Buoyed by an improving economy, most major Southern California theme parks have made multimillion- dollar investments in new attractions opening this summer to help attendance numbers rebound from last year's slump, the Los Angeles Times reported on its website on Thursday.

Most theme park managers won't disclose the cost of the new attractions, but industry experts say any investment signals confidence that theme parks are pulling out of the recession slump, the Times said.

"There's certainly a sense of optimism returning to the 2010 season," said David Mandt, a spokesman for the International Assn. of Amusement Parks and Attractions, a trade group that represents parks and museums nationwide. "I think the parks have weathered the storm well."

Southern California theme parks last year had few new attractions but lots of discounts, bargains and two-for-one deals for recession-weary vacationers. But this summer get ready for a 3- D King Kong, 200-foot-tall (61 meters) animated waterspouts and a 45-foot-tall (13.7 meters) Lego water slide, according to the newspaper.

Two superpowers, Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland, are expected to unleash the summer's most popular attractions in the battle of the Southern California parks.

In July, Universal Studios opens King Kong 360 3-D, the latest addition to the back lot studio tram ride. Designed by Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson, the attraction uses massive curved movie screens, hi-tech 3-D projectors, fans and a "tram mover" system to make visitors believe that they are watching Kong battle a 35-foot (10.67 meters) Tyrannosaurus rex.

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