LEGOLAND Water Park?! And more news

LEGOLAND Water Park

The first looks at the world's first LEGO® water park were revealed recently at LEGOLAND California Resort. So far, it's only an artist's rendering of the new water park, but that's the first step toward getting drenched.

This new initiative follows the park's successes with the new Bob the Builder™ 4-D movie and the presidential inauguration scene in Miniland U.S.A. These new developments come on the heels of a sixth consecutive year of growth for the California resort, with 2009 turning in a 6 percent increase ... and guest satisfaction ratings in the high 90s.

"2009 was a record year here at LEGOLAND California Resort," said the resort's general manager, Peter Ronchetti, during the press conference. This comes, he continues, as "Many theme parks across the country have reported difficult trading and necessary cost control actions as a result of the challenging economic climate over recent months. So we feel very fortunate with all of the expansion here at LEGOLAND California Resort, to be able to report that our attendance continues to grow."

The trajectory is expected to run through 2010, with more than $15 million invested in the park. The LEGOLAND Water Park is set to open in June (behind Fun Town) and will be ideal for families with children aged 2 to 12. "LEGOLAND Water Park will be lots of fun, constructive play including slides, LEGO friends and, the feature I am personally the most excited about – the Build-a-Raft concept where kids customize their own raft made of soft LEGO bricks before floating down a lazy river," said Ronchetti.

For more information see LEGOLAND.com
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I'm still a kid at heart, too bad I'm too big for all the fun this has to offer!
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And in other amusement park news:

King Kong returns to Universal Studios Hollywood following the destruction of the attraction during the devastating 2008 backlot fire. The new Studio Tour attraction follows the storyline of the 2005 Peter Jackson blockbuster with a climactic battle between the 35-foot-tall ape and a pair of T-Rex dinosaurs. Opening summer 2010.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando: Fans of one of the most beloved series of books and films will be able to visit J.K. Rowling's fanciful lands and characters when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter comes to Universal Orlando in spring 2010.

SeaWorld San Diego blends Cirque du Soleil-style acrobats, aerialists and divers with dolphins, whales and exotic birds for a new show called “Blue Horizons.” Opening May 2010.

Disneyland brings back the Michael Jackson 3-D movie “Captain EO” in February for a “limited engagement” at the Anaheim theme park. Opening February 2010.

 Report: Michael Jackson’s family negotiating to open Neverland as a Graceland-like amusement park by Christmas. (New York Post)

Six Flags Magic Mountain adds its 17th coaster, bringing the Valencia amusement park into a tie for the coveted title of “roller coaster capital of the world.” It’s only a kiddie coaster — relocated from a defunct amusement park — but it still counts.

Intimidator 305 Coaster Debuting at Kings Dominion in Virginia. 5100 feet track, 300 feet drop, top speed of 90+mph "Giga-Coaster". Opening April 2010

Kennywood to open "Sky Rocket" by Spring of 2010. Feel the seismic surge of a launch that takes you from zero to 50 in under 3 seconds! Take a fulll-throttle, 95-ft. Vertical climb and say adios to gravity as you go over-the-top and plummet 90-degrees due south. Kennywood also plans to add an Old Mill theme to 108-year-old boat ride by 2011, removing outdated Garfield theme.

Adventure Park USA in Maryland to open water park in 2010 — if it raises $2 million from season pass sales.

Effort underway to restore a dilapidated Disneyland rail car, Walt’s favorite at the park. (MiceAge)

Disney’s California Adventure remakes the Orange Stinger swing ride as the Silly Symphony Swings with a theme based on “The Band Concert” 1935 cartoon short featuring the first colorized Mickey Mouse.

A new Star Trek The Experience will be back in May 2010 at Neonopolis in downtown Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Stratosphere to debut SkyJump, 855 free fall experience. Expected opening is April 2010.

New Navy Pier AeroBalloon takes riders 350 feet up in the air over Chicago and Houston.


Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk completely rebuilds the Haunted Castle from the ground up, doubling the size of the venerable dark ride.

California’s Great America in Santa Clara remakes the existing Nickelodeon Central and Kidzville kiddie lands with a Planet Snoopy theme, bringing in Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang. Opening in Spring 2010.

Auction for a new ride: Bidding has begun for the first public ride on Carowinds' $23-million Intimdator roller coaster. The new attraction inspired by racing legend Dale Earnhardt is the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster in the Southeast. Opening Spring 2010.

Shoot the Rapids at Cedar Point, $10.5 million dollar, 2100 feet 3:00 minute long ride time, The Shoot the Rapids adventure features two unique lift hills that drop you into roaring river rapids. Opening

Raging Waters water park in San Dimas adds Dr. Von Dark’s Tunnel of Terror special-effects water slide, themed to a mad scientist obsessed with the dark.

Holiday World Takes the Plunge with World's Longest Water Coaster in 2010. The "Wildebeest Water Coaster" is a LIM magnetically launched (or "HydroMagentic") uphill water coaster, 1/3 mile 25mph water coaster. Opening May 14, 2010

Demon Drop - Dorney Park in  Allentown, PA will receive an Intamin AG first-generation freefall ride that had been operating at Cedar Point since 1983. Demon Drop has been on sale at Cedar Point since 2005, but has been taken off the market to be moved to Dorney.

Cedar Fair announced that the Starlight Experience would be coming to three new parks in 2010 in their 2009 Q3 Earnings report. Cedar Point installed the Starlight Experience in 2009 for 1 Million.

The world's number one wooden roller coaster is about to get a whole lot better, with The Gravity Group announcing that their Timberliner trains will be running on The Voyage located in Holiday World, an amusement park located in Santa Claus, Indiana starting in May. The Timberliner trains will provide an overall smoother ride for passengers, also resulting in less wear-and-tear on the track, thanks to the new steerable wheel design. The Voyage has been labeled as the world's best wooden roller coaster for the past three years by Amusement Today.

If you arent a fan of coasters...
Hershey’s Chocolate World will be adding a new attraction where guests can create their very own candy-bar. Groundbreaking has taken place this week to build a two-story, 1,800 sqft expansion area onto the building and will be ready to open by this Summer. In the news.