Amusement Today honors parks, rides and individuals in the amusement industry

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — The Golden Ticket Awards were established by Amusement Today in 1998 to shine a spotlight on the amusement park industry and attractions by recognizing the “Best of the Best.” Today, they are among the most recognized awards among theme parks, amusement parks, family entertainment centers and water parks. In 2024, Amusement Today presented awards in 22 categories, as well as special recognition with Publisher’s Picks awards and Legend designations.

On September 7, more than 300 industry professionals gathered at host park Kennywood to enjoy the awards ceremony, network with social activities and behind-the-scenes tours and discuss current trends.

“Amusement Today is thrilled to provide an opportunity for industry colleagues to meet in person,” said Publisher Gary Slade. “We have people traveling from around the world. When so many parks have similar schedules, it can be challenging, but the rewards of being among one’s peers are significant.”

Kennywood is considered to be one of the finest traditional amusement parks in America. Having been around for 125 years, the park opened in 1899. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

“It is wonderful to showcase the old-fashioned roots of our industry,” noted Tim Baldwin, Golden Ticket Awards Communications Coordinator. “Kennywood offers such a nostalgic environment with numerous classic rides, but the modern thrillers are great too. The Golden Ticket Awards brings peers together, and to network within such a one-of-a-kind place is really special.”

The biggest winner of the evening was Dollywood, which snagged five Golden Tickets in various categories: Best Family Coaster, Best New Show, Most Beautiful, Best Guest Experience and Best Kids’ Area.

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari was another big winner with three wins: Best Water Park Ride, Best New Innovation and Best New Theme Concept. That latter category was a first-time inclusion into the awards, and the park’s comical take on Thanksgiving dinner surrounding the park’s new family coaster (Good Gravy!)  took the prize. The innovation that won gold was the guests’ ability to determine one of the scenes of the nightly drone show via their phones.

A handful of parks won a pair of awards. Europa-Park took the final category, Best Park, as well as Best New Roller Coaster, Voltron Nevera. Silver Dollar City’s new Fire In The Hole won Best New Family Attraction and Best New Attraction Installation. Knoebels Amusement Resort repeated its wins for Best Wooden Coaster (Phoenix) and Best Food.

Best New Water Park Ride went to Mount Olympus Water & Theme Park. The new Rise of Icarus is the tallest waterslide in North America.

Chiapas at Phantasialand won Best Water Ride, a Golden Ticket it had also won in 2021. The multi-level flume ride featured the world’s steepest drop when built in 2014.

Fury 325 at Carowinds won Best Steel Coaster for an eighth consecutive time.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios won Best Dark Ride with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

Leadership is a category from industry nominations and voted on by those in the industry and journalists. Morgan’s Wonderland, with its ultra-accessibility for all guests, won the award this year.

Among other park categories, Adventure Park USA won Breakout Family Entertainment Center, Dutch Wonderland took Best Family Park for a fifth time, and the undefeated Schlitterbahn claimed Best Water Park for a staggering  26th time.

Slade presented three Publisher’s Picks this year. Beth Root was honored as Person of the Year for her forward thinking in establishing the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson. The program with World Waterpark Association has grown considerably around the globe and welcomed families for a 15th year in 2024 in efforts to help save lives.

Taking the Renaissance Publisher’s Pick was Alton Towers and the dramatic transformation of one of its most popular rides. Nemesis Reborn captured the essence of the award’s meaning of “new life.”

Europa-Park took home another accolade with the Publisher’s Pick Turnstile Award. The most popular park in Germany accomplished a challenging feat to bring back two rides damaged by fire in 2023, only to add even more things to the attractions to keep the guests coming back for more.

Amusement Today acknowledged more parks and individuals as Legends — recognizing their impact and influence on the industry — than ever before. Before retiring two categories dedicated to holiday festivals, Universal Studios Florida’s Halloween Horror Nights and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas had each taken the category 15 times.  That made a sixth trophy for Dollywood during the evening.

The biggest surprise of the evening was Slade receiving a surprise Legend award.

“The Amusement Today team had to work internally to make this happen, which was not easy,” said Editor John Robinson. “This was a collaboration between friends within the industry and AT. We were thrilled to pull it off.”

