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The Tom Anstey Column
Representing Europe's first major Naruto- themed destination and one of the few anime themed theme park destinations currently operating outside of Asia, the Naruto IP is strong enough that it will put Parc Spirou on the map for visitors not only in France but from further afield. The park expansion is a multi-year
collaboration between Spirou and license holders and TV Tokyo, with guests able to visit the Village Hidden in the Leaves, enjoying multiple attractions and Japanese-themed F&B options. Ride manufacturer Zamperla is behind the
A 700m Family Thrill Launch Coaster which reaches speeds of up to 75 km/h, and a NebulaZ family ride with four revolving arms that spin gondolas in an interlocking circular motion. Looking at the move from a corporate strategy perspective, the €16m investment has radically shifted Parc Spirou's market standing when it comes to its ability to draw visitors from Europe and beyond. Naruto IP is a global powerhouse. With a total lifetime value of more than $20bn, Naruto is among top 25 highest-grossing media franchises in history, outperforming in certain areas western
brands like The Simpsons and SpongeBob. For Naruto theme park experience is nothing short of
Viking experience has its own reason to celebrate - a brand new £12m addition themed around vikings. Called Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, the new addition creates its own IP, and like the Naruto addition at Spriou, the aim of the new area is to expand the parks' appeal to older children, teenagers, and young adults.
Paultons has certainly taken a slightly more aggressive stance on thrills than with Spirou, with the new attraction Drakon being its first-ever inverted roller coaster. Paultons has partnered with Gerstlauer for the headline coaster, while ART Engineering has developed its other major Gerstlauer has also given a complete mechanical overhaul and full thematic integration to the former Cobra, which is now known as Raven. The land is already set for an expansion as well, coaster - set to open to the public in 2027. The opening also showcases an interesting trend for regional parks in the UK and beyond. With the success of themed lands from the big dogs such as Disney and Universal, this is now trickling down the chain in a smaller format but Chessington, which opened its Jumanji-themed land in 2023. Meanwhile Drayton Manor has had notable land additions, including Vikings in 2022 and Frontier Falls in 2024.
With a relatively modest investment focused around quality theming, a major attraction and
two or three smaller themed attractions, these developments are proving that parks do not necessarily need billion-dollar budgets to create immersive experiences that resonate with guests.
Muppet Makeover which of course will invest as much as most parks would invest into an entire themed land if it would into a single ride or attraction. Because World in Florida is back, only Aerosmith has been ditched in place of The Muppets.
While the core mechanical ride system remains exactly the same as ever, the entire queue, pre-show, and on-ride soundtrack have been completely overhauled to fit a new story based around The Muppets. The pre-show also features Disney's first-ever advanced Scooter Audio- Animatronic alongside penguin audio engineers. Of course, for Disney the retheming eliminates perpetual licensing costs, with Disney entirely owning The Muppets IP so it can retain any money generated from merchandise and media streams related to the attraction, not to mention the marketing potential of the retheming.
Looking up
After a difficult opening stretch to the year, the industry finally feels as though it is regaining momentum.
From Naruto to The Muppets, there are plenty of reminders that this remains one of the most creative and resilient industries in the world. and perhaps most importantly, people still want shared experiences, escapism and entertainment. It's been great to see that things are finally starting to look up. Long may it continue.
TOM ANSTEY
Tom is a world-travelled journalist who has been actively working in the attractions and wider leisure industries for more than a decade. Currently serving as Editor-in-Chief at Planet Attractions, a platform he co-founded in 2020, Tom is known for his deep industry knowledge and his commitment to exploring the stories and the people behind some of the world's most ambitious attractions projects. His favourite attraction is SeaWorld Orlando’s Mako coaster.
IAAPA ASIA EDITION 2026
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