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Attraction Supplier News
---- THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS ----
(11/19/2024) RES Rides Shows Off New La Ola Ride Concept
(11/19/2024) Deal Pending That Would See Falcon’s Beyond Become Operator for Oceaneering Entertainment Systems
(11/19/2024) Intamin Shows Off New Family LSM Coaster Design
(11/16/2024) RES Rides Shows Off World's First Air Loop Ride
(11/8/2024) Huss Park Attractions Opens First Break Dance 5 at Vienna Prater
(10/8/2024) RES Posts New Corporate Video Showcase Of Their Attractions
(10/6/2024) An Interview With Intamin's Lukas Spieldiener
Brogent - (5/28/2024) The IAAPA Expo Asia 2024 is taking place this week from Bangkok, Thailand, and Brogent Technologies is on hand to show off some of their latest technology for the world’s Flying Theater attractions. This includes the launch of the first episode in their new “Soaring Earth” ride-films that will be offered to both Flying Theaters and 4D cinemas across the globe. “Episode 1: Africa” is the first title in the series, and it showcases amazing 10K high resolution footage. On the hardware side of things, Brogent has opened the Thaiwoo Turnkey O-Ride Flying Theater in China as well as the new FlyOver attraction in Chicago so far this year.
Dynamic Attractions - (5/26/2023) Previously Screamscape discovered that Dynamic Attractions had begun the process of filing the necessary documents for Canada’s version of bankruptcy protection, but now the company has been purchased by a new owner. According to Forbes, Dynamic Attraction is being sold for $2 million Canadan dollars (about $1.5 million US) to a Hong Kong based financial services company called Promising Expert Limited (PEL).
PEL is very familiar with Dynamic Attractions, as last year the company had actually lent Dynamic Attractions $16 million in a secured loan on their assets to keep the company funded while they were trying to finish up several major new attractions. A number of different bidders attempted to purchase Dynamic, but PEL who was already a secured creditor also had the highest bid. That said, it appears PEL intends to keep Dynamic Attractions running, however they also did not purchase the manufacturing equipment part of the business, so it would seem that Dynamic’s future may be as designer only and no longer a manufacturer, as well as looking to invest more in joint operation ventures, like the SkyFly attraction in Pigeon Forge.
ETF - (9/8/2024) ETF will launch their latest ride system at the IAAPA Expo in Amsterdam taking place Sept. 24-26, 2024. This latest ride system will be called the “Dynamic Mover” and showcases ETF’s evolution as a market leader in trackless dark ride vehicles. The Dynamic Mover is set to take over as ETF’s Next Gen system, with a vehicle able to rotate 360º while moving in any direction, allowing for seamless “crab-walking” from a standstill, and the ability to navigate the tightest of spaces, allowing maximum use of your attraction’s footprint.
As a trackless vehicle the Dynamic Mover uses an optical navigation system and has no need for tracks, or embedded guide-wires in the floor, while offering higher possible speeds in movement and rotation compared to their previous vehicle systems and even the ability to perform “hill-climbing”. The vehicles hold up to 6 riders at a time, with an on-board power system able to operate for up to 14 hours continuously following an overnight charge.
Look for the official unveiling of the new vehicle system later this month at the IAAPA Expo Amsterdam.
Extreme Engineering - (5/26/2023) Extreme Engineering has revealed a new tower ride attraction concept that they are calling “The Hooli-Hoop”. The concept groups together three individual tower rides, each 27 feet tall, each able to run a unique ride program with different intensities. The towers are then mounted to an optional ‘rotating platform’ that brings in a whole new level of spinning thrills to the tower ride concept.
 Falcon’s Beyond - (11/19/2024) Infinite Acquisitions Partners LLC (“Infinite”) today announced it has entered into a nonbinding letter of intent (“LOI”) with Oceaneering International, Inc. (“OII”) for Infinite to acquire Oceaneering Entertainment Systems (OES) from OII through an acquisition of assets. In addition, Infinite and Falcon’s Beyond Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: FBYD) (“Falcon’s Beyond”), a visionary leader in innovative and immersive storytelling through Falcon’s Creative Group, Falcon’s Beyond Destinations and Falcon’s Beyond Brands, today announced that they have entered into a nonbinding LOI for Falcon’s Beyond to operate OES. Infinite is a major stockholder of Falcon’s Beyond. ‘
Oceaneering Entertainment Systems is the entertainment division of Oceaneering International Inc, having been involved with many complex ride and show systems over the past 25 years.
