Buckle up. Several new coasters are set to spin, drop, flip and twist riders at area amusement parks this season.

Hersheypark is heating up the summer months with Fahrenheit, a coaster featuring a 97-degree negative drop.

Dorney Park hopes to hex thrill seekers with Voodoo, a 70-mph ride that sends passengers back and forth through a 184-foot helix.

The Dark Knight, an inside coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure, launches riders through the streets of Gotham.

Kings Dominion in Virginia recently rolled out Dominator, the longest floor-less coaster in the world.

There are new thrill rides at several other parks. Go old school with wooden ride Flying Turns at Knoebels or get soaked on Tony Hawk's Halfpipe water slide at Six Flags America in Maryland.

But coasters aren't the only new items on amusement park maps. There are plenty of attractions for kids, too.

Elmo's World is open at Sesame Place and features three new kid-friendly rides. Thomas & Friends Live! pulls into the station daily at Dutch Wonderland.

PENNSYLVANIA PARKS

Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom
Location: 3830 Dorney Park Road, Allentown
Main attractions: Defy gravity on Dominator, a 200-foot tower that lifts riders 170 feet for a free fall. Catch your breath then take a trip on Talon, the tallest, longest inverted coaster in the Northeast.
New for 2008: Voodoo will put a spell on riders with its dueling 184-foot peaks. It launches riders into a forward spike and again in reverse. Get ready to believe in black magic.
Hours: Dorney Park is already open on weekends and opens daily starting May 24 along with Wildwater Kingdom. Hours vary, so check its Web site for more details.
Admission: Regular summer adult admission is $38.99 and $18 for juniors (48-inches tall or shorter) and seniors (ages 62 and older). Two-day and evening passes are also available. Season passes are available for $105 for adults and $63 for juniors/seniors.
Directions: Take I-83 north to Interstate 81 north. From I-81, take I-78 east and follow to Exit 16, Hamilton Boulevard. Follow the signs to Dorney Park.
Drive time: About one hour, 45 minutes
Parking: $10 per vehicle; $12 for limos and RVs. Free parking for season-pass holders.
Overnight stays: Visit the Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site at www.lehighvalleypa.org, or call 800-747-0561.
For details: Call 610-395-3724 or visit www.dorneypark.com.

Dutch Wonderland
Location: 2249 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
Main attractions: Enjoy fun with the whole family and help Dutch Wonderland celebrate its 45th anniversary. Make a splash in Duke's Lagoon, a multilevel water area with kid-sized activities and a lounge for parents. Turn in your children's mini-golf scorecard this summer for the chance to qualify them for the First Annual Wonderland Mini-Golf Mini Tournament on Sept. 20.
New for 2008: See Thomas & Friends Live! at 12:30, 2, 3 and 6 p.m. daily in Really Useful Theater. The show features Thomas the Tank Engine, his engineers and a whole lot of singing and dancing. All Aboard!
Hours: The park is already open on weekends, and opens daily on May 24. Hours vary, so check its Web site for exact times.
Admission: $29.95 for ages 3 to 59, $24.95 for ages 60 to 69 and $17.95 for ages 70 and older. Children ages 2 and younger get in free. Group rates and combination tickets with Hersheypark are available. Season passes are also available: $95 for ages 3 to 59 and $80 for seniors.
Directions: Take state Route 30 west to Lancaster for about 30 miles. The park is on the left.
Drive time: About 40 minutes
Parking: Free
Overnight stays: In the heart of Lancaster's Amish Country, there are a variety of hotels and campgrounds nearby. Call 800-PADUTCH for lodging and prices.
For details: Call 866-386-2839 or visit www.dutchwonderland.com.

