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162-466: Chessington World of Adventures Resort is a 128 acres (52 hectares) theme park , zoo and hotel complex in Chessington , Greater London , England , around 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Central London . The complex originally opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931; the theme park aspect was developed by The Tussauds Group , debuting on 7 July 1987 as one of the first combined animal-amusement parks in

324-460: A token ). The cost of the attraction is often based on its complexity or popularity. For example, a guest might pay one ticket to ride a carousel but four tickets to ride a roller coaster . The park may allow guests to purchase a pass providing unlimited admissions to all attractions within the park for a specified duration of time. A wristband or pass is then shown at the attraction entrance to gain admission. Disneyland opened in 1955 using

486-574: A 'Fastrack' queue in recent years. In 2017, the park renamed Transylvania to "Wild Woods", in relation to the Gruffalo River Ride Adventure attraction opening that year, though the area itself was largely unchanged. An Ancient Egyptian area, Forbidden Kingdom was created in 1994 originally opening with the Terror Tomb dark ride. Currently, it only contains two rides; Tomb Blaster and Croc Drop . Opening in 2002 Tomb Blaster

648-527: A basis, LaMarcus Adna Thompson began work on a gravity Switchback Railway that opened at Coney Island in Brooklyn , New York , in 1884. Passengers climbed to the top of a platform and rode a bench-like car down the 600-foot (183 m) track up to the top of another tower where the vehicle was switched to a return track and the passengers took the return trip. This track design was soon replaced with an oval complete circuit. In 1885, Phillip Hinkle introduced

810-518: A blaze of lights from the "White City." To make sure that the fair was a financial success, the planners included a dedicated amusement concessions area called the Midway Plaisance . Rides from this fair captured the imagination of the visitors and of amusement parks around the world, such as the first steel Ferris wheel , which was found in many other amusement areas, such as the Prater by 1896. Also,

972-443: A bracket came off the top of the ride and hit a woman in the head while she was waiting in line. The woman did not die, and she reached a settlement with Cedar Point amusement park in 2023. The ride was subsequently refurbished and modified, and it reopened in 2024 as Top Thrill 2 . Kingda Ka closed on November 10, 2024. Superman: Escape From Krypton , a 415-foot (126 m) coaster, opened in 1997 at Six Flags Magic Mountain . It

1134-450: A carnival atmosphere. In 1952, he created WED Enterprises to design the park, which was now to be built in Anaheim, and in 1953, was able to convince the bankers on funding the park with the help of a studio artist, Herb Ryman, by making an aerial drawing of Disneyland. By July 1954, construction had started with a deadline of one year. Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, and two months after

1296-499: A cultural setting. The central area of the park, Adventure Point, resembles an old English market town, whereas Land of the Tiger is themed around China with the water ride Tiger Rock being there since 1987, but being rethemed to Tiger Rock (and the surrounding area) in 2018. Mexicana is inspired by a small town in America's old far-west. Shipwreck Coast is a nautical adventure land. Wild Woods

1458-584: A dozen imitators, but their popularity soon declined. However, during the Belle Epoque they returned to fashion. In 1887, Spanish entrepreneur Joseph Oller , co-founder of the Moulin Rouge music hall, constructed the Montagnes Russes de Belleville , "Russian Mountains of Belleville" with 656 feet (200 m) of track laid out in a double-eight, later enlarged to four figure-eight-shaped loops. In 1827,

1620-405: A lift hill, however. A train may also be set into motion by a launch mechanism such as a flywheel, linear induction motor (LIM), linear synchronous motor (LSM), hydraulic launch, or drive tire. Some launched roller coasters are capable of reaching greater speeds using less track when compared to traditional coasters that rely on a conventional lift hill. A brake run at the end of the circuit

1782-402: A little carriage and one stands behind, for more there are in it the greater the swiftness with which it goes; it runs on castors and in grooves to keep it on its right direction, and it descends with a wonderful rapidity. Under the hill, is a machine worked by horses for drawing the carriages back again, with the company in them. Such a work as this would have been enormous in most countries for

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1944-534: A mining company in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania constructed the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway , a downhill gravity railroad used to deliver coal to Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania – now known as Jim Thorpe . By the 1850s, the "Gravity Road" (as it became known) was selling rides to thrill seekers. Railway companies used similar tracks to provide amusement on days when ridership was low. Using this idea as

2106-585: A new Explorer Gate entrance, in preparation for World of Jumanji in 2023. Jungle Bus in Wild Asia left the Resort for the 2022 season. It was replaced for 2023. 2022 was a year of 'eventures' with a new carnival event 'Mardi Grrra!' running from 27 May – 26 June. 2023 has been a major year for the resort, with the opening of a new land on 15 May, 'World of Jumanji '. The new area features a B&M Shuttle Launched Wing coaster, and two SBF Visa Group attractions. There

2268-427: A new era of roller coaster enthusiasm, which led to a resurgence across the amusement park industry over the next several decades. There are several explanations for the name roller coaster . It is said to have originated from an early American design where slides or ramps were fitted with rollers over which a sled would coast. This design was abandoned in favor of fitting the wheels to the sled or other vehicles, but

2430-399: A new land themed to Africa replaced ToyTown. In 2013, Chessington introduced Zufari: Ride Into Africa , with visitors touring the area in a safari truck. In the same year, the annual Halloween Hocus Pocus event included a new attraction, The Mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall , featuring projection-mapped visual effects. In 2014, "nearly £15 million" was invested in the resort as the whole, with

2592-405: A new themed feature for the log flume, to be renamed Tiger Rock . The park's ferris wheel Peeking Heights was demolished to make way for the tiger enclosures. The area closed for redevelopment on 10 September 2017, reopened in 2018. The ride has two drops, one with a rock tunnel, the other going through a tiger rock mouth. The area has been re-decorated and re-designed, with a new entrance by Land of

2754-531: A new wing built next to the Safari Hotel, advertised as a second standalone hotel, named "Azteca Hotel". The Safari Hotel also received a second pool. Theme park developments for the year included the refurbishment of the Runaway Train roller coaster as Scorpion Express and Amazu Treetop Adventure , a children's raised play area within the zoo. The park's annual Halloween event was rebranded Howl'O'Ween . Over

2916-446: A pleasure ride of flying carriages that revolved around a central pylon. Other rides included the 'Grotto' (a fantasy ride), 'River Caves' (a scenic railway ), water chutes and a tobogganing tower. Fire was a constant threat in those days, as much of the construction within the amusement parks of the era was wooden. In 1911, Dreamland was the first Coney Island amusement park to completely burn down; in 1944, Luna Park also burned to

3078-461: A proper theme park. That same year, SeaWorld San Diego opened and displayed many varieties of aquatic and marine life. Initially meant to house Walt Disney's dream idea, EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow), Disney executives decided to settle on building the park first in Walt Disney World and the city later. After six years of construction, Walt Disney World opened to

3240-799: A range of world cultures. ‘Adventure Point’ is a colonial English "market square",'‘Mexicana' borrows from the Wild West and Latin America, 'Shipwreck Coast' is a nautical harbour town, 'Wild Woods' is a Central European-styled area with Bavarian architecture, 'Forbidden Kingdom' mirrors the ancient Middle East, 'Land of the Tiger' reflects the Far East , and 'Wild Asia' is based on an Indian jungle. Major attractions include: Vampire , Dragon's Fury , KOBRA , Tiger Rock , Scorpion Express , The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure , Mandrill Mayhem , and Croc Drop . The mansion at Chessington World of Adventures Resort known today as

