Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Discuss theme parks, roller coasters, and donkeys!
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By jedimaster1227 · Posted
Less than a year after the opening of Expedition Odyssey, SeaWorld Orlando has announced that a new experience, Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice will replace the existing attraction. This new version of the coaster is expected to open this Spring. Starting yesterday, the attraction is operating with reduced capacity as the park works on transitioning some of the flying theaters to the new offering. https://seaworld.com/orlando/rides/expedition-odyssey-fire-ice/ ALL NEW- EXPEDITION ODYSSEY FIRE & ICE Coming this Spring Step into the Arctic like never before on Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice, an all-new, story-driven adventure that transforms this immersive experience into a powerful scientific mission. From the moment you enter a fully immersive Arctic research outpost, you’ll be recruited to join a field team exploring the extreme forces of Fire and Ice that shape this frozen world. After a final briefing from a research scientist, board a prototype drone craft and launch into a breathtaking cinematic journey through vast escapes, dynamic environments, and awe-inspiring wildlife encounters. Blending cutting-edge technology with immersive storytelling, this next-level experience blurs the line between simulation and reality—delivering a visually stunning expedition that will leave you wondering how it was even possible. The adventure doesn’t end when the ride does. Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice seamlessly transitions guests into a real-world encounter with live Arctic animals, including beluga whales and walruses. Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice is designed to be a family-friendly thrill, with a height requirement of just 39 inches. That means kids and adults alike can embark on this unforgettable Arctic expedition together. -
Great yummy tour of the event, Bert! Very envious of you and Jim, being able to do this more than once. 😋 -
Jim is off on Thursdays, so we took a day trip with our friends down to SWSA to check out the 2026 Seven Seas Food Festival. lots of changes for this year, including massive adjustments to the 7 "areas" they used to have, and 90% new menu items. (and from what we tried, I'd say most was excellent or very good, with a rare dud here or there). Since some booths such as "Japan" are no longer there, the "water garden" show is now gone, but a new drumming show has been added to the "Africa" booth, and the "Groove Chefs" (think Stomp with pots and pans) are back again, as well as stilt dancers over near "South America". . . so there are still a number of shows to catch during any day the food festival is running (Thurs-Sun most weeks thru May 17). another change is that the Deserts are now all at one booth, instead of being shared across all booths. all in all, there are 10 booths, plus 3 "drink" stations - and yes, you can use a sampler click for a cocktail at the drink stations as well as for any drinks at each individual booth the biggest change? this year, SWSA gets concerts added to the lineup! The first weekend was Ginuine, and tonight is "Expose', Tiffany, and the Jets" Upcoming weeks include the "pop 2000 tour" (with some boy bands you've heard of), Hoobatank, Fuel, & Lit, Blackstreet, and the big finale show is Souljaboy & Ying Yang Twins. . all included with park admission. ok.. let's get to a trip report! here's the event booklet - and you want to have it because of the big changes this year . . . here are the new Food Stands, as well as the 3 places that offer non-food stand specific drinks/cocktails/mocktails. the only thing that really has not changed, is that 9 of the 10 food stands are around the lagoon portion of the park. if you get your booklet stamped at all 9 stands (the "tiny travelers" stand is a "gimme" and is already filled in), you can show your passport at the exit gift shop for a small gift: there's also another "game" for the littler ones, where a Shamu is hidden in the area of each food stand, and if you connect the correct Shamu to the correct food stand, there's a small gift for that too. as usual, passholders get a special badge with 18 samples for the price of 15 - and since they are also offering passholders one free sample, between Jim and I we had 20 samples (too many, but we took some home) front gate advertising, and we were hoping it wouldn't be too busy on a Thursday and would be able to get some rides in too. but we ended up not riding anything, as they seemed to be a bit low on staffing today (which was A-OK, as all food festival booths were fully staffed, just some shops and stores were not open). all rides other than Rio Loco were up and running too. . . but Barracuda Strike is still having some "new ride issues" and due to breakdowns the line looked like at least a 40 minute wait, so we didn't bother. it will BE there, we'll ride it at some point. Catapult Falls was walk on tho, as were most of the other coasters. we always we started backwards and what used to be the Mexico booth is now called "the Gulf" and