SOMERVILLE, N.J. — Supplying amusements used and new, Rides 4 U is eager to announce it currently has available a never-before-used Vekoma Family Boomerang Racer.

The coaster features a high-capacity design of 1,250 people-per-hour with has two intertwined tracks that generate a racing experience. It has a height requirement of 38-inches.

“The coaster came to us never having been installed and ready to welcome guests,” stated Earl Heller of Rides 4 U. “With lots of interaction, close encounters, dueling and racing sections, the Vekoma Family Boomerang Racer is a highly repeatable experience, which makes it ideal for pay-per-ride operations!”

As like all Vekoma Family Coasters, the ride utilizes simple technology and standard parts, ensuring a smooth ride is provided along with uncomplicated operation and low maintenance.

“It is the perfect coaster for families and first-time riders and can be an operator’s calling card for repeat customers,” Heller added. Interested parties should contact Rides 4 U at (908) 526-8009 or [email protected].

BREMEN, Germany — Huss Park Attractions, the German ride manufacturer, has launched the Sky Tower Multimedia. This combines the highly successful HUSS Sky Tower observation experience with the latest HUSS film-based attraction, the Explorer. It is a world-first and provides a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Sky Tower Multimedia’s ring-shaped passenger cabin lifts and rotates, making it a striking landmark at any site. The attraction moves gently and offers a unique viewing experience. It is a completely inclusive family ride with broad appeal for all ages. Visible from afar, the Sky Tower fulfils a fundamental human yearning to be among the clouds with a ‘bird’s-eye view’.

The Sky Tower Multimedia enhances the trip and experience by immersing passengers in a virtual reality world or presenting customized movie content on an additional level, separated from the actual world by an iris. The custom content could be anything from a deep-sea dive to a voyage to outer space.

Following the movie experience, guests rise to a height of up to 80 meters, enjoying a 360- degree unrestricted view through the full double-curved glass windows as they glide smoothly up and down the structure.

An accessible ride
The Sky Tower Multimedia measures 20 meters in diameter and can hold 70 passengers per cycle for a maximum capacity of 1400 people per hour. There are no restrictions, meaning people of all abilities can enjoy the ride.

The passenger capsule has a full double-curved laminated safety glass window front, and guests enter and exit simultaneously through two automatic doors. The innovative capsule design offers passengers unobstructed vistas and a new level of freedom – on arrival, they naturally split into two directions, strolling along the row of seats on both sides of the cabin on a walkway that is broad enough for comfortable access but narrow enough for a steep viewing angle.

Guests sit around the cabin on outward-facing seats with a panoramic view. For ultimate comfort, the interior has air conditioning and direct and indirect LED lighting.

Available cabin upgrades include 20 LED head-up displays angled at the front window to present additional content/information during the ride cycle, a high-quality, full-powered audio system with subwoofers under the seats, and show effects to enhance the experience. The multimedia upgrade also includes a CCTV camera system.

The guest experience
The adventure begins with a themed pre-show as customers wait at the launch platform to watch the cabin soar upwards or descend into the theatre below.

The cabin is smoothly accelerated upwards to a pre-set velocity when all doors are closed. The cabin gently rotates after clearing the entryway, allowing passengers to enjoy the full tower panorama with unrestricted views at increasing heights. Once at the maximum height, the cabin makes at least one complete circle, giving passengers a stunning 360° view of the surrounding environment. It then slowly descends while revolving, but the journey is far from over.

Guests are surprised as the capsule floor splits open and the cabin submerges into the multimedia theatre. After the drop, the floor separation element covers the movie scenery, adding to guests’ excitement, and the closing iris above cocoons passengers from the outside world. As the cabin revolves, a seamless 360° screen creates immersive, high- definition content unique to each installation. At the same time, the totally enclosed 360° movie scene ensures an identical ride experience for each guest.

Guests are provided with a completely immersive experience through the combination of an individual movie, audiovisual effects, and sensory elements. Content can be produced in live-action, CGI (computer-generated imagery), or a combination of both types.

Once below the surface, passengers can travel to any location, from the macro to the micro and everything in between, including beneath the sea, through a storm’s eye, into space, back in time to a Jurassic forest, forward in time to a futuristic city, and through some of the most breathtaking scenery on Earth.

A visual impact
Various lighting effects and distinctive surface decorative elements can enhance the Sky Tower’s visual impact. The almost 85-meter cylindrical tower can be illuminated from the base, top, and cabin with colored spotlights, creating a dynamic spectacle. Multifunctional lighting can make the top spire’s machine room and flagpole stand out.

