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ParkHoppin’ with Paul Ruben


Wild West wonders


There are many theme parks around that use the American Old West as their theme, or as one of their themes. You might think the best one would be located in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, or perhaps Kansas. But I think one of the best of the Old West themes is that found in Southern California. That would be at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park outside Los Angeles. Starting in 1920, farmer Walter Knott and his family developed their berry farm into a popular tourist attraction that now claims to be America's first theme park. Originally Knott’s sold berries, homemade berry preserves and pies from a roadside stand. By 1940 they had also created Ghost Town, a Western themed destination. Craftsmen in Ghost Town demonstrate the arts of the blacksmith, woodcarver, glass-blower, sign cutter and spinner. The Western Trails Museum still features historical Western artefacts today. Knott’s Western theming is pervasive. The park boasts the 60-year- old narrow-gage Calico Railroad, where passengers are threatened at gunpoint, or stopped by a couple of mean- lookin’ outlaws poking a gun up your nose, as pictured here. Knott’s classic Timber Mountain Log Ride and Calico Mine Ride are beautifully-themed favourites. Newer, Western themed coasters include the Pony Express by Zamperla,


B&M's Silver Bullet, Zierer’s Sierra Sidewinder and Custom Coasters’ wooden Ghost Rider. There’s also Intamin’s Bigfoot Rapids rafting adventure and Mystery Lodge, a multimedia show by BRC based on an Expo ’86 pavilion exhibit featuring a Native American storyteller. There is one Western themed attraction missing from Knott’s, however, and missing from just about every other park in the world. It’s an attraction I loved as a child, and was reminded of it while visiting York’s Wild Kingdom in York, Maine. They had pony rides, and it brought back a wave of nostalgia watching a young child being guided around the trail, riding a gentle pony led by a handler decked out in a cowboy hat. How Western is that? Where have all the pony rides gone? Even Coney Island had pony rides for a while, as did my childhood park, Crystal Beach. I know, low capacity and high maintenance made them expendable, but what a joy for young children. Just think. They can ride a real horse, not a carousel horse. It was an authentic experience for me as a child, and although pony rides are few and far between, it remains authentic for children today.


Knott’s doesn’t have pony rides, but it does have horses. Real horses. Is there another theme park in the world that offers a ride on a genuine stage coach pulled by horses? Knott’s does. I loved it, and that night even dreamed that I was in the old West riding in a stagecoach. Suddenly, a man riding a horse pulls up to the left side of the stagecoach, and a riderless horse pulls up on the right. The man leans down, pulls open the door, and jumps off his horse into the stagecoach. Then he opens the door on the other side and jumps onto the other horse. Just before he rides off, I yell out, “What was all that about?" He replies, “Nothing. It’s just a stage I’m going through.”


8 JUNE 2013


Mystic Manor


Disney debuts next level dark ride in Hong Kong


Hong Kong Disneyland has launched Mystic Manor. Based loosely on the Haunted Mansion, it is the most unique dark ride featured in any Disneyland park, anchoring the new Mystic Point area of the Hong Kong venue. Guests on the attraction are taken on a creepy carriage ride through the Victorian era manor of eccentric explorer and art collector Lord Henry Mystic and his monkey companion Albert. Featuring a trackless ride system, passengers experience one of two different courses through the house according to which vehicle they sit in. “The ‘Mystic Magneto-Electric Carriage’ in Mystic Manor is by far the most sophisticated ride system in Disney’s history,” highlights Bill Ernest, president and managing director for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Asia. “This one-of-a-kind themed area [Mystic Point] has never been seen in any of our Disney parks worldwide,” But before they step into the car, guests are given a pre-show in the form of a slide show from Albert. When the monkey mischievously opens a magical music box, the enchanted “music dust” is released and, accompanied by a haunting tune created specialy for the attraction by renowned composer Danny Elfman, the mysterious journey begins. Mystic Manor is full of surprises. The dark ride blends beautiful visuals with fascinating special effects. Mystic Point also includes a themed photo area called Garden of


Wonders, complete with mystifying 3D illusions; the Explorer’s Club restaurant offering international cuisine and The Archive shop featuring exclusive new merchandise and the Mystic Point Freight Depot, where Lord Henry’s grandnephews share with guests stories from their adventures with Lord Henry.


As part of an elaborate marketing campaign for Mystic Manor, Hong


Kong Disneyland engaged taditional advertising mediums such as TV, print and out-of-home media, as well as producing an online video packed with illusions, a TV programme allowing viewers to interact using their smartphones, plus interactive gallery walls in local convenience stores. As well as the Hong Kong and Mainland China markets, publicity and travel trade initiatives are planned in Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and India. Mystic Point represents the final part of the Hong Kong park's HK$3.6 billion (US$464m/€362m) expansion aimed at increasing resort attendance. Other new areas realised as part of the plan include Toy Story Land, opened in 2011 and Grizzly Gulch in 2012.


Disney officials state that the expansion helped the park make the first profit in its seven-year history last year, when it hosted over 6.7 million guests. A ticket price increase was implemented at the end of March, taking


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