Attractionswww.attractionsmanagement.com management MFC(-H*)'((
Attractionswww.attractionsmanagement.com management MFC(-H*)'((
K?<G A@DI<@;$8E; ?FNJ@O=C8>JN Read Attractions Management online: www.attractionsmanagement.com/digital follow us on twitter @attractionsmag K? ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT EDITOR’S LETTER GREAT LEADERSHIP ON THE COVER: uilding international-scale attractions is a com- Turning around Six Flags, p22 plex business and we’ve seen repeatedly that when things go wrong, they can go very wrong. READER SERVICES B The Hard Rock Theme Park, which has had such a trou- SUBSCRIPTIONS bled history, is an unfortunate example of how a US$400m Denise Gildea +44 (0)1462 471930 investment can fail in a very short time if the business CIRCULATION MANAGER model’s wrong – even with a great brand behind it. Michael Emmerson +44 (0)1462 471932 We’re hearing that this park could reopen soon under new EDITORIAL TEAM management, so it’s a question of whether they’ll be third MANAGING EDITOR time lucky, or whether there’s something too fundamentally Kathleen Whyman +44 (0)1462 471918 wrong with the location or the actual attraction for it to be fi xed. Sound management can make a massive and critical difference to businesses of EDITOR this type, so the owners of the park – in Myrtle Beach, US – are rightly focusing on Liz Terry +44 (0)1462 431385 fi nding a new management company to relaunch it and haul it into profi t. NEWSDESK In this issue (page 22) we take a look at Six Flags which operates 19 theme parks Tom Walker +44 (0)1462 471917 in the US, Mexico and Canada and is in the process of reinventing itself through great Pete Hayman +44 (0)1462 471931 management after a diffi cult few years. We talk to Jim Reid-Anderson, the Brit brought Martin Nash +44 (0)1462 471933 in by the board as CEO, following its emergence from Chapter 11 in April 2010. ADVERTISING TEAM PUBLISHER “Once people see you’re real and truthful, even if you’re telling them Julie Badrick +44 (0)1462 471919 something they don’t want to hear, they begin to support and believe ADVERTISING SALES in the company again. It’s about building trust.” Jim Reid-Anderson John Challinor +44 (0)1582 607970 Jan Williams +44 (0)1462 471909 At the time Reid-Anderson joined Six Flags, the company had US$1bn worth of ATTRACTIONS RECRUITMENT debt and in his words, needed to “adjust its thinking and priorities”. A fi rm believer Annie Lovell +44 (0)1462 471901 in the power of people, he says a major focus has been “rebuilding employee and ADVERTISING PRODUCTION investor pride in the company.” There’s also been a review of all areas of operation. Ed Gallagher +44 (0)1462 431385 Signifi cant change has already been made and Six Flags has announced an WEB TEAM increase in revenue of US$4m (7 per cent) in Q1 of 2011, with a 1 per cent increase in attendance, an 11 per cent increase in ticket revenue and a 10 per cent increase INTERNET in in-park sales of merchandise and food and beverage. Michael Paramore +44 (0)1462 471926 Reid-Anderson has taken a robust view on investment, believing it vital to success. Dean Fox +44 (0)1462 471900 He plans to spend US$90m a year – or 9 per cent of revenue – on new attractions, Tim Nash +44 (0)1462 471917 saying: “this is a complete change of direction for the company – I believe guests like Emma Harris +44 (0)1462 471921 new things and we’ll have something new, every year, in every park.” FUN-KIT.NET/MUSEUM-KIT.NET Having people of this calibre coming into the attractions industry is vital for our PRODUCT SEARCH ENGINE future success. Reid-Anderson – an executive with a career in international busi- Martin Nash +44 (0)1462 471933 ness – had previously turned around a medical technology company, taking it from DESIGN Chapter 11 to a US$7bn disposal to Siemens, so his cv was pretty iron cast. Six Flags Andy Bundy +44 (0)1462 471924 did well to attract him to the business, because hiring and keeping great manage- FINANCE ment talent at this level is the most important challenge currently facing our industry. Sue Davis +44 (0)1395 519318 Denise Gildea +44 (0)1462 471930 Liz Terry, editor, twitter: @elizterry Rebekah Scott +44 (0)1462 471930 THE LEISURE MEDIA COMPANY PUBLISHES The Leisure Media Company Ltd, Portmill House, Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1DJ UK Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385 Fax: +44 (0)1462 433909 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT IS THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SUPPORTED BY e-mail: [email protected] www.attractionsmanagement.com AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 5 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 3 2011 26 Analysis: 44 Show preview: The performance rollercoaster EAS 5 Editor’s letter How did theme park and waterpark A selection of the products that compa- 8 BALPPA news attendances fare in 2010? We look at the nies will be exhibiting at the European 10 Zoo news results of the TEA/AECOM Theme Index Attraction Show in September 12 Theme park news Project preview: Show preview: 14 32 52 Waterpark news Cave paintings Leisure Industry Week 16 Museum news Technology is taking people into the A look at what’s on offer at the show 18 Science centre news Mogao Caves in China virtually where innovation meets inspiration 20 Gallery news 21 Heritage news 36 New opening: 54 Show review: A roaring trade World Waterpark Association 22 Profi le: Visitors are taken back in time at the Some of the suppliers describe what Jim Reid-Anderson NHM’s Age of the Dinosaur exhibition they’ll be showcasing at WWA this year After declaring bankruptcy in 2009, theme park operator Six Flags had a 40 Show review: 56 3D/4D/5D: $4m increase in revenue in the fi rst Ecsite Different dimensions quarter of 2011. The chair, president and We learn why freedom was the theme of We fi nd out about some of the more unu- CEO describes how he achieved this the annual science centre conference sual criteria in the latest 3D projects 6 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 ISSUE 3 2011 DIGITAL MAGAZINE: See Attractions Management online: attractionsmanagement.com/digital TODAY’S NEWS AND JOBS: For the latest opportunities in the attractions industry, plus global market news, check out our daily website: www.attractionsmanagement.com or sign up for e-news on www.leisuresubs.com ATTENTION 62 Audiovisual: 76 Show review: BUYERS! Passage of time Bringing SATE to Europe Wherever you are How AV has recreated the historical Lesley Morisetti reports on Europe’s fi rst in the world, fi nd events which took place during WWII Storytelling, Architecture, Technology suppliers 24/7 and Experience conference using Attractions 66 Lighting Management’s dedicated leisure See the light 78 Galleries: search engine: www.fun-kit.net Industry experts detail the pros and cons Turner round of using LED lighting in attractions We visit the new Turner Contemporary SUBSCRIBE: and hear about the 10 years of contro- Be a part of the bigger picture and 70 Design project profi le: versy leading up to the opening and why subscribe to Attractions Management. Travel guide it won’t be focusing on Turner himself To sign up, call: +44 (0)1462 471915 Exhibits at Glasgow’s new Riverside Museum include a 30m train and the 82 fun-kit.net: BUYERS’ GUIDE: recreation of a 1900s street Focus on zoos For suppliers of products and A selection of new products on the mar- services in the worldwide attractions 74 Smartphone technology: ket aimed at the zoo sector industry, turn to page 84 Street smart Mark Hayward reviews some of the apps 84 Buyers guide that use the landscape as the attraction Suppliers of attractions products AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 7 98CGG8E\nj KfY\fiefkkfY\# 9i`^_kfeËj_`jkfi`Zg`\ikfY\jfc[ k_Xk`jk_\hl\jk`fe G 8 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 See you in London EDUCATION PASSION PEOPLE Stay connected. Stay informed. Stay ahead. produced by The conference and tradeshow for attractions and leisure industry in Europe. Update your profi le on www.IAAPA.org/EAS and we will keep you informed. Qff 8hlXi`ldE\nj QffjXe[ %(,dJ\XC`]\:\eki\]fiIfd\ 8hlXi`ldjXj G qffjXe[XhlXi`ldj`j KFDN8CB 10 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 With the fast-track app “we were out of the queue and onto the rides in no time. Katie Foster, online at a ” Get them online theme park with The Cloud while they’re in line with FREE Wi-Fi* Join the UK’s largest public Wi-Fi network and keep customers entertained With a Wi-Fi system that’s flexible, easy to manage and super-reliable, you and your customers can get the most from your marketing strategy. Make your business work smarter Make your customers happy Use Wi-Fi from The Cloud to: Your customers can surf, stream, and share the fun • Entertain customers by making queuing part of the experience with a Wi-Fi service that’s • Use ‘fast-track’ apps to let customers get there faster free, fast and easy to • Cross-sell products and services directly to customers connect to in seconds. • Gather insight to enhance customer experience • Encourage social media conversation to drive advocacy Get free Wi-Fi* working for your business, call now on 0845 333 0400 or visit thecloud.net quoting reference Attractions Management *The service is free to end users subject to payment of a set up and periodic fees from you, the venue, to The Cloud for the provision of services. Equipment (including router) remains the property of The Cloud. Available to customers in The Cloud’s network area in the UK, subject to premises location and a minimum term. End user and further terms apply. Correct at July 2011. K_\d\GXibE\nj Hl\\ejcXe[k_\d\gXib [Ëjki`Zklem\`cjC`m\GXibZfeZ\gk X[[je\nk_i`cci`[\ G Th e theme park is to anchor Aqaba’s new resort JkXiKi\bk_\d\gXib D`o\[i\jlckj]fi^cfYXcj\Zkfi`e)'(' gcXee\[]fiAfi[Xe KFDN8CBGIFFGJ is designed to record the visit numbers at all parks dominate the top 25 list, occupying the A theme park intended to present the his- major world parks and is used as a benchmark top eight positions and with a further three tory of the Communist Party in China is to to asses the state of the industry. parks in the table. (See p26 for full report) be built in Chongqing municipality, accord- ing to the Chongqing Evening Post. Th e Red Classics Th eme Park is to cost LJ+*dYffjk]fi8ib 12 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 K_\d\GXibE\nj GfcXe[kf^\ke\nk_\d\gXib Creating Active G >i\\eCXek\iei`[\[\YlkjXkJ`o=cX^jgXib G ;\jk`eXk`fei\jfikk_\d\gXib]fiIljj`X G resort theme park develop- image: stockLite/shutterstock.com ment earmarked for Russia called Magic World Russia. MIG 2000 revealed that Gary Goddard Entertainment Design, ProFun Management Group and (it) Brand Studios are among the groups that will be working on the project. Covering more than 600 acres (243 hectares), the Facilities for families with young children are among MIG 2000’s plans development is to incorporate a number of theme park concepts, hotels, din- Universal seen as “priority” choices. A Magic ing options and entertainment venues. Family Park for families with young chil- MIG 2000 is in talks with Hollywood stu- dren, Nanopolis Children’s park, offering an dios over the construction of a studio-branded “edutainment” experience and separate water- park as part of the scheme, with Paramount or parks for adults and families are planned. AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 NXk\igXibE\nj I`j\lgkfk_\ J`o=cX^jgXibfg\ejI`gk`[\9Xp Z_Xcc\e^`e^k`d\j G approach that may prove to be useful for comprises a double-tube slide image: polin improving health safety at swimming pools with twin uphill sections. and the reduction of AFRs. The addition of the new ride Operators throughout Europe have been comes a year after two other preaching this message through park pol- experiences were installed at The new 14.7m-high, double-tube slide has twin uphill sections icies and pool signage for years. Yet, it’s the park by Polin. important that the worldwide water lei- Aqua Fantasy Waterpark manager Polin senior architect Zeynep Canbaz added: sure industry remain vigilant on this issue Muharrem Atilla said: “Due to the high “The great thing about this design is that it uses and not allow lackadaisical attitudes among amount of excitement that the two slides we the same tower as the previous slides and it parents and patrons to prevail. added last year brought, we were interested in works without water jets. This lowers the oper- The solution must be a collaborative adding another slide from Polin.” ating costs of the waterpark.” effort between park and pool operators and parents that focuses on simple preventive measures. These include showering thor- 14 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Visit our stand at ...and if you want to talk to kids, you need to talk to us We’re experts in Kids media, so if you want to reach this powerful and growing audience, you should come to us. You can run a campaign on our channels for less budget than you might think, and the high return on investment might surprise you too. Find out how we can help you at: www.turnermediainnovations.com/leisure We make advertising child’s play *Source: Turner Media Innovations, Holiday & Day-Out research 2011 Dlj\ldE\nj E\nXkkiXZk`fe]fi A concept vision of how the museum could look =flik\Xdjkf[iXnlg E\n;`efjXli?Xccfg\ejXkC8dlj\ld 8cY\ikXdlj\ldgcXej G 16 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 ( ) $ ! " # !"