Nearly one in five US citizens plan to visit a haunted attraction this year, according to a survey released in time for Halloween.

Funtime Handels debuted its latest extreme ride construction at the Prater in Vienna this summer. The new creation is called the Tornado and comprises an offset rotating arm, onto the end of which a four-seater gondola is suspended like a swing. Additional electronic motors allow the gondola to perform somersaults.

Australian moto-racing legend Mick Doohan is the inspiration for the world’s first Intamin motorbike launch coaster, which opened late September at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast. Mick Doohan’s Motocoaster features replica life-size 500cc bikes that race at up to 72km per hour over a 605-metre circuit. A fast, fluid track with breathtaking changes in elevation, high speed bends and plenty of quick left-handers is built low to the ground to provide a great sensation of speed and movement.

It’s one of the highest profit margin confectionery items an attraction can offer, and now candy floss (cotton candy) is available in a new and exciting format. The Candy Floss Vending Machine offered by this Northern Irish company is almost an attraction in its own right.

A large, twisting water slide is now available for small children (4ft and above) from Play Pool Products with the introduction of the MKS 270.

Italian supplier Eurogames recently unveiled this new look Formula 1 coin-operated family racing car.

Italian supplier Eurogames recently unveiled this new look Formula 1 coin-operated family racing car.

Described as “human hamster balls” that allow their inhabitants to walk, run roll and spin on water without getting wet, Waterwalkerz were recently launched in the UK after enjoying success in Asia.

It’s back to Orlando for IAAPA Attractions Expo this November. After two years in Atlanta, the industry’s biggest trade show takes place at the Orange County Convention Center from Tuesday to Friday, November 13 to 16, with more than 1,100 exhibitors. Yet there’s also plenty going on away from the show floor, as we reveal here.

Today’s park-goers are more likely to ask how many loops a coaster contains rather than if it goes upside down at all. Yet until it wasn’t until the 1970s and the start of The Rollercoaster Renaissance that guests became fully acclimatised to any kind of inversion in their coaster-riding experiences. Paul Ruben traces the history of looping coasters. Hold tight!

With roots stretching back to 1766, the Vienna Prater is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. Now, as it undergoes regeneration, it is to draw on its rich heritage in an attempt to create a timeless atmosphere for guests arriving at the park.

Dinoland is the first outdoor theme park in Northern China designed specially for kids under the age of 12 and, as June Ren reports, it’s been putting smiles on their faces since it opened just over a year ago.

Dalian Sun Asia Tourism Holding is a 12-year-old company held in high regard among the attractions industry in China. An operator of aquariums, animal encounters, children’s theme parks and hot spring spas, it is the only home-grown tourism company on the stock market in China, and a member of IAAPA.

When planning a food and beverage outlet, most park managers leave it until the eleventh hour. Park World’s resident ‘food guy’ Mike Holtzman explains why you should give the operation the attention it deserves.

Soon after Mark Shapiro assumed the role of chief executive officer of Six Flags in December of 2005, he told Park World he planned to bring in rides and attractions that would appeal to all ages. “We’re going to get back to bread and butter, which is investing in the experience of Six Flags, the great service of Six Flags, a get-away in a clean, safe, friendly environment with a host of offerings, not just 200-foot drops.” It sounded like heresy.

Robert (Bob) Emmett Masterson, 61, is the incoming chair of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). Born in Chicago, he serves as president of Ripley Entertainment Inc, an 85-year-old company that has become a major player in the attractions industry. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is the largest, fastest-growing and most successful chain of amusement museum attractions in the world, and now includes a total of 64 outlets in 11 countries.

Warner Bros Entertainment has signed a long-term strategic alliance with the Abu Dhabi Media Company and leading local real estate developer ALDAR. The deal means the trio will advance with plans for a theme park, hotel, jointly-owned multiplex cinemas and a co-finance agreement covering feature film and video game production.

Before the appearance of Walt Disney World in 1971, live mermaids made Weeki Wachee Springs one of Florida's top tourist attractions. Located about an hour west of Orlando in Weeki Wachee, it is now struggling for survival.

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a revised version of its HSG175 document Fairgrounds and Amusement Parks: Guidance on safe practice. The HSE has worked closely with the Fairgrounds and amusement parks Joint Advisory Committee (FJAC) to improve safety standards.

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo, California, will introduce a spinning coaster from Gerstlauer for 2008. The new addition, Tony Hawk’s Big Spin, is the latest ride themed around skateboarder Tony Hawk.

The universal appeal of the Sesame Street children’s television show is underlined by the opening of two new themed areas within marine parks at opposite ends of the globe.

Produced by Red Star Studio, The Curse of Skull Rock is a fun new 4D film hot from the cutting room floor. Director Ben Smith was still putting the finishing touches to the production at the time of writing, but reckons the attraction film will come in at around 11 minutes.

The Singapore Flyer is a 150-metre giant observation wheel and one of six confirmed structures being planned around the world by the Great Wheel Corporation.

A monkey-themed family waterplay attraction tops the list of new additions planned for 2008 at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Indiana.

Voodoo, a U-shaped suspended impulse coaster from Intamin, will thrill visitors in 2008 at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dorney's 10th coaster, Voodoo sends 28 riders rocketing from one 184ft tower to the other over 704ft of twisted steel track.

Tokyo Disney Resort, Japan, will host a variety of Christmas-themed special events, programmes and activities throughout its various parks from November 7 through to December 25.

In November 1987, a small design and production studio opened in Cincinnati, Ohio, with four employees and one project. Twenty years later, Jack Rouse Associates is one of the industry’s leading designers of ”experiential” projects, with a portfolio of projects spanning the globe.

