Dubailand – After jacking up gas prices on us again for no particular reason, Dubailand can now afford to restart construction. While the project is not currently as ambitious as it once was, they are starting construction on 2-4 amusement parks. From what I hear, the South Park Amusement Park, the Salman Rushdie Amusement Park, and the Editorial Cartoonist Amusement Parks are going to be the first.
Cedar Fair – Windseeker – I know that it makes a ton of sense to buy not one but like 7 of a prototype ride from a manufacturer who has never built so tall of a ride and not expect anything to go wrong. When the manufacturer starts throwing in free toasters, it might be some kind of indication that everything might not be on the up and up. While I don’t doubt that eventually this whole problem will be settled, the problem is that FAIL passed by this weekend. How many of these things are still waiting to open? 4? 5? How many made it successfully into operation? 1? You don’t have to be an economics major to figure out that if you are going with a prototype ride and a new manufacturer, buy one and see what happens.
Universal Studios Singapore – is now “officially” open. Please look into the little brain zappy thing to forget that last year of operations. **CLICK - FLASH**
Legoland Florida – It has been announced that the park will open on October 15. I didn’t realize they had already been open for 6 months. **CLICK – FLASH**
Monkey Kingdom Theme Park (China) – While just in the designing stages, I can’t wait for this park to open. To heck with Disney Shanghai, you will not get a fling the monkey poo ride at Disney. The only thing that could be better than a Monkey Kingdom Park is a Monkey Kingdom park designed by the same people with did Bon Bon Land! Warning for the wise, don’t call the orangutan a monkey…
Oh…and a couple of new rides have “officially” opened ((which we all know means that they have been operating for a year now))…Dare Devil Dive (SFOG), Little Mermaid (DCA), Cheetah Hunt (BGT), Dinosaurs Alive (KI), not to mention Star Tours…
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...