has a separate Cantina booth set up next to it. we had the pork and pineapple & the Shrimp tacos. The shrimp was ok, tho a little overcooked, but the avocado crema was fantastic. we all agreed the pork and pineapple is the way to go here - it's excellent. after our 1st stop and a quick drink break, we made our way to the main lagoon - where the rest of the food booths are located. great view across the lagoon of LtR: Steel Eel, Wave Breaker (the launch building), Catapult Falls (the final drop lift tower) and Great White. and here's Texas Stingray (the best woodie in Texas) and Tidal surge had to snap some pics of the new hotness - Barracuda Strike, cycling at the moment. . it looks so good going thru the lift hill for Steel Eel what used to be "France" is now a Coca-Cola refill station. . . so the next stop was actually what used to be "Germany" - and tho they covered the signage up with multiple flags to make it "Europe"? it's still basically the Beirgarten section, which I'm sure will be back in full german swing for Oktoberfest. I will easily admit that I'm thrilled that almost all of the crappy German food is now gone, leaving on the returning Schnitzel with Spatzle (which is just ok). the new stuff tho??? fabulous and there's a new "travelers Cafe" stop next to it for those that want more alcohol. we got the Lobster Ravioli (only two pieces, but fine for sharing, and the butter sauce is incredible), and the Bangers & Mash - which was Jim's favorite bite of the day. and yes, it's VERY good, and would make my top 5 as well. Janey was really wanting something sweet, and we had about an 45 minute to kill before the Orca show, so we decided to bypass a few booths and head to the brand new "Seven Sweets" stand - where the now have ALL the deserts located. we tried the Pineapple Tres Leches (Janey loved it and had it twice during our visit), the Dubai Chocolate Croissant (also very good, but it's very much Pistachio forward, so if you love pistachio, you'll love this), and the Haupia (a smooth, wonderful coconut pudding, that was MY favorite desert we tried). the Crepes from France, the Baklava, and the Bread Pudding are all returning from last year, so we'll get those another time, but have all been good in the past. and then it was time for the Orca show. despite it being a slower day, and a Thursday, the stadium was full to capacity. so I'd guess most of the people in the park today did the shows. after the show, we continued to eat our way around the world, and next was a new booth set up near the stadium (and the Dipping Dots) as the kids food area. as you can see, they pre-stamp this one, so foodies don't need to stop here, tho Janey was really wanting to try mac and chicken, so she got that (and said it was good) while we went around the corner to what used to be "Italy" and got the Bahamian Crab N Rice. that's SUPPOSED to be it in the picture on the bottom of the page, but it really didn't look like that at all. it was OK, but tasted a lot like Spaghetti O's to me, and wasn't that impressed with it. Russell did the BBQ Jerk Pork with Cheddar mac and said that was decent. . but honestly, I'll probably be skipping this booth when we go back. Sadly, the Greek booth is long gone, and where it used to be is a popular Boba Stand - so I guess the park made the right call on that one. tho the Lamb sliders were always a favorite of mine continuing around the lagoon, we passed the wine bar stand, and then made it to "Central America". . where we really wanted to try the Ceviche (but as with a few other places, they have new dishes dropping in later in the festival, so we were just too early for it). good plan, I think, makes us want to go back. so Jim and I shared the Chile Rellenos. it was so good, we dug right in and forgot to take a pic. . but at least I got one before it was all gone. very highly recommended, it was probably my 3rd favorite thing we tried. we were getting full. . so slowing down to take in shows and people watching. but dang it, we were gonna complete the circuit and get our lanyard. . LOL "Africa" is the spot I recommend highest in the park. we shared the Sosatie (lamb skewers) which was my #2 favorite thing in the park today, and the Hawawshi that came with possibly the best tahini I've ever had. very, very good. the Chicken curry looked and smelled amazing, but we still had other booths, so passed for the moment. and besides, we know we're coming back for the Chicken Tagine when that is avail. later in April. Russell tried the Maple Serengeti and said it was good. the drum band. . who were great, and very very friendly (and drew a crowd during their performance) the Egyptian stuffed bread (top) and the EXCELLENT lamb skewer. relaxing to enjoy the drummers. whoops. . one out of order, but Tidal Surge doing it's thing, from our location in front of Journey to Atlantis - which was down (and drained) when we got there at 11:30, but running by 2pm. it was then time to look at some animals - to walk off some of the food. the penguins are adorable as always (and yes, they still reek to high heaven) the moving walkway was not working today - which made for a people cluster-f in front of the display. one thing I'd recommend to the park is to