BENIDORM OPENS ONE OF THE BIGGEST WATERSLIDES IN THE WORLD

BY GABRIELLE

Aqualandia waterpark in Benidorm has opened a new slide that has a zero-gravity vortex and is one of the biggest waterslides in the world.

Named the Cyclon, the slide features a series of dramatic bends, twists and drops, before concluding in a zero gravity, 20 metre-diameter vortex, as riders are plunged into a pool below.

The Cyclon boasts a lofty height of 36 metres and is 200 metres in length, making it one of the biggest waterslides in the world.

The slide’s rafts can accommodate up to four riders, meaning families can experience the attraction together.

Other highlights of Benidorm’s Aqualandia include the highest standing slide in Europe and the highest capsule slide in the world.

The popular family waterpark comprises of 15 attractions, designed for all ages and levels of thrill seeking. All the water in the park is sourced directly from the sea.

Aqualandia is twinned with the marine animal park Mundomar, which is located next door to the waterpark.

OPENING DELAYED FOR COVENTRY’S NEW WATERPARK

BY GABRIELLE

The opening of The Wave, a long-awaited new waterpark in Coventry, has been delayed. The park’s gym and spa facilities were due to open to the public on June 24 but the opening has been put back.

CV Life, the park’s operators, have said there will be a ‘short wait’ before the official opening date is to be confirmed, though gave no indication as to when the site will open.

Paul Breed, chief executive of CV Life, said that membership fees for The Wave or CV Life will not be taken until August 1.

“The opening of the Health and Fitness Suites and Mana Spa will be a hint as to how amazing the waterpark and the rest of The Wave is going to be, and for this reason we would like to wait a little longer to open to ensure the highest standards are met,” said Breed.

“The facilities must be finished to the highest quality and until we are satisfied we have that, we will not be opening.

“It will only be a short wait until we can release an official opening date which will definitely be worth the wait,” he added.

The Wave will feature nine flume slides. The new waterpark and fitness centre is located in Coventry’s city centre.

TRIOTECH LAUNCHES FIRST DARK RIDE IN THE GRANBY ZOO

BY GABRIELLE

Interactive entertainment specialists Triotech has launched its first XD dark ride interactive theatre in the Granby Zoo, one of Quebec’s major tourist destinations.

The 7D theatre is proving to be a hit at the Granby Zoo, which features 11 rides. The XD dark ride theatre is currently showing Carnival, Triotech Studio’s latest film.

Players are imprisoned by a revenge-seeking clown, who keeps them prisoners in a run-down theme park. Players are forced to confront scary automatons, giant heads and other terrifying creatures as they try to escape the nightmare.

Christian Martin, Triotech’s vice-president of marketing, spoke about the new attraction.

The XD Dark Ride interactive theatre was designed in Quebec for the whole family. It’s one of our signature attractions, contributing for nearly eight years to our international reach.

Winner of the prestigious IAAPA Brass Ring award in the “Best-New-Product” category, this attraction makes it possible for eight people to play and experience simultaneously an intense multi-sensory adventure coupled with leading-edge technology and special effects,” said Martin.

Samuel Grenier, Granby Zoo’s director of operations, is equally as pleased about the launch of the new attraction.

“We are proud to continue working with Triotech. In 2012, we set up a 16-seat immersive theatre without XD interactivity that was very popular with visitors.

“With the 7D theatre, we wanted to provide our customers an unparalleled immersive experience that is already a resounding success all around the world,” Grenier commented.

SUNAC CHINA TO DEVELOP INDUSTRIAL ZONE AND CULTURAL TOURISM PROJECT IN WUHAN

BY GABRIELLE

June 27, 2019, saw an agreement reached for Sunac China to develop a cultural tourism project and industrial zone in the Hannan district of Wuhan.

The project is expected to take five years to build and will create more than 100,000 jobs.

Built in the smart ecological city of Wuhan development zone, this large-scale project will be focused on the construction of a ‘Smart Yangtze River Center’, a ‘Wuhan International Ecological Cultural Tourism Area’ and an ‘Industrial Innovation Center.’

The ‘Smart Yangtze River Center’ will integrate several functional areas, including a high-end commerce area, a high-quality goods trading area, a smart life area, and smart industrial area.

