Park News
Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi park plans revealed
The developers of Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi have gone public about their US$1 billion plans. Phase one of this, the third theme park at Yas Island together with Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, will open in 2018 and also feature the world’s only Warner-branded hotel. As the picture above right shows, construction of the park, which has been known about in the industry for some time, is already underway next to the Yas Mall adjoining Ferrari World. The project is being developed by Miral under licence from Warner Bros Consumer Products. Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi will bring together DC Comics Super Heroes including Batman, Superman and Wonder Women alongside classic Warner Bros
cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry – all under one roof (literally). Miral hopes that the new park will drive annual visitor numbers at Yas Island from 25 million in 2015 to 30 million in 2018. “It is incredibly exciting to announce that we are bringing the iconic Warner Bros
brand to Yas Island,” confirms company chairman HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak. “Miral’s investment in the Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi theme park is a milestone in the Emirate’s journey to put Abu Dhabi on the global map and become one of the world’s leading tourist destinations.” Miral CEO Mohamed Abdullah Al Zaabi adds that: “Yas Island will continue looking
to expand on its offerings for its visitors through strategic partnerships with world leading organisations.” The Warner Bros project is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs for the Emirate.
Responsible for the development and management of Yas Island, Miral’s (
miral.ae) assets span entertainment, hospitality, leisure, sport, dining, retail and real estate destinations. As well as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, Yas Island is already home to the Yas Marina Circuit (home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix), Yas Links Golf Course, Yas Mall, Yas Marina and seven hotels, including the flagship Yas Viceroy. Farah Experiences,, which already manages Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld, will also operate the Warner Bros park. The arrival of the Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi will be the latest of several movie- based parks in the United Arab Emirates following the opening in Dubai later this year of Motiongate, Bollywood Parks and IMG Worlds of Adventure and also the planned 20th Century Fox World Dubai, currently slated also for a 2018 debut.
Shock death of
Chance Rides president Mike Chance died on April 19 at the age of just 42. The president of Chance Rides Manufacturing was instrumental in moving Chance into rollercoaster design and manufacturing and is survived by his wife, Mindi, and one son. He had been president of the family firm for nearly 11 years.
Chance Rides is offering grief counselling to
its 100 employees. A statement dated April 20 on the Chance Rides website from Dick Chance,
Mike’s father and the company’s CEO, reads as follows: “Yesterday our family and company suffered a tremendous loss. Our son and company president Mike Chance lost his long term and well fought battle with depression. Mike had suffered from this tough disease for years and had faithfully sought treatment and relief from its effects. Like any other disease that is not yet well understood, depression is often difficult to successfully treat.We are proud of Mike for bravely fighting this disease for years while living a full and rich life as a wonderful husband and father, son, grandson, brother, friend and a great company leader. He was a triathlete who competed alongside friends in Iron Man triathlons across the country. Mike valiantly fought this disease while focusing on doing great work together with our employees so the fact that he had this disease will come as a surprise to many who knew him. Just as with other diseases that take our loved ones too early, our family’s hope is that research into the treatment for depression will advance. And that those seeking relief from this disease will find a path to successful treatment.” The funeral service took place on April 27 in Wichita, Kansas.
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The leading Dutch theme park Efteling is to expand its accommodation offer with the opening next year of a second holiday village to complement the existing Efteling Village Bosrijk, which opened in 2009, and two on-site hotels. The new holiday village Efteling Loonsche Land, opening mid 2017, will allows families to sleep above, on or under the ground. Hidden in a nature reserve, the new
development will comprise a hotel and 66 cosy holiday homes for 6 to 12 persons. The hotel, pictured above, will offer 75 standard and 20 special themed rooms, and one of the holiday homes is designed to accommodate groups. Once the new accommodation has opened, Efteling will boast a total of 3,000 beds. The new €30 million holiday village follows strong demand for the original Efteling Hotel, which opened in 1992, and Efteling Village Bosarijk, which features its own hotel as well as various houses and cottages and was expanded last year with an extra 51 units. On-site accommodation is a key part of Efteling’s goal to reach an annual attendance target of 5 million by 2020 and stay among the leading parks of Europe. Now open year-round, the park is located in the south of the Netherlands, near the city of Tilburg.
MAY 2016 New places to stay at Efteling
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