August 20, 2014, 11:45 AM · Six Flags Magic Mountain – RIP Colossus.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas – It looks like the park is going to get a new roller coaster for the 2015 season. Could it be the S&S 4D Free Spin roller coaster (think wing coaster that the seats rotate freely on) that S&S has said is going to be installed in a North American park? It is the only one that makes sense to me right now.
Six Flags New England – While it still hasn’t been officially confirmed, Rocky Mountain Coasters steel I-box track has shown up at the park. So…I guess this one is really not a rumor anymore.
Six Flags Over Texas – The park is cashing in on the soon-to-be-released movie and will have a Justice League dark ride installed. It seems that someone at the park understands what to do with a franchise. This is pure speculation at this point, but if they are doing a Justice League dark ride at SFoT, and they are closing a dark ride in Six Flags St. Louis, maybe it might be replace with a Justice League dark ride as well. I don’t know about you, but any ride that features Ben Affleck as Batman would scare me half to death.
Six Flags Great Adventure – Another day, another story about Six Flags ticking off a visitor.
California Adventure – While these should be considered rumors, we are starting to see at least some blue-sky spit-balling toward getting a couple new attractions: MuppetVision 2 and Marvel Land, both to be done in California Adventure. Muppets would keep their same building, while Marvel would be built in the parking lot out near Tower of Terror. But these plans will probably change 20 times before with see a single shovel in the ground. What is interesting about all of this is that we thought Disney had decided to backburner any new additions that weren’t already in the construction phase for the near future. Almost like they were saving up their money to really go big against Universal.
Bosque Magico (Mexico) – How very disappointing, the park is going to take a wonderful concept of a Zombie Coaster and then attach it to a slow loading coaster concept like this. Was this a buy one get one free offer that they went in with Busch Gardens for? At least Bosque Magico will be able to manage the slow moving line much better than Busch Gardens will be able to.
ScreamRide – Is it just me or does anyone else find this a little disturbing? I mean it is one thing to do this from time to time…but an entire game built around the concept of destroying roller coasters and their riders? It just seems overly brutal and sacrilegious to me. This will probably get really old about 10 minutes into it. It’s a shame that it is being put out by Frontier who built Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. Although it does appear that someone over at Frontier is either obsessed with roller coasters or insists on reusing old code on every game, since this is their third or fourth time theming a game to the subject matter.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge - I was called out by a recovering Marine friend of mine (there are no former Marines, once a Marine, always a Marine) and figured I would do this a little more publicly and push on some of the writers here at Theme Park Insider. While it is fine to laugh, I’m sure the people I called out will be looking for good victims to nominate.
Note from Robert: If you're going to do this, it really does help to have a water park at your disposal.... Nice job, Holiday World! Here's the link to donate, which is what this really all ought to be about.
Now Hiring: Carowinds is hiring people to play monsters. It’s not quite clear if they will just have to hang out in the queue ahead of you or if they will be involved in the haunt.
August 20, 2014 at 1:50 PM · You forgot to mention in your post about the rumor that Star Wars Land in Disneyland will be built in Toontown and the Big Thunder Ranch instead of Tomorrow land. Also they are going to be adding more Frozen into Disneyland with a Sing along attraction where Muppetvision is and an ice rink where stage 17 is. Also they are starting construction on September 2 to replace Stage 365 in Downtown Disney with a Frozen shop called Elsa's and Anna's Boutique.
I also saw the rumor about Star Wars replacing Toon Town, but it is never going to happen. Toon Town is Disneyland's kiddieland and they would have to move that out first before they even thought about expanding Star Wars. There are much better places to expand Star Wars than Toon Town.
August 20, 2014 at 3:02 PM · Please note, Mr. Elliot challenged James KOEHL, not James RAO. Just wanted to make that fact more clear since I really can't participate because icy water messes up my Jack Sparrow guyliner.
August 20, 2014 at 3:59 PM · The current run of Disneyland rumors really does seem like people blowing spitballs at the blue sky. These ideas are nowhere near the "hire contractors and let's get to work phase." As such, I don't think they merit much more consideration than whatever blue-sky plans we and other fans could dream up for the resort.
August 20, 2014 at 4:51 PM · James: What are you going to do about the eyeliner when you ride Dudley Do Right & Popeye & Bluto Bilge Rat Barges on your Universal Orlando trip next summer?
August 20, 2014 at 5:58 PM · I shall look a fright, for sure, like Professor Snape after playing in the rain!
August 21, 2014 at 9:04 AM · I think all future ice bucket challenges should occur on a roller coaster. Great video, thanks for posting!
Regarding Frontier, I don't think they know how to code real physics so they just always go extreme. Why bother to learn to code things like working block brakes when you can just have everyone crash into a building instead?
August 22, 2014 at 1:01 AM · I have answered the challenge, and to Mr. James Rao- I really don't give a black rat's behind about your permanently tattooed Jack Sparrow eyeliner- you have been challenged.
August 23, 2014 at 12:23 PM · All that time we spent touring Cedar Point's water rides and you would dare challenge me with yet more liquids, Mr. Koehl? Are you saying that getting soaked from a series of drops on Shoot the Rapids didn't slake your thirst for watery adventures? Or, being swallowed up by cheap water falls on Thunder Canyon wasn't enough? How about standing on the bridge getting pounded by waves from boats coming down Snake River Falls? Verily I say unto you, these things did indeed count. I get full credit for time served!