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ANALYSIS NEW Park safety: OPENINGS the human factor Zeitz REVIEW MOCAA Heatherwick's EXPO Cape Town ASTANA museum Postal Making Museum Riding the Sense underground An expert Mail Rail in guide to London multi-sensory design Cairns Aquarium A window Herschend's into Australia’s rainforest Jane and reef Cooper on Dolly Parton and the Harlem Globetrotters DAVID ATTENBOROUGH at the American Museum of Natural History www.anviovr.com [email protected]

4 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 5 Check out the full catalog of SimEx-Iwerks Attraction and Ride Films here: simexdesign.com/content/2017 4D Experience® Theaters, Flying Theaters, Motion Ride Theaters, Interactive Attractions. Morehttp://simex-iwerks.com details: simex-iwerks.com/products2017 www.gatewayticketing.com blog.attractionsmanagement.com

SCIENCE OF ATTRACTION DESIGN

Neuroscientists, user experience designers and anthropologists are being drawn to work in the attractions industry. Their expertise is opening up the potential for us to create a new generation of even more immersive experiences which are emotionally rewarding

his month we reported on work by Disney Research Composer Joel Beckerman, architect and writer Gordon Grice which has created a haptic system that enables and researcher and anthropologist Scott A Lukas talk us through T people to ‘feel’ fireworks using computerised water ways to understand the five senses and highlight how they can jets sprayed on flexible screens. be used to create more resonant experiences. The technology has been developed for use by blind and They reveal fascinating sensory facts, for example: unlike visually impaired people, but is part of an emerging interest in most memories, sensory memories are not subject to harnessing the senses to create a new generation of sensory ‘retroactive interference’ – ie, they can’t be disturbed or altered experiences for use in visitor attractions. by memories which are acquired later, so your grandma’s In this issue, we examine a number of projects in which cookies will always smell as good as they did on the day they experts are turning to science were baked, when it comes to and neuroscience to find new your memory of them. ways to connect with guests Neuroscience is being used to When it comes to taste, and create more powerful, create the best experience for experiments show people expe- immersive experiences. rience different flavours when On page 16, neuroscience museum visitors by displaying drinking the same wine in differ- researcher Tedi Asher collections in a way that ent coloured environments – it from the Peabody Essex complements brain function tastes richer in a darker, room. Museum in Salem, The main objective is to Massachusetts, talks to get all of the senses working Attractions Management together, combining aromatic about using neuroscience to create the best experience elements with visual, auditory and tactile ones, to create a for visitors – the aim being to display collections in a man- total experience which delivers ‘environmental authenticity’. ner that complements the way the brain functions. Understanding visitor psychology and how guests use our Asher’s work has been made possible by a grant from attractions can also feed into the science of safety, and on the Barr Foundation, a Boston-based private institute that page 84, Dr Kathryn Woodcock of Ryerson University explains works to elevate the arts and creative expression. the theory of ‘human factors engineering’, looking at how to Applying the latest neuroscientific research and best design attractions to ensure people use them safely by neuroaesthetic theory to enhance visitor experiences across adjusting and anticipating their perceptions of risk and danger. the museum’s permanent collection, Asher will publish her Welcoming scientists into our industry will enable the creation findings so they can be shared with museums worldwide. of a new generation of safer and more engaging experiences, Elsewhere in this issue, the science behind sensory design which will in turn make the memories of tomorrow. and ways in which it can be harnessed to create compelling attractions is examined by our expert panel on page 80. Liz Terry, editor. Twitter: @elizterry

Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385 attractionsmanagement.com @attractionsmag [email protected]

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 9 IN THIS ISSUE ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT

Q p12 David Attenborough visits AMNH Q p64 Dr Kathryn Woodcock looks at the relationship between guest perceptions and safe design

Q p40 Experts share their views on the benefits and drawbacks of creating your own IP Q p36 Jane Cooper on Herschend’s portfolio

09 36 52 Editor’s Letter Interview Analysis series Jane Cooper The Attractions Business Part 8 14 People We talked to Jane Cooper, COO In the final part of the series, Meet the people in the news – broadcaster and president of Herschend Family consultant David Camp weighs up the David Attenborough, Peabody Essex Museum Entertainment, about the company pros and cons of operating an attraction neuroscience researcher Tedi Asher and portfolio and all things Dollywood Australian winemaker Chester Osborn 58 New openings 40 Ask an expert Z is for Zeitz 20 Science Centres news Creating Your Own IP The Thomas Heatherwick-designed Zeitz 21 Visitor Attractions news With global IPs evermore present in MOCAA, Africa’s first major modern art parks, is there still room for original museum, has opened in Cape Town 23 Theme Parks news story worlds? We asked the experts 24 Waterparks news 64 Ride safety 27 Museums & Galleries news 46 Mystery shopper Humanly Possible 29 Heritage news Signed, Sealed, Delivered Researcher Kathryn Woodcock on the 30 Zoos & Aquariums news Alice Davis took a trip to London’s newest role of guests in amusement ride safety 32 Technology news attraction, the Postal Museum and Mail Rail and human factors in attractions design

10 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT ISSUE 4 2017

Q p76 Find out about Cairns Aquarium, the first new aquarium in Australia for 18 years Q p82 A masterclass in sensory immersion

Q p46 Hidden London: ride the Mail Rail Q p58 Contemporary art by African artists is at the heart of Cape Town’s major new museum

68 Expos 90 Galleries 104 Show report Pure Energy MACAN Impression Beyond the Screen BRC’s Christian Lachel reflects on the Museum MACAN director Aaron Seeto on Christine Kerr filed this report from the recent expo in Astana, Kazakhstan, and Jakarta’s first contemporary art museum TEA’s SATE conference in Los Angeles shares his takeaways for Expo 2020 Dubai 96 Planetariums 110 Show preview 76 Top team Ten out of Ten IAAPA Attractions Expo Good Reef! A planetarium upgrade at Telus World of Exhibitor news and updates in the Meet the team behind Cairns Aquarium Science in Canada is set to become the run-up to IAAPA in Orlando and reef research centre, dedicated to first to offer a 10K resolution experience life of the adjoining Great Barrier Reef 114 Attractions-kit.net 100 Museums Product Innovation 82 Themed design Lights, Camera, Interaction! Suppliers and designers tell the stories Making Sense Visitors demand evermore participatory behind their latest product launches Industry experts Joel Beckerman, Gordon attractions. In response, museums are Grice and Scott A Lukas share their evolving from passive experiences to 116 Web gallery thoughts on effective multi-sensory design immersive, interactive adventures A source of attractions services

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 11 the team

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12 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 MORE TO ENJOY... What’s hot in Leisure Media’s magazines

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©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 13 PEOPLE Attractions People PHOTO: BBC PICTURES David Attenborough and Jumbo the elephant at the American Museum of Natural History

Institutions like this are the very foundations of all zoological knowledge Sir David Attenborough broadcaster and naturalist

ir David Attenborough, programme investigates Jumbo’s life and While with the AMNH, Attenborough also the veteran naturalist and the mysterious circumstances of his death, filmed a short video about the importance broadcaster known for looking too at elephants in the wild and of natural history museums in learning groundbreaking documentaries examining changing attitudes to captivity. about and protecting the animal kingdom. like Life, Blue Planet, Frozen “AMNH provided archive photographs He says: “I’ve been fascinated by SPlanet and Planet Earth, has been working and information, along with direct access animals for as long as I can remember and with the American Museum of Natural to Jumbo’s skeleton,” Roberto Lebron, if you’re fascinated by animals, you want to History (AMNH) on a new film. senior director of communications at the know more about them. The great place to With the working title Jumbo: The Life museum told Attractions Management. know about them is, of course, museums. Of An Elephant Superstar, Attenborough “The production was interested in doing “Institutions like this are the very and a team of experts at the AMNH in a DNA analysis of the skeleton, which we foundations of all zoological knowledge. New York, New York, created a 60-minute facilitated – the results will be discussed in “The natural world is becoming poorer documentary that explores the story of the the film. The museum’s provost of science and more damaged. If we want to prevent elephant who inspired Disney’s Dumbo. Michael Novacek was also interviewed.” it being damaged, we have to understand Jumbo’s moving story began when he Lebron says the museum is looking into how it works and we have to understand was brought to London Zoo in 1865. But possible related programming for next year. what it is that we’re doing that may have an the supersize animal was difficult to control Attenborough has collaborated with effect. That is perhaps the most important and sold to PT Barnum’s circus in the US. attractions since the 1950s, when he thing that’s facing humanity today. If we More than 20 million Americans came worked on Zoo Quest alongside the BBC want to preserve the richness of the animal to see Jumbo and the troubled elephant and ZSL London Zoo, establishing his world, we have to know how it works. And became a star. Attenborough’s upcoming talents in front of the camera. these are the places that tell you.”

14 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 EURO ATTRACTIONS SHOW 2018 AMSTERDAM EXEEXPANDEXPAXPXXPPAPANDANAANDNNDD YYOYOUROUOUR NETWORNETWORKNNENETWONETWORKNEETETWTTTWWWOWWOOORORRKRKK BBUILBUBUILDBUUIUIILILLDLDD YYOYOUROOUURKKNKNOWLEDGEKNONNOWLEOOWOOWWWLWLELLEDEEDGEDDGDGGEGEE

SAVE THE DATE!

RAI Amsterdam | AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS www.IAAPA.org/EAS CONFERENCE: 23–27 Sept. 2018 | TRADE SHOW: 25–27 Sept. 2018 PEOPLE

Something that is unexpected takes longer to detect – but it also makes a more lasting imprint

Tedi Asher neuroscience researcher, Peabody Essex Museum

Tedi Asher will apply neuroscience research findings to enhance the visitor experience at the Peabody Essex Museum

hen a visitor walks into an art gallery, they expect to see paintings hanging alongside one Wanother on every wall, and the rooms categorised by era or movement or artist. Sometimes, galleries adopt different methods – displaying a single artwork in a room on its own or making use of flexible design techniques that enable them to rearrange the layout of the space. Experts now believe displaying many works side-by-side and top-to-tail on a gallery wall is not the best way for the visitor to appreciate the art. It makes sense – doesn’t it? – that seeing maybe one hundred works in a room altogether might overwhelm the visitor’s brain? At Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr Tedi Asher has joined the team to advise on exactly this conundrum – what is, neurologically speaking, the best gallery experience? Asher takes the role of neuroscience researcher, part of a PEM neuroscience initiative made possible through $130,000 (£100,000, €110,000) funding from the Barr Foundation, a Boston-based private institute that works to “elevate the arts and creative expression”. PEM’s neuroscience initiative aims to find

16 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 PHOTOS: COURTESY OF PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM

In Rodin: Transforming Sculpture, dancers encourage visitors to think about art in new ways

Peabody Essex Museum head Dan Monroe; (right) the Asia in Amsterdam exhibit uses jars filled with spices to elicit multi-sensory reactions in guests

strategies to display art in a way that balance of meeting and violating our The appointment of Asher will help him take complements the way the brain functions. expectations,” the Harvard-educated Asher, this work to previously unexplored levels. “PEM’s cross-disciplinary approach who has a special interest in neuroscience “We’re excited to be the first art museum is exciting and comes at a time when and psychology, told Artsy magazine. “In to employ a full-time neuroscientist to help neuroscience findings are beginning to the context of exhibition design, how can develop new ways of designing experiences be more widely embraced outside of the we surprise people in a way that won’t be that are highly meaningful and relevant to scientific community,” says Asher. jarring, but will help viewers make sense visitors,” says Monroe. “Dr Asher’s unique Applying the latest neuroscientific of what they have seen? Something that is perspective and deep insight will make the research and neuroaesthetic theory to unexpected takes longer to detect – but it process of art exploration and discovery enhance visitor experiences across the also makes a more lasting imprint.” especially rewarding, stimulating and fun. museum’s permanent collection, Asher will Museum head Dan Monroe has been “We believe there are new ways document her work and work with PEM to introducing neuroscience to PEM over the to present and interpret art that will write and publish her findings, which will be past couple of years, experimenting with enliven and enrich the art and art shared with art museums worldwide. less cluttered exhibition spaces, more museum experience. We also believe the “We’re all familiar with the idea that a manageable and engaging descriptions for collaboration may benefit the art museum satisfying experience has this delicate the art and some multi-sensory elements. community at large,” Monroe says.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 17 PEOPLE

One day I woke up and realised we needed something really iconic

Chester Osborn chief winemaker and viticulturist, d’Arenberg

The d’Arenberg Cube visitor experience and restauramt opens in late November

18 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 n the McLaren Vale Celler de Can Roca in Spain,” wine region, an unlikely says Osborn. There are four big structure has emerged – a terraces where guests can admire contemporary, twisted glass the panoramic view and, on the box that glistens in the South top floor, the bar, tasting room IAustralia sunshine. The A$15m and lounge area will be located, d’Arenberg Cube serves two featuring glass art, lightboxes, purposes. It’s a brand home for video screens and projections. the award-winning wine producer, “The bar is made up of 115 offering a multi-sensory, art-filled screens showing content of a journey through the world of person swimming along, as if d’Arenberg and a range of blending they’re trapped inside.” and degustation masterclasses, There are plenty more offbeat or and it’s a world-class restaurant. zany installations and interactives “When the guest enters the inside the visitor experience, building, they walk through a including a cow sculpture with a mist that introduces their senses polygraph, a natural automated to the wine of the day,” says winemaker, a “flower and fruit” chief winemaker and viticulturist room, decorated with artificial Chester Osborn. “There’s an art flowers and fruits and filled with gallery of wine-related installations wine aromas the visitor can try, and an interactive gallery called and a 360-multimedia immersion Alternate Realities, because when Chester Osborn is chief winemaker at d’Arenberg room that recreates the vineyard. two people have the same glass The d’Arenberg Cube – expected of wine, they’ll have different to open in late November – is realities of that wine.” built to accommodate 500,000 annually For Osborn, whose great grandfather, PUZZLE ME THIS and Osborn says he will charge a flat Joseph Osborn, founded the d’Arenberg Wines from d’Arenberg are famously A$10 ticket price for non-diners and wineries in 1912, it’s been a long-held something of a riddle – for example, The non-members who just want to do the dream. As the owner of one of the busiest Dead Arm Shiraz, The Hermit Crab Viognier, experiences. As wine tourism continues to cellar doors in McLaren Vale, research The Money Spider Roussanne – “and blossom in McLaren Vale, where there are by wine and tourism industries noted the wine, too, is a puzzle to work out,” says 120 wineries and 18 cellar doors, Osborn’s need for more tourist drawcards and the Osborn. That inspired the idea of a Rubik’s iconic Cube is certain to attract attention. Cube is his response. Osborn needed cube-shaped structure, with the top two “It’s a very busy tourist destination, more space to cater more people. levels appearing to have been twisted. The second to Barossa Valley in numbers, but “We have a successful restaurant called mirrored design means it looks like a cube not by much,” he says. “It’s on the way to d’Arrys Verandah and a tasting room, which floating on top of a vine. Fleurieu peninsula and Kangaroo Island, are always fully booked,” he tells Attractions In the new fine dining restaurant, which are popular destinations, so we have Management. “I thought about creating an Michelin-starred chefs Brendan Wessels a lot of people heading there who don’t 1800s, colonial-style restaurant, but then and Lindsay Durr will be serving a menu stop, but maybe they will now. There are 40 one day I woke up and realised we needed inspired by the theme of alternate realities restaurants in this region and its only 40 something really iconic that will make and at “the top end of international cuisine minutes drive from the centre of Adelaide, people really want to come and see us.” – think Melbourne’s Vue de Monde or El so it’s popular for a day or overnight trip.”

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 19 SCIENCE CENTRES NEWS

Obama advisor Dorgelo to lead ASTC INDUSTRY OPINION

Barack Obama’s former Our refugee initiative White House science and technology chief of reflects our mission – staff, Cristin Dorgelo, you would do the same has been named the new president and CEO of the Thanassis Kontonikolaou Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC). Since 2016, NOESIS Dorgelo, who worked at science centre has the Office of Science and run the Welcome Technology Policy under the Refugees initiative. In science advisor to then- line with our mission president Barack Obama to make science from 2014 to January accessible to all, our 2017, takes the reins from foundation welcomes children from current ASTC interim CEO QCristin Dorgelo will lead the ASTC from January 2018 the refugee camps of Thessaloniki, Gillian Thomas. She will Greece, offering them a scientific, oversee the organisation, use science, technology, inclusive environments for cultural and social programme. which has around 670 and innovation to millions of children and Children get to enjoy a planetarium members in the science solve major problems. adults; helping them to film and guided tour in their native communication field. “At this critical time for experience wonder and language. They experience in practice Her career has focused on science, I’m thrilled to curiosity and be inspired that technology is a dynamic field and bringing science to a wider lead ASTC in supporting by the contribution that that future technologies are built on audience, especially on the the vital work of its science and technology past knowledge – an important point Obama administration’s global membership,” she can make in solving tough in Greece’s history of innovation. As Grand Challenges initiative, said. “These institutions societal challenges.” they learn Greek, we offer activities which invited parties to provide welcoming, QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=H6s7s_T together with their local peers. Including children in our activities and programming is a creative and effective way to make them feel welcome, show human solidarity and Science North to develop Guangzhou centre some hope for a better tomorrow. Serving refugees in the ongoing One of Canada’s largest crisis is a challenge for society as science centres has well as for cultural institutions. With signed a deal with Chinese their hand-on activities, learning company Grandview programmes and collections, science Enterprise to establish a centres can contribute to the long- PHOTO: SCIENCE NORTH PHOTO: major new science centre term social need of meeting and in the city of Guangzhou. getting to know the unknown “other”. Science North – an Welcoming refugee children into our interactive science museum community’s cultural and scientific in Greater Sudbury, Ontario life is putting into practice the values – opened in 1984 and is of inclusion, diversity and active Northern Ontario’s most citizenship. Science – and society – popular tourist attraction. should be without prejudice. The new relationship, QScience North opened in 1984 in Northern Ontario Our project was awarded a special marked by the signing mention for courageous leadership of a Memorandum of organisations as we with Wanda, it opened a at the 2017 Mariano Gago Ecsite Understanding (MoU), will share our knowledge and theatre and IMAX cinema Awards. This award recognizes our leverage Science North’s expertise in operating a in the city. Plans are also effort to make a difference to these expertise in operations, science centre as well as underway for a nature people’s lives that changed so science education, in science communication museum, rainforest abruptly in an irreversible way. We are commerce, professional to the public,” said Science ecological museum and a honoured – but really, we simply did services and talent training North CEO Guy Labine. Cantonese culture street, what our human values commanded. to aid the facility’s creation. The science centre is with each project aiming to You would have done the same. O “The collaboration with not the only attraction “enrich people’s spiritual and Grandview Enterprises development for Grandview. cultural life” in the city. Thanassis Kontonikolaou, director, will benefit both our Last year, in collaboration QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=g9m2v_T NOESIS, Thessaloniki, Greece

20 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 VISITOR ATTRACTIONS NEWS

BIG-designed Lego House captures brand’s philosophy

Lego fans from around the world are PHOTO: LEGO GROUP descending on the small Danish town of Billund for a new museum and experience centre dubbed the ‘House of the Brick’. Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has created the 12,000sqm (129,000sq ft) Lego House as a three-dimensional village of interlocking buildings and spaces, with the structure designed to look like a giant stack of Lego blocks topped by a giant Lego keystone. The centre, which opened on 28 September, features four colour-coded play zones: red for creative skills, blue for cognitive skills, green for social skills and yellow for emotional skills. There is also a Masterpiece Gallery showcasing fans’ Lego creations and a basement museum celebrating the history of the Lego company, which was born in Billund. While visitors must pay to enter these QBjarke Ingels created Lego House as a village of interlocking buildings and spaces areas, everybody has free access to the site’s 1,800sqm (20,000sq ft) indoor Lego House manager Jesper Vilstrup said: “All activities are related to our philosophy lobby, three restaurants, Lego store and “This building is a manifestation of the very that creative play promotes innovation. the brightly coloured roof terraces. essence of the Lego idea. This will be an Lego House will enable us to offer both About 250,000 people are expected to visit amazing place where Lego fans, their families adult and young guests the chance of per year, boosting tourism for a town that is and friends can experience – or re-experience stimulating both creativity and learning.” also home to the first Legoland theme park. – the playfulness of the Lego universe. QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=7N6M9_T

PHOTO: ENTERTAINMENT IP2 Amanda Thompson to lead IAAPA in 2020

Amanda Thompson OBE will become only the third woman to chair IAAPA in its 100- year history, after the global attractions body announced the Blackpool Pleasure Beach managing director QThe experience will open in 2021 would take over in 2020. Thompson was elected Real Madrid plans second vice chair of IAAPA at a meeting on football experience 25 September, a position that she will hold through Real Madrid football club has 2018, before becoming QThompson received an OBE for services to tourism in 2012 announced plans for an interactive first vice chair in 2019 and experience centre as part of a major then chair in 2020. leadership in 1931, and series of firsts for IAAPA. development in Zhuhai, China. The Thompson family her father Geoffrey oversaw British-born Thompson will Utilising advanced technologies, has been involved with the business from 1976 become the first woman entertainment elements and football, Blackpool Pleasure until 2004. Amanda has from Europe to chair IAAPA virtual and augmented reality will play Beach in the UK for more led the park as managing and it will be the first time a major role in the attraction, which will than a century, with the director since then. a second member of the also include various challenges and attraction first established In addition to becoming same family has chaired entertainment experiences, as well as by her great-grandfather, the third woman in a the association – following a museum chronicling the club history. WG Bean, in 1896. Her century to chair the global on from Geoffrey Thomspon QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=R6X2J_T grandfather, Leonard trade association, the who led IAAPA in 1996. Thompson, assumed appointment represents a QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=N3t5B_T

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 21 THUNDERBOLT JUNIOR COASTER MINE TRAIN

www.zamperla.comzamperla.com Antonio Zamperla Spa Vicenza - Italy Phone: +39 0444 998400 e-mail: [email protected] THEME PARKS NEWS

Disney breaks ground on Hong Kong theme park expansion

Disney has started work to transform its PHOTO: DISNEY Hong Kong theme park – part of a six-year master plan to introduce a host of new experiences and characters to the destination. The plan, worth HK$11bn ($1.4bn, €1.2bn, £1bn), aims to address problems for the struggling Disneyland Hong Kong, making the park profitable again. Marvel’s presence at the park is being significantly expanded, with a new experience featuring Ant-Man, The Wasp and Shield to be launched in Tomorrowland. The Marvel-themed area will add to the Iron Man Experience – the park’s most popular attraction – which Disney hopes will make it “Asia’s Marvel epicentre”. The company’s smash hit Moana gets its first outing at a Disney park, with a new entertainment zone in Adventureland. Taking the form of a live stage show, QA Frozen-themed area is among the plans for the Hong Kong master plan by Disney guests will also get the opportunity to meet the character Moana. able to meet the film’s stars, Elsa and “We’re creating first-of-a-kind An Frozen-themed area – to debut Anna. The park’s castle – currently experiences based on some of Disney’s in 2020 – is a first for Disney parks, Disney’s smallest at 77 feet (23 best brands,” said Samuel Lau, with a recreation of Arendelle featuring metres) – will be “supersized” to match executive vice president and managing a lake, ice mountain, two rides, shops other parks. The transformation will director of Disneyland Hong Kong. and restaurants. Guests will also be also feature new day and night shows. QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=Q4h8p_T

Legoland gives 20,000 tickets to Irma kids

Merlin’s Legoland resort in PHOTO: FLORIDA LEGOLAND Florida is donating 20,000 tickets to children in the state affected by Hurricane Irma, representing the largest ticket giveaway in the park’s history. QMehrmann boosted Ocean Park visitation The donation, valued at $1.8m (€1.5m, Mehrmann to lead £1.35m), has been made in conjunction with Universal Beijing Merlin’s Magic Wand – the global charity of Former Ocean Park CEO Tom Merlin Entertainments. QThe ticket donation from Merlin is valued at $1.8m Mehrmann will play a lead role in UNICEF’s Kid Power the development of the CN¥50bn Schools Programme, a charity organisation for (€53bn, £47bn) worth ($7.4bn, €6.65bn, £6bn) Universal teacher-led experience young people offering of damage as winds of Beijing, after being named president incorporating lessons access to a range of up to 185mph (295kph) and general manager for the and activities, will receive programmes promoting caused destruction across upcoming theme park and resort. 18,000 tickets, with education, health, social the Caribbean and US. It The new park will be the each student eligible character, service and was responsible for 134 company’s fourth Universal theme for two tickets so they leadership – will receive deaths and was the most park in Asia, following destinations in can visit with a parent 2,000 tickets to distribute intense Atlantic hurricane Japan, Singapore and South Korea. or guardian. Additionally, among its children. to strike the US since QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=a7A2x_T the Citrus Center Boys Hurricane Irma caused Katrina in 2005. and Girls Clubs – a an estimated $63bn QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=e8G4P_T

