Zamperla provides spinning coasters on opposite sides of globe

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

VALLEJO, Calif. and VINTERBRO, Norway — Zamperla is enjoying putting a spin on fun. Two new spinning coasters from the company have opened this summer, one in Norway and one in California. Each represents a different model on what Zamperla has to offer.

Tusenfryd in Norway opted for the Compact Spinning Coaster. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom selected the classic spinning coaster. The one at Tusenfryd is the largest Compact Spinning Coaster to date.

“This our second Compact Spinning Coaster,” said Adam Sandy, Zamperla’s roller coaster sales and marketing director. “The first went into Luna Farm in Italy. When it comes to spinning coasters, we now have three in the portfolio: Twister Coaster, the classic Zamperla spinning coaster; Compact Spinning Coaster: a train of spinning vehicles for smaller projects; and Super Twister: a train of spinning vehicles for high-capacity layouts. Currently, we have one installed at Warner Brothers World Abu Dhabi.”

According to Tusenfryd General Manager Bjørn Håvard Solli, the Compact Spinning Coaster was part of a multi-year investment plan to grow and “future proof” the park’s business. For 2022, the park invested more than five million euro, with the Zamperla coaster being one of the centerpiece attractions.

The roller coaster helps round out the park’s offerings in terms of family attractions. It is currently the seventh coaster at the park. The arsenal ranges from kiddie to high thrill. Of note, a more extreme coaster is planned for 2023.

One of the favorable attributes of the ride is that the height requirement is only 90 centimeters (36 inches) which makes for a large number of children who can ride with parents.

“We have received a lot of positive feedback, especially on the spinning feature,” said Solli. “And we are experiencing that the age segment on this ride is wider than what we expected. This is probably also related to that the positioning of the ride is quite high above ground and very visible to the visitors.”

The park had planned an upgrade for several parts of the park. Two minor children’s rides were relocated, creating space for the coaster. Its name is Huri Huri.

“A part of the park upgrade for the 2022 season was retheming a zone with an ‘adventure’ concept,” Solli told Amusement Today. “We renamed a lot of rides and POS in that area, using names from i.e. Maori language. Huri Huri can translate into something like ‘turn around and around’ — which we thought was a fair description of a spinning coaster.”

Marco Mazzucchi, Zamperla sales manager, said, “Working with the Parques Reunidos and Tusenfryd teams allowed us to partner and develop a world-class family coaster that features a detailed custom theme. It was an honor for them to choose us to work with during the first phase of their investment.”

In America, the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom ride opened in late May.

“As the world leader in thrills, Six Flags continues to raise the bar to deliver the most unique and innovative experiences in the industry,” said Six Flags Discovery Kingdom General Manager Dameon Nelson. “Sidewinder Safari is unlike any other ride in Northern California, featuring the thrill of a unique, spinning roller coaster combined with an opportunity to encounter reptiles up close, which continues Six Flags Discovery Kingdom’s long legacy of promoting animal conservation through education.”

“Guest reaction to the ride has been very positive, and it has continued to be one of the most popular rides in the park since opening Memorial Day Weekend,” added Marc Merino, marketing and communications manager, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. “Our guest makeup consists of a lot of families and Sidewinder Safari is an attraction that the entire family can enjoy.”

The classic spinning coaster offers 1,378 feet of track and stands almost 43 feet tall. Each single car can hold up to four riders.

Prior to the installation of Sidewinder Safari, the plot of land was used as a guest interaction of elephant rides. As cultural perspectives have shifted over time, the new coaster now offers family thrills.

“When the park first opened in Vallejo in 1986 as an animal-only facility, elephant rides were offered to guests,” said Merino. “Sidewinder Safari is a great representation of the park as it is today, which is a unique combination of both animal education and thrill ride experiences.”

After entering the attraction, visitors can observe various types of snakes.

“Aside from the ride itself, the animal element is added with an entirely new reptile exhibit that has been built into the queue experience,” Merino told AT. “Themed as a lost temple, guests have the opportunity to come face to face with reptiles from all over the world, while testing their knowledge of snake myths. This theming is extended into a new food and beverage location called Sidewinder Snacks and everything exists cohesively with this area of the park next to Tava’s Jungleland and Odin’s Temple of the Tiger.”

The coaster was originally slated to open in 2020. When the pandemic struck, California was under some of the harshest restrictions.

“Six Flags Discovery Kingdom was the first theme park to reopen in the state of California as a throwback to the park’s early days as an animal park with The Marine World Experience, where guests got to walk through the park like it was before the rides were introduced,” shared Merino. “We focused on other unique offerings to our guests throughout the year including cultural festivals, a renaissance and Charles Dickens fair, as well as early in the pandemic a Drive-Thru Holiday in the Park offering where guests actually got to drive through the park in their own vehicles to experience the holiday decorations.”

The spinning coaster now places the park’s coaster count in the double digits at 10.

The Zamperla team is also excited to share the accessibility options for its ride vehicles.

“The Six Flags installation features a unique harness that allows a wide range of guests to ride,” said Sandy. “We are utilizing an ADA system developed for thrill rides like the Discovery on some of our coasters. We strive to make our attractions accessible to as many riders as possible.”

Since 2014, Zamperla has supplied more than 50 spinning roller coasters worldwide.

“One important thing to note is that we have worked to bring our design concepts like Cost of Ownership into all of our coasters. Therefore, even the smaller Compact Spinning Coaster has design features that work to keep the annual maintenance and labor costs down,” noted Sandy. “In addition, it has features that other rides of this type do not: mechanically-released lap bars, automatic vehicle alignment, adjustable wheel bogies and kicker motors. When combined with a great layout, beautiful theming created in partnership between the Tusenfryd and Zamperla teams, and the gorgeous environment at Tusenfryd, we know this installation offers a wonderful experience.”

Wonder Woman Fight of Courage sets records

Six Flags Magic Mountain shatters barrier with 20 roller coasters

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

VALENCIA, Calif. — In general terms, it wasn’t that long ago in the amusement industry that just having a lineup of roller coasters in the double digits was considered extraordinary. While many parks have attained that status today, there are countless parks globally that still have a coaster arsenal of less than 10. Six Flags Magic Mountain has now reached a milestone that very few park operators — as well as enthusiasts — would ever have dreamed possible. The California thrill park now boasts 20 roller coasters.

“We are honored to hold the record for most coasters at any theme park on the planet with a record 20,” said Don McCoy, park president. “It’s a tremendous accomplishment and speaks to our commitment to providing not only the biggest and the best rides, but also something for thrill-seekers of all ages.”

The latest addition is a return to the partnership with Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC). After the wild success of Twisted Colossus in 2015, this collaboration helps reinvigorate the area of the park themed as DC Universe. Wonder Woman Flight of Courage is the latest single-rail coaster from RMC, and it is the tallest and longest model built to date.

“Wonder Woman Flight of Courage has quickly become a guest favorite, and that’s not a surprise. The uniqueness of the single-rail track and coaster design itself, coupled with the continuous-moving loading system provides an overall thrilling and positive experience for our guests,” said McCoy. “We’re continuously working to be more innovative with new technology and offers, to increase our overall guest experience and satisfaction.”

The ride, for the most part, is the same one engineered for New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure. However changes had to be made to work the coaster into the California site.

“The brake run and exit of the station had to be turned at a 90-degree angle to utilize an existing station,” said Jake Kilcup, COO, RMC. “The ride still needed to run up toward Apocalypse [2009 Great Coasters International, Inc. woodie], but we needed to make the jog in the track to come into the station.”

Coaster connoisseurs were quick to point out the additional banked curves at the end of the ride helps differentiate it from its New Jersey cousin.

“All of our coasters hold a unique element and are built into the terrain of the park, which is what makes Six Flags Magic Mountain so different from other parks,” McCoy told Amusement Today. “Our construction and design teams put so much time and dedication into these projects. At Six Flags Magic Mountain, we strive to deliver high-thrill attractions — the tallest, the fastest, the first-of-its-kind coasters — and we’re lucky enough to have the ability for customization.”

The single-rail coaster, known commonly as raptor track, was introduced in 2018. Now in its fifth year of development, AT asked Kilcup if improvements had taken place over the years.

“We’ve learned from the initial release and made changes to the track, trains and mechanical components,” he said. “We made changes to simplify the initial manufacturing as well as ongoing maintenance of the rides.”

Wonder Woman Flight of Courage operates with four trains. The continuous-moving flow in the station helps the ride reach maximum capacity. Riders board and exit while the train gradually moves forward.

With the remarkable feat of 20 different coasters, it could be somewhat challenging as to what to select for the next coaster.

“Wonder Woman Flight of Courage is unlike any other ride at our park,” said McCoy. “Six Flags Magic Mountain is known for having high-thrill attractions, and this coaster is just that. The single-rail aspect is unique from our other rides in that riders fly along the track solo. You can really feel every tight turn and twist, which ups the thrill factor.”

“It’s something they don’t have!” noted Kilcup, regarding a single-rail coaster. “For a park with so many experiences, I’m sure it was difficult for them to identify the right product to add to their impressive lineup. I think we were able to do that with the unique look and feel of the raptor coasters.”

With a height of 131 feet, it inches above the former installation at Great Adventure by, well, inches. Snagging the bragging rights of tallest of its kind, its length of 3,300 feet does the same. The top speed is 58 mph.

When asked to pinpoint a favorite moment, McCoy stated: “It has to be the first drop. The single-file ascent up the 131-foot lift and 87-degree drop down is the perfect setup for the rest of the ride. The entire ride delivers on every point, making it truly one of the best coasters in our park.”

During the course of the ride, thrill seekers are turned upside down three times. The inversions are a dive loop, a zero-G stall and a zero-G roll. The second upside-down maneuver is an enthusiast favorite with riders staying suspended upside down over an elongated stretch of track.

Wonder Woman Flight of Courage joins other attractions at the park themed to DC Comics characters, including Superman, Batman, The Riddler and Lex Luthor. A retired attraction themed to Green Lantern had its queue building repurposed for the latest coaster.

“Magic Mountain is an incredible park with great people,” said Kilcup. “Six Flags has been amazing to work with over the years. From the park to the corporate team, we really enjoy spending time with them.”

Work ethics start with us

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

The country is still dealing with a shortage of staff and employees. Moreover, once employers have hired people, there's been an ongoing issue of a lack of work ethic in the new employees ... with new hires ready to quit weeks after starting a new job.

My now 78-year-old father — William H. Robinson — was 16 when he started as a kiddyland ride operator at a local amusement park. It was his first job ever and one that paved the way for his lifelong career in the amusement industry. However, the lessons he learned on that job and serving the industry — as he rose through the ranks — are ones he imparted to the next generation and the one thereafter. One would be hard-pressed to find a member of my extended family who did not have their first job working for "Uncle Bill" and would not still admit that he imparted on them the work ethic they still carry with them to success today. I've even met complete strangers in our hometown area who remember working for him and commented on what a hard boss he was but what great lifelong lessons they learned at their first job working for him at the park.

My girlfriend's daughter was recently hired for her first job at Cincinnati's Kings Island. Her father had one of his first jobs at the same park more than 20 years ago. The reality is, so many teens find their first job inside the front gates of an amusement industry facility. What those teens see, hear and learn there are the beginnings of how they'll carry themselves throughout their future careers. Those careers, those young minds, are what will drive the future business world for all of us.

Our industry as a whole needs to remember that we're a cornerstone of the workforce of the future. It falls to our parks, facilities and management to help teach and support not only a strong work ethic but a positive work environment. We have it within our influence to keep the roller coaster of tomorrow's workforce on track and send tomorrow's business pioneers to thrilling new heights.