Andy Michaelree has been named park president of Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville, Kentucky. Michaelree began his career at Six Flags as a teenager in 1973 as a seasonal food host at Six Flags St Louis. He replaces Jay Thomas, who was recently promoted to park president of Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor, Valencia, California, replacing Del Holland, who retires after an amazing 44-year career with Six Flags.

Bill Lupfer (pictured) has been named as the new president and CEO of the Florida Attractions Association, effective November 1, 2007. He succeeds Donna H Ross, who served as the organisation’s president and CEO for 19 years.

After a series of weather delays, the Boardwalk Bullet, a western-themed wooden rollercoaster finally opened on the Kemah Boardwalk, Galveston, Texas, on August 31.

Austrian technology specialist Kraftwerk will present its new generation of theatre seats at the IAAPA Attractions Expo this month in Orlando.

More Six Flags parks are to add new family areas in 2008 following the introduction of themed ‘Thomas’ and Wiggles’ lands at various properties in 2007.

Employee handbooks, setting forth employment guidelines and requirements, are essential to protecting your park from employee lawsuits, as well as useful in defending third-party suits for personal injury.

I have read in recent weeks of the common threat to coastal amusement parks by rising land costs and taxes due to development, and the near mandatory practice of putting up condominiums. That issue is especially sensitive to our park in Ocean City, Maryland. We are pleading with the various levels of government to find a way for us to co-exist in this real estate boom/fiasco. Even if we can survive [ the park has just got another year's reprieve], it means higher taxes, and that translates to higher ticket prices.

Four parks in four days; that's park hopping. Recently I drove to New England to visit Quassy, Lake Compounce, Six Flags New England and The Great Escape (which borders New England). I enjoyed four distinct adventures that confirmed the health of the amusement industry in North America.

Parks America, based in Santa Monica, California, has decided not to buy Wild West World, Wichita, Kansas. Dale Van Voorhis, Parks America's president, has turned his attention to buying another theme park. With no other bidders appearing, the park's rides are now expected to be sold individually, confirming the park's demise. The ride sales will be cash only, with no financing or equity participation available. Getting the rides sold and out of the park is the immediate priority. The park cannot afford to prepare the rides for the coming winter. Once the rides are gone, the park's metal buildings will be sold, and then the land will be put on the market.

Linda Hays, Cliff's Amusement Park, USA: We’ve have had a great season. We are up a little over 10% this year. April was not a good month so being able to pull out from that plus an additional 10% is better than expected. We added three new rides this season including two kiddie rides, Baja Buggies by Zamperla and an SBF/Visa Doggie-Go-Round, and one thrill ride, the Sidewinder from Moser.

An in-car sound system and video camera are two new optional extras available to parks buying an X-Car coaster vehicle from by German manufacturer Maurer Soehne.

An in-car sound system and video camera are two new optional extras available to parks buying an X-Car coaster vehicle from by German manufacturer Maurer Soehne.

Trimper's Rides, a 117-year-old seaside park in Ocean City, Maryland, that had threatened to close because of rising taxes, will continue to operate at least for another season.

There was a sense of new momentum amongst attractions operators visiting last year’s Leisure Industry Week (LIW) show in the UK. But was it still there when the 2007 event took place recently? Park World reports from the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham.

Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park, Muskegon, Michigan, is to open Thunderhawk, the first suspended looping coaster (SLC) in the State of Michigan, in spring of 2008. The Vekoma ride operated since 1998 as Serial Thriller at Ohio's Geauga Lake, which is now being transformed into a waterpark only. 

Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey, Six Flags New England, Agawam, Massachusetts, and Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, Illinois, will each introduce an indoor dark coaster from Mack Rides for the 2008 season. Called The Dark Knight Coaster, the 46ft-high, 1,213ft-long ride will be based on Warner Bros. Pictures' upcoming movie Batman movie The Dark Knight.

Six Flags’ latest Goliath coaster is to open at one of its parks in Texas. A $15 million inverted coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride will be the eight coaster added to the line-up at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio.

The heat is on at Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania, as construction begins on the park’s 11th rollercoaster, Fahrenheit, scheduled to open May 2008. To be built at a cost of $12.1 million, it will be joined next season by a new flat ride.

Six Flags St Louis, Eureka, Missouri, will open Evel Knievel, a $7 million compact wooden coaster in mid-2008. Built by Great Coasters International (GCI), it will be the park’s third woodie – the only one in the state with that number. The park will also become the only venue in the world with two different coasters featuring double down drops, a rare but adrenaline-inducing thrill element.

Herschend Family Entertainment has bought Wild Adventures, Valdosta, Georgia, for $34.5 million. The park was one of two properties sold at auction on September 25 on behalf of Kent Buescher’s Adventure Parks Group. The other, Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida, was sold to Land South Holdings of Mulberry, Florida, for $16.8 million and Buescher (pictured) will stay on as CEO of this park.

Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom, Aurora, Ohio, will become simply Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom next season as it ditches the amusement park attractions in favour of an all-waterpark offering.

There’s a new book available on Blackpool Pleasure Beach and it’s written from a different perspective than other tomes on the much-loved British park.

As of September 10, organisers of the Euro Attractions Show (EAS) had sold more than half of the exhibit space for this coming January’s event in Nice, France.

Whale's Tale Waterpark, Lincoln, New Hampshire, has added a Boomerango (pictured) from Whitewater West Industries. Named the Banzai Pipeline, this inner-tube slide shoots riders high up a wall to give the sense of “going vertical.” The fall back to earth includes a shot of weightlessness over a transition hump and then into a splashdown pool below.