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 23 WATERPARKS NEWS

Launch nears for Omani waterpark INDUSTRY OPINION

Oman’s fi rst waterpark Going beyond what development is on course for its December launch, stakeholders expect is authorities have confi rmed. good advice in a crisis Hawana Aqua Park is set to be a 35,000sqm Aleatha Ezra (378,000sq ft), $7m (€6m, £5.4m) development by Hundreds of James Cubitt and Partners waterpark Abu Dhabi. It will feature professionals a selection of water rides, representing active including a lazy river, wave leisure markets in pool and a number of 22 countries came slides. A further 30,000sqm together for the World (376,000sq ft) of space will QThe development is by James Cubitt and Partners Abu Dhabi Waterpark Association (WWA) Show, also be dedicated to a food held from 16 to 19 October, 2017, in court, shopping area and a development in Oman, “The ministry is working West Palm Beach, Florida. large car park. Hawana Salalah. Overseen to elevate tourism in the The WWA Show is well known for Following the opening, a by real-estate developer Sultanate and has worked its high-quality educational events second development phase Muriya, the resort will with the private sector and this year’s programme continued included in the signing will house 900 rooms across to realise that ambition to provide attendees with access see signifi cant expansion seven hotels, three of which through the development to thought-provoking speakers to include six different are already operational. The of high-footfall tourism sharing their ideas on guest safety, types of watersports, as destination is also home projects,” said Ahmed bin operational excellence, quality well as green areas. to a 171 berth marina, Nasser Hamad Al Mahrizi, customer service, top-line employee The development is freehold residences, retail, Oman minister for tourism. training and more. Throughout the part of the largest tourist restaurants and cafés. QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=Y6N4n_T show, rooms were fi lled to capacity with attendees ready to ask questions and take home proven tactics to make their teams safer, smarter and more successful in 2018. Waterpark planned for Deira resort, Dubai In addition to the wide variety of breakout sessions and workshops, Developer Nakheel and Thai this year’s WWA Show offered a timely hotel group Centara Hotels keynote address featuring Chris and Resorts have unveiled Nelson, the crisis management lead

plans to open a hotel, NAKHEELPHOTO: for leading PR fi rm FleishmanHillard. beach resort and waterpark Nelson shared best practices on how on Dubai’s Deira Islands. waterpark operators can prepare for The two companies have and recover from a crisis situation. formed a joint venture “Anyone could have a crisis, and agreement for the “family- organisational stakeholders know centric lifestyle destination,” that. What they evaluate is how a which will be part of the company responds, which is why it’s newly-formed Deira Islands critical to surpass their expectations,” – a 15sq km (5.8sq mi) said Nelson. “By going beyond what group of four reclaimed QA large beachfront waterpark is included in the plans stakeholders expect, companies can artifi cial islands currently go from being the villains in the story under development. as well as multiple doubling the number to being stewards of the resolution.” Set to open in 2020, the restaurants, a kids’ club, welcomed in 2012. Considering 2017 had its share of 600-bedroom resort will be spa, fi tness centre and “This strategic joint challenges, many of them weather- managed by Centara, which business facilities. venture underlines our related, Nelson’s message about has a portfolio of 67 hotels The development is part commitment to bringing turning the page on a crisis in a way across Asia, the Indian of the Dubai government’s new hospitality concepts that improves the perception of your Ocean and the Middle East. Tourism Vision for 2020 to Dubai, in line with the brand seemed to resonate with many Covering 300,000sq ft – a strategic roadmap government’s tourism who were in attendance. O (27,900sq m), a large with the key objective vision,” said Nakheel chair beachfront waterpark is of attracting 20 million Ali Rashid Lootah. Aleatha Ezra, director of park included in the plans, visitors per year by 2020, QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=a7N3z_T member development, WWA

24 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Discover your Play type

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Jerusalem planetarium to become home for Einstein museum

An abandoned planetarium in Jerusalem PHOTO: SIMON ARCHITECTS ARAD will be converted into a museum dedicated to Albert Einstein as part of a $5m (€4.2m, £3.8m) project to showcase the scientist’s personal archives. Architecture firm Arad Simon is behind the plans, which will see a museum and visitor centre built on Hebrew University’s Givat Ram campus in Jerusalem, Israel. Arad Simon was selected from four local firms, with the university saying the winning proposal was “modest, not grandiose, and it spoke to us”. According to the plans, the visitor centre will sit inside the dome of the 500sqm (5,381sq ft) building, while the archive and research space will sit in its rectangular area. An entrance lobby – which will also host temporary exhibitions – will feature Einstein’s historic library, which is designed as a QThe planetarium conversion will become a part of the city’s Museum Row semi-transparent wall of books separating the visitor centre from the archives the planetarium’s ceiling, which will show The rectangular part of the building will also and research wing. It will also include milestones from Einstein’s life. feature a meeting room, preservation and a retail store and administrative office. In the planetarium’s upper dome, 12 photography room and a conference hall. Inside the dome, the building’s floor will wells of light will display the movement of No date has been set for the project, but be partly excavated, designed as a bowl the sun during the day, with the darker area a funding campaign is commencing soon. so visitors can lie down and look up at reserved for displays of Einstein’s studies. QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=f5Z5U_T

PHOTO: WHY/ASIAN ART MUSEUM David Geffen donates $150m to LACMA

DreamWorks founder David Geffen has donated $150m (€128m, £114m) towards the US$600m (€512m, £457m) campaign to create a new home for the Los Angeles County Museum of QArchitects wHY are behind the plans Art (LACMA) in California. Geffen’s donation is the Asian Art Museum to largest single cash gift from an individual in the get $90m makeover museum’s history, with his philanthropic support also San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum has making him the largest QGeffen’s donation is the largest in the museum’s history unveiled a $90m (€77m, £67m) plan individual donor to the to transform the institution. Building LACMA campaign. community for everyone. The newly renamed According to the designs, a new “This innovative At a time when federal Geffen Galleries will replace 13,000sq ft (1,200sqm) exhibition addition to the LACMA funding for the arts is four of the museum’s space – to be used for special campus will ensure threatened, it’s important seven current buildings, exhibitions – will be topped by an art ongoing and expanded that we foster public- with construction expected terrace, which will serve as a sculpture access to their permanent private partnerships, like to start in 2019. Work will garden and events space covering collection,” said Geffen. this one, to support arts be completed in 2023 to 7,200sq ft (668sqm). The museum’s “LACMA will be able and cultural institutions. coincide with the opening galleries will also be modernised. to touch millions of lives Together, we can and must of the adjacent New Metro QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=B9K6w_T and create an even make sure every person Purple Line subway. healthier and more vibrant has access to the arts.” QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=z5A3Z_T

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 27 A Global Leader in the Tourism & Leisure Design Industry ®

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Smit heads up new project as Jurassica and Memo join forces

The long-awaited Jurassica project is taking PHOTO: SUSTAINABLE ERATH a new path towards realisation, joining forces with biodiversity project Memo to create a single visitor experience. Sir Tim Smit is behind the reimagined venture, named The Journey, with the Eden Project creator coming on board to steer the development into this new phase. The £80m ($106m, €89m) Jurassica – a subterranean geological park on the Isle of Portland, Dorset – was the brainchild of science writer Michael Hanlon, who died from a heart attack in February last year. Following his death, the project’s board, which had backing from Smit and Sir David Attenborough, made a unanimous decision to press forward, promising to bring Hanlon’s “thrilling vision” for the prehistoric attraction to life. Memo – the Mass Extinction Memorial QJurassica will now join forces with Memo for a new biodiversity project Observatory – was a proposed “living monument”, designed to raise awareness The Journey was originally envisaged as Albion Stone mines, which will feature an of 17,000 global species under threat from a £30m ($40m, €34m) project designed underground Jurassic rainforest. extinction. The landmark, also in Dorset, as a monument about species extinction. “We want to create a world-class product would have been made of Portland stone However, it has been downsized and to present biodiversity, evolution and the blocks, each carved to depict the 850 species will now form a £16m ($21m, €18m) art of seeing the world anew,” said Smit. lost since 1662, when the last dodo died. biodiversity scheme in the disused QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=g3b9h_T

Unesco and Russia team up to protect heritage

Unesco and Russia’s PHOTO: TASS/TASS/PA IMAGES Hermitage Museum of St Petersburg have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to protect cultural properties in areas of conflict. QHeritage theft is a problem in Mexico Under the agreement, the museum will provide the Mexico police team world heritage body with support for the assessment to tackle looting of damage to cultural property and will help to Mexico’s police force has created devise operational plans QInaccessible sites are being recovered from enemy forces a new federal division dedicated for urgent safeguarding to protecting the country’s cultural measures and restoration bringing to us in terms of The partnership is part of heritage, with the aim of tackling efforts worldwide – notably knowledge and expertise,” Unesco’s 2015 strategy to theft, the looting of historic artefacts in the Middle East. said Unesco director better protect global culture and trafficking of such items. The museum will also offer general, Irina Bokova, in the event of armed Speaking to El Universal, Benjamin technical supervision and speaking at the signing. conflict, which Bokova Grajeda Regalado, head of Mexico’s restoration training in order “This signature said responds to a “real gendarmerie, said the division would to assist national authorities testifies to our shared necessity” to do work in seek to “preserve and guarantee the in affected regions. responsibility towards areas now accessible after security of Mexico’s heritage.” “We are very grateful preservation, history spending long periods under QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=a5S7b_T for this cooperation for all and future generations the control of hostile forces. of what the Hermitage is to protect heritage.” QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=U6a5A_T

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 29 ZOOS & AQUARIUMS NEWS

Cage-free zoo approved for Sydney INDUSTRY OPINION

Plans to develop a WAZA conference second zoo in Sydney, Australia, have been given tackles marine litter, the go-ahead after local palm oil and more government officials granted planning permission to the Gavrielle Kirk-Cohen AU$36m ($29m, €24m, PHOTO: MISHO + ASSOCIATES £21m) “cage free” project WAZA (the World in Bungarribee. Association of Zoos First touted in September and Aquariums) 2015, the proposal for recently hosted the Western Sydney its 72nd annual Parklands – masterplanned conference. More than by Australian design 250 zoo and aquarium firm Misho + Associates officials from 42 countries gathered in (M+A) in conjunction with QThe zoo’s design will offer a cage-free approach Berlin to discuss key issues such as landscape architecture from conservation, animal welfare, marine Aspect Studios – will create the structures to mimic to draw around 745,000 litter, illegal wildlife trade and palm oil. natural-looking spaces the landscape and blend visitors every year. The conference examined developed to showcase into their surroundings. According to Australia’s the social, cultural and physical animals from around the The zoo will feature 30 environment minister Mark benefits of zoos and aquariums and world over 165,000sq m exhibits, including African Speakman, the zoo will emphasised the pivotal role zoos and (1.8 million sq ft). safari animals and an boost Sydney’s economy aquariums play in the global fight to According to M+A, who Aboriginal and natural by AU$45m ($36m, €30m, protect wildlife and wild spaces. are handling building heritage programme focusing £27m) annually when WAZA called on leaders from global design for the project, on Western Sydney’s Darug it opens in 2018. conservation, environmental and the primary concept is for people. The zoo is expected QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=u8A3f_T development organisations to address the delegates. Keynote speakers, included Darrel Webber, CEO of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO); John Scanlon, secretary- Lausanne opens major freshwater aquarium general of CITES; Jon Paul Rodriguez, chair of the IUCN Species Survival Aquatis, a groundbreaking PHOTO: FERNANDO GUERRERA Commission; Erik Solheim, UN new aquarium and vivarium environment executive director; and that’s home to some 100 many more leading experts. reptile and 10,000 fish During the conference, WAZA species, has opened. committed to sustainable palm oil The largest facility of its by signing a five-year Memorandum kind in Europe, Aquatis is of Understanding (MoU) with RSPO. located near Lake Geneva WAZA and its members will aim to in Lausanne, Switzerland, drive global consumer demand and and takes visitors on a make sustainable palm oil the norm. journey through 20 different WAZA also signed an MoU with the freshwater habitats. UN focusing on communicating and Opening its doors on implementing behavioural change 21 October, the two-storey QRichter Dahl Rocha & Associates designed the aquarium activities, focusing on marine plastic Aquatis holds 2 million pollution, protecting coral reefs and litres of water and boasts to Africa, Asia, Oceania aluminium discs that reducing demand for wildlife products. 46 different aquariums, and America. At the centre shimmer in the sunshine More than 700 million people vivariums and terrariums. of the building across the and sway in the breeze. visit zoos and aquariums every year. Across approximately two storeys, a tropical As well as the WAZA and its members can play an 3,500sqm (37,673sq ft) greenhouse recreates the permanent and temporary important role in affecting behaviour of floor space, the exhibits Amazon rainforest and river, exhibition spaces, Aquatis change and tackling issues such as are divided into five zones complete with piranhas. offers educational spaces, conservation, the illegal wildlife trade, – one representing each Designed by architectural a conference centre and marine litter and palm oil. O the continents, with the studio Richter Dahl Rocha, hotel, wellness centre, ground floor dedicated to the circular building is restaurants and gift shop. Gavrielle Kirk-Cohen, Europe and the upper floor decorated with 100,000 QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=t2k8K_T communications coordinator, WAZA

30 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Picsolve is evolving

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Snapchat snaps Jeff Koons for augmented reality art project

American artist Jeff Koons has teamed up with Snapchat to create virtual art installations using augmented reality. The artist – famously known for reimagining everyday objects and turning them into art – has developed digital installations based on his works, which will be available in multiple locations worldwide. Using the messaging application’s filter system, Snapchat users can access ‘lenses’ within 300 metres (985 feet) of designated locations, which on their smart device will add the artworks to their photos and videos. In New York’s Central Park, for example, a three-storey-high AR version of Koons’ Balloon Dog, will appear using the lens, while at the Sydney Opera House, there will be a giant AR version of his Popeye installation. “The creative experience brings us together and brings about better QJeff Koons’ Balloon Rabbit will appear virtually at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France communication,” the contemporary artist said of the initiative. “When somebody Available initially in nine cities – New Snapchat users will be able to see views one of my works, I always hope that York, Paris, London, Toronto, Sydney, where the artworks are being displayed they have a sense of awe and wonder. It’s Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Washington, DC, via a dedicated microsite, which is also so exciting to see the Snapchat lenses and Venice (California) – lenses will be calling for new artists to develop further come to life and I can’t wait to see the available at each location for two weeks, similar collaborations for the app. creativity that comes from this.” before moving to a new destination. QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=c3t2t_T

AMC strikes $20m deal with Dreamscape

Cinema chain AMC Entertainment has invested $20m (€17m, £15m) into virtual reality specialists Dreamscape Immersive, in a bid to bring VR to British and the US QThe tech is intended for musuems cinemas next year. Founded in January, Interactive colour the Los Angeles-based Dreamscape is developing editing from Disney VR attractions utilising full- body tracking technology Disney’s research and development by Swiss motion capture QThe LA-based Deamscape is developing full-body VR arm has come up with a new way specialists Artanim. A VR to interact with art – creating an headset attached to a with film producers Walter equity investment in the VR augmented reality application that backpack computer offers Parkes and Kevin Wall company, as well as a $10m allows users to recolour paintings. up to six users untethered acting as co-chairs, while investment in creating The technology was created with movement around large its chief executive Bruce content – is the first step young visitors in mind, to help them physical spaces, with the Vaughn spent 23 years at of a “wide-ranging strategic to engage with art they might not system supporting shared Disney, most recently as partnership” from the otherwise be interested in. To interact, interactions such as high chief creative officer for Walt Wanda-owned AMC, which users select a colour and pick an fives, handshakes or real-life Disney Imagineering. will rapidly scale up the alternative, which changes on screen. object manipulation. The investment – which development of Dreamscape QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=8t5u5_T Dreamscape has an comes in the form of a in the coming months. impressive team behind it, $10m (€8.5m, £7.6m) QDetails: http://lei.sr?a=r7y5N_T

32 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 www.simworx.co.uk Around the World, FORREC DESIGNS

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Tom Anstey speaks to Herschend Family Entertainment president and COO, Jane Cooper, about the storied history of the company and its plans going forward

Tom Anstey, news editor, Attractions Management

he billion-dollar Herschend empire traces its roots back to a family holiday in 1950, when Hugo and Mary Herschend – along with T their sons, Jack and Pete – took a story millions of years in the making and made it their own. On a trip to Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, the Herschends fell in love with the area and the natural setting it offered its visitors – so much so that Hugo bought an attraction near the city of Branson, with the aim of making a new life there. A 16th-century discovery by the Osage Indians, Marvel Cave was the family’s fi rst acquisition when Hugo took a 99-year lease on the site in 1951. In 1955, Hugo suffered a heart attack and later died. Mary, along with Jack and Pete, continued to make improvements to the cave, installing electric lighting and cement walkways to improve the visitor experience. In 1958, a cable train was installed to return guests from the depths of the cave on the tour’s conclusion. From there, Silver Dollar City was born. (The operation gave silver dollars as change, with the idea that guests would spend the rare coins, telling other people where they’d procured them.)

Jane Cooper spent 25 years with Paramount Parks, becoming CEO, before joining Herschend in 2006

36 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Herschend acquired the then-failing Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia, in 2007

I NEVER INTENDED TO STAY IN THIS INDUSTRY THAT LONG. I STARTED WORKING IN A THEME PARK WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES

This marketing idea turned out to be a spending more than 25 years with the success, so much so that the site soon company, climbing the corporate ladder to metamorphosed into a fully-fledged theme eventually become president and CEO of park attraction, with the family building Paramount Parks (now part of Cedar Fair), a frontier town on the land surrounding a position she held for eight years. the site of the cave. Through the years, Cooper moved to Herschend Family the park has expanded its entertainment Entertainment in 2006 and was named offering, adding attractions such as a president and COO in 2008, joining then- stage coach ride, a steam engine train, CEO Joel Manby. But despite her excellent interactive activities and various thrill rides. track record, the attractions sector was Fast-forward to today, Herschend Family never where Cooper envisaged herself Entertainment – which, if you ask Jack spending her entire career. or Pete, is in “the business of creating “I never intended to stay in this industry memories” – represents the largest that long,” she says. “I started working in privately held theme park company in the Jack and Pete Herschend still take an a theme park when I was in college, just US, with 26 properties across six states. active interest in their businesses like everybody else does. To this day, I Its portfolio – which includes theme consider myself a business person. I didn’t parks, waterparks, aquariums, camping consider myself a theme park executive, or grounds, a showboat, and even the Harlem “They created the company and built the attracted to what a theme park was. I was Globetrotters basketball team – turns over culture, so I’d classify them as inspirational attracted to the concept of the business.” some $400m (£305m, €344m) annually, leaders,” says Cooper. “They both visit the with profits of around $150m. properties often, connecting with employees Family first from the front-line level all the way to the Throughout the company’s history, the In the present top. They communicate with management Herschends have always had a desire to Today, Jane Cooper is responsible for on how they see things and we seek their keep the business within the family, but heading up the Herschend portfolio, with guidance as we move forward.” outsiders have been brought in to oversee Jack and Pete, now 85 and 82 respectively, Cooper is a veteran of the attractions the professional operation of the portfolio. enjoying a well-earned semi-retirement. Age sector. She started out in the industry in The right person for the job had to be not is just a number for the brothers, however, 1972 when she took a summer job at a only business-savvy, but they also had to who maintain a hand in the business. Paramount theme park. She ending up hold similar values to the Christian family.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 37 INTERVIEW

Dollywood is undergoing a 10-year growth plan as it eyes an even greater share of the Great Smoky Mountains tourist market

“What we say about our values set is The Dollywood eff ect that context, you can start putting all of the it’s not about what somebody’s belief is, In 1976, the Herschends purchased different pieces of the puzzle together.” it’s about how we treat each other,” says Goldrush Junction theme park in Pigeon With the success of Dollywood, the Cooper. “We teach the leaders within Forge, Tennessee. The acquisition became biggest ticketed tourist attraction in our company how to ‘lead with love’ and a sister park to their Branson attraction, Tennessee, there have been rumours of what that really means is we treat each known as Silver Dollar City Tennessee. plans to expand the brand and launch a other with respect. We use an eight- However, in 1986, the family partnered second Dollywood property. word mantra that we classify as part of with country music star Dolly Parton and, “We’re always on the lookout for new that: Patient, Kind, Humble, Respectful, from there, Dollywood was born. opportunities,” says Cooper. “We’ve Trusting, Unselfi sh, Forgiving, Truthful and The theme park was successful, entertained some thoughts around that. It Dedicated. That’s our expectation of how expanding in 2001 with Dolly’s Splash depends on the opportunity on the table, our leaders are going to behave.” Country waterpark. Nowadays, the theme and the timing of that opportunity.” While no member of the family is park attracts around 3 million visitors “And just as we have the growth plan for currently involved in the business from a year. In 2013, Herschend Family Dollywood, we are also in the process of a management perspective, a group of Entertainment revealed plans for a doing a fi ve or seven-year masterplan for more than 50 shareholders – all related 10-year, $300m expansion of Dollywood, every one of our properties.” to the Herschends – owns the operation. which included the new Dollywood’s Continuous investment and growth will The Herschend Board of Directors reports DreamMore Resort. Now nearing the include projects like the new Christmas directly to the family about ongoing halfway point, Cooper says the masterplan light festival at Silver Dollar City, or the ventures. “All of the shareholders are was designed to turn the attraction from a Missouri park’s state of the art coaster, family members. We’re also managed by theme park to a complete destination. Time Traveler, which opens in 2018. a family offi ce and they’re very engaged “We wanted Dollywood to become a as well,” says Cooper, who regional destination, hence building our Globetrotting risk? adds that the mantra of fi rst hotel and developing a real hospitality An acquisition that raised some eyebrows the Herschends is for strategy,” she says. “More than 10 million came in 2013, when Herschend bought the the company to be people visit the Great Smoky Mountains Harlem Globetrotters basketball franchise. “family-held forever”. National Park each year. It’s the most Founded in 1926, the exhibition visited national park in the US. We felt basketball team combines athleticism, Dolly Parton has like this expansion and what we were theatre and comedy. Since inception, been in business going to do was going to help us attract the team has played more than 26,000 with the more of those 10 million people that are exhibition games in 122 countries Herschends already within this market.” and territories, and still prove to be since 1986 Beyond the 10-year plan, Herschend a huge draw, with more than 450 live has further plans for Dollywood. Globetrotters events worldwide each year. “We’re probably about 90 per cent “When we bought the Globetrotters, I through the planning process,” says think some people thought, ‘Hm, why did Cooper. “It’s mostly under wraps at they do that?’” says Cooper. this point, but our directive is to “Was there a risk because it was make Dollywood a regional resort a business we’d never done before? destination. If you think of it in Certainly. But you’re buying the expertise

AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 TENNESSEE WILDFIRES

In November last year, the state of Tennessee was ravaged by a series of wildfi res, which spread across the Gatlinburg area and forced an evacuation of Dollywood. Following the fi res, the Dollywood Foundation, the charitable arm of Dolly Parton’s business empire, pledged $1,000 a month for six months to 900 families who had lost their homes. The My People Fund proved so successful that on the fi nal month each family was given $5,000, totalling $10,000 per family over the six-month period. In total, the fund raised more than $11m, with $9m distributed directly Something for everyone: through the fund. Funds left over were every Herschend family donated to Mountain Tough, which is attraction aims to appeal another wildfi re relief organisation. to an audience of all ages

of the management team, and you have things from the theme park to do the appropriate amount of due environment that helps diligence to get comfortable with it. us look at things a little differently in the aquariums. Balance So, by and large, I think it’s a The Herschend portfolio is vast and real positive to manage such diverse, which according to Cooper is a a varied set of operations.” positive thing for the company, ensuring Balance also comes through the different “We’re seeing more multi-generational revenue streams remain stable as different attractions’ ability to offer “something for families in the mix. We welcome lots of elements affect different businesses. everyone”. Following the Herschend Family family reunions at Dollywood, who stay at “If you think about our aquariums for Entertainment formula, each separate part the hotel and partake in the experiences. example, when it rains they do really of the portfolio is designed to appeal to We’re seeing, from a societal point of view, well,” says Cooper. “It’s not so great for everyone – “from aged two to aged 92”. this need for families to fi nd a place where our theme parks, but that kind of balance “Another big key to our success is that they can connect in the right zone. That’s helps manage the risk of the portfolio. we really work with every demographic, why we have something for everyone to do.” “I think it also helps us look at things a and we’re very balanced in the products little differently. We learn things from the that we’re giving all of them,” says Recipe for success aquariums that we’ve brought to Silver Cooper. “There’s always something for With Cooper achieving so much during Dollar City and Dollywood. We’ve learned everyone, so our reach is very broad.” her career, she says it boils down to just two pieces of advice, which if approached WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY correctly, can offer anyone in the attractions sector the recipe for success. “First off, you need to know your market, Alongside her career “This industry is very and works for the individual know your market and know your market. at Herschend Family time intensive,” she says. “I as well as the company. Or, better said, you really, really need to Entertainment, Jane Cooper was lucky that my husband “When we talk about know who your customer is,” she says. has played a very active stayed at home when my consumers, we always say “The second thing you need is to have role in the industry. She children were young, which that mom is the decision the right people on your team. You want the has been involved in IAAPA allowed me to travel and maker. How do we appeal right kind of people on your bus. If you look throughout the years, make the commitments to mom? When you look at at something that hasn’t worked, it usually where she currently chairs required to do this job. The some of these boardroom goes back to one of those two things. the IAAPA Foundation, the millennial generation is tables and there aren’t “When you’re dealing with millions of international attractions very focused on balance many moms there, that’s a people, of course there are challenges. We body’s charity enterprise. and quality of life, much little concerning. You want all have peaks and valleys, times that were Cooper is one of only two more so than we were in the people making the great and times that weren’t. But that’s the women who has chaired the 1970s, so I do think decisions to mirror who your challenge when you have so many moving the organisation in its 100- the industry needs to fi gure guests are. We could always parts. I mean, I think this business, it’s not year history, holding the out how to create a work use more. But, I think we’re hard, but it’s very complex. You need to turn position in 2005. environment that’s fl exible making a little progress.” multiple knobs in multiple directions all at the same time to get to the sweet spot.” O

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 39 ASK AN EXPERT

Outdoor adventure parks like BeWILDerwood have had success creating their own detailed story worlds Creating Your Own IP

hen done well, investing in With global IPs opening rides and attractions at an increasing an IP license partnership for an attraction can rate, is there still room for theme parks to develop and increase visitor numbers W and boost revenues. establish their own unique story worlds? We asked the experts It can be a ride, like the popular Justice League: Battle for Metropolis rides that Six Flags has Paulton’s in the UK (Astley Baker Davies/ for example, the costs of licensing the been introducing to its US parks (DC Entertainment One); or a whole facility product and building the attraction, and Comics/DC Entertainment/Warner Bros. licensing agreement, like Cartoon Network the risk that the IP may not do as well as Entertainment); or a zone inside a family Amazone Waterpark in Thailand (Turner expected, or may suffer a dip in popularity leisure park, like Peppa Pig World at Broadcasting/Time Warner). There are or go out of fashion. Cedar Fair may have many ways to work just extended its license agreement with with established DHX Media for exclusive use of Charles M. and often globally Schulz’s Peanuts characters – a relation- recognised IPs. ship that dates back to 1983 – but not all Yet investing in IP partnerships are necessarily guaranteed such a partner- the success and longevity of this one. ship comes with So, is it possible to develop your own costs and risks; attraction with a narrative world that has the same charm and pulling power of a big- name IP? How do you go about developing Cartoon Network a fresh and exciting experience that is provides the IPs unique to your own operation? How would for this waterpark your customers react to and engage with something original? We asked the experts.

