Intamin's Pantheon brings more speed, thrills to Busch Gardens Willamsburg

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The five Roman gods, Pluto, Neptune, Mercury, Minerva and Jupiter are all in agreement. Pantheon delivers strength, speed and power. In late March, guests at Busch Gardens Williamsburg got to experience those adrenalin-pumping attributes first-hand.

Billed as the world’s fastest multi-launch coaster, Pantheon is situated in a previously undeveloped plot of land in the Festa Italia section of the park, close to nearby Apollo’s Chariot and Tempesto roller coasters. The five gods are part of the theming of the attraction, with a different section of the track reflecting each of their respective powers.

Originally slated to premiere in 2020, the Intamin Worldwide roller coaster suffered a two-year pandemic-driven delay. Pantheon, the eighth in Busch Gardens arsenal of roller coasters, is a record breaker on numerous fronts. The 73 mph, 180-foot tall, 3,328-foot-long ride has a 95-degree drop, four launches, with five air-time hills, two inversions and a 90-degree, 180-foot spire, all in 1 minute and 52 seconds.

Three of the launches are in the forward direction, while one sends the train backward. There are 15 airtime moments, with elements such as a zero-G stall and roll, top hat, bunny hill, trick track into another launch, a planned roll back, speed turn and an overbanked turn. It should be noted that the total ride length is 4,226 feet, which includes a roll back into the spike and then in the forward direction the rest of the ride. There is a 52” minimum height requirement.

Elizabeth Ringas, communications director of the American Coaster Enthusiasts described her initial reactions to the latest park attraction: “A tumultuous ride. It’s unpredictable. You don’t know if you’re going forwards or backwards, you’re going fast, you’re going slow. That makes it interesting.”

The initial planning process was a collaboration between the park and headquarters as Park President Kevin Lembke explained: “We work very closely with our corporate rides team in Orlando. Certainly, they’re the experts on the design and engineering side, in constant consultation with the park — what will work operationally, what are our guests asking for, what do we think would complement the park, what’s missing in the park experience. It’s a great partnership with our team in Orlando,” said Lembke.

Suzy Cheely, director, design and engineering talked about the timeline for Pantheon. “We actually started a few years ago. We start out with a napkin sketch, then kind of go through our ideas of different alternate rides we might want to put in. Obviously, we’re looking at ones we already have and what’s out on the market these days. We chose this Intamin multi-launch coaster and we couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s just epic thrills the whole way through – a lot of fun.” Cheely was quick to praise the experience they had with the ride manufacturer. “Very good. They’re very professional. It was really a good partnership.”

During construction, Sandor Kernacs, president of IntaRide, LLC (a subsidiary of Intamin Worldwide that oversaw the construction project), visited the park every week, from his office in Glen Burnie, Maryland (Washington D.C. suburb), to make sure everything was going along smoothly. Asked what his company does, Kernacs said, “We build custom rides. We get the layout from the customer and come up with a product.” Kernacs talked about working with the park. “It was great! We have a very good relationship with all SeaWorld parks.” As for the ride, “Very fast and smooth. A good ride for the money.”

The pandemic took its toll on the progress of Pantheon. “COVID slowed down a lot of things. Our park was actually closed for several months. Everybody had to reschedule (sub-contractors). All the people weren’t available at the same time. It’s been interesting. Supply chains are still kind of disrupted,” said Cheely.

She explained why this particular style of coaster was chosen for this location. “This is the one that fit this area. This was area that really was underdeveloped. We had horse pastures here. We have developed some new ones, back off the beaten path. It’s been a homerun for us. The best part for me is when I see the guests after they’ve ridden the ride and the big smiles and everything. It’s definitely well worth it.”

A new attraction is always an attendance booster, as Lembke explains. “Anytime we launch a major attraction like that [Pantheon], certainly demand increases, as you would expect. We’re expecting big things this year. This is the biggest expansion [from a roller coaster standpoint], since Verbolten, which was 2012. We’re in store for a big year.”

When asked what Pantheon means to the park, Lembke said, “A once-in-a-generation ride. There’s nothing like it, certainly in this region and very few even close to it in the world. We’re debuting one-of-a-kind elements. This is a game changer for Busch Gardens. This addition is such a complement to the thrills we already have and gives guests something they haven’t seen before. We truly are a coaster destination. It’s so amazing to have something like that here on the mid-Atlantic, right here in Williamsburg.”

SeaWorld Parks is adding numerous roller coasters throughout the chain and with good reason. “It’s all about guest demand. What are guests asking for,” said Lembke. “I think we’ve seen, even at the SeaWorld parks, they can complement the experience. You’re still getting all the animal components, the educational components — the beauty of those parks.

“People love thrill rides as well, whether that’s a family thrill or high thrill like Pantheon — I think they can all work together. I think the added dimensions that coasters bring to something like a SeaWorld Park — I think it’s been really important, and we know it’s been good, because our guests are telling us it’s good, ultimately that’s what matters the most. As you’ve seen or heard from our leadership team, you can expect that to continue over the next few years.”

What is Lembke’s favorite seat on Pantheon? “You know in the front row; the view is so great because the front of the car is so low — it feels like you are driving it — that part is amazing. From a thrill experience, I would say the back is actually the best. When you go up the spike backwards, you get the most height in the back of the train. Then as you go over the top hat, that whipping motion as you go over the hill is pretty fantastic. Can’t go wrong either way, but I’ll vote for the back.”

S&S supplies world’s

largest Screaming Swing to SeaWorld San Antonio

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

SAN ANTONIO — “Everything is bigger in Texas” is, unfortunately, an over-used phrase that somewhat diminishes its charm with its repetition. But doggone it — when it fits, it fits. SeaWorld San Antonio made sure of it.

Construction had started on Tidal Surge before the pandemic shocked the world in the spring of 2020. SeaWorld San Antonio’s new Texas Stingray wooden coaster had opened just under the wire. But savvy guests were noting activity behind walls near the edge of the park’s central lake. Erection of the ride was so apparent last summer that the park couldn’t conceal it anymore. The announcement of Tidal Surge — the tallest and largest ride of its kind — had guests excited.

As March began, the enormous sea life park readied its newest offering for the upcoming spring break crowds. Built by S&S Worldwide, the new attraction is a Screaming Swing that takes full advantage of the setting.

“As you are riding this ride, it takes you out over the water, and as you’re coming back down, it’s almost as if you are going in the water,” said Park President Byron Surrett. “It’s very much a thrill ride, and that’s why we put it there. That was the key thought — to create that excitement.”

A Screaming Swing uses air power to launch two pendulums back and forth before they swing beyond the actual height of the structure.

“I think the Screaming Swing is one of the most underrated rides built in the world,” said Preston Perkes, executive director of administration, S&S. “This ride uses the patented S&S air-launched technology. We know how to launch people, and we did that with the swing with pneumatics. You don’t feel like you are just being pulled by gravity because you aren’t. You are getting pushed and launched. That ride accelerates so quickly.”

Standing at 105 feet, it is the largest of its kind. In operation, the two swinging arms reach a height of 135 feet.

“Every time I came off, I was so terrified, excited and thrilled. You climb to the max height so quickly. You go from 0 to 135 feet in a matter of seconds,” said Perkes.

“When you’re up there, you’re 135 feet in the air. You’re seeing the whole park if you take the time to look,” added Surrett.

Tidal Surge offers two experiences in a way, depending upon which direction riders face. One direction swings riders toward the lake, the other puts guests staring face down into the water. Surrett finds rushing toward the water to be the most suspenseful. But both sides have their own thrill, all but demanding that riders brave enough to give it a second go should face the other direction.

“They really picked the perfect location of that ride, being on the edge of the lake,” Perkes told Amusement Today. “Not only do you experience going up over the queue line and being above all the people, but you also get to swing out over the lake. It is so fast, and you go so high so quickly. It’s unbelievable.”

Anticipation for the ride is enhanced as the queue is placed directly in the swinging path of both booms, an uncharacteristic trait in comparison to other attractions of this type.

“That’s exactly why we did that,” confirmed Surrett. “Having people to be able to look up and literally feel the wind, all of that was part of our thought process in order to create more excitement before people board the ride.”

“You’re not just looking straight down. Riders are beyond 90 degrees. Your head is below your feet. It is terrifying, but it is one that is so thrilling and so fun. It’s not like any other swinging ride [on the market],” said Perkes. “I had fun standing by the exit to watch. When the ride vehicles swing past you, you feel this big rush of wind.”

Positioning this new attraction at the water’s edge was important, but with that came challenges on the park’s part.

The park had to lower the lake level and temporarily was unable to perform ski shows until that portion of construction was completed.

The water in the lake is used for multiple things, according to Surrett, including the park’s rapids ride and irrigation. It took almost two weeks to get the water level down to put the dam in place.

“On a smaller scale, but it was a little bit like Wave Breaker [Intamin launch coaster positioned over the opposite side of the lake]. We actually had to put a bladder in there and hold the water back like a little dam. It was like that for probably four months,” Surrett explained to AT. “Being able to do it right by the water for both of those attractions was pretty key for us.”

Tidal Surge makes for 22 Screaming Swings in operation around the world. Many of the installations seat 32 and stand 64 feet. SeaWorld’s version is one of three that seat 40 passengers.

“You can look at the 105-foot-tall ride on the ground and think it looks fun, but the experience is so much greater than you think you’re going to have when you’re on the ground,” said Perkes. “If you can imagine the size difference with those arms and how far they swing and how fast they swing — it’s just taller and better.”

While the physical structure of the ride can look somewhat industrial — which has led to various themes around the globe — the beautiful aesthetics to Tidal Surge help make it a standout.

“It’s fun to see what each park does with the twists they put into the theming,” said Perkes. “With this particular ride, you see all the sea colors, and it has sort of a coral feel. Where you have maintenance platforms, they’ve covered those up with coral reef-type cutouts. They’ve done a great job with that. We here [at S&S] are really great at rides, but the creativity comes from the park, and SeaWorld has done a great job with that.”

Chuck Cureau, marketing, SeaWorld San Antonio, feels the very essence of the ride ties into the theme. “The mechanics of the ride sound like the tide moving in and out.”

Tidal Surge was not the first Screaming Swing purchased by the theme park chain. The sister park in Virginia had purchased a 32-seat version and took advantage of the park’s terrain.

“Busch Gardens Williamsburg did the same thing with Finnegan’s Flyer. The SeaWorld Group seems to put the rides in unique locations,” said Perkes. “In that park, they positioned it on a ravine area, making the land part of the experience. San Antonio did the same thing. They couldn’t have picked a better spot for the ride.”

SeaWorld San Antonio is open year round on weekends with daily operation during the summer, spring break and winter holidays.

“Working with the SeaWorld team over the past few years has been a great experience,” said Perkes. “They’re a sharp team; they know what they want, and they know what they are doing.”

Spring is here, the sun is out

AT NOTEBOOK: John W.C. Robinson, jrobinson@amusementtoday.com

This past month, the sun was out more and opportunity knocked, so I was traveling a fair amount. Between a couple road trips on my Harley, flying out to Las Vegas for the Amusement Expo 2022 and just general observations, I've been able to confirm one thing for certain: travel — and tourism — are definintely back!

Driving friends and family to the airport, I observed lines of spring break vacationers literally pouring out the doors of the baggage drop and check-in area. At an airport where check-in is normally a walkup experience (even prior to COVID-19), that's a clear indicator that people are ready to travel and get away for fun.

I took a ride to Myrtle Beach and visited Funplex there. No matter the evening hour, roads were backed up with travelers to the area eager to reach their destination. And, at the park itself, no ride sat stagnant for much longer than it would take to load up the next cycle of riders.

On a random Tuesday evening, hotels in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains in the Carolinas were booked solid from travelers.

Even with gas topping $4/gallon (and nearing $5/gallon in some areas), interstates were filled with travelers displaying license plates from across the continental U.S. and multiple king-sized RVs carried families to their latest vacation destinations.

When chillier weather hit randomly, it deterred no one. Despite clouds and a chilly breeze, Kings Island's opening weekend saw a parking lot with a constant influx of cars and its front gates saw guests eager to return to the thrilling attractions within.

After years under the fears of the pandemic and all that came with it, people clearly are ready to get out of the house — and get out of their local area — and enjoy the world around them, our industry's attractions and travel once again. Tourism is back and, even with obstacles still ahead, it does not look to be slowing down any time soon.

Small venues get lost in the shuffle

INDUSTRY VOICE: B. Derek Shaw, bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

Years ago, fairs, large festivals and events around the country had a plethora of amusement ride companies to choose from to provide their carnival midway. In fact, these organizations were in the driver’s seat when it came to selection of a ride provider. However, these days things are different.

The Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA) had 165 member carnivals in 1994. In pre-pandemic 2019, that number was reduced to 115 carnival members.

The whole playing field has changed. Many carnival companies have simply gone out of business, due to the economic climate, insurance costs, staffing issues, the effects of COVID-19 or the next generation not ready or willing to take the reins. On top of that, some operations have merged with another to make a larger carnival company.

Of course, the players left are vying for the bigger spots to play and rightfully so, leaving the smaller venues to fend for themselves. The remaining carnival operators are now in the driver’s seat. The local fireman’s carnival, church bazaar, and smaller festivals and non-profit organization events with a more limited run, may not have any choice when it comes to a carnival to play their dates as many have migrated to larger locations with longer dates.

What can these small community events do? They may be faced with finding an operator with fewer rides or becoming creative with numerous inflatables or other attractions like axe throwing, pie eating contests, interactive games, petting zoos and family-oriented activities.

Or worse yet, no amusements at all.

The times have changed and unfortunately some spots will be left managing the best they can with what they can cobble together.

Tale of the Tail

Robbinsville, N.C. — Amusement Today Editor and Production Manager John Robinson took advantage of early spring weather to enjoy the real life roller coaster known as the Tail of the Dragon. The unique road — featuring 318 curves in its 11-mile span — borders the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is a favorite among motorcycle riders for its challenging ride and thrilling turns. Robinson rode his 1994 Harley-Davidson Softail, which was originally titled to Ohio's fomer-Americana Amusement Park, through the wild turns while on a road trip to visit The Funplex Myrtle Beach.

AT/JOHN W.C. ROBINSON

Zamperla to provide major ride package to Paradise Pier in Biloxi

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

BILOXI, Miss. — The Margaritaville Resort is now moving forward with plans for a themed amusement pier. Built atop a parking structure over the water, the Gulf of Mexico’s newest entertainment destination will be called Paradise Pier Fun Park.

A 12-ride package from Zamperla will provide the majority of the attractions, but a handful of others will create the full complement.

“We have been in discussions for the better part of five years,” said Michael Coleman, North American sales, Zamperla. “We are now ready for foundations.”

With planning underway for so long, Zamperla had been on top of manufacturing and is preparing rides to arrive in early summer. With the unpredictability of transportation, labor and the supply chain during a global pandemic, hopes are that the amusement pier will be entertaining guests by late summer.

Rides are preparing to ship this month. The structure has been in place for some time.

“From the very beginning, the intention was to have an amusement park built on top of it,” said Coleman.

The ride package consists of a Galleon 42, Mega Disk’O 24, Super Happy Swing, Jump Around, Sky Tower, Samba Balloon, Midi Family Swinger, 16-seat Discovery Revolution, Speedway, Air Race 6.2, Pump & JumpZ and a double-decker carousel.

Pump & JumpZ was a new ride introduced at the IAAPA Expo in November 2021. Coleman says the Air Race 6.2 is the first of that model in North America.

“It has a more compact footprint,” said Coleman, “Based on the structure where the amusement park is going to live, spatially there were some challenges. Looking at how to maximize the offerings to the guests, we looked at the 6.2, which has existed in indoor centers and malls around the world. It’s still the main ride action but in a compact space.”

The ride arsenal offers a wide mix to appeal to children and families, as well as some thrill rides. Coleman stated that each ride will have custom theming.

