can-do attitude - InPark Magazine

#45• volume 8, issue 6
Jeremy Railton’s
infinitely diverse
design company
finds its place in Asia
can-do attitude
ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN CORPORATION
Designing attractions, entertainment
venues, and shows around the world.
ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN CORPORATION
www.entdesign.com
ph. 310-641-9300
Culver City, California
O
rlando is magical. I
haven’t always felt that
way, but lately, and especially
this fall, O-town had an awful
lot going for it.
The annual IAAPA Expo
seemed more fresh than
usual. By and large the show
is still mostly the same, but
attendees seemed upbeat,
exhibitors brought new
ideas, designs and products,
and the vendor parties were infused with energy.
#45• volume 8, issue 6
4
9
16
17
18
20
22
around the world
Disney World ups the Orlando ante • by Martin Palicki
can do / never bored
The infinite diversity of Jeremy Railton and Entertainment Design
Corporation • by Judith Rubin
malaysian medley
Themed Attractions Malaysia brings new attractions and brands
to Asia • by Judith Rubin
leadership & hospitality
lessons from Ocean Park’s Tom Mehrmann & AAM’s Ford Bell •
by Judith Rubin
christine kerr
IPM sits down with TEA’s newest President • by Martin Palicki
tales from iaapa
stories from the Orlando trade show floor • by Joe Kleiman,
Martin Palicki & Judith Rubin
wwa vegas
A couple of weeks later, Walt Disney World reverberated with
just as much (if not more) excitement. The long-awaited
opening of New Fantasyland and other upgrades throughout
the Disney resort seemed to indicate a renewed focus on the
Florida parks. Without a doubt, it was a memorable week at
the resort.
The other Orlando parks are also buzzing with new projects.
The cranes and construction walls all over the Universal
Orlando resort, while perhaps annoying to some, indicate
the excitement and creativity that are coming soon. And
SeaWorld continues to up its game with exciting details on
Antarctica revealed during the IAAPA trade show.
After nearly a decade of languishing development following
9/11 (both at IAAPA and at the parks), the spark is back, and
it’s one we hope continues to ignite growth around the
industry in the US.
Overseas, growth continues to be strong, and perhaps in
some sense the strong demand in Asia is helping to fuel the
projects and excitement we are getting here at home.
Whatever the reason, we’re glad to see things turning around,
and we’re happy to report on some of it here in this issue.
waterparks gather in Vegas in 2012 • photos by IPM
Best wishes for 2013 and beyond!
-Martin Palicki
staff & contributors
EDITOR
martin palicki
CO-EDITOR
judith rubin
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
joe kleiman
mitch rily
kim rily
DESIGN
mcp, llc
CONTRIBUTORS
aleatha ezra
joe kleiman
paul williams
SALES
martin palicki
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cover
“I never get bored, and neither do the people I
have working here.”
Jeremy Railton (center), president of
Entertainment Design Corporation,
flanked by art director Alex Calle (left)
and design architect Chris Stage AIA.
Photo: EDC.
Editor’s Photo credit: David Lauersdorf
around the world
Walt Disney World opens new attractions across its Orlando property
by Martin Palicki. Photography by Paul Williams
F
or a while, it seemed like this day would
never arrive. At times, it felt like everyone
was waiting for the Fantasyland expansion
to be completed for longer than the original
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction was
operational! But, it’s here! New Fantasyland
is open. Well, most of it is, anyway. The Seven
Dwarfs Mine Train coaster still has over a year’s
worth of work ahead of it, as it was a somewhat
late addition to the area’s lineup, replacing Pixie
Hollow and a variety of Princess dwellings that
were moved to “old” Fantasyland in the space
formerly occupied by Snow White’s Scary
Adventures (opening 2013).
• Enchanted Tales with Belle – Perhaps the
most original element of the entire expansion,
the adventure starts in Maurice’s workshop,
where an enchanted mirror magically transforms
into a doorway into the Beast’s library where
guests meet Belle and Lumiere and participate
in an interactive re-telling of the “tale as old
as time.” Expect long lines here for quite some
time.
But despite the roller coaster crane sitting in
the middle of New Fantasyland, the new area is
breathtaking in theming and immersive details.
Although officially there are only two areas to
the expansion (Enchanted Forest and Storybrook
Circus), it feels like three right now, possibly due
to the Mine Train construction walls dividing
things up.
• Be Our Guest – Designed as a quick service
restaurant during the day and a full service table
dining restaurant in the evening, the restaurant
is heavy in detailing. Walking into the ballroom
doesn’t quite elicit the same awe as the one in the
movie, but the snow falling outside the windows
looks real, and the mysterious West Wing with
the magical rose is dark and intimate. With the
restaurant already booked far in advance, Be Our
Guest looks to be the most profitable addition to
Fantasyland. Oh, and incidentally, the Grey Stuff
mentioned in the restaurant’s namesake song is
a sweet mousse dessert worth a sampling.
A natural fit for the Enchanted Forest, the
elements from Beauty and the Beast are
represented through Enchanted Tales with Belle,
Be Our Guest Restaurant and Gaston’s Tavern.
• Gaston’s Tavern – A small French lodge
designed to appeal to traditional masculine
sensibilities, Gaston’s Tavern is a part of Belle’s
Village, which includes a gift shop and popcorn
Ariel’s Home includes her own
dark ride, pictured here, and a
meet and greet area.
stand. Gaston’s trademark is LeFou’s Brew, a nonalcoholic frozen apple juice drink with a hint of
toasted marshmallow, topped with a passion
fruit-mango foam. It doesn’t have the cache of
a certain branded beverage being sold down
the road at a major competitor, but it’s tasty and
likely to be a hit, even if it would be better with a
shot of dark rum.
Also a part of the Enchanted Forest, although
somewhat confusingly, Ariel makes her home in
Ariel’s Grotto and in the attraction Under the Sea
– Journey of the Little Mermaid. The dark ride
mirrors the one opened at Disney’s California
Adventure in Anaheim last year, although with a
significantly more elaborate queue that includes
a hidden Nautilus fossil in a nod to the original
attraction that called this part of the park home:
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Ariel’s Grotto is home to a meet and greet with
Ariel, and also houses the most elusive hidden
Mickey ever created. Shafts in the rockwork at
Ariel’s Grotto allow sunlight to filter down and
create a perfect hidden Mickey shape…but
only on Mickey’s birthday (November 18th) at
high noon. Imagine what crowds will be like on
November 18th!!
New Fantasyland opened with fanfare and
excitement in true Disney fashion
InPark Editor Martin Palicki takes a
shot at designing a Sim Car before
taking it out for a spin on Test Track.
Storybrook Circus provides a completely
different atmosphere from Enchanted Forest,
and is packed with attractions for the little ones.
• Dumbo, the Flying Elephant, a Fantasyland
original, makes its new home here. The
attraction has been doubled (literally) with two
different rides (one turning clockwise, the other
counterclockwise). The biggest change however,
is in the queue, which has perpetually been
plagued by long lines. A new air-conditioned big
top tent serves as an indoor playground waiting
area. Guests are given pagers and called to the
ride when it is their turn to hop on Dumbo.
