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US News:
---- UNITED STATES DEVELOPMENT NEWS ---
(4/2/2025) Hawaii To Get First Flying Theater Attraction
(3/29/2025) Gaylord Texan To Offer All New DC Comics Themed "Universe of Light" Display
(3/15/2025) Oklahoma - Tulsa SkyRide Reappears In Iraq
(3/15/2025) North Carolina - Land of Oz Will Not Open in 2025
(3/14/2025) California - Fresno's Playland Is Closing Down After 70 Years
(3/9/2025) JAWS Exhibit is coming to Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Arizona - (11/27/2024) An interview with the rider that climbed out of the Desert Storm coaster in Arizona, along with video footage of him climbing out of the train while going up the lift hill has been posted by the local NBC news station.
(11/25/2024) The local news in Phoenix reports that a guest exited the Desert Storm roller coaster at Castles N’ Coasters near the top of the lift hill when they noticed that their restraint had released itself while going up the hill. According to the report this happened on Sunday when the rider heard the restraint made an odd noise. Pushing on it, the restraint released completely and out of fear they took the opportunity to jump from the train onto the staircase near the top of the lift hill.
The coaster in question is Desert Storm, a steel roller coaster from Hopkins built in 1992 that features two inversions and simple old-school sit-down style roller coaster trains with only a lap-bar restraint system.
 California - (3/14/2025) Fresno’s Playland amusement park has confirmed that the small park will close for good on March 30th, after 70 years of operation. Apparently the third park operator who has run the park since 2023 opted to not renew their contract to continue to operate the park. Many are hoping another investor or operator may step in to save the park and reopen it, but times have gotten tough as small parks are facing increased costs on all fronts: labor, insurance, and just the overall cost of items needed to keep the park and old rides running.
(3/9/2025) The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is putting on a special exhibition to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS. The Museum was already home to the only surviving full scale model of the shark from Jaws which has been on display in the air on the 4th floor of the exhibit space. The new Jaws exhibition will also feature a series of film screenings and exclusive Jaws themed merchandise.
Look for the new exhibit to open on Sept. 14th, but in the meantime you can learn more about it by following the link above.
(1/9/2025) Just a word of warning to anyone planning on visiting any theme parks or attractions in the Los Angeles area. Due to the wildfires raging out of control on both the coastal and inland regions of the city, plus severe winds, many of the parks, museums and other attractions have opted to shut down entirely. So please check to make sure your destination is open before traveling.
So far I believe Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain have already closed on Wednesday and Thursday this week, though it looks like Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland remained open. Be warned that air quality throughout the entire region is not the best, so if you sensitive to that, it might be best to make other plans, or take precautions.
(12/2/2024) SkyPark at Santa’s Village has opened a new attraction that brings the former suspended Bumble Bee Monorail ride track back to life. They call it “The B Rail”, where guests can climb-abord a single-rider suspended mountain bike frake and pedal your way through the sky along the monorail track beam. And yes, I said PEDAL… this is an entirely self-powered attraction now.
A few quick notes… the track is suspended up to 45 feet in the air at some points, and since this is a self-powered attraction, you have to be willing and able to complete the entire course. Riders must be between 75 lbs and no more than 265 lbs, and at a height between 5 ft and no more than 6 ft 7 inches.
(7/7/2024) It has been confirmed that the Pandas are returning to the San Diego Zoo. According to this article a farewell ceremony took place in China on June 26th for Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, a male and female, which were flown be flown to the San Diego Zoo. While the Pandas are in San Diego, they are not yet on display, as it will take several weeks for them to acclimate to their new home.
This event will mark the first time in 21 years that China has sent any pandas to the United States. They won’t be alone however, as another pair will also soon be sent to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC by the end of the year. The San Diego Zoo has successfully worked with China in the past, having successfully served as a temporary home for giant pandas from China from the late 90s, with all new cubs sent back to the breeding program in China over the years and eventually closing the exhibit in 2019 at the end of the successful program.
Colorado - (4/24/2023) A beloved Colorado attraction will soon reopen… Casa Bonita. Colorado locals are well aware of the place, but if you are a fan of the show South Park, then you may be shocked to know that the Casa Bonita restaurant shown in the cartoon series that features Mexican food and an indoor cliff diving show is actually an entirely real attraction on the west side of Denver, near Lakewood.
