PARADROPVR CITY FLYER TO SHOWCASE AT IAAPA EUROPE EXPO 2019

BY GABRIELLE

Frontgrid, a global adventure leisure and entertainment specialist, has announced it will be showcasing its new ParadropVR City Flyer attraction at this year’s IAAPA Europe Expo in Paris from September 17 – 19.

The ParadropVR City Flyer is a virtual reality game designed at helping destination-based attractions engage and entertain visitors. By combining self-controlled flight with free roam virtual reality content, riders of the new attraction are put at the heart of an immersive adventure.

With the City Flyer, guests fly across a 4km stretch of the operators’ choice, past well-known landmarks and features. The attraction provides a realistic flying sensation, with audio and wind effects and a self-controlled up and down motion, intertwined with sudden drops and smooth deceleration.

Visitors heading to booth 2424 at IAAPA Europe Expo 2019 will be preview the City Flyer game, as well as four other new and updated ParadropVR games.

The first ParadropVR City Flyer was installed in July this year at the King Power Mahankhon, Bangkok. The ride is known as the Mahanakhon Sky Rides and enables guests to enjoy an exhilarating VR game while flying around one of the world’s most exciting cities.

Matt Wells, Frontgrid’s CEO, commented on the new virtual reality game.

“Feedback on ParadropVR City Flyer from guests at the King Power Mahanakhon in Bangkok has been fantastic. We can’t wait to give IAAPA Expo Europe attendees an opportunity to try the experience for themselves.

“We’ve had lots of interest from destination visitor attractions – especially sky towers, visitor centres and indoor entertainment centres at tourist sites.   We’re expecting a very busy show at IAAPA Expo Europe, so would encourage anyone who wants to try ParadropVR to get in touch now to book a slot,” Wells commented.

FANTAWILD THEME PARK TO OPEN IN JINGZHOU, CHINA

BY GABRIELLE

The Fangtawild Oriental Heritage Park, the first Fantawild theme park in the Chinese city of Jingzhou, Hubei, is opening on September 12, 2019.

The Fangtawild Oriental Heritage Park is located in the Jinan Ecological and Cultural Tourism Zone in the city.

The park boasts a Chinese historical culture theme, focused especially on the cultures of the Jing and Chu states.

By combining innovative technology with cultural creativity and interactive entertainment features, the theme park is designed to inject new vitality into the development of tourism culture in Hubei Province.

The new Fantawild theme park has a total of 41 indoor and outdoor rides and more than 200 buildings, designed to reflect the diversity of Chinese culture.

Many of the park’s attractions reflect iconic Chinese mythologies, including the ‘Nuwa Mended the Fallen’, ‘The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl’, ‘Shenzhou Tower’, ‘Qu Yuan’, ‘Battle of Red Cliffs’, and the ‘Folk Music in Chu State’, amongst many more.

HALLOWEEN HORROR FESTIVAL 2019 IS COMING TO MOVIE PARK GERMANY

BY GABRIELLE

Celebrating its 21st birthday, Movie Park Germany is to host a party designed to make visitors’ hair stand on end, the Halloween Horror Festival 2019.

The festival is to comprise of 23 days of horror highlights, including 4D film, a new horror house, a closing show and other creepy Halloween surprises.

More than 280 monsters and other scary creatures will ascend on Germany’s largest film and amusement park when the full moon rises above Horrorwood Studios.

DJ Max Bering will be present at this year’s show, mixing tunes designed to get guests in the party mood in the suitably themed ‘scare zone.’

Adding further intrigue to the horror festival is Stephan Nölle, who will, once again, present his hypnosis show three times a day.

The finale of the Halloween Horror Festival will be special closing show where the park will be transformed into a festival stage of horror.

Thorsten Backhaus, Movie Park Germany’s managing director, spoke of the forthcoming event.

“This year, Movie Park Germany has once again pursued the goal to present visitors with the creepiest festival in the world. For our 21st birthday, we not only have more Halloween event days than ever before in our portfolio, but also a redesigned maze that will frighten our guests.

“We have transformed the former ‘Deathpital’ into the new ‘Project Ningyo’ horror house after detailed renovation work and are looking forward to our visitors’ reactions,” Backhaus added.

The festival will run for 23 days, from October 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 31 and November 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10.

OCT’S OPERATING INCOME REACHES 17.7 BILLION YUAN IN FIRST HALF OF 2019

BY GABRIELLE

OCT, Overseas Chinese Town Enterprises, has disclosed its 2019 half-annual report. The report reveals that in the first half of 2019, the enterprise’s operating income reached 17.7 billion yuan, up 20% year-on-year.

