PROSLIDE SHOWCASES RANGE OF WORLD-CLASS RIDES AT SEA

BY GABRIELLE

ProSlide Technology, a world leader in the design and manufacture of water rides and attractions, showcased a series of world-class rides at the Saudi Entertainment and Amusement show (SEA) 2020.

SEA 2020 took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 3 – 5. During the event, ProSlide exhibited a number of its newest and most innovative rides and attractions, installed at leading waterparks around the world.

Such attractions include the rides at Rulantica at Europa-Park, Europe’s newest waterpark, which features a number of ProSlide creations, including the CannnonBOWL, the Dueling PIPEline and the TornadoWAVE 60.

In May 2020, a new ProSlide water ride is opening at Holiday World in the United States. Known as the Cheetah Chase, the ride is the world’s first Dueling Launch Water Coaster featuring ProSlide’s RocketBLAST technology.

NEW MONORAILS TO OPEN AT TOKYO DISNEY RESORT IN MAY

BY GABRIELLE

New monorails are opening at Tokyo Disney Resort in May 2020, including a new ‘Type C’ monorail.

The design of the new monorails is in-keeping with the style of the currently operating the Disney Resort Line, with a two-colour graduation to resemble softy-flowing waves on the sides of the trains. The monorails also boast larger Mickey Mouse windows designed to improve travellers’ viewability of the park.

Inside, the monorails have a bigger width and height and lengthened seats to improve boarding and uploading procedures. Wide spaces have been added to the third and fourth cars of each train, and a freestanding space has also been allocated on each vehicle to accommodate for guests with wheelchairs.

Also new to the upgraded monorails are Mickey Mouse shaped handles which have been installed at different height levels so both children and adults can use them.

The observation sear on the new trains are also positioned so that visitors in wheelchairs can use them.

The first of the five new monorail trains will open at Tokyo Disney resort on May 21, 2020 with the remaining trains being rolled out by 2024.

SIX FLAGS THEME PARKS GIVEN CERTIFIED AUTISM CENTRE STATUS

BY GABRIELLE

All of Six Flags’ 26 theme parks have become Certified Autism Centres (CAC), making Six Flags the first company to be awarded with CAC designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) in all locations.

The CAC designation from IBCCES requires that at least 80% of staff that interact with visitors at a site have completed an autism training and certification programme.

Staff must also complete audits on site and undergo ongoing training centred on understanding autism and the best strategies for enhancing communication, safety and guest experience.

As Certified Autism Centres, Six Flags theme parks will provide a sensory guide for every attraction and ride, trained team members that can accommodate for the needs of visitors on the autism spectrum, special sensory spaces where guests can ‘take time out’ in a less stimulating environment, an updated Accessibility Guide and expanded culinary options to meet special dietary needs.

Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman, commented on the CAC designation: “So many families just need more communication and understanding from parks and other attractions, so they can make those memories together that we all cherish.

“In some cases, small changes can make a huge impact, and our certification program ensures each park is committed to long-term growth and understanding, not just a one-time training.”

Six Flags’ VP of safety, Jason Freeman, said: “We are proud to partner with IBCCES to ensure that guests on the autism spectrum have the best possible experience when visiting our parks.

“The certification process will equip our team members with the tools and training needed to better serve guests with special needs.

“We want them to know Six Flags stands ready to welcome them with open arms,” Freeman added.

SEVEN SEAS FOOD FESTIVAL RETURNS TO SEAWORLD ORLANDO

BY GABRIELLE

The Seven Seas Food Festival is returning to SeaWorld Orlando for another year in 2020, giving visitors the opportunity to sample street food from around the world.

This year’s festival will be held from February 7 until May 5, including every Friday. Visitors will be able to sample more than 180 international street food options.

New to the 2020 Seven Seas Food Festival will be duck and mushroom ramen bowl, chicken and waffle and cricket crusted bison slider.

As well as tasting different delicacies from around the world, guests at SeaWorld Orlando will be able to enjoy live entertainment at the park every Saturday and Sunday at 6pm at the Bayside Stadium. Both the Food Festival and the live entertainment are included with theme park admission.

The entertainment line-up kicks off with Maddie & Tae on February 8 and concludes with Sean Paul on May 3.

QUASSY APPOINTS GEORGE FRANTZIS III AS HR DIRECTOR

 BY GABRIELLE

Quassy Amusement and Waterpark in Middlebury, United States, has named George Frantzis III as the company’s new human resources director.

27-year-old Frantzis is the fourth generation of family members to work at the amusement and waterpark site, which was purchased by his great-grandfather, John Frantzis, along with two business partners in 1937.

From 2010 – 2015, George Frantzis III worked as ride supervisor at the lakeside facility.

Talking about the appointment, Frantzis said: “Small family businesses are the foundation of a great economy. My position specifically deals with creating great entry-level opportunities for our employees and providing an excellent experience for our customers.

“I’m extremely proud to be a part of the team again!”

Quassy Amusement and Waterpark is owned by the Frantzis and Anderson families, who live in the local area and take care of the day-to-day operations of the popular attractions site.

