Amusement Parks

Saturday, June 15, 2013 Loggers, and Timber, and Bears (well, at least one). Oh my…    I haven’t ridden it yet, but you can trust me when I tell you that Knott’s Berry Farm’s revitalized Timber Mountain Log Ride is a stunning piece of work....View more

Friday, May 24, 2013 Why Safety Policies Matter for your Theme Park or Attraction    Safety is a mantra that those people in the amusement industry use consistently, but remember, it is not just safety of your patrons, but safety for your workers and your contractors as well. If you fail to provide proper safety measures for your employees or contractors, it may have a devastating effect on your business. ...View more

Friday, January 11, 2013 ‘Englishnization’/ ‘disgalapagosisation’: globalisation the Rakuten way    Employees to learn English in 3 months and clean their own desks; globalisation strategy from the Japanese internet shopping giant Rakuten.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2012 IAAPA's 12th Annual Charity Golf Day: Helping Give Kids The World.    The 12th annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Give kids The World Charity (GKTW) Golf day took place Sunday November 9th at Hawks Landing Golf Club in Orlando. ...View more

Thursday, November 15, 2012 In Remembrance of Disney’s Dave Herbst    There’s a common misconception about Giants. To be a Giant, you don’t have to be big or tall or otherwise physically imposing. You just have to be strong. That’s why Dave Herbst was a Giant—because he was strong in so many ways....View more

Saturday, November 03, 2012 Attractions and the Experience Economy    Increasingly we’re finding that countries, regions and cities worldwide are realizing the true value of the Experience Economy, that blend of Leisure and Entertainment, History and Culture, Shopping and Dining Out that as an example was most recently valued in the UK at over £115 billion or 8.9% of GDP. ...View more

Friday, October 05, 2012 Battersea Power Station: Preserving an Eyesore?    Battersea Power Station is in the news again, now that its owners have announced that they will begin an £8 billion revamp in 2013. The Malaysian consortium, which bought the site for £400 million, plans to build homes, offices, shops and a park....View more

Friday, September 21, 2012 Fur farm Marketing deal with Tivoli provokes Social Media Backlash    Danish amusement park Tivoli has entered an agreement for a new sponsorship with Kopenhagen Fur, the world's largest fur auction house. Kopenhagen Fur will be the official partner for Christmas in Tivoli the next 3 years. ...View more

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 Euro Attractions Show 2012: Unique Tours, Notable Firsts at Berlin's EAS    Just coming back from meetings in Berlin, and only 7 weeks prior to the Euro Attractions Show, we are now coming closer to the finish line, the opening of EAS 2012. With a record number of exhibitors and exhibit space, things look great and promising....View more

Sunday, June 10, 2012 Why Disneyland Works    For many Disneyland guests, there is a sense of timelessness inside the earthen berm that surrounds the park. In Disneyland Through the Decades, Jeff Kurtti said that frequently visiting the park “is revelatory in the drastic change you will see – and the almost complete lack of change you will see.” If you want to get a sense of the tremendous change that has occurred over the years, there is a model of Disneyland on opening day in 1955 tucked into a wall at the museum on Main Street....View more

Tuesday, June 05, 2012 Parkology: Disneylandia Debunked – Myth #2 “Disneyland was a reaction against Coney Island and traditional amusement parks”    parkology

(park•ol’•o•gy)
n.
1. The systematic study of the art and science of the theme park, especially the study of the origins, organization, development, and nature of said art form.
2. The indulgent ramblings of an industry veteran trying to make sense of it all.

also, park•ol’o•gist n....View more

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 Aquariums: Durban's uShaka Sea World Launches the Ecohouse    The amazing animals at uShaka Sea World inspire us to love and care for our environment – but simply caring for animals is not enough – we need to know how to take action to slow the climate crisis....View more

Thursday, April 19, 2012 Attraction Recession Action Plan    Whilst ours is an international business sector and some economies continue to rocket away, stagnation and recession still rule in many areas and by their nature, location-based leisure and entertainment attractions have to change and adapt to the market conditions they experience locally. ...View more

Thursday, April 05, 2012 Disney, Theme Parks and a "messy vitality".    Last time I talked about Walt Disney and his Imagineers’ desire to create a place that reassures us that everything will be okay while we were having a good time with our families. How did they accomplish this?...View more

Saturday, March 10, 2012 Themed Entertainment & Immersive Technology: Live from SXSW 2012    It’s official…I’m a noob. That’s what they call first-timers at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference that runs from Friday 9th through to Tuesday 13th March in Austin, Texas. And I’m thrilled to be streaming perspectives and news from SXSW to Blooloop so that I can share exciting developments with my industry colleagues, in hopes that more of us will attend this Austin confab in future years....View more

Friday, February 24, 2012 "Disneyland not escapism but reassurance."    Hello Blooloop guests. Welcome to the Sam Gennawey blog. I am an urban planner and planning historian that has a thing for theme parks, amusement parks, and World’s Fairs....View more

Monday, February 20, 2012 Alton Towers and the Joy of Hex    A theme park in mid summer, with hour long queues and crowds of people in the blazing sun is not always the most pleasant place to be. This is why, when taking my family, we like to visit out of high season in an attempt to find a quiet day....View more

Wednesday, February 08, 2012 Parkology: Coney Island the First Theme Park?    parkology

(park•ol’•o•gy)
n.
1. The systematic study of the art and science of the theme park, especially the study of the origins, organization, development, and nature of said art form.
2. The indulgent ramblings of an industry veteran trying to make sense of it all

also, park•ol’o•gist n. ...View more

Monday, January 16, 2012 Family owned amusement parks: the reversal of a trend or a one-off?    In the amusement park industry, the last decade was characterised by a peak in the trend that family-owned businesses were sold to large corporations, investment funds and the like. Many questions were asked about the potential for success for this strategy, and most of these questions were justified....View more