“OES and Falcon’s Beyond have collaborated on themed entertainment projects globally for more than two decades. If the transactions proceed, Infinite, as the owner of OES, would tap Falcon’s Beyond’s expertise to operate OES, including its development and support of trackless ride vehicles, flying theaters and beyond. Falcon’s Beyond would seek to employ key OES staff in operating OES.”
Follow the link to read the full official press release as posted by Falcon’s Beyond.
(1/10/2024) According to an update at Amusement Today, Falcon’s Beyond has struck a deal with The Hershey Company to create new Hershey branded themed experience attractions. “Through this expansive contract, Falcon’s will conceive and develop Hershey-branded Location Based Entertainment (LBE) experiences featuring the industry-leading confectionary and snack company’s iconic IP, such as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Jolly Rancher,and Twizzlers, in both the United States and international markets.”
This will see Falcon’s Beyond create new “retailtainment” style destinations that will offer guests an immersive way to interact with their favorite chocolate and candy snacks. Each site will feature some kind of Hershey branded attraction and a retail shop offering one-of-a-kind items you won’t find in regular retail outlets. Further details will be announced in the future.
Great Coasters International - (1/1/2024) Pictures of GCI’s new “The Anger of the Yeti” coaster in China’s Fantasy Valley park can be seen below. The wooden coaster with steel supports is expected to open later this year.
Huss Park Attractions - (11/8/2024) Huss Park Attractions has confirmed that the first Break Dance 5 ride was quietly soft-opened at Vienna Prater back in late August, and is operating under the name of “Laser Dance”. The redesigned attraction concept is said to have added 30% more power to the ride, increasing the top speed by another 30% over the previous generation. The new ride is also operating in an indoor setting on a newly developed plot at the Prater, where it can operate year-round.
A great video showing off the new attraction, complete with a stunning new lightning package that gives off a very “Tron” inspired vibe, can be seen below.
(5/27/2024) Huss Park Attractions is offering a new concept attraction based on their Sky Tower observation platform concept. This new addition is being called Sky Tower Multimedia, and it combines Huss successful Sky Tower attraction line with an extra twist. Below the loading platform, an additional chamber is created allowing the rider cabin to be lowered into this new space and be surrounded by a 360º multimedia screen, and an iris style door will close over the top of the\ cabin to enclose the riders into this new dark projection space where any number of possible concepts can be projected on the screen. Following the movie style experience, the iris opens and the cabin can rise up to 80 meters into the sky for a view of the surrounding landscape before returning to the ground to exit once again.
Intamin - (11/19/2024) Intamin showed off a new coaster design this week online called the Family LSM. Best to let the product speak for itself in the concept video from Intamin below.
(10/6/2024) A video interview from a French podcast called Puissance Parcs has been posted (in English) talking with Intamin’s Lukas Spieldiener about the company’s history, innovations, current projects as well as some directions we may see from future projects.
Check it out below!
(12/23/2023) Intamin has opened a new custom attraction at Cite de l’espace in France called LuneXplorer. According to the description posted at Blooloop this “one-of-a-kind immersive ride” is designed to simulate a take-off and journey to the Moon by using a centrifuge style design to create the feelings of acceleration up to 3G during the lift-off.
(11/25/2023) Intamin was awarded with a Brass Ring Award at the IAAPA Expo in Orlando last week in the category for Major Ride / Attraction with a cost over $3 million for their new Dome Ride Theater system. The prototype new concept attraction was introduced earlier this year as a highlight attraction at the new SeaWorld Abu Dhabi as “Hypersphere 360”. Intamin was also awarded an “Impact Award” for Best New Product Concept at the show as well, awarded to attractions concepts that the judges feel will have a huge impact on the industry going forward.
Mack Rides - (9/25/2024) Mack Rides is showing off their new trackless ride vehicle system called the FLOWRYDE. The concept was developed between Mack Rides along with Mack Interactive and VR Coaster. Based on the prototype show, the cars are able to hold six riders at a time. For now, this may just be a concept they are bringing to market, and not something sold as of yet.
(9/23/2024) Mack Rides has posted a small teaser about what they will unveil at the IAAPA European Expo this week in Amsterdam. From the looks of things, this will be a new trackless dark ride vehicle system, as a group of riders can be seen in the background sitting on one wearing VR headgear as it spins around the small room.