# $% !" # &' $ % & ,)!!'-+. ,!'+,'-, '$$ ( !)* ('+ , " JZ`\eZ\:\eki\E\nj JZ`\eZ\Z\eki\jXe[ dlj\ldj1X^\ekjf] E\n$cffbgcXe\kXi`ld]fiK8D Z_Xe^\]fi 18 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Gamma LeisurePOS MEMBERSHIP gamma dataware Complete business solutions Modular integrated management information systems for visitor attractions, museums, heritage sites and ADMISSIONS RETAIL CATERING BOOKINGS ACCOUNTS theme parks Gamma Dataware Limited Gamma LeisurePOS provides visitor attractions of all types and sizes with a complete end-to-end operational management system from admissions to back office reporting, analysis and accounting. The system’s modular approach allows operators to implement any combination of modules to meet their specific requirements. While the integration between modules ensures that operators can easily produce cross departmental reports such as visitor spend analysis. LeisurePOS modules include: Admissions and Ticketing Bookings and Event Management Membership Retail and Catering Point of Sale Stock Control Purchase Order Processing Mail Order Gift Aid Integrated Chip and PIN Web Interfaces Gamma Dataware Ltd Accounting and Payroll K?<>CF98C Reporting and Back Office Management Wright Business Centre 1 Lonmay Road I<D< Glasgow LeisurePOS options include: L ; G33 4EL J @ I G Telephone: C L +44 (0)141 773 6273 = ",&-(65$.(5$0'&1..(&6,10-,15-5 8 9 C = (/1*4$2+,&'$6$&$2674( E @ $: : F @ 8 8KKI8:K@FEJ K +44 (0)141 773 6283 = !+,2$0' )141))5,6(5$.(5 E-mail: = 19(%64$05$&6,10)((5 GIF= FI; AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 19 >Xcc\ipE\nj NfibjkXikjfeE\nPfib dlj\ldjZ_\d\ J\ig\ek`e\JXZbc\igcXejYXZb\[ G The scheme will meet ‘sharpened’ legal demands MXe>f^_Dlj\ldkf Jp[e\pËjD:8kfi\fg\e`eDXiZ_)'() le[\i^fi\efmXk`fe G an renovation from the end of 2012. US$58m) overhaul. image courtesy architect marshall The work is to comply with “sharpened” Construction work started legal requirements set out by the Dutch gov- on the redevelopment of The ernment and will help ensure the condition Museum of Contemporary of the building and the safety of visitors. Art (MCA) in August 2010, Adjustments to meet greater security with architect Sam Marshall needs for visitors and exhibits were partially and the New South Wales completed in 2010, with the forthcoming Government Architect behind renovation to comprise the second phase. the design of the project. An additional 4,500sq m (43,438sq ft) of space is to be The new-look Museum of Contemporary Art will launch in March 2012 NXc\jËe\n-%,dEXk`feXc created as part of the develop- Dlj\ldf]8ikfg\ej ment programme and will increase the MCA’s feature two studios and a 120-seat lecture total size by nearly 50 per cent. theatre. Meanwhile, new venue spaces will be G 20 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 ?\i`kX^\E\nj ,,d]le[kfY\e\Ôk ?\i`kX^\jkXklj]fi),e\nj`k\j LBXikj&_\i`kX^\^iflgj KFDN8CB Th e Persian Garden, Iran; the Fort Jesus, Mombasa, Kenya, has been named as a World Heritage Site image: infrogmation of new orleans Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Vietnam; and the Th e Residence of Bukovinian Th e news was welcomed by country dele- and Dalmatian Metropolitans in Ukraine are gates and state offi cials – including Jordan’s also among the 25 additions. Queen Rania who expressed her excitement Th e new sites comprise three natural prop- on the micro-blogging website, Twitter: “So erties, 21 cultural and one mixed site, with the proud Wadi Rum has join UNESCO World World Heritage List now numbering 936 sites – Heritage List! That tallies Jordan’s total of 183 natural sites, 725 cultural and 28 mixed. World Heritage sites to four!” Th e facility will let guests view restoration work DfLkfYffjkJ`e^Xgfi\Ëjdlj\ldjj\Zkfi LJNN@@dlj\ld G AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 21 GIF=@C< A@DI<@;$8E; 8]k\i[\ZcXi`e^YXebilgkZp eceiving a job offer to become a tarnished external reputation. Since join- chair, president and CEO of a ing, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by many `e)''0#J`o=cX^jXZ_`\m\[ R company that’s just emerged things, but especially the passion and tal- X+d`eZi\Xj\`ei\m\el\ from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and has ent of our employees. I’ve always believed US$1bn (£614m, %696m) worth of debt, employees are a company’s greatest asset `ek_\ÔijkhlXik\if])'((% probably wouldn’t sound that appealing to and that’s our strength at this company. K_\k_\d\gXibfg\iXkfiËj most people. For Jim Reid-Anderson, how- We have a very bright future ahead of us.” ever, it was an exciting proposition. : 22 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 In contrast to the former policy of two new rides a year across the group, there will now be something new in every park, every year “Our fi rst quarter was great,” says Reid- Anderson proudly. “Having gone through È?Xm`e^^fe\k_ifl^_YXebilgkZp#dXep bankruptcy, many people thought this com- pany was doomed. Instead, we’ve grown g\fgc\k_fl^_kk_`jZfdgXepnXj[ffd\[% our revenue and substantially improved our fi nancial position.” @ejk\X[#n\Ëm\`dgifm\[fliÔeXeZ`Xcgfj`k`feÉ The CEO credits this to focusing on being the leading regional theme park company. To gain the increases in attend- greater discounts, which Reid-Anderson ment company, it had lost focus. “We’re a ance and revenue necessary to achieve felt was unnecessary. “That was going too regional theme park company and we’re this goal, Reid-Anderson knew it was far, so we’ve been more disciplined around good at it,” he emphasises. “We’re going essential to add new experiences. He pricing and discounting,” he explains. to be the best at that, deliver fantastic plans to spend about $90m (£56m, The company’s marketing strategy guest service, run our parks safely and %63m), or nine per cent of revenue, a year has also been updated. “The campaigns effi ciently and offer new attractions so our in capital, the bulk of which will be on new weren’t getting through to our target guests keep coming back.” attractions. This is a complete change of guests,” he says. “They were very focused direction for the company, as previous on a character called Mr Six, who was cre- :LK98:BJ form was to invest in just a couple of new ated years ago and dances in the park in As well as adding to the company, Reid- rides a year throughout the whole 19 parks. the adverts. By concentrating on Mr Six, Anderson has also had to make some cuts. “That limits the excitement you can create we’d lost sight of the park.” Now the parks This has affected staff to a degree – the for your guests,” Reid-Anderson says. “I have become the heroes of Six Flag’s number of full-time staff was reduced by believe guests like new things. We’ll have advertising and guests can see exactly 10 per cent last year. But the main reduc- something new, every year, in every park.” what they’ll get when they come to visit. tions have been as a result of operating The use of Mr Six is just one example of more effi ciently. “The company had never DIJ@O where Reid-Anderson feels the company really looked at its capital spending from Next, pricing came under scrutiny. The lost track of what it does best. In trying an overall return on investment perspec- company had been offering increasingly to become a broader, media/entertain- tive,” says Reid-Anderson. “By doing that AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 23 GIF=@C< Under Reid-Anderson’s direction, Six Flags is focusing on being a great regional theme park operator, offering fantastic guest service and running its 19 parks safely and effi ciently we can be more diligent in how we spend “To do this we were honest and open those benefi ts and staff are much more money.” Key differences include changing with both parties,” says Reid-Anderson. upbeat and supportive,” he adds. from national to local media advertising “We gave them the strategy and vision and and using its immense buying power as then we set about executing it. Your word J:FI< leverage to reduce supply costs. is your bond – tell people what you’re To further involve staff, Reid-Anderson has Operating days have also been reviewed. going to do, then do it.” This approach is implemented a system around the acro- Previously the company was open on backed up with regular employee sessions nym SCORE, chosen as a homage to the several days when it didn’t make sense in which staff are invited to ask questions. British football team Tottenham Hotspur. to be open and was losing money. Now “Once you do that and people see you’re He grew up in England and relocated to its schedules are more in line with other real and truthful with them, even if you’re the US in 1988, but remains a football fan. regional companies. Activities that were telling them something they don’t want to SCORE has been rolled out across the non-core have also been eliminated, such hear, they begin to support and believe in company to showcase the changes being as children’s barber shops, which cost mil- the company again,” Reid-Anderson says. made. The S represents sound strategy – lions of dollars to set up and run. “It’s all about building trust. They have a and communicating it to employees and right to know where we’re going.” the outside world. C is for communication: DFI8C< In return for their loyalty, all employees “Open, honest communication with employ- Restoring employee morale and pride in were awarded stock options. “Over the ees and the outside, so people understand the company and restoring investor trust years a lot of benefi ts had been taken away our direction,” says Reid-Anderson. “I have been the biggest challenges. from people. We’ve reinstated many of email the employees every week telling them good news and bad news and I get hundreds of responses back, all of which I ÈFeZ\g\fgc\j\\pflËi\Y\`e^_fe\jk#\m\e`] reply to.” Next is organisation, making sure quality leadership is in place and every- pflËi\k\cc`e^k_\djfd\k_`e^k_\p[feËknXek one’s roles are clear, followed by rewards and recognition. “We tell our employees kf_\Xi#k_\pY\c`\m\`ek_\ZfdgXepX^X`eÉ that they’ve done a good job and take care of them, as I would want to be taken care 24 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 89FLKA@DI<@;$8E; of,” he explains. “Finally, E is for execu- into place the fi rst ever fi ve-year, long-range K?