After 39 years of operation, Blackpool Pleasure Beach will close its Log Flume water ride on Sunday to make room for a brand new ride that is expected to open next summer. A special fan-organized celebration is being planned for the Log Flume’s last ride at 4 pm.  (more…)

Nights at SeaWorld in San Diego have been quieter then normal recently. Last Sunday the park suspended its nightly fireworks show indefinitely following the threat of a lawsuit from the San Diego Coastkeeper environmental group.

The group charges that the remains of the fireworks – typically around 240 of them launched per night from a barge – pollute the bay with various chemicals and metals, a violation of the Clean Water Act. The Coastkeeper is particularly concerned with copper, lead, arsenic, and mercury which it claims is in the shells. SeaWorld denies the presence of the last three compounds in its fireworks.

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On August 24 an accident happened on the Drop Zone ride with people aboard at the time.

Apparently, a cable broke, dropping riders about 10 feet. The ride’s safety mechanism engaged and prevented a more serious accident. However, seven children were hurt. Three were taken to the hospital.

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Today the Amusement Today “Golden Ticket Awards” were presented at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Santa Claus, IN.

In a bit of an upset Dollywood’s Thunderhead wooden coaster held off newcomer The Voyage, located at Holiday World.

Although Voyage missed the top spot in the wooden coaster category it did receive the award for best new ride of the year.

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Via Press Release:

Visitors to Dollywood’s Splash Country in 2007 will have the opportunity to explore The Cascades, a new $2.75 million leisure pool.  Offering a unique blend of adventure and tranquility, The Cascades expansion features a lagoon-style, 7,500-sq.-ft., beach-entry pool.

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Via Press Release:

The lazy days of summer are just about over, but there’s still time to plan a visit to Cedar Point, voted the World’s Best Amusement Park for eight years in a row!  Michigan residents can take advantage of the later start to the school year by visiting Cedar Point one last time, but with a special back-to-school discount!

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Despite running tests with water dummies, state officials say Son of Beast will likely remain closed through the 2006 season.

The wooden roller coaster has been closed since an incident on July 9th, when a portion of the structure weakened, causing injuries to 27 riders. The Ohio Department of Agriculture, who oversees ride inspections in Ohio, says the investigation into the ride is nowhere near complete.

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The new owners of Ghost Town in the Sky have announced they will invest $5 million into the theme park before its re-opening in 2007.

The announcement of re-opening the park has generated a huge buzz in Maggie Valley. Hotels are banding together to help promote the park. At a recent open house celebration, over 750 people had to be turned away because the party was full.

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After being closed and all-but-abandoned by the park, Kings Dominion announces the late reopening of "Flight of Fear", the park’s indoor outer-space themed linear-induction coaster built by Premier Rides in 1996.

Orginally closed for planned re-theming by Paramount Parks’ Design and Development Team, Flight of Fear, has sat dormant in the back of the park since the first day of operation this year.  The plans called for the ride, originally themed to The Outer Limits television show, to be overhauled as an MTV-themed attraction called "SoundWave".

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