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SMALL PARKS & ATTRACTIONS
---- THE LATEST SMALL PARK NEWS ----
(10/8/2026) Castle Park To Lay Off Over 100 Staff Members Next Month
(10/7/2026) Oasis at Lake of the Ozarks Set To Open in April 2027
(10/7/2026) Castle Park Closing To Allow For Park Expansion Project
(9/27/2026) Family Kingdom - Take a look at all the red RMC Raptor track
(9/26/2026) Family Kingdom - 2027 Coaster Update
(9/19/2026) Dispute over the future of Lakemont Park May Be Nearing a Settlement
ADVENTURE CITY (Buena Park, CA)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2016 - 2026 seasons.
ADVENTURE PARK (Maryland)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2016 - 2026 seasons.
ADVENTURELAND (Long Island, NY)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time
2028 - Legacy Corner Completion - Planned - (3/20/2024) At least two more rides are planned to come to the park “over the next three phases”, which I’m assuming means the 2026 to 2028 seasons. This will include the completion of the new ‘Legacy Corner’ section of the park, a new expansion that is expected to be complete by the 2028 season that will be just over an acre in size and feature at least four new rides and other new amenities.
ARNOLD’S PARK (Iowa)
2027 - Nothing is known at this time... Nothing added in 2024 through 2026
AZTLAN PARK URBANO (Mexico City, Mexico)
Former Site of La Feria Chapultepec Magico
2027 - Nothing is known at this time, nothing in 2026 either.
BAY BEACH (Green Bay, WI)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time
BEECH BEND PARK (Bowling Green, Kentucky)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2017 - 2026 seasons.
BELMONT PARK (San Diego, CA)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time
CALAWAY PARK (Alberta, Canada)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2022 - 2026
CAMDEN PARK (WV)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2017 - 2026 seasons.
CASINO PIER (Seaside Heights, NJ)
 Park News - (9/6/2026) According to a post by TMZ, a 2-year-old girl fell from the Chairlift ride at Casino Pier. Now… before we get too far into this and get shocked or angry, you have to read a little beyond the headline.
The girl was riding with her Aunt and a 3-year-old boy and according to the post, she “tumbled from the chair before the ride began moving. The girl reportedly fell onto the edge of the boardwalk’s entrance platform before landing in the sand below … a drop of roughly 10 to 12 feet.”
So she didn’t fall from the ride itself, but back onto the loading platform and then over an edge down to the beach sand below. Apparently the aunt them scrambled off the ride to help get her, but left the 3-year-old boy on the ride by himself as it began to rise-up. Ride ops quickly stopped the ride and broke out a ladder to get the boy down safely.
To get the best idea of the situation here, watch the POV video below of the ride itself in action as a car approaches the station, where you can clearly see the elevated drop off the platform.
(10/18/2025) Something interesting is going on with Hydrus, the Gertlauer EuroFighter coaster at Casino Pier, NJ. If anyone lives in the area, it might be worth making a drive down there for a closer look, but if you carefully look at some screen captures taken from the nearby Seaside Heights beach webcam, you can see that there is a crane on site and that it appears that the top of the large vertical loop after the first drop has been completely removed.
One source reached out to say there is a rumor that some track may be sent back to Gerstlauer for refurbishment over the winter, though I have also seen some parks remove sections of track like this to perform their own refurbishment work on the ground over the off season (weld, sandblast, repaint, etc) on the ground where it is easier to work on and not in the way while the park is closed. (UPDATE - The park has indeed confirmed on FB that they are taking it apart to refurbish and repaint Hydrus for the 2026 season!)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2022 - 2026
CASTLE PARK (California)
Lucky Strike Entertainment
 Park News - (10/8/2026) While we mentioned that Castle Park will be closing soon to undergo a massive makeover the other day, it seems that comes a huge cost for the staff. According to various reports over 100 Castle Park employees will be laid off once the park closes to begin work in November.
 2027 - Park Make-Over / Expansion - (10/7/2026) According to a local news update Castle Park’s 21-ride amusement park will temporarily close down on Nov. 2nd in order to allow for a new expansion project to take place. The update will “reimagine the ride lineup”, and expand the ride area along the 91 freeway. The official reopening date has not been set yet, but the curious can still come and play mini-golf and in the arcade while you get a sneak peek at what is going on.
So it looks like current owner, Lucky Strike Entertainment, who purchased the park from Palace Entertainment in 2025, is finally ready to put their own mark and new designs onto the property.
CEDAR VALLEY’S WILD FRONTIER (Michigan)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2022 - 2026
CLIFF’S AMUSEMENT PARK (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2022 - 2026
COLUMBUS ZOO & ZOOMBEZI BAY (Columbus, OH)
2027 - Nothing is known at this time... nothing in 2026 either.
DELGROSSO’S AMUSEMENT PARK (Pennsylvania)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2017 - 2026
DIG WORLD (Texas - Two Locations: Katy & Grapevine)
Park News - (12/14/2025) The local news reports that Dig World in Houston has now started construction on a second site in Texas, this time at the Grapevine Mills mall in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. The construction vehicle themed park allows kids (and some adults) to operate an assortment of construction vehicles. Look for the new park to open sometime in early 2026.
(The original Dig World opened just outside the Katy Mills mall just west of Houston)
DENO’S WONDER WHEEL (New York)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2022 - 2026
DIGGERLAND USA (New Jersey)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2023 - 2026
EDAVILLE USA (Carver, MA)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2026
ENCHANTED FOREST (Oregon)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2022 - 2026
ENCHANTED FOREST / WATER SAFARI (New York)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time...
FAMILY KINGDOM (Myrtle Beach, SC)
 2027 - RMC Raptor Single Rail Coaster - (9/27/2026) A great follow up to our story yesterday, a video of the red RMC track sitting on site next to Family Kingdom in Myrtle Beach can be found on the Facebook video below.
(9/26/2026) According to the local news Family Kingdom has received the last load of parts for their new single rail roller coaster, so I would expect construction to begin very soon in order to have it ready for the 2027 season. If you’re local to the Myrtle Beach area, keep your eyes open when passing by!
(5/12/2026) Family Kingdom has confirmed that the new Raptor single rail coaster will be delayed until the 2027 season.
