Airtime&Gravity

While I wasn't very impressed when this was first announced, I think this looks like one fantastic coaster. While the crest of the lift seems a little too big,(one thing I like about euro-fighters is the small crest) this still looks like a fun ride.

^Also, I'm sure China will be building a few B&M's next year, SWO is building the flyer, SFGAM/SFGADV are potential dive machine recipients, and then a few more will probably be built at various parks around the world.

Eejanaika

Is it just me, or does it look like Cedar Fair hired a 12yr. old for the new logos? Nice photos, and while I disagree with the changes Cedar Fair has done, Kings Dominion still looks like an enjoyable park. While I dislike Dominator's color scheme, I must say that it looks really impressive.

Wait, the article says she was pinned between a teacup and saucer, so did this happen on the ride platform or in the queue? Going from the article, I'm going to assume that the lines were really long(well it was Disney, so that's a given), and maybe the victim took the cup that the attacker wanted. I feel bad for the victim and her kids as this is a terrible event to happen while on vacation.

O Mundo da Xuxa

While the trims on Raging Bull usually kill the ride, if you are lucky to ride when they aren't on(it was like this on 2 of my visits last year), then it is a really good ride. Sure it is no Nitro(trims weren't on when I rode), but it is still a solid ride. I just wish it would run trim-less more often as it is the best ride in the park when they are off. As for Viper, I thought it ran poorly last year, especially later in the season, but it seems as though you rode it on a good day. Great TR Jahan, and I look foreword to the next installment.

I thought the entire park was getting demolished due to the accidents as I thought that Beto Carrero World bought a good amount of rides.(including one of the coasters) At least the park is doing what it can to reopen, but they are probably going to have a hard time bring guests back, but who knows, maybe the accidents will be almost forgotten by 2009. Hopefully some flats or a maybe even a new coaster will replace Fujin Rajin.

Loup-Garou

Definitely a surprise as I thought it was going to be a junior B&M hyper. I must say though that I'm a bit worried about it being an X-car, but since the design has improved a lot since G-Force, this should be a good ride. However, X-Cars have pretty bad capacity-can't they only run one train because the lift is also the brake run?-, and the restraints are also supposed to be bad. However, I have confidence that Universal can fix these problems, and I'm just surprised the went with the ride they did. However, I must say that the ride sounds like a lot of fun, and it will probably become one of the better Orlando coasters. Like Wes said, I'll wait for more renderings and statistics before I make any final decision on this ride.

The park to go to also depends on what else you plan to do. If you plan to do more than just the park, then SFGAM would be the better choice as there is so much to do in Chicago. From the museums, downtown, the lake front, and the parks, there is plenty to do beside just visiting SFGAM. St. Louis also has more to do, but obviously not to the scale of Chicago. However, if you just plan to visit a park, then I would go to SFSTL. During my visits, crowds have been light, the staff have been really good, and the park is just really enjoyable. The theming is nice, there is plenty of shade, there is a really good flat ride selection, the coasters are great(even Boss is fun), and the park just has a lot more atmosphere than SFGAM. Sure SFGAM has more coasters, but SFSTL has a better flat ride selection, a nicer location, and more atmosphere. Both parks are great, but I think SFSTL is the more enjoyable park.

Das Kätzchen

^hmmm...I see a Deluge coming, but isn't there already a similar type ride, like a master blaster, at that Hurricane Harbor? Great update, and SFMM seems to be following in SFGADV's footsteps. The improvements should really help the park a lot, and it looks like SFMM will be a much more enjoyable park in 2008. Since service and operations are what is being worked on this year, I hope that the flat ride selection is improved in the near future, as it seems like that area needs a lot of improvement.

I'm shocked to see how much Great America and Great Adventure have fallen since the 2005 season. I'm sure rising gas prices played a role, but these two parks shocked me in how much they've fallen in attendance. I know Great America hasn't added anything truly major since 2005, but for it to have fallen so much is amazing. With the new coaster coming this year, and the potential dive machine next year, I anticipate attendance to quickly rise back to near the three million mark. SFGADV is also shocking, because even with its location and size, it is pulling in just a few more than Great America. I thought SFGADV rivaled CP in terms of attendance, but it seems to have had a rough year. As with SFGAM, I believe attendance will rise with the Dark Knight opening this year, and the potential dive machine should also help attendance in 2009.

