Kings Dominion announced today the addition of the United States’ 2nd giga coaster.  This ride will be 305 feet tall and travel more than 90 mph.  Some fans have been disappointed that it isn’t exactly what their imaginations had expected, but at $25 million we can hardly complain in this economy.  It should be a great ride and as some people have said, it looks to be a “Maverick on steroids.”  If this is true, it will make for one truly awesome ride.  More to follow, but get the full details @ www.Intimidator305.com.

Jackson, N.J. (May 22, 2009) /PRNewswire/ — Six Flags Great Adventure announced a transformation of epic proportions – the debut of BIZARRO. Themed around the DC Comics character Bizarro, this newly-enhanced roller coaster offers thrill-seekers the exhilaration of a Six Flags signature coaster combined with the unique storytelling of the twisted world of Bizarro. The experience features high tech special effects and a precisely orchestrated on-board audio production designed to assault the senses for a world-class “show” on a roller coaster.

The DC Comics character, Bizarro, is best known as a peculiar Superman-like creature from a parallel Earth known as Htrae where inhabitants believe in “doing the opposite of all Earthly things.” Because he is the imperfect duplicate of Superman, his powers and abilities manifest themselves as opposites of Superman’s powers including freeze vision, heat breath, spotlight vision and x-ray hearing.

The BIZARRO experience begins the moment guests enter the ride queue through a custom-created comic designed exclusively for this ride by DC Comics. Guests quickly uncover the mysterious background of the Bizarro character and his destructive takeover of the attraction before stepping onto the ride.

Unlike traditional coasters, BIZARRO is floorless, giving riders the sensation of flying as their feet dangle above the track. The three minute and fifteen second thrill begins with a pulse-quickening 146-foot climb before plummeting 61 miles-per-hour through Bizarro’s freeze vision “cool zone.” The rush continues as riders twist and turn through seven loops – including 114-foot vertical and 96-foot dive loops – blast past bursts of Bizarro’s fire breath and race by bizarre scenes and illusions. The mind-boggling 3,985-foot twisting journey of storytelling and high-tech elements ends by sending riders head first into a spiked-shaped Auger of Doom, set inside interlocking corkscrews. Throughout the entire journey, riders experience the adrenaline rush with heart-pounding, on-board audio taking them to a whole new dimension of imagination.

“Six Flags Great Adventure is recognized for our unique coaster collection and for continually pushing the envelope season after season,” said Mark Kane, Six Flags Great Adventure’s President. “With this transformation, guests experience a thrill ride so surreal and so menacing, no other coaster compares.”

Six Flags introduced a unique multimedia, interactive marketing campaign for the BIZARRO launch, generating community engagement via an alternative reality game (ARG). After an intense five months of online play and more than 500,000 participants, Six Flags Great Adventure hosted a final in-park scavenger hunt rewarding 30 key players exclusive access to the grand opening and the opportunity to be the first riders on the all-new BIZARRO.

The BIZARRO debut at Six Flags Great Adventure coincides with the grand opening of BIZARRO at Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA. The height restriction is 54 inches to ride. Guests can receive up-to-the minute park news and purchase a 2009 season pass online at sixflags.com.

Media day coverage of Buccaneer Battle @ Six Flags Great America can be found at the Theme Park Review.

Terminator Salvation is now testing over at Six Flags Magic Mountain.  Check out the pictures and video over at Theme Park Review.

© 2009 Universal Orlando Resort. All Rights Reserved.

Its been awhile since our last Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit update.  Since then we’ve gotten a lift hill and trains finally.  Check out some great pictures over at Theme Park Review.

A new Terminator Salvation construction update has been posted to Theme Park Review.

Manta is now “open.”  The theming is done and looks AMAZING.  The splash down effect is similarly AMAZING.  Check out the AMAZING photos @ Theme Park Review.

Good news!  Looks like Six Flags will actually be putting some theming on this ride similar to that of the Batman: The Ride clones featuring some beat up cars and who knows, maybe some cool video stuff.  Construction has picked up a LOT in the last 2 weeks, check out the updates over @ Theme Park Review.

Some progress has finally been made on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.  A ton of the brakes and ride control features have been added and I am happy to report that the firehouse is finally complete (and don’t worry about chopping off your hands).

Check out the updates @ Johnny Upsidedown.

A brief construction update was posted on the Theme Park Review.  Not a whole lot of visible progress but reports say they are making headway.  Either way they still have a lot of work to do in the next month.  Should be fun to watch!