• The Barnstormer Featuring the Great
Goofini is a renaming of an existing coaster. The
family-style coaster follows a twisting, turning
course.
• Pete’s Silly Sideshow invites guests to meet
and greet Disney characters: Minnie Magnifique
(Minnie Mouse as a circus star), Madame Daisy
Fortuna (Daisy Duck as a fortune teller), The
Great Goofini (Goofy as a stunt pilot) and The
Astounding Donaldo (Donald Duck as a snake
charmer).
• The Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station water
play area brings a much needed splash zone to
the Magic Kingdom. With temps in the 50’s and
60’s during our visit, for a detailed review, you’ll
have to try it on your own!
The new Fantasyland offerings certainly live
up to the Disney promise of quality and detail
with careful attention to the timeless Disney
narratives that millions flock to central Florida
to experience. The addition of Princess Fairytale
Hall (2013) and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Coaster (2014) will round out Fantasyland and
easily make that section of the park the most
popular land in the Kingdom.
Test Track
Over at EPCOT, The bones of Test Track haven’t
changed. The vehicles and ride layout are almost
identical. But the experience couldn’t be any
more different.
Charming in its own right, the original Test Track
was starting to show its age. It was becoming
a microcosm of the American auto industry it
represented: suffering from a lack of new ideas
and needing an influx of capital – fast!
The new Test Track erases all that, and moves
the auto-design process into the future with
a glamorized version of the not-so-sexy
automotive design process.
From an attraction standpoint, the retrofit works
in how it brings together three pillars of ride
design that are shaping the future of attraction
development. For starters, the ride experience
is thrilling and fun. Luckily, the original Test
Track Imagineers created an interesting ride
experience that has stood the test of time.
Secondly, the ride now enjoys some
customizability, which makes it a more repeatable
experience. Arguably, the customization element
of the attraction is really more in one’s perception
rather than in the experience. Upon entering the
“Chevrolet Design Center” guests shape their
own virtual car on a giant touch screen. Here,
they can stretch and shape their vehicle design
by length, width, height and engine size – and
decide which performance attribute is most
important to them. Once they create the design
of their dreams, guests complete their creation
with even more choices. They can choose an
expressive front grill, tailored wheels of various
sizes and styles, and custom paint with graphics
and other vehicle accessories. The process takes
5-10 minutes to complete.
The guest’s virtual car is tied to a RFID card, which
the guest scans prior to boarding the actual ride
vehicle. While the ride doesn’t change based on
their vehicle design, there is still an incentive to
try the design process multiple times, as during
the ride feedback is displayed on monitors as to
how well each rider’s design is performing.
That leads to the final pillar: the element of
competition. Throughout the ride, the vehicle
is ranked against four important performance
attributes that guide Chevrolet designers:
capability, efficiency, responsiveness and power.
During the ride, after each “test” a monitor
shows models of each rider’s car ranked against
one another. While there isn’t an explicitly
competitive theme to the ride (like Toy Story
Midway Mania, for example) it is a component
that drives repeatability for the attraction.
The actual ride is a neon-lovers paradise.
Everything is either pitch black, or pulsating and
glowing. It certainly offers a distinctive style – a
form of blacklight minimalism that seems void
of depth but at the same time is futuristic.
The post-show area of the ride has also been
redone, and while the feeling of the area is
generally less showroom-like, the vibe is still
sales-y, and more in place with the obvious
corporate-sponsored brand-building expected
in Innovations. But, really that is what Test Track,
and the World of Motion before it, has always
been about. Only now it’s more fun, and in an
odd sort of way, kind of sexy.
Test Track is now open to the public at Epcot.
Splitsville
Recently opened, the new Splitsville Luxury Lanes
at Downtown Disney features boutique bowling
in a retro environment. A total of 30 lanes are
split between two levels, grouped together in
small clusters throughout the building to create
a more intimate experience.
A dining area, billiards tables, full service bars,
a balcony overlooking Downtown Disney, live
entertainment and a unique sushi bar round out
the facility’s offerings.
The Splitsville menu is distinctly different than
your typical bowling alley fare. Guided by awardwinning chef Tim Cushman, the menu features
a variety of higher-end offerings such as grilled
Mahi Mahi with “Voodoo” shrimp, filet sliders and
grilled chicken parmesan, plus a kids menu, in
addition to traditional bowling alley food items.
The bowling facility takes the place of the former
Virgin Megastore and thankfully brings more
recreation options to the Downtown Disney
area, which offers more in the way of shopping,
and less in the way of family experiences.
Splittsville at Downtown Disney is the Orlandobased chain’s fifth location joining venues
in Tampa, FL, Miami, FL, Fairview, TX and
Fredericksburg, VA. According to the Bowling
Proprietors’ Association of America, almost 70
million Americans bowl every year, making it the
most popular participation sport in America.
While Splitsville is a welcome addition to
Downtown Disney, This InPark editor still
anxiously awaits the return of The Adventurers
Club and Mannequins to the Downtown Disney
/ Pleasure Island lineup…although there is
probably a better chance of any InPark staffer
bowling a 300 game at this point.
Splitsville opens in mid-December. For more
information on the Splitsville brand, visit www.
splitsvillelanes.com.
Art of Animation
Now fully opened, Disney’s Art of Animation
Resort is a new concept in Disney’s resort
offerings. Comprised largely of family suites, the
resort is finally catering to the trend of larger
intergenerational families traveling together.
The theming and layout of the resort is similar
to the Pop Century Resort, located across the
lagoon from Art of Animation, which was
originally intended to be an expansion of Pop
Century, but was abandoned mid-construction
after the tourism drop post-9/11.
Art of Animation features four distinctly designed
wings celebrating the rich storytelling, spirited
characters, original sketches and playfulness
inspired by the classic Disney and Disney*Pixar
films: Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The
Little Mermaid.
Giant sketchbooks filled with favorite characters
seem to come to life as they pave the way to
each storyline revealed throughout the lobby.
Scenic settings and icons – including a brightly
colored coral landscape, a 35-foor-tall model
of King Triton, a towering Mufasa and more
– immerse guests into the playful world of
animation in each respective courtyard. At the
Cars wing (arguably the best themed of the
four), a freshly paved road leads to the Cozy
Cone Motel complete with a Cozy Cone pool
and cone-shaped cabanas.
The family suites are comfortable. A master suite
includes a queen-size bed and private bath
with spacious shower. The main area includes
a Murphy bed and a convertible sofa. A small
kitchenette includes a sink, mini-fridge and
microwave. A second bathroom offers a small
tub. The theming in the rooms is thorough
and playful – designed to appeal to a child’s
aesthetic.
The central feature of the resort is the “Big
Blue” pool in the Finding Nemo area. Billed as
the largest pool on Disney property at 11,859
square feet, underwater speakers play music
and allow characters from Nemo to make
audio appearances. The concept is simple and
effective; it feels like the music is coming from
inside your head.
