The hidden gems of Europe
INDUSTRY VOICE: Bill Buckley, Irvine Ondrey Engineering
Having traveled the world and visited amusement facilities across six continents, it simply cannot be ignored that Europe is home to some of the finest parks in the world. European parks are notably great for their uniquely themed areas, insane attention to detail, operational efficiencies, affordability, as well as offering themed attractions and restaurants catering to a broad demographic.
Storytelling is readily evident across European parks. Without corporate ties, these parks lack the ball-and-chain effect of branded IPs. This allows them the freedom to create personal mascots and ride themes.
Efteling theme park in The Netherlands is a wonderful example in this regard. Set amidst lush gardens, Efteling is based around traditional fairytales. Efteling has grown from its humble beginnings but remains rooted in its origins.
The overall atmosphere and aesthetics of European parks are shaped by lush and exquisite landscaping. These parks seem to focus on tighter pathways flanked by smaller structures and greenery. This design enhances the immersive quality, and the close proximity of the structures to pathways makes them appear larger. Magical immersion results.
Rides and scenery often determine the overall guest experience at a park, but staff and operations are key factors as well. A reputation for efficiency is found in operation at Europa-Park. The staff are well-trained. They load guests onto attractions so quickly, and dispatches happen so rapidly, that the park doesn’t have a need to offer a "fastpass'-type option.
It is also evident that much thought went into the overall layout and design of European parks. Ride placement is so key to crowd control, and it is clear that guest flow was thoughtfully analyzed during the planning phase. Gröna Lund and Phantasialand are fantastic examples of how small parks can best utilize every inch of available space and ensure it is used to its utmost.
European parks offer detailed attraction wait times to guests, which lends to them never feeling over crowded or over sold.
Don't forget yesterday
AT NOTEBOOK: John W.C. Robinson, jrobinson@amusementtoday.com
At a recent lunch with an industry friend, we slipped into discussing new flat rides and some of the classics. My associate made the offhand comment that "...physics can only move the body so many ways, so most of today's new rides are just refining and repeating what's come before." We then got lost in smiles talking about some of yesterday's classic attractions.
It got me thinking of how often I've stopped at a local fair that I just happened to drive by because it was a rare chance to take a spin on a Roll-O-Plane or flip on a Rock-O-Plane. With the Golden Ticket Awards at Kennywood this year, I'm already eager for one more ride on my childhood favorites of the Kangaroo and the classic Whip. Coasters can get bigger and faster, flat rides can get flashier and look a little crazier, but something about those classics can just never be truly overshadowed.
Granted, I'm someone who rides a 30-year-old Harley-Davidson because I prefer the organic sound and feel of a carburated engine versus modern fuel injected tech masterpieces. So maybe I'm a little biased ... or, maybe there actually is something more pure about the classics.
And it's not just yesterday's tech that I'm referring to. As a child growing up in this industry, the IAAPA Expo was a trade show and awe-inspiring, but it was all about sleek handshakes and business deals. But that was the start of prep for the coming season. Back then, the IAAPA Summer Meeting was the celebration of the year that was! It was about fun, laughter, smiles and enjoying the industry we'd built around us. It was networking by riding rides together or enjoying a meal together. It was business but, more so, it was about people.
As the IAAPA Summer Meeting has faded into obscurity, those of us who do remember it often look to the annual Golden Ticket Awards event — hosted by Amusement Today soon after Labor Day every year — as a way of continuing its traditions. It's a chance to celebrate the industry, showcase and enjoy our successes, and network with others by shedding the skin of the trade show floor and just being ourselves.
Those rides, those moments, those feelings from yesterday ... they are always a part of us. And there is an undeniable purity about the way they bring us together.
