Playland at the PNE launches
its newest coaster: ThunderVolt
AT: Tim Baldwin
tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com
VANCOUVER, B.C., Canada — Playland at the Pacific National Exhibition has opened something new. The park has introduced two family coasters in the last 20 years, but those thrills were aimed more toward the younger set and their parents. ThunderVolt, the park’s latest coaster has a little more zing.
Not only is this the park’s first launched coaster, but management likes to tag it as the fastest launch coaster in Canada. ThunderVolt is a project from Zamperla.
“We know that this ride will thrill and amaze our Playland guests as well as visitors from across Canada and around the world. Positioned next to our historic Playland Wooden Coaster, the ThunderVolt represents a significant investment into the future of our park,” stated Shelley Frost, PNE president and CEO.
“ThunderVolt uses our new Lightning trains, and they represent the next generation of roller coaster design,” said Antonio Zamperla, CEO of Zamperla Group. “They are light, have a low maintenance cost and are extremely comfortable. A decade’s worth of research was put into creating these fantastic coaster vehicles.”
“The Lightning trains have been a great fit for the park,” added Adam Sandy, roller coaster sales and marketing director, Zamperla. “Playland needed good capacity for a single-train coaster and wanted an investment that would require minimum maintenance time and money over the life of the coaster.”
“Guest reaction has been very strong. In particular, our guests appreciate the sudden acceleration, and the speed at which the train travels,” said Laura Balance, PNE/Playland spokesperson. “What we are also hearing is that the ThunderVolt is an excellent juxtaposition to our historic Wooden Coaster, allowing riders to experience both the iconic feel and ambience of the vintage coaster and the state-of-the-art speed and acceleration thrills of the ThunderVolt.”
ThunderVolt reaches a top speed of 41 mph in seconds.
“They wanted a coaster that was fun, marketable and different than anything else in the Pacific Northwest. When this opportunity came up, we talked about how the coaster could be a great fit for the park and help redefine the property as the city took Playland in a new direction,” Sandy told Amusement Today. “It has the marketability of being the fastest launch coaster in Canada, but the coaster is designed to be a broad appeal steel coaster, not an extreme ride with niche appeal.”
ThunderVolt now gives the park a second signature attraction. The Carl Phare-designed wooden coaster, usually simply called “Coaster,” was built in 1958 and is regarded by enthusiasts as one of the finest wooden coasters of the era. Playland now offers a one-two punch of great thrills.
“With our core demographic at Playland being families, we also are hearing positive reviews as the ThunderVolt is capable of riding a wide range of thrill seekers, so it allows multiple generations to ride together,” said Balance.
Even though the ride operates with a single train that seats 12 passengers, the park feels it can still achieve 500 riders per hour since there is no chain lift. With simple overhead restraints, the train is a fast load.
The new coaster fills a void left by the closure of an older Corkscrew coaster in 2018. It helps revive the northeast corner of the park. ThunderVolt stands next to the future site of an amphitheater.
“It’s fantastic to see the former home of the Corkscrew given new life with Thundervolt,” said Ballance. “With the beautiful vistas of the North Shore mountains and Burrard Inlet in the background, the Thundervolt is situated on one of the most scenic locations I know for an amusement ride.”
Upon dispatch, riders ease into a lighted tunnel. The LED effects set the tone, and once launched, riders burst from the tunnel at top speed. The train rises into a 60-foot airtime hill. From there, riders are twisted and tangled into a figure-eight type of layout. The track length is 1,246 feet of exhilarating adrenaline.
“It is a fun ride, and I think that is always important,” said Sandy. “But to Playland and Vancouverites, it means a lot more. The coaster stands as a symbol of the [future of] the PNE — to update the facility and turn it into a world-class destination for Canadians. It is extremely different from any other coaster in Canada. In fact, in addition to being the fastest coaster launch in Canada, the ride offers great airtime, is extremely smooth and a coaster that perfectly balances the traditional wood coaster located only a few hundred meters away.”
ThunderVolt features an entrance portal that has dynamic outlines of animals in vivid colors on black.
“The eagle, bear and wolf on the entrance arch are all animals found in our region, and given the deep connection British Columbians feel towards our forests and their animals, the ride pays tribute to this connection,” Balance told AT. “The wildness of the animals selected is an indication of the ‘wildness’ of the ride to come! The lines that can be seen on the arch are also representative of a topographical map of our region and include local landmarks. The concept was conceived by FORREC, who did all of the design elements, including landscaping, lighting and overall design for the ThunderVolt.”
Riders must be 52 inches to ride.
“My favorite moment is right at the start — the unexpected speed of the launch. Coupled with the light tunnel, it makes an extremely exciting start to the ride,” said Ballance. “One moment you’re sitting at the entrance platform waiting to go, the next second you are launched into the tunnel. It’s a wonderful start to the ride.”
While several Zamperla rides have been purchased by the park, this is the largest project between the two parties.
Founded in 1910, the PNE’s home is Hastings Park, a multi-facility venue where the organization manages four activity streams: the annual PNE Fair, Playland Amusement Park, park care and facility maintenance, as well as its portfolio of year-round events. All revenues generated are invested back into park space, community programs and educational and entertainment experiences.
Vekoma, Zamperla, Gosetto and SBF rides fill land at Energylandia
AT: Tim Baldwin
tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com
ZATOR, Poland — It would be a challenge to find in the entire history of the amusement industry a specific park that has seen growth that matches that of Energylandia. Ten years ago, empty fields made way for the first assortment of family rides. A decade later, rides stacked next to rides have made the Polish property a theme park paradise. With more than 80 rides, including 18 roller coasters, the explosion of attractions is nothing short of staggering.
The newest themed land is Sweet Valley, and it has been many years in the making.