Paul Nelson, the past owner of Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, was honored for his lifetime career of dedication and community involvement.

The three founders of American Coaster Enthusiasts (Richard Munch, Roy Brashears and Paul Greenwald) were recognized for starting in 1978 what has become the world’s largest and longest-running enthusiast organization that has grown to more than 7,000 members. The club is dedicated to supporting the industry.

The final award of the night went to John Reilly, CEO of Palace Entertainment, the ownership group to which Kennywood belongs. Reilly’s efforts have brought growth and beautification to the company’s portfolio. It was one of the evening’s multiple surprises.

Amusement Today began publication in 1997, and the award-winning magazine is now a leader in the amusement industry. The Golden Ticket Awards were established in 1998 and are the direct result of votes cast from around the globe. More than 500 experienced travelers, divided equally among the nation as well as internationally, received ballots. Industry journalists and ride suppliers also have categories devoted to professional topics. A free downloadable issue containing the charts and full lists of finalists, as well as an online presentation of the awards, can be found at GoldenTicketAwards.com.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Bruce Campbell, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), announced today a new global structure for the company’s worldwide studio tours, retail destinations, touring exhibitions, and all location-based experiences, bringing together the existing licensed entertainment and owned and operated teams into a single worldwide division. Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences will be charged with strategically expanding the company’s fan facing experiences and pursuing new businesses that capitalize on the Company’s world-class intellectual property like those with Universal Destinations & Experiences and Miral, and its award-winning operated businesses including Warner Bros. Studio Tours in London, Hollywood, and Tokyo.

“WBD has an incredible mix of location-based experiences for fans around the world, from theme parks and tours to exhibits, retail and more,” said Bruce Campbell, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer for WBD. “Bringing these two teams together under one roof gives us an opportunity to leverage and coordinate the talent and resources across all of our experiential businesses to better delight our consumers through offering even more truly authentic and engaging in-person experiences and events in every market.”

WBD Global Experiences combines the company’s existing Global Themed Entertainment licensing group, and the Studio Tours & Retail owned and operated division into a new cohesive and unified division. The new team will develop and execute on global strategies that offer partners the right mix of both models, putting WBD in a position to drive growth and become a worldwide leader in the creation, development, licensing and operating of location-based entertainment inspired by Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS, Discovery and more.

Simon Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of WBD Studios will add leadership of WBD Global Experiences to his responsibilities. He will report to Bruce Campbell for Experiences and will continue reporting into WBD’s Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiendenfels for his studio and content operations and financial roles.

Robinson appointed two veteran leaders to his new Experiences organization who will report to him:

• Peter van Roden, Executive Vice President, Global Themed Entertainment, will continue in his role leading the licensed location-based entertainment and theme parks businesses as well as the division’s global business development.  His team will continue to manage the partnership with Universal Destinations & Experiences for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations, Miral for Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and The WB Abu Dhabi, and the company’s other licensed exhibitions.

• Sarah Roots, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Tours & Retail, will continue in her role leading WBD’s owned and operated experiences including the award-winning Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood and the Harry Potter flagship and other retail stores.  Sarah and her teams in London, Tokyo, and Burbank have made the company’s studio tours must-experience destinations with industry leading visitor reviews.

In announcing the Global Experiences leadership team, Robinson said “Peter and Sarah are experts in curating and executing global location-based experiences at the very highest caliber. Our teams have an obsession for detail that we bring to each project and together, we will be able to bring partners – and fans – even more of what they’ve come to expect from a Warner Bros. experience.”

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is excited to announce the birth of a female reticulated giraffe born the morning of August 16 to 11-year-old giraffe Faye and 14-year-old Ezeji. The baby giraffe currently stands at 5’10” and 150 lbs. and is doing very well in the days following her birth. Her name will be unveiled at a later date.

“The Zoo’s Animal Care Team is thrilled to welcome a new giraffe calf into the Zoo family,” shares Rick Schuiteman, Zoo Executive Director. “Faye gave birth in the early morning hours on the 16th and has been an attentive mother.”

The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is now home to a herd of six reticulated giraffe, five females and one male. The calf and mother, Faye, were given access to start exploring the giraffe exhibit earlier this week. We provide all of the animals in our care choice and control, meaning they have access to their exhibits but may choose to remain in their behind-the-scenes spaces.

