Six Flags Qiddiya| Saudi Arabia | Theme Park

[Fooz]

Saudi Arabia is 4th on the Global Slavery Index list compiled by the Walk Free foundation.

Global Slavery Index | Walk Free

The 2023 Global Slavery Index provides an assessment of 160 countries, including an estimation of the number of people living in modern slavery, the extent to which a country’s population is vulnerable to modern slavery, and an examination of how well governments are responding to modern slavery.

www.walkfree.org

Give me some reputable source that shows migrant workers are treated any better in Saudi Arabia compared to the other ME countrues, because the fact that a few construction supervisors are posting tiktoks is completely irrelevant. Considering that you've only ever posted in this topic, you're likely either a propaganda account or someone that has been brainwashed into believing whatever you claim here is true.

Well you are the first person to provide me any supporting data on this so I will change my tune.

 

[Ethan]

...especially after they realize nobody is going to be willing to travel to the middle of the desert in Saudi Arabia just to ride rides

[Shawn Sanbrooke has entered the chat]

 

[Nitefly]

If it’s a hard sell for large proportions of even the most hardened ‘gotta catch ‘em’ all’ enthusiasts (i.e. us) then it’s a struggle to see who else from the public is going to go [edit: from the international market].

The thing that makes it an immediate draw compared to other more accessible and accommodating places (beyond it being the biggest thing evarrrrr) is just that^^^ - the concern that it’ll operate for about a year then close, since the park seems wildly uneconomic - get on it now… or never?

You could possibly tie it in with AlUla - a friend went there recently (although he is one of those insanely well travelled people that’s been to places like Yemen). But at that point it’s hardly a budget trip.

I am curious about it - not closed off to going, but as with any holiday with ‘trade offs’ it’s never going to be a screamingly obvious choice.

… all the way over there with the lure of riding a bigger version of Millie

 

[Matt N]

It depends on the locals, really. If the locals in Saudi Arabia are open to visiting a big theme park, then this park may subsist on domestic visitation alone. If not, they may have to try a little harder to attract foreign tourists.

 

[Antinos]

The $300m figure for the park minus Falcon's Flight seems unbelievable, considering Lost Island was $250m with cheap used coasters, drastically fewer and cheaper rides, and dramatically less involved infrastructure. Outside of Falcon's Flight, there's still a 200' tilt coaster, full sized GCI, lsm accelerator, water coaster, family invert, longest spike coaster, worlds tallest drop tower, worlds largest frisbee, two dark rides, and more. Really hard to believe anyone could build SFQ for $400m.

Not sure where $250m came from considering that the park's GM himself has stated that the Lost Island cost them $100m.


Sorry to burst the thoosie bubbles, but this park isn't getting built to draw the most hardcore coaster enthusiasts, nor any sort of international visitor, to Saudi Arabia. The main goal of this entire entertainment district is to draw Saudi Arabian tourists to a domestic offering. Why go to UAE or Europe for fun stuff when there will be a much closer offering - an offering where money can be spent inside Saudi Arabia's borders - in the near future?

 

[Geeky Pastimes]

Isn't the point that Saudi Arabia are trying to do a lot of things to encourage tourism? It might not be a tourist destination now, but if they can build a lot of things like this (and the supporting hotels, shops, transport) then it could be.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of cheaper flights and hotel deals appearing when the park opens.

 

[Eyebrows]

People seem to forget that this project is NOT to get people from outside the country to go to Saudi Arabia. That may be a nice side effect, but the actual purpose of Quiddiya is to boost domestic tourism. One thing SA does have is a lot of people, and if those people are vacationing inside the country rather than spending money in other countries, that’s more profit for the government.

 

[Nitefly]

I don’t think anyone believes that the project is aimed at coaster enthusiasts. But I do believe it’s aimed at getting global attention. There is no other reason to have such a ridiculous, opulent flagship ride if it was only to cater to the locals: the biggest rides in Saudi Arabia would have sufficed.

Whether global attention means tourism, willy waving or a combo of both, I’m not sure. But I expect it to be plastered over all tourism promotion of the country as something to do.