3402-406: A ratchet and pawl. When riding a roller coaster with a ratchet and pawl system, the sound of clicks can be heard when pulling down the restraint. Hydraulic restraints use a piston and cylinder. Unlike mechanical restraints, there is no feeling of physical or sound of clicks from the restraint being locked in place. Most modern day roller coasters have sensors that are used to make sure each restraint

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3564-534: A ride. Also, "In a typical year, more than 385 million guests enjoyed in excess of 1.7 billion rides at approximately 400 North American fixed-site facilities". IAAPA is required to report annual ride incidents to the National Safety Council. Roller coasters are divided into two main categories: steel roller coasters and wooden roller coasters . Steel coasters have tubular steel tracks, and compared to wooden coasters, they are typically known for offering

3726-446: A roller coaster's computer system. Multiple PLCs work together to detect faults associated with operation and automate decisions to engage various elements (e.g. lift, brakes, etc.). Periodic maintenance and visual inspection by ride engineers are also important to verify that structures and materials are within expected wear tolerances and functioning correctly. Effective operating procedures further enhance safety. Roller coaster design

3888-548: A second park or risk losing the land to the French government. The park opened March 16, 2002, with only three rides and California Adventure style theming. However, Hong Kong Disneyland was higher quality than the other black sheep, but still lacked the number of attractions that was needed, just like California Adventure and Walt Disney Studios Park. It opened on September 12, 2005, with only four lands, and had exorbitant wait times on opening day for everything from rides to food. In

4050-649: A smaller roller coaster, the Joy Wheel, Miniature Railway, The Whip and the River Caves. A ballroom was constructed on the site of the Skating Rink in 1920 and in 1923 a Variety Cinema was built on the site. Between 1920 and 1935 over £500,000 was invested in the site, constantly adding new rides and facilities and culminating in the construction of the Dreamland Cinema complex in 1934 which stands to this day. Until 2011

4212-471: A smoother ride and their ability to turn riders upside-down. Wooden coasters have flat steel tracks, and are typically renowned for producing "air time" through the use of negative G-forces when reaching the crest of some hill elements. Newer types of track, such as I-Box and Topper introduced by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), improve the ride experience on wooden coasters, lower maintenance costs, and add

4374-782: A source of fantasy and escape from real life. By the early 1900s, hundreds of amusement parks were operating in the United States and Canada. Trolley parks stood outside many cities. Parks like Atlanta's Ponce de Leon and Idora Park, near Youngstown, OH, took passengers to traditionally popular picnic grounds, which by the late 1890s also often included rides like the Giant Swing, Carousel , and Shoot-the-Chutes . These amusement parks were often based on nationally known parks or world's fairs : they had names like Coney Island , White City , Luna Park , or Dreamland . The American Gilded Age was, in fact, amusement parks' Golden Age that reigned until

4536-461: A standalone attraction next to Disney World (especially now as Disney built one in Disney-MGM). So it divided up the segments of its California tour into individual attractions, such as Jaws , Disaster! , and Kongfrontation . Disney-MGM Studios opened it on May 1, 1989, with two major attractions: The Backlot Tour and The Great Movie Ride. The concept for the park started out as an EPCOT pavilion, but

4698-496: A steel sit-down Wild Mouse roller coaster , opened in 1998. Scorpion Express is a mine train themed roller coaster, previously named the Runaway Train from its opening in 1987. The ride was originally designed with an interacting cave feature and an extensively designed queueline above the surrounding buildings, around a lake and down into an underground mine, since a redesign in 2014 the ride has been changed to be completely in

4860-407: A train attempts to enter an occupied block, the stopping mechanisms in all blocks are engaged. Restraints are another critical aspect to roller coaster safety. Roller coasters usually have two different types: Over-the-shoulder-restraints and lap bar restraints. With both, either hydraulic or mechanical safety mechanisms are used within the restraints. Mechanical restraints use a system known as

5022-430: A variety of different experiences. More focus is being placed on the position of riders in relation to the overall experience. Traditionally, riders sit facing forward, but newer variations such as stand-up and flying models position the rider in different ways to change the experiences. A flying model, for example, places riders lying down and facing forward with their chests and feet strapped in. Other ways of enhancing

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5184-455: A wood track and steel structure. Other older examples include mine train roller coasters , many of which were built by Arrow Dynamics . The term hybrid became more prominent after the introduction of New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas in 2011. Many in the industry, however, continue to classify coasters strictly by their track type only, labeling them either steel or wood. Modern roller coasters are constantly evolving to provide

5346-598: Is a dark ride shoot out game where riders shoot laser guns at targets and is a retheme of the ' Terror Tomb ' dark ride. One side of Forbidden Kingdom is architecturally designed as an Arabic market town, while Tomb Blaster is set in an Ancient Egyptian courtyard tomb area, though much detail has been removed throughout the area over the years. Amusement park Amusement parks evolved from European fairs , pleasure gardens , and large picnic areas , which were created for people's recreation . World's fairs and other types of international expositions also influenced

5508-464: Is a Christmas event from late November through to early January. For 2024 the event is run from 23 to 24 November, 30 November – 1 December, 7–8 December, and 13–31 December. Throughout the event the resort opens with Christmas decorations and a Christmas grotto 'village' next to Sea Lion Bay, where children can meet Santa Claus. The Enchanted Hollow also returns for this event and also the Toy Factory and

5670-563: Is a large compass feature in the ground. The compass points guests in the direction of all the resort locations, it includes: theme park lands, some zoo areas, the Sea Life centre and the hotels. The area was named 'Market Square' until 2017. Themed as a Mexican - inspired square and a Far West town in the American's Old West , the Mexicana area was named 'Calamity Canyon' until 1999. Rattlesnake ,

5832-485: Is a relocated mini log flume from Weymouth Sealife called River Rafts. The third is the pre existing treetop hoppers which retained its name and was refurbished. The Flying Jumbos Ride was also relocated and rethemed into Elmers Flying Jumbos based on the children's book . 2021 saw a new family drop tower ' Croc Drop ' open, themed to the Egyptian god Sobek, replacing Rameses Revenge. Blue Barnacle also opened to replace

5994-405: Is a self-contained dragon-themed land with rides mostly for young children except for Dragons Fury , a big spinning rollercoaster that surrounds the area. The other one is World of Jumanji, which is based on the movies of the same name, with mostly thrill rides in the area. Among the newer lands is Wild Asia which opened in 2010 as a replacement for Beanoland with an Indian jungle theme. In 2017,

6156-438: Is a type of amusement ride employing a form of elevated railroad track that carries passengers on a train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements usually designed to produce a thrilling experience. Trains consist of open cars connected in a single line, and the rides are often found in theme parks around the world. Roller coasters first appeared in the 17th century, and LaMarcus Adna Thompson obtained one of

6318-408: Is about five or six feet lower, just sufficient to allow for the friction and resistance; and so on to the last, from which they are conveyed by a gentle descent, with nearly same velocity, over a piece of water into a little island. These slides, which are about a furlong and a half in length, are made of wood, that may be used in summer as well as in winter. The process is, two of four persons fit in

6480-458: Is another important aspect that requires a working knowledge of basic physics to enhance ride comfort and avoid harmful strain to the rider. Ride designers must carefully analyze the movement a ride subjects its riders to, ensuring it is within a reasonable tolerance. The human body needs sufficient time to react to sudden changes in force in order to control muscle tension and avoid harmful consequences such as whiplash . Designers typically stay in

6642-404: Is locked. If all the restraints are locked, it will send a signal to the ride computer letting it know that it is clear for dispatch. If all restraints are not locked, the train will not be able to move out of the station until each restraint is locked. Braking systems such as pivoting pawls are used on the bottom of the train and on the inclined lift hill. While the cart goes up the lift hill, it