Rates for Art of Animation start at $94 for
standard rooms and $248 for family suites –
pricey given the resort’s “Value” designation. For
more information, visit disneyworld.com. • • •
Splitsville Luxury Lanes at Downtown Disney • This is not your father’s bowling alley. Inside, upscale bars complement stylized bowling
lanes. • Sketches in the Art of Animation’s lobby are repeated throughout the resort.
can do / never bored
The infinite diversity of Jeremy Railton & Entertainment Design Corporation
By Judith Rubin
All photos are courtesy of Entertainment Design Corp. Captions by Jeremy Railton
“I can do that”
Celebrated designer Jeremy Railton’s innate
versatility has brought him success and
accolades in a wide range of entertainment
fields while making it difficult for him to easily
explain what he does for a living. From the first,
he’s resisted attempts at pigeonholing and
advice to “specialize,” trusting an inner voice that
has always said “I can do that,” no matter what
– or where - “that” is.
Designing is designing, as far as Railton is
concerned. “I’ve been able to do every single
medium that there is, from theater to TV to
corporate shows to theme parks, resorts and live
events,” he says. “What I love is that now we’re
getting asked for all of those things, and not only
for clients in China. Our projects also include small
theaters on Hollywood Boulevard, museums in
the Midwest, retail in India, and attractions in Sri
Lanka... That diversity is the thing that keeps me
totally engaged, totally thrilled.”
As Railton’s reputation and workload grew over
time, “I can do that” became “We can do that,” in
the context of various partnerships and firms
large and small. In recent years, with his Los
Angeles-based company Entertainment Design
Corp. (EDC), the Railton diversity has enabled
adapting to and serving the explosive Asian
sector with internationally acclaimed projects,
the most celebrated being Crane Dance at
Resorts World Sentosa (Singapore), which was
honored with a Thea Award in 2011 as well as
the 2011 Structural Engineers Association of
New York (SEAoNY) “Excellence in Structural
Design Awards (to McLaren Engineering Group).
In EDC, Railton has built a diverse creative team
that dives eagerly into whatever challenge is
next.
A sampling of awarded projects testifies to
diversity of project types and clients alike:
Thea Awards for Crane Dance, Fremont Street
Experience, Titanic: The Experience, GM
Showroom Theater (Disney’s Epcot) and the
Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Games Opening
Ceremonies, Emmy Awards for art direction on
Salt Lake 2002, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, and the
57th Annual Academy Awards and an Emmy
for costume design on Zoobilee Zoo, plus the
Lester Horton Dance Award 1999 for Set Design
and “Best Storefront Design” 1995 from VMSD
magazine for the Panasonic Pavilion at Universal
CityWalk.
“I never get bored, and neither do the people
I have working here,” says Railton. They include
director of projects Richard Wechsler (best known
as producer of the Academy Award-nominated
movie Five Easy Pieces, and production executive
for Norman Lear Productions, Wechsler also has
lectured on screenplay writing at the American
Film Institute and UC San Diego, and has a
company with world renowned illusion designer
Paul Harris, called Astonishment Technologies);
creative director John Rust, who supervised
media production for EDC attractions at Resorts
World Sentosa and has been part of the film
community and theme park industry for more
than 25 years (“John’s quick wit, flexibility and
The greatest form of flattery: A Singapore parade with images of the cranes in Crane Dance at Resorts World Sentosa. When I first saw the
cranes full-size, I thought, “What have I done?”
High School Musical on Ice
was for The Feld Organization.
The big challenge was to do
a golf course on an ice rink.
The lighting designer Patrick
Woodroffe lit the ice green and
we believed it.
Alex Calle
EDC art director
“
Jeremy’s outlook on diversity has made EDC
the company it is. He is often considered
as one of the few on the bleeding edge - a
description that we at EDC like and embrace.
He’s always had a ‘hop on board’ mentality,
doesn’t like to be held back creatively, and
he never restricts others’ creative impulses.
Here’s a simple example. We recently hired
a junior designer with a background in
architecture and a graduate from Otis, Emily
Keifer. She thought she’d like to take a stab
at a revamped logo for EDC. Under Jeremy,
we were able to embrace her inspiration
and funnel it. What ultimately came was a
beautiful new face to the EDC branding. The
best part is that it’s somehow architectural
in nature, but truly graphic in presentation.
That’s why EDC products are so unique, they
pull from people the roles they might not
typically be accustomed to. In EDC, it doesn’t
matter if you’re a junior designer, technical
director, architect, art director or janitor
– it’s the amalgamation of these people, and
subsequent ideas, that are important.
I make sure that a project is something for all of us to be totally involved in. Jeremy reviews
project plans with Alex Calle.
total obsession with theater and film make
him the perfect fit for EDC”); CFO Scott Wilson,
formerly a tax accountant for MGM and David
Kelly, who has been with Railton for 28 years as
designer and company comptroller – a Carnegie
Mellon graduate, he owns the San Clemente
Dance and Performing Arts Center.
Then there are the EDC “young guns”: Chris
Stage, a fully trained architect (“He was working
as an architect before he joined us – now he
does much more”); Alex Calle, a theater designer
and filmmaker, and Francesca Nicolas, who
just graduated from the Savannah College of
Art & Design and was referred to EDC by SCAD
professor Mike Devine.
The “young guns” on Railton’s team demonstrate
versatility and evidence of his strong desire to
encourage young people to enter the field and
reap its rewards. And – because designing is
designing - not to worry too much about the
specific portal, knowing that the fields are all
closely connected. Finding one’s way in and
creating relationships are the main things. “I
started off my entire career by saying ‘I can do
that,’ says Railton. “I can have anything thrown at
me: I’m not fazed, and I have this strong team,
this really tight company. I just make sure that
a project – whatever lands on my doorstep - is
something for all of us to be totally involved
in, to feel the creativity this moment in time
offers us, then go on to the next moment. The
first time I said, ‘I can do that,’ I was right out of
college, sitting at a table in a restaurant in the
late 1960s, and an art director came in the door
saying, ‘I need an assistant; I’m starting a movie
tomorrow.’” After securing an appointment, “I
ran to the library and read everything I could. I’d
never been on a movie set in my life. I staggered
in the door the next day...”
Working in Asia
What Railton and his team learned in Asia has
brought about a shift in how they approach
design for this market, and how they interact
with clients. “Very early on, I was given good
advice by Hee Teck Tan, CEO at Resorts World
Sentosa. He said, ‘Jeremy, forget about all this
arty, subtle stuff: Asians like bright and loud.’ It
was excellent advice. I’m sort of a loud kind of
11
This general philosophy has helped me,
coming from a TV, theater, and film background.
There, my life has always been about stories
and how to tell them - preferably well. So in
every EDC attraction, art installation, concert
tour... I’m able to be the voice pertaining to
‘story’ while simultaneously wearing many
other hats. For instance, on Crane Dance,
which is essentially a love story between two
giant animatronic cranes, certain questions
should be raised, ‘How does that part of the
design convey love? What must a whimsical
structure look like while maintaining stability?
Why are we backlighting him here in the
story arch instead of here? Does that help tell
our story???” And finally, “How much are we
charging for this again???’
