originally posted on 3/11/2022
Image: Courtesy of Hersheypark. View full-sized image.
Jolly Rancher Remix: Hersheypark Sweetens a ‘90s Favorite
Hersheypark (Hershey, Pennsylvania) announced a reimagining of the park’s Vekoma boomerang roller coaster, Sidewinder. Jolly Rancher Remix will be a welcome change to the Pioneer Frontier section of the park. The new experience is set to take guests on a flavor ride with colorful track, scents, and sweet tunes — all themed around the Jolly Rancher franchise. With randomized effects like scents, lights and music, each ride is themed to a different flavor of Jolly Rancher candy, making each trip different from the last! Late in the 2021 season, fans began to take note of the coaster’s new lime green track with multicolored supports. The bright paint scheme, unique candy theme and thrilling ride elements should lead to a great overall experience. The newly themed coaster is expected to be ready for guests in the summer of 2022. To accent the change, a new Zamperla Nebulaz attraction called Mix’d will be placed right in front of the boomerang element on the coaster.
Now You See Me: High Roller
Photo: Courtesy of Maurer Rides. View full-sized image.
John Wick: Open Contract
Photo: Courtesy of Lions Gate Entertainment. View full-sized image.
Motiongate Opens Not One, But Two New Thrill Coasters
Originally planned for the now-canceled Six Flags Dubai project, Now You See Me: High Roller and John Wick: Open Contract, a Maurer spinning coaster and an S&S Sansei 4D Freespin coaster, respectively, opened at Motiongate (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) in late January. American coasters like Undertow (Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk) or Laff Trakk (Hersheypark) are the same style as High Roller, but the Dubai model is a custom design. High Roller looks to provide a family-friendly yet still exciting ride experience, distinct from any other ride at the park. The second coaster added, Open Contract, is identical to the American Freespin coasters seen across the Six Flags chain (often under the name of The Joker). What makes Open Contract special, however, is the cityscape-like theming surrounding the ride. The attraction is almost encased by a building façade. Both coasters look to have great theming and diverse ride experiences, benefiting Motiongate’s ride lineup.
Photo: Dan McPartland. View full-sized image.
Medusa Enacts Revenge on Great Adventure’s Bizarro
Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, New Jersey) announced the retheming of Bizarro, the world’s first Bolliger & Mabillard floorless coaster. The ride is being rethemed back to its original storyline of Medusa, just with a slightly different color scheme and themed backstory. Originally opening in 1999 under the name Medusa, with a bright yellow-green track and purple supports, the ride is returning to its opening day look — with a few changes. This time around, the ride will be receiving dark orange supports and forest green track. It will also receive a new mining backstory with enhanced theming details. Although Bizarro had some fun theming elements like flamethrowers, mist and lighting, the change will definitely enhance the appearance of the attraction.
Cascabel, La Feria Chapultepec Mágico.
Photo: Cheri Armstrong. View full-sized image.
From Kennywood to Mexico to New York: Niagara Amusement Park’s New Coaster Surely Travels Back and Forth.
Niagara Amusement Park (Grand Island, New York) has acquired a new coaster. The yet-to-be-named coaster is a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop, featuring a vertical loop, two spikes, and both forward and backward motion. The ride first operated at Kennywood (West Mifflin, Pennsylvania) before being relocated to La Feria Chapultepec Mágico (Mexico City, Mexico), where it operated until the park closed in 2019. The ride was then purchased by IB Parks, the company that owns Niagara Amusement Park. It’s always a treat when an amusement park rescues a classic ride that would otherwise be scrapped or not in operation. The lack of an official announcement regarding the ride leads to speculation on whether the coaster will make its debut in 2022 or 2023.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.
The Verdict Is In: Judge Roy Scream Is Sentenced to Retracking
The out-and-back wooden coaster at Six Flags Over Texas, Judge Roy Scream, is undergoing intense refurbishment to improve the ride experience. Six Flags is currently retracking the ride layout to provide a smoother ride for guests and keep the classic in tip-top shape. Opened in 1980, the coaster will be celebrating 42 years of operation in 2022. The park’s work on the ride is expected to end soon so that the ride will reopen this spring.
— Compiled by Josh Brown
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