40 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Developing an internal IP has been particularly successful in regional outdoor attractions, such as adventure parks

LESLEY MORISETTI allow the attraction to return a A sector where developing Director profi t on the development (when an internal IP has been Morisetti Associates any incremental development particularly successful is and operating costs and license local or regional outdoor The addition of IPs can bring fees are considered against attractions, such as adventure many benefi ts to attractions, incremental income potential). parks and farm parks. One including creating a closer Establishing a mutually of the best examples of this emotional connection with their successful relationship with an is BeWILDerwood, where visitors, supporting awareness existing IP, which has a proven establishing a backstory and building, attracting growth in audience outside the attraction, carrying it through in the new and existing audiences, allows the attraction to benefi t theming of the park has allowed helping shift perceptions of from years of investment by the the attraction to cost-effectively the attraction, building loyalty, IP owner. By contrast, creating differentiate itself from similar and supporting income growth your own IP requires time and Having said that, there are attractions and build loyalty through higher ticket prices investment to establish it and, many examples of attractions by strengthening its emotional and incremental retail spend. unless you have a production successfully creating their connection with its visitors. However, increasingly this studio associated with your own IPs, mainly park mascots In conclusion, there is no is achieved by attractions attraction (for example, Studio and ride IPs. The latter have single solution which works for using existing, external, IPs. 100 and the Plopsa Group), the had some success in driving all. Creating successful IP-led The best results come when IP will only live within your sites. associated retail spend, but developments, using both inter- the attraction defi nes its key That’s likely to limit its appeal typically much lower spend nal and external IPs, depends objectives and researches to something that will add to than could be achieved by on a clear understanding of which external IPs would best guests’ enjoyment during their a well-chosen external IP, your objectives and a sound support the achievement of visit, rather than motivating even when allowing for the assessment of the associated those objectives and, crucially, their visit in the fi rst place. associated license fees. fi nancial opportunities.

Creating a character can cost a fortune. They don’t often get beyond a basic stage

BENOIT CORNET character and story can cost a CEO and founder fortune. As a result, characters Alterface and their vocabulary don’t often get beyond a very basic stage. In today’s highly mediatised As the development of a world, media-based attractions dedicated IP has quite a few are gaining traction. Visitors limitations, it is tempting to Popcorn Revenge is an are craving more emotionally use existing characters, maybe original IP from Alterface engaging moments and more from the movie or gaming experiences they can share. An industries. Though this route when all this is achieved, the interactive dark ride is a perfect works well for large parks that challenge remains to meet the way to answer this desire. can spend a signifi cant budget, IP owner’s profi t expectations. In the past, a cute, park- it is less straightforward for At Alterface, we have taken branded mascot was often used This brings with it new smaller parks, who may often a different approach to the IP as a character in attractions. considerations. The character face demanding IP owners and challenge by creating a series Some parks stretched it must have enough dimension extremely stringent rules for the of proprietary characters that

further by developing an entire to ‘act’ during the ride and IP deployment at their park. can be tailored to refl ect the IMAGE: © ALTERFACE 2017 family of characters with connect with the players. On Gaming IPs offer a great specifi c requirements of the dedicated stories and branding. the other hand, it has to be opportunity for the on-site client. We invested heavily in Nowadays, expectations are simple enough to be animated entertainment industry, yet it Popcorn Revenge, an evergreen much higher, with technology at a reasonable cost. has to be different enough from story with universal appeal that allowing for more sophisticated Even with the plummeting what is experienced at home offers parks the opportunity and dynamic attractions with costs of media production, and it should address the to customise the experience professional storytelling. creating a quality, enduring needs of the entire family. Even and add their own fl avour.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 41 ASK AN EXPERT

Decision-making power is one of the most important advantages Happy Family is an in-house IP that is now licensed to other parks

MICHAEL MACK and extend the experience by Having masterplanning and CEO / Managing partner adding multimedia aspects design competences in-house MackMedia / Europa-Park such as a mobile game or with our company division a fi lm. We develop IPs and Mack Solutions, we have also There are several reasons enable guests to take these developed a turnkey Happy why creating our own IPs has experiences home with them. Family Land concept, which become more of a priority in We are a family business can be scaled for the specifi c recent years. Full ownership and we are all involved in the requests of parks and FECs. is defi nitely one of the most company. That means we Some content is not only important advantages, which are on-site on a daily basis, relevant to theme parks, but leads to total decision-making so when we want to create also to cruise ships or other power when creating content somthing new, we observe, leisure facilities. We are always around your IP. As I grew up speak to our guests and fi nd trying to see the whole market in a theme park, I was always out what they like. You have content and characters that as an opportunity and identify dreaming of creating stories to be aware of industry trends were suitable for family theme different revenue streams. and evoking emotions that as well. It’s a combination of parks. We created a 4D At the start, investment is a would stay with people beyond industry knowledge, a keen movie, a VR experience and a lot higher when developing your the boundaries of our park. interest in your visitors and, in character show for Europa-Park. own IP. Not everybody will be They can’t take a rollercoaster our case, the experience of 235 As people liked the new content able to do it. For us, it was also home, but they can take home years being a family business. we had created, we were soon a strategic decision to expand a character as their new friend. Before we came up with able to licence the IP to other into the media industry. There There is no better example our newest IP, Happy Family, parks around the world. are many things to learn when of original content than Europa- a family-friendly spooky To further establish Happy entering a new fi eld, but in the Park. We create story worlds, adventure, we realised that Family as an IP, we have just long run, we defi nitely see the around a ride for example, there was a lack of Halloween released our fi rst feature fi lm. benefi ts of creating our own IPs.

We’ve thought about the longevity of the IP and we have a stream of content and co-creation with children

ROSALIND JOHNSON Farmer, Sylvia Matiko, Simon the brand relevant and alert Guardian of wishes Egan and me – have a great us to ‘what’s next’. For our Timbalaya deal in common, not least a franchisees, this is critical, as love of creating and operating it enables them to see new People ask us why we created wondrous attractions and opportunities for growth and an original IP, why we didn’t companies. I think we have determine where a refresh of buy the rights of something off all, in our own way, sprinkled the offer should be focused. the shelf. Arguably, that would a little pixie dust across I’d say we’ve given as much be the easy route, but it was people’s lives – and Timbalaya attention to the franchise never something we seriously is made from pixie dust! model as we have to the considered. We’re a creative The appeal to operators creative side of the IP and bunch and the allure of a is also the way we’re set up. I think this will be both blank sheet of paper and the We’ve had the chance, right important and encouraging for promise of a magical land from the start, to think content and co-creation with operators. Matiko, Guardian yet to be created was about the longevity children, helping keep Timbalaya of the Locket, was VP of too much to resist. of the IP. In practice, relevant. We involve children to franchise operations with The founders of that means a creative see what they do with the story Ripley Entertainment and so Timbalaya – Nick engine room at the and the characters, and that brings an incredible amount heart of the company keeps us from wandering off of franchise knowledge Timbalaya is that reacts to how into an adult’s perception of the to Timbalaya. As a result, a story-driven children want to magical Timbalaya world. operators can expect a modern outdoor play play. It means We’re investing in ongoing and imaginative approach to attraction IP a stream of market research to help keep the support we offer. O

42 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 www.bertazzon.com SIMWORX PROMOTIONAL FEATURE SIMWORX FLYING HIGH

Simworx launches the Mini Flying Theatre, a smaller footprint, budget-friendly option using the latest cutting-edge ride technology

ynamic simulation attractions In-show effects such as water spray, wind, specialist Simworx has added TURNKEY SOLUTION snow, bubbles, smoke and special-effects a new attraction to its product lighting provide operators with a truly range – the Mini Flying Theatre. As with all its products, Simworx sensational ride, which is sure to excite, Developed as a less offers a full turnkey package for the surprise and entertain guests of all ages. D Mini Flying Theatre which includes: expensive option to the larger The Mini Flying Theatre is supplied with Flying Theatre, also offered by Simworx in QIn-theatre effects surround-sound audio and an HD2K or 4K partnership with Dutch ride manufacturer Q3D projection system 3D projection system. In addition to the Mondial, the Mini Flying Theatre brings this QSurround sound motion synchronisation, the attraction is increasingly popular type of attraction into QShow control equipment fully interfaced to projection and sound the reach of smaller operators, with both QTheming systems and uses custom show reels on a more accessible price range and smaller QPre-show/post-show a digital format AV solution. Retractable overall footprint, but still utilising the QCustom fi lm productions safety monitored seatbelts are also latest, cutting-edge ride technology. Q3D glasses and glasses incorporated as a standard feature. Featuring an immersive, large-format, cleaning machines quarter-dome screen concept, the Mini Competitive price point Flying Theatre offers 20 seats, which “The Mini Flying Theatre is a are accessed via entrance and great addition to our product range exit routes on side gangways from and provides operators of all kinds a pre-show area, providing for an of venues with an opportunity to approximate hourly capacity of up to add such an attraction at a very 250 guests. Riders are seated in a competitive price point,” says Terry normal horizontal plane in four rows Monkton, Simworx managing director. of fi ve, two on each side of a central “Flying Theatres are proving holding structure, one behind the popular with the whole family – other. As the attraction cycle begins, something we have seen with our the seats are lifted into the air in a larger, 60 seat models. But for smooth transition to panorama mode those with smaller budgets, they in front of the dome screen, with the have often not been a realistic rear rows moving above those in front. option. This latest Simworx development makes the possibility Unique movements of adding a Flying Theatre much more The Mini Flying Theatre has Riders experience unique movements fully credible for many more operators and I’m 20 seats, which are accessed synchronised to the movie being played on delighted we’ve now added it to our ever- from the entrance and exit the screen, including programmable heave growing range of media-based attractions.” routes on the side gangways and tilt along with forward and backward The fi rst example of Simworx’s newest motion, while the sensation of fl ying is product has already been sold and will enhanced by the riders’ legs dangling freely. make its debut in March 2019. O

FOR THOSE WITH SMALLER BUDGETS, FLYING THEATRES HAVE NOT BEEN A REALISTIC OPTION. THIS LATEST SIMWORX DEVELOPMENT MAKES THE POSSIBILITY MORE CREDIBLE

44 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 KEY FEATURES

Q Large-format, quarter-dome screen Q Programmable heave Q Programmable tilt Q Load in normal horizontal plane Q Smooth transition to panorama mode Q Retractable safety monitored seatbelts Q Custom show reel Q Minimum rider height 1.1m

The Mini Flying Theatre has surround-sound audio, an HD2K/4K 3D projection system and a range of in-show effects

Simworx will be promoting its complete range of attractions on booth B1030 at AAE 2017.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 45 MYSTERY SHOPPER

Specially commissioned street art marked the launch of Mail Rail and the Postal Museum

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

An underground or 75 years, underneath the busy able to ride a train through the original streets of London, a network of tunnels under Mount Pleasant. The Royal postal transport driverless electric trains transported Mail also donated a disused building millions of letters around the city. across the road from Mail Rail to the system has F Though hidden from sight, the Mail project, which is now the Postal Museum. reopened as Rail and its mail stations were alive Located at Mount Pleasant Mail Centre with the loud rattle of the constant trains, – London’s largest sorting office – the two- the Mail Rail experience, the noise of the sorting machinery and the site attraction is a 15-minute walk or short with an accompanying chatter of the people who worked there. bus journey from Kings Cross station. For This fascinating feat of engineering is a most visitors, the main draw will be the Mail Postal Museum. Alice part of an almost secret history, which has Rail; the chance to travel on a miniature Davis visited London’s been preserved and transformed into a train through abandoned underground new attraction. First conceived in Victorian tunnels promises a rare level of authenticity newest attraction times, Mail Rail was the heart of the postal and has an inimitable appeal. system and connected the UK to the rest of Because the capacity of the two trains the world. Even through the World Wars, the is limited, rides on the Mail Rail run to a post still had to be delivered, and the Mail strict schedule and visitors need a timed Rail worked 22 hours a day, never resting, ticket. The attraction is making a limited until the moment it ceased operation in the number of walk-up tickets available on early hours of 31 May 2003. weekdays, but due to the popularity of the Since then, the network has been attraction in its first few weeks of being regularly maintained and the site has now open, it is much safer to book online and reopened as an attraction, with visitors buy tickets in advance of a visit.

46 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Specially designed trains (top) take visitors on a ride through the 2-metre-wide tunnels; the boarding zone in the former engineering depot

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 MYSTERY SHOPPER

The high demand apparently took a working rail yard. While waiting to board, Mail Rail unawares. When I fi rst tried LOCATION you can browse displays around the hall to purchase a ticket, the attraction was The Postal Museum and Mail Rail and watch a large-screen fi lm that provides completely sold out until January. Luckily, is located at 15-20 Phoenix Place, some background to the network. a new batch of tickets was made available, London. The nearest stations are The 20-minute experience takes you on a but I had to move quickly to get a ticket King’s Cross, Russell Square and loop through the tunnels at Mount Pleasant for a Thursday afternoon in October. The Farringdon. station – though you do have a driver and facility underestimated how many people you don’t reach speeds of 40mph (it’s would want to ride the Mail Rail, expecting OPENING HOURS more like 7mph). Boarding was a simple to sell about 20 per cent of its tickets as The Postal Museum is open every day process, with staff scanning tickets to make advance bookings. It has, in fact, been from 10.00 to 17.00. sure visitors are booked for the next ride. selling 90 per cent online. On the other The trains are cosy, but designed so that hand, there are plenty of tickets available ADMISSION PRICES the roof and door both open up and make for the Postal Museum without the train, General admission, including Mail Rail them easier to get in and out of, with the showing almost everyone is opting for the ride and exhibitions, costs £14.50 ($19, staff happy to help. Though it’s small, the Mail Rail and museum combination ticket. €16) for an adult and £7.25 for a child benches are well spaced out. If you’re tall, aged one to 15. Royal Mail staff go free. you might fi nd it a bit of a squeeze. Mail Rail An exhibitions-only ticket costs £11 for The Mail Rail stretched 6.5 miles (10.5km) an adult ($14.40, €12) and is free for All aboard! from Whitechapel Eastern Delivery children under 15. A 45-minute session Once the driver ensures everyone is Offi ce to Paddington Sorting Offi ce, with in Sorted!, the postal-themed play area, safely in, the train departs. The journey Mount Pleasant in the middle. The carts, is £5 ($6.50, €5.50) per child. through the tunnels is interspersed with brimming with post, travelled at speeds of recorded narration from Ray Middlesworth, up to 40mph (64kph) and stopped at the an engineer on London’s underground station platforms for less than a minute, postal network for 30 years. Middlesworth just enough time for the operators to explains what it was like working on the unload the bags intended for them, and underground platform at Mount Pleasant, reload the carts with onward deliveries. sorting the mail, and as an engineer, mak- On the ground fl oor of the Mail Rail ing sure the rail carts were running and the building – the network’s former engineering tracks and trains were maintained. depot – is a well staffed welcome desk and When the train stops, the story of Mail shop stocked with post-themed souvenirs. Rail is told with large-scale multimedia Heading downstairs into the large depot displays and dynamic 3D mapping hall where the trains depart, minimal The entrance to the Postal Museum, projected on the tunnel walls. It’s a history renovation has been done. The warehouse- with Mail Rail located across the road lesson, showing the roles the service has like space looks much as it did when it was played throughout the decades.

SORTED! THE POSTAL PLAY SPACE

Sorted! is a KidZania-style play space on the ground fl oor of Mail Rail. In this miniature town, with trolleys, pulleys, slides and chutes, kids can dress up in post service uniforms, roleplay in the Mail trains were serviced and Post Offi ce, sort mail and even drive a maintained at the network’s mail van and deliver post around town. engineering depot located at Sessions are available in 45-minute slots. Mount Pleasant Sorting Offi ce

48 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Following the train ride, visitors can learn about the history of Mail Rail and try the hands-on exhibits, like the wind-up pneumatic train race (left)

It makes for a one-of-a-kind accompanied by an oral history – immersive experience, being pick up the receiver to hear the shown what it was like to work in station controller tell his story. The those tunnels, which are brought exhibit signage – at both sites – is to life before your eyes. There’s a equally excellent, giving short but choreography to the storytelling, using informative summaries, almost every a mix of archive photography, music time imparting a fact so fascinating and animation, that further emphasises inside the same depot building. There are you want to go and tell everybody. what a vibrant place this once was. Though interesting artefacts, such as the lockers, (This element of shareability continues the work must have been backbreaking, the exactly as they were left when the staff throughout, with numerous spots perfect people who worked here were proud of what clocked out at the end of their fi nal shift. for sharing a snap on social media.) they did and part of something important. There’s an engineer’s tool box and a In this zone, exhibition designers Haley After alighting the train, visitors enter deconstructed engine from one of the Sharpe Design (hsd) invite visitors to get the Mail Rail’s permanent exhibition area original trains. Many of these exhibits are involved, and there’s plenty of competition with some robust, man-size interactives. Challenge your companion to power their ACCESS ALL AREAS (with video and audio from the ride). pneumatic train to the fi nish line before There are folding seats for those unable you, or step inside a rocking carriage The Postal Museum and Mail Rail to stand for long periods. Large print and fi nd out who can sort the letters has strived to create an accessible guides, magnifi ers and Braille guides are inside more quickly. These interactives environment. All areas have step-free available and AV exhibits are subtitled and are big, bold, sturdy and fun, designed to access, except for the ride. Any visitors fi tted with induction loops. The attraction challenge both grown-ups and kids, and who cannot travel on the train can says described tours for blind visitors and almost impossible to resist. On my visit, experience the Accessible Mail Rail Show regular BSL tours will be available soon. I saw adult guests happily engaging with the gamifi ed exhibits, which is something

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 49 MYSTERY SHOPPER

you don’t see in every museum. But then, we had all just been on a tiny train…

Postal Museum Across the road is the Postal Museum, which you enter through an airy extension which holds the ticket desk, café and more retail space. The ground-fl oor museum, which is not large in size, is still jam- packed with content, and wayfi nding is easy with the space divided into fi ve sections, clearly demarcated through brightly coloured signposting. The zones begin with the early history of the post – did you know it was founded by Henry VIII so he could more easily send orders around his kingdom? – and follow on to cover the Victorian era of invention, times of war, the Royal Mail’s design Exhibits in the Postal Museum culture, and communication and change. illustrate the design culture And the museum does not just tell the at the Post Offi ce (top); the story of post, but the telephone, telegrams, pentacycle was invented to pneumatic systems – guests can even help deliver parcels, but was write and send their own pneumatic almost impossible to ride message across the exhibition space. Like the Mail Rail exhibit, there are plenty of other opportunities for interaction. I loved the old dial telephones: refer to the “phone book” and choose whose oral history you want to hear. Then dial the number and listen; I suspect digital natives might be amused by this. There are stories with mystery WHAT’S THE SCORE? boxes, authentic vehicles like a fi ve- wheeled cycle and a horse-drawn mail coach, old post boxes and Staff 9/10 phone boxes, lantern slide displays, Cleanliness 8/10 Toilets 8/10 Experience 9/10 RIGHT TO REPLY Value for money 8/10 Overall experience 9/10 Harry Huskisson, head dress-up opportunities. The experience is of communications and completely engaging, made all the more marketing, the Postal meaningful because – aside from a couple Sikh postman in 1960s Birmingham. It Museum and Mail Rail of touchscreen games and challenges – it ended with a temporary exhibit called relies very little on digital technology. Writing Home, which told stories from “We’ve seen incredible interest If I had one tiny criticism about the around the world and rounded off the in the Postal Museum and Mail Postal Museum, it’s that the acoustics experience by presenting the postal Rail since opening in September seemed compromised when lots of the system within a global context. and we’ve had fantastic feedback louder exhibits were being used at the All in all, the Postal Museum and Mail from visitors. We’re delighted the same time, which made it a little hard to Rail is a journey of discovery, exploring experience has been met with such focus on the exhibit in hand. abandoned tunnels and absorbing untold enthusiasm and reaches the high Another aspect that makes this new stories. Leaving the museum, I check my standards we set ourselves. More attraction so memorable is its focus on phone and reply to a text message. I spare tickets will be released soon, so people, those who worked for the postal a thought for the 18th-century post boy, we’d encourage everyone to sign service throughout history, or for the travelling on horseback to deliver people’s up to our mailing list to be the Mail Rail itself. There are many stories, letters, and London’s engineers, who kept fi rst to hear when they go on sale from prisoners of war who got a chance the Mail Rail running. Communication is at and come see this unique part of to write home, to the 1940s postwoman our fi ngertips today, but the story of how we hidden London for themselves.” who demanded she be allowed to wear got here will have even the most dedicated trousers instead of a skirt, to the fi rst nomophobes putting their phones away. O

50 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 We Design + Build Visitor Attractions

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– Art direction Experience – Experience mapping Design – Storyboarding – Attraction theme-books – Interactive design – Immersive AV

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part eight THE ATTRACTIONS BUSINESS Benefi ts and impacts

In the fi nal part of this series by industry consultant David Camp, we address the obstacles faced by developers and look at creative funding options and economic impacts

any attractions that have been amount invested in the attraction, the David Camp operating for a number of impact of depreciation over the operating years have grown steadily over period of the attraction means that such SERIES ROADMAP time, ploughing their operating deals are generally good for both parties. M profi ts back into the business to fund ongoing development Development challenges This eight-part series outlines and expansion. A prime example of this New schemes face different challenges. the patterns and dynamics is the family-run Europa Park in Germany, There’s an increasing aspiration among that defi ne every attraction which attracted 250,000 visitors in its fi rst developers to create attractions that are – from visitor behaviour and operating season in 1975. By the park’s bigger and better than those currently guest spending to operating 40th anniversary, through reinvesting in existing in a market, but this can often lead costs and profi tability the business, attendance had increased to to a position where the level of investment 5.5 million and the resort had expanded to required to create an attraction is not able CONTENTS provide almost 1,000 hotel rooms. to be supported by the business model. 1. An overview Park operating groups such as Merlin In this case, scheme promoters can look 2. How are you perceived? Entertainments have grown through at cutting the development budget, reducing 3. Benchmarking a combination of development and operating costs, increasing admission 4. Planning a new attraction acquisitions, with attraction purchase prices or accepting a lower return on their 5. Driving revenues values based on earnings multiples. As investment. Yet these routes can have 6. Controlling costs noted in the previous article, these are negative impacts on the quality of the offer, 7. Is it worth it? based on the operating business rather guest experience, and/or attendance levels. 8. Benefi ts and impacts than the investment levels, and while To overcome these challenges and stop the valuation may not equate to the total the scheme failing at the concept stage, a number of projects have been able to secure supporting funding via grants, donations, interest-free loans, cross- subsidies and other sources. Much of this funding is through public sector sources, charitable trusts, quangos and, at least in the UK, lottery-funded organisations.