"Before you criticize somebody, you should walk a mile in their shoes. Then when you criticize them, you'll be a mile away and have their shoes."-Anonymous

SFGAM Rides -add one of those giant Vekoma ferris wheels -replace SSA and WC with a Deluge type ride -add one of the large Screamin Swings -add a Scooby Doo dark ride -Iron Wolf rehab -American Eagle rehab -bring back an Intamin looping starship -buy Demon Drop from CP and rename it The Edge -Add a chairlift -add a Sky Swat -add a launched coaster like Kanoen or Wicked -add a Batman stunt show Other -ban heelys -lower locker prices -offer water park only pass -offer ride side only pass -lower parking prices -lower admission price -bring all park theming up to Southwest Territory standards

Avalanche

Batman: The Ride at SFGAM or WBMW-Madrid would lose some character since their current location(s) are so nicely landscaped/themed. The other B:TR clones are almost all built on asphalt, and they look nowhere as good as the B:TR at SFGAM or WBMW. Of course any CP coaster would rank less because if it was mooved out of Ohio. Terrain coasters would also be worse, because the terrain is a big part of the ride. Screamin Eagle at SFSTL is great because of how it is tucked away in the forest. While it uses the terrain slightly, it would still be able to be moved to a different park, but it would be nowhere near as good as it currently is. Mr. Freeze at SFSTL is also great because it is on the island in the middle of the rapids ride. Sure it doesn't interact with the location, but it is still a unique place to build a coaster.

^Vekoma also builds wooden coasters, and I think Coaster Works got back together recently too. S&S used to, but I'm not sure if they are still in the wooden coaster business. However, GCI, GG, and to a smaller extent Intamin are currently the only real competitors.

El Toro

Teamwork is essential - it allows you to blame someone else.

Dubai is one of the world's fastest growing cities, and while every residential unit might not be filled, a majority probably will. As for the other things being built, oil revenue(as well as a little from tourism) is paying for it, and it is all being built so that the economy won't crash when there is no more oil. Just look at Las Vegas and Phoenix. These two cities are in the middle of nowhere, yet they have fast growing populations. People want to live there because the weather is nice, and there are many recreation options. Sure these are hot, but it is not as bad as it could be as there is no humidity. Sure a lot is planned for Dubai, but chances are that everything that is being built will be used. As for the project, this was a huge shock. I knew Six Flags wanted to build parks in the region, but I just wasn't expecting an announcement so soon. As for what the park will be like, I expect something like WBMWM, so this could be a really nice park.

^Still, how do you get a pocket knife through metal detectors!? Fright Fest 2006:Some girl behind me lost her shoe on Iron Wolf. How you can lose a shoe on a stand-up is beyond me, but she found a way. Fright Fest 2007: While not funny, it was insane as the park was filled beyond capacity. Food stand were running out of food, and every coaster/major ride had really really long lines. The line for S:UF out of Orleans Place into Carousel Plaza. People were still coming in at 9 p.m even though the sign said to come another day. Yeah, it was really bad, but completely insane Of course, the moment the cars on Superman go in to the flying position is always good for a laugh.

Wow, that looks really nice, and given its location, it will be a huge hit. This was built fast, but they managed to fit a lot of attractions in to a pretty nice hotel. I'm don't like most indoor water parks, but this one seems to have turned out really nice.

Six Flags Magic Mountain WILL NOT be building a massive thrill ride like an Intamin pre-fab or dive machine in 2009, so stop saying it can be done. Shapiro said in the interview that this will be a family coaster which means something up to the size of Evel Knievel. Sure a ride like El Toro or Sheikra would be great, but it's not going to happen at Magic Mountain in 2009. Maybe by 2012 it will be an option, but Magic Mountain is building up its family ride selection first. If you want to ride a dive machine at a Six Flags park in 2009, go to Great Adventure or Great America. As for what this will be, I hope it will be an EK clone as it will be a great coaster that will appeal to anyone tall enough to ride. Of course, Six Flags has had a lot of surprises lately, so it could be something completely unexpected. Someone mentioned a bobsled, and that would be a great addition as it will be family friendly, and it will be unlike anything in the region.