(3/1/2026) Family Kingdom also released an animated POV of the new Raptor coaster that will feature three inversions and 5 air-time hills.
(2/27/2026) An image showing the layout of the new RMC Raptor coaster coming to Family Kingdom in Myrtle Beach has been posted on social media. It also answers the question we’ve all been wondering… why has there been no actual construction yet? Because it isn’t going to open until “Late Summer 2026”.
(11/18/2025) According to a post from Midway Mayhem, Family Kingdom park in Myrtle Beach will be adding a new RMC single rail Raptor coaster next year.
FANTASY ISLAND (New Jersey)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing in 2026
FUNTOWN USA / SPLASHTOWN USA (Saco, Maine)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2025 - 2026
GALAXYLAND (Inside the West Edmonton Mall Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)
 2026/2027 - New Roller Coaster / Mindbender Replacement - (9/8/2026) While we don’t know the exact name, Screamscape has been told that the new Vekoma made roller coaster being installed at Galaxyland at the West Edmonton Mall will be “Nerf” themed, which makes sense as the orange and green colors used for the track just scream “Nerf”. The brand also fits the current Hasbro theme of Galaxyland these days as well.
Now things get interesting when you pull up a new update about the coaster at RCDB, which claims this will be a “Dual Mode” coaster, able to offer both a high thrill and a more mellow family mode experience from the same roller coaster. This also explains the two track colors…. As the LSM launched ride will fire off at a lower speed in Family mode where it won’t be able to make it through the Immelmann and will instead roll back, turning into a shuttle coaster experience, staying entirely along the lower Green colored track sections.
On the High Thrill mode, the ride will then use a LSM Swing Launch style action, where it will return forward and launch at full speed up the Immelman and through it, entering the higher and more aggressive orange track where it will then complete the entire circuit, along with a second inversion.
(7/17/2026) A reader who visited the West Edmonton Mall sent back some pictures of the new roller coaster project going up at the park that will replace the lost Mindbender coaster inside Galaxyland. The new coaster is rumored to be from Vekoma and has dark blue supports and what appears to be sections of bright green and orange track in place so far. Based on the current progress, the coaster could be ready to open before the end of the year.
(2/22/2026) Construction on a new Vekoma roller coaster continues at Galaxyland in the West Edmonton Mall. Check out the video below as a video blogger walks through the cold and snow to take look at at the progress taking place at the mall.
(11/12/2025) Looks like a new coaster is finally coming to the West Edmonton Mall to replace the lost Mindbender. According to photos posted to Instagram, orange and green track segments (appears to be from Vekoma) have now appeared on site along with blue supports in a staging area outside of the mall.
(2/9/2025) Coaster101 reports that Galaxyland is working on adding a new roller coaster to take the place of the indoor park’s former legendary creation, Mindbender. With the old ride cleared away and the pad cleared up to make way for a future project, markings and indicators for new support columns can be seen.
According to Coaster101, the codes at these location are similar in nature to codes spotted on leaked plans for Six Flags Magic Mountain’s new 2026 coaster project, which would seem to indicate that Galaxyland’s new project may also be something from Vekoma.
GALVESTON ISLAND HISTORIC PLEASURE PIER (Galveston, Texas)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2013 - 2026 seasons.
GILROY GARDENS (Gilroy, California)
2027 - Nothing is known at this time...
GLENWOOD CAVERNS (Colorado)
Park News - (2/15/2026) Just as they warned, Glenwood Caverns has officially filed for bankruptcy (Chap. 11) following the verdict against the park in the wrongful death suit over the 2021 accident on the Haunted Mine Drop ride. The filing will allow Glenwood Caverns to continue to operate while the reorganization plan is put together and eventually put before a judge for approval.
(9/21/2025) The family of Wongel Estifanos has been awarded $205 million by a jury in the case over her death at the Glenwood Caverns amusement park in 2021 on the park’s Haunted Mine Drop attraction. According to the details the jury verdict was issued on Friday, placing the blame on both Glenwood Caverns Holdings as well as the Soaring Eagle company who provided the ride as being co-responsible for 98% of the $82 million in “non-economic damages” (I belive the two ride operators were also named for the remainder) and Glenwood Caverns Holding for the entire $123 million in punitive damages.
Prior to the trial the attraction filed a petition with the state supreme court over the missed deadline that should have caped damages to around $572,000 but the petition was denied and the case went to trial, as we’ve seen. At the time Glenwood Caverns warned that if the case resulted in a “nuclear verdict” against them, it would likely lead to bankrucpty , the cessation of operations and cause irreversible damage.
(9/7/2025) It has been a few years since the death of a 6-year-old who was not properly restrained while riding the Glenwood Caverns Haunted Mine Drop ride, but the lawsuit over the wrongful death got underway this week as the jury heard a testimony from one of the ride operators at the park. You can hear some of the comments in the local CBS news report.
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2025 - 2026
IDLEWILD (Pennsylvania)
Owned by Herschend
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2017 - 2026 seasons.
JENKINSON’S BOARDWALK (New Jersey)
2027 - Maelstrom - (6/6/2026) Jenkinson’s Boardwalk has announced Maelstrom is coming in 2027, a themed indoor Scrambler ride experience that will include a trip through a storm-battered ship themed queue, a sea-monster, and more. Look for the new attraction to be built inside the South Beach Arcade building which is being repurposed for this addition.
JOLLY ROGER (Ocean City, MD)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2022 - 2026
KEANSBURG AMUSEMENT PARK (Keansburg, NJ)
Park News - (1/27/2024) The owner of the Keansburg Amusement Park in New Jersey claims that the redevelopment plans for the area are “Trying to squeeze me out”. Redevelopment plans are in place to renovate “blighted” property by adding 700 luxury apartments and tons of new restaurants, entertainment and retail options to the area, which isn’t too bad of an idea, however the state is now planning on redeveloping the site of a current 300-space public parking lot for beachfront apartments.
It seems to be a cash-grab of sorts by selling off the property used for a much needed public parking lot to service the waterfront area to apartment developers. According to the park owner, “The endgame here is they’re trying to squeeze me out. They would love to see me out,” so he’s filed a lawsuit against the state to stop it.
