themeparknation-blog

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Island in the sky is stuck with riders on it at #legoland @legoland Florida #Fb

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Ford Explorer Now 100 Percent Reinvented in LEGO® Bricks Debuts at Chicago Assembly Plant, Becomes Centerpiece of New Ford Driving School at LEGOLAND® Florida Theme Park

CHICAGO, Sept. 26, 2011 – A unique Ford Explorer rolling off the line today at Chicago Assembly Plant will feature the model’s trademark eye-catching craftsmanship with one notable distinction. This Ford Explorer is created from more than 380,000 LEGO bricks and marks the beginning of a long-term alliance between Ford and LEGOLAND® Florida theme park.

  The bright red LEGOLAND Florida edition Explorer, created by 22 designers, weighs 2,654 pounds and is supported by a 768-pound interior aluminum base.

  The completely reinvented Ford Explorer is a head-turner on its own, of course, blending style, capability and technology with class-leading fuel efficiency. It delivers an EPA-certified 28 mpg on the highway with an all-new EcoBoost® engine.

  After its debut at the historic Chicago plant, which produces the Explorer, the vehicle will be loaded onto a trailer with transparent sides so motorists can see the LEGO Explorer as it makes its way to the new 150-acre LEGOLAND Florida theme park just outside Orlando.

  There it will be featured in front of one of the park’s attractions, the Ford Driving School for children.

  “Ford is excited to support the alliance between LEGOLAND Florida and the Southeast Ford dealers. The LEGOLAND Florida Explorer and the Ford Driving School attraction are great opportunities to showcase our products and safety messages to families and visitors in a unique way,” said Tracy Magee, Ford Experiential Marketing manager.

  LEGOLAND Florida, which opens Oct. 15, will cater to kids ages 2 to 12 with more than 50 family-focused rides, shows and attractions and a historical botanical garden.

  The park, which features exhibits using more than 50 million LEGO bricks, is divided into 10 themed entertainment zones for kids. It allows them to experience different adventures, including the empowering thrill of getting behind the wheel and learning to drive their own vehicle.

  “We’re less than a month from opening and the anticipation level is incredibly high,” said LEGOLAND Florida General Manager Adrian Jones. “This is the only park of its kind in the world built exclusively for kids ages 2 to 12, and it will be a total departure from anything families with young children have seen before. It’s a completely immersive experience, engaging kids’ imaginations and their sense of adventure through interactive play.” 

  Driving through LEGOLAND Florida

The driving school is divided by age. There’s a Ford Junior Driving School for children ages 3 to 5 years old and a Ford Driving School for those ages 6 to 12. The children watch a video with driving instructions and safety tips – starting with the basics like safety belts and the difference between the accelerator and the brake – and move on to stoplights and stop signs. Children then have the opportunity to drive in their own electric vehicles on curbed roads with maximum speed limits of 3 mph.

  With its detailed LEGO theme, the attraction is designed to give children the experience of driving in a real-world neighborhood.

  While the children are behind the wheel, park employees known as “model citizens” are nearby to ensure the experience stays positive. After the drive is complete, the children are issued their own Ford Driving School license.

  The school was the brainchild of Florida-area Ford dealers that worked with LEGOLAND Florida management, and is designed to introduce the fun and responsibility of driving skills to children.

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Cedar Fair to Sell California's Great America Park for $70 Million

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cedar Fair (NYSE: FUN), a leader in regional amusement parks, water parks and active entertainment, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its California's Great America amusement park, located in Santa Clara, California, to JMA Ventures, LLC ("JMA") for $70 million in cash. The Company, which purchased the park in 2006, expects to use the cash proceeds from this sale to reduce its senior secured debt.

"Our decision to divest of our California's Great America park was not an easy one," said Dick Kinzel, Cedar Fair's chief executive officer. "This is a quality park that has terrific employees and serves a strong market.  That being said, as part of our regular comprehensive review of our portfolio of parks, we determined that divesting a smaller park like California's Great America at an attractive market value created a compelling business opportunity that we couldn't pass up.  Among other things, it provides us the opportunity to immediately de-lever our balance sheet resulting in additional financial flexibility for growth and unitholder value creation in the future. California's Great America and its employees have always demonstrated tremendous capability in providing its customers with the highest level of family entertainment in the northern California region.  I'm confident the park and its employees will continue to thrive under the ownership of JMA."

"As we look toward 2012, we are building significant momentum for Cedar Fair to deliver consistent and meaningful distributions to our unitholders," said Matt Ouimet, Cedar Fair's president. "At the same time, we remain committed to driving top-line growth through a combination of new rides and attractions, marketing initiatives and related strategic expansion around our entire portfolio of premier entertainment venues. The divestiture of California's Great America will provide us with additional financial flexibility earlier than anticipated to achieve these goals and maintain Cedar Fair's position as one of the most attractive growth and yield stories in the leisure and hospitality industry."

The transaction, which is subject to approval by the City of Santa Clara and customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2011. Cash proceeds received at closing are expected to be applied to the Company's senior secured debt under the terms of the Company's credit agreement.  A Form 8-K with the material terms of the definitive agreement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the end of day Tuesday.

California's Great America is northern California's leading amusement park, with more than 50 rides and attractions.  JMA Ventures, LLC is a California-based full service real estate investment firm, serving as managing partner of over $500 million in existing projects spanning hospitality, leisure, residential developments, retail, office and industrial/telecom.  

About Cedar Fair  

Cedar Fair is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio, and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world. The Company owns and operates 11 amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels. Amusement parks in the Company's northern region include two in Ohio: Cedar Point, consistently voted "Best Amusement Park in the World" in Amusement Today polls, and Kings Island; as well as Canada's Wonderland, near Toronto; Dorney Park, PA; Valleyfair, MN; and Michigan's Adventure, MI.  In the southern region are Kings Dominion, VA; Carowinds, NC; and Worlds of Fun, MO.  Western parks in California include: Knott's Berry Farm;California's Great America; and Gilroy Gardens, which is managed under contract.  

