Theme Park Review

Here's an interesting video on the current construction progress of the new Giga-Dive.  https://youtu.be/W4TlrVZw_zg?si=GMCvfHM63YykLhVn

Labor day for some would be the last weekend of Summer.  Some of the local schools in Central Ohio start 18th of August. Do what you would like with that info.    Zach how was your Cedar point trip? 

Merlin has officially announced the Space roller coaster for Legoland Florida! https://www.merlinentertainments.biz/newsroom/news-releases/2025/na-legoland-investment/ https://www.legoland.com/florida/things-to-do/theme-park/2026-news/ Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in branded entertainment destinations, has today unveiled the first details of the space-themed experiences being developed at its LEGOLAND Resorts in Florida and California, including groundbreaking indoor rollercoasters. This marks the next milestone in the £70 million investment already announced for the two resorts. The news, which closely follows the official opening of the 11th LEGOLAND Resort in Shanghai in early July, demonstrates Merlin’s continued commitment to bringing the LEGO® brand to life, at scale, through innovative new formats across its estate. It also reflects the business’ broader strategy of working with the owners of leading, global brands to bring them to life through memorable experiences and investing to premiumise its existing estate, with a focus on priority attractions with the greatest potential for growth. Families will be invited to travel together into the LEGO galaxy packed with adventure, including immersive indoor rollercoasters in both Florida and California. These are set to be the most technologically advanced attractions the Resorts have ever created, brought to life by Merlin Magic Making’s global team of designers and engineers, in close collaboration with the LEGO Group. “After months of anticipation, we’re delighted to confirm details of these immersive, space-themed themed experiences at two of Merlin’s premier resorts globally. This £70 million investment exemplifies our strategy to premiumise our existing portfolio, offering young families even more high-quality attractions, with the captivating storytelling and learning through play that LEGOLAND Resorts are renowned for. Our Merlin Magic Making creative team are constantly working on new, compelling and interactive experiences across our LEGOLAND Resorts as we further strengthen our partnership with the LEGO Group and broaden our appeal to LEGO’s global fan base. In both locations the boundless creativity of LEGO will meet the wonders of space – setting a new standard for fun and imagination, and once again providing guests with a new reason to visit these destination resorts.”

Merlin has unveiled new details about the upcoming Space expansion at Legoland California, including the new indoor roller coaster! https://www.merlinentertainments.biz/newsroom/news-releases/2025/na-legoland-investment/ https://www.legoland.com/california/things-to-do/theme-park/2026-news/ Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in branded entertainment destinations, has today unveiled the first details of the space-themed experiences being developed at its LEGOLAND Resorts in Florida and California, including groundbreaking indoor rollercoasters. This marks the next milestone in the £70 million investment already announced for the two resorts. The news, which closely follows the official opening of the 11th LEGOLAND Resort in Shanghai in early July, demonstrates Merlin’s continued commitment to bringing the LEGO® brand to life, at scale, through innovative new formats across its estate. It also reflects the business’ broader strategy of working with the owners of leading, global brands to bring them to life through memorable experiences and investing to premiumise its existing estate, with a focus on priority attractions with the greatest potential for growth. Families will be invited to travel together into the LEGO galaxy packed with adventure, including immersive indoor rollercoasters in both Florida and California. These are set to be the most technologically advanced attractions the Resorts have ever created, brought to life by Merlin Magic Making’s global team of designers and engineers, in close collaboration with the LEGO Group. “After months of anticipation, we’re delighted to confirm details of these immersive, space-themed themed experiences at two of Merlin’s premier resorts globally. This £70 million investment exemplifies our strategy to premiumise our existing portfolio, offering young families even more high-quality attractions, with the captivating storytelling and learning through play that LEGOLAND Resorts are renowned for. Our Merlin Magic Making creative team are constantly working on new, compelling and interactive experiences across our LEGOLAND Resorts as we further strengthen our partnership with the LEGO Group and broaden our appeal to LEGO’s global fan base. In both locations the boundless creativity of LEGO will meet the wonders of space – setting a new standard for fun and imagination, and once again providing guests with a new reason to visit these destination resorts.”

It was a $65 add on to my $155 Gold Pass price earlier this year around Feb 2nd.  It is cheaper to add on the All-Parks then adding parking by itself or buy a separate SFMM pass.  I canceled my SF membership after I was able to add All-Parks for $65 per year.  They keep increasing prices this year so I am sure what I paid is not current. The All-Parks does add parking but it really doesn't say it on the Knott's website.  This is my pass add ons page from the Knott's app.    

Hell yeah! Now stay open until I can ride on the 22nd/23rd.

The wait is over! AlpenFury will be opening this Saturday, July 12th! Season pass holders can also get exclusive ride time on AlpenFury from 9am to 10am on select dates! Who's ready to ride? 

Prove me wrong. Seriously, please.

I definitely think the park will receive some type of investment over the next couple of years. It's just a matter of what form that investment will take. And yes, there could definitely be a new coaster coming.

Honestly they've poured decent money into the park the last few years.    So, who knows. I think good things will happen between now and 2030. 

Where have I heard that before?

I would say Labor Day has gotten quite a bit more crowded over the years but I think you're right in saying it clears out in the evening... But maybe not as early as you'd think.  August 25th will likely be less busy overall but less of a drop in crowd as the evening goes on. 

I would say that 2027 is a strong possibility for SFSTL to finally receive a major investment from the new owners. So, what type of new attraction might be coming? Let's look at the possibilities.  First off....  Any type of Giga coaster would be highly unlikely. Gigas are rarely built anymore. The fact that Over Texas is getting one still seems like a dream, even though construction crews are hard at work building it as I type this. What's more, I don't see SFSTL recieving anything close to the $30 million plus investment needed to build such a coaster. A hyper coaster? This would be a long shot for similar reasons, but WOULD be in the realm of possibility.  RMC Boss? I consider this a stronger possibility than the first two. A smaller Dive Coaster such as Dr Diabolical or Iron Menace could easily fit into this park. It would also be budget friendly.  Something from Vekoma, Premier or S&S could also find its way into the park. It largely depends on how much money CF is willing to invest. Telltale signs to look for going into next year are as follows...... Permanent ride closures. Some buildings and or restaurants could also be closed and removed. Construction fences would soon follow. These would be accompanied by signs reading "We're Building Excitement For 2027" or some such. This is all based on what happened at Six Flags Over Texas when we found out we were getting a new "Record Breaking Dive Coaster". Anyway, the next couple of years should be pretty exciting for SFSTL.

Thank you!