“The carousel is one that has never been seen before,” Coleman told Amusement Today. “This is the first double-decker carousel for us to bring to market. It’s a combination of horses, bench seating and teacup style gondolas.”

Because of the venue’s position on the oceanfront, safety consideration had to be taken for weather and the possibility of hurricanes.

“You have a highly corrosive environment,” said Coleman. “Rides are also subject to very high wind speeds. The physical engineering that has gone into the rides help them withstand the potential for maximum threat windspeeds. If a storm [was approaching], there is a set of procedures in place for each ride to help preserve it.”

He adds that special treatment has gone into how seals and the paint process were implemented in consideration of the oceanfront environment. “We’re looking at it from a very holistic standpoint to make sure each of these rides not only meets but exceeds the expectations of the client and the guests.”

The ride attractions will be decked out with eye-catching lighting.

Three other companies will be providing an attraction to the ride mix.

An Aerobar built by Aerophile will be an attraction geared more toward adults. Riders sit in a circle facing a center bartender. Rising 115 from the upper deck, visitors enjoying a drink will take in spectacular views while at the highest height for five minutes. The trip up and down takes two minutes each way.

A 20-story observation wheel from Technical Park will attract attention from tourists to the area.

An SBF coaster will feature a “triple loop” layout, which is expanded beyond the widely seen figure-8 model. Both spinning cars and “hamster wheel” carriages will be featured.

Further phases of the resort development will see a hotel and water park.

Wiegand CoasterKart opens at Thailand's Jungle Adventure Park

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

HANG DONG, Thailand — Wiegand has done it again.

After installing its CoasterKart in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, last year, the company turned its focus on the Asian continent, near Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.

On March 19, the newest CoasterKart opened in the Jungle Adventure Park in Hang Dong.

"It has been received very well in Hang Dong," said Jessica Wedel, sales, project manager, Wiegand North America.

The 425-meter (1,394 feet) CoasterKart has a jungle theme to fit in with the other elements at Jungle Adventure Park, which include attractions such as ziplines with 36 stations, jungle bike on a sling, easy jumper, a giant swing and a hotel and a spa.

Five vehicles of different colors make the rounds on the varied circuit and repeatedly inspire guests as they drive up and down through the park over bridges and waters, through roundabouts and on straight racetracks.

The CoasterKart combines numerous elements of its Wiegand predecessors, the BobKart and the Alpine Coaster, the latter being the company's bestseller.

"Patrons love to be able to control their speed," Wedel said.

On the CoasterKart, the rider controls the speed up to 25 mph by using a foot pedal or throttle lever. The custom-themed vehicles are powered by a frictionless Linear Induction Motor (LIM) that creates a smooth acceleration and braking motion.

Wiegand can design the track to flat or hilly terrain, indoors or outdoors and with overpasses and tunnels. It is easy to install and has an environmentally friendly footprint that does not require foundations to support the track.

The track also allows for year-round operations.

"The whole thing happens absolutely gently and with magical ease," Wedel said. "Hang Dong is a smaller but beautiful upcoming tourist destination that is worth a visit. You will be surprised by some of the unique things to do and places you can explore at this hidden destination."

The Jungle Adventure Park is open 365 days a year.

The CoasterKart won two Brass Ring Awards at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo in November 2021. It won in Major Ride and Impact Award categories.

Wiegand has plans for a third CoasterKart installation in northern Germany at Tier- und Freizeitpark Thüle.

•wiegandsportsusa.com

All Speeds from Intamin brings Sunac Land Chengdu excitement

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

DUJIANGYAN, China — Sunac Land Chengdu opened in September of 2020 in admittedly turbulent times. For more than a year, the park, operated by Sunac China Holdings Ltd., offered two roller coasters to its audience. A family mine train coaster — while exceptionally themed — was the larger of the two, the other being a Wacky Worm type.

As 2022 arrived, the park debuted All Speeds, an installation from Intamin Amusement Rides. The Chinese characters above the words “All Speeds” could possibly be better translated as “Extreme Speeds,” but the roller coaster is an undeniable winner.

Coaster connoisseurs might pick up on the fact the layout is extremely similar to Taron, a dual-launch coaster that opened at Phantasialand in Germany in 2016.

“It is always great to see that a design is liked so much, and it also shows proven success. Considering how many hours go into the engineering, design, etc. on any roller coaster, it is definitely a good feeling and makes us proud,” an Intamin spokesperson told Amusement Today. “As space is limited in many parks, relatively compact footprint layouts, like this one, are very popular. All the airtime, unexpected changes of directions, near misses as well as the 116 track crossings made the customer love this layout.”

While the track and topography have slight differences, All Speeds is pretty much a move-for-move duplication of Taron. That’s by no means a bad thing. Taron is immensely popular for good reason — it’s wonderful fun! The bursts of speed, slithering curves and close clearances are executed perfectly.

However, both have their own theming package to set each apart. All Speeds is surrounded by temples, ruins, sculptures and craggy rockwork. It carries its own thematic clout. A fantastic layout coupled with fantastic theming is a win-win.

“The theming on All Speeds makes the coaster, just like Taron, fascinating when riding it,” said the Intamin spokesperson. “Riding close to the rockwork and changing directions low [to the] ground increase the feeling of speed immensely.”

All Speeds operates with four 16-passenger trains which feature over-the-shoulder lap bars. These trains were introduced on Taron and have been the go-to model for Intamin since. The comfort of the trains as well as the open freedom provide an ideal coaster riding experience. The theming on the front of the trains is a bull’s head. The red eyes are equipped with LED lights, which create an even wilder look.

Track length is 2,320 meters (4,330 feet); the highest point reaches 30 meters (98 feet). Top speed reaches 72 mph.

Sunac China Holdings Ltd. now oversees 15 parks in China. The first opened in 2015. Sunac Cultural Tourism City in Zhejiang is projected to open in 2022.

Fønix soars at Fårup Sommerland, Vekoma coaster Denmark’s tallest

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

BLOKHUS, Denmark — On April 9, one of the largest new attractions to open in Europe began satisfying Danes with the need for an adrenaline rush. Fårup Sommerland debuted Fønix, the country’s largest coaster and the largest investment in park history. Vekoma supplied the new thriller.

“Here in Fårup Sommerland, we take great pride in presenting a roller coaster that is without comparison the biggest in Denmark — a fact that will come to leave a significant imprint on both the Danish and the international amusement landscape, says Fårup Sommerland’s CEO Niels Jørgen Jensen.

Standing more than 131 feet tall and with a track length just short of 3,000 feet, the design of the coaster emphasizes thrills even beyond the ride’s statistics.

“The first element, dubbed the ‘stall loop,’ combines a traditional Immelman inversion with an unexpected pop of inverted airtime, aka hangtime, at the top,” said Benjamin Bloemendaal, head of concept engineering, Vekoma. “We wanted to spice up the classic turn-around element, by turning its apex into an extended, parabolic arc. This causes the vehicle to ‘pause’ briefly while upside down, providing some negative forces before picking up speed again down a double vertical twist.”

The ride features three inversions. One of the ride’s signature elements is an upside-down flip through the station building.

“We first incorporated this element on Lech Coaster in Poland and was one of the elements that we definitely wanted to carry over to Fønix,” Bloemendaal told Amusement Today. “For guests queueing in the station, seeing the train fly upside down through the building at high speed amps up the anticipation, while to guests onboard the element provides some awesome near-miss visuals. On Fønix we actually took this near-miss effect one step up from Lech Coaster, by placing the approach to the flip-over at ground level. The train seems to fly up to the cutout only just in time.”

During the wickedly out-of-control layout, several maneuvers purposely throw riders off balance.

“We keep looking for ways to improve our designs,” noted Bloemendaal. “Ever since we’ve changed design and production methods a few years ago, we’ve been learning from our first set of new-generation installations. We have been constantly gathering data and tweaking our models, which allows us to refine our tools and expand our design philosophy. The more intricate aerobatics you see on Fønix is something of a trend you’ll see in most of our upcoming coasters.”

Vekoma Sales Manager Stefan Holtman added, “After the success of our Suspended Family Coaster Orkanen in 2013, something else was needed. After a mutual trip to Legendia Park in Poland, the owners of the park fell immediately in love with the Lech coaster there, but as Fårup Sommerland is a typical family park, we were concerned that this ride would be a bit too intense for their target group. Therefore we had to work on a less intense version focusing more on airtime and less positive forces. This is how Fønix was born.”

The coaster operates with two trains and reaches speeds of 59 mph.

Saven, a Vekoma family boomerang, opened in 2020. “It was the perfect step up to the launch of the record-breaking Fønix in 2022,” said Holtman.

Sartori Rides completes portable inverted coaster: Nova Coaster

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

MONTAGNANA, Italy — A dynamic midway on a carnival or fair scene has a mix of family rides and eye-catching spectaculars. Sartori Rides has completed testing on its newest introduction to the market. Called Nova Coaster, the thrilling inverted coaster is designed to be a portable attraction.

In the past, the company offered a former model called Energizer. Sartori is confident, the upgrades of Nova Coaster are a leap forward.

“Compared to the ‘old’ model, Nova Coaster has a completely redesigned layout to be more smooth, has a higher hill, lower acceleration spike, totally redesigned trains (safety ergonomic seats, safety restraint system and components), new control safety system, magnetic brakes for stopping, VFD inverter driven kicker-wheels for smooth/precise movements between sections of the stations, and it is fully German TUV SUD approved,” said Sales Manager Marco Savegnago.

The compact footprint is made to be easily disassembled and moveable. The dimensions of the ride are 180 feet by 98 feet (55 by 30 meters) with a height of almost 79 feet (24 meters).

“Based on our experience, it takes approximately 10 working days with a team of 10 persons to assemble the coaster on location,” said Savegnago.

Trains feature five rows, with two-across seating. Riders’ feet dangle with nothing below them. The standard model has two trains, but at the customer’s request, the latest model that has completed testing was designed to run three.

As coasters typically are on the fairground circuit, Nova Coaster’s layout is compact and intertwined. Even with its modest height, the snarled trackage boasts three inversions following a diving first drop. Coaster fans will know elements such as Immelmann and cobra roll (which features two upside-down moments). A high speed spiral delivers exciting forces while offering a sense of flight. A curving approach to brake run finishes the ride. Top G forces are 4.7.

“The most thrilling moment is the cobra roll,” said Savegnago. “Thanks to the new design, the ride is now very smooth and silent.”

The ride experience is expected to be 100 seconds.

The first Nova Coaster to operate will be in Saudi Arabia. It is fully EN13814:2019 compliant and TUV certified. It is expected to open in May.

•sartorirides.com

Blackpool Pleasure Beach to offer special events in 2022

BLACKPOOL, U.K. — From escorted climbs to the very top of Big One XL roller coaster to a spectacular ice show to magical illusions, Blackpool Pleasure Beach officials have worked hard to be able to deliver special events that will appeal to everyone for the 2022 season.

These special events go along well with the 42-acre park's more than 125 rides and attractions, including 10 roller coasters. Located on Blackpool's South Shore, in the county of Lancashire, North West England, the park has been family-owned-and-operated since its founding in 1896.

The Walk the Big One is one of the most popular special events, but it isn't for the faint of heart, literally. The tour takes participants up 420 steps to the very top of the coaster, taking guests to parts of the ride they have never seen before.

And if guests like that, the park also offers Walk the Woodie. This special experience gives guests the chance to walk up the lift hill of the park’s oldest roller coaster, the Big Dipper. As well as experiencing amazing views, participants can find out more about the ride’s history.

Also being offered on nine dates for the 2022 season is the popular Late Night Riding event. A number of these events will include a spectacular fireworks display to round off the night.

The FY4 and The Hub areas of the park are the homes of on-park entertainment at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Here, guests are able to enjoy some great entertainment and sample food and drink.

The Evolution Of Magic — The Glitch, with Craig Christian and Elizabeth Best, is one show being offered this year. This fast-paced family show will include exciting illusions.

Ken Webster's comedy hypnotist show is being offered as well as the Paul Zerdin Show. Zerdin, a ventriloquest, is the 2015 winner of America's Got Talent.

In addition, Blackpool is bringing back its ice show, Hot Ice, with a new production called Hot Ice Rapture.

Monthy events include Summertime Games in June and Oktoberfest throughout September.

In time for Halloween, the Journey To Hell event returns where guests will get to experience the park — and a number of rides — like never before.

In December, there will be plenty of magical festive events for the whole family, such as Cinderella the Pantomime. Santa will be on hand while guests will be able to enjoy the festive fun experiences guided by the park's magical elves through a winter wonderland.

—Pam Sherborne

Creative Works creates inspired magical miniature golf for The Web

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

WEST CHESTER, Ohio — The new magical and wizardry miniature golf course at The Web Extreme Entertainment family entertainment center (FEC), located in West Chester, Ohio, is delighting many since it opened in late January.

The new nine-hole course that staff at the FEC named Par 9 3/4 was made by Creative Works, of Indianapolis. Creative Works is an award-winning, full-service partner for designing, fabricating, installing and successfully running immersive amusement experiences.

"Our new mini golf course has been absolutely phenomenal," said Sean Korsnak, director of sales, marketing and projects, The Web. "We charged $5 to play our old course. When we opened the new one, we increased our price to $9 and no one blinked. No one said a thing. Everyone is just so happy to play it."

Korsnak said the prior course, which had a Jurassic Park-inspired theme, was almost 20 years old and was starting to look its age.

"We needed an update," he said. "We needed a change."

So, after convincing the FEC owner, Jerry Weber, to update the course, Creative Works was hired.

"Creative Works was amazing," Korsnak said. "They cared about my vision and who I was and what we wanted for the facility. They really listened."

Creative Works brought the vision of magic and wizardry to life. They created spell books, flying cars, trains, murals and a griffin flying over.

There is a talking hat that has several things to say as balls pass beneath it.

Russ Van Natta, vice president, business development, Creative Works said that with any project the company undertakes, they take a look at the story behind the project.

"Here, we had miniature golf so that part was already there. So we took a look at what was driving the team at The Web," he said.

What Creative Works found was The Web team wanted a fantasy escape universe to live in.

"So our team of mad scientists magically got drawn into a Harry Potter-type theme," Van Natta said. "As we honed into this, it came together nicely. It was designed so that the course revealed itself to you."

Of course, he said, there was much work at the onset to make sure Creative Works didn't violate any intellectual property.

They were created from beginning to completion by Creative Works.

Korsnak said the electric edging to the course is a plus. Not only does it light up the course, giving it focus, it also can be used to theme for different holidays as the color of the lights can be changed.

The Web Extreme Entertainment also includes other attractions such as laser tag, go-karts, mini-bowling, climbing wall, escape room, and a vast arcade and prize center. All await under one roof.

•thewoweffect.com

•funattheweb.com

Funplex Myrtle Beach celebrates first full season with additions

AT: John W.C. Robinson

jrobinson@amusementtoday.com

MYRTLE BEACH — The newest amusement park along Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand, The Funplex Myrtle Beach, officially reopened on March 12. After COVID-related construction delays held up its 2021 opening day slightly, 2022 marks an opportunity for the park to have a complete season.

"We are so excited to be open for our first full season of operations," said Michael Baumann, Funplex Myrtle Beach's general manager. "We used the off-season to review our operations and find new ways to keep our guests entertained with this second season."

The park opened in 2021 with seven attractions loaded into its 18,000 square feet of space. All of the attractions were new rides manufactured by SBF/Visa Group. The rides were provided by New Jersey's Rides 4 U, with the attractions first being discussed during IAAPA Expo 2019.

"There is a lot of competition in Myrtle Beach when it comes to theme parks, and we made sure that Funplex stood out with our ride offerings," commented Baumann. "Mach Fun (Tower Planes) and the Fun in the Sun coaster (Visa Big Air Coaster) are both record-breaking attractions and helping to lead our industry in innovation."

