Coaster/park industry news articles

[ECG]

Time for a thread resurrection. An interesting article (in German, but easily translated) on the issues German park managers face post-pandemic. Although it's focused on the new law restricting foreign hires, it includes figures and graphics on European park attendance and values. I.E. I wasn't aware that Legoland Winsor is Europe's 2nd most valuable theme park or that Miniatur Wunderland is the 2nd most popular attraction among foreign travelers in Germany behind Europa Park and ahead of Phantasialand.
https://www.manager-magazin.de/unte...m-wird-a-978483f4-30d8-478f-ad20-c943ade2d1a3

 

[ECG]

Double post. Woohoo

Interesting interview with Europa-Park founder Roland Mack.

Europa-Park-Gründer Roland Mack: So soll es im beliebten Freizeitpark weitergehen

Der Mann hinter dem Europa-Park erklärt, warum er sich um den Standort Deutschland sorgt, weshalb sein boomendes Unternehmen auf Migranten angewiesen ist, was er von der AfD denkt – und weshalb ihm das Loslassen so schwerfällt.

www.nzz.ch

 

[davidm]

Guardian today has an article about John Burton/Hyperia;

The rollercoaster king: the man behind the UK’s fastest thrill-ride

The long read: John Burton was just 27 when he was put in charge of creating Thorpe Park’s biggest-ever project. Once too scared to go on rides himself, how did he become the architect of so many daredevils’ dreams?

www.theguardian.com

Its a pretty good read.

 

[JoshC.]

An insight into the Ninjago rides at Legoland parks on drdb:

Fighting with our bare hands - Backstage at Ninjago The Ride - DRdb

We got together with Triotech, ART Engineering and Legoland Windsor Resort to take a look behind the scenes of Ninjago the Ride.

darkridedatabase.com

Really nice read

 

[davidm]

Grand National goon gets a BBC article today;

'I rode Blackpool's Grand National rollercoaster 180 times last year'

Stephen Murphy travels from London to Blackpool several times a year to ride the Grand National.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[davidm]

A man will begin an attempt to ride every rollercoaster in the UK in the space of just over two weeks.

From here;

Brighton rollercoaster fan attempts to ride 120 in UK in 16 days

Dean Stokes intends to ride every rollercoaster in the UK, starting at Brighton Palace Pier.

www.bbc.co.uk

"every" / 120 though? Doesn't sound right

--

Ahh - he is self-spiting

He said his map includes every rollercoaster classed as a thrill or extreme, to avoid family and children's rides

 

[Hixee]

"every" / 120 though? Doesn't sound right

I get 196 if I don't add the "roller coaster" filter (i.e. including powered and mountain coasters): https://rcdb.com/r.htm?st=93&ol=26828&ot=2

But if you filter out to only Extreme and Thrill, it's only 64 coasters. So only actually going to ride a third of the coasters in the country...

And only 30 of the 86 parks, by my quick count.

Much less interesting... sorry Dean.

 

[Boodangy]

Aren't there one or two decent wooden coasters in the UK too that are at those parks you can only go to if you have kids? I'd self spite those at least

 

[Hixee]

Aren't there one or two decent wooden coasters in the UK too that are at those parks you can only go to if you have kids? I'd self spite those at least

I think it's only Antelope at Gulliver's Warrington - which RCDB class as "Family" anyway so he's in the clear...