The amusement ride part of Quassy opens for the 2020 season on April 25. Splash Away Bay waterpark and Quassy Beach are due to open on May 23.

NEW ATTRACTIONS AT FERRARI WORLD ABU DHABI

BY GABRIELLE

The award-winning Ferrari World Abu Dhabi theme park is introducing several exciting new attractions in celebration of its tenth anniversary later this year. The new attractions include a Zip Line and a Roof Walk experience.

A new dedicated Family Zone is also set to open in March and will include four state-of-the-art miniature versions of the park’s most iconic attractions including the Turbo Tower, Speedway Race, Flying Wings and a Formula Rossa Junior. The zone will feature a track with twists and turns as well as a diverse collection of thrilling rides and experiences for the whole family to enjoy, including small children.

The Roof Walk experience will involve guests scaling the park’s iconic red roof, with the Zip Line attraction stretching for an impressive 400 metres long.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s General Manager, Bianca Sammut, said of the new attractions: “2020 is already shaping up to be a big year for the park with the much-anticipated countdown to our 10-year anniversary celebrations this November. It brings me great pride to welcome family attractions and new experiences that continue to provide entertainment for our guests.”

Sammut also revealed that the park’s award-winning Italian restaurant, Mamma Rossella, has just introduced a special kids’ menu.

These new attractions join the ranks of the world’s fastest rollercoaster, Formula Rossa, and the record-breaking rollercoaster, Flying Aces, in making Ferrari World Abu Dhabi one of the most exciting theme parks in the world. Other racing-related thrills the park offers include Benno’s Great Race, the Karting Academy and the Fiorano GT Challenge.

FUNTIME GROUP INTRODUCE BOOSTER UNHINGED RIDE

BY GABRIELLE

One of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of extreme thrill rides, the Funtime Group, recently introduced an even more extreme version of their famous Booster ride at Prater Park in Vienna, Austria.

The new Booster Unhinged now has guests experiencing three separate motions all at once from their unique individual seating. With completely unobstructed views, thrill-seekers experience the rotation of the main boom along with the powered rotation of the seating rigs and the free-flipping gravitational motion of each individual seat.

The Prater Park site has been the Funtime Group’s favourite location to debut new rides due to its proximity to their factory. Their General Manager, Hannes Lackner, said of the new ride: “After over 20 years of success with our original Booster rides, Funtime felt the time had come to re-imagine the concept and deliver yet another dimension of thrills that our clients and fans expect from our company.” Lackner added that the Booster Unhinged ride had so far exceeded all expectations.

Funtime are also opening two classic Boosters in the United States at two Six Flags theme parks, one at the St. Louis site and the other at the Great Escape in New York. They should be up and running for thrill-seeking guests to enjoy by the spring of 2020.

MARDI GRAS THEMED TRIBUTE STORE DEBUTS AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA

BY GABRIELLE

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Mardi Gras celebration, a store boasting a Mardi Gras theme has opened at Universal Studios Florida.

The Mardi Gras-themed retailtainment experience is located close to the French Quarter in the New York zone of Universal Studios Florida.

As well as uniquely designed Universal Orlando Mardi Gras merchandise, the store features photo opportunities. Visitors entering the retaintainment site find themselves in an old, dusty and forgotten jazz hall, where ghostly trumpets blast out music.

Guests are then taken to a cemetery-style room, surrounded by eerie statues and tombs. The cemetery is inspired by the famous Lafayette Cemetery in New Orleans.

Guests then head to the bayou of New Orleans, where they will face a swamp, shacks and the sound of water.

Merchandise available in the store include Mardi Gras-themed masks, apparel, hand-painted skulls, voodoo doll charms, collectible cups and skull walking sticks.

The Mardi Gras shop will remain open at Universal Studios Florida until the end of the Mardi Gras on April 2, 2020.

INTERNATIONAL THEME PARK SERVICES TO MARKET SBARRO PIZZAS

 BY GABRIELLE

Good news for pizza-loving theme park fans as International Theme Park Services (ITPS) have announced a partnership that will see Sbarro pizzas introduced to amusement parks, water parks as well as in family entertainment centres, aquariums and zoos.

ITPS is the global leisure industry’s leading independent, full-service consulting firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company’s founder and CEO, Dennis Speigel, said of the pizza deal: “ITPS believes that the financial impact of bringing the quality of Sbarro to the theme park and attractions world can be substantial due to the global power of the IP and impact of the brand as one of the top pizza brands in the world.”

Sbarro is the leading quick-serve pizzeria chain specialising in New York-style pizza sold by the slice as well as other Italian-American cuisine. Sbarro and ITPS believe their partnership to be a perfect fit for the theme park and attractions industry. Park operators will be able to increase the menu variety on offer to their guests, ultimately improving their profit margins.

The CEO of Sbarro, David Karam, was enthusiastic about the potential of the partnership, saying: “Sbarro is excited to collaborate with ITPS as we continue the expansion of our brand into an industry that we believe is well suited for our flexible operating model, one which we know can improve guest satisfaction and increase sales.”