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6804-672: Is modeled on a central European high street with Bavaria in Germany and the Transylvania region of Romania as its key influences. Forbidden Kingdom is based on Ancient Egypt with hieroglyphics carved onto its surroundings. Wanyama Village and Reserve is based on an African Safari, and the Rainforest is based on the Amazon . Land of the Dragons is one of the two "fantasy" themed area of the theme park and

6966-415: Is not typically classified as a strata coaster due to its shuttle coaster design, where trains do not travel a complete circuit. An exa coaster is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least 600 feet (180 m). The term exa was first introduced by Intamin for Falcon's Flight, a 640-foot (200 m) coaster expected to open at Six Flags Qiddiya in 2025. Upon completion, it will be

7128-514: Is referred as "mountain-and-valley railway". German has the word Achterbahn , stemming from Figur-8-Bahn , relating to the form of the number 8 ( acht in German). This is similar to the Dutch Achtbaan , in which acht also means "eight". Roller coaster trains are not typically powered. Most are pulled up a lift hill by a chain or cable and released downhill. The potential energy accumulated by

7290-548: Is split up into several areas; Trail of the Kings, Sea Lion Bay, Children's Zoo, Amazu, Penguin Bay, a Sea Life Centre and Wanyama Village and Reserve. Chessington World of Adventures was ranked in 2022 as the twentieth most-visited park in the UK, with an attendance of roughly 1.5 million guests, behind Alton Towers , Thorpe Park and Legoland Windsor . In 2020, due to restrictions associated with

7452-514: Is the most common method of stopping a roller coaster train as it returns to the station. One notable exception is a powered roller coaster , which instead of relying on gravity uses one or more motors to propel the trains along the course. In 2006, NASA announced that it would build a system using principles similar to those of a roller coaster to help astronauts escape the Ares I launch pad in an emergency, although this has since been scrapped along with

7614-458: Is themed after stories based on the ocean and nautical adventure. It was constructed at a cost of ¥335 billion and opened on September 4, 2001. The park's two signature attractions are a modernized version of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and Journey To The Center of The Earth . In the early 90s, Michael Eisner wanted to make Disneyland in the image of Walt Disney World 's resort style. Plans were made for multiple hotels (such as one based on

7776-462: Is tropical planting around the area and a huge theming piece; the 'Jaguar Shrine' from the films. The park are also building a Safari Lodge village on the Wanyama Reserve for the 2023 season. In 2023, at the fourth annual UK Theme Park Awards., Chessington World of Adventures won a number of gold, silver and bronze awards. It managed to win the gold Awards in the following categories: Theme Park of

7938-401: Is usually pulled by a chain. The pawl moves over bumps that are separated closely apart. In the event that the train ever becomes disconnected from the chain, the anti roll-back system will engage and it will fall back into the nearest downhill stop preventing the train from falling down the lift hill. Another key to safety is the programmable logic controller (PLC), an essential component of

8100-581: The Blackpool Pleasure Beach ranked among the top free of charge attractions in Britain. Blackpool Pleasure beach was developed continuously, requiring frequent large-scale investments. The construction of many new rides could be counted on. Rides included the Virginia Reel, Whip, Noah's Ark, Big Dipper and Dodgems. In the 1920s the "Casino Building" was built, which remains to this day. In 1923, land

8262-466: The COVID-19 pandemic , the park experienced an unexpectedly short operating season and temporary closed its gates. Despite a significant drop in attendance during the pandemic, Chessington actually ranked as the third most-visited park in the UK for 2020 with .51 million visitors, behind Alton Towers and Thorpe Park. Chessington World of Adventures is separated into different themed areas, loosely inspired by

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8424-679: The Catherine Park . Two roller-coasters were built in France in 1817. Les Montagnes de Belleville ( Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville ) in Belleville, Paris had wheels attached to carriages and locked on tracks. The Promenades Aériennes , opened in Parc Beaujon in Paris on July 8, 1817 had wheeled cars securely locked to the track, guide rails to keep them on course, and higher speeds. It spawned half

8586-939: The Disneyland Resort and Universal Orlando Resort to thrilling coaster parks such as the Six Flags parks and Cedar Fair parks. Countless smaller ventures exist across the United States and around the world. Simpler theme parks directly aimed at smaller children have also emerged, such as Legoland . Examples of amusement parks in shopping malls exist in West Edmonton Mall , Pier 39 and Mall of America . Family fun parks starting as miniature golf courses have begun to grow to include batting cages, go-karts, bumper cars, bumper boats and water slides. Some of these parks have grown to include even roller coasters, and traditional amusement parks now also have these competition areas in addition to their thrill rides. In 2015, theme parks in

8748-635: The Grand Floridian Hotel ) and a new west coast version of EPCOT , called WESTCOT. WESTCOT never came to be due to local opposition from residents, rising costs, and the financial fallout of Disneyland Paris. After a corporate retreat in Colorado, Disney executives decided to make a park themed to California so that guests could experience all of California within the confines of the Disneyland Resort and would be built across from Disneyland on its 100-acre parking lot. Disney's California Adventure would be

8910-671: The SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks also offer educational experiences, with each of the parks housing several thousand animals, fish and other sea life in dozens of attractions and exhibits focusing on animal education. Created in 1977, the Puy du Fou is a much-celebrated theme park in Vendée , France. It is centered around European, French and local history. It received several international prizes. Some theme parks did evolve from more traditional amusement park enterprises, such as Knott's Berry Farm . In

9072-499: The kiddie coaster , is a roller coaster specifically designed for younger riders. Following World War II, parks began pushing for more of them to be built in contrast to the height and age restrictions of standard designs at the time. Companies like Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) developed scaled-down versions of their larger models to accommodate the demand. These typically featured lift hills smaller than 25 feet (7.6 m), and still do today. The rise of kiddie coasters soon led to

9234-557: The 1860s and 1870s created mechanical rides, such as the steam-powered carousel (built by Thomas Bradshaw, at the Aylsham Fair ), and its derivatives, notably from Frederick Savage of King's Lynn , Norfolk whose fairground machinery was exported all over the world; his "galloping horses" innovation is seen in carousels today. This inaugurated the era of the modern funfair ride, as the working classes were increasingly able to spend their surplus wages on entertainment. The second influence

9396-655: The 1870s along the Connecticut River . The trick was getting the public to the seaside or resort location. For Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, on the Atlantic Ocean, a horse-drawn streetcar line brought pleasure seekers to the beach beginning in 1829. In 1875, a million passengers rode the Coney Island Railroad , and in 1876 two million visited Coney Island. Hotels and amusements were built to accommodate both

9558-474: The 1920s, Walter Knott and his family sold berries from a roadside stand, which grew to include a restaurant serving fried chicken dinners. Within a few years, lines outside the restaurant were often several hours long. To entertain the waiting crowds, Walter Knott built a Ghost Town in 1940, using buildings relocated from real old west towns such as the Calico, California , ghost town and Prescott, Arizona . In 1968,

9720-452: The Broom – A Magical Journey. Halfway through the season, Chessington announced that their swinging boat ride, Black Buccaneer, would not open for 2019. In October, Chessington announced that Rameses Revenge would close on 3 November. 2020 saw the opening of a new area called The Rainforest. The area included 3 new attractions, the first of which, a kids track ride called Jungle Rangers. The second

9882-634: The Burnt Stub was originally built in 1348, in Chessington , Surrey . In the English Civil War it became a royalist stronghold, and Oliver Cromwell 's Parliamentary forces razed it to the ground. The Burnt Stub site was rebuilt as an inn, until the 18th century, when the Vere Barker family rebuilt it in neo-gothic Victorian style. The resort has its roots in Chessington Zoo, which opened in 1931; it

