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2003 NEWS ARCHIVE
Archive of past news articles on theme & amusement parks, thrill rides and attractions.
December 2003
Valleyfair Introducing New KidWorks Area in 2004
The park is spending $1.35 million on new attractions and a face lift to the family section of the park.
| Read More | 12/09/03
November 2003
Cedar Point to Build Year-Round Indoor Waterpark Resort
The $22-million indoor waterpark scheduled to open in November 2004 will include an 520-foot water coaster.
| Read More | 11/14/03
World-Record Breaking Coaster Wins Prestigious Award
Cedar Point announced Top Thrill Dragster received the 'Best of What's New' award from Popular Science magazine.
| Read More | 11/07/03
Cedar Fair Reports Strong Third Quarter Results
Net revenues and attendance up over last year at Cedar Fair's six amusement parks and five water parks.
| Read More | 11/06/03
Hersheypark Announces Name for New Roller Coaster
The votes are in and a winner has been selected from the poll to name the park's new roller coaster.
| Read More | 11/05/03
Great Britain's Oldest Park Ride Gets Listed Status
The Aerial Glide at Shipley Glen Pleasure Grounds is the second amusement park ride to become a listed building.
| Read More | 11/03/03
October 2003
Worlds of Fun Building Spinning Coaster For 2004
The uniquely designed coaster with independent spinning cars will replace the Orient Express roller coaster.
| Read More | 10/29/03
Interactive Dark Ride Coming To Kings Dominion In 2004
Scooby-Doo! and the Haunted Mansion to be the first interactive family ride in the Paramount Park's history.
| Read More | 10/27/03
Bonfante Gardens Extends Season Thru Mid-November
After a successful year the park announced that it will extend its operating season for three weekends.
| Read More | 10/24/03
Cedar Fair to Spend $25 Million On Park Improvements
The partnership announced $25 million in capital expenditures planned for their parks for the 2004 season.
| Read More | 10/15/03
Cedar Point To Expand Lighthouse Point and Soak City
Nearly $10 million will be invested to expand offerings at Lighthouse Point and Soak City for 2004 season.
| Read More | 10/15/03
Harvest Festival and Halloween Haunts at Bonfante Gardens
The park celebrates autumn with a Harvest Festival and a Halloween Spook-tacular weekends through October.
| Read More | 10/01/03
September 2003
Paramount's Kings Island Announces Boomerang Bay
New Australian themed water park resort to be the largest in the Cincinnati area with more than 50 water activities.
| Read More | 09/23/03
Knott's Relocating Church for Major New Attraction
Knott's moving church to make room for new attractions and announces plans for a new thrill ride to open spring 2004.
| Read More | 09/12/03
Dorney Closes Hercules to Make Way for New Attraction
The wooden roller coaster will be replaced by a new attraction slated to debut in spring of 2005.
| Read More | 09/04/03
August 2003
Cedar Point Voted 'Best Amusement Park In The World'
International survey again voted Cedar Point 'Best Amusement Park In The World' for 6th straight year.
| Read More | 08/26/03
Holiday World Receives Honors In International Survey
Amusement Today survey honors The Raven wooden coaster and names Holiday World cleaniest and friendliest theme park.
| Read More | 08/23/03
Carowinds to Add First Flying Roller Coaster in 2004
This multi-million dollar addition will be Carowinds 12th roller coaster and the tallest in the park.
| Read More | 08/21/03
Stealth Roller Coaster To Close After Only 3 Years
Paramount's Great America will remove the Vekoma flying dutchman coaster to make room for a new water park.
| Read More | 08/21/03
Paramount's Great America To Introduce New Water Park
Boomerang Bay, a new mulit-million dollar water park, will debut at the California theme park next year.
| Read More | 08/21/03
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari 2004 Passes On Sale
Indiana's family park has begun selling 2004 season passes at a discounted rate now through October 12.
| Read More | 08/18/03
Waterworks Water Park Closing For Park Expansion
Paramount's Kings Island announced that it will close the water park to make way for a theme park expansion in 2004.
| Read More | 08/15/03
Hersheypark Building Hydraulic Launch Coaster for 2004
The park's 10th roller coaster will be the world's first hydraulic launch coaster with inversions.
| Read More | 08/05/03
Cedar Point and Ohio Celebrate Historic Milestones In '03
Several park attractions including the popular Gemini roller coaster celebrate notable anniversaries this summer.
