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<p>The busiest days create frustrations for visitors such as long lines and temporary gate closures when parks get too full. The company is expanding the parks with new attractions based on popular franchises such as “Star Wars” and “Frozen.”</p> <p>The shift to demand-based pricing is designed to help spread out crowds at Walt Disney World in Florida and at Disneyland Resort in California, Disney said in a blog post.</p>

UPDATE: Various sites are reporting that Disneyland has begun installing metal detectors at the Anaheim parks as well. Universal Studios Hollywood will also install metal detectors, according to the Orange County Register. The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim made a few changes to its rules overnight Thursday, Dec. 17, according to fan site Dateline Disneyland. Two new rules were updated on the Disneyland park rules website: guests over the age of 14 will not be allowed to wear costumes and toy guns are now prohibited from the resort.

A decade ago, the big story was the emerging partnership between Hollywood and Silicon Valley. No one has talked that way now in a long time. What happened?

The California Coastal Commission has banned SeaWorld from breeding captive killer whales in San Diego. The ban is one of the conditions SeaWorld must uphold as it doubles the size of the tanks used to hold the animals at the park. Animal rights activists praised Thursday's decision, which will see 11 orcas remain at the tourist attraction.

A US amusement park that has a record number of thrilling rides has revealed plans for the tallest, fastest and longest dive roller coaster in the world. The ride called Valravn (val-rey-vuhn), at Cedar Point, in Sandusky, Ohio, promises to be a terrifying experience, as daredevil passengers will free fall a record 214ft at a 90-degree angle and top speed of 75mph. With stomach-churning twists and turns, Valravn will set 10 world records when it debuts in the summer of 2016 at the theme park on a Lake Erie peninsula. (Full story and CGI video at link...)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA, is claiming that SeaWorld planted a spy among its ranks in the theme park's ongoing battle with the animal rights group. In a twist of cloak-and-dagger intrigue, PETA believes that an activist going by the name of Thomas Jones is actually a SeaWorld human resources employee named Paul McComb, who was sent by the marine theme park to rabble-rouse and send back information on protests over the past three years.

A technical crew with The Orlando Eye safely evacuated all 66 stranded riders from the East Coast’s largest Ferris wheel Friday, an incident that caused the 400-foot attraction to shut down, authorities said. Orange County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Kathleen Kennedy told The Associated Press no one was hurt following the incident and all were taken off the ride in about three hours with help from numerous firefighters. Kennedy said the attraction, billed as the largest observation wheel on the East Coast, had initially stopped for more than 45 minutes.

A 10-year-old girl who was airlifted from the Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia after riding a roller coaster Friday has died, the coroner’s office confirmed Monday morning. The girl was riding the Revolution roller coaster and was unconscious but breathing when she returned to the station, Magic Mountain said in a statement Friday.

When Walt Disney World opened in an Orlando swamp in 1971, with its penny arcade and marching-band parade down Main Street U.S.A., admission for an adult cost $3.50, about as much then as three gallons of milk. Disney has raised the gate price for the Magic Kingdom 41 times since, nearly doubling it over the past decade. This year, a ticket inside the “most magical place on Earth” rocketed past $100 for the first time in history. Ballooning costs have not slowed the mouse-eared masses flooding into the world’s busiest theme park. Disney’s main attraction hosted a record 19 million...

CLERMONT, Florida (CNN) — Just days after getting arrested in a child sex sting, Robert Kingsolver is a long way from his beloved job at Walt Disney World. Inside his rented house in a suburban Orlando neighborhood filled with children, he sits in a folding chair in a nearly empty room, wires dangling in the corner where his computer used to be connected. Now, he can’t be online or near children. “My life is ruined,” he told CNN in an interview at his home. “My family’s life is ruined. My kids’ life is ruined. I’ve devastated my parents because of...

Whether you've always been a fan of the latest and greatest roller coasters or appreciate new spins on the familiar (like the chance to ride an old-fashioned wooden coaster backwards), we've rounded up this year's newest thrill rides, and there's something for everybody! Plus, we've included links to videos of the rides and important information about ticket prices and parking fees so you know exactly what you're getting into.

A man claiming to be wheelchair bound has been jailed for three years after he was caught on camera dancing with a rabbit mascot at an amusement park in western Sweden. The 33-year-old's father was also given a three year sentence by Halmstad district court for his role in the major disability benefits swindle, local newspaper Hallandsposten reports. As The Local reported in July, the 33-year-old man was asked to repay millions of kronor in social insurance benefits after authorities obtained a picture of him dancing with a life-sized rabbit at the Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg. The 33-year-old, from...

Disney debuted its uber-high-tech simulator experience that features a first-of-its-kind robotic arm, Wednesday. The Sum of All Thrills ride, sponsored by Raytheon Co., utilizes something called a KUKA RoboSim 4-D Simulator to power the attraction, where guests design and ride their own custom roller coasters and other simulated-motion experiences.

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Anheuser-Busch InBev said Wednesday that it will sell its entertainment business, including theme parks like Sea World and Busch Gardens, to the Blackstone Group for as much as $2.7 billion.The final purchase price will involve a cash payment of $2.3 billion on closing and the right to participate in Blackstone's returns that is capped at $400 million.

n any other day, Sobia Ahmed would opt to forgo many of the snacks on offer at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. To perform the Islamic prayers she recites five times a day, she likely would slip onto a secluded path at the amusement park or look for solace under a shady tree for a few furtive minutes. But this Saturday Ahmed and her family will eat and pray at their leisure in the park with hundreds of other Muslims from the Chicago area who plan to visit the sprawling entertainment center for a day catered especially to them....

See for example this thread first. A theme park cancels "Muslim Day" (Just not enough interest, they say.) A park full of burkhas And some derka-derkas(*) Islam's almost as PC as "gay"!

Just wanted to post this because I have yet to attend a concert in 2004-2005 where there has not been one instance of Bush bashing. Just took in a Def Leppard concert with Tesla opening for them. Great show. Hit after hit after hit after hit. One of my favorite songs from Def Leppard has always been God's of War from their 14 million selling "Hysteria" (which had every song but two played tonight). Def Leppard obviously has waned in popularity over the years but they have always been about one thing...rock and roll and delivering it to their fans....

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Universal theme parks in Florida and California are offering free admission to active duty U.S. military personnel. From now until December 19, military personnel will get free admission for five consecutive days to two theme parks in Orlando - Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure - as well as to City Walk, the Orlando resort's dining, shopping and entertainment complex. The offer also applies to Universal Studios Hollywood. Up to five family members and friends of each military member will also get discounts when purchasing multi-day passes. Military personnel will also receive a 40 percent...