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Adventureland
In the 1970s, in the wake of Six Flags Over Texas' success as the first non-Disney theme park, every American market that could squeeze out enough potential patrons saw a “theme park” spring up. The open pastures of Altoona, Iowa, just west of Des Moines, may have been more of a gamble than most, but Jack Krantz proceeded with guts and determination. Gary Kyriazi catches up with his surviving family to trace the development of Adventureland.
Happylon Moscow
After success with its Babylon family entertainment centre (FEC) concept in Kazakhstan, the Agat Asia group has opened its first outlet in Russia.
Golden Bay - Russia's largest waterpark
Located in the Black Sea resort of Gelendijk, Golden Bay Waterpark opened in 2002 as Russia’s largest waterpark and, thanks to a major expansion between 2007 and 2009, has managed to hold on to its position as the nation’s number one.
Plopsa - character driven fun in the Benelux
Plopsa is the theme park division of Studio 100, the largest provider of family entertainment in the Benelux. As the company prepares to open its first Plopsa-branded outlet in the Netherlands, Owen Ralph catches up with Plopsaland general manager Steve Van den Kerkhof.
Mt Olympus Water & Theme Park
It all started with a hot dog stand. But how did a family of Greek immigrants build up a successful theme park, waterpark and hotel business in Wisconsin Dells? Gary Kyriazi reveals the Laskaris’ fascinating story.
Holiday in the Park
The Great Escape, Lake George, New York, is the first northern Six Flags park to host a winter event. Six Flags parks in warmer climates have offered similar celebrations for years, but Holiday in the Park gives the Great Escape a 145-day season, its longest on record. Here park president Don McCoy explains how they did it.
Scare Kingdom
Scare Kingdom scream park is the latest concept from the UK's AtmosFEAR! Scare Attractions. Here creator Jason Karl explains how he has capitalised on the British public’s growing appetite for Halloween …and left them screaming for more.
Abentueur Dschungelland
Following the success of its new-look undercover entertainment centre, the owner of the Weissenhauser Strand holiday village in northern Germany has contracted Heimo to transform its pool area into a fully-themed waterpark. In the meantime, Park World takes a tour of the highly themed jungle environment that is Abenteuer Dschungelland.
Tjeko Fun Village
A new kind of amusement park in being planned in Uganda, to give children a much-needed break from their daily routine. Ferdi van den Bergh explains his vision for Africa’s first “social profit fun park.”
Ring°Werk
After a soft launch this summer during the German Grand Prix, Ring°Werk is now up and running in Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Germany. This motorsport-themed facility is located inside a purpose built 15,000 square-metre building next to the Nürburgring racetrack.
Camelot - the legend lives on
A short but successful season has created a sense of renewed optimism at the English theme park Camelot. Owen Ralph visits the park that avoided execution.
Fun City Interactive
In a market full of family entertainment centres (FECs), one Dubai-based shopping mall developer has taken the bold step of developing a new attraction format. Owen Ralph explores the interactive world of Fun City 2.0
Happy Valley Shanghai & Chengdu
China’s largest park chain just got a little bit bigger. Since last month, the OCT Group’s Happy Valley brand can be found in four cities and provinces, and plans have already been announced for a fifth. Park World profiles the two newest additions to the portfolio, Chengdu and Shanghai.
Gillian's Funland
Gillian's Funland in Sea Isle City is the only new amusement park to be unveiled in the United States this year. Paul Ruben travels to New Jersey to meet owner Jay A Gillian, who also operates Gillian’s Wonderland Pier just 10 miles down the shore in Ocean City.
MinitaliaLeolandia - Zamperla's new showroom!
Zamperla’s product range is such that no single factory, showroom or trade show is large enough to show it all. That’s why the leading Italian ride manufacturer recently established a relationship with a park just 90 minutes from its Vincenza headquarters. Owen Ralph visits MinitaliaLeolandia to discover the raft of changes that have been made the last two seasons.
Neverland - Michael Jackson's playground
Over a 15-year period from 1990 to 2005, entertainer Michael Jackson operated a personal amusement park on his California ranch with a ride arsenal that, at the time, would have been the envy of several smaller park operators. He also had a zoo, petting zoo, reptile barn and alligator pond to entertain guests. Park World takes an exclusive look at Neverland Valley.
Little Amerricka
A modest, 11-acre, squeaky-clean family park in Marshall, Wisconsin, Little Amerricka has been growing steadily, and rather unexpectedly, throughout its 19-year-history. Gary Kyriazi meets general manager Darrell Klompmaker and owner Lee Merrrick, whose name is responsible for that rather quirky spelling (A-Merrick-a).
