January 2009
Mirko Schulze has replaced the retired Wolfgang Richter as CEO of Huss Park Attractions, based in Bremen, Germany. Want to know what he looks like? See our IAAPA party pics on page 28.
Waldameer Park & Water World’s Paul Nelson reports that the Erie, Pennsylvania, park’s gross revenue in 2008 was up more than 30%. Contributing factors he cites include the opening of Ravine Flyer II, the park’s new wooden coaster, plus the closing of nearby Geauga Lake, Conneaut Lake and Erie View Park. Waldameer has a free gate and does not track admissions.
The Italian manufacturer Gosetto was due to supply a giant four-storey travelling Fun House to a showman in Australia by the end of 2008. Based on a similar blueprint to the “New York New York” attraction delivered last summer in Holland, the Fun House comes packed with a number of animatronic and interactive special effects and folds away onto just two trailers.
Dutch manufacturer Mondial is working on an interactive flat ride for 2009. Plans for the 35-metre-tall attraction have already been revealed to a number of major park operators and a test model will be built at the firm’s premises later in the year. “We are letting park guests create their own ride!” boasts Mondial sales manager Theo van Zwieten.
Dick Chance reports that carousel sales remain strong at Chance Morgan, with two 36ft double-deckers going to shopping malls in Cancun and Merida, Mexico. Chance is also building two R60 wheels in its Wichita factory for World Tourist Attractions USA. They will open in North America in 2009.
The Russian ride manufacturer Pax Design will continue to build equipment for the Russian space programme in 2009. However, the company is also still involved in talks over a single European safety standard, and hopes to produce a number of amusement attractions too.
The 3D movie Mickey’s PhilharMagic, will open at Tokyo Disneyland Park, Japan, in 2011, replacing the Mickey Mouse Revue, which will close on May 25, 2009.
Preston & Barbieri will soon unveil a new ride this spring called Flying Wheels. Standing 20-metres high, the attraction will be aimed at the teenage market, available as a single trailer travelling model or static version. The first unit, named Wotan, will debut in Italy.
The Fabbri Group has now shifted 72 units of its Booster ride. Available in 55-metre, 40-metre and 30-metre versions, the propeller ride is popular with adrenaline seekers but the 40-metre version remains most popular wit operators.
International Theme Park Services (ITPS) has hired Amanda J Salusky as operations director. A graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Communications, Salusky brings over five years of experience in the leisure industry, having worked in ride operations for Cedar Point and Hard Rock Park. At ITPS her role will include particular emphasis on the firm’s most recent theme park project in Istanbul, Turkey. ITPS has worked on over 450 projects in 45 countries since its formation in 1983.