COVID did not treat Casa Bonita well and the restaurant announced that they were going to have to close down for good, only to be saved when the restaurant was purchased by none other than South Park’s creators: Trey Parker and Matt Stone. They’ve spent the last year or so fixing up and updating Casa Bonita, hiring new staff and are getting ready to reopen Casa Bonita sometime next month to the joy of many.
If I ever find my way out that way, I know I’ll be dropping by for sure!
Florida - (1/5/2025) A construction video can be seen below showing off the progress of the new Dolly Parton’s Pirates Voyage Dinner Theater coming to Panama City Beach, Florida in Spring 2025.
(12/7/2024) Apparently the second largest planetarium in the US is set to open in Tampa next year at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). The former IMAX dome theater at the museum is being converted into a new digital dome theater and planetarium that will be powered by 10 8K Christie digital projectors along an entirely new dome screen surface that will feature an 8-story tall image that will surround audiences.
This will be a major replacement and upgrade for the center's former Planetarium, which had a dome diameter of about 29 feet and was only able to accommodate 46 guests at a time, while the new 87 foot dome will hold at least 300 guests at a time.
This will be surpassed in the US only by the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium in New Jersey that is said to feature a 89 foot diameter dome. While not in the rankings for the world’s largest dome theaters anymore, I’d got to give a shout out to the Ruben H. Fleet dome theater in San Diego that I grew up visiting, featuring a 23m (76.1 ft) diameter dome and a theater capacity of 314 seats.
(11/22/2024) According to Surfer.com, a new 360º wave generating surf park is planned to come to Tampa. The concept is based on the Surf Lakes attraction in Queensland, Australia that features a massive plunger style structure in the middle of a body of water that rises and drops into the water, creating breaking surf waves rushing away from it in all directions. Now plans are in the works to create Peak Surf Park in Pasco County, north of Tampa, within the Two Rivers master-planned development sometime in 2027.
The Tampa area isn’t the only city in Florida with a major surf park planned, as a different group of developers is also working on a project for the Jacksonville market as part of a project area called eTown. Here developers from The PARC Group hope to build the Jacksonville Surf Park creaturing a Wavegarden Cave lagoon, along with a surf academy, a boutique hotel, a health and welness center, beach club and more.
(9/17/2024) According to the local news, Adventure Landing in Jacksonville has extended their lease to remain open through the 2025 season now. So far the owners of the property who originally were going to close the FEC back in late 2021 to built a new residential complex, but those plans remain on-hold, allowing Adventure Landing to remain for the time being.
(2/1/2024) New concept artwork showing off the look of the new Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show theater coming to Panama City Beach, Florida has been released. Construction on the new show venue is already under way with the intent to have it ready to open before the end of Spring 2025.
“When completed, the 60,000 square foot indoor theater will have more than 1000 seats. Guests will be treated to a dinner and show where the Crimson and Sapphire pirates battle on deck, in the water of the 15-foot-deep lagoon, and in the “sky” above the two full-sized pirate ships that serve as the swashbuckling stage for adventure, excitement and fun for everyone. When the new dinner show opens, it will employ 300 people, and an extensive nationwide talent search will begin in mid-2024 for the cast. The total cost for the project is estimated at $60 million.”
The new Florida attraction will be the third Pirates Voyage dinner show, joining the original in Myrtle Beach, SC and the second one located in Pigeon Forge, TN.
Hawaii - (4/2/2025) If I’m not mistaken, the Hawaiian islands are essentially free from permanently installed amusement park rides, other than water slides. This will soon change with the arrival of Flight of Aloha, a new flying theater experience, coming to the King Kamehamaha Kona Beach Resort this year, located on the big Island of Hawaii itself.
The new attraction will open in partnership with MediaMation Entertainment, bringing the first state-of-the-art flying theater to Kailua-Kona that will take visitors on the stunning aerial adventure over Hawaii, complete with 8K visual media, full surround sound, and extra sensory effects.
Flight of Aloha will be outfitted with an 18-seat configuration of MX4D Bantam Flying EFX Theater Seats that will “a fully immersive experience with full-motion, synchronized seats, wind effects, unique drop-down footrests, and extended motion platforms that envelop passengers in a lifelike flying adventure. Feel the rush, as your feet dangle and you soar over sweeping landscapes, dive through thrilling aerial stunts, and experience the wonder of flight like never before. ”
Even better, your experience on Flight of Aloha isn’t limited to just one adventure, as the attraction will feature multiple films including:
Lahaina - A journey through the rich history and vibrant beauty of Kahaina on the Maui coast.