Monday, December 19, 2011 From Melaka to Pigeon Forge: That was a year, that was.    Well, it’s nearly Christmas, a time to take stock and also to look forward. Firstly, 2011, what a year that was, eh? Did we see that one coming? If it went the way that you expected, well done and can we share a look into your crystal ball for 2012?!...View more

Thursday, November 17, 2011 Chic, Contemporary Christmas - The Champs-Élysées' Christmas illuminations    Possibly the most famous street in the world, Champs-Élysées in Paris, will be looking extra chic and contemporary this Christmas as they reveal their brand new Christmas illuminations....View more

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 What are you main objectives for the IAAPA Expo?    We asked the 3000+ members of Blooloop's LinkedIn group, “Are you planning on attending the IAAPA Expo? If so, what are your main objectives?”...View more

Sunday, November 13, 2011 What's the Big Idea? Looking at the Legacy of the Millennium Commission    If you visit the Millennium Commission website you might be forgiven for thinking that every visitor attraction project they were involved in was an unqualified success. ...View more

Sunday, October 23, 2011 Where is the next growth market for themed attractions?    We asked the 3000+ members of Blooloop's LinkedIngroup, “Since many projects have been put on hold or cancelled in Dubai, where do you think the next growth market will be?”...View more

Monday, October 17, 2011 Dancing in the Park: LEGOLAND Florida Opens    LEGOLAND Florida, the fifth LEGOLAND park, and the biggest in the world opened this weekend. We have some great images showing the LEGOLAND party in full swing....View more

Friday, October 07, 2011 The Wax Museum After Dark    Have you noticed how the classic wax museum seems to be booming these years? The grand dame of waxworks, Madame Tussauds, is constantly opening new attractions, currently operating 13 attractions and counting.
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 Six Flags' Strategy: News in every park, every year    Six Flags set out their strategy: "News in every park, every year" in the September 2011 Investor Presentation. "2011 was best “new capital” year in a decade" says the report. ...View more

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 "And the bigger one is called a Giant Leonopterix" : Theme Park Designers on the Disney / Avatar News    Yesterday saw news that Walt Disney Parks will collaborate with filmmaker James Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the world of AVATAR to life at Disney parks. What does this development mean for Disney, for the theme park business, will it be a good (or logical) fit into Animal Kingdom and will Disney's HR team soon be looking for 9ft tall blue skinned applicants? We spoke to some leading theme park designers...
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Monday, September 19, 2011 Themed Entertainment: TEA gets BeWitched at BeWILDerwood    Norfolk's BeWILDerwood theme park played host to the TEA's (Themed Entertainment Association) European and Middle Eastern division last week as around 30 creatives from the theme park and themed entertainment industry took the opportunity to visit the park, hear about its history and background and engage in the kind of convivial alcohol-fuelled networking for which the TEA is rightly known.
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Wednesday, September 07, 2011 Themed Design: The Attraction of Scent    When my bottle of cologne hit the bathroom floor this morning it wasn’t the sight of broken glass that occupied my senses. It was the scent. It was powerful. It took me right back to the shop where I tried it on for the first time. I have always been interested in scents, and the use of scent is starting to blossom in some sectors....View more

Friday, August 12, 2011 Genting Singapore Plc second quarter results: 40% increase in visitors to Universal Studios Singapore    Genting Singapore Plc’s results for the second quarter show a 40% increase in visitors to Universal Studios Singapore compared with the first quarter and 40% increase in non-gaming revenues compared to Q2 2010. Genting set out a plan to continue development of Singapore Integrated Resorts to become "the premier resort destination for the affluent in Asia" and a nod towards Dubai with the construction of luxury accomodation.
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Saturday, August 06, 2011 Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea: OLC’s results for Q1 to 30 June 2011    Oriental Land Co. Ltd ’s Q1 results for Tokyo Disney Resort were significantly impacted by the Great East Japan Earthquake; an extraordinary loss of ¥3.8 billion has been posted this quarter. But rigorous control over costs has mitigated the overall effect and attendance is back on track. ...View more

Friday, August 05, 2011 Tivoli’s three year strategy – enchanting guests whatever the weather, in AND out of the park    Tivoli retains its position in the top 5 European amusement parks but increased competition and inclement weather adversely affected the 2010 season according to the annual report. Attendance at 3.7 million was down 4% on 2009, due to a 7% decline in visitors for the summer. Tivoli have set out a three year strategic plan, Growth 2013, with a mission to “enchant our guests” and a vision to “be a leading, international experience brand”....View more

Thursday, July 28, 2011 Reflecting on One Kind of Reality for Fulldome    This month I and my Loch Ness Productions colleague Mark C. Petersen had the opportunity to see the last shuttle launch of Atlantis from the Press Site at the Kennedy Space Center. We were accredited newsies, covering the event for Sky & Telescope online, and I also wrote a story for Yahoo News. Of course, being fulldome producers, we took advantage of that proximity to take immersive imagery, all in the spirit of capturing the moment for domed posterity. ...View more

Tuesday, July 12, 2011 Themed Entertainment: TEA’s Mr. Mission Control – Buzz Price (1921 – 2010)    It’s been nearly a year (August 15, 2010) since Buzz Price passed away and since then I’ve had numerous opportunities to talk with friends and colleagues about dad. Everyone that knew dad had a favorite story. ...View more

Tuesday, July 05, 2011 Themed Entertainment: We make the magic at SATE 2011 in Amsterdam    The SATE (Storytelling/Architecture/Technology/Experience) conference 2011 in Amsterdam was like a rollercoaster ride of ideas, sage advice, discussion and inspiration. 78 year old Marty ‘We make the magic’ Sklar was the keynote speaker at the conference - with his wealth of experience he remains an inspiration for many people in the business. ...View more

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainments Group sets out his six point growth driver plan    Marketing Week featured an exclusive interview with Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainments Group, where he gives an insight into Merlin’s phenomenal growth.
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Monday, June 13, 2011 The Season Pass and a Passion for Theme Parks    Since this is my first contribution to the Blooloop.com blogging festivities, I figure it will help to deliver this introduction. I am Doug Barnes and I have been enjoying the incredible world of theme parks and the amusement industry since I can remember, which is a four year old child sinking deep into my omni-mover seat terrified, yet amazed at the giant eye blinking at me during an Adventure Through Inner Space.

