New Theme Park- Twentieth Century Fox World

 Twentieth Century Fox World?

Not content to be left out of the Theme Park game any longer, Twentieth Century Fox has announced they will be opening their very own theme park.

 Set in Malaysia,  Fox will build it own 25 acre theme park about an hour outside of Kuala Lumpur which has an subjective opening date of 2016. It will be attached to an already established resort property called "Genting Highlands" which is currently operated by Resorts World Genting. At a cost of around $300 Million the park will feature over 25 rides themed off Fox Properties such as "Rio", "Ice Age", "Planet of the Apes", "Alien Vs. Predator" and "Night at the Museum".  

“The opening of the first Twentieth Century Fox World theme park at Resorts World Genting takes our rich history of storytelling to a whole new level and will provide an exceptional entertainment experience,” said Jeffrey Godsick, President of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products.

  Early rumors about the park include an "Ice Age" themed family roller coaster and a possible simulator ride.

 Many believe rumors that this is just the first in Fox's new Theme Park venture, with plan to possibly open them all over the world. However, don't expect one to show up in the United States anytime soon. Fox has stated the US market is "over-saturated".  This makes me wonder, has Fox has dropped their bid to open a Theme Park at the Miami Zoo?

 Oddly enough this isn't Fox's first sprint in the Theme Park world. Their first attempt, a place called "Fox Studios Backlot Theme Park" which was a conversion of their filming studios in Sydney, Australia. That property closed down in 2001 and blames a drop in tourism as well as the 9/11 attacks for a lack of foreign travel interest.

All Images from Fox News

Universal Orlando Resort Announcement- CityWalk Updates and Additions!

Today's Big Announcement at Universal Orlando- CityWalk Updates and New Additions

Today at 11am Universal began a massive press conference to release information about their new and re-made CityWalk project for the 2014 season. Much of this construction is already underway at the Orlando resort property but now we know what they are!

Cambelback Mountain won't be left out of the Indoor Waterpark Race

Camelback Mountain won't be left out of the Indoor Water Park Race

 Camelback Mountain has had their smaller local "Camelbeach" water park for the locals of the Pocono Mountains since 1998.

 However, with Great Wolf Lodge now in their backyard and Kalahari moving in soon, Camelback Mountain has fired up a new plan. In Spring of 2015 Camelback will open their own $163 million dollar Indoor Wate rpark Resort called Camelback Lodge and Indoor Water Park. 

 The new resort will be located at the base of Camelback Mountain and will be the largest indoor water park in the US constructed at in one phase. It will play host to 453 resort rooms and boast an impressive 442,000 square foot, eight story high building.   This new resort and water park addition represent the largest and most expensive upgrade in the mountains 50 year history.

 No word yet on how many new jobs this will bring in the locals of the Pocono Mountains which at one time was the place to go for honeymoon's and resort hotels. Over the years most of those once famous resorts have been lost due to economic downturn, it's nice to see something new moving in! 

Cedar Point- Hotel Breakers Upgrades

Image from The Toledo Blade

 Well Folks, It's December. The coasters are closed and the screams are silent on Lake Erie but Cedar Point is still busy.

 Besides Winter being the only time of the year most of us normal folks can afford the price tags at the Hotel Breakers, The long awaited and desperately needed updates to the resort hotel have finally begun. Hotel Breakers is in for a two year, two phase renovation project.

Image from The Toledo Blade

The first phase involved upgrade to the outside of the hotel. Hotel Breakers is finally getting a much needed new roof and a completely new coat of paint.  The second phase on construction which will  happen in winter of 2014 (we suspect) will be a full renovation of the resort hotels much aging interior.  

 Honestly, If I was Cedar Point I would have done this project in reverse. The inside first followed by the outside but perhaps the roof has finally gotten bad enough that it couldn't be ignored any longer. I've had several reports over the last two years that Hotel Breakers has gone down in quality severely with most people opting to stay at Breakers Express due to the main resorts deteriorating conditions.  Either way, it's nice to see their paying attention and giving the Resort, built in 1905, so much needed love!

Six Flags Great Adventure- Building A Resort Hotel?

 Interesting rumor from Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey has surfaced this week!

 It's long been rumored that the property has wanted to build a resort hotel but these plans have never come to pass, between Six Flags having money issues and the park passing through different general managers over the years.

 Jackson, New Jersey is pretty much a wasteland. It doesn't have any major hotels nearby but there was one small bed and breakfast place within several miles but I've no idea if it's still in business.  Honestly, there isn't much there expect a few small chain restaurants located by the Outlet Mall.

 So if they did built the rumored resort hotel, it would make the park a multi-day visit. Which would be helpful as in the summer it's nearly impossible to ride everything in a single day due to crowds, plus a multi-day ticket would be a nice addition as the price of the park is an insane $65.99 (online) plus an extra $20 for parking.

