Action-packed events lineup slated for Six Flags New England in 2025

By | February 5, 2025

AGAWAM, Mass. — Today, Six Flags New England announced its impressive lineup of special events for the 2025 season. Spectacular fireworks displays, delicious food festivals and Halloween fun for the whole family will await guests in a jam-packed lineup of family entertainment, all included with a Six Flags Gold Season Pass. 

“At Six Flags New England, we’re all about creating unforgettable experiences for guests of all ages. This year, we’re bringing quality events, new food offerings and even more excitement by opening New England’s first dual-launch straddle coaster, Quantum Accelerator, in summer 2025,” said Peter Carmichael, park president. “It perfectly complements our extensive lineup of world-class rides and attractions, making Six Flags New England the ultimate destination for family fun and excitement.”

Highlights of this season’s event series include:

  • April 18 ─ 27, Spring Break Days allow families tocreate lasting memories with a visit to Six Flags New England. Whether guests are conquering thrilling rides or indulging in diverse dining options, exciting experiences await the whole family.
  • July 4 ─ 6, Star Spangled Nights is the region’s premier 4th of July celebration. Experience a breathtaking fireworks display synchronized to patriotic music, creating moments of pure wonder that will leave guests in awe.
  • July 26 ─ Aug. 10, Food & Brew Festival is a limited-time, weekend event like no other. Guests can indulge in mouthwatering dishes and local craft brews, perfectly paired with world-class thrills.
  • Sept. 6 ─ Oct. 26, Oktoberfest is a beloved annual celebration that brings the spirit of Germany’s world-famous festival to life. Guests can sample authentic German cuisine paired with a diverse selection of craft beers. Lively music and captivating performances will create a festive atmosphere, perfect for the whole family on weekends and select days.
  • Sept. 20 ─ Nov. 2, Fright Fest presented by SNICKERS® transforms Six Flags New England into a haunting landscape packed with hair-raising attractions, spine-tingling scare zones, terrifying mazes and ghoulish characters lurking in the shadows. Available weekends and select nights.
  • Sept. 20 ─ Oct. 26, Kids Boo Fest is spooktacular fun for all ages. Families can enjoy unboolievable entertainment, exciting activities, trick-or-treat trails, and Halloween-themed experiences that are perfect for little ghouls and goblins on weekends and select days.

Six Flags New England opens for the season April 5. Additional details can be found on its events page. Please note that all event dates and availability are subject to change. Guests are encouraged to check the official website or follow on social media for the most up-to-date information regarding special events and schedules.

Exciting events lineup slated for Six Flags America in 2025

By | February 5, 2025

BOWIE, Md. — Today, Six Flags America announced its lineup of special events for the 2025 season, which kicks off April 12. Guests can enjoy world-class thrill rides and a premier lineup of family entertainment, all included with a Six Flags Gold Season Pass.

“Six Flags America is making lasting memories all season long with our culturally rich event series, dynamic performances, and interactive fun,” said Ramar Vaughan, park general manager. “Combined with our previous additions of the innovative water coaster, RipQurl Blaster, and the thrill ride, SteamWhirler, 2025 will be a season of unforgettable experiences for guests of all ages.”

Highlights of the 2025 season’s event series include:

  • April 12 ─ Opening Day: The park opens for the season on April 12.
  • April 12 to 21 ─ Spring Break Days: Spring Break will be full of thrilling rides, diverse dining and exciting experiences that will create memories to last a lifetime at Six Flags America.
  • May 24 to Sept. 7 ─ Hurricane Harbor Opens: When the heat of summer hits, the water park opens with rides and entertainment for all ages, including the latest addition RipQurl Blaster, the mid-Atlantic’s tallest Master Blaster water coaster.
  • May 31 to June 29 ─ Viva La Fiesta: This vibrant festival returns with exciting live entertainment, authentic dishes and beverages, and special activities that the whole family will enjoy.
  • June 19 ─ Juneteenth Celebration: Six Flags America commemorates this special holiday with local entertainment, community vendors and a fireworks spectacular.
  • NEW! July 4 & 5 ─ Star-Spangled Nights: Experience two nights of breathtaking fireworks synchronized to patriotic music for an awe-inspiring celebration of America.
  • Sept. 13 to Nov. 2 ─ Fright Fest presented by SNICKERS®: Thrills and chills return to Six Flags America during Fright Fest. Complete with a haunting landscape, scare zones and hair-raising attractions, this event will surely make for a spooktacular Halloween season. Available weekends and select days.
  • Sept. 13 to Nov. 2 ─ Kids Boo Fest: The Halloween-themed event for little ghosts and ghouls returns with kid-friendly entertainment, special activities, trick-or-treat trail and more. Available weekends and select days.