<=LKLI< tion, making sure we do what we say we’re plan for the company, with capital being This year is Six Flags Over Texas’, the going to do. That’s the core of how we driven by what the parks need rather than company’s fl agship park, 50th season turned the company around and focused what the CEO wants. Now that the share anniversary and celebrations are being it on what we needed to do. I’ve over- price has gone up – from $30 (£19, %21) held throughout the season. It’s not the simplifi ed it, but you can make things too a share to $36 (£22, %25) in the last year only thing the company has to celebrate. complex. By using SCORE, people get it.” – and Six Flags has had multiple credit rat- Having reduced Six Flags’ debt by a third ings and agency improvements, people to $800m (£497m, %564m) in his fi rst year N8CCJKI< AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 25 8E8CPJ@J K?<G 8=K ith 2009 being such a strong to produce mixed results in the 2010 TEA/ only one element in the success of an year for theme parks, it was AECOM Theme Index. attraction, they do represent a measure always going to be a challenge This is the eighth year that we’ve pre- of relative popularity and the report has keeping the performance up in pared the report and every year we obtain become an important reference point. N2010 – and so it proved for many opera- new and updated information to help us tors. The ongoing global recession, some provide as accurate a picture as possi- K?<>CF98CG@:KLI< challenging weather periods, and generally ble of the theme and waterpark industry. The performance rollercoaster led to last modest investment by operators combined While we recognise that admissions are year’s big risers on the global top 25 parks list – North American parks – lose some visits, while the Asian parks, which strug- K89C<(1KFG),8DLJ 26 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 New rides, such as Saw at Thorpe Park, have helped Merlin consolidate its position as the number two theme park operator park. This attendance increase of 30 per K_\g\i]fidXeZ\ifcc\iZfXjk\ic\[kfcXjkp\XiËjY`^ cent is a remarkable achievement, made even more incredible by the fact that the i`j\ijfek_\kfg),gXibjc`jkcfj\jfd\m`j`kj new area only opened in June 2010. The magical infl uence extended to Universal Studios Florida, where a six per cent K89C<)1KFG)'8DLJ AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 27 8E8CPJ@J attendance from local visitors. However, to K89C<*1KFG)'8DLJ 28 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 K_\Xkk\e[XeZ\`eZi\Xj\f] *'g\iZ\ek`jXi\dXibXYc\ XZ_`\m\d\ek#dX[\\m\e dfi\`eZi\[`Yc\Ypk_\ ]XZkk_Xkk_\e\nXi\Xfecp fg\e\[`eAle\)'(' Admissions to Islands of Adventure grew to 5.9 million thanks to The K89C<,1KFG('K? Ark also posted impressive increases. ATTENDANCE 40,000,000 The importance of waterparks to tourist 20,000,000 markets can be seen from the presence 0 in the list of parks such as Wet ‘n Wild Top 20 North Top 20 Top 10 Top 10 Latin Top 20 global American parks European parks Asian parks American parks waterparks Water World in the Gold Coast along with Aquaventure and Wild Wadi in Dubai. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 29 8E8CPJ@J >CF98C8;D@JJ@FEKI Efk\1Ê!Ë`e[`ZXk\jXk`\%8kk\e[XeZ\Ô^li\jXi\\jk`dXk\j#YXj\[feZfdgXep`e]fidXk`fe#XeelXci\gfikj#glYc`j_\[ `e]fidXk`feXe[]ifdi\c`XYc\K<8&8<:FD`e[ljkipXe[kfli`jdjfliZ\j%G\iZ\ekZ_Xe^\j]fi)'(']fiZ\ikX`egXibjXi\YXj\[ feX[aljk\[&lg[Xk\[Ô^li\j]fi)''0#k_ljefk[`i\ZkcpZfdgXiXYc\kfglYc`j_\[K<8&8<:FDc`jk]fi)''0&'/figi\m`flj i\gfikj%JfliZ\1K<8Xe[8<:FD region will also have an impact on fi gures. season admissions at some parks. By contrast, the US market has started So, the recessionary attendance roller pretty well. Harry Potter has continued to coaster looks set to continue into 2011. work his magic for Universal in Orlando With the summer months of July and with a 15 per cent increase in Universal August being the most important for most parks’ revenues for the fi rst quarter of parks, operators will be hoping that they’re 2011. Six Flags has reported a one per cent heading up to the crest of the ride. ● increase in admissions for Q1 2011 over the same period in 2010 (see p22). David Camp, director, economics, AECOM In Europe, the warm start to the year across much of the continent helped oper- The full report can be downloaded from Disneyland parks make up 11 of the ators to a strong start to the season. This http://www.teaconnect.org/teaaecom- top 25 amusement parks and theme is especially true in the UK where the com- 2010-global-attractions-report or parks visited worldwide during 2010 bination of warm weather and extended http://www.aecom.com/What+We+Do/ public holidays in April led to bumper early Economics 30 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Liseberg Balder roller coaster – Martin dynamic lighting installation since 2002 Gothenburg, Sweden Engineered for the eye Wild thrill rides, Ferris wheel, or performance stage, Sweden’s Liseberg amusement park uses impactful dynamic lighting schemes to create more exciting nighttime experiences that improve aesthetics and attract customers – and extend their stay - for a serious bottom line impact. For more information or to receive a copy of the Martin Professional Theme Park Brochure, contact us at [email protected] www.martin.com Bertazzon 3B SRL, 31020 Sernaglia (treviso) Italy Phone +39.0438.966291 Fax +39.0438.966165 E-mail: [email protected] AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 31 GIFA<:KGI CAVE PAINTINGS 8k_fljXe[p\Xijf]jkfipk\cc`e^Xi\Y\`e^Yifl^_kkfc`]\Xkk_\Df^Xf:Xm\jKfli`jk :\ek\i`e;le_lXe^#:_`eX%K_\Zi\Xkfij#J`cbifX[`e^Ëj:_\eA`XealeXe[Jbp$JbXeËj Jk\m\JXmX^\#k\ccBXk_c\\eN_pdXe_fnk_\pËi\kXb`e^Xl[`\eZ\jm`iklXccp`ekfk_\ZXm\j t a religious and cultural cross- However, this is soon to change. Thanks Republic of China were invited roads on the Silk Road, in to the combined efforts of the Dunhuang to attend the meeting, as was Gansu province, China, lie the Academy, award-winning documentary Silkroading’s Chen, who sug- Mogao Caves – a system of 492 director and CEO of Silkroading Jianjun gested that the caves would be temples spanning 2km south- Chen and Sky-Skan’s president Steve best preserved digitally and pre- 8east of the centre of Dunhuang. Savage, the paintings are being repro- sented in a dome show. Showcasing Buddhist art created over a duced in a life-size fulldome fi lm. “At that time no one in the meet- period of 1,000 years, the paintings tell the Designed to accompany a large scale ing had seen a fulldome show,” stories of merchants, travellers, governors theatre pre-show detailing the history of Chen recalls. “And I’d never made and kings and queens – a historic ‘who’s the caves, the experience will launch at the a dome show! But everyone liked who’ – while highlighting the breadth of art new Mogao Caves Tourist Center in 2012. the idea of being able to see the inside of that was happening a millennium ago. Currently being built, the new centre will the caves in a digital dome and accepted The caves are a famous historic and allow visitors to see the historic art in all its the idea.” Silkroading was asked to take cultural destination, and a UNESCO World glorious detail for the fi rst time. the fi rst steps towards making a dome Heritage site, and receive 6,000 visitors show, which was to digitise the inside of a a day in the peak summer time, many of GI The stunning cave paintings are seen by relatively few, as people’s heat and humidity destroys the artwork 32 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 The building has been designed to resemble a sand dune and the interior décor will incorporate earth tones È@edXepnXpj`kËjX Y\kk\i\og\i`\eZ\k_Xe Y\`e^`ek_\ZXm\j#Xj`kËj n\ccc`kXe[pflZXej\\ k_`e^jfek_\Z\`c`e^k_Xk pflZXeËk^\kZcfj\kfÉ of the statues and cave surface models presented many challenges, but Chen managed to work through them. “At the A dome theatre was chosen to show the fi lm for its similarity to a cave’s environment time there weren’t any fulldome shows available that had been created from pho- tography and scans, so this was pioneering what the academy had accomplished in (90ft)-wide, this was a phenomenal under- work from the very beginning,” he says. capturing the art in digital form, so that it taking,” Chen points out. A short demo was rendered to give can be shown in a different way rather than By now Chen’s team had been experi- the project team an idea of the results trying to jam all these people through the menting with different formats for two they could expect. “There were still many caves. We calculated that they need two years to ensure they got the right resolu- problems with the techniques for combin- 8k theatres running in tandem to handle tion to do the incredibly detailed artwork ing different media into one high-quality 6,000 visitors a day, plus two large format justice. “Eventually they decided to make image,” says Chen, “but, the demo was screens for pre-shows.” a 10k by 10k test,” says Savage. “We had rendered at 3,200 by 3,200 pixels – the In 2009, a team of 40 people worked to change our software as we’d never ren- highest resolution at that time – and shown at the Mogao Caves for seven months dered anything so big, but can now deliver to a selection of industry experts.” to carry out very detailed laser scan- a 10k by 10k image on the dome in an 8k The next step was to bring fulldome spe- ning, high resolution digital photography by 8k system. We looked at the images on cialist Sky-Skan on board. Steve Savage and mural stitching. Thirteen caves were that and it was fabulous. recalls the four-day trip he made from scanned at less than 1mm accuracy and “In many ways it’s a better experience Boston to the caves. “I saw 15 caves in one photographed across every piece of their than being in the caves as it’s so well lit day and was exhausted at the end of it,” he surface. “Bearing in mind that some of and you can see things on the ceiling that laughs. “But it gave me an appreciation of these caves are 60m (180ft)-high and 30m you can’t get close to in the caves.” AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 33 GIFA<:KGI K?< 34 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 E ;`efjXlij`ek_\`i_XY`kXk`jk_\]fZljf]k_\ EXkliXc?`jkfipDlj\ldËje\n\o_`Y`k`fe#n_`Z__XjXkkiXZk\[ k\ejf]k_fljXe[jf]m`j`kfij%BXk_c\\eN_pdXec\Xiej_fn k_\j\gi\_`jkfi`ZZi\Xkli\jn\i\Yifl^_kkfc`]\ The animatronic dinosaurs combine with a science-based, linear exhibition 8IF8I@E>KI8;< howcasing dinosaurs in their Visitors also get to delve into part of the “This display explains how we’ve pieced environment with the animals and vast collection at the London, UK, museum, together the scenarios that we have.” plants that were around at the time via the accompanying exhibition, and learn To achieve this, the NHM’s in-house is the aim of London, UK’s Natural more about the Jurassic and Cretaceous team brought in Land Design Studio JHistory Museum’s (NHM) latest temporary period. “We want to give our visitors a fun Ltd. The brief was to design two world- exhibition, Age of the Dinosaur. The result time, as well as show and help them under- class, world-touring exhibitions in one – an is an exciting display of seven animatronics stand the evidence behind the science that immersive, experiential exhibition with moving among the vegetation that would goes on here at the museum,” explains scientifi cally accurate themed habitats and have been their home millions of years ago. interpretation developer Georgina Bishop. animatronic dinosaurs, plus a more didac- tic science-based, linear exhibition. “It’s fair PHOTOS ABOVE CENTRE AND LEFT: NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM to say that this was a slightly unusual and yet extremely challenging brief, but one we were keen to meet,” says associate director John Blanchard. THE CONTENT The animatronics side of the exhibition offers a multi-sensory experience. The vibrating ground creates the illusion that the dinosaurs are coming to get you, and smell, misting and a sound track further enhance the experience. “We combined everything to make people feel immersed in the environments,” says Bishop. The Jurassic area features a camara- sauraus and the earth’s fi rst bird, an archaeopteryx. In the Cretaceous area, visi- tors meet a velociraptor, a protoceratops and a gallimimus, before being confronted by a tarbosaurus and an oviraptor. It was working around the animatron- Visitors can create an online scrapbook by collecting virtual specimens and dino facts ics that was the biggest challenge for 36 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 T-rex’s cousin, the tarbosaurus, roars as it hunts for prey among the vegetation in a scientifi cally accurate themed environment Blanchard. “These very realistic, life-size creatures thrash about in the space, so ÈN<D8K:?