New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

The Los Angeles Times reports that a 1983 Cyclone wooden roller coaster will be transformed, at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Mass., into an "intense" triple-inversion Wicked Cyclone wood-steel hybrid. The coaster, inspired the original Coney Island, N.Y., classic, is set to debut in summer 2015. Although shorter than the original, the new version will be significantly faster and descend from a 120-ft. tall lift hill to a 78-degree first drop before going through a 120-degree overbanked turn, according to the Times.  Along the way, the rider will experience many twists and turns including an outward-banked airtime hump, traveling through a 200-degree stall element,  an airtime-filled triple downhill descent and a double-reversing baked hill element. Six Flags, no doubt, will be "riding" on this one to be a big success!

by Eric H. Just for our "amusement," we have been checking out when local New England amusement parks will open for the season. Based on Internet research, here is what we found: Canobie Lake Park, Sale, N.H. opens for the season on Saturday, April 24, from 11- 6p.m. Those weekend (Saturday-Sunday) hours will remain intact through May 15-16. Daily hours begin in June, although with varying operating times depending upon the day. For specifics, please visit the Canobie Lake Web Site . Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, Conn., opens for the weekend, also, on April 24, but from 12-6 p.m. Those hours continue into the May 23-23 weekend, with additional hours being added starting on Fri., May 28. For specifics, please visit the Quassy Amusement Park Web Site . Six Flags New England in Springfield, Mass., opens for the season on April 10. Check out the Six Flags calendar for specific hours of operation. York's Wild Kingdom Zoo and Amusement Park in York Beach, Mai...

Article by Eric H. at VisitingNewEngland.com Photo of the Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce, Bristol, Conn. (courtesy of press section, Lake Compounce Web Site) There was a time that amusement parks in New England seemed to be headed into extinction. With the 1969 closing of Pleasure Island in Wakefield, Mass., the 1985 closing Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach, in Hull Mass., and the 2000 closing of Whalom Park in Lunenberg, Mass., it looked like the ride was over for these family destinations that became local, household names. Now, with a tough economy and people wanting to stay closer to home, the existing amusement parks have shrewdly offered affordable prices and incentives, as well as coming up with eye-catching television commercials. The Asian man enthusiastically shouting out "More Flags, More Fun, Six Flags!" is a fun, joyful television commercial you won't forget, as an example. Six Flags New England currently offers "Everyone Pays Kids Price tickets" fo...