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10044-449: The Casino building to name a few. The Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II during the 1940s saw the decline of the amusement park industry. War caused the affluent urban population to move to the suburbs, television became a source of entertainment, and families went to amusement parks less often. By the 1950s, factors such as urban decay , crime , and even desegregation in

10206-631: The Chessington Zoo opens with no rides and attractions available until the start of the main theme park season. The first main event of the season, Eggsplorers, is aimed at young children and is run from the 23–25 March, and then 28 March – 14 April. For 2024 the event features the Enchanted Hollow. On an evening in June, Chessington Zoo opens late for the Chessington Roar & Explore conservation event. The evening involves speeches and information about

10368-518: The Dark Arts class with one shop and one restaurant in the former submarine lagoon at Magic Kingdom. She was also displeased with the lack of creative control she had and exited the deal. She went to Universal next and was also displeased with the initial plan to redress the Islands of Adventure's Lost Continent area. To remedy this, J.K Rowling wrestled creative control from Universal and forced them to make

10530-455: The Dragons and Wild Asia. The area, originally named 'Transylvania', was created in 1990, modeled on a mock Barvarian town street, with tall European Architecture. It opened with two major attractions, The Vampire and Prof. Burp's BubbleWorks . Vampire is a steel suspended floorless coaster . The original Arrow Dynamics trains were replaced with Vekoma trains during a closed season in 2001, reopening in 2002. Prof. Burp's BubbleWorks

10692-517: The EPS (Elf Postal Service) are present. Parts of the theme park are open, with 2023's event seeing the areas World of Jumanji, Shipwreck Coast (excluding Sea Storm), Land of the Dragons (excluding Dragons Fury ), Adventure Point, and Rainforest (excluding River Rafts) all present with their attractions open. Also present is Amazu, The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure , and the Wanamaya reserve being open, along with

10854-593: The European Middle Ages . An amusement park is a contemporary arrangement, designed to combine components of a fair, carnival, and theme park. An early example of an amusement park is the Bartholomew Fair . By the 18th and 19th centuries, they had evolved into places of entertainment for the masses, where the public could view freak shows , acrobatics , conjuring and juggling , take part in competitions and walk through menageries . A wave of innovation in

11016-525: The Golden Age of roller coasters, being the decade of frenetic building for these rides. In England, Dreamland Margate opened in 1880 with Frederick Savage's carousel the first amusement ride installed. In 1920 the Scenic Railway rollercoaster opened to the public with great success, carrying half a million passengers in its first year. The park also installed other rides common to the time including

11178-465: The Golden Age. This aside, roller coasters were still built with varying success from location to location. In May 1932, the Scene Railway witnessed somewhat of a revival in the UK, including the opening of the roller coaster at Great Yarmouth . Today it is one of only two scenic railways still in operation in the UK. In 1959, Disneyland introduced a design breakthrough with Matterhorn Bobsleds ,

11340-503: The Knott family fenced the farm, charged admission for the first time, and Knott's Berry Farm officially became a theme park. Because of its long history, Knott's Berry Farm currently claims to be "America's First Theme Park." Knott's Berry Farm is now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, may be the true oldest continuously operating amusement park in

11502-777: The Madagascar stage, a rethemed "Jungle Bouncers" as "Penguins of Madagascar Mission: Treetop Hoppers" (now just Treetop Hoppers) and "Penguin Bay", a refurbished enclosure for the Zoo's Humboldt penguins . New Penguins of Madagascar themed suites also opened in the Safari Hotel. 2015 also saw the Chessington Conservation Fund Evening relaunched as "Roar & Explore". The new event features night rides on Zufari: Ride into Africa! as well as child-friendly activities. Chessington's attendance fell in 2015 to 1.65 million. The long-running Safari Skyway monorail closed midway through

11664-515: The UK. The theme park, which features over 40 rides, is now owned by Merlin Entertainments , following its merger with The Tussauds Group in 2007. Under Merlin, Chessington has been increasingly developed into a resort and tourist destination, including two on-site hotels, swimming pools, a campground, spa and fitness facilities. The Chessington Zoo has over 1,000 animals, including western lowland gorillas , sea lions , and Sumatran tigers . It

11826-547: The United States had a revenue of US$ 8 billion and theme parks in China had a revenue of US$ 4.6 billion , with China expected to overtake the United States by 2020. Some parks use rides and attractions for educational purposes. There are also Holy Land USA and the Holy Land Experience , which are theme parks built to inspire Christian piety. Dinosaur World entertains families with dinosaurs in natural settings, while

11988-521: The United States, open since 1846. Santa Claus Town, which opened in Santa Claus, Indiana , in 1935 and included Santa's Candy Castle and other Santa Claus-themed attractions is considered the first themed attraction in the United States: a precursor to the modern day theme park. Santa Claus Land (renamed Holiday World in 1984) opened in 1946 in Santa Claus, Indiana , and many people will argue that it

12150-618: The Wanyama Village. On 16 November 2022, Chessington held a public consultation regarding plans to create an indoor water park as an extension to the Safari Hotel. A public consultation closed on 30 November and plans were submitted on 30 June 2023. As of 2024, Chessington operates seven events; Zootastic Weekends, Zootastic Half Term, Eggsplorers, Roar and Explore, Summer Festival, Howl'o'ween, and Winter's Tail. The first events are Zootastic Weekends (Selected weekends January – March) and Zootastic Half Term (10–18 February). During these events

12312-569: The Year, Best New Attraction, Best Theme Park with Animals and Best Marketing Campaign. Many of the rides and areas at the park have been either re-themed over the years, while others have moved to other theme parks and been replaced. In recent years, several investments have taken place in the resort in an attempt to recover from the visitor numbers lost from the COVID-19 pandemic . In line with Merlin Entertainments' ambition to invest in short break offerings, there are plans to develop 34 Safari Lodges in

12474-435: The ability to invert riders. A third classification type is often referred to as a hybrid roller coaster , which utilize a mixture of wood and steel elements for the track and structure. Many, for example, have a track made out of steel and a support structure made from wood. RMC has notably redesigned wood coasters that have either deteriorated from age or been deemed by parks as too costly to maintain. RMC often replaces

12636-525: The addition of two new attractions. These are Barrel Bail Out , a watermania ride and Trawler Trouble , a Rockin' Tug relocated from Thorpe Park. Until the end of the 2017 season named "Mystic East", this is an oriental-themed area built around the Tiger Rock log flume (previously Dragon River ). In July 2017, Chessington filed for planning permission to partially redesign the area to include new tiger enclosures, including walkways over guests' heads, and

12798-411: The banking of curves. Wheels are a critical part in rollercoaster design. The purpose of wheels is to keep the train on the track and to prevent it from flying off. A majority of roller coaster wheels are made from polyurethane. There are 3 kinds of roller coaster wheels which include road wheels, side friction wheels, and up-stop wheels. Road wheels ride on top of the track. Side friction wheels ride on

12960-531: The beginnings of the Wurstelprater as an amusement park. The concept of a fixed park for amusement was further developed with the beginning of the world's fairs . The first World fair began in 1851 with the construction of the landmark Crystal Palace in London, England. The purpose of the exposition was to celebrate the industrial achievement of the nations of the world and it was designed to educate and entertain

13122-694: The boardwalk out over the ocean. The first of several was the Ocean Pier in 1891, followed later by the Steel Pier in 1898, both of which boasted rides and attractions typical of that time, such as Midway-style games and electric trolley rides. The boardwalk also had the first Roundabout installed in 1892 by William Somers, a wooden predecessor to the Ferris Wheel . Somers installed two others in Asbury Park , New Jersey and Coney Island , New York. Another early park

