New York’s Darien Lake is adding more than $5 million of new attractions and upgrades this season. The “Rowdy’s Ridge” family area will feature three rides including Moose on the Loose, a pony ride from Metallbau Emmeln, Heave Ho!, a Heege Tower, and the Hornet’s Nest, a Flying Scooters from Larson International. Seven new live shows will also make their New York State debut and guests can take advantage of numerous improvements to the park’s on-site lodging options.
Mt Olympus waterpark in Wisconsin Dells, USA, is adding an AquaPlay Giant RainFortress by WhiteWater. Themed as The Lost City of Atlantis, it will feature an erupting volcano feature with water surging 100ft (30m) into the air.
A Crazy Cups tea cup ride by Zamperla has been installed at Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury, Connecticut.
The Hettema Group has been selected to spearhead the creative design and production of the USA Pavilion at this summer’s World Expo in South Korea. Central to the installation will be a 70ft-wide screen with music and film conveying the diverse beauty of the American coastline and the connections that Americans enjoy with it.
Fourteen youngsters aged between 12 and 16 were inducted onto the Junior Board of Pleasure Beach Blackpool recently. Issued with their own uniforms and ID badges, they were given chance to check out some of the rides in Nickelodeon Land and taste some of the British park’s new food offerings. “I hope they all enjoyed their first board meeting and saw what Pleasure Beach has to offer because one day they could be making the decisions at an executive level should they choose a career in the industry,” notes the park’s managing director, Amanda Thompson.
Garner Holt Productions has become a diamond sponsor of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) as it celebrates its 20th anniversary year. “As a young entrepreneur 35 years ago creating a company in the themed entertainment business, I appreciate the need for an association to offer support and encouragement to emerging professionals in this field,” says Garnet Holt himself.
Magic Memories, the tourism photography company, has launched its first operation in China providing holiday memories and storytelling photo books for guests who visit the country’s largest aquarium, Shanghai Chang Feng Ocean World.
Blood dripping from walls, deathly screams, actors bound in chains and frothing at the mouth …what a great time Park World had recently at the local S&M club. We jest of course; it was in fact the scene at Hawkshaw Farm Park in England as AtmosFEAR! Entertainment filmed a trailer for Scare Kingdom Scream Park. The “Doomsday” edition of the Halloween attraction will run for 15 selected nights from October 13 to November 3 and promises “gore like never before.” See the trailer at scarekingdom.com.
The Producers Group has added five regional directors, giving the company representation in Europe and major Asian markets for themed entertainment and destination attractions. The regional directors are Fumiyasu Yamakawa (Japan), Peter Kim (Korea), Charlie Xu (China), Bear Zhang (China) and Jean-Michel Louis (Europe).