The cabin’s outside circumference below the windows has many independently controllable light spots, enhancing its daylight appearance. The cabin’s exterior circumference above the windows can also be highlighted if needed. Additional lighting can be added to the cabin’s inner back wall and ceiling, which can be white or other vibrant colors.

The machine room’s exterior surface and cabin bottom provide better projection surfaces visible from a distance. These can be lit with rotating, static, white, or colored effects. For instance, the cabin can rotate while the lighting parts remain stationary or move opposite the mast. As another alternative, the Sky Tower’s machine room can be lit to display videos in high definition, even in daylight, enabling theming or sponsorship options, which can produce significant additional revenue.

Apart from being a huge hit as a theme park or amusement park attraction, the Sky Tower has also demonstrated its popularity and viability as a standalone building. Corporate sponsorship is just one of the many additional revenue-generating options that Sky Tower Multimedia can provide operators.

The first Sky Tower Multimedia project has already been delivered to the Golden Bay Resort in Shenzhen, China, and the equipment is ready for installation.

DALLAS, Texas — Block your calendars! For the first time ever, the Minecraft community will have their chance to experience a real-world, immersive, interactive Minecraft adventure. To celebrate Minecraft’s 15^th anniversary, Experience MOD and Mojang Studios announced Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue, which is set to debut in Dallas on September 20, 2024, giving longtime Minecrafters, players and non-players alike, and families of all ages their first chance to be heroes in a real-life, in-person Minecraft quest. Dallas is just the first stop; Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue will tour to additional cities around the world to be announced at a later date.

Interested Minecrafters who want to be first to attend can join the waitlist starting May 29 at www.minecraftexperience.com. The waitlist will gain access to the Dallas exclusive presale starting May 31, and tickets go on sale to the general public June 3. Single ticket prices start at $32, and friends and family multipack tickets start at $28.

Minecraft is the best selling game of all time with over 300 million copies sold, with players from around the world adventuring and creating together in their Minecraft worlds. Now, with Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue spawning in cities around the world, they can take part in an epic rescue mission and story-based experience where iconic places and creatures from the game are brought to life before their eyes.

Attendees begin their 1-hour journey by entering the forest, where they will learn the ropes, give tips to other players, or just bask in the blocky nature. Moving into the village, they will receive their quest and embark on a rescue mission with a team of fellow Minecrafters. On this interactive scavenger hunt, adventurers will journey through multiple Minecraft biomes while building structures and interacting with iconic mobs – some more friendly than others. Minecrafters can gush over pandas and dolphins as well as face skeletons, spiders, and – of course – creepers. Once they complete their quest, they can kick back and celebrate their heroic feat at the Minecraft Experience Trading Post with a crafty memento from the adventure.

“We’re thrilled to introduce the first-ever immersive touring Minecraft experience where guests can follow a quest through the Minecraft Overworld in real life. Starting in Dallas later this year, players will have their dreams of a Minecraft adventure brought to life,” says Kayleen Walters, Head of Franchise Development at Mojang Studios. “Finding ways for our community to express their love for Minecraft both in-game and out is always top of mind for us.”

Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue is designed to welcome players and non-players alike and no prior knowledge of Minecraft is required to enjoy the experience. New players, creators and longtime Minecrafters will love the opportunity to connect and reconnect with the game together in an entirely new and unforgettable way.

“Minecraft Experience is an adventure unlike anything we have ever created. The collaboration between our creative and producing team and the teams at Mojang and Microsoft has created an entirely new form of in-person experience at the crossroads of game design, experiential storytelling, and high-tech multimedia,” says Supply + Demand’s Founder and CEO Olivier Goulet.

The creative and producing team from Supply + Demand is led by Goulet, who is also an executive producer for Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue. With decades of experience in live entertainment, theatre, live and broadcast productions, and multi-sensory multimedia experiences, they have developed and promoted successful exhibitions for international institutions, brands, and artists including Cirque Du Soleil, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Cher, and many more.

This September 20, Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue will spawn for a limited time into 2712 N Central Expressway in Plano, just North of I-635 adjacent to DART’s Parker Road station.

ORLANDO — In June, Universal Orlando Resort will debut the Universal Epic Universe Preview Center at Universal CityWalk – an all-new interactive experience that allows guests to get an up-close look at the new theme park ahead of its opening in 2025. Through a massive model offering a bird’s-eye view of the entire park, the preview center will highlight many of the awe-inspiring attractions and experiences to be discovered within Epic Universe.  Guests will also be able to see exciting elements of the model come to life via augmented reality on compatible mobile devices, shop a variety of brand-new collections of Epic Universe merchandise and pose for pictures with unique backgrounds themed to each of the park’s five spectacular worlds.

ITASCA, Ill. — Family Entertainment Group (FEG) is excited to announce the grand opening of the Carousel Arcade on Mackinac Island, officially launched on Memorial Day weekend to kick off the summer season.