Hersheypark
Location: 100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey
Main attractions: Hersheypark features 11 roller coasters, a boardwalk, live concerts and, of course, chocolate. When temperatures rise, cool off on Roller Soaker, an aerial water ride, which drenches passengers with up to 4 gallons of water.
New for 2008: Experience the newest coaster at the sweetest place in Earth. Fahrenheit will throw riders for a loop - a 107-foot inverted loop to be exact. For more twists and turns, try The Howler, which has cars that tilt 20 degrees and can be controlled by passengers.
Hours: The park is already open weekends, and opens daily for the summer season on May 24. Hours vary, so check its Web site for details.
Admission: $47.95 for regular admission. Junior (ages 3 to 8) and senior (55 to 69) tickets go for $28.95. Senior-plus (70 and older) admission is $19.95. Children younger than 2 get in free. Season passes, consecutive-day and combination passes with Dutch Wonderland are also available.
Directions: Take Interstate 83 north to U.S. Route 322. Follow U.S. 322 for seven miles. Exit onto Hersheypark Drive/state Route 39 west. Take Hersheypark Drive for four miles. The park is on the right.
Drive time: About 45 minutes
Parking: $10
Overnight stays: The Hotel Hershey and the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center are nearby.
For details: Call 800-437-7439 or 534-3900, or visit hersheypark.com

Kennywood
Location: 4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin (about 10 miles east of Pittsburgh)
Main attractions: Take the plunge on Phantom's Revenge - one of the fastest coasters in the world. The second hill drops riders 230 feet at speeds of 85 mph. The park also features several classic rides, water rides and a Kiddieland.
New for 2008: Get spooked on Kennywood's new $2 million dark ride, Ghostwood Estate. Passengers get blasters and are transported through an eight-room haunted house, where they must eliminate unwanted spirits. Move over Ghostbusters.
Hours: The park is already open weekends and opens daily May 14. Hours vary, so check its Web site before you visit.
Admission: A standard FunDay Pass is $32, $19 for juniors (46 inches or shorter) and $15 for seniors 55 and older. Evening passes, which start at 5 p.m., are $17.
Directions: Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Interstate 76 west, and get off at Exit 57 to Interstate 376 west toward Pittsburgh. Take Exit 7, and follow the arrows for Kennywood to the park entrance.
Drive Time: About three hours, 40 minutes
Parking: $5 for preferred parking. Free parking is also available.
Overnight stays: Days Inn, 2727 Mosside Blvd., Monroeville; Radisson, 101 Mall Blvd., Monroeville.
For details: Call 412-461-0500 or visit kennywood.com.

Knoebels
Location: Route 487, Elysburg (about an hour north of Harrisburg)
Main attractions: Take a trip back in time and ride Knoebels' wooden coasters, Twister and Phoenix. In addition to traditional rides, Knoebels features a water park, golf courses and museums.
New for 2008: Knoebels is bringing back a classic wooden ride with Flying Turns. Riders sit in a train and roll down a wood track with steep curves. The experience is similar to a bobsled run.
Hours: Knoebels is already open on weekends. Park opens daily beginning Wednesday. Hours vary, so check its Web site before you visit.
Admission: Admission is free. The park is pay as you go with a pay-one-price option during the week. All-day prices are $29.50 for basic rides and $37 for basic rides and wooden coasters. For those under 48-inches tall, all-day prices are $19.50 for basic rides and $24.50 for basic rides and wood coasters. The park also offers bargain nights and sundown plans. Check its Web site for details.
Directions: Take Interstate 81 north out of Harrisburg to Exit 35. Turn left on to Route 901, and follow that to Route 54 west, which runs into Route 487. Go north on Route 487 for about three miles and watch for the Knoebels signs.
Drive time: About one hour, 50 minutes
Parking: Free
Overnight stays: The park offers a 500-site campground. There are a number of hotels within 15 miles of the park.
For details: Call 800-487-4386 or visit knoebels.com.