| Read More | 08/02/03
July 2003
Top Thrill Dragster Up and Running Again
Cedar Point's new record breaking roller coaster is back in operation after more than a month of downtime.
| Read More | 07/16/03
Indoor Water Park Considered for Cedar Point Hotel
Cedar Fair is considering a major upgrade for its Radisson Hotel at Cedar Point including an indoor water park.
| Read More | 07/15/03
Cedar Fair Reports Decline In Attendance For June
Attendnace down 7% in June compared to a year ago at Cedar Fair's six amusement parks and five water parks.
| Read More | 07/03/03
June 2003
New Wooden Coaster To Roll Into Dollywood For 2004 Season
Great Coasters International to build wooden coaster with world's only fly-through station at Dollywood.
| Read More | 06/27/03
Coaster Madness 2003 Coming To Dorney Park June 27
About 400 enthusiasts from across the country will come that day to ride the park's roller coasters.
| Read More | 06/21/03
Cedar Point to Celebrate Gemini's Silver Anniversary
The park's most popular roller coaster, once the tallest and fastest in the world, turns 25 tomorrow.
| Read More | 06/16/03
Theme Park Road Trip Episode 2 Premieres June 5
Actress Jamie Lynn-Sigler takes a wild ride in Travel Channel's second episode of Theme Park Road Trip.
| Read More | 06/03/03
Cedar Fair Reports Decline In Early Season Attendnace
Poor early-season weather is blamed for a 6% decrease in combined attendnace from a year ago.
| Read More | 06/02/03
May 2003
Magic Springs & Crystal Falls Announce Major Expansion
A new $7-million Vekoma giant suspended looping roller coaster to be built for the 2004 season.
| Read More | 05/30/03
Scenic Railway Coaster Opens For Possible Last Season
Great Britain's only roller coaster with listed status opens for the 2003 season at Dreamland Pleasure Park.
| Read More | 05/20/03
Cedar Point's Soak City Water Park Opens May 24
The 18-acre water park featuring fun for the entire family is set to open on Saturday, May 24.
| Read More | 05/19/03
La Ronde's 37th Season Opens With Seven New Rides
Opening May 17, La Ronde will offer visitors seven new attractions, a record number since the park's opening in 1967
| Read More | 05/14/03
America's Newest Theme Park Celebration City Now Open
Celebration City features 30 themed rides and attractions including the new Ozark Wildcat roller coaster.
| Read More | 05/02/03
Cedar Point To Debut World's Tallest, Fastest Coaster May 4
Top Thrill Dragster to open Sunday as Cedar Point rolls into action for the 134th consecutive season.
| Read More | 05/01/03
April 2003
Cedar Point Event To Benefit American Red Cross
Proceeds from the 12th annual Minature Golf Challenge at Cedar Point to benefit the American Red Cross.
| Read More | 04/15/03
Six Flags Darien Lake 2003 Season Begins May 10
The Western New York theme park will begin its season on May 10 with a summer of special events and festivals.
| Read More | 04/14/03
Two Giant Pandas Arrive At Memphis Zoo
The Memphis Zoo is to be one of only four in the United States to house this endangered species.
| Read More | 04/12/03
Southern California's First Floorless Coaster Scream! Opens
Six Flags Magic Mountain debuts the park's 16th roller coaster, breaking its own world record.
| Read More | 04/10/03
Preview Of Superman Coaster At Great Adventure
Take a behind the scene photo tour of Six Flags Great Adventure's new flying coaster, Superman Ultimate Flight.
| Read More | 04/09/03
It Is Now Or Never For Save Dreamland Campaign
Campaign leader encourages supporters to let the Thanet District Council know that you're not happy with their policy.
| Read More | 04/07/03
Top Thrill Dragster Auction To Benefit Red Cross
Red Cross to hold auction for first public ride on Top Thrill Dragster, the tallest, fastest coaster in the world.
| Read More | 04/05/03
March 2003
305-Foot Drop Zone Stunt Tower Opens Saturday At Kings Dominion
The new 27-story, 72 mph freefall ride to take thrills to new heights this year at Paramount's Kings Dominion.
| Read More | 03/19/03
Bonfante Gardens Opens April 18 Under Paramount Parks Leadership
Bonfante Gardens and Paramount's Great America to introduce Two Parks for the Price of One season pass option.
