Dreamworld Confirmed As Home Of Big Brother 2012

After months of anticipation, Australia’s favourite theme park, Dreamworld, has today confirmed that the park will be the home of the hit television series Big Brother Australia in 2012.

There has been a flood of speculation as to where the iconic Big Brother house and studio will be located, and Dreamworld is pleased to reveal its involvement in the new show.

Dreamworld Chief Executive Officer, Todd Coates, said “Dreamworld is incredibly excited to be the home of the new Big Brother series. The Big Brother house and studios will be an iconic attraction at Dreamworld and for the Gold Coast.”

It is fantastic news for Dreamworld, and also for the local film and tourism industries. Dreamworld is proud to participate in this significant investment into the Gold Coast,” Mr Coates continued.

Southern Star Executive Producer, Big Brother 2012, Alex Mavroidakis said, “Southern Star Entertainment is thrilled to bring Big Brother back to its natural home, Dreamworld on Queensland’s Gold Coast.”

“Our hub at Dreamworld always allows us to create a show that is truly dynamic and after a four year break, we’re excited to build a brand-new House that will exceed Housemate and audience expectations,” Mr Mavroidakis continued.

The programme is scheduled to air on the Nine Network later this year. Tickets for shows have not yet been confirmed.

For more information as it comes visit www.dreamworld.com.au or follow the only official Big Brother Facebook page facebook.com/BigBrotherAU, or twitter @bbau9.

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Dreamworld To Open New DreamWorks Animation Precinct

NEW LANDS TO OPEN THIS EASTER HOLIDAY PERIOD

Dreamworld, on the Gold Coast, has commenced construction on new DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) themed lands due to open in time for the 2012 Easter school holidays.

The most exciting and extensive development currently underway in any Australian theme park, Dreamworld will be the only park in the nation to feature DreamWorks Animation themed lands.

The new 8,400sqm DreamWorks Experience precinct will transform the heart of Dreamworld. Guests will be welcomed into the very worlds of their favourite animated characters, inspired by the iconic DreamWorks Animation films.

Guests will start their journey at the DreamWorks Experience entrance before crossing a bridge and arriving in Madagascar Madness, an overgrown jungle where chimps hang from vines, penguins are on a wild mission with King Julien in charge.

Madagascar Madness is an action-packed family haven, with newly themed rides and attractions and oodles of added fun.

Guests can run wild in the MAD Jungle Jam with foam ball cannons and rainforest bridges while junior adrenaline seekers can join the Madagascar characters to take on the kid’s coaster, Escape from Madagascar.

Drop into King Julien’s Theatre in the Wild and enjoy the colourful, 20-minute Madagascar Live – Prepare to Party Show featuring the much-loved characters, King Julien, Alex, Gloria and the Penguins. Following the show guests can have their photo taken with the cast.

Grab the latest MAD merchandise in the Madagascar Cargo Hold before leaving the wilds behind to enter the medieval fairy-tale land of Shrek’s Faire Faire Away.

Bursting at the seams with family fun rides and attractions, Shrek’s Faire Faire Away is all themed around the lovable ogre and his friends.

Swoop on the Dronkey Flyers, soar on Gingy’s Glider, fly through the air on Puss in Boots Sword Swing and enjoy a spin in an onion carriage or on a noble steed at Shrek’s Ogre-Go-Round.

Guests will find numerous cheeky photo spots including Shrek’s family photo, the bubbling bath and the Shrek babies. You can even meet Shrek himself along with Princess Fiona, Puss in Boots and Gingy.

Grab a bite to eat at Shrek’s Treats menu and browse the latest merchandise in Forever After’s for a magical memento to take home.

Having conquered all that is to do in Faire Faire Away, guests will enter a land of pure awesomeness, where legendary dragon warrior, Po, can be found. Po’s Garden is just a taste of the land to come and guests will be able to meet Po and master all new Kung Fu moves. Kung Fu Panda land will be completed in late 2012 featuring brand new rides and attractions.

In order to construct these new lands, Dreamworld has invested in transitory rides and attractions to ensure families can continue to enjoy an action packed day. During construction there are still more than 10 rides and attractions in addition to more than five daily shows for families to enjoy together.

Families can also enjoy Tiger Island, the Australian Wildlife Experience and world pass holders can enter WhiteWater World for worlds of water-based fun.

