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Small News From The Theme Park Industry

So I was at Bobbejaanland a few days ago and I saw this:

B4B5245A-17BA-49D0-8C62-EA420C270D2E.jpeg

Is this new? There’s so far nothing going on in the area behind it, but this path wasn’t blocked off last year and Typhoon’s exit path has also been re-routed so that you go back through parts of the queue line back to the Land of Legends hub.

We know about the Indiana River re-theme for 2023, but could this relate to a 2024 project? The area behind it is quite small, unless the intent is to carve out some of the parking lot also.
 
In fairness, Lance did later backtrack a little on that rumour.

Good to see the 2nd train returned, though; doubling the throughput is never a bad thing!
 
So I was at Bobbejaanland a few days ago and I saw this:

View attachment 19787

Is this new? There’s so far nothing going on in the area behind it, but this path wasn’t blocked off last year and Typhoon’s exit path has also been re-routed so that you go back through parts of the queue line back to the Land of Legends hub.

We know about the Indiana River re-theme for 2023, but could this relate to a 2024 project? The area behind it is quite small, unless the intent is to carve out some of the parking lot also.
Speaking of Bobbejaanland, the park has announced that Indiana River will be holding a farewell event on September 10th. The ride will be open for an additional 3 1/2 hours after park closing at 6 P.M. and annual pass holders will recieve additional goodies during the event. The ride itself will remain open until the park closes for the season on November 13th, and the re-theme will begin once the park is shut. No word yet on which of the surveyed themes (Polynesian volcano, Scandinavian fishing village, Medieval festival) has been chosen.

 
Nathan Graveson, a designer who worked for Intamin and designed the likes of VelociCoaster, Toutatis and the Parque Warner Madrid launch coaster, has announced that he is now a project director for Merlin Magic Making:
Nathan Graveson said:
I also have a massive announcement. Since my recent departure from Intamin as a thrill coaster designer, I have recently been hired by Merlin Magic Making and have officially been made the project director and designer for Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and the Legoland parks. This means I have now moved from just coaster layout design, to full coaster and theming design, which will test my artist qualifications I got at University, all them years ago. When I worked for Intamin I was actually allowed to do some area design as well, so you will see that at Parc Asterix for Toutatis, which I designed the theming for and looking back, I worked closely with Universal Orlando on the Velocicoaster project. I can officially say that the final project that I did for Intamin was the new Batman coaster at Parque Warner Madrid, which I can tell you is the best layout I have done for a coaster, which I look forward for you all to see and ride. So, look out in the future as us at Merlin Magic Making are going to be developing some incredible attractions, Alton Towers' Secret Weapon 9, Thorpe Park's Project Exodus, Chessington World of Adventures' "World of Jumanji", and the various Legoland Projects coming. So I say thank you for the amazing reception to my coaster designs at Intamin and I look forward to your reactions to our future attractions!
Source: https://towersstreet.com/talk/threads/chessington-world-of-adventures-resort.97/page-293#post-374226

Exciting stuff! Also, I consider that confirmation as good as any that SW9 is well and truly in the pipeline...
 
An employee has been killed today by a bovine at Öland Djur & Nöjespark. It's a small Swedish zoo with one wacky worm. According to sources the employee was a foreign citizen and the bovine was probably a cow or an eland.
 
Always good to see a new park open in an obscure place. Sunset Park in La Libertad, El Salvador opened this week with 5 new rides imported from China including 1 new junior coaster. It is the only known permenant coaster in the country for more than 20 years after Teleferico San Jacinto closed in 2001.

Click here to see a short video of the opening ceremony

Salvador1.JPGSalvador2.JPGSalvador3.JPG
 
Looks like Towers have had some issues today... Pic is of the queue for Guest Services because every ride is down.

Apparently it's something to do with the CCTV system and it being affected by the BT strikes. Also heard that they've extended opening hours.

Developing story though, so not clear on the facts.

(Picture taken by somebody I know called Jamie, he won't mind me using it.)

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Looks like Towers have had some issues today... Pic is of the queue for Guest Services because every ride is down.

Apparently it's something to do with the CCTV system and it being affected by the BT strikes. Also heard that they've extended opening hours.

Developing story though, so not clear on the facts.

(Picture taken by somebody I know called Jamie, he won't mind me using it.)

View attachment 20010
That is amazing i love it you no it a bad day at towers when the guest services queue is longer than the rides.
 
That is amazing i love it you no it a bad day at towers when the guest services queue is longer than the rides.
That was my role when I worked there, I DO NOT envy the poor lad in this shot... Looks like the bloke with sunnies on his head is giving him some right stick.
 
Today in Japan (August 31) was the final day for the Daikanransha (Giant Sky Wheel in English) in Odaiba. The surrounding Palette Town tourism facilities have been shuttered in recent years due to travel restrictions and a weakened yen. When it first opened in 1999, it was briefly the world's tallest at 377' in height (115 m); https://www.nipponnews.net/news/vis...ferris-wheel-at-palette-town-in-odaiba-tokyo/
 
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