13284-532: The charity work the Chessington Conservation Fund is involved in, as well as presentations of some of the Zoo's endangered species. Zufari: Ride into Africa! opens late for the event, and all revenue goes towards the fund. Summer Festival, the second main event, runs from 20 July – 1 September. The event replace Mardi Grrra and Wilderfest for the 2024 season. It is focused on combining the two previous events, featuring food and music. Winter's Tail

13446-541: The development of "junior" models that had lift hills up to 45 feet (14 m). A notable example of a junior coaster is the Sea Dragon – the oldest operating roller coaster from PTC's legendary designer John Allen – which opened at Wyandot Lake in 1956 near Powell, Ohio. A hypercoaster , occasionally stylized as hyper coaster, is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least 200 feet (61 m). Moonsault Scramble , which debuted at Fuji-Q Highland in 1984,

13608-521: The early 2000s, the Harry Potter book series written by J.K Rowling had become a pop culture phenomenon. Universal and Disney entered a bidding war over the theme park rights to the books, but Disney seemed to have won after Rowling signed a letter of intent with Disney. However, Rowling was disappointed with Disney's small-scale plans to install an omnimover attraction themed to the Defense Against

13770-413: The early 90s after the opening of Universal Studios Florida, Universal sought to build a second theme park, one aimed more towards children and their families. Universal acquired the theme park rights to many properties including Marvel and Dr. Seuss to build the park around. In 1999, Universal Studios opened Universal Studios Islands of Adventure under the new resort name Universal Studios Escape. The park

13932-620: The emergence of the amusement park industry. Bakken ("The Hill") in Klampenborg , Denmark, Wurstelprater in Vienna, Austria, and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark are the three oldest operating amusement parks in the world. Lake Compounce opened in 1846 and is considered the oldest, continuously operating amusement park in North America. The amusement park evolved from traditions in

14094-627: The end of June, but Jaws had to be rebuilt and reopened three years later. However, Universal learned from opening day and started conducting exit surveys and special ticket deals. In 1992, Disney opened its first European park, Euro Disneyland , outside of Paris, France, designed to be like the Magic Kingdom in Florida, yet it caters to the European tastes through changes, including removing Tomorrowland and replacing it with Discoveryland , themed to

14256-527: The existing Transylvania area was renamed "Wild Woods" in conjunction with the opening of The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure . In 2018, Mystic East was renamed "Land of the Tiger", with the addition of new tiger enclosures and the partial refurbishment of Dragon Falls as Tiger Rock . In 2020, the ZUFARI themed area became known as the Wanyama Village And Reserve. Adventure Point is the central area of

14418-416: The experience involve removing the floor beneath passengers riding above the track, as featured in floorless roller coasters . Unique track elements, such as new inversions, are often introduced to provide entirely new experiences. Several height classifications have been used by parks and manufacturers in marketing their roller coasters, as well as enthusiasts within the industry. One classification,

14580-610: The experience of the enclosed ideal city with wonder, rides, culture and progress (electricity), was based on the creation of an illusory place. The " midway " introduced at the Columbian Exposition would become a standard part of most amusement parks, fairs, carnivals, and circuses. The midway contained not only the rides, but other concessions and entertainments such as shooting galleries , penny arcades , games of chance , and shows. Many modern amusement parks evolved from earlier pleasure resorts that had become popular with

14742-495: The festive period Chessington launched the new Winter's Tail event, featuring a new seasonal show A Christmas Gift , as well as market stalls and a 60 ft Christmas tree. Attendance rose to 2.05 million guests in 2014, the second highest figure in the park's history, which previously peaked in 1995. 2015 was advertised as "Year of the Penguins", introducing an updated Penguins of Madagascar Live: Operation Cheezy Dibbles show on

14904-494: The first full-circuit coaster with a lift hill , the Gravity Pleasure Road , which became the most popular attraction at Coney Island. Not to be outdone, in 1886 Thompson patented his design of roller coaster that included dark tunnels with painted scenery. "Scenic railways" were soon found in amusement parks across the county. By 1919, the first underfriction roller coaster had been developed by John Miller . Over

15066-544: The first known patents for a roller coaster design in 1885, based on the Switchback Railway which opened a year earlier at Coney Island . Tracks are typically built and designed as a complete circuit in which trains depart from and return to the same loading station . One variation, a shuttle roller coaster , reverses at some point throughout the course of the ride to traverse the same track backwards. The oldest roller coasters are believed to have originated from

15228-432: The first permanent roller coaster to use a tubular steel track. Designed by Arrow Development , the tubular track was unlike standard rail design on wooden coasters, allowing the track to bend in sharper angles in any direction, leading to the incorporation of loops, corkscrews, and inversion elements into track layouts. A little more than a decade later, the immediate success of The Racer at Kings Island in 1972 sparked

15390-561: The first to use the term "roller coaster". The term jet coaster is used for roller coasters in Japan, where such amusement park rides are very popular. In many languages, including most Romance languages, the name refers to "Russian mountains". Conversely, in Russian, they are called "Американские горки" ( Amerikanskiye gorki , "American hills"). In the Scandinavian languages , the roller coaster

15552-410: The gardens were originally designed for the elites, they soon became places of great social diversity. Public firework displays were put on at Marylebone Gardens , and Cremorne Gardens offered music, dancing, and animal acrobatics displays. Prater in Vienna, Austria, began as a royal hunting ground which was opened in 1766 for public enjoyment. There followed coffee-houses and cafés, which led to

15714-623: The ghettos led to changing patterns in how people chose to spend their free time. Many of the older, traditional amusement parks closed or burned to the ground. Many would be taken out by the wrecking ball to make way for suburb and housing and development . In 1964, Steeplechase Park , once the king of all amusement parks, closed down for good. The traditional amusement parks which survived, for example, Kennywood , in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania , and Cedar Point , in Sandusky, Ohio , did so in spite of

15876-431: The great futuristic thinkers of European culture such as H. G. Wells and Jules Verne . A recession in the French economy and the immense public backlash against the park led to financial hardship, putting the park into debt. However, this did not stop Disney from expanding Disney-MGM Studios with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror , in 1994, and building their fourth Walt Disney World park, Disney's Animal Kingdom . In

16038-510: The ground. Most of Ingersoll's Luna Parks were similarly destroyed, usually by arson , before his death in 1927. During the Gilded Age , many Americans began working fewer hours and had more disposable income. With new-found money and time to spend on leisure activities, Americans sought new venues for entertainment. Amusement parks, set up outside major cities and in rural areas, emerged to meet this new economic opportunity. These parks served as

16200-421: The idea of bringing together a collection of the different cultures and experiences from around the world; a considerable amount of the park is built on the stereotypical setting of each area it is focused on. Major attractions include: Vampire , Dragon's Fury , KOBRA , Zufari: Ride into Africa , Scorpion Express , Mandrill Mayhem and Croc Drop . The theme park comprises 11 themed lands, each with

16362-478: The labour and expense in cost, as well as the vast quantity of wood used in it. At the same place, there is another artificial mount which goes in a spiral line, and in my opinion, for I have tried it also, is very disagreable; as it seems always leaning on one side, and the person feels in danger of falling out of seat. Katalnaya gora was dismantled in 1792–1795. Currently in its place is the Granite Terrace in

16524-553: The land a full scale, realistic re-creation of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts without being a refurbishment of an existing area. The project was announced in 2007 and in 2010 the land was opened to the public and made Universal Orlando a must visit destination. Today, there are over 475 amusement parks in the United States, ranging from mega-parks and those that are operated by Warner Bros., Disney , Six Flags and NBCUniversal . The amusement park industry's offerings range from immersive theme parks such as Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi ,