 

[TilenB]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of cheaper flights and hotel deals appearing when the park opens.

They are already cheap as crisp from continental Europe. I'm currently seeing Wizz Air from Venice and Vienna going for as low as €40 return, which is frankly absurd for 6 hour long flights.

 

[TPoseOnTantrum]

I have it on good word from someone connected to the project that the theme park’s construction budget is just over $400M USD, with Falcon’s Flight being a quarter of that. If true, definitely less than you would think for something like this. Granted that’s still excluding design, commissioning, consulting, possibly energy, and literally everything else that Qiddiya is doing, but it almost makes the project seem reasonable!

Yea so we got some budgets laid out from a more journalistic source, the waterpark is costing $750M while Six Flags Qiddiya itself is $1 billion.

Bonus fun fact; The Knoebels family stated at an event today that Qiddiya reps dropped by the park last summer while visiting GCI about 20 minutes away, plus they wanted to check out Flying Turns. I mean, learn from the best ig.

 

[rob666]

They are already cheap as crisp from continental Europe. I'm currently seeing Wizz Air from Venice and Vienna going for as low as €40 return, which is frankly absurd for 6 hour long flights.

All the while the planet burns...

 

[MagicMountainFan]

All the while the planet burns...

In a country with not enough water for it's citizens and 20 percent of people in poverty, not to even mention all the other terrible laws in this backwards country. Just because it is better than 10 years ago and growing economically does not mean it is still not the same place that forced young women to go back into a burning building to get correct religious clothing when their school was on fire.

 

[Christian]

In a country with not enough water for it's citizens and 20 percent of people in poverty, not to even mention all the other terrible laws in this backwards country. Just because it is better than 10 years ago and growing economically does not mean it is still not the same place that forced young women to go back into a burning building to get correct religious clothing when their school was on fire.

That 2002 fire where 15 girls died can by no means be justified or defended. Saudi Arabia is certainly a country with it's flaws. With that said, this roller coaster and park are admirable and it will be up to every enthusiast to make the choice to visit or not to visit. Personally, I will visit it, even though it means altering the way I live my every day life for it.

 

[roomraider]

It'll certainly up to each individual how they feel about visiting it. I've been to a fair few countries both on holiday and with work that have questionable practices in relation to minority ethnic groups, women and the LGBT community (China, Malaysia, Turkmenistan, Nigeria, hell i'd currently put parts of the USA in that category) and that conflict of conscience always comes up.

It's a tough decision but to each their own when it comes to making that choice.

 

[rob666]

I was meaning all the aviation carbon based fuel being burned up for people to visit a coaster in a country that is already too hot for tourism.
Hottest times ever.
Wettest July ever for me, by a very long way.
We just should not be doing it, for the sake of future generations.
Sorry, but the big fat elephant in the room.
Our hobby is basically unhealthy for the planet.
That is the real conflict of conscience.

 

[bratcurry]

Our hobby is basically unhealthy for the planet.

Sorry you were brainwashed to think that but why not leave the forum then? This is not the right place to talk about your phobia.

 

[Christian]

Sorry, but the big fat elephant in the room.
Our hobby is basically unhealthy for the planet.
That is the real conflict of conscience.

I'm not giving up doing what I love for that, sorry. I will keep travelling the world to ride coasters until I die.

 

[Hixee]

Okay - this time for the last time.

Enough.

Fed up of this thread keep descending into the same pointless back and forth bickering. Not the place for it. **** off to DM's if you want to keep on. Future posts derailing the thread in the same vein will receive warnings.

Excluding the below post from @rob666, as this was posted at the same time as my post.

 

[rob666]

No phobia, or brainwashing...just accepting reality in the current situation.
Surely you are not one of the climate change deniers, most I knew personally are now dead.
...and I have loved rollercoasters for fifty years, so this is a fair place to raise my genuine concerns.
Don't try to bully me off a forum I have used for fair discussion for many years.

Edit...cheers Hixie...
And no intent to derail the topic.
Redirection...
It will be hot, in more ways than one.

 

[Rzx]