New Rides for Thrilling Screams in 2011

Spring has sprung, and you know what that means? Just around the bend are summer vacations, extended theme park hours and new attractions. Memorial Day weekend officially kicks off the summer hours for many popular theme and amusement parks across the country and this year, there are plenty of new attractions to squeeze into a thrill-filled day at the park. Care of the LA Times, here’s a list of top new attractions opening in 2011 and ready for screaming test dummies.

• Mach Tower at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, a 246-foot tall drop ride in Williamsburg, Va.
• Wooden Warrior at Quassy Amusement Park, a 1200-foot-long, 35-foot tall wooden roller coaster in Middlebury, Ct.
• Buzzsaw Falls at Alabama Adventure, a five-story water ride in Bessemer, Ala.
• Windseeker at Knott’s Berry Farm, a 300-foot tall tower swing in Buena Park, Calif.
• The Barnstormer at Dollywood, a giant swing soaring 80-feet in the air at 45 mph in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
• DareDevil at Six Flags Over Georgia, a fighter-dive roller coaster with a vertical plunge in Austell, Ga.
• Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens Tampa, a triple-launch roller coaster with a 130-foot, underground drop in Tampa
• Green Lantern at Six Flags Magic Mountain, a vertical roller coaster with 360-degree rotating trains in Los Angeles
• Star Tours at Disneyland & Hollywood Studios, a reboot of the infamous and beloved Star Tours attraction in Anaheim and Orlando
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Disney California Adventure, a family-friendly musical underwater attraction based of the film in Anaheim

Looking for a park deal? The Silver Dollar City in Branson offers a three-day pass with a savings of $180 for visits May 21 - Sept. 5. And Six Flags has season passes available at parks across the country.

Travelzoo Tip: Theme parks typically receive the most traffic in the middle of the day. If you’re eager to bypass lines at these new attractions be one of the first in the park to get your licks in while everyone else is off to a slow start. And if you’re not a morning person, try at the very end of the day when most people have exhausted themselves and are on their way home. Another good time is during any park parades or festivals, when crowds are diverted elsewhere.