Jaunted

Highlights of the new plans include an addition to Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. They’re getting roller coaster number eight—Stinger—which will feature six flips and speeds up to 55 miles per hour. The coaster gets its name from its look, as the 138-tall inverted coaster resembles a scorpion getting ready to strike.

Down in the South there are big plans as well, as both Kings Dominion outside Richmond, Virginia and Carowinds near Charlotte are prepping for some more new screams and shrieks. Each park is getting its very own WindSeeker—at a cool $6.5 million a piece. The ride is a 30-story swing that spins passengers up to 30 miles per hour. The whole thing is like 300-feet high, so this might not be one ride to enjoy right after a corn dog and fries.

There’s water rides planned for other parks as well as animatronic dinosaur displays, but the best thing scheduled for 2012 has to be a coaster planned for north of the border. We’ve mentioned Leviathan and its scheduled arrival for Canada’s Wonderland. We won’t repeat ourselves too much, but get ready for an 80-degree first drop and speeds up to 92 miles per hour all in a coaster that soars up to 306-feet above the earth. We’ve got our passports ready, and 2012 can't arrive soon enough.

[Photo: Chris!!!!!]