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Hitting Halloween at the USA's Top Five Theme Parks: Dates, Prices and More

If you haven’t started to feel the chill in the air you will sooner than later, and that means that theme parks around the country will start loading in their pumpkins, scarecrows, and other spooky seasonal decorations. Halloween is still over a month away, but that doesn’t mean that the scary stuff won’t begin a little bit sooner.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the country’s best parks and when they begin to do their Halloween thing:

Cedar Point – HalloWeekends

Over at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio the werewolves and vampires come out to play beginning on September 14—that’s this Friday. The frightening fun runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through October 28, but you might want to just double-check the official calendar before filling up the tank and starting your drive. Admission to this year’s events should set you back around $45, but that’s only if you order in advance online.

Busch Gardens – Howl-O-Scream

There’s a couple flavors of this year’s seasonal celebrations from which to choose, as Busch Gardens is getting the ghosts and goblins ready in both Tampa and Williamsburg, Virginia. Expect haunted houses, live entertainment, and plenty of pumpkins. In Virginia the run runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning this week, ending October 30. Down in Florida things don’t begin until next week, and it’s going to be a Thursday, Friday, Saturday thing with the scary stuff running as late as 2am. Advance admission will set you back $55 for Florida and $70 if you’re looking to be scared silly in Virginia.

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The World's Largest Theme Park is...in New Jersey?

When you think theme parks, Disney or Universal Studios probably comes to mind, but that might change sooner rather than later if one company gets their way. Six Flags is sick and tired of playing second fiddle to some of the amusement park big boys, so they’re going big. Like, REAL BIG.

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey is a big hit with locals within the region, and is a pretty decent theme park option if you ask us. However, it’s about to grow to an international title to attract more international guests; if things go according to plan, it soon could hold the title of world’s largest theme park.

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Creepy, Abandoned Six Flags New Orleans Will Rise Again!

To us it seems like just yesterday we were first talking about the status of the creepy ghost town that is Six Flags New Orleans, but it was actually like two years ago. Since then there really hasn’t been too much going on, and all the tentative plans to revitalize, revamp, and return the park to its former glory have come and gone. Things are looking up again, as the city is now looking at eight different options to bring back another part of the city following Hurricane Katrina.

City officials were presented with the new options and bids for redevelopment earlier this month, and now they’re getting ready to think them all over. Of course there are a couple new theme park options—including a green theme park to be called "Crescent City Amusement Park."

It’s hot in NOLA, so a couple of the other options also include water parks, and one of them even proposed a Hollywood-style backlot for movie production.

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Each and Every Six Flags Getting Sick New Rides

There’s still plenty of 2011 left, but we can’t stop looking forward to the new theme park options set to debut next year. We mentioned some of the best rides to hit the parks in 2012, and now it looks like Six Flags is outlining their plans to thrill visitors at their parks next summer.

Six Flags wants everyone to be excited to visit each and every year, so they’re going to start ensuring that there’s at least one new ride and attraction at each Six Flags every year. Obviously, every addition can’t be a world class coaster, but we’re certainly not complaining.

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The Top Three Theme Park Season Passes for Summer 2011

With the clocks moving ahead this weekend it’s only a matter of time before theme parks across the country throw open their gates for the summer season—check right here for the most anticipated theme park opening dates. However, if you’ve got more than one roller coaster in your sights, there are a few passes that will get you access to all the season’s screams and thrills. Here are our picks for the Three Best Park Passes for 2011:

· Cedar Fair Platinum Pass
There’s only 66 days until Cedar Point opens for the 2011 season, but that doesn’t mean that you need to wait to order your ticket. The ultimate season pass grants you access to every coaster, attraction, and ride in the Cedar Fair empire. So not only can you visit roller coaster mecca in Ohio for free, but any and all Cedar Fair parks are free too—think King’s Dominion and King’s Island. Free parking and exclusive ride nights are yours with the pass, but the best perk is getting into the park an hour before everyone else. All this can be yours for $165 per person, or $155 per person if you order in packs of four.

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All the Season Opening Dates for the Best Theme Parks Around the USA

Even though March is just around the corner, the weather around much of the country makes it feel as if spring will never arrive. We’re remaining hopeful that it will, and that’s why we’re already planning our first roller coaster rides of the season. We looked into several theme parks across the country to see when they plan on firing up the corn dog machines, and here’s what we found:

· Carowinds:
Charlotte, North Carolina is one of the most southernmost parks in the country that shuts things down for the season, as it’s just not as warm as Florida. The summer season starts early enough here though, as the park cracks open the gates on Saturday, April 2.

· Cedar Point:
The granddaddy of all them parks in Sandusky, Ohio—at least where coasters are concerned—opens up for the season on Saturday, May 14. That’s only like 81 days from today, so start saving up for souvenirs along with the regular admission price.