Naupaka - A Hawaiian love story that takes you through lush landscapes and rich cultural heritage.
Two more ride-films will also be “coming soon”, including “Europe” and “Whale Song”.
The attraction briefly soft-opened to guests in mid to late February, and will officially open to all guests on April 5th, 2025.
Illinois - (10/3/2024) A temporary experience attraction themed to the world of Rick & Morty will open in Chicago’s “Morgan Arts Complex” on December 6 and run through to Jan. 5th, 2025. The 25,000 sqft exhibit space will be transformed into an interactive version of Rick’s lab, as well as including things like a themed mini-golf course, Seal Team Rick Laser Tag and more. You can find out more about the Rick & Morty: Multiverse Mania Experience and pre-purchase tickets at the official website.
(7/30/2023) According to the latest update posted to Theme Park Tourist, the timeline for the proposed Eco Theme Park for the Chicago area has been updated. The previous timeline posted that including the opening of the Grand Atrium in Fall 2024 was apparently a reflection of pre-COVID times. The new current timeline proposed won’t see the project open until sometime between 2026-2027.
(7/22/2023) It’s been over a year since we’ve heard anything about the so self proclaimed “World’s First Eco Theme Park” project, but Theme Park Tourist has a new update on the Chicago area project. For starters, it seems we have a name and the park will be called “WILD”, but they are also talking about a 500+ room resort planned for the project called “The Adventurer Resort”.
The Adventurer Resort will be themed after “the exploits of the characters of Jules Verne, along with P.T. Barnum, Robert Ripley, among others,” to be wrapped up in a unique Steampunk themed package. If that wasn’t enough the planned resort will also be connected to a large indoor waterpark as well as a complex with an events/conference center space, restaurants, retail and the “Playhouse Theater”. Follow the link to see a collection of concert art for the proposed new resort.
They also mention that the complex will be connected to “The Grand Atrium” which is a large indoor attractions space for the park that will be open year-round and feature several dark rides, exhibits, a butterfly garden and a “wide format theater”. Access into The Grand Atrium will be free, but you’ll need to purchase a wristband to experience the attractions. From the sound of things, The Grand Atrium may also serve as access into the rest of the outdoor theme park when built, as they mentioned that it will be connected to ‘the main street of the theme park”.
Now for a bit of reality… the article also claims they plan to open The Grand Atrium in Fall of 2024 and the rest of the park by Summer 2025, but unless this is secretly under construction already, I just don’t see this timeline happening at all. A new modern theme park itself typically takes about 3 years to build, a small indoor attraction complex may be possible in 2 years, and typically we see resort properties with an indoor waterpark, like a Great Wolf Lodge, always take about 18 months minimum.
Perhaps a better comparison may be the timetable for the new Mattel Adventure Park under construction in Arizona. It was announced back in June 2021, and claimed they wanted it open by Late 2022 (18 months later) to handle all the crowds coming to the city for the Superbowl coming to the city in Feb. 2023. Obviously that didn’t happen, and serious construction didn’t even begin until Early 2022, the coasters didn’t start going up until Early 2023 and the mostly indoor park is now not expected to open until sometime in 2024. So with all that in mind, don’t plan your trip to Chicago just yet.
Iowa - (12/16/2024) I don’t know much about this project, and it seems like some of the scope has been trimmed back over the past two years, but the local news has posted some new renderings of a proposed indoor waterpark project for Des Moines, Iowa called “Grand Experience”. The $400 million project, which is said to be about twice the size of the Great Wolf Lodge waterpark resort in Kansas City, has been offered a financial incentive package from the city. In addition to the indoor waterpark, the complex would feature a 260-room resort hotel and a 34,000 sqft conference center.
(11/6/2022) According to a local news report a proposal has been made to build a $600 million project in West Des Moines, Iowa, that would include a massive 100,000sqft indoor waterpark, a 400-room resort hotel, a family entertainment center and several on-site dining options along with various retail and office space options, along with 1,200 housing units. They’re calling the project ‘The Grand Experience’ along with saying that this will be like having a “Great Wolf Lodge on steroids.”
The question is, will it ever get built? If things go as planned, they hope to break ground on the project in Fall 2023. They don’t give a timeline to open the first phases, but as a good comparison, it typically takes 18-24 months to build and open a Great Wolf Lodge resort, so at best you would be looking at a mid to late 2025 opening if things stay on schedule.