16686-449: The larger, more popular rides. Later, the "D-ticket" was added, then finally the " E-ticket ", which was used on the biggest and most elaborate rides, like Space Mountain . Smaller tickets could be traded up for use on larger rides so that for example two or three A-tickets would equal a single B-ticket. Disneyland, as well as the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, abandoned this practice in 1982. Roller coaster A roller coaster

16848-408: The largest disaster Disney ever created because unlike Disneyland, it would be set in the modern day and spoof modern-day California with its cheap, insincere, and flat backdrops. The park would be adult focused, sell fine food, and serve alcohol. When the park opened on February 8, 2001, it received a chilly reception for its lack of attractions, poor environment (for example, Hollywood Studios Backlot

17010-456: The late 1920s. The Golden Age of amusement parks also included the advent of the kiddie park. Founded in 1925, the original Kiddie Park is located in San Antonio, Texas , and is still in operation as of 2022 . The kiddie parks became popular all over America after World War II. This era saw the development of new innovations in roller coasters that included extreme drops and speeds to thrill

17172-522: The majority of the rest of the zoo. There is also a large pantomime show on the 'Mane Stage', which runs 3 times a day. During the last two weeks of the theme park season, Chessington hosts its biggest event – Howl'o'ween, previously known as Halloween Hocus Pocus. For 2024 it is ran from 5–6 October, 12–13 October, and 19 October – 3 November. During the event the park is decorated for Halloween with spiders, grave stones, voodoo dolls, skeletons and cobwebs as well as large, coloured eyes. Some actors also roam

17334-466: The modern, competitive amusement park industry. In the late 1950s, Wynne visited Disneyland and was inspired to create an affordable, closer, and larger amusement park that would be filled with fantasy. He followed in the steps of Disney and had subdivisions within the park that reflected different lands. The subdivisions included the Old South and other sections that referenced Wynne's background. By 1968,

17496-462: The motivation for entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and a rapid cycle of growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s. In 1879, large parts of the promenade at Blackpool were wired. The lighting and its accompanying pageants reinforced Blackpool's status as the North of England's most prominent holiday resort, and its specifically working class character. It

17658-469: The name endured. Another explanation is that the phrase originated from a ride located in a roller skating rink in Haverhill , Massachusetts in 1887. A toboggan -like sled was raised to the top of a track which consisted of hundreds of rollers. This Roller Toboggan then took off down gently rolling hills to the floor. The inventors of this ride, Stephen E. Jackman and Byron B. Floyd, claim that they were

17820-483: The next decade, roller coasters spread to amusement parks around the world and began an era in the industry often referred to as the "Golden Age". One of the most well known from the period is the historical Cyclone that opened at Coney Island in 1927. The onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s, however, significantly impacted the amusement park industry and brought an end to the rapid growth experienced during

17982-543: The now defunct Black Buccaneer swinging pirate ship. 2022 saw a retheme and refresh of the Pirates' Cove themed area, to Shipwreck Coast, with the addition of two new rides. These are 'Barrel Bail Out', a Watermania ride and 'Trawler Trouble', a Rockin' Tug relocated from Thorpe Park. Seastorm also reopened following an extensive refurbishment. On top of this there was general park wide refurbishments and touch ups, with some significant work in Wild Asia and Adventure Point as well as

18144-477: The odds. Inspired by the layout of Tivoli Gardens theme park in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1951, Walt Disney came up with the idea of having an amusement park next to the studios in Burbank. The park would have been called Mickey Mouse Park , built across the street with a western area featuring a steam driven paddleboat, a turn of the century town, and a midway. It was rejected by the Burbank city council in fear of

18306-539: The only suspended rollercoaster outside of America) and Prof. Burp's Bubble Works . Both of these major rides had a significant and positive impact on the park's popularity. By this time Smugglers' Galleon and the Smugglers' Cove area had been created. The 1995 season arrived with Rameses Revenge , the park's first inverting ride. Rameses Revenge was new in the Forbidden Kingdom area; an area which had opened

18468-478: The open with new theming and is renamed 'Scorpion Express'. Shipwreck Coast is an area adjacent to Adventure Point, originally themed to a Cornish fishing village. Rides include the Blue Barnacle , a swinging pirate ship and Seastorm , a circular family boat ride that simulates a sea storm. The area was previously known as Pirates' Cove until the 2022 season, when it received a nautical retheme and overhaul, with

18630-562: The original Carousel being replaced with a newer, themed carousel named "The Chessington Adventure Tree". In 2018, the ferris wheel Peeking Heights was removed and the Mystic East area rethemed into Land of the Tiger, with three new tiger enclosures, four tigers from Kolmården Wildlife Park , and a new theme for Dragon Falls, with its new name Tiger Rock . In 2019, they rethemed their old 3D walkthrough attraction, Hocus Pocus Hall , into another one of Julia Donaldson 's creations, Room on

18792-766: The park opened the Safari Hotel next to Chessington Zoo, themed to a safari lodge. 2008 saw the opening of the Chessington Sea Life Centre . Also in 2010, the Wanyama reserve was opened, giving the Africa-themed Safari hotel guests a view of animals. The Wild Asia area was also added, with its KOBRA ride. In 2011 the Ocean Tunnel and surrounding rooms in the Sea Life Centre were re-themed to Azteca. In 2012

18954-466: The park opened, it welcomed its one millionth guest. Because of the financial success of Disneyland, the amusement industry was reinvigorated. What became Busch Gardens Tampa opened in 1959 as a garden and bird sanctuary. Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1961, themed to the six different countries that ruled over Texas. In 1964, Universal Studios Hollywood opened to the public with a studio tour of their backlot that had multiple adventure scenes and became

19116-489: The park, it features a selection of shops, restaurants, smaller outlets including hotdog and doughnut units and guest services, as well as the Chessington Adventure Tree carousel, which was added in 2017 The area has mostly Tudor and early Georgian architecture, featuring details such as hanging baskets and boxed plants. Rides include Tiny Truckers and Elmer's Flying Jumbos . In the centre of Adventure Point

19278-580: The park. In 1897, Sea Lion Park was joined by Steeplechase Park , the first of three major amusement parks that would open in the Coney Island area. George Tilyou designed the park to provide thrills and entertainment. The combination of the nearby population center of New York City and the ease of access to the area made Coney Island the embodiment of the American amusement park. Coney Island also featured Luna Park (1903) and Dreamland (1904). Coney Island

19440-426: The park. Other revenue sources include parking fees, food and beverage sales and souvenirs. Practically all amusement parks operate using one of two admission principles: In amusement parks using the pay-as-you-go scheme, a guest enters the park at little or no charge. The guest must then purchase rides individually, either at the attraction's entrance or by purchasing ride tickets (or a similar exchange method, like

19602-443: The park. Wardley had a huge influence on the rides being created at both Chessington and its sister parks Thorpe Park and Alton Towers . The decision was made to open a theme park to complement the zoo, and so Chessington World of Adventures was born. On 7 July 1987 Chessington World of Adventures opened to the public in a ceremony including Prince Edward. The park was built on a relatively small budget of around £12 million, to test

19764-503: The pay-as-you-go format. Initially, guests paid the ride admission fees at the attractions. Within a short time, the problems of handling such large amounts of coins led to the development of a ticket system that, while now out of use, is still part of the amusement-park lexicon. In this new format, guests purchased ticket books that contained a number of tickets, labeled "A", "B" and "C." Rides and attractions using an "A-ticket" were generally simple, with "B-tickets" and "C-tickets" used for

