Most theme parks offer live music. Darien Lake in New York, however, has its own (separate) shed that features a full roster of major touring acts each summer. The season kicks off on May 26 with Tim McGraw. Other shows will include Dave Matthews Band, Brad Paisley, Big Time Rush, and Maroon 5. You could make a day of it and enjoy the park before the show; and/or you could make a night of it and stay at the park’s on-property hotel or campground. See the complete schedule and check ticket availa…
- Trip Report: 2013 Staten Island Mall Carnival14 May 2013, 3:11 am
Big fair in New York City’s southern borough The post Trip Report: 2013 Staten Island Mall Carnival appeared first on The DoD3…. - Trip Report: 2013 Middlesex Fire Dept. Carnival7 May 2013, 1:48 am
First carnival of the season! The post Trip Report: 2013 Middlesex Fire Dept. Carnival appeared first on The DoD3…. - News: March 2013 Edition22 March 2013, 1:54 am
Coney Island openings, Playland getting new rides, and Vortex. The post News: March 2013 Edition appeared first on The DoD3…. - 2013 New Jersey and Surrounding Area Carnivals18 March 2013, 4:25 pm
The annual list of fairs and festivals in and around NJ! The post 2013 New Jersey and Surrounding Area Carnivals appeared first on The DoD3…. - Mixed Feelings on Inverting Wooden Coasters10 March 2013, 6:00 pm
Are traditional wooden coasters doomed? The post Mixed Feelings on Inverting Wooden Coasters appeared first on The DoD3….
- The Smiler Will be Completely Insane6 March 2013, 11:18 pm
It was over a year ago that the blueprints for Alton Tower’s new coaster were revealed. At the time everyone thought it would have eight inversions which was impressive considering that manufacturers rarely venture above seven. A few days ago Alton Towers released The Smiler app for Android and iOS. This game allows one to [...]… - Top 10 New Coasters for 201315 February 2013, 12:06 am
Every year in February, I post a list of my top ten most anticipated new coasters for the year. So far, 2013 look like it’ll be great with tons of new rides opening around the world. Here are my picks: 10: Flying Over the Rainforest at Ocean Kingdom Flying Over the Rainforest would probably be [...]… - My Second Anniversary and Favorite Posts5 February 2013, 9:42 pm
Two years ago today, on February 5th 2011, I started the Coasterblog. If you really care, you can read more about the beginning here. I’ve published over 200 posts in this time, however there are some that stand out as my favorites. Here are my top ten favorite and most memorable posts from the past [...]… - Coaster Competition: Griffon vs. SheiKra25 January 2013, 3:23 am
Coaster Competitions are pretty much the same as the Coaster Critic’s Coaster Showdowns (I get a lot of ideas from his site). I will compare and contrast two coasters that are alike in one way or another. Griffon and SheiKra are two dive coasters at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Busch Gardens Tampa. They are both [...]… - Unique Coasters: Winjas17 January 2013, 4:02 am
Unique Coasters is a type of post where I highlight a certain coaster that is unique. They aren’t necessarily the largest or most insane coasters but they are all one of a kind. Winjas is a pair of dueling, indoor, spinning coasters at Phantasialand in Germany. The Ride: Because it is indoors, Winjas’ layout can [...]…
- A Windy Day at The Parks: CW Trip Report12 May 2013, 9:03 pm
Happy Mothers Day! As always, I made the trek up to my home park with my Mother as our little tradition.What I expected to be a great day at Canada’s […]… - Smiler to Eclipse World Record with 14 Inversions9 May 2013, 1:19 pm
We’re nearing the our great speculation journey. Alton Towers has an long reputation of teasing their new coasters, but SW7 (now known as The Smiler,) has had many fascinating secrets […]… - Boomerang at Six Flags St. Louis Complete6 April 2013, 7:02 pm
The final bolt is in place for Boomerang. Via the park’s Facebook page, they announced that the final track section was set in place, and released a few photos of […]… - Eejanaika: The Original Yolo-Coaster30 March 2013, 1:06 pm
While Six Flags Magic Mountain’s 2013 roller coaster Full Throttle may have the enthusiast community buzzing about “yolo coaster,” allow me to bring to your attention, the first real yolo-coaster, […]… - Outlaw Run First Impressions18 March 2013, 10:34 pm
After the tragedy that was Son of Beast, people thought we wouldn’t see inversions on a wooden coaster anymore. Outlaw Run is here, and now open, to prove them wrong. […]…
- Seaworld Orlando Antartica22 April 2013, 7:26 pm
Seaworld Orlando has released a series of videos about the new Antarctica section of the park. It’s very interesting and I can’t wait for May 24th when it opens. Below are the 7 videos in the series. (They play sequentially from start to finish.)… - Universal Orlando officially announces Transformers8 November 2012, 2:16 am