Martin & Vleminckx - (11/4/2023) Martin & Vleminckx is showing off their new Skyspire attraction concept this year, a concept I believe they obtained when they purchased the patent portfolio of Bill Kitchen’s US Thrillrides concepts back in November 2022. The attraction design is pretty cool looking, as I remember seeing what looked like an early version proposed once for the downtown San Diego skyline. It features a cool blending of the concept of an observation tower with a giant wheel, but wrapping a spiral track around the outside of a tower structure. Climate controlled observation wheel style gondola units then slowly roll up the spiral track to the top of the tower, where guests can then exit into the platform at the top for a prolonged stay before they are ready to climb aboard another gondola for a slow relaxing spiral trip back down the tower.
Maurer Rides - (9/17/2024) Maurer is back with yet another unique layout for their Spike powered coaster system. This one is called the Spike Fun Tower 55 and it reminds me a lot of the once proposed Polercoaster in Orlando, almost as if this was Maruer’s proposal if they were hired to build the coaster portion. Check it out below and watch all the way to the end for the surprise finale to the ride experience.
(9/15/2024) Maurer Rides is back with another crazy layout proposal for their powered Spike coaster system… and this one has the luck of the Irish, so take a look at the proposed Spike Shamrock ASM Launch Coaster. Them imagine how something like this might fit in somewhere like Busch Gardens Williamsburg or even Emerald Park in Ireland with some awesome theming built up all around it.
(8/29/2024) Maurer has announced a couple of new variations on their Spike powered coaster concept in the past month. This started with the reveal of KrakeX earlier this month, which features a compact layout that ends with a trip up and over a large top-hat style element.
New this week they have unveiled Giant-8-Loop, another compact layout that features a giant figure-8 shaped inversion-style element right in the center of it all. The twisted element is sure to be an eye-catcher as it is unlike anything guests have ever seen built before. Check it out!
RES Rides / Ride Engineers Switzerland (RES) - (11/19/2024) RES Rides has posted a video showing off a new creation called La Ola. It’s a fun looking flat ride that features floorless swing style seats that tumble up and over each other as it spins. As a fan that grew up visiting Knott’s Berry Farm, the ride motion here reminds me heavily of that park’s Tampico Tumbler flat ride which was probably one of my favorite flat rides of all time, and one of the very few Zierer Hexentanz (aka: Witch’s Dance) built in North America.
According to RES, the ride has been designed to operate at various speeds as needed by the operator, providing either a mellow family ride or a more high-speed thrilling ride experience. The number of seats can also be scaled up from 16 to 32 to 64 riders at a time. It looks to just be a concept for now, but hopefully one we won't have to wait long to see in real life somewhere.
(11/16/2024) While it wont open until 2025, RES Rides posted a new video showing off the testing of Gozimba, the first ever Air Loop, a unique powered coaster experience attraction,set to open in Germany’s Serengeti-Park.
(10/8/2024) RES has posted a great company video showcasing all of their various projects, both the ones built and those that are still waiting to be built. Check it out below!
(9/24/2024) RES Rides has posted a new animated video showcasing a new creation called the Air Diver M24. The unique looking flat ride sort of looks like someone cross-bred a Huss Troika with a Gertlauer Sky Fly. Check it out below!
(9/15/2024) According to a news post at Amusement Today, Ride Engineers Switzerland’s first Oracle flat ride (a transportable model) will be delivered and go on tour in the spring of 2025. While a transportable version will likely focus on offering thrill rides, RES’s Oracle ride system was engineered to be able to offer a variety of ride experiences, from a gentle spinning ride that rides into the air to offer impressive views at the one end and able to ramp up the thrills and movement on the other extreme to offer up an incredible thrill ride experience unlike anything else.
Rocky Mountain Construction - (9/15/2024) Remember last year when it was announced that Rocky Mountain Construction was buying / merging with Larson International to create an even bigger company? As part of this new merger, Blooloop reports than RMC will be heading to the 2024 AZA Annual Conference (Assocation of Zoos and Aquariums) being held this week in Calgary, Canada. The mission is to showcase the assorted ways simple classic attractions can be thememed and included as fantastic family additions to these attractions. Shark themed Tilt-A-Whirls, Sea Turtle themed flying rides, bird themed Flying Scooters, and even the installation of a Skyrise observation tower. The later is a fun idea as it can be customized to include a food/beverage station in the center, along with seating for a related journey into the sky to enjoy a beverage with friends while taking in the view.
