August 29, 2019

Catwoman Whip - New for 2020 (SFSTL)


New Catwoman Themed Ride Catapults Guests into Thrilling Chaos in 2020

(Eureka, Missouri, 8/29/2019) - Six Flags St. Louis, The Coaster Capital of Missouri, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products on behalf of DC Comics, announces the addition of CATWOMAN WHIP to the park's thrill lineup in 2020.


The adventure begins as riders board one of 16 seats, situated in back-to-back groups of 8 on the ends of the ride's massive arm.  This giant arm then launches riders 16-stories into the air, spinning round in a giant vertical circle at speeds up to 52 mph.  The unique open-air pods, where the guest seats are located, have the ability to simultaneously slip guests head-over-heels while the massive arm is in motion creating a one-of-a-kind experience.


"The new CATWOMAN WHIP brings yet another innovative and exhilarating attraction to Six Flags St. Louis in 2020," said Park President Phil Liggett. "This new ride is the first in the park's history to combine height, speed and dual motion to deliver the kind of adrenaline-charged rush our guests have come to expect and that only Six Flags can deliver"


The new ride will be located near the new for 2019 ride, Supergirl Skyflyer in an area formerly housing the now-retired go kart track.  The ride will be included with park admission and is scheduled to open Summer 2020.











August 17, 2019

Riptide Raceway (OOF)


Well the countdown is on for Diamond Head at Oceans of Fun

This original attraction to the park will take its final bow on Labor Day

The slide complex is really crawling to the end.  Only one of the three slides is operational now.  The center slide has actually not been operational for two seasons now.

Are you going to miss this strange incline out of the splash pool next year?

Diamond Head takes up a lot of space - the new Riptide Racer will use the area a little more wisely, which will allow for future additions to utilize this hill as well.

Never forget - feeling like you were going to fall out on this curve.

Here is the load platform.  I would have gone up to get photos but there was a huge line and guests waiting to board did not look happy at the fact that there was only one slide open of the three.

One last look at the crazy curls of Diamond Head

For reference, the new Riptide Racers appears to end where this hill is.  It'll be interesting to see how this entire area is reshaped for the new slides.

World Update (WOF)

The first signs that HAUNT is approaching have arrived at the park

Lots of barrels have appeared on Forum Road, which will be the home to a new scare zone known as "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater" (the barrels might not even be for that - we just thought it was a good segue)

In an interesting move, Bull Pen has been replaced by the Prize Wheel (which used to be a stand-alone game next to the Refresh Stand across the street)

In other HAUNT news, CarnEvil has been officially retired and Khaos Unleashed will be moved to the Festahaus pavilion behind Grand Carrousel this season.  There will be no mazes in Oceans of Fun this year, for the first time since Asylum Island debuted

August 15, 2019

Riptide Raceway - New for 2020 (WOF/OOF)


Oceans of Fun Introduces Riptide Raceway - New Mat Racing Water Slide for 2020


(Kansas City, Missouri, 8/13/2019) – Competition and thrills combine at Oceans of Fun in 2020 when Riptide Raceway debuts next summer at Oceans of Fun water park. Riptide Raceway will take guests five stories high before they speed down four side-by-side tunnels atop a soft foam mat. 

Riders in each lane will race more than 476 feet to be the first to reach the finish line as they make an exhilarating journey down a winding hillside, around a tight 360-degree loop and through a rapid final descent before splashdown. This new slide will be longest mat-racer in the world when completed

This family-friendly ride has been designed to follow the natural terrain of the park’s landscape, and is the first thrill attraction added to the water park since 2013 when Oceans of Fun and Worlds of Fun were conjoined. It will replace Diamond Head, one of the park’s original water slides that opened in 1982; construction will begin this fall after Oceans of Fun closes for the 2019 season and will be ready for guests Summer 2020. 

August 13, 2019

Mystic River Falls - New for 2020 (Silver Dollar City)



Silver Dollar City Announces A Massive New Attraction for 2020 called Mystic River Falls

(Branson, Missouri, 8/13/2019) – Silver Dollar City is making a historic splash starting Fall of 2019 and going through the park’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee of 2020 by investing $27 million into new park offerings. This represents the largest investment, made during a one-year time frame, in the 60-year history of Silver Dollar City. 


Opening next summer is the new Mystic River Falls.  This exhilarating new water raft ride will feature the “Tallest Drop on in the Western Hemisphere.” This addition will take themed water experiences to the next level, setting an ever-higher standard for guest expectations. 


