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Attractions news: Opening dates for Rise of the Resistance and American Dream | Wynn Resorts art museum

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attractions news theme park investment rise of the resistance

Welcome to the blooloop briefing; a roundup of attractions news from the last seven days.

In the news this week – opening dates have been announced for American Dream and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance; Wynn Resorts Ltd has unveiled plans for a $2bn expansion in Macau including an art museum; Fantawild has opened Changsha Fantawild Oriental Heritage theme park and announced another theme park in Ningbo; and Gardaland is getting the first Legoland Water Park in Europe in 2020.

Watch the news in 3 minutes

For a quick run through the week’s most eye-catching stories see our briefing video:

Read the news in 5 minutes

Theme parks

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance’s opening date has been announced. The attraction at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open on December 5 at Walt Disney World Resort and on January 17, 2020 at Disneyland Resort.

Universal Studios Hollywood has held the soft opening of Jurassic World – The Ride, which replaces the former Jurassic Park – The Ride with new technology, special effects, and new dinosaurs from the film.

Changsha Fantawild Oriental Heritage has opened as part of Fantawild‘s ‘Beautiful China Trilogy’ project. The new theme park has roller coasters, rafting rides, and family-friendly indoor and outdoor attractions.

Fantawild Holdings is also building a new theme park based on Chinese culture. Ningbo Hangzhou Bay New Zone signed an agreement with Fantawild for the Ningbo Zhonghua Traditional Culture Park.

Scale model photos of Super Nintendo World have leaked online, revealing how the theme park might look, as well as potential ride names, and areas including Mushroom Kingdom and Donkey Kong Country.

Museums and brands

wynn macau crystal pavilion
Wynn Resorts’ Crystal Pavilion

Wynn Resorts Ltd has unveiled plans for a $2bn expansion in Macau, which will include an art museum, immersive theatre, interactive sculptures, and two hotels. The project is called Crystal Pavilion.

SK Telecom, a South Korean wireless telecommunications operator, has its own experiential, interactive technology museum. T.um features virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, hologram technology, and 5G.

Sloan Museum of Discovery is undergoing a $26m renovation and expansion to include more activities for children and interactive exhibits dedicated to science, early childhood, history and vehicles.

Swarovski Crystal Worlds has welcomed a new ‘crystallised carousel’, an interactive installation at the theme park in Wattens, Austria. Designed by Jaime Hayon, the attraction features 15 million Swarovski crystals.

Attraction development

american dream triple five
American Dream

American Dream has confirmed its opening date of October 25, 2019, when it will open its doors to retail, dining and attractions, including the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park and DreamWorks Water Park.

Abu Dhabi has partnered with Aldar Properties to develop residential communities and commercial destinations worth $1.3 billion (AED 5 billion) on Saadiyat Island and Yas Island, and in Al Falah.

POWERplex, a $63 million sports resort complex, is coming to St. Louis Outlet Mall, formerly St. Louis Mills. The resort in Hazelwood, Missouri will include cinemas, a trampoline park, go-karting and a water park resort.

Gardaland Resort will be getting the first Legoland Water Park in Europe in 2020. The theme park has released the first promotional image, and it’s thought the attraction will be similar to Legoland Water Parks in Dubai and the US.

American Niagara Hospitality is planning the $15 million Niagara Beach and Surf Club in Niagara Falls, New York. The water attraction will feature an interactive wave pool, saltwater lagoons, and more.

Innovative tech

virgin galactic spaceship
Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic will become the world’s first publicly traded commercial space tourism company, merging with Social Capital Hedosophia to create a new company called Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc.

Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Spectrum of the Seas, features new digital experiences, including immersive augmented reality games, virtual reality trampolining, digital room keys, laser tag, karaoke, and a surf simulator.

As the trend for magic-themed attractions grows, Hasbro is taking Magic: The Gathering card game to new heights with a digital game, esports league, and animated series on Netflix, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo.

Video gaming experience company HYPD is taking its flagship HYPD Arena to intu Lakeside. The new location will have esports, virtual reality esports and experiences, and a retro arcade.

Zoos and aquariums

al qana national aquarium abu dhabi
Al Qana National Aquarium

The National Aquarium at Al Qana in Abu Dhabi is now 70 percent complete and will open in 2020. The attraction is set to be the biggest aquarium in the Middle East, housing 33,000 marine animals, and is being developed by Al Barakah International Investment.

Auckland Zoo is undergoing a $58 million redevelopment project. The zoo is creating a new South East Asia precinct, offering an immersive experience for visitors and new homes for gibbons, orangutans, otters and tigers.

RFPs

The Toronto Zoo: Professional services to create and implement a sponsorship strategy for the Toronto Zoo’s Lumina Night Walk Experience.

Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB): Services to design, fabricate and install exhibits at the Carl Kroening Interpretive Center.

Saint Louis Zoo: Firm to develop a new website.

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Bea Mitchell

Bea is a journalist specialising in entertainment, attractions and tech with 10 years' experience. She has written and edited for publications including CNET, BuzzFeed, Digital Spy, Evening Standard and BBC. Bea graduated from King's College London and has an MA in journalism.

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