Story Land
Story Land in Glen, New Hampshire, is what a theme park is supposed to be; themed. Fully themed. In this child size world, storybook characters come to life in a land of wonder and fun. Paul Ruben visits a park that has been delighting families for 55 years with a mix of wonderfully themed rides, shows and storybook characters.
Coney Island crossroads
To most people, Coney Island is a famous New York City amusement park. In fact, it is a collection of several smaller parks and independent concessionaires. A century ago Coney Island had been the standard to which other traditional amusement parks of its era were compared and it was the veritable epicentre of new ride innovations. Today it is at a crossroads. Paul Ruben reports.
Santa's Village
We all know what Santa Claus does in December, but did you ever wonder where he goes in the off-season? Paul Ruben finds Santa and his elves in Jefferson, New Hampshire.
Michigan's Adventure
Gary Kyriazi knew as soon as he met the 15-year-old Camille Jourden that she shared her father Roger’s passion for the amusement industry. Twenty-seven-years later he returns to visit her as general manager of Michigan’s Adventure, a park now under the ownership of Cedar Fair. In many ways though, it’s still business as usual down in Muskegon.
Rotterdam Port Experience
A new attraction has opened celebrating Europe’s largest seaport. The Rotterdam Port Experience, underneath Erasmus Bridge, allows guests to learn more about one of the world’s largest ports and its contribution to the Dutch city.
Heineken Experience
BRC Imagination Arts’ overhaul of the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, which reopened at the tail end of last year, celebrates the beer’s Dutch heritage and global reach using a variety of storytelling techniques. The result is a visitor attraction that leaves guests feeling good and thirsty for more.
Dinosaur Wars
They’re relatively cheap to construct and kids can’t get enough of the theme: Dinosaur parks are big business in Eastern Europe. Here Anna Lukasik surveys the situation in Poland, while further down the page we profile a three-strong park chain in Slovakia and the Czech Republic with ambitions to expand a little further west.
Camden Park
The sign of the happy clown greets visitors as they pull into the parking lot of the 106-year-old Camden Park, and the happiness grows once inside the gate. Paul Ruben visits West Virginia’s only amusement park, currently in a period of renewal.
Jawa Timur Park & Wisati Baharti Lamongan
Between them Jawa Timur Park & Wisati Baharti Lamongan entertain nearly two-and-a-half million guests a year. Park World takes a quick look at two sister parks that offer tried and tested fun at an affordable price to Indonesian families.
Knight Valley
Incorporating elements of an eco-park and modern theme park, Knight Valley is the final part of the OCT East resort to open outside Shenzhen in China’s Guangdong province. Park World takes a look at this ambitious new development.
Harbin Polar Aquarium
Harbin Polar Aquarium, located in the architecturally-noted Northeastern Chinese city of the same name, is one of the largest attractions of its kind anywhere in the world, offering a magical trip to the crystal ice snow of the polar regions all year long.
OCT East
It started with a fairly straightforward request; create a theme park based around the earth. Make it an ecological theme park, a park with a focus on the harmonious balance with the environment, which teaches conservation and ecological discovery to all its visitors. David Edmonds of Falcon’s Treehouse explains the processes involved in designing one of OCT Tourism’s newest resorts.
Chimelong Water Park
From the outset, the team at Chimelong Water Park in southern China set out to create one of the world’s top five waterparks, and in less than 12 months they achieved it. As the award-winning facility approaches the end of its second season, Park World pays tribute.
Märchenpark
Austria’s largest family fun park recently completed its most ambitious expansion to date. With the help of European Union funds, Märchenpark added three new rides for its 40th anniversary season, including its first ever rollercoaster. Owen Ralph visits Neusiedlersee.
Quassy Amusement Park
Quassy Amusement Park is nothing short of a New England, if not American, treasure. Located at the end of an electrified rail (“trolley”) line that has been gone for more than 70 years, it has beaten the odds on many occasion to proudly proclaim the title of “survivor” in an industry that has seen hundreds of similar facilities fade away. As the curtain comes down in the park’s centennial season, Ron Gustafson talks us through 100 years of lakeside fun.
Expo Zaragoza
This summer there was a “World’s Fair” in Zaragoza, Spain, taking as its theme water and sustainable development, but according to Jack Samuels, the event created few ripples outside its own country. Here Park World’s resident “Fun Doctor” offers his own reflections.
