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Newsletter: In the Loop: Digging up the ghosts of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride

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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 delve into the history of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, rank the world's best dark rides and celebrate the return of Britain's oldest roller coaster.

SeaWorld

SeaWorld San Diego's parent company plans to sue the California Coastal Commission over conditions that would force the marine park to stop breeding killer whales and import no new orcas.

An orcas perform in the One Ocean killer whale show at SeaWorld San Diego. The park's parent company plans to sue the California Coastal Commission over conditions the panel set on an expansion plan for the whales.

An orcas perform in the One Ocean killer whale show at SeaWorld San Diego. The park’s parent company plans to sue the California Coastal Commission over conditions the panel set on an expansion plan for the whales.

(SeaWorld Entertainment)

(SeaWorld)

Haunted Mansion

Times entertainment writer Todd Martens delves into the Haunted Mansion's past to discover the greatest whodunit in Disneyland history.

Artist's rendering of the hatbox ghost from Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.

Artist’s rendering of the hatbox ghost from Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.

(Renee Nault / For the Los Angeles Times)

(Renee Nault / For the Los Angeles Time)

Magic Bands

Disneyland begins testing MagicBand technology in the Space Mountain FastPass queue in advance of a possible rollout of the wristband devices in California. MagicBands are used extensively at Disney's theme parks in Florida.

Dark rides

I take a look at the 25 best dark rides around the world that literally put the theme in theme parks.

Disney's Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters is the theme park industry's standard bearer for interactive dark rides.

Disney’s Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters is the theme park industry’s standard bearer for interactive dark rides.

(Disney)

(Disney)

Home movies

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences offers a misty-eyed ride into the past with "Hollywood Home Movies: Disneyland," culled from a vast home movie collection that includes color footage from the theme park's 1955 opening day.

Shanghai Disneyland

Disney & More digs up some beautiful concept art showing off Mickey Avenue and Tomorrowland at Shanghai Disneyland.

Six Flags

Six Flags boosts profit more than 40% in the third quarter as attendance rises 9% at its amusement parks.

Six Flags Magic Mountain had strong crowds this summer thanks to the popularity of the new Twisted Colossus coaster.

Six Flags Magic Mountain had strong crowds this summer thanks to the popularity of the new Twisted Colossus coaster.

(Craig T. Mathew/Mathew Imaging)

(Craig T. Mathew/Mathew Imaging)

Horror Nights

Take a stroll through Universal's Halloween Horror Nights with low-budget horror movie director Eli Roth as he discusses his two latest projects: the darkly satirical horror film "The Green Inferno" and the sexually charged home-invasion thriller "Knock Knock."

Meanwhile, Universal Studios Hollywood extends Horror Nights through Nov. 7. 

"My goal is to make a movie that 10 or 20 years later people are still watching and enjoying," says director Eli Roth

“My goal is to make a movie that 10 or 20 years later people are still watching and enjoying,” says director Eli Roth

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

And finally

Britain's oldest roller coaster reopens at Dreamland Margate amusement park after the scenic railway was destroyed by fire in 2008.

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

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