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Lethal Weapon retheme

We have an exciting Easter planned with an experience straight from your darkest nightmares! This insane new experience will replace the Lethal Weapon Coaster and is sure to be a scream. Stay tuned here to know what’s coming to get you..... and it’s not the Easter bunny!

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Kennywood Announces Black Widow as New Ride for 2012!

Something wicked is coming to Kennywood. With the start of the summer season a short five months away, Kennywood is proud to announce Black Widow as our newest ride for 2012!

“Black Widow will have a combination of height, airtime and thrill factor,” explains Kennywood General Manager Jerome Gibas. “Kennywood offers a great variety of ride experiences and Black Widow will provide our guests with a new dimension of thrill.”

The Black Widow experience starts with riders sitting in outward-facing suspended seats that form a giant circle with a total of 40 riders. With legs dangling freely, each rider is secured with a shoulder restraint. Then the thrill begins.

The giant circle begins to swing in a pendulum motion while rotating counterclockwise. At the peak of the swing riders will reach a height of 146 feet above the ground and experience that feeling of weightlessness coveted by thrill seekers.

The counterclockwise rotation and pendulum motion creates a variety of different sensations depending on a rider’s specific position. The combination of both elements results in a unique ride experience every time!

Black Widow will stand at 90 feet tall but will reach a height of 146 feet in full swing with an angle of 120 degrees from the center. The pendulum motion propels riders back and forth at 68 miles per hour.

While riding Black Widow, guests experience a one of a kind perspective of Lost Kennywood.

Black Widow will have a height requirement of 52” tall. Each of the 40 seats has an individual shoulder lap restraint. For pictures or more information on Black Widow’s manufacturer, Zamperla, visit www.zamperla.com/en/product/145/giant-discovery.html

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Dreamworld Unviels Spectacular End to 2011: New World-Class Entertainment Alliance with DreamWorks Animation

Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, Australia has revealed a new and world-class alliance with the innovative global entertainment brand, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA), in the park’s most anticipated announcement for the year.

The most exciting and extensive development currently underway in any Australian theme park, Dreamworld’s new DreamWorks Animation-themed lands will welcome guests inside the very worlds of their favourite animated characters, inspired by the iconic DreamWorks Animation franchises. Well-loved characters including Shrek, Puss in Boots, Po from Kung Fu Panda, Alex the Lion from Madagascar, and many others will soon appear at Dreamworld all year round.

Dreamworld Chief Executive Officer Todd Coates said, “We are really excited to have formed a long term strategic alliance with one of the most visionary entertainment companies in the world. The DreamWorks Animation brand is a household name, and we have no doubt that featuring the characters and worlds from their movies will be a great draw for our park.”

“Dreamworld has done a fantastic job of creating quality entertainment experiences for their customers and we look forward to joining forces with the largest theme park in Australia, a hugely important market for us,” added DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg. “The alliance between Dreamworld and DreamWorks represents yet another opportunity for families across the globe to interact with our characters in new and exciting ways.”

The alliance will be revealed over three phases commencing with the DreamWorks Holiday Shrektacular Show this summer season. The stage spectacular will feature eight of DreamWorks Animation’s beloved characters performing a host of popular holiday-themed songs.

In an Australian theme park first, phase two will open for the 2012 Easter holiday period with a new 8,400sqm DreamWorks Experience precinct, which will transform the heart of Dreamworld. Guests of all ages will be invited to step directly into the story as they enter these immersive lands: come face to face and interact with their favourite animated heroes, enjoy festive musical shows, ride all-new attractions, and delight in imaginative food, beverage and merchandise offerings. The precinct’s cornerstone rides will capture memorable moments from DreamWorks Animation’s blockbuster films.

The exciting third phase, which is currently in development, will include a Kung Fu garden where families can meet Po from Kung Fu Panda and enjoy lunch or refreshments.

The addition of the DreamWorks Animation brand tops off a huge year for Dreamworld as it celebrates its 30th birthday. An impressive line-up of new attractions, including the new exotic animal enclosure, The Lair, family adventure ride, ShockWave, and Big 7 thrill ride, BuzzSaw, account for the largest capital investment spend in a number of years.