Impact studies Visitor attractions are among the highest profi le recipients of this kind of funding support as they can have major benefi ts for a city or area. Funding decisions are generally supported by an assessment of the impact the attraction is likely to have on the image of an area or city, whether it will drive tourism, increase spending within an area, support overnight accommodation, create jobs or a combination of these. Impacts like this are important in Abu Dhabi, where the massive investment in Ferrari World and nearby attractions in Abu Dhabi have received investment from the emirate creating Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, the

52 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Yas Waterworld is important to Abu Dhabi’s tourism strategy; the Eden Project boosted Cornwall’s economy

Louvre and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi has served to put the emirate on the international stage and increase tourism. Other attraction developments that have benefi ted from signifi cant subsidies and have had a major impact on the surrounding area include the Guggenheim Bilbao, the Eden Project and Titanic Belfast. Securing such funding is not easy and in many cases economic impact studies are used to assess the benefi ts that these developments are likely to realise. There are three aspects to economic impacts: Q Direct impacts, resulting from direct expenditure by visitors to the attraction Q Indirect impacts, relating to the spending by the attraction to buying goods and services for the operation as well as the staff salaries and payroll Q Induced impacts, which are created when the attraction employees, and workers at suppliers of goods and services, spend their salaries on additional goods and services within the area An assessment of these fi gures can show the impact of an attraction on an area’s economy, jobs, salaries and taxes, and the impact fi gures are often much greater than the initial investment. For example, the Eden Project in Cornwall opened in 2001 and the attraction has been supported by just over £100m An assessment can show the impact of an ($132m, €112) in public-sector funding over the past 16 years. The company attraction on an area’s economy, and it’s often estimate that this investment has resulted in a total contribution of £1.7bn ($2.2bn, much greater than the initial investment €1.9bn) to the regional economy over this

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 53 ANALYSIS

period; a positive impact that’s equivalent to the total investment each year. A study on the impact of Titanic Belfast revealed that the £77m ($102m, €86m) development that opened in 2012 generated an additional £105m ($139, €117m) tourism spend within the Northern Ireland economy within the fi rst three years, and supports almost 900 jobs within the local community. It has also been a Disney now owns almost 13,000 hotel catalyst for additional investment in other rooms at their resorts around the world Operating on-site hotels and resorts, attractions and commercial real-estate and caters to around 3 million overnight like Disney, increases visitor spend development in the surrounding area. guests annually. While this is only a tiny proportion of the 139 million guests Cross-funding opportunities visiting their parks each year, these strong rents from nearby retail and F&B These external impacts can be substantial overnight guests spend around four times outlets, enhancing the overall business. and are signifi cantly enhanced when the as much per person as day visitors do. attraction leads to people staying overnight Additional revenue streams can allow A fi nal thought in an area, rather than just visiting for a for cross-funding opportunities where While securing funds for the development day trip. A study undertaken by Harrison profi ts from accommodation, retail and of visitor attractions is not easy, looking “Buzz” Price for Walt Disney in the 1950s other real estate elements are used to beyond the core business at the revealed that for every $1 spent by visitors support the creation of an attraction. potential for wider impacts can open up to Disneyland in California, $2 was spent This is a common route within retail opportunities. This may require changes at the surrounding hotels, restaurants and and entertainment centres, where centre in location, scale, ownership structure shops. As these were not owned by Disney, owners often invest in the creation of and operating philosophy, and this may it was clear that the honeypot that Walt attractions to help the centre stand out and be too much for some project champions. had created was feeding lots of others. attract visitors. Ski Dubai within the Mall But, if such changes can lead to a vision As a result, Walt scoured the country of the Emirates, and Dubai Aquarium at becoming reality rather than just remaining and bought 12,000 hectares of land the Dubai Mall are examples of this. These a dream, they may well be worth making. O south of Orlando, where he could develop attractions not only generate paying guests, new parks, hotels, residential areas and they are an important visual feature of David Camp, D&J International Consulting shopping centres in order to capture as the malls. They draw high footfall to those email: [email protected] much visitor spend as possible. areas of the mall and this helps to drive website: www.djintcon.com

54 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Discover your Play type

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©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 55 POLIN PROMOTIONAL FEATURE RAISING THE GAME

Polin Waterparks has launched a dedicated R&D centre, where 50 leading engineers are working on new projects, rides and fi rst-of-a-kind gaming technologies

s one of the world’s largest experience and hence the company has Combine that profi ciency with 40 years waterpark suppliers, Polin launched Polin Game Technologies. of dependable, trustworthy expertise, Waterparks is committed to and customers can now benefi t from investing in research and Polin Game Technologies the development of some of today’s A development (R&D), forging new Polin Game Technologies division focuses most innovative gaming and interactive paths in the industry and being on new concepts and technologies by products. Furthermore, the wide variety responsive to clients’ changing demands. strategically combining the experience of its of offerings in the Polin catalogue is One area where the Polin team has been highly skilled R&D engineers with those of specifi cally designed to make waterpark focusing is the integration of technology, other critical sectors — including some of guests want to come back interactivity and gaming into the waterpark the best known companies in their fi elds. again and again.

Slide ’n Score Slide ’n Roll

The future of This new offering combines all of The slide adrenaline-soaring Polin’s exclusive technologies — delivers gaming is here! Guests unique sound, lighting and design, sound and collect a remote special effects — into one slide. light effects, controller from a kiosk The result is an experience that creating a and log in before delivers a full range of sensory sensory ride entering the ride, stimuli for guests. choosing one of fi ve Q Combines exclusive sound, Q Ease of operation and diffi culty levels. Strapping design and light effects maintenance the unit on their arm and slipping Q Full sensory stimuli Q Sound effects available controllers over their fi ngers, players Q Special effects impact guests Q Endless theming possibilities have access to multiple buttons that throughout entire slide experience Q Fluorescent effect with special match LED-illuminated targets within Q Latest innovation technologies high-tech resin the ride. As guests shoot through the waterslide – which can be either body slides or tube slides — they collect points by pushing the button SplashWare that matches each target at precise points while sliding past. At the Polin’s multi-functional Splashware end of each sliding session, guests System, which launched last year, is can observe their score on screens the world’s fi rst and only Integrated positioned in the landing area. Slide Information System. It offers Q Easy to play an innovative modular solution and Q No complicated instructions the system enhances slide safety, necessary helps reduce operational risks Q Guests not required to carry and costs, improves the customer heavy boards or rafts experience, boosts marketing Q Accurate positioning system effi ciency, optimises capacity and can without use of RFID tags also signifi cantly increase revenue by Q Social media integration introducing new sources of income.

56 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Splash VR synchronises the 360º fi lm with the guest’s slide position and speed

Splash VR

Polin has just unveiled a breakthrough product, the fi rst VR VISIT US AT waterslide experience. In cooperation OUR BIGGEST with French company Polymorph, the fi rst installation was recently EVER BOOTH completed at the brand new Land of AT IAAPA! Legends resort in Antalya, Turkey. #1378 Splash VR is the fi rst technology solution that allows an operator to deploy a VR experience in a waterpark, R&D AT POLIN without changing the structure of the water slides. This ambitious project took more than eight months of research and development, structured around major innovations such as: Q The design of an indoor user- tracking solution that can be deployed on any slide without affecting its integrity. Using radio waves, the headset is able to triangulate exactly where it is located in the slide Q Design and production of the Polin Waterparks opened a dedictated research facility in Turkey fi rst waterproof VR headset. Drawn and printed in 3D, the headset is Polin Waterparks is proud to be able to play 360° fi lm, calculating recognised as one of the few research in real-time its position in the slide. and development (R&D) centres in The headset is comfortable and Turkey. Polin is a global leader in the ergonomic, but above all provides design, engineering, manufacturing exceptional 360° immersion and installation of waterparks and the Q The development of a 360° media fi rst fi rm to receive certifi cation by the player with the ability to synchronise Turkish Ministry of Science, Industry the speed of the fi lm with both the and Technology as an offi cial R&D speed of the visitor and their centre in the its sector. Polin employs position in the slide 46 R&D designers and engineers and manufacturing technology in is already recognised as a pioneer in waterslide development. Today, the Polin developed a the fi eld of innovative advancement fi rm continues to focus on high-quality 3D-printed headset and application of closed-moulded design and innovation patents.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 57 NEW OPENINGS

The museum building, a former grain silo, is located on the V&A Waterfront ZZ IS FOR ZEITZ

An A to Z of Africa’s brand new modern art museum

Alice Davis, managing editor, Attractions Management

he highly anticipated Zeitz which has been reimagined by British Museum of Contemporary Art architect Thomas Heatherwick. Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) opened Located on the city’s Victoria & Albert in Cape Town, South Africa, in Waterfront with Table Mountain as its back- T September – the largest museum drop, the 1920s silo building – for a while, of its kind in Africa and the fi rst the tallest in South Africa – had become major museum on the continent dedicated an iconic structure. The design team were to modern art from Africa and its diaspora. tasked with giving new life to the building, Its founder, Jochen Zeitz, says: “I built which had been out of use since 1990. my collection with a museum in Africa The galleries and the atrium space at the always in mind. The fact that these works centre of the museum have been carved will now be accessible to all is a very from the silos’ dense cellular structure emotional thing for me personally and, of forty-two tubes. There are 6,000sqm ultimately, gives the art true purpose.” (64,500sq ft) of exhibition space over 100 The museum is a stunning conversion gallery areas, a rooftop sculpture garden, from a historic grain silo complex structure, storage and conservation areas, a book- shop, a restaurant, bar, and reading rooms. The museum houses a costume institute and centres dedicated to photography, fi lm, performative practice and art education. “The idea of turning a giant disused concrete grain silo made from 116 vertical tubes into a new kind of public space was weird and compelling from the beginning,” says Heatherwick, founder of Heatherick Studio. “We were excited by the opportunity to unlock this formerly dead structure and transform it into somewhere for people to see and enjoy the most incredible A cross-section shows the layout of the museum complex artworks from the continent of Africa.”

58 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 The atrium is carved from the original concrete silo tubes; (right) a luxury hotel shares the building MUSEUM PHOTOS: IWAAN BAAN ARTWORK IMAGES: COURTESY OF ZEITZ MOCAA

A atrium Inside the grain house, where 42 cylindrical silos were packed together, Heatherwick Studio carved out an instantly iconic atrium. “We developed a concept to carve out an atrium, like a vaulted cathedral, to form the museum’s heart. Scooped from the building’s centre, it provides access to the as a beacon, its top half consisting of a E gallery fl oors that are organised around repeated glass design. When night falls, the the central atrium,” the studio says. tower is lit up like a lantern for Cape Town. El Loko “The design preserves and celebrates The late African artist El Loko created the structure’s industrial heritage. The C a specially commissioned etching for original concrete tubes are carved away the glass roof of the atrium. The glass to create a spectacular atrium and house collection panels allow daylight into the atrium below international and touring exhibitions.” Jochen Zeitz has been working with and serve as a walkable surface for the curator Mark Coetzee since 2008 to build sculpture garden. Each panel of laminated B a collection that refl ected their vision for glass, measuring 6 metres (20 feet) across, a museum dedicated to contemporary carries his design, which is based on his beacon African art. Part of that aim has been to Cosmic Alphabet works. El Loko’s vision Next to the silo building was the grading give the artworks a home in the region was to create a universal language that tower. Heatherwick imagined the tower so that people from Africa can enjoy transcends racial and cultural barriers. The them and be inspired by them. Another frit pattern is visible on nine glass panels motive has been to keep bodies of work consisting of 16 glass panes each. The Revelations V by Zimbabwean by leading African artists together, so artist died in November 2016, just after artist and activist Kudzani Chiurai that they can be curated in a variety of completing this work for Zeitz MOCAA. ways and displayed together. The Zeitz Collection, which is on long-term loan F to the museum as it fi nds its feet, will continue to grow as new acquisitions are free access made over the coming decade. All under-18s access the museum for free. There is also free entry for South D African and African citizens on Wednesday mornings and on regular Museum Nights. digital scan During the fi rst site visits, there were still G remnants of grain around the building. The Heatherwick team found an ear of corn on garden the fl oor, which was digitally scanned and The rooftop sculpture garden, where blown up to give them the design for the visitors can walk on glass panels 33 shape of the atrium. The design had to be metres above the atrium fl oor, connects hand-carved out of the concrete tubes. the museum with the Silo hotel.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 59 NEW OPENINGS

Cyrus Kabiru’s Macho ZEITZ MOCAA FOCUSES ON ART MADE Nne 09 (Caribbean Peacock) is in the SINCE THE MILLENNIUM UP TO THE permanent collection PRESENT DAY. THE COLLECTION IS DEDICATED TO ART OF THE 21ST CENTURY

H J represented in a variety of colours, patterns and textures. An original font called Forty hotel joint venture Two is used throughout the building. A luxury 26-room hotel, the Silo, has opened The not-for-profit museum is the result in the six storeys above the Zeitz MOCAA, in of a joint venture between the V&A M the grain elevator part of the complex. Waterfront and Jochen Zeitz. The V&A Waterfront provides use of the building for millennium I free and paid for the transformation. Zeitz Zeitz MOCAA focuses on art made since is contributing to the running costs, as the millennium up to and including the international exhibitions well as loaning the artworks. present day. The Zeitz Collection is The Zeitz Collection collects art from Africa dedicated to art of the 21st century. and its diaspora, but Zeitz MOCAA will also K host international exhibitions. N Kofi Annan Former UN secretary-general and Ghanaian neighbours diplomat Kofi Annan is a friend of Jochen Neighbouring attractions not far from Zeitz Zeitz and a patron of Zeitz MOCAA. MOCAA include the Cape Town Diamond “By providing a platform for the incredibly Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the talented and passionate artists across Springbok Experience Rugby Museum, the Africa and beyond, this museum fills a South African Maritime Museum, the Cape critical gap in the continent’s art scene. I’m Wheel and the Two Oceans Aquarium. proud to be part of this journey,” he says. O L Off-the-air logo Tunisian artist Mouna Karray is the subject A logo, font and branding was created pro of an opening exhibition in the Roger bono for the museum by M&C Saatchi Ballen Foundation Centre for Photography. Kofi Annan is a patron of Zeitz MOCAA Abel advertising agency. The grid-style Running through 15 January, OFF-THE- logo reflects the 42 silos and can be AIR presents the sparse landscapes and

60 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 WHO’S WHO

Jochen Zeitz, co-founder and co-chair of Zeitz MOCAA, is a German

MUSEUM PHOTOS: IWAAN BAAN ARTWORK IMAGES: COURTESY OF ZEITZ MOCAA business entrepreneur, philanthropist and former CEO of Puma. Zeitz has also opened a nature retreat and luxury eco-safari resort in Kenya. “We wanted the museum to be as representative of Africa as possible. Most importantly, this is an institution for all of Africa,” he says.

David Green, CEO of The Night of the Long the V&A Waterfront Knives II by Athi-Patra and co-chair of Zeitz Ruga; the atrium (right) at MOCAA, has overseen the heart of the museum consistent growth and investment into the infrastructure of the ZEITZ BY NUMBERS popular waterfront district, including the new museum. Green Q 116 vertical tubes is also chair of the neighbouring Q 42 concrete silos Two Oceans Aquarium and Q 100 galleries the director of Western Cape Q 9,500sqm museum Development Board (WESGRO). Q 6,000sqm exhibition space Q R500m budget ($40m, £30m, €34m) Mark Coetzee is Q 40,000 tons of grain executive director and were stored there chief curator at Zeitz Q R180 adult ticket MOCAA. Coetzee has ($13, £10, €11) published numerous articles on art and artist monographs. abandoned environments of Karray’s Q “Standing at the opening oeuvre. Works also look at how her of the Zeitz MOCAA is somewhat homeland lost its economic signifi cance. queues surreal,” he says. “It’s been a long Reports suggest people have been queuing journey, but we’re delighted we’ve P for around 45 minutes to get into the been able to create a platform of museum, as visitor numbers have been far such scale and infl uence for Africa.” photography higher than fi rst estimated – around 5,000 The museum’s Centre for Photography per day. Visitors are advised to buy tickets was made possible thanks to major online to skip the entrance queue. Thomas Heatherwick is donations from the Roger Ballen a British designer and Foundation and the Eiger Foundation. R architect who founded Famed American photographer Ballen, Heatherwick Studio who has lived and worked in South restaurant in 1994. Based in Africa since the 1970s, is also donating The 200-cover Zeitz MOCAA Food opens London, Heatherwick numerous signed editions of his works. on 1 December 2017 on level six, offering Studio’s 200-strong team “It has been my great desire to contribute panoramic views of Cape Town and the is well known for creating to the understanding of photography in sculpture garden. It’s managed by luxury projects such as the London Olympic South Africa, in the country that I call events specialists Aleit Group. Aleit is the torch, the UK Pavilion for 2010’s home,” says Ballen. “By donating my exclusive event operator throughout the Shanghai Expo, the Bombay Sapphire archive and fi nance to Zeitz MOCAA, I wish museum, including the multifunctional Distillery, London’s Routemaster bus to ensure that photography is guaranteed event space and the Atrium, which is and upcoming projects for Google. a place in the museum’s activities.” available for private functions.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 61 NEW OPENINGS

Isaac Julien’s Ten Thousand Waves; and Nicholos Hlobo’s lightning bird sculpture (right)

S were used to transport grain and are feats of architectural storage engineering in themselves. The Zeitz MOCAA is equipped with state of the tunnels have been preserved art storage zones and conservation areas. and adapted to support site- specifi c artworks. T V tubes The 42 vertical tubes that made up the silo V&A Waterfront became central to the project, connecting The Victoria & Albert Waterfront attracts 24 is said to be one of the most visited the industrial history of the building to the million visitors every year. The 123-hectare contemporary artworks in the world and is atrium that represents Zeitz MOCAA’s heart. development, which opened within the busy now part of the Zeitz Collection. The concrete tubes were only 170mm port area in 1988, includes commercial, thick and after they were carefully carved retail, cruise, leisure and entertainment X into shape, they had to be lined with inner activity. Until now, it lacked a cultural offer. sleeves of reinforced concrete. Xhosa W A national Xhosa folk tale about a lightning U bird is the inspiration for Iimpundulu Zonke waves Ziyandilandela (All the Lightning Birds Are underground tunnels The nine-screen projection fi lm Ten After Me), the huge sculpture that marks Underground tunnels beneath the building Thousand Waves (2010), by Isaac Julien, the atrium’s debut installation. It’s by South African artist Nicholas Hlobo. Y

yellow The silo was painted yellow in the 1980s. Layers of paint had to be scraped away to return the building to its original façade. Z

Zeitz Foundation The Zeitz Foundation is a charitable South African artist organisation founded by Zeitz in 2008. Kyle Morland’s metal Led by its 4Cs philosophy (conservation, installations are in community, culture, commerce), it oversees the sculpture garden the Long Run initiative, a members group of nature-based sustainable tourism businesses, and the Laikipia Programme, which runs social programmes in Kenya. O

62 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 GameChanger ULTIMATE ROTATING GAMING PLATFORM

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©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 63 RIDE SAFETY HUMANLY POSSIBLE

Professor and researcher Dr Kathryn Woodcock shares her thoughts on the role of guests in amusement ride safety and human factors in attractions design

iloting a rocket! Riding a unicorn! restraint and containment devices and they Fighting giant bugs! Attractions fall out, or intentionally self-extract from present the guest with an the ride, exposing them to serious harm opportunity to experience a from moving machinery and structures P fantasy. Guests are in on the not intended for pedestrian access. pretence – and operators admit to it – but the fantasy narrative Situation awareness is the reason the guests want to play. The proportion of rider injuries traced The narrative fantasy is quite to the rider’s own characteristics or obviously a part of major themed dark behaviours has typically been cited rides, but even a small umbrella ride at at 80 per cent or higher – though a carnival holds the promise of riding a we should be aware that this causal “real motorcycle”, if you are two years old. attribution is affected by investigators’ However, every once in a while, the interpretations of the event. The common experience does not unfold as intended. impression is that injured riders are risk- Guests can feel motion sick, physically takers caught in a miscalculation. uncomfortable or sensitive to the Woodcock is an engineer and Using the language of human factors, attraction’s media, special effects or props. ergonomist with a special interest in the errors are attributed to a lack or loss Less often, guests reposition in the ride theme parks and amusement rides of “situation awareness”. In response, vehicle in a way that compromises the remedies focus on correcting situation PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/FAMVELD

Attractions and rides allow park visitors to take part in a fantasy, but they must know how to act safely within that illusory situation

64 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Intense rides like The Incredible Hulk are designed to look daunting, and many people self-exclude; guests may twist or lean out of their seats (left)

Warning guests of hazards may have little effect. People trust their own perceptions more than a contradictory description

awareness: reiterating hazards and And, most importantly of all, there is one discomfort, the instinctive reaction to promoting responsibility to avoid them. single objectively correct situation. reposition or self-extract is not a decision Unfortunately, the concept of situation based on situation assessment. awareness comes from domains where the Consciousness contradicts While some guests might feel compelled person is participating in a single situation. In contrast, the entire point of an attraction to escape, other guests might find a ride’s There is no doubt that a machine is to experience an illusory situation, either sensations not intense enough. Guests operator should be aware that their the abstraction of sensory “thrill” or a know the purpose of an attraction is machine is powered on and ready to specific narrative that takes place within an “fun”, whether “fun” is thrilling, pleasant move with the nudge of a lever. Situation objective world that they are supposed to or social in nature. When they find the awareness deficits can result from situation ignore. People cannot simultaneously give attraction short of the expected level and complexity that overloads and distracts: themselves over to the illusory situation type of fun, the guests may “complete the the machine operator may also need to and also maintain accurate awareness design” with adjustments like leaning out, be aware of whether the machine has a of the real situation and all its physical twisting around or rising up in the seat. workpiece in position, the guard in place, properties that could give rise to hazards. These actions seem to enhance fun, but space in the scrap bin, exhaust ventilation The paradigm of situation awareness fails. unknown to them, may actually increase powered on, no co-workers in the path of Consciousness of the real world risk of ejection or another injury event. moving equipment, and many other things. situation compromises user experience. Advising guests of situational hazards However, situation awareness is not This compromise might be worthwhile if may have little effect in either case. People achieved solely by operator diligence. It it was reliably effective. However, when trust their own perception of a situation is promoted by designing information to guests are overwhelmed by the urge to more than a contradictory description enhance the person’s situation awareness. escape intolerable physical or emotional presented to them, even if they still

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 65 MUSEUMS

Actions or spaces that Selfie sticks (above) may not be perceived are dangerous should as a hazard by guests, but many parks have seem every bit as banned their use; new coasters, like ICON dangerous as they are, (right), target the most or just a little more dangerous daring thrillseekers

remember it amidst the hyper-stimulation of through the process of trial and error. People the attraction. There is also some evidence are also conditioned to interact actively with that guests give little credit to warnings attractions: many experiences at the same because they believe them to exaggerate park may involve, and even reward, their actual hazards to avoid liability. If an action active participation and interaction. is physically possible, it is likely to occur eventually, if it appears to solve a problem, No room for error ride’s restraint and containment system or if brought about by unconscious reaction. In addition, because attractions have prevents successful repositioning is a This bias to improvisation is far from so few serious accidents, and the strategy that does not require controlling perverse. Throughout our lives, we acquire environment is deliberately reassuring, the guest’s state of mind. A disadvantage new skills and experiences of all kinds they feel safe. The “error” part of trial and is that barriers may not fully eliminate error is feedback that teaches us not to all undesirable positions for people with repeat a particular action. Unfortunately, in exceptional size, body shape or agility. a fast-paced activity, the results of some Forcing functions are another physical actions can be unforgiving. strategy to limit actions. Adding a step to Because awareness of real-world performing an action can allow time for boundaries spoils the illusion of the person’s conscious second thought to the attraction, and because intercept the action or distract them from persuasion is an unreliable one action by engaging them in another. If means to achieve it, it is a person cannot rise up in the seat without most promising to provide unbuckling a seat belt, the act of unbuckling boundaries within the the seat belt will slow down the action and illusion that will shape force consciousness of the disabling of a intuitive reactions and safety measure. The forcing function can improvisation. also make the unsafe action detectable by Some boundaries can automation and more visible to operators, be created by physical providing other options for interception. barriers, such as ride restraints, sidewalls Prompts and cues and doors. Ensuring the Barriers and forcing functions can obstruct or deter actions, but what we often want to know is how to discourage guests from even A seat belt can help forming the idea for a particular action. prevent unsafe actions Actions or spaces that are dangerous