The return of the in-person IAAPA Expo brough new opportunities for Funplex in the 2022 season. "It was great to be back at [IAAPA Expo 2021] in November and work with our partners like Bobs Space Racers, Dippin' Dots and Light Up Toys to bring their products into our park in 2022."

New for 2022, the park has added three custom-built carnival-style games, a full-service Dippin’ Dots kiosk featuring eight flavors, a photo booth, a glow-in-the-dark bubble wand cart and new menu options at its Off-the-Coast Beach Bar and Grill.

“The Funplex Myrtle Beach was well received when it opened in 2021,“ said Brian Williams, CEO of Funplex's parent company The Lahn Hospitality and Amusement Group. “We believe the new games and menu options will round out the guest experience as we head into our first full season.”

Working with Bob’s Space Racers, The Funplex debuted three new, custom-built games in 2022, including a Plinko-style puck drop game, a Kiddie Striker, and a four-player water race game.

Using Embed's RFID card system with the park, the Funplex Myrtle Beach offers mutliple ride packages, including a unique weeklong ride pass that allows guests to come and go as they please.

"Being that this is a big tourist market, and the average guest is spending at least five days in the area, we wanted them to have the option to fit multiple Funplex visits into their schedule," said Baumann. "We have noticed guests will come in the morning and get some rides in. They then head to the beach for a couple of hours to enjoy the beautiful Myrtle Beach waters. After heading back to their hotel, they join us for dinner and rides at night. The park has a fun energy at night with the lights and music."

Speaking on the park's dynamic lighting and music, Bauman added: "I walk the park every night and get stopped by guests who complement the visual appearance of the park and how nice our lighting package looks. It adds another element to the fun that we want to offer our guests. We are working on a programmed light show that will go off every night and be themed to music.

The park's Off-the-Coast Beach Bar & Grill’s 2022 menu includes adding new handheld sandwiches, popcorn, pretzels, ICEE, corn dogs and frozen drinks to its existing full menu of family favorites.

"Our fried chicken sandwich, homemade sangrias, and buffalo chicken offerings have been very popular this season," stated Baumann. "Our food numbers are outperforming all other areas when it comes to our in-park spending. We added some Northeast favorites like Disco Fries and homemade macaroni salad. We also redid the entire drink menu during the off-season and looked at each item to make sure we delivered on flavor and presentation. I am excited about our Frozen Jack and Cola machine we will be adding to the bar in early May. Our fan-favorite continues to be our Shark Bite drink which comes with a toy shark guests get to take home."

Despite its compact design and footprint, Funplex Myrtle Beach is not finished growing. "We are pretty maxed out right now when it comes to space but we are always looking at ways that we can create new experiences for our guests and keep up with the trends we see in the industry," offered Baumann. "Funplex is excited to be adding to the rich history Myrtle Beach has with theme parks. We aim to set the bar for the future of attractions in this area."

Funplex Myrtle Beach will remain open for the season through October 2022.

•thefunplex.com/myrtle-beach

Stern Pinball keeps the amusement staple alive with connections

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. — “I’ve been in pinball my entire life,” said Zach Sharpe, director of marketing for Stern Pinball. Now with the company for about five years, Sharpe shares with Amusement Today how the ages-old form of recreation not only changes with the times but keeps itself current.

With many FECs being geared toward redemption games, pinball machines have a larger presence in arcades and the latest trend: arcade bars. In addition to that, owning a pinball machine in one’s home is a bragging right among neighbors.

“Pinball has become more [present] in the home market, but we are still servicing our commercial establishments, whether it is arcade bars or family entertainment centers,” said Sharpe. “Redemption games are staples at FECs, but pinball is just as hot — and is increasing. We can’t build these machines fast enough to put on location, as well as put into people’s homes.”

Pinball awareness can also come from local events.

“We have what’s called our Stern Army, and they help run these street events every week or every month all over the world. That increases coin drop, as well as incidental spending such as food and drink,” said Sharpe.

Stern Pinball has made technical advancements that further engage fans and connect fellow players.

“Our machines are now smart,” Sharpe told AT. “They connect to the internet. Code for the machines can update wirelessly. Players can create their own user profiles and keep track of their scores. You can earn achievements within the machines. This has really helped location play. You’ll have people who want to play ‘Deadpool,’ for example, and earn all the achievements in the game.”

Stern has connected its players via an online site: sternpinball.com/insider.

Players create a private account, and a smartphone can access the QR reader on each machine. Before a player begins each game, he or she can scan the phone to identify the associated account with the scores. Stern Insider is a completely new gaming system built specifically for and by pinball players.

“You get notifications when getting achievements. It is really slick,” said Sharpe.

Players can engage the pinball community forums and explore achievements. Tutorials are even offered to let the avid fan get the most out of their play.

Tournaments also create energy worldwide.

“The Stern Pro Circuit is its own circuit of tournaments,” said Sharpe. “There are 20 tournaments on the calendar, and it culminates with the Stern Pro Circuit Championship. To describe it to a non-pinball person, an analogy would be like a NASCAR Cup or FedEx Cup for golf. You have these 20 events and people are accumulating their worldwide ranking points. After these events, the top 20 ranking players are invited into this championship.”

In creating new games, Stern finds IP is the way to go.

“If you’re going to bring someone off the street into a family entertainment center or a showroom, if you have a [generic theme] or ‘Star Wars’ right next to it, which do you think a family is going to choose?” Sharpe said. “We already have established so many licensing relationships across the industry and landscape, regardless of theme. This is how we service so many different markets. In a restaurant, some people like steak, some people like chicken. It’s no different with [pinball].

“Some people like ‘Rush,’ some people like ‘Stranger Things,’ others like ‘The Mandalorian.’ We don’t want to make the same theme over and over. We want to diversify our catalog. Every game has a different story. Sometimes there is a rock band that wants to make a pinball machine, which was the case with Rush. They were actively intrigued. We spoke with their management and made that dream become a reality. In other cases, we actively go after other licenses, and they may not even be aware of pinball.”

With different markets, Stern makes different models available. Pro machines contain all the gameplay, but premium models and limited edition series might include more “toys” to service the enthusiast and consumer market. Although the pro models are better suited to arcade play, Sharpe notes many facilities enjoy the limited editions because many of them are enthusiasts as well.

“At the end of the day, it is a metal ball flying around hitting stuff,” he said. “You have to maintain it. It’s just like your car. If you take care of it, it will take care of you.”

Attendance slightly down for Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

HOUSTON, Texas. — Although total attendance was down from the last full version in 2019, several days this year were in the top ten attendance of all time during the 90th Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo (HLSR). Total 24-day attendance of all activities on the grounds, including the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest came in at 2,417,248.

“We experienced cold and rainy weather during the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, however, during the 21-day run of the 2022 rodeo, we were fortunate to have great weather. Our fans and the Houston community were excited to welcome back the rodeo for its 90th anniversary,” said Chris Boleman, president and CEO, HLSR.

This year’s theme was “The Houston Tradition Since 1932.” That moniker spanned advertising, signage and a #Since1932 monthly historical campaign on social media.

Ray Cammack Shows, Inc. (RCS) was the midway provider with 80 total rides, with 16 booked in. Bishop Amusement Rides brought seven, Caprice Enterprises three, Deggeller Attractions three, Luehrs Ideal Rides two and Joy Rides one. There was a well-balanced midway with super spectaculars, spectaculars, medium-size family and kiddie rides. RCS had 58 games and 34 food stands. In 20 days, RCS had 2.9 million riders on their rides.

Asked about the impact of COVID, RCS Vice President Chris Lopez said, “It had a definite impact. Two years without a rodeo was reflected by comments from volunteers, participants and others. It was nice to see them all back.”

New rides on the carnival midway included Atlantis Funhouse (Gosetto), Dragon family coaster (Kolmax), Liberty Wheel (Lamberink 22-meter), Moonraker (SDC) and Winky the Whale (New Hampton). The most popular rides were La Grande XL (Bussink 50-meter observation wheel), Sky Ride (Yan/Seatek) and Titan (Fabbri Booster).

RCS had new food offerings including bacon wrapped pork belly on a stick, donut chicken sandwich, crunchy flamin’ hot pickles, hot Cheetos float drink, teriyaki chicken pineapple bowl and a watermelon Dole Whip taco.

When asked about working with the rodeo after a two-year lapse, Lopez said, “Our experience is always wonderful. It is so great to get back. [It was a] long awaited reunion with fair staff and the public.”

This year, RCS is celebrating its 60th anniversary. This is the 28th time the Laveen, Arizona, company has played HLSR.

This year, RCS broke three records at the Houston rodeo. It had the largest opening Saturday in the history of the rodeo. The carnival awarded 100 semi-tractor trailer loads of stuffed bears and other plush prizes to game winners. Finally, in terms of travel mileage, RCS drove almost to the moon and back with nearly 300 loads transported from Phoenix (where the show is headquartered) to Houston and back. The 434,927 miles included rides, games, support equipment, bunk houses and other related gear.

Special promotions for the rodeo included a grounds season pass for $35. Adult general admission to NRG Park was $15, however for $5 extra, guests could buy a rodeo ticket. Family Wednesdays provided free admission for seniors, 60 and over and children, 12 and under, until noon (it did not include the rodeo or concert admission.) Also, that same day, rides and games were $2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., along with a $2 food or drink item at select food stands in the Junction Carnival.

“Our advertising consisted of a mix of TV, radio, out of home, digital, social media and OTT/CTV. We continue to increase our mix of digital spending,” said Brittany Radar, director, media relations and communications, HLSR. The fair's advertising budget exceeded $1 million.

Entertainment included Marshmello, who had the highest paid attendance of any standard rodeo/concert performance this year. Other entertainers included George Strait, and special guest Ashley McBryde, Chris Stapleton, Bun B’s H-Town Takeover, Parker McCollum and Jon Pardi.

The livestock and horse show competitions drew 34,310 entries, while the junior auction sales totaled $20,205,413 (unaudited preliminary totals). Eleven auction grand champion and reserve grand champion lots set rodeo records. The rodeo committed $22,125,250 to the youth of Texas in the form of scholarships, junior show exhibitors, educational program grants and graduate assistantships.

“Opening our gates and welcoming fans back in 2022 to celebrate our 90th anniversary has truly been an amazing feeling. With a concert lineup spanning musical genres, agricultural and educational exhibits, record-setting junior auctions and fun for the whole family throughout the rodeo grounds, guests from Houston and beyond came out to celebrate this milestone year. Thank you to our 35,000 volunteers, donors, sponsors, community partners and guests who support our charitable mission of supporting Texas youth and education,” said Boleman.

Since its beginning in 1932, the rodeo has committed more than $550 million to Texas youth and education.

The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo comes around again February 28 – March 19, 2023

•rodeohouston.com

The hiatus is over: the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair is back

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

MIAMI, Fla. — After a two-year absence from their spring timeframe, the 21-day Miami-Dade County Youth Fair took place to the delight of Dade countians and beyond. The 70th edition, held in Tamiami Park, was visited by 483,312 people, up from its last fair in November 2021 (rescheduled from March 2021 due to COVID). Last fall there were a total of 356,488 attendees.

“The clear sky and cool evenings were the perfect backdrop to one of the most financially successful fairs we have ever had,” said Eddie Cora, fair president.

“While there were a few rainy days here and there, we ended up having some overall great weather for the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair which helped to draw in the crowds. What better way to enjoy the sun than spending the day at the fair?” said Lynda Franc, corporate marketing director, North American Midway Entertainment (NAME).

The theme this year focused on the 70th anniversary of the fair.

NAME brought 87 rides of which 42 were kiddie. Booked in was Jeremy Floyd (Cumberland Shows) with three rides: Space Roller (Mondial Fair Attractions Top Scan), carousel and a Jumbo elephant ride (Kolmax Plus) and Otterbacher Shows with its Crazy Surf (KMG). That was one of the new rides on the midway, along with Raptor Run (SBF/Visa Group mini Breakdance). Some of the most popular rides included the Polar Express (Mack), Euroslide (SBF/Visa Group) and Observation Wheel (Bussink).

“The wheel proved to be a hit with the guests. Thousands lined up for a chance to see Miami. From 150 feet up, a rider could see Biscayne Bay to the east and the Everglades to the west,” said Cora.

“The Miami-Dade County Fair has enjoyed a very close relationship with North American Midway Entertainment since their inception,” said Cora. “The entire company, from the owners to management to the ride operators have helped us build a guest center event. Each year we discuss how to improve the guest experience though rides, guest interaction and presentation. The 2022 [midway] was the best yet.”

Franc was very upbeat about the fair staff, stating, “It’s always amazing working with the team at the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair. They are wonderful professionals, innovative, and always striving to offer the best fair for their community. It’s great to work with such a positive team.”

The fair had less of a marketing budget to work with this year, although they did heavy digital and radio advertising along with outdoor and cable ads. Special promotions included $5 Thursdays ($5 admission and $5 select food items) and $6 before 6pm admission Monday – Friday. There was also a $20 Express Pass (limited amount each day only available on the grounds), and a Season Pass $24 (online) or $26 (at the fairgrounds). Free admission deals included one for kids five and under and adults 65 and older, every day, all day; Scouts' Day, for Boy and Girl Scouts wearing their uniform; Florida International University student and employee appreciation day with a current ID; and students grades K-12 could get in free Monday – Friday with a ticket that was distributed to Miami-Dade County public, private, charter and home schools. Every Wednesday and opening day were free for first responders and military personnel.

Both the carnival operator and the fair were asked about COVID-19 challenges. “As always, we worked with the local authorities and kept on the pulse of local requirements for any COVID-19 mitigation needs,” said Franc. “While there were no specific requirements in place, we did encourage people who wanted to wear masks to do so. At the end of the day, we want people to be able to come out and have a good time – so whatever allows them to feel safe doing so, we certainly support!”

“The greatest challenge to putting on the 2022 Youth Fair was the uncertainty of COVID-19,” said Cora. “The latest variant had hit its low point making guests feel better about attending, but the next possible variant left a small cloud of doubt in the minds of some guests. What was comforting were the precautions we took to provide a safe family outing. The fairgrounds had over 600 locations for guests to wash and sanitize during their visit, as well as the cleaning teams making sure the facilities were as inviting as possible.”

The favorite new food at this years’ fair was deep fried cheese flan bites. Also popular in an expanded food vendor area was churro s’mores. Daily parades returned to the fair for the first time since 2009. This year the fair offered a new sensory room designed for children with special needs.

Cora was asked what sets their fair apart from others. “The Miami-Dade County Fair is laid out so that all the components are mixed,” he said. “There is no independent side, no carnival side. Every ride, food location, game operation, etc, is dependent on the others around them for its success. It was the philosophy of Darwin Fuchs [fair president 1969 – 2004] that we needed everyone pulling in the same direction to provide the guest with the best possible experience. That philosophy is still at the heart of our fair today. We are one fair and one midway all here to serve our guest. It has worked for the past 70 years and I see no reason to change in the next 70.”

The Youth Fair is the largest nonprofit charity event in South Florida. It is dedicated to promoting education and agriculture while showcasing and rewarding youth achievement and providing quality family entertainment, all without taxpayer dollars.

The 2023 fair dates are March 16 – April 9 (except March 27–28 and April 3–4).

•thefair.me/thefair

Georgia National Fair extends Reithoffer contract, hotel planned

PERRY, Ga. — The Georgia National Fair is 33 years old and Reithoffer Shows has been the carnival of record for every year.

“We’re excited to partner with Reithoffer Shows. We’ve signed a new five-year contract,” said Stephen Shimp, the fair's executive director. “They’ve been with us since day one and we’ve grown greatly together. The fair-carnival relationship is one of the strongest in the country and we look forward to many successful years to come.”

Shimp said the band Kool and the Gang will play the fair this fall with more acts to be announced.

