amusement parks

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Disney Is Going Big With Park Expansions

'Frozen' attraction opens in Hong Kong as part of a $60B expansion over a decade

(Newser) - Hong Kong's Disneyland opened its first Frozen-themed attraction on Monday, with thousands of eager visitors turning up to experience the new rides, some lining up for hours to get an early start. Based on Disney's wildly popular Frozen animated film, the new section of the park features landscapes...

Park Patrons Get More Thrills Than They Bargained For

Riders on Canada's Wonderland Lumberjack attraction dangled upside down for 25 minutes

(Newser) - Thrill-seekers at a Canadian amusement park got more thrills than they bargained for over the weekend when the ride they were on came to an abrupt halt, leaving them dangling upside down for nearly 30 minutes. CP24 reports the apparent malfunction happened Saturday night at Canada's Wonderland, located in...

Roller Coaster Shut Down After Video Reveals a Crack
Man Records Frightening
Video of This Park Ride
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Man Records Frightening Video of This Park Ride

Clip shows now-shuttered roller coaster at North Carolina's Carowinds with crack in support beam

(Newser) - A popular roller coaster at a North Carolina amusement park has been shut down indefinitely after a patron in the parking lot spotted something terrifying. Carowinds, located in Charlotte, said in a Sunday statement that its Fury 325 ride— billed on its site as the "tallest, fastest, longest giga...

Boy Banned From Amusement Park, the Hard Way

NC amusement park has to rescue 13-year-old stuck in claw machine

(Newser) - The 13-year-old boy had his eyes on the prize, but the problem that amusement park officials had was that he had his body inside the claw machine in his attempt to swipe it. Officials at Carowinds park in North Carolina found the unnamed teenager trapped in a claw machine, which...

Popular Disney Ride Has Closed, and It's Getting 'Weird'
Popular Disney Ride Has
Closed, and It's Getting 'Weird'
in case you missed it

Popular Disney Ride Has Closed, and It's Getting 'Weird'

People are hawking water they say is from Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain for thousands of dollars

(Newser) - Splash Mountain has officially gone dry, at least for now. The popular log-flume ride in Disney World's Magic Kingdom, which opened in 1992, transported its last fans on Sunday, with the theme park shuttering the attraction to work on a reimagining of it. The new incarnation, set to open...

430-Foot Ride Will Be Taken Down After Teenager's Death

Ride operator says decision is in keeping with wishes of Tyre Sampson's family

(Newser) - Update: A Florida attraction from which a 14-year-old boy fell to his death in March is being dismantled, the ride's operator announced Thursday. The death of Tyre Sampson is the reason, CNN reports. ICON Park said it appreciated the decision by the operator, Orlando Slingshot, to take down the...

Sesame Place: Viral Parade Video Not What It Looks Like

Rosita did not purposely ignore Black girls, theme park says

(Newser) - In a video shared widely on social media, a Sesame Place employee dressed as the Sesame Street character Rosita appears to ignore two young Black girls as they reached out to her. Worse, she first appears to waggle her fingers 'no' at them before moving on, and their mother...

Park, Ride Manufacturer Sued Over Fatal Fall

14-year-old's parents argue negligence in Florida case

(Newser) - The parents of Tyre Sampson, who was killed in a fall from a ride in Orlando, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against ICON Park, the ride's owner and manufacturer, and others. The 14-year-old from St. Louis died last month after falling from the 430-foot Free Fall ride. The...

'I Can Ride,' Teen Exclaimed Moments Before Death

Cousin Shay Johnson recalls her last conversation with Tyre Sampson

(Newser) - Tyre Sampson was turned away from rides during his visit to Orlando's ICON Park, just not the one that killed him. That's according to his cousin, Shay Johnson, who dropped off the 14-year-old at the amusement park on Thursday. She tells Spectrum News 13 that he wanted to...

Boy Killed in Fall From Ride Exceeded Weight Limit

Manual for Orlando ride gives max weight as 287 pounds; Tyre Sampson reportedly weighed 340

(Newser) - The 14-year-old boy who died after a fall from a 430-foot drop tower ride at Orlando's ICON Park "fell right out of the seat" as the plunging 30-seat circular vehicle started braking, according to a 911 call. "The thing went down the drop, and like when it...