66 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Early design cues help visitors decide if they will be able to tolerate an experience; proper positioning can be elicited by steering or target shooting

should seem every bit as dangerous as they are, or just a little more dangerous. Sensory illusions that accentuate speed, acceleration and elevation can prompt authentically conservative behaviour, and could use cues authentic to the narrative. There should be payoff in the narrative for safe actions that exclude unsafe actions. Access to vehicle steering or target shooting is a more compelling reward for proper hand position than an admonishment to keep hands inside and hold on. the experience will feel like to a guest, and experience, which would likely further avoiding “spoilers” in general advisories enhance the immersion of the attraction. Foreshadow through design can result in vague information. Guests Guest behaviour and guest restriction Design can interfere with the inspiration should receive the information they ask for is often seen as a risk-increasing to escape through disorientation and to anticipate their tolerance for a ride, even dilemma, but of all the risks in themed concealment of escape routes. Design may if the information includes a spoiler. entertainment, guests are a necessary risk. also provide options to self-manage anxiety In case guests do not ask, design of the With no guests, there would be no injuries – and discomfort. Sometimes the action we pre-attraction experience could foreshadow but, there would also be no attractions. need to shape is the action of choosing an specific features including known The most creative designers produce attraction. Attractions offer something for phobia triggers and demanding physical attractions that enlighten, engage and everybody, but every experience isn’t for sensations. An attraction that features amaze ladies, gentlemen and children of all everyone. It is preferable for everyone that darkness, for instance, could foreshadow ages with thrilling, terrifying and fantastic a guest chooses self-exclusion rather than the dark atmosphere with enough dark experiences. The same powerful design that having an employee reject them. elements in the preshow and queue tells compelling stories may also hold the Susceptible guests are not always spaces that a person with discomfort in key to shaping safer guest participation. O obvious by their appearance or behaviour. the dark would be more likely to choose to Guests may perceive a posted description abstain from the attraction. A dark queue ABOUT THE AUTHOR of an attraction as an exaggeration or would not give the right implicit warning for Dr Kathryn Woodcock, CCPE, ICAE, PEng, is overestimate their ability to tolerate specific an attraction where the main challenges a professor at Ryerson University in Toronto, discomfort in order to go on an attraction are speed, motion or simulator induced Canada, and director of the THRILL lab where that “everyone” is talking about or share an nausea, or creepy crawlies. Designers she studies and develops applications of experience with their companions. would be challenged to craft specific human factors engineering with a particular Descriptions cannot always convey what foreshadowing into the pre-attraction interest in amusement rides and attractions.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 67 EXPOS PURE ENERGY

Having worked on and visited many world expos, Christian Lachel found this year’s event in Kazakhstan had a special energy all of its own. He filed this report PHOTO: DIVISENKO VALERIA DIVISENKO PHOTO:

xpo 2017 cohesive, awe-inspiring whole. in Astana, The same kind of visionary THE BEST OF THE BEST Kazakhstan, thinking went into the said goodbye design of the Expo site. The I visited every Expo pavilion experience. E to the last of its Expo plan fit snugly in the Here are some of my favourites: 4 million guests context of greater Astana: on 10 September. So was elegant and modern, guided it successful? In my role as by a design intention to present a NUR ALEM PAVILION producer and creative director for the “future that works for everyone”. (THE SPHERE) USA Pavilion, I spent plenty of time in The brevity of the Expo, at just three Wow. The Expo hosts got this one just right. Astana. I want to share with you the months, and the modest ambitions of First, the Nur Alem Pavilion was a brilliant highlights of my journey, and some the Expo planners – drawing 4 million icon for this Expo. This dramatic sphere takeaways for Expo 2020 Dubai. visitors in contrast to Shanghai’s anchored the site and drew people toward 73 million in 2010 – contributed it. It shimmered in the sun during the day, GOOD DESIGN, GOOD EXPO to its success. Expo participants and was illuminated with coloured lights Kazakhstan moved its capital from embraced the challenge of creating during the striking Kazakh sunsets. At night,

Almaty to Astana in 1998, embarking entertaining, charismatic pavilions on PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK it came alive with LED lighting, featuring on a fiendishly difficult task that has short schedules with limited budgets. signature media. The presentations inside defeated many city planners: to build Almost every participant created the pavilion were flawless, covering the a visionary city that incorporates a a solution that contributed to the mythic history of Kazakhstan and the kinds number of styles and functions as a liveliness and pure fun of this Expo. of energy that will power the 21st century. PHOTO: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY / PA IMAGES

The futuristic city of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, played host to the 2017 Expo

68 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 PHOTO: ALEX KRAMEL /ARTWORK COMPANY /ARTWORK KRAMEL ALEX PHOTO:

Inside Nur Alem Sphere (left); visitors enjoy the fun environment that Austria created (above); the German pavilion QSHELL PAVILION looked at new energies This place, one of the few standalone corporate pavilions, made a tactical decision to win the hearts of children – and the parents trying to entertain them. Shell invited kids to come inside, engage in fun, interactive activities and “build your own future world”. There were lots of smiling faces emerging from this pavilion.

GERMAN PAVILION This pavilion combined an elegant, efficient design aesthetic with a clever interactivity strategy to please guests. We

were given a “smart stick” geared to our MARZHAN PHOTO: language preference. This stick allowed us to collect information, solutions and QMONACO PAVILION spinning LED lights projecting flowers. ideas on our journey. We were then invited Great pavilions don’t have to be large and Then we were invited to enter three to discover various kinds of emerging complex. Monaco produced a mesmerising narrative “houses”: energy self-sufficiency, energy and a variety of energy products. experience that featured undulating food production and clean water. All this, In the final immersive media space, mirrored blades reflecting footage that plus a flexible space to showcase new the energy stick triggered a show that told the story of Monaco’s relationship ideas and hold creative workshops. affirmed the case for diverse solutions with its marine environment. The effect if the world is to meet its energy needs. – enhanced with a lush soundscape and AUSTRIA PAVILION Great hospitality complemented this aromas – was hypnotic. And Monaco also Austria’s pavilion delivered on an oft- programme of guest engagement. served the best cup of coffee at the Expo ignored commandment of Expo design: as part of its outstanding Expos are supposed to be fun. As I hospitality programme. entered, I found myself inside a wild and whimsical Power Machine with all the SWITZERLAND energy supplied by guests. I joined my PAVILION fellow visitors pedalling a stationary bike Switzerland had a standout and pulling on ropes to power a Willy pavilion in Milan, and their Wonka-style factory of pop art kinetic expression of Flower Power in sculptures. This pavilion put every guest Astana was another winner. at the centre of the experience. Here we entered a world illuminated by a kinetic light QNETHERLANDS PAVILION sculpture featuring poles with This exercise in pure fun asked what the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian would have designed to show the world how, The Swiss pavilion offered for centuries, the Dutch have used Expo attendees a place to boldness and ingenuity to adapt to a brainstorm creative ideas hostile environment and climate change. Mondrian’s simple, bright and playful

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 69 EXPOS

Simple, elegant, striking. We discovered a living, computer-generated “universal landscape” that cycled through a virtual night and day

graphic design put across the theme Low a special display on “graphene” – a wonder creating an abundant, sustainable world. Land, High Energy with simplicity and style. material that’s the strongest, thinnest and This show was followed by an exhibit that The highlight was a 3D holographic theatre. most permeable material known to man. included an interactive energy model, video This was a multi-layered visual feast that walls and supporting photo opps. engaged the Expo theme in a way that was USA PAVILION effortless, seamless and memorable. The USA Pavilion was all about hospitality QUAE PAVILION and engagement. After a greeting by a This pavilion was the perfect precursor UK PAVILION friendly ambassador, guests were asked, to the UAE hosting the next world expo in Simple, elegant, striking. As we entered, “What is the source of infinite energy?” Dubai. The country will provide a gracious, we discovered a living, computer-generated An immersive multimedia presentation hospitable welcome. The signature “universal landscape” that cycled through delivered the answer with a blast of experience was an energetic presentation a virtual night and day. At the centre of exhilarating music, acrobatic dancing and about how the UAE is building on its past this landscape was stylised, yurt-inspired a cascade of kinetic images. The source of traditions to provide future generations with structure composed of transparent spokes infinite energy is, of course, us – people! sustainable and stable sources of energy. that illuminated when touched. Then came a Harnessing our ingenuity and innovation gallery of energy innovations in the UK, and can solve the challenges we face in QISRAEL PAVILION A powerful experience can be short and straightforward. The Israel Pavilion featured two simple, well-executed, five-minute show experiences that delighted guests. The first room, Energy Country, was an infinity room that plunged us into all aspects of Israeli culture, powered by alternative forms of energy. The second room, Energy of Creation, presented a live dancer supported by 360º video projections on all four scrim walls and an LED sphere hovering above the stage. This was a dynamic fusion of art, dance, science and technology.

QSINGAPORE PAVILION Small City, Big Ideas. The Singapore Pavilion invited us to step into a giant The USA Pavilion presented a vibrant terrarium, a metaphor for Singapore as experience involving dance and music the Garden City. Here we could linger in this refreshing, entertaining environment

70 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 QARTISTS AND ROBOTS In the Upper Exhibit area of the Arts Pavilion, I enjoyed a fascinating exhibit about how artists and robots were working together to create unique expressions of art. There were entire immersive rooms of art created by robots programmed by artists. Another part of this exhibit featured three robots sketching and drawing an object in real time, using their eye sensor. Each robot saw and drew some- thing different depending on its point of view.

Robot-generated works include the Origin of the World by Miguel Chevalier (top) and Astana Columns by Michael Hansmeyer (left)

and discover exhibits on the specific QMALAYSIA PAVILION ways that the city state is responding to This simple pavilion, done on a budget, the need to create a sustainable energy proved to be very popular with guests. future. This pavilion demonstrated that a Everyone called it the “Butterfly Pavilion”. non-narrative, environmental storytelling The centrepiece was a floor-to-ceiling approach can be successful with a rainforest room. Here we found ourselves sufficiently bold design commitment. twirling amidst thousands of butterflies … and the occasional tiger emerging from the JAPAN PAVILION foliage. The Malaysians were very clever Once again, Japan delivered an about using social media to build the buzz; extraordinary experience with great it was in the top 10 most popular pavilions. narrative power. Zone 1 of the pavilion presented the challenges Japan – and QRUSSIA PAVILION the world – faces in the 21st century This pavilion was well-executed and and beyond. Zone 2 presented a super- quite impressive. Russia chose to focus widescreen immersive show experience its narrative firepower on the story of that reassured us that a bountiful future icebreakers finding energy under the Arctic. of clean energy can be realised by the Russia showcased its technology and wise use of emerging technologies. Zone expertise in finding energy in treacherous 3 invited guests to discover and interact environments to power the near future. with these technologies. I was happy to Visitors sample a VR experience in Guests found themselves under the ice see Morzio and Kiccoio, the mascots from Japan’s pavilion at the Astana Expo and in an ice cave. They were even invited Expo 2005 in Aichi, cavorting here. to touch a giant chunk of Arctic ice.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 71 EXPOS

corn mascot of the Thailand MY TOP TWO Pavilion. The creators of this PAVILIONS pavilion knew the best and only effective way to educate an audience is through light- SOUTH KOREA PAVILION hearted entertainment. We What do I want in an Expo pavilion? moved from a traditional Beauty, engagement, the opportunity to introductory gallery featuring learn through enchantment and meaningful Pa-Lang to a 3D animation interaction. The South Korea Pavilion had theatre highlighting the role all that, and one thing more: love. that agriculture plays in the This pavilion had a beautiful exterior development of sustainable, with lots of activation: very appealing. renewable bioenergy. The The fi rst room was a white-on-white fi nal hall was an Energy animation theatre featuring an artist who Creation Lab, where we found multimedia Magical from beginning to end: drew vignettes from the history of energy presentations, videos and interactives the South Korea Pavilion offered in South Korea. These vignettes then that invited us to explore biomass energy education, enchantment and love

came to life and formed a huge portrait solutions. It also got the social media EVENTPIC PHOTOS: of the nation as a forward-looking energy element right, with one of the more active powerhouse. The second room was the outreach and engagement strategies. This was a big stage for Central Asia and love story. This ingenious theatre featured Kazakhstan used it to its advantage: projection on slits of cloth, facilitating the making friends, infl uencing guests and entrances and exits of live actors. Here EXPO SUCCESS? winning hearts. The friendly ambassadors Astan found his true love, Ara, as they enhanced the experience with never- both discovered how to transform a barren Let’s return to my original question: was ending smiles (and tons of selfi es). landscape into something living and fertile. this Expo successful? My answer is an Many pavilion producers were fellow In the third room, every guest was given a unqualifi ed yes. Why? Because people members of what I call “the class of Expo Samsung mini tablet and invited to create loved this Expo. I saw happy, enthusiastic 2005”. This is the group that produced a “future world of energy”. We roamed a visitors enjoying themselves, and the some of the most memorable pavilions for forest fi lled with “trees of light” as we did people who came to share their expertise the Aichi Japan Expo in 2005. Many of us this. Magical from beginning to end. and learn from others also helped make met again in Shanghai, producing pavilions it a success. The global community came for Expo 2010, and again in 2015 in Milan. THAILAND PAVILION together in a programme of symposiums, I hope we meet again in Dubai in 2020, Who knew that an ear of corn could make engaging in lively discussions about how because expos offer people like us a such an engaging host? Pa-Lang was the to create a sustainable energy future. unique opportunity to make the world a better place. They are defi ant beacons of optimism and courage that exist in a magic space beyond the walls and borders countries erect to fi ght off the rest of the world. In three years, we’ll have another opportunity to “connect minds, create the future” – the theme of the Dubai Expo – with transcendent experiences representing a new, better tomorrow for humanity. O

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Christian Lachel is vice president and executive creative director, BRC Imagination Arts. He has planned, directed and produced award-winning Light-hearted entertainment was pavilions at Expo 2010 Shanghai and Expo key to the Thai pavilion’s success Milan 2015. Astana was his sixth Expo in a creative director/producer role.

72 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Looking to add a new food attraction to your location?

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Subway® is a registered trademark of Subway IP Inc. © 2017 Subway IP Inc. ALTERFACE PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Alterface’s proprietary world of Popcorn Revenge can fi t a wide range of movie-inspired themes

ERRATIC FANTASTIC

Alterface launches Erratic® Ride, the fi rst non-linear, mixed-media, interactive ride on the market, with the fi rst set to open at Walibi in Belgium (C) 2017 ALTERFACE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. lterface Projects, the media- new IP from Alterface, Benoit Cornet, CEO and based attractions manufacturer and trackless Multi founder of Alterface and technologies specialist, Mover vehicles by ETF. has launched a groundbreaking experiences. It’s aimed A and unmatched interactive Gamechanging at space-conscious experience: Erratic® Ride. concept venues and represents It’s the fi rst non-linear, mixed-media “After 16 years of a total solution for ride with dynamic scene changing, where interactive dark ride anyone who wants a true players can determine the sequence of success, including Maus- dark ride experience on a events depending on their ranking and au-Chocolat type rides, we felt limited footprint. preferences. The ride fully immerses and we had to come with a new and truly “The user experience was the starting engages guests with every facet of the gamechanging concept,” says Benoit point and the technical details followed. story. And furthermore, it can be installed Cornet, CEO and founder of We made sure that transitions from one on a relatively small space to Alterface. “The storytelling scene to another are smooth and the achieve a high throughput. capabilities of our show limited footprint has an enhancing rather The fi rst installation of Erratic control technologies, than a limiting impact,” says Cornet. Ride is set for the Compagnie combined with the unique The ride concept is versatile and the des Alpes-owned Walibi, one features of ETF Multi speed, route, rotations and reverse of the largest parks in Mover vehicles, are key movements of the six-person trackless Belgium. Erratic ingredients for this exciting Multi Mover can be specifi ed in the design Ride at Walibi will ride formula. The collective phase and altered at any time. feature Popcorn know-how acquired over no Revenge, a brand fewer than 30 successful Popcorn Revenge installations has allowed the Popcorn Revenge® brings a fl urry of team at Alterface to defi ne projection techniques, video-mapping and this winning concept.” special effects, as already demonstrated in ETF’s Multi Mover The compact Erratic Ride Alterface signature rides around the world. trackless vehicles is the fi rst member of a new Combined with a unique touch of complete the ride family of visitor-centric “choreography” usually only found in much

74 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 “Alterface’s new ride generation is refreshing and innovative. Erratic Ride will, without any doubt, be a great addition to our park. Based on Alterface’s track record and the quality of our relationship, we trust them to deliver our visitors an experience that will be immediate, simple, playful and extremely effective” – Jean-Christophe Parent, CEO, Walibi Belgium

KEY POINTS

Q dynamic scene changing Q fully immersive (C) 2017 ALTERFACE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Q small footprint Q high throughput ABOUT ALTERFACE Q six-person vehicles Q true dark-ride experience Founded in 2001 and headquartered Q affordable price point in Belgium, Alterface Projects operates Q supports any IP, including globally with offi ces in the US and Alterface’s Popcorn Revenge China. Together with a worldwide network of partners, the Alterface team develops turnkey interactive attractions for dark rides, including spinning and duelling theatres and walkthroughs. Projection mapping and cutting-edge Alterface champions the market with special effects bring each scene to life advanced technologies, including their in Alterface’s Erratic Ride experience patented interactive show control system Salto, multi-user and device-free larger projects, it’s an ideal IP for parks of it can be easily installed at any park or pointing solutions, as well as creative any size and visitors of any age. Alterface indoor location,” says Cornet. “Popcorn mixed-media ride concepts. has designed a series of characters that Revenge’s theme is universal and Alterface clients include Phantasialand, can fi t each movie theme. From suitable for guests both Six Flags, Legoland Discovery Centres, pirate to space themes, young and old, but we can Carowinds, Ferrari World, IMG, Lotte from horror to magic to implement any other IP or World, Yumiyuriland, Hub Zero, Comics superhero themes, there character of choice. Station Antwerp and many more. are endless possibilities. “With this world-class “Erratic Ride is the perfect yet affordable ride, Alterface example of a next-generation demonstrates once again its attraction that offers a more commitment to developing dynamic and coherent innovative concepts to offer media experience. Needing clients the best possible www.alterface.com a relatively small footprint, rides at their venue.” O

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 75 TOP TEAM

GOOD REEF!

The all-new Cairns Aquarium marks the fi rst marine attraction to open in Australia in 18 years. The team behind the project share their stories

fter a number of construction setbacks, the A$54m ($42m, $32m, €37m) Cairns Aquarium fi nally opened A its doors in September, in Cairns, Australia. The three-storey, 10,000sqm (107,600sq ft) development mainly houses animals endemic to the local region. As a world-class tourist attraction and reef research centre, and Australia’s fi rst new public aquarium in 18 years, it is the only facility in the world devoted to exclusively showcasing marine and plant life of the adjoining Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest UNESCO World Heritage protected areas.

AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Visitors to the new Cairns Aquarium can get up close with many of the region’s rare, unusual, and sometimes deadly marine creatures

environmentally conscious practices Visitors follow the path JULIE CULLEN into our daily operations and convey a fundamental message of conservation. of a drop of rain from General manager If we’re to protect these amazing Cairns Aquarium ecosystems and their wildlife for future generations, we must fi rst understand the mountains to the them. The aquarium has dedicated research and development programmes creeks to the billabongs How did the project come about? that help us learn more about The privately-funded project is the extraordinary diversity of and mangroves and to the vision of the company animals and plants, how they directors, Daniel Leipnik interact and the impacts and Andrew Preston, of the many changes the Great Barrier Reef who visited the region on and pressures currently holiday and saw people experienced by these who went to the reef natural systems. The How many staff are you employing? yet didn’t enter the water outcomes of the research We’ll employ 130 when fully operational. because they couldn’t swim, will play a signifi cant role in were frightened of stingers or educating the community about Can you describe the visitor experience? were out of their comfort zone. their natural environment and how to The magic truly begins as visitors follow The entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to conserve, appreciate and enjoy it. the path of a drop of rain as it travels from bring the Great Barrier Reef to them. Their the rainforest-clad mountain range, joining love of animals and desire to contribute to Who do you expect to visit? creeks and streams that fl ow through the the conservation of regional wildlife was the The target audience includes local and tropical rainforest, across the fl ooded impetus to undertake this project. domestic visitors, as well as international plains and billabongs into the mangroves visitors who are predominantly Chinese, and the Great Barrier Reef before entering What are the aims of the new aquarium? Japanese and American. Visitation is its fi nal destination, the Coral Sea. We aim to foster a culture of sustainability forecast at 720,000 people per annum. Ten North Queensland ecosystems that supports the conservation goals of and 71 habitats have been meticulously the organisation and the greater public, How big is the attraction? researched and replicated throughout the while building a legacy of environmental The building itself is over 11.5 metres in aquarium to ensure that visitors will enjoy stewardship for the Wet Tropics and height, 90 metres in length and 40 metres an immersive journey where they’ll see ecosystems worldwide. Cairns Aquarium in width. Over 15,000 animals, fi sh, plants some of the most elusive animals on earth. is also committed to development and and other organisms will be housed in implementation of policies, partnerships a two-level journey that will take visitors What is the length of stay? and other programmes that integrate through all the habitats of the Wet Tropics. It’s about two and a half hours.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 77 TOP TEAM

Which exhibits do visitors see? One of the most mesmerising attractions The aquarium features different Wet Tropics zones is the 300,000-litre Deep Reef exhibit, that tackle reefs, rainforests, rivers and mangroves the fi rst of its kind in Australia and one of only three in the world. This 10x8.5-metre exhibit replicates the reef dropoff, providing The Deep Reef exhibit replicates the reef dropoff , a a view of this beautiful ecosystem and the diverse marine creatures that call it view normally only seen by scuba divers far off shore home – a view normally only seen by highly experienced scuba divers far offshore. Our 1.5-million-litre Oceanarium is home Regular daily talks by our passionate Our research arm will conduct vital R&D to scalloped hammerhead sharks and and knowledgeable staff outline the in species preservation and repopulation, large predators. The River Monsters exhibit behaviours of the creatures and inspire the aquaculture reproductive biotechnology houses the highly endangered sawfi sh desire to conserve these natural assets. development, and collaborations with and other weird freshwater creatures. The industry partners to explore clean energy Tropical Rainforest features snakes, lizards, Will you be WAZA accredited? technologies in marine environments. frogs, spiders and some of the biggest and Yes. meanest rainforest giants. Will you off er any special programming? Life in the Mangroves hosts fi sh that live What are the food and retail off ers? Back-of-house tours allow visitors to see out of water, fi ghting crabs, baby crocodiles, Aqualuna, a 220-seat contemporary Italian how we take care of the animals. Choices sharks and rays, while Dangers of the Reef restaurant, has a 70,000-litre shark exhibit include a Turtle Rehabilitation Tour or a features species that can be fatal, such as inside the restaurant. Tropical Treasures Behind the Scenes Tour of the aquarium stone fi sh, sea snakes, lionfi sh and jellyfi sh. Gift Store stocks a variety of local goods. operations. For the ultimate experience, Touch and Talk exhibits offer visitors of there’s an access-all-areas tour with a all ages the ability to touch creatures such What learning opportunities are there? personal guide and seven-course dinner. as blue sea stars, sea cucumbers and Education programmes tailored to the Shark Sleepovers offer the chance to lizards supervised by a trained aquarist. Australian curriculum will be available. spend the night in the Oceanarium.

also terrestrial species on display, such as BRADLEY DOHNT rainforest reptiles, amphibians and insects. Assistant curator Why did you choose endemic animals? Cairns Aquarium There are very few locations in the world where a zoo or aquarium could develop a world- class aquarium using only species endemic to their region. Cairns How many tanks are there Aquarium is located in one There are over 70 different habitats and what size are they? of the most biodiverse represented at Cairns Aquarium There are 71 tanks and they regions in the world, and vary in size from 1,000 given our commitment to What do you want visitors to learn? litres to 1.5 million litres. conserving these amazing To understand how unique this region species we have chosen is in terms of species diversity, how our What variety of marine to exclusively showcase activities are impacting them, and why it’s life will be on display? the fi sh, animals, plants important to protect them for the future. The marine life is and habitats of the only representative of the freshwater two adjoining World Heritage What are the conservation messages? and marine environments of protected areas: the Great Barrier The primary messages are linked to the Tropical North Queensland, including Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. protection of the diversity of species and species found in the streams and rivers, their habitats in the region. These are fl ooded billabongs and waterways, Are the exhibits themed in a special way? delivered via interpretive signage and mangroves, intertidal reef zones, the Great The exhibits are designed to look as close during daily presentations and education Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. There are to the natural environment as possible. programmes conducted by trained staff.