The centre will also comprise of a ‘corridor for masterpieces,’ located alongside the Yangtze river.

Visitors at the ‘Wuhan International Ecological Cultural Tourism Area’, will be able to enjoy natural landscapes and historical sites.

The cultural tourism city will comprise of multiple projects, including characteristic ancient towns, smart theme parks, hotels, sports theme parks, and more.

ISLAND H20 LIVE! OPENS TO THE PUBLIC

BY GABRIELLE

Island H20 Live!, the newest waterpark in Central Florida, has now opened its doors to the public. The tropical-themed waterpark officially opened to the public in the first week of July.

The park has been designed and built by Aquatic Development Group (ADG). The site is 11.5 acres in size and features more than 15 water slides and attractions designed for all ages and levels of thrill-seeking intensity.

Amongst the rides is a 24,000 square foot dual beach wave pool that’s powered by ADG Wavetek’s wave generation technology.

An activity pool at the park features a river crossing, basketball, an interactive, multi-level play structure, and an activity pool for children with nine waterslides and play features. There’s also a 1,300 feet-long lazy river with a 500 square feet beach entry.

Also at H20 Live! is a 2,500 square feet pool for adults only, with a spacious decking area and lounge next to a ‘Tag Shack’ bar and grill.

The waterpark is also the first resort to feature WhiteWater’s Vantage Technology, designed to encourage social interaction and enhance the visitor experience by enabling guests to personalise their stay at the waterpark.

Jim Kunau, general manager at Island H20 Live!, spoke about what visitors can expect at the new Central Florida waterpark.

“We have an incredible variety of attractions at Island H2O Live! including water coasters, family raft rides, a wave pool, lazy river, kid-friendly experiences and more,” said Kunau.

FIRST LEGOLAND WATERPARK TO OPEN IN EUROPE

BY GABRIELLE

Gardaland Resort in Italy has announced it is to open the first entirely Lego themed waterpark in Europe.

The Legoland Waterpark is geared towards Lego-loving families with children aged two to 12. The park will be centred on providing the values the Lego brand upholds, including magic, adventure, fun, quality, creativity, imagination and learning.

Aldo Maria Vigevani, CEO of Gardaland, made the announcement, stating:

“The first Legoland waterpark in Europe will be built inside Gardaland Resort and it will also be the first in the world inside a theme park not Legoland branded.”

The Lego brand needs little introduction. What is now one of the leading manufacturers of play materials in the world, was founded in Denmark in 1932. Today, approximately 70 billion Lego elements are sold every year.

Paolo Lazzarin, general manager of Lego Italia, commented:

“This is great news. We are really proud and I’m certain that the Park will fill the young and adult builders who passionately follow the brick with joy.

“The Lego brand is renowned globally and will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening Gardaland Resort’s position as a major European tourist destination, as well as confirming it as a top player for family entertainment.”

NEW AMERICANA-THEMED WORLD TORNADO SPRINGS COMING TO PAULTONS PARK

BY GABRIELLE

A new, multi-million-pound themed world known as Tornado Springs is coming to Paultons Park in Hampshire.

The world is based on a 1950s’ American Midwest desert resort town theme and is due to open in May 2020.

The new four-acre land will feature a series of new rides and attractions, including the only rollercoaster of its kind in the UK, a free-spinning ride with 20-metre heights, known as the Storm Chaser.

The themed park will also be home to a Gyro Swing spinning pendulum ride, the Cyclonator. The ride is centred on an invention to scythe crops that’s powered by the wind as has been made by the characters of Tornado Springs.

Another highlight is Al’s Auto Academy, a garage-themed driving school ride with Windmill Tower drop rides, electric cars, a Buffalo Falls water raft ride and Trekking Tractors.

James Mancey, operations director of Paultons Park, commented on the new land:

“We are extremely excited to bring Tornado Springs to the public next May. The new themed world represents the single largest and most ambitious investment in the future of Paultons Park since we opened in 1983. The Tornado Springs concept is unique to Paultons Park and will significantly extend our capacity to entertain and delight children of all ages.

“We felt that the theming of Tornado Springs was a natural fit with the traditional family values with which Paultons Park is synonymous.

