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ParkHoppin’ with Paul Ruben


Windy Wonderland


Did you know that most Americans don’t have passports? Only about 6% do. That’s probably a good thing, so we don’t visit and annoy the rest of the world more than we already do. But as a result, the traffic line on the bridge into Canada, where we now need passports to enter, was much shorter than in past years. Actually, we don’t need passports to enter Canada, but we need them to return to the US and since the Canadians don’t want us stranded after our money has been spent there, they ask to see our passports when we arrive. I was on my way to Canada’s Wonderland to ride and report on its new attraction last season, WindSeeker. It’s a towering chair swing by Mondial. Four were installed at Cedar Fair-owned parks in 2011, with a further two to follow this coming season. Canada’s Wonderland was my closest. Located outside Toronto, it is the fastest growing park in the Cedar Fair chain. Toronto’s population is exploding, thanks primarily to immigration, and the park’s attendance is a beneficiary. Under vice-president and general manager Norm Pirtovshek’s guidance, it continues to add more high capacity rides. WindSeeker will be followed this year by the 306ft-tall Leviathan coaster. On WindSeeker, as many as 64 riders sit in open two-passenger swings with their feet dangling in the breeze. The swings rotate around the 30-storey centre column as you slowly ascend the tower. At the top, you are treated to dramatic views of the surrounding landscape as you take a 60-second flight at a 45-degree angle at a speed of 25 to 30 mph (40 to 50kmh).


I climbed aboard, floated upwards, and began to circle as in the photo above. It felt as if I was soaring quietly in a glider, except the same damn scene came around every seven and a half seconds. It was a hot day, but 300ft (91m) in the air, with the wind brushing your face, it felt cool. WindSeeker is promoted as a thrill ride, but unless you have a fear of heights to generate an adrenaline rush, it is not. Rather, it was smooth with none of the bumps and lurching turns of many of the rides below. It was serene. I could have remained aloft all day if they had let me. I could see and identify the landmark rides in the park. I marvelled at the ever expanding rows of nearby housing where, when the park first opened 30 years earlier, there had been only cow pastures. To the south I could see downtown Toronto, Lake Ontario beyond, and even the US. What a view! Mondial offers several shorter and lower capacity versions, and of course we mustn’t forget the similar rides offered by other manufacturers, notably Funtime with its pioneering Star Flyer. It got me thinking. If the classic chair swing can be rejuvenated by lifting it skyward, are there other flat rides that would benefit from the tower treatment? Like riding prone on your stomach, arms outstretched, alongside the gulls? Or on twirling tea cups? The mind races. And then gets dizzy ...ewww.


6


A Lotte water! New waterpark planned in Korea


South Korea’s Lotte Group is to build a new waterpark in Kimhae near Busan. The project will include a US$22 million package of attractions from WhiteWater, the largest ever order for the Canadian supplier. Dubbed the Lotte World Waterpark, completion is anticipated for May 2013.


Included will be WhiteWater’s new


Family Rattler and Family Python, two MEGAtube rides, a Family Boomerango, AquaLoop, Abyss, 8-Lane Whizzard, Family Raft Ride, Dueling Master Blasters, speed slide and body slides. Also planned is a 35-metre pneumatic surf wave pool, an 18-metre indoor family wave pool, a double FlowRider and two Polynesian-themed AquaPlay multi-level play structures. "WhiteWater is thrilled to have been chosen as the supplier and manufacturer


A rendering for the waterpark


for Lotte World Waterpark,” confirms the company’s CEO, Geoff Chutter. “This project will be a wonderful showcase of WhiteWater's signature attractions and we are proud to be part of such an industry leading project."


*The Lotte Group has chosen International Theme Park Services (ITPS) to work on an analysis and strategic planning for its original Lotte World indoor/outdoor theme park in Seoul. “We are enormously happy that the Lotte World team has once again chosen ITPS to assist them in their investment and growth into the future,” says ITPS president Dennis Speigel. “We were part of the original concept development team for Lotte World, providing feasibility analysis, pre-opening operations planning, staff training and on-site management for three years.”


Lotte World in Seoul Wet ’n’ Tame!


Well known for its high thrill waterslides and multi-person attractions, Wet ‘n’ Wild Orlando is to add a family focused attraction for this coming summer. Covering an area of one acre (400,000 square metres), the sandcastle- themed water playground will be the largest of its kind in Florida. The interactive attraction will be built on the site of Wet ‘n’ Wild’s current kids park, where it will span two pools, standing 60ft (20m) in height, spread over two levels. Featured will be 17 slides and over 100 soakers, jets, waterfalls and water cannons. Recognised by the


World Waterpark Association as the world’s first waterpark, Wet ‘n’ Wild Orlando was founded in 1977 by Sea World


entrepreneur George Millay. Now owned by NBCUniversal, today it features over 15 themed attractions.


FEBRUARY 2012


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