78 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 NICK LAWSON Associate director Arterial Design

How did you approach this project? Initial research on all key creatures and their habitats is paramount in ensuring a design response that is not normally available in What wayfinding is used? bespoke to a site. From an indoor attraction while There are 280 educational, interpretive, this research, behavioural focused light directs attention and interactive signs. These are a mix of and physical attributes of to key theming and tanks. species identification signs, zonal specific animals can be translated into educational signs and wayfinding signage. interpretation points, ensuring all What interactives are used? theming clearly displays natural elements The concept behind Cairns Aquarium was What’s the highlight of the experience? specific to the zone we wish to replicate to be relatively low tech, with a focus The highlight of the experience is the in the aquarium. For Cairns Aquarium, on real tactile and visual experiences. 10-metre-high Deep Reef exhibit, which research focused on the far north habitats, Interactive learning is driven through is designed to showcase the aquatic including the reef, and key creatures such person-to-person education and talks. biodiversity that lives over the reef dropoff. as the sawfish and sharks. Touch tanks and educational open-top Another enjoyable highlight is the tanks drive this hands-on approach. Oceanarium with multiple viewing windows What did you want to achieve? on all sides and underwater tunnels where The key objective was to hero the animals What theming is used? ocean predators are visible. within their natural environment. The Sculpted trees, rock and artificial foliage For children, two stand-out experiences architecture reflects this, with large viewing feature throughout the attraction, are the turtle tunnel viewing experience windows into each exhibit. Exhibit and interspersed with feature lighting, graphic and the coastal zone marine touch tank. theming design works with the architecture interpretation and large-scale photography. to ensure each animal is the main focus Natural elements such as timber and What do you want visitors to take away? but is displayed in an ultra-realistic plants were used where possible. We hope that visitors come away having environment. The visitor experience plays enjoyed themselves in an immersive on scale and detail, revealing elements The key objective aquatic wonderland adventure. We hope within the natural environment that they they learn about the species, habitats may not physically experience in the wild. was to hero the and ecosystems found within the Great Barrier Reef and the adjacent rainforests Can you describe the look and feel? of Tropical North Queensland. Through Visitors enter a highly immersive, realistic animals within their this interaction, we hope that people depiction of the Far North Queensland will develop a sense of care and respect natural environment. Wide corridors and natural environment for the environment and the amazing tall ceilings provide a sense of open space biodiversity found within the region.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 79 TOP TEAM Peddle Thorp designed the new aquarium

The concept for

the façade is a

series of tectonic

plates reflecting

the movement in

the Earth’s crust

of the building and weaving through the stages of completing the structure, was to ESAD DAUTOVIC various exhibits before arriving at the final keep construction going around the open showstopper exhibit, the main Oceanarium. penetrations. We couldn’t seal the building Project leader structure until all the panels arrived and Peddle Thorp Architects What were the challenges? were dropped in to position. Cairns is known for short, heavy bursts of rainfall so the roof needed super-sized Safety is obviously a huge element. How gutters, downpipes and water collection do you incorporate this into the design? Please describe your design. points. This was challenge during A building of this type has an avalanche Our primary vision was to construction as the pipes had of back-of-house areas that contain life provide a modern facility to be navigated through the support services, equipment, water storage, for aquarium exhibits with building, over, through and filtration, etc, that maintains water quality an educative journey and around exhibits. for the animals. A lot of these spaces are global environmental The acrylic viewing confined yet need access so we had to message. We followed the panels were manufactured incorporate access points, ladders, safety best sustainable design in Rome, Italy, and shipped harness points, handrails and balustrades practices, such as using out to Australia in full-size so that the aquarists are able to safely and controlled natural light, carefully pieces, some of which were up adequately access where needed. selected building materials, and to 9 metres in height and weighing efficient use and re-use of water. tonnes. We needed to get the panels into You’ve designed aquariums before. What A simple material palette of steel, the building once they arrived on site, so approach do you take to this form? coloured glass, white polished concrete we kept vertical penetrations, like specific The approach always begins with the façade cladding and natural decorative and drop zones, at various points of the space you are given to work with, the client structural timbers allows the exhibits to structure to lower the panels in to position. brief in terms of which specific exhibits be the main focus of what we would call a The challenge with this, as the main acrylic are required and then the journey through “natural history” experience in Cairns. panels weren’t arriving towards the final for the visitor. Having the knowledge of allocating spaces for back-of-house What was the inspiration? services/spaces required for an aquarium Our design approach does not reference is also a benefit during conceptual work. international building typologies, but rather In addition, Cairns Aquarium is located envisages a contemporary Australian at the doorstep of the world’s largest Coral architecture. We chose to differentiate our Reef so the experience here needed to design from the surrounding building stock complement this amazing natural wonder. of generally hotel and motel typologies. The building’s external fabric is partially What do you like most about the building? transparent, allowing passersby a glimpse We measure the success of our aquarium inside. The concept for the façade is a projects in the smile of a child; the first series of tectonic plates reflecting the time they look a shark in the eye or watch movement in the Earth’s crust. Fissures the majesty of a stingray glide overhead. between the plates offer a glimpse into the We expect the experience to highlight the land, vegetation and water exhibits within. exhibits and we intentionally made the On entry, visitors are immediately spaces dark so as to not compete with the immersed into a major exhibit, the displays. The building externally, particularly Rainforest, with sights and sound. The Tall, wide viewing panels help create the front elevation, provides a sneak journey spaces are broken up into a a deeper sense of immersion peak of what may be inside, but has been number of sections starting at one end designed to not give too much away. O

80 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 WESTGATE TOWN CENTER RESORT | KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA, USA

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©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 81 THEMED DESIGN MAKING SENSE

Experience designers need to appeal to all of the audience’s senses. Three industry experts – Joel Beckerman, Gordon Grice and Scott A Lukas – share their thoughts on eff ective multi-sensory design

ost of us are happy to be just looking and listening. You might be reading this article on a train, with your earbuds in, or on the beach, comforted by the sound of waves, or in a café with soft music playing in the background. M But in every case, important sensory information has not been accounted for. What about the bump-bump-bump and abrupt swaying of the carriage, the feeling of warm sun on your back, the aroma and taste of strong coffee? It takes all of these sensations to make up a complete experience. This is why, as designers, we spend time tasting, smelling, touching, listening, looking – and observing. We want the environments we create to be complete environments. Joel Beckerman is a composer, producer, and founder of Man Made Music, a sonic branding trying to complete or reinforce a sensory studio, and author of The Sonic Follow the nose experience. The main objective is to Boom: How Sound Transforms the get all of the senses working together Way We Think, Feel and Buy. We have probably all had Marcel Proust in the same direction. By providing an moments, when we encounter an aromatic element, we are adding an unexpectedly familiar aroma that suddenly emotional connection and an element of transports us back to another time and memorability, reinforcing the visual, the place. Pretty soon, associated visual and auditory and the tactile, to create a total aural memories also appear, creating experience and to enhance what some an experience that can be strongly have called “environmental authenticity”. emotional. When we design entertainment environments, we are really trying to accomplish the same thing: to provide a memorable emotional Gordon Grice is an architect, experience by removing visitors from writer, editor, illustrator, and the here and now and transporting creative director at FORREC, them to another time and place, with based in Toronto, Canada. the aid of sensory design elements. Given how effi cient it is, why isn’t olfactory stimulus used all the time? The main reason is that stimuli don’t affect everybody in the same way. Smell memory is personal, as well as regional and cultural; an aroma that appeals to some people might easily disgust other people. It’s easy to miscalculate. When we use smells as a design Scott A Lukas is a researcher, tool, we’re not trying to create anthropologist, YouTube everyone’s favourite aroma; we’re documentarian, former theme park trainer, and author, who specialises in immersive worlds, Bombay Sapphire Distillery has a theming and cultural remaking. botanical dry room where guests uncover various aromas and fl avours

82 attractionsmanagement.com Punch Drunk’s Sleep No More, playing in Shanghai, China, PHOTO: YUAN STUDIO offers a masterclass in multisensory audience immersion

Five things to remember about SMELL

1. Human beings have a much more memories are not subject to retroactive discerning sense of smell than was interference – being disturbed or previously believed. According to recent altered by memories acquired later. research, we are able to distinguish 4. Since smell memories are personal, millions of different scents. designers should use aromas carefully 2. Smell memory is most strongly and appropriately to reinforce other associated with early childhood, since sensory stimuli. Note that not all smell it peaks at around the age of five. As a memories are positive ones. result, many of these memories recall 5. Smell memories are directly connected warm and pleasant experiences. to the limbic system, the part of the 3. Unlike most memories, smell brain that generates emotions.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 83 THEMED DESIGN

Stay in touch When reaching the top of a coaster, proprioception The other sense with a large emotional kicks in, which is like an component is the sense of touch – more inner sense of touch accurately, the somatosensory system. We sometimes say we are “touched” by something, when it stirs our emotions. There are several reasons for this tactile- emotional connection. First, our other senses deal with discrete, measurable things, such as sound and light waves and airborne molecules, but our sense of touch connects us directly to our environment and involves the whole body. A second emotional connection occurs because our brain has two pathways for processing touch information: a sensory pathway that gives us the facts of the encounter – texture, temperature, pressure – and a social-emotional neural pathway that draws on our sense memory to tell us Five things to how we should “feel” about what we feel. remember about TOUCH A third reason, of special importance to entertainment designers, is that our sense of touch doesn’t only connect us to 1. How we feel can affect what we the outside world, it also monitors what feel. Certain kinds of touch, such is going on inside our bodies. This inner as temperature, moisture or human sense of touch is called proprioception. It’s contact, might be soothing in a the mechanism that sets off alarms when comfortable environment, but we lose equilibrium or orientation, for may be upsetting for people in an example, when we reach the top uncomfortable environment. of a coaster lift and start to 2. When we can’t see, our first recourse hurtle downwards. is to touch. Moving through a dimly lit or darkened space, we often rely on our hands and feet to guide us. 3. Touch is internal as well as external. Discomfort in our internal sensory perception (proprioception) is a powerful tool in the hands of entertainment designers. 4. Textures should be felt, not just seen. Don’t forget, that can involve the feet, the hands, and the skin. 5. Temperature (thermoreception) and moisture add to the tactile experience. Temperature gradients, mists and sprays can be used to create richer experiences.

Touch is used to LEWIS DANIEL PHOTO: unnerve passengers on Derren Brown’s Ghost Train at Thorpe Park

84 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Looks are everything distinctive about the space with the brand, Five things to contexts or services that it provides. remember about VISION In some ways, we could say that visual The visual sense is often the first of the stimuli may overwhelm a guest in terms of PHOTO: EDWARD TIAN senses that a guest experiences when the senses. As a designer, imagine if your 1. Visual perception of a space – for entering a space. Amusement parks, since guests focus primarily on visual cues that better or for worse – may be the the days of Coney Island and Luna Park, you have created, thus minimising all of first thing that a guest notices in the have relied on dramatic visual stimuli to the other sensory designs that you have space, so you may wish to enhance establish the foundations of a space. offered. Perhaps for this reason, we have this perception through effective The “look” of a space – whether witnessed an increased popularity of “dark use of the other senses. approached through sightlines, colour, restaurants”, venues where guests eat in 2. Visual clues can lead to other texture, depth, montage, juxtaposition, etc total darkness, requiring them to rely on sensory experiences (textures are – allows the guest to associate what is the senses of taste, smell and touch. often visible, aromas should have an identifiable source, etc). 3. Static space may be boring for a guest, so consider the use of movement, change and fluctuation as part of a more immersive sensory setting. 4. Mood boards – quick visual representations of the moods associated with a space – may be an effective way to approach the visual design of a space. Note that creative written descriptions can help weave together the visual, auditory, haptic and olfactory. 5. Vision is a “cold” sense, as in “look but don’t touch,” thus it is incumbent on the designer to enhance vision with other sensory cues.

Guests exit the dining room after experiencing a meal in pitch darkness at Dans Le Noir? (inset); Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay is rich in visual stimuli

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Matters of taste architects and designers, the concern, Alinea in Chicago, Illinois, combine taste typically, is how taste may be used to create “tricks” with other sensory experiences memorable and immersive experiences in for guests. British chef and restaurateur There are five basic tastes that we combination with the other senses. Heston Blumenthal is similarly celebrated recognise: sweet, sour, salt, bitter and A clear challenge of such design relates for a highly experimental approach – for umami (a savoury or meaty taste). Taste is to the subjective nature of the human example, creating a sense of theatre by closely connected to flavour, which draws sense of taste. One guest may really cooking with liquid nitrogen at the table. heavily on the sense of smell. enjoy sweet foods, while another will have Taste is a challenging sense to deploy as Scientists who study taste often focus a different preference. Contemporary it often relies on an immediate, localised on the chemical issues of foods and culinary spaces, like the three-Michelin experience. We can hear sounds from a other substances that we ingest, but for star molecular gastronomy restaurant distance, but the same is not true for taste.

Five things to remember about TASTE

1. Taste is a subjective sense, so it is important to consider design elements that will balance unpleasant with pleasant taste. 2. As with the other senses, it is valuable to play off of other sensory capabilities, such as smell, so the experience can be heightened. 3. Taste is impacted by atmosphere – foods may taste better in the designed space. It’s more common that the environmental experience enhances the gustatory experience, rather than the other way around. 4. Memory and nostalgia may impact the guest ’s experiences with taste. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK 5. Culture, lifestyle backgrounds, and Experiments have shown people expectations impact perceptions experienced different flavours about taste, so it is good to consider when drinking the same wine in these as you design a space. different coloured environments

Hear, hear! But this is an unfortunate misstep. we hear. No matter how compelling visual Of the five senses, our brains react to or tactile experiences may be, if something sound the fastest, making it the defacto doesn’t sound right, especially in the spatial Sound, too, is a frequently overlooked and organiser. With the emergence of new dimension, the brain won’t truly be fooled. underleveraged sense. All too often sound forms of immersive entertainment, both and music aren’t considered at the onset in physical spaces and hybrid experiences Five things to of an experience, but are brought into the inclusive of VR, AR and beyond, integrated fold too late in the process, tacked on so 3D positional soundscapes can be a remember about SOUND as merely to check a box. powerful tool to complete an illusion and transport audiences 1. You must consider the higher role in an instant. With these new of sound during the concept stage, PHOTO: TORBJORN CALVERO © PREMIUM ROCKSHOT technologies, sound can be key or opportunities are lost. to driving narrative attention and 2. It’s not about the sound, it’s giving visitors the illusion of an about the cohesive multisensory infinite decision tree of options. experience we are creating. Our brains are wired to discern 3. Silence is our design “white space” a situation based on the sound and makes the experience stronger. 4. Sound is the organiser of the senses – it’s the key to a first impression. An upcoming ABBA exhibition 5. Cacophony breeds confusion. Sound will use musical soundscapes is the hidden driver of narrative focus.

86 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Five tips on the overall use of the senses in design: Hopscotch was a live opera staged to guests in 24 vehicles 1. Start with the experience and build across Los Angeles. The public the forms and spaces around it. could watch on big screens Construct the experience on what the sensations of the guest in the space will be like. a space. This is the challenge in terms 2. Think multisensory. Use a mix of the Combining the Senses of creating a holistic, immersive space in senses and synesthetic potentials to which each of the senses is integrated enhance the experience of a space. We should note that the senses should seamlessly for the guest. 3. Present experientially when never be considered in isolation. Designers There are architects who will argue that you’re recording and pitching and psychologists alike are aware of any intentional sensory stimulation, other your ideas. Make sure you stress synesthesia, or the idea of one sense than visual, is a betrayal of architectural the importance of non-visual (ie, impacting and causing an effect in another principles. The visual sense is by far absent from your drawings and of the senses. As we think about effective the most important and it is this sense models) sensory components. sensory design, we should try to leverage that has guided architectural design and 4. Consider distinctiveness. Sound can the power of one sense to impact another, experience since its very beginnings. But an be a true differentiator between with the overall effect being the greater increasing number of architects, not all of a fun experience and a truly immersion of the guest in the space. them involved in entertainment design, feel immersive environment. Audiences People do not differentiate each of the that the neglect of sensory design is the aren’t easily fooled, but sound is the sensory elements that they experience in neglect of the complete (user) experience. most economical way to guarantee that their brains will believe what they see (or rather what they hear). 5. Focus on immersion. While it may not be necessary to include all of Multisensory tasting the senses in your spatial design, rooms at Cité du Vin, consider using those that are a new wine museum appropriate in ways that will better in Bordeaux, France immerse the guest in the space.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 87 IDEATTACK PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

FAIRYTALE ENDING

IDEATTACK announces an exclusive deal with Chinese developer Evergrande Group to bring its gamechanging Fairytale Theme Parks to cities across the mainland

DEATTACK, a global leader in tourism the diverse variety of fairy stories, myths and leisure destinations, has partnered and legends from across the world. PROJECT DETAIL with Evergrande Tourism Group as its The newly announced deal comprises exclusive designer, planner, attraction the development of a new theme park Name: The Fairytale Experience Park producer and general contractor. brand, Evergrande Fairytale Theme Park, Locations: Various sites in China I Size: The location-based entertainment and the construction of up to six parks 60 hectares design expert has been working with located at different locations in China. Client: Evergrande Group Evergrande, one of China’s biggest Evergrande Fairytale Theme IDEATTACK role: Exclusive design, developers, on a park design envisioned as Park is envisioned as a top-quality planning and production partner a one-of-a-kind destination that celebrates entertainment destination featuring

more than cutting-edge attractions, including immersive multimedia rides and theatres, across six specially themed zones: Splendid China, Magical Europe, Mysterious Kingdom, Adventure South America, Surfing Sea and Space Travel. Each zone and every ride has its own unique story to make it truly outstanding. With its highly-themed architecture, ride and show experiences and dining and retail offering, Evergrande Fairytale Theme Park is on track to be a gamechanger in China’s theme park industry in several key ways:

Evergrande representatives and IDEATTACK’s Dan Thomas announce their theme park plans at a ceremony

88 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Fairytale Theme Park includes the Brilliant China zone (opposite) and themes from around the world

QBy breaking the quality gap between “Each zone and ride domestic Chinese theme parks and ABOUT IDEATTACK established overseas brands; Evergrande Fairytale Theme Park is set to meet or IDEATTACK brings architecture and has its own unique exceed world’s top theme park brands entertainment design together to QBy breaking the trend of developing create large-scale, mixed-use leisure story to make it high-quality leisure projects of this type tourism projects with the wow factor. only in a few major cities; Evergrande Founded in 2004 by Natasha Varnica truly outstanding” Fairytale Theme Park is bringing the high- and Dan Thomas, the Los Angeles- end experience to the whole of China based fi rm creates original, profi table, QBy employing Chinese themes, stories, high-quality attractions on a realistic From an operational point of view, the myths and legends in over one-third of budget. The holistic service includes all theme parks are set to be fully open attractions and high-tech experiential rides stages of project development, from year-round, regardless of season, climate and shows; Evergrande Fairytale Theme masterplanning to concept and brand or weather. This is possible as visitors Park’s largest themed zone will be Brilliant design to construction supervision. will have the choice of circulating both China Zone, featuring exclusively Chinese outdoors –through lush themed landscape stories, characters and atmosphere environments – or staying entirely indoors, QBy providing local residents a true moving through the interconnecting escape form everyday life to a one-of-a- corridors, which are dotted with speciality kind leisure paradise: Evergrande Fairytale retail and exciting dining options. Theme Park will feature ultimate fantasy Upon completion of Evergrande Fairytale environments, with elaborate, original Theme Parks, China will at last have its buildings and façades, unseen elsewhere, own formidable theme park brand that to create a completely immersive will offer its citizens an original domestic experience for visitors and their families leisure experience product. We hope that The stories told in the attractions Evergrande Fairytale Theme Park projects will correspond to the narrative of each will inspire the theme park industry in themed land and will be created by chosen IDEATTACK CEO Natasha Varnica China and set the a higher bar for the industry professionals already proven in and president Dan Thomas level of expectation and quality for future the creation of the world’s top attractions. tourism and entertainment projects. O

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 89 GALLERIES Museum MACAN is located inside a multipurpose building which incluces offi ces, apartments, a hotel and shops. Some of the revenues from the development will go towards operating the gallery

MACAN IMPRESSION

Jakarta’s fi rst major modern art museum curatorial manager of Asian and Pacifi c opens its doors in Jakarta, Art at QAGOMA (Queensland Art Gallery contemporary art Indonesia, on 4 November, to & Gallery of Modern Art) in Brisbane. I museum promotes engage the city and promote its mention the two to illustrate a versatility. A burgeoning art sector. One was a small nonprofi t that directly Indonesian and The passion project of connected with artists and communities; Indonesian business tycoon, philanthropist the other was a large state collection with Southeast Asian artists and collector Haryanto Adikoesoemo, the one of the most signifi cant collections of and engages with the multi-million-dollar Museum MACAN contemporary Asian and Pacifi c art and – which stands for Modern and the host of the Asia Pacifi c Triennial. global art community. Contemporary Art in Nusantara, These experiences have given and is also the Indonesian word me a sensitivity to the important Museum MACAN for tiger – will house 800 works role that programming plays director Aaron Seeto of modern and contemporary art. when engaging with different We asked museum director communities. What I bring to told Alice Davis Aaron Seeto about the project. Museum MACAN from these experiences is a broad about the project How is your previous and global view of how career experience important Indonesia helping you in your role and this region is to at the new museum? the world art scene. There are two major roles that I held before coming to MACAN last year which have Aaron Seeto informed my experience: champions art director of 4A Centre from Indonesia for Contemporary Art in and Asia Pacifi c Sydney, Australia, and

90 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 ALL PHOTOS COURTESY MUSEUM MACAN AND THE ARTISTS THE AND MACAN MUSEUM COURTESY PHOTOS ALL Why is the role important to you? The museum’s mission to provide an international platform for the art of our Performance artist region, its commitment to education and Reza Afi sina during to creating public accessible art really a First Sight event resonates with me. I couldn’t pass up the at MACAN in August opportunity to be a part of it.

Can you describe the location? The Kebon Jeruk neighbourhood in West Jakarta is up and coming, with many interesting new restaurants, cafés and other community spaces, but most importantly, it is the area of Jakarta with the highest concentration of schools. Our location grants students access to the educational resources of a museum, which is an integral part of MACAN’s overall commitment to education and accessibility.