19926-468: The previous year in conjunction with the Terror Tomb dark ride. Also new for 1995 was Seastorm in Pirates' Cove, and the Carousel , located next to the explorer gate. By 1997, the park had a maximum capacity of 15,000 guests. In 1999, Chessington opened the hardcore thrill ride Samurai in the Mystic East. 1999 also saw the rename of Calamity Canyon into Mexicana, following the opening of Rattlesnake

20088-543: The public for day-trips or weekend holidays, for example, seaside areas such as Blackpool , United Kingdom and Coney Island , United States. In the United States, some amusement parks grew from picnic groves established along rivers and lakes that provided bathing and water sports, such as Lake Compounce in Connecticut, first established as a picturesque picnic park in 1846, and Riverside Park in Massachusetts, founded in

20250-452: The public on October 1, 1971. Meant to be a larger east coast version of Disneyland, it had copies of most of the attractions from Disneyland (except for Liberty Square and the Hall of Presidents ), yet it was financially the most ambitious project Walt Disney Productions had ever undertaken, and succeeded once the holiday crowds came in during Thanksgiving. In 1982, Walt Disney Productions opened

20412-430: The range of 4–6 Gs (40–60 m s ) as a maximum for positive g-force acceleration, which increases the feeling of weight and pushes riders downward into their seat. For negative g-force, or the feeling of weightlessness, the target is 1.5–2Gs (15–20 m s ) as a maximum. These fall into a range considered safe to a majority of the population. Lateral acceleration is also typically kept under 2Gs using various techniques including

20574-463: The rest of the Ares program . Some sources have shown concern over the ability of roller coasters to cause head trauma and serious injury such as the tearing of axons and damaging of blood vessels. A variety of safety mechanisms protect riders on roller coasters. One of these is the block system . Most large roller coasters have the ability to run two or more trains at once, and the block system prevents these trains from colliding. In this system,

20736-467: The riders. By the end of the First World War, people seemed to want an even more exciting entertainment, a need met by roller coasters. Although the development of the automobile provided people with more options for satisfying their entertainment needs, the amusement parks after the war continued to be successful, while urban amusement parks saw declining attendance. The 1920s is more properly known as

20898-466: The rise in height is transferred to kinetic energy , which is then converted back into potential energy as the train rises up the next hill. Changes in elevation become smaller throughout the track's course, as some mechanical energy is lost to friction and air drag . A properly-designed, outdoor track will result in a train having enough kinetic energy to complete the entire course under a variety of stressful weather conditions. Not all coasters feature

21060-833: The second Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Georgia , opened, and in 1971, Six Flags Over Mid-America (now Six Flags St. Louis ) opened near St. Louis , Missouri. Also in 1971 was the opening of the Walt Disney World resort complex in Florida . In 1991 Warner Bros. in partnership with Village Roadshow, opened their own Warner Bros. Movie World . It is the only Movie-Related theme park in Australia. Warner Bros. continued their theme park ventures and opened Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi in UAE and Parque Warner Madrid in Spain. Amusement parks collect much of their revenue from admission fees paid by guests attending

21222-528: The second Walt Disney World park, EPCOT Center, based on Walt Disney's futurist ideals and World Fairs. Like a World's Fair, the park would display the latest technologies in an area called Future World, and the cultural pavilions in World Showcase. In 1987, Disney announced that it would open its third Disney World park, Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, which would have a working backlot. However, Universal knew that its Californian backlot tour would not work as

21384-434: The second largest entertainment operator in the world in terms of attendance numbers, behind Disney . As Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park are located within 20 miles of each other, Merlin Entertainments has made efforts to market the two parks to different age groups: Thorpe Park caters to teenagers and young adults, while Chessington World of Adventures Resort is for families and people of all ages. In June 2007,

21546-456: The side of the track to keep the train on the track throughout turns. Up-stop wheels ride below the track and prevent the train from lifting off the track. Roller coasters are statistically very safe when compared to other activities, but despite all the safety measures in place, accidents still occur. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) reports that a rider has one chance in 15.5 million of being injured on

21708-565: The sites, expanding them from picnic groves to include regular entertainments, mechanical amusements, dance halls, sports fields, boat rides, restaurants and other resort facilities. Some of these parks were developed in resort locations, such as bathing resorts at the seaside in New Jersey and New York . A premiere example in New Jersey was Atlantic City , a famous vacation resort. Entrepreneurs erected amusement parks on piers that extended from

21870-698: The so-called "Russian Mountains", specially constructed hills of ice located in the area that is now Saint Petersburg, Russia . Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between 21 and 24 m (70 and 80 feet), had a 50-degree drop, and were reinforced by wooden supports. Later, in 1784, Catherine the Great is said to have constructed a sledding hill in the gardens of her palace at Oranienbaum in St. Petersburg. The Riding Mountain (a.k.a. La Grande Glisade ) entertainment pavilion designed by Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli for Tsarskoye Selo royal residence

22032-545: The still-emerging theme park market. In its first year, the park opened with the roller coaster Runaway Mine Train , the log flume Dragon River , the monorail Safari Skyway , the dark ride The 5th Dimension , and the Chessington Railroad as the main attractions (all supplied by the German ride manufacturer Heinrich Mack GmbH & Co ). Smuggler's Galleon (a swinging ride) reached heights of 20 meters; it

22194-412: The term strata was first introduced by Cedar Point with the release of Top Thrill Dragster, a 420-foot-tall (130 m) roller coaster that opened in 2003. Kingda Ka was the second strata coaster, and it opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in 2005 as the tallest roller coaster in the world with a height of 456 feet (139 m). Top Thrill Dragster closed in 2021 following a serious incident in which

22356-570: The theme park and zoo dressed as witches, vampires and zombies. During the event, different scare attractions are present. These included the Vile Villagers scare maze and the Enchanted Hollow walkthrough. Rides are also open in the dark, due to the extended opening hours. Shows are also ran throughout the day, on different stages.   – Previous Howl'o'ween attraction.   – Current Howl'o'ween attraction. Chessington World of Adventures opened on 6 July 1987. Its main ethos centres around

22518-540: The theme park, Silver Dollar City . The park is still owned and operated by the Herschends and the family has several other parks including Dollywood , Kentucky Kingdom and Wild Adventures . The first regional amusement park, as well as the first Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Texas was officially opened in 1961 in Arlington, Texas . The first Six Flags amusement park was the vision of Angus Wynne Jr. and helped create

22680-432: The town buildings, then a path set back from the town leads to the castle entrance of The Vampire . After the park's various changes of management, the area was repeatedly changed in a piecemeal fashion to more of a haunted Halloween style, though most of the fascia remains under various repaints and alterations. Vampire's entrance was moved to an unthemed metal archway in 2001 and the original BubbleWorks entrance recycled as

22842-410: The track is divided into two or more sections known as blocks. Only one train is permitted in each block at any given time. There is a section of track at the end of each block where a train can be stopped if necessary, such as preventing dispatch from the station, stopping a lift, or applying brakes. Sensors detect when a train passes so that the system's computer is aware of which blocks are occupied. If

23004-522: The upper classes and the working class at the beach. The first carousel was installed in the 1870s, the first roller coaster , the " Switchback Railway ", in 1884. In England, Blackpool was a popular beachside location beginning in the 1700s. It rose to prominence as a seaside resort with the completion in 1846 of a branch line to Blackpool from Poulton on the main Preston and Wyre Joint Railway line. A sudden influx of visitors, arriving by rail, provided

