WindSeeker for Carowinds in 2012

While Kitty Hawk, North Carolina became symbolic to the Carolinas as the site of the “first flight”, Carowinds will follow down a similar path as the amusement park announces plans to debut WindSeeker in the Spring of 2012 - a $6.5 million, thirty story tall swing ride designed to give riders the sensation of flying.

WindSeeker’s three minute ride begins when the ride’s carriage, featuring 32 two passenger swings, slowly rotates while climbing to the top of a 301-foot tower. Riders will experience a sense of weightlessness as the swings reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour and the arms extend outward at a 45-degree angle. WindSeeker will give riders an astonishing panoramic view of not only the park, but also of the greater Charlotte region.

“The sense of soaring thirty stories in the air will be both exhilarating and breathtaking at the same time,” said Bart Kinzel, Carowinds’ vice president and general manager. “This new addition will give guests an unparalleled view, making it a must-ride attraction for both families and thrill-seekers alike. The immense scale of this ride alone will be truly stunning.”

WindSeeker will be located in the Carolina RFD section of the park near the entrance of Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular. A portion of the lake near the Nighthawk rollercoaster will be filled in to accommodate this massive tower ride.

To complement the recently added Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular, WindSeeker will be built with an elaborate LED lighting system. Aside from the LED spotlights that will be located at the top and bottom of the tower, the carriage of the ride will be equipped with LED light strands that will run out from the tower and down each of the ride’s steel arms. At night, as the ride ascends to the top of the tower, the light display will come to life with a kaleidoscope of colorful patterns and shapes. In addition, WindSeeker will be equipped with speakers located on the ride’s carriage. This on-ride audio can play up to eighteen different music tracks.

WindSeeker will climb sixty nine feet taller than IntimidatorTM, the tallest, fastest and longest coaster in the Southeast, introduced by the park in 2010. Construction will begin later this Fall, continue throughout the winter months and is expected to open in the Spring of 2012.

WindSeeker has a ride capacity of 960 passengers per hour, a 52-inch minimum height requirement and is designed and manufactured by Mondial, a 24-year-old Dutch based company focused on developing unique and innovative amusement rides.

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Leviathan for Canada's Wonderland in 2012

Vaughan, ON (August 18, 2011) - In 2012, Canada’s Wonderland will unveil one of the biggest and tallest roller coasters in the world: Leviathan. When the Park opens in May 2012, Leviathan will dominate the Park’s landscape, taking riders to breathtaking heights and speeds never experienced before at Wonderland.

The excitement begins on Leviathan’s first lift hill as riders climb to a record breaking height of 306 feet (93.3M) followed by an exhilarating 80 degree drop. Reaching a top speed of 148 kilometers per hour, riders will experience extreme coaster thrills on 5,486 feet (1,672M) of track that includes a series of giant camelback hills reaching heights up to 180 feet (54.9M), and an astonishing overbanked hammerhead turn at 115 degrees that will cross above the Park’s front gate at 147 feet (44.8M) high.

“Leviathan will be our 16th coaster and now positions Canada’s Wonderland as one of the top three coaster destinations in the world.” said Raffi Kaprelyan, Vice President and General Manager, Canada’s Wonderland. “We will go higher, longer, and faster than ever before when we launch Leviathan in 2012. With the addition of this new coaster and our diverse collection of rides, shows and attractions, we continue to show why Canada’s Wonderland is the destination of choice for those seeking world class thrills and family entertainment."

Leviathan is designed and manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, of Monthey, Switzerland. The highly recognized industry leader in roller coaster development also constructed Behemoth, which premiered at Canada’s Wonderland in May 2008.

Construction is well underway at the park, with a completion date of May 2012. Guests who would like to experience Leviathan before the Park opens next year can visit leviathan.canadaswonderland.com to view ride renderings, specifications, construction updates, and experience a virtual ride simulation.

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WindSeekers for Cedar Fair

WindSeekers will open at four Cedar Fair parks in 2011 including Canada's Wonderland, Cedar Point, Kings Island and Knott's Berry Farm.

