Welcome to Theme Park Insider! Join the community or log in
Theme Park Insider
Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube

Last week at your amusement park...June 13, 2011

A digest of amusement park news and rumors...and a couple of rants...with a sense of humor...

From Jeff Elliott
Posted June 13, 2011 at 6:58 PM
California Adventure – They have set a generalize open date for Car’s Land: Summer of 2012. This, quite frankly, doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone. I just didn’t realize that it had already soft opened (and talk about beating a dead horse with that joke…)

California’s Great America – In 2005, a doctor broke her wrist while riding a bumper car attraction at California’s Great America. Of course, this being California, before going to the hospital, this woman went first to her lawyer’s emergency room and filed a lawsuit within 3 minutes of the incident taking place. After Superior Court threw out the lawsuit, the appeals court has ruled that the case does have merit and that she can proceed with the lawsuit. While nothing has been decided in 6 years other than that the lady can go forward with the lawsuit and not actually ruling in anyone’s favor, what this does do is open up the liability of amusement parks…….and we wonder why Disney just raised their ticket prices….Disney was probably starting to front load how much it is going to cost them in legal fees to defend themselves from every moron who skins a knee at their park.

Alabama Adventure – In a true reflection of American spirit and values, a riot broke out at Alabama Adventure when, after admitting half the state’s kids for a $10 discounted admission fee, a beer vendor refused to sell adult beverages to a group of kids with perfectly legitimate fake ID’s. While the group of 10-year-olds was taken in for questioning, the only charges filed were a felony charge against the beer vendor for smarting off to a group of minors and a charge of inciting a riot.

Delgrosso (Pennsylvania) – June 16th is Drug Free Day at Delgrosso’s Amusement Park. Apparently they are ok every other day.

Shedd Aquarium (Chicago) – Admission this week is free from Monday to Friday. So instead of dropping your kids off at Six Flags Great America for a cheap babysitter, you can now drop them off at Shedd Aquarium for a free babysitter.

Mt Olympus – 11 people were taken to the hospital after a mistake by a 23 year vet of the park putting too much chlorine and sulfuric acid in the water. Rumors claim that the employee had said something to the effect of, “If the little whippersnappers wouldn’t keep peeing in the pool, we wouldn’t need all of the chemicals.” Followed quickly by, “This should clean those little **explicative** out of my pool.” At which point he left for the day with only half his shift worked. (But I must mention that I started that rumor just now.)

Knoebels – It looks like there may be life in the Flying Turns roller coaster. They are testing a new car that sounds like it may work. Don’t expect the ride to open until next season at the earliest.

Dollywood – Looks like a new coaster is on the way for next season.

Six Flags America – Also looks like there is a new coaster on the way for next season.

To see if anyone actually reads this, I am going to start a new sub-feature called “Create My Caption”. In the discussion thread post your best caption for the following picture taken at Kings Island’s Dinosaurs Alive.

If I have missed anything (and I have, so no worries there) please post below. If you have some inside information, more news, more rumors, first rides, please share with the rest of us.

Sources: Screamscape, Amusement Today, and whatever else I happened to read this week...


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Jeff Elliott
Posted June 13, 2011 at 7:47 PM
Caption: "This invisibility cloak sucks!"

Caption: With her veil and best smile on, Rosie stepped out of the trees to meet Rex at the altar...

Caption: Rex figured if the wolf could dress up like Red Riding Hood and eat someone, maybe he could make it work, too...

Caption: "The doorbell always rings when I'm in the middle of a shower..."

Caption: Gumby Rex: "MY BRAIN HURTS!" (think Monty Python Gumby)

Caption: Blushing and smiling after being caught eating the lunch lady, Rex sneaks backwards back into the forest...

Caption: Wearing the latest in royal headgear, Rex entered the banquet area of the Ascot races where he was unaware that the horses were not on the menu...

From Todd Houts
Posted June 14, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Caption: I hate when I have to go out in public when my Jheri Curl activator isn't yet finished.

And yes, I look forward to your updates every week. This week was particularly fun.

From Mark Migliaccio
Posted June 14, 2011 at 10:46 AM
The Mach Tower opening at BGW looks like it has been pushed back until some time in July. Moser had some issues when testing the drop tower and the carriage didn't stop as it was supposed to.

From Jeff Elliott
Posted June 14, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Thanks for the comments....sometimes I feel like I am in a vacuum...

I like the caption you wrote...I think it will be fun to continue it....

From Carrie Hood
Posted June 14, 2011 at 3:59 PM
Caption: I'm so pretty in my new raincoat!

Caption: *Sings* I feel Pretty! Oh so Pretty!

From James Rao
Posted June 15, 2011 at 3:28 AM
Caption: "Mama told me there would be days like this..."

Caption: "It's Raptor...not Wrap-tor!"

From Rob P
Posted June 15, 2011 at 4:46 AM
Caption ( in the voice of Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe from Frasier ):

" Where's my bag ?. Where's my bag?. This is total BS. Where's my.........oh here it is "

From Terri Pierce
Posted June 15, 2011 at 1:43 PM
Caption: Rain? But I just got my hair did!

From Tony Duda
Posted June 15, 2011 at 5:28 PM
Caption: Forgot my rain hat, oh well, no one will notice the difference.

From Derek Potter
Posted June 19, 2011 at 8:07 PM
I can say with as much certainty as possible that Dollywood is getting a new coaster. Was there last week and saw blue steel track (B&M I believe) and brown supports. Lot's of dirt moving going on across the way from Thunderhead.

Caption: I put on too much Aqua Net this morning and my head is flammable. Don't want to end up like my friend down the sidewalk

This discussion has been archived, and is not accepting additional responses.