Sesame Place
Location: 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne (north of Philadelphia)
Main attractions: Explore the solar system on Vapor Trail, the park's steel roller coaster. It's the perfect first coaster experience for kids. Don't miss all of your favorite "Sesame Street" characters in the Rock Around the Block Parade.
New for 2008: Get the giggles in Elmo's World. The new theme area features three new rides. Take a spin through Elmo's garden on Peek-A-Bug, fly through the stars on Blast Off or take a dip in the ocean on Flyin' Fish.
Hours: Sesame Place is already open weekends and opens daily May 24. Hours vary, so check its Web site for more info.
Admission: General admission is $47.50 and gets you Elmo's Any two-day ticket, allowing re-entry to the park any other day in the summer. Admission is $42.50 for seniors 55 and older. Children younger than 2 enter free. There are discounts for groups, birthday parties and evening admission.
Directions: Take Route 30 east to Route 222 north to the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76). Follow the turnpike to Exit 28/U.S. Route 1 north. Take U.S. 1 to the Oxford Valley exit and turn right onto Oxford Valley Road. Turn right at the third traffic light.
Drive time: About two hours
Parking: $13 for general parking; $16 for preferred parking
Overnight stays: Courtyard by Marriott, 5 Cabot Blvd., Langhorne; Sheraton Bucks County Hotel, 400 Oxford Valley Road, Langhorne; Comfort Inn, 6401 Bristol Pike, Levittown
For details: Call 215-752-7070 or visit sesameplace.com.

OTHER PARKS IN THE REGION

Busch Gardens Europe
Location: One Busch Gardens Blvd., Williamsburg, Va.
Main attractions: Stroll through medieval Europe and visit the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. If you want a thrill, ride Griffon, one of the park's newest coasters. It carries riders up 205 feet, then hurls them 90 degrees straight down at 70 mph.
New for 2008: Celebrate the Loch Ness Monster coaster's 30th anniversary. It's the world's first and only, interlocking, double-looping steel roller coaster. Howl-O-Scream also turns 10 this year. The park will host a festival of fright for the memorable ride on weekends from September 19 through October 26.
Hours: The park is already open weekends and opens daily beginning Friday. Hours vary, so check its Web site before your visit.
Admission: $56.95 general admission, $49.95 for children ages 3 to 9. Group and senior citizen discounts are available. A vacation pass that gives visitors weeklong access to both Busch Gardens and Water Country USA are available for $79.95.
Directions: Take Interstate 83 south to Interstate 695 west to Interstate 95 south. In the Washington, D.C., area, take Interstate 295 south to the Richmond, Va., area. Then take Interstate 64 east. To enter Williamsburg, follow I-64 east to Exit 242. To get to Busch Gardens, take exit 242A and follow state Route 199 for two miles to U.S. Route 60. Follow Route 60 about 1 mile to the park entrance.
Drive time: About four hours, 20 minutes
Parking: $10 ($9 if bought in advance online)
Overnight stays: For the park's own Kingsmill Resort lodging arrangements, call 800-832-5665 or 757-253-1703. Or visit gowilliamsburg.com.
For details: Call 800-343-7946 or visit buschgardens.com.

Kings Dominion
Location: 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell, Va.
Main attractions: Get wrapped up on The Anaconda, the first looping coaster in the world with an underwater tunnel, or pretend you're in Paris and visit the park's replica of The Eiffel Tower. At 275 feet up, you can get a bird's-eye view of the fun.
New for 2008: Break records on Dominator, the park's 14th coaster. It's the longest floorless coaster in the world with the largest roller coaster loop. After riders drop 157 feet, they speed into a record-breaking vertical loop.
Hours: The park is already open weekends and opens daily May 26. Hours vary, so check its Web site before your visit.
Admission: General admission is $51.95. For children shorter than 48 inches and for seniors 62 or older, tickets are $29.95. Season passes range between $54.95 and $150.
Directions: Take Interstate I-83 south to I-695 west to I-95 south. The park is right off Exit 98 on I-95, about 75 miles south of Washington, D.C.
Drive time: About three hours, 15 minutes.
Parking: Autos and vans, $10 per vehicle. Disabled parking and season parking passes available.
Overnight stays: Kings Dominion campground offers tents, cabins and RV parking. Hotels and motels are nearby.
For details: Call (804) 876-5000 or visit kingsdominion.com.