<;K?<;@EFJ8LIJLGJFK?8K#@EK? AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 37 E The exhibit includes illuminated habitat depictions and the life size replica of a camarasauraus’ leg and shoulder bone (on the right) a wall to a showcase has to meet this pri- exhibition. “The exhibition will be touring It’s important that the specimens are visu- mary requirement. Once the show is on for up to 10 years, so we needed to include ally arresting as well as telling a great story.” the road it has to be carefully broken down, specimens that were able to participate in Blanchard is delighted with the fi nished packed into crates, loaded onto containers, the tour,” she says. “Also, the specimens article. “We’re pleased with the whole shipped, then the reverse process hap- needed to be visually interesting to visitors exhibition – from the beautiful fossilised pens at the other end.” and allow people to make links with today. specimens, to the interconnecting timber The fact that the artefacts will be on tour For example, there’s a starfi sh in the under- walls, to the Japanese animatronics,” he helped Bishop decide which of the millions water area, so people can see at a glance says. “However, one stand-out element of specimens behind the scenes in the what it is, but can fi nd out more about its from a design point of view is the large palaeontology department to include in the life and how it died by reading the label. backlit tensile-fabric walls. These have worked out really well for us, as they satisfy È?8M@E>8><F=K?<;@EFJ8LI8J8KFLI@E> 38 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Planning and Design Consulting Working with clients to plan and create exhibitions and attractions The timeline of life on our planet dates from 250 million years ago to the present day PHOTO: NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM HISTORY NATURAL PHOTO: FIRST PERSON tion, I’d be wary of bringing very young EXPERIENCE children, unless they’re particularly fear- Kathleen less, as I suspect they could be terrifi ed Whyman – or perhaps that’s the appeal. The animatronics are just one element n unseen beast of the exhibition though. It also offers an Consulting services snarls eerily in easy to understand timeline of life on our Our key services include: the distance. The air is dank and planet dating from 250 million years ago 8 sJOUFSQSFUJWFQMBOOJOH heavy. The ground begins to tremble. I to the present day. Specimens include a sFYIJCJUBOEHBMMFSZEFWFMPQNFOU swallow nervously. To my right, the foli- 140 million-year-old turtle shell and a ste- sGBDJMJUJFTBTTFTTNFOU age moves, and a head, attached to an gosaur’s tail spike dating back 151 million sGFBTJCJMJUZTUVEJFT extremely long neck, swerves towards years. A pile of fossilised dinosaur faeces, me. The mouth opens and the camarasau- from which prehistoric leaves have been raus bellows loudly. I can’t help but jump, extracted, is another highlight, which is much to the amusement of the group of bound to be popular with children. school children behind me. The camara- The exhibition also showcases fossils of sauraus eyes me for a moment before dinosaurs, plants and water reptiles with turning its attention to the lush plant life as little, or as much, information available that forms its habitat. The children giggle as you’re interested in reading. and move on, eager to see the next ani- Many of the exhibits are hands-on. One matronic dinosaur, but I remain, transfi xed that was proving particularly popular with by the creature before me. Clearly it’s not the school group was a computerised real, but animatronic wizardry is such that scrapbook that you create by collecting I can’t help but be blown away by how games, virtual specimens and dino facts. Animatronics lifelike the dinosaur seems. And by how By scanning the barcode on your ticket, scientists can possibly know so much the information is stored and can be %FTJHOFE EFWFMPQFEBOEDSFBUFE about these extinct creatures. I struggle to viewed online at home. GSPNZPVSJNBHJOBUJPOFTQFDJBMMZGPS fi nd out what my daughter does at school Unable to get near the gadgets, I was sUIFNF1BSLT each day, so for people to glean facts content to touch the life-size cast of a sBUUSBDUJPOT about what happened 65.5 million years T-rex’s footprint and discover that my hand sBRVBSJVNT ago is staggering. is the size of just one of its claws. sTDJFODF$FOUSFT My admiration continues as I visit the At the end of the exhibit, visitors are sNVTFVNT other animatronic dinosaurs, each in a reminded that humans have only been s[PPT themed area, mirroring what would have around for 100,000 years, and asks what been their natural habitat. The big fi nish we think the dominant species will be Planning and Design Consulting is a gigantic tarbosaurus (T-rex’s cousin) in another 65 million years. Luckily the 5IF/BUVSBM)JTUPSZ.VTFVN roaring above an oviraptor, which valiantly museum shop was the next stop, so I was $SPNXFMM3PBE-POEPO48#% tries to protect its eggs. The attention to able to absorb myself in the merchandise 5FM detail is superb and the way the dinosaurs before my head started hurting from pon- &NBJM"4BOEFST!OINBDVL move is stunning. Although a family attrac- dering the answer to that question. ● www.nhm.ac.uk/planning-design AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 :FE= <:J@K< 8EEL8C:FE= One of our keynote speakers, Michael Japan, and two-time NASA mission astro- Jones, chief technology advocate at naut and former astronaut with the Japan ?8EJ>L99 40 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 ECSITE © PHOTO PHOTO (Top left) Copernicus Science Centre, had not even been completed when it was the venue of the conference; (above) agreed that they would host the confer- networking at the Business Bistro ence in 2011, so this involved a lot of trust IF9 AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 41 (Above) Nocturne at the Copernicus What could be added? Science Centre. Delegates got to test If I were to suggest improvements, I’d like the new exhibits at this evening event 8L;I 8E; museum and science centre industries to ; 42 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 by Aquatic Commercial Residential Health/Community Custom Applications Imagine. A water park where it never rains. omni? As the world’s leading designer, manufacturer and installer of custom retractable roof enclosures and operable skylights, OpenAire offers solutions that inspire the imagination. Our exclusive, maintenance- free thermally broken aluminum framing system withstands moist, chemical aquatic environments, and our opening roof system reduces energy and operating costs, offers year-round enjoyment, and creates a beautiful venue. Your vision. Our passion. www.omniticket.com Everything is possible with OpenAire. AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 43 J?FNGI he Olympia Exhibition Centre in West London, UK is host to the Euro 89FLK<8J T Attractions Show (EAS) 2011, the Venue The Olympia Exhibition Centre in London, UK largest European conference and trade Dates 27 – 29 September 2011 show for the industry, in September. Register www.eas-expo.org The seminar programme will include topics such as safety, social media and human resources and will feature promi- products, ranging from F&B and retail to Jakob Wahl, programme manager for nent theme park professionals who will roller coasters and rides. More than 8,000 IAAPA Europe adds: “We’ve had very good discuss the latest development and trends visitors are expected with 300 companies feedback that the British industry is happy in the industry. For the second time, EAS exhibiting, up from 265 last year. that we’re hosting EAS in London. This will host the Theme Park Legends semi- Mats Wedin, chair of the IAAPA Europe is also clear from the number of stand nar. John Collins (Pleasure Park, Madame Advisory Committee says: “Going to bookings. The decision was made by Tussauds), Colin Dawson (BALPPA, Thorpe London for EAS is a natural progression for our Manufacturers and Suppliers Sub- Park) and Olivier de Bosredon (Grevin et IAAPA and the Euro Attractions Show. With Committee and the Advisory Committee, Cie) will tell their stories, recount their suc- our strong relationship with BALPPA (The so there has been strong support from cesses and discuss both the present state British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers everyone involved within IAAPA Europe and future of the attractions industry. & Attractions) and the large number of to bring the show to London. This can be EAS offers operators the opportunity attractions in the United Kingdom, it’s one seen as being representative for all our 850 to get inspiration for new attractions and of the best places to take EAS.” members in Europe.” K?< >8K 44 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 The jungle-themed Water Garden offers a lap pool, shallow waterfalls and pools interconnected by body slides and a lazy river tube ride =FII<:CK; ics, furniture, restaurant menus, room keys Masterplanners Forrec Ltd will be showcas- and even activity programming. ing its waterpark project at Centara Grand To weave this themed environment Mirage Beach Resort. Located on Wong together, Forrec applied the skills of its ?8PJK8:B;IP Forrec masterplanned the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort’s new Water Garden The Dryer is used at SeaWorld San Diego AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 45 :FE= Rainbow Productions’ hireable charac- I8@E9FNGIF;L:K@FEJ catching way. This can be for photo ters include the colourful ZingZillas Rainbow Productions will be profi ling opportunities, to keep families enter- two keys services at EAS. Firstly, visitors tained while queuing or as the focal will be able to see examples of bespoke point to develop merchandise lines. walk-about mascot costumes designed Also, the company will be highlighting and manufactured by the company. its range of hireable children’s charac- Costumes are commissioned by cli- ters represented under licence on behalf ents to take advantage of associated of rights owners such as Warner Bros, >8DD8;8K8N8I< benefi ts. This includes taking their brand Twentieth Century Fox and the BBC. The latest issue of Gamma LeisurePOS into a live environment to interact with Newer properties include Rastamouse, provides visitor attractions, museums, children and parents in a lively, eye- The ZingZillas and The Piplings. art galleries, heritage sites and historic houses with a fully integrated solution to help them manage: admissions and ticketing; Gift Aid; bookings and event management; membership CRM; retail C8>FKIFE@:J9%M% and catering PoS; stock control; mail Lagotronics will be showing its latest FG 46 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 theme parks and leisure museums & attractions