Industry trade publications are on your side

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

I have been covering the fair and carnival scene for our trade newspaper since 2016. During that time, I have honed a standard list of questions that I ask all fairs and festivals. I also have a similar set of questions crafted for midway ride providers.

Earlier this season, one carnival unit manager responded to my request with: “These questions are not general enough for my comfort.”

These were questions asked and answered by the hundreds of fairs and carnivals that I have covered with recap articles since mid-last decade. Things like number of rides, games and food joints, top grossing rides, new ones for that spot, COVID-19 challenges and their experience with that event are not delving into anything controversial or giving away company operational trade secrets. I can see where ride midway revenue might be a question some operators could find invasive; however, many respond with a percentage higher or lower from the previous edition, which suffices, without showing their hand.

Could it be that some staff are not used to being interviewed? Many companies these days, unfortunately, do not have a person in a promotion capacity or have not filled the position when someone leaves.

It is important to remember, we are a trade publication, along with less than a half dozen others, who exist to support and promote your efforts. We are not the local TV or radio station or daily or weekly paper searching for sizzling news to share with the general public.

Our job is to promote what you do and why you do it. Nothing more and nothing less. We are all in the attractions business together.

I'm hopeful fairs and carnivals will welcome us with open arms. They are in the business of entertaining their guests, we are in the business of informing industry readers.

Worldwide getting around

ELYSBURG, Pa. — Avery Wheelock (left), principal of Worldwide Safety Group, discusses safety items with Rick Knoebel, a fourth generation co-owner of Knoebels Amusement Resort. Wheelock was onsite numerous times in July doing insurance company inspections of the park's rides, games, food and building structures. Based in Plant City, Florida, Worldwide Safety Group does a variety of services for the amusement and carnival industry, including third party state inspections, risk assessment inspections, loss control surveys for insurance companies, ride operator training, documentation reviews as well as on-site operational audits. AT/B. DEREK SHAW

Alabama's The Park at OWA rebrands its parks to Tropic Falls

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

FOLEY, Ala. — Over the summer, OWA Parks & Resort have taken on a new look and transformation. Since its opening in 2017, the 520-acre property has grown substantially, as has the city of Foley. The resort has many facets, and at its heart is the amusement park formerly known as The Park at OWA. This season, a transformation has taken place. The amusement park, along with a brand new indoor water park, has been renamed Tropic Falls.

Just 10 minutes north of the sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, the thriving area has a lot to offer. A sports complex is adjacent to OWA. A 90,000-square-foot indoor events center hosts tournaments for gymnastics, pickleball and volleyball, and 16 state-of-the-art outdoor sports fields bring in soccer, football and lacrosse competitions. Nearby is a Tanger Outlets shopping location.

The resort is owned and operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

The park has a complement of roller coasters, children’s rides and thrill rides for all members of the family. This year, to combat the heat, a splash pad called Wacky Waters was installed in the spring. As summer kicked into gear, a new indoor water park opened to further offer wet and refreshing fun. [Look for a full article on the indoor water park in AT’s OCT issue.]

“It took us quite a while to come to the conclusion to make everything one name,” said Kristin Hellmich, director of strategy and media communications, Poarch Band of Creek Indians. “For a long time when we started on this journey, we were going to let the amusement park remain The Park at OWA and then create a brand for [the indoor water park]. What we realized is when we constructed the park in 2017, it was done very fast to meet the demand of the rest of the development. So there were opportunities for us to go back and make adjustments based upon what the guests have told us.”

Management felt a cohesive name would help guests understand the offerings and aid in long-range sales goals.

“After months of research, we realized the best approach was to rebrand everything under one umbrella. Ultimately, when a guest goes to the front gate, we want them to buy the complete package, which includes the indoor water park, theme park and eventually the wave pool,” Hellmich said.

Currently, guests have two options. If they just want the rides, they can buy a ticket to the amusement park for $29.99, but if they want both parks, they can buy the complete package at $69.99. Because the entrance to the indoor water park lies within the amusement park, the option to just enjoy the water park by itself does not exist. However, the park has a unique protocol to do just that when the inclement weather causes rides to shut down. They offer a $49.99 rainy day ticket.

“It has rained almost every day this summer. It has been challenging,” Hellmich told Amusement Today. Hopes were that the wave pool would have opened earlier. “Instead of losing opportunities for guests to visit because of storms, we have the Rainy Day ticket when the amusement park isn’t able to operate.”

The indoor water park does have a capacity limit, so in order to ensure that those guests have a great experience, the lesser ticket is still available if the combo tickets sell out.

The total rebrand of the amusement park is about $10 million, according to Hellmich. Some of the first steps of the new theming involved the front gate taking on a new look. The admissions building has been revamped and the gate has been completely redesigned. More shade was implemented for those waiting to enter.

“Once inside, there is this fountain that has been completely redone and we’ve added the Tropic Falls logo and rockwork,” Hellmich said. “That was one of the most photographed spots. Those are the largest changes [so far]. We hired a local artist who has painted about a dozen murals throughout the park. He uses tropical-inspired prints. It helps bring that theme together.”

A former restaurant has been rebranded to Baha Grill. An overhaul of the exterior has given a more tropical aesthetic, which has also spilled over into the menu offerings.

Tuki, a toucan, is the park’s new mascot.

“A mascot has been on the drawing boards for years,” Hellmich noted. “It was hard to decide what the mascot should be. Luckily when we created Tropic Falls, we ended up selecting a toucan. Those birds are not indigenous to our space. So we played up to that idea that he flew down here to vacation and liked it so much he made it his home.”

International Mascot Company was a partner in creating Tuki. His look has a beach bum motif with a Hawaiian printed shirt, flip flops and a straw hat. Guest reaction has led the park to investigate selling plush toucans in the retail stores.

“We are incredibly proud of OWA, the direction it is moving and the economic impact it continues to have on not only the local community but state as well,” said Cody Williams, CEO and president of Creek Indian Enterprise Development Authority, an economic development arm of the tribe. “With the addition of the new indoor water park and the wave pool, we will be creating an additional 400 new jobs for our community. That opportunity, to create such a strong impact for our community, is something we hold in the highest regard.”

A Marriott hotel is now part of the growing OWA resort, as is the Downtown district featuring many dining options and retail stores. “Owa” is a Creek word that means “big water.” The rebrand plays to this.

“I think the biggest moment for me is to watch guests come in the front gate and get excited. They have that sparkle in their eye,” said Hellmich. “They say, ‘Let’s take our picture together.’ It’s fun to see that carry over in the water park too. It’s nice to see them kind of gasp a little with excitement and surprise. I like seeing them enjoy the look and feel of it. I’ve noticed some of the guests even dressing in more beachy attire. They’re leaning into the theme.”

PNE Playland’s Skybender is first installation of Zamperla Gryphon

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Rarely is the amusement industry in a state of complacency. New ideas are always being innovated. New concepts for roller coasters, water rides, theaters and flat rides are continuously under development. In the case of Playland at PNE, it so happens to be the first installation of a new flat ride from Zamperla. Called Gryphon by the manufacturer, Playland dubs it Skybender.

“We are very excited to add a new thrill ride to our Playland ride lineup,” says PNE President and CEO Shelley Frost. “Skybender is unlike anything currently available in Canada and is one of the few rides anywhere in the world offering a single rider experience.”

“Every installation is an exciting project, but the first of many always holds a special place for us,” said Michael Coleman, North America sales, Zamperla. “Following IAAPA 2021, I flew to Italy to experience the Gryphon at our facility prior to the purchase. Being the first of its kind, the ride had undergone an extended factory acceptance testing process which allowed us the opportunity to truly understand the ride and how it performs. We were instantly blown away by the experience.”

As with the majority of flat rides, Gryphon rotates in a circle. Passengers (24) are seated individually on arms and secured with an over-the-shoulder harness. Once the ride is in motion, the arms swing out and the diameter of the circular motion increases. From there, different movement patterns are created. The alternating outward swings elicit screams as passengers are thrust 100 degrees, while the wave pattern becomes a hypnotic “must watch” to spectators.

The wave pattern is reminiscent of the Music Express ride, which was retired to make room for Skybender.

“
When people traditionally think of Playland at PNE, they think of amusement park, not theme park,” Coleman told Amusement Today. “The Gryphon is part of their long-term redevelopment plan and the attention paid to details on this installation gives an indication of what is to come; their all-in budget for the ride and externally themed elements came to $2.7 million CAD. The bold colors of the ride are carried through the entire area: fencing, flowers, the operator booth. PNE installed a Gryphon statue, whose name is Skybender, which watches over the ride area and provides guests with an 'Instagram-able' backdrop with wings and a tag line of, ‘I'm So Fly.’  Upon entry to the queue line, guests pass under the Skybender marquee which has a slightly hidden message of, ‘Spread your wings.’ Overall, this is certainly a leveled-up effort from the folks at Playland at the PNE, and we truly appreciate the care they took with showcasing our first Gryphon.”

Coleman feels the 48-inch height requirement offers a broad appeal in the thrill ride market. The single seat arrangement allows for a rapid load/unload, helping a facility to realize good throughput. He notes it is the first ride in North America with Zamperla’s newest RGB+W LED light package, which is made in Italy.

Familypark Austria debuts Intamin flume ride, country's highest

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

BURGENLAND, Austria — The log flume has been a popular staple in theme parks since first introduced in 1963. Intamin began supplying flume rides in late 1970s. This summer, the Liechtenstein company provided Biberburg to Familypark Austria. It is the tallest flume ride in that country.

Biberburg translates to Beaver Lodge. At the ride’s official opening, instead of a traditional ribbon cutting, Provincial Council Daniela Winkler and Managing Director Filipe de Witte did a tree trunk sawing.

The ride stands 17 meters (56 feet) at its tallest point, taunting passengers with a thrilling drop to follow. Biberburg has several unique features that make it a true signature attraction.

“Thanks to the rather vast number of different elements available in our portfolio meeting different requirements, we were able to come up with a number of ‘neat tricks’ on a rather compact footprint,” said Sascha Czibulka, executive vice president, Intamin. “The ride length of only 325 meters features basically everything needed to achieve a varied and fun-filled experience on a flume ride — reverse direction, a few drops, a vertical lift followed by a rather spectacular drop and a speed hill and all this paired with a number of ‘wet experiences.’”

“The operation of the elevator is the first of its kind — incredibly strong elevator belts and a counterweight keep the system in balance, which is driven by four electric motors,” said Matthias Bano, project lead. “The 17-meter height of the tower already raises the adrenaline, and then the boat literally plunges into the depths.”

“Since the purchase of the family park, it was clear that we would continue to invest heavily in the development of what this unique amusement park has to offer,” said de Witte. “With the Beaver Lodge, we have succeeded in spanning the entire family.”

Companie des Alpes is the owner of Familypark. According to park officials, a large water ride had been in the plans for some time.

“The eight-passenger boat is the most common one nowadays when it comes to flumes,” said Czibulka. “The reason is simply owed to the rather high capacity demands because such a flume ride is a very popular water ride and caters to a rather wide audience.”

Fanciful theming plays an important role in making the ride special. Beavers, dams, saws and lumber accentuate the ride experience. Spectators have a designated splash zone at the ride’s finale.

“Our customers think it is great. They love the height and the giant splash,” said Ira Kama, marketing. “A lot of our visitors find the splash area very refreshing on a hot summer day.”

Ride time is more than three minutes. An approximate € 10 million investment was made for the project. The attraction was built on a site that was formerly used as a petting zoo.

Vekoma-supplied coaster to Dollywood will be the park’s longest

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — In 2019, Dollywood, the award-winning theme park in the Great Smoky Mountains, opened its largest expansion in the park’s history. Wildwood Grove was an area themed to nature that welcomed young children and their families, offering attractions that everyone could ride together. A splash pad for the little ones and areas for even the youngest of fun-seekers was a crowd-pleasing success.

