Latest news with #amusementpark
CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘It was like sleeping on the edge of a really rocky cliff': 24 hours on the ferris wheel
Chris Scheetz on the ferris wheel at KDays on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (Dave Mitchell/CTV News Edmonton)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cedar Point guests on Siren's Curse roller coaster had an added scare on Saturday
Cedar Point's newest roller coaster continues to offer more thrills than advertised. The Siren's Curse once again left guests dangling atop its 160-foot-tall tilt tower. The popular ride that opened a month ago stopped mid-tilt the evening of July 19 and left passengers on the coaster train stranded at about a 45-degree angle for about 20 minutes. "The coaster's safety system performed as designed, the ride was restarted, and guests continued their ride," said park spokesman Tony Clark. "It reopened shortly after and all guests exited the ride safely." More: Check out these amusement parks – big and small – within a day's drive from Akron The ride's delay happened in the midst of its signature feature atop a 160-foot-tall lift hill where the coaster train precariously tilts riders to the ground and track below. After the coaster connects to the track below, riders then experience some 2,966 feet of twisting track at a top speed of 58 mph. This isn't the first time Siren's Curse has gotten stuck This is the third instance that sensors on the coaster have stopped the train atop the tower since its public debut on June 28. On the coaster's opening weekend, the coaster stopped with passengers dangling straight down over the midway for about 10 minutes. And on July 2, the coaster train stopped on top of the tilt hill before the tilt even started. Passengers had to be evacuated from the coaster using stairs. The Siren's Curse reopened after Saturday's incident. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Siren's Curse at Cedar Point once again leaves guests dangling in air Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
The retro model theme park that was like a ‘mini wonderland' – here's what it was like to visit as a child
A FORMER amusement park in Bournemouth used to be home to "Europe's largest model landscape" with Big Ben and a mechanical Tower Bridge. The model village of Tucktonia opened back in 1976 and included an array of different landmarks such as Admiralty Arch, Hadrian's Wall and Stonehenge. 6 6 6 Some of the models even moved, including Tower Bridge, which opened and closed to allow boats to pass through. A model of an airport also was mechanical with planes actually travelling along the runway. But the model village didn't just feature big landmarks, it also had a Cornish village, Kellogg's factory and a motorway flyover. At the time, the attraction was dubbed "the best of Britain in Miniature", according to an advert for the destination. One woman, Emma Cansdale from Waltham Abbey used to visit regularly as a child. The 52-year-old told Sun Travel: "As an eight-year-old it was like a mini wonderland. "Back then I loved the quaintness of model villages and miniature railways. Emma added: "I remember it was a hot summer day spent following the map to find the different attractions and eating ice cream." Across the village, there were over 200 models made from fibre glass and steel and it cost £2million to develop - about £13.5million now. The attraction took two years in total to plan and build. Best of British: Bournemouth's beach and vibrant city life is the perfect getaway And for little ones, there was Railriders club - which Emma was part of. "One of the reasons we went to Tucktonia was to pick up a sticker for my Railriders sticker book as they were participating in that scheme," Emma added. Old maps of Tucktonia Leisure Park that Emma has, show what featured at the 21acre site. And it wasn't just the model village - it also had a number of other attractions including fairground rides, a fun slide, boating lake, an amusement arcade, crazy golf, a go-kart track and a mini cinema. One leaflet even claims the park was home to "Europe's largest model landscape". Another poster claims it was "the greatest model Britain in the world". 6 According to Dorset Life, some famous faces made appearances at the park too. Comedian and magician Tommy Cooper and actor Jon Pertwee visited in 1978. Keith Chegwin and Maggie Philbin also hosted the BBC 's Multi-Coloured Swap Shop live from the park. Then in 1985, it was used as a film set for the alien movie Lifeforce - a sci-fi horror by Tobe Hooper, who also created The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Some believe that a number of the models were destroyed as part of the filming, whilst others claim that whilst the village was used as a set, the buildings destroyed in the film were actually different models created by the visual effects team. 6 In 1980, Alton Towers opened and many believed that this immediately had an impact on the number of visitors at Tucktonia. In the following years, the park changed ownership more than once and then in 1986, the park closed - just a decade after the model village had first opened. The site's buildings and fixtures were then all cleared to make the land available for a pub. In 2003, the site then transformed again into a number of retirement flats and homes. One fan of the park commented on social media: "What a fab place it was... Big childhood memories, very sad when it closed." Another added: "Absolutely loved Tucktonia. As a child these places were so exciting." There is also an abandoned £118million fairytale theme park that would have been a Disneyland rival – but closed after four years. Plus, Universal's UK theme park plans have dropped – here's what you can expect including nightclubs and film studios. 6
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Devon theme park rides stopped and reopened over HSE concerns
