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Theme Park Travel Odyssey 2009 Edition
2009 Theme Park Travel Odyssey Time to recap my 2009 theme park trips. This was a busy year with a number of interviews, media days, and fun theme park trips. I’m even going to include a lost trip that I don’t think I’ve referenced on the blog. From the warm tropic atmosphere of Orlando to the mean streets of Manhattan, my travels took me to 10 theme parks. But, it all started ba...
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SeaWorld Parks & Google Team Up for Street View Virtual Tours
The Best Theme Park Virtual Tours Ever? The Busch theme parks (now known collectively as SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment) have teamed up with Google to provide virtual walk-through tours using Google Maps Street View. In case you’ve been living under a rock, or still use MapQuest , Street View allows you to get an on-the-ground view of streets in Google Maps. Until now, these views have ...
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Blackstone Buys Busch Gardens & SeaWorld Parks for $2.3 Billion
Blackstone Buys Busch Gardens & SeaWorld Parks for $2.3 Billion The proverbial writing has been on the wall ever since InBev purchased Anheuser-Busch last year. The Belgian brewer planned to sell A-B’s theme parks as they were not the companies core business; brewing beer. After months of speculation, U.S. equity firm Blackstone has stepped forward to purchase Busch Entertainment Corpora... -
Manta vs Tatsu | Roller Coaster Showdown
As soon as SeaWorld Orlando announced Manta last winter coaster enthusiasts began comparing it to Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Tatsu. The two B&M flying roller coasters have interesting custom layouts and their the largest flying roller coasters in the World. So, let’s pit the flying dragon against the flying manta ray and see who comes out on top. Theming Manta’s theming is on...
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Manta @ SeaWorld Orlando | Roller Coaster Review
Manta – SeaWorld Orlando’s New Signature Attraction After the eight hour drive down to Orlando for the Manta Grand Opening and Media Day, I was hoping to not be disappointed and thankfully I wasn’t. It was my first time to SeaWorld, but right away I recognized that I was at a Busch-owned theme park. The park was clean and beautifully-themed. Manta is the much-hyped flying roller ...
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Back from Orlando
I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’ll have a Manta review and my exclusive interview with the Creative Director of Hollywood: Rip Ride Rockit up soon. On my way back from Florida, I also stopped at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia. It was a great trip and I’ve got some really cool content to put up. For now, here’s a picture of Manta’s dive t... -
SeaWorld & Universal Orlando Trip
Next week I’m headed down to Orlando for SeaWorld’s grand opening of Manta. It’s been open for over a week, but the Media Day will include the ‘Manta Cam’. It will basically be a personal camera pointed at me while I ride. It’s also supposed to include other point of view shots and angles. Now that I think of it, it sounds a lot like the on-board video feature o... -
Manta Set to Take Flight at SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando’s Manta is about a month from opening and it looks great. As Florida’s only flying roller coaster Manta could take that genre of rides to a new level. At one point during the ride, the winged manta-themed trains will fly riders face down right over water. I’m not sure, but that huge stingray shaped piece at the front may actually dip into the water and cause the... -
Busch & SeaWorld Parks For Sale
The thing I’ve been dreading for months is starting to happen. The newly formed Anhueser-Busch InBev is starting to sell off Busch Entertainment Corp., the parent company of the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks around the country. The writing had been on the wall since AB was purchased by InBev last year. Almost immediately, analyst predicted that the Belgian brewer would likely sell of th... -
SeaWorld Orlando’s Manta Promo Video
SeaWorld Orlando’s flying roller coaster, Manta, is one of the most highly anticipated new rides of 2009. Recently, SeaWorld uploaded a promo video to YouTube. You don’t get to see the actual ride, but you do get a sense of the world-class theming that will surround the ride. Here’s an excerpt from the official press release describing the ride’s theming: The journey begins... -
Last Call for Free Beer at Busch Parks
If you’ve ever been to a Busch park like the African-themed park in Tampa or the European-themed park in Virginia, you’ve seen the Budweiser Clydesdales and no doubt noticed that the parks sell the company’s beer. I had no idea that they offered free beer at the hospitality centers. I DO remember that the Williamsburg, VA park had free brewery tours. My brother and I took a tour ... -
SeaWorld’s Manta Topped Off
SeaWorld Orlando’s Manta is Moving AlongJohnnyUpsideDown has a rack of construction photos of SeaWorld Orlando’s 2009 flying coaster Manta. As you can see from the pics, the ride’s been topped off and the station is coming together. Check out JohnnyUpsideDown’s latest Manta construction photos. Read all about the Manta coaster, also check out this construction video from Se... -
400th Post & a Big Announcement
Milestone & A New Site Coming Real Soon Two and a half years ago I began this blog as an outlet for my love of roller coasters and writing. This post is my 400th post and it’s been a fun ride especially when my readers drop in and post comments. Some agree, some disagree, and others just share their experiences. Either way, The Coaster Critic’s Blog is at its best when the communit... -
SeaWorld Orlando’s Manta Photo Contest
SeaWorld Orlando’s Photo ContestSeaWorld Orlando’s new Manta will be a Bolliger & Mabillard flying coaster reaching heights of 14 stories and speeds of 60 mph that will open in Summer 2009. Now, SeaWorld is having a photo contest. The first reader who’s able to take a picture of Manta’s track while it’s being shipped from Ohio to Orlando will win two tickets to t... -
Fate of the Busch Parks Unknown
Sale of 10 Busch Theme Parks ‘Inevitable’, Likely to Foreign Company Forget the American tradition of Budweiser beer being owned by a European company, I’m more concerned about my favorite park chain. Financial analysts have said that the sale of Busch Entertainment’s theme parks inevitable. The Busch Parks include these theme parks and water parks: Busch Gardens Europe (Wi... -
SeaWorld Unveils Manta Details
Manta Coaster Officially Unveiled | SeaWorld 2009 While the concept art and name had already been leaked to the Internet, this morning SeaWorld officially announced the details of the new Manta roller coaster. Manta will be a Bolliger & Mabillard flying coaster reaching heights of 140′ and speeds up to 60 mph that will open in Summer 2009. Flying coasters feature trains where riders are... -
Manta @ SeaWorld Orlando | Concept Art
A First Look at SeaWorld Orlando’s Manta The B&M flying roller coaster that’s rumored for SeaWorld Orlando is all but confirmed at this point. Concept art has emerged oddly enough on a British site. The Disney Information Bulletin Board has posted three pieces of concept art. The pictures show a B&M flying coaster themed as a manta or sting ray skimming the surface of the water... -
Manta Coaster Coming to SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando Hints at Manta Coaster for 2009 In an Orlando Sentinel article SeaWorld Orlando hinted at a massive new project for 2009. In the article, the new roller coaster is described as the most expensive the park has ever built. A Busch Parks representative stated: “It’s going to have animal components, marine-life components. It will have a very unique, state-of-the-art ride,... -
Most Visited Theme Parks of 2007
Most Visited Theme Parks in North AmericaHave you ever wondered which parks have the highest attendance? Recently, the Themed Entertainment Association and Economics Research Associates released their Attraction Attendance Report for 2007. The majority of the most visited parks are in warmer climates and as such, they are open year round. The first seasonal park was Canada’s Wonderland which... -
Busch Opens Mega Theme Park in Dubai
Busch to Open New Theme Park in DubaiThis week Busch announced that they’ll be building a new mega theme park in Dubai. That city is literally growing overnight into a metropolis. I reported last month that Sega’s also adding a theme park in Dubai. It will be at the base of the building that will become that tallest in the world. Busch’s new park will include SeaWorld, Busch Gard...
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