Show Review
parkworld-online.com
The EAS post-tour group assembles
at Puy du Fou. Too may names to list, but see who you can spot
two halls, however the days when manufacturers exhibit large numbers of rides are long gone. But their were various cars and gondolas on display, such as Mack Rides’ new Helix train for Liseberg (Sweden), Sunkid/Heege’s new Butterfly ride vehicle for Familypark Neusiedlersee (Austria) and Garmendale’s new Motion Master – one of multiple dark ride concepts demonstrated this year at EAS.
Dark rides proliferate
A regular fixture of many amusement industry trade shows over the past few years has been Triotech’s XD interactive theatre, however the Canadian company decided not to show such a product on this occasion, so that it could focus on newer concepts such as its iDR interactive dark ride. “I think we got the message
Seminar
Left to right: Bart de Boer, Nicolas de Villiers, Amanda Thompson OBE, Miikka Seppälä
soundbites No one really expects any great revelations when a Disney executive speaks in public (see “Ratatouille for Breakfast”, p29) however the four past and present park leaders that contributed to Wednesday afternoon’s (18 September) CEO Talk session at EAS were markedly more candid. Here are a few highlights:
“We took a dive in visitor numbers [this season], but that’s because we switched to a pay-one-price system. We thought we were so strong we could move away from ride tickets, but visitors didn’t like it. It hurt us bad. We should’ve listened to Liseberg who tried it a few years ago.” Miikka Seppälä, Särkänniemi, Finland
“We have stuck by pay-one-price, there have been issues but now we have a nicer atmosphere in the park. We would look to go fully pay-one-price but I do not think where we are would allow it, certainly not in the next five years.” Amanda Thompson, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, England
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home,” Christian Martin told us during a drinks reception on his booth on Thursday afternoon. “The exhibition was better than expected, but then our expectations were not so high,” reported Siegfried Gerstlauer of Germany’s Gerstlauer Amusement Rides. Whilst he conceded that large rollercoaster manufacturers like this do not necessarily come to trade shows to sell rides, he added that he has “seen people from all over Europe” Looking a little further beyond the central European territories, Martin & Vleminckx partner Chuck Bingham observed that, “Turkey is big at the moment. It would be great if we could sell the first wooden coaster there, like we did in China. That opened a lot of doors for us.” "Working internationally, it was great to see the show in our home country this year,” remarked Emmanuelle Charotte of multimedia show producer ECA2, which was walking the aisles but not exhibiting at EAS (though it does participate in IAAPA’s Asian Attractions Expo). “Through the different conferences and meetings, this event demonstrated the trend and increasing importance of night time shows on the European market and worldwide." “We are delighted that EAS has been in Paris this
year,” concluded Sophie Huberson of the French attractions association SNELAC. “Many of our members came to meet the industry, see new products and take advantage of seminars organised by IAAPA Europe. Anything that can help to professionalize and develop the business is important for SNELAC.” Euro Attractions Show 2014 takes place from 23 to 25 September in Amsterdam, a popular choice back in 2009, before the first Scandinavian edition of EAS in 2015. If you’re in the attractions business in Europe, you’ll want to be there.
iaapa.org/eas
“Families are very price-sensitive in The Netherlands; we are not food, we are a luxury. We made national news last year when we dared to raise the price by €3.” Bart de Boer, ex-Efteling, The Netherlands
“Once you start discounting, it is a war that everyone loses.” Miikka Seppälä, Särkänniemi, Finland
“I am not sure you can buy a full-priced ticket to a Merlin park!” Amanda Thompson, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, England
“Easters are getting worse because everyone thinks we are bursting, but overall we had the best season ever” Bart de Boer, ex-Efteling, The Netherlands
“I would like think small parks will become big again; people will vote with their feet.” Miikka Seppälä, Särkänniemi, Finland
“Don’t lie to the people. I think in the ‘70s and ‘80s a lot of smaller parks in the USA and Europe ‘invented’ things to create attention, but people will always see through that. You will stay if you have a soul.” Nicolas de Villiers, Puy du Fou, France
“My advice for how to become a CEO? Maybe I should have learned how to stay a CEO!” Bart de Boer, ex-Efteling, The Netherlands
OCTOBER 2013
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