LEGACY ENTERTAINMENT ASIAN PROJECTS EARN TOP HONOURS AND AWARDS

 BY GABRIELLE

Legacy Entertainment, a leading designer of entertainment projects, has announced three of its projects in Asia have been recognised by some of the world’s top tourism authorities.

One accolade was made in honour of Macau City Studio, which was designed by Legacy Entertainment for Melco Entertainment. The resort is to receive the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award for the third year in a run. Summing up the resort, Forbes said: “The property is a flashy, cinema-themed behemoth with just about any entertainment option you can think of — the luxurious Star Tower hotel, concert venues, a 4D Batman ride, exquisite shopping opportunities, some 30 restaurants, a white-sand beach and pool, a sprawling spa and, believe it or not, a whole lot more.”

The 11th Annual China Best Cultural Tourism Awards saw two Legacy-designed projects pick up awards.

The Legacy-designed Kingdom of Poseidon in the northeast city of Harbin took home the “Best Indoor Theme Park” award at the prestigious event. Kingdom of Poseidon features a signature Indoor waterpark, as well as an outdoor waterpark zone, an aquarium, retail, dining and an entertainment promenade.

The upcoming, Legacy-designed Chimelong Forest Kingdom was named “Most Anticipated Theme Park”. The site will be home to one of the world’s largest theme parks when it debuts later this decade in Qingyuan, China.

Other recent accolades given to Legacy Entertainment projects include Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, which was named “Best Theme Park” at the China Cultural & Tourism Development Conference.

Marcus King, Legacy Entertainment’s chief projects officer and co-owner said: “Our entire team is thrilled at the sustained success of the projects we’ve been lucky enough to help bring to life. These awards and recognitions are testaments to the vision and leadership of our partners, as well as to their continued commitment to quality and safety above all else, often long after opening day has passed.”

LEGACY ENTERTAINMENT TO DESIGN NEW ‘HAPPY VALLEY’ FOR OCT GROUP

BY GABRIELLE

China’s leading attraction operators the OCT Group have selected California-based Legacy Entertainment to design a new Happy Valley theme park. The new park will be the ninth Happy Valley to be built and will be located in the city of Zhengzhou in the Henan Province.

Since their founding in 2002, Legacy Entertainment have carved out a reputation as one of the world’s leading entertainment design studios and will craft a unique and original design for the new theme park. The company has experience developing projects in China, having been the creative force behind several projects in the country including the Chimelong Marine Science Centre which is set to open later this year.

Legacy’s president and chief creative officer, Taylor Jeffs, said of the partnership: “We are extremely honoured to have been selected to help OCT create the next generation of Happy Valley Theme Parks. Ever since my first visit to a Happy Valley park in 2007, my team and I have dreamed of a collaboration with OCT – so it is thrilling and humbling for us now that that dream has come true.”

The OCT Group are by far China’s largest theme park developer and operator with multiple attractions including Windows on the World, OCT East and Splendid China, in addition to the Happy Valley parks.

No date has yet been set for completion of the latest Happy Valley, though the eighth Happy Valley park is due to open later this year in the city of Nanjing in China’s eastern Jiangsu Province.

LEGACY ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES TWO PROJECT DEBUTS FOR 2020

BY GABRIELLE

Legacy Entertainment, a leading entertainment design firm, has announced it will debut two high-profile projects in 2020 – China’s Chimelong Marine Science Park in May and Vietnam’s Vinpearl Sea Shell in July.

The news of the project debuts follows a record-breaking year for Legacy Entertainment in 2019, which saw the opening of three new theme parks and the design of two ground-breaking dark rides.

The Chimelong Marine Science Park is a hybrid theme park and indoor aquarium. The park will extend nearly 4,000,000 sq. ft., making it the world’s largest indoor theme park.

Barry Kemper, Legacy’s chief operating officer, commented: “Under the guidance of Su Zhigang, Chimelong has become the standard-bearer for domestic theme parks in China, both in terms of quality and safety. We believe this latest undertaking will secure Chimelong’s place at the forefront of location-based entertainment, not just in China, but for the world.”

The opening of the Sea Shell on the island of Phú Quốc’s Vinpearl Land resort in July, will mark Legacy Entertainment’s first project in Vietnam. The 300,000 sq. ft. site features a sleek turtle-inspired motif and takes guests on a journey through five themed galleries.

Taylor Jeffs, Legacy’s president and chief creative officer, spoke of the dramatic exterior design, commenting: “Our primary goal has been to create a signature icon for the island of Phú Quốc and for our client, Vinpearl – something wholly-unique that will capture the attention of potential visitors from all around the globe.”

TURTLE-SHAPED AQUARIUM COMING TO PHÚ QUỐC ISLAND, VIETNAM IN 2020

BY GABRIELLE

A state of the art aquarium is to make its debut in early 2020, on Vietnam’s island resort destination of Phú Quốc.

This turtle-shaped aquarium named The Sea Shell has been developed by Vinpearl, the leisure division of Vietnam’s Vingroup real estate company. The pioneering attraction is part of an all-new theme park development on the island.

Vinpeal has been working alongside two world leaders in aquarium design – Legacy Entertainment and Advanced Aquariums Technologies, a collaboration which sees The Sea Shell promise to be a thoroughly unique and technologically advanced aquarium facility.

Hollywood-based Legacy Entertainment helped create the aquarium’s iconic turtle-inspired design.