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements as to the Company's expectations, beliefs and strategies regarding the future.  These statements may involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements.  Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct.  Important factors, including general economic conditions, adverse weather conditions, competition for consumer leisure time and spending, unanticipated construction delays and other factors discussed from time to time by the Company in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") could affect attendance at our parks and cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations. Additional information on risk factors that may affect the business and financial results of the Company can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the filings of the Company made from time to time with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This news release and prior releases are available online at www.cedarfair.com .

SOURCE Cedar Fair Entertainment Company

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Great Wolf Lodge - Pocono Mountains Unveils " Great Wolf Story Explorers"

SCOTRUN, Pa., Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing that today's children are growing up in a world where touch-screen tablet, smartphone-using parents expose them to the newest technologies at the youngest ages, Great Wolf Resorts®, Inc. (NASDAQ: WOLF), North America's largest family of indoor water park resorts, today unveiled its newest attraction, called "Great Wolf Story Explorers."  Designed with this young, tech-savvy generation in mind, Great Wolf Story Explorers™ is a modern-day adaptation of the classic storytelling experience, but using technology that's undeniably futuristic.  The new attraction blends the best of classic storytelling, interactive engagement, and imagination into a fully participatory, hi-tech experience that's first-of-its-kind.  Great Wolf Story Explorers is being debuted at Great Wolf Lodge® - Pocono Mountains, PA., with plans for future installation at other Great Wolf Lodge locations.

"The family entertainment landscape is evolving just as rapidly as the technology used by our guests, and that changes expectations entirely," said Kim Schaefer, CEO of Great Wolf Resorts.  "Great Wolf Story Explorers is our expression of how the power of imagination combined with cutting-edge technology can captivate the minds of a whole generation of children who have grown up experiencing entertainment in ways never before seen."

Built upon a proprietary software platform developed by Creative Kingdoms, creator of the resort's popularMagiQuest® game, the attraction not only takes its young guests on an adventure throughout the resort, but makes the experience fully interactive by making the players the main characters.  Unlike traditional interactive story-telling, the "explorer" is fully integrated into their chosen story and has the ability to choose their particular course.

The experience begins with the young "explorer" choosing a plush toy, which becomes the child's companion.  Players then pause to strike several pre-determined poses for a camera before becoming the main character in an interactive story which will lead them through a series of video screens.  As they move from location to location, they must scan the RFID wristband worn by their plush toy at the various video screens.  

Each time the RFID wristband is scanned, an animated video character comes to life on -screen, tells more of the story, and guides players to the next stop.  The story, which was developed in collaboration with Creative Kingdoms, is told entirely by the animated characters in the game's video screens.  The same characters are the resort's animal mascots known as the Great Wolf Kids®.  After completing the entire storybook, players are given a keepsake of their adventure: A personalized storybook which integrates the photos taken at the beginning of their adventure with the actual story illustrations, literally making them the main characters in the story.  

"What's really exciting about Great Wolf Story Explorers is that it never really ends," said Maggie Moore, corporate director of kids experience for Great Wolf Resorts.  "Not only do explorers get to take their plush animals and storybooks home, but there will be new stories for them to experience during future visits.  This is just the first of many stories yet to come."

The installation of Great Wolf Story Explorers at the company's Pennsylvania resort is the final phase in a capital project that added over $2.1 million in resort enhancements this year, including a six-lane, scaled-down bowling alley called "Ten Paw Ally," expanded birthday party space in its Scooops Kid Spa, and the remodel of many existing areas throughout the facility.  

Story Explorers is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Although a usual experience can take anywhere from one to two hours, there is no time limit to the game, and group and birthday party packages are available.

More information can be found online at http://www.greatwolf.com/poconos.

About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.  Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.® (NASDAQ: WOLF), Madison, Wis., is North America's largest family of indoor waterpark resorts, and, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns, licenses  and/or operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge® brand.  Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; the Pocono Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Mason, Ohio;Grapevine, Texas; Grand Mound, Wash.; and Concord, N.C.

The company's resorts are family-oriented destination facilities that generally feature 300 to 600 rooms and a large indoor entertainment area measuring 40,000 to 100,000 square feet.  The all-suite properties offer a variety of room styles, arcade/game rooms, fitness rooms, themed restaurants, spas, supervised children's activities and other amenities.  The company's consolidated subsidiary, Creative Kingdoms, LLC, is a developer and operator of technology-based, interactive quest adventure experiences such as MagiQuest®.

Additional information may be found on the company's Web site at www.greatwolf.com.

SOURCE Great Wolf Resorts, Inc

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Cedar Point Named Best Amusement Park in the World

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Sept. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 14th consecutive year, Cedar Point amusement park/resort in Sandusky, Ohio, was named as the "Best Amusement Park in the World" in the prestigious Golden Ticket Awards presented annually by Amusement Today newspaper.

Cedar Point also received another very special award as Dick Kinzel, CEO of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company that owns and operates Cedar Point and 10 other amusement parks, was selected to become a member of the Legends Series as the 2011 Publisher's Pick that recognizes the top examples of dedication, leadership and achievement in the amusement industry.

The Golden Ticket Awards are given to the highest-rated parks in approximately two dozen categories as determined by a panel of experienced amusement park fans from around the world.  Headquartered inArlington, Texas, Amusement Today is an international publication that covers amusement and waterpark news and trends.

"Dick Kinzel has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Cedar Fair family of parks," saidGary Slade, publisher and editor-in-chief of Amusement Today.  "His vision for family entertainment has made him a legend in the industry."