The threat seems real enough as Keansburg Amusement Park sits on 25 acres of valuable waterfront property, and if developers were to essentially restrict the number of potential guests from visiting the park due to lack of available parking, then that could lead to the long-term demise of the amusement park. I’m sure the value of the 25-acres of land that it sits upon is not lost to the gaze of future developers who would love to close the park and get their hands on it for other uses.
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2015 - 2026 seasons.
KEMAH BOARDWALK (near Houston, Texas)
Landry’s Restaurants (SAT MAP)
2027 - Boardwalk Bay & Super Shot -
(10/10/2026) Planned 2026 expansion delayed until 2027 season.
(2/1/2026) ARM has posted a picture of a park model Super Shot tower ride loaded on the back of a truck, with the confirmation that it is off to Kemah Boardwalk.
(12/28/2025) Something new is coming to the Kemah Boardwalk in 2026. Pictures sent in to Screamscape taken on Christmas day now feature a number of signs and construction walls promoting a “Boardwalk Bay” attraction to be “Coming Soon!” offering Splashes and “A Pirate’s Paradise for the Whole Crew!”. Clearly this sounds like it will be a small waterpark attraction, perhaps one of those large-scale water fortress style projects that features a number of slides.
To my knowledge the attraction has not posted an announcement or teasers on their website or social media about this expansion, but based on the photos sent in, the site for it has already been cleared and surrounded by construction walls. From what I can tell, the building that formerly housed The Flying Dutchman restaurant until the end of 2024 has now been demolished, clearing the way for this new Boardwalk Bay attraction. The building still standing next door was used as a Joe’s Crab Shack, but the restaurant has also closed down with early permit filings seeming to indicate that it could be used as an entry point into the Boardwalk Bay waterpark, perhaps being converted for use as a locker room style building that might also still be able to offer up food and snacks for the waterpark guests.
LAKE WINNEPESAUKAH (Chattanooga, TN)
Operated by: IB Parks & Entertainment
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time...
LAKE OF THE OZARKS / OASIS AT LAKEPORT (Missouri)
 2027 - Amusement Park / Indoor Waterpark Resort - (10/7/2026) Oasis at Lake of the Ozarks reports that they have set up 8 of the 12 rides so far, and are on track to open the first phase of the mini amusement park by mid-April 2027.
(7/2/2026) The new Dragon Run family suspended coaster is now rising at Oasis at Lake of the Ozarks. Pictures and some details about the current status of the project can be found over at Blooloop this week.
(5/23/2026) Construction season is officially underway at the emerging Oasis resort destination on the shores of Lake of the Ozarks. Track work has begun on the park's very first roller coaster, which has officially been named Shootout. Black supports and blue track pieces have already gone vertical which you can see in this YouTube short.
(5/13/2026) Vertical construction on rides has now begun at the Oasis Lake of the Ozarks project. According to this report the vertical tower for a 100ft tall tower ride called The Plunge has begun. The hope is that the first phase of the project will be ready to open by Spring 2027.
(11/23/2025) According to this report a $285 million financing package has been finalized that will allow the Oasis at Lakeport project to move forward with plans for the amusement park, indoor waterpark, conference center and a 402-room Marriott branded hotel. Given the timeline, I wouldn’t be surprised if the expected opening date gets pushed back from 2026 to 2027.
(5/6/2025) According to a local news report the Lake of the Ozarks resort and fun complex has pushed back their estimated opening to 2026.
(10/13/2024) A great aerial video showing off the progress thus far for Oasis at Lakeport / Lake of the Ozarks can be found below that was posted just two days ago. While a lot of work to create the foundation for the future attraction site has been done, the area is now suddenly silent and work has stopped, leaving many to wonder what is going on.
According to the developer, the work has stopped because those crews have finished all they can do until the nearby Lakewood Resort timeshare condos located next door are demolished, clearing the way for the work to continue. The developer is purchasing them and then needs to complete the plans and permits needed to demolish them, but that part of the project has taken a bit longer than expected to complete.
The expectation is that things will hopefully ramp back up once again sometime in November.
(5/24/2024) Good news for those looking forward to the new amusement and waterpark project at Lake of the Ozarks. According to the local news reports ground was broken this week on the new Lakeport Resort tower which will be the central resort for the entire project. The goal right is now is to get the project open as early as April 2025, so they could begin hiring just before the end of the year. If you’re a local, keep an eye out for the construction progress.
(10/28/2023) Things are moving forward with the planned Lake of the Ozarks project where some blasting is now being done to the rocky soil to prepare it for the future resort project. According to the article that features a video clip of the blasting, the amusement park side of things is expected to open in 2025 and the on-site Marriott hotel will follow in 2026.
(6/3/2023) The proposed Lake of the Ozarks / Oasis at Lakeport resort project in Missouri received some great news this week. St. Louis-based SkyView Partners and Tegethoff Development, along with Fred Ross, owner of Big Thunder Marine, announced the formal approval of the development plan for the Oasis at Lakeport family resort and entertainment district at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. The approval was granted at the June 1, 2023, City of Osage Beach Board of Aldermen meeting.
“With the development plan approved by the City of Osage Beach, we are extremely pleased to begin construction of Oasis at Lakeport, which will offer year-round attractions and entertainment for everyone at the lake to enjoy,” said Todd Schneider, co-managing partner of SkyView Partners. “SkyView Partners and Tegethoff Development are committed to keeping the Osage Beach community informed of our progress over the next year as Oasis grows to be the premiere tourist destination of the Midwest.”
As proposed, the Oasis at Lakeport project will be a $350 million year-round family resort and entertainment district in Osage Beach, Mo., to be developed along the 25-acre Lakeport property at Highway 54 and Jeffries Road. The project will feature a Marriott branded hotel, a 26,000 sqft conference center, an indoor waterpark, restaurants, 200 public boat slips, a 1,000 space parking structure, and several amusement rides and attractions, including roller coasters and a 200-foot tall observation wheel.
An official website is now online for the project at OasisatLakeport.com which has also added an updated piece of concept art for the project. As before, the amusement park section is being kept at the section of the property closest to the freeway, increasing visibility and reducing any potential noise issues, while the resort and indoor waterpark have been moved further away from the amusement park, on the other side of the cove, which should provide nice views of the park and rides. It is worth mentioning that the wheel is now the tallest attraction in the park, and the other tall attractions in the previous concept art (Slingshot, Star Flyer) have been removed.