Taylor Jeffs, Legacy Entertainment’s president and chief creative officer, commented on the aquarium: “With every project we take on, we like to be inspired by local stories.

“In Vietnam, even before working on this project, we had been fascinated by Vietnamese mythology relating to turtles. So, when this project began, it was one of the first ideas we honed in on,” said Jeffs.

Australia-based Advanced Aquariums Technologies (AAT) worked on ensuring The Sea Shell would be one of the most modern and humane aquarium facilities on the planet.

Jason Vanhinnisdael, AAT’s business development manager, commented: “From the ample tank design, to the state-of-the-art Life Support Systems, Vinpearl’s Sea Shell will be a model for all other aquarium developers moving forward.”

The Sea Shell is part of a wider proposal to greatly expand the range of tourism offerings on Phú Quốc Island, including the building of a theme park and waterpark.

HENGDIAN WORLD STUDIOS DEBUTS ‘DREAM BUND’ MOVIE STUDIO AND THEME PARK

BY GABRIELLE

Hengdian World Studios, China’s ‘film and television capital’, premiered the grand opening of the ‘Dream Bund’ movie studio and theme park.

The opening of Dream Bund in Hengdian, China’s ‘City of Film and Television,’ marks the continued expansion of the largest film and TV shooting site in the world.

The studios are renowned for their collection of full-scale sets, and intricate recreations of a number of iconic Chinese sites and palaces.

The new theme park is designed in the style of Shanghai’s iconic waterfront district during the first half of the 20th Century.

The theme park is designed to enable attractions to operate concurrently with up to twenty film and television productions, at any given time.

The park is due to be rolled out in phases over the next year. Its opening day program will include the signature Trolley Tour, a historical museum, and the Broadway Hotel, modelled on the Broadway Mansions building in Shanghai.

Legacy Entertainment, US-based theme park and resort designers, helped with the design of the 280,000 square metre project.

Barry Kemper, partner and chief operating officer at Legacy Entertainment, commented on the challenges of the project:

“Capturing the inherent beauty and romance of Shanghai’s yesteryear was the easy part for us. Balancing the operational demands of both a movie studio and a theme park, each complex in and of itself, was not.

“We sincerely enjoyed our collaboration with Hengdian World Studios, as they are not only one of China’s best tourism operators, but their attention to detail is second to none in the market.”

TRANS STUDIO CIBUBUR THEME PARK PREPARES FOR LAUNCH OF IMMERSIVE THEATRE DARK RIDE

BY GABRIELLE

Trans Studio Cibubur theme park in Jakarta, Indonesia is gearing up for the grand opening of the ‘Pacific Rim: Shatterdome Strike’, a mega dark ride that is centred on the hit motion picture franchise from Legendary Entertainment.

Hailed as the “world’s first immersive theatre dark ride,” the experience runs for almost 20 minutes and occurs of four distinct parts, as guests go face-to-face with three new deadly Kaijus, each of which has unique powers and abilities.

The experience will start at the launch ceremony for the Pan Pacific Defense Corp’s first Mark VII Jaeger, the innovative Storm Garuda.

Due to a combination of 3D film sequences, practical effects, and state of the art ride vehicle technology, guests will have the chance to pilot the most advanced mobile weapon in the PPDC’s fleet. A surprise twist also takes place midway through the ride.

Legacy Entertainment, Hollywood-based specialists in the design and creation of innovative attractions, teamed up with media producers, Lay-Carnagey Entertainment (LCE), a media production team, to direct and produce the attraction’s media components.

Drew Von Bergen, manager of franchise management at Legendary Entertainment, spoke about the new attraction.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Trans Studio on the world’s first ‘Pacific Rim’ dark ride. Their commitment to both creative ambition and quality of execution has made for an experience that we believe will thrill and delight parkgoers.”

WORLD’S LONGEST SPINNING RAPIDS RIDE OPENS IN CHINA

BY GABRIELLE

Waterpark manufacturers, WhiteWater, have opened the world’s longest spinning rapids ride at Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, China.

Lava Drifting opened in May 2019. Not only is it the longest spinning rapid ride in the world, but its is also the world’s first spinning rapids ride with actual rapid rivers.

The Spinning Rapids Fusion water ride is approximately 1km long. Asides boasting actual rapid rivers, the ride takes visitors through tunnels, conveyor belts and multiple drops, before coming to a finale comprising of a steep drop into giant Manta feature.

The whole ride takes 11 minutes from start to finish.

Nathan Jones, president of Park Attractions at WhiteWater, commented on the new spinning rapids ride:

“It’s the first water ride ever to combine elements from the spinning rapids ride, a traditional rapids ride, and new iconic water slide elements. I believe that this is not only the longest spinning rapids ride in the world, but the longest of any rapids rides yet.”

WhiteWater collaborated with Legacy Entertainment, which developed the preliminary layout for the ride.

Taylor Jeffs, Legacy’s president and chief creative officer, commented:

“I have been a huge fan of this ride system since first riding L’oxygénarium at Parc Astérix in 2002, so it is a great pleasure to collaborate with WhiteWater on the most ambitious incarnation of this type of water ride ever conceived.”

“Legacy always puts a great deal of value on the integration of attractions into their environments, and as such, the ride path has been carefully woven through the Rainbow Falls section of the park, including a climax in the park’s iconic volcano. This symbiotic relationship is instrumental in activating the land,” Taylor added.