In raising these, and many other, questions I’m
channeling seven different roles (programmer,
lighting designer, creative director, engineer, art
director, writer, producer). We’re encouraged
and prodded to think about all these aspects,
ALL of the time. Each piece better informs
the next, and then pokes its predecessor for
elaboration, clarification, and intent. This is
what keeps us challenged, our knives sharp so
to speak. Compartmentalization doesn’t work
at EDC, it doesn’t create the kind of projects
we like to do, so we don’t do it.”
guy - I always loved rock and roll concerts and
variety television. I like the bright and loud and
shiny. I do come from central Africa.”
The Chinese respect for maturity has stood
Railton in good stead. “I feel I get a lot of respect
because of my gray hair; it makes them feel
comfortable. I feel like a strong, reassuring hand,
the voice of experience. They are nice to Alex
and Chris, but I get the attention. In the US it’s
the other way! They smile and nod at me, and
then talk to Alex and Chris.”
As an active member of the Themed
Entertainment Association (TEA), Railton has
drawn on his experiences to help boost the
association’s presence in the Asian community,
especially China. “I want Asians – especially
Chinese middle management - to become TEA
members so they can get educated about this
industry. There’s so much that can be shared
from one side of the Pacific Rim to the other that
will be good for their projects and for everyone’s
professional experience.”
What, for instance? “The role of the designer, for
one. Design doesn’t stop at the concept stage,
but is rather a moving, continual process. This is
especially true in the case of a one-off, unique
project where you’re charting new territory
and must expect the unexpected. The designer
should be kept on the project through the
building, production and programming stages.
An experienced designer also has many wellestablished relationships and will tend to know
the best choices for such roles as production,
technical design, fabrication and project
management – for instance, bringing in Bob
Chambers and Ed Marks to do production and
technical management of Crane Dance and
Lake of Dreams at Resorts World Sentosa and
our projects at Galaxy Macau. Ed Marks, with a
lighting design background, is both practical
and creative and technically savvy, while
the masterful Bob Chambers could carefully
negotiate the many minefields of technology
and vendors. [Chambers and Marks went on
to form their own company, The Producers
Group, following these projects.] This puts us in
a position to react to what comes up, solving
problems as they arise in a way that is true to
the vision we were hired to develop in the first
place. The end result is the better for it.”
As an example, Railton related some details of
the fabrication and programming stages in
creating the Fortune Diamond for the Galaxy
Hotel, Macau (client: Mr Francis Liu). The
Fortune Diamond was one of two projects EDC
designed for the Galaxy – the other was the
Wishing Crystals. The original concept for the 22foot high diamond was much more technically
elaborate than the finished product, because in
the process of turning the concept sketches into
3D visualizations and mockups, working with
fabricator Lexington in Los Angeles, it was found
that a simpler technical design would better
achieve the desired result.
“The original concept was a complex piece
of machinery,” says Railton, “bedecked with
all kinds of LEDs, mirrors and backlit pieces.
But when Lexington started to analyze it and
draw it up, we realized the mirrors were the
important element. So we set up this whole
kind of reflective mirror box, and the diamond
that had started out with all this other stuff
ended up relying primarily on a set of fractal
mirror boxes that reflected the white pit below.
This was achieved through creative give-andtake between the designer and the fabricator
in which the best approach was given a chance
to emerge. Design doesn’t stop at the concept
stage. I know that in the process of working
with the construction people, an illustration will
grow into something more than was initially
visualized. That’s how the unique, breakthrough
projects really happen, and a client who wants
that needs to foster the creative, collaborative
conditions where it can happen, and trust the
designer through the process.”
At the same time, recognizing that the Chinese
client shops for attractions differently than the
Western client, EDC is in the process of devising
a catalog-type approach to marketing the
company’s services. “There are theme park ride
companies with lovely printed catalogs that
have Ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds and so
forth,” he says. “That’s what the Chinese want
from us. They want to look at a catalog and say
‘I want this for so much money.’ And I realized
that it’s possible, with attractions - especially
these unique public sculptures we are being
asked to do now – to come up with a package
that includes concept design and schematic
for medium-sized attractions that the cities in
China can buy, and that can be adapted and
customized. So that’s something we’re now
trying to shift toward providing. It’s a fascinating
business model shift, and it requires us to make
an upfront investment.”
EDC’s “young guns”
When Railton mentors someone, they stay
mentored. “As I’ve gone along and trained or
introduced designers and assistants, they’ve
12
EDC design architect,
Chris Stage AIA
“
EDC is a very dynamic place to work and one
that calls for a wide variety of interests and
skills.
I was originally hired to serve as the Facility
Design Manager on EDC’s projects for Galaxy
Macau; I was the one primarily in charge of
overseeing construction at the site. As the project
progressed I ended up advising on lighting
and media content as well as other aspects of
the design. At one point Jeremy approached
me with the opportunity to develop some
additional design concepts and present them
to the client. Jeremy always recognizes and
encourages contributions beyond what your
job title may suggest. After we wrapped up in
Macau, Jeremy asked me to join the company
full-time in a more design-oriented role.
Coming from an architecture background, I have
often worked within more delineated or confined
roles in the past. However, since being brought
on as design architect at EDC I’ve worked on
everything from script ideas for live shows, to
creating print ads for magazines, from designing
characters and costumes for lagoon shows,
to master planning an entertainment retail
complex and theming a casino in Mississippi.
This sort of ever-changing role is typical for
everyone in the company. It really all starts at the
top: Jeremy sets the example. His combination
of humility and curiosity lead him to be involved
in every aspect of a job, no matter how tedious
or trivial it may seem. This attitude is infectious
and although we each have our own strengths
this approach allows us to become better at
what we do and, most importantly, leads to
better projects.
Flexibility at EDC is not only evident in the
roles we all play, but also in the wide variety of
projects we take on. However, whether we are
designing attractions, parades, live shows, show
venues, restaurants, retail centers, casino resorts
or museums, it always boils down to creating
something dynamic and compelling and that
is what links all of our projects and keeps us
excited.
Salt Lake City hosted the first Winter Olympic Games to be in a stadium. Since then they have all been held in stadiums. I won an Emmy, and
an Ary (Directors Guild) for production design of the Salt Lake Games.
We are trying to take water shows to the next level by adding sculptural and scenic elements . This idea is for a water Circus where the water
behaves like human performers.
gone on to become masters – such as Richard
Shreiber, my art director for many years, who
began as a set designer. Eventually, he went
into TV and stayed there. Every designer who
has worked with me has gone on to become
successful.” While many well-known themed
entertainment professionals started out in
theater or film, Railton advises that today’s
aspiring creatives take a reverse approach. “It’s
easier for a beginning designer or writer to get
a start in themed entertainment rather than
the narrower, more closed fields of theater or
film – yet themed entertainment encompasses
theatre and film. Themed entertainment
embraces every single artistic discipline
that there is, and it is a relatively open and
welcoming field for young, creative people,
without a lot of restrictions or pigeonholing.”
Moreover, themed entertainment has gradually
been recognized as its own creative field of
discipline, with academic curricula established
at the college level including SCAD, Carnegie
Mellon and the Ringling College of Art &
Design.
