Midnight Showdown Indoor Wooden Roller Coaster Coming to Kentucky Kingdom

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Midnight Showdown Anchors an All-New Kentucky Kingdom, Capping Nearly $50 Million Theme Park Transformation

Kentucky Kingdom is off to the races in 2027 with Midnight Showdown, The World’s Largest Indoor Wooden Roller Coaster. The park’s seventh coaster overall, this family-friendly, horse racing-themed wooden coaster is the centerpiece of Bluegrass Downs, a new land inspired by Kentucky’s horse racing legacy. Set to open in spring of 2027, the coaster will feature 1,130 feet of pure wood track, two trains with seats for 10 riders each, and stand more than three stories tall.

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Could Six Flags Clone ArieForce One so Multiple Parks Get One?

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Would anyone be upset if there were two ArieForce One coasters?

There has been tremendous talk about Six Flags Magic Mountain getting ArieForce One over places like Kings Dominion of Carowinds. However, what if Magic Mountain just got the original ArieForce One and other parks got clones of it in subsequent years? Six Flags is the company that gave us 7 copies of the Batman B&M inverted coaster (a couple under a different name), multiple copies of the B&M flying coaster Superman and several S&S 4D spins. Universal and Disney do cloned rides too, so why not put an ArieForce One on each coast? RMC typically has not built “clones”, but I imagine for the right amount of money they’d entertain it. Would anyone be upset if there were two ArieForce One coasters?

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Wanna Reinvigorate a Theme Park Land? Release a New Movie Like Universal is with Cat in the Hat

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One of the largest areas at Universal’s Islands of Adventure is Seuss Landing. It’s prominently located near the entrance and features 4 rides, dining options, play areas and character meet & greets. Kids may be familiar with the universe of Dr, Seuss from childhood books, but there hasn’t been much in terms of TV/movies since the Jim Carey live action Cat in the Hat in 2003 nearly 25 years ago. However, that’s about to change with the release of a new animated The Cat in the Hat movie on November 6, 2026. The buzz around this movie has been good and it has a chance to make this theme park land more popular than ever.

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The Leadership of Star Trek Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Patrick Stewart’s Many Theme Park Connections

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Actor Patrick Stewart died on October 29, 2026 at the age of 86. He was first a Shakespearean actor, but to younger generations is probably best known for his roles in Star Trek and X-Men. His Captain Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation was a powerful example of leadership. Patrick Stewart spanned space and time, portraying nearly 500 year old Shakespearean characters, a futuristic space captain and a disabled superhero mutant professor. He also had numerous theme park connections, both through his characters and personally.

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Is a New Indoor Roller Coaster Coming to Kentucky Kingdom?

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Kentucky Kingdom has released teasers on social media for a new ride announcement coming soon. It appears to be a horse racing theme, which makes sense with the park’s geographical proximity to the Kentucky Derby. The video appears to show a glimpse of wood track and he story also seems to involve a night race and includes the teaser “when the clock strikes midnight”, which would work well indoors. The rumor is an indoor wooden roller coaster built by The Gravity Group who worked with the park previously on the Kentucky Flyer coaster at the park. A Kentucky Derby themed ride has long been rumored and this is probably it.

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Pumpkin Spice Fog at Wild Adventures Great Pumpkin LumiNights was my Favorite Fall Surprise!

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Great Pumpkin LumiNights at Wild Adventures is a spectacular fall event. They have your typical fall fare in food and decorations, but there was one surprising thing this year, pumpkin spice fog! In the central hub of the park there are fog machines, which are quite typical for Halloween events, but rather than nondescript haze, this has has the smell of pumpkin spice. I saw people literally standing feet from the machine trying to maximize their exposure it smelled so good. Hopefully pumpkin spice fog becomes a regular thing at Great Pumpkin LumiNights at Wild Adventures.

ArieForce One Headed to Six Flags Magic Mountain

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Next Stop California

We didn’t have to wait long to find out where ArieForce One is headed. The Orange County Register has reported and the Six Flags Magic Mountain president has confirmed that the ride is headed to the California park. Coaster Studios also reported track arriving at the park today. It was originally thought the track might be headed west to RMC for some modifications, but instead it was headed to Magic Mountain.

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Dollywood’s 2027 Operating Schedule out with 275 Operating Days

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Courtesy of Dollywood

Dollywood has released its full 2027 operating calendar with an opening day of March 10, 2027 for passholders and concluding on January 2, 2028. There are 275 operating days, which surprisingly is 6 fewer than last year after the park adding extra days in the past. The addition of NightFlight does add another indoor option, but this is still a primarily outdoor park with minimum temperature requirements for many of the roller coasters to operate. The calendar is filled with all your favorite events as Barbeque & Bluegrass returning for the 2027 season on Labor Day weekend. This will be the first full season without Dolly as well, so no doubt we can expect some openings of memorials and other poignant moments too. It’s crazy to think, but 2027 will be here before we know it!

Getting a Credit on the “Cruiser Coaster” at Craig’s Cruisers in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Sometimes life literally brings you to another roller coaster credit. I had a business trip to Grand Rapids and our hotel (that I didn’t pick) was literally next to Craig’s Cruisers Grand Rapids, a family entertainment center which is technically in Wyoming, Michigan (a suburb of Grand Rapids). The ride is approximately called the “Coaster Cruiser” and it has some decent racing theming. It’s just an indoor SBF Visa, probably the world’s most popular coaster model, but it was still lots of fun. A single ride is just $7, but there are also go-karts, as small selection of flat rides and a large arcade to entertain you too.

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Would you Ride a Ferris Wheel with 184 Witches?

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Photos Courtesy of Melin Entertainments

Witches take over The Orlando Eye for world record

On October 21, 2026, 184 guests dressed as witches took to the skies aboard The Orlando Eye, establishing a new world record for the most people dressed as witches on an observation wheel.  Pointed hats and cloaks filled the attraction’s capsules as participants soared 400 feet above Orlando for the Halloween celebration. These types of promotional events are just pure fun and the pictures of pointy hats in shadow in the capsules are amazing.

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