originally posted on 8/3/2019
POSTED AUGUST 3
You Can Stop Dreaming — Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park at American Dream Mall Will Open This Fall at Last
American Dream (East Rutherford, New Jersey) is nearing its debut, with the date promised and locked in as October 25, 2019. The mega retail and entertainment complex will kick off with some high-profile attractions ready to go at last, such as its waterpark, an indoor snow sports center and a fully enclosed amusement park.
That park, the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park — at more than eight acres in size — will boast the title of the largest indoor amusement park in the United States. It will be home to five coasters, all steel. Two are world record holders. The seven-inversion, 142-foot-tall Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Shellraiser (from Gerstlauer) will have a maximum incline of 121.5 degrees and thus claim to be the steepest roller coaster in the world. The 1,322-foot-long Shredder (also courtesy of Gerstlauer) will be the longest spinning roller coaster in the world. Tracks for Shredder and Shellraiser will be intertwined.
The linear synchronous motor (LSM)-launched Sandy's Blasting Bronco will be an Intamin thrill coaster, while the family-oriented Slime Streak is a Chance Rides creation. The fifth, an as-yet-unnamed coaster joining the new park’s coaster arsenal, will be a Surfrider-model LSM launch shuttle from Intamin.
The megamall project has taken years to build since it was first proposed in 2003. The promised opening has been delayed and pushed back repeatedly. When completed, American Dream will comprise approximately 3 million square feet and contain hundreds of retail outlets (more than 500 stores are planned), dining options, entertainment venues, as well as 20-plus full-service restaurants, a 300-foot-tall observation (Ferris) wheel, a performing arts center and a Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life Aquarium.
Photo: Jason Pennypacker. View full-sized image.
Photo: Jason Pennypacker. View full-sized image.
Ireland’s Tayto Park “Coaster 2021” Plans Suffer Setback
Though Tayto Park (Ashborne, Meath, Ireland) secured planning permission from the local county council earlier this year to move ahead with its plans to build an “iconic” steel coaster, set to open in 2021 (thus the project’s name “Coaster 2021”), an appeals board overseeing planning decisions has just voted against the park’s new coaster intentions. According to The Irish Times, four local residents claimed that the anticipated screaming by passengers on the intended coaster would increase noise disturbance in the area. The local resident objectors contended that "although, the new roller coaster is ‘electric’ and may not produce the same rattle, it will inevitably bring the noise of participants screaming every time it is in use."
The board made its decision following a recommendation from its inspector to refuse permission. In the inspector’s onsite assessment, she noted the “rattling” and “screaming” sounds from the park’s existing Cú Chulainn roller coaster. The potential noise issue is probably of most interest to enthusiasts, but the appeals board’s refusal also mentioned that there was a risk of flooding at the site of the planned development and that the new coaster might have “a significant adverse effect” on the River Nanny Estuary and Shore Special Protection Area, a European Union protected site.
Tayto Park, in response to the denial decision, said that it was very disappointed by the refusal and went on to say, “We believe that our planning application and response to the objections raised addressed every concern.” Tayto Park said that the proposed €14-million development entailing “two roller coasters in one” combining and interweaving an inverted coaster and a sit-down shuttle (see ACE News, Nuts and Bolts, May 3) would now be delayed.
Photo: Courtesy Tayto Park. View full-sized image.
Photo: Alex Rigsby. View full-sized image.
SeaWorld San Antonio Constructing Wooden Coaster for 2020
The structure has risen for all eyes to see, and there’s no mistaking that it’s a wooden roller coaster, with a steel support structure, and it’s going up at SeaWorld San Antonio (Texas).
Footings were in place by this spring, with the above-ground building starting in June. Construction has continued through this summer, as the lift hill has appeared to top out now — estimates have guessed it to be around 90 feet in height.
The park is currently saying little to nothing. All they’ve teased is a very brief video wherein the promise is SeaWorld will be “going deep in 2020!”
Video: Courtesy SeaWorld San Antonio.
SeaWorld fans are preoccupied trying to figure out what “going deep” means. Assuming the teaser is referring to the new coaster, does it then hint the ride will go underground, in a tunnel or underwater? Who knows?
Well, SeaWorld does. So ACE News contacted them, in case, maybe, they’d care to admit to something — you never know. It was suggested that it’s obvious they are building a wooden coaster. A few of the rumors circulating were even tossed out — e.g., that it’ll be named Abyss (as in a deep gulf, hole or space, maybe underwater), or that the ride is being built by Great Coasters International, and/or that the coaster might dive or submerge or tunnel in some fashion — all in hopes it might nudge the park into some confirmations or denials.