events & exhibitions Web: www.sarner.com E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 20 8481 0600 UNITED KINGDOM ..RUSSIA NORWAY .MALAYSIA .NIGERIA J?FNGI M The maze is fully mobile via the Lazer PHOTO LIAM DANIELS Pillar, so can be rolled into an empty room when required and, when not in use, doesn’t tie up the fl oor space. SniggleHunt is a treasure hunt game, which can be played in a vari- A recreation of the Tardis is among the attractions at The Doctor Who Experience ety of areas, from a large soft play structure, to several acres across a J8IEFRAM, which recreates Lazer Maze is due to be installed into the world of the cult sci-fi tv series. the freezing conditions and extreme emo- this autumn in a well-known UK soft Sarner will also be profi ling its latest tions that the famous Arctic and Antarctic play and SniggleHunt will be going projects, which include the recreation explorers Adamson and Nanson had to into sites in the US and Europe. of a cramped gun turret with its crew at endure in the early 1900’s. EFIK? 48 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Designing leisure time all over the world Theme Parks | Water Parks | Entertainment Centres | Retail and Mixed-Use | Resorts and Communities | Science and Culture | Hospitality Visit our team: IAAPA EURO EXPO 2011 Booth # 226 IAAPA ORLANDO 2011 Booth # 1654 www.forrec.com Canada | Europe | India | China | South East Asia [email protected] Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, Pattaya, Thailand J?FNGI The visitor centre has been designed to be as close to carbon neutral as possible J8KLIEGIFA<:KJ>IFLG The centre, which includes a cafe, outdoor amphitheatre, chil- Saturn Projects will be profi ling its work on the award-winning, dren’s indoor play area, gift shop, education wing and function environmentally-friendly Stanwick Lakes Visitor Centre, located in room, recently won two awards. The MKSM Excellence in Building Northamptonshire, UK. The centre has a timber frame construction & Open Space Design Award was given to recognise best practice and is built on stilts on a fl ood plain with a striking, curving slate in building and open space design. The project also received the and sedum roof. Saturn focused on the building’s green creden- Building Design Award for Northamptonshire from the Campaign tials, including rainwater harvesting, a sedum roof, a ground source to Protect Rural England (CPRE). heat pump from the lake and solar roof panels. EAS attendees can also learn about the newly launched division, The company’s aim was to help make the centre as close to car- Saturn Imagineering, created to expand the company’s specialist bon neutral as possible while enhancing its beautiful setting. services within the theming industry. K? 50 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 www.gatewayticketing.com J?FNGI DATES: TIMES: 20 – 22 SEPTEMBER TUESDAY 20 SEPT 10:00 – 17.00; VENUE: WEDNESDAY 21 SEPT 10:00 – 17:00; BIRMINGHAM NEC, UK THURSDAY 22 SEPT 10:00 – 16:00 REGISTER: FOR FREE ENTRY VISIT WWW.LIW.CO.UK C<@JLI<@E;LJKIPN< 8kkiXZk`fejgif]\jj`feXcj Xi\`em`k\[kf\ogcfi\ Ên_\i\`eefmXk`fed\\kj `ejg`iXk`feËXkk_`jp\XiËj C\`jli\@e[ljkipN\\b lay & Attractions at Leisure Industry Week (LIW) in the UK is P designed to bring together senior buyers and decision makers from the UK visitor attractions industry. With a theme of ‘where innovation meets inspiration’, exhibitors include suppliers of rides, turnstiles, theming and special effects, high ropes courses, play equip- ment and wave machines. The show celebrated its 22nd year in 2010 and attracted more than 9,500 visi- tors and 300 exhibiting companies. Visitors to LIW can network and discover and try out new products in a fun environment K?<QFE 52 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Health Licensed Leisure & Fitness Business Eat & Drink Play & Sport Pool & Spa Facilities Attractions Play & Attractions at LIW is the UK’s only must attend event for the family entertainment and visitor attraction industry. and FREE education 350 solution providers 150 hours of more thanin one convenient place Why visit? 3 Brand New Exhibitors 3 Education Village – Exciting New Ideas 150 hours of FREE 3 Networking eduction Opportunities Theme 3 Personal Development Factory 3 Increase Profitability 3 Free Education Play Innovation Zone 3 Latest Products and Services Join us on: 3 Innovative Solutions 3 Live Demonstrations Register for a FREE ticket today at www.liw.co.uk/register and quote AMA1 to avoid the £30 on-site fee Supporting Partners: Organised by: @E;LJKIP 89FLKNN8)'(( Dfi\k_Xe(#,''nXk\igXib Venue Hilton New Orleans Riverside & gif]\jj`feXcj_Xm\Xci\X[p Ernest M Morial Convention Center, Hall A j`^e\[lgkfXkk\e[k_\NN8Ëj New Orleans, Louisiana, US Symposium October 3 – 7 *(jk\m\ek`eFZkfY\i%N\jg\Xb Trade Show October 5 – 6 kfjfd\f]k_\\o_`Y`kfij Register www.waterparks.org/convention Swallowing riders whole into its colossal one-of-a-kind MEGAtube! s k, Texa rpar ate 0 W H2 NR N?@K K?<J 54 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 GFC@EN8K xas oanoke, Te Falls, R aiian Haw AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 55 *;&+;&,; DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS ?LEK@B8E;D8LJ8L:?F:FC8K lterface has recently installed two interactive dark rides offering 3D A fi lms with special effects. Players use guns to help battle against monsters on the ride Huntik, located at the new Rainbow Magic Land in Valmontone, Italy. The ride is based on a cartoon tv show, in which the heroes use magical powers and allies to explore strange loca- tions, fi nd lost treasures, and battle evil. Using Rainbow Studio’s fi lm, Alterface provided the interactivity, guns, show con- trol and audio/video system to enhance the excitement. Players fi re at the monsters on the 8m by 5m (26ft by 16ft) screen, but lose points if they shoot the friendly char- acters on fi lm. The motion-based carts act as simulators with bumps, drops and accel- eration. At one point the cart seems to A snow blizzard, water spray, air blast, accelerate in a chase, actually turning the low smoke and seat movement are players, just as a real 4D simulator would. among the 4D effects in Ice Voyage Riders get a feedback of the points they’ve earned in real time and receive a photo at the end with their score printed below. Wearing 3D glasses, guests are carried @EK 56 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 SIMULATION H H 7 NEW FOR 2011: available for all simulators foravailable all NEW 4D Movies 4D NEW *;&+;&,; make the experience as real as possible.” Additional effects, which are used in the digital, high-defi nition, 3D The Curse of Skull Rock include aromas and bubbles. A touchscreen panel manages the DMX show control system. “The operator just selects the fi lm and the controls load the appropriate effects,” says Monkton. To make the theatre earthquake proof, Simworx created grandstands using tubu- lar steel with a higher tensile strength steel than would normally be used. (The grand- stands also had to be specially designed to fi t into the unusual shaped room – six- sided, instead of the traditional square or rectangle.) Fixtures to the walls were reinforced so they won’t come free eas- ily. While there hasn’t been an earthquake since the theatre was built, it has been put to the test, as Monkton explains: “They’ve had some tremors, but the operator hasn’t mentioned anything coming loose!” The International Antartic Centre hasn’t had to endure an earthquake yet, but the theatre has survived a few tremors N8K he world’s fi rst 5D waterpark attraction has opened at T Austria’s biggest waterpark Aquapulco. Designed and built by Kraftwerk, the 5D experience, called Watershow, continues the newly ren- ovated waterpark’s pirate theme. Kraftwerk has taken advantage of the fact visitors watch the 5D fi lm in their swimwear by incorporating effects involving a lot of water. This is possible thanks to the com- pany’s specially designed seats and a largely technical-free theatre. Kraftwerk’s managing director Markus Beyr says: “The new water- park attraction will be one of my focuses for potential waterpark cli- ents around the world. The feedback so far has been phenomenal.” Visitors to the fi rst 5D waterpark attraction will be thankful of their attire as the effects involve water 58 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 WOW. UK: +44 (0) 845 0 456225 We’re the people behind the ‘wow’. USA: +1 720 259 1639 [email protected] We build ground-breaking immersive We partner with visionary clients around the www.globalimmersion.com experiences featuring the latest in fulldome, globe to engage audiences on an entirely new 3D, 4D and giant screen theater - with level. We set our sights on the things that matter compelling media, technology and creative most to you; the story, the experience, the direction at the forefront of innovation. visitor reaction and the repeat visits. We create immersive theater. Experiences without limits. *;&+;&,; CFE;FE;LE> 8JPCLD,; reated to fi ll a gap in the mar- ket for quality horror/thriller C experiences, Asylum 5D is a haunting experience with paranormal activities that produces an eerie jour- ney, aimed to chill viewers to the core. Distributed by The Juice, work- ing on behalf of Virtual Magic and Budgast SC, the fi lm portrays a spooky walk through an old Victorian asylum. Gradually, the abandoned institution Viewers will be comes to life with ghostly people in “chilled to the core” pyjamas, graveyards, tombstones by Asylum 5D and skeletons. A variety of 4D special effects have been incorporated to play tricks on visitors’ minds. The POV production comes in two versions – as a 15-minute and Asia. It is playing in House of Kathmandu in Majorca and will attraction or a seven-minute ride experience. be shown at Babbacombe Model Village in the UK as part of the Launched at the end of 2010, Asylum is already installed at a Halloween event. Licences are available on an annual or seasonal number of attractions and has proved popular in Eastern Europe basis or as part of a corporate package. ● 60 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 INNOVATION | AND BEYOND WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION THE WORLD´S FIRST WATERPARKK ATTRACTIONA REDEFINING THE MULTI-MEDIA WORLD OF WATERPARK ENTERTAINMENT The leading global partner for unique, customised, high-tech solutions. From the initial conceptual phase to the fi nal implementation, and beyond. KRAFTWERK Living Technologies GmbH Tel: +43 7242 69269-0 [email protected] www.kraftwerk.at AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 61 8L;@FM@JL8C G8JJ8><F=K@D< K_\J\Zi\kNXik`d\ n 10 June, English Heritage Klee\cjk_Xkn\i\ K?