Kansas - (12/12/2024) While not a big park by any means, I’m told that the “All Star Adventure” FEC in Wichita has now closed down after being open nearly 30 years. According to some other posts on social media, the attraction was not seeking to be shut down, but instead are the victim of not owning the property under the park, and the land owner will not renew their lease, and is instead seeking to redevelop the property into something else.
With no other option open to them, the attraction owners are now seeking to try and sell as many of their rides and attractions as possible. Some of the attractions may be relocated across town to the All Star Sports location, but the rest will all have to be sold or removed. This is a sad day for Wichita, as I’m told that All Star Adventure was really the only operating amusement park in the area.
For those interesting, I’m told that they are currently looking to sell a Sellner Tilt-A-Whirl, Everly Spider, Wisdom Dragon Coaster, Childress Swings, Man-Co Paratrooper, Sellner Pumpkin Patch, Allen Herschel Helicopters, Wisdom Family Himalaya, SBF Bees Jet 6, Hi-Lite Carousel, Zamperla Train, Wisdom Miner Mike, Zamperla Kiddie Swings, Zamperla Clown Around, along with Bumper Boats and Go-Karts.
Maine - (2/18/2024) According to a post from Coaster Chit Chat on Facebook, a new indoor waterpark has been proposed that would be connected to a Ramada by Wyndham hotel in Saco, Maine. The project is working under the name “Saco Surf ‘N’ Slide” and would also include an additional 139-room hotel tower. The project is said to currently be under review by the city.
Missouri - (1/2/2025) Last year we reported how the St. Louis City Museum had purchased the former dragon swing ship from the Santa Monica Pier in California with the intention of setting it up and running it somewhere on the roof of the building as a thrill ride. Unfortunately, after it arrived, it was determined to have too high of a cost to be refurbished to run once again as well as installed in the intended location, that the City Museum determined that their only option was to cut their losses and scrape the ride and the plans to run it. I’m told that they did manage to save the themed dragon head from the ride and are planning to somehow use it somewhere in the museum in the future.
On a related note, it seems that the swing ship wasn’t the only thing the City Museum purchased from the Santa Monica Pier. Over the holiday season they had set up one of the former Morgan roller coaster cars retired from the Santa Monica West Coaster as a giant Christmas decoration.
(11/9/2024) MidWestInfoGuide reports that the Big Surf Waterpark at Lake of the Ozarks (MO) seems to have purchased the former Dolphin Dash 6-lane mat-racer slide from Zoombezi Bay. Zoombezi Bay ran the attraction this past summer and surprised their guests when they closed it for good on Sept. 2 and removed it to make way for something new as well that has yet to be announced.
and... in the Branson area...
(11/9/2024) According to local news reports two women were taken in for treatment after falling approximately 6 feet out of the Copperhead Mountain Coaster located at Shepherd’s Adventure Park near Branson, MO. Both women were reported as being in their 50s, and while they somehow fell out during a turn on the attraction, nothing further has been reported as to how this may have happened.
This is one of those mountain coasters that loads at the top, has a single very long downhill run before loading onto a very long lift hill at the end back to the station at the top. You can see a good POV of it in action below.
(6/13/2024) According to a post by Coaster101, the St. Louis Union Station is planning to open a three-ride package from Zamperla in 2025. The ride package will include a small spinning roller coaster, a Wave Swinger and Galleon swinging ship, which will be added not far from the current location of the St. Louis Wheel. Follow the link to see some concept art and more details about how this former train station is being turned into a new major attraction for the city.
(9/5/22) Blooloop has announced that a new “inclusive and accessible” theme park for visitors with “mental, physical or intellectual disabilities” is being developed in Missouri. The 60 acre park, to be called Spirit of Discovery Park, will follow in the footsteps of Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, Texas as a park designed and built from the ground up to be fully accessible for people with special needs, “regardless of age, ability or mental acumen.”
Currently Spirit of Discovery Park has submitted an offer on the land they wish to purchase, and have already performed the needed environmental and economic impact studies. The next steps will be to finish the planning for the park with 3D and architectural drawings to be submitted to the city for approval, along with the continuation of a fundraising campaign to ensure that the dream becomes a reality. Once the land is obtained and plans approved, they believe the park would could be constructed within three years.
Nebraska - (2/10/2024) The city of Bellevue, Nebraska has approved to issue bonds to build a $60 million resort project that would include a massive indoor waterpark that would be open year round. If things go as planned the project could be open by 2026. Based on the photos they are showing off of what the park would look like, it seems they are modeling their project after the huge Epic Waters waterpark in Texas.
