Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (formerly Marine World) has launched a new program that will let animal-loving guests spend a day working with dolphins and elephants – if they have $400 to spend. The program is open to guests over 12 years old.

The trainers-for-a-day will receive a range of information on subjects that include animal education, animal behavior, and veterinary facts. The program also includes hands-on learning, including getting into a pool and giving dolphins hand signals to perform various tricks.

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The Magic Springs and Crystal Falls amusement park in Hot Springs, AR, has been sold to Orlando’s CLN Properties. Under the terms of the agreement, the former owners will lease the park from CLN and continue to manage it. The lease will be in place for 20 years. (more…)

As the saying goes: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, unless of course you’re talking about the new Legoland Las Vegas attraction at Legoland California.  In this case, the word is out and Legoland debuts their new attraction today.

The waist-high model features ten casinos, from the Luxor pyramid to the Stratosphere tower.  Park officials say two million Lego bricks were used to build the exhibit.

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Via Press Relase: Upgrades have already started for five newly acquired properties to be renamed and incorporated into Mt. Olympus. On March 15, Nick and Eva Laskaris, now the sole proprietors of Mt. Olympus, purchased three adjacent lodging properties and two major attractions to create the largest entertainment resort complex in the Wisconsin Dells. The purchase included Treasure Island, the Captain’s Quarters, Pleasant View Motel, The Bay of Dreams Indoor Waterpark and the former Family Land Outdoor Waterpark properties. With the acquisition from the Mattei family, Mt. Olympus adds over 356 guest rooms, 30 vacation units and an additional 60 acres of real estate to Mt. Olympus, bringing the total acreage to over 156 acres. This includes over 1 1/2 miles of frontage on the famous Wisconsin Dells Parkway (Hwy 12).
   
The Laskaris’ plans for the property include a Greco-Roman motif to be featured in the following enhancements already in development: (more…)

Via Press Release:

One of the nation’s leading consumer magazines names Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari the country’s "Top Value Park" in its current issue.

Consumers Digest’s March/April edition features an article titled "America’s Top Amusement Parks." The six-page report names the Top Value Parks in North America, with Holiday World in the #1 spot. The article praises the park’s "enchanting holidays theme, an attraction-packed water park and some of the country’s best wooden coasters," plus the park’s ground-breaking free soft drinks program, free sunscreen, free parking, and no extra charge for Splashin’ Safari admission.

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This morning the final piece of roller coaster history at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion came crashing down with the final section of the coaster.

Lowcountry Wrecking pulled the final piece, the coaster’s lift hill, down to the ground shortly after 9 a.m.

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Six Flags has formed a strategic marketing alliance with Johnny Rockets restaurants which will allow the amusement park operator to open and operate franchise locations inside its parks. Under the alliance, Johnny Rockets will pay Six Flags an annual sponsorship fee. (more…)

After two years of negotiating, Marvel Entertainment Inc., will be teaming up with Dubai based Al Ahli Group to develop a $1 billion theme park scheduled to open in 2011.

Manhattan based Marvel, best known for comic book figures like Spider Man, The Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk stated that this would be the first destination theme park in the Middle East. Marvel is also holding talks about additional projects in the Middle East.

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According to Carowinds spokesman Scott Anderson, seven employees were taken to the hospital for examination after a malfunction occured on BORG Assimilator Saturday evening.

All of the employees were taken to the hospital as a precaution, treated for bumps and bruises and released.

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