Park News
parkworld-online.com
SHOWZAM! 2013
Blackpool’s annual festival of circus, magic and new variety returns to the English resort this February. Now in its sixth year, a packed programme of quirky entertainment is promised, featuring 150 performers over 10 days. New for 2013 is is a specially commissioned youth circus from world famous impresario Gerry Cottle, whose WOW Circus earlier this year at the Pleasure Beach left audiences open- mouthed. Mr Albert’s Trade of the Tricks workshop at The Grand Theatre Studio will teach children and adults a variety of magic
tricks before witnessing the colourful family comedy, Mr Albert’s Big Finish.
Activities at the Pleasure Beach range from a
face-painting festival and ice-skating sessions to an evening soiree at The White Tower with showbiz favourite Christopher Biggins, plus dance, magic, creative workshops and behind- the-scenes tours. Showzam! producer Professor Vanessa Toulmin will also be giving tours of the Winter Gardens and Blackpool Tower. Open every day throughout the festival at
the Winter Gardens, Showzam! Central will host a variety of free and paid-for freak shows, live entertainment and events. And Showzam! wouldn’t be Showzam! without the without the sharp wit of its wacky street theatre or the flamboyant Carnival Ball at the Tower Ballroom on Saturday night (February 16). Produced in association with the National
Gerry Cottle and his Wookey Hole Circus crew 360° of fun at
Mt Olympus Mt Olympus Water & Theme Park, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, is modifying Hades, its partly-underground wooden rollercoaster. In 2013 Hades will transform to become the world's first all- wood rollercoaster with an upside down barrel roll.
Dubbed Hades
360, the new-look ride will feature both a 360° upside down barrel roll and a 110 degree over-banked turn. To perform these elements, new state-of-the-art Timberliner trains will be added from The Gravity Group will be added to the ride, which is also doing the engineering. Construction will be carried out in-house by Mt Olympus.
Hades 360 will feature a total track length of 4,725ft (1.4km), with1,400ft (427m) of that underground, including a 90-degree banked underground turn in complete darkness. Some other features of the ride include a first drop of 140ft (43m) at an angle of 65°, a 110-degree over-banked turn and a top speed of 70mph (113 kmh).
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Fairground Archive, Showzam! has become an important part of the event calendar for Blackpool, encouraging extra people to visit the resort at a traditionally quiet time of year. The 2013 event takes place from February 15 to 24. See
showzam.co.uk for the full programme.
WhiteWater enters the app
business Continuing to broaden the scope of its services, WhiteWater has acquired a company called
Apptivations. As a result of the deal with Denise Chapman Weston and Rick Briggs, WhiteWater will now offer waterpark operators a variety of
mobile technology services – or “apps” – to engage their guests. From live action storytelling to interactive games, Apptivations has created a range of downloadable computer applications that come to life in real time using devices already owned by consumers – such as mobile phones. These apps are designed to engage and entertain guests at waterparks and other attractions while providing additional rewards and revenue streams
There are many opportunities to sell upgrades, reinforce a park’s marketing, and create takeaway gifts including photo comic books and guest videos for sharing via social media.
DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013
Quest the UK’s
newest FEC A new family entertainment centre (FEC) has opened in central England, featuring Europe’s tallest Sky Trail high ropes course. Quest at the Westfield Merry Hill shopping mall is the first of a planned chain of venues from Paragon Entertainment, and also comprises mini golf, a ‘Nerf’ shooting game and more. But it’s the ropes course that takes centre stage. Spanning four levels, the ropes course was built in the USA and provided by European agent Innovative Leisure. It was designed especially to fit the building’s 17-metre-tall atrium and a special crane used recently on the new Shard skyscraper in London had to be brought in to assist with installation. “The high ropes course is a fantastic centrepiece for our first Quest centre,” notes Paragon Entertainment’s Tim Rusby. “Our guests' response has been amazing. They simply love it. We had to work closely with mall owners, local authorities, building control, fire officers and ride inspectors to deliver best in class design, build, training and operation. Innovative Leisure held our hand at every stage.”
Over the festive season, visitors to the FEC could also enjoy an open air Christmas market and ice rink. A second Quest outlet will open soon at the Istanbul Aquarium in Turkey, where guests will be able to go on a quest to save the rainforest, via such attractions as a mirror maze.
thequest.co.uk
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