News, Reviews & Series
The latest theme park news, trip reports and event reviews from Texas and beyond.
Lost Island Theme Park Tour & Review | Immersive Themed Lands & Rides, Plus New Coaster for 2025
Lost Island Theme Park, one of North America's newest parks, opened in 2022 in Waterloo, Iowa. The park is themed to an enchanted tropical island with incredibly immersive areas and rides to match. To date, Lost Island is home to three roller coasters, including Nopuko Air Coaster and Matugani and an award-winning dark ride, Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol. During our visit, the park announced their 2025 addition, a RMC Raptor roller coaster named Fire Runner.
Valleyfair Tour & Review | Beautiful Theme Park with Classic Rides Located Near Minneapolis
Valleyfair theme park, located in Shakopee, Minnesota, first opened in 1976 with one roller coaster being its star attraction. In 1978, Cedar Point purchased Valleyfair and would go on to create the Cedar Fair theme park chain. Today, Valleyfair is home to eight roller coasters, including Wild Thing and Renegade, several flat rides and the Soak City water park.
Nickelodeon Universe Mall of America Tour & Review | Huge Indoor Theme Park with Multiple Coasters
Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America, located in Bloomington, Minnesota, is a large indoor theme park that originally opened in 1992 as Knott's Camp Snoopy. In 2008, the park would transform into Nickelodeon Universe that overhauled its theme. Today, Nickelodeon Universe features five roller coasters, a heavily themed log ride, and over two dozen other rides and attractions.
Fright Fest Comes to Life at Fiesta Texas, Confirmed Haunted House, Show & Scare Zone Locations
Preparations for Fright Fest at Six Flags Fiesta Texas are well under way as all of this year's event details have been announced. Join us for a tour that highlights the locations of Fright Fest attractions, including the new Conjuring Universe and Stranger Things haunted houses, award-winning live entertainment, the new Dia de los Muertos overlay coming to Texas State Square and returning immersive scare zones.
My Coasting for Kids Trapdoor Water Slide Challenge Completely Fails at Hurricane Harbor
In June, we participated in the Coasting for Kids fundraiser at Six Flags Over Texas. The fundraiser helps critically ill children and their families go on vacations to the Give Kids the World Village in Florida at no cost. We challenged our viewers to raise enough money to make me ride a trapdoor water slide, which I absolutely despise. Well, you did it! You raised enough money. We headed out to Hurricane Harbor San Antonio at Fiesta Texas to pay our debts, but the challenge didn't go quite as planned.
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Arlington Unveils Historic Expansion in 2025
Hurricane Harbor Arlington, the largest water park in North Texas, is thrilled to announce its largest investment in park history with the debut of Splash Island and a variety of new guest amenities set for 2025. This expansion introduces a vibrant coastal-themed area featuring colorful slides and a multi-level interactive play structure, perfect for young guests.
Fright Fest Prep Begins at Six Flags Over Texas, Summer Operations Finish Up
About one month remains until the start of Fright Fest 2024 at Six Flags Over Texas and, based on the line-up, it is shaping up to be the largest ever. We take a lap around the park to see Fright Fest setup progress and discuss current ride closures and other small projects that have progressed since our last visit.
Cyborg: Cyber Revolution Comes to Life, Construction Continues | Fiesta Texas August 2024 Updates
Six Flags Fiesta Texas continues construction on their new DC Universe expansion into August 2024. Though tons of work has yet to take place, Cyborg: Cyber Revolution has been installed and tested. Daily Planet Gifts, the Superman Krypton Coaster exit gift shop is also undergoing a major renovation as it transforms into an indoor gift shop. We also check the status of Kid Flash Cosmic Coaster and give Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster a ride now that it has reopened with new trains.
FT92 Event at Fiesta Texas Announces Tons of New Fright Fest Haunts & Shows, Plus 2025 Season Passes
Six Flags Fiesta Texas hosted their annual FT92 fan event on August 10, 2024 at Zaragoza Theatre. This year's presentation was heavily focused around Fright Fest, which sees the addition of several new shows, haunted houses, such as Stranger Things, and scare zones. Other announcements included a look at this year's Holiday in the Park, next year's event line-up, and changes to the 2025 season pass offerings.
The Largest Expansion in Park History | Fiesta Texas Flashback Series
Six Flags Fiesta Texas saw an unprecedented $30 million expansion for the 1999 season. This included multiple roller coasters, such as Poltergeist, several flat rides and children's rides and the iconic Lone Star Lagoon Texas-shaped wave pool. Join us for another episode in the Fiesta Texas Flashback Series, which takes a look at the largest expansion in Six Flags Fiesta Texas history.