New York - Note: All New York City News Has Been Moved to a Dedicated Page
North Carolina - (3/15/2025) A small but dedicated fan base has been visiting the former Land of Oz theme park in Beech Mountain, NC during an annual Autumn at Oz special event / festival held on select dates in September each year. However, a new update posted to the Land of Oz FB page has sadly announced that there will be no special event in 2025. Due to the impact on the environment at the site and local area caused by Hurricane Helene, the group behind the event says that they will put the even “on pause for 2025 in order to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the event and the park itself.”
They hope to be able to reopen the event in 2026, but until they finish their work this year, we won’t know what the final decision about the future of the event may be.
(10/12/2024) According to the official website, the small “Tweetsie” theme park in the North Carolina mountains is now closed due to the impact of Hurricane Helene. The statement from the park on their website now says that Tweetsie will remain closed for the rest of the fall season, and isn’t planned to reopen until November 29th for the park’s Tweetsie Christmas event.
The closure isn’t so much due to damage at the park, but more due to the impact from the storm on the local community overall “impacting countless families, small businesses, and employees.” The park is remaining closed for the Fall season and “allowing our staff and the surrounding area to prioritize rebuilding and restoring what was lost.”
Ohio - (1/4/2025) Otherworlds in Ohio is expanding by adding a new concept experience called Game Grounds. The unique experience will feature a collection of interactive games you can play and compete against your friends with through the use of an RFID wristband every player will receive upon check-in. The experience appears to answer the question about what a carnival style games experience could be if it was created by the artists behind Otherworlds.
Game Grounds is set to “open soon” and while it is located at the same address as Otherworlds, this will be a separately ticketed attraction. While the date has not been set, the website does mention that tickets will cost $25 and be good for 75 minutes of unlimited gameplay.
Oklahoma - (3/15/2025) Fans of the removed Tulsa Skyride may appreciate knowing that pieces of the ride have now been gathered together in Iraq and have been partially assembled to allow for refurbishment ahead of a planned reinstallation. It also looks like they have about the whole collection of gondolas as well.
So where are they planning on installing it? According to the rumored reports, the idea is to install it at “Bagdad Island Park”, which from what I’m been led to understand, was fairly ruined during the war era and has been in the process of being restored in recent years. Google Map images show a small amusement park section and a small water park area, along with some restaurants and other interesting structures like the Al Jazeera Tower.
Special Thanks to the Von Roll VR 101 Skyrides and the Disneyland Skyway page on FB for use of the video clips!
Pennsylvania - (1/17/2025) We’ve all heard stories about people who build backyard roller coasters, but now a man in Pennsylvania has taken that concept to the next level by refurbishing and rebuilding an actual commercial brand roller coaster, along with other assortment amusement attractions on his property for his grandchildren to enjoy. Follow the link and meet Michael Chorba, who bought and fully refurbished a small kiddie coaster from the ground up. Chorba compared this to how others choose to restore classic cars in their spare time, but he admits his hobby is a lot more fun.
On his property he already has several other attractions, including an Allan Hershchell Carrousel, but the roller coaster is his newest project that he has been working on since 2023. Unfortunately, local zoning laws are causing some issues now, as the land is only zoned for agricultural use currently, and he awaits a hearing to find out if he can keep the coaster or not. If things go south, he’ll have to take it down and try to find a new owner willing to buy it, but based on how good it looks, I somehow don’t think he’ll have much of a problem.
(7/4/2024) I haven’t heard if this project was ever given approval to move forward, but a reader forwarded an article about a plan proposed earlier this year to build the “Esplanade” on a 15-acre site in Pittsburgh that would feature a 180 foot tall Ferris Wheel. The Esplanade project has been kicking around in different forms since before the pandemic, but it was mentioned that the developer was expecting to finally seek permission to move forward on this mixed-use project that would also feature 400 apartments, a riverfront amphitheater and a variety of restaurants and retail locations. The choice of including a Ferris wheel here is an important one to the locale, as George Ferris, the inventor of the attraction, lived in a home only about a mile from the proposed waterside location.
South Carolina - (12/22/2024) A new post on FB by Midway Mayhem shows off a collection of blue roller coaster track freshly delivered to Frankie’s location in Greenville, SC. According to the post, this is for a new SBF-Visa family “Spinning Coaster” to open in 2025.