EDC young guns Alex Calle and Chris Stage
have been with the company 3 years, and when
you encounter Railton in a business setting,
Calle and Stage are usually nearby. “We all feel
this kind of incredible energy,” says Railton.
“We’re all looking forward to getting to work
each morning and seeing each other. When
we travel to China, we make a very cohesive
group, able to tackle pretty much anything.”
Jeremography
The Entertainment Design Corporation, led by Jeremy
Railton, creates and produces international awardwinning attractions, environments, live shows and
theatrical events. Website: www.entdesign.com.
As a child growing up in rural Zimbabwe crafting
puppets out of clay and sketching the native birds
and animals, Jeremy Railton couldn’t have imagined
that one day he would be creating the world’s largest
animatronic creatures in the form of a pair of 90-ft dancing cranes - the star performers in a themed
attraction that took flight in the winter of 2010 at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore.
Educated in fine art, Railton has brought his formidable design talents and limitless imagination to some
of the most significant artists, events and productions over the last three decades. His career spans
legitimate theater, dance, film, TV award shows, live concerts for pop icons, spectacles of Olympian
proportions, themed attractions, and unforgettable retail entertainment and architectural projects.
Railton began his career in British film production while still a student and was quickly “discovered”
and brought to Los Angeles for a production at the prestigious Mark Taper Forum. Railton made history
with this production, creating the first giant screen projection backdrop ever seen on the stage.
Following his early stage successes, he moved into film and television. He won acclaim as a production
designer for recreating post-World War II Los Angeles in the motion picture The Two Jakes. Among his
hundreds of TV credits are landmark specials including the concerts for 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
Railton’s credits in live staging, television, concert specials and music videos include projects for Barbara
Streisand, Cher, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Diana Ross, Julio Iglesias and the MTV Music Awards.
His unique blend of artistry and cutting-edge technology have graced major retail, amusement, resort
and casino venues such as the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Panasonic Pavilion at
Universal Studios, the GM Showroom Theatre at Epcot Center and Lake of Dreams at Resort World
Sentosa. A pioneer in digital culture, Railton designed the two largest video screens in the world, the
Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas and the Sky Screen at The Place in Beijing.
Design doesn’t
stop at the
concept stage, but
is rather a moving,
continual process.
Chris Stage and
Jeremy discuss a
new project.
14
The bird show was Soar a free flying night time bird
show at the San Diego Zoo. Working with Steve Martin
of Natural encounters I was able to help create a show
with birds, lights and music, keeping the talk to a
minimum whilst still telling the stories.
malaysian medley
Themed Attractions Malaysia is bringing together popular parks and brands for a
unique mix of international attractions
by Judith Rubin
W
e caught up with executives from Themed
Attractions Malaysia while at the IAAPA
Attractions Expo in November: CEO Tunko Dato’
Ahmad Burhanuddin, CFO Vallo Mutto and VP
Branding and Group Communications Waikuan
Wong. From them, we learned some details about
the government-supported push for tourism
development in the commonwealth, especially
in the Southern corridor. As Malaysia receives
many tourists from China, India and the Middle
East, and has a sizable Chinese community, a
growing middle class and easy proximity to
Singapore and Bangkok, and everybody speaks
English plus one other language, it is wellfavored to serve both locals and travelers.
Focusing on jump-starting things with a familyfriendly selection of attractions, the company
sought out top entertainment design firms and
suppliers: The Hettema Group, BRC Imagination
Arts, Thinkwell, Forrec, WhiteWater West
and Pro Slide have all contributed – and top
brands: LegoLand (LegoLand Malaysia opened
September 2012); KidZania (KidZania Malaysia
opened February 2012); Thomas & Friends and
Hello Kitty (both at Puteri Harbour Family Theme
Park, opened in late 2012). Other human and
company resources have included Bain & Co.
for master planning, Darrell Metzger, Chairman
of the Themed Attractions Malaysia Executive
Committee, Steve Pitt, former COO of Village
Roadshow, and Phil Whittaker, as chief marketing
officer. approach has succeeded and tourism
has grown 10% year over year.
With the market of children under age 12 and
their families now reasonably well covered, a new
surge of development will emphasize the natural
beauty and culture of the area, with Leisure Tour
Asia initiative aiming to embrace all five senses
with food, arts & culture, heritage attractions,
seaside resorts and increased leveraging of
holidays. Ride parks are also forecast in the
future. The group also has the license to open
KidZania Singapore in 2015. Just 15 minutes
away to the South by bridge, Singapore is seen
as a complementary region in terms of tourism,
especially in terms of its gaming attractions.
Tunko Dato reported that Malaysia’s prime
minister as well as its people are quite happy
with the development trend, which includes
hotels and residential complexes. “It’s a longawaited thing,” he said. “We had no theme parks
for a very long time. The community is very
hungry for it and attendance has been beyond all
expectations. And with all the new development
it brings in its wake, we are creating jobs directly
and indirectly. We are fostering a local industry.”
•••
Legoland Malaysia joins other popular brands like KidZania and Hello Kitty in the quickly expanding Asian market for attractions.
Photo courtesy of Legoland Malaysia.
16
leadership & hospitality
lessons from Ocean Park’s Tom Mehrmann & AAM’s Ford Bell
by Judith Rubin
The subject of leadership was canvassed by
Tom Mehrmann, Chief Executive of Ocean
Park Corporation, on Nov 13 during a day
of educational sessions at the 2012 IAAPA
Attractions Expo in Orlando. Regarding Ocean
Park Hong Kong’s significant recent expansion
and 8 years of growth, he noted how decisions
were made and strategies put in place to keep
the park open during expansion, to differentiate
from the competition (Disney), to empower
employees and “break through the wrong kind
of thinking.”
One intriguing guest services policy: There is
$250 available to any employee on the property
to tap in order to solve any guest issue on the
spot, rather than send the issue, along with the
weary guest, up through the chain of command.
He remarked on how judicious the employees
are with these funds.
Mehrmann conjured the hospitality industry as
a model. His example of gracious, empathetic
service: the Ritz Carlton. He put emphasis on
the value of personal, handwritten thank-you
notes.
Mehrmann also shared some of his favorite keys
to success, with examples of how they’d been
implemented at Ocean Park Hong Kong. 1) Be
hungry for change. Example: When the park
achieved its goal of 7 million attendance early,
it was necessary to get rid of the coffeemugs
on company desks carrying the “7 million”
slogan. 2) Be innovative. Example: Ocean Park’s
very successful commercial campaign that
juxtaposed human behavior with interesting
counterparts in the animal world, and “changed
the way our market saw and interacted with
us.” 3) Be disruptive by nature. Examples: Ocean
Park’s “Aqua City” commercial, for which a
custom song was composed that became
a popular ringtone, how an Ocean Park Kpop spoof video had gone viral, and how the
park’s Halloween Bash and promotions had
brought record attendance numbers and
helped establish the holiday in Hong Kong. 4)
Be genuine, not just generous. Example: Ocean
Park’s corporate social responsibility programs,
and special discounts for locals, the disabled,
seniors and low income residents.