Six Flags America
Location: 13710 Central Ave., Largo, Md., outside of Washington D.C.
Main attractions: Consider your mind blown as you dangle upside down through twists, turns and loops on The Mind Eraser. The inverted loop steel coaster was the first built. Get back to your senses on the park's other thrill and fun rides.
New for 2008: Ramp up the fun on Tony Hawk's Halfpipe in Hurricane Harbor. Riders get to feel what it's like to be a skateboarder, reaching speeds of 23 mph on a four-story water slide. Dry off and catch Aly & AJ, Flo Rida and Mario during this summer's Thursday concert series.
Hours: Six Flags is already open on weekends. The park opens daily beginning Friday. Hours vary, so make sure to check its Web site.
Admission: Day passes are $39.99 if bought online and $10 more if purchased at the gate. $34.99 for kids 58 inches and shorter; free for children 3 and younger. Park passes are also available online.
Directions: The park is about 90 minutes south of York. Take I-83 south to Interstate 695 west to Interstate 97 south (Exit 7). Follow signs for state Route 3/301 South to state Route 214 west. The park is three miles ahead on the right.
Drive time: About one hour, 40 minutes
Parking: $15
Overnight stays: Hampton Inn, 9421 Largo Drive West, Landover, Md.; Radisson Hotel Largo, 9100 Basil Court, Largo, Md.
For details: Call (301) 249-1500 or visit sixflags.com/america.

Six Flags Great Adventure
Location: Route 537, Jackson, N.J.
Main attractions: Ride the classic steel coaster, The Great American Scream Machine. The ride drops more than 15 stories, before going into seven loops. For another wild ride, head to the park's 350-acre wildlife preserve, Wild Safari. View several exotic species up close and personal along the 4.5-mile auto trail.
New for 2008: "The Dark Knight" doesn't hit theaters until July, but you can experience the thrills and chills on The Dark Knight ride at Great Adventure. The indoor coaster simulates the streets of Gotham, where Batman battles the evil Joker.
Hours: The park is already open weekends and will open daily Friday. Hours vary, so check its Web site for details.
Admission: Buying tickets online is the way to go. Passes are $39.99 online and $59.99 at the gate. For seniors or those shorter than 54 inches, tickets are $29.99. Season passes are $89.99. Other ticket packages are offered on the Web site.
Directions: Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) east through Philadelphia and follow signs for the Ben Franklin Bridge. Take the bridge to state Route 38 east. Proceed to Interstate 295 north to the New Jersey Turnpike north to Exit 7A. Take Interstate 195 east to Exit 16A, then one mile west on state Route 534 to Six Flags.
Drive time: About two hours, 30 minutes
Parking: $15
Overnight stays: Holiday Inn East Windsor, 399 Monmouth St., East Windsor, N.J.
For details: Call 732-928-1821 or visit sixflags.com/greatadventure.

emccracken@ydr.com; 771-2051.

NEW ROLLER COASTERS

The Dark Knight at Six Flags Great Adventure
Model: Indoor dark coaster
Track length: 1,213 feet
Features: Six 180-degree turns, video, sound and special effects
Duration: 2 minutes
Capacity: 40 passengers
Cost: $7.5 million
Manufacturer: Mack Rides GmbH & Co KG

Fahrenheit at Hersheypark
Model: Vertical lift, inverted loop steel coaster
Track length: 2,700 feet
Top speed: 58 mph
Height of track: 121 feet
Angle of ascent: 90 degrees
Angle of negative drop: 97 degrees
Length of inverted loop: 107 feet
Features: Cobra element, two inverted S rolls
Capacity: 36 passengers (about 850 riders per hour)
Duration: 85 seconds
Cost: About $12.1 million
Manufacturer: Inatride LLC, USA

Dominator at Kings Dominion
Model: Longest floor-less coaster in the world
Track length: 4,210 feet
Height of track: 161 feet
Features: 157-foot drop and record-breaking vertical loop
Capacity: 32 passengers
Duration: Two minutes, six seconds

ABOUT VOODOO AT DORNEY PARK

Height of track: 184 feet
Length of drop: 175 feet
Track length: 704 feet (about 2,700 feet per ride cycle)
Angle of ascent: 90 degrees
Rotation: Track twists 360 degrees
Top speed: 70 mph
Capacity: 28 passengers (about 950 passengers per hour)
Manufacturer: Intamin AG

ON THE BLOG

Take a peek at an early York County roller coaster