The report also showed that the net income in the same period was up 23% year-on-year to 2.8 billion yuan and that the net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies had risen 40% year-on-year to 4.1 billion yuan.

OCT’s total assets reached 334.6 billion yuan, a 14% increase from the start of the year. At the end of the first half of 2019, the asset liability of ratio was 76.7%, a 2.93% increase from the end of 2018.

During the first half of 2019, OCT had 18 projects in operation, equating to a total investment amount of 18.14 billion yuan. The organisation’s new equity construction project comprising of 4,367,800 square metres, soared by a huge 90% year-on-tear.

OCT’s new land reserve projects were predominantly focused on first and second tier cities. The projects are designed to improve the strategic layout in Shenzhen, Xi’an, Wuxi, Nanjing, Wuhan, Jinan, Chengdu, Zhengzhou and other cities.

In relation to tourism, during the first half of the year, OCT worked on a total of 19 scenic locations, focused on leisure tourism resorts, independently operated performing arts projects, 24 hotels and a travel agency.

In the first half of the year, the company attracted 17.82 million visitors to its sites.

TOVERLAND UNVEILS NEW HALLOWEEN NIGHTS’ WALKTHROUGH EXPERIENCE

BY GABRIELLE

Toverland, the popular theme park in Sevenum, Netherlands, has announced details of its Halloween Nights event that’s taking place in October on the run up to Halloween, including an entirely new walkthrough experience.

More than 100 actors will put on frightening performances for guests in five different scary zones, two haunted castles and a hellish maze known as ‘Trapped’, which features rat-like creatures.

New to this year’s Halloween Nights event, is a walkthrough experience, known as ‘The Witches Forest.” The terrifying trail meanders through woodland on the edge of the theme park behind the Avalon area.

Brave visitors can enter The Witches Forest at their peril and go in search of a missing forest ranger.

David Slob, creative leader entertainment at the park, commented about the walkthrough experience.

“In darkness they walk a 10-minute route across misty winding footpaths.

“The Witches Forest is a place where witches rule and dark rituals are performed. Visitors are warned, because not everybody returns from this haunted forest,” said Slob.

A spectacular firework display will be held to mark the end of each Halloween Nights evening.

Halloween Nights are taking place at Toverland on 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25 and 26 October 2019.

CONNECT&GO MAKES THREE STRATEGIC APPOINTMENTS

BY GABRIELLE

Connect&GO, a global leader in RFID solutions for the leisure, sports and entertainment industries, has announced it has made three strategic executive appointments.

Mathieu Dupuis has been appointed as vice president of products and technology, François-Pierre Moffet has taken the position of chief operating officer, and Sébastien Auger takes over as president of sales and marketing.

Mathieu Dupuis began his career as a programmer for Théâtre St-Denis. Six year later, Dupuis set up his own ticketing company, Billetterie Première Loge Inc.

In 2016, Ticketpro acquired Première Loge and Dupuis was appointed as the company’s president, where he assisted Ticketpro in becoming the largest independent ticketing company in Quebec.

“After close to 20 years as an entrepreneur and president of a ticketing company, I made the decision to join an ambitious company with international goals,” Dupuis commented.

François-Pierre Moffet has a degree in computer engineering and a master’s in engineering management. He started his career at CAE, where he quickly developed from a software developer to director of learning solutions.

Moffet spent four years working as a project manager and product consultant for the mobile communications, finance and insurance industries, when he also played an important role on the council for Agile Montréal.

In 2017, Moffet worked with Montreal start-ups as chief operating officer for Sofdesk. Connect&GO’s new COO commented on his appointment:

“I felt that I had accomplished what I needed to at Sofdesk and the Connect&GO offer came at the right time. I was motivated by the challenge and the opportunity this role provides as I join the team as partner and COO.”

Sébastien Auger has than 20 years of experience in sales, working for L’Oréal in 2004, at Sagemcom two years later and, more recently, at Sponsorium, as vice president of business development.

In 2016, Auger joined Connect&GO as director of Growth.

Dominic Gagnon, Connect&GO’s co-founder, spoke of the new appointments:

“In order to deliver on our growth plan for the next few years, we needed a world-class executive committee with a proven capacity for strategic thinking. With the addition of these three leaders, everything is in place for us to reach our objectives,” said Gagnon.

CEDAR FAIR TO LAUNCH NEW GIGA COASTER AT KINGS ISLAND, OHIO

BY GABRIELLE

Cedar Fair has announced it is to install a new giga coaster at King’s Island in Ohio, USA.

Known as Orion, the giga coaster boasts a 300-foot first drop and reaches top speeds of 91mph. With 5,321 feet of track, Orion is the tallest, longest and fastest steel roller coaster at King’s Island.