AAM’s big tent
This year’s Museum & Science Center Day at
IAAPA boasted a completely full house. Among
the attendees were designers, architects, media
producers, economic analysts, event producers,
exhibit fabricators, museum operators and
theme park operators.
The opening address was from Ford Bell,
president of the American Alliance of Museums
(AAM). The organization recently changed its
name, swapping out Association for Alliance.
Why? Bell explained that the terminology
change signaled a change in the structure of
the organization, retooling itself to spread a
“bigger tent,” be more inclusive. The intention
is not just to add more members, but to
deepen relationships with other groups having
similar interests and magnify the visibility and
lobbying power in the face of shrunken Federal
assistance. AAM has likewise changed its
institutional membership tiers for inclusiveness,
offering at the lowest level a “pay what you wish”
membership and setting the highest at $5,000
(down from $15,000) which can be upgraded
to an all-staff package. Alliances with other
groups include crossover accreditation and
best practices programs with AZA (Association
of Zoos & Aquariums) and AASLH (American
Association of State and Local History). Other
efforts include outreach to engage other
categories of stakeholders such as museum
trustees. “We are fighting for a very pathetic sum
of money,” he said, pointing out that Federal
funds for museums total $60 million annually.
AAM will make the most of its “big tent” to boost
its annual Advocacy Day in Washington DC.
Measurements
In a subsequent session, John Robinett of
AECOM, which has done numerous attendance
studies for museums and cultural institutions,
showed ways to obtain meaningful stats that
can be used to make peer comparisons and
examine such things as the differing behavior
patterns of residential markets to tourist
markets, the ratio of visitation to exhibit square
footage, the operations cost per square foot
(most museums come in about $80-$100 per
square foot) and evaluate admission prices.
Robinett’s fundamental graph showed the
declining attendance curve of the museum
17
Tom Mehrmann
Ford Bell
that fails to reinvest on a regular basis – he
maintains that museums should follow the
practice of successful theme parks – reinvest
yearly and take a close look at how to maximize
earned income (“retail performance is a missed
opportunity for a lot of museums”, enhance the
perceived value to the visitor and increase percapita spending.
Satisfying the many
Ike Kwon, director of guest operations at San
Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences
(home of the Morrison Planetarium) talked about
strategies that the museum had employed
in order to maintain visitor satisfaction in the
enviable position of huge attendance numbers.
Before the museum was rebuilt (the previous
structure was damaged by earthquake), its
average yearly attendance was 80,000, reported
Kwon. “Now we do 8,000 in 3 weeks and are
creeping up on 7 million attendance since
opening [in 2008],” he said. He illustrated the
problem with an example from the planetarium:
the bundled ticket option covers a visit to the
Morrison, but throughput in the dome wasn’t
sufficient to meet demand, meaning that some
visitors would not get the full value of their
ticket. They analyzed theload/unload p ace and
created a shorter planetarium show to facilitate
a 30-minute cycle. This adjustment was one
of many implemented in a full-scale overhaul
of operations with the goal of improving the
guest experience, based on a model Kwon had
learned in his days in the hospitality industry. The
process relies heavily on input and suggestions
from staff who deal with day-to-day issues.
Know your value
Guy Labine, CEO of Science North in Sudbury,
Canada, talked about how the museum used
the results of an economic impact assessment
conducted 5 years ago to attract more
government funding and more than double the
proportion of earned income relative to total
budget (from 30% to 70%). The study revealed
the true extent of the museum’s role in the
community and of its contributions. “We found
that Science North is a main driver of the city’s
economic tourism engine,” he said. • • •
christine kerr
InPark sits down to talk with TEA’s new President, Christine Kerr
by Martin Palicki
For starters, tell me about your role/past
in the themed entertainment industry
and why you wanted to serve at TEA
President??
I spent the first half of my career working on the
entertainment and operations side of theme
parks and attractions. People who work in
entertainment in theme parks always get to
do creative things beyond just the live shows
they produce – for me it started with special
events, cultural programming, laser/fireworks
spectaculars, concert production and capital
projects. But the real crossover began when I
was hired as part of the team to build and run
LEGOLAND Windsor – the first LEGO Park to be
built outside of Denmark.
Officially I was the Operations Director,
developing the plans, procedures and the
team to run the park. I was also responsible for
creating all live shows, all event programming
and I participated in design development for
everything - all rides and attractions as well as
more mundane things like the front gate, back
of house areas, offices, etc. This experience
immersed me in the creative process. It also
introduced me to the power of a brand.
After 3 years in Windsor, I joined the team for
LEGOLAND California just as work on that park
was entering the detail design phase. I was once
again the Director of Operations but reprised my
role on the project team and participated in the
design development for attractions and facilities
and lead creative for shows and special events.
During my time with LEGO, we worked with lots
of TEA member companies and I started learning
more by attending the TEA party every year at
IAAPA. When I had an opportunity to move back
home to Toronto and work for a creative design
and project management company – BaAM – it
seemed like a very logical career progression.
It also made sense for us to join TEA. That was
2001.
I knew that in order to get the most out of
the TEA, we would need to get involved. The
President at the time was Pat Gallegos, who I
had worked with on LEGOLAND California. Pat
encouraged me to run for the Eastern board.
A few years later, I became President of the
Eastern division (the first non-Orlando based
President of the Eastern division). I really liked
what I saw happening with TEA in Europe where
events seemed to be connected to celebrating
openings of member projects and milestones.
We decided to offer events for members that
were more regional – in Toronto, New York, St.
Louis, Branson – and in Orlando as well. When
I had served the maximum term on the Eastern
Board, it seemed a natural progression to move
to the International Board. I am in my second
term on this board and was first approached
a few years back to consider running for the
role of President. In order to take on such a
responsibility, many things need to be aligned
– most importantly the support of my company
to back me during my term. I am fortunate that
in 2012 that was possible.
Coming off the 20th anniversary of
TEA, what do you think has made the
organization stand up to the test of time?
I think the reason is the simple fact that our
members are a very adaptable group. As the
lines have blurred between different types of
experiences, the skill sets of those who create
those experiences have become transferable.
Our industry is constantly defining and redefining itself. Our members are now working
on different types of projects than they thought
would be their primary focus when they first
formed their companies or when the TEA was
first conceived more than 20 years ago. We are a
very adaptable group and our association is also
adaptable as a result.
How do you think TEA will be successful
moving forward?
We need to find new ways to be relevant to
our members. For example, we can connect
members with owners to demonstrate the value
we can provide for their projects regardless of
the scale. Our members provide creative value,
and our knowledge of how to make creative
ideas come to life – on time and on budget and
within the constraints that every project has - is
18
Archival photo of Christine with her father and her husband Matt during LEGOLAND construction in California. Courtesy Christine Kerr.
valuable to many industries. The TEA started as a
group that came together to present a collective
voice. I think we’ve been heard, recognized for
what we represent. I think we now need to be
more specific in identifying and promoting the
skills and values we bring to a project – make it
more tangible.
How will TEA be advancing Next Generation
and educational outreach initiatives in the
coming years?