A new hotel is planned on fairgrounds property attached to the Miller Murphy Howard Building, and a complete renovation of the buildings would be forthcoming, including HVAC systems.

Shimp further stated the state of Georgia strongly believes in the fairgrounds and what it has done for the economy and the programming it provides for citizens.

According to a news release, a total of 485,758 people attended the 32nd year of the event in 2021. In 2020, the fair was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so there is no data available. In 2019, the fair had a record-breaking year with 565,533 people.

The Georgia National Fair will be held October 6-16, 2022.

•georgianationalfair.com

Polin supplies indoor waterslides for New Zealand recreation center

AT: Jeffrey Seifert

jseifert@amusementtoday.com

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Construction is proceeding on the Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, which, when completed will be the largest aquatic and indoor recreation and leisure venue of its kind in New Zealand. Recently, installation of five eel-inspired water slides was taking place before the roof is installed on the building.

The 345,000-square-foot (32,000-square-meters) indoor sports and aquatics facility is being delivered by Crown company Ōtākaro Limited and will be operated by Christchurch City Council. New Zealand Crown companies are established and regulated by the country's government.

The slides, provided by SwimPlex Aquatics, the Australian partner of Polin Waterparks, range in height from 30 to 40 feet and are made up of around 800 pieces of fiberglass.

John Bridgman, Ōtākaro chief executive, said, “It took ten shipping containers to get all the sections of the slides here, so it’s no surprise these are going to be the biggest and best indoor hydroslides in New Zealand. The trapdoor hydroslide, which sends riders hurtling down at around 40 kilometres per hour [36 feet per second], will be a drawcard for the central city.”

Swimplex Aquatics / Polin Australia and New Zealand project manager, Murray Booth, says the installation process is incredibly complex.

“In some places there are seven sections of hydroslide between the ground and the sky because of the way they exit, twist, drop, then re-enter Parakiore. It’s challenging work, but we’re lucky we get to build something that is solely being put here to bring joy into people’s lives.

Council’s Head of Recreation, Nigel Cox, says the slides have been designed to resemble silver-bellied longfin eels, which are endemic to New Zealand. All of the slides are silver and black with translucent gray patterns and stripes.

“This unique and authentic color scheme gives the hydroslides added meaning and will make the Saint Asaph Street entrance to Parakiore a memorable sight,” said Cox.

On the largest slide, guests will board two-person rafts and drop into a sphere section where they will oscillate back and forth before exiting into a tube that carries them through the remainder of the slide. A looping rocket body slide starts with a floor-drop capsule and guests will plunge nearly 25 feet through a clear section before the slide levels out into a sidewinder element. These two attractions start at the 40-foot platform.

Three more body slides take off from the lower 30-foot platform and are designed to appeal to everyone with a fast slide, medium and slower slide. All three incorporate translucent sections and translucent stripes and patterns. As an added bonus, queuing for the platform is right next to the clear section of the drop-capsule slide which starts 10 feet above them, so those waiting in line will be able to see the riders plunging through slide.

Michigan's Splash Universe indoor waterpark to reopen

DUNDEE, Mich. — Splash Universe indoor waterpark is planning to finally reopen. The venue was forced to close during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

New management purchased the park during a March auction. The purchasers have announced that Splash Universe will reopen in May or June, but an exact date has not been announced. Management urged the public to follow Splash Universe's social media accounts for updates.

Though company officials announced several times that the park would reopen — both in the summer of 2021 and in November of 2021 — it has remained shuttered even as most other businesses have resumed operations.

Splash Universe was forced to close for a prolonged period once before. After tornadoes damaged the building and injured 11 people in June of 2010, Splash Universe had to close for repairs. After the repairs, the park reopened with a ribbon cutting in March 2011.

•splash-universe.com

Soaky Mountain Waterpark announces

upgrades, plans for the 2022 season

SEVIERVILLE , Tenn. — Soaky Mountain Waterpark announced a May 14 opening date for the upcoming 2022 season. The waterpark's new watercoaster, The Edge is scheduled to open in mid-June. The Edge is a dueling watercoaster, reaching more than 700 feet in length. The attraction is described as a mix between WhiteWater’s Master Blaster and Boomerango. In addition to the new ride, the park has implemented more cabanas, more seating and plans for new food trucks. The facility will once again be offering alcohol sales after voluntarily suspending them in the summer of 2021 following a series of alcohol-related incidents including a deadly shooting. A public relations representative for Soaky Mountain stated that alcohol sales will end sometime before closing time. The park will be asking anyone who consumes alcohol to do so responsibly and plans to stop serving patrons two hours before the park closes.

COURTESY SOAKY MOUNTAIN WATERPARK

Water Safari adding more rental cabanas for guests

OLD FORGE, N.Y. — Enchanted Forest Water Safari is one of New York's largest water theme parks with more than 50 rides and attractions, including 33 heated water rides. Eight new cabanas have been constructed at the park for the 2022 summer season. The private cabanas enable guests who rent them to relax in luxury.

“Rental of the cabanas often sell out, so the park has added the extra locations to accommodate more guests,” said Katie Wojdyla, director of marketing for Enchanted Forest Water Safari Resort. “The Cabanas are available on a first come, first served basis.” The park encourages its guets to rent cabanas early in order to avoid disappointment.

The private cabanas enable guests who rent them to relax in luxury with all the cabana rentals including room for up to eight guests (not including 2 years old and under). Up to two additional guests can be added for $10 each (with a 10 guest maximum, for those guests age 3 and up).

The park offers two principal levels of cabana rentals. The standard cabana pricing includes: A personal cabana for the day with table, chairs, and lounge chairs; bottled waters in a souvenir bucket with ice; a lockable storage cabinet; the ability to pre-order food online with a guest's reservation or at check-in for delivery to the guest's cabana. Premium cabana rentals include: all of the aforementioned, plus a $20 food and beverage credit for onsite ordering from the cabana attendant.

Enchanted Forest Water Safari prides itself on focusing on family fun. In addition to the water park attractions and cabanas, the park also features classic amusement rides, fun food, games, shops, storybook themed characters and a family circus show.

•watersafari.com

Royal Caribbean International expands its exclusive destinations

AT: Jeffrey Seifert

jseifert@amusementtoday.com

COCOCAY, The Bahamas — In 2019, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) transformed its sleepy Little Stirrup Cay Island, into Perfect Day at CocoCay by adding one of the largest water parks in the Caribbean, along with private clubs, lagoons, beaches, eateries and a variety of activities.

The installation of a massive pier also meant that even the largest cruise ships in the world, RCI’s exclusive Oasis-class ships, could dock right at the island. The pier is designed to handle multiple ships, so potentially more than 10,000 people could disembark at the same time.

The cay has proven extremely popular with guests, and RCI has been making plans to add a major addition to its private Bahamian island. The last expansion was the opening of the CoCo Beach Club in early 2020.

During the line's third-quarter business update, Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley revealed that after pausing destination projects during the pandemic, the line is now ready to reengage all of those plans.

The most popular is likely to be the addition of a new area on CocoCay, which Bayley said was “leading the charge in terms of demand and premium for the ships that are operating out of South Florida and New York.”

The new area is called Hideaway Beach. It is described as an adults-only experience, but no other details were released.

"It will allow us to increase our capacity by approximately 3,000 people a day in late '22, which is obviously going to help improve our overall profitability and drive more revenue, both ticket and onboard," Bayley said.

Originally, it was announced that the new area would be open mid to late 2022, but RCI is now stating mid to late 2023. By March, land on the north side of the island had been cleared and construction was just starting.

“We have other projects that we've now started to reengage with,” Bayley said. “I think our aspirations never really moved away. We just had to press pause.”

Among those projects in the works is the development of Perfect Day at Lelepa, a small private island in the South Pacific that would serve as a stop for cruises out of Australia. While it shares the same name, the Lelepa development will not include a water park and does not appear to even have a pool (the company has been vague on its plans). Instead, it will be built around the natural ecological beauty of the island and offer more subdued activities such as snorkeling; stand-up paddleboarding; and an opportunity to appreciate the ancient culture, history, traditions and cuisine unique to that area of the world.

Other planned projects include Royal Beach Clubs in Nassau and Antigua. RCI cruises frequently stop at Nassau, which has nice beaches and interesting shops, but many seasoned cruisers who have been there before choose not to get off the ship. The Royal Beach Club master plan includes a 13-acre location with dining pavilions, pools, splash pads, beach bars and cabanas to give guests a private retreat on the island and entice even experienced travelers to disembark. A similar beach club in Antigua will have private cabanas and a pool with a swim-up bar, complemented by locally inspired amenities. Guests in Antigua can enjoy island-style barbecues, live music, jet skis, paddle boarding, snorkeling, and a family splash pad. RCI is still in negotiation with the government of Nassau but is ready to begin development once plans are approved. The Antigua location is well underway and set to make its debut in November when Symphony of the Seas makes its call as the first Oasis-class ship to ever visit the island.

With so many cruise lines sailing the Bahamas and the Caribbean and each competing for a limited amount of tourist dollars, it is imperative to offer something unique to passengers. Port calls to exclusive cays and beaches help to make a particular cruise more attractive to both new and repeat guests. Cruise lines like RCI are investing millions to make their exclusionary swaths of land more appealing.

Six Flags CEO Selim Bassoul talks with Amusement Today

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

ARLINGTON, Texas — With a long career in other fields, Selim Bassoul is a hands-on guy. That approach has carried into his new role as CEO of Six Flags. Having served as chairman of the board for a brief time, he was voted in as the new CEO of the company last fall. In a very short time, the beginnings of change have been dramatic.

In 2017, a Wall Street Journal interview with Bassoul surprised his coworkers and the industry. During the interview, Bassoul confided that he ran the kitchen-supply Middleby Corporation while having dyslexia and ADHD, but it had not been a barrier to his success. Today, he is also turning heads in his new role with some bold initiatives within the amusement industry.

“Attendance is not the driver. If you look at every quarter, analysts and investors have been traditionally mostly concerned about attendance. How many people showed up at the park?” Bassoul said in disagreement. “It should be about ‘yields.’ If you have tons of people show up at the park and don’t spend a penny, it doesn’t mean anything. Yields change the industry.”

“Action fueled with emotion” is a formula Bassoul embraces. “That’s what Six Flags should be.” Bassoul agrees that in the past, the emphasis on action — thrill rides — has been predominant within Six Flags. He feels the emotional connection needs to be bolstered. Giving a nod to Walt Disney, Bassoul knows the value of emotion and storytelling.

“Not everyone likes to ride the roller coaster,” he said. “But just watching the roller coaster as it comes in and out gives you a great feeling of exhilaration.”

Bassoul grew up in Lebanon, a country devoid of amusement parks, according to him. Memories of his first visit to Tuileries Gardens in Paris resonate with him. Children would run and chase sailboats racing in a large basin within the park.

“It was exciting and emotional for me to watch those sailboats and children and parents relaxing on benches. I want to create that same emotion,” he said.

So why Six Flags? What brought a renowned CEO to the theme park industry?

“First, it is an iconic brand. I have very fond memories of taking my kids to Six Flags when they were young,” he tells Amusement Today. “I remember when we drove home that they would beg me to come back.”

A father of seven kids, Bassoul recently took his youngest (six years old) for her first visit to a theme park during spring break. When she awoke the next day, her first comment was “Can we go back?” This is the feeling Bassoul hopes to bring to the forefront. “We need to create that desire to return.”

He feels the major person making the decision to come to the park is the “driver,” which in most cases is the mom. A goal of seeing more strollers in parks he feels is a good thing.

He noted that the Six Flags brand has lost its way and is confident the chain can regain its full potential. Some of his reimagining comes from giving the autonomy back to the parks rather than the many layers stacked at the corporate level.

Bassoul’s strategy is to elevate the product — in all areas — and in so doing can improve the experience to where the customer is willing to pay more.

“Our customer base has to change. It has to move up with us,” he said.

Six objectives are emphasized under his leadership:

•Improve and Elevate Guest Experience

•Create Fun through Employee Friendliness

•Park cleanliness

•Better Quality Food

•More Guest Amenities

•Upgrade Mobile App Technology.

“I think a park visit should be an escape from your daily grind,” Bassoul believes. “From the minute I step into the park, I want vibes.” For kids, he wants to capitalize more on the IP of Looney Tunes and DC Universe to make emotional connections.

A greater emphasis is being placed on landscaping and beautification. He feels the parks have become too much “cement and steel.”

Award-winning master chefs have been brought on board to enhance the quality of the food. Bassoul knew he wanted this component to improve. It wasn’t just an idea to convey from his desk. He was found working in the Six Flags Over Texas kitchens during spring break to get that firsthand experience. In so doing, he would inspire and encourage the seasonal staff to reach their best and thanked them for doing a good job.

“Food service is a huge part of our business,” Bassoul noted. “And it has never been a priority. The thinking is: ‘You’re captive. You’re going to have to eat.’ Today I am saying, ‘no.’ I want people to want to come back because the food is tasty, fresh and hot. Fair food does not have to be bland. You can have a delicious burger, a crispy chicken tender and a fresh handmade salad in an amusement park.”

Entertainment is something under review. Bassoul wants top-tier offerings. “We’re not going to have so-so shows,” he said. “I don’t need 10 shows that are mediocre. I want the best talent.” Festivals are also on the radar.

Bassoul feels Middleby and Six Flags are similar as they are both guest driven. He feels the theme parks have a culture about them.

“The purpose of our job is very big to me,” Bassoul said. “During my time at Middleby, 80 percent of the organization was blue collar — they ran factories and produced equipment. Over the years, I realized my best-performing employees were female. It’s difficult to get females to work in a manufacturing environment. We hired many, but they started leaving shortly thereafter.

“Wondering why, we ultimately got to the bottom of it. We realigned our compensation based on merits, not on gender and seniority. We studied the work environment and made multiple improvements, including the quality of our restroom and breakroom areas. Our bathrooms at the factory were dirty. We got rid of nighttime janitorial service and brought in restroom attendants. Today at Middleby, the majority of frontline workers are female. We created an opportunity for single mothers to come get a dignified job. Today [at Six Flags] we have 43,000 seasonal workers. We have an obligation to create opportunities for both our seasonal and full-time workers. We want to create skillsets for them to prosper, whether they stay with us or leave.”

Throughput and consistency in restaurants are things he finds essential to instill.

“One of the largest opportunities are in food service. We want to train our employees to one day be able to run their own restaurant, to earn a decent wage and to have a dignified life. We are first and foremost a purpose-driven organization.”

He has noticed how many of the company’s parks are located in thriving areas.

“Our parks have become phenomenally positioned within our communities,” Bassoul told AT. “My message is how do we continue to cater to the families around us, to moms with strollers, to the growing Hispanic community and to the grandparents?”

When 2022 is in the rearview mirror, what will excite Bassoul the most?

“Three things: 1) having delivered on the emotion factor, 2) measured how many people are coming back and 3) to reduce our debt.”

Universal, Disney plan to build affordable housing

ORLANDO — Two of Orlando's major theme park operators have announced a new approach aimed at helping address the shortage of affordable housing in Orlando. Universal Orlando's Housing for Tomorrow initiative pledges 20 acres that will be developed into affordable housing by Wendover Housing Partners. In addition, Walt Disney World Resort has earmarked nearly 80 acres of its land for a new affordable housing development in southwest Orange County, Florida.

Universal's development plan provided the first look at the site plan, elevations and key elements of the community, which has been named Catchlight Crossings. It was submitted to the Orange County Planning and Development department in March as the next step in moving the initiative forward.

Housing for Tomorrow is Universal’s first-of-its-kind approach designed to help create an innovative solution to address Orlando’s critical need for affordable housing by creating inclusive, economically diverse housing options. Universal pledged 20 acres of prime land in the heart of Orlando’s tourist corridor to be used for 1,000 units of affordable/mixed-income housing.

