Onboard audio has been incorporated into roller coasters with varying degrees of success. The makeover of Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags Over New England into Bizarro included the addition of an onboard soundtrack that is largely unintelligible and does next to nothing to add to the (already wonderful) ride. When Space Mountain at Disneyland was overhauled a few years ago, however, its accompanying soundtrack helped transform and reestablish the relatively mild coaster into an E-ticket experience.

The original Space Mountain at Walt Disney World has been in desperate need of its own makeover. Instead of a complete redo a la Disneyland, the Florida Space Mountain has been getting incremental, largely cosmetic, changes. The same aging track and pokey coaster trains remain. Forget onboard audio inside the coaster cars. Disney has, however, just installed external speakers alongside the track to give the approximation of onboard audio. Early reports indicate that while the music and audio effects do make for a more exciting ride, it doesn't come close to the soundtrack of Disneyland's Space Mountain.

• Guide to Walt Disney World Hotels
• Top 10 Best WDW Rides and Shows

The Mountain is Alive with the Sound of Music originally appeared on About.com Theme Parks on Friday, September 3rd, 2010 at 06:29:46.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Coney Island has changed significantly in the years since its iconic Wonder Wheel began turning in 1920. With the opening of Luna Park this year, the once-preeminent amusement area's fortunes may be turning for the better. Through bad times and good, the Cyclone, Nathan's Famous, and the Wonder Wheel have remained constants on Brooklyn's famed boardwalk. Deno's Wonder Wheel Park is throwing a party this Saturday, Sept. 4, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its 150-foot swinging Ferris wheel. The fun is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is set to include live music, clowns, and face painting. Read more about the Wonder Wheel.

• Wonder Wheel Photo Gallery

The Wonder Wheel Goes 'Round and 'Round originally appeared on About.com Theme Parks on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 06:00:59.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights draws monster-sized crowds and is the bloody best theme park Halloween event in Florida--if not the world. But that doesn't mean the Sunshine State's other theme parks don't offer their own bloody good Halloween fun once the sun goes down. Busch Gardens Tampa, which has been amping up the antics at its Howl-O-Scream event the past few years tries something new this scary season with the Alone House. As the name suggests, instead of going through a haunted maze with the security of your friends and other guests, �you have to tough it out on your own. Sounds freaky. Walt Disney World and SeaWorld Orlando also offer Halloween events, but tone down the scares with G-rated events. Read more about Florida's other theme park Halloween events.

• Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Photo Gallery

Howling, Screaming, and Alone originally appeared on About.com Theme Parks on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 12:18:05.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

I say, "Sandusky, Ohio," and you think...coasters, right? Lots and lots of coasters at Cedar Point. Well sure, the thrill-ride haven is Sandusky's most famous landmark. But with the proliferation of water parks, particularly the indoor water park resorts that have opened over the past few years, there are other ways to have fun in Ohio's Lake Erie playground. While it's not at the level of Wisconsin Dells, the water park capital of the world, Sandusky's recent wave of water park resorts now makes it a great place to visit all year long. Find out where to get wet in the Sandusky water park guide.

• The Top 10 Best Indoor Water Park Resorts
• A Lotta Water: Who Has the Biggest Indoor Water Park?

Photo: � Jeremy Levine, 2006. Licensed to About.com.

Think Sandusky Means Coasters? You're All Wet. originally appeared on About.com Theme Parks on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 06:15:04.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The theme for Universal Orlando's 20th annual Halloween Horror Nights is, well, "Twenty Years of Fear," and the anniversary celebration will include homages to past HHN characters such as The Director, The Storyteller, as well as an all-new character. According to Universal fear has a name and his (its?) name is...Fear. That's right. We have nothing to fear but Fear itself, except Fear is apparently this big, scary mastermind who has been looming in the background of HHN for 19 years. For year 20, he will make himself (itself) known. The Fear, er fun, starts September 24. Read more about Halloween Horror Nights 20.

• Halloween Horror Nights 2009 Photo Gallery- Scenes from last year's event.

Photo: My, what big teeth you have! This is the (partial) face of Fear, the main character for Universal Orlando's 2010 Halloween Horror Nights. Universal Orlando, 2010. Used with permission.

Nothing to Fear but Fear Himself at Universal Orlando's HHN 2010 originally appeared on About.com Theme Parks on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 16:53:43.

Permalink | Comment | Email this