have someone staffing the main room if the conveyor is not working, to encourage folks to keep moving. as noted earlier, sadly the "Japan" booth is now gone, and it's morphed into the "Pacific Ocean" they did keep a couple of the Japan offerings (tho we lost the Tuna Sashimi i liked), but other than the two Japanese dishes, everything else here was made fresh by the chef (as opposed to just dropping frozen battered prawns or Gyoza into a fryer). the Bulgogi Bowl (I chose Jackfruit) was my #1 favorite dish I ate today. it was absolutely fantastic, grilled fresh and put together fresh in front of me. I'd imagine that this booth will have longest lines on busy days because of the amount of work needed for most f the dishes. if you didn't know it was jasckfruit? you would have sworn it was braised beef. it trly was that good, and the pickled veggies were incredible. we also tried the Gua Bao, and it too was very good - tho more "bun" than "pork" - the pickled veggies inside were again incredible, and the chili sauce wonderful. Jim is a fiend for Cold Brew, so I paid to get him a full size cup of the Vietnamese Iced Coffee Mocktail, and he really enjoyed it. the bun: the Jackfruit bowl: we were pretty full, but made sure we saved space for the "Indian Ocean" booth - which replace the "Hawaii" booth. sadly, as we got up there, they had an issue with one of the propane tanks, and it took the grill out of commission so tho was really wanting to try the Jamal (Camel) burger, and they looked good, even tho it was pretty small and the most expensive thing at the food festival at $15.99 each if you paid cash for it. . . we were unable to do that, or the butter chicken. luckily we were there on 4/9, and he was still able to make the Mie Goreng Jawa from Indonesia. we totally forgot to get a pic of that - and I'll be honest, it LOOKED like a sad cup-o-noodles. but it ate very well, with lots of small shrimp and beef (and some chicken) without the cup-o-noodles broth. so it didn't satisfy what we wanted to try, but it WAS good. will have to come back to try the butter chicken and the camel. Russell needed the passport stamp here, so he just go the cucumber cooler drink. and after a sip he offered to anyone who wanted to try as he was going to toss it. I tried it and thought it was rather vile. the cucumber flavor does not go well at all with rum. so he dumped it. our last stop luckily kept our favorites from "Brazil" even tho it's now called "South America" forgot to get pics of these too. . but as we were too full to eat anything more, we pulled out our trusty zip lock bags and ordered the Beef & Chicken Empanadas - bringing home 4 each (they reheat wonderful in the air fryer). the Argentinian dish looked great too, but didn't look like it would travel well, so we passed for now. while we were there tho, the entertainment came out. they moved really well together considering one was up on stilts. we had eaten our way around the world. . and had been in the park about 5 hours at this point. so we did some animal viewing, and sea lion feeding (a tray free for passholders) since it was such a cool day, all the alligators were out - instead of hiding under the dock in the enclosure, so it was cool to see so many out and about. the sea lions were acting like they were STARVING. . . feeeeeeeeed meeeeee and the lil otters were just begging for food - guess they can't read the signs that ask guests not to feed them no matter how much they beg we did go back over to Barracuda Strike to see how the line was, only to hear the announcement they were having technical difficulties. so we shrugged and headed back towards the front of the park. Jim wanted a pic of me on this truck. I'm impressed my big ass got up there after eating all day we made sure to bring our passport books up to the store in the front on the way out for our lanyard gift. and I'll admit, the freebie is kinda cool. the lanyard still had the $9.99 price tag on it (really??) but the 3 pins are pretty nice I got penguin Turtle and orca and Jim got the Dolphin instead of the Turtle oh, and the prize if you match up the hidden Shamu with the stands? a sticker of your favorite Shamu! so I got "South America Shamu" and Jim got "Seven Sweets Shamu" it's a great event, especially with the changes they made this year, and very highly recommended. we'll be back, and probably will buy another tasting lanyard. -
By prozach626 · Posted
Glad you haven't read some of my responses. 👀 For real though, it can be hot as balls hot outside in June. Everyone will be in the water park throughout the afternoon. You'll be able to get a ton of rides in. Get on Good Gravy early though. The families with little ones will fill up the queue quick. If you're OK with being a grown ass man on Gobbler Getaway, I suggest that. It's nothing special, but one of the more well put together and maintained OG Sally dark rides. -
Huh, so how do I process my 2026 Six Flags pass? When I bought it they said I had to get it processed at St Louis and I was planning on going opening weekend. -
This sounds like an excellent upgrade. My only hope is they keep the iconic "OOO YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh" as you launch out of the station.