Six Flags America will share additional details on its events page as they become available. Please note that all events, dates and availability are subject to change. Six Flags America encourages guests to check the official website or follow on social media for the most up-to-date information regarding special events and schedules.

Meet the voice of Kai at an exclusive LEGO NINJAGO Weekends Event at Merlin Entertainments’ LEGOLAND Florida Resort

By | February 5, 2025

Calling all ninja warriors! Get ready for an action-packed, Passholder-exclusive event featuring Vincent Tong, the legendary voice behind Kai from the “LEGO NINJAGO” animated series — a role he has voiced since the show’s debut in 2011. For nearly 15 years, Tong has brought countless other animated characters to life across a variety of television series, films and video games, including Dr. Wu in “LEGO Jurassic World”, Jestro in “LEGO Nexo Knights” and Logan in “LEGO DREAMZzz” plus more!

Media are invited to join this special VIP event alongside LEGOLAND® Florida Resort’s most dedicated ninja fans.

Exclusive perks for Annual Passholders only include:

  • A private screening of “LEGO® NINJAGO® Master of the 4th Dimension”
  • A Meet and Greet with Vincent Tong, the voice of Kai
  • A special Kai poster autographed by Tong

Guests can also join the fun with a chance to train like a true ninja during the School of Spinjitzu show at 12:30 p.m., featuring Tong!

Theme park Toverland breaks visitor record for the third consecutive year

By | February 5, 2025

Toverland had the pleasure of welcoming a record number of guests last year. In 2024, no fewer than 1,174,000 visitors passed through the gates of the theme park. This growth has been achieved by consistently investing in seasonal events and the park’s quality. High levels of guest satisfaction also contributed to the new record. It wasn’t just families and groups of friends who flocked to the park; large groups, such as corporate outings and school trips, also chose Toverland in great numbers.

“That we are able to celebrate a visitor record for the third year in a row is a great compliment to our team,” says Managing Director Jean Gelissen Jr. “Every day, we strive to create magical and joyful experiences for our visitors. We achieve this by offering high-quality experiences in the park and by truly making a difference with our employees. This commitment is reflected in our high guest satisfaction rates.”

Successful Seasonal Events
In 2024, Toverland focused on extended opening hours and investments in seasonal events. The Halloween Nights remained as popular as ever, and the winter concept, Winter Feelings, was also a big hit. Toverland will continue this strategy in 2025, with plans to refresh the summer event, Summer Feelings. The event will feature unique entertainment acts that will bring Toverland’s stories even more to life. Additionally, the park will be open more often in 2025. The full annual calendar can be viewed at toverland.com/en/theme-park/opening-times.

Park Quality
There is also significant investment in the park and its attractions. In 2024, a large-scale renovation of the wooden roller coaster Troy began. During the winter period, the track will be almost completely renewed over a span of four years. Currently, work is underway on the first drop and the horseshoe element that follows. “We’re carrying out this work with a dedicated team of twenty of our own employees, who have been specially trained for this task,” explains Jean Jr. “Thanks to this maintenance, everyone will soon be able to enjoy many smooth rides on Troy. I’m extremely proud that we’re managing this project in-house.” Troy is expected to reopen in mid-April.

Enchanting Future
After the summer, construction will begin on the ‘Clubhuis’ (Clubhouse), a new energy-neutral back-office space for all Toverland employees. The Clubhuis will include workstations, a bistro, a dance studio with sports facilities, and a spacious workshop. Additionally, Toverland has plans to evolve into a destination resort, adding on-site accommodation to the park.

Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi to offer close encounters with sea lions, sharks, and dolphins that welcome guests of all ages into immersive education

By | February 4, 2025

WAIMĀNALO — Guests of every age are invited to the experience of a lifetime at Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi with amazing animal encounters available in 2025. Guided by the park’s animal care experts, these add-on experiences offer unforgettable, up-close interactions with bottlenose dolphins, reef sharks, and sea lions.  All encounters include one-day admission to Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi and the opportunity to explore the wonders of marine life.