Disney's development — which is expected to include more than 1,300 units — will be constructed by a third-party affordable housing developer. It will offer Central Florida residents a variety of home choices that are affordable and attainable, in a great part of town near schools and the new and expanding Flamingo Crossings Town Center retail and dining complex. The development will be available for qualifying applicants in our region, including Disney cast members.

“We are invested in working together with our community to solve complex issues,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort. “The lack of affordable housing is affecting many people across our country, including right here in Central Florida. With this initiative, we’re lending a hand to make a real and meaningful impact in our community by tapping into the best of our company’s strengths.”

Mack family donates Eurosat coaster train to the NRCMA

PLAINVIEW, Texas. — For more than 28 years, the seven trains of the Eurosat roller coaster were on the move at Europa-Park, carrying more than 80 million passengers from 1989 until November 5, 2017. In the ten months that followed, the popular coaster inside the futuristic silver sphere — which was developed by Europa-Park's founding father Franz Mack — was completely revised and now offers a significantly improved riding experience thanks to a new track system, technical progress and updated coaster trains manufactured by Mack Rides.

One of these retired trains is now getting a new home, as the Mack family has donated it to the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives (NRCMA) in Planview, Texas. The donated train vehicles have been restored to assure they look their best.

“My father Franz Mack invented and engineered Eurosat with the help of self-made models,” said Europa-Park owner Roland Mack. “He immersed himself in the development of this ride for months. To see one of the Eurosat trains now exhibited in the National Roller Coaster Museum — showing visitors a piece of history of Europa-Park — is a special honor and a great remembrance of my father.”

Since 2009, the museum has exhibited numerous collector's items such as ride vehicles, designs and specialist literature as a reminder of the success story of rollercoasters. This is the largest historical collection of its kind, which is now being expanded to include its first exhibit from Europa-Park and Mack Rides.

“We are honored to begin a relationship with Mack Rides and Europa-Park,” commented Jeff Novotny, NRCMA chairman. “The Mack family is a foundational cornerstone of our entire industry. Their ride designs, theming and attention to detail have made Europa-Park a benchmark for the world. We jumped at the opportunity to add a legendary Eurosat roller coaster train from Europa Park to our collection. It will help us tell a more global story of the industry through the years.”

•rollercoastermuseum.org

The Walt Disney Company has named Kristina Schake as executive vice president, global communications, reporting to Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Geoff Morrell. She will be responsible for the company’s worldwide communications strategy and operations, while also serving as lead spokesperson.

Schake has spent three decades working at the nexus of government, media, business, entertainment and technology. Most recently, she was appointed by President Joe Biden to lead the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine education campaign and was previously global communications director for Instagram. Schake was deputy communications director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and served in the Barrack Obama's administration as special assistant to the president and communications director to the first lady.

“I could not be more pleased to welcome Kristina to Disney and to have her leading communications for the company,” Morrell said. “Her experience in the public and private sectors, in political and corporate campaigns, make her ideally suited for this important role and to help me integrate communications with government relations, public policy, and corporate social responsibility into a new Corporate Affairs team.”

Six Flags Over Texas announced Sharon Mayo Parker as the park's new general manager. The first female African American general manager in Six Flags history, Parker was a longtime anchor for KWTX-TV in Waco, Texas.

“I am humbled and excited to continue my journey with Six Flags Over Texas as General Manager,” said Parker. “Being the first Black female in this role is something I do not take lightly — and my hope is that my experience has paved the way for future minority leaders. As we continue to focus on park enhancements, our priority will be providing an amazing guest experience this season and beyond.”

Parker joined Six Flags in 2007 as communications manager and has continued to climb the ladder. She has worked at Six Flags Over Texas for more than 15 years, most recently occupying the role of director of marketing, sales and entertainment.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced that Erika Kohler will take over as the executive director of the 100-acre San Diego Zoo. Kohler has been a member of the organization since 2015, when she was hired as the zoo’s director of operations — bringing nearly two decades of experience from her time with the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. She has served as the San Diego Zoo’s interim executive director since November 2021.

“Erika Kohler has been an invaluable part of the San Diego Zoo’s recent success while she worked as a deputy director of operations, and most recently as interim executive director,” said Paul A. Baribault, president and chief executive officer of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “She makes everyone on her team better and is committed to our mission. Erika has proven to be a strong leader during times of change with her considerate and thoughtful approach.”

During the last seven years, Kohler provided guidance through several projects, ranging from infrastructure improvements, to the zoo’s centennial celebration in 2016. She was also critical in managing the zoo’s unprecedented closures in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the opening of new habitats, including Africa Rocks in 2017, Komodo Kingdom and the Hummingbird Habitat in 2021 and the Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp that opened March 2022.

Fun Spot America Theme Parks recently named David Heaton as senior vice president of operations. He will work closely with CEO John Arie Jr.

“I’m thrilled to be welcoming David to Fun Spot America,” said Arie. “We are excited to add another seasoned expert to our leadership team and for our entire system to benefit from his impressive experience and operational expertise.”

Heaton brings more than two decades of leadership and experience leading growth and transformation within the theme park industry. Beginning his career in the amusement industry in 1997, he has worked for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment for more than 23 years in different leadership roles, and most recently at Universal Parks and Resorts. His expertise spans all areas of operations, strategic planning, P&L management, organizational development, quality and safety.

Altitude Trampoline Park announced that it has named Amy Phillips to the role of president. Promoted to co-lead the company's strategic franchising phase with CEO Mike Rotondo, a key focus for Phillips will be expanding the company's leadership and corporate support team as the brand prioritizes growing its presence. Additionally, her oversight will continue to include strategic marketing, brand messaging and franchise development, while leading the charge on innovations in digital and in-park experiences, guest offerings and vendor partnerships. Phillips will retain her chief marketing officer title as well.

"Over the years, I've had the chance to hone in on the core of what makes the family entertainment industry so exhilarating for guests across the country," said Phillips, who has more than 20 years of experience working with international family entertainment brands including Pepsi, Dave & Buster's, Main Event Entertainment and Drive Shack.

Phillips joined Altitude Trampoline Park in 2020 and quickly rose through the ranks to chief marketing officer. Her work has resulted in overarching, company changing initiatives like a partnership with the American Heart Association as well as a call center to streamline event and party booking. Her marketing and brand activation prowess earned her national recognition as the American Marketing Association's "Marketer of the Year" in 2012.

Orlando-based themed entertainment services firm Brilliant Creative Fabrication has named Allen Boerger as its new CEO after being acquired by Ohio-based design-build firm Roto Group LLC in November 2021.

Boerger co-founded Roto Groupin 2004. He brings more than 25 years of experience in entertainment design to Brilliant Creative Fabrication. He will replace Brilliant CEO David Piper, who has taken on a new role as principal. In addition, Leo English, the vice president of customer experience with Brilliant, will take on the title of principal.

“Allen’s experience working across disciplines from planning and design to media and engineering makes him the perfect fit to lead Brilliant into its next chapter,“ said Piper in a prepared statement. “His expertise will also enable Brilliant and Roto to work seamlessly together as we expand our design-build and production offerings to projects worldwide.”

Mickey Ollson, founder Wildlife World Zoo, passes

SURPRISE, Ariz. — A home-grown business pioneer, philanthropist, leader, and educator, Mickey Ollson passed away peacefully on January 9, 2022, surrounded by his loved ones at the age of 80.

Ollson was the owner and founder of Wildlife World Zoo.

He was born and lived his entire life in Arizon's west valley, where he eventually founded the zoo and opened its doors to millions of visitors over the past 38 years.

A statement from the Wildlife World Zoo offered: "Mickey Ollson was a dreamer. His vision and hard work entertained and educated millions of people through the Wildlife World Zoo. He was born and raised in the west valley, and he leaves an indelible mark there for future generations. He gave back to his community. He was an inspiration to his family and everyone who knew him."

As a child, Ollson had a dream that one day he would open his own zoo. Once commenting, "I had chicken pox, so I couldn't go to school for a couple weeks." To pass the time, he drew a map of his future zoo, which ended up looking amazingly like the early era Wildlife World Zoo he eventually built.

But in his young adulthood, Ollson chose a different career path. He graduated from North High in 1959 and earned a bachelor's degree in business with a minor in journalism and a master's in marketing from Arizona State University.

After graduation he started teaching at Alhambra High School. In his mid-40's, Ollson retired from teaching, risked all the money he'd saved over his lifetime and opened Wildlife World Zoo.

For nearly four decades, Ollson was onsite at the zoo every day.

This is a list of announced and confirmed projects for 2022 as of press time. Some manufacturers may have more projects for this year that have yet to be announced. Given the past and current global situation, some of these projects may be delayed.

CANADA
British Columbia

Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver….Eagle Coaster - Sunkid Mountain Coaster

Eileen Dailly Leisure Pool & Fitness Centre, Burnaby….WhiteWater Open and Enclosed slide

Playland at the PNE, Vancouver….Zamperla Gryphon

Prince George Downtown Pool, Prince George….WhiteWater Open and Enclosed Body Slide

Nova Scotia

Atlantic Splash Adventure, Hammonds Plains….Runaway Mine Train — L&T Systems compact coaster relocated from Gillian's Wonderland Pier

Ontario

Carnival Chaos, Niagara Falls….Triotech/Gosetto Interactive Hyper Ride

Saskatchewan

Wascana Pool, Regina….WhiteWater Kids 2-Lane Multi-Lane, AquaSpray toys

MEXICO

México

Six Flags America, Mexico City….Crazanity — Zamperla Giga Discovery

Veracruz

Orizaba Adventure Park, Orizaba….Wiegend Alpine Coaster

UNITED STATES

Alabama

Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure, Bessemer….Cheddar Chase — L&T Wild Mouse relocated from Lake Winnepesaukah

Spring Valley Beach, Blountsville….ProSlide Double TornadoWave

Tropical Falls Indoor Water Park at OWA, Foley….ProSlide FlyingSaucer 30, Twister (x2), RallyRacer, FreeFall, SuperLoop, Tornado 24, RideHouse 300, SplashPad

Wild Water, Cullman….Two-acre expansion designed by ADG with wave pool; ProSlide TornadoWave 12 / Tornado 18 (SwitchBACK), CannonBowl 30, RallyRace, TurboTwister, Kidz TornadoWave 12, Kidz Twister, Kidz MiniRiver, Kidz ProRacer; Wave pool

Arizona

Canyon Coaster Adventure Park, Williams….New park with Canyon Coaster — Wiegand Alpine Coaster

Crayola Experience, Chandler….Chaos & Creativity Theater Show — fully animated theater show

Mattel Adventure Park, Glendale….Bone Shaker — Chance Rides family coaster; Hot Wheels — Chance Rides Hyper GT-X coaster

California

Belmont Park, San Diego….Zamperla Jump Around, Crazy Bus

North Natomas Recreation Center, Natomas….WhiteWater AquaSplash, AquaTube, Pool Sider, AquaPlay 300

Raging Waters Los Angeles, San Dimas….Bombs Away — two-slide complex, WhiteWater AquaDrop, Flatline Loop

SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego….Emperor — B&M Dive Coaster

Sesame Place, Chula Vista….Rebranded and rethemed park; Zierer Force coaster; Zamperla Crazy bus, Samba Tower, Midi Family Swinger; Chance carousel; Sunkid Tower; IE Parks Telecombat; WhiteWater redesign and engineering of slides

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo….Sidewinder Safari — Zamperla Twister Coaster with spinning cars

Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia….Wonder Woman Flight of Courage — Rocky Mountain Construction raptor track coaster

Wild Rivers, Irvine….Relocation and re-opening of previous Wild River; ADG design; WhiteWater 6-Lane Whizzard, RainFortress 4, Constrictor + AquaSphere Fusion, Python, AquaTube, Pool Sider, Kids' Slides, AquaTube, Pool Sider, Open Flume, AquaTube Drop Slide, Master Blaster + Rattler Fusion, Slideboarding, Constrictor, Open Flume, Super Bowl, Open and Enclosed slide, Boomerango

Wild Water Adventure Park, Clovis….WhiteWater AquaDrop, Flatline Loop

Colorado

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Glenwood Springs….Defiance — Gerstlauer custom Euro-Fighter

Connecticut

Lake Compounce, Bristol….Storm Surge — re-imagined lighthouse body slide with lights and sound from iSlide

Quassy Amusement & Waterpark, Middlebury….Rocket Rapids — ProSlide RocketBlast water coaster with flying saucer sections

Florida

Adventure Island, Tampa….Rapids Racer — ProSlide Dueling Pipeline/FlyingSaucer, Wahoo Remix — light and sound rebranded slide

Aquatica, Orlando….WhiteWater AquaTube

Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton….WhiteWater FlowRider Double

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa….Iron Gwazi — Rocky Mountain Construction rebuild of Gwazi coaster

Crayola Experience, Orlando….Chaos & Creativity Theater Show — fully animated theater show

Epcot, Lake Buena Vista….Guardians of the Galaxy : Cosmic Rewind — Vekoma custom coaster with rotating cars

Estates at Acqualina , Miami ….WhiteWater FlowRider Single, Pool Sider

Fun Spot Kissimmee, Kissimmee….Rock & Roll — Bertazzon Himalaya; New fleet of 24 Shaller go-karts

Fun Spot Orlando, Orlando….Screamer — Moser Spring Rider; New fleet of 24 Shaller go-karts

Icon Park, Orlando….Orlando Free Fall — Funtime drop ride (opened Dec 2021); Orlando SlingShot — Funtime SlingShot; Chance Rides 36-foot carousel

JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, Orlando….WhiteWater AquaTube (2), Tailspin + Constrictor Fusion

Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista….TRON Lightcycle /Run — Vekoma custom motorbike coaster

Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando….WhiteWater AquaSphere, Boomerango, Tailspin

Peppa Pig Theme Park, Winter Haven….Daddy Pig's Roller Coaster — Zamperla Lift & Launch kiddie coaster; Zamperla Jumpin' Star; Technical Park Balloon Ride

SeaWorld Orlando, Orlando….Ice Breaker — Premier Rides multi-launch coaster

Track Recreation Center, Destin….Spinning Coaster — SBF/Visa spinning cars coaster; Zamperla Jump Around

Westlake Lakes Resort & Spa, Orlando….WhiteWater AquaSpray, AquaPlay 1050, Pool Sider, AquaTube

Georgia

Fun Spot Atlanta, Fayetteville….ArieForce One — RMC steel coaster

Six Flags WhiteWater, Marietta….Python Plunge — ProSlide FlyingSaucer 30

Wild Adventures, Valdosta….Water's Edge Brews and Bites restaurant; live entertainment venue; new animal habitat

Illinois

Aerie's Resort & Winery, Grafton….Wiegend Alpine Coaster

Scene75 Entertainement Center, Romeoville….Tsunami — Visa spinning coaster

Indiana

Indiana Beach, Monticello….American Dreier Looping — Schwarzkopf Dreier Looping coaster relocated from Mexico; Cyclone — Galaxi-style coaster relocated from Mexican traveling show

Lake Rudolph Campground and RV Resort, Santa Claus….WhiteWater AquaTube, Pool Sider

Iowa

Adventureland, Altoona….Nine-ride package from Zamperla including Rockin' Tug, Speedway, Flying Tigers, Pump & JumpZ, Super Happy Swing, Flying Carousel, Samba Balloon, Jump Around

Lost Island Theme Park, Waterloo….New theme park with 25 new rides including Matugani — Intamin Accelerator relocated from Liseberg; Vekoma SLC relocated from Ratanga Junction; Shaman's Curse — Zamperla Disk O'; Volkanu, Quest for the Golden Idol — Sally dark ride; SBF/Visa Wacky Worm coaster; Zamperla Midi Family Swinger, Jump Around, Samba Tower, Magic Bikes; Moser ride package; SBF-Visa ride package; Gerstlauer Sky Fly; Western Train Co. carousel; Interlink Super Flume and Splash Battle; Zierer Flying Fish; S&S Turbo Drop

Kentucky

Malibu Jacks's, Ashland….Twist-N-Shout — SBF/Visa spinning cars coaster

The Ark Encounter, Williamstown….Preston & Barbieri 40-foot carousel

Venture River Water Park, Eddyville….TurBoa — ProSlide TurboTwister; Amanzi Falls — ProSlide FreeFall

Maine

Palace Playland, Old Orchard Beach….Preston & Barbieri Hyper Jump

Maryland

Butler's Orchard, Germantown….SB International battery-powered tractors

Sharptown Fireman's Carnival, Sharptown….Wacky Worm — Fajume Wacky Worm relocated from Trimper Rides

Massachusetts

Cape Cod Inflatable Park, West Yarmouth….ADG FlowRider and Wavepool expansion

Michigan

Airways Fun Center, Portage….Spinning Coaster — SBF/Visa spinning cars coaster with hamster wheel option

Holland Community Aquatic Center, Holland….WhiteWater Pool Sider

Michigan's Adventure, Muskegon….WhiteWater Shoot the Chute - 2 new vehicles with hydraulic lap bars

Paradise Park, Novi…. Fredericksen Industries 90-foot slide

Missouri

Six Flags St. Louis, St. Louis….Catwoman's Whip and Adventure Cove

Track Family Fun Park, Branson….Spinning Coaster — SBF/Visa spinning cars coaster (large model)

Nebraska

Fun-Plex Waterpark & Rides, Omaha….WhiteWater Flatline Loop x 2

Nevada

Adventuredome Indoor Theme Park, Las Vegas….Zamperla Midi Tea Cup and Family Swinger

Whitney Park Aquatic Center, Las Vegas….WhiteWater AquaPlay 150, AquaTube Speed Slide, Pool Sider

New Hampshire

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park: Glen Ellis, Glen….Water Zone — 50,000-square-foot water park with swimming pools, slides, waterplay structure with tipping bucket

New Jersey

Fantasy Island, Beach Haven….Tilt-A-Whirl — Larson International shark-themed Tilt-A-Whirl

Gillians Wonderland Park, Ocean City….Fredericksen Industries 65-foot slide

Jenkinson's Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach….Shark Escape — SBF/Visa double helix coaster

Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson….Repainting and retheming of Bizzaro floorless coaster back to original Medusa; 30-foot entry sign on Rt 537.