The new attraction qualifies as a ‘giga coaster,’ as it boasts a drop of between 300 and 399 feet. Orion is one of just seven giga coasters in the world.

Following the first drop, the giga coaster will propel riders over seven more hills. The ride lasts for three whole minutes.

King’s Island is home to the world’s longest wooden rollercoaster, The Beast. The theme park describes itself as being the largest amusement and waterpark in the Midwest.

BARCO’S PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY INJECTS LIFE INTO SESAME STREET DARK RIDE

 BY GABRIELLE

The international technology company Barco has given the Sesame Street dark ride at PortAventura World a boost with its innovative projection technology.

Barco has been working on Sally Corporation’s Sesame Street dark ride at the popular theme park in Salou, Spain. With the projection technology, guests will come face-to-face with a number of much-loved animated Sesame Street characters, including Bert, Ernie and Big Bird.

The Sesame Street dark ride will be a landmark ride at PortAventura World.

John Stegall, vice president of technical services at Sally Corporation, spoke of the collaboration with Barco on the Sesame Street dark ride project.

“We were having difficulty finding projectors and lens that met the needs of this amazing project.

“Barco stepped up with solutions and delivered on time getting projectors flown in from all over the globe. Their sales and support staff are truly amazing,” Stegall added.

With Barco’s UDX-W22 projectors, the colour and sharpness of the dark ride’s screens are heightened.

Ed Wells, senior vice president and head of international media and education at Sesame Workshop, commented:

“Our partner PortAventura World has done an amazing job along with Sally Corporation, in capturing the true essence of the Sesame Street brand and creating an immersive experience that brings our characters to life for park guests.”

PUY DU FOU OPENS NEW THEME PARK IN SPAIN

BY GABRIELLE

Puy du Fou, the historical theme park in the Vendée region of Western France, has opened its second theme park in Spain.

Puy du Fou España in Toledo is a 30-hectare historical theme park, featuring three ancient villages, with medieval-themed shops and restaurants.

The Toledo theme park opened with a new show focused on the history of Spain, named ‘El Sueno de Toledo’.

The show re-enacts poignant events over the last 1,500 years of Spanish history, with over 185 actors and riders on stage, acting out more than 2,000 characters.

This 70-minute performance premiered on August 30. The stage for ‘El Sueno de Toledo’ stretches for five hectares. Around 1,200 costumes are showcased to the maximum with 800 projectors, 60 waterjets, and 28 HD video projectors.

A total of 4,000 spectators can enjoy the special effects and scenery, which is brought to life with light, fire, drones and pyrotechnics.

More than 60,000 visitors are expected to watch the new Puy du Fou show during its first 15 performances of 2019.

Puy du Fou España is due to open fully in 2021 with additional performances.

Puy du Fou plans to host more shows in France and Spain and, by 2030, aims to have opened four themed hotels.

BUILDING COMMENCES AT LEGOLAND WATERPARK, GARDALAND

BY GABRIELLE

Tuesday September 3, 2019 saw the first Lego brick laid at the building site of Legoland Waterpark at Gardaland.

The iconic brick was placed during an entertainment ceremony, attended by Gardaland’s CEO, Aldo Maria Vigevani, Luca Marigo, Gardaland’s sales and marketing director, and Prezzemolo, Italy’s much-loved mascot.

Young journalists from the ‘Kids Reporters’ also attended the ceremony, taking part in a TV report to inform about the latest innovations of the new Legoland Waterpark.

Aldo Maria Vigevani, commented on the ceremony:

“This is an important day because we are starting to lay the foundations of a project that has been underway for three years already. With an estimated investment sum of 20 million euros, Legoland Waterpark at Gardaland will open in June 2020, covering an area of 15,000 square metres to the joy of countless young families, both Italian and from abroad.”

The waterpark will be home to a diverse range of attractions and activities for all ages, enabling children to have fun and great creative at the same time.

As Luca Marigo says:

“It will be a fantastic water park, constructed with millions of colourful Lego bricks, where children over 2 years old can have fun, unique Lego building experiences and interactive games, while parents can relax in the luscious green nature.

“Thanks to this great new addition to the park, there will be even more ways to have fun, making Gardaland the perfect destination for families of all ages, where they can enjoy days packed with even more adventure, magic and fantasy,” Marigo added.

The 15,000 square waterpark will open in June 2020.

Gardaland’s Legoland Waterpark is Europe’s first Lego-themed waterpark and only the fifth of its kind in the world. Other Lego waterparks can be found in California, Florida, Dubai and Malaysia.