What can MACAN bring to the area? a signifi cant collection of modern and and interest in the region with opportunities As mentioned, one of the museum’s core contemporary art and currently houses for reciprocal cultural exchange. missions is education and our location over 800 artworks. Besides temporary is close to many schools. MACAN hosts exhibitions, the museum also holds regular What diff erent areas are in the gallery? school visits with dedicated tours for art events to further encourage interaction The new building offers approximately children, as well as boasting a Children’s between the art and the public. 4,000 square metres (43,000 square feet) Art Space. Its fi rst site-specifi c commission of space. The museum features about is with the leading Indonesian What else comprises 2,000 square metres (21,528 square artist Entang Wiharso. MACAN’s mission? feet) of exhibition galleries, which include The museum aims to There is an increased curatorial two areas specially reinforced for large- provide public access to attention on Indonesia and scale commissions of new work. Besides, Southeast Asia from our there is the Children’s Art Space, featuring Part of Entang Wiharso’s colleagues around the world. interactive and educative commissions plexiglass installation for We hope the museum will designed specifi cally for children. The the Children’s Art Space help to facilitate knowledge museum also has a 500-square-metre

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 91 GALLERIES

Staging a three-hour art performance, Indonesian artist Reza Afisina is one of the artists partcipating in the First Sight series

WE HAVE TRAINED VISITOR SERVICES STAFF TO GUIDE FIRST-TIME VISITORS IN THE MUSEUM, AND PROVIDE A PLATFORM TO ENCOURAGE QUESTIONS AND EXPERIENCES FOR THOSE NEW TO ART ALL PHOTOS COURTESY MUSEUM MACAN AND THE ARTISTS THE AND MACAN MUSEUM COURTESY PHOTOS ALL (5,382 square foot) indoor sculpture experience new ideas told through the Indonesian artists, including Raden Saleh, garden, a designated education zone, AV history of art. We have trained visitor S. Sudjojono, Affandi, Lee Man Fong, Heri room, café/restaurant and retail store. services staff to guide first-time visitors Dono, FX Harsono, Agus Suwage, Christine in the museum, and provide a platform to Ay Tjoe and Handiwirman Saputra. How does the design by MET Studio encourage questions and experiences for In addition to a focus on Indonesia, represent Museum MACAN? those new to art. Both one-time admission the collection includes modern and MET Studio has over 30 years of tickets and membership programs will be contemporary work from across the greater experience in planning, designing and available, with details on the website. Asian region, and around the world. This delivering museums and other projects In our inaugural exhibition – Art Turns. includes key regional artists Fernando across 50 countries, with a focus on World Turns. Exploring the Collection of Cueto Amorsolo, Sanyu, Yang Maolin and creating environments that connect directly Museum MACAN – approximately 90 Wu Guanzhong; and renowned international to their audience. Their vision for Museum century-defining works are on display. artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, MACAN responds to the cultural landscape The spacious exhibition rooms encourage Anish Kapoor, Gerhard Richter, Banksy, Andy of Jakarta and Indonesia and reflects our visitors to take time to reflect on the works. Warhol, Jean Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons, mission to create an engaging and open Ed Ruscha, Keith Haring, David Hockney, educational experience with art for visitors. What is on display and what type of Frank Stella, Antoni Tapies, to name a few. works make up the permanent collection? What is the visitor journey like? Art Turns. World Turns. is a snapshot of How have the works been acquired? The museum has been designed to 90 artworks from our growing permanent The collection has been developed by our present exhibitions, but also to encourage collection. This selection, which sees founder, Haryanto Adikoesoemo, since the social interaction with a café, shop and Indonesia as its foundation, branches off 1990s and is continuously growing through other public spaces. We hope that our into conversations that draw in artists acquisitions and commissions. We believe visitors see the museum as a place to from around the world. As curators it’s important to show formative works that Charles Esche and Agung Hujatnika are crucial to Indonesian societal history. remark, the strategy has been to explore the resonances between national How many visitors do you expect? discourses as they emerge in Indonesia We can’t precisely gauge our annual and global connectedness as it has been visitation, but we’ve been very happy with experienced since the late 20th century. the constant media coverage and buzz Almost half of the collection is devoted throughout the months before the opening, to modern and contemporary work by especially after the two First Sight preview events held in August and September. And to cater to both local and international visitors, all our guides are presented in both Bahasa Indonesia and English. A series of events is being held ahead of the official How are you using technology? opening to kickstart the While education is a defining mission of conversation between the museum, we are focusing on human artists and the public interactions to guide visitors when visiting

92 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 25 years Flying Theater Screen at Studio City Macau (CN) Flying Theater

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the exhibitions and events. We have a Tisna Sanjaya at work; comprehensive range of guides, including Visitors take part in one dedicated for children, to help put the Yin Xiuzhen’s outdoor exhibitions and events into context. installation (right) What was the budget of the museum? We’re not currently sharing details about the budget for the new museum. The design THE MUSEUM WANTS TO ENCOURAGE ARTISTS’ and construction of our new museum building has been fully funded. The CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT FROM WHEN THEY museum will be seeking additional support ARE YOUNG TO WHEN THEY ARE ESTABLISHED for MACAN’s operations, programming and endowment to ensure the museum’s stability and growth into the future. political, especially during the struggles encourage artists’ conceptual development for independence in the mid-20th century, from when they are young to when they are What is the status of Indonesia’s which establishes so much of the established, and to assist in expanding contemporary art scene? subsequent art history dialogue. Now, artists’ peer networks through connections When we look at the history of art in however, the current external observation of with other artists around the globe. Indonesia, the relationship between artist the Indonesian scene is probably skewed studio, critical discourse and marketplace towards the marketplace – Indonesia has Why was it important to include have been intertwined. What our inaugural gone through an impressive boom. Artists international artists? exhibition – Art Turns. World Turns. – and collectors are highly visible. The importance is reflected in Art Turns. illustrates is the important role that Having said all this, even though World Turns. The exhibition explores 178 artistic discourse has had alongside the Indonesia has great artists and collectors years of dialogue between Indonesia and a strong scene, it has lacked and the rest of the world. As co-curator infrastructure and this is where we see Charles Esche says: “Audiences can Museum MACAN playing an important role. discover both common interests and individual ideas by artists who have made How will MACAN champion a strong and lasting impact on the history the country’s artists? of art and culture over the decades.” Museum MACAN is an international We also live in a world where our museum, which has its base in Indonesia, conversations and interactions are global representing the best of global and – including international artists as a national artists. We are keen to support reflection of our international outlook. Indonesian artists through collecting their work, creating exhibitions, and also How do you imagine developing the through providing discussions and context museum going into the future? for them to see their activities within With our main programmes to promote art broader international conversations. education and foster long-term exchanges The museum will also publish, with the international art world, we hope to commission and share information through develop appreciation for art in Indonesia, our international networks. This is an provide a platform for Indonesian art in MACAN will display art by FX Harsono, important responsibility that the museum the international level, as well as growing one of Indonesia’s leading visual artists, wants to take up, with the support of the a professional environment and human greater art ecosystem here, to further resources for art in Indonesia. O

94 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 nWave Booth #1066 November 13-17, 2017

Page Attractions management.indd 1 31/08/17 09:42 PLANETARIUMS TEN OUT OF TEN

A historic planetarium in Canada is set to become the fi rst to offer visitors a super-high 10K resolution experience. We found out more

Alice Davis, managing editor, Attractions Management

dmonton’s Telus World of was a cool projector Frank Florian is the Science in Alberta, Canada, and created nice- director of planetarium is about to enter the next looking star fi elds, this and space sciences phase of its Aurora Project new planetarium will E – the year-long construction showcase a state-of- showing full-dome of a new planetarium theatre the-art digital dome videos, like the current with higher screen resolution than planetarium. It’s got a Canada 150 show any other planetarium in the world. Star Trek holodeck feel. Horizon, or pre-rendered The renamed Zeidler Dome Theatre The audience will be shows by global producers. – formerly the Margaret Zeidler Star transported through the use of Theatre – includes a projector and high-resolution immersive visuals How much is it costing? screens capable of 10K resolution, and a surround soundscape to any It’s around the CA$4m mark. The more than double that currently place possible. We can showcase planetarium component – equipment, offered by IMAX cinemas and more the aurora borealis as it would have new dome, infrastructure work, etc – than the ultra-HD standard of 8K. appeared the night before, or take comes to about that much out of the “With this new 10K resolution the audience to deepest parts of the CA$7m allocated for the planetarium video projection system, the stars ocean or to the very distant places in and space gallery renewal. that we can project, the images will our universe. It’s the next best thing be incredibly sharp, highly detailed, to being there and seeing it fi rsthand. Is it a brand new or upgrade facility? and it will make you feel like you’re The heart of the projection system It will be a completely refurbished right there,” says Frank Florian, is Sky-Skan software, DigitalSky and and upgraded theatre. The theatre director of planetarium and space Dark Matter, which drives the visuals will undergo a complete facelift sciences at Telus World of Science. on the hemispherical screen. The from the look and feel of the We asked Florian to tell us more software is capable of displaying current planetarium. It will have a about the exciting project. all astronomical objects to a high new projection screen – Astro-Tec degree of realism, all in real time, so Manufacturing’s Ulteria, one of the Can you describe what the new we can fl y visitors over the surface of best on the market – as well as new planetarium will be like? our Earth, through our solar system, chairs, carpets, a new entrance and It will be a re-visioning of the into our Milky Way galaxy and beyond. interactive experience, new audio planetarium, taking it into the 21st In addition to the astronomical system, new 10K video projection century. While the old star projector tools, the software is capable of system, new theatre lighting, new software from Sky-Skan, called Dark Matter, and a new central stage. The space will look completely different.

How many seats will it have? Around 220 to 250.

What size is the dome and who is providing the screens? Astro-Tec Manufacturing is providing the new screen for their existing dome structure. It will remain a The illustration provides an overview 23-metre-diameter dome, but the of the planetarium and science centre panels will be the new Ulteria dome

96 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 The planetarium is being renamed the Zeidler Dome Theatre and the screen resolution will be 10K, a first for theatres

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 97 PLANETARIUMS

The stairs to the Starlight Room, a private event space (above); and renderings showing further plans for the Telus Aurora Project

panels that are placed flush to each other, 10K projected image. Other planetariums in show requires a lot of computer rendering providing a superior projection surface. Canada are primarily 4K resolution across time from the developers of the show. the dome, in either tilted or flat dome So the 8K or higher resolution shows are Who is supplying the media configuration. The high-resolution imagery is more expensive and time consuming to software/hardware? one of the major differences that we’ll have produce, but the end result is spectacular. Sky-Skan is providing the audio and video over other planetariums – but that has the As for playback, all 12 projectors have equipment. We’ll be using 12 Sony 4K potential to change rather quickly. to be edge blended together to give a VPL-GTZ270 laser phosphor projectors to seamless image on the dome. This is a bit give us an overall resolution on the dome It’s a first for 10K resolution in tricky and is something that Sky-Skan will of 4K. Sky-Skan’s Digital Sky and Dark a planetarium – what are the put in extra effort to do properly, especially Matter software will run all the visuals on challenges involved with that? with a 10K projection system. With a the dome using very high-end computers to There’s a lot to consider. The Sky-Skan multiple projection system like this, there run the imagery. Their software is capable software is capable of displaying up is always the chance that a projector could of displaying up to 12K resolution. to 12K resolution at its highest. With fail on us, so it will be important to have a our 10K projector configuration, this spare on hand to replace a faulty projector. What makes it different from will give us very nice star fields for We don’t want to lose any shows due to a other planetariums? the live astronomy shows, as we are projector or computer failure. Every planetarium in the world is a not purchasing an expensive optical- little different from each other. Some mechanical star projector to illustrate How many visitors will the theatres have unidirectional raked seating the night sky. So this will give us the planetarium have each year? with a tilted dome while others are best digital star field available at this It’s anticipated that our numbers will omnidirectional, circular seating, with a flat time. The highest resolution for a pre- increase for this new experience. As dome like ours. In Canada, our theatre will recorded planetarium show is 8K and the our theatre will be part of our general remain the largest flat dome theatre with a production of an 8K show or a future 10K admission, we anticipate the new theatre

The old Space Place will be replaced by S.P.A.C.E (Stars, Planets, Astronauts, Comets, Etc.), a new astronomy gallery exploring our solar system

98 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 WE’RE PLANNING LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES USING THE FULL-DOME VIDEO PROJECTION AND LASER LIGHT SHOW SYSTEMS. AND WEDDINGS AND SLEEPOVERS CAN TAKE PLACE UNDER THE DOME, WITH VISUALS OF ANY KIND

will lead to greater visitation to our entire What is the function of the FURTHER PLANS facility with almost all visitors attending SPACE gallery and how does it at least one planetarium show. So relate to the planetarium? our planetarium could see upwards of The SPACE gallery offers a way for visitors TELUS WORLD OF SCIENCE 400,000 people see a show in a year. to explore astronomy and the related Unveiled in February last year, the wider space sciences using a more hands-on CA$40m redevelopment of the Telus What special programming will you off er? approach than is possible inside the World of Science (TWOSE) – dubbed the In addition to the star/night sky shows planetarium. It will offer actual artefacts Aurora Project – was conceptualised by and pre-recorded full-dome shows, we’re like meteorites, a moon rock, spacecraft Canadian architects Dialog Design, with looking at some special programming. This components, telescopes and a terrella US-based fi rm Jeff Kennedy Associates would include special lectures on science to tell the story of the human quest to handling exhibition design. topics using the projection technology to understand our place in the Universe. As show the audience the latest scientifi c such, the gallery plays a complementary PORTAL TO THE ARCTIC data on a particular topic. We’re planning role to the programming in the The expansion includes a 10,000sq ft live music performances in the theatre planetarium and our public observatory. (9,300sqm) gallery based on Canada’s using the full-dome video projection Arctic and polar regions, allowing system and laser light show system to add How does the planetarium TWOSE to help lead the conversation a backdrop of stunning visuals. There will experience relate/connect to the about Arctic science. Interactive exhibits be live theatre performances, again using wider aims of the science centre? and activities will engage guests with the full-dome video projection system to The planetarium was an integral part to the latest arctic research and educate create the sets for the performance and the Edmonton Space Sciences Centre them about climate challenges. doing theatre in the round. Weddings can when it opened in 1984 and a successor take place under the dome, with visuals to Canada’s fi rst planetarium, the Queen NORTH WING SCIENCE GALLERIES of any kind transporting the audience to Elizabeth Planetarium, which opened here A new health-science gallery will the surface of the moon or the inside of in Coronation Park in 1960. highlight the health science, wellness a cathedral. We’re planning sleepover The Zeidler Dome Theatre planetarium and medical research being carried out programmes, where participants sleep foremost continues the role of offering the in Edmonton. Additionally, the lobby will under the stars in the theatre, and laser citizens of Edmonton and Canada – and gain a retail store and will double in light shows, which will be performed to old visitors to Edmonton and Canada – the size, with an exterior garden space and classics or today’s new music. opportunity to explore astronomy and entrance way leading to it. the space sciences in a unique, cutting- The CuriousCity edge setting. Secondly, it tackles and NATURE EXCHANGE GALLERY design is inspired showcases other sciences using science The Nature Exchange gallery promotes by the city of visualisations that can immerse an the wildlife found in Alberta’s backyard Edmonton audience in this setting. This planetarium and teaches visitors to observe live will provide a new way of presenting animals and their environment. developments in the sciences and will CURIOUSCITY complement the An early learning zone, CuriousCity will many other areas of encourage exploration and independence science and technology among the attraction’s youngest visitors. that are explored throughout our facility. O

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 99 MUSEUMS LIGHTS, CAMERA, INTERACTION!

Visitors are demanding evermore participatory attractions. In response, museums are evolving from passive experiences to immersive, interactive adventures

Yuri Sunahara and Debra Everett-Lane, ESI Design

fter debating the pros and cons larger societal changes in how we interact The number of interactive museum of new legislation that would with one another, driven in part by new exhibits has increased exponentially since restrict immigration to the US, a technologies. For centuries, curators then. Thanks to ever-improving technology 17-year-old stands at a podium would gather artefacts and artworks to and a wave of forward-thinking designers A in front of 99 fellow students to present in museums with a single-voiced within the attractions industry, museums defend her position. Then they authoritative narrative. Visitors simply are now creating more robust content cast their votes on the proposed law. walked through the exhibits, learning that’s not only participatory, but also tells This kind of scene unfolds daily at the passively. But now audiences want stories from different perspectives. Edward M Kennedy Institute for the United participation, personal relevance and An example of such multi-voiced States Senate, where visitors don’t just social interaction, and museums have storytelling is Louisiana’s Whitney learn about senators, they are senators. been reinventing themselves to meet Plantation, a museum where slavery is the One hundred visitors at a time can these new expectations. central focus, which lets guests choose roleplay a senator for a day in a live-action from a dozen walking tours presented from simulation called the Senate Immersion First-person narratives the dramatically different perspectives of Module (SIM). It’s a perfect illustration ESI Design founder Edwin Schlossberg the plantation’s enslaved people. Similarly, of how museums and institutions was hired 40 years ago to reimagine we designed exhibits for The Peopling of are evolving from passive exhibits to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum as a America Center at the Ellis Island National immersive, interactive adventures. collection of participatory experiences, Museum of Immigration, which allow The museum world has undergone where kids could discover the relationship visitors to choose from a variety of videos dramatic shifts in recent years, reflecting between themselves and the natural world. of real immigrants sharing their first-hand PHOTOS: ESI DESIGN ESI PHOTOS: Students roleplay political debates in a live simulation experience at Edward M Kennedy Institute for the US Senate

100 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Dream Cube at Shanghai Expo (above) DESIGN ESI PHOTOS: displayed 80,000 visitor photos; Whitney Plantation’s muli-voiced walking tours present multiple stories

Participation once amounted to visitors performing an activity dictated by the museum, but now visitors can often contribute to an exhibit’s actual content

accounts of arriving and living in the US, game or performing an activity according Another example of this kind of reminding visitors that people come to this to specific instructions dictated by co-created experience is the Museum country for many different reasons and the institution, visitors can now often of Broken Relationships, an entirely face many different challenges. contribute to an exhibit’s actual content. crowd-sourced collection of first-person Such first-person narratives offer an narratives recounting, yes, broken added benefit: putting visitors in other Crowd-sourced content relationships. While anyone can share people’s shoes sparks empathy, helping Sometimes visitors are invited to their story online, the museum also has them gain an intimate understanding of contribute – through an online photo two physical locations – one in Croatia experiences much different from their own. competition, for example – helping to and the other in Los Angeles, California This is something that more and more create a genuinely community-driven – where contributors can send material museums are making part of their mission. experience. There are many ways exhibits mementos of lost loves, family members, As they continue to push the boundaries can invite contribution during or after a homelands or any other person or group of participation, museums are taking visit to better engage the audience and from which they’ve been severed. advantage of social media and other keep the content fresh, giving visitors Even more conventional institutions digital platforms to invite visitors not deeper involvement and a sense of are discovering the rewards of crowd- only to interact with their exhibits, but ownership. The SIM at Edward M Kennedy sourcing. The Smithsonian’s new National also to collaborate on them, contributing Institute has an open software developer Museum of African American History their own perspectives to the stories kit (SDK), which allows local schools and amassed its collection by inviting the being presented. Whereas participation colleges to create new topics or modules public to contribute family heirlooms and once amounted only to visitors playing a for the Senate chamber to debate. artefacts. Along with enhancing audience

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 101 MUSEUMS

The National Museum of African American History asked the public to contribute artefacts; the Maker Space (right) at New York Hall of Science PHOTO: ALAN KARCHMER ALAN PHOTO: PHOTO: ANDREW KELLY / INSIDER IMAGES / INSIDER KELLY ANDREW PHOTO:

engagement by involving the public in the museum’s creation, the immediacy of the personal stories of the objects on display powerfully reinforces empathy for visitors. Institutions that solicit public contributions need to be strategic, ensuring that crowd-sourced content is appropriate as well as factually accurate. A few tips for museums: provide explicit instructions and criteria on what you are seeking; partner with specific organisations whose appealing to a broad spectrum of interests positioning themselves as community hubs networks are likely to have appropriate while also offering a richer experience that offer much more than just exhibits. contributions rather than wide-open calls for each individual. A novel approach to Today’s museums are reinforcing ties with for submissions; and set up a system for this is Museum Hack, which has helped the public through workshops, performing monitoring content as it comes by using a museums throughout the US reactivate arts events, sleepovers, and other activities combination of technology and moderators. existing exhibits without renovating them, by that establish them as social spaces. At inventing playful, quirky tours or scavenger the New York Hall of Science, Maker Space Multi-layered experiences hunts as a new way to explore them. workshops invite families to tinker, design Another growing trend is multi-layered The American Museum of Natural History and create together, while many museums, experiences. It’s a given that every has used short, easy games to enliven such as the Brooklyn Museum of Art, museum visitor arrives with their own its dinosaur exhibit, broadening its appeal now host regular dance parties, musical interests and expectations: they might to kids. Examples include Dinoccupation, concerts and lunchtime conversations. be explorers who want to sample every where players learn about a particular exhibit, or experts who want to dig down dinosaur’s behaviour and diet and then Appropriate strategies into one subject; some are spiritual imagine which modern occupation it might Of course, all of these innovations, while wanderers looking to soak up the vibe, be best suited for, and Photo Tag, in which effective at bringing in patrons, come with while others seek a social experience to players snap photos of different dinosaur challenges. It’s important not to try doing share with family and friends. parts to learn about comparative anatomy. too much, especially when it comes to To accommodate them, museums are All of these new directions contribute technology. VR can enhance an exhibit designing exhibits that allow the same to one final trend we see transforming if it works with the existing narrative. content to be experienced in different museums. Many institutions are recognising Large, immersive digital displays can ways – an effective, low-cost method of that they can expand their audiences by make some spaces more dynamic. But

102 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 PHOTO: KOLIN MENDEZ

The Brooklyn Museum of Art (above) hosts social events like this salsa party; Museum Hack puts visitor engagement at the centre of its tours

Many institutions are recognising that they can expand their audiences by positioning themselves as community hubs that offer much more than just exhibits PHOTO: WINSTON STRUYE

making considered decisions about what technology to use is crucial to strategy. Understanding how the audience experiences the physical space will help to determine the scale and nature of the content to be displayed. Technology also comes with risks: external data feeds can go down, hardware can fail and equipment an American history exhibit than a display can become obsolete. Strategise and of Renaissance art. Games that involve Yuri Sunahara, director of prepare for various circumstances and deeper focus and time might be better for creative technology, and use cases. Ask yourself if you have the teens and adults, while shorter games may Debra Everett-Lane, director resources to handle the extra effort be better for families with young children. of content and activity design, required to operate and maintain new tech- One basic tenet holds true for all are colleagues at ESI Design, centred experiences and exhibits. innovations. Your first consideration should a New York City-based design It can seem daunting to keep up with always be the story you’re telling. Before firm which specialises in all these changes, and even harder to incorporating any new trend, think about transforming places into gauge which ones will best serve any what you want visitors to take away from it. experiences that engage audiences, solve given institution. While most museums Remember that museums are storytellers complex challenges, and deliver lasting now strive to be more interactive and whose goal is to enlighten and entertain. results. ESI Design has worked on Brooklyn participatory, it’s important to understand The best exhibits make visitors excited to Children’s Museum, the Statue of Liberty- what methods are most appropriate to the learn something new and inspire them to Ellis Island Foundation and the Edward M context. Crowd-sourcing works better with continue their journey of discovery. O Kennedy Institute for the US Senate.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 103 SHOW REPORT

California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California, hosted the gathering of themed entertainment professionals BEYOND THE SCREEN

This year’s SATE conference in Los Angeles looked at how the attractions industry is harnessing fi lm and gaming techniques and technologies to create evermore immersive experiences. Christine Kerr fi led this report

eyond the screen: the future immersion based on people interacting with form that should be taken as seriously of immersive realities was people, that this interaction is fundamental as theatre, painting or the movies? He the theme of the Themed to creating emotional connections, and the went on to say that true immersion is far Entertainment Association’s (TEA) increasing importance of such connections. more than projection mapping, wraparound B SATE 2017 conference, which There was also an emphasis on the pure monitors and 4D theatres. Immersion is was held in early October at the art of themed entertainment and the storytelling in every detail possible. It is California Institute for the Arts in Valencia, attention to detail in built environments multi-layered and physical. It’s how guests California. It focused on storytelling devices that is required and appreciated by today’s move through the space emotionally and originally developed for fi lm, television and increasingly sophisticated audiences. physically. Storytelling is also the driving gaming and on the impact they are having The SATE co-chairs – Chris Conte force in design, story, budget, schedule and on experiences across many categories, (Electrosonic), Dina Benadon (Super production and he reminded the attendees from theme parks to traditional theatre to 78) and Christian Kubsch (Walt Disney that they must be a steward for the design museum exhibits and more. Imagineering) – along with Storytelling when pragmatic decisions are made. As expected, there was much discussion chair Paul Osterhout (Universal Creative), Byerly returned to the idea of immersion about media, lighting, audio, AR and VR – Architecture chair Louis Allen (Adirondack as a catalyst for transformation, and all of them part of the toolkit available to Scenic) and Technology chair Cory Rosen suggested that while theming says “here creators of immersive experiences. The (Tippett Studio) all brought a variety of I am, listen to my story”, true immersion basics weren’t forgotten, however. There perspectives to the conference theme says “here you are, create your own story”. was a real exploration of the importance of and this was refl ected in the wide-ranging Immersive environments transform the presentations. stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell ourselves transform our lives. Create our own story He reminded the audience that we Danny Byerly of On Track have a shared responsibility to touch the Themes started things lives of every guest that walks into our off with a challenge for story. This was a great start to a trend in attendees: do they consider the conference that took attendees away theme park design an art from any preconceived notion that true immersion requires high-tech solutions.