In 2023, Dollywood will grow Wildwood Grove with a roller coaster from Vekoma. This partnership started with a family suspended coaster in the original section. Soon, Big Bear Mountain will be the park’s longest roller coaster.

“Our relationship with Herschend Family Entertainment and Dollywood has been outstanding, and we are extremely excited to see this project coming true after more than one year in the works,” said Ricardo Tonding Etges, Vice President sales and marketing Americas, Vekoma. “Working with the Dollywood team has been a pleasure and we appreciate our collaboration, which started with Dragonflier — a huge hit for Dollywood — and now with Big Bear Mountain. The two coasters nicely complement each other and the existing lineup of the park.”

One of the strongest selling points — in addition to its significant length — is that the height requirement to ride is only 39 inches.

“The entire idea behind Wildwood Grove when we built it in 2019, as well as this first expansion, the focus has been ‘family.’ It’s the opportunity for kids and family to ride together,” said Pete Owens, vice president of marketing and public relations, The Dollywood Company. “We wanted a family thrill coaster. The experience we have with Firechaser Experess — what a great ‘first-ride’ coaster with the forward and reverse launches — Big Bear Mountain has three launches, and while it will be quicker than Firechaser Express, it is going to be an adventure coaster for families. Maybe not a ‘first ride’ but a ‘second ride’ for a lot of kids.”

Big Bear Mountain will stretch along the backside of Wildwood Grove, making for a dramatic backdrop. Its orange track will stretch just shy of 4,000 feet. With a top speed of 48 mph, it is geared to a wide range of guests but will offer solid thrills.

Big Bear Mountain will feature three launches. The first is used to dispatch trains from the station with a simple launch. Two longer areas will propel riders to the maximum speed. At its tallest point, the coaster will rise 66 feet in the air. The layout of the course is a tangle of dips, directional changes and banked curves.

“We wanted that thrill — that close-to-the-ground experience,” Owens told Amusement Today.

A first for Dollywood will be onboard sound in each train. Diving through rocky tunnels and behind waterfalls will also be signature moments for the attraction.

“We have succeeded in creating onboard audio solutions which offer a high quality of sound, while being reliable. There is definitely a trend for this type of extra feature to make the coaster experiences more immersive and focused on the story,” said Etges.

“What’s great about onboard audio is in the storytelling,” said Owens. “It affords us the opportunity to make the ride a much more immersive experience.”

Houston's Traders Village adds two attractions from Chance Rides

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

HOUSTON, Texas — Traders Village officials decided that 2022 was a great time to add to the fun at the 100-plus-acre Houston location.

So, in came a new Chance Rides carousel with hand-crafted and hand-painted Bradley and Kaye figures and a new Chance Yo-Yo. Both rides have been a great fit to the weekend marketplace offerings and have had a great response from visitors.

“Providing a memorable family experience has always been top priority,” said Lee Ann Murray, senior marketing director. “When we decided to expand our ride offerings at our Houston market, we wanted to add a ride that was popular for all ages.

"The Yo-Yo fit perfectly, an old school, high-flying, incredibly fun ride," Murray said. "And who doesn’t love a carousel? Our 2022 Americana Carousel is a work of art, with hand-painted majestic wildlife figures, that makes it a visually stunning addition."

Murray said they have worked with Chance Rides in the company's other markets.

"We knew they could deliver not only the ride and service, but the experience we wanted for our guests,” she said.

The 36-foot Americana carousel features wildlife figures such as zebras, tigers, horses and giraffes.

Traders Village's new Yo-Yo center tower stands a little over 36 feet tall at the very top of the arms, giving it great visibility. Riders are suspended in 32 self-loading swings.

In full whirlwind mode, the Yo-Yo uses centrifugal force to create a circle of riders 73 feet in diameter. The ride’s arms also tilt 10 degrees creating a high-flying experience.

Houston's Traders Village is open on the weekends, and it features an array of entertainment along with its mega shopping experience.

With the new rides, there are now nine amusement rides, bumper boats and an indoor interactive playground. There also are special events and musical entertainment performances on special dates.

There is a variety of vendors selling items from trinkets to treasures, from tires to jewelry, from collectibles to trends.

The Houston location, which opened in 1986, is one of three Traders Villages in Texas. The first was opened in Grand Prairie in 1973 and the third opened in 2011 in San Antonio.

In other Traders Village news, the Grand Prairie location officials are anticipating opening a new ride there, the Prairie Screamer roller coaster, this fall. The coaster, built by E&F Miler Industries, was purchased by Traders Village in 2020 from Scandia Amusement Park, Ontario, California.

It, since, has been undergoing renovations.

•tradersvillage.com

Six Flags Great Adventure rebrands B&M coaster, Medusa returns

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

JACKSON, N.J. — In 1999, the industry was intrigued with a new genre in Bolliger & Mabillard’s portfolio. Coaster riders experienced seating above the track but witnessed the floor being removed before being dispatched. Dubbed a floorless coaster, this first-of-its-kind multi-looper was a crowd-pleasing hit right out of the gate. Medusa was a clever coaster name and the coasters as snakes in the logo were delightfully creative.

Ten years later, the coaster was rebranded to Bizarro, a DC comics villain, and some new thematic props were added. This summer, the wrath of Medusa returned. The epic scream machine returns to her original form, but showcases a new color palette, logo, Gold Rush-era backstory and theming.

“The transformation from Bizarro to Medusa does catch your eye up close and from afar,” said Gabriel Darretta, communications. “Medusa's new color scheme — with its bright green track and copper supports — brings a sense of new life to the ride that helps it stand out amongst the trees. The most dramatic element of this transformation, and probably my favorite, is the entry portal. Standing 35 feet tall, this giant version of our newly designed Medusa logo looms eerily over you as you walk through it. If you remember Medusa's original entry portal, this current iteration should bring back some memories, as you walk through its wooden opening toward the queue.”

The park credits Kristin Fitzgerald as the brainchild behind the reimagining.

The tale of Greek immigrant brothers, the Batos, traveling to California during the Gold Rush in 1874 (100 years before Great Adventure opened its gates) weaves a story of a quest for riches that leads to Death Valley and an unforgiving town of outlaws. According to the legend, earth tremors, mineshaft collapses, a rattlesnake infestation and underground coal fire plagued the outpost. Certain the town was cursed, the brothers named the town “Medusa.”

“When Medusa first opened in 1999, it was themed to the Medusa Mining Company, and our goal was to pay homage to that storyline while giving a fresh and relevant new take on this attraction,” said Darretta. 

“The transformation was no easy task,” Darretta told Amusement Today. “Quite a few things were taken into account when identifying current theming elements, and how they factor into the new direction. It started with the strength in the design of the new logo, and our team felt it would stand up to what its previous iteration had offered.”

This fall during Fright Fest, the park will capitalize on the new legend as the restless spirits of the Batos brothers haunt Frontier Adventures in a western showdown against Medusa.

FACE Amusement enjoys benefits of continued Embed partnership

AT: John W.C. Robinson

jrobinson@amusementtoday.com

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — In 1987, Clarence Mabe opened Rockin’ Raceway in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. His sons Bucky and Rusty Mabe evolved their father's FEC dream and, in 2013, they reimagined their father’s legacy under the brand FACE Amusement.

"We live by our core values every day which are Faith, Attitude, Consistency, Excellence. FACE is a multifaceted operator that thinks differently," explained Bucky Mabe, CEO. "We operate indoor and outdoor attractions, which range from less than 1,000 square feet to more than 40,000 square feet. We also focus on our STAR Experience, a five-step proven process for creating the ultimate experience for our guests."

Focused on providing a high-end, luxury environment to all guests, everything in a FACE location aims to be cutting edge. One of the primary cogs in that design is implenting cashless solutions from Embed.

"When we opened our first Arcade City location in 2013, we realized that the market was ready to switch from tokens and tickets to a digital form of currency," detailed Mabe. "Since then, all our existing locations have been moved to Embed. By upgrading our previous systems to Embed's, most of our existing locations saw an immediate 20-30% increase in sales."

From the moment a guest walks into a FACE Amusement FEC until the time they redeem a prize or exit an attraction, it is clear they are not at an average arcade. To help accomplish this, FACE locations utilize Embed's gamecards, SmartTOUCH readers and PRIZES Redemption POS.

"Embed’s card system is important to the overall guest experience because it is where all their transactions take place within the attraction," stated Mabe.

Its forward-thinking and high-tech approach actually aided FACE's FEC properties as they reopened after the recent COVID shutdown. "Luckily, we already installed and were using Embed systems, which made it easier to open back up to the public," explained Mabe.

As technology evolves and the popularity of FECs increases industry-wide, FACE plans to stay ahead of the game and continue to deliver new ideas and engaging experiences.

"FACE's willingness to always think differently and flip our older concepts completely upside down to try to give guests new experiences keeps us unique in the industry," said Mabe. "We just did a partnership concept with celebrity chef Guy Fieri called 'Downtown Flavortown,' which brings together high-quality food and fun in an upscale yet family environment."

The new Downtown Flavortown concept is thriving on its integration with Embed's system. "Embed is crucial to all our operations moving forward," said Mabe. "As we continue to grow and expand, our hope is that Embed will continue to innovate and add features that are important to our guests where we can continue to give our guests world-class experiences."

FACE Amusement currently operates in high tourism areas such as Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida and Branson, Missouri. The company has plans to deliver its unique service model throughout the U.S.

•faceamusement.com

Mighty Coconut is receiving positive

reviews for its walkabout VR minigolf

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

AUSTIN, Texas—Mighty Coconut, the entertainment studio behind Walkabout Mini Golf, a multi-player game on the Meta Quest, has been taking its global player community on a series of grand adventures, first with a new series based on the 1986 movie Labyrinth, and, now, with a new trio of VR mini golf courses based on the literary masterpieces of French novelist Jules Verne.

Walkabout Mini Golf is an immersive multi-player experience with the fundamental principals of themed experience design but in virtual reality. It has created a new frontier for studios developing immersive content in a holistic way that engages global audiences.

The "Walkabout Mini Golf: Labyrinth" was made possible with Mighty Coconut collaborating with The Jim Henson Company. The undertaking widens the range of entertainment realms the studio is offering, having already announced courses based on mythological “lost cities," films, and classic video game titles.

Labyrinth was originally released as a musical fantasy film directed by Jim Henson with George Lucas as executive producer.

Jules Verne is widely known for being a technological futurist. "Walkabout Mini Golf: Jules Verne" downloadable content will take on the voyages in Verne's novels of Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870), and Around the World in Eighty Days (1872).

“As lifelong fans of Jules Verne as well as the spirit of adventure and sense of place his writing evokes, we’re excited to interpret these epic novels into totally new experiences for our global player community,” said Lucas Martell, executive producer and head of Mighty Coconut. “With 'Walkabout Mini Golf: Labyrinth' and 'Walkabout Mini Golf: Myst' (coming in the last quarter of 2022), we’re re-interpreting the narrative worlds those properties are known for.

"And, now, with Jules Verne, we have the opportunity to bring classic literature into the fold," Martell said. "And who wouldn’t want to mini golf in these fantastical settings?”

The first to launch on this mini golf voyage will be "Walkabout Mini Golf: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea." It will be released later this month.

"Walkabout Mini Golf: Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "Walkabout Mini Golf: Around the World in Eighty Days" will be available in 2023.

Mighty Coconut was founded in 2014 on the heels of Martell’s award-winning animated short film, "The Oceanmaker." The company has quickly risen in popularity with Walkabout Mini Golf and is now one of the top-rated multi-player games on the Meta Quest platform.