If “SkyView Partners” sound familiar, they do operate a small number of well-known stand-alone attraction developments, such as the SkyView Atlanta Observattion Wheel that overlooks Centennial Olympic Park as well as the Carousel, Bay Plunge Tower and SkyStar Observation Wheel in San Francisco’s Pier 39 and Golden Gate Park.
(10/30/22) Plans for a new $300 million family resort and entertainment district to be built at Lake of the Ozarks were submitted this past week. The project is being called Oasis at Lakeport and would be located at “at Highway 54 and Jeffries Road adjacent to the Grand Glaize Bridge”.
They hope to start construction sometime in 2023, and are hoping to open in 2024 on the 20 acre project which will feature a number of amusement rides and attractions mixed in with hotels, restaurants, an amphitheater, a marina, boardwalk and more. The details do mention that it will feature “roller coasters, thrill and family rides and a 200-foot-tall observation wheel”.
While I would be heavily skeptical of the timeline proposed until they actually start construction, the idea behind it does remind me quite a bit of The Island in Pigeon Forge project. In the case of The Island however, that resulted in the construction of that project in the middle of an already proven and tourist-heavy attraction corridon in Pigeon Forge. Without any personal knowledge of the Lake of the Ozarks location, I can’t say how well this one might work out. Just from initial research into the area, it does seem a popular location for many to visit, so this could turn out quite well if they can get it off the ground. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see.
LAKEMONT PARK (Pennsylvania)
 Park News - (9/19/2026) According to local news updates, the ongoing dispute between Lakemont Partnership and the County may be nearing a possible settlement agreement. Various proposals are on the table and while details are not being mentioned, some of the county commissioners did comment that there has been mutual agreement between the two over many issues, and that that they are hopeful that an agreement will come soon that will “benefit all of Blair County”.
Hopefully the end is near and some kind of successful movement can be made to return the roller coasters to life at Lakemont Park.
(8/2/2026) The legal wranglings between the local County government and the Lakemont Partnership over the fate and control of Lakemont Park have begun. According to a local news article (you can read here) the “Partnership” who currently leased and has control of Lakemont Park, and responsible for the closure and decay of the rides there, is fighting back against the County who claims that they are now in default of the terms of the lease in numerous ways.
The Partnership argues they are not under obligation to do many of the things the County says they were to do, including claiming that the lease Lakemont Park site does not ‘require the premises to be or to remain an amusement park”, nor are they obligated to preserve and maintain the historic Leap-The-Dips roller coaster, as they claim that obligation ended in October 2025. As it stands, the current lease of the park to the Partnership is listed to remain though to 2066, and they would like for the court to allow this to continue while freeing them of any obligation “to operate amusement rides there”. Currently the group was trying to sell Leap-The-Dips and the county had filed an injunction to prevent that from happening as well.
Currently the County and Partnership are slated to have a settlement conference in court on August 7th, so we should know more in about a week.
(7/9/2026) A Facebook post from over the weekend gives a great report about the status of things over at Lakemont Park this summer. Unfortunately, the short answer is that nothing has changed from last year… the coasters are still sitting there closed and appear to be ignored in terms of any kind of maintenance. Areas of the park are now seen as getting overgrown, especially near the closed attractions like the Skyliner and Go-Kart track. The poster mentions that they dropped into the park for a look on the 4th of July itself and found it to be nearly empty and “a shell of its former self”.
The whole situation is very sad, and I fear that unless the county can score a legal win and take back control of the park from the Lakemont Partnership, this could be the end of Lakemont Park, as 2026 will be the third straight season that the rides have been kept closed and the park essentially left to decay.
(12/30/2025) Details from a local news article have now added on to the ongoing story about Lakemont Park and the Leap-The-Dips roller coaster. According to the article a judge has put any possibility of selling off Leap-The-Dips on-hold for at least 6 months. While arguments were expected to be heard from both sides, the judge issued the 6-month injunction after hearing that the Lakemont Partnership had “no immediate plans” to sell the coaster, and since the County can also not afford to buy the coaster from them at this time, it looks like the judge would like them to work something out together over the next 6 months.
(12/16/2025) A few more details about the lawsuit filed by Blair County against the current operators of Lakemont Park (Lakemont Partnership) who have failed to operate Leap the Dips and other rides at the park over the 2024 and 2025 seasons. At the center of the lawsuit is the claim by the county that Leap the Dips has NOT been properly maintained by the Lakemont Partnership, and that they have now broken their 2006 lease agreement.
According to their documentation, the park was responsible for upkeep on the coaster through to Oct. 8, 2025. “If the park found that maintaining and preserving the ride was not financially feasible, it would give the county 60 days’ notice to take it over. If the county declined responsibility, then a process would start for the park to sell the ride to a third party.”
The County Solicitor had reached out to Lakemont Partnership twice, in February and May 2025, to remind them of their responsibility to preserve the ride and keep it open for public enjoyment. On Oct. 13th, Lakemont Partnership admitted that they are financially unable to maintain Leap the Dips, but also mentioned that if the county did not take on the task, they will start the process of selling Leap the Dips, as apparently they have an interested buyer.
Now that the county has been notified that the Partnership is intending to sell Leap the Dips, their argument is that they don’t have the rights, as they are in violation of the lease agreement for not maintaining it in the first place. The Partnership however says that they filed their own lawsuit back in August that the county never responded to, which claims that the County Commissioners were “unwilling to work with them on upgrades, repairs, renovations and ideas on making the park thrive again.” The County’s response to this was that the August lawsuit filing was “improper” and there is an objection to it pending with the court.
So what we have is a bunch of finger pointing right now, though at the heart of it all remains the fact that the Partnership essentially shut down all of the big park attractions that served as a primary reason for people to visit Lakemont Park way back at the start of 2024. Meanwhile it looks like Blair County was waiting for the Oct 8, 2025 due date, plus 60 days for the Partnership to give notice asking for the County to take it over, before filing their own lawsuit against the Partnership, claiming a violation of the lease agreement, in order to remove them and put Lakemont Park back under county control.
However this turns out, there likely isn’t going to be time to make repairs and reopen Leap the Dips and other attractions in time for the 2026 season. But hopefully a resolution can be make in 2026 so perhaps it might return in 2027.