Chuck Cureau, marketing leader at the park, was kind enough to get back to ACE. He remarked, “Thank you for your interest in our new attraction. I think it is safe to say that your assumption about it being a coaster is correct. We have not yet released the details of the attraction, however, and are excited to add a little suspense! How tall is it? How fast will it go? What is the theme? What will it be called? (We’ve also heard the rumors floating out there about the name!) These are great questions, but our coaster enthusiasts will have to wait a little longer to discover the answers. We assure that you’ll be very excited once we make our formal announcement in the upcoming months.”
Fans will have to wait for the official word from the park. In the meantime, visitors can watch the woodie being built. SeaWorld San Antonio is already home to four coasters, all steel (for now). The project will be the first woodie in a SeaWorld park.
Photo: Bobby Nagy. View full-sized image.
Photo: Bryant Yeager. View full-sized image.
POSTED JULY 20
Phoenix Flies at Iowa’s Adventureland
The newest coaster at Adventureland Park (Altoona, Iowa) opened on July 4. Dubbed Phoenix, the Maurer Rides steelie is a 50-foot-tall 1,410-foot-long family-style thriller with four-seater cars (with two riders facing forward and two facing backward) that spin passengers throughout its often highly banked and helixed twisty course.
Coming in at a reported $6 million, Phoenix rises to the occasion, pricelessly increasing the coaster count to six very interesting rides for Adventureland, including three woodies (an impressive number for a midsized and often underappreciated park).
Photo: Courtesy Adventureland. View full-sized image.
Photo: Courtesy Adventureland. View full-sized image.
Desperately Seeking Desperado
The Desperado hypercoaster at Buffalo Bill’s Resort and Casino (Primm, Nevada) did operate over the winter along with the complex’s other amusement attractions. This spring, the resort announced that its rides are now open again (such as the Adventure Canyon Log Flume), but not Desperado. Lately, enthusiasts have been concerned about the fate of the Ron Toomer-designed 209-foot-tall 5,843-foot-long steelie, as it has suffered from a spotty operational history in recent years. That, along with rising concerns over the apparent declining popularity of Buffalo Bill’s, has heightened worries.
A recent contact with the resort confirmed that Desperado is in fact down until further notice — they are unable to state when, or if, the coaster will be running again.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.
Frontier City Gets Frank
Frankie’s Mine Train, a Zamperla family/kiddie steel coaster, opened at Oklahoma City’s Frontier City park this spring. The 262-foot-long steelie debuted along with the opening of the park’s new woodsy-themed kid’s area section, dubbed Timber Town.
Frontier City is now home to five coasters, including the wooden Wildcat and the Schwarzkopf Silver Bullet.
Photo: Ron Jui. View full-sized image.
New Coaster Rises at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
Construction is noticeably under way on Walt Disney World’s new Tron-style coaster, although the attraction is not slated to open until 2021, which is also the 50th anniversary year of the Magic Kingdom. While the ride will be housed mostly indoors, track segments are currently being erected out in the open.
Presumably patterned after the well-reviewed Shanghai (China) Disneyland TRON Lightcycle Power Run coaster (made for Disney by Vekoma in 2016), riders will traverse a twisting course on a high-speed chase sitting in cycle-style vehicles (modeled after those seen in the Tron movies) as they race though immersive lighting effects and video elements.
TRON (the attraction’s official name has not actually been revealed yet) will become the Florida megapark’s fifth coaster, which includes another immersive futuristic coaster attraction, the theme park chain’s original Space Mountain.
Photo: Courtesy Disney. View full-sized image.
Photo: Courtesy MouseSteps. View full-sized image.
Chilly Announcement from SeaWorld Orlando Gets a Warm Reception from Enthusiasts
SeaWorld Orlando (Florida) has announced that a new coaster is coming to the park in 2020. It has released a very brief announcement and video featuring a cold, artic-like snowy mountainous landscape in which bullet-phrases teasing a “cool new roller coaster” will “take flight” to “predatory heights” and offer “plunging” thrills. Intriguing hints therein as to what this ride might involve — but that’s it for what is known so far. Stay warm and stay tuned in the meantime.
— Written and Compiled by Randy Geisler
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