2003 NEWS ARCHIVE
Archive of past news articles on theme and amusement parks, thrill rides and attractions.December 2003
Dec 9, 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.
November 2003
Nov 14, 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.
Nov 7, 2003
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.
Nov 6, 2003
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.
Nov 5, 2003
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.
Nov 3, 2003
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.
October 2003
Oct 29, 2003
Worlds of Fun Building Spinning Coaster For 2004
The uniquely designed coaster with independent spinning cars will replace the Orient Express roller coaster.
Oct 27, 2003
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.
Oct 24, 2003
Bonfante Gardens Extends Season Thru Mid-November
After a successful year the park announced that it will extend its operating season for three weekends.
Oct 15, 2003
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.
Oct 15, 2003
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.
Oct 1, 2003
Harvest Festival and Halloween Haunts at Bonfante Gardens
The park celebrates autumn with a Harvest Festival and a Halloween Spook-tacular weekends through October.
September 2003
Sep 23, 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.
Sep 12, 2003
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.
Sep 4, 2003
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.
August 2003
Aug 26, 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.
Aug 23, 2003
Holiday World Receives Honors In International Survey
Amusement Today survey honors The Raven wooden coaster and names Holiday World cleaniest and friendliest theme park.
Aug 21, 2003
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.
Aug 21, 2003
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.
Aug 21, 2003
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.
Aug 18, 2003
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.
Aug 15, 2003
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.
Aug 5, 2003
Hersheypark Building Hydraulic Launch Coaster for 2004
The park's 10th roller coaster will be the world's first hydraulic launch coaster with inversions.
Aug 2, 2003
Cedar Point and Ohio Celebrate Historic Milestones In '03
Several park attractions including the popular Gemini roller coaster celebrate notable anniversaries this summer.
July 2003
Jul 16, 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.
Jul 15, 2003
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.
Jul 3, 2003
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.
June 2003
Jun 27, 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.
Jun 21, 2003
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.
Jun 16, 2003
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.
Jun 3, 2003
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.
Jun 2, 2003
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.
May 2003
May 30, 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.
May 20, 2003
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.
May 19, 2003
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.
May 14, 2003
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
May 2, 2003
America's Newest Theme Park Celebration City Now Open
Celebration City features 30 themed rides and attractions including the new Ozark Wildcat roller coaster.
May 1, 2003
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.
April 2003
Apr 15, 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.
Apr 14, 2003
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.
Apr 12, 2003
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.
Apr 10, 2003
Southern California's First Floorless Coaster Scream! Opens
Six Flags Magic Mountain debuts the park's 16th roller coaster, breaking its own world record.
Apr 9, 2003
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.
Apr 7, 2003
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.
Apr 5, 2003
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.
March 2003
Mar 19, 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.
Mar 19, 2003
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.
Mar 18, 2003
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.
Mar 12, 2003
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.
Mar 3, 2003
Historic Coaster Becomes Britain's First Listed Ride
A report submitted by amusement park historians results in a Margate roller coaster getting listed status.
February 2003
Feb 26, 2003
Record Breaking Roller Coaster Nearly Complete
Cedar Point nears end of construction phase on the world's tallest, fastest roller coaster.
Feb 25, 2003
TimberHawk To Be Washington State's Largest Coaster
Wild Waves and Enchanted Village is building the Pacific Northwest's largest coaster to open year.
Feb 17, 2003
Cedar Point Donates Money To Help Local Children
Money obtained through coin collection program to benefit organizations providing services to children.
Feb 12, 2003
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.
Feb 7, 2003
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.
Feb 6, 2003
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.
Feb 5, 2003
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.
Feb 4, 2003
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.
January 2003
Jan 31, 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.
Jan 30, 2003
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.
Jan 29, 2003
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.
Jan 16, 2003
Major Supercoaster Announced For Marine World
Six Flags Marine World's new seriously twisted supercoaster Zonga debuts at the Vallejo theme park Spring 2003.
Jan 15, 2003
Campaign Starts To Save Britain's Oldest Coaster
Possible sale of Dreamland endangers Britain's oldest roller coaster, a historic scenic railway.
Jan 9, 2003
Coca-Cola Continues Partnership With Universal Parks
The partnership formed in 1999 continues Coke's designation as Universal Theme Parks' official soft drink.
Jan 8, 2003
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.
Jan 7, 2003
Disneyland Resort Increases Park Admission Prices
Disney increased the theme park admission by $2 Monday, bringing the one-day ticket price to $47.
Jan 7, 2003
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.
Jan 4, 2003
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.
Jan 3, 2003
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.
Jan 2, 2003
Holiday World Announces Stark Raven Mad Dates
The popular coaster enthusiast event will be held on May 30th 31st at Holiday World Splashin' Safari.
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