Tuesday, SA4 TRAVEL EXTRA August 5, 2014 A NEW BONUS SECTION FOR OUR SUBSCRIBERS

THEME PARKS The best attractions on the horizon

By Brady MacDonald | Los Angeles Times At first I thought it was too early to look ahead at the new attractions coming to U.S. theme parks in 2015, but then I realized a number of big rides have already been announced and many more are already in the planning stages. Here’s my list of most anticipated rides for 2015:

1. Universal Studios 3. Knoebels — Impulse 5. Kentucky Kingdom Hollywood — Fast & looping coaster — T3 suspended looping Furious Supercharged Pennsylvania’s Knoebels coaster Following on the success of will add a In 2015, the recently reopened King Kong 360 3-D, Universal steel coaster with a chain- Kentucky Kingdom in Studios Hollywood will add driven vertical lift hill and Louisville will convert the another massive drive-through four inversions, including a standing-but-not-operating T2 “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” is coming to Idlewild. CONTRIBUTED BY PBS.ORG movie attraction to the back- cobra roll and an inline twist. inverted coaster into T3, or lot tram tour. Fast & Furious The new Impulse looping Terror to the Third Power. Supercharged will take tram coaster will feature an electro- riders inside a 50,000-square- magnetic vertical launch. 6. Universal’s Islands in the coaster community the Beast,” “Little Mermaid” foot attraction that combines of Adventure — has centered on a potential and “Peter Pan.” a motion-based simulator 4. Miracle Strip — King Kong transformation by Idaho-based platform and a 400-foot-long Starliner wooden coaster Construction has already Rocky Mountain Construction 11. Indiana Beach — tunnel-like movie screen for a The Starliner, Florida’s first begun on a new ride at that would turn the twin New thrill ride 3-D experience based on the wooden coaster, will return Universal’s Islands of 4,325-foot tracks into a record- Indiana Beach amusement street racing film franchise. to its roots. After the Miracle Adventure in Florida setting 8,000-foot-plus looping park located between Chicago Strip amusement park closed known only as Project 340. wood-steel hybrid coaster and Indianapolis has promised 2. Universal Studios in 2004, the Starliner was Speculation has focused on a dubbed Iron Colossus. to replace the 1971 Galaxi Hollywood — The relocated to Cypress Gardens King Kong dark ride attraction coaster with a new thrill ride Simpsons’ Springfield land (which eventually became that would take riders to Skull 9. Holiday World — in 2015. Universal Studios Hollywood Legoland Florida and again Island. New attraction will bring the fictional animated shuttered the ride). The new A teaser campaign dubbed 12. Carowinds — town of Springfield to life with Starliner will be reborn at the 7. Busch Gardens 66 Days at Sea literally counts Giga coaster a Krusty Burger, Moe’s Tavern new Miracle Strip. Williamsburg — down the days until Holiday Carowinds has already begun and Duff Brewery next Vertical coaster World plans to announce its clearing space along the North to the park’s existing Busch Gardens Williamsburg new 2015 attraction. Journal Carolina and South Carolina Simpsons ride. The has filed permits with a local entries documenting a trans- border for what is widely plan will bring government agency to build a Atlantic journey aboard a expected to be a $30 million the whole family, 156-foot-tall attraction in the sailing ship suggest the ride . Coasters and including Homer Festa Italia area of the Virginia planned for the Thanksgiving More reports the border- and Bart (below) park. Blueprints posted by section of the Indiana theme straddling park will receive alive. BGW Fans indicate the new park may feature a water a Swiss-based Bolliger & attraction will be similar to element. Mabillard Giga coaster about the Superman: Ultimate 300 feet tall and 5,000 feet Flight vertical coaster 10. Disneyland — long. built by Premier Rides at Nighttime parade Northern California’s Six Flags A clone of the “Paint the Night” 13. Idlewild — Daniel Discovery Kingdom. parade debuting this year at Tiger’s Neighborhood Hong Kong Disneyland will trolley ride 8. Six Flags Magic be part of Disneyland’s 60th Pennsylvania’s Idlewild Mountain — Iron Colossus anniversary celebration in theme park will update the Six Flags Magic Mountain has 2015, reports Disney and More. one-of-a-kind “Mr. Roger’s announced plans to retire The Main Street USA nighttime Neighborhood” trolley Colossus and replace the parade would include floats ride with a new theme 1978 wooden racing coaster from “Cars,” “Toy Story,” based on “Daniel Tiger’s with a new ride. Speculation “Monsters Inc.,” “Beauty and Neighborhood.”

