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Hey guys!

I finished the Ocean Park Park Impression (that's hard to say), so once I get pictures up, it'll be posted. Also, please vote in our poll - we've got 4 days left and only one vote! Again, we could really use your support as we continue to grow, so please help us out by following us on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks for your support!

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Propulsion Dynamics: First RIT Research Report Released

The mysterious Ride Institute of Technology has now posted their report on Propulsion Dynamics. The "company" uses a lot of text to basically say "Dirt might cause propulsion. This is the same as what we discovered in '04." The report goes on to imply that the clay, specifically, are not bound by most traditional laws of physics, and, through manipulation, this clay can absorb the forces of high-speed propulsion.

Overall, the report seems a bit flaky. Just the type of thing that a fake company might be able to come up with. They also talk a lot about creek beds, which happens to be where Hersheypark has been busy working. If it wasn't obvious already, something is up between the two. The drawing in the report, however, is the most interesting point, from a ride standpoint. It clearly depicts what looks to be a roller coaster support that is anchored in this magic clay. All the more reason to suspect that Hershey is getting a new coaster.

The site says that the next "report" will be released next Monday, so until then, you can read the current one here:
Propulsion Dynamics Report

I'll be back soon with more news and Park Impressions. Thanks for your support!

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Progress Update

Hey guys - I meant to get an update up last night but my internet went out. I'm working from a wired connection now, which works but its limiting. Anyway, I've been working on my Ocean Park Impression, which should be more detailed than the Hong Kong Disneyland Impression (which I hope to revise eventually). I'll try to get that up by this weekend, which should be feasible given that I don't hit any more speed bumps with the internet. I'll see what I can do about a news update for tonight as well.

Stay tuned!

Poll Results and Change of Focus

Sorry for the break, hope everyone had a terrific weekend and Easter!

In last week's poll to determine the Most Anticipated "New for 2011" Coaster, Cheetah Hunt took the lead from the beginning and came out as a winner, with more than 50% of the votes! The other coasters also did well, except it seems as if there was no love for Gardaland's Raptor, with 0 votes! Be sure to vote in this week's poll, "Best airtime on a woodie."

Additionally, I have decided not to continue to post daily news updates, and instead to focus on more detailed articles that focus on a particular park or issue. More time will also be spent on detailed Park Impressions. Stay tuned!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information!

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Friday General News Update

In U.S. News:


Cedar Point - 
Cedar Point has a new update on their OnPoint Blog, where Becca takes a look at the plans for Ocean Motion. Looks like it will turn out really nice!


Disney's California Adventure -
According to the OC Register, Goofy's Sky School will reopen on June 3.


Hersheypark - 
Keystone Thrills has posted a potential layout for Hersheypark's 2011 coaster:

Based on the location of the station, it appears that the long straight section would be the lift. The support structure is oddly reminiscent of I305's lift hill supports. Could we possibly be seeing a mini-I305 or a Mega Lite?


Luna Park - 
Screamscape has posted an update on Luna Park's new Scream Zone, where ride construction is underway.


Six Flags Over Texas - 
Theme Park Review has posted an extensive report from the New Texas Giant's Media Day. You can see the report here, or check out this POV video:

In International News:


Grona Lund - 
Grona Lund has posted this video of Twister testing with Timberliners! Check it out below:

Shanghai Disneyland - 
Screamscape has posted an extensive report on the areas and attractions of Shanghai Disneyland, with new concept art that shows off a few variations from the usual Disney layout.


Tokyo Disneyland - 
The Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: Dreamlights is expected to receive a few additions, including a Toy Story section, two Aladdin floats, Tinkerbell, and other rearranging, according to Screamscape.


***Park Impressions Note: I won't be providing General News Updates over the weekend, but keep an eye out for small site additions and upgrades, and possibly a new Park Impression or special report. Don't forget to vote in our poll either!


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Thursday General News Update

In U.S. News:

Busch Gardens Tampa -

Cheetah Hunt has now moved onto testing the second launch, which leads into the tower section. RCPro has photos and a video here.