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WindSeeker will be designed and manufactured by Mondial, a company based in the Netherlands that has been creating thrill rides for the amusement park industry since 1987. Mondial is known for their innovative and unique rides and maintains the highest standards in regards to quality and safety.

WindSeeker will feature 32, 2-person gondolas that will ascend to a height of 301 feet. Once it has reached the top of the tower, WindSeeker will spread it’s metal arms swinging riders for a 60 second flight at a 45 degree angle at a speed of 8 rotations per minute.

“Due to the long airtime, riders will experience a spectacular sense of weightlessness. This, combined with the fact that riders legs will be unrestrained, will create a sense of exhilaration which will enhance the feeling of free flight,” said Knott’s General Manager, Marty Keithley.

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Carowinds Introduces Intimidator

The skyline of Carowinds will drastically change for what will be a historic and record-breaking 2010 season, as the amusement park announces plans to debut the Intimidator™, the Southeast’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster, in the Spring of 2010. Topping the list as the largest single capital investment in Carowinds 37-year history, the Intimidator™ is named in honor of NASCAR®’s most beloved driver, Dale Earnhardt, “The Intimidator.”

This massive attraction will stand 232-feet (23-stories) tall at its highest peak and send guests plunging down a 211-foot first drop at a 74-degree angle, reaching speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour. The second (178-feet) and third (151-feet) hills are also taller than any roller coaster at Carowinds. With 5,316 feet of track the Intimidator™ will feature high speed twists and turns including seven steep drops – one for each of his NASCAR® championships — and an intense finish through a diving spiral. The ride experience will last more than three minutes, and replicate the speed and intensity of a fast-paced NASCAR® race.

“The Intimidator™ will dominate the skyline and strongly position Carowinds as the thrill capital of the Southeast — the statistics speak for themselves,” said Bart Kinzel, Carowinds’ vice president and general manager. “This unprecedented addition represents the sizable commitment of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company toward building and expanding the product offering at Carowinds and solidifying us as the premier regional amusement park.”

The trains on the Intimidator™ will feature unique, open-air stadium-style seating with a simple T-bar style restraint that extends from the floor between the rider’s feet with the bar resting across the rider’s lap. These ‘side-less’ trains take away a feeling of protection for the riders and allows them to experience an unobstructed view of all the thrills and excitement of this record-breaking roller coaster. The trains will also be fashioned to mirror Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 RCR No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

“We’re excited to see this new roller coaster celebrate the speed, excitement and legendary career of Dale Earnhardt,” said Jeff Steiner, executive vice president and general manager of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. “There are millions of fans that still honor their racing hero and this is a very engaging and interactive way for them to connect with the spirit and passion of the Intimidator™.”

The 10-acre attraction will be located on the midway across from the entrance of Nighthawk and will race over the skyline of the Park from the north main entrance to the south entrance paralleling the guest parking lot. Featuring a bold red track and grey support structure, the Intimidator’s™ 232-foot lift will overshadow the Park’s skyline, dwarfing its neighboring roller coaster, Afterburn at 144-feet.

“The name Intimidator™ is significant of the most exciting, aggressive, and skilled driver to ever race on a NASCAR® track, Dale Earnhardt,” Kinzel said. “There is no better way to communicate the enormity of this ride than to give it a face that its riders can truly connect with. The Intimidator™ will include a heavily-themed midway, complete with a Victory Lane and a video tribute to Dale Earnhardt’s racing accomplishments.”

Guests will have the opportunity to see this historic ride being built from the ground up as they attend on operating days throughout the Fall. Those who cannot wait until 2010 may take a virtual ride on the Intimidator™, access exclusive updates, features, virtual renderings, ride statistics, and more at intimidator.carowinds.com.

Construction has already begun on this world-class roller coaster and will continue throughout the winter months. The Intimidator™ is expected to open to the public in the Spring of 2010.

The Intimidator™ is designed and manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard of Monthey, Switzerland, a recognized industry leader in roller coaster development and the same firm that brought Afterburn to Carowinds in 1999 and Vortex in 1992.

Carowinds is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FUN.” In addition to Carowinds, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks, six water parks, one indoor water park resort, and five hotels. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, CA under a management contract.

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