If you haven’t heard of Frankie’s, they are an up and coming collection of large scale FEC centers in the North and South Carolina region, with locations also in Charlotte, Raleigh, Charleston and Columbia. The offerings at each location are different, but typically they feature a large arcade, mini-golf, go-karts, a few small outdoor flat rides (and the occasional indoor ride) as well as laser tag, VR games, XD experiences, bowling and more. The chain started to expand their offerings a couple of years ago when they also added an SBF-Visa Spinning Coasters to the Raleigh location in 2023 and Columbia in 2024.
(10/30/2024) The Funplex amusement complex in Myrtle Beach has announced on their website that they have now closed down for good. Having just opened in 2021, this was a short run for the new attraction, as the company will now focus their efforts to continue to run the other two Funplex attractions in Mount Laurel and East Hanover, New Jersey.
(9/2/2024) Readers who visit the Myrtle Beach area may recall that a Simpsons themed attraction (4D Theater) with an attached Kwik-E-Mart gift-shop soft opened in April 2019 at Broadway at the Beach. After a 5 year run, apparently it seems the attraction shut down sometime in mid to late April (probably shortly after Spring Break).
The closure was apparently a bit sudden as Broadway at the Beach’s website was still reporting that it was an active attraction for much of the summer, and guests that arrived claimed that while the doors were closed the Kwik-E-Mart seemed to still be fully stocked and Squishee drink machines were seen to still be swirling away the frosty beverages in the darkness.
As most of you are aware, Disney closed the deal to purchase 20th Century Fox in 2019, and they never would have approved of this deal, so I’m sure there was a rush to get the Myrtle Beach attraction open as soon as possible. Given the timeline, I’m guessing they may have only had a 5-year licensing deal in place, with plans to re-new it if the attraction proved to be successful in South Carolina, which may have been the reason for closing everything while leaving it ready to open for so long, if they were attempting to negotiate or even legally wrangle with Disney to keep whatever IP renewal options they thought they had in place.
Now that Labor Day weekend is coming to a close, marking the end of the summer, a new picture from Myrtle Beach has surfaced on social media showing that all the Simpsons themed branding on the outside of the attraction had been completely removed. Now your only way to see what it looked like to walk-up to it is through the magic of Google Maps.
South Dakota - (2/14/2025) The latest news about the proposed Libertyland project in South Dakota is that Storyland Studios is now seeking “entertainment developers” for Phase One of Libertyland which is now said to include an attraction, retail, dining and entertainment complex. While they don’t have many details to share yet about this Liberyland “RDE district”, they did mention that they are already working with Dynamic Attractions on a year-round indoor attraction that will be located in the heart of this area.
This immediately brings to mind another such development in Pigeon Forge that has proven to be very popular… The Island. If you’ve never been, “The Island in Pigeon Forge” features a popular mix of retail shopping, fun restaurants, arcades, escape rooms, moonshine tastings, and several rides and attractions, including the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel and appropriately also features a year-round indoor attraction created and operated by Dynamic Attractions… the SkyFly Soar America flying theater.
While previously I’ve been a bit on the critical side of things due to the developer seeming to be more focused on building an RV parks in Phase One rather than an actual attraction, I can see a development more akin to The Island actually working out as a much better starting point of the proposed Libertyland attraction complex.
(9/28/2024) We haven't really heard anything about this proposed new amusement park in quite some time, but the local news has posted a small update about the planned Liberty Land park for Rapid City, South Dakota. The last actual movement on the project that we heard about was when the site was officially rezoned at the end 2022 to a mixed-use plan to allow for the project to move forward.
According to the update, no breaking of ground has occurred yet, but the development plans for the 300-acre property are still said to be moving forwards, which will include not only the amusement park, but a concert amphitheater, indoor waterpark, a restaurant and retail center and… an “RV Resort”.
Ooof! There is the big red flag for me.
While I don’t have a problem with RV parks in general, whenever they are brought up as part of a development plan to build a new theme park resort, things just never go well and most of the time the planned parks are never built. Or at least that has been my experience in covering theme park news on Screamscape now for over 25 years. They say that the “phase one” of construction on the Liberty Land project isn’t expected to be complete until at least 2030 at this point, but they also fail to mention exactly what is included in this “Phase One”. If Phase One ends up being the RV Park… you can probably kiss this entire project goodbye, as the entirely proposal to build the theme park usually turns out to have been nothing more than a smoke and mirrors attempt to misguide everyone that a developer’s plan to really just build an RV Park would somehow turn into something far more grandiose that will never get built once they get what they really want out of it.