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Legoland Billund builds world novelty in 2012

Polar Land is the name of the completely new area in LEGOLAND® Billund. The main attraction will be the first roller coaster in the world to combine a 5-metre-drop with an outing among live penguins.

The poles meet in LEGOLAND, in the new 12,500 square metre Polar Land area. Here guests can take a ride in the Polar X-plorer, which is the first roller coaster to combine a 5-metre-drop with a visit into the world of penguins.

Moreover, the area holds a penguin display, a restaurant and the existing Power Builder, which will be transformed into a flight simulator.

The expansion is the largest expansion in the history of LEGOLAND Billund and needs a 75 mill. DKK investment.

A crazy ride
The new area has been developed by the LEGOLAND Park’s own designer Tom Christiansen:

- New young polar researchers can expect quite a ride in the Polar X-plorer. The coaster has a top speed of 65 km/h and leads guests through an ice-waterfall, past impressive polar animals built of LEGO® bricks, into a giant mountain, just to crash through the ice in a 5-metre-drop. Then speed decreases, allowing guests to enjoy the view of live penguins, Tom Christiansen tells. He is looking very much forward to testing the ride himself.

Only two roller coasters with drops already exist in the world, but this is the first to combine the experience with a zoological element. Polar X-plorer will be the fastest roller coaster in LEGOLAND Billund and will take guests 20 metres up in the air.

New residents in LEGOLAND
The penguin display will be a central part of the new area. It will house 15 Gentoo penguins, which are easily recognized by their distinct donkey-like sound. From a special amphi theatre guests can experience talks and feeding of the penguins by professional communicators.

- The Gentoo penguins are very active animals, who love to swim. We have arranged the display so it’s similar to their natural habitat. The display is soundproofed and the windows are darkened from the inside to prevent the penguins from getting stressed during our high season, when the park is filled with happy guests, biologist Lars Nørholm Jensen from LEGOLAND tells. He is responsible for the penguins’ new home.

Dine with the penguins
A new polar-themed restaurant will be built next to the penguin area. The restaurant can seat 350 dining guests, who can view the penguin display and almost actually dine with the penguins.

The 75 mill DKK investment in Polar Land will be the largest investment ever in LEGOLAND Billund’s history. The area will be located in the far corner of the park replacing the existing Event Area. The expected opening date of the new area will be May 2012, about one month after the official opening of LEGOLAND Billund.

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Busch Gardens officials announce 2012 roller coaster details

Busch Gardens’ officials unveiled the name of the Williamsburg theme park’s 2012 roller coaster during an exclusive pass-member appreciation event Saturday morning.

“Verbolten℠ offers the latest in roller coaster technology,” said Park President Carl Lum while addressing an enthusiastic crowd inside Busch Gardens’ 2,000-seat dining facility. “When Verbolten opens in spring 2012, coaster fans will feel the exhilaration of multiple launches and a few surprises that can’t be found anywhere else in the United States.”

Saturday’s announcement naming Verbolten as the Williamsburg park’s new roller coaster ended months of speculation among coaster fans who have been eagerly awaiting official news about the new thrill ride.

In addition to the name, park officials unveiled a few technical details about the roller coaster and a way for fans to learn more about Verbolten over the next several months. Guests with smartphones or other Internet-connected devices can download exclusive coaster details using a unique Quick Response Code, a.k.a. a QR code. Content will be updated regularly, but it can only be accessed by reading the in-park QR code.

Saturday’s event also offered pass members an exclusive preview of the 13th anniversary of Howl-O-Scream, which begins Sept. 23.

Vice President of Entertainment Scott Gasparich introduced pass members to a menagerie of creepy characters representing the Dark Side of the Gardens that make up this year’s Howl-O-Scream. Most haunted houses, scare zones and shows are new, Gasparich said, while the rest are resurrected guest favorites.

“Busch Gardens pulled out all the stops for Howl-O-Scream’s 13th anniversary,” Gasparich said. “There is nothing in this year’s event that hasn’t been intensified, including new takes on old favorites.”

Great new haunted houses like Dead Line offer a modern spin on some classic scares. Howl-O-Scream fans suffering from coulrophobia take note that the evil clowns are back and have taken over Festa Italia in Fear Fair and Grin and Scare It. Finally, Fiends is back in the Festhaus by popular demand. Gasparich and his creative team have breathed new life into Busch Gardens’ classic show that debuted during the first Howl-O-Scream in 1999. It is always “Code Pink” in Dr. Weirdstein’s laboratory, and the good doctor is once again feverishly working on his latest and greatest invention.

