Merlin Entertainments has bought the London Aquarium from County Hall Entertainment. The move makes perfect sense for Merlin, as not only does the operator own the largest aquarium brand in the world – Sea Life – but also the London Aquarium is located next to the London Eye, the group’s iconic observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames.

Tripsdrill, the Germany family park near Stuttgart, this week ramped up the thrill factor when it unveiled Mammut – the first all-German wooden coaster to be built in living memory and the park’s largest investment to date.

With over 3,000 amusement parks and a wealth of other attractions, China has become one o the world’s key tourism markets and the darling of Asia. Park World looks ahead to the first Asia Tourism Property & Attraction conference (ATPS), where operators, suppliers and investors will be able to learn also about the industry in China and beyond.

The TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) has confirmed details of its second European members meeting, which will be held at Disneyland Resort Paris on June 5 and 6 (Thursday and Friday).

The new entrance area to the Prater in Vienna was due to be opened to the public on April 25. The Riesenradplatz (Giant Wheel Square) is the most visible part of the park’s ongoing regeneration and features new service and infrastructure facilities, new attractions and fresh food and beverage offerings.

Nickelodeon Universe has opened at the Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota. Formerly Camp Snoopy, the re-branded seven-acre indoor theme park features 24 rides, 18 of which are Nickelodeon-themed.

Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey, is preparing to introduce Glow in the Park, a new nighttime parade by Gary Goddard Entertainment. Transforming the park into a fantasyland of light and sound will be a cast of drummers, puppeteers, singers, dancers and kinetic stilt walkers.

During his career in the amusement industry, Nick Farmer (left) has been a designer of attractions for amusement parks, aquariums, museums and science centres. Based in Leicester, England, for many years he headed up Farmer Studios but more recently began working almost on a freelance basis as Farmer Attraction Development. This has allowed him to combine roles such as a director of Wicksteed Park (UK) along with his ongoing design and consultancy work. Nick is now half way through his year as president of the TEA (Themed Entertainment Association), the first European to take the position. Here talks to Owen Ralph about the association and theming in general.

In 1958, at the dawn of the theme park era, Lawrence Ferlinghetti published a book of poetry which has since become a modern classic, entitled A Coney Island of the Mind. I purchased a copy because I mistakenly thought it was about Coney Island, then the Holy Grail of amusement parks.