Playing into everyone’s desire for desserts, the new area features several rides, a restaurant, a small outdoor theater and multiple sweet shops. A customized soundtrack and colorful pastels detail the area. The fanciful architecture doesn’t just showcase the soft colors on flat surfaces; three-dimensional detailing and sculptural elements make each building bring a smile. Curved lampposts bring a cartoonish feel to the land.
The star attraction is Choco Chip Creek, a mine train from Vekoma. Featuring three lifts, trains spiral and intertwine with seemingly endless track and chocolate chip mountains. The custom layout features a long length (for a mine train) of 3,937 feet.
“Energylandia is always looking for maximum experience and capacity. With these three lifts and three trains we could offer all of this,” said Stefan Holtman, sales manager, Vekoma. “Vekoma just developed this latest version of the mine train with a two- and three-lift version. It would speak for itself that we wanted to showcase the biggest version here.”
Vekoma has manufactured 13 mine rides, the first being Big Thunder Mountain for Disneyland Paris in 1992. Having made a name for itself with huge, looping thrillers in recent years, opening to great acclaim, Vekoma’s most recent mine train debuted six years prior to Choco Chip Creek (almost to the day). Perhaps with the exhilarating fun of this newest one, more customers will think about this industry staple as a fit for their park.
Dispatched in a burst of smoke, each of the three trains holds 32 passengers, with the lead car sporting a train engine in which a pair of riders can sit inside.
A second coaster, Honey Harbour, is a family roller coaster also from Vekoma. With a height of 38 feet and a speed of 29 mph, it’s a great offering for the less daring and the kid in everyone.
Vekoma has supplied more than half of the park’s roller coasters — from children’s and family rides to giant, launched signature attractions. This is the second junior roller coaster from Vekoma, along with two family boomerangs and a family suspended coaster. While Choco Chip Creek is suitable for families, it still offers some good thrills.
“After the park successfully opened in 2014, Energylandia came to the EAS show in Amsterdam that same year,” Holtman told Amusement Today. “Being a small and unknown amusement park in a small town in Poland, they looked at the trade show for a supplier to deliver them three coasters for the following year! Very few suppliers believed in this, and Vekoma was able to successfully help them with this huge challenge. This is how the relationship was born. This has turned into a friendship which has already lasted for 10 years now. The owner always believed that a roller coaster would be the best investment for his park as they are mainly the top attractions in a theme park with the biggest queue lines. The future looks promising as well.”
Zamperla is no stranger to Energylandia, having partnered with the theme park throughout its vibrant Aqualantis expansion.
“The partnership between Zamperla and Energylandia has been remarkable. Despite being a young park, Energylandia has grown rapidly to become a top entertainment destination,” said Charles De Bruyne, sales manager EU, Zamperla. “We are proud to contribute to its success with attractions that enhance the overall experience. Our collaboration continues to strengthen, and we look forward to the future.”
Among the nine rides in Sweet Valley, five are from the Italian manufacturer. Twis’Tea is an adorable teacup ride with ride vehicles surrounding a birthday cake centerpiece. The whimsical, frosting-covered theming begs riders to ask for a slice.
“We’re very pleased with the theming of the tea cups ride in Sweet Valley. The colorful decorations and details add a magical touch, creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere for visitors of all ages,” said Enrico Patechi, creative design manager, Zamperla. “Zamperla has always placed great emphasis on creativity in the design of its attractions. Our creative team works tirelessly to ensure that every detail contributes to creating a unique, enjoyable and immersive experience for visitors. The tea cups ride in Sweet Valley at Energylandia is a perfect example of our commitment to delivering engaging and high-quality theming.”
Other rides from Zamperla are Crazy Barn, Bumble Boats, Mini Track’ Tour and Bon Bon Balloons. The Mini Track’ Tour is a comical tractor journey via a powered rail through farm animals, lollipops and other candies.
The Candy Carousel is a two-story carousel from SBF, which can hold up to 50 people. SBF has been a supplier for Energylandia since its first years.
Candy Critters rotates younger kids in a ride supplied by Gosetto. As kiddos revolve in their vehicles, they interact with the attraction by aiming at targets on a central tree trunk.
“The characters on the tree move and then respond,” said Gina Guglielmi of Intermark, who represents Gosetto. “It’s very cute and both family- and kiddie-friendly. Riders are rewarded by movements, lights and sounds from the scene.”
Gosetto sells the ride with different themes: Magic Tree, Space Tree and now with a candy motif.
To have an area called Sweet Valley, it’s an ideal location for guests to conquer their sweet tooth. Pop Mania serves ice cream novelties on a stick made in-house; Wacky Waffles offers crispy waffles; and Snowflake Peak dips up scooped ice cream. Smoothies, bubble tea and slushies are also found. Madame Bon Bon’s, Hungry Hen and Beehive Bistro serve up more meal-like fare beyond the sweets.
With all the attractions in one area, Sweet Valley opens up new spaces to absorb crowds, as well as connects two existing lands, Aqualantis and Smoczy Gród. The park is divided into two clear halves joined by a tunnel beneath a road. With the new addition, there is a clearly balanced selection of rides now in both halves. Each of the lands that have been developed in recent years has exceptional theming to immerse the guests in the environment. Like the nautical feel of adjacent Aqualantis and Gothic, epochal architecture of Smoczy Gród, cohesive theming makes Sweet Valley a distinctive area to explore and experience it all.
Energylandia is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) from Krakow and 208 miles (335 kilometers) from Warsaw, Poland’s capital city.
Energylandia opened in 2014 and is owned by Marek Goczał. He owns several businesses, among which are two Polish clubs called Club Energy 2000, as well as the energy drink, Energy 2000.