Atlantis The Palm
Atlantis, The Palm is ready to transport guests into a fantasy world inspired by the lost civilisation of the same name. Situated at the crest of The Palm Jumeirah, the smallest of the three palm-shaped islands off the coast of Dubai, this US$1.5 billion project is a joint venture between Kerzner International and Government-owned Istithmar. Park World previews the largest water-themed resort in the Middle East.
Magic Castle
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Mainland China’s most popular amusement park opened a brand new RMB 200 million (E19m/$29m) family area at the start of the year. Best described as a park within a park, the Magic Castle at Happy Valley in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, covers 40,00 square metres and features over 20 new attractions.
Riesenradplatz
Vienna’s Prater has gone back to the future with the opening of Riesenradplatz (Giant Wheel Square), giving a starring role to the park’s iconic 1897 Ferris Wheel. Those that make the effort to peer inside one of the faux period buildings that surround this new entrance plaza will also find two exciting multimedia attractions. Owen Ralph reports.
Legoland Discovery Centres
Following the opening of the latest outlet on July 31, Merlin Entertainments can now boast a trio of Legoland Discovery Centres. Park World takes a peak at the new facilities in Germany and the USA.
Chime Long
In 1989, Su Zhigang (“Mr Su”) opened a restaurant in Guangzhou, southern China. Five years later he added a hotel. New businesses followed bit by bit, but it’s been in the last two years that things have really exploded. A brand-new amusement park and award-winning waterpark have put Chimelong on the map as a fully-fledged entertainment resort and the largest of its kind in China. And there’s more to come. Owen Ralph gets the lowdown in Guangzhou.
Hard Rock Park
The world's first theme park devoted entirely to rock ‘n’ roll, Hard Rock Park is turning up the volume in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Paul Ruben reports on the largest new park to open in America for almost a decade.
Gold Reef City
Without gold, there would not be a Johannesburg as we know it. The city was founded on it, and around 40% of all the world’s supply has been produced there. It was therefore inevitable that someone would choose to set up a gold-mining attraction in what is one of the Gauteng province’s major cities (Gauteng is Sotho for “place of gold”) What started as a humble enterprise is now South Africa’s leading theme park and the “jewel in the crown” of a seven-venue strong casino group. Park World toasts 21 years of Gold Reef City.
Jungala
Busch Gardens Africa, Tampa, Florida, recently unveiled Jungala, a four-acre jungle village filled with exotic animals, rides and attractions.
Canobie Lake
Just as there are a handful of oceanside parks remaining in America, so there are only a handful of lakeside American amusement parks left. Where real estate values on any body of water drove out most of 1,500+ plus American amusement parks during the 1920s, Canobie Lake Park still sits by the lake, clean, beautiful, and thriving. Gary Kyriazi pays a visit.
Flamingo Land
Flamingo Land theme park and zoo in England is adding no fewer than six new attractions this season, plus a new entrance. Park World dropped by during the run-up to opening.
Ooit Tongeren
Located in Tongeren, the oldest city in Belgium, Ooit Tongeren was created as a sister park to Het Land Van Ooit in Holland. “Ooit” is the Dutch word for “ever” (or “once”) but ironically both parks closed down last year when the operating Taminiau family encountered financial difficulties. In the case of the new facility at Tongeren, that was less than three months after opening. Park World talks to the man trying to find a new operator.
Thomas Land
It’s been a busy winter at Drayton Manor. The English amusement park has ditched its entire children’s area and replaced it with a new one – Thomas Land. On behalf of the park, Andrew Mellor gives Park World an exclusive peak during construction.
Funtown Splashtown USA
It all started with a fast food restaurant. The awesomely energetic 75-year-old Ken Cormier (pictured) turned a drive-in into an FEC, then an amusement park. Gary Kyriazi meets the man that keeps the family at the heart of everything he does. And he’s still dreaming...
Mtatsminda Park
Located 800-metres above the city of Tbilisi, Georgia, Mtatsminda Park has been a popular fun spot for generations and this September moved up a gear with the opening of East Europe’s newest theme park. Two months later, however, the fun came to an abrupt end. Owen Ralph meets the project consultant who describes the new park facility as one of the most beautiful he has ever worked on and assesses its chances of it re-opening in 2008.
Metroland
Modelled on the West Edmonton Mall in Canada, Metroland in Gateshead, England, opened in 1988, was relaunched as New Metroland in 1996, but will very soon become ex-Metroland. Park World bids farewell.