Howl-O-Scream begins Sept. 23 and continues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 30. Howl-O-Scream is not suitable for younger guests after 6 p.m. Parental guidance is encouraged. The park’s younger guests will be treated to Halloween happenings during the day with their favorite characters at Sesame Street Forest of Fun.

For more information about the 13th anniversary of Howl-O-Scream, visit www.howl-o-scream.com/va

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Ardent Leisure Announces SkyPoint Climb

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh joined Ardent Leisure Chief Executive Officer, Greg Shaw and SkyPoint General Manager, Andrew Sharry today, Monday 26 September, to announce the Gold Coast’s most anticipated new tourism offering, SkyPoint Climb.

Opening this summer, SkyPoint Climb will be Australia’s highest external building walk, taking climbers on a guided journey reaching 270 metres into the sky on top of the Q1 resort building.

Climbers will dress in a full body Climb suit and harness before they step into the open air via SkyPoint Observation Deck on level 77. Along the way an informed guide will highlight major landmarks and share some of the region’s best kept secrets as the group take in spectacular uninhibited views of the Gold Coast’s stunning golden beaches, city skyline and lush green hinterland.

Ardent Leisure Chief Executive Officer, Greg Shaw, explains the long awaited experience will give locals and visitors an opportunity to experience the region like never before.

“SkyPoint Climb will form the Gold Coast’s premium new tourism and leisure attraction designed for locals and holiday makers wanting to experience the region’s most unique vantage point with a level of thrill,” Mr Shaw said.

“The Gold Coast is known for being Australia’s fun capital and Ardent Leisure is proud to be on the front foot when it comes to offering new experiences that will boost the region’s tourism offering,” he said.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said that new attractions are exactly what the Gold Coast needs at a time when the State is overcoming a tough year for tourist."This attraction presents another reason to visit Queensland and another product that locals can proudly promote. Once again Queensland is on the map for the biggest and best attractions proving that this is where Australia shines,” Ms Bligh said.

Walking above the glass crown which frames the top of the Q1, climbers can enjoy the security of an internal hand rail that guides them up to the massive spire or the more daring can walk along the edge of the building experiencing the thrill of a 270 metre sheer drop.

Close to 140 stairs will guide climbers up to the summit of the Climb where guests can take an extended pause to experience the 360 degree surrounds from the Climb’s highest point before descending to level 77 on the opposite side of the building.While details are still being finalised, the experience is estimated to be around 90 minutes in duration and pre-bookings will commence in November.

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Thrilling Coasters, Family Rides, New Shows and Attractions Coming to Six Flags Parks Across North America in 2012

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: SIX), the world’s largest regional theme park company, today announced its lineup of new rides and attractions for the 2012 operating season. Six Flags parks across North America will debut an exciting package of thrill rides, family rides, shows and special events featuring some of the most innovative rides and attractions in the industry and providing even more reasons than ever to visit Six Flags.

“We are bringing new attractions to every Six Flags park every year,” said Jim Reid-Anderson, Chairman, President and CEO. “This season’s guest satisfaction scores are the highest in our history, and we want to continue that momentum by offering a combination of family-friendly fare and thrill rides for guests of all ages to enjoy.”

Among the 2012 highlights:

• Six Flags Magic Mountain near Los Angeles, which is the Thrill Capital of the World, welcomes the world’s tallest vertical drop ride, LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom! At a sky-scraping 400 feet, this engineering phenomenon drops riders at speeds of up to 85 miles-per-hour.
• At Six Flags Discovery Kingdom near San Francisco, SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight, a new launch coaster, blasts riders at over 60 miles-per-hour through two vertical twists and a high-flying 150-foot-high inversion, ranking it among the tallest inversions in the world.
• X-Flight, the only announced wing coaster in the United States, soars into Six Flags Great America near Chicago, and features 3,000 feet of intense high-speed drops and barrel rolls with no track above or below.
• Six Flags New England in Massachusetts debuts Goliath—a colossal boomerang coaster that sends riders up nearly 200 feet in the air, flying forward and backward over a twisting, looping inverted steel track at speeds up to 65 miles–per-hour.
• Six Flags America, just outside of Washington D.C., introduces Apocalypse, the park’s eighth roller coaster and first stand-up design that offers a two-minute adventure and features a 90-foot drop with vertical and cork screw inversions at 55 miles-per-hour.
• Guests at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio will have more to scream about with the introduction of SkyScreamer, the newest sensation in tower rides. SkyScreamer offers breathtaking views from open air swings that rotate in a 98-foot circle high above the parks.
• Thrilling water park additions are also on tap for next season. Guests at Six Flags St. Louis Hurricane Harbor will keep cool and have a blast at the same time on the all new Bonzai Pipeline, the park’s first extreme looping body slide. Hurricane Harbor at Great Adventure is also premiering this ground-breaking new slide while Alpine Freefalls, a Nordic-themed waterslide complex, is on tap for The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom in upstate New York. This multi-slide attraction will feature the park’s first free-fall speed slide and the region’s first twisted mat racer.
• Finally, the company is adding a variety of family rides, shows and attractions at several parks, including Six Flags Mexico, La Ronde in Montreal, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas—America’s favorite show park—and a 45th anniversary tribute at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Six Flags parks are the number one choice for thrilling, world class entertainment—so grab your friends and family to Go Big and Go Six Flags!

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Six Flags America Announces Apocalypse

The end is near as Six Flags America prepares to face the Apocalypse in 2012! Mayhem comes to Maryland’s favorite theme park in the form of a 100-foot mean machine roller coaster. Guests will take a stand against the end of the world in an all-new, stand-up, steel adventure.

Upon approaching Apocalypse, located in the Skull Island area of the park, guests will wind through a queue stepping further and further into an end of the world scenario. Just when it looks bleak, riders will break out to make the final stand against obliteration. They’ll stand four abreast together, while making the 100-foot ascent to the ride’s apex. For two minutes, they’ll hurtle along the 2,900-foot steel track, feeling the rush of 55 miles-per-hour speeds, hairpin turns, and pulse-pounding inversions.

The Apocalypse is planned to begin at Six Flags America on Friday, May 25, 2012 with a grand opening observance in the morning as the park opens and a thrilling display of fire in the sky that evening. 2012 Six Flags America Season Pass holders will be invited to be amongst the first to brave the ride in a two-day preview event on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, 2012. Season passes are on sale today at sixflags.com/America.

Apocalypse has been designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) of Switzerland. This is Six Flags America’s first B&M coaster as well as the park’s first stand-up coaster. Apocalypse promises to add to a whole new high-intensity thrill to Maryland’s favorite theme park, complementing the park’s arsenal of world-class roller coasters, thrill rides, and water park. The seven current roller coasters at Six Flags America are anchored by the 200-foot SUPERMAN: Ride of Steel; and highlighted by BATWING, Maryland’s first flying coaster; and the classic wooden Wild One, which celebrates its 95th year of thrills in 2012.

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Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Announces New Thrill Coaster in 2012 — SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight

The familiar refrain, “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman!” will become part of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom’s lexicon with the official announcement today of the park’s exciting new roller coaster, SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight. The ride, created in a partnership between Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment, is slated to open in spring 2012.

This one-of-a-kind super launch coaster features the tallest inversion west of the Mississippi and will rank alongside the tallest coaster inversions in the world. At 150 feet high, riders will experience lightning speeds of 62 miles per hour, with two upside-down twists and two vertical rolls over a track length of 863 feet.

“We’re excited to bring this caliber of ride to Discovery Kingdom,” said Dale Kaetzel, Park President. “Since we opened our super coaster Medusa in 2000, the public has been waiting for a ride to match that intensity. We believe that SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight will satisfy even the most fearless thrill-seeker, and then some.”

As Discovery Kingdom’s first DC Comics-themed ride, the new addition is the perfect complement to the park’s unique collection of marine life, wildlife and wild rides. Thrill rides include the aforementioned Medusa, along with Kong, Roar, Vertical Velocity and Boomerang, and SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight’s addition solidifies Discovery Kingdom’s standing as Northern California’s best place to experience thrills of all kinds.