(12/13/2025) The management company overseeing Lakemont Park is now being sued by Blair County over claims of alleged mismanagement of ride maintenance on the Leap the Dips coaster. Leap the Dips is currently the oldest roller coaster in the nation, and the last of its kind.
(8/31/2025) Things are not looking good at Lakemont Park, as the county is wanting to end the lease of the Lakemont Partnership who has been letting the former amusement park property fall into disrepair, and they have now responded with their own lawsuit against the county commissioners. Follow the link to read more about the latest happenings but the gist is that the Commissioner’s Chairman now believes that the Partnership who leases the county owned property as well as nearby office buildings and the ballpark, is now “letting the old rides and water park facilities there deteriorate in hopes of eventually acquiring the ground for development, perhaps when new commissioners take over.” Unfortunately, the Partnership’s lease has another 41 years left on it and they make good money from everything else from the deal, they just claim that the park is not an “economically feasible or sustainable” endeavor.
(6/6/2025) The local news checked in on the situation at Lakemont Park, and as predicted, it is not good. As we previously mentioned, for the second season in a show, the rides at Lakemont park will not operate. This includes the historic Skyliner and Leap The Dips wooden roller coasters.
The group responsible for operating the park has only states that the wooden coasters are too costly to repair and maintain, and yet this doesn’t explain why they aren’t trying to run any of the other attractions at the park. There are several other small rides that could be opened, as well as a go-kart track.
The article mentions that the last time any work was done to repair or upkeep the coasters was four years ago, and nothing has been scheduled since. While Leap the Dips was granted National Historic Landmark status in 1996, that does not require the park to actually operate the ride, nor keep it in operating condition. They only have to maintain it enough so that it isn’t falling over and becoming a hazard.
According to comments in an email from a Blair County Commissioner regarding the Lakemont Partnership group who’s has control over the park, “They have chosen not to open the park rides for the past two years and in my opinion, they will continue to allow the park to deteriorate as they state it is too costly to maintain. We cannot force them to open the park with the rides.”
(3/10/2025) According to the local news, it has been confirmed that the rides at Lakemont Park will be closed once again, making this the second season in a row. Park managers are not willing to comment to the media about what needs to be done to get the rides reopen and a local Commissioner called the park “unsustainable”.
This does not indicate that a good plan is in the works to save and reopen Lakemont Park and it was pointed out that the rides at the park were closed last year due to the costs associated with operating the county owned park.
(5/1/2024) As suspected, I’m told that the Lil’Leaper at Lakemont Park has been sold to a new owner. Unfortunately, at this time we really don’t have a clue where it will show up next. If anyone finds out more, please let us know.
(4/26/2024) With all rides to be closed for the 2024 season, you may be wondering what is going on at Lakemont Park right now. The “125 Roller Coaster Challenge” YouTube channel was given permission to shoot a walk-around video inside the park the other day to show off what things are looking like right now.
The good news is that they say that the Skyliner and Leap-The-Dips are still benign maintained, even if they aren’t planning on opening them, so for now the roller coasters are safe. However a few other attractions have been removed in order to make way for some future new non-ride additions to the park. This includes the removal of the 4x4 trucks ride as well as the Lil’Leaper kiddie coaster from Allan Herschell.
The 4x4 site has packed up the track segments to be hauled off, as it has been sold and they say that the site will be rebuilt for those who want to play GaGa Ball, which is sort of a more gentle version of Dodge-Ball played inside an Octagon shaped walled structure, played with a softer style ball. As I understand it, players can only slap the ball with one hand towards another player, rather than picking it up and hurling it with extreme force, and the ball has to only hit the other players below the knee. (Like I said, this is considered a more “gentle” form of Dodgeball that is said to have originated in 1970’s Israel.)
As for the Lil’Leaper, that coaster has been completely removed already and the site will apparently be repurposed for Bocce Ball and Pickel Ball courts. It isn’t known if the Lil’Leaper has been sold, put in storage, or scrapped.
(2/2/2024) If you never got the chance to visit Lakemont Park in PA to ride Leap-the-Dips or the Skyliner coasters, then you may never get to. According to the latest news from the park, Lakemont will operate without any rides at all for the 2024 season, relying on their picnic pavilion, mini golf, batting cages and other sports recreation offerings. They say that running the amusement park side of things has been a money loser and is no longer sustainable due to the high costs of maintenance and insurance.
LAKESIDE AMUSEMENT PARK (Denver, CO)
 Park News - (7/3/2026) There is a glimmer of hope shining over Denver's historic Lakeside Amusement Park. The Cyclone has been closed for several years now after state regulators demanded that changes be made to the structure in order to create a larger safety envelope around the cars, keeping riders hands away from striking the structure while riding. Legal battles arose over this, as the new demands were said to not be possible while keeping the existing ride intact.
However… it seems new footage has been posted showing the Cyclone undergoing some testing, along with some small adjustments having been made to the structure. According to what we are told, workers appear to have cut back some wooden posts that ran alongside the track in places in an attempt to meet the new requirements wanted by the state.
Check out the video posted by Canobie Coaster on YouTube earlier this year about the status of the coaster, along with a TikTok clip showing a working actually cutting back sections of the structure.
(7/1/2024) So what’s going on over at Denver’s Lakeside Amusement Park this season? According to a local news update, the famous Cyclone is still closed and has been idle since it closed during the 2022 season. According to the article, the Cyclone was shut down in 2022 after a woman apparently suffered some kind of injury, and the state has requested that some changes be made before it is allowed to reopen.
The article does mention that park management “hope to get The Cylcone running before the summer season ends as they try to figure out the best way to meet the state’s safety requirements”. The problem has apparently been with the ride’s construction, as the structure is very close to the trains at many points, and while the park instructs riders to keep their hands inside, a few guest hand injuries have been reported as they’ve come into contact with the structure while raising their hands.
The state seems to want the ride to be rebuilt in a way that would put more distance between the riders and the structure, but we’re talking about a wooden roller coaster that opened back in 1940, and a change like that would not only be extremely expensive but could forever alter the ride experience itself as well. Lakeside says any other noted fixes required by the last inspections in 2022 have been completed and that they do run empty trains on the Cyclone periodically to keep the Cyclone in good running shape for when they can reopen it to guests.