Hersheypark -

The local news has caught onto the RIT buzz, where they interview Lance Hart of Screamscape and other park officials. Additionally, blueprints with a potential layout have been posted to TPR. Right now, it's looking like an Intamin creation. Join the conversation over at Theme Park Review.

Sea World San Diego -

As workers continue to prepare for Manta in 2012, most of the site has now been cleared. Check it out over at Screamscape.

In International News:

Heide Park -

According to Screamscape, some of the theming that did not open with Krake may not be added for next year either. The elements included a tunnel themed as a wrecked ship and a "mouth" that the train would travel through. Screamscape reports that the items delivered, however, were deemed unsafe. Lets hope they take care of it.

Liseberg -

Liseberg's new Gyro Drop, Atmosfear, is now open! You can check out an opening-day reportd at CoasterForce.

Tokyo Disney Resort -

According to the OLC, Tokyo DisneySea will open on April 28, along with the new Fantasmic! show. The park will also return to its previous operating hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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Wednesday General News Update

In U.S. News:

Knotts Berry Farm -

Westcoaster has been out to Knott's Berry Farm, and they've got a great update on Windseeker, whose foundation has now been poured. Also featured is the County Fair at Knotts and the repainting of Xcelerator. Check it out here.

Orlando Thrill Park -

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Orlando Thrill Park's request for a zoning change has been denied due to concerns over the noise that the park would create. If the park wants to submit an appeal, they have five days to do so.

Quassy -

Wooden Warrior is now testing! You can see a video of a dummy test run over at the Gravity Group's Facebook page.

WDW Magic Kingdom -

Park Sleuth has been out to Magic Kingdom, and they've posted a lot of great pictures of the Fantasyland Expansion. You can now see the Beast's Castle from the existing Fantasyland. For more info on the Beast's Castle, check out this Park Impressions article.

In International News:

Grona Lund -

The Timberliners have arrived for Twister! Check out the pictures over at Screamscape.

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Hersheypark is at it again!

Hersheypark is at it again with a new marketing campaign as confusing as Nantimi was. This

time, the Ride Institute of Technology seems to be involved, with another viral campaign. They've just launched their new website, which is filled with clues. If you navigate to the "About" page,

some of the profiles seem a little off. Dr. Julian Julliard is a member of ACE (American Cinema Editors), and Dr. Stevie Ray Rose has "reversed longstanding beliefs in air-time, acceleration, and barrel rolls?" Something is definitely up.

What's more, if you head over to Screamscape or Theme Park Review, you'll see that both of them are sporting RIT logos. If you look even closer, they appear to flash something every once in a while. I decided to download the images and see what I could make of them.

Sure enough, they were animated GIFs. Luckily, my computer separated the images automatically. Here's the separated Screamscape image:

Notice the code at the bottom? This is what appears when the image flashes. TPR's image has one too:

It looks like the first four digits will be hidden in a similar image. The problem is, it hasn't been found, and its not in the logo on the RIT site. As for the meaning, some have suggested that the 12th star that the griffon is holding is symbolic for a 12th coaster at Hersheypark. Additionally, when you add the digits together in each four-digit code, it adds up to twelve. Tricky stuff! We'll have more as we find out.

For ongoing discussion of the RIT mystery, check out Theme Park Review.

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Tuesday General News Update

In U.S. News:

Busch Gardens Tampa -

Screamscape has posted a great video of Cheetah Hunt testing. At this point, the train has successfully made it over the curve into the trench for the second launch. See the video here.

Cedar Point -

A Screamscape reader has also managed to get some pictures of the new Cedar Point skyline, now that Windseeker is fully vertical. Also, The Point Online has released their crowd expectations for 2011, which should help plan the best day to visit.

Disney's California Adventure -

Westcoaster has posted a new construction update for DCA, where workers are busy continuing on the rock work in Cars Land.

Hersheypark -

Keystone Thrills has yet another update on the progress on Hersheypark's 2012 Attraction. Right now, it's just more work in and around the lagoon.