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Supposedly because it counted against the capital investment requirements of the lease. Rather than just scrap the trains, they could preserve more of the value and not need to spend actual investment. -
Hopefully they keep and operate some rides! -
By jedimaster1227 · Posted
The day before I left for home, I was able to leave a little early to allow me time to experience two more Sentosa offerings... The first would be the Singapore Oceanarium located just opposite the entrance to Universal Studios Singapore. The Singapore Oceanarium originally opened in 2012 as the S.E.A. Aquarium, the world's largest aquarium at the time, in terms of total water volume. The aquarium closed for four months in early 2025 to rebrand and expand, so the version I experienced was still relatively new. The entrance plaza is grand and feels similar in style to Tron: Lightcycle Run's iconic canopy... Once inside you are greeted by a wide variety of jellyfish. Thin jellyfish. Thick jellyfish. Hundreds of jellyfish. The aquarium is split up into 22 themed zones, including this one focused on ancient creatures. The size of the complex is impressive. Happy frog. And they have a full size sailing ship recreated inside. There is a giant viewing area for the main aquarium tank. Touch pond incoming! This tank has special shrimp that find dead pieces of skin on your hand to pick off. I was quite popular with these folks. A special viewing area dedicated to the sharks. Speaking of sharks... A Jaws 3-D moment! Is it even an aquarium if it doesn't have a tunnel through the shark tank? Sharks. And black-lit fish! Very EPCOT-esque. Back to hanging out in the big tank viewing area... A cool little pod off the side of the big tank. They have dolphins here too. And eels! And more tunnels! And this weird tank. The Royal Albatross is parked just outside of the Singapore Oceanarium and offers dine & sail cruises as another Sentosa attraction. Next up would be my final experience of the trip... -
By jedimaster1227 · Posted
Toverland has announced that Maximus' Blitz Bahn will be replaced by a new attraction, a swinging bobsled. Like the current attraction, the new bobsled will allow riders to control their own speed and it will feature the same layout as its predecessor. https://www.toverland.com/en/press/news/press-blitzbahn Toverland will soon say goodbye to the popular bobsleigh ride Maximus’ Blitz Bahn. It will be replaced by a completely new attraction: a swinging bobsled. The new ride retains the key features of Maximus’ Blitz Bahn, including allowing riders to control their own speed. The current ride will close on Sunday 17 May 2026 to make way for its successor, due to open in the upcoming winter season. The swinging bobsled has been developed in partnership with ETF Ride Systems, based in Nederweert, Limburg. “After 12 years of intensive use, the time has come to replace Maximus’ Blitz Bahn,” says Roy Janssen, Senior Manager of Engineering and Projects. “Rodeling has always been an important part of Toverland, so we set out to find a replacement that would preserve the ride’s most popular elements. That led to the new ‘swinging bobsled’ concept, which we developed together with ETF Ride Systems.” Swinging bobsled Where the vehicles of Maximus’ Blitz Bahn race along curved bobsleigh chutes, the swinging bobsled runs on a conventional roller coaster track. The existing layout, including the canopy, will remain unchanged, so the ride can operate in all weather. “The ride will feel different, with banked corners,” Janssen explains. “This means the track tilts inward on bends, making the ride both smoother and more intense.” New vehicles The attraction will also feature newly designed vehicles, with riders seated one behind the other in a larger two-person bobsled. At various points along the track, the cars will swing outward depending on their speed, giving the ride a more dynamic feel. Riders can control their speed using levers. “Increasing capacity was a key priority, so more guests can enjoy it. For that reason, the vehicles will always maintain a minimum speed.” The swinging bobsled will become part of the themed area Wunderwald, where visitors can try out the inventions of the eccentric Maximus Müller. The vehicles will be finished in a steampunk style. Further details on the storyline and the ride’s name will be announced in due course. Farewell event Maximus’ Blitz Bahn will run its final rides on Sunday 17 May 2026. To mark the occasion, Toverland will host a farewell celebration full of ‘Stimmung und Spaß’. Maximus Müller himself will be there. The new swinging bobsled will open during Toverland’s upcoming winter season. -
By jedimaster1227 · Posted
An investment group that includes NBA star Kevin Durant has purchased the site of Six Flags America following the park's permanent closure. While plans for the site have not been revealed, the county has hinted that they are aiming for a year-round, mixed-use development. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/prince-georges-county/kevin-durant-six-flags-property-prince-georges/4087996/ The site of Six Flags America in Prince George’s County, Maryland, has been sold to an investment group that includes NBA superstar Kevin Durant, a native of the county, News4 learned. The 515-acre amusement park closed for good in November. There has been much speculation about what might happen with the property and the best use of the land going forward. The park, which had been open for decades, brought the county about $3 million in annual revenue. County leaders have said they want new development that would operate year-round instead of seasonally and bring in more tax dollars. The property is slated for a mixed-use development. What exactly that entails is yet to be decided, but County Executive Aisha Braveboy said it will be a destination with entertainment