“We’ve coupled the vibrant appeal and charm of the 1950’s era with best-in-class rides and attractions to create a truly unique world which, in association with our existing fantastic themed lands, will stand head and shoulders above any other family attraction in the UK,” Mancey added.

MANCHESTER UNITED EXPERIENCE PREVIEW CENTRE LAUNCHES IN BEIJING

BY GABRIELLE

The Manchester United Experience Preview Centre has officially opened in Beijing, China. The launch took place on July 3 and saw former Manchester United players and club legends, Wes Brown, Dimitar Berbatov and Peter Schmeichel, attend the opening ceremony.

The event was also attended by the football club’s Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold and Harves chairman, Bo Zhang.

The Manchester United Experience Preview Centre is situated next to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in the historic Qianmen Dashilan area of Beijing.

The complete centre will open in 2020 with the preview centre showcasing the innovative experiences that will be available for visitors when the centre fully opens next year. China plans to open more centres dedicated to the legendary English football club.

The Manchester United Experience Preview Centre brings the thrill of Old Trafford Football Stadium to fans of the club in China, providing loyal Manchester United followers in the East the chance to celebrate their team with unique and innovative experiences.

A full-scale replica of Old Trafford’s iconic Trinity Statue takes centre stage in the centre. Visitors can also enjoy witnessing an interactive showcase of the club’s most historical triumphs. There is also authentic replicas of the club’s dressing room and players’ tunnel.

Aspiring footballers will also have the opportunity to ‘sign’ for the club. The preview centre is also home to the mainland China’s first Manchester United Megastore.

Bo Zhang, chairman of Harves Entertainment Chairman, said:

“Harves Entertainment is honoured to partner with Manchester United to bring this unique, next generation opportunity to life in China. We share a vision for an engaging and immersive entertainment experience that will allow Chinese youth and fans more access to the historic Club.

“We will also offer youth training opportunities that provide skills and a better understanding of what it means to pursue excellence. Most importantly, we want to bring families and fans together to have fun and to be entertained.

“We have assembled great partners in realising this vision and look forward to working together to create something exciting that will benefit all who experience it.”

PORTAVENTURA WORLD BRINGS NEW ADDITIONS TO SUMMER 2019 PROGRAMME

BY GABRIELLE

PortAventura World, the popular family entertainment resort in Salou, Spain, is looking forward to a successful summer, with new additions, special nights and opening hours extended until the early hours.

The new attractions for summer 2019 include the amusement park’s first dark ride and the only one in Europe to be inspired by Sesame Street – Street Mission. This interactive attraction is designed for all ages, who are tasked with helping Detective Grover complete a secret mission.

Abby Star Studio will also be opening its doors at PortAventura this summer, allowing younger guests to be transformed into a fairy and have their photo taken with a magical Sesame Street character.

Also opening at the amusement park resort this summer is the Hotel Colorado Creek, a premium hotel that’s themed around the gold rush from the Far West.

A series of unique shows are also scheduled for the high summer at PortAventura, including the dance, acrobatics, and musical show ‘We Dance on Movies’, and the ‘Noches de Fuego en Tahiti’, a Polynesian dance show mixed with fire.

The theme park’s opening hours are to be extended with the highly awaited White Nights events, which will see PortAventura stay open until 2am. During these extended opening hours guests will be able to experience unique shows and special performances.

With reservations for the resort already 10% higher than the same period last year, the prospects for PortAventura’s summer 2019 season look highly promising.

SIX FLAGS TO RECEIVE $7.5 MILLION FROM DXB ENTERTAINMENTS

BY GABRIELLE

Six Flags, the US theme operator, is to be given $7.5 million from DXB Entertainment, the Dubai-based operator of leisure and entertainment destinations and experiences.

The pay-out has been arranged after DXB pulled out of plans for a Dubai Six Flags site due to financing for the project no longer being available. The decision was made during a meeting with shareholders in April this year.

DXB agreed to pay compensation to Six Flags for pulling out of the project, with DXB retaining first refusal rights for the use of Six Flags’ intellectual property in the UAE for five years.

In May 2019, DXB Entertainments revealed a $58.73 million loss on its operations.

Six Flags is planning for a project to go ahead in Saudi Arabia.