amusement parks – News Stories About amusement parks - Page 2

Test Dummies Fly From Roller Coaster, Land on Hotel

Leaky Test Dummies
Plunge From Roller Coaster

May 1, 2019 4:35 AM CDT

Leaky Test Dummies Plunge From Roller Coaster

It's still safe for humans, amusement park says

(Newser) - Two test dummies flew off a Jersey Shore roller coaster and crashed into a hotel—but the amusement park promises that human riders won't have the same experience. The water-filled dummies fell off the GaleForce roller coaster at the Castaway Cove park in Ocean City, NJ, during a routine...

16 Trapped for Hours
on SeaWorld Ride

Feb 19, 2019 12:07 AM CST

16 Trapped for Hours on SeaWorld Ride

Park says 'unusual gust' caused power outage

(Newser) - SeaWorld blames "an unusual gust of significant wind" for a power outage that left 16 people trapped in gondolas suspended above water for several hours Monday night. Authorities in San Diego say the passengers, including several children and an infant, were brought down by firefighters in stages starting around...

Next Up From
Tyra Banks:
ModelLand, the
Theme Park

Feb 6, 2019 2:49 PM CST

Next Up From Tyra Banks: ModelLand, the Theme Park

It's opening in Santa Monica this year

(Newser) - Some theme parks have boardwalks; one coming to California will have catwalks. The attraction, set to debut at the Santa Monica Place open-air shopping mall later this year, will be called ModelLand , and it's the brainchild of Tyra Banks, herself a former supermodel and America's Next Top Model ...

Freak Go-Kart Accident Leaves Mother Largely Brain-Dead

Amusement Park
Tragedy Reveals
a Surprise to
British Visitor

Aug 19, 2018 4:30 PM CDT

Amusement Park Tragedy Reveals a Surprise to British Visitor

There is no federal oversight of American parks

(Newser) - The New York Times reports on a sad story illustrating something that may come as a surprise to many: No federal oversight exists of US amusement parks. The incident at the center of the story took place three years ago at AJ's Family Fun Center near Grand Rapids, Michigan....

Power Outage Leaves Roller Coaster Riders Stuck for 2 Hours

Power Outage Strands
Roller Coaster Riders

May 29, 2018 12:38 AM CDT

Power Outage Strands Roller Coaster Riders

It took 2 hours to restore power at Cedar Point

(Newser) - A power outage at an amusement park in Ohio left riders stranded on some of its roller coasters and other rides for about two hours. A spokesman for Cedar Point in Sandusky says the park lost power Monday afternoon when a car hit a utility pole, the AP reports. Photos...

Suit: Trip to Amusement Park
Ended With Eye-Eating Parasite

Dec 1, 2017 8:52 AM CST

Suit: Trip to Amusement Park Ended With Eye-Eating Parasite

Robert Trostle is suing Kennywood for negligence

(Newser) - Its website proclaims Kennywood "Pittsburgh's best amusement park." Robert Trostle would likely append "for contracting an eye-eating parasite" to the end of that. That's what the Squirrel Hill man is claiming happened to him during a July 2 visit to the Pennsylvania park, per a...

'Excessive Corrosion' Blamed for State Fair Ride Death

Maker Explains Ride's
'Catastrophic Failure'

Aug 7, 2017 1:14 AM CDT

Maker Explains Ride's 'Catastrophic Failure'

Corrosion ate away at beam for 18 years

(Newser) - The deadly accident at the Ohio State Fair last month was caused by "excessive corrosion" over the 18 years the Fireball ride had been in operation, according to ride maker KMG. Investigators in Columbus found that corrosion "on the interior of the gondola support beam dangerously reduced the...

Death at Ohio State Fair
as 'Thrill Ride' Malfunctions

Jul 27, 2017 12:37 AM CDT

Death at Ohio State Fair as 'Thrill Ride' Malfunctions

Victims were hurled from Fire Ball

(Newser) - A man was killed and at least seven other people were injured in a horrific ride malfunction on the opening day of the Ohio State Fair. Officials say the 18-year-old man was killed after being thrown in the air from the Fire Ball ride Wednesday evening and landing around 50...

Police: 'Human Error'
Behind Girl's Six Flags Fall

Jun 26, 2017 2:18 PM CDT

Police: 'Human Error' Behind Girl's Six Flags Fall

Police agree there was no malfunction

(Newser) - After a 14-year-old fell some 25 feet from a gondola ride and onto the crowd below at Six Flags Great Escape in New York on Saturday, park officials said they hadn't uncovered any malfunction that would have precipitated her fall. Now police are saying much the same. Though the...

Teen Tumbles 25 Feet
From Six Flags Ride

Jun 25, 2017 5:25 AM CDT

Teen Tumbles 25 Feet From Six Flags Ride

Incident happened Saturday night on the 'Sky Ride'

(Newser) - A teenager fell from a stopped gondola ride at an upstate New York amusement park Saturday night, tumbling into a crowd of park guests and employees gathered below in an effort to catch the victim before she hit the ground. The Warren County Sheriff's Office said late Saturday the...

