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Which other parks or attractions do you most admire?
Henrik B Nielsen, Djurs Sommerland, Denmark: There are many nice parks in Europe but there are two that we really look to and follow for inspiration, both of which do a great job with their theming. One is Europa- Park – it's a fantastic park that really invests in quality across the board, and the way the Mack family has transformed it from an amusement park into a holiday destination is very impressive. The other, also in Germany, is Phantasialand. This too is a very nice park that has made some interesting investments in the last few years, and also become a destination. Like Djurs Sommerland, both these parks are also family-owned and operated, which is always nice to see.
Rob Norris, Seabreeze, USA: I get a lot of inspiration from many European parks, especially those located in metropolitan areas. This season is the 138th year for our park. We are located in a suburban neighborhood in Rochester, New York, and have pretty much maxed out on our land expansion possibilities. I admire how parks like Tivoli (Copenhagen) and Gröna Lund (Stockholm) incorporate so many great rides and restaurants into a small footprint and still have room for exquisite landscaping. They embrace their heritage yet still keep current in their product offerings.
Thomas Mondon, Walibi Rhône-Alpes, France: Recently I visited PortAventura in Spain and I loved their coaster Shambhala, it was amazing. The park is quite interesting because it features a good mix of thrill rides, but they also have a good focus on family and kids' area. While the size and touristic region is completely different to us, one of the challenges for Walibi Rhône-Alpes over the next years will be to have a good mix of thrill rides, or some family-friendly sensational rides, and some good kids' areas.
Stephen Pastusak, Jolly Roger Park, Marlyand (USA): The San Diego Zoo in California has always been one of my favourite places to take my family. I admire that they are totally self-funded and offer an array of fun and educational opportunities for the entire family. The staff is obviously well trained and knowledgeable but also have terrific customer service skills and make every guest feel special and important. Seeing the unusual and fascinating animals and their spectacular displays is an unforgettable family experience! And… it is in San Diego …where the weather is always warm and the days are sunny!
Figures of Fun
6,700,000 number of ticketed visits expected at Dubai Parks and Resorts in 2017, its first full year of operation. The resort will feature three theme parks in phase I – Motiongate, Bollywood Parks and Legoland Dubai
60,000,000
number of Lego bricks used at Legoland Dubai, opening October 31 at Dubai Parks and Resorts
407,100,000
US dollars (€367,200) – revenue during second quarter of 2016 at Six Flags Entertainment, up 5% over 2016. Revenue from licensing deals in China, Dubai and Vietnam contributed 4%.
573,000,000
pounds sterling ($750,000/€675,000) – revenue during first half of 2016 at Merlin Entertainments, up 5.3% over same perriod in 2015. Strong performance at Legoland parks helped offset lower visitation at the company's Resort Theme Parks group due to the ongoing impact of Alton Towers accident in June 2015
1,140,000,000
US dollars (€1.08 billion) – revenue at Universal Parks & Resorts during second quarter of 2016, up 47% over last year. Harry Potter's arrival at Universal Studios Hollywood and parent firm Comcast's purchase of controlling shares in Universal Studios Japan contributed to the increase
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