Cabana IF YOU GO continued from SA1 Cabana Bay Beach Resort, 6550 Adventure Way, Cabana Bay “is like stepping back into childhood,” says Orlando, Fla., Hardenberger. “As my agents 407-503-4000, — most of whom fall into the UniversalOrlando.com. Gen X category — walked through the resort, there were Through Aug. 16, constant exclamations of ‘Oh, Florida residents can I remember that!’ as we passed take advantage of rates furnishings that reminded us of starting at $99. After a friend’s kitchen, listened to that, the average rate per music that our moms and dads night starts around $124. played in the car, and played with an alarm clock much like the one that sat next to our beds as children. “You could see everyone’s much as anything,” Dagon says. mood brighten as they were Spinach-and-artichoke dip, flooded with happy memories.” meanwhile, is an option in Gal- Russ Dagon, a 47-year-old VP axy Bowl, a 10-pin ringer for and executive project director Hollywood Star Lanes, which at Universal, can relate. Guests walk through the lobby of Cabana Bay Beach Resort in Orlando, Fla. The terrarium pays homage to was built in 1960 and served as “We all liked this concept be- the iconic terrarium in the lobby of Miami’s Americana Hotel, which opened in 1956. the Dude’s home alley in “The cause we were of the age, but MADELINE GRAY / PALM BEACH POST Big Lebowski.” the question was, ‘Will it reso- And for those who prefer nate with a younger audience?’ Pike Place Roast to Chock full And it’s actually more compel- o’Nuts, Starbucks selected Ca- ling to a younger audience be- EXTREME THEMING bana Bay as the site of its first cause of the uniqueness. And At Cabana Bay Beach Resort, mod is in the details: stand-alone location at a Uni- they’re experiencing (the era) versal or Disney resort. Its for the first time here.” store there features Weeki Wa- But the time machine is 1 Four gleaming cars 3 The sign that towers chee-inspired murals, an Old pimped out with 21st centu- greet guests: a 1957 Ford over the circular driveway Florida wink and nod to the cof- ry essentials such as free Wi- Country Squire Wagon, a (seen at left) promises color fee chain’s mermaid mascot. Fi, plasma TVs, easily accessi- 1958 Chrysler Imperial, a TV and “cold air.” Nostalgia is a suitable vaca- ble outlets for recharging mo- tion bedfellow, Hardenberger 1961 Chevrolet Impala and bile devices, USB ports in ev- says. “Not only are you unplug- ery guest room, and bathrooms a 1963 Ford Thunderbird ging from the stresses of your Each nightstand is that allow multiple guests to si- Sports Roadster. 4 daily life, you feel as though multaneously prepare for a day topped with a Westclox you are actually walking back of Harry Pottering. (Just try analog clock that ticks it into a more carefree time.” finding roomy water closets in a 2 The complimentary old-school. Of course, not everyone vintage motor court.) toiletries? Retro-wrapped fondly recalls the pre-Cuban “The theme may pull families Zest and Alberto VO5 Missile Crisis era. Prior to book- in,” says Dave Parfitt, who op- shampoo and cream rinse. 5 And you know those ing its first rooms in March, Ca- erates the family travel site Ad- “men” and “women” bana Bay executives perma- venturesByDaddy.com, “but silhouettes outside of nently banned several politi- the modern amenities, com- restrooms? At Cabana Bay, cally incorrect tunes from the fy family suites and price point the male symbol wears a playlist of the resort’s piped-in will keep them.” fedora and a necktie. music, which is pulled exclu- Then and now also share a sively from Billboard’s Top 100 booth in the Bayliner Diner charts from 1958 through ‘62. food court, where guests can The pools and Galaxy Bowl purchase an electronic-chipped are the only hotel locations Sonic Fill cup that allows for about what I grew up with,” he earn spots alongside tofu stir fry, enjoy their burgers and fries where the soundscape is largely endless refills at the resort’s 10 says, “but our challenge was, ginger soy glazed salmon and with a side of “Popeye.” Car- contemporary. Coke Freestyle machines. we’re 50 years on.” Brazilian beef churrasco. (An- toons, commercials and gener- But to most ears, an un- As director of food and bever- Glasses of Tang and Welsh other period touch: Bulk-can- ic vacation footage from the late interrupted stretch of songs age, Phil Klinkenberg, who says rarebit were out like a backyard dy bins of Necco Wafers, Mary 1950s and early ’60s, all pulled such as “Honeycomb,” “Char- he’s in his early 50s, oversaw bomb shelter, but Swedish meat- Janes and Bit-O-Honeys.) from the NBCUniversal vault, lie Brown” and “Splish Splash” the development of the resort’s balls and tuna noodle casserole In Bayliner Diner’s high-ceil- play on four enormous screens. translates to headaches by the menus. “It was fun to think passed modern-day muster to inged dining room, guests can “It’s moving art work as number.