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Friday, May 27, 2011 Europa-Park and 35 years of success: how do they do it???    I have just returned from yet another spectacular event at Europa-Park, the first IAAPA Spring Forum. Preceded by some IAAPA committee meetings, the event offered again a wonderful opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the perfection and hospitality for which the Mack family has become known throughout the years. And it remains mind-boggling: how do they do it? Year after year of record-breaking attendance, major additions and award-winning productions. Don't they ever make mistakes?
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Tuesday, May 24, 2011 Are Farm Animal Attractions and Petting Zoos too dangerous for children? Part 2    So just over a year on from my original blog on this topic, the Petting Farm at the centre of the outbreak of E.coli 0157 has admitted liability for the incident¹ ....View more

Thursday, May 19, 2011 Lemurs & Lions at Resort World Sentosa as Madagascar Attraction set to Open    Greetings from Singapore – home to some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment in the world. Those pursuits are on the back-burner for me this trip, because a group of us are hard at work here on Sentosa Island prepping for the official grand opening of Universal Studios Singapore (May 28), and the debut of the park’s newest attraction – Madagascar: A Crate Adventure.
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Thursday, May 12, 2011 Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Second Quarter Results: Operating Income 3% Down    Parks and Resorts revenues for the second quarter to 31 March 2011 increased by 7% to $2.6bn but operating income fell 3% to $145m, as the effect of the temporary closure of Tokyo Disney Resort, the timing of the Easter holidays and higher operating costs for the Disney Cruise Line offset higher guest spending and hotel occupancy in Paris, Hong Kong and the domestic parks and resorts.
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Friday, April 01, 2011 Tokyo Disneyland, DisneySea, "The Parks are ready to reopen"    Tokyo Disney Resort® announced attendance figures for Tokyo Disneyland® Park and Tokyo DisneySea® Park of 25.4 million visitors for the year to March 31, 2011.
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011 IP & Theme Parks: here to stay?    "It all started with a Mouse", one of Walt Disney's famous quotes. Well indeed, I believe the Disney company may be credited for being the first theme park that successfully based its themes around well known TV and film characters. And although amusement parks here and there have since then added famous characters to their theme, not until just a few years ago did we see the surge in intellectual property (IP)-based themed areas, for the moment in Europe led by the UK. What started with the very successful "Thomasland" at Drayton Manor Theme Park is now being replicated by others around the country....View more

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 Theme Parks: Merlin Entertainments 2010 Results - Still Rocking Round the World    Despite difficult economic conditions in Europe and the US, Merlin Entertainments announced another set of impressive results today for 2010....View more

Thursday, March 10, 2011 Billionaires and BRICs: Attractions Trends    Forbes Magazine’s annual global ranking of billionaires records the rise of the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China). Little wonder then that the Attractions Business is following the money.
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Thursday, February 24, 2011 California: Requesting Zip Code information from Amusement Park guests gets more complicated    Picture this familiar scene at an amusement park near you. A customer steps up to the entrance booth to purchase admission to the attraction and pulls out a credit card to pay.
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Wednesday, February 09, 2011 Theme Parks:OLC up forecast to 27m visitors for 2011 - Creating Happiness at Tokyo Disney    In a world where we are bombarded with strategies to help us achieve personal happiness OLC, a company whose mission is literally to “create happiness and contentment” need no advice, having just announced exceptional third quarter results and an upward revision of their full year forecast. Blooloop looks at how OLC have mastered the “Art of Happiness”....View more

Monday, February 07, 2011 Theme Parks: Alton Towers harnesses the Wisdom of Friends - Facebook Places Deals launch in UK    Facebook has launched Places Deals in the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Canada. Launched in the US in November, Deals is an add on to Facebook Places, an app where users check in their location. Deals takes this a step further by then offering users discounts and benefits at nearby shops, restaurants and venues.
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Saturday, January 22, 2011 Compagnie des Alpes: Q1 Sales and Creating a Walibi Universe    In keeping with their strategy set out in 2008, CDA are in the process of tidying up their portfolio with the divestment of non-core parks.   Cash generated from the sales as well as from refinancing debt in 2010 should give CDA “additional flexibility to carry out a selective and forward looking growth strategy, both organic and through acquisitions” [Dominique Marcel, Chairman and CEO December 2010].
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Friday, January 21, 2011 Theme Park Design and why Steve Alcorn’s Time Portal won’t get made    "If a theme park attraction were a kitchen it would be pretty crowded, and not just with cooks." I thought I had a good working idea of what went on behind the scenes at a major theme park, I really did. Turns out I didn’t and were it not for Steve Alcorn’s new book I’d still be none the wiser......View more