Brightly painted in Superman’s colors — vibrant blue, red and yellow — the steel coaster will be visible from Highway 37 and beyond from its location on the eastern side of the park. Construction on SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight will begin in early 2012.

SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight is being manufactured for Six Flags Six Flags Discovery Kingdom by Premier Rides.

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Six Flags Fiesta Texas Announces Major Tower Attraction for 2012

Six Flags Fiesta Texas revealed plans today to give guests more to scream about in 2012 with the introduction of SkyScreamer. The newest sensation in tower rides, SkyScreamer joins the park’s already spectacular lineup of thrills as it takes guests skyward, high above the park. The addition of SkyScreamer continues Six Flags Fiesta Texas’ tradition of providing thrilling rides and award-winning live entertainment. A selection of new and returning show favorites will also be featured in 2012.

Towering 200-ft. above the ground, SkyScreamer will surpass the height of the park’s quarry walls. Thirty-two guests will board the ride and sit two across in open air swings as they climb to the top of the SkyScreamer tower while spinning round and round. At full swing, guests will soar in a 98-ft. circle at speeds of 40 mph with the rest of the park far below their dangling feet.

“SkyScreamer will provide a breathtaking, panoramic view towering above our unique park setting. From the vantage point of these thrilling, open-air swings, guests will have an unusual birds’ eye perspective of the San Antonio skyline as they soar to new heights,” stated Park President Martin Bozer.

By day, guests will have an aerial view for miles past the cliff walls and even into downtown. By night, SkyScreamer will provide a totally different experience. SkyScreamer will take flight in Spring 2012.

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Six Flags Great Adventure Announces New Attractions for 2012

Six Flags Great Adventure, America’s largest regional theme park, today unveiled plans to add both extreme and family thrills to its current lineup for 2012. SkyScreamer, an extreme swing ride, will transform the Fantasy Forest skyline while three additional family rides are introduced to the whimsically-themed section below – bumper cars, scrambler and flying elephants.

Theme park guests will have more to scream about with the introduction of SkyScreamer.
The newest sensation in tower rides, SkyScreamer will take swing rides to the next level and join the park’s already breathtaking lineup of thrills as it whisks guests up, up and away high over the park, feet dangling and hair blowing. Towering 15 stories above the ground, SkyScreamer will reside next to the classic Big Wheel. Thirty-two guests will board the ride and sit two across in open-air swings as they climb to the top of the SkyScreamer tower while spinning round and round. At full swing, guests will soar in a 98-ft. circle at speeds of 40 mph high above the park below.

For those wishing to keep their feet closer to the ground, the park is introducing two new, yet classic, family attractions – bumper cars and a music-themed scrambler. Guests will also be greeted with the return of the popular flying elephants ride, which formerly made its home in
The Golden Kingdom section of the theme park.

“Although we are best known for our record-breaking thrills, families have told us they would like more attractions they can enjoy together. So this season we are introducing four rides sure to deliver fun for all ages,” said park president John Fitzgerald.

At Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, it’s go big, go extreme – with the addition of exciting, new drop boxes guaranteed to ramp up the thrill factor at the slide tower known as “The Falls.” Guests will climb into a clear, fully-enclosed launch capsule and begin the nerve-wracking countdown to the moment when the floor literally disappears beneath them and sends them into a freefall at speeds of up to 32 mph.

“Drop boxes are an innovative, exciting addition to our already thrilling speed slides,” Fitzgerald added. “They are not for the faint of heart. The sheer anticipation of waiting for the floor to drop will have our guests’ adrenaline pumping.”

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Revolutionary Wing Coaster Coming to Six Flags Great America in 2012

Get ready to take flight! Six Flags Great America announces plans to add a state-of-the-art roller coaster for the 2012 season. X-Flight is a ground-breaking wing coaster featuring cutting-edge technology. The Gurnee theme park is the first to announce plans for a wing coaster in the U.S.

X-Flight will take riders on a flight that defies gravity, with no track above or below them. Riders sit in pairs, suspended on either side of the track with their feet dangling, as they begin their climb up a 12-story plunge launching them into speeds of 55mph through 3,000 feet of intense drops and five inversions, including a barrel roll and zero-g roll. One of the most adrenaline-pumping moments on the ride is an extreme fly-through where the coaster speeds straight toward a structure, before making a last-minute vertical flip to fit through a keyhole cut-out.