“As Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi continues its celebration of 60 Years as a hub for educational experiences that inspire a deeper appreciation for marine animals and conservation, we look forward to welcoming guests into our family friendly encounters,” said Curator Amber Ramos, who oversees the park’s encounter programs and is a PhD doctoral candidate with a focus on marine mammal behavior and welfare. “Whether experiencing these up-close encounters while on land or through our swim experiences, the whole ʻohana can experience immersive learning on another level.”

Encounters offered in 2025 include:

Dolphin Exploration (guests in deep water):
Come nose to nose with our family of bottlenose dolphins during this deep-water swim within the Dolphin Lagoon. This once in a lifetime experience includes a dolphin interaction and an enrichment session guided by our world class animal care team. The experience is open to ages eight and up, and life vests are provided to each participant. Price: $279.99 per guest.

Dolphin Encounter (guests in shallow water):
Join our animal care team in the Dolphin Lagoon as they guide you through enrichment programs for our family of bottlenose dolphins. Throughout this shallow water experience, our animal care experts will educate you on our dolphins’ daily care all while you observe natural behaviors. This interaction is open to ages four and up, and life vests are provided to each participant. Price: $199.99 per guest. 

Dolphin Aloha (guests on dry land):
Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at our family of bottlenose dolphins as our animal care team teaches you all about these amazing animals and their natural behaviors. Throughout this 20-minute, dry land encounter, you will learn about the behaviors and individual personalities of each of our dolphins, and have the chance to guide them through several enrichment activities. This hands-on experience is a dry on land encounter that is open to all ages.Price: $99.99 per guest.

New! Shark Snorkel (guests in shallow water):
Snorkel up close with the sharks and Hawaiian reef fish that call Sea Life Park home during this educational experience guided by a member of our animal care team. This in-water encounter offers a once in a lifetime chance and unmatched views of whitetip reef sharks, native to Hawaii waters. This shallow water interaction is open to ages four and up, and life vests are provided to each participant. Price: $98.99 per guest.

Sea Lion Encounter (guests on dry land):
Get up close with our lively California sea lions during this 20-minute dry land encounter experience. Our world class animal care team will guide you as you interact with our playful sea lions just like our animal experts do! Plus, each encounter will teach you about on-going conservation efforts to protect California sea lions and how Sea Life Park has continued to contribute to the rescue and rehabilitation of these marine mammals. This educational experience is conducted on land and open to ages eight and up. Price: $98.99 per guest.

Sartori presents the Zero Gravity

By | February 3, 2025

These are specifications of Sartori’s new attraction called Zero Gravity whose first unit was purchased by AMUSEMENT SERVICES AUSTRALIA and is now in transit for its debut scheduled at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in April 2025.

Zero Gravity is an enlarged version (XXL) of our best selling attractions Techno Jump (sold in over 100 units since its introduction in 2002) characterized by 14 arms of 6 meters in length (+20% compared to the standard version), each arm houses 1 vehicle with 3 seats each (total 42 passengers), each seat is equipped with single shoulder restraint systems.

The ground occupancy during operation is approximately 19 meters in diameter.

All the pneumatic components (from compressors to cylinders) have been oversized in order to guarantee the full “Zero Gravity” effect.

The 4-axle trailer (2 tandems of 2 axles each) approximately 18m long was entirely designed on request and ad-hoc by Sartori to contain the entire ride and its components without having to dismantle them. The ride designed according to the EN13814 standard has already obtained approval to be able to travel and operate without constraints in any Australian state/territory. The same trailer can also be built with the 3-axle configuration.

The entire machine (including the vehicle chassis) was entirely built in the Sartori factory (certified according to the EN1090 standard) in Montagnana – Italy

Ralph Alberts Co. introduces new paint system: Ride Armor 63

By | January 31, 2025

Ralph Alberts has a legacy of solving tough problems and seizing opportunities for improvement in the amusement industry and beyond. It’s no secret: Foam/PUR ride safety pads don’t last forever. The typical life of ride padding is anywhere from 1-5 years depending on the combination of ride cycles and the environmental conditions specific to the attraction. To reduce premature wear and extend the useful life of ride safety padding everywhere, we have created a solution to improve the first line of defense on our foam pads; the outer paint layer. 