Friday, January 14, 2011 Pigs in Pythons: Capex at Disney and Universal    I came across a quote from Jay Rasulo (Senior Executive Vice President and CFO of The Walt Disney Company) recently which conjures up a vivid image. When describing where the company is in its capex cycle he said Disney’s theme parks and resorts are at “kind of a pig in the python in terms of our normal activity”.
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Friday, December 31, 2010 Anticipated Legal Issues in the Amusement Industry for 2011    As we close out of the calendar year of 2010, it is a good time to look forward into the New Year that is upon us. I have listed some things I think are worth following in the amusement industry in 2011 and hope to keep you updated on them as we experience the New Year. Here’s wishing you a prosperous and Happy New Year....View more

Thursday, December 23, 2010 What is more important, recruitment or training?    In terms of time and money spent I guess most people would say training. After all most organisations have training budgets, but only the recruitment of top line managers is treated as an investment. And of course we train the trainers, while those who recruit tend to learn on the job, especially if they’re ‘only’ recruiting seasonal staff....View more

Wednesday, December 22, 2010 A Few of my Favourite Things: A day at the IAAPA Expo    Raindrops on roses and 5D cinema….attending the IAAPA show is of course, as I tell my friends and kids, REALLY, REALLY hard work but it does have the odd perk. In the interest of market research I felt obliged to try everything I could. Here are some of my favourites from the floor…....View more

Saturday, December 18, 2010 Theme Parks: Merlin buys into Australia as CDA sells in Europe    Times may be tough but Merlin continue to buck trends with their ambitious strategy for world domination : “Our vision is to become the world-wide leader in branded, location based entertainment”.
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Monday, December 13, 2010 Disturbing my Equilibrium on Universal's Harry Potter Ride    I count myself and my family very lucky to have lived through first release of the Harry Potter books and Harry Potter movies. Sure there will be those who love the series in the future. However, there is something particularly special about being there at the birth of one of these iconic cultural happenings....View more

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 Optimism with a Frosty Reception : The IAAPA Expo 2010    The annual IAAPA Expo was back to its spiritual home of Orlando in November after last year’s visit to Las Vegas. Many felt a sense of relief to be back in Florida and there was a palpable sense of excitement and optimism in the air as the show began. So what did I learn during my week at the show, other than that I can’t play golf, The Adirondacks are a mountain range and I still don’t like grits?...View more

Friday, November 05, 2010 Not bad for a Boy Wizard! Universal's Magical Ride    The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, opened June 18, 2010, has delivered the best quarterly results in Universal’s 20-year history. According to a new Securities and Exchange Commission filing, prior to Harry’s apparition at Universal, paid theme park admissions were 5% down on the previous year.
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Monday, November 01, 2010 Katie gets Scared : Cedar Fair park's Windseekers    My background in science makes me a pretty analytical fact based person. In general, I am not afraid of any amusement park ride. It may cause a physical thrill due to speed but I don’t get scared by height at all. I know the rides are safe. Most parks will shut off a ride at the slightest chance of a problem and millions of people ride thousands of rides every day without incident....View more

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Favourite ride unavailable? Refunds recommended in Taiwan.    Imagine what you’d do if your facility had to meet these Taiwan regulations....View more

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Compagnie des Alpes - poor weather and economic depression lead to a fall in sales for 2010    CDA reported sales today of €596.6m for 2010, up 4.1% on 2009 (a decline of 2.6% on a like-for-like basis). Leisure parks represent around 40% of total turnover for the Group with sales in this segment down 5.3% to €230.8 million (excl. Aqualibi); a return to 2008 levels after a record-breaking 2009. The decline has been attributed to the poor economic environment and unfavourable weather conditions.
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Thursday, October 21, 2010 Amusement Parks: 3 days in Rome at the EAS    The 7th Euro Amusement Show (EAS), which took place in Rome from the 6th to 8th October, was judged a great success . The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) , reported in excess of 9,000 visitors – the highest in the show’s history - and over 1,000 attending the conference programme....View more

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 Meanwhile, back in July: IAAPA's Asian Expo.    The Asian Attractions Expo 2010, which took place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia July 13-16 was IAAPA’s most successful Asian show to date, with more visitors, more exhibitors and a more comprehensive conference than any of its predecessors....View more

Tuesday, October 05, 2010 Genting Singapore Plc's Integrated Resorts-from Drawing Board to Reality    The growth of the middle classes in Asia is expected to fuel a boom in demand for world class attractions: Asia is forecast to comprise 43% of worldwide consumption by 2030. Singapore’s evolved tourism strategy and new integrated resorts have resulted in record visitor arrivals in 2010. Genting Singapore Plc's Q2 results show the financial impact of the new ventures....View more

Saturday, October 02, 2010 "All that's left are Patterns in the Grass" : The Magic of the Carnival    Tiller Days has been a regular event in Tustin since 1957 that is taking place this weekend in Tustin, California. The event provides an opportunity for Tustin to celebrate Orange County's agricultural heritage. It is also an opportunity for local non-profit groups to raise funds....View more

Friday, October 01, 2010 Waterparks: Security in changing rooms – How vulnerable is your facility?    Back in the earlier days of public bathhouses and changing rooms, the buildings were built from cement blocks and facilities used attendants near the entrance of the women’s area and the men’s area to ensure that individuals of the proper sex entered the respective areas.
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Wednesday, September 22, 2010 OLC's 2013 Strategic Plan: Bringing Happiness    Oriental Land Co. Ltd celebrated its 50th birthday in 2010 by launching a 3 year strategic plan to grow sustainable corporate value.
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Holograms and “Gamification” Raising the Bar for Theme Parks    On every gamer’s Christmas list, the eagerly awaited Xbox Kinetic is due to be launched later this year. Set to be the next step up from the hugely successful Wii platform, Kinetic does not require a hand held controller and incorporates software that allows players to use voice, gesture and even facial expression to interact with the on screen action.   How will theme parks and attractions compete with home based wizardry?
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Thursday, August 12, 2010 Is the UK Government doing enough for Tourism?    Many hoped UK attractions would gain a boost from a new administration which would truly recognise the enormous benefits to the country of a vital and thriving tourism sector and look to support it through appropriate legislation. Merlin CEO Nick Varney's response to Prime Minister Cameron's speech today is instructive ...
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Saturday, August 07, 2010 Happy Eating at Dutch Amusement Parks    A recent article in the DagjeWeg stated that since the food safety records for eight amusement parks in the Netherlands was so outstanding, the nVWA (Food Safety Authority) would only visit them once every three years instead of the Authority’s annual inspection......View more