A conference attendee Immersive theatre takes a picture at SATE This trend continued with the Future of (Storytelling + Architecture Immersive Realities presented by David + Technology = Experience) Ruzicka, a writer and director of themed entertainment projects who also works

104 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 CONFERENCE PHOTOS:CONFERENCE MARTIN PALICKI / TEA

Technology chair Cory Rosen (Tippett Studio)

Storytelling chair Paul Osterhout (Universal Creative) and his fellow segment chairs hosted the event

in immersive theatre. Ruzicka took the attendees on a journey that very effectively defi ned this form of theatre and opened their eyes to the possibilities of its potential for themed entertainment projects. Immersive theatre brings together an audience and actors in a specifi c location for a non-traditional theatre These types of immersive experiences experience where often the actors stay in are epic and intimate at the same time, one place and the audience moves – they something that most storytellers strive to are immersed in a realistic world where create and often fail to deliver. Ultimately, they can lose themselves. Successful the most critical factor for immersive immersive theatre projects that appear theatre is that people remember people. spontaneous are actually based on clear expectations and rules for the actors and Data-hacked creative audience, providing a foundation from Amy Blackman from Contend Immersive which creativity and interaction can grow. looked at immersion from a different This requires performers who can stand point of view – using analytics about your alone but also act as stage manager audience to drive creative, an approach and director at the same time; with this she calls “data-hacked creative”. It goes remarkable capacity and range, they can beyond listening to your audience – as work in groups or have intimate, one-on-one with traditional focus groups – to collecting encounters. The audience embraces this data from their online behaviour and social type of theatre because it feeds their desire chatter. This approach allows for precision to lose control (but not too much… ). creative and ultimately involves humans Ruzicka points out that the storytelling because the data must be interpreted and From top to bottom: John Zaller approach for immersive theatre projects developed into human experiences. from Imagine Exhibitions; Genevieve needs to follow the KISS (Keep it simple, Blackman insists that the tools available Angio-Morneau from GSM; Jason stupid) principle because the audience don’t undermine the end result: they McManus from Thinkwell; Michael doesn’t know the story and characters provide creative teams with extremely Jung from Walt Disney Imagineering very well. So, it is important to rely on pure focused and effi cient ideas, ultimately Live Entertainment; Amy Blackman scenario with not too much backstory, augmenting the creative development from Contend Immersive; Danny leaving room to respond to the audience. process. This also makes it much Byerly from On Track Themes

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 105 SHOW REPORT

Below: SATE co-chairs Chris Conte (Electrosonic), Dina Benadon (Super 78) and Christian Kubsch (Walt Disney Imagineering) oversaw proceedings

Many industries are presenting “snackable content” for dwindling attention spans, but that is not the way millennials want to take in content at all

more impactful because it is based on Imagineering Live Entertainment was the film by relying on extremely different intelligence insights for the core audience. participant. Jung is also an alumnus of tools to create an immersive theatrical This kind of insight takes creators from the and currently on faculty at Cal Arts. experience that is embraced by the fans “for who” to the “why” very quickly. The conversation began with a of the original. The Broadway production Blackman also talked about the discussion of the fundamental principles understood the heart of the film but dug opportunity for erasing the lines between in transforming content from the screen to deeper into the African heritage and the the real and the virtual to create lasting live experiences. Jung used the incredibly art of puppetry, introducing additional impact that is relevant for today. It’s successful production of The Lion King layers of indigenous music over the well- a creative approach that extends the on Broadway as an example of how to known score and exploring the duality of in-person experience back to the online be faithful to a much-loved animated the performers with their puppets. audience with a quantifiable result and For Jung, this really speaks to the a way to actually quantify ROE (Return importance of exploring, researching On Experience). To further explain the and learning the backstory. He suggests approach, Blackman used an example that Shanghai Disneyland is an excellent of a project they were given: to establish example of this, where Disney embedded the basis for a new Netflix show’s brand, Chinese artists and theatrical traditions including visuals, aesthetics and the start into the shows. The Tarzan show of a campaign. This major opportunity was demonstrates this very successfully – based on a vague brief from the client for a re-telling of the story using Chinese a new show that was simply described as acrobats and their acrobatic traditions. a sci-fi thriller set in the 1980s. Finally, Preston and Jung explored the Given that they had such minimal idea of true immersion: an experience information, they decided to consider where you lose yourself, a world where the audience first, learning from online guests or audiences can choose their own behaviour and social chatter to gather level of immersion and their own way of data on what they knew. This new way of being involved in the story. researching the audience transformed their approach to starting the creative process: Sharing generation the final art and imagery was done by As a millennial himself, Jason McManus of humans (designers) but AI (online research) Thinkwell knows a lot about how millennials provided the starting point. The show was tell stories. (And reaching this demographic the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. is always of interest for experience creators.) McManus talked about how the Deeper understanding speed and way in which we generate and Travis Preston, dean of the CalArts Theater consume media has changed. School, hosted this year’s “Conversation The Lion King on Broadway dived The early response to this from many with”. Michael Jung, creative executive deeper into African heritage and music industries was to present “snackable of theatrical development for Walt Disney content”, small bits of information for

106 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 An exciting attraction that brings the audience into the action.

trio-tech.com

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 107 SHOW REPORT

dwindling attention spans. But it turns out that is not the way millennials want to take in content at all. They are more interested in long-form stories. Evidence of this comes from a variety of sources: binge-watching on Netfl ix, the fact that millennials love documentaries and games like Minecraft where they connect with a community of players around the world. Millennials are the “sharing generation”, says McManus. They want to talk about it and they appreciate that humans are natural storytellers, passing information from generation to generation in the form of stories. McManus pointed out that the attraction experience is shared with family and friends, including the social tree that comes with each person on their phone. The fact that they are not all there in person does not matter to this generation. Millennials want control of the story and this represents genuine immersion. His advice is to

continue to tell a good story. Millennials PHOTOS: HOME BOX OFFICE will embrace this approach because they value memories and experiences and they will share these with the world. A panel discussed whether we are on the road to theme park experiences Screen to exhibition similar to HBO’s Westworld series Both Genevieve Angio-Morneau (GSM Project) and John Zaller (Imagine Exhibitions) explored immersion in educational content. The authenticity of museums, taking blockbuster movie and the experiences is truly immersive. television IPs and presenting a familiar story supported by layers of scientifi c, Waiting for Westworld historical or archeological context. The One of the fi nal sessions of the resulting exhibits are large-scale, truly conference was moderated by Brent immersive and boundary-breaking for the Young and Robert Coker of Super 78 and of Harry Potter, Universal Studios Florida) right institution. They include layers of explored the premise of Westworld (both and Sleep No More (Punchdrunk, McKittrick technology and media but also integrate the original fi lm and the current HBO Hotel, New York). What do they have in giant dinosaurs (Jurassic World: The series). They asked the question: “Are we common? They effectively take guests Exhibition) or authentic props and costumes on the path to a Westworld?” somewhere else, transport them mentally, and sets (Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, Bringing together a panel of industry emotionally and physically to a place Star Wars Identities, Indiana Jones and leaders, each played an expert in one outside the usual, normal or everyday. the Adventure of Archeology) as context for of the various disciplines required to Diagon Alley is a beautiful physical space create and manage an amusement park where guests can explore details and intended for rich vacationers, who are discover surprises whether they are familiar looked after by robot hosts and allowed with the Harry Potter stories or not. They to live out their fantasies through artifi cial can visit multiple times and fi nd something consciousness. After a fascinating new. Sleep No More tells Shakespeare’s exploration of the technological, storytelling classic tragedy Macbeth through a darkly and control requirements to achieve what cinematic lens, where audiences move is portrayed in both versions of Westworld, freely through the epic story, creating their the conclusion was unanimous – we are own journeys in a fi lm noir world. It is a moving in this direction. But don’t be different theatrical experience every time. fooled by Siri and Alexa; perhaps thankfully, They are both immersive, authentic, human we are still decades away and need to experiences and they both truly refl ect the invent a lot more before we get there. art of themed entertainment. O Conference attendees were polled over the two days, asked to identify their ABOUT THE AUTHOR Super 78’s Robert Coker (left) and Brent favourite immersive experience. The result Christine Kerr is vice president at BaAM Young explore the premise of Westworld was a tie: Diagon Alley (Wizarding World Productions and a former president of the TEA.

108 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 @ SHOW PREVIEW IAAPA ATTRACTIONS EXPO

The 2017 IAAPA Attractions Expo kicks off on 13 November. Here’s what to expect from the show - plus, news from a selection of visitors

he 2017 edition of the IAAPA Attractions Expo, the biggest NEED TO KNOW event of its kind, is promising to be better than ever, with the global What: IAAPA Attractions Expo 2017 T organisation set to celebrate its When: 13-17 November 2017 100th year in 2018. Where: Orange County Convention The expo is the world’s largest conference Center, Orlando, Florida and trade show for the $39bn attractions industry. Alongside its vast show fl oor, IAAPA How much: $50 - student; $209 - offers a programme of more than 100 IAAPA member; $395 - non-member educational sessions and presentations by Register: www.iaapa.org/expos leading operators on industry trends, new technology, marketing and communications, entertainment, government relations, safety trade show from 14 to 17 November at and security, food and beverage, games and the Orange County Convention Center in merchandise, facility operations, human Orlando, Florida. Buyers and decision- resources, and more. makers from the world of theme parks, This year’s keynote speaker is Merlin waterparks, FECs, zoos and aquariums, Entertainments CEO Nick Varney, who will and museums attend the show. talk at the GM and Owners’ Breakfast IAAPA 2017 expects to welcome 32,000 on 15 November. The conference takes attendees and 1,100 exhibitors across place from 13 to 17 November and the the 560,000sq ft of trade show fl oor.

SALLY that it has acquired the EXHIBITOR NEWS Booth #2267 intellectual property rights to Sally Corp, which is celebrating the Play Mart brand in Europe. ANVIO W its 40th birthday at IAAPA this This gives the company player zombie shooter City Z, year, will be on hand to discuss the ability to increase its Booth #3381 in Moscow, Russia, this April. turnkey dark ride attractions market by adding Play Mart’s Anvio VR is demoing a new At IAAPA, Anvio is presenting with parks and entertainment complementary designs to its multi-player, free-roam, body- its systems, City Z and footage facilities. Sally has new dark offer and allows the company’s tracking virtual reality midway of its upcoming game release. rides based on two of today’s operations to function on attraction system. Anvio The company is looking for most popular franchises, The a regional basis, with the opened its fi rst attraction with partners to roll out the product Walking Dead and Five Nights North American, Asia-Pacifi c its launch game, the multi- in new locations. At Freddy’s. In addition to and EMEA teams supplying IP-centred products, Sally’s dark customers across continents. ride selection includes rides of all sizes and themes, including Power Blast, Challenge of GARNER HOLT Tutankhamon, Ghost Blasters, Booth #771 Scream in the Dark, Forbidden Island and Zombie Apocalypse. Animatronics technology has always been about making IPLAYCO dimensional mechanical creations look like living beings. Booth #4837 Garner Holt Productions has Learn about Anvio’s zombie shooter VR game at IAAPA International Play Company been pursuing the art of (IPlayCo) is sharing the news animatronics for 40 years,

110 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 and has recently premiered its and Innosimulation. There is Living Faces of History series of also a new fi ve-minute ride expressive human characters. version of Space Panda 4D. The animatronics feature faces with 40-plus individual motions ADG capable of hundreds of unique Booth #2646 combinations, making them truly expressive. See them in Aquatic Development Group action at the Garner Holt booth. (ADG) is exhibiting at IAAPA 2017 and sharing the news of its recent Leading Edge OPENAIRE Polin Waterparks is presenting a new water experience, Splash VR Award. The World Waterpark Booth #1844 Association (WWA) recognised Visit the OpenAire booth to fi nd ADG for its innovative take on an operator to deploy out about the company’s wide the traditional wave pool, Twin a VR experience on an range of retractable enclosures, Tides. Twin Tides is a dual- existing slide. Polin is also including the record-breaking entry wave pool that employs showcasing the different indoor waterpark project at Epic a wave system confi guration functions of its Splashware Waters in Grand Prairie, Texas. that creates continuous wave System that launched last Epic Waters covers 80,000sq action across the pool, doubling year and an all-new slide ft and includes a 62,000sq ft capacity. ADG has installed concept called Mantis. retractable roof enclosure. The several Twin Tides experiences enclosure was unveiled to the across the US. To fi nd out TAA public at a recent event where more, visit ADG’s booth. Booth #2065 the Mayor of Grand Prairie opened the roof’s 40 operable PICSOLVE Theming and Animatronics panels for the fi rst time with Industries (TAA) is going Booth #4850 the fl ip of a switch. comics. At the planned Warner Attendees can watch Picsolve International is Bros World park in Abu Dhabi, 4D theatre fi lm Son of NICEBERG evolving. The attraction TAA is working with Bugs Bunny Bigfoot at nWave’s booth photography specialist’s new, and the rest of the bunch to Booth #1873 industry-leading, digital content bring fun to the kids. TAA also NWAVE At IAAPA, fi nd out about platform is being unveiled recently reached for the stars Niceberg Studios’ latest fi lm, exclusively at IAPPA 2017. Be and beyond – at Movie Park, Booth #1066 Moonthunder 5D, which is now sure to visit the Picsolve booth Germany, with the new Star Trek At IAAPA, nWave is presenting available for the US market to discover how this game- attraction. At Disneyland Paris, Son of Bigfoot 4D. Follow Adam and can be found on Triotech, changing approach to creating, TAA oversaw the retheming of Harrison on his wild adventure Simex-Iwerks and Doron collating and sharing photo and the Star Wars attraction. Visit to fi nd his father, Bigfoot. In Precision platforms. And, from video moments can transform the booth to learn more. Return to the Lost World, watch the makers of the popular ride your consumer experience. out for ferocious dinosaurs fi lm Wall of China, comes Great BROGENT as an expedition returns to a Wall VR 360°. Great Wall VR POLIN Booth #5815 familiar island. Show attendees 360° is partnered with leading Booth #1378 are invited to stop by the booth VR ride manufacturers including Brogent Technologies is for an exclusive preview of DOF Robotics, Fulldome Pro, Polin Waterparks and its launching Q-Ride, set to these exciting attraction fi lms. game technologies division simulate an ocean journey and is presenting a range of new instil “surprise, exhilaration, BRUNSWICK experiences at its biggest ever and wonder” in park guests. IAAPA booth. Attendees can Brogent Q-Ride takes guests Booth #2206 learn about Slide n Score, a on an ultra-realistic ocean Brunswick Bowling is promoting game controller that allows VR adventure , taking a fl ight Epicenter, a way to bring waterpark guests to take on a out over the water to be authentic bowling to spaces target-shooting challenge on suddenly lowered into the with a smaller footprint. It is an their way down a slide. They sea, immersed underwater. all-in-one solution that appeals can also learn about the fi rst Fish, dolphins, manta rays and to all demographics, making VR waterslide, Splash VR. The whales appear all around as it popular with restaurants, fi rst installation is at Land of the ride takes guests through hotels, cinemas, FECs and Legends in Turkey, and allows kelp forest and underwater other venues that might not caves. Q-Ride is a visual have room for traditional and emotional experience, bowling. Epicenter increases Picsolve is unveiling a new travelling amongst marine revenues by keeping guests digital content platform spectacles offering tantalising on the property longer and thrills and surprises. encouraging them to return.

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 111 SHOW PREVIEW

EXHIBITOR NEWS

Animation to co-produce a new 4D theatrical experience, The Deep: Mystery of the Ancient Amulet. The fi lm is based on the underwater adventure Bermuda Blitz is a recently completed coaster by Vekoma cartoon series The Deep, which is published by Gestalt Comics. Simex-Iwerks has created a audience in Orlando. Farm Fair method with the new MK1101 12-minute fully immersive 3D is a brand new IP and game trains. In 2018, Vekoma will viewing experience, featuring designed in a farm theme. be opening the new Firestorm exclusive 3D CG animation, an launch coaster in Vietnam and original storyline and stunning UNLIMITED LEISURE in China, and three Looping special effects, vibrating seats, Coasters and four Family Booth #1360 / 1560 water sprays and bubbles. Boomerang Rebound in China. Simex-Iwerks is launching Unlimited Leisure Group a submarine mystery fi lm WATERPLAY provides unique solutions HOLOVIS for leisure developments. Its Booth #3675 Booth #1046 companies will be represented GATEWAY Waterplay Solutions is debuting at IAAPA. The Ticket Experience Holovis continues to build on Booth #4854 Shoreline, an interactive aquatic solves the number one guest the popularity and success play experience bursting with complaint by providing a queue- of its new R3ex range of Gateway Ticketing Systems seaside discoveries and water free theme park experience. attractions by presenting a is showcasing its customer effects. Designed for splash TapeMyDay automatically full-scale, augmented reality relationship management pads and aquatic play spaces fi lms, edits and uploads an application-based demo of its solution, CRM Plus Powered by and inspired by ocean tides, the irresistible photo and video R3ex Arena Solution. The real- Galaxy. CRM Plus combines all Shoreline collection includes compilation of the guest’s time working model will show the ticket, food and beverage, 19 innovative products and entire stay. Unlimited Snow is four of the R3ex systems in a retail purchasing and usage acts as a playful extension of the one-stop-shop for all snow duelling arena formation. Within information from the Galaxy Waterplay’s nature-inspired and ice leisure experiences. this model, 16 riders (four on Product Suite with marketing Grasslands collection. A And visit the booth to fi nd out each R3ex arm) interact with touchpoints to provide a dynamic range of water effects more about HollandWorld, a and duel against each other 360° view of guest behaviour. is designed to engage users of second gate with attractions, in the virtual world, seeing the Gateway says CRM Plus all ages and abilities. hotels, casino, retail and F&B. real-time cause and effect of empowers customers to deliver their actions. The attraction “the right experience, at the LAGOTRONICS VEKOMA layout sees the queueline right time, in the right way to cleverly designed so queuing Booth #2043 Booth #5133 the right people”. guests can interact in real-time Having successfully introduced Vekoma Rides invites with the people on the ride. SIMEX-IWERKS GameChanger and the Farm attendees to visit its booth and Fair edition of this interactive learn about the newest and Booth #2249 IDEATTACK rotating dark ride at EAS, latest thrill coaster designs as Booth #2843 Simex-Iwerks Entertainment Lagotronics Projects is showing well as the Family Boomerang has teamed up with Technicolor these experiences to its US Rebound and Suspended IDEATTACK, a global leader in Family Coaster. Vekoma’s the tourism and leisure design Bermuda Blitz has debuted at industry, has been announced Legendia Poland. The coaster as the exclusive designer, is 908 metres in length planner, attraction producer and and stands 40 metres high, general contractor for Chinese combining a variety of ride developer Evergrande Group. elements in a compact design. IDEATTACK will work on up to Space Warp at Energylandia six Evergrande theme park is the fi rst of a whole new projects, creating a new theme generation of Vekoma’s park brand that is envisioned sitdown thrill coasters. It is as a top-quality entertainment the fi rst thrill coaster to be destination featuring 33 designed using Vekoma’s latest cutting-edge attractions, from Holovis is unveiling a working model of R3ex track design tools and built immersive multimedia rides to using its new track production high-tech theatres. O

112 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 VALUE is 100% steeper hills, 100% more ProSlide® has transformed the water ride ROCKETBLAST™ LTG / FLYINGSAUCER™ 30 SIX FLAGS FIESTA TEXAS, USA capacity, and 60% more efficiency. industry yet again with the RocketBLAST™ LTG (low-to-grade), the world’s most advanced VALUE is dramatically lower material costs and efficient water coaster. and far fewer installation restrictions. If it’s world-class, it’s ProSlide. VALUE is more options, differentiated performance and constant innovation. www.proslide.com ProSlide® is VALUE. Visit us at IAAPA (Booth 2259)

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 113 ATTRACTIONS-KIT.NET

For the latest supplier PRODUCT INNOVATION news and company information, visit attractions-kit.net Suppliers tell Attractions Management about their latest product, design and technology launches

OThe British Music Experience has relocated to Liverpool – and received a complete technological update in the process

Josh Miller of DJ Willrich talks tech overhaul at Liverpool’s BME

ntegration fi rm DJ Willrich has all the content and technology, distances. Digital Projection’s media server, and is capable of I installed Digital Projection’s which had become outdated since HIGHlite Laser II was the best producing over 20,000 hours HIGHlite Laser II projector at its original installation in 2009. choice to help us achieve this.” of illumination. It is designed to the British Music Experience For the main stage show, a The projector is powered by deliver a solid-state laser of up to (BME) in Liverpool, UK. stunning life sized projection of the 7thSense Delta Nano-SDI 13,000 lumens and also features The BME chronicles British Boy George, giving a fi ve-minute edge-blending technology music history from 1945 to custom-produced performance, and multi-projector tiling, as the present day. It consists DJ Willrich selected the HIGHlite well as control management of eight zones recounting Laser II, a specially designed software that allows multiple different eras in British music, long-life projection solution. projectors to be operated using costumes, instruments, Josh Miller, director of DJ through a single system. performance and memorabilia. Willrich, says: “The projection Two Digital Projection E-Vision The museum reopened earlier technology used for the London 8500 laser projectors and this year after relocating from BME had become dated. We eight E-Vision Laser 6500 its previous home in the O2 needed the projected video of projectors were also installed. Arena in London to the historic Boy George to be bright and Cunard Building in Liverpool. punchy – visitors get really close ATTRACTIONS-KIT KEYWORD DJ Willrich was enlisted to to the display so it had to be DIGITAL PROJECTION carry out a complete overhaul of stunning from all angles and OJosh Miller, DJ Willrich

114 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 Lauren Heath-Jones, products editor, Attractions Management

Visitors feel history with Videofabrika VR experience, says Mikhail Antykov

ussia’s Hermitage Museum The Hermitage VR Experience R has partnered with Russian is based on key events in the video production company museum’s history, spanning back Videofabrika to create a brand to the 1700s. It takes place new VR experience for visitors. inside a purpose-built cinema, where 20 guests can view the fi lm through Samsung Gear VR head-mounted devices. Videofabrika collaborated with Russian fi lm studio Super 8 to create the 19-minute fi lm, which stars acclaimed Russian actor Konstantin Khabensky as OProfessional fi lm studio Super 8 helped created the footage a mystical time-travelling guide. The guide takes guests on a interesting way. We let people spectacular journey through feel and be in the history.” centuries of Russian history Antykov adds: “We see a in the halls of St Petersburg’s trend that all the museums Hermitage Museum, giving and attractions are starting them unrestricted access to incorporate VR into their to areas of the museum, programme and we expect this including the roof, that are to grow. This is the fi rst step usually closed to the public. for our re-imagining of the high- Mikhail Antykov, interactive end museum experience.” creative director at Videofabrika, says: “We’re using VR to create ATTRACTIONS-KIT KEYWORD The VR experience touches on O a new kind of history lesson VIDEOFABRIKA 300 years of Russian history which teaches people in an OMikhail Antykov, Videofabrika

Terry Monkton on Simworx’ new Mini Flying Theatre

imworx has expanded its legs are suspended in mid-air S range of media-based to elevate the experience. dynamic attractions with the It also incorporates a range launch of the Mini Flying Theatre, of in-theatre effects including an innovative turnkey solution, wind, smoke, water spray and based on the 360 Flying Theatre. special effects lighting, and is The Mini Flying Theatre (Mini equipped with a HD2K/4K 3D FT), which makes its offi cial projection system and surround OThe Mini Flying Theatre is suited to operators with a smaller footprint debut at IAAPA in November, sound audio. Other features features a smaller footprint, include a quarter dome screen, innovative products, including with the in-show area measuring programmable heave and tilt the Mini FT, that we’re really approximately 13x13x9 metres and a custom showreel. excited to bring to market.” (43x43x30 feet) and the Simworx managing director Other recent launches ride able to accommodate Terry Monkton says: “The Mini from Simworx include the 20 passengers per cycle. Flying Theatre is an innovative AGV Darkride, the Immersive Designed to simulate the and accessible product that Adventure Simulator and sensation of fl ying, the Mini FT requires far less space than Paradrop VR, which debuted at moves guests backwards and some of our larger attractions.” EAS in partnership with Frontgrid. forwards throughout. The ride’s Monkton adds: “The team movements are synchronised to has been working non-stop ATTRACTIONS-KIT KEYWORD coincide with the movie playing to develop a range of new, SIMWORX on the dome screen, while riders’ cutting-edge experiences and OTerry Monkton, Simworx

©CYBERTREK 2017 AM 4 2017 attractionsmanagement.com 115 DIRECTORY

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116 attractionsmanagement.com AM 4 2017 ©CYBERTREK 2017 JOIN THE

nation 2017 CONFERENCE: Come together with your peers and be inspired. NOV. 13–17 As technology evolves and customers demand more interactive, personal TRADE SHOW: experiences, you need to find innovative ways to deliver. NOV. 14–17 Source creative solutions for your business by connecting with the global ORLANDO, FL, US attractions community at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2017.

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