The Water Main at Diggerland , West Berlin….WhiteWater Wave Pool

Wizard's Festival of Fun, Blackwood….Zamperla Happy Swing

New Mexico

Western Playland, Sunland Park….Fireball — Larson International Fire Ball loop

New York

Adventureland, Farmingdale….Fireball — Ride Engineers Switzerland Roller Ball S; new games; new main gate plaza; Gosetto Bumper Car

Ellms Family Farms, Ballston Spa….SB International battery-powered tractors

LegoLand New York, Goshen….WhiteWater AquaPlay 1050a, AquaSplash

Luna Park, Brooklyn….Tony's Express — Zamperla Junior Coaster; Leti's Treasure — Zamperla SuperFlume

Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World, Grand Island….Schwarzkopf shuttle loop relocated from La Feria

Playland, Rye....Technical Park Sidecar Motorcycle

RiseNY, New York City….Brogent Technologies Flying Theater

Six Flags Darien Lake, Corfu….Wahoo Wave — ProSlide TornadoWave 60

Zoom Flume Water Park, East Durham….Rip Van Racer — ProSlide RallyRacer; ProSlide Twister

North Carolina

Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe, Greensboro….WhiteWater AquaDrop, Flatline Loop

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, Golden Valley….Wiegend Alpine Coaster

Ohio

Cedar Point, Sandusky….Farmhouse Kitchen and Grill — restaurant and entertainment venue

Kings Island, Mason….Grand Carousel restoration for 50th anniversary

Pennsylvania

Sandcastle Waterpark, West Homestead….WhiteWater Aqua Drop, Flatline Loop

Fun Fore All, Cranberry Township….Zamperla ChronoZ

Hersheypark, Hershey….Jolly Rancher Remix — Retheming of existing Vekoma Boomerang coaster; Mix’d Flavored by Jolly Rancher — Zamperla NebulaZ

Kennywood, West Mifflin….Return of refurbished Kangaroo Ride (Premier Rides)

Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg….Bayern Kurve — Refurbished and assembled from two Bayern Kurve rides acquired from Fun Spot Park, Angola, Indiana, and a traveling carnival

Sesame Place, Langhorne….Zamperla Crazy Bus

Puerto Rico

Residence Inn San Juan Isla Verde, San Juan….WhiteWater AquaPlay 150, Life Floor, AquaSplash

South Carolina

Kingston Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach….WhiteWater AquaSpray, AquaTube, Pool Sider, AquaPlay 750

Track Family Fun, Myrtle Beach….Spinning Coaster — unknown spinning cars coaster

Tennessee

Moonshine Mountain Coaster, Gatlinburg….Upgrade of former Wiegand Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster

Skyland Ranch, Sevierville….New park with scenic chairlift, canopy walks, suspended bridge; Wiegand Alpine Coaster

Soaky Mountain Waterpark, Sevierville….WhiteWater Dueling Blasterango

Texas

Aquatica, San Antonio….Riptide Race — ProSlide Dueling Pipeline

Big Rivers Waterpark & Adventures, New Caney….11 new rides including Rolling Thunder — SBF Visa figure eight with spinning cars; Screaming Eagles — Larson International Flying Scooters; swinging ship; swinging pendulum

Camp Fimfo, New Braunfels….Wiegend Alpine Coaster

COTALand, Austin….Texas Wildcat — Schwarzkopf Wildcat relocated from Lightwater Valley (opened late 2021); Palindrome — Gerstlauer custom Infinity Coaster shuttle, SBF log flume

Outlaw Pass, Victoria….Miner Mike — Wisdom Rides powered Miner Mike coaster

Prairie Playland at Traders Village, Grand Prairie….Prairie Screamer — E&F Miler coaster relocated from Scandia Amusement Park

San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio….C.W.T. Express — New Swannee River Railroad trains for existing train tracks

SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio….Tidal Surge — record-breaking S&S - Sansei Screaming Swing

Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio….Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger – B&M Dive Coaster

Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington….Aquaman: Power Wave — Mack Rides PowerSplash; Pirates of Speelunker Cave — rebuilt, rethemed dark ride

Splashway Water Park, Sheridan….ProSlide Pipeline, TornadoWave 12/Tornado 18 (SwitchBack), SuperLoop with SkyBox, TurboTwister

Traders Village, Houston….Jumping Jumbos — Larson International Flying Ride; Chance Yo-Yo; Chance 36-foot carousel

Wonderland Amusement Park, Amarillo….Spin-o-Saurus — SBF Visa spinning coaster relocated from Wild Willy's Adventure Zone; Skyline Attractions Crazy Couch

Virginia

Busch Gardens Willliamsburg, Williamsburg….Pantheon — Intamin custom LSM launch coaster

Funland Amusements, Chincoteague….Zamperla Speedway

Kings Dominion, Doswell….Tumbili — S&S Sansei 4D Free Spin coaster; Reptilian — new paint and retheming of existing Mack Boblsed ride

Washington

Leavenworth Adventure Park, Leavenworth….New Adventure park with trampolines, climbing wall, sluice mining and Wiegand Alpine Coaster

Wisconsin

Mt. Olympus, Wisconsin Dells….WhiteWater SlideWheel

Wild West Water Park, Lake Delton….Water park renovation including two new slides, ProSlide Dueling PipeLine, RallyRacer; Mission: Mars escape room

This is a list of announced and confirmed projects for 2022 as of press time.Some manufacturers may have more projects for this year that have yet to be announced.Given the global situation, some of these projects may be delayed.

Algeria

Rodina Theme Park, Es Senia….Polin Waterparks Black Hole + Rafting Slide Combination, Black Hole + Flying Boats Combination, Sphere, Turbolance, Space Boat, Kamikaze, Freefall, Looping Rocket, Windigo, Compact Slide, Multislide, Kid's Wide Slide, Kid's Freefall

Australia

Aussie World, Palmview….Dingo Racer — Reverchon spinning cars coaster

Dreamworld, Queensland….Steel Taipan, Mack Rides launched coaster (opened Dec. 2021)

Luna Park Sydney, Sydney….Big Dipper — Intamin Hot Racer single rail coaster (opened Dec.2021); Sledgehammer — Zamperla Discovery 360, Jumping Tower 16, Crazy Bus, Jump Around, Samba Balloon 8, Mini Ferris Wheel

Sea World, Surfers Paradise….Martin & Vleminckx/Gravity Group wooden coaster

Austria

Familypark, Sankt Margarethen….Wildwasserbahn Biberburg — Intamin Flume Ride

Fantasiana, Strasswalchen….Art Engineering Wild Swing

Märchenwald Steiermark, Sankt Georgen….Pleasure Equipment John Heinz suspended swing ride

St.Martin am Tennengebirge, Salzburg….Rollbob-Bahn — Mountain Innovations mountain coaster

Steirarodl Modriach, Edelschrott….Wiegand sport coaster

Wiener Prater, Vienna….Olympia Looping — Schwarzkopf five loop portable coaster

Azerbaidshan

Sahdag Alpine Coaster, Sahdag….Wiegand alpine coaster

Azerbaijan

Nahcivan Aquapark, Nahçıvan….Polin Waterparks Kamikaze, Multislide, Freefall, Wide Slide, Body Slide, Black Hole, Space Hole, Compact Slide

Bangladesh

Splash Works Water Park, Dhaka….WhiteWater AquaSplash, Kids' Slides, RainFortress 5, 30 m Wave Pool, FlowRider Double, Open Flume, Open & Enclosed, Rattler, Super Bowl, Flatline Loop, AquaDrop, Whizzard, Boomerango

Belgium

Beeverland Maaseik, Maaseik….Butterfly — Sunkid Butterfly Coaster

Brazil

Alles Park, Pomerode….New German-themed park with carousel, inflatables and snow park

Animalia, Cotia….New park with multiple rides including Bear Mountain — Shangang Rides spinning cars coaster; Space Moon — Chance Rides Toboggan relocated from showman; SBF/Visa Cyclon Coaster; Visa Big Air Coaster

Cidade da Criança, São Bernardo….unknown coaster of Italian origin

Mabu Thermas Grand Resort, Foz do Iguaçu ….WhiteWater RainFortress

Tivoli Park, Rio De Janeiro….Zamperla powered coaster relocated from Ita Park

China

Bohai Pearl Happy Valley, Hunchon….Jinma Broken Rail coaster

Daya Bay Children's Park, Huiyang….New park with Qin Long family coaster

Fanta Animation Park, Luqiao….New park with Vekoma Family Boomerang; Vekoma Renegade coaster

Fanta Park Road of Rejuvenation, Hongze….New park with Vekoma junior coaster; Vekoma Top Gun launch coaster; unknown family coaster

Fantasy Valley, Xiangzhou….New park with B&M Wing Coaster; Jinma Rides Mine Coaster; GCII Thunderbird wooden coaster clone

Fantawild, Yiliang….New park with Vekoma Family Boomerang; Vekoma Top Gun coaster

Fuli Ocean Happy World, Linghui….New park with Barracuda — Intamin five-inversion coaster; Twister — Intamin spinning cars coaster

Happy Valley, Qixia….Light of Revenge — Intamin multi-launch coaster (opened Dec. 2021)

Hengyang Maya Playa Water Park at OCT Hunan, Hengyang….WhiteWater AquaLoop, Flatline Loop, Whizzard, Kids' Boomerango, Kids' Rattler, AquaTube, Multi-Lane, Ramp Slide, Master Blaster + Rattler Fusion, AquaPlay Custom, Wave River, AquaCourse 240

Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island….Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs — Vekoma custom junior coaster

Nickelodeon Universe, Yubei….Mikey's Halfpipe — Intamin Surfrider shuttle coaster; Shredder — Intamin spinning cars coaster; Turbo Turtle Power — Intamin LSM launched coaster; Maurer Rides spike coaster

Ningzhou Park, Huaning….Jungle Mouse coaster

Ocean Flower Island Fairyland, Danzhou….New park with four steel coasters including Vekoma Firestorm; S&S-Sansei 4D Free Spin; Jinma rides family coaster; Jinma rides mine train

Oriental Heritage, Zhongmu….New park with Vekoma Family Boomerang; Vekoma Space Warp

Sanya Silk Paradise, Sanya….Zamperla NebulaZ

Silk Road Paradise, Xi'An….Zamperla NebulaZ

Sunac Cultural Tourism City, Haiyan….New park with Mack Rides hyper coaster; Mack Rides PowerSplash; Maurer Rides spinning cars coaster; Jinma Rides family coaster;

Sunac Land, Chengdu…All Speeds — Intamin dual-launch coaster

Suzhou Amusement Land Forest World, Huqiu….Hurricane Roller Coaster — Mack Rides multi-element coaster

Taihu Zhi Xing Park, Binhu….Jinma Rides family roller coaster

Window of the World, Kaifu….Zamperla Surf's Up

Window of the World, Nanshan….Family Roller Coaster — Beijing Shibaolai family coaster

Wuyi Park, Guan'an….New park with two new coasters

Xiangyang Wildlife World, Nanzhang….Jungle Coaster — Jungle Mouse

Xuzhou Paradise, Quanshan….Blue Fire — Mack Rides Blue Fire launched coaster

Yongjia Nantong Aircraft Carrier World, Nantong….Polin Waterparks Time Rider, Racer Twin Blackhole, Space Boat, Flying Saw, Windigo, 2 pcs Family Space Shuttle, Family Flying Saw, three pieces Aquatube, Freefall, Looping Rocket, Sphere, Family Space Boat

Colombia

Hotel Lagomar El Penon Compensar, Girardot….WhiteWater AquaTube, Pool Sider

Czechia

Horský Areál Kraličá, Staré Mêsto….Wiegand alpine coaster

Majaland Praha, Tuchomêrice….Zierer Family Freefall, Kontiki

Denmark

Djurs Sommerland, Nimtofte….T-Rex family coaster — Mack Rides powered coaster; Zamperla Disk'O Coaster 24

Fårup Sommerland, Blokhus….Fønix — Vekoma Wildcat coaster

Legoland Billund, Billund….Lego Mini Boats — scenic boat ride

Universal Science Park, Nordburg….Beat the Storm — wind tunnel hurricane simulator

Egypt

Jungle Aquapark, Hurgada - Al Ismaileya….Polin Waterparks Dragero, Freefall, Looping Rocket, King Cobra, Kids Multislide, Compact Slide, Kids Aquatube, Kids Wide Slide, two pieces Compact Slide, Kids Wide Slide, Multislide, Mini Magicone

Marassi Waterpark, Marassi….WhiteWater Abyss, Constrictor, FlowRider Double, Wave River, AquaSplash, AquaPlay 1050, Kids' Slides, AquaLoop, Flatline Loop, Freefall, 4-lane Whizzard, AquaSphere, Boomerango, Tailspin

England

Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool….Relaunch of Valhalla indoor themed flume ride; Spinning car addition on Mack Rides Icon coaster

Chessington World of Adventure, Chessington….Rockin' Tug and splash battle ride

Drayton Manor, Tamworth….Zamperla NebulaZ, Disk'O Coaster 24

Fantasy Island, Ingoldemells….Wild River Rapids — spinning rapids; The Guardian — dark ride; Harrington Flint's Island Adventures — dark ride

Flamingo Land, Malton….Invers10n — Intamin 10-inversion coaster relocated from Hopi Hari

Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Great Yarmouth….Whirlwind — SBF/Visa spinning cars coaster

Gulliver's Warrington, Warrington….Spinning cards coaster

Paultons Park, Romsey….Farmyard Flyer — Zierer Force Custom

Sandwell Valley Amusements, West Bromwich….Crazy Caterpillar — Güven Amusement Rides Brucomela