Kings Island -

Kings Island has updated the Windseeker ride page with a few pictures and a construction update saying that the swing arms and then seats will be added in the middle of this week. Check it out here.

Six Flags St. Louis -

As the park opened last weekend, a Screamscape reader managed to get out to the park and took some more pictures of Sky Screamer. Check them out here.

Universal Studios Florida -

A new report shows that some of Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit's footers are no longer covered in black plastic, as they had been for the past week or two. Check it out at Behind the Thrills.

In International News:

Alton Towers/Thorpe Park -

Screamscape came across an interesting find: In a PR stunt, both parks have invited priests out to the parks to determine who will conduct their 'Extreme Easter' ceremony. See some great pictures here!

Efteling -

Rumor has it that Efteling is planning two attractions for 2012: a large water fountain show, and a new fairy tale show, based on the Emperor's New Clothes. See more at Screamscape.

Heide Park -

Apparently Krake will be adding additional theming for 2012. According to Screamscape, the park had to pull some of the theming because it was not up to building code standards. These pieces are planned to be completed over the offseason, in time for 2012.

Ocean Park -

Ocean Park has announced the addition for a koala exhibit in 2014, with 2012. Check out the announcement here.

Parc Asterix -

PotionMagix posted several new photos of the construction site for the rumored B&M invert.

***Park Impressions note: Be sure to like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter! We appreciate your support.

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WDW Fantasyland Expansion: The Beast's Castle

Work on the Beast Castle is well underway at Walt Disney World:

Looks big? That's actually terrific use of forced perspective by Disney, something they're known for using in their parks. These pictures give a better idea of the scale:

Forced perspective is the technique of making a building seem larger by changing the scale of a building's stories. In reality, the Beast Castle is normal in size. Additionally, the placement of Beast's Castle on a hill adds to the illusion of forced perspective. Here's the artist's rendering of the completed castle:

Photos courtesy of Disney Parks Blog.

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Monday General News Update

In U.S. News:

Busch Gardens Tampa -

The first round of testing on Cheetah Hunt began last

weekend at the first launch. They plan to test each

launch individually with water dummies. Photos and

video at BGTNation.

Hersheypark -

More preparations for the park's 2012 addition is

underway. The park is currently working around the

lagoon area. More photos at Keystone Thrills.

Kentucky Kingdom -

After being denied both a $50M bond and then a

$20Mbond by the state, Ed Hart plans to seek a

$17.5M bondfrom the city, which would benefit

the local government as well. More details at

Screamscape.

Kings Dominion -

Intimidator 305 2.0 seems to be a hit, with no trim

brakes on the drop and reports of fewer trims on

the third airtime hill as well. Great trip report at

Theme Park Review.

Sea World San Diego -

Preparations for Manta are flying along (pun

intended),as construction walls are going up

and the site is being cleared for construction.

See more at Screamscape.

Six Flags New England -

Six Flags New England opened this past Saturday,

with a full trip report posted at SFNE Online.

In International News:

Heide Park -

Heide Park's new Dive Machine, Krake, opened

for its Media Day was on Saturday. The ride looks

like a lot of fun. Check out the full report over at

Theme Park Review.

Hong Kong Disneyland -

Disney Rep. Tom Staggs has confirmed that Toy

Story Land is slated to open in Fall of 2011, Grizzly

Gulch in 2012, and Mystic Point by 2013.

Tokyo Disney Resort -

Tokyo Disneyland opened on Friday. See photos and

videos at Disney and More.

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Impression: Hong Kong Disneyland

I've always told myself that I didn't like Disney that much because their parks didn't have very many thrill rides. I'm a thrill seeker myself, however, lately I've been in the mood to give Disney another chance. Being in Hong Kong for Spring Break was the perfect opportunity. The reviews that I read were generally positive, with the only complaint being that it hadn't quite "filled in" yet, as it's only 5 years old. My opinion after the day at the park was pretty much the same.