According to information released by the company, players have loved Walkabout Mini Golf's lush environments, true-to-life physics and curated social experience with a self-paced, intergenerational appeal to advanced and novice players alike. The game has almost a perfect five-star rating with over 7,800 reviews on Meta Quest.

Martell also is known as the co-creator of Spies in Disguise, the Fox/Blue Sky animated feature starring Will Smith and Tom Holland. The original short film Pigeon Impossible as well as The Oceanmaker have been seen more than 30 million times online and screened at over 350 festivals in 63 different countries.

•mightycoconut.com

Inc. magazine announced that Altitude Trampoline Park has been named on its annual Inc. 5000 list, a ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The brand had a strong July, opening three new parks in Mandeville, Louisiana; Cincinnati, Ohio and Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

"We have been, and will continue to be, dedicated to working with our franchise system to create new opportunities for growth and innovation for our company," said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Altitude Trampoline Park. "With our recent opening in Jacksonville Beach this past month, Altitude has grown to one of the world's largest family entertainment franchises. It's an honor to add one of America's fastest-growing private companies to that distinction."

•

A new entertainment complex is under construction along Edison, N.J. The Supercharged Entertainment location is set to open this fall with the bold claim that it will include the largest indoor go-kart track in the world.

The company already operates a similar 80,000- square-foot facility in Wrentham, Massachusetts. On social media, the company touts its new multi-level N.J. go-kart track will be "28% bigger" with 10 elevation changes and enough room for four-wide racing.

In addition to the race track, Supercharged Edison promises to feature axe throwing and bumper cars. A two-story Drop N Twist Tower (SBF/Visa) will offer additional thrills. An arcade is planned with over 140 games, prize redemption, and virtual reality. A Burgers & Brews restaurant will be part of the complex too.

•

Construction is underway on a new location for Lake Charles, Louisiana, family entertainment center, Lake Area Adventures. The new location will be a 35,000 -square-foot complex.

Lake Area Adventures General Manager Tim Robles said the investment is forward-looking.

“Our goal is to expand the entertainment and recreation opportunities for people of all ages,” Robles said. “This is going to give families, groups of friends and even businesses a place to come together, enjoy a great meal and have some fun. We’re excited to see this dream become a reality.”

The multi-faceted entertainment complex will include a temperature-controlled pool, custom-designed inflatable jump air park, state-of-the-art video game lounge, Southwest Louisiana’s first bouldering/rock climbing wall, a configurable event space, a performance stage for live entertainment and its own restaurant.

•

Family-owned-and-operated Texas trampoline park Bounce Bounce is preparing to open a second location in Missouri City, Texas.

Bounce Bounce’s original location has been open for six years in Cypress, Texas and has a small coin-operated game room. In addition to trampolines, the new facility in Missouri City features an arcade and redemption center.

Both locations utilize Semnox’s Arcade Software Solutions. Customers can purchase RFID arcade cards from Parafait’s self-service kiosk, check account balances and recharge accounts with maximum efficiency and minimal involvement from Bounce Bounce staff.

Ohio State Fair successful run in 2022, features numerous firsts

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

COLUMBUS – Visitors to the Ohio State Fair — which ran July 27 - August 7, 2022 — were able to experience numerous first-time events and activities, including a digital midway, Malro Family Fun Day, a new Little Farmers exhibit and a new performance area. This also was the first year of the implementation of Tyler’s Law with additional ride inspections pre-fair and each day of the fair, conducted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the state agency that oversees ride safety.

Attendance clocked in at 886,473; a slight decrease of approximately 5% compared to the 934,925 people who attended the 2019 Ohio State Fair. The 2021 fair was limited to agricultural and educational competitors and their families, making those attendance figures not comparable to 2022.

“Fairs are very weather dependent, and with a few days of rain, it is not surprising that we saw smaller crowds those days. On days with good weather, we saw higher attendance than 2019,” said Ohio State Fair General Manager Virgil Strickler. Combined revenue was up, with record-setting concession revenue, sponsorships and the highest-ever Sale of Champions.

Mary Talley, co-owner of Talley Amusements, the carnival provider said, “The weather was a huge factor regarding revenues for the carnival midway this year. I feel like we would have set a record had it not been five days of rain or a threat of rain. Although our numbers were pretty even with 2019 revenues. COVID-19 seemed to be a non-issue when watching our customers have a great time!”

The Fort Worth, Texas-based operation brought in 69 rides, along with 22 food concessions and nearly 40 games. Of that total, booked in was Primetime Carnival with 14 rides, along with Jeremy Floyd, Topscan (Mondial), two kiddie rides via Joyrides Inc. and Steve Lisko with two new Italian kiddie rides.

The top rides included the Giant Wheel (Lamberink), Century Wheel (Chance Rides), Zero Gravity (Dartron round-up) and Big Kahuna (also Chance). Gross midway revenue was approximately $2.35 million.

Magic Money is the RFID based digital ticketing system the carnival used. Fairgoers had approximately 80 different points of sale at digital kiosks to use cash or credit cards to purchase RFID cards or wristbands. The RFID card credits could be used on rides, games and food within Talley’s footprint. “Magic Money is by far the best digital ticketing system on the market, said Talley. “The system works well for us. It was new to the Ohio State Fair this year and was well received by our customers. Change is never easy, but the entire fair staff had no complaints as well as the Ohio State Auditors.”

“Talley Amusements has a dedication to the safety of fairgoers, which is instrumental to our fair’s success,” said Strickler.

The carnival had an equally good experience, “The Ohio State Fair staff, Ohio state troopers and the ride inspectors are very accommodating and an absolute pleasure to work with,” said Talley.

Advance sale promotions included early bird admission pricing the month of May via Ticketmaster and all of June through July 26 advance-sale admission, also through Ticketmaster and starting July 1 tickets could be purchased at participating O’Reilly Auto Parts locations.

For three hours on August 3 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m was a sensory-friendly event. All the lights and sound were turned off on all the rides. People could visit the fair’s educational and sensory activities, take a break in a quiet room, or use their sensory accessibility guide to find other fair opportunities. By using a blue handprint next to specific events, the daily schedule for that day indicated which activities throughout the grounds were sensory friendly.

Also new this year was a Malro family fun day. Intestinal malrotation, a congenital birth defect, is a rare but serious disorder that occurs in approximately one out of every 500 births. Taylor Talley, of Talley Amusements, is one such adult who sought treatment at Cleveland Clinic.

To bring awareness to the issue and provide entertainment and fun for "malro" patients and families, Talley Amusements offered free VIP access to rides, games, and food that day. Those who registered in advance were sent complimentary Ohio State Fair admission tickets via Ticketmaster. The fair provided approximately 1,000 free admission tickets to those who registered online.

This year there were 29 different new foods. The fair launched a new mobile app to help fairgoers navigate through the many food offerings. In the app, visitors could access a fair map which pinned each building, restrooms, wheelchair charging stations, gates, camping locations and every food vendor location on the grounds. Each food vendor was listed with their menu offerings and tagged with key words.

“This year, we are focusing on metrics that matter, highlighting what the Ohio State Fair does for the community,” said Ohio State Fair Assistant General Manager Alicia Shoults. “As a growing trend, many fairs across the country are working to place a focus on community impact rather than attendance alone, which is just one of many factors contributing to a fair’s success. The Ohio State Fair is a place where our community comes together to celebrate all that is great about our state. We provide scholarships, youth development, and opportunities for continued growth.”

The 2023 fair comes back around July 26 – August 6.

•ohiostatefair.com

K-Days attendance increases after two-year hiatus

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada — “We could attribute an increase in our attendance to the fair not taking place for the last two years, due to the pandemic, but I would like to say it was credited to the great offerings and programming we offered this year. The Community came out in support in an amazing way,” said Amanda Frigon, fair director, K-Days run by Explore Edmonton Co., a destination marketing organization.

When all was said and done, 760,899 people walked through the turnstiles during the 10-day event, up from 702,000 in 2019, the last year it took place at the Edmonton EXPO Centre & Exhibition Grounds.

“The weather was spectacular,” said Gregg “Scooter” Korek, vice president with North American Midway Entertainment (NAME), the carnival provider. “There were nine out of ten perfect summer days in Alberta.”

A total of 42 rides (25 majors and 17 kiddie) were brought in. NAME also had 48 games and 18 food joints. New rides to that spot included a double decker carrousel (Chance Rides) and Raptor Run (SBF/Visa Crazy Cabs.) The most popular rides were the Crazy Mouse (Zamperla), Niagara Falls flume (Reverchon) and Polar Express (Mack).

Korek talked about the ride midway revenue: “It was really good, north of 25%, up from 2019” 2019 was the last time K-Days took place. “We had an exceptional fair. We did really, really well.”

NAME has had a strong season (at the time this article was written), previously playing Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, Brandon; Red River Exhibition, Winnipeg, Manitoba; Calgary Stampede, Alberta; Westerner Days, Red Deer, Alberta; Queen City Exhibition, Regina, Saskatchewan and Saskatoon Exhibition, also Saskatchewan.

“They were really good [to work with],” said Korek in regard to the Explore Edmonton organization. (Previously Northlands was the operator.) “They did an exceptionally good job on transition the past two years. They brought Frigon on who was with the previous operator. Her expertise and wealth of experience [was invaluable]. The event was safe and clean with lots of great programming. It was pretty seamless.”

Frigon was pleased with what NAME provided: “Wonderful, very happy with our midway provider. This is a longstanding relationship.”

Ticketed promotions included a Kids Day, Indigenous Day (new this year), Provide Day and a Community Day.

Frigon went on to talk about their media mix. “We focused a lot of our marketing resources to digital and some traditional for this year and had a large focus on creating the stories and opportunities for media to get involved in the event.”

Top new food winners were a cheesy Korean rice dog by Corndog King; the fisherman poutine by Poutine King and chili lime popcorn shrimp perogies by International Perogies. Other new or unusual food items included glazed donut grilled cheese, mac and cheese soft serve, Korean squid ink corndog, Oreo fried rice, pickle lemonade and samosa poutine.

When asked what sets K-Days apart from other similar events, Frigon said, “We put a major focus on community engagement and activation with partners within our community, supporting local. We were also the first in the province and maybe Canada to implement a site-wide [alcohol] license.”

Ticketed concerts included Sabrina Claudio, Polo G and Jessie Reyez, while Crystal Waters, Marianas Trench and Classified were some of the free shows.

K-Days began over 130 years ago as the Edmonton Exhibition. Originally held by the Edmonton Agricultural Society at the original Fort Edmonton site, the exhibition was a celebration of technology and innovation in the late 1800s. People traveled from all over to experience the exhibition and see the latest advances in agriculture, industry and science.

With rising interest in the Wild West and Alberta’s heritage in the 1960s, the exhibition expanded its focus to blend modern innovation with historical tribute. As a nod to the history of the Canadian Gold Rush in Edmonton, the exhibition was renamed “Klondike Days.” Through the renaming of the exhibition to the current K-Days, the event has always served as a gathering place and celebration of summer for northern Alberta.

The 2023 K-Days will take place July 21 – 30.

•k-days.com

Soaky Mountain debuts unique fusion waterslide from WhiteWater

AT: Jeffrey Seifert

jseifert@amusementtoday.com

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn.— This summer, Soaky Mountain Waterpark debuted a unique combination waterslide that combined two popular attractions from WhiteWater West. The latest attraction integrates a master blaster water coaster with a boomerang slide into what WhiteWater refers to as a Blasterango. Soaky Mountain purchased two of them, placed them side by side and dubbed the dual attraction The Edge.

