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ParkHoppin’ with Paul Ruben
No Season Like Snow Season
Amusement parks used to be a summertime diversion, a place for children and their families go when the school year concluded. No more. In recent years parks have extended their “shoulder season,” often right through to Halloween. A few warm-weather parks, and even some not-so-warm-weather parks, even stay open until Christmas and New Year.
In Northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia, winter openings are increasing in popularity every year. At Hunderfossen in Norway you can visit their “Vinterparken” as late as February and stay in an ice hotel – like a nice hotel only colder.
And now the trend is catching on in the United States. This past year Six Flags extended its Holiday In The Park event to its northernmost property yet, The Great Escape. Located midway between New York City and Montreal, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountain, it snows there in December. So here's what I'm thinking. I can dress for the cold. I can bundle up. I can go to The Great Escape and ride one of my favourite rollercoasters, the Comet. I know that when the coaster track is wet the trains run faster. When the track is coated with ice I can only imagine how fast the trains will fly.
I take my big down-filled parka and climb in the car. Actually, the parka is so big I don't fit behind the wheel. I’ll put it on when I get there. And the gloves, and the boots, and the sweaters, plus hats and ear muffs. And thermal underwear (too much information?). I can do this and not get cold. I'm a northern boy.
I arrive and find that while the park is open, the Comet is closed
for the season. Should have checked. But all is not lost. The Great Escape does have snow tubing. I'll get my gravity fix there. Almost the same. Dressed in my parka and all that warm clothing, I plop into the tube and scoot down the hill. This is fun, but now I can't get out of the tube. In all these clothes I'm like a beached whale. I get a hand up, and decide to see what else is part of Holiday In The Park.
There are several flat rides operating, and the park's train and sky ride. Guests ice skate on what is normally the bumper car pavilion. The park is decorated with Christmas lights, visitors find Santa Claus, reindeer, roasted chestnuts and a variety of shows. You don't need global warming to heat up, just step into one of the theatres and be entertained.
Can a northern park extend its shoulder season to the end of the year? Judging from the guests at The Great Escape, yes. Visitors dressed appropriately for the weather. The midway was comfortably full, there were lots of things to see and do. The Great Escape took on a different aura for this event, it was a winter wonderland, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Just don't expect to ride a coaster.
8
PLOPSA GOES DUTCH Woeste Zee by Zierer
Holland’s first Plopsa-branded theme park opened recently, close to the German border. Located after the city of the same name, Plopsa Indoor Coevorden is Studio 100’s fourth park featuring characters from its hit TV shows, popular in the Benelux. Adopting a very similar for-
mat to the Plopsa Indoor Hasslelt in Belgium, the 8,000 square metre facility features a
tried and tested list of suppliers, plus theming by Piet de Koninck. Key attractions include Piratenbaan (Zierer Force Two family coaster),
Vuurtoren (Zierer family tower), Woeste Zee (Zierer Kontiki boat), Slingermolen (Zamperla Wave Swinger), Vliegende Fietsen (Zamperla Magic Bikes), Kikkers (Zamperla Frog Hopper), Botsautos (bumper cars), Bootjes (bumper boats), Scheve Schuit (play boat), Speelboom (play tree), Piratenspeeltuin (climbing attraction), Klimberg (climbing mountain) and the Glijbaan slide. A further 5,000 square metre outdoor area will be developed at a later date. After a busy opening period at the end of April, early indications are that the
park is set to continue on a successful course. Studio 100, which already oper- ates three Plopsa parks in its native Belgium, has further plans for plans to expand into Germany.
Piratenspeeltuin by Zierer World of Color Disney debuts new night-time spectacular
World of Color, a dazzling array of animated characters, astonishing special effects and specially- composed music is captivating guests at Disney California Adventure. This new nightly spectacular is presented on a massive “stage” of water that spans the full length of the park’s Paradise Bay. “The combination of water,
light, fire and music makes World
of Color a truly magical event that showcases beloved Disney characters in an entirely new way,” highlights Walt Disney president and CEO, Bob Iger. Featuring one of the world’s largest projected water screens, the fountains are the
stars of the show at Worlds of Color, which features characters from Disney and Pixar classics including Finding Nemo, Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and many more.
JULY 2010
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