Park World Online - theme park, amusement park and leisure industry news

Based around the story of George and the Dragon, Efteling's new duelling coaster opened to the public on July 1. The ride replaces the previous wooden coaster Pegasus and is located next to the lake used by the Flying Dutchman.

Joris en de Draak was built by the American manufacturer Great Coasters International (GCI) and features two 810-metre-long tracks, reaching a maximum height of 25-metres. Riders in each train - named “water” and “fire” - are given the challenge of slaying the dragon as they race against one another at up to 75 km/h. Featuring customised versions of GCI's “Millennium Flyer” trains, guests as short as 1.1-metre in height can become dragon hunters.

Following in the footsteps of the legendary George and the Dragon tales, they must save the life of an innocent girl under threat from the dragon. This animated centrepiece was supplied by P&P Projects (see page 21).

www.efteling.com

More than five years in the making, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orland Resort was unveiled to an eager crowd on June 18. Built at an estimated cost of US$265 million, this spectacularly themed area is the newest island at Islands of Adventure theme park

World of Color, a dazzling array of animated characters, astonishing special effects and specially-composed music is captivating guests at Disney California Adventure. This new nightly spectacular is presented on a massive “stage” of water that spans the full length of the park’s Paradise Bay.

“The combination of water, light, fire and music makes World of Color a truly magical event that showcases beloved Disney characters in an entirely new way,” highlights Walt Disney president and CEO, Bob Iger.

Featuring one of the world’s largest projected water screens, the fountains are the stars of the show at Worlds of Color, which features characters from Disney and Pixar classics including Finding Nemo, Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and many more.

The almost 25-minute performance uses nearly 1,200 programmable fountains. Jets of water up to 200ft in height, plus a 380ft-long wall of water together with nearly 30 high-definition projectors, synchronised flame projections, lasers and other effects create a kaleidoscope of colour and spectacle.

The new show is designed to take some of the pressure off the neighbouring Disneyland park during its own night show and fireworks, and give guests a reason to stay at California Adventure for longer. Audiences can enjoy World of Color up to three times nightly from a specially designed viewing area, or make a dinner reservation for a meal with an unforgettable backdrop. Also new at Disney California Adventure is a new Glow Fest, which entertains guests in the run up to Worlds of Color with dancing, music and special light effects.

Fun, food and good living. These three things are key to the business of the Only World Group, a stalwart of the Malaysian amusement industry. Ahead of Asian Attractions Expo in Kuala Lumpur, Park World editor Owen Ralph catches up with the man dubbed “Malaysia’s theme park king”

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is now impacting amusement venues in Florida.

"The oil arrived on our beaches last night,” Buddy Wilkes of Shipwreck Island Waterpark in Panama City Beach told Park World on June 19. “It was never a matter of if, but when. The business the beach has enjoyed thus far has been boosted by people moving up their July or August vacations to get here ahead of the oil. That will probably change now that the oil has arrived. If it drifts back west for a few days, as is forecast, some people may try to get in a few days ahead of it coming back."

"The theory that the waterpark will do well if we have oil on our sand and in our water is ludicrous," he adds. "We might get most of the people who are here during that type of event, but no one wants to see people in the seafood and tourism industries put out of work, or the wildlife dying senselessly.”

Wilkes even went so far as to suggest he’d rather have been hit by a hurricane: “You can track a storm and within a matter of days it hits land, leaves the damage in its wake, and you rebuild and restore. The agony of waiting on the oil lurking aimlessly off your coast is nearly unbearable. The long-term damage to the Panama City Beach brand is one of my greatest concerns. Some visitors may never return. Give me a good old fashioned hurricane any day."

Combining several different movements, Air Racer is the latest family thrill ride from Zamperla. Open since the end of May at Luna Park in Coney Island, New York, the ride also provides a spectacular visual effect.

Air Race takes riders on a journey replicating the experiences and sensations of an acrobatic aeroplane flight, with banks, loops, dives and weightlessness that will test even the most experienced thrill seekers.

Accommodating up to 24 riders at a time in six, four-seater aeroplanes, the 26.5-metre diameter attraction turns at 8.5 rpm with an additional motor driven rotation on each arm. A variety of ride programs are available and “pilots” experience accelerations of 3G as they go upside down.

Class 5 over-the-shoulder restraints allow passengers as short as from 1.2-metres to ride. Theoretical hourly capacity is 480 riders.

Zamperla is offering both a standard and deluxe version of the ride, plus custom theming.

The world’s first combined slide tower and diving platform has opened at Austria’s “ultimate outdoor playground.” The lakeside installation at Area 47 in Tyrol brings added adventure to an area already famed for its whitewater rafting and extreme sports.

The 27.5-metre-high construction was installed by the German company Wiegand Maelzer. Users enter at lake level, and climb up the tower to encounter a series of stainless steel slides. The 3.5 and 5.5-metre-tall slides are relativey tame, however the further up the tower visitors head, the more intense the slides get.

Located 11.5-metres up is a kamikaze slide, crossed with a high speed 270° twist slide. Next comes a 15.5-metre-high waterslide, 100-metres long with an added “jump” section. From here intrepid guests can climb to a 20-metre platform and plunge themselves down a freefall slide, reaching a speed of up to 80km/h.

The slides were manufactured using high quality stainless steel at Wiegand’s premises in Rasdorf, Germany, and feature no joints. Such construction means they are smooth, safe and maintenance free.

Also fitted to the tower are diving boards at 2, 5, 10, 20 and 27.7-metres-high. The latter two are designed for use only by professional divers, and Area 47 will host the finals of the World Diving Championships soon.

For those afraid of climbing to such heights, Wiegand Maelzer has also installed a Cannonball atttaction next to the same lake. The first of its kind in Austria, riders are shot from the base of the structure straight into the pool using 1.5 m3 of water and 1.2 bar of pressure. A poolside clmbing wall is also featured. Fall off, and in you’re in the water!

www.area47.at

Premier Rides moves

Premier Rides has relocated its headquarters to Baltimore, Maryland, as part of plans for expansion. The company has purchased the former Baron & Co cigar factory and plans an extensive upgrade of the 35,000 sq ft property in the city’s Little Italy district.

“Baltimore is a dynamic technology focused waterfront city with a highly educated workforce," notes Premier Rides president Jim Seay. “I am both excited to become part of the fabric of the city and honoured to have had the opportunity to oversee the restoration of such a historic building.”

Although built in the 1800s, the office utilises many state-of-the-art technologies. “As an example," explains Seay, "Premier deployed a fixed wireless internet connection which allows quick scaling of our Internet bandwidth. Additionally, we have a satellite connection displaying high-definition format on seven flat-panels around the office that allow video conference sessions to take place with our clients and the rest of the Premier Rides staff located around the world.”

Best known for its high-tech magnetic launch coasters, Premier Rides is an international supplier of rollercoasters, observation wheels, tower rides, water rides and custom designed attractions. The company offers a comprehensive service division supplying engineering support, refurbishment and part supplies on a 24-hour emergency basis.

Premier Rides acquired the historic Baron Co & building, which had been left vacant for several decades, in 2005. It has since carried out extensive structural and historic renovation to bring it in line with modern codes and practices. The company offers additional representation in the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia.

www.premier-rides.com

Are 3D films in mainstream movie theatres a threat to your park's 3D/4D offering?