In addition to winning the highly coveted award for the world's best amusement park, Cedar Point's Millennium Force roller coaster was also named as the "Best Steel Roller Coaster" for the second consecutive year and the sixth time since its introduction in 2000.  

"This is a very special day for us," said John Hildebrandt, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point.  "Not only is our park and our roller coaster named as the best in the world, but Dick Kinzel, who has been a mentor and trusted friend to many of us in the industry, has been recognized for his many achievements

Millennium Force had lots of company in the "Best Steel Roller Coaster" category, with two other Cedar Point coasters rated in the Top Ten and another pair ranked in the Top 25.  

Located on the shores of Lake Erie, Cedar Point is one of the most popular family vacation destinations in the country.  With 75 rides, including 17 roller coasters, the park has more rides than any park in the world.  Built in 1870, Cedar Point is the second oldest amusement park in North America.

SOURCE Cedar Point amusement park/resort

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Schlitterbahn Wins Three 'Golden Ticket' Awards

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, Sept. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Schlitterbahn Waterparks receives top international honors from Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards including the World's Best Waterpark – Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark, New Braunfels, TX for fourteen consecutive years, World's Best Indoor Waterpark – Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, Galveston Island, TX for four consecutive years and The Falls at Schlitterbahn New Braunfels as the World's Best New Waterpark Ride.

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels is also honored with several top-five rated distinctions including the Master Blaster, voted as the #2 World's Best Waterpark Ride, The Dragon's Revenge, voted as the #3 World's Best Waterpark Ride and the Congo River Expedition, voted as the #4 World's Best Waterpark Ride.

Nicknamed the "Academy Awards of the Amusement Park Industry," the Golden Ticket Awards are presented annually by Amusement Today, an international industry magazine based in Arlington, Texas. The winners are determined by the results of an international survey conducted among hundreds of well-traveled enthusiasts and amusement park aficionados.

"Every year we hold our breath and wait for the Golden Ticket results. Our team goes to great lengths to make sure we are offering the best park experiences imaginable and we take great pride in earning international recognition including the Golden Ticket distinction," stated Terri Adams, chief operating officer for Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts.  "We love sharing the news with our park team, our community and our guests, especially this year since we've achieved this top honor for fourteen consecutive years."

For full Golden Ticket results visit GoldenTicketAwards.com.

Family-owned and operated, Schlitterbahn Waterparks has been a leader in family-friendly water-based entertainment since 1979.  The company operates Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark, South Padre Island, TX, Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, Galveston Island, TX, Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark, Kansas City, KS and Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark, New Braunfels, TX, all of which offer family amenities that include free parking and free inner tubes. Guests are also welcome to bring a family picnic basket, excluding alcohol and glass containers, into the parks.

For more information, contact Schlitterbahn Waterparks' corporate office in New Braunfels, Texas at 830.625.2351 or visit the parks' website at schlitterbahn.com.

SOURCE Schlitterbahn Waterparks

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NEW Texas Giant Named Best New Ride of 2011

ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Six Flags Over Texas, the Thrill Capital of Texas, is now home to the theme park industry's Best New Ride of 2011 — the NEW Texas Giant.  The honor was given today during the annual Golden Ticket Awards at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana.  The Golden Ticket Awards annually recognize the "Best of the Best" in the leisure entertainment industry.  These awards, often referred to as "The Oscars of the Amusement Industry," are voted on by a panel of experts and enthusiasts from across the country.   The awards range from best theme park to a variety of accolades focused on superior products offered to guests, including rides and attractions.

"The opening of the NEW Texas Giant has been a true labor of love by our team and we are thrilled to receive the award for Best New Ride of 2011," said Steve Martindale, Six Flags Over Texas park president.  "Our theme park has built a reputation on being innovative and this new ride design definitely delivers in that category.  This has been a real home run."

In addition to winning this top award, the NEW Texas Giant debuted at number six on this year's list of best steel coasters in the world.  In the 14 years of the Golden Ticket Awards, this is the second highest debut of any steel tracked coaster and the highest debut of any coaster in five years.

"The original Texas Giant led the pack for many years and enjoyed a strong allegiance among coaster enthusiasts.  Our goal was to merge that legacy with 21st century technology in the form of the Iron Horse steel track design," added Martindale. "The result was a win-win.  Everyone who rides the NEW Texas Giant loves what we've created – literally the smoothest wooden coaster anywhere in the world."

The wooden and steel beast opened in April boasting the steepest drop of any wooden coaster in the world at 79 degree; three bank turns at more than 90 degree; and a state-of-the-art steel track that zips riders through an unforgettable, white knuckled 1 1/2 minutes of twists and turns from start to finish. The unique hybrid design of the coaster contains the classic features of a wooden roller coaster with the advanced scientific capabilities of a steel track fabrication.

The creation of the distinctive coaster was a cohesive collaboration between Rocky Mountain Construction, Gerstlauer, Centerline, and Six Flags Over Texas.  The result is an exceptional ride that has received a top industry honor and will establish its own legendary status for years to come.

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world's largest regional theme park company with 19 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Six Flags Over Texas, the company's flagship location, is celebrating its 50th anniversary season in 2011.

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/sixflags

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/sixflagsovertexas

SOURCE Six Flags Over Texas

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Six Flags Earns a Spot on 2011 InformationWeek 500 List of Top Technology Innovators Across America

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:SIX), the world's largest regional theme park company, today announced that it was included in this year's InformationWeek 500, an annual listing of the nation's most innovative users of business technology.  This marks the first time the theme park operator has been recognized in the field of information technology. The 2011 list was revealed last night at a gala awards ceremony at the InformationWeek 500 Conference.