Wiener Prater
With roots stretching back to 1766, the Vienna Prater is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. Now, as it undergoes regeneration, it is to draw on its rich heritage in an attempt to create a timeless atmosphere for guests arriving at the park.
Dinoland
Dinoland is the first outdoor theme park in Northern China designed specially for kids under the age of 12 and, as June Ren reports, it’s been putting smiles on their faces since it opened just over a year ago.
Wild Wadi
This autumn (fall), Wild Wadi is due to welcome its five millionth guest, confirming the popularity of this world-class waterpark. Located on the Gulf Coast in Dubai, with its blistering year-round temperatures, its success is not surprising, but its general manager feels it is down to more than just a good location. Like many other facilities in the Emirate, Wild Wadi prides itself on service, as Owen Ralph discovers.
Mirabilandia
Enjoying its first full season under the ownership of the Spanish-based, private equity-backed Parques Reunidos group, Mirabilandia remains one of Italy’s most popular amusement parks and has just opened Raratonga, a Polynesian-themed water ride (pictured) perfect for the summer. Park World called ahead of the big Assumption Day holiday in August.
Belmont Park
US coastal parks are in danger. For those by water, the threat is particularly acute. In the 1920s there were over 1,500 authentic waterfront amusement parks in America. It was a given — where there was a body of water that people used as a gathering place for recreation, there was an amusement park. Out of those 1,500, there are less than 15 left. Gary Kyriazi profiles a survivor.
Hersheypark
For 100 years, Hersheypark has provided countless happy memories to generations of guests. Founded as a picnic and pleasure grounds for the employees of chocolate magnate Milton S Hershey, the 110-acre theme park in the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, is celebrating its centenary with a $21 million enhancement.
Harbour Park
Run by IAAPA committee member Gary Smart, Harbour Park has invested £750,000 (€1.1 million) on new additions this season.
Wild West World
American cowboy spirit is a richly ingrained tradition in Kansas, and now Thomas and Cheryl Etheredge, developers of new park Wild West World, want to bring the values of kindness, generosity, and bravery to a new generation of families. Paul Ruben saddles up and gets on down to Wichita.
Movie Park
When it lost is Warner Brother franchise in 2005, Movie Park in Germany was forced to find new intellectual property licences that resonate with its guests. Now it’s got some, and park management claim they are in a stronger position than ever without the shackles of being tied to a single brand. Nickland, a new children’s area themed around various Nickelodeon cartoon characters, is one of two rejuvenated areas of Movie Park that have opened for 2007. Park World meets SpongeBob and friends.
Eco-Park
The Gulliver’s family theme park group from England has opened its fourth park, and thrown the rulebook out of the window …for recycling. Owen Ralph unearths a new entertainment concept in Milton Keynes.
Pacific Park
You’re strolling along a pier over the ocean; the surf beneath you barely overpowers the roar and shrieks from the rollercoaster overhead; but the cool, salt air is the perfect complement to the hot dog you’re enjoying. Just past the cotton candy stand a tough-looking barker challenges you to knock down three heavy, steel milk bottles and win a doll; Madame Sofia attempts to lure you into her tent with promises of your future. It is still possible, says Gary Kyriazi, and he travelled to California to prove it.
Adventure Island
Thrills and visitor numbers are at all time high for UK park Adventure Island, which has just added a new superhero-themed rollercoaster. Park World pays a visit to Southend-on-Sea.
Old MacDonald's Farm
Joseph Manning had been looking to take on an attraction of some kind for a number of years. The UK amusement operator never would have guessed, however, that he would soon be as well versed on feeding sheep and breeding livestock as he is in maintaining rides and attractions. Welcome to life on the farm.
Beech Bend Park
All of us in the amusement industry know we're not in it for the fame or the fast buck. We're in it because it's something we need to do, something we have to do and something we have a passion for. We're in the amusement industry because we're ...well, crazy. Gary Kyriazi meets a family with the perfect credentials.
Konge Parken
Konge Parken (King Park), Stavanger, Norway, first opened on May 3, 1986. We say “first opened” because it has opened and closed a number of times in its 20-year history. But at last its present owners, the Lund family, are making a go of it. David Wallis visits the home of the bear.
Holiday World
'Thrills' and 'families' can go hand in hand. discovered Gary Kyriazi on a visit earlier this season to Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Indiana.
Bellewaerde
Bellewaerde – Belgium’s unique mix of animals, amusement rides and landscaping – has been entertaining Belgian, French and Flemish families for over half a century. This season the park has been taking guests into a new dimension – 4D – as it increases its range of allweather offerings and builds on its range of seasonal events.
