Park Update
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Sweet dreams are made of this
This April, Poland’s Energylandia will open Sweet Valley, its newest themed area and its second immersive zone. The area has been Here, Park World sits down with Andrea van der Vlis, design lead everything that must be considered to hit the sweet spot
C
andyland. Ever since Hansel & Gretel went wild about their gingerbread house, every child dreams of the magical land of plenty. Considering our universal love for everything sugary,
it’s curious that this theme is not half as prevalent in theme parks as swashbuckling pirates or gun-toting cowboys. This April, the Polish Energylandia will be closing the gap with these hatted outlaws: By opening Sweet Valley the theme park adds over 10 new rides in a zone full of chocolate, lollipops, and honeycombs. Jora Vision has been a longtime partner of Energylandia.
Energylandia wanted to transform from a rides park to a true theme park and enlisted the help of Jora Vision. Not only did the Dutch designers create the park’s masterplan; they also designed Aqualantis. This sunken story world levelled up the park’s theming. A park famous for its adrenaline pumping coasters and thrills,
Energylandia wanted to add a family area to their menu. Staying true to their thrill-seeking spirit, they also added two coasters: a Vekoma mine train of a whopping 1200 metres in length and a family coaster from the same manufacturer. But how to go from this ride selection to a full theme?
18 “If a park is unexperienced with theming, they sometimes think
that it is a question of adding a few scenery pieces and a splash of colour on the walls. For us, the theming is the last layer in a careful process”, Andrea explains. “A quaint village, deserted island, or shopping street needs a great outline before you add the theme to it. It starts with a good base: smart sight lines, routing, and flow. Because we already worked on the park’s masterplan, we had the best base to work from”. The park was looking for something family friendly and heavily
themed. There was a mine train coaster and a diverse selection of flat rides. A wild west theme was tempting, but we wished for something more original. Sweet Valley was born. “The challenge of a whimsical theme like this is balancing theming with building practicalities”, says Andrea. “Straight buildings are easier to construct, but cutely curved houses fitted the land better. It’s tempting to forget about the details to lower costs. Luckily Energylandia showed a strong commitment to the theme. Every air conditioning, speaker, roller shutter and gutter fits the area”. To make sure everything was in its right place, a huge 3D model of the
MARCH 2024
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