"We are honored to be recognized as a top innovator," said Michael S. Israel, senior vice president and chief information officer of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. "Our entire information services team has worked relentlessly over the last several years to improve our infrastructure while redefining best practices in IS Management."

As part of the company's SharePoint 2010 Intranet rollout, the Six Flags information services team initiated development of a company-wide Business Intelligence (BI) platform, creating the capability for self-service insight into every major data set the organization captured—from marketing to finance, attendance and point-of-sale data. This allows rich contextual data visualization into the data warehouse and enables employees to perform predictive analysis. Further, by integrating business intelligence with social media elements, Six Flags launched an enterprise content and document management intranet specifically designed to utilize both on-premise and cloud-based technologies.

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America's best-known companies. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.  

Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/.  

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world's largest regional theme park company with 2010 revenue of nearly $1.0 billion and 19 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Six Flags Over Texas, the company's flagship location, is celebrating its 50th anniversary season in 2011.

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/sixflags

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/sixflags

About InformationWeek Business Technology Network (http://www.informationweek.com/)

The InformationWeek Business Technology Network provides IT executives with unique analysis and tools that parallel their work flow—from defining and framing objectives through to the evaluation and recommendation of solutions. Anchored by InformationWeek, the multimedia powerhouse that looks across the enterprise, the network scales across the most critical technology categories with online properties like DarkReading.com (security), NetworkComputing.com (networking and communications) and PlugintotheCloud.com (cloud computing). The network also provides focused content for key IT targets, such as CIOs, developers, and SMBs via InformationWeek Global CIO, Dr. Dobb's and InformationWeek SMB, as well as vital vertical industries with InformationWeek Financial Services, Government, and Healthcare resources. Content is at the nucleus of our information distribution strategy—IT professionals turn to our experts and communities to stay informed, get advice and research technologies to make strategic business decisions.

SOURCE Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

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Rock-Horror Icon Alice Cooper, Rainn Wilson, David Arquette and Jamie Kennedy Alongside Rising Stars Bailee Madison and Emma Bell to Receive "Eyegore" Awards at Universal Studios Hollywood as Theme Park Celebrates Opening Night of "Halloween Horror Nights" on September 23

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- "Scream" stars David Arquette and Jamie Kennedy will join Rainn Wilson, star of Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses," "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" star Bailee Madison, "Final Destination 5" actress Emma Bell and legendary rocker Alice Cooperas honorees at the 2011 "Eyegore" Awards, the opening night ceremony for "Halloween Horror Nights®" at Universal Studios Hollywood(SM).

Corey Feldman returns as host of the ceremony with presenters that include former "Eyegore" Award recipient Rob Zombie and Calico Cooper.  Filmmaker Eli Roth, one of last year's "Eyegore" recipients who helps bring this year's new maze to life, "Eli Roth's Hostel: Hunting Season" and actor / director Diego Luna, who's serving as creative consultant to the new maze, "La Llorona:  Villa De Almas Perdidas," will also be in attendance.

The winner of the 2011 "Halloween Horror Nights" Short Film Competition will also debut at the event.

Recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Alice Cooper created the concept of the theatrical rock concert and has thrilled generations of fans with spectacular stagecraft and darkly flamboyant showmanship.  His recording career spans six decades, includes over two dozen albums, millions of record sales, countless world tours and appearances in scores of movies and videos, including a brief but memorable appearance in both "Nightmare on Elm Street:  Freddy's Dead" and Universal Pictures' "Prince of Darkness." The rock icon will also unveil his new maze, "Alice Cooper:  Welcome to My Nightmare" at this year's "Halloween Horror Nights," inspired by his landmark concept album and its long-awaited sequel "Welcome 2 My Nightmare," to be released on September 13 through Universal Music Enterprises.

Before catapulting to fame as Dwight Schrute on NBC's "The Office," actor Rainn Wilson terrified audiences in 2003 with his star-turning performance as "Fish Boy" in Rob Zombie's horror cult classic, "House of 1000 Corpses."  The film was transformed into the popular maze, "Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses: In 3D ZombieVision" at last year's event and makes an encore performance at this year's "Halloween Horror Nights."

Filmmaker David Arquette first introduced the character of Deputy Dewey to audiences in Wes Craven's 1996 enormously successful slasher film "Scream." He returned to face the infamous "Ghostface Killer" in all three subsequent sequels, including "Scream 4."

Jamie Kennedy, recognized for his role as Eli James on the hauntingly popular television show, "Ghost Whisperer," reprised his role as Randy Meeks in the first three "Scream" movies.  This year's "HalloweenHorror Nights" pays homage to the latest installment of the "Scream" films when "Ghostface Killer" makes an otherworldly appearance to stalk guests on "Terror Tram:  Scream 4 Your Life," a new experience on the world-famous backlot.

Rising star Bailee Madison starred most recently alongside Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes in Guillermo del Toro's, "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." Her credits span beyond horror films to include "Brothers" co-starring Natalie Portman, "Conviction" starring Hilary Swank, the Adam Sandler comedy "Just Go With It" and "Wizards of Waverly Place," starring Selena Gomez.  She recently made headlines when she was tapped to star alongside Billy Crystal and Bette Midler in "Us & Them."

Actress Emma Bell's stint in horror films include starring roles in "Final Destination 5," "Frozen" and AMC's zombie series "The Walking Dead."  

Previous "Eyegore" Award recipients have included Christopher Lloyd, Patricia Arquette, Janet Leigh,Roger Corman, six-time Oscar-winning special effects makeup artist Rick Baker, Karen Black, Tobin Bell,Tobe Hopper and Corey Feldman.

