View a QuickTime video of Adventure World's new wooden roller coaster Roar. (Adventure World photo) If you have trouble viewing these QuickTime movies, get the plug-in here.

Something old is something new this season at Adventure World.

The amusement park in Largo has added its second wooden roller coaster. But unlike the Wild One, an 80-year-old coaster that was moved from another park, Roar is brand new. The designers at Great Coasters International used computer engineering to blend elements of the past with today's innovations.

But whether it's the 1920s – the height of the wooden coaster craze – or the '90s, a 90-foot drop from the front car is still a rush. The trip – 3,200 feet of track – is covered in 1 minute, 52 seconds, at speeds faster than 50 mph.

What makes Roar different from many wooden coasters is its tight design. Many older coasters are long and include one big drop and a few smaller hills. They take you out, turn around and come back. Roar has 12 steeply banked turns, 20 crisscrosses and 6 reversals in direction. The first 50-degree plunge goes into a 133-degree turn. That's followed quickly by a 180-degree spiraling second drop – and plenty of screams.

Although the $10 million Roar is the featured attraction this year, the Wild One, which came to this park in 1986, isn't headed for extinction. It has 4,000 feet of track and a 98-foot lift hill. The American Coaster Enthusiasts have rated it one of the five best in the world.

Wooden coasters have been making a comeback this decade. About 30 have been built since 1990. However, steel coasters outnumber the wooden versions about 290 to 98 nationwide. Adventure World is home to two – the Mind Eraser and the Python.

The Mind Eraser is one of the park's premier rides for those who don't have weak stomachs (and are 52 to 80 inches tall). This suspended coaster lifts riders to 100 feet before diving to nine feet. The train also goes upside down twice and includes a double spin. The Python sends you forward and backward through a 360-degree vertical loop.

Crocodile Cal's Outback Beach House. (Adventure World photo)

Adventure World has a lot more than just roller coasters. The 115-acre site includes a 25-acre water park and more than 100 rides, shows and attractions.

Just a year old is Skull Island, a 10-acre section whose highlight is the $12 million Typhoon Sea Coaster. Crocodile Cal's Outback Beach House, a five-story interactive treehouse tower with 100 water-powered play features, also opened in 1997.

The price of admission also includes Coyote Creek, which features a white-water rapids ride; Paradise Island, a water-theme area with a 45,000-square-foot wave pool and more than a dozen water slides; and A Day at the Circus, a children's theme area with 14 rides, shows and attractions. The Wild West Stunt Spectacular show, which features exploding mine shafts and shootouts, is just one of the park's six daily shows.

Adventure World information:
Prices: Regular (ages 9-61) $25.99 plus tax; junior (4-8) and senior (62 and older) $18.99; children 3 and younger are free. A season pass is $69.99; a family four-pack is $54.99 per person. Group rates are also available. The new picnic area includes nine covered pavilions, a softball field, sand volleyball, horseshoes and a children's play area.
Parking: $6.
Calendar: The park is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. this week. It then opens 10:30 a.m. daily June 20 until Sept. 7 (it's closed Aug. 11). It closes at 8 p.m. Sundays, 9 p.m. other days, and 6 p.m. Sept. 1-4. HallowScream takes place weekends Oct. 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 and nightly Oct. 22 to Nov. 1 (closed Oct. 31). Hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Sunday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday.
Directions: From Washington area and south, take Interstate 95 Exit 15A (Route 214 east). Entrance is 5 miles on left. From Baltimore and north, take I-695 to I-97 south to Exit 7 (Routes 3, 301 south) to Route 214 west. Entrance is 3 miles on right. It's 15 minutes east of Washington; 40 minutes from Baltimore.
Phone: 301/249-1500.

The following are capsule descriptions of the three amusement parks closest to the District.

King's Dominion

The newest attraction at Paramount's King's Dominion is the world's first linear-induction-suspended roller coaster. "Volcano, the Blast Coaster" catapults riders in and out of the mouth of a volcano with the use of electromagnetic energy, which propels the ride up to 70 mph.

King's Dominion features 10 roller coasters – the most of any park on the East Coast – a water park and extensive children's attractions on its 400 acres in Doswell. The six-acre water park, Hurricane Reef, has 15 slides of all sizes, Splash Island, a water play area designed for tots and several other water rides. Other family and children's attractions include KidZville, an entire town that entertains children with their favorite cartoon characters; Nickelodeon's Splat City; and the Busytown Cafe. Several shows and performances also take place within the park.

New for the kids in 1998 is the Nicktoons Block Party, which offers life-like imitations of "Rugrats" Tommy, Angelica and Chuckie, along with Dag and Norb from "Angry Beavers." The characters greet children and perform in the all-new Nickelodeon show in the Green Slime Bowl.

The former "Days of Thunder" theater has been transformed into the Paramount Action FX Theater, a motion-simulator ride that makes you feel a part of the movie. New this year is the action film "James Bond 007: A License to Thrill." Special events include a concert by Patti LaBelle Aug. 15 and a "Titanic" movie exhibit in late summer.

