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ParkWord April 2013
As the season kicks off at theme parks and attractions around the world, we turn the spotlight this issue on some very interesting new play experiences; the type I wish they had when I was a kid. Since it was founded in Mexico City back in 1999 (I wasn’t a kid then either), KidZania has developed into a global attraction brand, with 12 outlets in nine countries and many more on the way, not to mention several copycat versions. The KidZania concept is simple – children get to role-play at their chosen career, whether that be doctor, dentist, firefighter or journalist. It’s what the little ones have always done, only here they get to do it in their own kid-sized city. I recommend they opt for the medical profession; there’s no money in journalism. The latest KidZania has just opened in Bangkok, see page 31. At Plaswijckpark in Rotterdam (page 26), children can indulge in another favourite pastime – not doing what they are told. The Huis in de Heuvel is the house of fictional grandparents Oma and Opa Van der Plas, where young visitors are encouraged to bounce on the beds, slide down the stairs and make a mess in the bathroom. But hang on, if you’re actually allowed to do this stuff, doesn’t that make it less fun? Over in the States, Florida’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the latest venue to install an attraction featuring the intellectual property Angry Birds (1.7 billion downloads and counting). Angry Birds Space Encounter features a variety of interactive games and experiences, and follows the opening last summer of the Angry Birds Land themed area at Särkänniemi in Finland and several smaller Angry Birds Activity Park playgrounds in China, Finland and England. More details on page 28.
All these attractions are engaging experiences that are sure to resonate with young guests in their respective markets. Yet here’s some enlightening news for parents, and indeed the operators that have just spent millions of dollars/euros/baht installing the experiences described above. According to a recent British survey, children would rather enjoy simple pleasures like playing in the garden or climbing a tree than visiting a theme park. Read the evidence at
bit.ly/N81kaY. You could say it puts the cat among the pigeons, or angry birds as I like to call them.
Owen Ralph – Editor
Editor Owen Ralph (+44 161 438 2934)
parkworld@btopenworld.com
North American Editor Contributors this issue
Paul Ruben (+1 585 381 1012)
parkw@rochester.rr.com
Dennis Speigel, Eugene Sloan
Sales Manager Mark Burgess (+44 1622 699124)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
Publishing Director Paul Ryder
pryder@datateam.co.uk Data Development Manager Alex Wetton
awetton@datateam.co.uk Managing Director Parvez Kayani
p.kayani@datateam.co.uk Publication Secretary
Jennifer York (+44 1622 699109)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
ISSN 1462-4796
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