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 The Business of Nostalgia    Nostalgia can be a powerful sales tool and no one in the amusement industry does it better than Disney. Indeed, at its very core, much of the company is centered on the nostalgic reminders of its namesake Walter Elias Disney.
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Monday, June 28, 2010 Theme Parks: Fans sneak a peek under the red roof of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi    20 fans were given an exclusive sneak preview inside Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on Saturday, June 26th. The fans were amongst the first members of the public to be allowed underneath the distinctive red roof. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will host over 20 rides and attractions, which will appeal to families and fans alike. ...View more

Monday, June 21, 2010 Waterparks and the Breast-Feeding Controversy    Here is an issue that, for park operators in the US, has all the ingredients of a made-for-TV news story - for all the wrong reasons. Mom comes to your waterpark with toddler either alone or with friends or family. She breastfeeds her baby in public. Some of your other visitors are offended and complain. What do you do?...View more

Thursday, June 17, 2010 Holiday World's Will Koch remembered.    The amusement industry woke to the sad news on Monday 14th June that Will Koch, president of Holiday World and Splashing Safari in Indiana had passed away the night before. We at Blooloop had reason to be grateful to Will as a valued contributor to our blog, Bemusement, ...View more

Tuesday, June 08, 2010 South Africa : Theme Parks, Aquariums and Football.    Providing a neat template and an inspiring example of how the best attractions can both entertain and educate, Durban’s uShaka Marine World is home to 3 integrated organisations, each of which is vital to the wellbeing and development of the other. Visiting English football fans, after watching the national team provide plucky resistance before losing agonisingly on penalties in the quarter finals of this year’s World Cup should pay a visit…...View more

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 Will the FIFA World Cup also bring visitors to uShaka Marine World?    The long awaited 2010 FIFA World Cup (11 June – 11 July) is almost upon South Africa. After some three years of building stadiums, upgrading roads, indabas (traditional meetings) and arguments, celebrations of every shape and form......View more

Thursday, April 01, 2010 Attractions technology : 3 Major Projects – What happened next?    With a mood of cautious optimism in the amusement park industry and a number of high profile developments creating a stir – Disney in Asia, Sentosa, massive Chinese developments, the growth of the industry in South America and the rise and rise of Merlin – it is timely to revisit 3 major projects . What happened?...View more

Saturday, March 27, 2010 Amusement parks: IAAPI Trade show, Mumbai - Photos.    The Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI) had its annual trade show at the Bombay Exhibition Centre 18th to 20th March. Judged a great success by most in attendance a show report will follow. Here are some photos from the busy trade floor...
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Sunday, March 07, 2010 Family Entertainments: Brushboarding Taking Off!    As a father of pre-teens I am naturally considered desperately, wincingly uncool. I am not “butter”, certainly not “all that and a bag of chips” and hopelessly at sea with today’s rappity-pop stars and their portfolio of perplexing hand gesticulations. However…...View more

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Are amusement rides part of the real property?    The Feb 22 story in Crain’s New York reporting that Kentucky officials are suing bankrupt theme park operator Six Flags Inc. over ownership of rides and equipment at a shuttered amusement park in Louisville was something I expected to see after public comments made by the Kentucky State Fair Board officials and the people at Six Flags....View more

Monday, February 15, 2010 Are Farm Animal Attractions and Petting Zoos too dangerous for young children?    Following a serious outbreak of E.coli 0157 in the UK, during the latter part of 2009 which saw a number of children hospitalised and several farm attractions closed, Professor Hugh Pennington, Emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that parents should "think hard" before letting children, particularly those under the age of 5, touch animals at petting farms....View more

Friday, January 22, 2010 Theme parks & resorts : Pondering safety and legal liability    Over the past 2 months, I have traveled to several different cities and enjoyed the sights. My travels required me to stay several nights at various hotels and motels. And it seems to me that, given the times we live in, even with a reasonable duty of care that innkeepers legally have to their patrons obvious safety measures seemed to be lacking....View more

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 Theme Parks: Paultons Park gets approval for Cobra    A separate application to retain the Cobra steel rollercoaster at Paulton's Park was approved this morning at the NPA's headquarters.   The approval means the Gerstlauer customer coaster, complete with its control building, catering kiosk and photography booth, can stay in its current location and does not have to be scrapped or moved.
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Monday, December 14, 2009 Theme Parks: IAAPA Expo photos.    From 17th to 20th November 2009, and for the first time in its 91 year history, the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) Attractions Expo took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, USA. For the first time ever, the world's biggest event in this sector was held in the capital of gambling and entertainment...
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Friday, November 20, 2009 Amusement parks:Overheard at IAAPA, Las Vegas    Seen and heard by Blooloop's Judith Rubin at the biggest annual trade event of the Themed Entertainment Industry....View more

Thursday, October 29, 2009 Amusement Parks: Paulton's Park pickle underscores the importance of prior planning approval for new rides or attractions    Business owners at times forget the control local and regional governments have over the development of their business or real property......View more

Saturday, September 26, 2009 Themed Entertainment: Blue Sky Adventure at TEA's SATE Conference    After a briefing and introduction from George Wiktor, Karen Armitage, Larry Tuch, Jeff Mayer, Chick Russell and Linda Smith, attendees of the 3rd annual SATE Conference (Storytelling-Architecture-Technology-Entertainment) in Orlando split up into five groups to conduct two-hour mini-charrettes......View more