Please be patient with the new little one as she becomes comfortable with the exhibit space and with the other giraffes in our care.

“The first few days, baby girl spent exclusive time with mother, Faye, inside the giraffe barn. The rest of the herd were curious to meet the little one, and introductions to all the giraffe over the past weeks went very well,” said Michelle Smurl, Director of Animal Care. “After the introduction period, the next step was to venture out into the outdoor exhibit, which usually starts slow as she gains confidence.”

This baby reticulated giraffe becomes the Zoo’s newest ambassador representing wild giraffe in Africa. Giraffe populations continue to plummet due to poaching, habitat destruction and civil unrest. The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo supports the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), an organization working to research giraffes and implement ways to save them. The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo financially contributes annually to GCF. To learn more about giraffe conservation and how you can help, visit kidszoo.org.

Thank you to Fifth Third Bank for supporting Zoo babies.

NEDERWEERT — ETF Ride Systems launches its latest innovation, the “Dynamic Mover”, at the IAAPA Expo in Amsterdam. This groundbreaking ride vehicle represents ETF’s commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology in the amusement park industry.

ETF Ride Systems, a market leader and a pioneer for over 25 years in trackless vehicles, continues its legacy of innovation with the launch of the Dynamic Mover. Since introducing the first trackless ride decades ago, ETF has set the standard for versatility, reliability, and technological advancement in the attractions industry. The Dynamic Mover represents the next generation of movement freedom and performance, designed to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modern attractions. It redefines the guest experience with its versatility and advanced features:

• Omni-directional movement: the Dynamic Mover can rotate and move in any direction, offering a full 360° chassis rotation on the spot, and allowing seamless “crab-walking” from a standstill. This flexibility allows parks to design more immersive and dynamic ride experiences that captivate guests. The ability to navigate tight spaces also maximizes the use of available space, enabling more creative and compact ride layouts.
• Wireless navigation: the Dynamic Mover operates with an advanced optical navigation system, offering a flexible track layout that is only limited by your imagination. It is ETF’s new navigation technology next to its embedded and trusted guide wires. Without the need for physical tracks or embedded guide wires, parks save on installation and maintenance costs. For guests, it’s always a surprise where the ride will take them, keeping the experience fresh and exciting each time they enjoy it.
• Enhanced performance: with higher maximum speeds and faster rotations, this vehicle can accelerate up to 1.5 m/s² and rotate the cabin up to 10 rpm. When both – vehicle and top – rotate even up to 20 rpm. Optional hill-climbing capabilities ensure a thrilling experience on any terrain. This enhanced performance attracts a broader demographic, from families to thrill-seekers. The optional features add versatility, allowing parks to offer unique experiences that stand out in our competitive market.
• Sustainable power: the Dynamic Mover is powered by a high capacity onboard battery system, providing up to 14 hours of continuous operation after overnight charging. This enables the Dynamic Mover to run efficiently throughout the park’s operating hours without intermittent charging.
• Versatile capacity: designed to accommodate up to 6 guests per vehicle, with an optional upgrade for 8, the Dynamic Mover is perfect for a wide range of attractions. The flexible capacity allows parks to adjust for different crowd levels, maximizing throughput during peak times and ensuring a smooth, enjoyable experience for guests.

These enhancements make the Dynamic Mover a game-changing addition to any theme park, offering not just an innovative ride experience but also tangible benefits in terms of operational efficiency, sustainability, and guest satisfaction.

The Dynamic Mover premiers and rides at ETF’s stand #10625 during the IAAPA Expo in Amsterdam.

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — Universal CityWalk rolls out a virtual pastel pink carpet to welcome the Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe, serving a scrumptious selection of sweet treats and specialty beverages, and the Sanrio Smile Shop, offering a variety of collectible merchandise featuring Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, Keroppi, Kuromi, My Melody, Badtz-maru and Chococat. Both venues open at Universal CityWalk on Friday, September 6, 2024.

The Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe and the Sanrio Smile Shop are located adjacent to one another at the heart of Universal CityWalk and complement the Animation Studio Store located within Universal Studios Hollywood which features a wide selection of Hello Kitty merchandise including exclusive items only found at Universal Studios Hollywood.

The Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe, adorned with a giant signature Hello Kitty bow and framed by a pastel pink and white awning, will welcome guests to enjoy a unique, grab-and-go menu with the option to dine at any one of umbrella-covered tables located just outside the walk-up venue. The Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe is the first of its kind to open in Los Angeles.

The all-new Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe will offer a Sanrio-themed menu that presents an array of whimsical creations that include:

Desserts

• Hello Kitty® Mousse Dome – A red chocolate dome-shaped caked with cinnamon mousse, apple pie filling and cinnamon streusel
• Seasonal Mousse Domes – Seasonal dome cakes inspired by Hello Kitty’s friends crafted uniquely based on their personalities and composed of chocolate mousse and a delicious combination of fruit fillings and sponge cake
• Strawberry Cake – Vanilla sponge cake, strawberry jam and whipped white chocolate ganache
• Berry & Cream Churro – Berry stuffed churro with cream cheese frosting
• Birthday Cake – Confetti cake layered with white chocolate mousse topped with whipped white chocolate ganache
• Macaron Set – A set of raspberry, caramel, vanilla, pistachio and chocolate macarons
• Hello Kitty Cookie – A Hello Kitty-shaped sugar cookie topped with royal icing and rainbow sprinkles

Beverages

• Hello Kitty® Strawberry Green Iced Tea – Strawberry green tea, pink sugar rim with strawberries and mint
• My Melody™ Lemonade – Strawberry lemonade, yellow sugar rim, garnished with strawberries and a lemon wheel
• Kuromi™ Berry Iced Tea – Blackberry tea, purple sugar rim and served with blackberry and mint
• Tuxedosam™ Lemonade – Blue raspberry lemonade, pink sugar rim served and a lemon wheel
• Keroppi™ Matcha Latte – Frozen matcha latte topped with whipped cream and matcha powder
• Chococat™ Frozen Mocha – Frozen coffee, chocolate boba, whipped cream topped with chocolate sprinkles

The new Sanrio Smile Shop, located next to the Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe, celebrates all things Sanrio and Hello Kitty. Guests are invited to embrace the cheerful spirit of Hello Kitty and her closest friends, Cinnamoroll, Keroppi, Kuromi, My Melody, Badtz-maru and Chococat, with a wide selection of themed collectibles perfect for enthusiasts and novice fans alike.  Iconic statement pieces in vibrant colors with iconic motifs will include such favorites as backpacks with Hello Kitty’s iconic bow, stylish Spirit Jersey®), embellished hats, specialty cups and mugs, collectible pins, t-shirts, plush toys, keychains, jewelry, phone cases, lanyards and much more.

Within the Sanrio Smile Shop, shoppers can also celebrate the charm of the Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe with an exclusive new line of curated merchandise that pays homage to the Cafe by offering guests the opportunity to bring home a piece of its super cute atmosphere. The all-new Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe-themed merchandise is only available at the Sanrio Smile Shop with additional products being added throughout the rest of the year.

The shop also features a dynamic in-store photo op spotlighting Hello Kitty and the Sanrio characters, a perfect shareable moment for fans to enjoy.

Hello Kitty continues to bring her message of friendship and kindness to Universal Studios Hollywood theme park where she meets with guests in a dedicated area adjacent to the Animation Studio Store which offers exclusive merchandise that celebrates her status as a global pop icon.  This year, in honor of her 50^th anniversary, Hello Kitty also debuted a soft pastel pink flowy dress, embodying the perfect blend of timeless charm and elegance to commemorate her milestone moment as she poses alongside guests for memorable photo ops. 

Cincinnati favorite, Nick Lachey, spent part of his Labor Day weekend at Kings Island riding roller coasters. The 98 Degrees band member and star of the hit Netflix show, “Love is Blind” spent Sunday riding the park’s roller coasters including Orion, Diamondback, Mystic Timbers, Banshee and even the newest roller coaster, Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers. Kings Island is open on Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and then will close until the park’s Halloween Haunt opens on September 20.

Embed, the world’s FEC tech partner of choice for the amusement, entertainment, and leisure industries is set to showcase its breakthrough innovations at IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, from 24 to 26 September 2024.

