Newsletter: In the Loop: Theme park bans riders from screaming on new roller coaster

Welcome to another edition of In the Loop, the Los Angeles Times’ theme park newsletter. I’m Funland theme park blogger Brady MacDonald, and this week, we prepare for a “pay to play” theme park universe, take a virtual ride on a real-world coaster, cheer the effort to save a classic log flume ride and raise our voices against a coaster screaming ban.

Virtual reality

Six Flags Magic Mountain transforms one of its oldest roller coasters into a state-of-the-art virtual reality experience that thrusts riders into a futuristic battle to save the planet from an alien invasion.

In more virtual reality news, The Times’ Todd Martens writes that one game-maker says history will view the release of the Oculus Rift and other VR headsets as more important than the launch of the iPhone.

Pay to play

What happens when theme parks assign a price to everything? Theme Park Insider tries to figure out what the future holds for visitors in a world of “pay to play” parks.

Le Scoot

BGWFans takes a deep dive into the four-year effort to save Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Le Scoot log flume from the wrecking ball.

Six Flags

A proposed Six Flags Dubai amusement park, part of a $454-million expansion of Dubai Parks & Resort, could open in late 2019.

Wizarding World

Join me as I spend $1,885.65 on a virtual shopping spree in the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Magic Kingdom

Would you spend $149 to stay after hours at Florida’s Magic Kingdom for shorter attraction lines, character meet-and-greets and ice cream?

And finally

A United Kingdom theme park bans riders from shouting or screaming on its newest roller coaster. Good luck with that.

Still need more theme park news? Check out the Los Angeles Times Funland theme park blog on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram. Also feel free to email me with any feedback on the newsletter.

MORE:

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Disneyland 2055: What the future may hold for the original Disney park

Disneyland 1955: ‘Walt’s Folly’ got off to a nightmare start

21 creepiest abandoned amusement parks