The winner of the 2011 "Halloween Horror Nights" Short Film Competition will be honored during the ceremony. Brent Bokovoy from El Cajon, California, will have his film premiere at event, receive national broadcast exposure on Chiller and syfy.com and be awarded a $1,000 cash prize.

The 2011 "Halloween Horror Nights" event will feature a noteworthy six mazes, bringing together unprecedented star power to create the definitive Hollywood horror "dream team" and craft the ultimate "live" Halloween nightmare.   Mazes include "Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses: In 3D ZombieVision," "Alice Cooper:  Welcome To My Nightmare," "Eli Roth's Hostel: Hunting Season," "La Llorona:  Villa De Almas Perdidas" ("The Weeping Woman: Village of Lost Souls") Imagined by Diego Luna, "The Thing: Assimilation," based on the upcoming Universal Pictures thriller, "The Wolfman:  The Curse of Talbot Hall," inspired by the Academy Award®-winning film, and the "Terror Tram:  Scream 4 Your Life," new backlot experience.

Updates on "Halloween Horror Nights" are available at Halloween Horror Nights.com and also on Twitter and Facebook, as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information.  Fans are invited to follow John Murdy on Twitter at: Twitter.com/HorrorNights or via Facebook at: "Halloween Horror Nights - Hollywood (Official)."

"Halloween Horror Nights" will take place on select nights beginning September 23 and continue onSeptember 24, 30; October 1,7, 8,9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a unit of the Universal Parks & Resorts division of NBCUniversal.  NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE (NYSE: GE) holding a 49% stake.

SOURCE Universal Studios Hollywood

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Cedar Point Amusement Park Selects MICROS Simphony and MICROS OPERA

COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MICROS Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MCRS), a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, is pleased to announce that Cedar Point Amusement Park, the flagship park for Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, has implemented MICROS Simphony for the park's point of sale and MICROS OPERA as the property management system for the park's six lodging properties.  Over 400 MICROS Workstations are implemented throughout the number-one rated park's restaurant and concession areas, including the MICROS Keyboard Workstation 270 (KW270), a new point of sale client for Simphony, and the MICROS Workstation 5A (WS5A), operated on Cedar Point's wireless infrastructure.

The fully integrated solution installed at Cedar Point ties both the point of sale transactions in the amusement park to the guest's hotel account at the park's six properties: Hotel Breakers, Sandcastle Suites, Lighthouse Point, Camper Village, Breakers Express, and Castaway Bay.  A customized OPERA integration to Cedar Point's park ticketing system allows guests to charge their park ticket to their hotel room, significantly improving customer service and check-in times.  By leveraging the data available in Simphony's reporting module, Cedar Point was able to dramatically reduce its end of day processing time.

"MICROS Simphony and OPERA together have greatly improved our internal processes and decreased time spent behind the scenes, allowing our employees to focus on what matters most -- improving the experience of our guests," stated Jim Rein, Vice President Information Systems.  "By deploying these advanced technologies throughout our amusement park and lodging properties, we are well positioned to move forward with our goals for future developments."

"We are thrilled to be selected by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company to fulfill the technology requirements for its enterprise," stated Dan Bell, Vice President of MICROS Leisure and Entertainment Business Unit.  "We understand Cedar Point's need to be at the forefront of technological innovations, and the value placed on providing exceptional customer service.  We look forward to growing and expanding our partnership with this renowned company."

About Cedar Point

Founded in 1870, Cedar Point is the number-one rated amusement park in the world.  Located inSandusky, Ohio, the park and resort is home to numerous roller coasters and rides, restaurants, hotel properties, and the Soak City Waterpark.  More than 3 million guests from around the globe visit the amusement park each summer to view Cedar Point's ever evolving and innovative attractions and enjoy its beautiful setting on the shores of Lake Erie.  For more information, please visit www.cedarpoint.com.

About MICROS Systems, Inc.

MICROS Systems, Inc. provides enterprise applications for the hospitality and retail industries worldwide. Over 330,000 MICROS systems are currently installed in table and quick service restaurants, hotels, motels, casinos, leisure and entertainment, and retail operations in more than 130 countries, and on all seven continents. In addition, MICROS provides property management systems, central reservation and customer information solutions under the brand MICROS-Fidelio for more than 26,000 hotels worldwide, as well as point-of-sale, loss prevention, and cross-channel functionality through its MICROS-Retail division for more than 100,000 retail stores worldwide. MICROS stock is traded through NASDAQ under the symbol MCRS.

For more information on MICROS and its advanced information technology solutions for the hospitality industry, please contact Louise Casamento, Vice President of Marketing at (443) 285-8144 or (866) 287-4736. You can also visit the MICROS website at www.micros.com or send an email to info@micros.com.

The MICROS logo is a registered trademark of MICROS Systems, Inc.

All other product and brand names are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE MICROS Systems, Inc.

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Guinness World Record Set at Worlds of Fun

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Guinness World Record benefitting charity is officially titled at Worlds of Fun. Worlds of Fun Amusement Park, Harvesters: the Community Food Network, BRR Architecture, and Country Mart Foods (Associated Wholesale Grocers) are pleased to announce the official posting of the Guinness World Record for Largest Can Pyramid, a staggering 17,576 canned good structure, all to benefit Kansas City's hungry

Built by representatives from BRR Architecture and using cans donated by Country Mart Foods, the 16,478 pound structure took shape in the form of a perfect pyramid, 37 cans x 37 cans, with one can's length removed from each layer progressing towards the top. The massive 15-foot-tall structure was constructed over the course of seven hours on Saturday, August 27, 2011. After breaking the Guinness record, which was set at 15,000 cans, the canned goods were boxed and donated to Harvesters, and will provide 13,396 meals to residents around Kansas City. 

