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A major new theme park is under construction in Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. Anyone with more news?

Six Flags denied reports over plans for Saudi Arabia theme park.
Source: http://www.thenational.ae/article/20160622/ARTICLE/160629645/1005

Frozen Ever After opened at Epcot, Walt Disney World, today attracting a 300 minute wait at peak time.
The animatronics look very good and the ride is a big change for Epcot as being the first ride and area in Epcot to be themed around a specific film as opposed to just the geographical area with film thrown in.

Could be the start of some big changes at Epcot as they try to add new life to the World Showcase.

Cobra’s Curse spin coaster opened on June 17 at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida







Photo sources:
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2016/06/cobras-curse-spin-coaster-set-to-open-june-17-at-busch-gardens-tampa-bay/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGzTmeqEcdd/
https://orlandoemrevista.com.br/2016/06/17/a-nova-montanha-russa-cobras-curse-inaugura-no-busch-gardens/

Should we create a Six Flags Middle East thread or Six Flags Saudi Arabia thread?

Six Flags Plans to Open Theme Parks in Saudi Arabia

U.S. theme park company Six Flags Entertainment Corp SIX 2.45% plans to expand to Saudi Arabia, its chief executive told Saudi-owned Arabiya TV on Monday, bringing roller coasters and bumper cars to the ultra-conservative kingdom.

“We’re very honored to be provided with an opportunity to enter into a partnership to bring Six Flags to the kingdom … Our parks can provide the entertainment to which Saudis aspire,” CEO John Duffey said. His comments were dubbed into Arabic.

Duffey did not elaborate on the terms of the partnership.

He was speaking following a meeting with Saudi deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is visiting the United States to promote a reform plan to wean the kingdom away from oil revenue.

The powerful royal, who also heads the country’s economic council, hopes the so-called “Vision 2030” initiative will jumpstart the private sector, provide jobs for a growing population and improve Saudis’ cloistered lifestyles.

“We consider culture and entertainment indispensable to our quality of life. We are well aware that the cultural and entertainment opportunities currently available do not reflect the rising aspirations of our citizens and residents,” the 2030 plan said in April.

Salman’s reform plans flirt with social change in a country where women are barred from driving, cinemas are banned and women’s sports are discouraged as promoting sin.

It is unclear whether the theme park company will tailor its rides, which include water slides, to the social codes of a country where public spaces are gender segregated and patrolled by state-sponsored Islamic morality enforcers.

Six Flags operates approximately 20 theme and water parks in North America and signed an agreement with a private Ho Chi Minh City based company in March to open two parks in Vietnam.

Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are encouraging the development of theme parks to help boost foreign tourist arrivals as oil prices slump, causing an economic slowdown in the region.

Source: http://fortune.com/2016/06/20/six-flags-saudi-arabia/

Butterfly Palladium attraction coming to Orlando

Rubin Stahl wants Orange County residents stepping into Costa Rica.

His Butterfly Palladium in Buena Park will be as authentic an experience as any outside of the South American country.

“I’m recreating Costa Rica in its entirety,” Stahl said. “It’s going to be something special.”

Stahl joined city leaders to break ground in late May on the $25 million butterfly pavilion that’s expected to open on Beach Boulevard next summer.

Inspired by its globetrotting founder’s infatuation with Costa Rica and the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, the city’s latest addition to its revamped entertainment corridor will feature sanctuaries for butterflies, hummingbirds and bees.

It will have a 3D theater for watching documentaries and areas for visitors to walk through gardens alive with butterflies. From viewing areas guests will watch curators and entomologists interact with the insects.

Stahl said his pavilion also will have the largest jellyfish aquarium in the world. “You’re going to walk up to this window and feel infinite.”

Put it all together, and the city’s newest attraction promises to draw some 600,000 visitors per year, officials have previously said.

“The way it’ll light up at night,” Stahl said of the pavilion, “it’ll be the most beautiful thing you’ll ever see. It’ll light up Beach Boulevard.”