Market research sets the Europe family entertainment market share at US$1.82 billion, projected to secure a CAGR of 7.4% by the end of 2031. Key trends include the increasing demand for interactive and personalised experiences through mobile apps and digital platforms, a drive for the adoption of eco-friendly practices, and effective digital marketing as a vital growth driver to boost guest numbers.

“These dynamics are shaping the Europe market and are the reasons why we’ll be demonstrating the power of our Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions at the show,” explains Renee Welsh, CEO at Embed. “Since its launch in 2019, our award-winning Mobile Wallet is still the only Apple and Google-certified FEC solution. This virtual game card is a response to the growing demand for more personalised and contactless means (mobile payments) of transacting with businesses. Likewise, as operators seek higher profitability from reloads and return visits, and more business visibility, our STATS business intelligence dashboard enables them to use their games and guest data to design (future-forecasting) better experiences, value, and promotional offers and communicate these more effectively through digital marketing. This way, guests can play more with every visit and enjoy the best value while operators can take a step back and enjoy transformational business growth.”

Embed’s Mobile Wallet 2022-2023 metric results from its customers show a whopping 5x increase in average reload value ($50.57) compared to cash ($9.90) and credit card ($31.95), with 60% of reloads happening before guests arrive at the FEC. With STATS, powered by Amazon Web Services, operators have real-time visibility to their FEC data like game performance, revenue prediction based on retro data, inventory, and even manpower allocation.

Known for its tech partnership with Apple, Google, and Amazon Web Services, the solutions provider will exhibit its system’s reliability at the show – from its solutions to its payment processing gateway:

“We are always on the lookout for what hinders our customers’ potential for transformational growth and expansion – and one of them is losses from credit card processing fees or hidden merchant fees from their payment providers,” says Jeremy Dickamore, Payment Gateway Guru at Embed. “That’s why we are offering free cost-savings analysis/consultations at the show to help operators cut their losses and see the savings they can get from simply switching to another provider.”

Embed is raising awareness of losing revenue from paying published rates instead of effective rates (inclusive of different, fluctuating fees). CMO and Growth Officer Sara Paz explains, “We are challenging our partners and operators to stop and think twice about their payment provider. This means it’s business as usual even when the internet is down thanks to manual transaction processing; it’s security from fraudulent transactions and chargebacks with 3D Secure 2.2; it’s pricing transparency for effective budgeting; it’s saving money from better rates so you can keep as much of the revenue you’ve earned. And, it’s protecting our customers from getting duped by dual pricing schemes (and outsmarting those cons) because members of the Embed family enjoy the most competitive processing rates, highest security measures, and highest reliability.”

“This is the Embed difference,” adds CEO Renee Welsh. “After decades of being a family-owned company with deep roots in the family entertainment business, we know it’s not enough to offer the best cashless business solution and then watch operators get straddled with a payment processor that absorbs their revenue with hidden merchant fees. We’re doing something life-changing about it! It’s how Embed layers value for our customers – enabling them to maximise their system to transform their businesses.”

True to its service and reliability, Embed helped a customer to save US $56,000 a year by helping the business transition to another payment gateway provider – that’s more than half a million dollars in 10 years – it’s a life changer.

With recent global network outages, system integration issues, and lack of data stability plaguing industries across the globe (including players in this industry and their FEC customers, except Embed), Embed is taking its impeccable system reliability record to Europe to ensure FECs get the best system to deliver a superior guest experience and business longevity:

“We partner with the world’s best tech partners so we can deliver a system architecture that’s built to work even during network outages,” comments CTO Andy Welsh. “At a time when system reliability is a hot topic in the industry, we are in the strategic position to respond to the need for trusted tech partners. We partner with Amazon Web Services (AWS) for their data centres and tech development and maximise Apple and Google’s pilot tech for our innovations – that’s why we’re confident that the Embed family of FECs is in good hands. Embed is an example that tech partners matter! If you don’t recognise your tech partner’s technology partners, then your business is at risk.”

Embed is also set to showcase its latest innovations like the smarter, faster, and supercharged smartTOUCH™+, with its supercharged 512 MB DDR3 RAM; faster 528 Mhz processing power; supersized 4 GB storage; super signal at 23 dBm; and data transmission at 2.4 and 5 Ghz; the game-changing space-saver KIOSK+, game cards, RFID wearables, and more.