This unique location, renowned for its nostalgic charm and strict prohibition on motor vehicles, provided a picturesque setting for this new arcade featuring the latest high-tech games, all delivered in true Mackinac style via horse and carriage.

“We are thrilled to bring our brand of family entertainment to such a historic and beloved destination,” said Ray Smith, Vice President of Business Development at Family Entertainment Group. “The Carousel Arcade offers a blend of classic and cutting-edge games, ensuring that visitors of all ages can enjoy a memorable experience.”

The Carousel Arcade features a wide array of state-of-the-art games and attractions, enhancing the island’s appeal as a premier family destination. From vintage arcade favorites to the latest in gaming technology, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

FEG’s commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment experiences is reflected in this new venture. The Carousel Arcade is poised to become a favorite fun spot for both locals and tourists alike, contributing to the vibrant community spirit of Mackinac Island.

ORLANDO — It’s every Halloween Horror Nights fan’s dream (or nightmare) come true – for the first time ever, guests can experience Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights before it officially opens with limited capacity and shorter wait times at an exclusive Premium Scream Night event on Thursday, August 29. Tickets for this unparalleled experience go on sale on Thursday, June 6.

Premium Scream Night guests will earn the ultimate bragging rights as they will be among the first to face this year’s slate of all-new frights comprised of 10 horrifying, movie-quality haunted houses inspired by cinematic greats and eerie original stories created by the twisted minds of Universal’s Entertainment team, five scare zones filled with hordes of menacing creatures and outrageous live entertainment. Ticketholders will also enjoy:

• Everything fans love about the world’s premier Halloween event in a more intimate experience – complete with limited capacity and shorter wait times;
• Staggered entry by group into the haunted houses, so everyone will fall prey to the scares lurking at every turn;
• A selection of all-you-care-to-enjoy food items created by Universal’s award-winning culinary team and inspired by this season’s haunts, as well as non-alcoholic beverages;
• An exclusive event souvenir credential and lanyard;
• Access to select attractions at Universal Studios Florida;
• and free self-parking on August 29.

Tickets for the Halloween Horror Nights Premium Scream Night event are limited and will be available for purchase online beginning June 6 for $350 plus tax. Universal Annual and Seasonal Passholders can purchase tickets for the discounted price of $325 plus tax.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando officially kicks off on August 30 and will run select nights* through November 3. Additional details about this year’s event will be revealed soon. For more information about Halloween Horror Nights, visit www.universalorlando.com/Halloween.

*Event dates: August 30-31; September 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29; October 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-31; November 1-3.

BRISTOL, Conn. — Lake Compounce, The Official Park of Family Fun,is welcoming Daniel Tiger from the Emmy Award-winning series, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, to the park this June. As a part of Kids Fest, fans of the PBS KIDS series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will have the opportunity to meet Daniel Tiger during select times on Saturday, June 1 and 8 and Sunday, June 2 and 9. 

“We are continuing to elevate the guest experience at Lake Compounce as we introduce a more robust event lineup with unique entertainment opportunities for our guests to experience something different during each of their visits to the park,” said Doug Hemphill General Manager. “We are pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with Fred Rogers Productions as we welcome Daniel Tiger to the park this June.” 

Visitors are invited for exclusive meet and greetswith Daniel Tiger in the Kiddie Land Pavilion during Kids Fest. This pint-sized party featuring exclusive kids shows, roaming entertainment throughout Kiddie Land, special kid-themed food like Fruity Pebbles churros, Strawberry Dippin’ Dot shakes and more takes place every weekend in June with special surprise guests like Daniel Tiger.   

Kids Fest kicks off a full season of events at Lake Compounce. The park’s Summer Concert Series and boomin’ fireworks shows returning every Saturday in July with performances by nationally touring tribute acts including Good Vibrations, Bruno & the Hooligans, Boy Band Review and Adventures in Parrotdise. In August, the beach is bouncing every Saturday and Sunday as fist-pumping DJs take the stage for family-friendly Beach Bashes. Then, the days are for play and the nights are for frights as Phantom Fall Fest takes over the park weekends in September and October and America’s First Amusement Park will close out its 178^th season with Holiday Lights in November and December.  

Meet and greets with Daniel Tiger and access to Kids Fest are included free with park admission. Single day tickets are on sale now for as low as $34.99 when visitors purchase online. Park-goers looking to make the most of the season can save up to $35 now on 2024 Season Passes and enjoy a variety of perks with select passes including free parking, discounts on food and beverage, retail discounts and more.