For now, they are negotiating with the state to find a “reasonable adjustment” plan that works for everyone, so that the Cyclone can return to service. Let’s hope that they do find a solution and quickly, as the longer that the park has to operate without its feature attraction, it may become more financially difficult to keep the park open.
In the meantime the park has been focused on fixing up many of their other unique and older attractions. As we noted last season, the park did open their Pinfari steel coaster late last year, and has now reopened the Heart Flip and Balloon Ferris wheel rides. They are waiting on new wheels at the moment needed to reopen the Dragon roller coaster and a new motor for the famous Roll-O-Plane ride is on the way as well. The article also mentions that the park’s big Ferris wheel is back together and ready to run, but they’ve been unable to “find someone qualified to operate the ride.” This is quickly becoming another issue for the park, as it features so many older vintage rides, as they try to find those able to both operate and repair these classic attractions as they age.
(8/9/2023) Things are not going well over at Lakeside Amusement Park it seems. According to the official website the Cyclone wooden coaster along with several other rides are currently Closed. The Galaxi coaster that the park has been working on installing for awhile now is still not open, so the only full sized coaster open at the park is said to be the Wild Chipmunk.
The park’s website also mentions the park’s limited operating schedule for the rest of the summer, and has previously mentioned how ride operators may have to rotate between running various rides in the park.
A reader stopped by and snapped a few pics showing off the new Zyklon/Galaxi coaster (see below), and noted that the train on the Dragon was removed as well as the ride’s sign looked like it had half-way fallen over. RCDB reports that the Dragon has been sitting closed since 2020 so they may be preparing to remove it.
2027 - Nothing is known at this time...
MORGAN’S WONDERLAND (San Antonio, Texas)
Note: Morgan’s Wonderland is a special theme park custom designed to be an inclusive place of wonder and enjoyment for guests with disabilities as well as for those without, “encouraging everyone to gain a greater understanding of one another.”
Fall 2026 - Morgan’s Hotel - Under Construction - (6/14/2025) Morgan’s Wonderland in Texas has become well known for creating the world’s most “accessible” amusement park to accommodate guests with a wide spectrum of disabilities on their many attractions. Now Morgan’s has broken ground on their latest project… Morgan’s Hotel.
First announced almost a year ago, the project was described as an “Ultra-Accommodating Hotel” experience that will not only meet, but exceed the regular ADA requirements in order to “remove barriers and tremendously enhance the lodging experience for everyone. This will certainly be a hotel for everyone including those with special needs who, going forward, will feel more included, valued, and fulfilled.”
Created to accommodate people of all abilities at an affordable price, Morgan’s Hotel will offer voice-activated rooms, oversized rooms, wide hallways, with sound absorbing decor. Upon making a reservation an AI Concierge service will help arrange for their wants and special needs in advance of their arrival. The hotel itself will feature over 90 guest rooms with digital keys, a glass lobby elevator, free parking, a fitness center, outdoor pool as well as the “Blu Room Lounge” and “City View Restaurant”.
Look for Morgan’s Hotel to open in San Antonio, not far from the Morgan’s Wonderland park, in the fall of 2026.
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time...
Future Projects - (12/11/2023) The founder of Morgan’s Wonderland held a meeting the other day to discuss what would be needed to create the first “ultra-accessible’ and inclusive hotel. After creating the ultra-accessible theme park, which has expanded to include a water park and sports facility, it sounds like he is now possibly looking into designing what the ideal resort experience would need to feature, and possibly partnering up with some of the big hotel companies in order to make it a reality at the park.
Elsewhere in the article it also mentions that a second Morgan’s Wonderland theme park is also in development. The owner wouldn’t say where exactly, only that it would be somewhere “north of Texas”, and that they hope to announce it sometime in 2024.
OAK’S PARK (Portland, Orgeon)
 Park News - (8/20/2026) Consider me a little bit surprised… but apparently two teenagers who filed a lawsuit after getting stuck upside down on the AtmosFEAR ride at Oaks Park have now been awarded $275,000 each to be paid by Zamperla. There were other lawsuits filed, but apparently all but these two had settled privately before going to trial. Meanwhile, apparently Oaks Park also has a pending lawsuit against Zamerpla as well over the incident, in which Zamperla inspected the ride afterwards and apparently found no faults from mechanical, technical or maintenance issues that would have caused it.
(7/3/2026) Oaks Amusement Park has officially launched the first phase of a comprehensive 20-year master plan designed to update and modernize the entire property. Park officials are emphasizing that a core pillar of the long-range plan is preserving the park's historic charm, which dates all the way back to 1905. Early projects will look to blend modern guest amenities with careful maintenance of its vintage attractions, including the 1906 Roller Rink floor, the 1912 Noah's Ark Carousel, and classic flat rides like their Eli Bridge Scrambler and Eyerly Rock-O-Plane.
As far as the modernizing efforts, the park will begin construction next month on their new Larson Super Shot Drop Tower that will open for the 2027 season. (See below)
2027 - Drop Tower - Delayed - (6/2/2026) The Oaks Amusement Park in Oregon is looking for name suggestions for their new drop tower project, now coming to the park for the 2027 season.
(6/1/2025) Well… nothing new really, but the local news has posted an update about the plans from Oak’s Park to build a 135 foot tall drop tower ride. I believe the plan right now is for this to be a new addition for the 2026 season, as the decision to allow it or not won’t take place until early July. The primary argument against it right now seems to be that some locals think it will be distracting or detrimental to the local migrating bird population. Apparently they are really concerned about how spotlights on the ground will be used to light up the tower at night.
Out of all the parks I’ve ever seen drop towers installed at, I’m not sure if I’ve heard heard anyone argue that the various lighting packages put into place caused any kind of ecological damage to their local bird populations, but hey… I don’t know everything. However, I do know that the park is already home to the AtmosFEAR ride, which when fully inverted, holds riders 99 feet into the sky. I’m also fairly certain AtmosFEAR likely has its own extensive lighting package to illuminate the ride at night.
That is… when Oak’s Park is actually open at night. According to the park’s online calendar, they’re only open until 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer (not quite dark), and close at 7pm or earlier on the rest of the days, which should be well before dark. The park is mainly only open late at night (10 or 11pm) on select dates in September and October as part of the Oktoberfest and Halloween events.