King's Dominion information:
Prices: Regular (ages 7 to 54) $31.99; children (3 to 6 or less than 48 inches) $22.99; seniors (55 and older) $26.99; children 2 and younger are free. Discount rates are available for groups of 15 or more with reservations seven days in advance. Season passes offer admission to any of the Paramount's five theme parks. Family passes (any four members) are $259.99; individual passes are $84.99.
Parking: $5.
Calendar: The park is open daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. until Sept. 7 and is open weekends Sept. 12 through Oct. 4, when it closes at 8 p.m. The park also closes at 8 p.m. June 14-18; Aug. 24-28, 31; Sept. 1- 4, 7. Hurricane Reef water park and the Green Slime Zone in Nickelodeon Splat City open at noon and close at 8 p.m. during regular hours; at 7 p.m. otherwise.
Directions: Exit 98 off I-95. The park is 75 miles south of Washington.
Phone: 804/876-5000.
– Shesha Pancholi

Busch Gardens and Water Country USA

Riding an inner tube on Big Daddy Falls. (Water Country photo)

Just three miles east of historic Williamsburg sprawls Busch Gardens, a hundred-acre amusement park that features more than 35 rides, eight main stage shows, a wide variety of authentic foods and shops and a separate children's adventure area.

New for the '98 park season is a 4-D high-tech comedy adventure called "Pirates," which transports guests to a Caribbean Island where they become a part of the misadventures of a hapless crew and its crazy captain. And according to People magazine (for the sixth year in a row), Busch Gardens features the No. 1 roller coaster in America, Alpengeist, which peaks at 195 feet and 67 mph with a 170-foot drop. It's the tallest, fastest, most twisted inverted roller coaster in the world.

But Busch Gardens is not limited to fabulous rides. Numerous free Show Stopper performances take place in the world areas of Germany, Italy, France, England, Scotland and, of course, America. And its interactive activities are perfect for students and curious guests, such as the physics of the rides in "Understanding Your Thrills."

When the thermometer rises, you can visit the nearby Water Country USA – the largest water play park in the mid-Atlantic region. Water Country features more than 30 rides and attractions, in addition to the brand-new Nitro Racer, a 320-foot super-speed slide for six riders at a time. The park has more than 1,000 lounge chairs for those who want to soak up the sun, as well as a surf shop and free use of life vests and inner tubes.

Busch Gardens information:
Busch Garden Prices: Regular (ages 7-54) $33; children (3-6) $26; seniors (55 and older) and military $29.70. Children 2 and younger are free. A season pass is $89.95, or $69.95 for children. A EuroSplash pass for Busch Gardens and Water Country is $119.95, or $99.95 for children. A three-day pass for Busch Gardens and Water Country is $51.95 (must be used within 14 days).
Water Country Prices: Regular $25.50; children $17.95; seniors and military $22.90; twilight (after 3 p.m.) $16.50.
Parking: $6; $9 per over-sized vehicle; $4 per motorcycle; $10 preferred parking; buses park free. Busch Gardens Calendar: The park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. until Aug. 30. On Saturdays between June 29 and Aug. 23, the park is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. From Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. From Sept. 7 to Nov. 1, the park is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Water Country Calendar: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 20 to Aug. 16; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 17-30; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 31 to Sept. 7 and weekends Sept. 12-13, 19-20.
Directions: Busch Gardens is on U.S. 60 on the east side of Williamsburg, about 165 miles from Washington. Take I-95 south to I-295 east to I-64 east and the Williamsburg/Busch Gardens exits.
Phone: 757/253-3369.
– Adrienne Brown

Hersheypark

With the sweet smell of chocolate wafting through the air from the adjacent factory, Hersheypark is more about atmosphere than thrills. That's not to say there's a shortage of rides, with six roller coasters, including the new steel inverted Great Bear, and five water rides spread out over the park's 110 acres. Great Bear lasts almost three minutes and turns its riders upside down four times.

But with its landscaped grounds, antique carousel and wildlife park, Hersheypark feels decidedly more small-town than Times Square. Choco-philes will enjoy the free guided tour of a mock chocolate factory (while the real one churns next door), ending in an emporium of Hershey products for sale. Tickets include admission to ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, a walk-through zoo with more than 75 species. For a more extended trip, the central Pennsylvania town is home to the historic Hershey Hotel and lodge, and not far from the Amish country of Lancaster County.

Hersheypark information:
Prices: Regular (ages 9-54) $29.95; junior (3-8) and seniors (55 and older) $16.96; children 2 and younger are free. Season passes are $88.95 (regular) and $78.95 (junior and senior).
Parking: $5.
Calendar: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, Aug. 28-30 and Sept. 5-6, 12, 19; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends in July and August, and Fridays July 3 and 31, Aug. 7, 14, 21; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 24-27, 31 and Sept. 1-4, 7, 13, 20. Christmas Candylane is Nov. 14 to Dec. 31 and includes 750,000 lights. Admission is free. Pay per ride for selected rides in operation.
Directions: Take I-95 north to the Baltimore Beltway, I-695. Go west on I-695 and north on I-83 to Harrisburg, Pa., then east on Route 322. Take Route 422 into Hershey and then follow signs to the park. It's about 150 miles or 2 1/2 hours from Washington.
Summer Concert Series: Scheduled acts are Chicago and Hall and Oates on June 24; John Fogerty and Whiskey Town on July 3; the Steve Miller Band on Aug. 6. For ticket information, call 717/534-3911.
Phone: 1-800-HERSHEY (1-800-437-7439).
– Ben Abramson

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