Sooty Land, Crealy….New park with four outdoor rides, 10 indoor attractions

Southport Pleasureland, Southport….Ferris Wheel

Equatorial Guinea

Parque Aquatico Frente Al Mar, ….Polin Waterparks Aquatube, Freefall, Multislide, Tunnel Freefall, Body Slide

Estonia

Liikluslinn, Uhtjärve….Ameerika Mäed — kiddie roller coaster

France

Babyland-Amiland, Saint-Pierre-du-Perray….Pteranodon — swing ride

Center Parcs – Domaine des Landes de Gascogne, Lot et Garonne….WhiteWater AquaSplash, AquaTube, Constrictor + Rattler Fusion, Head Rush Mat Racer, Parallel Pursuit, AquaPlay 750

Dennlys Parc, Dennebroeucq….Mini flume ride

Fraispertuis City, Jeanménil….Technical Park Sidecar XL

Futuroscope, Chasseneuil-du-Poitou….Chasseurs de Tornades — Dynamic Attractions Dynamic Motion Theater

Kingoland, Plumelin….Les Montgolfières — Balloon ride

La Norma Ski Resort, Villarodin-Bourget….Luge sur Rails — Wiegand Alpine Coaster

Le Fleury, Wavrechain-sous-Faulx….Rhaegal — family coaster

Le Pal, Dompierre Sur Besbre….Vortex Aquatic Structures water playground

Parc Astérix, Plailly….Tonnerre 2 Zeus — Gravity Group retracking and refurbishment of existing Tonnerre de Zeus wooden coaster; new GravityKraft trains

Parc Babyland, Grau-du-Roi….Roller Coaster — Big Apple/Wacky Worm

Parc Spirou, Monteaux….Zamperla Disk'O Coaster 24; water playground

Parc St Paul, Saint Paul….Zamperla NebulaZ

Walibi Rhône-Alpes, Les Avenières….Exotic Island — two new aquatic playground areas

Walt Disney Studios Park, Marne-la-Vallée….Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure — interactive screen ride

Germany

Affen- und Vogelpark, Reichshof Eckenhagen….Inno-Heege Drifter

Alpspitzbahn Nesselwang, Nesselwang….Alpspitz Coaster — Wiegand Alpine Coaster (opened December 2021)

Edelwies Natur- und Freizeitpark, Neukirchen….Ride Engineers Switzerland interactive boat ride

Eifelpark, Gondorf….Platzhirsch — Funtime Booster

Eloria Erlebnisfabrik, Bottrop….Exploria — 17,000-square-foot, 1920s-themed escape room

Erlebnis & Tigerpark, Dassow….Inno-Heege Comet

Erlebnispark Marchen, Heroldsbach….Sunkid/Heege Butterfly coaster

Erlebnispark Märchenwald, Saalburg….Pleasure Equipment John Heinz Balloon Ride

Erlebnispark Steinau, Steinau an der Straße….Pleasure Equipment John Heinz suspended swing ride

Europa-Park, Rust….Expanded Austrian area with Josefina’s Magical Imperial Journey — re-imagined boat cable-tow ride (former Jungle Rafts); Danube Steamer — 40-passenger boat ride through Austrian-themed area (former African Queen); Vienna Water Waltz — water fountain show with 54 fountains; Happy Family Next Level 4D — New 4D adventure film

Family Paradise, Leverkusen….Pleasure Equipment John Heinz Family Ballon, mini-teacup, mini-wheel

Fliped Funpark, Singen….New indoor park with 5-D cinema, VR room, trampolines

Freizeit-Land Geiselwind, Geiselwind….Taka Waka — family coaster

Hansapark, Sierksdorf….Sunkid Rope Tower; Indoor section with three new childrens rides; inclusion playground

Jaderpark, Jaderberg….Flotte Kisten — pedal go-karts

Karls Erlebnis-Dorf Oberhausen, Oberhausen….Park transformation with new rides including Erdbeer-Raupenbahn — SBF Visa Wacky Worm

LandErlebnis Janßen, Westerstede….Sunkid/Heege Butterfly coaster

Movie Park Germany, Bottrop….Bandit wooden coaster retracking by Holzbau Cordes; Eibe Produktion playground

Potts Park, Minden….Klippenschleuder — Art Engineering 360-degree swing ride

Rasti-Land, Salzhemmendorf….Strohnado — SBF/Visa spinning cars coaster with hamster wheel option

Rügenpark, Gingst….Inno-Heege Jungle Loop

Rulantica, Rust….Tønnevirvel — Mack Rides spinning splash battle; Snorri's Rutscheplads — Children's mini racing slide; Snorri's Spelaborg — dry playground area

Schloß Beck Freizeitpark, Bottrop….Kinderland Parks water playground

Schloss Dankern, Haren….Waterworks water playground

Schwaben Park, Kaiserbach….Berliner Seilfabrik balloon ride

Serengeti-Park, Hodenhagen….Gozimba — Ride Engineers Switzerland inverted coaster

Skyline Park, Bad Wörishofen….Berg- und Tal Hetz — family roller coaster; Flotter Otto — SBF/Visa double helix coaster

Tier- und Freizeitpark Thüle, Friesoythe-Thüle….CoasterKart — Wiegand CoasterKart powered coaster

Trampolino Familien- und Freizeitpark, Andernach….Pleasure Equipment John Heinz Star Flyer

Traumland auf der Bärenhöhle, Sonnenbühl….Biber-Hopser — Zierer freefall tower; Igelkarussell — Art Engineering interactive carousel

Wild- und Freizeitpark Klotten/Cochem, Klotten….Inno-Heege Drifter

Wild- und Freizeitpark Willingen, Willingen….Pleasure Equipment John Heinz Mini Star Flyer and Balloon Ride

Grand Caymen Islands

Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, ….WhiteWater AquaForms 400, AquaSplash, Life Floor

India

Sparky's, Thiruvananthapuram….New park with indoor roller coaster

Ireland

Tayto Park, Ashbourne….Dino Dash — Vekoma junior coaster

Israel

Luna Kass (Magic Kass), Ma'ale Adumim….Larson International 22-meter Giant Loop

Italy

Cavallino Matto, Castagneto Carducci….Pirate-themed rafting ride

Gardaland, Castelnuovo del Garda….Jumanji - The Adventure — Dark ride with theming elements from Polin Group's Futura Form

Osteria Ai Pioppi, Treviso….Gioco Delle Onde — In-house U-shaped coaster

Ivory Coast

Akwatic Park, Abidjan….Polin Waterparks Black Hole + Rafting Slide Combination, two pieces Kamikaze Freefall, Body Slide, Tunnel Freefall, Multislide, Space Hole, Black Hole + Turbolance Combination

Japan

Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida….Wiegand spiral tube slide

Legoland Japan, Nagoya….Water Maze — water play structure/maze with 19 water cannons and five water slides

Tobu Zoo Park, Minami….Refurbishment and retracking of Regina wooden coaster (Great Coasters International, Inc.)

Malaysia

Genting Skyworlds, Genting Highlands….reopening of Park with Mad Ramp Peak — Dynamic Attractions dueling powered coaster; Dynamic Attractions SFX coaster; Acorn Adventure — Beijing Shibaoli steel coaster; Samba Glides — Setpoint suspended coaster

Moldova

Aquaterra Wellness & Spa, Chisinau….Proslide Waterparks Black Hole + Flying Boats Combination, Rafting Slide + Flying Boats Combination, Body Slide, Space Hole, Aquatube, Kamikaze Freefall, Tunnel Freefall, Looping Rocket, Windigo

Netherlands

Avonturenpark Hellendoorn, Hellendoorn….RidderStrijd — Reverchon spinning cars coaster relocated from La Feria

De Waarbeek, Hengelo….Rupsje Mae — Güven Amusement Rides Brucomela relocated from De Valkenier

Efteling, Kaatsheuvel….Sirocco teacup ride; Archipel water play area

Julianatoren, Apeldorn….Texas Twister — SBF/Visa spinning cars coaster

Toverland, Sevenum….Expedition Zork — retheming of existing Mack Fume Ride with new storyline

New Zealand

Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, Christchurch….New Zealand's largest indoor water park with Polin Waterparks Looping Rocket Hidrolik, three pieces Aquatube, Sphere+Black Hole

Norway

Hunderfossen Familiepark, Fåberg….Fyr & Flamme — Gerstlauer Bob Coaster

TusenFryd, Oppegård….HuriHuri — Zamperla compact spinning coaster

Pakistan

D Mall, Islamabad….Pakistan's first indoor water park with Polin Waterparks three pieces Compact Slide, two pieces Wide Slide, Multi Slide, Mini Magicone, Splash Bucket

Poland

Energylandia, Zator….Choco Chip Creek — Vekoma mine train; Honey Harbour — Vekoma junior coaster; four rides from Zamperla; Gosetto Magic Tree; SBF Candy Carousel

Lesny Park, Niespodzianek….Pleasure Equipment John Heinz Balloon Ride; Mammoet Monorail

Majaland Warschau, Warsaw….Zierer Force Two; iPlay waterslides; Gerstlauer Sky Fly

Zatorland, Zator….RobalCoaster — Big Apple/Wack Worm

Qatar

Aquatar, Lusail….Intamin spinning cars coaster

Qetaifan Island North, Doha….WhiteWater AquaLoop, Flatline Loop, Giant AquaTubes, Rattler, AquaSphere, Tailspin, Whizzard 6-Lane Mat Racer, Speed Slide, Walhalla, Abyss

Waldorf Astoria Lusail Doha, Doha….WhiteWater AquaPlay Custom, AquaSpray, Life Floor, Adventure Trail

Russia

Attrapark, Moscow City….Vekoma Boomerang; Vekoma junior coaster

VDNKh Park, Moscow….Sun of Moscow observation wheel

Saudi Arabia

Riyadh Winter Wonderland, Riyadh….Sky Loop — Premier Rides Skyrocket II

Serbia

Vrnjaçke Banje Aqua Park, Vrnjaçke Banje….Polin Waterparks Space Shuttle, Flying Saw, Black Hole + Rafting Slide Combination, Black Hole + Flying Boats Combination, 2 Pcs Kamikaze Freefall, Multislide, Body Slide, Multislide, Kamikaze Freefall

Singapore

HometeamsNS Clubhouse Bedok, Singapore….WhiteWater AquaTube, Giant AquaTube, AquaCourse 8

SkyHelix Sentosa, Sentosa….Aerophile 80-meter gondola ride

South Korea

Legoland Korea, Chuncheon….New park and resort with Legoland Hotel; multiple rides including Dragon coaster — Zierer Force Five; Ninjago dark ride; Splash Battle

Lotte World Adventure Busan - Magic Forest, Gijang….New park with multiple rides including Giant Digger — Mack Rides Blue Fire Coaster; Giant Splash — Mack Rides PowerSplash; Magical Cookie Train — roller coaster; Fox in the Henhouse — Zamperla Flying Tigers, Flight of the Bumble Bee — wave swinger, Zamperla Aero Top Jet, Adult bumper cars, Discovery Mega 40, midi bumper cars, midi family swinger, jump around, jumping star

Spain

Parque Warner Madrid, Madrid….Extensive retracking of Coaster Express wooden coaster

Villanueva de la Cañada, Villanueva De La Canada….WhiteWater AquaTwist Mat Racer

Sweden

Conny-Land, Lipperswil….Vertical Dark Ride

Liseberg, Gothenburg….Turbo — Technical Park Turbo ride; Tempus — Zamperla NebulaZ

Tosselilla, Tomelilla….Forza — Zierer Elevated Seating coaster (ESC)

Taiwan

Leofoo Village Theme Park, Guanxi….Larson International 22-meter Giant Loop

Thailand

Jungle Adventure Park, Hang Dong….Coaster Kart — Wiegand CoasterKart; Sunkid Butterfly

Turkey

Banut Lara Hotel, Antalya….Polin Waterparks King Cobra, Dragero, Looping Rocket, Uphill Navigatour + Sphere Combination, Wide Slide, Compact Slide,

Ela Quality Resort Balek, Antalya….Polin Waterparks Looping Rocket, Body Slide, Aquatube, Body Slide, Rafting Slide + Spheres Combination, Black Hole + Wave Slide Combination

Titanic Golf Belek Hotel, Antalya….Polin Waterparks Rift Slide, five pieces Windigo, Kamikaze, Freefall, Looping Rocket

UAE

Aquaventure at Atlantis Dubai, Dubai….WhiteWater Vantage platform

United Arab Emirates

Bollywood Parks Dubai, Dubai….Bombay Express — GCII wooden coaster

Dubai Hills Mall, Dubai….Storm — Intamin indoor coaster with vertical LSM lift hill

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi….Mission Ferrari — Dynamic Attractions SFX Coaster; Formula Rossa Junior — Zamperla Junior Coaster

Jebel Jeis, Ras al-Khaimah….Jais Sledder — Wiegand Alpine Coaster

Motiongate, Dubai….John Wick: Open Contract — S&S Sansei 4D Free Spin; Now You See Me: High Roller — Maurer Rides spinning cars coaster

SeaWorld AbuDhabi, Abu Dhabi….New park with B&M Wing Coaster; Jinma Rides Mine Coaster; GCII Thunderbird wooden coaster clone

Uzbekistan

Magic City Theme Park, Tashkent….Magic Aquarium — tunnelled aquarium from Polin Aquariums

Vietnam

Dragon Do Son Waterpark, Do Son….Polin Waterparks Looping Rocket, Racer Rift, King Cobra, Racer Slide + Uphill Navigatour Combination, Surf Safari, Storm Racer, Wide Slide, Multislide, Wide Slide, 2 Pcs Aquatube, Compact Slide

Sun World Hon Thom Nature Park, Phú Quôc….Roaring Timbers — GCII wooden coaster

Wales

Barry Island Promenade Fun Park, Barry Island….Family Coaster — Güven Amusement Rides Brucomela

Fun Land, Towyn….Big Apple/Wacky Worm coaster; Reverchon spinning cars coaster relocated from Lightwater Valley

Knightly's Funfair, Towyn….Goldmine Express — CAM mine train coaster relocated from De Waarbeek

CRUISE SHIPS

Global Dream Cruise Ship….Maurer Rides Space Cruiser

Carnival Celebration Cruise Ship….Maurer Rides Spike Coaster; WhiteWater AquaSpray, AquaTube, Flatline Loop, Head Rush, AquaPlay 250

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas….WhiteWater FlowRider Wave-in-a-Box Double

TRAVELING SHOWS

Amusements of Rochester….WorldRide Tivoli Orbiter

Anderson Midways….Wisdom Rides of America 60-foot Jiffy Wheel

Bates Amusements….SBF Rides Groovy Bus

Beauce Carnival….KMG Surf Rider

Big O Amusements….Wadkins Expo Wheel

Big Rock Amusements….SBF Rides Groovy Bus (Beach Buggies)

Biloxi Park….Technical Park 45-meter Wheel

CDAC, Inc.….Wadkins Expo Wheel

D&K Carnival….Fredericksen Industries 90-foot Slide

Deggeller Attractions….POI Rides Cruiser (Kiddie flat ride)

Drew Expositions….KMG X-drive (Super spec.)