Catch the Embed team at IAAPA Expo Europe from 24 to 26 September at the RAI Convention Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

BOTTROP-KIRCHHELLEN — The flames of hell are already blazing, and darkness is casting its shadow. In just a few weeks, the gates of doom will open again at Movie Park Germany and the Halloween Horror Festival will ring in its 26th apocalypse! Europe’s biggest Halloween event has forged a blood-fresh pact with the devil and challenges its guests with an extensive Halloween program.

In the new live show “Unhallowed – The Freak Show Straight Out of Hell” in Studio 7, illusionist Christian Farla and his team make nightmares come true on stage. The demon of the underworld and a heavenly priest engage in a fierce battle for the soul of a young woman, testing the limits of the audience. Over 280 monsters, eight horror houses, four scare zones, the 4-D movie “The Conjuring”, DJ Max Bering and the popular hypno-casting with Stephan Nölle will also be back at the darkest time of the year.

“After our big anniversary last year, Movie Park Germany is ready for even more Halloween and horror!” says General Manager Thorsten Backhaus. “This year, we have once again put together a suitable entertainment program for all horror fans.”

On a total of 24 event days between September 28 and November 10, 2024, the Horrorwood Studios will welcome all brave guests who dare explore the dark side of the park under this year’s motto “Stay Quiet, Stay Alive”.

But there is still one part of the program that the park is keeping QUIET about: A new horror house in Studio 1 is on the dark conspiracy schedule to match this year’s theme. Its well-kept secret will be revealed in the coming days.

Demons conquer the spotlight: entertainment and show program
As part of its long-term collaboration with Christian Farla, Movie Park Germany is presenting the new live show “Unhallowed – The Freak Show Straight out of Hell” in Studio 7 for the first time. The park can not only rely on the magical talents of the renowned illusionist, but also on his technical production skills. The award-winning Dutchman developed the new 30-minute freak show and storyline for Movie Park and brought ten talented artists into his team for the implementation on stage. The opening sequence of the new show was inspired by “The Exorcist”, which is considered one of the most famous horror movies of all time. A total of one year’s work was invested in the project.

In contrast to the family-friendly magic show that guests were able to experience this summer, this show by Farla Stage Showproductions is all about horror and freaks, who wander between heaven and hell. In addition to some magical elements, a sword swallower, a contortionist and a fire-spitter will scare and shock the audience.

Movie Park Germany and Christian Farla recently signed a three-year contract to extend their collaboration for the park’s show program. Fans of the illusionist can therefore look forward to some surprises in the future.

Coming soon: Europe’s largest indoor horror house awaits its awakening
In May 2024, the final curtain fell for the “Project Ningyo” maze. After a complete gutting of Studio 1, the park’s biggest horror experience to date is now moving in. The floor area of the original maze of over 1000 m² / 10764 ft² is now being expanded to 1400 m² / 15070 ft². This makes the new project Europe’s largest indoor horror house to date. The staging of the experience is also new: a mixture of large rooms and narrow passages will be used to play with the guests’ fears in a total of eight detailed scenes.

“As with a real movie production, set construction and lighting play an important role. The 15-metre- high studio hall offers the ideal conditions for this,” says Halloween Project Manager Manuel Prossotowicz.

Following the success of “Final Stop” last year, the collaboration with long-standing partner IMAmotion will continue. IMAmotion does not only take charge of the conception, design and planning for the new horror house, but is also responsible for the realization of the experience this time.

The gates of doom open: eight horror houses, four scare zones, 4-D movie, hypnosis show, DJ live act and march of the monsters
For the 26th apocalypse at Horrorwood Studios, guests can look forward to even more! The well- known mazes “Hell House”, “Secrets of St. Elmo”, “The Curse of Chupacabra”, “Circus of Freaks” and last year’s novelties “Final Stop” and “Murder Museum” will also herald doom in the tried and tested manner. ‘The Slaughterhouse’ will also receive a small upgrade.

The Roxy 4-D theater could not be freed from the evil demons last fall. That is why it will be haunted again this year. With “The Conjuring”, one of the most successful Halloween movies of recent years flickers across the screen and allows guests to become part of a paranormal experience that culminates in an exorcism.