The record breaking attempt was part of Cans for Coasters, an annual month long canned food drive that teams up Harvesters and Worlds of Fun to offer donors a huge discount on admission. In just three years, Cans for Coasters has provided over 200,000 meals to all ages, children to senior citizens, through Harvesters network of food pantries, kitchens, and shelters.

For the official announcement from Guinness World Records, please click here:http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/largest-can-pyramid-built-in-kansas-city/

For high resolution photos of the record breaking pyramid: please see the links below:

Photo 1 (pyramid only):http://www.worldsoffun.com/_upload/images/IMG_3986.JPG

Photo 2 (pyramid and staff): http://www.worldsoffun.com/_upload/images/IMG_3982.JPG

For High Definition Video of the event, please see the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JesN0lRdZfQ

Worlds of Fun is open weekends only through October 30, 2011, for Halloween Haunt, Kansas City's largest Halloween event. Please visit worldsoffun.com for dates and hours.

SOURCE Worlds of Fun

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America Haunts Members Brace for Record Attendance Year

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- America is ready to get its fear on.

So much so that America Haunts (www.americahaunts.com), an association of elite haunted house attractions that delivers fear-based entertainment to more than a million thrill-seekers each Halloweenseason, is predicting record numbers of visitors for the 2011 season.

This projection is based on last year's attendance as well as increased awareness of horror and the generation of fright fans who have grown up attending haunted houses every year.

"The thing I love about fans of haunted houses is that they are a fanatical bunch who appreciate the art of a good scare that comes only once a year," said America Haunts President Ben Armstrong.  "Particularly, as more and more people seek to stay closer to home for their entertainment, it is up to us to provide them with something to do that is cost-effective, provides them with a temporary escape from their everyday life and gives them that rush of both fear and adrenaline that they feel when they get scared.  America Haunts members provide all of that and then some."

Another reason for America Haunts optimism is that it knows fans crave the unknown, which is why the more than 20 haunted houses and hayrides within this association strive to keep their attractions fresh, annually changing their looks anywhere from 40-60 percent.  Some ideas spend more than 18 months in development before coming to fruition.

"As haunted house owners, we have an obligation to our fans to keep them guessing," Armstrong explained.  "Our members do have some great annual attractions that people just love seeing every year, but what keeps them coming back is they never truly know what is behind every corner."

Gone are the days of someone in a bad mask jumping out from behind a door yelling, "Boo!"  The attractions within America Haunts are characterized by some of most gruesome, creative and innovative displays to horrify visitors.  Each America Haunts member is committed to providing technical excellence, stunning set design, and Hollywood-quality make-up, costumes and creatures.  Members enjoy nothing more than delivering a good old-fashioned scare to fright fans of all ages.

As proof to its excellence, several attractions within America Haunts have been featured on the Travel Channel and recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records on multiple occasions.

For more information and a directory of individual haunt and attraction websites, including opening dates, hours and ticket prices, go to www.AmericaHaunts.com.

With more than 20 hayrides, and attractions in 20 markets across the country, America Haunts delivers fear-based entertainment to more than a million thrill seekers each Halloween season. The attractions within this organization have been featured on Travel Channel and recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records on multiple occasions. The high-tech attractions within this association are committed to providing technical excellence, stunning set design, and Hollywood-quality make-up, costumes and creatures. Members' enjoy nothing more than delivering a good old-fashioned scare to fright fans of all ages. For more information, visit AmericaHaunts.com.

SOURCE America Haunts

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Universal Studios Hollywood Announces General Admission and Front of Line Tickets Now On Sale For Much-Anticipated "Halloween Horror Nights," Taking Place Select Nights from September 23 to October 31

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tickets are now on sale for "Halloween Horror Nights®," taking place at Universal Studios Hollywood(SM) on select nights from September 23 through October 31.

Tickets to this year's event are available for purchase at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com/hhn,including a Front of Line ticket option that enables guests to enjoy priority entry at each maze and theme park attraction.  Advance purchase is recommended as event nights will sell out.

John Murdy, Creative Director, "Halloween Horror Nights," said: "We're really excited about this year's event. The caliber of filmmakers and artists working with us adds to the event's authenticity.  The limited amount of Front of Line tickets we make available to our guests is really a great opportunity, and we hope they take advantage of this exclusive benefit."

This year's terrifying event features a noteworthy six mazes bringing together unprecedented star power to create the definitive Hollywood horror "dream team" and craft the ultimate "live" Halloween nightmare.  The team includes an encore performance by multi-platinum recording artist and filmmaker, Rob Zombie, whose nightmarish 3D world of carnage and chaos, "Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses: In 3D ZombieVision" returns due to popular demand. Legendary rocker Alice Cooper, who single-handedly masterminded the rock-horror genre, will spin a new collection of disturbing horror imagery in the outrageous new "Halloween Horror Nights" maze, "Alice Cooper:  Welcome To My Nightmare."

Director, writer, producer and actor Eli Roth will bring his twisted movie to life in the spine-chilling new maze, "Eli Roth's Hostel: Hunting Season," which will feature props cast from Eli Roth's personal collection of original "Hostel" movie props. In the new maze, "La Llorona:  Villa De Almas Perdidas" ("The Weeping Woman: Village of Lost Souls"), actor and director Diego Luna, will help re-imagine the fearful legend  of melancholy and murder that he was told as a child and has terrified Mexican and Latin American children for generations.

Working in collaboration with the filmmakers and featuring props cast from the original molds used in Universal Pictures' upcoming thriller, "The Thing: Assimilation" maze will offer "Halloween Horror Nights" guests an unprecedented virtual three-dimensional sneak peek of the movie in advance of its release onOctober 14.   "The Wolfman:  The Curse of Talbot Hall," inspired by the Academy Award®-winning Universal Pictures film, will round out the six new "Halloween Horror Nights" horror mazes.  