Not only is it a double slide for double the capacity, but riders are dispatched at the same time so they can duel throughout the course to see who gets to the finish line first. Starting from the top of a 70-foot ride tower, riders board double tubes in each side-by-side chute. A conveyor dispatch system rolls the pair of rafts forward simultaneously into the first 30-foot plunge. Water jets then blast the riders uphill and into the first tunneled section which is highlighted with colorful circular rings inside the dark tube. Emerging into daylight, riders plummet again into a second valley with an uphill blast into the second tunneled section. This one is a little more dizzying with laser-like AquaLucent horizontal stripes whizzing past the riders producing a sci-fi, warp-like visual. The stripes start longer, and then become shorter and shorter, giving a sense of increased speed while the riders progress through the turn.

The third plunge launches riders into the boomerang section where they will first feel an increase in G-forces at the bottom of the trough then head skyward to experience weightlessness as the raft reaches the top of the wall, loses momentum, then falls backward. Here, each pair of riders will get a good visual of the competing raft to see who is ahead and who climbs farther up the wall. As the rafts gain speed dropping backward, they traverse a zero-G speed bump as they exit the boomerang, enter a long runout to trim some of the speed, then gradually enter a splash pool for a smooth stop.

To further increase the exciting visuals, the tops of the boomerango are made of a translucent material, and a jagged design in the wall makes it look like the rafts are going to exceed the height of the slide and fall over the edge. The finish line is stacked with lights and effects to indicate who is the winner and who went over “The Edge.”

“We are thrilled how Blasterango Battle at Soaky Mountain has become an instant icon and the best ride in the park,” said Doug Smith, WhiteWater global head of sales. “It’s not only a billboard attraction; it’s a dueling water coaster that offers a multitude of sensations. This is a memorable ride where guests will experience uphill blasts and mega drops, multiple Gs, and special sound and light effects to intensify the race — and encourage guests to compete over and over again.”

According to David Andrews, general manager of Soaky Mountain Waterpark, “The Edge is a strong addition to our park and the lineup of attractions we have to offer. We knew the guests wanted more thrill and more that they can do together. We of course wanted innovation. The Edge rolls all of that together, but it is also a show piece, standing off the front of our mountain frontage for all of Sevier County to view. It has been a fan favorite in ’22.”

In addition to the new water coaster, per guest recommendations, the water park expanded the decking in two areas of the park and added 1,000 new seating options. The water park also increased the number of large umbrellas to provide additional shaded areas around the park.

Soaky Mountain Water Park was announced in 2019 as a 50-acre outdoor water park counterpart to the popular Wilderness at the Smokies resort and indoor water park. It is owned and operated by The Wilderness Resorts and Waterparks ownership group. Completed in 2020, it managed to open on June 27, 2020, at the height of the global pandemic with safety protocols and restricted capacity levels.

Located across the street and up the hill from the Sevierville Convention Center and Wilderness at the Smokies, it is open to all guests, although there are special package deals for those staying at the resort.

Surftown breaks ground on Germany's first Endless Surf

AT: Jeffrey Seifert

jseifert@amusementtoday.com

MUNICH, Germany — The construction of an Endless Surf wave pool was first announced last year. On July 28, 2022, official groundbreaking took place at a site in Hallbergmoos, close to the Munich International Airport.

The world-class surf park is 180 meters (590 feet) long and can produce a variety of waves for all skill levels. Most notable, the equipment can produce a “peeling wave” along its entire length with a duration of up to 20 seconds.

In addition to the Endless Surf wave pool, the entire facility, known as Surftown MUC, is surrounded by buildings that will feature a water theme reminiscent of the shape of a breaking wave. The complex is to include an outdoor fitness area, children’s playground and a beach area where participants and observers can lay down and relax. Contemporary eateries will cater to the surf crowd and to nearby employees who might want to take advantage of the surf vibe on their lunch break.

The developers of Surftown MUC hope to create a meeting place for the region: from onlookers to nearby employees seeking a meal, to young surfing talents and to families and children who want to spend a day outdoors enjoying the beach and surf atmosphere.

“At the core of all our planning is the unique surfing experience, which should provide visitors — from absolute novices to Olympians — a safe environment for everything that makes this sport such a passion,” says Chief Surfing Officer Michi Mohr. “And that includes an innovative surf school and coaching concept for beginners, intermediate surfers and pros, in addition to a relaxed and cool ambience and additional outdoor sports facilities.”

The center is also designed to host international surfing competition with its state-of-the art generation equipment capable of producing perfect and continuous waves up to 2.5 meters (more than 8 feet) in height every 10 seconds.

A self-imposed goal to realize climate-neutral and sustainable concepts has resulted in the incorporation of various ecological approaches: More than 90% of the energy needs of the facility and surrounding buildings will be generated from photovoltaic systems (solar panels) placed on the property and in an adjacent open space. The remaining electricity needs will be met by green electricity from the local power grid.

Paul Chutter, president of WhiteWater & Endless Surf, said: “Bringing customizable waves to an already vibrant surf community surrounding the Eisbach River will surely solidify Munich as a surfing hub for Germany and beyond. We’re incredibly honored to contribute to this rich surf culture alongside the dynamic team behind Surftown MUC. This moment marks a huge milestone for us all and we can’t wait to start rolling out Endless Surf waves in Munich.”

The facility will not use treated water from the city supply but instead draw local groundwater, which is in abundance in Hallbergmoos owing to its swampy topography. Special systems to filter and circulate the water are designed to minimize energy and water usage.

Incentives to use public transportation, electric cars, e-scooters and bicycles will encourage visitors who travel to the facility will be as eco-friendly as possible.

Surftown MUC is slated to test operations and start fine-tuning the equipment in late 2023 with a plan to open to the public in spring 2024.

CEO Tim Murphy leads Boomers Park properties into success

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Tim Murphy was eight years old when he started learning about business. His mom and dad had opened a family entertainment center (FEC), Spirit of 76, in New Jersey and he helped out.

"I watched my dad do good business and I watched him do bad business," Murphy said. "I learned a lot from him during those early years."

Those lessons early in his life got him ready for a career in financing and accounting. But, whether or not he figured that one day he would take a business from $10 million in the red to $8 million in the black in about nine months is anyone's guess.

But that is exactly what happened when he began working with APX Operating Company LLC on Boomers parks. APX acquired 16 entertainment facilities from Apex Parks Group, LLC and pulled Murphy in as a consultant. Now he is the CEO of Boomers.

"I guess I wasn't totally surprised when this happen," Murphy said. "I just looked at the fundamentals. If you move a lever this way, that will happen. If you move it that way, this will happen."

There is a little more to those fundamentals than the-one-handed-lever approach, but, basically, that is where he began when he visited each of the parks that APX had acquired accessing their viability.

Murphy helped APX narrow down the number of facilities from 16 to eight, with six FECs and two water parks remaining.

The Boomers locations that made it through that first assessment and are included in the turnaround are located in Irvine, Livermore, Santa Maria, Los Angeles and Modesto, California, as well as Boca Raton, Florida, Big Kahuna Water Park, West Berlin, New Jersey, and Big Kahuna Water Park, Destin, Florida.

He looked into each facility to take note of what was there and what wasn't.

"Because the former operators were in bankruptcy, there really wasn't any money to put back into the businesses," Murphy said. "We went in and started cleaning the places up. We remodeled. There is no longer any ripped carpets. We began rebranding the facilities. We changed the colors from brighter colors such as orange to more of an American theme with red, white and blue, and then added in neutral colors, white, gray and black."

Murphy was striving for brand consistency across the board.

"We added to the food and beverage menus," he said. "We added flatbread, sliders and salads. We used better quality food products so it would taste better. Alcohol was already being served, but we started making better drinks. We wanted to give people what they wanted."

He also took a good look at the demographics in real time. The Boomers facilities were geared to ages 10 to 12 years old. But, what he saw were young adults and corporations. He began to change the facilities to gear them toward this group.

He took a look at where the facilities were located. For locations where the weather stayed fairly moderate, an outdoor area was created with Edison lights, canopies and tables and chairs. For those locations where the weather could get very hot, they created a cool chill atmosphere inside.

He looked at the competition. Murphy didn't jump right into adding any new attractions. He feels that adding a new attraction doesn't always draw more attendance.

So, what is in the future?

"We will keep refining our entertainment venues," he said. "We will take care of them and make sure they are well maintained.

"We also are looking to buy more facilities," he said. "I visited at least 50 last year."

Murphy's 35-plus-year career in the entertainment and attractions industry has helped him go to work quickly for APX and turn the Boomers entertainment facilities around.

After his parents sold their FEC in New Jersey, the family moved to Florida.

Murphy worked at Walt Disney World from 1982 to 1989, in the restaurant areas.

He then attended the University of Central Florida Orlando and received a Bachelor of Science in accounting in 1990. He received an MBA from the College of Orlando in 1992.

Murphy has since served more than 150 entertainment, restaurant, and food and beverage brands across more than 10,000 locations in C-suite and senior positions.

Additionally, Murphy is a board director with Coney Park, Happy City and YuKids - Family Entertainment Amusement Parks, part of The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm which operates 150 plus family entertainment centers and amusement parks in Latin America.

Additionally, Murphy worked with brands including Rebounderz Trampoline Parks, Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, etc.), Red Lobster, Jimmy John’s, Applebee’s, Sonny’s Bar-B-Q, Denny’s, El Pollo Loco, Hardee’s, Golden Corral and Firehouse Subs.

He has overseen more than 35 purchase transactions involving over 1,200 restaurant, store and park locations. With extensive experience in buying and selling businesses, handling negotiations with buyers and sellers, and creating strategic partnerships to build strong brands, Murphy has facilitated deals ranging from $11 million to more than $350 million.

Murphy is a member of IAAPA, CAPA, FAA, AAMA and WWA. He is also a licensed commercial real estate broker in Florida.

•boomersparks.com

IAAPA Europe Expo returns to London after an 11-year absence

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

LONDON, U.K. ­ — Returning to London for the first time since 2011, great expectations abounded as preparations were underway for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo Europe 2022 set for Sept. 12-15.

Expo Europe 2022 will be held at the state-of-the-art Excel London, which boasts a 100-acre waterfront campus with seven on-site hotels and over 40 cafes, bars and restaurants.

By May 2022, IAAPA reported there were more than 470 exhibiting companies from the European region and beyond registered to showcase on Excel London's 15,000 net square meters (161,458.5 square feet) of exhibit space.

The trade show will run Sept. 13-15 and will be packed with the latest products and services, including state-of-the-art rides, virtual reality, motion simulators and design and theming. There will be companies exhibiting the newest in food and beverage, health and safety, point of sale, playground equipment, arcades and coin machines, and pools and water equipment.

“We could not be more excited to bring this year’s show to London,” said Peter van der Schans, executive director and vice president of IAAPA EMEA.

“Our European membership benefits from us changing the Expo location every year," he said. "Hosting this year’s show in a world-class destination such as London offers the global attractions industry an opportunity to showcase their brands and network as we continue to rebound.”

The first day of the conference, Sept. 12, will offer five different day-long special events. They include Sustainability Day, Safety Day and a Backstage Tour of Chessington World of Adventures Resort. All three of these special events take place at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Chessington, U.K.

This resort includes over 40 rides and attractions along with more than 1,000 animals and a Sea Life center. There also are two themed hotels and a glamping site.

The Indoor Entertainment Day has multiple local locations for this event such as Immersive Gamebox, Nickelodeon Adventure Lakeside, Orsett Hall Hotel, Puttshack and Wipeout Lakeside.

Water Park Day will start out with informational sessions at the Excel London and conclude at Wakeup Docklands located in the sheltered waters of the Royal Victoria Dock in downtown London. This park offers a variety of water activities such as cable wake boarding, stand up paddle boarding and hydrofoiling.