Nine rides at a Devon theme park were stopped after a routine inspection by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).The HSE inspected Woodlands Family Theme Park, near Dartmouth, on 26 June as part of its national programme of fairground said "declarations of compliance" were missing after the director of an inspection firm was suspended from the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme. Assurances the nine rides had undergone valid safety checks could not be provided, so they were was "quickly" produced by an inspection body, the HSE said, and the rides reopened. The park said it would never "be involved in anything related to non-compliance of safety". Take compliance 'seriously' HSE inspector Melissa Lai-Hung said the action was taken in the interests of "public safety"."It is vital that those who enjoy amusement parks are kept safe and feel reassured," she said."We thank Woodlands for their co-operation to resolve this matter."Woodlands Family Theme Park said: "We take HSE-related compliance legislation very seriously."It said that "as soon as this was brought to our attention, all the rides were re-inspected by another registered inspector"."We would like to add that at no time would Woodlands ever be involved in anything related to non-compliance of safety. "We have and will remain totally committed to raising and maintaining standards in our industry." Which rides were stopped? • Rocking Tug• Sea Dragon• Vertigo• Trauma Tower• Tractor Ride• Submarine Ride• Dragon Ferris Wheel• Polar Pilots• Dizzy Dune Buggies
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'There's lots of memories, I can't believe it's going': Town 'devastated' at amusement park's demise
Residents in the town of Porthcawl say they are devastated by the news that their historic seaside funfair will close its doors for the final time this year. The announcement was made by the owners of Coney Beach Amusement Park earlier this week in a statement that said this season would be its last, with the attraction closing for good in October. It came after the Welsh Government purchased parcels of land along the seafront area in 2023, which included the amusement park site and the adjoining section of land known locally as the monster park. For the latest Bridgend news sign up to our newsletter here. READ MORE: Family raffle off dream seaside Welsh home for a £5 - with a catch READ MORE: 'Absolutely disgraceful' brawl broke out in front of stunned onlookers in Cardiff Bay These are set to be part of a mixed-use development that could feature a new housing estate, retail, business facilities, and a new primary school, as well as a number of recreational and leisure opportunities. However, the announcement of the closure was also met with an outpouring of sadness from many of those who visited the town this week, as well as from a number of local business owners who said their futures were now in a state of uncertainty. Tony Mottram runs a "bucket and spades" seafront stall just metres away from the iconic fairground, though he said that with the annual lease on his unit ending in October, the current season could also be his last if it isn't renewed. He said: "I love it here. For me it's not just work but a way of life, interacting with people all day, having a laugh and a joke, and there's a lot of memories. "When we heard the news this week I think it finally hit home. I'm selling my stuff off at half price, but there's no way I'll sell it all. "Customers are devastated and it won't just affect the stalls here but people in the town and the shops as well." Kym Bateman has run donkey and pony rides along the beach in Porthcawl for over 40 years and said she was very sad about the situation that now felt like the end of an era. She said: "It's devastating. Absolutely devastating. Porthcawl is quiet as it is and we all rely on the tourists coming in, but there's not going to be any tourists if there's nothing here for them. "Only finding out yesterday was a big shock as we thought there was going to be another two years. This business has been running for a hundred years in my husband's family and it goes back generations so for me to have to give it up now would be awful." Beach-goers Bill and Susan Emment said they were also saddened by the news, with Susan adding: "I spent all my childhood down here and I used to love to go in the fair to have a look around, spending time with my grandparents. There's lots of memories and I just can't believe it's going." Further down the seafront, Parminder Singh, who owns a chip shop, said he could also be forced to close in the coming months when the yearly contract on his stall ran out. He said: "This is my livelihood and I really enjoy it. We've been hearing over the last three years that it was going to go but finally we have the news of the closure and it's shocking news. "I can't even sleep at night. I've been doing this job for the last 16 years and I've never worked anywhere else or had any other jobs so I don't know what to do." Dave Jones of the Coney Sea-food stall added: "I've been here for a while now and there's been so many rumours that the fair was going that in the end we didn't believe anything. "It's official now that the fairground is closing down for good in October so that leaves a big gap and we don't really know what comes next to be honest. Until then all I can do is carry on selling my cockles and see what happens." Following the announcement, a spokesperson for Bridgend County Borough Council said: "Coney Beach Amusement Park has been associated with Porthcawl for more than a century and forms an important part of the town's cultural heritage. "When the Evans family decided to stop operating the amusement park and sold the site to Welsh Government in March, 2023, it safeguarded the land for use as an essential part of the council's waterfront regeneration plans for Porthcawl. "These regeneration plans include a range of all-new opportunities for ensuring that people can continue to have fun at the seaside, so look out for further news on this soon." A statement released by the Evans family on the closure said: "It is with heavy hearts we would like to share with you personally that this season at Coney Beach will be our last. We will be closing our gates for the final time this October. "It's the end of an era, for over one hundred years we and other showmen and their families have lived and worked in Porthcawl helping to make it a busy seaside destination bringing fun, laughter and fond memories to so many. "We will miss it greatly and while we are sad to see our time here come to an end we are forever grateful to have had the opportunity to have been part of so many generations of families' lives, young and old. Thank you for sharing our love of 'all the fun of the fair' and the legacy that Coney Beach leaves."