Durant Amusements….Visa Mini Pirate

E K Fernandez….Visa Mini Pirate

Family Fun Time Amusements….Luna-Park Rides 50-foot Gondola wheel

Fantasy Amusements….Technical Park Street Fighter

Fun Time Shows (Mo)….Fredericksen Industries 90-foot slide

Houghton Enterprises….Visa Mini Pirate

Kissel Amusement Co.(Ohio)….Wadkins Expo Wheel

Lisko Family Midways….Technical Park Street Fighter

Luehrs' Ideal Rides….SBF Rides Mini-Jet with dogs

Lynam's Amusements….Luna-Park Rides 50-foot Gondola wheel

Matt Jax Amusements….Luna-Park Rides 50-foot Gondola wheel

Matt Jax Amusements….SBF Rides Groovy Bus

McDaniel Brothers Shows….Wisdom Rides of America 60-foot Jiffy Wheel

Mid West Amusements….Ital.International Drop Tower, Boat

Modern Midways….Wadkins Expo Wheel

NAME….Visa Mini Crazy Dance (Raptor Run), Mini Breakdance

PBJ Happee Day Shows….Wisdom Rides of America 60-foot Jiffy Wheel

Poor Jacks Amusements….SBF Rides Groovy Bus

Powers & Thomas Midway Entertainment….Gosetto NY, NY Funhouse

Powers Great American Shows….Sartori Amusement Rides Techno Jump; SBF Rides Crazy Cabs, Reverse Time; Wisdom Rides of America Himalaya

Pride of Texas Shows….Wadkins Expo Wheel

Rainier Shows….KMG Freak-Out

Reithoffer Shows….Fredericksen Industries 90-foot slide; Bertazzon Ice Jet, Bertazzon Swing Carousel; A.R.M.Rides Rock Star, Gosetto two-story Fun House; Wisdom Rides of America Monster Trucks; Jung-Max Rides Speedy Gonzalez roller coaster; Technical Park Beast (Street Fighter)

Rosedale Attractions & Shows….Fredericksen Industries 90-foot slide

Saudi Arabia (travelling)….Nova Coaster — Sartori portable inverted coaster

Skerbeck Entertainment Group….Battech Enterprises Zero Gravity

Sun Valley Rides….Luna-Park Rides 50-foot Gondola wheel

TDK, LLC….Wadkins Expo Wheel

Texas Born Amusements….Luna-Park Rides 50-foot Gondola wheel

Todd Armstrong Shows….Wisdom Rides of America 60-foot Jiffy Wheel

Tons of Fun Shows….Chance Rides 36-foot Carousel; A.R.M.Rides Vortex

Wade Shows….Technical Park Street Fighter

West Coast Amusements….WorldRide Tivoli Orbiter

Operational signs, shade and paint enhance guest experience

Six Flags Magic Mountain embraces improvements in amenities

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

VALENCIA, Calif. — Six Flags Theme Parks are undergoing new initiatives as the 2022 season gets underway. Six Flags Magic Mountain is at the forefront of many of the new enhancements to the guest experience. The Southern California theme park is the only park in the company that is open daily.

One of the most noticeable changes is the installation of electronic signs around the park that post wait times for the numerous attractions within Magic Mountain. The signs were implemented in April.

“It is part of the overall company directive to improve the guest experience,” said Alexandria French, communications. “From point A to point B, from the moment they enter the park until the time they leave, we all know that one of the biggest things our guests are interested in is getting onto the rides as quickly as possible and being able to ride as many rides as possible. They are able to plan and navigate their way through the park.”

It is expected that Six Flags Magic Mountain’s sister parks will follow suit with this particular initiative. According to French, the new signage uses the technology of the Six Flags app.

“Not everyone uses their phone or downloads the app,” French told Amusement Today. “By putting the signs in the park in high traffic areas, it’s easier for guests to see what the ride times are. It’s really about maximizing the experience so guests can enjoy every part of their day and do as much as they can.”

Other amenities include more shade and elevated food offerings. Attention has also been given to parking areas. More seating areas have also been added.

“We know how warm it can be in the summer,” said French. “We want our guests to be able to cool down, they can rest and get a snack. We’re also increasing our landscaping. We are wanting the experience to be so immersive. Being in L.A., we want our food items to be diverse and inclusive as possible, highlighting as many different foods as we can. We are trying to offer something vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free at each location.”

The new shade follows on the heels of a relatively recent addition of covering the park’s Scrambler flat ride with a shade structure. French says more queues have also seen added shade. Tables and umbrellas have also been increased.

French said that by popular demand, several of the attractions have reintroduced single rider lines.

One of the largest coasters built on top of the mountain has been given a fresh look. Tatsu, a Bolliger & Mabillard flying coaster, has recently undergone a dramatic color change. Baynum Painting was brought in to do the challenging project. Chris Baynum, president, knew this particular job was going to take some strategy, owing to the rugged mountainous terrain.

“The topography of where that coaster is built is very limiting for lift access anywhere,” he told AT. “We knew this was going to be a job where we would have to utilize these ‘spiders,’ which are man baskets from cables. The majority of that project had to be done with spiders.”

Knowing the project would present a challenge, Baynum had a very focused approach.

“We took our highest skilled workers and placed them [on the project],” Baynum said. “This really was 11 years in the making. We’ve been talking to Six Flags about it. The excitement for me was as high as it gets when I got the call. But it was an intense amount of planning.”

This particular project involved changing the color scheme of the ride. While color choices are always up to the customer, Baynum says his team appreciates a new color palate when engaged in a job.

“Absolutely the most exciting thing for us to do is change colors,” said Baynum. “It’s a whole new experience for the guest. It’s great for the park; it’s great for our guys. When you can see the color change, it brings something different to the job each day.”

“Tatsu being such a fan favorite, it just needed a little bit of love,” said French. “It covers a lot of terrain; you can really see that ride from anywhere in the park. Adding that color to it really brought it back to life.”

The project took about four months because of various aspects of the job. In discussing the unique nature of the project, Baynum said Six Flags Magic Mountain was a great partner to work with. Because most of the ride was up in the air or soared over another coaster, it became essential to temporarily close a midway or attraction for safety reasons.

“Fortunately for us, the park was very understanding,” said Baynum. “The rigging was very intense. It was unheard of.”

Winter projects can be plagued with snow. With the California location, wintery conditions weren’t the obstacle.

“We had challenges with wind like we’ve never had before,” said Baynum. “The word from people around the park was they had never seen anything like it. There are no low points on that coaster. We took extra precautions. Everybody has to be harnessed at all times. Our men are tethered to the structure and not just a lift.”

These safety measures ensure that in the unlikely circumstance that something would happen to the lift, the worker would still be safe.

“[Six Flags] worked great with us to cordon off an area so that guests below were not [in an unsafe area] — from water mist to a paint drop or a dropped tool. It took a little more coordination than usual, but Six Flags was phenomenal. The support and understanding of the challenges we had in any shape or form … the park was outstanding,” Baynum noted, applauding the collaboration that isn’t always a given. “They bent over backward to assist us.”

Six Flags Magic Mountain currently has 19 coasters — a world record — with a 20th under construction.

The Beast emerges bigger than ever

MASON, Ohio — Every year records are broken by feet sometimes inches, by the newest, fastest and highest coasters. But there’s one coaster record that hasn’t been touched in more than 40 years, the record for the World’s Longest Wooden Roller Coaster. Currently that record belongs to The Beast at Kings Island. Thanks to offseason track work by the park — reprofiling of The Beast’s iconic first drop by Cincinnati's The Gravity Group — the coaster is getting longer in 2022 and will break its own record. When the coaster opens in May it will be two feet longer, extending its track length to 7,361 feet. During the off-season, the park has retracked more than 2,000 feet of the coaster. COURTESY KINGS ISLAND

Amusement industry veteran Barto launches PB Amusement, LLC

Mechanicsburg, Pa. — At expos, in the parks and elsewhere, Pete Barto has crossed paths with much of the amusement and attractions industry in the past 20 years. For years, Barto has built a successful career in the industry with his skill set, passion for everything amusement and a desire to give back to those in the industry.

Now, Barto is banking on the support of his amusement industry family with the next chapter of his career. This past March, Barto formally launched his new company, PB Amusement, LLC (PBA). The company was officially unveiled at NEAAPA’s 109th Anniversary Education Conference & Annual Meeting in Mystic, Connecticut, with the purpose of matching operators with the most appropriate new products and services available to the market.

Be it a roller coaster, a 4D theater, adventure attraction, theming, engineering and fabrication or food and beverage, PBA will have a quality solution to serve clients and their guests based on the company’s knowledge of the industry and wide-ranging personal and professional relationships.

“My oldest childhood memories were of our family going to Hersheypark, Dorney Park, Morey’s Pier, Canobie Lake Park, Joe’s Playland and Salisbury Beach — to name a few — and, for me, it wasn’t just about the rides, it was about the entire experience,” offered Barto. “The sites, the smells, the sounds, the tastes, and the anticipation of the lifelong memories that were bound to be created during my day in the park, I loved it all.”

PBA was established to aid parks in finding that right solution to address specific needs and create lifelong memories for the next generation.

After working for other well-known hospitality experts like Domino’s Pizza, McDonald’s, Kiddie Academy Childcare Learning Centers and Billy Casper Golf Management, Barto’s first official industry job came when he was offered the opportunity to sell booth space and sponsorships for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expos. After a successful run of more than seven years, Barto has established himself as a trustworthy and recognizable name in the industry. After a two-year stint learning the park side of the business at Hersheypark, he was sought after by many manufacturers to provide successful sales results for well-known industry leaders such as Premier Rides, S&S Worldwide and Extreme Engineering.

•pbamusement.com

Reithoffer Shows refurbishing its fleet for 2022 season and beyond

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

GIBSONTON, Fla. — With very little downtime during the winter months, those working on Reithoffer Shows have little time to do the number of repairs and refurbishments undertaken during the off season.

It has been even busier than normal at the show's Gibsonton workshop this year.

Sharon Popovich, who travels with Reithoffer's Blue Unit along with her husband, Tom Popovich, who is the show's shop foreman, were still in Gibsonton in mid-April finishing up projects even though both units, the Blue and Orange, were on the road.

"In 2020, when things were shut down, we started refurbishing our rides and completed projects on many of our rides," Popovich said. "Rick (Reithoffer) said, 'Let's just keep going.'"

The show normally does repairs, maintenance and refurbishments ongoing, but the number and depth of the projects finished in 2020 just raised the bar a little for last year and this year.

The show's Grand Carousel, manufactured by Chance Rides, got all new scenery panels. Instead of wood, they are made from fiberglass that will extend the life of the panels. Popovich said the scenery is the same, just repainted onto the fiberglass. The carousel also got brand new LED lights.

The show's Zipper, also made by Chance, received the first part of its rehab last year.

"We did everything we could do at the shop to this ride last year," Popovich said. "This year, we sent it out to a shop to complete it. It has been completely redone."

Pharaoh's Fury (Chance), has been painted and received needed repairs.

A Larson International Fireball was sent to Larson's plant to be repainted and have repairs performed.

The show's Hero Zone, (Wisdom), was rethemed to The Spiderman Ride.

"It is done," Popovich said. "We just pulled it off the lot last week to get it on the road."

Also rebranded for 2022, the Ride Your Dragon (Wisdom) was repainted and wrapped in new vinyl, becoming The Orient Express.

Reithoffer has two Wacky Worm rides, one on each unit. Both have been repainted with the Orange Unit's ride the most recently redone. The Wacky Worm is manufactured by Fajume.

In process to be refurbished are the show's Sellner Dizzy Dragon and the Starship 3000, by Wisdom.

Popovich and her husband will take to the road for the season once all projects are complete.

"During this time of year when we are out for some of our smaller spring spots, we will have some of the men that work on the show's larger roller coasters be here at the shop to work on these projects," she said. "We usually don't take our bigger coasters out on the road during the spring events."

Brand new on the Reithoffer Blue Unit midway this year is a Bertazzon Wave Swinger.

"We can't understand why we haven't gotten one before now," commented Popovich.

reithoffershows.com

Investigation of young boy's death on Orlando Freefall is ongoing

ORLANDO, Fla. — A forensic engineering firm commissioned by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to aid in the investigation of what caused a 14-year-old to slip from his seat to his death on the Freefall ride at Icon Park in Orlando, Florida is now complete.

The report, which was released on April 18, stated: “The cause of the subject accident was that Tyre Sampson was not properly secured in the seat primarily due to mis-adjustment of the harness proximity sensors.”

“This report answers the question of what mechanically took place as our investigation now enters its next phase of how and why it occurred as we look towards potential penalties along with any potential changes of rules and regulations needed," said Nikki Fried, commissioner, FDACS.

The release of the report from Quest Engineering and Failure Analysis, Inc. marks the initial phase of the investigation into the teen’s death.

The Orlando FreeFall drop tower is owned and operated at the Icon Park by Slingshot Group. The ride, which was manufactured by Funtime, takes riders up nearly 400 feet. At the top, it tilts 30 degrees forward before dropping at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. The ride has a seating capacity of 30.

Sampson, of St. Louis, Missouri, was riding the Freefall when he slipped from his seat as the ride descended. It was about 50 feet from the ground. Sampson died at the Orlando Arnold Palmer Hospital from injuries sustained in that fall.

His death is being investigated by the FRDACS along with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Icon Park.

Quest Engineering and Failure Analysis, Inc., found that the average opening for restraints on the seats was 3.3 inches. However, the opening of the restraint for the seat used by Tyre Sampson, upon inspection, was as much as 7.1 inches. One other seat also had been adjusted to as much as 6.5 inches. The restraint opening on Sampson's seat could have expanded to as wide as 10 inches from the extra weight, the report said.

The inspection also showed that sensors used to activate safety lights on the two seats, indicating the harness safety restraints were in place, had been adjusted to allow for the wider openings. The safety lights on Sampson’s seat and on the ride’s control panel were illuminated. If they hadn’t been, the ride would not have started.

The safety harness was still locked into its position at the end of the ride, according to the initial accident report.

According to Sampson's father, Sampson weighed about 340 pounds.

"As noted in the report, there are many other potential contributing factors that may have played a role in this incident and that is what our Department is continuing to investigate," Fried said. "Given these outstanding concerns, the Drop Tower will remain closed indefinitely ... We are far from done uncovering all of the facts and factors at play that are needed to inform next steps."

The Orlando Freefall opened in December. The ride has remain closed since the accident.

—Pam Sherborne

Safety-related vendors exhibit products, innovations during Gibtown

The four-day, 54th annual International Independent Showmen’s Foundation (IISF) annual Super Trade Show & Extravaganza was held in February in Gibsonton, Florida. Of the 94 vendors in attendance, there were numerous suppliers with safety-related wares. Here is but a small sampling of what they had to offer.

Showmen’s Supply Inc. offers specialty lighting and electrical equipment for the entertainment and amusement industry. Sister company Semcor Manufacturing is a custom fabricator that builds portable power generators and electrical distribution equipment. With the recent acquisition of Owen Trailers, Inc., Semcor has expanded into manufacturing fun houses, mirror mazes and dark rides. Seen are on l: Scott Siefker, president and Jason Skurow, general sales manager.

AT/B. DEREK SHAW

Audio Innovators provides safety announcement systems that are used all across the industry, which includes audio message repeaters. Applications include ride safety instruction, waterslide safety, storm warning safety messages, timed and on-demand messaging. The company includes a wide assortment of two-way radios that are now being used on the new broadcast band, UHF digital. This allows users to easily communicate end-to-end on fairgrounds or an amusement park. Zach (left) and Dale Hershberger test out the two-way radios. AT/B. DEREK SHAW

Worldwide Safety Group Inc. provides third party inspections for insurance companies, carnivals, FEC’s, amusement parks and other companies in the industry. Risk assessment and loss control surveys, consulting services along with operator training and non-destructive testing (NDT) are just a few of the areas they cover, positioning themselves as a “one stop shop.” Shown (l to r): Avery D. Wheelock, owner of Wheelock Rides and Avery L. Wheelock, president of Worldwide Safety Group. AT/B. DEREK SHAW

Acme Solutions Group focuses on new and innovative products that have recently emerged on the market that are a safer alternative for the amusement industry. Items presented at the show included a self-extinguishing fire extinguisher, telescoping ladders from 30 inches closed to 19½ feet extended, and Greensorb, a reusable oil granular. The product cleans up oil, gasoline, bodily fluids (vomit, blood, urine) and more. Shown is Dave Sweeney, director of business development..

AT/B. DEREK SHAW