The Opening Ceremony is set for the morning of Sept. 13, prior to the opening of the trade show. It will feature industry leaders including Hal McEvoy, ICAE, president and CEO, IAAPA; Duncan Phillips, founder and managing director of 360 Play, chairman of BALPPA; Amanda J Thompson O.B.E., CEO from Blackpool Pleasure Beach; Jakob Wahl, COO IAAPA, and Ken Whiting, ICAE, 2022 IAAPA chairman of the board, president, Whiting's Foods at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Educational sessions will begin after the Opening Ceremony as well. The sessions will feature leading industry professionals giving unique insights on sustainability, guest experience, technology and safety.

Some of the sessions are Crisis Communication Planning; Hospitality by Design; You've got Data. Now what?; Be Inclusive! Learn How to Make it Happen for Your Organization; Foodalicious: New Trends and Ideas to Innovate Your Food and Beverage Experience; Career Slam - Find Your (Young) Professional Purpose; Understanding the Mechanism of Public Funding Opportunities and New UK Attractions You Need to Know About.

Lunch and Learns are scheduled as well as panels geared to specific areas of the industry.

Opening Reception is set for the evening of the Sept. 13 and will be held at the Museum of London Docklands.

•iaapa.org

DelGrosso’s Park & Laguna Splash hosts PAPA Summer Meeting

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

TIPTON, Pa. – The annual Pennsylvania Amusement Parks & Attractions (PAPA) summer fun meeting took place July 19 and 20 at DelGrosso’s Park & Laguna Splash. Nearly 80 members and guests enjoyed food, fun, collaboration and networking during the two-day event. The host park is celebrating their 75th anniversary this season.

Day one started with a scramble golf tournament at Sinking Valley Country Club raising over $1,000 for the Barbara J. Knoebel scholarship fund, which annually assists student employees of PAPA member organizations in the form of scholarships for educational purposes. The four-person team scramble event allowed golfers of any skill set (even for those that only play once a year in this event) to have fun and contribute to their team’s success.

The 14 players were provided a goodie bag, lunch and drink tickets sponsored by Carl Crider and the family at DelGrosso’s. Four strokes are all that separated the four teams that played in the tournament, with the “Killer Bees” team, comprised of Brian Knoebel (Knoebel’s Amusement Resort), Bradford Doolittle (Haas Wilkerson), Melissa Bamford (Baynum Painting) and Pete Barto (PB Amusement) taking home the trophy. “We had a lot of fun and everyone contributed,” said Barto, who coordinated the outing again this time.

That evening attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception, followed by dinner at Laguna Splash Water Park. Each person was given two tickets to place in either basket to win a basket of DelGrosso’s sauces or a basket of numerous items from the amusement and water parks. After lots of lively conversation, attendees left the park with a goodie bag provided with numerous items including a few jars of the delicious pasta sauce DelGrosso’s is known for.

Mike Fehnel, PAPA president, described day two activities: “It was a great day at the park which looks absolutely amazing. We started this morning with a breakfast, which was outstanding. We had numerous times for tours of the tomato sauce factory, which was very, very fascinating to watch. It was a little bit of a Laverne and Shirley moment, watching things go down the conveyors.”

Time was set aside mid-morning for a board meeting. As usual, Treasurer Dick Knoebel, gave his lengthy report saying, “We are solvent,” adding, “Keep the dues money coming.” There was a lot of discussion during committee reports. A few highlights included removing the word, “enforcement” from the by-laws as that does not accurately reflect the role of PAPA, relaxed dress codes to attract more potential employees and the website needing revitalization from member organizations to keep the info from becoming too stagnant. This includes new marketing content and the creation of two additional pages: Hall of Fame member listings with short bios and past president listings.

Gary Chubb talked about the 2022 PACE (Parks and Carnivals Education) ride safety seminar that takes place October 24 – 27 in the Allentown, Pennsylvania area. “Hands-on” training (rain or shine) will take place October 25 at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, Pennsylvania. This annual seminar is held in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Showmen’s Association (PSSA) and offers both 24- and 32-hour certification training sessions. The educational portion of the seminar is led by instructors from NAARSO (National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials.) Inspector testing is also offered for Pennsylvania certified inspectors and/or NAARSO levels.

“We finished up with an outstanding lunch as you would expect here at DelGrosso’s,” said Fehnel. Every Wednesday, throughout the season, the park offers Spaghetti Wednesday’s.

This was the first PAPA event that offered registration online via Ticket Leap.

PAPA formed in 1935 and promotes the industry, allows for the exchange of knowledge among members, upholds a good public image and monitors legislation and regulatory concerns. R.L. Plarr from Dorney Park served as the first President. In 1946, roller coaster designer Herbert P. Schmeck from Philadelphia Toboggan, served as president. The 2023 spring meeting will be held at the Hershey Lodge, February 27 and 28. The 2023 mid-July summer fun meeting host and site has yet to be determined.

•paamusementparks.com

NEAAPA ends July hosting successful summer meeting

AT: Ron Gustafson

Special to Amusement Today

PROVIDENCE, R.I — The 109th Anniversary Summer Meeting of the Northeast’s Entertainment Association (NEAAPA) drew 85 attendees for a two-day event, July 25-26, in the Providence, Rhode Island, region.

The gathering kicked off with a golf tournament at Cranston Country Club, Cranston, Rhode Island, to support the organization’s Pinnacle Scholarship. The annual $500 award is presented to an industry employee or team that has demonstrated “peak perfection in customer service.”

The morning tournament had 23 members play the links and raised $1,000 toward the scholarship program. Haas Wilkerson Insurance, Fairway, Kansas, sponsored a raffle for the tournament with a Garmin Venu GPS watch awarded. Ryan DeMaria, operations manager at Canobie Lake Park, Salem, New Hampshire, was the winner.

Capturing the tourney title was the team of Ramon Rosario, Zamperla, Inc., Boonton, New Jersey; Bradford Doolitle, Haas & Wilkerson; Melissa Bamford, Baynum Painting, Newport, Kentucky and Pete Barto, PB Amusement, Mechanicsburg, Pennsyvania.

The winners will be immortalized with their names engraved on the new NEAAPA Golf Champion’s Trophy, which will be awarded to the winners and passed on each year like the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup.

Off to the races

The afternoon included go-kart, bumper car and bumper boat rides at Seekonk Grand Prix in Seekonk, Massachusettes. The property also had free play on miniature golf and video games for NEAAPA members.

Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village, Providence, hosted dinner provided by member supplier SSA Group also of Providence. There was also exclusive evening time to explore some exhibits, which included close-up encounters with some of the animals and time to talk to handlers.

Children in attendance were treated to the Big Backyard play areas on the property.

A brief business meeting was conducted by President Dave Oberlander.

Day at the zoo

Exclusive tours related to operations, catering and retail highlighted the second day of the NEAAPA Summer Meeting at the zoo. Members were also treated to train and zip rides and free time in the 60-acre complex as well as lunch.

The summer meeting concluded with an afternoon tour of Rhode Island Novelty in Fall River, Massachusettes. The massive 500,000-square-foot building consists of showrooms, warehouse and distribution areas.

Sponsors of the NEAAPA gathering were: Dippin’ Dots, Paducah, Kentucky; Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters Inc., Hatfield, Pennsylvania.; Premier Rides, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland; Ralph S. Alberts Co., Inc., Montoursville, Pennsylvania, and Southwick’s Zoo, Mendon, Massachusettes.

•neaapa.com

S&S Worldwide, Inc. announces the retirement of Tim Timco

NORTH LOGAN, Utah — As officially announced in S&S Worldwide, Inc.’s Board of Directors meeting on July 26, Tim Timco will be retiring as president & CEO of S&S Worldwide, Inc., after 40 years in the amusement industry. Timco’s retirement as president and CEO will go into effect September 1, 2022, but he will remain with the company through 2023 as a corporate advisor.

Timco first joined S&S in 2012 as director of business development, was promoted to vice president – sales & marketing in 2014, became president of the company in 2015 and then promoted again to president and CEO in 2016.

Under Timco’s leadership, S&S has continued to progress within the industry while attaining a number of achievements over the last six years. These successes include its best-selling and most successful roller coaster — the 4D Free Spin Coaster, the Golden Ticket Award winning Steel Curtain coaster (Kennywood) with the U.S. record for the most inversions, Maxx Force coaster (Six Flags Great America) holding the record for the world’s fastest inversion, Tidal Surge (SeaWorld San Antonio) the tallest and fastest Screamin’ Swing and the company recently signed its largest single contract in its history.

Timco started in the industry with National Ticket Company and served as a senior executive for 25 years with them. Much of his time in the industry has been spent contributing and serving on multiple boards. Timco served four years as an IAAPA board member, four years as chair of IAAPA’s M&S Committee, over 20 years on the PAPA Board of Directors, and six years being part of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA) Management Committee.

Timco said: “I consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed. My 40 years in the amusement industry have been very rewarding both personally and professionally. I have developed relationships with people from all over the world that have become lifelong friends and have memories that I will cherish forever, but now it is time to move on to the next chapter in my life. I thank this wonderful industry, the amazing team at S&S and my dear family for all their support over the years, it certainly has been a great ride!”

Effective September 1, 2022, Jason Mons, currently the COO of S&S, has been promoted to president & COO of S&S. Mons started with the company in 2004 and has been the company’s COO since 2016.

“I am extremely confident that Jason will provide the leadership and wisdom in continuing the success and high standards that S&S has established within the amusement industry,“ offered Timco.

Effective September 1, 2022, Noboru Rachi, currently the CEO of Sansei Technologies Inc., will also take the position as CEO of S&S Worldwide, Inc.

Family Entertainment Group (FEG) welcomed Yoo Jin Yi as head of information technology.

Yi has worked in the IT industry for over 20 years. He first began working in the hospitality and restaurant space in 1999 with what was then a small startup called Opentable.com. He was part of a small team of employees who launched the Chicago market for Opentable. He later joined the Gibsons Restaurant Group in 2006. In 2008 he took over its IT department and helped the group grow to 14 locations which grosses $350 million annually.

The operational and technical knowledge he learned in the restaurant space has helped him identify new technologies that benefit both customers and operators. FEG stated that with the fast-changing environment of today’s customer needs, Yi's research and education about new technologies will provide solutions to offer better customer experiences in the future.

RWS Entertainment Group has tapped zoo and museum industry veteran Robby Gilbert as its new global director, business development. Gilbert joins the team as RWS and its subsidiary JRA expand their planning, design, implementation and operations capabilities for zoos, aquariums, science centers and botanical gardens worldwide, and as RWS offers custom leased experiences and merchandise featuring iconic brands, including all-new Hershey and Guinness World Records attractions.

“Robby has spent the last 14 years building amazing partnerships with zoos, aquariums, science museums and botanical gardens around the world,” said Kevin Kreczko, senior vice president, marketing & business development at RWS Entertainment Group. “As our new Global Director, Business Development, he’ll help to deliver immersive leased experiences, dynamic science exhibits and engaging cultural attractions to our clients. With the addition of Robby to the team, and with the expansion of our leased experiences offerings to top brands like Hershey’s and Guinness World Records, we can raise the experience of visitors to new heights across more markets than ever before.”

Gilbert specializes in the development, management and operations of entertainment and educational attractions based on scientific and mission-oriented goals. Prior to RWS Entertainment Group, Gilbert served as chief executive officer of HRG Concepts, which collaborated on the concept design, fabrication and installation of exhibit elements for Phoenix Zoo, the San Antonio Zoo, the Nashville Zoo, the Baton Rouge Zoo and multiple traveling exhibits. Other experience includes the development of over two dozen STEM/STEAM-based leased experiences around the world and supervising the production of a variety of full-scale animatronic figures.