“Six Flags Great America has a long history of introducing legendary rides and first-of-its-kind roller coasters,” said Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America Park President. “What makes
X-Flight so unique is soaring through 3,000 feet of high-speed drops, loops and turns, with nothing above or below you. The coaster’s train actually looks like a plane with seats suspended on either side of the track. It’s like nothing you have ever experienced before. We are thrilled to bring this revolutionary wing coaster to our guests for the 2012 season.”

X-Flight is designed by acclaimed Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, who also designed Six Flags Great America favorites: Raging Bull, SUPERMAN: Ultimate Flight and BATMAN: The Ride. The wing coaster will make its home in the County Fair section of the park. Construction begins this Fall. X-Flight is scheduled to open Spring of 2012.

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Six Flags Magic Mountain Announces LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom

Another one for the history books, Six Flags Magic Mountain, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment, announced today the world’s tallest vertical drop ride, LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom, will make its debut for the 2012 season. Named after one of DC Comics’ most dangerously intelligent super-villains and Superman’s greatest enemy,
LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom will be an engineering phenomenon, attached to both sides of the iconic SUPERMAN: Escape from Krypton tower. Soaring at a sky-scraping 400 feet,
LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom is slated for a spring 2012 launch.

Fearless riders will be seated inside floorless gondolas on two vertical tracks flanking each side of the SUPERMAN: Escape from Krypton tower. Passengers on the gondolas will be pulled to the top of the tower, experience a brief pause before being released and dropped at speeds of up to 85 miles-per-hour. After five seconds of freefall, the gondola will be stopped by a sophisticated magnetic braking system just a few feet from the ground.

“Six Flags is known world-wide as the industry leader in delivering world-class thrills, and
Six Flags Magic Mountain is proud to be at the head of the pack, offering guests the biggest and the best,” said Bonnie Rabjohn, Six Flags Magic Mountain Park President. “We are excited to add another world record to our collection of record-breaking, first-on-the-planet attractions.”

Changing Magic Mountain’s legendary skyline, LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom will offer riders breathtaking panoramic views as they are lifted to the top of the tallest vertical drop ride ever built. Sitting eight abreast, riders will plummet 40 stories at an extreme speed before coming to a stop, all while the SUPERMAN: Escape from Krypton cars are blasted to the top of the same structure.

“Six Flags Magic Mountain continues to deliver powerful thrills to our guests year after year,” said Jim Reid-Anderson, Chairman, President and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
“LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom is a tremendous addition and brings a new dimension of excitement to the park’s already remarkable collection of thrill rides.”

LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom is being manufactured exclusively for Six Flags Magic Mountain by Intamin AG of Switzerland.

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Six Flags New England Announces Goliath – A Coaster of Epic Proportions for the 2012 Season

Six Flags New England, home to the largest collection of coasters in the Northeast, today announced the addition of Goliath a suspended looping boomerang coaster that will leave guests wondering which way is up! New England’s newest coaster will reside in the Crack Axle Canyon section of the park and will make its debut in late spring of 2012.

The ride experience will begin when guests are strapped into chairs suspended from the track above, Goliath sends riders dangling face-down out of the station and up the first tower. Once riders reach the top of the tower they are dropped into a complete vertical 18-story free-fall reaching speeds of 65 miles-per-hour before racing head-over-heels on the outside of a 102-foot-tall vertical loop followed by an enormous 110-foot-tall butterfly turn before rocketing up the second 19-story tower. Think that’s all…hold on, there’s more as guests are sent rocketing back through the entire experience all over again with nothing beneath their feet but earth
and sky.

“Six Flags New England is thrilled to announce the addition of Goliath to our already amazing arsenal of rides,” said Jason Freeman, Six Flags New England park president. “This ride delivers pure adrenaline from start to finish and solidifies our commitment to adding high volume fun for the entire family.” Goliath joins an incredible line up of coasters including: Cyclone, Batman The Dark Knight, Mind Eraser and of course the top rated steel coaster, Bizarro. When coaster enthusiasts are looking for thrills and excitement, Six Flags New England is their #1 choice! Six Flags New England is also home to three dedicated children’s areas, entertaining shows, FREE concerts and New England’s largest water park. Guests can experience Goliath-sized thrills all season long with a 2012 Season Pass! Buy three (3) 2012 Season Passes today for $59.99, and get one (1) FREE, plus receive FREE parking. Season passes must be processed by October 30, 2011 to receive FREE parking and can be used for the remainder of the 2011 season. Be sure to check out Fright Fest, New England’s premier haunted attraction, weekends in October. Don’t miss out on the fun, visit www.sixflags.com to purchase online.

