PW Mar 09 P24-25.qxd 2/25/09 11:05 am Page 25
www.parkworld-online.com
Simulator capsules from
itself. This is highlighted perfectly journey where the action is viewed on a high-resolution monitors in
The Harbor Ride
at the Rotterdam Port Experience, front of each two-seater capsule. Sixteen miniature lifeboats are used in
where guests can walk over a total, as riders race across the water, shooting past container ships,
giant aerial photograph in the under bridges and over the heads of cranes and workers. This Harbor
lobby. They can also learn more Ride was easily the most expensive part of RPE to create, built to order
about plans for Maasvlakte 2, a by a team of five suppliers comprising E2M (design and engineering),
second port that will consolidate West End (boat design and manufacturing), Design Electro Products
Rotterdam’s position as one of the (show control), Cruden (system integration) and Twain (ride film).
world’s leading cargo terminals. In total, over 70 Dutch firms were involved in creating the Port
The biggest challenge for the Experience, which opened on December 1 after a development period
team from Kranendonk was of just 12 months. While the attraction looks good, visitor numbers to
creating a sense of scale in a date have been disappointing. The irony is that while Erasmus Bridge is
building that is much smaller than a very visible Rotterdam landmark, it swamps everything in its shadow,
the car park next to it, or indeed meaning RPE is practically invisible to many passers-by. Kranendonk
Erasmus Bridge itself. The illusion begins when guests take an elevator Experience Network hopes to work with the attraction’s owners to
ride, engineered by Lagotronics, to the top of the “Rotterdam’s tallest improve this.
building,” a fictional 200-storey tower that exists purely for the purpose Nevertheless, Holtkamp
of storytelling. At the “top” they alight onto the Panorama Deck and expects things to pick up
take a trip around the perimeter in dark ride vehicles supplied by ETF. once the tourist season
Looking down, passengers catch a glimpse of the city in miniature – arrives. He is confident the
but what they are actually seeing are reflections of model buildings attraction can meet its
directly below them. annual attendance target of
More about the port, its history and the items that pass through it can 200,000. The Spido ferry
be discovered on a collection of touch screen terminals, timelines and terminal next door, for
interactive games. Young guests, for example, can check the contents of example, attracts 400,000
various containers by scanning the barcodes on the outside, or go for a visitors a year and the two
virtual bike ride through the habour and learn to steer a ship. already share ticketing
Young guests examine the comtents of sea
The highlight of the tour is the Harbor Ride, a high speed simulator facilities.
containers at the Rotterdam Port Experience
MARCH 2009 25
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44