The NextGen focus provides us with two
important opportunities. The first is exactly
what the name of the initiative implies – we are
actively connecting with the next generation
of young professionals to work in this industry.
Some of them have more specific skills than
we did – look at SCAD’s Themed Entertainment
Design courses – they grew up in theme parks
and museums and science centers so have more
industry awareness than many of us did. They
represent the future of our industry because
I predict we will see a major changing of the
guard in the next 10-20 years.
Connecting TEA with academic institutions can
also help us validate and better organize the
educational programs we offer to our members.
We have two mature programs - SATE and the
Summit - that have stood the test of time and
evolved into must-attend events for many in our
industry. If we want to take these to the next level
and open them up to new audiences we need to
use the expertise and resources our relationships
with academic institutions can provide us to
help further refine the programs, look at them
differently and ultimately create better content
and products from the conferences.
What parts of the world do you feel TEA
needs to focus on to grow?
We are a global organization; we need to keep
pace with the areas of the world where our
members are working. Ideally, we would be in a
position to be ahead of the curve so that we can
lay foundations for members or support local
companies to work to a consistent standard.
Expectations and standards vary throughout
the world, but if we can influence this, we will
be helping our members. Right now Asia is a
focus.
We have a committee, chaired by Jeff Mayer,
focused on just this initiative. Jeff and his
committee members organized the very
successful TEA Asia Summit that took place in
Shanghai in October of 2012. We continue to
work with IAAPA to ensure we have a presence
at their Asia show. The 2013 show in Singapore
will be the 3rd time we have had a presence at
the show and hosted a mixer. As soon as we
have the critical mass and will, we will start a
division in this region.
What are some of the challenging issues
facing the themed entertainment industry
right now, and how is TEA addressing
them?
Globalization is a challenge and an opportunity.
We can help our members – particularly our
smaller member companies – successfully move
into new markets by creating opportunities for
them to learn from larger companies and those
who are already working in the new regions. The
TEA Asia Summit that took place in Shanghai in
October of 2012 was a first giant step in this area
and started a dialogue. Working in new cultures
and respecting and embracing the diversity this
19
brings to project teams and project content is
also a challenge. The SATE 2012 Conference
in September held at Disneyland Paris used
Cultural Diversity as its theme and explored the
idea from a number of perspectives. Finally,
communication is also a challenge. We are
working hard to implement the right tools
for an organization such as ours to effectively
communicate with our members around the
world.
How do you think TEA members can make
the most out of their membership?
They shouldn’t wait for us to come to them –
they should reach out and get involved. Attend
events, and educational sessions. Contact their
division president and host an event in their
area. They should volunteer to become involved
and give back to the industry. They should
think about shaping the future of the themed
entertainment industry by working with young
people who are eager to learn more and find
jobs in the industry. They should get to know
other member companies in order to establish
benchmarks for themselves and stay on top of
what is going on in the industry.
As president, what are your goals for TEA?
As part of the transition the association will
make when we hire a new leader to replace our
retiring Executive Director, Gene Jeffers, I would
like to see us think about what we do in a more
service-oriented and business-like way. This will
be an important shift in thinking – more focus
on the content and value we can create out of
everything we do. Many of the people I talk to
value the creative energy and thinking we bring
to the worlds we work in – perhaps we need to
value it more as well. • • •
tales from iaapa
stories from the trade show floor in Orlando
by Judith Rubin, Martin Palicki & Joe Kleiman
SpongeBob struts his stuff in
3D/4D
Nickelodeon, SimEx-Iwerks and Super 78 collaborate
on new production
InPark Magazine recently had the honor of
meeting SpongeBob SquarePants in person at his
Orlando headquarters, the Nickelodeon Suites
Resort. The occasion: an official announcement
of the new show, “SpongeBob SquarePants 4D:
The Great Jelly Rescue,” set to premiere in early
2013 at the Nick Suites, and then be rolled out to
4D theaters at theme parks, zoos, aquariums and
other family-friendly settings worldwide. The wide-eyed star appeared wearing his
trademark yellow at the hotel, accompanied by
some of his peeps: Gerald Raines (VP Recreational
Business Development, Nickelodeon), Mark
Cornell (Sr. VP Attractions Development, SimExIwerks), special venue media producers Brent
Young and Dina Benadon (Super 78) and Louis
Robbins (Managing Director, Nickelodeon Suites
Resort).
“The Great Jelly Rescue” adventure follows the
2005 production, “SpongeBob SquarePants 4D”
and will join Nickelodeon’s brand power and
popular characters to SimEx-Iwerks’ 4D theater
circuit and distribution network. The 7-year run
of the first show is a testament to SpongeBob’s
huge, global popularity - and also a solid reminder
that a good attraction movie can be evergreen,
playing successfully year after year onscreen in
special venue theaters, in stark contrast to the
ephemeral theatrical runs of today’s mainstream
productions.
SpongeBob dimensionalized
“The Great Jelly Rescue” promises to deliver
SpongeBob SquarePants just as audiences love
him while making the most of advancements in
rendering and immersive 4D theater technology
– most notably, enhanced stereoscopic 3D
backgrounds and alternate storylines, along with
a host of in-theater effects such as wind, bubbles,
snow, seat buzzers, leg ticklers, special lighting
and audio. Some of the scenes will change from
show to show, along with their corresponding
Doing the SpongeBob: Young, Cornell, SpongeBob, Raines and Robbins. Photo by Martin Palicki.
20
effects – providing incentive for visitors to repeat
the experience.
Asked about the challenge of making the new
3D SpongeBob as authentic and convincing
as possible, Brent Young of Super 78 said, “We
needed to go the extra 10 miles to show this
property can be dimensionalized while honoring
the brand. In 3D, it’s harder to pull some things
off convincingly. But we were well prepared,
having gone through a similar process when
we produced the media for ‘Dora & Diego’s
4D Adventure’ [2010] in a similar collaboration
with Nickelodeon and SimEx-Iwerks. Stephen
Hillenburg, SpongeBob’s creator, has the ultimate
authority, and we were thrilled by his approval.”
SpongeBob SquarePants’s journey through
animation formats is set to continue, in the
form of “It’s a SpongeBob Christmas,” airing on
CBS and Nickelodeon television in December,
using classic stop-motion animation created
with models and miniatures. There’s also talk of
perpetuating the 3D stereoscopy in the next
SpongeBob feature film, planned for 2015. When
asked about the possibility of a SpongeBob
SquarePants 3D TV series, Nickelodeon’s Gerald
Raines was mum. But he did assure us that more
Nickelodeon brands will be seen making their
way into the attractions world, following on the
footsteps of Dora, Diego and SpongeBob, with
hints of a renewed focus on slime. - J.R.
•••
Russia Park plans announced
Officials from the planned Russia Park presented
at IAAPA 2012 their plans for a 2,500-acre park
scheduled for opening in 2018. Shaped like a
miniature Russian Federation, the planned park,
located 18 miles south of Moscow and near the
airport, is expected to have over 10 million visitors
per year. It is being designed as a public/private
partnership with the hopes of encouraging
cultural exchange within the regions of Russia
and also throughout the world.