<J?FN opened the doors to its new `emXclXYc\[li`e^NN@@ Run as a pulsed show, parties of up to Second World War attraction _Xm\efnfg\e\[Xk;fm\i 30 people are taken through the eight Operation Dynamo: Rescue zones. These contain original news-reels fromO Dunkirk. The network of Secret :Xjkc\% 98KKC<F==I8E:< After the fi lm, visitors leave the cinema and walk through corridor-style tunnels to a space where a live presenter gives orienta- tion information and draws attention to the graffi ti on the tunnel walls. The Battle of France presentation follows in a large space themed as an under- The War Begins Cinema is themed as an underground briefi ng room. Subtitles appear on the “blackboard” LCD panel 62 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 :_Xcc\e^\j]XZ\[ `eYi`e^`e^k_`j gifa\Zkkfi\Xc`jXk`fe `eZcl[\[[\Xc`e^n`k_ Xc`jk\[Yl`c[`e^#k_\ Zc`dXk\#Xe[k_\]XZk k_Xkefjli]XZ\_Xj XjkiX`^_k\[^\kf gifa\Zk`dX^\jfekf ground war room. The fi lm describes the battles in France that eventually resulted in the need for evacuation. Two walls of the space show archive footage from the bat- tle and animated graphics are projected onto a low table in the centre of the room. These reinforce the commentary by illus- trating, for example, the balance of forces and the troop movements. The Battle of France table is in the form of a low truncated pyramid. A Panasonic 6300 projector is used to project images onto the table surface. However, at the Giant images are projected onto the tun- nels showing the planning (middle), the rescue (top) and the bombings (bottom) AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 63 8L;@FM@JL8C In the Battle of France presentation, images describing the battles that led to the need for evacuation are projected onto the top sur- face of a pyramid-shape table. When the story reaches its peak, the pictures spill over the table to fi ll the sides of the pyramid end of the presentation, as crisis mounts jectors used to screen these images are and reaches its peak, images spill over the computer controlled to ensure synchroni- table to fi ll the pyramid sides. sation and to warp and blend the separate projected images into one long picture. I 64 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 SOLVING TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES Electrosonic selects the best combination of cutting-edge and established technology for your project. Our technology solutions have captivated and entertained audiences around the world for over 45 years. Audio, Video and Control Solutions [email protected] | +44.1322.222211 | www.electrosonic.com Follow us on Twitter @electrosonicENT D J Willrich Ltd Audio Visual & Multimedia Specialists Beufre Farm, Bucklers Hard Road, Beaulieu, Hampshire, SO42 7XA T. +44 (0)1590 612603 E. [email protected] W. www.djwillrich.co.uk AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 65 C@>?K@E> LED is an increasingly popular element in lighting displays. Kathleen Whyman asks the industry experts about the benefi ts for attractions and what the pros and cons are J<<K?<C@>?K ideal for fi xtures in locations that are hard Newer technology isn’t the best choice G8LC8;@EB IF9 he pros of LED lighting are new lighting possibilities, energy effi - ÈK ciency and colour. The cons are non-standardisation and exaggerated per- formance claims. Fluorescent lighting (at around 80 L/W) will remain a prime light source for a long time, but some vendors are now offering LED strips to replace fl uorescent lamps. This is only justifi ed where a special colour is needed, or where an absolutely continu- ous line of light is needed, or where the luminaires must work at low temperature. The problem with LED is that it has been oversold. In new lighting schemes a light- Electrosonic designed, installed and programmed LED displays at Kuwait 360 Mall ing designer can, in principle, make good use of LED, but trying to use it as a retrofi t source may result in disappointment. design proper thermal management within LED luminaire manufacturers may quote Many schemes have failed disastrously the luminaire. It’s vital that users get proper the luminaire light output under unreason- because the life expectations weren’t guarantees both of lifetime and the avail- ably favourable conditions. Light output met. Users have then discovered that they ability of replacements. goes down signifi cantly with an increase can’t get exact replacements because the A corollary of this is that, at present, in temperature and, to a lesser extent, with original vendor has gone out of business there are few standards in LED lighting; life. There are industry standards speci- or changed the model. LEDs fail cata- you can’t go out and buy the equivalent of fying how lumen data is to be presented strophically if they get too hot, and some a 60w bulb and expect it to be the same but not all manufacturers follow them. My manufacturers haven’t got the expertise to from any manufacturer. This must change. advice is to try before you buy.” 66 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 (Above) Lumenal’s LED lighting was used to enhance the visual experience at Bristol Aquarium; (below) Lumenal’s strip lights and LED lamps D8IBDL@I [`i\Zkfi#BXp ith the continuing development of the product, LED is becoming ÈN more and more popular. There’s now greater scope available to the designers in the colour temperatures available. Whereas you could specify warm white or cool white in the early years, now you can specify degrees of Kelvin with confi dence. The potential for a myriad of colours from a simple fi xture is great and it can all be controlled simply using DMX or DALI protocols. LED technology uses a lot less energy the materials it illuminates, whereas LED E@:BNI8@K? than traditional sources, so it’s attractive doesn’t. Also, as LED lighting doesn’t emit to venues and centres for its low energy dXeX^`e^[`i\Zkfi#Cld\eXc infrared light (heat), it can be benefi cial for consumption. The unit life of an LED is climate controlled displays and showcases. potentially much longer than traditional Display lighting needs to be adaptable sources so, again, that’s a benefi t to ven- to changes in layout and display contents. ues and attractions for its low maintenance dvancements in recent LED fi ttings’ fl exibility allows fi ttings to be demands and costs. technology have raised the per- designed around the display, instead of the With the more up-to-date technology, È8 formance of LED lighting up to, display around the lighting. The fi ttings can LEDs compare well with the new single and often above, that of conventional be made slimline and compact enough source units. Previously they had multiple sources, such as fl uorescents, metal to remain hidden within the smallest of LEDs to accumulate the wattage required halides and halogens. shelves and shallowest of alcoves. Fittings’ and this caused shadowing of subjects. Spotlights, ceiling recessed lamps, sizes can also be designed to suit indi- Fortunately for the industry, this is now strip lights and tension fabric light vidual displays, ensuring that display items becoming a thing of the past. boxes are all useful tools for highlight- towards the ends of shelves or units are I’ve found LED lighting very useful for ing various different elements within illuminated as well as those in the middle. installation in attractions where mainte- attraction buildings, from museum The spread of light emitted by LED fi t- nance is a big factor. Also, they’re very showcases and wall-recessed units to tings can be manipulated using optical useful for in-tank aquarium lighting due to branded signage and aquarium tanks. lenses, allowing beams to be directed and their low heat output and control versatility. LED lighting delivers this high qual- focused more intensely onto specifi c fea- The initial purchase costs can be off- ity light output without simultaneously tures or points of interest. Alternatively, a putting to begin with, but these are far emitting ultra-violet (UV) light. UV different lens can distribute the light at less outweighed by the low energy consump- light is emitted by conventional light intensity over a wider area for a more gen- tion and low maintenance in the long run.” sources and can fade or degrade eral spread of light across a whole unit.” AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 67 C@>?K@E> (Left and below) Martin Professional used LED lighting in its displays at Liseberg Amusement Park in Sweden theme parks to create. LED-based lighting ronmental benefi ts of using LED fi xtures. DFIK much less heat than conventional lighting. Halogen light sources. With LED lifetimes >C 68 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 (Above and below right) Robe moving for full effi ciency, durability and meeting the specifi cation should always be for lights and Anolis LED fi xtures were the target specifi ed by the investor. The high-grade, professional LED fi xtures and used to illuminate Bath Abbey boom in LED manufacture has attracted control products in this context. many emerging companies, often with little Be aware of being too cost-driven and or no knowledge in the fi eld of LED appli- research thoroughly before making a spec- G AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 69 ; TRAVEL GUIDE N?8K@JK?<I@M 70 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 (Clockwise from top far left) the museum’s system allows the displays to be regularly or suspended from the building structure. 30m train; a suspended, circular and cost-effectively updated. It includes We have a number of dynamic displays velodrome displaying 30 push-bikes; the plinths, showcases, graphic displays, walls, using the ship model collections, including Zaha Hadid-designed building, which monitor and interactive housings, frames, a moving conveyor set into the fi rst fl oor captures the fl uidity of the River Clyde; all barriers and lighting – all the elements wall, which displays 36 ship models with the shops in the 1900s street can be visited required to create displays around the vehi- triggered audiovisual, plus a 7m (23ft)-high cles and the varied objects. projection of one of the colossal ships In terms of the designs of the displays, launching on the River Clyde. a pawnbrokers, a furniture makers, a pho- we were looking at a curved, fl oating layer Other key attracts include a 16m (52ft)- tographers, a pub, a subway platform and that echoes the curve and edge line of wide, suspended, circular velodrome an Italian café. Objects displayed within the Zaha building. It’s like an extrusion displaying more than 30 push-bikes. It’s the shop settings put the collections into that fl ows. We use it both horizontally and a continuous circulating strip (a Möbius context. The cobbled street features horse curving up vertically, while waveforms and strip) suspended in the main volume of the drawn hearses, trams and vehicles. The ribbon structures use the same fl uid, ziz- building. It’s very dramatic and has already street is something that was much loved in zag that the building has. become one of the icons of the museum. Glasgow that’s now been much improved. There’s also a recreation of a 1900 street N?8K8I<K?<B AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 71 ; ÈN_\e[`jgcXp`e^jfZ`Xc _`jkfipdXk\i`XcXe[k_\ Zfcc\Zk`fejXifle[k_\d#k_\ [`]]\i\eZ\`ejZXc\Y\kn\\e Xk`Zb\kXe[X*'d$cfe^kiX`e ZXeY\hl`k\Z_Xcc\e^`e^É K?<JLGGC@ structures. The sounds of the cars have nights, travelling into town on the trams. Although the brief asked for fl exibility so been recorded – slamming doors, beeping The women wore their cocktail dresses. To that displays can be changed, the logistics horns and windscreen wipers. Using baton refl ect this, the tram is displayed alongside of moving large trains is complex, so there technology, visitors can play the cars like a sweep of circular cases featuring revolv- are elements which are unlikely to move an orchestra. There are many interactives ing dresses from the period. The idea is and we design around those. for children, plus AV and ICT displays. that they’re dancing to the tram. We had a When displaying social history material lot of fun with the stories and I think people and the varied collections around them, N?8KN8JK?<@EJG@I8K@FE=FIPFLI; 72 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 (Top left and centre) a 1900s street has been recreated with accessible shops oped the internal displays. We interfaced and the traffic of its time; (bottom left) the Photo courtesy of Lenny Warren Riverside Museum, with them on all elements, down to every tram that used to take Glaswegians out Warren Media Glasgow shadow gap and plug socket location. dancing at the weekend; (above) the wall of cars can be played like an orchestra N?8KËJK?