and upscale dining and possibly a sports-related activity. “This is a new chapter for Prince George’s County and one that will be guided by a son of Prince George’s County, NBA legend Kevin Durant,” Braveboy said. “We are excited about being able to work collaboratively with Wanda Durant (Kevin Durant’s mother) and the team to really have an inclusive vision for the Six Flags site.” She said to expect a lot of community involvement to learn what the community wants there. News of the park’s closure last year came just after the Washington Commanders announced a decision to leave the county for a new stadium being built in D.C., causing concerns about having two vacant attractions in the county. Now, leaders hope new developments – including a Las Vegas-style Sphere at National Harbor – will bring in millions of dollars for the local economy. What we know – and don’t – about the Six Flags land deal The land, in the Bowie area, was purchased by 35 Ventures, Durant’s firm, and Atlanta-based TPA Group. There’s a lot we don’t know about the private sale, including how much the land sold for. What we don't know is what the property will ultimately look like. Leaders may be trying to figure out how to replicate National Harbor, which is a leading revenue generator for the county and state. Sources have told News4 there is no date or time stamp for when plans or renderings may be released to the public. Several community meetings are expected to take place in the next 30 to 45 days. "Kevin [Durant is] from here. Kevin from PG County. And I know he'll do the right thing because he was raised that way," said one man who News4 spoke to in Prince George's. What residents say Residents who spoke to News4 seemed in favor of an entertainment destination, but threw other ideas in the mix, too. “We need something that is high-end that people can enjoy like other counties around us,” one person said. "What they should do, actually, really, it's a lot of senior citizens need places to live," another person said. "What they should do is make it a gated senior citizen community." Another was concerned about crowding from potential shopping centers and housing. “We have too many communities already. And the traffic is horrendous some days," he said. -
By jedimaster1227 · Posted
Six Flags Great Adventure has shared official construction photos of their upcoming, record-breaking launched coaster set to debut in 2027... https://x.com/SFGrAdventure/status/2041954822404874476 It’s rising and it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. More track is in place, and the layout is starting to come into view...where things begin… upside down. #AdventureAwakens #SFGAD2027 -
By jedimaster1227 · Posted
Six Flags has announced that the sale of the six United States-based parks to EPR Properties (who will partner with Enchanted Parks to operate them) has successfully closed. The sale of Six Flags La Ronde in Montreal, Quebec is expected to close later this year. https://investors.sixflags.com/news/press-releases/press-release-details/2026/Six-Flags-Completes-Sale-of-Six-U-S--Parks-to-EPR-Properties/default.aspx Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) (“Six Flags” or the “Company”), North America’s largest regional amusement park operator, today announced the successful closing of the previously announced sale of six of its U.S. parks to EPR Properties (NYSE: EPR) (“EPR”), marking a significant milestone in the Company’s ongoing portfolio optimization strategy. The six U.S. parks now owned by EPR are Valleyfair (Minnesota), Worlds of Fun (Missouri), Michigan’s Adventure (Michigan), Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston (Texas), Six Flags St. Louis (Missouri), and Six Flags Great Escape (New York). The sale of Six Flags La Ronde (Montreal, QC) is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, following the satisfaction of applicable closing conditions and receipt of required approvals. “This divestiture reflects Six Flags’ disciplined approach to portfolio optimization and the decisive action we are taking to concentrate our capital and operational focus on properties with the greatest long-term growth potential,” said Six Flags President and CEO John Reilly. “This portfolio refinement further positions Six Flags to execute more effectively in 2026 and beyond, and I am confident in the opportunities ahead as we continue taking steps to drive improved operating performance, margin expansion, free cash flow generation, and earnings growth.” EPR intends to partner with Enchanted Parks to run the six domestic properties. EPR will retain the right to utilize the Six Flags brand through the end of 2026, subject to certain requirements, and no significant impact on guests is expected during this transition. The parks will continue their regular operating schedules, and all season passes sold will be recognized through the 2026 operating season, including multi-park pass privileges at other parks within the Six Flags’ portfolio. ABOUT SIX FLAGS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) is North America’s largest regional amusement-resort operator, with 21 amusement parks, 14 water parks and nine resort properties across 13 states in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The Company also manages an amusement park in Saudi Arabia. Focused on its purpose of making people happy, Six Flags provides fun, immersive and memorable experiences to millions of guests every year with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks, resorts and a portfolio of beloved intellectual property such as Looney Tunes®, DC Comics® and PEANUTS®. -
Dang it - the UI didn't show me the first post went through. -
It's really going to be funny if Mid-America, Worlds of Fun and Valleyfair end up growing faster than the lower tier parks remaining in the Six Flags chain.
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