Universal officially announced that Transformers: The Ride was coming to Orlando in the summer of 2013. This wasn’t a huge surprise based on the construction photos that were remarkably similar to the ride in California. Personally, I’m looking forward to it because the ride in Hollywood was still being constructed when I was there so [...]… - Disneyland Cast Member Injured on Space Mountain12 October 2012, 12:45 pm
A 68 year old machinist suffered back, chest, and head injuries when he was struck by a train on the space mountain ride. It doesn’t appear there was a malfunction and the ride was cleared for normal operation, so it seems like it may have just been a mistake on the part of the employee. [...]… - Entering the world of Belle3 September 2012, 10:54 pm
Disney has released a new video of the entering the storybook world of belle. It will open as a preview November 19th, with the official opening of December 6th… Looks like they are extending the Mr Potato Head technology into the new exhibit. I can’t wait to see it live. The first video about this [...]… - Cedar Point announces Gatekeeper13 August 2012, 11:47 pm
Cedar Point has announced their new project for 2013. It’s a wing rider from B & M called Gatekeeper. It will pass right over the entrance to the park, so it will serve as a beacon for all those coaster enthusiasts who stream into their park every year. As if I didn’t have enough reason [...]…
- Will The American Dream Come True?22 May 2013, 1:05 am
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- WhiteWater Breaks Personal Quarterly Sales Record21 May 2013, 11:39 pm
… - Hersheypark Ready for Summer with Water Park Expansion21 May 2013, 11:00 am
… - Time To Spin at Silverwood Theme Park21 May 2013, 12:02 am
… - Arnolds Park Renovates Their Famous Legend20 May 2013, 11:00 am
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- Update from Orlando22 May 2013, 1:22 am
By Robert Niles: ORLANDO — I’m in Central Florida this week, mostly cover the opening of Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld, but I’ll be stopping by Walt Disney World during my visit as well (and maybe Universal Orlando — see below). I’m taking requests — if you have something in the Orlando theme parks (including Downtown Disney or CityWalk) you’d love to see full-on reviewed here on Theme Park Insider, please let me know in the comments, and I’ll see what I can do for you!We’re o… - Spring ticket price increases begin at the Orlando theme parks20 May 2013, 4:56 pm
By Robert Niles: Universal Orlando over the weekend kicked off what promises to be the latest round of Orlando-area theme park ticket price increases. Universal raised its one-day, one-park base ticket price from $89 to $92, before tax.Universal is betting that its major construction at Universal Orlando will drive demand for Universal theme park tickets, allowing it to raise prices this week. Photo by TH Creative.A single-day ticket that gets you into both parks — Universal Studios Florida an… - Play your day at Walt Disney World’s Epcot19 May 2013, 10:04 pm
By Robert Niles: Third in our series of trip-planning posts, for visits to the world’s top theme parksWalt Disney envisioned EPCOT as an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, where people would live, work and play in a new urban community, designed for modern efficiency. But he died before his “Florida project” could be completed. Walt’s successors at the Walt Disney Company honored his vision with Epcot Center (now, just “Epcot”), a kind of permanent world’s fair, with sections devoted … - Vote of the week: What’s the top animated franchise you want to see in a theme park?17 May 2013, 6:16 pm
By Robert Niles: Yesterday’s opening of the new Madagascar stage show at Busch Gardens Tampa surprised a few readers who hadn’t heard the news that Universal no longer holds the rights to use all the DreamWorks Animation characters in its United States theme parks. Universal and DreamWorks did not renew that licensing deal, though Universal has re-upped for the theme park rights to the Shrek franchise.From the Shrek land at Universal Studios Singapore: Go home, Gingy, you’re drunk.SeaWorld Parks… - Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation debuts at Busch Gardens Tampa17 May 2013, 1:46 am
By TH Creative: Busch Gardens Tampa’s Stanleyville Theater will be bursting with thermonuclear “tween” energy when the park premieres its newest live stage show Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation on May 18th. Backed by a live band and a cadre of fresh-faced dancers, the production features characters from the popular DreamWorks Madagascar franchise.Busch Gardens’ Park President Jim Dean poses with his newest star Alex the Lion.While the park’s May 16th media event unveiled the show for the pre…
- Silver Dollar City’s 2013 Project: Is it an inversion?9 July 2012, 1:22 am