(8/18/2023) Rocky Mountain Construction has announced a brand new ride design they are looking to sell… the WILD MOOSE. Designed as RMC’s take on the classic Wild Mouse style coaster, the WILD MOOSE features an all steel structure and the two railed iBox style track system. Sized to fit within any standard wild-mouse coaster footprint, the Wild Moose is actually more inspired by the crazy twisted track RMC has become known for installing between the station and the bottom of the lift hill. Another one difference is that the Wild Moose will use a short 12-passenger coaster train rather than individual 4-passenger cars. This also means the Wild Moose is able to feature two-train operations. Oh… and if you watch the video below, you’ll notice that this will also feature an entirely new and very open train design from RMC.
So it looks like the only question remaining is… who is going to be the first park to get their hands on a Wild Moose?!
S&S Worldwide - (12/29/2023) Over the past several years, S&S Worldside has been teasing ideas to introduce their own single-rail roller coaster system. As I recall, this started off several years ago when they teased it as a re-birth of sorts to the old Arrow Dynamics Steeplechase style ride system at IAAPA 2017.
If you’ve never been on one, don’t feel too bad, as only two were produced way back in the late 70’s. There was the three-tracked racing Steeplechase at Blackpool Pleasure Beach (1977) were riders race abort cars themed as horses, and just before that was the four-lane version built at Knott’s Berry Farm that first opened as Motor Cycle Chase in 1976, with motorcycle themed cars of course, but this was later changed to more high capacity sit-down cars when it become the famous Wacky Soap Box Racers in 1980.
As much fun as it would be to bring that back as it was, S&S has spent the past six years redesigning the concept as RailRyder, a new family single-rail coaster concept that would use a full train design rather than single or short train designs. Based on the look of things, the evolution of the design appears somewhat inspired by RMC’s Raptor coaster concept, but unlike all-out thrills of the Raptor, S&S is designing their RailRyder version as a fun family coaster concept. You can catch some new concept art and different layout ideas shown by S&S in a video below from Theme Park Insanity.
Sally Dark Rides - (2/26/2024) Sally Dark Rides has confirmed that they have entered into a “marketing partnership” with Cloudco Entertainment to design a “Care Bears” themed family dark ride experience that will be made available to any interested parties. “In this family-friendly dark ride attraction, guests board moving “Cloud Cars” and are immediately immersed in a bright and colorful environment filled with special effects including sounds, scents, themed lighting, hand-crafted set pieces and cuddly Care Bears animatronic characters.”
“We are incredibly excited at the opportunity to bring the world of Care Bears to life by way of an immersive dark ride attraction. For over four decades, the Care Bears have been a part of our lives through animated series, movies, top-selling toys, and more. With storylines centered around caring, sharing, and treating others with respect – Care Bears is just one of those brands you want to wrap your arms around and hug. With such worldwide popularity from kids and adults alike, we see incredible potential with this nostalgic, huggable, colorful, and inclusive brand. We whole-heartedly believe this family dark ride would be successful in any theme park or entertainment center around the world,” shared Lauren Weaver, VP of Business Development and Marketing at Sally Dark Rides. “At Sally, we’re always looking for ways to transport guests to new places and new environments, introduce them to their favorite characters, and give them an experience that they would never get at home. We’ve watched the Care Bears for years but never have we thought we could come face-to-face with Funshine Bear or hop from cloud-to-cloud in the magical world of Care-A-Lot. Well, now we can give guests that experience – and what a fun experience it would be.”
Skyline Attractions - (9/5/2024) Skyline Attractions has posted an update of their own on social media regarding the status of their P’Sghetti Bowl roller coasters, that have suffered extended down-time issues at the Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags over Georgia installations. Visually they are beautiful rides for sure, and after dark they are spectacular to watch, so hopefully they will solve the issues soon.
Technical Park - (2/14/2024) Tehnical Park has announced the creation of a new portable ride model that they call the Jet Fighter 20. Even better, this isn’t just a concept, they confirm that the first one is on the way with a confirmed order from a client. The Jet Fighter 20 is based on the concept of their Loop Fighter ride, but with higher capacity.