Europe’s largest leisure entertainment experience company, The Experience Department (TED), expanded its European-based leadership team, welcoming Jake McCoy to the new position of director of operations. McCoy joins TED’s U.K. office from his previous role at TED parent company, RWS Entertainment Group.

“Six Flags, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, Paultons Park, Chester Zoo, Westfield, major shopping malls and celebrities have trusted Jake McCoy to oversee their custom, large-scale events,” said Robin Breese-Davies, CEO, Europe of TED. “We are thrilled that he now calls the U.K. home and will be expanding our amazing events and entertainment to include new Halloween and holiday immersive experiences. Jake will also play a tremendous role in creating efficiencies that benefit our clients and our partners.”

McCoy is a graduate of Creighton University’s Theatrical Design and Technology program. He has been making headlines since graduating early and arriving in New York City, landing a leadership role with Broadway Dreams Foundation. He joined RWS Entertainment Group in 2015.

Stern Pinball, Inc. announced the appointment of Taylor Bancroft as technical producer for the award-winning, industry transforming Insider Connected.

“Taylor is an incredibly talented producer with strong management and organizational skills. She brings a unique perspective and voice to the development of new features for Insider Connected that will create a better player and operator experience,” said Seth Davis, president.

Bancroft will be responsible for coordinating and managing development efforts for Insider Connected, acting as a liaison between internal and external development teams. She will work closely with engineering, product management, sales, and marketing teams.

Willi Mack of Mack Rides passes at the age of 99

Waldkirch, Germany — Willi Mack, brother of Franz Mack and godfather of Roland Mack, died in his house on the Mack Rides company premises in Waldkirch, Germany, on July 3, 2022. The entrepreneur was 99 years old. He was the last member of the sixth generation of the Mack family and its eldest member. 

Mack Rides traces its history back to 1780, when the company began as a maker of wagons. Transportation vehicles followed and eventually carnival rides were introduced. Today, the eighth generation of the Mack family continues to be instrumental in the amusement industry.

Willi Mack trained as a blacksmith in his father Heinrich Mack’s company. After the father’s death, he took over the company together with his brothers Herman and Franz.

In 1975, Franz and his son, Roland, founded Europa-Park. 

Willi Mack was fascinated with speed and roller coasters throughout his life. At the age of 92, he sat next to his godson Roland in the first row of the Alpenexpress VR ride during the inauguration of the ride in 2015, and one year later made an appearance in the same style during the opening of the Baa-a-a Express. He was unofficially named the “oldest test pilot” of Europa-Park.

"Willi always had speed in his blood," his godson Roland said.

Willi is the last of that generation and still lived on the factory grounds. He liked to walk around and see what was new. He was always amazed at the progress and technology that is being added to the manufacturing and operation of rides.

His brother, Franz, was inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame in 2005.

The visionary Willi Mack played an important part in the development of the family business which led to the success it enjoys today. Mack Rides continues to be one of the most sought-after manufacturers of roller coasters and water rides.

Six Flags announces

Board of Directors changes

ARLINGTON, Texas — Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has appointed Chieh Huang as an independent director, effective August 1, 2022. The company also announced that Denise M. Clark has decided to resign from the board for personal reasons, effective August 1, 2022.

“We would like to welcome Chieh to Six Flags,” said Ben Baldanza, non-executive chairman of the board. “His entrepreneurial mindset and extensive background in information technology will provide the board and the company valuable insight and guidance as we execute our new premiumization strategy and position the company for profitable growth.”

“I am delighted to join the Six Flags Board of Directors,” said Huang. “As a lifelong fan of the Six Flags brand, the team’s vision to use technology to enhance the guest experience and become more efficient could not be more exciting for me. I look forward to contributing to this success.”

“We also extend our thanks to Denise for the impactful contributions she made during her service to Six Flags,” continued Baldanza. “The company benefitted greatly from her thoughtful counsel and leadership serving on the Audit Committee and as Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and we wish her well.”

Extreme Engineering adds new COO, promotes key company executives

ATHENS, Texas — Extreme Engineering, announced the addition of Rob Wyatt as chief operating officer, along with the promotion of two internal leaders to continue to drive expansion and exceptional service to the company’s clients. Phil Wilson has been promoted to the position of chief development officer and Kris Benken to vice president of business development.

“We are excited by these announcements, which will help us in our next chapter of continued growth and success,” said Jeff Wilson, founder and CEO, Extreme Engineering, “Rob is the right choice for our executive team with his strong track record of innovation, execution, producing excellence that drive results for clients. Phil and Kris are incredible professionals who understand the attractions industry. Phil understands the attractions industry better than anyone I know and will continue to push us in new ways. Kris always puts his clients’ needs first and will remain committed to identifying new client solutions to meet their ever-changing needs.”

With more than 30 years of experience in global design and project management, Wyatt is known for his focus on leading entertainment project developments to deliver solutions that provide commercial success and mutual benefit to the location’s area and local culture. He is an active member of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry. Wyatt holds a Master of Fine Arts from California State University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Southern California College.

Phil Wilson has been with Extreme Engineering since its inception in 1995, when he founded the company with his father, Jeff Wilson. He has helped grow Extreme Engineering to become one of the most respected manufacturers and suppliers in the industry. Through Wilson’s creativity and marketing communications, Extreme Engineering has been globally recognized many times, earning significant awards including “Best New Product” five years in a row, along with 16 international amusement industry awards to date. In his new role, he will oversee all strategic partnerships, global marketing, fabrication services, custom attraction development and new product concepts. Wilson is an active volunteer with IAAPA, having served on the Board of Directors and several committees. He is also a member of the TEA. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Arts from California State University and is an IAAPA Certified Attractions Executive (ICAE).

Kris Benken joined Extreme Engineering in 2015. He spent the early part of his career working in the hospitality industry and later managing several amusement attractions. In his role, Benken will lead all adventure ride sales, sales support and sales strategies. He is also a member of TEA and serves on IAAPA committees. Benken holds a Bachelor of Arts from Florida State University.

Monty Jasper steps off the roller coaster and takes a little time

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Monty Jasper had reached that point in his life where he knew it was time to retire.

"Well, I was old enough," he said, laughing. "I just think you get to a point when all the things you wanted to achieve start clicking into place, like family, finances."

He left his post with Cedar Fair Entertainment at Schlitterbahn Waterpark, in New Braunfels, Texas, on May 27.

He and his wife, Suzanne, are doing things that they haven't had the time to do before, like stopping by museums.

"I finally had time to go to the LBJ museum (LBJ Presidential Library) in Austin, Texas," he said.

They have a cruise coming up.

When AT caught up with him, they were spending a few days at Walt Disney World. The two have three grandchildren, all boys so far, with another grandchild on the way. They don't yet know if it is a boy or a girl.

There now will be more time spent with them.

But Jasper said he doesn't plan to just sit by the pool, although he has done that, too.

"I've thought about this a lot," he said. "God has blessed us. When you have been blessed like this, you want to find a way to give back. I want to find a way to give back to the industry that has been so good to us."

When Jasper started out in the amusement park industry in 1973 as a ride operator at Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, he most likely didn't know that it was this industry that would keep him intrigued and motivated for the next 49 years.

In fact, it was his father that suggested he thought a good fit for him was to major in mechanical engineering. He took his father's suggestion and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in that field from the University of Texas-Arlington.

"It was fun, the summers working at Six Flags," he said.

But the further along he got into his career, he said it became "serious and complicated" as he stayed on the cutting edge."

His work in safety and writing ASTM standards were important and significant. In fact, it is this work that he feels he has given to the park industry.

During my career, I had an opportunity to work with several groups to create rules, policies, guidance and regulations that were hoped would give direction for future industry professionals to follow," Jasper said. "This work would allow safety to be improved across our industry. They would allow others coming later to build on them and further improve the future.

"I worked with ASTM in several areas and helped write sections of the standards for amusement ride and attraction design. Through the state of Ohio, I helped craft regulations that would improve ride and water park safety in that state. At Cedar Fair, I worked with others to craft company policies that strengthen safety there for the guests and associates."

Jasper was with Six Flags for 22 years and Cedar Fair for 27 years.

During those years, he had the opportunities to work on many great rides and attractions.

"Probably the best was Millennium Force as it seemed to generate the most excitement at the time and impacted our business in a big way," he said. "Other rides like, Top Thrill Dragster, Maverick and Gatekeeper are a few more of the rides that added to those experiences and were highly impactful."

Yet with all the wonderful opportunities, he feels the most significant things he is taking with him in his retirement are the friendships he made.

"The people that I have met and worked with have been the most rewarding experience from the job for me," Jasper said. "They have made it all worthwhile. Added to that is the fact that all of us had a hand in helping our park guests have great family experiences. It makes all of these personnel relationships richer. "

Jasper influences industry

“Monty is a consummate professional who contributed so much to our industry, our company and our associates during his remarkable career. His experience, judgment and attention to detail were second to none.

“And many of his colleagues looked to Monty as a mentor, someone who would teach through example and take the time to help them think through how to solve a problem.”

— Richard Zimmerman

“Monty is one of the outstanding individuals in the industry and I consider myself very fortunate to have worked with him at Six Flags and ASTM.

“I have known Monty since about 1978, when I went to work for Six Flags. Monty worked at Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington) and after graduating from University of Texas Arlington with a degree in mechanical engineering, we hired Monty as a corporate engineer. Six Flags had a policy of having an independent engineer at each park, and Monty was eventually assigned to the position of corporate engineer at Six Flags Astroworld.

“He worked in this position for many years and, based on his request, was transferred to the park as vice president of maintenance and construction, where he remained until he found an opportunity at the other major regional theme park operator, Cedar Fair. Monty moved to Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio) as the vice president of maintenance and construction.

“Being the outstanding safety expert he is, Monty transitioned to the role of safety engineer for all Cedar Fair parks. Like his original role at Six Flags, Monty visited and inspected all the Cedar Fair parks, monitoring parks and rides for safety.

“When Cedar Fair acquired Schlitterbahn, Monty volunteered to move to New Braunfels, Texas, to oversee upgrades and maintenance at that park until his retirement.

“I’m sure Monty still has his heart in the industry, and I know I will have the opportunity to work with him in the future. Lucky me.”

—Harold Hudson

Playland's Wooden Coaster open to public after refurbishment

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The iconic Wooden Roller Coaster that has taken riders rolling up and over against the Vancouver skyline at Playland Amusement Park reopened in late July following an 18-month, CA$1 million ($768,000) restoration.

“It’s exciting that our beloved Wooden Coaster is now open,” said Laura Bellance, spokesperson, Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), the non-profit organization that operates Playland Amusement Park. “A ride on the coaster is a tradition that goes back for generations in British Columbia, and this retrofit ensures it will be in top form to ride for millions more thrill seekers for years to come.”

The coaster, which originally opened on this site in 1958, has been described as an old-world, all-time classic. It also has been described as a “living” structure being made entirely of wood outside of the friction plates where the train’s metal wheels meet the frame of the ride structure.

Officials at PNE decided in 2021 that with an uncertain season ahead due to Covid that it was a good time to do the restoration. The refurbishment was not related to any specific safety issue but rather an overall upgrade that should give the coaster another 60-plus years.

“The Wooden Coaster is one of the most highly maintained rides in the country, but as a living structure built from wood, we must undertake regular maintenance prior to the opening of the park each year,” Ballance said. “As we approached summer 2021, there were many unknowns as to how much, if any, of the Playland season would be saved due to COVID-19 closures. With the park potentially being closed already due to the pandemic, and in consultation with our engineering consultants, it made sense to continue with the refurbishment plan at this time."

The Wooden Coaster was designed by Carl Phare, and the head of construction was Walker LeRoy.

