Observation Experiences
parkworld-online.com
This ride by Fabbri (also pictuted left) was erected in Turkmenistan inside a special enclosure
The operator’s Eye
As the operator of the London Eye and Weymouth Sea Life Tower in the UK, plus “static” attractions like the Blackpool Tower Eye and Sydney Eye, Merlin Entertainments knows a thing or two about observation experiences. Here Glenn Earlam, managing director of “Midway” (short stay) attractions, shares the company’s philosophy
A Technical Park wheel in Kaliningrad
profitable investments. Pax company is currently concentrating on the construction and operation of the giant wheels up to 200m and we are ready to consider not only of selling our wheels but also the joint operation, with the shares depending on the initial contribution of the interested parties. Pleun van Dalen (PvD) – As a manufacturer of wheels, it our objective to sell as many rides as possible. We explore various options with our clients, and it is possible to separate the ownership of the wheel from the operations
Niagara Falls as seen from Chance Rides’ wheel
How flexible are city authorities, land owners etc in providing sites, and how easy is it to get financing? Bil Kitchen – Zoning/building permits are often a multiple year process. Getting permission can be harder than getting financing. PvD – As all our wheels are semi-portable they are easy to dismantle and it will be easier to convince local authorities to grant licences, and easier to explain to investors that the wheel will keep its value.
Several amusement parks have added observation wheels as temporary attractions, including Liseberg in Gotehnburg, Sweden
What works best – permanent constructions such as the London Eye, Singapore Flyer etc, or smaller, semi-portable rides? PvD – We believe that permanent rides offer the best long term business opportunity – in the right location. However, even a semi-portable construction can become part of its community. The Brighton Wheel in England is now in its second year of operation and has become a landmark for the resort, appreciated by local people as well as tourist/visitors. The same thing is happening in Bangkok where the Asiatique Sky wheel has been operating just a few months but is already being referred to as the “Bangkok wheel.”
How important is the ride experience, or is it all about the view? Vladimir Gnezdilov – Without any doubt the place where the wheel is installed and the view from it are important, but at the same time the ride experience is of no less importance. Mike Chance – A view is a nice bonus but really there is always something to see. It is much more about the experience. Our wheels provide a nice enclosed,
42 JUNE 2013
Observation attractions of all kinds – high views, primarily of cities – are a potentially a massive area of development. This can be seen not only in visitor attractions but in the proliferation of rooftop bars, restaurants etc now available around the world. It is certainly an area which Merlin is developing, primarily under the Eye brand with iconic structures like the London Eye, Blackpool Tower and Sydney Tower. First I should point out that the London Eye is not a Ferris Wheel! Both technically and in the experience it offers it is a totally different animal. The emergence of several new “wheels” following the opening of the Eye is testament both to the quality of the experience and the fact that it so quickly became an iconic and completely unique part of an exciting, interesting city.
There are primarily two kinds of observation visitor attractions, moving “rides” like the London Eye or fixed high buildings like the Sydney Tower or Blackpool Tower. Each offer quite different experiences, and their success depends very much on the location and the views available. For example in a city like Sydney, where there are many high buildings on the waterside, it would be impossible to build a ride or wheel high enough to see across and over them, so a fixed building is the answer. However, it is not as simple as the higher the better. Height is obviously at the heart of every attraction and gives perspective, as well as the overall excitement of being high up, and a fixed structure offers greater potential for that, but if you really want to see more clearly what is around you then moving observation attractions like the London Eye can offer ever changing and detailed vistas depending on weather, altitude, time of day etc. While the view of course is at the centre of all observation attraction experiences, our research shows that another reason we have high repeat visit scores on all our Eye attractions, particularly the London Eye, is that we add to the experience via our 4D pre-shows, touchscreens which give information on what people are seeing, plus additions like the Skywalks in Blackpool and Sydney, a glass floor and open air platform respectively. At Merlin’s theme parks, people come with a different agenda and for a different experience, however depending on the location of the park, smaller “high” attractions may form a small part of the overall mix. But it is our Eye attractions that will always offer the best, bird’s eye view of a city and be a destination for special occasions. It is our objective is to continue to develop them in key cities around the globe.
The Sydney Eye Skywalk
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 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52