I hope I’m wrong here, but... we’ll just have to wait and see how things go, especially if they reveal more details about what they prioritize as Phase One.
(11/22/2023) An interesting mixed-use concept called Libertyland USA Theme Park & Resort has been proposed for Black Hills, South Dakota. A link about the project has been posted to the Storyland Studios website, where they describe features like the theme park, a residential district, a retail & dining area, a 300-room hotel with an indoor waterpark and a nearby RV park and campground.
They aren’t real clear on the timeline for this project, which probably means that things are still pretty fluid right now and very much in the blue-sky design phase. According to a local news report however a developer associated with the project tnear Rapids City mentioned a 2026 opening date, but the last actual movement on the project came in November 2022 when a parcel of property that appears to be part of this project was approved for re-zoning. At the time of the 2022 re-zoning request, the developers said that the project would be built up in two phases, with a completion not expected until 2030.
So with a new 2026 being mentioned, this may perhaps be the goal they are shooting for to open the first phase, though we don’t know exactly what sections of the resort property that entails at this time.
Texas - (3/29/2025) Over the years you’ve likely seen how the various Gaylord resort hotels feature themed ‘ICE’ displays each winter season that are quite unique and entertainment. Now it seems that Gaylord has teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences to try out something new this summer with the first “Universe of Light” attraction coming to the Gaylord Texan Resort from May 23 to Sept. 1, 2025.
The new walk-through attraction will bring the world of the DC Comics super heroes and villains to life through the use of over 1000 crafted lanterns from master artisans in China. The lantern displays will be themed to various environments from the Comics, such as Batman’s Gotham City, Superman’s Metropolis or Wonder Woman’s Themyscira.
I’m not entirely sure just what this will look like, but they say that concept is based in a 1,000 year old Chinese tradition where hand shaped frames are draped in colorful silks and illuminated with thousands of LED lights. Based on the images I’ve found below where it looks like some of the DC characters are in the process of being created, it very much seems to resemble the same feel of the annual ICE sculpture, but without the freezing cold.
(2/23/2025) A new hologram zoo experience has now opened in Austin, Texas under the name Zoocade. The mission of the attraction is to offer a zoo-like educational experience about animals, without the need for housing any actual live animals on-site. The attraction features a 60+ foot long holographic tunnel that guests pass through while wearing 3D glasses in order to experience one of three different themed projection experiences: Africa, Australia and Dinosaurs.
(2/21/2025) The owners of the Kalahari indoor waterpark resorts may be looking to North Texas as the location for their next resort. This wouldn’t be the first Kalahari in Texas, as that honor goes to the one in Round Rock (just north of Austin, TX), but according to this story the company may be in talks to build something in Allen, to the north of Dallas, just past Plano.
Why Allen, TX? I suspect that being about a 15 mile drive away from Frisco, Texas may have something to do with that, and the new Universal Kids Resort theme park project opening in 2026.
(12/13/2024) MSN reports that the city of Dallas, Texas has purchased the local Adventure Landing FEC for about $13.7 million. The long term goal will be to transform the 13.5 acre property into as new community park, while still preserving some of the existing attractions.
For the time being Adventure Landing itself will continue to operate and be managed by the current management team, while the nearby soccer fields will be public amenities to be maintained by the city’s Parks & Rec department.
(12/1/2024) While I’m unable to fact-check this myself, a post on Reddit claims that during an ACE event at ZDT last month the family owners of ZDT mentioned a plan to “retire soon”, and to do so they would be looking to sell the park to someone else to run. If they are unable to sell the park, they would then look into selling off the rides to new homes and eventually selling off the property. According to the post the asking price for the Switchback is said to be about $3.1 million, but of course that price would not include the cost of transporting it to a new home or the cost of assembly.
ZDT has been a family owned and operated attraction, where it has been said that Danny Donhauser, the owner, does the majority of the daily maintenance on the Switchback himself. So if the Donhauser family is ready to retire, it would explain a lot about what may be going on there.
(11/30/2024) If you find yourself in Texas anywhere near San Antonio, you might want to venture a bit east to check out the ZDT Amusement Park, which is about a 50 minute drive from either Six Flags Fiesta Texas or SeaWorld San Antonio. The smallish ZDT is perhaps most well known as being home to the unique Switchback wooden coaster, which may be the only wooden shuttle coaster in existence, created by The Gravity Group.