Thursday, September 24, 2009 Theme Parks: Fun For Mom at Manta    SeaWorld Orlando helped the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) kick off its annual SATE (Storytelling-Architecture-Technology-Experience) Conference in style last night with an industry mixer behind the scenes at the new Manta roller coaster/aquarium attraction.
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Saturday, September 19, 2009 Themed Attractions: Talking Pirates Today    Why are pirates so fascinating? They just arrrrr! An old joke of course but appropriate as today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day* in the US. My little boy did all the Orlando parks and attractions last Autumn, saw Spider-man, Shamu, Mickey and a host of other magical characters......View more

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Waterparks : Canada's biggest waterpark - renderings.    Canada's biggest waterpark, Calypso theme waterpark, is set to open next June between Ottawa and Montreal. Construction is 80% complete...
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Friday, July 31, 2009 Theme Parks: Shamu Rocks    I was fortunate enough to see the remarkable and award winning "Believe" production at Seaworld last November but missed "Shamu Rocks", which when the park is open late is the last show of the day. Received these stunning images and really looking forward to experiencing the show in person. Shorter and less educational than Believe, the focus is on the dazzling video, glitzy wet suits and a live rock guitarist. Oh and the whales, which are pretty impressive too......View more

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Amusement Parks: Freestyle Hairloss.    The London Bridge Experience is looking for a zombie on £30k a year . Great PR/marketing stunt very similar to the recent “Best job in the world” PR campaign run by the Queensland Tourism Authority......View more

Friday, July 10, 2009 Attractions Marketing: Twittering and 100 million Marie Celestes.    Blogs are so 2008 aren’t they? Just 12 months ago it seemed like every man and his dog had their own blog. Millions of stream-of-consciousness online journals were launched and the blogosphere had developed into a virtual world where everyone and their opinion was important. It was a free for all - everyone’s opinion could be heard. The traditional media, newspaper, radio and television, was so old hat, with their so-called “experts” and their interesting, clever and well informed people......View more

Monday, June 22, 2009 Waterparks: Chemicals and Safety    With all the water safety instruction supplied by such institutions as the International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions, World Waterpark Association......View more

Sunday, May 17, 2009 Amusement Parks: Going for a Thong    The themed entryway into a Disney park, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Alton Towers or indeed any well-designed amusement park property contains images, signs, sounds and symbols that promise thrills and high adrenaline experiences and build a heightened sense of anticipation in the visitor. Guests at Love Land, “China's first sex theme park,” will be greeted by a pair of huge, disembodied legs...
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Thursday, April 30, 2009 Amusement Parks: Let's talk about Marty Sklar    Marty Sklar has been with Disney for 53 years. Five decades. Half a century. Longer than I've been alive...
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009 Amusement Parks: Between a Rock and a Hard Rock...    As a followup to the (Hard Rock Park) story, Judge Carey made a decision yesterday via a telephone conference saying that he would not finalize the sale as requested by the park's new buyers......View more

Friday, March 27, 2009 Amusement Parks: What do you mean we don’t have all the rights in the former Hard Rock Park?    An interesting legal question is being discussed in the federal bankruptcy court in Delaware today. The park’s former CEO and two other founders of the park formed an entity called H.R.P. Creative Services Co., LLC in Florida......View more

Monday, March 16, 2009 Amusement Law: There’s more than bad guys lurking around the corner at a Wild West Show    If you enjoy amusement parks, you have probably experienced those funny and sometimes scary Wild West Shows. Wild West themed areas in amusement parks can be found throughout the world.
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Tuesday, March 03, 2009 Amusement Parks: Not Just a Monorail    Alton Towers' monorail always did what it said on the tin, took you from the hotels to the park entrance. The views are pretty, the ride smooth but it was a pretty functional experience. Not now. For this year the trains have had a makeover…...View more

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Amusement Parks: "They Want You Back, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh"    A story that, to “the man on the Clapham omnibus”, (a quaint English expression originating from the legal profession, possibly from the same judge who had not heard of Bruce Springsteen) might seem outlandish and improbable has been in the news recently: The Badgary Historical Resort....View more

Saturday, February 21, 2009 Amusement Parks: The Economy and Regional Theme Parks.    2009. It’s the economy, stupid. Some days I feel pretty stupid because I can’t envision what effect the economy will have on us as a regional theme park......View more

Sunday, January 25, 2009 An Amusement Park? Good Night Bush - A Marketing Story    An interesting piece of guerrilla marketing showed up in some industry inboxes shortly before the inauguration of President Obama. On first glance it appeared that an architectural firm was sharing an interactive site plan for a commemorative educational venue themed on the GW Bush administration......View more

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Amusement Parks : Adding More Value at Gold Reef City Theme Park    Steve Cook, CEO of Gold Reef City Theme Park & Casino in Johannesburg, reports on a successful holiday season and end of year for the complex and is pleased when a visitor thinks a ride looks "old and rusty"...
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Wednesday, December 31, 2008 A Happy New Year to all our Readers!    Further to our seasonal E cards feature (I know a tree frog isn’t exactly festive but red eyes will be much in evidence come tomorrow morning), I am adding a couple of further messages......View more

Tuesday, December 23, 2008 Amusement Parks : I know What you Did Last Christmas!    Saw a pantomime yesterday. Like jellied eels, stiff upper lips and fighting outside chip shops, the pantomime is a peculiarly English experience....View more

