Spongebob leaves in favor of the 'moon'

The 4-D theater in Boardwalk will bring us all a new adventure in 2008. The recycled Spongebob film will be canned for a brand-new simulation based entirely on the new film "Fly Me To The Moon", set to be released this summer. The film is a computer animated film starring the voices of Voorhees native Kelly Ripa, Back to the Future's Christopher Lloyd and Nicolette Sherridan of Desperate Housewives fame. The film and simulation will both be presented in '3-D' and present a unique, mutually beneficial relationship that provides Six Flags with a fresh new simulation and provides nWave Pictures with a strong promotional push for the new film.

A little R&R

My flight leaves PHL tomorrow at 6AM headed for the warm islands of Turks and Caicos. A week-long Caribbean vacation is well needed on my end and I'm looking forward to the beach, lots of rum punch and hopefully some SCUBA diving! Be sure to be on your best behavior while I'm gone...or else the ban hammer may be out to get you.

I'll return in a week to find longer days and warmer weather on the horizon, which means the site will start rocking again. In my absence, I leave you with something to ponder...what coaster vacations do you have planned this year or what is your dream vacation? I know one of my favorite vacations was my trip to Clearwater and Tampa Bay last March to go to Busch Gardens Africa and to watch some Phillies spring training!

Out-arched; El Toro to be dethroned

El Toro's claim to the steepest first drop is just about over. Intamin's newest wooden coaster at Everland Resort in Japan has been completed and the latest pictures are amazing. This ride, in my opinion, would send El Toro scurrying away with its tail between its legs. The 77-degree first drop beats out our "bull" by 1-degree (El Toro features a 76-degree first drop), but this monster should pull ahead in many other categories, as well. Too bad it's located half a world away!

* The Asbury Park Press has a great article that details the importance of Great Adventure to Jackson Township. A constant theme that arises is how impressed the town is by the park's new family-friendly image.

* If you ever wanted to see the animals at Wild Safari without taking the 45-minute car ride, a new children's book series will solve your dilemma. The Six Flags Storytime Series, released in 2007, features 8 books about the animals of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Considered a success, there are plans for a follow up series featuring our own animals from Six Flags Wild Safari.

* I've finally added the Dark Knight Construction Watch. It may look sparse, but I'll be adding a lot more soon.

* Finally, unless you're blind or extremely unaware, we've made some changes at the Forums. In addition to a fresh new look, we've reorganized some of the boards, added two new moderators, and added a brand-new photo gallery where you can upload YOUR OWN photos of the park. Be sure to check it all out!

Old Country to be 'No Country'?

Screamscape has reported a rumor that Old Country may be blocked off to the public this season. With Chiller removed and the entrance to the Dark Knight most likely being located closer to Batman: The Ride, the only remaining attractions in Old Country would be Autobahn (bumper cars) and Musik Express. These two low-level flat rides certainly could be relocated to one of the many open lots in the park or simply just be SBNO (standing, but not operating) for the season.

Of course this report has rumors running wild on the Forums. Many seem to think this could allow construction to begin on a bigger plan for 2009 that would entail a re-theme of the area. However, it is also very possible that this could simply be designed to cut some costs. With no major attraction in the area and with the Showcase Theater planning to go dark in '08, shutting down the few games, food stands and rides would save money on staffing and maintenance.

No matter what the reason may be, this idea makes sense. This one pathway could be blocked off on Dream Street and by the empty Stunt Arena since the only real traffic would be people cutting over to Movietown to ride Batman, Dark Knight and Nitro. The group picnic pavilions, which are located just behind Old Country, pose a problem, however. Either a separate entrance would need to be added or groups would need to have access to this blocked off corridor. If the latter were true, that would indicated that the closure might not be for construction, but simply to save some money.

One has to wonder, though, that if this is true, can the park really afford to shut down two more flat rides? With a weak slate of shows and even more rides closed down, there is going to be little crowd relief for the coasters this season, causing queue lines to grow longer. I'll keep you posted if anything official is confirmed, but until then be sure to voice your opinion.

* In other news, discussion has developed concerning which coaster members are looking forward to riding first when the park opens in April. El Toro seems to be the popular choice, and I can't say that I disagree!

Latest aerial construction update from Flyin' Phil

Flyin' Phil has posted his latest fly-over detailing the Dark Knight construction. Track and supports are visible and the concrete slab for the foundation is all set. As a result, you can get a true idea of just how the building will be situated. It is also interesting to note what is left of Chiller's theming and pathways/queues.

Phil also has posted general aerial shots of the whole park, but there are no changes to report on. thechiller15 points out that Medusa has not been painted and that if it hasn't by now, we probably shouldn't expect it at all this season. However, you can never rule it out, especially with the new contract Six Flags signed with Baynum Painting.

Little revealed about Dark Knight at 'Eastcoaster'

ACE's annual 'Eastcoaster' event was held this past weekend at Dorney Park. The event usually features presentations by all of the big east coast amusement/theme parks. A similar event like this in the Midwest featured Six Flags Great America revealing some information and layouts of their version of the Dark Knight coaster. It turns out, however, that the licensing with Warner Brothers/DC Comics isn't quite finalized, which is why we haven't seen much information on this yet. As a result, little information was given about the new coaster, but sros1fan has posted some pictures of the presentation that Great Adventure put on, including Dark Knight and Glow in the Park.

* It was also announced that this year's Coaster Celebration will be on Saturday, May 31. The annual event is held by Great Adventure and features exclusive ride time (ERT), food, events and more! An extra charge is required and the application form can be found on the official web site or by clicking here. Morning ERT will feature Nitro, Skull Mountain, Batman the Ride and The Dark Knight coaster, while evening ERT will consist of Medusa, Rolling Thunder, El Toro and Kingda Ka.

* One more bit of information to cheer everyone up...only 60 days until opening day!

Kingda Ka on Discovery Science Channel tonight

Kingda Ka will be featured on the program Really Big Things tonight at 7:00PM on Discovery Science Channel. CycloneMan points out that several Source members attended Discovery's shoot last season and will be seen on the program. Just a heads up that Discovery Science is one of the digital network off-shoots of Discovery Channel and probably will only be found on satellite systems and some digital cable lineups. The program also has two other airings:

2/2: 2:00AM
2/3: 12:00PM

Be sure to check it out and report back with your thoughts!