The international engineering team assembled to complete the extensive project sought to ensure the signature Playland Wooden Coaster ambience of yesteryear was respected in the modern retrofit.

For the engineering lead on the restoration, PNE officials reached out to Quebec-based Martin and Vleminckx Rides (MVR), a company that is known for its manufacturing, fabrication, installation and restoration of wooden roller coasters. MVR has constructed 13 new wooden roller coasters in the last 10 years, including locations in: China, Australia and across North America.

This is the most extensive retrofit in the coaster's 64-year history, including undergoing the addition of lap belts in the train to meet incoming safety standards.

The Playland Wooden Roller Coaster trains have a maximum speed of 45 mph. The maximum track height is 75 feet at the highest point, which is the first hill.

The coaster is powered by a 75 hp electric motor which lifts the 16-passenger, specially-designed train up the first hill. Once each train passes over the first hill, it negotiates a series of climbs, dips, banks, horseshoe turns and a classic reverse curve.

The Playland Wooden Coaster has received countless accolades including Coaster Classic and ACE Roller Coaster Landmark designation from American Coaster Enthusiasts.

Owned by the City of Vancouver, the PNE organization manages a total of four activity streams including the Playland Amusement Park. The other three are the 15-day annual PNE Fair, Park Care and Facility Maintenance and an expansive portfolio of year-round events.

•pne.ca

Opened 1958

•

Designed by Carl Phare

Head of construction was Walker LeRoy

•

Train features eight, two-person cars

•

Maximum speed of 45 mph

•

Maximum track height of 75 feet

•

Track length of 2,840 feet

•

Ride time: 90 seconds

•

Averages 1/2 million guests annually

•

Cost of construction: $200,000

2022 PNE Wooden Coaster

retrofit features:

Installation of over 1,200 lengths

of structural grade Douglas Fir.

This equates to over 12,000 feet of lumber

•

More than 4,700 man-hours

have been invested in this project.

•

Engineering lead on the project was

Martin and Vleminckx Rides.

AIMS Safety Seminar planning underway, to include new program

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

GALVESTON, Texas — With a brand new track and the second year of a 2022 new program, plans are well underway for the 2023 AIMS International Safety Seminar, which will be held for one more year at the Galveston Island Convention Center, Galveston, Texas, Jan. 8-13.

According to AIMS Executive Director Mary Jane Brewer, it is shaping up to be the best safety seminar ever, with many core ride maintenance, inspection and safety courses returning and some brand new ones being introduced, specifically the new track, Adventure Attractions.

This new program was created to address safety concerns of amusement attractions that fall outside the traditional theme park, carnival and water park.  These attractions include mountain coasters, trampoline courts, inflatables, parasailing, aerial adventure courses, zip lines, eco tours, tethered helium balloons and many others that are not covered in the traditional amusement industry safety education curriculum. 

"We are really excited about this new track," Brewer said. "We assembled a group of industry experts to form a committee to create the safety education geared to this part of the industry."

Brewer said as the number of non-traditional amusement rides and devices, termed “Adventure Attractions,”continues to grow into a much larger segment of the amusement industry, AIMS International saw the need to develop a specialized safety education curriculum."

Then, AIMS staff assembled a group of industry professionals involved in the operation, maintenance or inspection of adventure attractions. These experts formed a committee that has created the educational portion.

"We will have a full week of classes for the Adventures Attractions track at the 2023 conference," Brewer said. "There will be one room dedicated to this program.

"The Adventure Attractions Committee, as well as the AIMS staff, believe this new track will greatly enhance safety in this segment of our industry," Brewer said.

A new Adventure Attractions Certification program also is currently being developed and is slated to be introduced in 2023.

"Hopefully, we will be able to introduce this certification in 2024," Brewer said.

Courses in the Adventure Attractions curriculum include Building an Adventure Attraction Safety Program; Evacuation Plan; Patron Education, Communication and Denying Entry; Maintenance Program Requirements; Inspection Program Requirements; Training Program Requirement and Communicating Your Adventure Attraction Safety Program.

Others are Hayrides/Trams/Trackless Trains AND Bumper Boats/Go Karts; Mountain Coasters/Alpine Slides; Harnessed Adventure Attractions; Inflatable AquaParks/Water Elements/EcoTours; Airbags/Foam Pits/Soft Play and Parasailing/Indoor Skydiving /Balloons Helium.

A field trip to Urban Air Houston, Texas, also is in the planning.

Back by popular demand for a second consecutive year, AIMS International will partner with International Ride Training (IRT) to create the enhanced custom-curated Operations Track.

New ride maintenance, inspection, safety, security, crowd management and carnival safety courses will be offered, as well.

AIMS also is planning the second year of the Academy of Amusement Risk Management Safety & Security, AARMSS, which was introduced for the first time in 2022. This is the program specifically designed for those with experience working in safety and security management positions and are seeking advanced education opportunities in the areas of safety and security management, risk management and emergency management.

Brewer said the 2023 seminar registration website opened on Sept. 1.

"Registrants will find a new, more convenient way to sign up for the seminar, while still offering the same option to fully customize their seminar experience," Brewer said.

This year, more than 300 courses will be divided into the following tracks: Maintenance Level I, Maintenance Level II, Inspection Level I, Inspection Level II, Operations, Aquatics, Safety, Leadership, Carnival and more.

"With the click of a button, registrants can choose the path to enroll in one of these tracks, which will be pre-populated with the related courses, so that individual courses do not need to be selected," Brewer said.

However, registrants who want it, will still have the option to customize their own schedule by choosing individual courses from any track, if they choose that path.

"We have never made any participant enroll in just one track, but they now have the opportunity to do that easily if they want," she said.

Staying well ahead in planning preparations, the 2024 AIMS International Safety Seminar is already set to be held in Orlando, Florida.

•aimsintl.org

As rides returned to Ohio State Fair, LJM returns to inspect midway

COLUMBUS, Ohio — After shuttering the Ohio State Fair for the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and eliminating the ride midway for the event as the fair eased back into life post-pandemic, Talley Amusements made its long-awaited returned with its ride mdway entertainment for the 2022 edition of the Ohio State Fair.

Returning with Talley Amusements was LJM & Associates, Inc., which brought its inspection services to the Ohio State Fair midway. Leading up to the fair's opening, the team members checked every ride throughout the midway, including the kiddie area and conferred with fair representatives and the state inspectors.

Once the fair was open, LJM inspected rides throughout the event as needed. Three rides which had received a recent refurbishment required daily inspections to ensure the work was properly maintained.

This was the first year of operation for the fair under the newly enacted "Tyler's Law." Named for 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell who lost his life in a tragic accident at the 2018 Ohio State Fair, Tyler’s Law strengthens ride safety by adopting the latest standards of ASTM International for the storage or use of rides outside of Ohio.

Six Flags delivers inclusivity, safety for all its guests

ARLINGTON, Texas — Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has become the world’s first theme park company to revolutionize and design a specialized restraint harness that allows access to all Six Flags Thrill Rides for guests with physical disabilities.

In addition, as the world’s first theme park company to be accredited, at all properties, as Certified Autism Centers, autistic guests and their families can now explore more inclusive options while visiting the parks. This accreditation is in partnership with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), the only credentialing organization providing this form of certification.

“Six Flags is proud to be the industry leader on these innovative programs that allows our guests to enjoy the more thrilling rides that our parks have to offer,” said Selim Bassoul, Six Flags President and Chief Executive Officer. “This offering, coupled with the IBCCES certification at our parks, shows our unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

The custom restraint harness offers multiple sizes that are able to accommodate riders with physical disabilities such as a missing limb or appendages starting at 54” tall. Approximately 98% of all Six Flags theme park rides are equipped with an individually designed harness. Certain rider restrictions and qualifications will apply.

“Six Flags is synonymous with thrills, but safety and inclusivity is the cornerstone of everything we do,” said Jason Freeman, vice president, public safety and risk management for Six Flags. “We are proud to implement these key, new safety programs that bring thrills within reach for all guests,” regardless of disability or limitations he added.

•sixflags.com

CALENDAR

2022 Golden Ticket Awards

September 9 - 10, 2022

Morgan's Wonderland

and Six Flags Fiesta Texas

San Antonio, Texas

goldenticketawards.com

•

IAAPA Expo Europe 2022

September 12 - 15, 2022

London, United Kingdom

iaapa.org/expos/iaapa-expo-europe

•

WWA Show

October 4 - 7, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

wwashow.org

•

2022 PACE Seminar

October 24-27, 2022

Allentown, Pennsylvania

email: srdirmaint@gmail.com

•

Pennsylvania Amusement Ride

Safety Seminar

November 8-10, 2022

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

paridesafety.com

•

IAAPA Expo 2022

November 14 - 18, 2022

Orlando, Florida

iaapa.org/expos/iaapa-expo

•

IAFE 2022

November 27 - November 30, 2022

Indianapolis, Indiana

fairsandexpos.com/Annual-Convention

•

2023 AIMS International

Safety Seminar

January 3 - 13, 2023

Galveston, Texas

aimsintl.org/aims-international-safety-seminar

•

IAAPA FEC Summit

January 22 - 24, 2023

Nashville, Tennessee

iaapa.org/events/connections/summit/fec-summit-2023

•

NAARSO Safety School

January 28 - February 3, 2023

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

naarso.com/safety-seminars

•

Have a Calender event listing you want to share?

Email it to: editorial@amusementtoday.com

Carowinds plans for multiple new rides, redesign of area into Aeronautica Landing

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Starting with a makeover of a park section into County Fair in 2017, Carowinds leadership has gone throughout the park transforming former areas into fresher experiences. The fourth and latest area will be called Aeronautica Landing when the park opens for its 2023 season and its 50th anniversary.

The new land capitalizes on the Carolina’s spirit of invention, exploration and aviation. The focus is on the history and future of flight. Construction of Aeronautica Landing is currently taking place in the space formerly known as Crossroads. Six rides will be a part of the section.

Zamperla is providing four of those rides: Air Race 6.4, Disk’O, Nebulaz and Windstarz — each themed after the area’s new motif.

"We're extremely proud to partner with Cedar Fair and Carowinds for this installation,” said Ramon Rosario, director of North America sales, Zamperla. “The close collaboration between our internal art department and Cedar Fair's team is going to create an immersive aeronautical experience for the guests at Carowinds while honoring the history of flight. Cedar Fair's team has done a wonderful job during the creative process to imagine thematic concepts and how they can be applied to our machines. The attention to detail will be enjoyed by their guests at Carowinds for years to come."

The forthcoming Disk’O is dubbed a “Skater” version and features an oblong platform.

“Because of the unique 24-passenger gondola, it brings the height restriction down to 36 inches, which will really open up the experience to a much bigger and younger audience,” said Michael Coleman, North America sales, Zamperla.

Replacing the older bumper cars are new versions supplied by Majestic Manufacturing. Hover & Dodge will feature new bumper cars.

“Cedar Fair has been a client for 30 years plus. It’s a nice group to work with,” said Vince Kudler, president, Majestic. “These bumper cars are more for the times. Kids today have demanded more over the years. Rides have become more sophisticated and interactive, so we’re offering something different not only appearance wise but a little more interactive. We’ve had something in development for them to offer.”

A rethemed classic Chance Trabant will round out the ride offerings in the new land.

In addition to the replacement of the bumper cars, three attractions have been retired to make room for the reimagined area.

A new restaurant called Terminal A will offer a craft beer bar and patio. A refreshed existing location and an additional food and beverage snack option will also be found in Aeronautica Landing. A game area will also take on the aviation theme in their challenges.

Vice President and General Manager Manny Gonzalez said: “This region played such an integral role in the history of developing and testing the tools for aviation, and we believe Aeronautica Landing will help bring that to lif e for our guests for years to come.”