23166-476: The visitors. American cities and businesses also saw the world's fair as a way of demonstrating economic and industrial success. The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago , Illinois was an early precursor to the modern amusement park. The fair was an enclosed site, that merged entertainment, engineering and education to entertain the masses. It set out to bedazzle the visitors, and successfully did so with

23328-409: The wood track with their patented steel I-Box track design, while reusing much of the ride's wooden structure, resulting in a smoother ride with the incorporation of new design elements, such as inversions, sharper turns, and steeper drops. Although the term wasn't widely used or accepted until the 21st century, one of the oldest examples is Cyclone at Luna Park , which opened in 1927. It features

23490-543: The year before. Beanoland , bringing two new rides to the park: Billy's Whizzer and Rodger the Dodger's Dodgems was built in 2000 on the former site of Circus World On 22 May 2007, The Tussauds Group was taken over by Merlin Entertainments Ltd , which owns other brands such as Sea Life Centres . Besides Chessington, Merlin also purchased Alton Towers , the nearby Thorpe Park , and Madame Tussauds , which made Merlin

23652-494: The year, after 29 years of service. Little was changed during the 2016 season, a small live show named Pandamonium opened near the zoo, a Go Ape high ropes course opened, and Trail of the Kings received some new decoration. Explorer Glamping was also introduced over the summer months, launching on 27 May. Tomb Blaster was refurbished with all LED UV lighting and new laser gun system. In 2017, The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure opened, replacing Bubbleworks , as well as

23814-478: Was a dark water ride that took guests through an animated fizzy pop factory. For 2006, it was rethemed to an Imperial Leather toiletries factory. Bubbleworks closed on 6 September 2016 and was replaced by The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure in March 2017. The area was created as a quaint, 'Central-European' town square to one side, where the entrance to Prof. Burp's BubbleWorks , shops and eateries were located amongst

23976-570: Was a huge success and by the year 1910 attendance on days could reach a million people. Fueled by the efforts of Frederick Ingersoll who borrowed the name, other " Luna Parks " were quickly erected worldwide and opened to rave reviews. The first amusement park in England was opened in 1896 – the Blackpool Pleasure Beach by W. G. Bean. In 1904, Sir Hiram Maxim 's Captive Flying Machine was introduced; he had designed an early aircraft powered by steam engines that had been unsuccessful and instead opened up

24138-546: Was allegedly designed by former Disney Imagineers who left after the financial disaster of Disneyland Paris. In the late 80s, the Oriental Land Company (the owners and operators of Tokyo Disneyland resort which opened in 1983) wanted a second park. None of the current non-Magic Kingdom parks satisfied the Japanese, but one concept thrown away for Disneyland's second gate inspired a new one: DisneySea . Tokyo DisneySea

24300-457: Was built in 1754–1757. In Russian it was known as Katalnaya gora (Катальная гора, literally "Mountain for riding") It was a huge building in the shape of rotunda . It had a trail with five hills which can be covered with ice in winter. In the summer time the trails used trolleys on wheels secured in the steel grooves mounted on the wooden trails. Due to a pendulum-like motion based on inertia all five hills could be traversed in one ride. The ride

24462-477: Was coined during the construction of the Millennium Force , a roller coaster built by Intamin on Cedar Point amusement park. Although Morgan and Bolliger & Mabillard have not used the term giga , both have also produced roller coasters in this class. A strata coaster is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least 400 feet (120 m). As with the other two height classifications,

24624-415: Was engineered by Russian scientist Andrey Nartov . The Anglican clergyman John Glen King mentioned that some Englishmen visiting Russia called them "Flying Mountains" and described them as follows: You will observe that there are five mounts of unequal height: the first and the highest is full thirty feet perpendicular altitude; the momentum with which they descend this carries them over the second, which

24786-498: Was later renamed Black Buccaneer. The new park development adopted a pay-once price structure as opposed to the fairground's former pay-per-ride format. Other support rides were also opened and the park opened five themed areas: Calamity Canyon, Mystic East, Market Square, Toy Town and Circus World. The 1990 season expanded Chessington with the opening of the Transylvania area, featuring The Vampire (opening and still operating as

24948-493: Was reclaimed from the sea front. It was at this period that the park moved to its 44-acre (18 ha) current location above what became Watson Road, which was built under the Pleasure Beach in 1932. During this time Joseph Emberton, an architect famous for his work in the amusement trade was brought in to redesign the architectural style of the Pleasure Beach rides, working on the "Grand National" roller coaster, "Noah's Ark" and

25110-591: Was started by Reginald Stuart Goddard, who had bought the estate to showcase his private collection of animals. It was once the largest private zoo in England. After Goddard died in 1946, the Pearson Publishing Company took over the zoo and managed it until 1978, when The Tussauds Group , a subsidiary of the Pearson Group, took control. In 1984, due to the zoo's declining attendance, Tussauds's commissioned John Wardley to come up with plans to revitalize

25272-551: Was the Eldorado Amusement Park that opened in 1891 on the banks of the Hudson River , overlooking New York City . It consisted of 25 acres. The first permanent enclosed entertainment area, regulated by a single company, was founded in Coney Island in 1895: Sea Lion Park at Coney Island in Brooklyn. This park was one of the first to charge admission fee to get into the park in addition to sell tickets for rides within

25434-672: Was the pleasure garden . An example of this is the world's oldest amusement park, Bakken ("The Hill"), which opened in mainland Europe in 1583. It is located north of Copenhagen in Klampenborg, Denmark . Another early garden was the Vauxhall Gardens , founded in 1661 in London. By the late 18th century, the site had an admission fee for its many attractions. It regularly drew enormous crowds, with its paths often noted for romantic assignations; tightrope walkers, hot air balloon ascents, concerts and fireworks providing amusement. Although

25596-438: Was the first to break this barrier, though the term hypercoaster was first coined by Cedar Point and Arrow Dynamics with the opening of Magnum XL-200 in 1989. Hypercoasters have become one of the most predominant types of roller coasters in the world, now led by manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard and Intamin . A giga coaster is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least 300 feet (91 m). The term

25758-474: Was the first true Theme Park despite Knott's history. In the 1950s the Herschend family took over operation of the tourist attraction, Marvel Cave near Branson, Missouri . Over the next decade they modernized the cave, which led to large numbers of people waiting to take the tour. The Herschend family opened a recreation of the old mining town that once existed atop Marvel Cave. The small village eventually became

25920-645: Was the forerunner of the present-day Blackpool Illuminations . By the 1890s, the town had a population of 35,000, and could accommodate 250,000 holidaymakers. The number of annual visitors, many staying for a week, was estimated at three million. In the final decade of the 19th century, electric trolley lines were developed in many large American cities. Companies that established the trolley lines also developed trolley parks as destinations of these lines. Trolley parks such as Atlanta 's Ponce de Leon Park , or Reading's Carsonia Park were initially popular natural leisure spots before local streetcar companies purchased

26082-441: Was themed to a modern-day movie backlot of modern-day Hollywood), and overemphasis on retail and dining. When John Hench (an original Imagineer who worked with Walt and was a chief creative executive at Imagineering since Imagineering was founded) was asked for his opinion on the park, he reportedly said, "I preferred the parking lot." Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris was the second Disneyland Paris park. Disney had to build

26244-604: Was turned into a park as a "half day" attraction—a complement to the rest of the resort. The rest of the park was themed to 1930s Hollywood and featured lost parts of Hollywood like the Brown Derby. Universal Studios Florida opened on June 7, 1990 (delayed by one year) to great fanfare, but the primary attractions were experiencing severe technical difficulties. All three of the park's major attractions (Jaws, Disaster!, and Kongfrontation) were not working and suffered major technical difficulties. Disaster! and Kongfrontation were fixed by

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