A frightening new backlot experience, "Terror Tram:  Scream 4 Your Life," based on the latest installment of Wes Craven's "Scream" film series, will unleash the iconic "Ghostface Killer" on Universal's famed backlot, the heart of the world's most famous horror moviemaking studio.

Terror- filled "Scare Zones" and the ever-popular "Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure," will add to the nightmare.  The theme park's favorite thrill-ride attractions will also remain open for "Halloween Horror Nights," including "Jurassic Park® In the Dark," "The Simpsons Ride™" and "Revenge of the Mummy(SM) – The Ride."

Updates on "Halloween Horror Nights" are available at Halloween Horror Nights.com and also on Twitter and Facebook, as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information.  Fans are invited to follow John Murdy on Twitter at: Twitter.com/HorrorNights or via Facebook at: "Halloween Horror Nights - Hollywood (Official)."

"Halloween Horror Nights" will take place on select nights beginning September 23 and continue onSeptember 24, 30; October 1,7, 8,9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a unit of the Universal Parks & Resorts division of NBCUniversal.  NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE (NYSE: GE) holding a 49% stake.

SOURCE Universal Studios Hollywood

[themeparknation-blog]

Thrilling Coasters, Family Rides, New Shows and Attractions Coming to Six Flags Parks Across North America in 2012

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas, Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: SIX), the world's largest regional theme park company, today announced its lineup of new rides and attractions for the 2012 operating season. Six Flags parks across North America will debut an exciting package of thrill rides, family rides, shows and special events featuring some of the most innovative rides and attractions in the industry and providing even more reasons than ever to visit Six Flags.

"We are bringing new attractions to every Six Flags park every year," said Jim Reid-Anderson, Chairman, President and CEO. "This season's guest satisfaction scores are the highest in our history, and we want to continue that momentum by offering a combination of family-friendly fare and thrill rides for guests of all ages to enjoy."

Among the 2012 highlights:

Six Flags Magic Mountain near Los Angeles, which is the Thrill Capital of the World, welcomes the world's tallest vertical drop ride, LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom! At a sky-scraping 400 feet, this engineering phenomenon drops riders at speeds of up to 85 miles-per-hour.  

At Six Flags Discovery Kingdom near San Francisco, SUPERMAN Ultimate Flight, a new launch coaster, blasts riders at over 60 miles-per-hour through two vertical twists and a high-flying 150-foot-high inversion, ranking it among the tallest inversions in the world.

X-Flight, the only announced wing coaster in the United States, soars into Six Flags Great America near Chicago, and features 3,000 feet of intense high-speed drops and barrel rolls with no track above or below.

Six Flags New England in Massachusetts debuts Goliath -- a colossal boomerang coaster that sends riders up nearly 200 feet in the air, flying forward and backward over a twisting, looping inverted steel track at speeds up to 65 miles-per-hour.

Six Flags America, just outside of Washington D.C., introduces Apocalypse, the park's eighth roller coaster and first stand-up design that offers a two-minute adventure and features a 90-foot drop with vertical and cork screw inversions at 55 miles-per-hour. 

Guests at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio will have more to scream about with the introduction of SkyScreamer, the newest sensation in tower rides. SkyScreamer offers breathtaking views from open air swings that rotate in a 98-foot circle high above the parks.

Thrilling water park additions are also on tap for next season. Guests at Six Flags St. Louis Hurricane Harbor will keep cool and have a blast at the same time on the all new Bonzai Pipeline, the park's first extreme looping body slide. Hurricane Harbor at Great Adventure is also premiering this ground-breaking new slide while Alpine Freefalls, a Nordic-themed waterslide complex, is on tap for The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom in upstate New York. This multi-slide attraction will feature the park's first free-fall speed slide and the region's first twisted mat racer.

Finally, the company is adding a variety of family rides, shows and attractions at several parks, including Six Flags Mexico, La Ronde in Montreal, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas -- America's favorite show park -- and a 45th anniversary tribute at Six Flags Over Georgia.  

Six Flags parks are the number one choice for thrilling, world class entertainment -- so grab your friends and family to Go Big and Go Six Flags!  

For more information about upcoming 2012 Six Flags rides and attractions, including a video highlighting the new rides, visit sixflags.com/2012news.

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world's largest regional theme park company with 2010 revenue of nearly $1.0 billion and 19 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Six Flags Over Texas, the company's flagship location, is celebrating its 50th anniversary season in 2011.

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/sixflags                                        Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/sixflags

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC Entertainment

DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games.  Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.

SUPERMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.

(s11)

SOURCE Six Flags Entertainment

[themeparknation-blog]

Carowinds Donates More Than $40,000 to Fight Breast Cancer

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Carowinds, the thrill capital of the Southeast, announced today that a total of $40,701.49 was raised during Carowinds for the Cure, a four-week fundraising initiative benefitting the Charlotte Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure™.  The fundraiser ran from July 11-August 7.

"Our guests really stepped up to help find a cure for breast cancer," said Bart Kinzel, Carowinds vice president and general manager. "We know that these days it's hard to find someone who hasn't been touched by breast cancer in some way, whether it's on a personal level or by knowing someone else fighting the disease and we are so proud to donate more than forty thousand dollars to help find a cure."

Guests were able to take part in the fundraiser by purchasing special Carowinds for the Cure merchandise, admission tickets, and by adopting pink ducks in the 'adopt-a-duck' raffle.  After purchasing their duck, guests tossed it into the lake underneath the Nighthawk roller coaster for the chance to win a 2011 Toyota Camry Courtesy of Scott Clark's Toyota City.

On August 7, 2011 the duck purchased by Ethel Sellers of Charlotte was pulled from the lake, and one week later she drove her new car home!