The JUNE 2024 issue includes:

• Cedar Point, Zamperla launch new formula for Top Thrill 2
• Europa-Park unveils iconic Voltron Nevera roller coaster
• Vekoma supplies Good Gravy! family coaster for Holiday World
• Legoland Windsor debuts Minifigure Speedway coaster from Zierer
• Bolliger & Mabillard’s Iron Menace dives into Dorney Park
• Quassy Amusement Park opens with new game, pavilion renovations
• Sandbox VR expands experience, franchise opportunities in U.S.
• Pima County Fair has record-breaking run, attendance up 10%
• Slides provide the cornerstone for Frederiksen’s career of ‘Fun’
• Urbnsurf opens second Wavegarden park in Australia
• World’s Largest Swimming Lesson: an idea that now has a taproot
• Roller Skate Association’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show a rolling success
• Focus On The Horizon: Merlin Entertainments’s Jess Lawler
• Make plans for the 2024 Golden Ticket Awards at Kennywood
• Dollywood’s Lightning Rod returns with change: new lift system
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium begins offering weather guarantees
• SKYnext event, hosted by Skyline Attractions, returns to Orlando
• Customer-centric tech solutions aid attractions’ success … and much more!

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Hip, hip, PARADE! Today, LEGOLAND California officially introduced the nation’s first LEGO World Parade. Visitors can celebrate the summer season in the best way possible – by dancing and singing along as LEGO themed parade floats starring iconic new characters make their way through the family theme park.

“Surrounded by a whirlwind of streamers and waving flags, we proudly launched the nation’s inaugural LEGO World Parade at LEGOLAND California today,” said President of LEGOLAND California Resort Kurt Stocks. “This landmark Parade feels even more celebratory as we honor LEGOLAND California Resort’s 25^th birthday this year. Every float tells a story and every step along the way ignites imagination. The Parade is the perfect finale to a day spent riding, climbing, splashing, and building through our 60+ rides, shows and attractions.”

The Parade features a dazzling array of LEGO themed floats including a bright red LEGO City Firetruck, a swashbuckling pirate ship, and floats inspired by LEGO NINJAGO, LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure, and DUPLO. Accompanying these floats is an exclusive ensemble of LEGO characters and more than 50 performers, captivating audiences as they march through the west side of the Park.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Kennywood, a USA Today 10 Best Theme Park, unveils the all-new Potato Smash with its mouthwatering mashup fully fried, just in time for the unofficial start to summer. Potato Smash sprouts on the scene with a grand opening ceremony set for 9:45 a.m. Saturday, May 25 as the all-new bumper car ride is inducted into Kennywood’s lineup of classic and thrilling attractions.

“Kennywood kicks off the unofficial start to summer with tons of thrills and fun, beginning with Potato Smash’s delicious debut, plus Bites and Pints Food & Drink Festival and brand-new entertainment,” says Kennywood Assistant General Manager Rick Spicuzza. “This Memorial Day Weekend sets the tone for what is sure to be the park’s most exciting summer season yet. 

The park’s classic bumper car ride has been totally transformed, themed to Kennywood’s iconic fresh-cut Potato Patch® fries. Potato Smash features 20 new cars modeled after the park’s signature snack, each fitted with fries, oozing cheese sauce and an oversized fork. The new a-peel-ing attraction is a perfect mix of Kennywood’s modern thrills and iconic traditions. 

To further celebrate the new appetizing attraction, Kennywood announces a Potato Smash-ing Contest to be held at the park on Wednesday, June 12. Potato enthusiasts and smashing aficionados can enter for a chance to participate in the contest or attend and root for their best spuds. Potato Smash swag will be given to all contestants, with the top tubers receiving two 2024 Kennywood Gold Season Passes.

Potato Smash deep-fried debut is just the start of the fun beginning Memorial Day Weekend. The park’s gastronomic extravaganza, Bites and Pints, spotlighting eight different international cuisines, kicks off on Friday. The chef-inspired tasting event features unique menu items with dishes inspired by Brazil, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, South Korea, Mexico plus brand-newelectrifying entertainment. This Saturday, The Nerveless Nocks’s Jetpack Flying Water Circus featuring daredevils Cyrus Nock and Troy Stowe, will wow guests with incredible demonstrations and stunts performed with jet ski-powered jet packs that thrust the stuntmen 50 feet in the air. Visitors can catch the all-new show at select times daily, from May 24 through July 7, at the park’s Garden Stage.

Also, for the extended holiday weekend, Kennywood is offering free admission to active duty and retired military members and veterans.  Beginning Thursday, May 23, the park’s first day of daily operations through Monday, May 27, all military members and veterans will receive free admission, plus discounted tickets for only $34.99 for up to four friends and family members at the gate with proof of valid identification.