This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Park News www.parkworld-online.com


MUSIC TO MY PIER


The new-look Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare in England, which reopened in October after a multi- million pound refurbishment, recently hosted its first major music concert. Rap star Tinchy Stryder played to 2,000 fans on January 28 in the Great Hall, part of the pier’s new


pavilion building that houses a selection of brand new rides, arcade machines and multiple food & beverage opportunities.


“I always envisaged the Grand Pier becoming a major venue on the music scene in the South West and to sign up Tinchy Stryder was a major coup for us,” reported pier owner Kerry Michael. “This was just the first of many big-name concerts we are planning for the pier.” Pictured here are some views of the new look Pavilion in full swing. Read about the challenges of re-opening the pier after a devastating fire in 2008 by searching for “Grand Pier 2.0” at www.parkworld-online.com


LEFT: A view of the pavilion floor RIGHT: Robocoaster in action


Plans for the UK's first family visitor attraction designed for children with sensory, learning and


physical disabilities have moved a step closer following the granting of planning permission for venue’s main building. Fairytale Farm near in Oxfordshire is being developed by theme park fan and planning consultant Nick Laister and his wife Nicole were inspired to create the park in honour of their 12- year-old daughter, who has cerebral palsy.


“Fairytale Farm will operate just like any other farm attraction, but the big difference is that we are turning accessibility on its head,” says Nick. “Everything will be designed around children with special needs, but we cannot guarantee that everything will be accessible to those without disabilities. The attraction will involve a range of farm and domestic animals, particularly those that can be handled, as this is important for children with sensory disabilities. We also propose to install specialist play equipment.” “The granting of planning permission for a two-storey building is a great step forward for us


Flight of the Dragon


A ride film from OCT’s Happy Valley park in Shanghai has been nominated for an award from the Visual Effects Society.


Flight of the Dragon, produced by Super 78 of California, will compete against Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal Islands of Adventure and King Kong 360 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood for the honour in the “Outstanding Visual Effects in Special Venue Project” category. Accompanied by a Movie Base ride system from Huss Park Attractions, Flight of the Dragon is the first ever digital, large format, live-action aerial film produced for the Chinese market. The production takes guests on an extraordinary tour of the country’s most famous and beautiful land- marks, accompanied by a computer-generated dragon. Winners of the Visual Effects Society Awards were due to be announced in Beverly Hills on February 1.


A still from the film 18


because it is essential that we have indoor facilities for when the weather is poor,” continues Laister. “As this is a major undertaking, we do not have any financial support. We are therefore looking for detailed drawings, timber to be used in construction, and assistance from professional builders in building the structure.”


The couple hope to have Fairytale Farm open to the public by Easter 2012. If you feel you can help them in any way, get in contact via the website below.


www.fairytalefarm.co.uk OmniTicket offers season


pass solution for tough times Guests at a number of major theme parks can now pay for season passes through a series of instalments thanks to a new flexible payment offered by OmniTicket Network. Feedback via social networking sites suggests the scheme is already proving popular with users, allowing park visitors to comfortably buy or renew their season passes in spite of the tough economy. The OmniTicket instalment billing module allows staff to generate pass holder contracts upon the sale of a pass and schedule automated billing cycles and payment processing, while blocking passes when scheduled payments are declined. The software integrates seamlessly with OmniTicket's on-site and online technology to encourage easy renewals both at front gate and on the web. “Our new instalment billing functionally promotes an increase in both pass sales and guest satisfaction,” highlights Mickey Carlson of OmniTicket‘s US office in Orlando. “We're glad to be able to offer our clients and their guests such a convenient and flexible solution.”


www.omniticket.com FEBRUARY 2011


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