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Six Flags Over Georgia Announces Plans to Introduce Six New Shows in 2012

Six Flags Over Georgia today announced that it will celebrate its 45th anniversary by introducing six new shows during the 2012 season. An exciting array of new shows will light up venues across the park, including an all-new outdoor experience that will highlight the park’s storied history since its opening in 1967.

Two thrilling new productions will debut inside the Crystal Pistol Music Hall, including an illuminated dance show with stunning visual effects. Other shows include the return of “We Got the Beat” in the BUGS BUNNY World Theater, a new 60’s-inspired dance show in the U.S.A. section of the park and the return of a fan favorite show during Fright Fest 2012.

“We are excited to celebrate our park’s 45th season with even more live entertainment for our guests,” said Melinda Ashcraft, park president. “With our thrilling roller coasters, family rides and water attractions, these all-new shows are the perfect complements and will truly make Six Flags Over Georgia an exceptional vacation destination in 2012.”

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Six Flags St. Louis Announces New Water Park Attraction for 2012

Six Flags St. Louis today announced plans to add an extreme body slide, Bonzai Pipeline, to Hurricane Harbor in 2012. Bonzai Pipeline joins the
12-acre water park’s existing lineup of water attractions as the only looping body slide with a launching capsule. Hurricane Harbor opened in 1999 and remains Missouri’s only free water park with theme park admission.

Bonzai Pipeline is the ultimate wipeout experience featuring twin, looping slides that sit side by side and the Proslide Skybox launching capsule. After reaching the top of the 6-story structure, guests will step into the enclosed capsule where the floor drops out beneath them, sending them free-falling down the slide and into a side “super loop.” Riders will surf the 290-ft. slide at up to 40 mph. Bonzai Pipeline’s clear tubes allow spectators below to watch riders as they shoot through the 360˚ loops and splash out into the water below.

“Hurricane Harbor is already a favorite of our guests during their visit to Six Flags St. Louis,” said Dave Roemer, Six Flags St. Louis park president. “The addition of Bonzai Pipeline makes the water park an even greater value while providing a new element of extreme thrill that we think guests are really going to love.”

Bonzai Pipeline, manufactured by Proslide Technology, Inc., is scheduled to open May 2012. The body slide will be located to the west side of the wave pool and will have a 48” height requirement.

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Coming in 2012 – Alpine Freefalls at The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom

The Great Escape’s popular outdoor water park, Splashwater Kingdom goes big in 2012! The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom today announced plans to add Alpine Freefalls, a two level water slide complex set to open May 2012. The new attraction will boast the park’s first free fall speed slide with Skybox technology and the Northeast’s first of its kind mat racer.

Guests will face their biggest fears when they take on the double black diamond Cliffhanger water slide. Perched six stories high, riders will count to three before the floor drops from below, plunging them at speeds of up to 32 mph down an 80 degree drop into six inches of water. The plummet slide will complement the popular Tornado water slide, offering thrill seekers the ultimate water park adventure.

For those looking for a little competition, Twisted Racer is a four-story, four-lane race through enclosed tunnels, giving guests the chance to compete with friends and family at speeds of over 25 feet per second. Riders will race on mats through pretzel shaped tubes before opening up into a final drop and a straight shot to the finish line where each competitor’s time will be displayed on LED boards.

“Alpine Freefalls will offer our guests an extreme water ride experience combined with friendly competition,” said Don McCoy, President of The Six Flags Great Escape Properties. “We believe this multi-slide attraction will be a great enhancement to the water park and offer guests an attraction that is as fun to watch as it is to ride.” McCoy added, “From our coasters and shows, to our two children’s areas and free water park, there is no other theme park in the area that offers the tremendous amount of thrills we do for one price.”

More information about Alpine Freefalls will be released during a hard hat tour of the attraction’s construction site in the spring of 2012.

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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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