<9L@C;@E>C@B<6 The building is a very distinctive, cathedral- Market Leader in like space. The principal appeal was the There’s a mezzanine display and a fluidity of the building, which captures bridge that you can walk down and look the Museums & the sense of the Clyde – the fluidity of the out across the main hall, but it’s mainly one city’s river coming into the city – combined big volume. You get a real sense of activity Galleries Sector with the idea of velocity and speed. From – a vista of vehicles. an aerial view, the building has an extraor- We’ve worked closely with the structural dinary sweep. Glasgow wanted an iconic, engineers to be able to do things that are high profile, signature building. different, such as have a train protruding +++'%*"(#)' Our displays fit within the building, using from the upper balcony out over the space, the height and the curves. We’ve worked as though it’s shooting out into the air. $& closely with Zahas on aesthetics so that our The old transport museum was very displays and the building are integrated. popular in Glasgow and we hope that the It’s a big, dynamic experience, most of new version will blow people away and be , ● which is in one, large, fluid open space. an exciting addition to the city. , ! , , , ! AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 , JD8IKG?FE<K<:?EFCF>P JKI< 74 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 The Jejune Institute’s game uses San Francisco as its backdrop and requires play- ers to explore the city The Time Shutter app allows users to recreate historic postcards of the streets of San Franciso Hollywood Star Walk helps users locate the star they want to fi nd and learn more about the honorees Wishing Stars enables users to take on 14 quests in a treasure hunt- style game throughout Disneyland related stars, accessing a list of Monroe’s semble the stars. There are 14 quests, K?< AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 75 J?FNI The conference was held at the top of the Heineken building above The Heineken Experience Dolfi narium Herderwijk’s John Ruisch 9I@E>@E>J8K<KF ack in May 2009, I received conference took place in June 2011 at the days at CBS Television when Don Hewitt, an invitation from TEA to join Heineken Experience in Amsterdam. creative and executive producer of 60 min- a new conference committee The venue was perfect. Dedicated con- utes briefed his reporters by saying: “Tell led by Jan Maarten de Raad of ference space at the top of the Heineken me a story,” through to Shaike Wienburg, Jora Vision. Following the grow- building with views over Amsterdam, a the founding director of the Holocaust 9ing success of TEA’s annual Storytelling, successful attraction below (the Heineken Museum in Washington DC, who told Architecture, Technology and Experience Experience) to keep us grounded in the Sklar: “You can go to any museum to see Conference (SATE) in the US, the Europe core rationale of SATE, and a bar with free stuff. The great museums show you stuff, and Middle East Division of TEA decided it fl owing beer – what more could we want? but they tell you a story”. was time to bring SATE to Europe. The conference opened with chair No Story, No Glory was the theme of The aim was to deliver a conference Reinoud Van Assendelft de Coningh wel- SATE’s fi rst session, which considered programme which would be a catalyst to coming keynote speaker, Disney legend the magic of storytelling. The session was industry debate and to create an environ- Marty Sklar, who talked us through some chaired by Hester Kloosterboer of The ment where ‘competing’ suppliers and of the “best advice I ever heard”. From Smile of Experience and Jora Vision’s operators were comfortable addressing his early days as a journalist through his Marjolein van de Stolpe. Their excellent common topics in an open and collabo- 54-year career with Disney, Sklar has met session started by giving the audience a rative manner. Key to bringing SATE to many inspirational people and he charmed virtual haircut through earphones (so real- Europe was a desire to learn from the US the audience with the words of wisdom istic, I was convinced I was actually getting experience, but to make the conference he’s gathered during his working life. a short back and sides at one point!) and intrinsically about Europe. then showed how the addition of a story Two years on, and with considerable JKFIPK 76 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Keynote speaker, Disney legend Marty Sklar Session panellists discuss the importance of putting storytelling before technology as it’s much harder to create your own IP from within a park, and to pick IPs backed K`d\c\jjjkfi`\jXi\m\ipiXi\#jfpfle\\[kf by strong marketing programmes. He also stressed the importance of using the IPs to Y\ZfeÔ[\ekk_XkXe@G$c\[XkkiXZk`fe`jXYc\ create strong experiences, but not let them take over the whole park. kfgXpYXZbfe`kj`em\jkd\ekn_`c\k_\Xgg\Xc Wouter’s presentation led into a debate f]k_\@G`jjk`cc_`^_ on the role of characters and IPs within attractions. Marty Sklar told us that time- less stories are very rare, so you need to The opening day of the fi rst SATE we ran the fi nal session of the confer- be confi dent that an IP-led attraction will Europe ended with a tour of the Heineken ence, Experience, which considered how be able to pay back on its investment while Experience, the fi rst of many glasses of to ensure success at both the launch and the appeal of the IP is still high. He also Heineken, and a boat trip ending at Boom over the lifetime of an attraction. It also told us that George Lucas pushed for Star Chicago. Courtesy of Kees Albers of stressed the importance of listening to Tours to be put into Disneyland, as he saw Unlimited Snow, we were treated to a hilari- potential and actual visitors to achieve this. it as a way of keeping his characters alive. ous evening of improvisation in the world Duncan Campbell, of Merlin of social media, which proved that good Entertainments, gave us an insight into 8I:?@K<:KLI< humour is truly international. which factors are really important in With the importance of storytelling fi rmly evaluating the potential for the develop- embedded in our thoughts, we progressed K<:?EFCF>P ment of new visitor attractions. Tim Baker, to Architecture, chaired by Ray Hole of The second day started with Technology, of Touchstone Partners, explained the Ray Hole Architects, with co-chair Evelyne but not as you know it! Dave Patten, head methods he’s using to help attractions Villame of Loisirs et Marketing. Denis of new media at the Science Museum, UK, determine the audience potential for tem- Laming opened his talk on Futuroscope explained how the role of technology is to porary exhibitions. And Tony Sefton of by admitting that the fi rst mistake was to enable a story to be told about an object. Vision XS quizzed the audience on the design the main Futuroscope building His presentation was a pragmatic look at infl uence of culture on behaviour. Dirk before having a clear view on its content. the ways technology is helping the Science Lubbers from Heineken then showed that While this wasn’t ideal from an attraction Museum to improve how it tells the stories he had a good understanding of his audi- experience perspective, it did result in an of its collections and how he’s seeking ence when he illustrated the importance of iconic structure which helped establish the to add other senses, such as sound and brand immersion by handing out glasses associated business and education parks smells to enhance the experience. of Heineken during his presentation. – 26 years on the attraction continues to His message was echoed by David So did the fi rst SATE Europe achieve expand and grow its visitor numbers. Willrich, the session chair, and the other its aims? Bob Rogers of BRC Imagination Michel Linet-Frion from Center Parcs speakers, including Rob Wyatt of Artisan Arts sums it up by saying: “The fi rst SATE and Jacques Ferrier of JFA Architecture Design and Chris Conte of Electrosonic, in Europe succeeded beyond all expecta- argued the case for architecture which who all stressed the importance of starting tions and has already established its own puts the guests fi rst. Peter Slavenburg of with a story and letting technology follow. uniquely European fl avour. Northern Light challenged the audience “The attendance, the quality of the speak- with a future where experiences no longer AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 77 >8CC argate in Kent, UK, was once Klie\i:fek\dgfiXip#X^Xcc\ip[\[`ZXk\[kfnfib`ejg`i\[Ypk_\ a glorious Victorian seaside resort, much loved by the \gfepdfljXik`jk#_Xjfg\e\[`eB\ek#LB%I_`Xefe?fn\ccjÔe[j painter JMW Turner, who flkn_p`kkffb('p\XijkfZi\Xk\Xe[n_p`knfeËkY\]fZlj`e^feKlie\i claimed that Margate had “theD loveliest skies in Europe”. The town has since spiralled into eco- >I8JJ$IFFKJDFM 78 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 PHOTO RICHARD BRYANT/ARCAID IMAGES PHOTOS LEFT, BELOW AND BELOW LEFT DAVID GRANDORGE Daniel Buren’s Borrowing and Multiplying the Landscape creates a giant porthole The two-storey building has been designed to represent a row of artists’ studios with interlinking, shed-like structures competition. The winners, Norwegian from Turner prize-winner Tracey Emin, architects Snøhetta and British col- who grew up in Margate and came laborator Stephen Spence, came up back to open the gallery, with musician with a design that put the gallery at the Jools Holland, on 16 April. far end of the town’s harbour mouth, “Tracey has been an amazing ambas- where it would have been prey to the sador for us over the years,” says full force of the sea. Pomery. “She gave us a work last It was a romantic vision, but not a year [a pink neon sign reading ‘I never realistic one, and when the costs of stopped loving you’] which we were delivering it rose from £7m (%7.9m, able to auction, and she talks about $11.3m) to £55m (%62.3m, $89), Margate and Turner Contemporary Snøhetta and Spence were sacked. wherever she goes.” An exhibition of It was a serious setback for a project Emin’s work is scheduled to be shown that Pomery and her team had spent at the gallery next year. years generating popular support for, by hosting small-scale exhibitions and Each exhibition will include a work by E PHOTO RIGHT COURTESY OF VICTORIA GALLERY AND MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY GALLERY OF LIVERPOOL OF VICTORIA RIGHT COURTESY PHOTO help us?’” she says. “We worked hard to ing, ‘We want a gallery now, we just want David Chipperfi eld Architects was, she change people’s minds by working within to know when it’s going to happen’. So that says, a unanimous choice. the community and saying, ‘This is relevant was a real change [from 2002].” The resulting building has been funded to you and your families. It’s a fantastic The project also benefi ted early on from by KCC (£6.4m, %7.25m, $10.4m), Arts resource, and it can also do other things, some high-profi le support – from Nicholas Council England (£4.1, %4.6m, $6.6m) like bring new visitors to the area.’” Serota at the Tate (the gallery is one of 18 and South East England Development Luckily, their efforts paid off. “After the Plus Tate partners nationwide) and also Agency (£4m, %4.5m, $6.5m), with the AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 79 >8CC Huge windows allow the sunlight to fl ood in. Mechanical shutters are used ÈN\Ëi\efkk_\Klie\i>Xcc\ip#n\Ëi\Klie\i when works need artifi cial light :fek\dgfiXip%N\Ëi\_\i\kf[\dfejkiXk\Klie\iËj remainder raised by the non-profi t Turner `eÕl\eZ\feZfek\dgfiXipgiXZk`Z\É Contemporary Trust from a variety of pri- vate and public sources. It’s much more modest than the earlier scheme, sitting Of course, it’s not only the building, but ?<8IKF=K?