PW Nov 09 P22.qxd 11/4/09 1:05 pm Page 22
Park News
www.parkworld-online.com
Ocean Express
Chance
Funicular serves Ocean Park guests
kept busy
Guests at Ocean Park in Hong Kong no
Chance Rides team has been
longer have to take a daredevil cable car
busy in 2009 with many
ride to get from one side of the park to
international and domestic
the other. The new Ocean Express
projects. For example, Innovative
funicular transportation system has
Film City in India, and E-Da
opened as part of the park’s ongoing
World, Taiwan, both installed 36ft
HK$5.55 billion Master Redevelopment
Double Decker Carousels and
Project (MRP), linking the Waterfront and
Israel’s Tel Aviv Luna Park
Summit areas in just three minutes.
purchased a CP Huntington Train.
Landry’s Kemah Boardwalk
“We are anticipating an annual
In the United States, Chance
attendance of over seven million by
continues to deliver carousels, trains and trams. Happy Hollow Zoo, San Jose,
around 2017,” explains Ocean Park chairman Dr Allan Zeman, “so when we were
California, will next year open a 36ft Wildlife Carrousel [sic] featuring a Lemur
planning the MRP, we realised that the current capacity of our cable car systems will
figure. Tulsa Zoo, Oklahoma, has already added a tiger striped CP
be inadequate for the future. We explored all in-park transportation options
Huntington Train and Virginia Zoo, Norfolk, Virginia, purchased an additional
available. I can still remember how we were called ’crazy!’ when the idea of boring
CPH locomotive. A Tramstar HD vehicle with Compressed Natural Gas power
through Brick Hill and putting a funicular system inside the tunnel was put forth. So
was delivered to the New York Botanical Gardens, Bronx, New York.
it gives me great pleasure to present the Ocean Express, which is a real testament
For much of the first quarter, Chance played an instrumental role in the
to making the impossible possible.”
rebuilding of Landry’s Kemah Boardwalk in Texas, which was devastated by
Seamless planning by Ocean Park management, staff and its appointed
Hurricane Ike in 2008. Chance built two new rides, a 28ft double-Deck
engineers and designers has resulted in 1.3-km tunnel and funicular system less
carousel and a Wipeout, and refurbished five additional rides, an Inverter,
than 30 months after the first rock was dug out.
Pharaoh’s Fury, Century Wheel, Aviator and Observation Tower.
Ocean Express is the world’s only themed funicular system, complete with an
Other ride refurbishments included a Zipper for Talley’s Amusements and a
immersive show for passengers to enjoy as they travel through tunnel. Contractors
Zipper for West Coast Amusements.
included lead consultant AECOM Asia, works contractor Dragages-Bouygues,
funicular designer/builder Garaventa AG and Gangloff Switzerland, which made
the trains. The rope-powered attraction is sponsored by Volkswagen Hong Kong.
Technical park introduces
Guests wanting a scenic option can still take the 12-minute cable car journey
linking the Waterfront and Summit, from which they will enjoy spectacular views
interactive jet set
high above the South China Sea. Aqua Show family park in Portugal will next
season unveil a Baby Aviator ride courtesy of
Technical Park. The attraction will be a park
version of a suspended coaster already
travelling in Italy, but feature a new twist:
water guns in the planes and on the ground.
Following a request from Tivoli Friheden in
Aarhus, Denmark, Technical Park has already
added an interactive element to its tried and
tested Red Baron plane ride. The park’s
version of the ride, which opened this
season, features infrared guns in the planes.
Riders collect points by shooting at the
targets around the control tower and on a
backflash. After landing, the rider with tmaximum points become the master
fighter pilot.
ABOVE: Baby Aviator on tour in Italy BELOW: Red Baron at Tivoli Friheden
Solid order book for KMG
Capacity is booked through until September 2010 for the innovative Dutch ride
manufacturer KMG. This winter it will build two new XXL rides – a giant
travelling version of its Afterburner (Frisbee-style) attraction – for showmen in
Switzerland and Belgium. Other attractions on the order book for next season
include a Speed propeller ride for a showman in France and another Inversion
for an unnamed European client.
Next autumn KMG will start construction on two new projects including
Mission Space, an 80-metre high, 16-passenger ride due to be travelled in
Holland by Tony Kroon. The ride pattern remains under wraps for the time
being, but we can reveal that it will pack onto three trailers. A second new ride
concept is also expected to debut in 2011.
So, if you want a new KMG attraction, we suggest you join the queue . . .
22 NOVEMBER 2009
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