Ralph Alberts continually seeks to set new standards when it comes to delivering the best experience possible for guests. Foam pads not only enhance safety through guest comfort but also should look good while doing so by creating flexibility with theming. That is why we specifically developed an internal research and development team combined with external coating specialists to deliver a paint system that would perform better than ever before. In February of 2025, Ralph Alberts is pleased to announce the full production rollout of Ride Armor 63: Innovation Coated in Legacy.  

Ride Armor 63 is an aliphatic paint system formulated to deliver the highest durability in coating for I-skin flexible foam padding. It possesses UV and chemical resistant properties that will aid in withstanding the elements exposed to the attraction. The gloss and matte finishes provide consistent performance in a wide range of colors. Those colors are specifically matched to both the color and gloss of OEM standards or can be custom formulated upon request.  The paint system has also passed all tests and certifications that are commonly required: CAL 117-2013, NFPA 260-19, FAR 25.853(a), UL-94 HBF, FMVSS 302, BS EN 1021-1:2014, BS EN 1021-2:2014.

As of February 1, 2025, Ride Armor 63 will be coating new ride safety pads around the world as Ralph Alberts fulfills rehab and new part orders for parks, ride manufacturers and consumers alike.

Fun Spot America announces “Gals, Pals & Vals Days” Feb. 10 – 14

By | January 31, 2025

ORLANDO — Just in time for Valentine’s Day celebrations, Fun Spot America Theme Parks is offering a sweetheart of a deal complete with thrilling rides, fabulous food and drinks, and HUGE savings!

The all-new “Gals, Pals and Vals Days” promotion provides the perfect way for guests to plan and experience a memorable Valentine’s Day together. The package deal welcomes guests to all three Fun Spot America theme parks, the perfect places for a memorable date with a significant other, a casual outing with friends and a family outing together. 

The Fun Spot America “Gals, Pals & Vals Days” package deal includes:

  • 2 “Ride Sampler Passes” – each pass includes 4 rides of the guest’s choice
  • 2 Meal Deals – complete with an entrée, side item and cookie
  • 2 Drinks – with either a refillable souvenir or beer cup
  • All for just $72.50 – a HUGE savings of 50%

The best way to say, “Be Mine” this Valentine’s week is with a fun-filled day at Fun Spot America! The limited-time deal is available February 10 – 14, 2025 (Monday – Friday only) and can be purchased online. 

Fun Spot America Theme Parks are known for delivering wholesome, nostalgic fun for families and thrill-lovers alike. To purchase “Gals, Pals & Vals Days” tickets, Season Passes,  Single Day Fun Passes and more, visit Fun-Spot.com, or follow the park on X @FunspotAmerica, Facebook @FunSpotAmerica and Instagram @funspotamericathemeparks.

25 Years and still growing: Gilroy Gardens’ 25th Anniversary Season starts March 22

By | January 30, 2025

GILROY, Calif. — Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park will celebrate the start of its 25th anniversary season on Saturday, March 22, with a full slate of special events planned throughout the year, including exciting all-new guest experiences like the 25th Anniversary Celebration in spring and Cherry Jubilee in the summer.

Since it first opened in 2001 as Bonfante Gardens, Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park has welcomed over 8.5 million guests to explore the park’s unique combination of natural wonders, family-friendly rides, splashy water play areas, and over 10,000 trees.

Today, Gilroy Gardens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that employs hundreds of local youths each year, welcomes visitors from around the world, and drives overnight visits and economic growth throughout the community. Over the last quarter-century, the park has provided countless memories and experiences in support of its mission to educate and inspire families, especially children, to appreciate horticulture and the importance of trees in our lives.

Construction is underway for Kings Island’s new water coaster, RiverRacers

By | January 30, 2025

Construction crews at Kings Island are taking advantage of the warmer temperatures this week by installing the first pieces of steel for its new watercoaster, RiverRacers.  Opening in Soak City waterpark this summer, the ride will be the first and only dual-racing water coaster in Ohio.  Also opening is Splash River Junction, a new kids area with a water activity pool and seven water slides. Kings Island opens April 19, and Soak City water park opens Memorial Day Weekend.