Teen Dies in Fall From World's Tallest Drop Tower

'Everyone was just panicking and screaming,' Orlando witness says

(Newser) - A 14-year-old boy has died after a horrifying fall from a ride that was billed as "the world's tallest free-standing drop tower" when it opened in Orlando in December. Witnesses say they saw the teen fall from the 430-foot Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park Thursday night, Fox...

Parents Take Action After Girl's Horrific Death on Ride

They say Glenwood Caverns' recklessness is to blame

(Newser) - Update: The parents of the 6-year-old girl who died while reportedly unrestrained on a Colorado thrill ride that drops 110 feet in three seconds are suing the amusement park where she died. The lawsuit alleges Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park's recklessness caused Wongel Estifanos' death, the AP reports. It also...

Roller Coaster Shuts After Riders Report Broken Bones

Japan's Do-Dodonpa roller coaster goes from zero to 112mph in 1.56 seconds

(Newser) - A roller coaster that can go from zero to 112mph in 1.56 seconds: What could go wrong? Something, perhaps. The Do-Dodonpa roller coaster at the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park in Japan has been indefinitely put on ice while officials investigate whether riders sustained injuries because of it—and fairly...

Woman Waiting to Ride Roller Coaster Hit by 'Metal Object'

Top Thrill Dragster, world's 2nd-tallest roller coaster, shut down at Ohio's Cedar Point

(Newser) - The world's second-tallest roller coaster won't open again this year after a person standing in line was hit in the head by a metal object that flew off the ride last weekend at Cedar Point amusement park. The 420-foot-tall Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster will remain closed as...

Man Dies After 50-Foot Fall From Amusement Park Ride

He was seen hanging from front of chair lift at Lagoon Amusement Park in Utah

(Newser) - A 32-year-old man has died after a 50-foot fall from a ride at an amusement park in Utah—but there's no sign there was any problem with the ride. Disturbing video provided to Fox 13 shows the man dangling from the bar on the front of the chair lift...

Rafting Ride Accident at Theme Park Leaves One Dead

4 had been hospitalized after raft overturned Saturday at Adventureland Park in Altoona, Iowa

(Newser) - A holiday weekend outing at an Iowa amusement park has left one dead and three others hospitalized after an accident on one of the rides. WHO13 reports that the incident on the Raging River attraction happened Saturday evening, with the park noting in a statement that a raft on the...

Tallest Single-Rail Coaster Is a Devilish 'Scream Machine'

Jersey Devil coaster features 87-degree drop from 130 feet

(Newser) - Six Flags Great Adventure has a devilish desire to draw people out of their homes with what it claims is the fastest, tallest and longest single rail coaster in the world. The Jersey Devil Coaster, which opened at the New Jersey park on Sunday, immediately brings riders to the top...

Disney Park Guests May Have to Use Their Indoor Voices

Trade group advises no shouting or singing when Disneyland reopens April 30

(Newser) - Disneyland and California Adventure plan to end their lockdown of more than a year on April 30. "It's been a long, long time since we've been able to create magic for our guests," said chief executive Bob Chapek, "and put our cast members back to...

Japan Theme Parks Can Reopen, But Screaming Is Banned

Haunted house ghosts should maintain social distancing, according to new guidelines

(Newser) - Riders may soon be able to enjoy the terrifying Takabashi ride at Japan's Fuji-Q Highland amusement park again—but they will be urged to wear masks and refrain from screaming during its 121-degree drop. The country's theme park operators have released new guidelines for reopening as Japan eases...

Family Night Out Turns Tragic
Family Night Out Turns Fatal

Family Night Out Turns Fatal

An unidentified girl was flung from a "Scrambler" ride in New Jersey

(Newser) - Tragedy struck a New Jersey amusement park Saturday when a 10-year-old girl was ejected from a ride and killed, Newsweek reports. The unidentified victim lay motionless amid distraught family members, per a witness, and was pronounced dead that evening at a hospital. "We are absolutely heartbroken," says the...

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