| Read More | 03/19/03
Paramount's Kings Island Premieres SpongeBob SquarePants In 3-D
The world's only 3-D ocean motion movie ride based on the No. 1 rated Nickelodeon TV series begins May 10.
| Read More | 03/18/03
Ten New Nickelodeon Rides and Attractions For Paramount's Great America
Northern California park to focus on families with the introduction of 10 new Nickelodeon rides and attractions this spring.
| Read More | 03/12/03
Historic Coaster Becomes Britain's First Listed Ride
A report submitted by amusement park historians results in a Margate roller coaster getting listed status.
| Read More | 03/03/03
February 2003
Record Breaking Roller Coaster Nearly Complete
Cedar Point nears end of construction phase on the world's tallest, fastest roller coaster.
| Read More | 02/26/03
TimberHawk To Be Washington State's Largest Coaster
Wild Waves and Enchanted Village is building the Pacific Northwest's largest coaster to open year.
| Read More | 02/25/03
Cedar Point Donates Money To Help Local Children
Money obtained through coin collection program to benefit organizations providing services to children.
| Read More | 02/17/03
Seven New Rides to Debut This Year At La Ronde
After last year's introduction of the ultimate roller coaster, The Vampire, the park will debut seven more rides.
| Read More | 02/12/03
Two New Thrill Rides Announced For Six Flags Astroworld
SWAT, a one-of-a-kind extreme thrill ride and Diablo Falls, a spinning water raft ride to debut spring 2003.
| Read More | 02/07/03
Six Flags Invites Guests to Fly Like Super Hero
Six Flags Great America will unveil a unique flying roller coaster, Superman Ultimate Flight, in Spring 2003.
| Read More | 02/06/03
Paramount Parks To Manage Bonfante Gardens Park
Paramount and Bonfante Gardens entered into a 5-year agreement where Paramount will management the Gilroy, CA theme park.
| Read More | 02/05/03
Family Coaster to Open This Summer at Great Escape
Blast off as the Great Escape prepares for its sixth roller coaster, The Canyon Blaster, debuting summer 2002.
| Read More | 02/04/03
January 2003
Magic Mountain's X Voted Number One Steel Coaster
Six Flags' one-of-a-kind fourth dimension roller coaster reigns supreme as the new number one steel coaster.
| Read More | 01/31/03
Dorney Park Expanding After Record Season
The park is spending $6 million on new water slides, a Peanuts character live show and midway renovations for 2003.
| Read More | 01/30/03
Six Flags St. Louis Announces Xtreme Xperience For 2003
Xcalibur, a cutting-edge thrill ride, will create a unique ride experience when it opens this spring.
| Read More | 01/29/03
Major Supercoaster Announced For Marine World
Six Flags Marine World's new seriously twisted supercoaster Zonga debuts at the Vallejo theme park Spring 2003.
| Read More | 01/16/03
Campaign Starts To Save Britain's Oldest Coaster
Possible sale of Dreamland endangers Britain's oldest roller coaster, a historic scenic railway.
| Read More | 01/15/03
Coca-Cola Continues Partnership With Universal Parks
The partnership formed in 1999 continues Coke's designation as Universal Theme Parks' official soft drink.
| Read More | 01/09/03
Cedar Fair Entertains Record Number Of Guests In 2002
Attendance at the company's eleven amusement parks and water parks rose 4% to a record 12.4 million guests.
| Read More | 01/08/03
Disneyland Resort Increases Park Admission Prices
Disney increased the theme park admission by $2 Monday, bringing the one-day ticket price to $47.
| Read More | 01/07/03
Knott's "Winter Coaster Solace" To Be Held March 1
One-day coaster enthusiast event to feature exclusive ride time on the park's roller coasters and more.
| Read More | 01/07/03
Visionland Park Bondholders Suing City of Birmingham
Bondholders file suit against city asking that the city be ordered to pay its $1 million annual payment.
| Read More | 01/04/03
Cedar Fair L.P. Announces Election Of New Directors
The company announced that its general partner has elected seven directors to serve effective January 1.
| Read More | 01/03/03
Holiday World Announces Stark Raven Mad Dates
The popular coaster enthusiast event will be held on May 30th 31st at Holiday World Splashin' Safari.
| Read More | 01/02/03
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