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The Green Lantern Roller Coaster Arrives at Six Flags Magic Mountain

The Green Hornet has been in theaters for a few weeks now, but there’s another green super hero movie coming out later this year—and it has its very own roller coaster. The LA Times is calling the new ride “the most anticipated new roller coaster of the summer,” so we’re thinking when this thing finally arrives at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California the line is going to be pretty long.

The coaster isn’t going to set any speed records when it debuts, but what makes it so unique and exciting is the way in which in moves riders. Things will be set in a sort of zigzag track, and plenty of tourists and locals alike will hold on for dear life as speeds approach close to 40mph as the ride twists and turns. It kind of simulates a marble falling down a series of tubes, and unfortunately—or fortunately—we’re the marbles.

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Six Flags Great Adventure is Working to Welcome a New Coaster in 2011

If you’re making a summer pit stop at Six Flags Great Adventure in beautiful New Jersey, you might notice a little bit of construction noise. The park is in the process of ripping out the Great American Scream Machine during the middle of the summer season, but that’s only because they have big plans for what will take its place.

There’s a new coaster set to debut at some point during the 2011 season, and images released to the Jackson, New Jersey town planning board reveals what it looks like from above. It’s going to be bigger than the coaster that it’s replacing, and the park will be getting rid of some parking spots to make room for certain aspects of the new ride. The town seems fine with the coaster; so don’t expect local politics to interfere with theme park fun.

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The Three Ultimate Theme Park Season Passes for 2010

The smell of overpriced fried foods is in the air, as theme parks across the country continue to open their gates for the 2010 season. Admission can be a little pricey, but if you plan your ticket purchases in advance you might be able to come out ahead. The best bet is to hit up as many parks as possible in order to take advantage of some of the new premium annual passes to hit the marketplace. That way the per park cost goes down, and we know everyone is all about some theme park economics. And so, without further ago:

The Top Three Ultimate Theme Park Passes for Summer 2010:

· Cedar Fair Platinum Pass
Cedar Fair owns a bunch of parks across the country, but their best known property has to be Cedar Point in Ohio. That park has the country’s largest collection of coasters, and none of them are to be missed. However, they do realize that variety is the spice of life, so that’s why there’s the 2010 Cedar Fair Platinum Pass. It gets you access to 14 parks across the US and Canada for only $160 per person. Best of all, the pass throws in free parking, so there’s no surprise when you drive up to the next place on your list. Both of the new Dale Earnhardt-themed coasters are included in the pass, but if you’re not into NASCAR, the full list of participating parks is right here.

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What's The Scoop With Six Flags Parks In 2010?

It’s still pretty cold outside, but that doesn’t keep us from thinking about what the theme parks are up to as we move into 2010. Last week Six Flags held a conference call with CEO Mark Shapiro especially for bloggers, and we got to listen in on what’s going on. Seems like they’ve finally righted the ship with their coaster kingdoms, and they’re looking forward to getting back on track this year as they attempt to exit the bankruptcy process by the end of March.

The parks are working hard to improve their image and become a friendly option for families looking for something to do—daycation was mentioned of course. We haven’t been to a Six Flags recently, but we’re being promised that they’re all cleaner, friendlier, and better all around. It sounds like they really want to bend over backwards to ensure everyone is having a good time this year.

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2009 Halloween Theme Park Scare Guide: Six Flags Fright Fest

The best place to celebrate the spooky season in the New York City region has to be a trip to Six Flags Great Adventure in neighboring New Jersey. It’s a few hours from the city, but most theme parks are already boarding things up for the winter, so it’s your best chance for once last spin, dip, and drop on a roller coaster. Most of the Six Flags across the country offer a little entertainment, but the offerings at Great Adventure are some of the best around.

Celebrating its eighteenth year of freaking people out, Six Flags Fright Fest is well underway. This year’s events are sponsored by Snickers, so hopefully there will be some treats as well as some tricks for park visitors. There’s new shows, creepy decorations, and plenty of pumpkins and spiders to get you in the mood for Halloween.

The park is transformed into thrills by day and chills by night, so no matter what time you’re attending, you’ll get chills down your spine. Things during the day are a little tamer especially adventures like the Trick-or-Treat Trail. Here you’ll fill up your pillowcase as you get some free candy from the Looney Tunes characters. Hey Bugs Bunny, we’ll take the big size bars if you have any—thanks. Once nighttime arrives prepare Professor Zombini's Freak Show. Here you’ll be able to criticize and judge sideshow freaks as they perform their antics, let’s just hope they don’t escape.

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Rihanna Rides Tatsu at Six Flags

We're still obsessed with the World's Scariest Roller Coasters. Got any rides we should know about? Tip us off.

Rihanna is fearless when it comes to her fashion and her tattoos but it also turns out she's pretty fearless in her amusement park habits as well.

TMZ snapped the singer boarding the Tatsu roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain outside Los Angeles yesterday. Tatsu, the Japanese word for dragon has 3,602 feet of track that goes 62 miles per hour with 263 feet in plunges and is 17 stories high at its peak. Oh yeah, and you're riding face down most of the way. Just watch the video to see for yourself.

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