The park is designed to have several distinct
components. Theme park “Russia” will represent
all regions within Russia and function much like
an expo.
An amusement park will house rides and
attractions in four themed areas: Ancient
Russia, Czarist Russia, Socialist Russia and New
Russia. The park will be designed for year-round
operation including both summer and winter
amusements, with a stated goal of having 70%
of attractions available all year.
A safari park will house 1,300 kinds of animals
found within Russia’s borders and accommodate
year-round visits.
A presidential Botanical Garden will feature over
10,000 species of plants in both indoor and
outdoor settings.
Supporting architecture for the project will
include hotels, restaurants featuring Russian
cuisine, nightlife, shopping and a convention
center.
The plan is to open an international architectural
tender in the first three quarters of 2013. In
quarters three and four, bidding will begin
for rights to the project, with the expectation
of signing contracts before the start of 2014.
Construction is planned for 2015-2020, with
phased openings starting in 2018, and complete
operation in 2020.
Magic World Russia moving along slowly. AECOM
is currently performing a feasibility study for
Magic World Russia, designed by Gary Goddard
Entertainment.
Since IAAPA, news stories have surfaced that
Moscow authorities have approved development
of another theme park “Galaktika Park” outside of
Moscow, that will include an indoor Universal
Studios Park. - M.P.
•••
Thea Awards publicized
The 19th Annual Thea Award recipients were
announced at the TEA booth at the IAAPA
Attractions Expo 2012. The Thea Awards,
recognizing the best in themed entertainment
design, will be awarded in Anaheim, CA, USA on
April 6, 2013.
THEA AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING
ACHIEVEMENT:
Radiator Springs Racers, Disney California
Adventure Park - Anaheim, USA (Attraction)
A thrilling race through the world of the
Disney∙Pixar film Cars. In bringing a well-known
movie to life, the designers went the extra step
in expanding it into a fully experiential world.
Transformers: The Ride 3D, Universal Studios
Singapore & Hollywood (Attraction)
An immersive, next-generation thrill ride that
blurs the line between fiction and reality. The
seamless combination of show systems pushes
the boundaries of 3D realism.
Cars Land, Disney California Adventure Park Anaheim, USA (New Theme Park Land)
The sensitive layout, sophisticated use of scale,
character details and high-quality execution
combine to make this an outstanding example
of experiential design and a destination in its
own right.
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame - Calgary, Canada
(Museum)
Virtually every storytelling device is used in this
massive, multi-level exhibition that is never
repetitive or derivative. Visitors are immersed in
a complete Canadian sports experience.
Aquanura at Efteling Park - Netherlands
(Event Spectacular)
Aquanura adapts available technology and puts
it to use in ways that are uniquely evocative.
Artistry and beauty prevail over spectacle,
bringing emotionally engaging stories to life.
Some attendees seemed skeptical of the plans,
with progress on the previously announced
21
Big-O Experience, Yeosu 2012 International Expo South Korea (Event Spectacular)
This unique project has added a new dimension
to the genre of the multimedia water spectacular
and will remain as a permanent icon and legacy
of the 2012 world’s fair.
Tait Pixel Tablets - London, England
(Outstanding Technology)
Combining readily available components
with a unique LED tablet, this new technology
transformed the 2012 Olympics opening
ceremony into a huge video display mapped to
the space inhabited by the audience.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour - The Making of Harry
Potter - London, England (Studio Tour)
Everything that is done with the Harry Potter
brand faces high expectations from fans all over
the world. The Making of Harry Potter Studio
Tour has managed to more than fulfill those
expectations.
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa -Ko Olina, Oahu,
Hawaii USA (Themed Hotel Resort)
Aulani represents a major departure from
traditional Disney resorts in that, rather than
providing lodging in support of a theme park,
the resort itself is the destination.
Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge, Disney
California Adventure Park - Anaheim, USA
(Theme Park Restaurant)
The restaurant resides within a reproduction of
the famous Carthay Circle Theatre, renowned in
Disney history as the venue for the premiere of
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937.
THE BUZZ PRICE THEA AWARD
Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished
Achievements (formerly the Thea Lifetime
Achievement Award)
Frank Stanek
“Perhaps no one has had more impact on the
two biggest players in our business - Disney and
Universal - than Frank Stanek has had - especially
in the growth and development of the industry
in the international marketplace.” -- Marty Sklar
THEA CLASSIC AWARD
Europa-Park, Rust, Germany
By alternating innovation and adaptation,
applying the world’s best practices together
with their own brand of creativity, the Mack
family has grown Europa-Park into one of the
most important theme parks in the world.
•••
wwa vegas
waterparks gathered at the Paris resort
in October for the World Waterpark
Association’s annual trade show and
symposium
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
The busy trade show floor.
• WWA’s Patty Miller and
her son. • European Body
Art provides a temporary
tattoo for IPM editor Martin
Palicki. • The Weber Group’s
Penny Peavler also sports
a temporary tattoo! • The
association’s annual reunion
party gathered under Vegas’
Eiffel Tower.
22
3rd Annual China Theme Park & Resort Expansion Summit
New Models, New Technologies, New Ideas!
April 11-12, 2013 Shanghai, China
EVENT BRIEF
As a result of the economic and social drivers, the outlook for theme park visitation is very strong. By 2011, with the opening of several parks
and major expansion at others, visitation is increased to 84 million visits. Looking forward, the Greater China’s total theme park visitation by
2020 will match the current size in the US of 221 million visits. The themed entertainment industry has abundant potential for growth and
expansion in China.
3rd Annual China Theme Park & Resort Expansion Summit will assemble a congregation of high level professionals all of whom represent government departments, industry associations, real estate developers, theme park operators and entertainment facility suppliers from
all over the world. Fundamental topics to be discussed include China’s latest industrial policies, major theme park projects progress, and
global theme park management strategies. Furthermore the opportunity of liaising with domestic and overseas advanced solution providers,
meeting new clients and forming partnerships.
CoNFIRmEd SPEAkERS 2013
Senior Official
Administrative Commission of Shanghai International
Tourist and Resort Zone
Tan Guangyuan
Vice President
HaichangTourism Group Co., Ltd
Senior Official
Shanghai Disney Resort
LI Yong
Director of Strategic Development
Shaanxi Culture Industry Investment Holding Group Co Ltd
Barry COX
Director, New Business Development (Asia)
Merlin Entertainment
ZHAO Hui
Theme Park Director
Zhonghong Group
LI Jian
General Manager
OCT Vision
TIAN Enming
Director
Dragon City Tourism Holding Group
Charles Read
Managing Director
BlooloopLimited
At Noppen’s Summit You Will:
Endorser
- Meet pre-qualified industry leaders
- Discover the current investment climate and opportunities
- Increase your brand recognition within the marketplace
- Create new partnerships and alliances
- Develop relationships through new networking opportunities
Supporters
For more Information Contact:
Dennis A. Bridgeforth
Group Marketing Manager
T: +8621 6085 1000
F: +8621 6192 1908
E: [email protected]
organizer
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