So while Night time operations seem to be very limited at Oaks Park, perhaps the lighting package could be changed to be more like whatever was used for AtmosFEAR if it hasn’t caused any issues at night. But so far, a coastal animal expert hired by the park to review these claims has also stated that the lights in question “are extremely unlikely to affect migrating birds” and “unlikely enough to be considered discountable.”
(1/14/2025) According to a local news report, Oaks Park is requesting a zoning change in order to allow for a 147 foot tall “drop tower” ride to be added to the park. Currently the site for the proposed drop tower is zoned to only allow for 30 foot tall structures. A second zoning request has been linked to this so that the drop tower would also be allowed to have lights on the tower that are not “downward facing and shielded”.
As you might expect, a portion of the locals are upset and want to ban it for the typical variety of NIBY reasons:
Oh, The Noise!
It will tarnish my View!
It will be dangerous to the local birds!
Of course, Oaks Park also had the misfortune last year when the AtmosFEAR ride got stuck upside-down with riders aboard, so of course there are going to be some safety concerns as well. We’ll just have to wait and see if they get permission or not.
PACIFIC PARK (Santa Monica Pier, CA)
Sold to SC Holdings in 2024
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing added in 2024 - 2026 either
PALACE PLAYLAND (Maine)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time...
PEPPA PIG THEME PARK - TEXAS (Dallas/Ft Worth area)
Merlin Entertainment
New Park Opened in 2025
 Park News - (9/13/2026) The Peppa Pig Theme Park in Texas has announced that they will launch their first-ever Halloween themed event next month. Follow the link for the details.
2027 - Nothing is known to be added at this time... nothing added in 2026
PHARAOH’S ADVENTURE PARK (California)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... and nothing added for the 2015 - 2026 seasons.
PLAYLAND at the PNE (Vancouver, Canada)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing Added in 2025 - 2026
PLAYLAND’S CASTAWAY COVE (Ocean City, NJ)
 Park News - (8/8/2026) According to several social media reports riders on the Wipe Out ride at Playland’s Castaway Cove ended up getting stuck upside down for somewhere between 5 to 7 minutes before gravity did it’s thing and brought it down. Wipe Out in one of those smaller swinging pendulum rides, capable of performing full inversions. While the video is just now gaining traction online via social media, it’s said that the incident itself took place just over a month ago on the evening of July 5th.
Funny how it went relatively unnoticed for about a month but after another ride got stuck elsewhere in the nation, it looks like this incident was discovered and reposted by mainstream media as well.
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing added in 2026
???? - New Roller Coaster - Delayed - The coaster that was originally approved for 2025 never did open to my knowledge. The current status is unknown, but could have been cancelled entirely
(4/29/2023) Playland’s Castaway Cove has just received approval to build a new roller coaster. The park had been busy building a new entrance / arcade building and then had to stop on the work when it was revealed that the two-story building was going to have a third-floor addition that would serve as an operator booth for a new roller coaster. While buildings in the area would normally need a height variance to go taller than two-stories, the control room for the ride would be considered part of the ride, and exempt from the variance requirement. Construction was stopped for about two months while some clarification from the local government was needed to make a ruling on this unique case before they could move forward once again.
While the building itself is planned to be finished and open sometime this summer season, they say that the new roller coaster itself won't be coming to the park until 2025. So far, no word on exactly what kind of ride they are planning just yet, but previously released concept art featured a design with a mine-car themed coaster that would travel in and out of an enclosed mountain structure above the arcade.
SANTA’S VILLAGE AMUSEMENT & WATERPARK (Dundee, Illinois)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing added in 2026
SANTA’S VILLAGE (Jefferson, HN)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... Nothing added in 2025 - 2026
SANTA’S VILLAGE (Ontario, Canada)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing added in 2026
SEABREEZE (New York)
Park News - (7/2/2026) The American Coaster Enthusiasts group (ACE) has honored two of the roller coasters at Seabreeze Amusement Park (New York) this week with a plaque presentation. Bobsleds was officially designated as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark attraction, while Jack Rabbit was presented with an ACE Centennial Coaster plaque in recognition of more than a century of continuous operation.
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time...
SELVA MAGICA (Guadalajara, Mexico)
 Park News - (9/1/2026) According to the article posted here, the Selva Magica theme park in Mexico has closed down for good this week. According to a statement from the park, the decision to close the park was part of a global restructuring of the parent company that is currently going through bankruptcy proceedings.
The park was home to two unique coasters… Titan (Sansei) that came to the park from Boblo Island in 1994, and the infamous Schwarzkopf “Bullet” coaster which came in 2013, but had not run since the 2025 season.
STEEL PIER (New Jersey)
 Park News - (9/17/2026) According to People, Steel Pier in Atlantic City has now been listed as being up for sale, with an asking price starting at $85 million. One interesting piece of the 5-acre amusement park pier property included is something called a “riparian grant” that allows for the owner to extend the amusement pier even further out into the ocean. As someone promoting the sale of the property was quick to point out, “How often does someone get the own a piece of the ocean?” “The Steel Pier isn’t just fire acres on the most famous boardwalk in the world, it actually offers the change to own the Atlantic itself and build something unforgettable on top of it.”
The family the currently owns the pier says that it’s time for someone else to take it over, “time for someone with a bold vision” to move forward with new ideas for Steel Pier. Of course, this pretty much explains why Steel Pier never moved ahead with their approved plans to build a Premier Rides SkyRocket II coaster on the pier was expected back in 2024 only to get pushed back and never really mentioned again.
STORY LAND (Glen, NH)
Owned by Herschend
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time...
STORYBOOK LAND (New Jersey)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing added in 2024 - 2026
SWAMPY JACK’S WONGO ADVENTURE (Panama Beach, FL)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time...
TRIMPER’S RIDES (Ocean City, Maryland)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... also nothing added in 2023 - 2026
WESTERN PLAYLAND (Sunland Park, New Mexico)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... also nothing added in 2023 - 2026
WILD WAVES Theme & Water Park (Seattle-Tacoma, WA)
(Formerly known as Enchanted Village and Wild Waves)
Owned by NorPoint Entertainment
Managed by Premier Parks, LLC
 2026- FINAL SEASON - Wild Waves Says 2026 Season Will Be The Park’s Last -
(9/7/2026) Today, Monday Sept. 7th, 2026 is officially the last day of operations for the Wild Waves ‘waterpark’ side of operations. The rest of the park will remain open through to Nov. 1st, shutting down at the end of a final “Fright Fest” Halloween celebration.