While the Switchback quietly opened in 2015, it might not get to celebrate a 10th birthday next year, as it was reported at IAAPA that the Switchback was being listed as being up for sale at The Gravity Groups tradeshow booth. The exact reasons for the sale aren’t known, though it is thought that the rising maintenance costs involved with keeping Switchback open may have simply become too much for the small attraction to continue to support going forward.
To get a great look at this unique attraction, that features both a traditional lift hill and a spike-track at the end, using a unique track switch to allow for the train to return to the station, check out the POV video below.
(10/27/2024) Good news, as The Grinch is coming to San Antonio this winter as part of a new seasonal “ICE!” event happening at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country resort. You may recall hearing about the ICE! display events as an exclusive attraction to the various Gaylord Resorts around the country for a number of years. Marriott purchased the chain back in 2012 and I’m not sure exactly what took them so long, but it looks like this may be the first time one of the Gaylord style “ICE!” events is happening at a Marriott branded resort. (Please correct me if I’m wrong on that point, as I don’t recall seeing one anywhere else since Marriott bought the resort chain.)
If you’ve never been before, the resorts bring in a team artists who carve fantastic worlds and characters out of giant blocks of ice, building a colorful display within an enclosed environment chilled just below freezing. All Guests are outfitted with a parka as they step inside frozen wonderlands that have new themes each season!
For those in Texas, the Gaylord Texas resort to the north will also have their own ICE! display this year with a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer theme. Outside of Texas, you can also enjoy “Ice!” displays themed to Charlie Brown at the Gaylord National (Maryland), Elf at the Gaylord Palms (Orlando), Frosty the Snowman at the Gaylord Opryland (Nashville), and The Polar Express at the Gaylord Rockies (Denver).
Utah - (1/12/2025) An all new and very immersive experience has opened in Utah called Dreamwalk Park. Located in University Place in Orem, the attraction has been described as a place where Sci-Fi, Mythology and Filmmaking combined to create an “otherworldly” experience.
Based on the video showcasing the initial phase of the attraction that is now open, it looks like they have created something along the lines of a visit to a Meow Wolf location, but with a bit more of a serious Sci-Fi vibe, and a little less of the wacky or weird. Guests can gain access into Dreamwalk with a Portal Jumper card that will give you access through the attraction via small card reader stations along the way.
This is just the start for Dreamwalk, as the have the available space and plans in mind to see the attraction grow and expand over time to offer all new fresh experiences. Visit the official site to find out more about how you can visit yourself.
(1/5/2025) A new multi-level Jurassic themed attraction has now opened in Utah? Yes… Mountain America at Thanksgiving Point (Lehi, Utah - halfway between Salt Lake City and Provo) has transformed a former IMAX theater building into the six-story Jurassic Jungle prehistoric playground.
(7/27/2024) A new post from The Crooked Lantern reveals more details about what is being planned. For those wondering, they confirmed it is not a new park, but rather an attempt “to keep the heart of Evermore alive”, they will recreate The Crooked Lantern Tavern in a NEW location somewhere in Utah. The site has not been announced, but construction on the new Tavern is said to begin next week and we expect it to open in 2025.
(6/14/2024) The former social media pages for EVERMORE have now been renamed for “The Crooked Lantern Tavern” (FB and IG), a popular location within the former Evermore park realm. According to the first new post on FB:
“As the portal closes and the magic of Evermore Park fades, a Sparc still remains. It is small and unstable, but there is hope. Something has endured in the most unlikely of places: The Crooked Lantern Tavern.”
There is also a link to www.crookenlantern.com on the page’s bio, but no website has been uploaded at this time, so keep an eye out for it.
West Virginia - (1/28/2025) What I believe is the first Mountain Coaster in West Virginia is nearing completion at the Brushcreek Falls RV Resort in Mercer County. A reader sent in a link showing off some construction progress on the attraction from last summer, and I’ve found a few news articles during the fall that seemed to think it was going to open before the end of 2024. Unfortunately the official Brushcreek Falls website has no mention of it yet, so we can only assume it has not been cleared to open yet.
The latest mention I can find was on the their FB page at the start of January where the opening has been updated to Spring 2025.
Washington - (3/31/2024) By the end of the year Seattle will become home to a new escape room experience themed to the Tomb Raider video game and film franchise. The new attraction comes as part of a partnership between the video game developer, Crystal Dynamics, and Hourglass Attractions. Players will be asked to join Laura Croft as she explores the depths of a new mysterious temple that had emerged out of a volcano. Look for it to open by the end of the year on the Seattle waterfront near Pike Place Market.
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