World's Tallest Water Slide to
Close for Good After Death

Nov 23, 2016 7:34 AM CST

World's Tallest Water Slide to Close for Good After Death

Schlitterbahn water park's 168-foot Verruckt slide to be taken down

(Newser) - The 10-year-old son of a Kansas lawmaker died on the world's tallest water slide this summer, and that ride is now closed for good. Caleb Schwab, the son of state Rep. Scott Schwab, suffered a "fatal neck injury" Aug. 7 on the 168-foot Verruckt slide at the Schlitterbahn...

4 Die in Horrific
Theme Park Accident

Oct 25, 2016 4:52 AM CDT

4 Die in Horrific Theme Park Accident

Victims were thrown from, trapped by ride at Australian park

(Newser) - Police in Queensland, Australia, are investigating a horrific accident that left four people dead on a ride at a popular Gold Coast theme park. Two men and two women in their 30s and 40s died on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the Dreamworld park on Tuesday, with two people...

Child Falls From
Roller Coaster

Aug 11, 2016 3:26 PM CDT

Child Falls From Roller Coaster

The young boy was flown to a local hospital with unknown injuries

(Newser) - A young boy was hospitalized with unknown injuries after falling off an 80-year-old wooden roller coaster Thursday at Pennsylvania's Idlewild & Soak Zone, NBC News reports. The boy hasn't been identified, but he may have been around 3 years old. According to KDKA , the boy was riding the...

What Will Be the
World's Most-Visited
Theme Park Opens

Jun 16, 2016 12:05 AM CDT

What Will Be the World's Most-Visited Theme Park Opens

Disney's Shanghai park is its first in mainland China

(Newser) - Walt Disney Co. opened its Shanghai theme park Thursday, its first in mainland China, with a Chinese children's choir, Sleeping Beauty and other Disney characters, and speeches by Communist Party leaders. Vice Premier Wang Yang joined Disney CEO Bob Iger in cutting a red ribbon as the park opened,...

May 27, 2016 12:25 PM CDT

10 Most Popular Amusement Parks in the World

Disney dominates, but Universal cracks top 5

(Newser) - A new list of the world's most popular amusement parks shows just how pervasive the Disney brand is. Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida tops the AECOM Index with 20.5 million visitors in 2015, and the brand dominates the top 10. It was a good year for...

Dad Saves Son
on Malfunctioning
Roller Coaster
in Dramatic Video

Apr 28, 2016 3:04 PM CDT

Dad Saves Son on Malfunctioning Roller Coaster in Dramatic Video

Scary moment was recorded

(Newser) - A dad's heartstopping moment was caught on video last week: Delbert Latham was filming himself and his son, Kaysen, riding a roller coaster at the Wonderland amusement park in Zita, Texas, when the seatbelt malfunctioned and the little boy started to slip to the floor of their ride car....

Dead Body Found
at Disneyland Paris

Apr 4, 2016 3:00 PM CDT

Dead Body Found at Disneyland Paris

Worker died in apparent accident

(Newser) - A dead body—a real one, not one created for the attraction—was found inside the haunted mansion ride at Disneyland Paris Saturday morning. The 45-year-old park employee is believed to have been electrocuted while fixing a light fixture inside the ride, which is called Phantom Manor at the Paris...

Bird Halts Roller Coaster, Strands Riders Upside Down

Mar 20, 2016 5:44 AM CDT

Bird Halts Roller Coaster, Strands Riders Upside Down

Not cool, bird

(Newser) - Roller-coaster riders at one of Beijing's major amusement parks were left hanging upside down for almost 20 minutes when a bird stood on one of the ride's safety sensors. The Happy Valley Amusement Park said it took 18 minutes to bring the 26 riders to safety via a...

Major Theme Parks
Around US Are
Beefing Up Security

Dec 17, 2015 1:25 PM CST

Major Theme Parks Around US Are Beefing Up Security

You'll have to pass a metal detector to enter the happiest place on Earth

(Newser) - With the Department of Homeland Security publicly worrying about potential attacks on crowded places, the three major theme parks in Orlando—Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Orlando—added metal detectors on Thursday, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The security devices are also being installed at Disneyland and Universal Studios in Los...

Water Park Owner
Gives Up After
17 Days Chained
to Water Slide

Nov 25, 2015 4:33 PM CST

Water Park Owner Gives Up After 17 Days Chained to Water Slide

Kevin Dumont couldn't save park from being auctioned

(Newser) - The owner of a New Hampshire water park who chained himself to a slide tower 17 days ago to try to prevent the park's auction has ended his quest because of failing health and the lack of a financial savior. Kevin Dumont climbed the slide at Liquid Planet on...