When construction images of Silver Dollar City’s “its-not-really-there” Rocky Mountain wooden coaster emerged, it was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular projects we’ve seen in a long time. Never before has wood been twisted in such extreme ways, from the immensely steep drop to the immediately following twist. As more bents went up, the track appeared to [...]… - Why coaster awards and polls will never be accurate or fair30 June 2012, 5:06 pm
Every fall the Amusement Industry eagerly awaits the results of Amusement Today’s Golden Tickets. While the best new ride categories can be rather unpredictable, the other categories are usually consistant year to year. Since 2000, Millenium Force at Cedar Point and Bizzaro at Six Flags New England have had a tug of war for the #1 steel [...]… - The Windseekers Rise24 January 2012, 7:49 pm
Whether you like it or not, Windseekers are taking over the Cedar Fair chain; Six of out of the twelve theme parks currently operate or are building one. Cedar Fair is hooked on these 300 (excuse me, 301) foot swing sets, and it’s understandable why; simply put, it’s a gimmick, and the general public eats [...]… - Alton Towers Secret Weapon 7: Revealed8 January 2012, 4:01 am
The UK has a funny way of making parks go very public with their future additions long before they are announced to the public. Thorpe Park was forced to released plans for The Swarm a full 8 months before it would officially be announced to the public. Fortunately for coaster fans, Alton Towers has followed suite [...]… - Poll Results: Most Anticipated Wing-Rider5 January 2012, 6:39 am
The last poll asked which under-construction B&M Wing-Rider you are most excited for in 2012. The three competitors of this global showdown included The Swarm at Thorpe Park, X-Flight at Six Flags Great America, and Wild Eagle at Dollywood. Each had their own merits, which was shown in the relatively close poll. However, the winner with 45% of the [...]…
- CraveCoasters 2012 Review31 December 2012, 7:21 am
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: 4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 36,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 8 Film Festivals Click here to see the complete report…. - Rainbow Bandits: New Reoma World’s Hidden Gem9 December 2012, 2:14 pm
“We live in a rainbow of chaos.” – Paul Cezanne Dolly Parton said “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” Though if you happen to be at New Reoma World, that’s not the case as the park’s “rainbow” themed dark ride provides shelter from natural water bombing. While Japan is a [...]… - 360 Degree Ride19 July 2012, 3:06 am
For my three hundred sixtieth coaster I decided to pull a 360 degree turn. … - History-Go-Round2 July 2012, 9:00 pm
Buffalo needs to be on the top of a traveler’s bucket list, especially for those visiting Niagara Falls, the museum is just a quaint 20 minute drive away. The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum isn’t a building filled with artifacts and captions, its living history. … - Ralph to the Rescue?2 July 2012, 6:57 am
When it comes to turning movies into attractions, or attractions into movies, Disney has a resume long enough to empty your ink cartridge. Especially with the ability to include classic 80s and 90s villains from Super Mario, Sonic, Pac Man, and Street Fighter, Wreck-It Ralph would lend itself well to any Disney park….
- Millennium Force Review.22 July 2012, 9:29 pm
My first “big” coaster will always remain as my favorite coaster experience. When I first saw Millennium Force, I was overwhelmed. It was a surreal moment in which I thought “Holy crap. That’s huge.” When we entered the park, there was another hour and a half we had to wait. But I knew Millennium Force [...]… - The Coaster Critic Interview!18 July 2012, 5:35 pm
Here is the much anticipated interview I had with The Coaster Critic. It’s really interesting and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 1 and 2. How did you become The Coaster Critic? What does being The Coaster Critic include? I’ve always liked opinionated reviews of any kind. And, I’ve always liked [...]… - Cedar Point 2013 Coaster Revealed (!!!)3 June 2012, 1:24 am
A B&M Wing Rider is in Cedar Points future! According to the press release, it will be the 1. Longest. 2. Fastest. 3. Tallest. Nothing is known about the layout. But for the claims above to be true, it must be 1. Over 3,127 feet long. 2. Go over 60 mph. 3. Be over 210 [...]… - Favorite Coaster?22 May 2012, 2:46 am
What is your favorite coaster? Why? Personally, mine is Millennium Force because of the first drop and because of its smoothness and speed. But what is yours? Why? Leave a comment below…. - X-Flight Now Open!12 May 2012, 1:49 pm
X-Flight opened today. It has been one of the most hyped rides of the year and so far has received glowing reviews from lucky early riders. Coasterforce and themeparkreview have posted great POVs on YouTube….
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