Construction Update- Diagon Alley at Universal Studio's Orlando

 As most of you know by now, Universal Orlando is adding in "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" to their Studio's park. This was confirmed in May 2013 after the construction had gone vertical and they could no longer 'hide' what they where up to from the public view.

 If you want to read the press released, please visit: Universal Confirmed Harry Potter and Wizarding World are coming to Studio's for 2014.

 Since then, everyone has had their eyes watching Universal Orlando to see what exactly they've got planned for this "London/Diagon Alley" area which is being placed in the location once occupied by JAWS. While I love Wizarding World and Harry Potter, I'm still not sold that this area needs a presence in the "Studios" theme park.  Rather, I wish it would have taken over the rest of the current 'Lost Continent' area of Islands of Adventure and seen Studio's get something completely new.

 Either way, I can't stop it and I am excited for it because Universal will once again do an amazing job. During a recent visit to the Orlando area we made sure to get plenty of images of the new construction taking place in Universal Studio's. My one concern is the area looks far more cramped then the 'Hogsmeade' area in Islands of Adventure which still has massive crowds.

 We hope you'll enjoy them as much as we enjoyed seeing this new area come to life.

*Pictures under the break for size reasons*

Cedar Point's 'Big Announcement' a Dud?

 Well this morning was the 'Big Announcement' for 2014 involving Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. I hesitate to call it a 'Dud' of an announcement but I think all of us were expecting a lot more then what we got.

For 2014 Cedar Point is adding "Family Style" Flat Rides to improve the Gemini Junior midway area.

 In the image we find a new "Flyer" is being added to the park called 'Lake Erie Eagles'. This is kind of a surprise addition, 'Flyer' style rides are often removed from parks these days, not added. The next addition is another flat ride called 'Pipe Scream' which is an adult version of the popular kids 'spinning tugboat' attraction.  The other move will be Frog Hopper which is being relocated from the midway to Planet Snoopy and renamed to "Woodstock's AirMail".

 Up next on the 'Big Announcement' from Cedar Point is the much needed upgrade of Hotel Breakers, which has been falling in quality for years now. Over the winter the hotel will receive what is the equivalent of outside face-lift, cleaning up it's dingy appearance. In the winter of 2015 the hotel will begin renovations and upgrades inside. Personally, it seems like Cedar Point got this backwards. Upgrading the inside should be your first and most imporant move to get people back into your high-priced doors, outside can easily be completed in the summer months while open. Again, just my opinion there.

 Honestly, I don't consider this it be 'big news' at all. Badly needed resort upgrades and fixing an already cluttered midway, don't really fall under 'big news'. Oh, good news for sure.. just not the big news they hyped it up to be.

What about that 'Dark Ride' rumor?!

 No word on the mystery 'Innovative Dark Ride' we all suspected would be involved in this announcement. Perhaps this really was just a rumor born out of hope or maybe it's a 2015 addition? Right now, we have zero answers and the park isn't like to talk.

 UPDATE 8/30/13
Today we found out news that Canada's Wonderland, NOT Cedar Point will be getting a dark ride. Canada's Wonderland is the most 'seasonally attended' park in the Cedar Fair family. Could they be testing this up at Canada's Wonderland, only to add it to Cedar Point later? We don't know but check out the dark ride Canada's Wonderland is getting!
Canada's Wonderland- New Dark Ride for 2014 "Wonder Mountain's Guardian" 

Dollywood Announces FireChaser Express and Dreammore Resort

Dollywood Announces FireChaser Express 

 "Now comes your turn to celebrate that heroic spirit in a new coaster that’s sure to test your mettle, and leave you screaming for more!  It’s the FireChaser Express – the nation's first dual launch family coaster – blasting riders forward and backward!"

Today at 11am Dollywood announced what the mystery project for 2014 will be. The park is adding in a new duel launch roller coaster called Fire Chaser Express. The stats for this new attraction look pretty amazing, the United State's first duel launch coaster. It's a forward and back launched roller coaster, which is labeled as a family coaster "little kids, 4 years old, can ride". With this addition Dollywood will now host seven roller coasters and dozens of other rides and attractions.  The park has also hinted that they plan to keep up the building spree in the coming years with new "big attractions" and "big shows".

Stats for FireChaser Express
Builder: Gerstlauer
Height Restriction: 39 Inches
Speed, Length and Drop: Unknown

It is themed around saving the great smokey mountains from a forest fire on the Fire Chaser Express train.

 This total upgrade of the park also includes a new family resort to be built on Dollywood property, both projects are costing in the range of $300 million over the next ten years.  The resort, called "Dreammore Resort" will have 300 rooms on 100 acres of property next the the water park with ground transportation available.  It's planned to open in 2015.

 There is also a new Christmas Show where Dolly herself will play the "Ghost of Christmas Past" coming to the park.