"We are thrilled that Carowinds chose to put on this incredible event," said Gloria Scienski, the executive director for the Charlotte Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure™. "We know there's so much support and hope in this community and Carowinds for the Cure really exemplified that as we saw people from all over the region and across the country come together to help find a cure for breast cancer. We look forward to a long and healthy partnership with Carowinds and we know together, we will find a cure for breast cancer."

To learn about upcoming events at Carowinds, please visit www.carowinds.com.

[themeparknation-blog]

Busch Gardens Announces All-New Epic Ice Show Adventure‏

Busch Gardens’ Biggest Ice Show To Date Will Take the Ice on February 2  TAMPA (September 8, 2011) — For more than five decades, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has set the industry’s standard for delivering unforgettable entertainment experiences, with Broadway-style stage spectaculars likeKaTonga: Musical Tales From the Jungle and innovative ice shows like World Rhythms on Ice. This winter, the park will combine some of the most amazing aspects of its entertainment history and debut its biggest ice show to date:Iceploration takes the stage on Feb. 2, 2012. Starting February 2, a cast of 20 brings to life an all-new adventure filled with world-class skaters, amazing aerial performances, master puppetry and live animal stars, with shows daily in the Moroccan Palace. “The grand scale of Iceploration sets a new standard of entertainment that further solidifies Busch Gardens as one of Florida’s premier theme parks,” said Busch Gardens Park President Jim Dean. “This show reintroduces the ice show to our most loyal fans while bringing together the things Busch Gardens stage productions do best: world-class entertainment with top-notch skaters, amazing costumes, original music, larger-than-life puppets and even animal stars.” Iceploration inspires audiences to “explore the world” on a 30-minute journey to the four corners of the earth. This multi-sensory story, told through theatrical skating and an all-new original score, is the collaboration of an award-winning creative team with Broadway credentials, including Tony Award-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes (The Drowsy Chaperone, Best Costume Design Tony winner 2007; Legally Blonde the Musical, Best Costume Design Tony nominee 2007). The 30-minute show opens with Austin, a digital-savvy preteen, explaining how technology has made his generation more connected to the world than ever before. But his grandfather – and old-world explorer – argues that the boy is more disconnected than he realizes, and takes him on an adventure around the globe. Through their travels they visit the African Serengeti, Great Barrier Reef, the Arctic and the Amazon rainforest. The adventure unfolds as they arrive in the African Serengeti. Here, larger-than-life puppets and spectacular set design bring elephants and other awe-inspiring animals to life at a watering hole. Solo and chorus skating performances accompanied by acrobatics tell an anecdote of an agile cheetah stalking graceful gazelles and meerkats. Austin and Grandpa then dive into the Great Barrier Reef to explore the harmony of life on the ocean floor. An amazing black light transition and never-before-seen helium-filled puppets immerse the audience in the wonders of the sea, filled with parrotfish and lionfish, sea urchins, turtles and a moray eel. In the Arctic, majestic skaters become striking snow flurries as a winter storm threatens the travelers. Austin and Grandpa witness even more beauty as they encounter the Aurora Borealis phenomenon, represented with theatrical lighting and projections. Then, they share the stage with amazing live animal stars, including a Siberian lynx and a sled of Siberian huskies as they continue to traverse the tundra. Austin and Grandpa wrap up their adventure around the globe immersed in the lush, tropical Amazon Rainforest. Squirrel monkeys, sun conures and colorful macaws fill the air as playful frogs and a graceful dragonfly skate into the grand finale: a new signature song called “Meet the World.” Construction has already begun to transform the Moroccan Palace into the icy new site for this ground-breaking show, as well as an exciting version of Busch Gardens’ classic holiday ice show. This holiday season, the Moroccan Palace will host Christmas on Ice with several shows daily from November 21 to January 1. Iceploration performances are included with any daily park admission or annual Pass. For more information, visit BuschGardens.com Over the next few months, Busch Gardens will be sharing more details about this amazing new show. If you’re not already a fan, “like” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay at facebook.com to get all of the latest updates. Or check out the park blog at BuschGardensTampaBlog.com to follow the progress up through the opening next year.

[themeparknation-blog]

Don't miss Rock the Universe this weekend at Universal Orlando

WHAT:                         This weekend, Rock the Universe 2011 – Florida’s biggest Christian music festival – kicks off at Universal Orlando Resort. Guests can rock out to seventeen of the biggest names in Christian rock – including Switchfoot, Casting Crowns, and RelientK and enjoy access to an all-new fan zone, inspiring guest speakers, nightly candlelightingceremonies, some of the world’s best theme park attractions and more. 

  The full artist lineup can be viewed below.

  Friday September 9:

Switchfoot

David Crowder Band

Anberlin

Grits

Family Force 5

Rhema Soul

Hyland

Saturday September 10:

Casting Crowns

Third Day

Relient K

Red

Third Avenue North

Brandon Heath

Live Fish

                                                      ** Names in bold indicate headlining acts.

  Along with live concerts by top-name talent, guests can experience an all-new fan zone, featuring autograph sessions with performing acts, band merchandise, and a first-ever New Artists’ Stage where three emerging artists will perform live, including former American Idol contestant Jason Castro. Guests can also enjoy the thrilling attractions found only at Universal Studios, including Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – where they can rock out to hidden tracks by some of this year’s performing talent.

  For more details about Rock the Universe 2011 and to purchase tickets, visitwww.RocktheUniverse.com or call 1-866-RTU-INFO (1-866-788-4636).

  WHEN:                        Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10

                                    4 p.m. to 1 a.m. each day of the event

  WHERE:                      Universal Studios Florida

  MORE                         Media Site: http://media.universalorlando.com

INFORMATION:         Rock the Universe Site: www.RocktheUniverse.com