Author Archives: amusementtoday

A new experience for Wallace & Gromit as land’s end opens for half-term

By | February 5, 2018

Cornwall, U.K. — A new interactive family attraction is being unveiled in Cornwall this half-term, starring much-loved characters from Oscar-winning animation studio Aardman. The ‘Aardman Presents: A Grand Experience’, attraction is based at Land’s End and replaces the landmark destination’s successful Shaun the Sheep Experience. Iconic Aardman characters Wallace & Gromit and Morph join Shaun’s […]

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Fire strikes beloved bowling alley; crowdfunding push to aid cleanup

By | January 26, 2018

PORT JERVIS, N.Y. — Minisink Lanes bowling alley, a popular local establishment for more than four decades, was devastated by a fire on Jan. 20. The fire occurred at approximately 3 p.m., shortly after Saturday youth bowling leagues finished for the day. The building was empty at the time and no one was injured. The […]

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Jerry Pendleton, founder of SkyTrans Manufacturing, dies at 79

By | January 9, 2018

CONTOOCOOK, N.H. — Jerry Pendleton, founder and president of SkyTrans Manufacturing, LLC, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 28. He was 79. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Pendleton started his career with road, bridge and all-around contractor O.D. Hopkins in 1960, eventually becoming president of O.D. Hopkins Associates, Inc., in […]

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Amusement Today’s annual Golden Ticket Awards presented at 2017 host park, Lake Compounce

By | September 9, 2017

BRISTOL, Conn. – And the Golden Ticket Award goes to … In an awards show tonight hosted by Lake Compounce – the oldest operating amusement park in the United States – the winners of Amusement Today’s 2017 Golden Ticket Awards were revealed in grand style. The Golden Ticket Awards are presented annually to honor the […]

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World’s Tallest Pendulum Ride, CraZanity, at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2018 – Now 365 Days of Thrills

By | August 31, 2017

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Six Flags Magic Mountain, the undisputed “Thrill Capital of the World,” today unveiled plans for a crazy fun 2018 when CraZanity, the world’s tallest pendulum ride, makes its debut in late spring. At a record-breaking 17-stories in the air, this impressive giant disk will reach speeds up to 75-miles-per-hour, as it […]

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Houston-area parks and attractions provide status updates

By | August 28, 2017

HOUSTON, Texas — Floodwaters were continuing to rise in this city on Monday, Aug. 28, and some re-strengthening of Tropical Storm Harvey was expected as it moved back over the Gulf of Mexico. The storm also was expected to move slowly and erratically over the southern part of the state into Labor Day weekend. Supplementing […]

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Texas Gulf region parks, attractions announce post-hurricane closures

By | August 27, 2017

HOUSTON, Texas — With floodwaters rising in this city and the surrounding region following the Friday night landfall of Hurricane Harvey, theme parks, amusement parks, water parks and other attractions west and south announced closures on Sunday. Some additionally indicated uncertain schedules through the Labor Day holiday weekend as rainfall from the tropical storm was […]

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The Only Dive Coaster on the West Coast to debut at Knott’s Berry Farm in 2018

By | August 17, 2017

BUENA PARK, Calif. – Knott’s Berry Farm will welcome HangTime, a brand new steel rollercoaster – and the only dive coaster on the West Coast – to the theme park in the 2018 summer season. HangTime will tower 150 feet over the Boardwalk area, showcasing gravity-defying inversions, mid-air suspensions and twisting dive tracks. HangTime will […]

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New Family Thrill Ride, Area Enhancements Coming to Valleyfair in 2018

By | August 16, 2017

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Valleyfair will introduce Delirious, a 70-foot looping thrill ride, for its 2018 season. Delirious will coil riders upside-down on a seven story, 360-degree freestanding structure with a high capacity, high speed train. The ride will be a prominent feature in the park’s Route 76 nostalgia-themed area. Once on board Delirious’ 24-person train, […]

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California’s Great America Debuts First of its Kind Single Rail Steel Coaster for 2018

By | August 16, 2017

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — California’s Great America will introduce a groundbreaking new single rail steel coaster, RailBlazer, for the 2018 season. RailBlazer will be the first coaster of its kind on the West Coast featuring a single rail track throughout; the design requires the rider to straddle the rail, creating an extremely low center of […]

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