Friday, November 14, 2008 Amusement Parks: Queueing for Devon's Finest Fudge at the IAAPA Expo    Queues on my mind this week. This is not just because I am English and queuing is a national pastime...
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Friday, October 24, 2008 Amusement Parks: Will Dubai be the new Orlando? Will Abu Dhabi be the new Dubai?    Having just completed my magnum opus, an article about the UAE and factors in its growth as a leisure destination, to be published in the 2009 TEA Annual (which will be available in TEA's booth at IAAPA next month), my head is still buzzing with the topic......View more

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 Amusement Law: Legal Learning at WWA and IAAPA    For those interested in legal and regulatory issues, fall is a useful time as it’s the season when some of the industry’s largest associations hold their annual conventions.
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Friday, October 10, 2008 Amusement parks: Off Season - Free, Unlimited Bon Bons    Well, it’s October 9 here in Indiana. The trees are starting to turn. We have just one weekend left in our season, and then it’s the “off-season.” For those of us who operate seasonal parks, the off-season is the time of year when we get very tired of answering the question, “What do you do all winter?” as though we had nothing better to do than sit around, tell jokes and eat bon bons....View more

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Amusement Law : How IALDA Serves the Amusement Park Industry, Legally Speaking    Many industries have lawyers who specialize in legal issues that matter most to that particular industry. Fortunately, such a legal group also exists for the amusement industry...
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Friday, September 19, 2008 Amusement Parks: Terminator - The Woodie? Hmmmm…    Ever since Six Flags Magic Mountain let it be known that its 2009 wooden coaster will be themed to the 2009 “Terminator Salvation” flick, there’s been much grumbling among the scream machine cogniscenti....View more

Tuesday, September 09, 2008 Halloween Risk Management for Amusement Parks: Curbing the Scary Specter of Legal Liability    Now that Labor Day has passed, many parks are gearing down for the close of this year’s season. However, a growing trend within the industry has been to keep certain operations going through the Halloween-time....View more

Monday, September 01, 2008 Life in Dubai : Cranes, Waterparks and Atlantis...    Hello all, my name is Scott Deisley and I am a part of the Management Team at Atlantis, Palm Jumierah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. My responsibilities specifically include the safe and profitable operation of Aquaventure, the waterpark at Atlantis. ...View more

Thursday, August 28, 2008 Don't Curb your Enthusiasm: Lovin' Theme parks    The enthusiasts’ sites are abuzz with news of Holiday World’s latest announcement. In summer ‘09 it will debut Pilgrim’s Plunge ride, said to be the tallest waterslide in the world....View more

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Amusement Law : Theme Park Trends in Central Florida and the Game of "What-If?"    I sat down last weekend to write about local government regulatory issues that have slowed, stalled and even stopped new projects from opening, and which vex a wide variety of operators. Then, a fascinating conversation with an industry insider prompted a quick change in direction ....View more

Monday, August 25, 2008 Fancy a Nut Cutlet Sir? Merlin Entertainments Group’s Nick Varney on Food, Satisfaction and Dungeons    Revealing interview with Merlin Entertainments Group’s CEO Nick Varney in this morning’s Times, in which he talks healthy food, pricing and customer satisfaction. He also explains why Merlin’s “naughty child” fell foul of the church...
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Wednesday, August 13, 2008 Amusement law: Snakes Alive! Amusement Legal and Business Update    This week’s column starts out with an update to one of last week’s stories. Word continues to spread that the Busch/World of Discovery parks will be sold once InBev completes its purchase of Anheuser. What’s becoming especially interesting is the list of potential suitors that are popping up in published reports:...View more

Wednesday, August 06, 2008 Amusement Law: As the Summer Season Winds Down…    Here in the States, August means that the peak summer amusement park season is beginning to wind down since many states now start their school years well ahead of the Labor Day weekend (though efforts continue to reverse that trend and return school starts to their traditional post-Labor Day spot). With amusement park facilities hopefully wrapping up a successful season, this week’s Update focuses on a series of quick legal and business notes facing the industry these days....View more

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Abandoned Waterparks , the World’s Best Roller Coasters and One Mighty Big Fish tank

This weekend’s Sunday Telegraph carried a neat piece about the roller coaster industry, journalist Rose George travelling to Alton Towers to experience the theme park's famed Nemesis coaster and over to Switzerland (the offices are in “…Monthey, a small, less than beautiful city on a plain between dramatic Alps and more dramatic Alps”) to meet Walter Bolliger of Bolliger & Mabillard ...

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Amusement Law: InBev/Busch Gardens Africa?    InBev / Busch Gardens Africa? This week’s Update begins with word that Anheuser-Busch may be selling its chain of theme parks (the Busch Gardens and SeaWorlds, in particular) now that the domestic beer giant has been purchased by, InBev, one of Europe’s largest brewers.
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Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Amusement Law: How the Airline and Amusement Industries are Tied Together    With the recent high-profile failures of major U.S. banks and lenders like IndyMac, the troubled domestic airline industry has been given a respite from harrowing headlines. However, that doesn’t mean the threat to their business model has gone away. Indeed, with oil surpassing $145 per barrel (and going higher at a brisk clip), most U.S. commercial airlines are facing bleak prospects in both the short and long terms. So, why does this matter to the amusement park and recreation industry?...View more

Wednesday, July 09, 2008 Amusement Law: Gun Laws and the Amusement Industry Take Center Stage    Welcome to the first Blooloop Legal and Regulatory Update. I’ll be writing this on-line column most Wednesdays.
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Sunday, July 06, 2008 Amusement Parks: X2 – Thrilling As Ever, Almost To A Fault    Recently, John Hogg and I spent a sweltering Sunday morning taking a couple of spins – pun intended – on the revamped X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. Briefly, it is probably as intense as I ever want a thrill ride to get....View more