Triotech - (2/11/2024) Triotech and BoldMove have launched a new “Smash & Reload Maxi” dark ride offering, an expanded offering to the existing Smash & Reload dark ride concept. I believe the first Smash & Reload concept opened at the Le Pal theme park in France in 2023 as Champi’Folies, featuring the animated Too Mush mushroom themed character IP.
The idea behind the Smash & Reload concept was to create a compact dark ride experience that would appeal to small parks and FEC sized attractions. The experience relies mostly interactive screen gameplay moments while passing through themed spaces between the various scenes. The small dark ride concept was also a scalable concept that would allow customers to repurpose existing spaces at their facilities. For example, Le Pal transformed the park’s former 3D Simulator Theater attraction building into a usable space for Champi’Folies.
The new Smash & Reload Maxi version has taken this now proven concept and blown it up to appear more to medium and large theme parks, and currently offers the original TooMush theme, as well as an all new Voodoo Festival theme. Enter the dark side of the Mardi Gras where Voodoo dolls have come to life and threaten the festivities, with only you standing in their way to toss “Good Luck” bags to dispel the dark magic.
On the technical side of things, Triotech says that they can switch the gameplay back and forth between whatever IPs a park wants to offer, allowing an easy way to offer the family friendly TooMuch experience in the daytime, but switch over to Voodoo Festival after dark, or as part of themed Mardi Gras or Halloween themed events.
Elsewhere...
Last month we mentioned how Triotech had installed a fun new attraction at the Malta National Aquarium called The Deep Explorer. Think of it as a small stand-up simulator ride, that gives the experience of diving deep into the ocean through a 2DOF motion platform and a series of video screens that serve as “windows” along the side walls and roof, so you can view into the abyss.
It turns out this isn’t the first such installation of this kind of attraction from Triotech, as they previously installed an extremely similar concept as the Abyssal Descender at the Grand Aquarium in Saint Malo / Cave Explorer attraction back in 2016. A great video showing off the on-ride experience as well as some behind the scenes look at the hardware used for the Abyssal Descender was posted to Youtube by Triotech.
For our older Walt Disney World fans, I’m sure this experience may trigger some fond memories of the old “Hydrolator” part of The Living Seas pavilion at EPCOT from days long past. For our modern Orlando park fans, you will probably think is this more like the faux-elevator experience used as part of the pre-show experience on Universal’s Escape from Gringotts attraction.
(9/17/2023) According to a post at Blooloop, Triotech will be working with a number of companies on new projects coming soon. This includes a project with SEVEN (Saudi Entertainment Ventures) to create dark rides based on the Transformers IP for Saudi Arabia.
Vekoma - (9/24/2024) Vekoma has posted a great new video showcase for what the company can currently offer to attractions around the world. Check it out below.
(8/24/2024) Vekoma posted a fun picture this week showcasing a bunch of their launched coaster track painted red sitting in a staging area somewhere in the world. Any hints about what new project this could be for?
(4/27/2024) Congratulations go out to Vekoma who is building a new company Campus in Vlodrop in order to handle the company’s needs and future growth! According to the posting, Vekoma suffered a fire in the early 1990’s that led to them jumping into a temporary office situation that has lasted far too long.
WhiteWater - (9/21/2024) Waterpark attraction giants, ProSlide and WhiteWater have been entangled over the past few years in a complicated legal case involving “patent infringement” brought on by ProSlide against WhiteWater. According to a statement from WhiteWater, ProSlide launched a suit in Canada against them on December 1st, 2020, “alleging infringement of six patents covering the above water slide products (AquaSphere, Orbiter, and Tailspin) and five industrial designs covering Parallel Pursuit. During the course of the case, allegations concerning the five industrial designs and one patent were dismissed, confirming the validity of WhiteWater's portfolio. ”
“On August 30, 2024, the Honourable Justice Michael Manson, one of Canada's foremost intellectual property judges, ruled that there was no infringement of any of the claims relating to the products. More strikingly, Justice Manson also ruled that every patent claim asserted by ProSlide and inventor Rick Hunter was deemed invalid. Additionally, ProSlide was ordered to pay WhiteWater's litigation costs.”
A similar lawsuit was also filed in the US court system over eight patents, and so far “allegations concerning five patents were dismissed, one was ruled not to be infringing, and two remain before the court.”
Zierer - (7/6/2024) Zierer has posted an animation of a new family launched coaster they are working on called the Discovery Launch Coaster. Check it out below.
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