In the 1990s and 2000s, few rides summed up the iconic Universal Studios experience like the classic opening day attraction Jaws. One of the first attractions a guest would see as they entered the park, Jaws combined exhilarating thrills with immersive theming and of course the very real possibility of getting soaked (it was aContinue reading “Jaws: the thrilling history of an iconic Universal attraction”
Tag Archives: theme park rides
Magic and History: The oldest theme parks around the world
Amusement/theme parks have been entertaining families and thrillseekers for generations, evolving over the years to feature newer, smoother and better themed attractions. But some of these parks we know and love today are older than you’d expect- some even date back to the 1840s! Many of the world’s oldest theme parks elaborate histories with remnantsContinue reading “Magic and History: The oldest theme parks around the world”
Rides That Never Left The Drawing Board- Part 2 (Non-Disney)
If you read our previous post on Disney rides and attractions that were designed but never built, you’ll know that many attractions go through a few different drafts of an idea before finally building something. Parks outside of Disney (and maybe Universal) don’t do this as much, generally speaking, but it does still happen fromContinue reading “Rides That Never Left The Drawing Board- Part 2 (Non-Disney)”
Rides That Never Left The Drawing Board- Part 1 (Disney Parks)
It takes years for a new ride or attraction to be constructed, from the initial planning permissions being submitted and approved, to the announcements and teasers, to construction then finally a grand opening. But some rides never get off the ground, with plans being kept in storage or scrapped altogether. Join me in exploring whatContinue reading “Rides That Never Left The Drawing Board- Part 1 (Disney Parks)”
Walt Disney World’s Most Underrated Rides- a collab with Coaster Sam Blog
Disney theme parks have been bringing the magic to guests since 1955, opening a multitude of new, immersive attractions at locations around the world. It’s always exciting when a new ride opens for the first time, but this has a downside too- existing rides, so matter how iconic, loved or nostalgic they are, can beginContinue reading “Walt Disney World’s Most Underrated Rides- a collab with Coaster Sam Blog”
The Vekoma SLC- cloneable success or painful failure?
They’re some of the most well-known rides in the theme park industry, loved by much of the general public but hated by enthusiasts. The first Vekoma SLC, or Suspended Looping Coaster opened at Walibi Holland in 1994, and since then the Dutch ride manufacturer has continued to build SLCs, up until 2017 when the lastContinue reading “The Vekoma SLC- cloneable success or painful failure?”
Arrow Masterpieces from Around The World
November 1945 was the beginning of something incredible for the amusement park industry, which then was practically non-existent, other than a few regional parks temporarily closed (that sounds all too familiar!) due to the Second World War. In a small workshop in Northern California, engineers Karl Bacon and Ed Morgan began a machine shop, andContinue reading “Arrow Masterpieces from Around The World”
The World’s Worst Coaster Names
Some theme parks and companies come up with coolly creative names for their rides, and some just… don’t. From Big Worm Inertia Train to the Farting Dog coaster, here are some of the worst names parks actually chose to give to their rides
The Secret Formula: the success and sad removal of Chessington’s Bubbleworks
Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, attraction designers like John Wardley were working hard to bring the American concept of a theme park to the UK, and a lot of the parks we know and love today, Thorpe Park, Chessington, Alton Towers and more, were all being redeveloped or built to fit into thisContinue reading “The Secret Formula: the success and sad removal of Chessington’s Bubbleworks”
The Thorpe Fire of 2000- the event that changed the park forever
The aims, target audience and actions of all theme parks and park companies are largely influenced by past events, some more than others. Sometimes these events will only affect small aspects of the park, such as a ride closing or being rethemed, but occasionally they can change the future of the park and it’s ownersContinue reading “The Thorpe Fire of 2000- the event that changed the park forever”
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