The march of the monsters will once again ring in the Halloween event days and will be led by the dark ruler of the Horrorwood Studios – the diabolical movie clapperboard S.I.K. This year, the flock of dark creatures will cover the entire route of the regular Movie Park parade and thus present an extended edition of the Halloween parade.

To make musical shreds fly as well, the next Halloween party with DJ Max Bering takes place in the scare zone “Acid Rain”. The DJ known from PAROOKAVILLE will once again provide the soundtrack for all those who want to include a party scene in their personal horror movie.

Anyone seeking refuge from the demons on the streets is in devilishly good hands at the Warsteiner Saloon in the “Hillbilly Town” themed area: The ‘hypnosis casting’ blurs the boundaries between reality and illusion. Master of the senses Stephan Nölle is preparing his casting studio in the saloon again and can hardly wait to take guests into the subconscious with his hypnosis art.

Further highlights of the 26^th Halloween Horror Festival
After dark, the scary editions of some coasters await guests! The “Movie Park Studio Tour – Final Cut” goes into operation. Meanwhile, the “Baboo Twister Express” lurks in the Western area. This year again, the Halloween version of the suspended looping coaster draws visitors into new in- between worlds with light effects and rock music. The wooden coaster “The Bandit” also shines in a play of colors. For “Star Trek™: Operation Enterprise”, a new lighting concept was invested in this year to further enhance the ride experience even in the dark hours.

A small food mile will be created on the forecourt of the “Baboo Twister Express”. In addition, Van Helsing’s Club will offer a themed Halloween buffet with appetizers, main course and desserts.

This year for the first time, guests have the opportunity to book a special group offer for groups of 25 people or more, exclusively before their Halloween adventure, in the new BBQ area of the California Coffee – and get in the mood for the dark park atmosphere. More information can be found on the park’s website.

A Special Event Day on October 12 will show that Halloween can spread more than fear. Together with the US initiative “Haunters Against Hate”, the park’s Halloween team and the more than 280 monsters at Horrorwood Studios will set an example for tolerance and equality. In addition to a large Halloween parade, the park will be symbolically lit up in rainbow colors in some places.

Where there is shadow, there is also light: Families who find demons and monsters too scary can also experience the friendly side of Halloween at Movie Park. The popular Halloween for Kids will take place again this year with some new features and offer a family-friendly option. More information will follow shortly.

Tickets for the Halloween Horror Festival
Movie Park admission tickets include park admission and the Halloween Horror Festival with spooky atmosphere on the streets and ominous encounters with the monsters in four scare zones. Due to high demand in recent years, Movie Park Germany strongly recommends that all Halloween fans purchase a ticket online. However, the box offices will be open for all spontaneous visitors.

Timeslot tickets for the horror houses, however, can only be purchased online and must be booked in addition to park admission. Tickets will be available as usual from Mid-September at www.moviepark.de/extras. The park will soon inform about this on its social media platforms.

This year, in addition to a “S.I.K. Speedy Pass”, which includes quick access to five mazes and the new freak show, there will also be a VIP version. The “S.I.K. VIP Pass” allows guests to visit all mazes including the new 2024 attraction and grants reserved seating in the new freak show, a VIP parking space next to the ticket offices and access to the S.I.K. Lounge including free drinks.

Due to the high demand last year, it will only be possible to book the backstage tour as a separate component this year. The days on which the backstage tour will take place will be announced on the website in the next few days.

ORLANDO — Let the horror commence… Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort opens tonight, unleashing a new slate of frights and nightmare-inducing terror upon guests. Running 48 select nights now through November 3, the world’s premier Halloween event is back for its 33^rd year with 10 all-new movie-quality haunted houses and five spine-chilling scare zones inspired by cinematic greats and eerie original stories created by Universal Orlando’s Entertainment team. And in-between the screams, guests can enjoy an energetic live show, fuel up for the next round of scares with delicious food and beverage items inspired by the event’s haunts, shop the latest merchandise at the highly-themed Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store, and so much more.

