ThrillNetwork.com

Taking a trip on the wings of Gatekeeper: A Gatekeeper media day report

Mon, 13 May 2013 23:41:00 -0400

Jeff and I (Joe R) were given an amazing opportunity to attend Cedar Point for the Media Day for Gatekeeper. While I want to just sit here and rave

Sandy-ravaged Star Jet removal to begin

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:50:00 -0400

The removal of the Star Jet rollercoaster in Seaside Heights, NJ will begin Tuesday.

The roller coaster became an icon of the damage at the Jersey Shore last October from Hurricane Sandy. The view of the ride stuck sitting in the Atlantic Ocean will soon become a memory.

Weeks Marine of Cranford was contracted to undertake the demolition and clear the ocean floor of debris. The project will take place just two weeks before the Memorial Day holiday. The company did an extensive study of all the debris sitting on the ocean to determine what equipment was needed and to find the steady weather to begin the removal process.

Equipment will arrive Tuesday morning and the work will start

Universal Orlando announces major Wizarding World of Harry Potter Expansion

Wed, 08 May 2013 22:15:00 -0400

Orlando, Florida, May 8, 2013 � Universal Orlando Resort announced today that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be undergoing a major expansion to include Diagon Alley, the famous street known for many shops and businesses providing witches and wizards young and old with everything they need for their magical lives. Along with Diagon Alley, other London locations from the books and movies will be joining the area too.

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<h1>Draft Voting Underway for 2013 ThrillNetwork Coaster Draft</h1>
<p>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:49:00 -0400</p>
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The big NFL Draft weekend is here. ThrillNetwork is also caught up in the excitement. Voting has started for the 2013 ThrillNetwork Coaster Draft.

Starting in March, ten players selected ten roller coasters through ten rounds to

Harry Potter Theme Park In Hollywood: NBCUniversal's $1.6 Billion 'Evolution Plan' Takes Shape

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0400

UNIVERSAL CITY, California, April 23, 2013 � NBCUniversal announced today plans to begin construction of the first projects of its 25-year Evolution Plan. The Evolution Plan represents a $1.6 billion investment in tourism and production. This long-term investment in two industries that are vital to Los Angeles will create more than 30,000 jobs and generate $2 billion of economic activity during operations for the region.

�After nearly a decade of work on the Evolution Plan, today�s vote sets the stage for our next 100 years in Los Angeles,� said Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios. �We are thankful for the support and leadership we have received from both the County and City of Los Angeles and are ready to get started investing in these

Legoland Florida brings back police, fire and EMS appreciation days in May to honor everyday heros

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:48:00 -0400

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. (April 23, 2013) � As a special thank you, LEGOLAND� Florida is bringing back Police, Fire and EMS Appreciation Days to honor our everyday heroes that work tirelessly to protect and serve our cities across the country. Police

SeaWorld fares well on first day of trading

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 13:49:00 -0400

SeaWorld's stock rose on the first day it went public, with shares up more than $6.

SeaWorld, which trades under the ticker SEAS, had an initial public offering of $27. That opened at $30.56 and closed at $33.52, up 24 percent from its IPO price.

Blackstone Group took the company public and raised more than $700 million for the IPO. The company runs the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks and was valued at $2.5 billion.

For more, see The New York Times.

My first trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:08:00 -0400

Hello all, this is a blog entry following what was an interesting day at the Thrill Capital, Six Flags Magic Mountain. The day overall left one wanting more and left some pretty negative views of the park itself with some hopes and concerns of change in the future. I have included some pictures as well in the blog entry as well. Please enjoy the read as well as I would love to hear comments to those who have been to the park as well.

Six Flags Magic Mountain

SeaWorld raises IPO to $500 million

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:08:00 -0400

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. increased the amount it hopes to raise in its initial public offering to $500 million.

The Orlando-based chain initially set its goal at $100 million in December. Private equity firm Blackstone is going ahead with the deal. Blackstone took control of the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks in 2009.

SeaWorld plans to sell 10 million shares, and Blackstone plans to sell the other 10 million. Blackstone will remain the majority shareholder.

The company will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SEAS. It initially had planned a listing on the Nasdaq.

For more information, visit

Bell's returning slowly ride by ride in Tulsa

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:47:00 -0400

Bell's Amusement Park is returning slowly in a new location in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Robby Bell, the grandson of Bell's founder Robert Bell, is rebuilding the amusement park ride by ride at the Saturday Flea Market in western Tulsa. So far, Bell has four rides up and running with plans to have a Tilt A Whirl and helicopters ride reopen two months from now. The process is slow because Bell is doing it by himself in the hours after his full time day job at a school.

In 1951 Robert Bell and his son started Bell's Amusement Park at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds with six rides. Over time the park became an icon in the Tulsa area with the Zingo wooden roller coaster.

In 2006 the Bells were