We rode the MTR train to Hong Kong Disneyland. The train station at Disneyland was really new, and the Disney trains were much nicer than the normal trains - bronze busts of various characters, Mickey-shaped windows, and blue cushioned seats. The entranceway to the park was wonderful as well. The landscaping was great, and the fountains were nice. We were already off to a good start.

Main Street, U.S.A. was amazing.

Everything was flawlessly detailed and very authentic. I play a lot of Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, and Main Street is one of the most popular recreations among RCT3 players. It was like seeing one of my parks come to life. The atmosphere in Main Street was a lot of fun - they even had vintage cars driving around.

Adventureland was nice, but definitely the emptiest land in the park. The best part about Adventureland was that I could see the construction from the top of Tarzan's Treehouse. After we did Tarzan's Treehouse, we grabbed some lunch at the Riverview Café. We passed on the Jungle River Cruise, the line was insane.

Fantasyland was my favorite land, if

a bit lacking. Philharmagic was a surprise hit, and we also loved the Mad Hatter Tea Cups. We did it's a small world, which was a walk-on, and was always a favorite when we were younger. We got Fastpasses for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which turned out to be a great ride as well.

Tomorrowland was next. We skipped Stitch Encounter, as it had quite a wait and it didn't seem very exciting. We did Space Mountain three times, as it was a walk-on all night. Autopia, however, was a 30 minute wait that in retrospect, was not worth it. Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters and Orbitron were also a lot of fun!

After we left Tomorrowland, we headed to the castle to check it out. Not much to see, but it was nice despite its size. The park closed early, so we headed out after that. Overall, a great Disney experience!

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Cedar Point 2011 Park Map Online

Cedar Point's 2011 Park Map is now online! Although some portions of the map were previously leaked, you can now see all of it here:

Park Map

It looks like WindSeeker will be placed right where the old Beach Entrance was, with the new entrance taking Ocean Motion's old spot. Ocean Motion can be seen to the right in Demon Drop's old position, with a new pond beneath it as well. The building with the pink striped awnings in the top-center of the picture to the right will be where Pink's is located. The Three Point Challenge that was formerly behind Demon Drop has been moved to Chaos's old home across from Wicked Twister. The map is not yet available for download.

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Windseeker Topping Off and Tokyo Disney Resort Report

Hello! I'm Wynn and I'm really excited to announce Park Impressions, my new blog! A bit about me: favorite park is Cedar Point, I've been on just over 100 coasters, and I love playing Roller Coaster Tycoon. I plan to post most of my photo trip reports here, as well as the occasional news update.

For domestic news, Cedar Point has now topped off their Windseeker:

Workers are now busy installing the queue lines. On another quick Cedar Point note, OnPoint's new blogger Becca has released her first PointCast! This time, she's here to learn more about the off-season maintenance that some of their carousel animals go through. You can check it out here:

Lions, Tigers and Donkeys, Oh My!

Onto Tokyo Disney...

Tokyo Disneyland reopened yesterday, April 15, after they had been closed due to the Sendai Earthquake and tsunami last month. Due to power shortages, the park will only be open until 6 p.m. The park also plans to reduce their electricity usage by limiting indoor and outdoor light use when possible, and restricting the use of escalators, air conditioning, and electric hand dryers. Additionally, for every guest that enters the park through May 14, Tokyo Disney will donate 3oo Yen (about $3.61 USD) to the Japanese Red Cross Society to benefit the recovery of areas affected by the disasters.

The only damage reported to the park is minor. Liquefaction in the parking lot has been repaired. At Tokyo Disneyland, some rockwork on Big Thunder Mountain is being repaired after damage was reported. At Tokyo Disneysea, the only damage was to an acoustic tower in the Mediterranean Harbor, which has since been removed.

Tokyo Disneysea will open at a later date along with the Tokyo Disneysea Hotel MiraCosta, while both the Disney Ambassador Hotel and Tokyo Disneyland Hotel have opened with Tokyo Disneyland.

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