See below for an overview of the terrifying experiences that await guests at Halloween Horror Nights 2024:

10 CHILLING HAUNTED HOUSES
As guests brave this year’s lineup of 10 frightening haunted houses, they will:

• need to silence their screams as they enter a terrifying post-apocalyptic world in “A Quiet Place,” where they will follow the Abbott family as they try to escape monstrous creatures with a sharp sense of hearing – ready to hunt down anyone who dares to make a sound;
• be transported to New York City in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” where fans will team up with Ghostbusters new and old to protect the city from a second Ice Age as the vengeful spirit of Garraka threatens to freeze everyone to death;
• travel deeper into a paranormal dimension of tortured souls and demonic entities as they follow in the footsteps of the Lambert family in “Insidious: The Further;”
• find themselves in the center of the ultimate battle between two unexpected alliances of classic female Universal Monsters – Saskia Van Helsing, Bride of Frankenstein, She-Wolf, and Anck-Su-Namun in “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines;”
• scream their way through six original haunted houses created by the twisted minds of Universal Orlando’s award-winning Entertainment team, including:
  • “Slaughter Sinema 2,” where guests will head to the Carey Drive-in for a B-movie horror marathon full of spaghetti westerns, grindhouse gore and more;
  • “Goblin’s Feast,” where hordes of bloodthirsty goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and witches welcome new visitors to their village for dinner;
  • “Major Sweets Candy Factory,” where guests join a field trip to a candy factory, only to realize the free samples have transformed the kids into candy-coated killers;
  • “The Museum: Deadly Exhibits,” which will transport guests to the new folklore museum, The Rolling Stone, where there is evil lurking within, ready to destroy everything in its path;
  • “Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America,” home to the blood-sucking Tlahuelpuchi, owl-faced witch La Lechuza and bone-ripping El Silbón who can’t wait to prey upon guests;
  • and “Triplets of Terror,” where guests will celebrate the Barmy triplet’s birthday and soon realize they celebrate by recreating their family’s horrifying murders.

FIVE TERRIFYING SCARE ZONES
This year’s event will introduce two new hosts of horror, SINIST3R and SURR3AL, who are reigning the streets of Universal Studios Florida and unleashing the horror that awaits within five scare zones. As guests navigate the park, they’ll try to evade hordes of menacing scareactors stalking their every move as they: 

• choose a path between SINIST3R, the manifestation of visceral horror, or follow SURR3AL, the incarnation of unearthly terror in “Duality of Fear;”
• brave the gloriously gory homemade torture devices ‘til they are put out of their misery in SINIST3R’s renaissance faire, “Torture Faire;”
• get caught in an otherworldly hellscape in “Demon Queens,” where four merciless queens loyal to SURR3AL rule;
• wander onto private property in “Swamp of the Undead,” where they are surrounded by zombies borne from the bodies of other brave trespassers;
• escape a terrifying gauntlet of Blumhouse characters in “Enter the Blumhouse,” including M3GAN, sinister sadists from The Purge and Black Phone, and more.

ALL-NEW ENTERTAINMENT, SINFULLY DELICIOUS FOOD, AND IMMERSIVE RETAIL EXPERIENCES
In between the screams, guests can enjoy:

• Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus – an energetic live show featuring a new nightmare set in a dark circus, full of pyro and aerialists to the beat of rock rhythms;
• an all-new highly-themed Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store where guests can shop the latest Halloween Horror Nights merchandise as they are transported to the back alleys of New York Citywhere an ancient evil has been unleashed;
• an all-new food & beverage menu inspired by this year’s haunts, including items like Pork Carniceria (“Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America”), Mini Stay-Puft S’mores (“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”), Abbott’s Farm Corn Chowder (“A Quiet Place”), and fan-favorites like Twisted Taters.

EXCLUSIVE HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCES AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO’S HOTELS
To complete the ultimate Halloween Horror Nights getaway, the horror will expand to all Universal Orlando hotels with Halloween-themed lobby décor – including a web of sinister roots and pumpkins that have taken over the lobby and the Swizzle Lounge at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort; creepy driftwood structures and spirits from the dead sea haunting Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites; the transformation of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort into a dark seaside gothic manor, and alien overlords have descended upon Universal Aventura Hotel.  Guests will also enjoy spooky photo opps and specialty drinks during their stay, in addition to other benefits including access to a dedicated Halloween Horror Nights entrance gate exclusively for Universal Orlando hotel guests for faster entry into the event, plus free transportation to Universal Orlando’s theme parks and Universal CityWalk before and after the scares.