(6/3/2026) While Wild Waves is set to close at the end of this season, it’s what may be coming to replacement that has the local residents upset now. According to this report Wild Waves could be replaced by a 1 million sq ft warehouse building. Plans for the warehouse have already been filed with the local government, so this is likely a matter of when, and not “IF” it will happen at this point.
(1/1/2026) Screamscape sources have shared an interesting story about why the Wild Waves amusement park has suddenly announced that they will close down for good at the end of the 2026 season. I don’t know all the details, but I’m told that various new regulations enforced within the state of Washington have been slowly squeezing the park tighter and tighter for a while now to the point where the profit margins have become dangerously thin. Now new minimum wage laws in place are currently increasing wages year-after-year, and have gone from $144.49 in 2024 to $16.66 in 2025 and now to $17.13 as of 2026.
In addition, select areas of the state have put higher minimum wage laws into effect as well. I’m not 100% sure of this, but Wild Waves resides in Federal Way which is part of King County, and a quick Google search says that employers within unincorporated King County are now subject to minimum wages of $20.82 for those with more than 500 employees, and $19.82 if 16-499 employees. Meanwhile yet another increase is already planned for 2027 as well, with the exact numbers still to be determined.
So the quiet word on the wind is that the closure of Wild Waves after this season is the park’s way of tapping-out before they’re forced into a situation where safety is compromised or where a bankruptcy could be pending. Instead the park will close for good and the owner will attempt to find a new use for the property.
(12/15/2025) A quick correction to this story about the closing of Wild Waves. I had mentioned that the park itself was owned by EPR Properties, but that was actually incorrect. Wild Waves and six other parks were sold off by Six Flags back in 2007 in a deal to PARC Management and CNL Properties. This was essentially a lease-back deal worth about $312 million that gave CNL ownership of the parks, who then leasing them back to PARC Management to operate them.
In 2017, CNL was looking to get out of the park business and sold those properties to EPRO Properties, with the exception of Wild Waves. This was because CNL actually sold the park entirely to Jeff Stock / NorPoint Entertainment way back in 2011, and they continue to own it to this day, while hiring Premier Parks to manage and operate the park.
Jeff Stock did make some comments about the future of the property in a press release about the closing of Wild Waves. “We recognize the deep history and emotional connection many residents have with the park, and we are committed to ensuring a respectful transition while planning a project that will bring meaningful, lasting benefits to the area,” Stock added. “Plans for the site are currently in preliminary stages, with goals beneficial to the city and surrounding areas. Additional details will be released as the project moves through planning and community review processes.”
(12/12/2025) This is becoming an unfortunate trend but yet another theme park has announced that they will be closing forever, after being unable to get back on solid footing in the years following the pandemic that have resulted in higher costs for pretty much everything.
Wild Waves has confirmed this week that the 2026 season will be the park’s “FINAL” season.
Wild Waves is another park that followed the “leaseback” trend, having been bought by EPR Properties who hired Premier Parks to manage and run the park for them, and is now paying the final cost. According to Premier’s Kieran Burke, “Unfortunately, the rising cost of ongoing operations since reopening after the COVID shutdown has generated millions in losses, which forces us to discontinue operations at the end of our 2026 season”.
Look for Wild Waves to open on May 23, 2026 for the final season, which is currently set to end on Nov. 1st, 2026, at the end of the park’s final “Fright Fest” event. It is unfortunately for the area to lose the park, as markets that lose their parks seldom get a second chance to open a new one, especially given the extremely difficult financial times. With the park closing, it will also mean a lot of lost jobs to the area, both full-time year-round staff and hundred of seasonal jobs that are always a good first-job experience for many youths to have over the summer.
It isn’t known yet exactly what plans EPR Property has for the land once they close the park, and if they hope to develop it into something new or simply see it off to another developer.
WONDERLAND PARK (Amarillo, TX)
360 Parks
Park News - (8/8/2026) Riders on the Texas Tornado roller coaster at Wonderland in Amarillo, Texas became stuck on the coaster on August 1st after what appears to be a partial derailment of the coaster train took place, bringing the ride to a quick stop. Rescue workers were brought in to remove all 18 riders from the roller coaster safely and no serious injuries have been reported.
Texas Tornado is now closed until further notice while an investigation takes place to determine the cause of the incident and make repairs.
(4/5/2026) A quick congratulations to Wonderland Amusement Park which opened for the 2026 season this weekend, and is celebrating the park’s 75th anniversary as well. All under the new ownership of “360 Parks” who purchased the park at the start of the year. With the loss of a number of smaller parks over the past few years, it’s nice to see Wonderland continue to provide some great family fun for their market.
(12/14/2025) Good news for fans of Wonderland Park in Amarillo, Texas. The local news reports that the City Council approved a new lease agreement for the park with “360 Parks of Amarillo LLC” with an initial 15-year term, and two extension/renewal options. According to the article, 360 Parks “has experience operating amusement parks, zoos and campgrounds”, but this was not a name I’m familiar with.
From what I’ve been able to determine the CEO of 360 Parks is a “Jimmy Holmes”, who is listed on LinkedIn as President of 360 Park Management for the past 3 years, as well as President of “H Two Marketing” for the past 17 years, providing “marketing and management services” to the amusement and water park industry. Prior to that Holmes was VP of Marketing for Herschend for a little over a year (2007-2008) and prior to that was VP of Marketing and Sales for Wild Adventures (1996-2007) and for part of the short-lived Cypress Gardens Adventure Park revival (2005-2007) under the ownership of Wild Adventures.
So that said, there is experience there with small parks for sure, and in an interview Holmes did state that improvement projects were being planned for Wonderland, but they will wait until all the sales paperwork on the park is finalized before making any announcements. The good news is that they do want to continue to run the park as an amusement park and not redevelop it into something else, so it sounds like Wonderland is in good hands.
More as we find out!
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing added in 2026
WONDERVERSE (Oak Brook, Illinois)
aka: Sony Wonderverse (Opened in Early 2024)
2027 - Nothing is known at this point in time... nothing added in 2025 or 2026 either.
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