Peppa Pig Theme Park DFW Construction Update | Roller Coaster & Other Rides Have Gone Vertical
Peppa Pig Theme Park DFW, scheduled to open this year, will be a standalone theme park experience featuring a children's roller coaster, flat rides, entertainment and play areas. Located in North Richland Hills, the new theme park will immerse visitors into the world of Peppa Pig and several other related characters from the popular television series. Join us for a quick look at the park's construction progress.
Six Flags Introduces All Park Passport Heading to 2025
Six Flags is excited to announce that the All Park Passport add-on will offer access to more parks starting in 2025. The All Park Passport is an add-on that allows you to access additional legacy Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks with select 2025 Season Passes.
SeaWorld Debuts Red, White and BBQ: Tastes of America Festival
SeaWorld San Antonio is thrilled to premiere its Red, White and BBQ festival showcasing the best barbecue from around the country. Beginning August 9 and running through September 2, guests can enjoy BBQ styles from Kansas City, the Carolinas, Texas, Memphis and Hawaii all while strolling the park enjoying rides and animal attractions. This inaugural event is the perfect blend of food, fun and entertainment and is included in SeaWorld admission every Friday through Sunday and on Labor Day.
SeaWorld San Antonio Challenges Guests to Ride the Steel Eel 25 Times to Commemorate the Coaster’s 25th Anniversary on July 25
SeaWorld San Antonio celebrates 25 years of heart-pounding excitement on the Steel Eel on July 25. In honor of the roller coaster’s 25th anniversary, guests are challenged to ride the Steel Eel 25 times in one day, and those who do will receive an exclusive commemorative t-shirt. All guests will also be treated to delicious cookies, 60th Anniversary cooling towels, and an exciting atmosphere as ambassadors cheer on participants completing the ride challenge.
Adventureland Amusement Park (Long Island, NY) Tour & Review | Classic Park Home to Unique Coasters
Adventureland Amusement Park, located on Long Island, opened its doors in 1962 and was a product of the area's increasing population. Situated on only twelve acres of land, the park has an impressive showcase of over thirty rides and attractions. Adventureland features three roller coasters, including the rare Fireball, and Turbulence, a high-thrill spinning coaster. The park is currently in the middle of a $10 million project for their Legacy Corner area with Wave Twister making its debut in 2025.
Six Flags Over Texas Welcomes Icons of Halloween and Horror to Fright Fest
Beginning on Friday, September 13, thrill-seekers and horror enthusiasts are invited to immerse themselves in the pulse-pounding excitement and terror that only Fright Fest can deliver. Visitors to the park will step into a world where nightmarish creatures inspired by legendary horror brands come to life with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ SAW franchise, Netflix’s Stranger Things, Warner Bros. Discovery’s The Conjuring, Legendary Entertainment’s Trick ‘r Treat, and Netflix & Legendary Entertainment’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Six Flags & Cedar Fair Merger Official - Explaining the Merger & Hopeful Changes for the Future
Six Flags and Cedar Fair have officially merged into the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, meaning all respective parks now operate under the same umbrella. This merger boasts a portfolio of over forty properties, including Cedar Point, Knott's Berry Farm, Carowinds, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Join us for an in-depth discussion explaining the merger, the hopeful changes we want for the future, along with negatives that we don't want to see moving forward.
New Rides Open at Six Flags Over Texas, Fright Fest 2024 Updates, Has Food Quality Improved?
Earlier this month, Six Flags Over Texas unveiled their new Bugs Bunny Boomtown attractions, which are Sylvester & Tweety Pounce and Bounce and the returning Daffy Duck Bucket Blasters. Fright Fest is just over two months away and we've been able to confirm an entertainment offering and discuss the haunted house teasers that have been released. Finally, another food review gauges if the park's food quality has improved since our first summer visit.
SeaWorld Announces Early Rise Park Hours to Beat the Afternoon Heat
SeaWorld San Antonio is excited to announce the launch of “Early Rise Hours”, with an earlier morning opening time to help guests beat the hot Texas mid-day heat. Beginning July 13th and on additional select Saturday dates, the park will open at 8 am, two and a half hours earlier than its normal opening time. Guests can take advantage of the cool morning temperatures, grab their morning coffee and breakfast, ride thrilling coasters, and see animals all before the afternoon temperatures rise.
Cedar Fair and Six Flags Merger of Equals Successfully Completed
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN), the largest and most diverse amusement park operator in North America, today announced the successful completion of the merger of equals (the “Merger”) between Cedar Fair, L.P. (“Cedar Fair”) and former Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (“Former Six Flags”), effective July 1, 2024 (the “Closing Date”). The combined company is operating under the name “Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.”