Theme Park Tourist

Jan 8, 2025 | themeparktourist.com | Brian Krosnick |Natalie Sim |Amanda Dwyer |Ellie Igou

Fans have been fearing this day for decades, and it has finally arrived: Muppet*Vision is closing. As you know by now, Jim Henson’s last Muppet project will officially vacate its home at Disney’s Hollywood Studios… but in typical Muppet mayhem, Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, and the rest won’t be gone for long. Instead, the Muppetational cast will takeover one of the park’s E-Ticket thrill rides.

Jan 2, 2025 | themeparktourist.com | Amanda Dwyer

In 2024, we lost six roller coasters. While most of the loses make way for new attractions, we will surely miss the thrills that these coasters have offered. Let’s take a look at the coasters we lost in 2024. Anaconda was a steel roller coaster and one of the classic Arrow looping coasters. The coaster featured four inversions and a 144 foot drop. What made Anaconda stand out from some of the other classic looping coasters was its underwater tunnel.

Dec 20, 2024 | themeparktourist.com | Brian Krosnick

For those of us who grew up on discussion boards and social media following the goings-on of amusement parks and roller coasters, there was no more fundamental a divide than that between Six Flags and Cedar Fair. For decades, these two regional parks operators battled back and forth, inciting the “Coaster Wars” in their continuous battle for amusement supremacy. Pitting their flagship parks against one another, Six Flags and Cedar Fair raced to compete.

Dec 19, 2024 | themeparktourist.com | Brian Krosnick

As thrillseekers know all too well, 2024 ended up being an unusual year when it comes to record-breaking roller coasters. A series of high-profile closures left several would-be record-holders in the dreaded state of standing but not operating (“SBNO”)… So many are closed, in fact, that as we explored, the “world’s fastest roller coaster” in 2024 was the fourth fastest in 2023.

Dec 17, 2024 | themeparktourist.com | Amanda Dwyer

Wicked, the movie based on the acclaimed long running musical hit theaters last month and the world is in love. The musical, which serves as a prequel to the events of the Wizard of Oz, has a rich lore, beloved characters, enchanting visuals, and timeless music that could provide an immersive new theme park experience within Universal Orlando Resort. The Lost Continent area of Islands of adventure is currently sitting with unutilized potential.