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ParkWord March 2014
As I write, the daffodils are sprouting, the croci are poking their vivid leaves through the soil and all the other seasonal clichés are flying about in abundance. I love spring and, living in a part of the world that experiences distinct seasons, can safely say that it’s one of my favourites; up there in the top four. Spring is also when many parks launch their new attractions, of course, and later this month I’ll be going to see some in Germany. Saturday will be spent at Heide Park, which will be unveiling its new B&M wing coaster to press and VIPs (vaguely important people) like me, before letting paying park guests take their seats. On Sunday, I’ll be at the Phantasialand to experience the new Chiapas water ride by Intamin. Here, however, the park will not be open to the public. Instead all efforts be directed to ensuring maximum media exposure from the day.
What approach do you prefer to take when launching a new attraction at your park? As the ride or attraction in question is likely to have had a soft launch, or at least a few trial runs, before the official opening, the VIPs will not actually be the first to ride it. Empowered with the power of social media, your regular guests also have a role to play in getting the word out, as do the enthusiasts. Yet who is to say spring is the best time to launch a new attraction anyway? At Devon’s Crealy adventure park in the south-west of England they opened their new Lost World of Atlantis (see page 8) over the school half-term holidays back in February – getting in ahead of all those who will inevitably be blowing their trumpets over Easter. I know of several other parks that have chosen to launch new rides in summer instead. Sometimes this has been due to delays in construction, but nevertheless it avoids becoming part of the springtime media clutter – and you can still pass the attraction off as “new” the following spring.
All of the instances highlighted above are happy events that should hopefully generate only positive press and media attention, but what when something goes wrong at your park? Herschend Family Entertainment’s Lisa Rau offers some valuable advice on crisis management over pages 40 and 41. But to return to the subject of trumpets, did you know that’s the word used to describe the centre of a daffodil? Isn’t that marvellous?
Owen Ralph – Editor
Editor Owen Ralph (+44 161 438 2934)
parkworld@btopenworld.com
North American Editor Paul Ruben (+1 585 381 1012)
parkw@rochester.rr.com
Contributor this issue Dennis Speigel, Lisa Rau
Sales Manager Mark Burgess (+44 1622 699124)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
Publication Manager Jacqui Hunter (+44 1622 699106)
jhunter@datateam.co.uk
Publishing Director Paul Ryder
pryder@datateam.co.uk Managing Director Parvez Kayani
p.kayani@datateam.co.uk Publication Secretary
Jennifer York (+44 1622 699109)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
MARCH 2014 ISSN 1462-4796
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