<:FDDLE@KP further inland (though still within a stone’s what’s inside it, on which the success One criticism directed at the gallery by throw of the sea) on the site where Mrs of Turner Contemporary depends. The some reviewers is that, based on this fi rst Booth’s guesthouse once sat. challenge of ensuring the gallery has high- exhibition, there’s not enough in it to war- The two-storey building comprises a quality content isn’t made easier by the fact rant the train journey from London. Pomery series of interconnecting, shed-like struc- there’s no permanent collection. “We don’t disputes this. “You need to spend time with tures with sloping roofs, meant to evoke have a budget for collecting, we don’t have these pieces,” she says. “They’re not easy artists’ studios. Outside, it’s sheathed in a policy for collecting and the building works by any stretch of the imagination, white, opaque glass which changes colour hasn’t been designed with the large-scale and they’re multi-faceted. More isn’t nec- with the light. Inside, it’s all polished con- storage necessary,” says Pomery. “Getting essarily better; it’s not about fi lling up the crete and white walls, with sunlight fl ooding the loans is a time-consuming process… spaces with as much as we can jam in.” in through the huge lobby window facing but for me, [the advantage of] temporary Pomery’s also keen to stress that the sea, as well as through numerous exhibitions [is that] they allow one to think although showcasing great art is a key windows and skylights in the study rooms about different audiences, different themes aim for the gallery, it’s not the only one. and fi rst-fl oor galleries (there are mechani- and different artists.” “Learning is absolutely central,” she says. cal shutters in place for when works need Pomery also defends her decision not “The gallery has to be at the heart of the to be displayed with artifi cial light). “The to open the gallery with an exhibition community… and without the learning ele- gallery faces due north, as of course does dedicated solely to its namesake’s works ment, it isn’t going to work.” Thus, much of Margate, which isn’t often the case of holi- – instead choosing to delay plans for a big the space is used for running workshops day resorts in the northern hemisphere,” Turner show (Turner and the Elements) and courses for local people of all ages Chipperfi eld told the Guardian newspaper. until January next year. “We’re not the and backgrounds. Pomery’s particu- “This means we get the light that works Turner Gallery, we’re Turner Contemporary. larly proud of the Cultural Ambassadors best for artists and the artworks.” It’s important to set out what we’re here scheme, which, in association with the Another of Chipperfi eld’s aims was to to do, which is to demonstrate Turner’s University for the Creative Arts, is enabling make the art as accessible as possible. infl uence on contemporary practice,” says people with very little education to access The positioning of the amenities refl ects Pomery. “But we’re committed to making art foundation and even degree courses. this: the shop’s within the lobby, so can be sure there’s always a Turner present.” Another aim is to support the regen- easily by-passed; the café and its terrace In line with this, there’s one Turner paint- eration of the town. The project has clear sit just outside the gallery’s main entrance, ing in the Revealed: Turner Contemporary benefi ts in terms of raising the town’s overlooking the Margate sands. Somehow, Opens exhibition, and there will be up to 12 profi le and attracting investment, but the whole design manages to be bold yet in the next show, Nothing in the World but according to Pomery, it’s also about win- unpretentious, minimalist yet inviting. Youth, which opens in September. ning hearts and minds: “Regeneration 80 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 The gallery faces due north, meaning it gets the light that works best for artists and their artwork PHOTO RICHARD BRYANT/ARCAID IMAGES RICHARD BRYANT/ARCAID PHOTO isn’t just about improvements in the urban of cuts. The running costs of the gallery so the visitors keep coming – and coming environment, it’s about engendering civic are around £2.2m (%2.5m, $3.6m) a year, back. Rodin’s The Kiss, on loan from the pride. On the opening weekend, there was of which 85 per cent is being provided Tate, will be installed at the gallery from a palpable sense of excitement and joy by KCC and Arts Council England, with October this year until September 2012, that something was happening here, that the remainder to be raised by the Turner and there’s a detailed programme in place Margate had turned a corner.” Contemporary Trust and the gallery itself. through to the end of 2013 – after that, Nor does this enthusiasm appear to be “It’s our job – mine, the staff’s and the trus- Pomery admits, it still needs work. dying down. The gallery attracted 100,000 tees’ – to make sure we’re sustainable, and She’s in no doubt, however, that it’s visitors in the fi rst six weeks of opening – we’re thinking of ways to be more entre- worth the effort. “I think it’s amazing what’s almost a third of its fi rst annual forecast of preneurial,” says Pomery. “Some of the been achieved in this community,” she 156,000. Of these, 24 per cent came from spaces have been designed to be used not says. “Margate is an absolutely magical Margate and a further 24 per cent from the only for lectures and musical events, but place, it’s got so much potential, and it’s wider Thanet area, and 80 per cent of visi- also for corporate events, weddings and so tragic what’s happened to it over time… tors said they’re very likely to return. parties, so that’s what we’d like to do.” it’s such a delight that people are really Pomery knows there are challenges The other challenge is making sure the enjoying this gallery, and if it can change ahead, not least due to the current climate quality of the art remains consistently high, things in a small way, I’m thrilled.” ● AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 81 log on to fun-kit.net www.fun-kit.net Because & type the company the search engine for leisure buyers name under time is ‘keyword search’ valuable... Focus on zoos Going really wild with Timberplay DierenPark Zoo in the Netherlands themselves and it incorporates a lot has used products from Timberplay’s of sand play – ideal for children of natural equipment range to create a all ages, particularly when combined really wild indoor play space. with a miniature building site. Inspired by the Weaver Bird’s nest The space has achieved the objec- ...choose Time Pursuit, and developed by Timberplay’s par- tive of increasing dwell time within ent company, Richter Spielgeräte, it the zoo, which itself has had the ef- latest generation web features climbing nets and water fea- fect of boosting secondary spend. A based booking and EPoS tures, bridges and bespoke play huts. further benefit has been a significant The overall aim of the develop- increase in visitor numbers. system for admissions, ment was to provide an opportunity experiences, retail and F&B. for children to become little monkeys fun-kit.net KEYWORD timberplay Multi-channel advanced sales, on-site ticketing and integrated customer Sutcliffe Play’s concrete management that drive revenues, transformation productivity and delight your customers. In a move designed to improve the overall visitor experience and increase footfall, Battersea Park Chil- dren’s Zoo in London has seen the installation of a new play area. In conjunction with the zoo’s owners – the Heap family – a large to experience many different forms concrete space at the attraction has of play including sensory, interactive, been transformed by outdoor play- challenging and natural. ground equipment company Sutcliffe As a result, not only have visitor the leisure activity booking system Play. A landscape has been created numbers increased but the zoo has with the aim of encouraging children experienced a boost in food and bev- Call us on +44 (0)1223 651400 to play, discover and learn. erage and retail sales as well. Email us at [email protected] More than 40 pieces of equipment have been installed, allowing children fun-kit.net KEYWORD sutcliffe Visit us at www.openfrontiers.com Time Pursuit is an Open Frontiers solution AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 Wherever you are in the world, fi nd the right products and services 24 / 7 by logging on to Attractions Management’s free search engine www.fun-kit.net Cleveland Zoo releases its own iPhone app Powered by inSitu Solutions, an ap- The app also provides fun animal plication developed by Quebec-based facts, points of interest, information Kanvasys, a new iPhone app is to be about special events and the loca- released by Cleveland Metroparks tion of amenities such as washrooms, Zoo in Ohio, US. concession stands and gift stores. Designed to ease navigation, it Over the summer, the zoo will will improve the zoo experience by make updates available, with plans providing detailed GPS-enabled to add – among other topics – cus- maps, allowing visitors to pinpoint tomised tours, horticulture garden their exact location and guide them information, videos and zoo history. around exhibits and animals. This An Android version could be avail- will include a map for the zoo’s new able by the end of the year. US$25m (£15.5m, %17.2m) African Elephant Crossing exhibit. fun-kit.net KEYWORD kanvasys Keeping a track on visitor spending Open Frontiers has released its lat- est version of TimePOS, the EpoS till module of its web-based visitor man- agement system, Time Pursuit. The focus of this version is to sell and track secondary spend and be- haviour against individual visitors and two key performance indicators of members. It can be used for guests visitor arrivals and spend per head. booking online, phoning in advance Further ‘experience points’ can be or when on a site as a walk-up. added to include exit interviews and Through a simple browser accessi- on-site activities, with Chelsea Foot- ble dashboard, operators will be able ball Club being a launch partner at its to see real-time tracking of admis- new Stamford Bridge museum. sions, activities, services and retail for all sales channels. This links the fun-kit.net KEYWORD timepos AM 3 2011 ©cybertrek 2011 KfYffbpflijgXZ\`ek_\N\Y>Xcc\ipZfekXZkAlc`\9X[i`Zb N<9>8CC 9 K"*0'+*/0--)0(<Y\ikXqqfe7Y\ikXqqfe%Zfd K"()-)-..-'-'<`e]f7Zfjkf]n`jZfej`e%Zfd nnn%Y\ikXqqfe%Zfd nnn%Zfjkf]n`jZfej`e%Zfd :LDD@EJ$8CC@JFE >CF98C@DD K"++ ' )+.-**0/('<`e]f7Zldd`ej$Xcc`jfe%Zf%lb K"++ ' /+,'+,-)),<`e]f7^cfYXc`dd\ij`fe%Zfd nnn%Zldd`ejXcc`jfe%Zf%lb nnn%^cfYXc`dd\ij`fe%Zfd AFI8M@J@FE EN8M< Breathtaking experiences, Fully integrated digital studio environments and attractions handling all aspects of 3D for the European and Asian leisure industry cinema production and distribution K"*( ' .(+')-.+.<`e]f7afiXm`j`fe%Zfd K"*))*+.-*(0<\[`cc\ej7enXm\%Zfd nnn%afiXm`j`fe%Zfd nnn%enXm\%Zfd I8@E9FNGIF;L:K@FEJ J8KLIE@D8>@E< K"++ ' )'/),+,*''<`e]f7iX`eYfngif[lZk`fej%Zf%lb K"++ ' (+,+)')'.-<`e]f7iX`eYfngif[lZk`fej%Zf%lb nnn%iX`eYfngif[lZk`fej%Zf%lb nnn%jXklie`dX^`e\\i`e^%Zfd J@DNFIO JBPJB8E 3D & 4D effects Design and installation of theatres, motion theatres, simulation attractions fulldome planetariums and and the provision of 2D & 3D fi lm content visualization theatres K"++ ' (*/+)0,.**<jXc\j7j`dnfio%Zf%lb K"(-'*//'/,''<jXc\j7jbpjbXe%Zfd nnn%j`dnfio%Zf%lb nnn%jbpjbXe%Zfd KI@FK<:? N?@K K"(,(+*,+/000<`e]f7ki`f$k\Z_%Zfd K"( -'+ ).*$('-/<jXc\j7n_`k\nXk\in\jk%Zfd nnn%ki`f$k\Z_%Zfd nnn%n_`k\nXk\in\jk%Zfd The Force Behind the Attractions Products, Ideas, and Connections to Drive Your Business Forward Build momentum for your business by attending IAAPA Attractions Expo 2011—the year’s only business opportunity to deliver such a powerful ROI. Be first in line to test new products and discover the biggest new trends. Get expert advice and practical tools for increasing per-cap spending—without increasing costs. And make powerful connections while you experience the energy of the premiere industry-shaping event. It’s the best investment you’ll make all year. 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