Branded Attractions
www.parkworld-online.com
he park that kick-started the trend for branded attractions in the UK with Thomas Land in 2008 is as it again in 2011 as it launches a new area called Cartoon Network Street, featuring a Ben 10 themed rollercoaster.
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Gerald Raines, Nickelodeon's senior director of theme parks and attractions, seen with Nick Thomspon during construction
Ben 10 Ultimate Mission at Drayton Manor is the first junior Boomerang coaster from Vekoma, taking its cues from the Dutch manufacturer’s larger Boomerang rides but keeping it family-friendly by doing away with the inversions. The attraction features an out-and-back layout that takes riders on a forward-facing tour of the track before they return along the same route backwards. Drayton Manor operations manager Edward Pawley was keen to introduce Ben 10 to the park in Staffordshire after noting that many children (particularly boys) that came to see Thomas were graduating to watching Ben on TV as they got older. Fortunately the brand, which centres around a boy that transforms into alien lifeforms, is still very much hot property in the UK. Riders on Ben 10 Ultimate Mission enter Asmuth’s laboratory where they learn that the earth is under attack from the evil Vilgax. Touchscreens provide information on the show and opportunities to play games while queuing. Moving out of the laboratory, guests then enter the Alien Chamber and are immersed in various light effects and alerts before embark on their “mission” – or ride. Design services were supplied by regular Drayton collaborator Space Leisure, which also provided the audio and interactives, while Meticulous carried out all the queue line theming.
Avatar Airbender (Zamperla Mega Disk ‘O’)
The new coaster covers a total area of 6 x 22.5-metres and features a total of 180-metres of track. A single 20- seter train is in use, providing hourly capacity for around 640 passengers, who need to be a minimum of just 1- metre to ride. The ride’s top speed is 55km/h. A Cartoon Network/Ben 10 retail outlet sits opposite the attraction’s entrance (mustn’t forget the merchandise sales!), while Chowder’s diner completes Cartoon Network Street in this, the “Aerial Park” section of Drayton Manor.
www.draytonmanor.co.uk
The all-important retail outlet Caption
Bikini Bottom Bus Tour JUNE 2011 29
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