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February 22, 2024, 6:44 PM · Flying dinosaurs, trekking penguins, and America's favorite beagle lead a round-up of theme park ride construction news this week.

SeaWorld Orlando yesterday hosted a construction tour for its upcoming Penguin Trek roller coaster. I could not make it out to Orlando for the tour, but SeaWorld has provided a look behind the construction walls for us.

Penguin Trek is a Bolliger & Mabillard launched family coaster built alongside the park's penguin exhibit. It's set to open this spring.

Dinosaurs are flying above Legoland California this week. The park has shared images of it installing several Lego dinosaurs in its Dino Valley land, which also opens this spring. When complete, the land will house 35 dinosaur models, made from more than 1.8 million Lego bricks.

Flying Dinosaur, Legoland style
Photos courtesy Legoland California

It's watching me, right?

Dilophosaurus got the VIP aerial delivery, and the land also will feature Lego Pterodactyl, Raptor, Parasaurolophus, and Brachiosaurus models. The big one will be, of course, a T-Rex, standing 11 feet over the Explorer River Quest, which Legoland said will include interactive elements. In addition to that ride, Dino Valley will feature the Duplo Little Dino Trail track ride, the Coastersaurus roller coaster, and an interactive Dino area, including the Dino Dig.

Kings Island has begun track installation for its new Vekoma Family Boomerang coaster, Snoopy's Soap Box Racers.

Snoopy's Soap Box Racers construction
Photo courtesy Kings Island

The coaster will anchor Kings Island's Camp Snoopy expansion of its Peanuts-themed children's land. It's all scheduled to open in late spring.

Finally, Six Flags Over Texas has announced the addition of a new 41-foot family drop tower, Sylvester and Tweety Pounce and Bounce, to its Bugs Bunny Boomtown land this Memorial Day weekend. The park also will bring back Daffy Duck Bucket Blasters to the land. Later this summer, Six Flags' original park will retheme its Chaparral Antique Cars into Dino Off Road Adventure.

Daffy Duck Bucket Blasters was removed in 2021 to make way for Aquaman: Power Wave, while the new version of the antique car ride - the second oldest attraction in the park - will feature new cars and 13 dinosaur animatronics, as well as a relocated queue.

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Replies (3)

February 23, 2024 at 8:04 AM

If KI just started track installation of Soap Box Racers, I'm highly skeptical the new coaster will make its "late spring" opening (assumed no later than the weekend before Memorial Day).

I've seen some other coverage of Penguin Trek, and it really looks like Sea World has been listening with an inside section that promises to be highly themed and an overall experience that dovetails nicely with the existing penguin habitat. I think this coaster might be the sleeper hit of the year.

February 23, 2024 at 11:31 PM

United Park & Resorts - lol

February 24, 2024 at 9:54 AM

@Russell Meyer, i thought the same, but still WAY ahead of the 3 Six Flags kiddies from last year (the 2 kid coaster flash and rookie racer at st. louis)...those rides barely even opened during season

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