Mystic River Falls, is a $23 million investment.  It will be a River Adventure that is themed to the history and legend of the great Marvel Cave, which was the catalyst for Silver Dollar City six decades ago. Riders will splash through nearly a half-mile (2100’) scenic journey, navigating hairpin turns, high tides and a hidden mine shaft on more than a 5-minute trek. Plus, Adventurers will discover industry-leading special features, including:


82’ Tall Lift Tower 
River Adventurers will ascend a more than 8-story lift tower, exposed to the open air as their rafts rotate during the climb! The rotation elevator lift of 4 platforms is unique to this ride and will be the only one like it in the world to go up so high. 


More than 6-Story Elevated River Channel
Rafts will connect to an elevated river channel suspended in the air 66’ high and travel within the channel for 180 linear feet. 

Grand Finale Waterfall 
Racing down a slide of 4.5 Stories and through the ride’s queue building, River Adventurers will brave the Mystic River Falls finale


Scenic Journey
Riders will splash through nearly a half-mile (2100’) scenic journey on an almost 5 minute long trip


Mystic River Falls calls upon that rich history for theming and backstory, intermingling fact and fiction, legend and lore, to arrive at an attraction that celebrates the spirit of adventure that’s part of Ozark culture. An underground body of water that seems to come from and go nowhere, Mystic River truly appears on the park’s historical maps as discovered and documented by botanist S. Fred Prince in the late 1800s, and to this day, flows in Marvel Cave. For the new ride, guests will be transported back to the 1880s in a storyline that revolves around a historically-based fictional character named Pearl Brazen, an intrepid explorer who’s eager to take them on a bold quest to find the headwaters of the Mystic River.  Mystic River Falls is scheduled to open next summer



Details of the new attraction.
1. Ride Entrance
2. Winding hairpins
3. Elevator lift
4. Elevated trough
5. Waterfall Finale
6. Viewing Platforms behind NEW Rivertown Smokehouse








Rivertown Smokehouse - New for 2020 (SDC)


Silver Dollar City Announces New Restaurants for 2020

(Branson, Missouri, 8/13/2019) – Silver Dollar City is expanding their food offerings in 2020 with the the all-new Rivertown Smokehouse, the largest dining investment in the corporation’s history, 

The new $4 million facility will be located in the brand new Rivertown section of the park.  The Rivertown Smokehouse will serve the park’s famous BBQ along with some new favorites that will debut next season.

The Rivertown Smokehouse will feature and expansive covered dining area that will seat close to 450 guests and give prime viewing of the new Mystic River Falls which is located directly next door.

In addition to the Rivertown Smokehouse, across the pathway will be the home to the new Clara Belle's Cinnamon Bread.  This new home to the park's famous bread will provide a larger area for sales and even indoor seating.

 Both the Rivertown Smokehouse and Clara Belle's Cinnamon Bread are scheduled to open next Spring.


August 10, 2019

Pirates Rollercoaster (Lego Creator)



Today's build is the Lego Creator series Pirates Rollercoaster.  This is the front of the box

The back of the box.  You'll notice this set can actually build three different models and it actually contains the instructions for all three variations.

Unpacking the box, there are lots of bags of supplies and you can see the build manual

The minifigures that come with this set and a cool balloon cart build

First we are going to start by constructing the actual station.  The next few photos will show periodic updates through that stage of the build.




Moving out from the station, a water splash section has been added, which is what that blue section to the left of the station is supposed to be

Next was bracing for the actual track portion of the ride


This is actually the final drop of the ride


The next few photos outline the build for the shipwreck decoration that goes at the top of the final drop


The installed shipwreck at the top of the last drop

This is located at the bracing underneath the elevated curve of the ride


The initial drop of the ride off the lift hill.  You'll notice some themed pieces have been added including a crab, fish and seaweed

This cool themed structure in the shape of a skull is at the top of the lift

Adding the track from the station to the lift

The start of the lift hill.  You'll notice that unlike the CDX models, this particular model does not actually have a working lifthill

A very fun octopus build

It gets installed directly under the lift hill

The track and station are now complete.  The final step here was to add "caps" at the connections between the track pieces to keep them in place.

The train for this ride is very interesting.  I believe they are wanting it to be a shark

The train has been installed and is located in the station.

Time to do some detail shots of the finished product

Station

Control booth

Entrance and ticketing area

Load area

Climbing the lift hill.  You'll notice that the cart hits the skull which then swings to let it pass

Navigating the first dip into the curve

Going around the curve by the shipwreck

Down into the water splash.  They have it set up so that the cart activates the water splash to pop up when it goes through here.  You have to manually reset it

This was a great build.  Lots of detail and just an overall quality product.