A development magnate by way of Montreal, Stahl is behind Canada’s West Edmonton Mall – believed to be the world’s largest shopping center.

He later retired to Scottsdale, Ariz., and in 2013, presided over the construction of Butterfly Wonderland, the country’s largest butterfly conservatory.

“To create something that is so special that it brings people far and wide, millions of people every year, it’s the most amazing thing,” Stahl said.

Three years ago, city officials attended the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions conference in Orlando.

Ruben Lopez, the city’s economic development director, said in the city’s search to replace the old Movieland Wax Museum, they were referred to Stahl and his Butterfly Wonderland exhibit.

Council members visited the Scottsdale location and saw how the attraction drew school field trips and families, Lopez said.

In March 2015, council members unanimously approved selling to Butterfly Palladium the 8.7-acre Beach Boulevard property for $2.5 million. The well-known Movieland sign is expected to stay.

“It’s something different that we don’t have on the entertainment corridor, something you don’t see anywhere in the area,” said Aaron France, assistant to the city manager. “It’ll be educational, so it’ll attract a lot of school groups. Everyone will enjoy it.”

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/stahl-719241-butterfly-city.html

There was a fire yesterday in a storage lot opposite Wet 'n' Wild in Orlando which destroyed some water slides destined for the new Universal Volcano Bay development.

Sean Lanvin (local reporter) shot some photos and video of the fire.







Estimates that around 20-30 slide pieces were damaged but no-one was hurt in the fire which lasted around 1 hour and could be seen all over Orlando.

Source: https://twitter.com/SeanLavin/status/742793280119820290

SeaWorld Orlando today is celebrating the opening of Orlando's tallest, longest and fastest roller coaster, Mako.

Here are some of my favorite photos of Mako from Twitter. The first two photos are from @bioreconstruct, the third photo is from @FLTripGuides, and the fourth photo is from @nesdude. I encourage you all to follow these Twitter users - they post great updates about Orlando attractions!

Disney announced plans for a new "family raft ride" at Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon waterpark in Orlando, Florida.



Source: https://twitter.com/richobj/status/740553935207927809

Walt Disney World plans a new family raft ride at its Typhoon Lagoon water park, according to documents filed with the South Florida Water Management District.

The ride would be built on 2 acres in the northern part of the water park. It would be west of the Crush 'n' Gusher water coaster raft ride, in an area currently used for back of the house activity.

The ride would include an elevated flume.

Typhoon Lagoon opened in 1989. The park includes three raft rides; a lazy river; and a reef where people can swim among tropical fish, stingrays and sharks. It also has a giant wave pool and a children's play area.

Disney World has another water park, Blizzard Beach, which opened in 1995.

Both Disney's water parks had 5 percent increases in attendance last year, according to a recent industry report from the Themed Entertainment Association and the economics division of engineering firm AECOM. But it has been several years since Disney's water parks have gotten new rides, and they are facing stiffer competition. Universal Orlando will open the Volcano Bay water park next year.

Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-disney-world-typhoon-lagoon-water-park-raft-ride-20160608-story.html

Disneyland are looking to build a new Luxury hotel to open in 2021 and with 700 rooms it will add significant capacity that the park really needs as it grows.

We’ve also identified several key locations to help you orient yourself. The new hotel will be northeast of the current Disneyland Hotel (Fantasy Tower identified on map), and south of the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure, of which just a sliver appears on the map. Theme park views from the hotel will overlook the show buildings of Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Parts of the currently-under-construction Star Wars Land should also be visible, as it will be completed by the time the hotel opens in 2021.

Currently, the city of Anaheim has only two Four Diamond hotels – the Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. Anaheim City Council last year adopted a plan to provide tax incentives for developers to build luxury hotels to attract higher-end visitors. Since then, a number of new luxury hotels have been proposed, including two at GardenWalk, one at the site of the Anabella Hotel, and one at the site of the Anaheim Plaza Hotel and Suites.

Source: http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/06/breaking-disneyland-resort-to-add-new-flagship-four-diamond-luxury-hotel/