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Butterflies and the Law    An interesting morning. Had a chat with Clive Farrell, the man behind the ambitious £25 million Butterfly World project here in the UK about the economic and environmental impact it is set to make upon the local area. The centre piece of the project is an enormous biome, a vast greenhouse, set to include the third largest collection of tropical plants in the UK but also to boast a staggering variety of butterflies from across the world....View more

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Amusement Parks: Genesis of Nemesis    A quintessentially British couple of days, one spent at a Dorset garden party the second sitting in the rain at a kid’s sports day. Met one of the men behind Nemesis (my favourite coaster) and an old friend from India…...View more

Monday, June 16, 2008 Amusement Parks: Growth of the Amusement Industry in India    Investments to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore are likely to flow into the domestic amusement park and leisure sector by 2020 with about 500 new amusement parks are expected to come up across the country by then, an industry body has said....View more

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 Focusing on Families    Hi. It’s Will again. I said I’d try to share the benefits of what I’ve learned through a life lived in and around a theme park, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. I’d like to kick off with a lesson I learned nearly 20 years ago about focus. Twenty years ago (OK, 25 if you’re keeping track), we were a smaller family park called Santa Claus Land. ...View more

Monday, June 02, 2008 Brush Boarding at Crealy    There is nothing new under the sun . Everything has been done . Whatever your great idea might be, it's not new. However, you've been surfing. You've been snowboarding. But have you ever Brush Boarded?

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Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Enjoying The Ride: An Enthusiast's Perspective    As this is my first contribution here, allow me to further introduce myself. I’m Robert Coker and I’ve been riding roller coasters and thrill rides for as long as I can remember. Although my initial exposure to such delights was at Los Angeles, California’s Beverly Park kiddieland, it was a trip to Disneyland as a four-year-old that put me on the path I’m still following today.
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Friday, May 23, 2008 Amusement parks: Brush Boarding to Launch at Devon's Crealy    Devon, England : the lazy and popular stereotype would have it that the county’s social life involves sitting on a 5-bar gate with a piece of straw in one’s mouth talking about tractors, drinking coooider and pointing at aeroplanes . Not so....View more

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 Waterparks: A Wet and Wonderful Phoenix from the Ashes    Didn't Geauga Lake waterpark close?...No, not really....View more

Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Amusement parks: Holiday World starts to Twitter...    Amusement park Holiday World is "Twittering" and a week ago I would have had no idea what this meant. A week on and I now have a small idea. Kinda like blogging I guess but more immediate, messages are shorter and (as yet)   it seems even more informal. Looks fun too. HW is the first amusement park to twitter......View more

Tuesday, April 29, 2008 Living the Tradition: notes from a Family Owned and Operated Theme and Water Park    By way of introduction, I’m Will Koch, the president of Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, a small theme park and water park combination in Santa Claus, Indiana, USA... ...View more

Monday, April 28, 2008 Amusement parks: Discovery Channel Show on Theme Park Ride Technology    I am very excited about this, my first blog ever! I finally feel like I have a reason to write one. Our idea to make a film on the latest and coolest amusement park and thrill ride technology recently got commissioned by the Discovery Channel.
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Monday, April 14, 2008 Amusement parks: Dubai Amusement Expo. And Madonna.    This week the trade show merry-go-round moves onto the UAE where the DEAL( Dubai Entertainment, Amusement & Leisure Show) show takes place, starting on the 20th....View more

Tuesday, April 08, 2008 Amusement parks: It's a Small World Rumours and Bristol's New Aquarium    In the news today, the science based attraction in Bristol, "@Bristol" is adding an aquarium and the weekend saw Disney's Imagineering quash various rumours flying around the revamping of its iconic and much loved "It's a Small World" ride.
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Thursday, March 20, 2008 Amusement parks: New Coaster set to Rumble at Universal Studios Orlando in '09    Universal Studios Orlando this week announced that its "Project Rumble" will in fact be a dazzling new hi-tech coaster which will sweep over the heads of the crowds in the Citywalk entertainment district and will wow riders with high tech wizardry, appealing to the "You Tube Culture."
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Saturday, March 08, 2008 Paramount Movie Theme Park planned for Kolkata    A film city along the lines of Universal Studios in Hollywood could be on the cards for Kolkata as Paramount VP Tom Renger's visit with Priya Entertainment Private Ltd last week suggests......View more

Tuesday, March 04, 2008 Dubai: Theme Park Capital of the World?    Dubai is in the news again with a number of major projects revealed, the main ones being the agreements involving Six Flags and Busch Entertainment, both big players on the American stage but until now with little presence overseas....View more

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Amusement Parks: Thursday's Big Announcement by Busch Entertainment?    Scheduled announcement ; what's it to be? International expansion say the analysts......View more

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Amusement parks: A Winter's Tale - Alton Towers and Singing Chickens    A weekend, mid-Winter in the UK's premier theme park....View more

Monday, February 18, 2008 Amusement parks: The Indian Amusement Industry Show - Thoughts.    I got back from Mumbai yesterday after we had a booth at the 2008 IAAPI trade show. The show was for us a great success and think this was feedback was echoed by almost everyone I talked to. ...View more

Sunday, February 10, 2008 Amusement parks: Enough Vision, Let's see the Theme parks!    The amusement park, amusements and attractions industry in the Middle East needs to focus on the execution and delivery of the massive developments planned for the area, according to global industry experts....View more

Saturday, February 09, 2008 Amusement parks: Kung Foo Panda to Star at Dubai Theme Park    Dreamworks move into Dubai......View more

Friday, February 01, 2008 Amusement parks: The Rise and Fall of Appu Ghar    India's oldest amusement park closes....View more

Saturday, November 03, 2007 Amusement parks : Welcome to Bemusement, the Blooloop Blog    View the post