Ride Engineers Switzerland (RES) develops, designs, builds, installs, maintains, and supports amusement park rides worldwide, blending Swiss precision with thrilling experiences. Established in 2015, the company is committed to innovation and customer-focused design, delivering solutions that meet industry trends and clients’ needs. Its founding vision was to bring something “new, different, and exciting” to the global attractions industry.
Now, as the company approaches its tenth anniversary next year, it is launching a strategic rebrand, shifting its identity from Ride Engineers Switzerland to RES RIDES AG.
We chat with co-founder and technical director Roman Rothe about its evolution, key projects, and future prospects for the Swiss ride engineering company.
A legacy of creativity
The company’s story begins with the mission of its co-founders, Roman Rothe and Willy Walser: to introduce something new to the industry. “We founded this company to give the industry a chance to get some new things—different rides, new inventions, and new friends,” Rothe says. The aim was not merely to participate in an industry filled with established players but to offer truly innovative concepts and attractions.
In fact, RES RIDES brings more rides to the market than any other supplier, with new concepts introduced every year: “We come up with new rides every IAAPA. We create a lot of world’s firsts.” This means its customers can keep their parks fresh and exciting, encouraging guests to return for more.
Starting small, the founders initially handled each project themselves from start to finish, gradually building a team that could support their ambition without losing their personalised touch. “We don’t want to, and we didn’t grow stupidly fast,” says Rothe. “We’re just 15 people now. That’s not too many, but it lets us maintain the quality and overview of each project.” This careful and deliberate expansion strategy has allowed RES RIDES to take on more projects without sacrificing the close oversight that defines its approach.
Key projects for RES RIDES
Over nearly a decade, RES RIDES has developed a portfolio of standout projects. One of its most celebrated achievements is the Roller Ball Family Coaster, a compact, family-friendly coaster with a small footprint. “We designed it as a family coaster with no inversions, ideal for kids and adults alike,” Rothe says. “This is the ride we have sold the most. We have one in the south of France, which is beautiful, and the visitors love it. We also opened one a few years ago in Adventureland, New York. The kids there love it, too.
“We’re proud of this ride because it’s something new, something different.”
With a capacity of 12 visitors, Roller Ball takes riders up to 28 metres in the air before embarking on a swinging, zigzagging, and free-falling journey along the vertical track back to the ground. It offers guests a distinctive ride experience that combines safety with an element of thrill. “It’s a very cool ride that uses low ground space. It has an ultra-low footprint and is a vertical billboard that can be seen from miles away. Roller Ball can even be integrated into buildings, which we’re discussing with several clients.”
No two Roller Balls are alike, meaning RES RIDES clients can request a bespoke ride that goes higher, longer, or faster. Roller Ball has won multiple awards, including a Golden Ticket Award for its installation as Fireball at Adventureland NY. It also won three European Star Awards for its iterations at Vienna Prater in Austria, Schwabenpark in Germany, and Parc Spirou in France.
Award-winning attractions
Beyond the Roller Ball, RES RIDES has earned worldwide recognition for its work on Mystic River Falls at Silver Dollar City in the United States. In 2020, the company introduced the first rapid ride with a vertical lift. Mystic River Falls offers an epic rafting experience. It boasts the highest drop on a raft slide in the Western Hemisphere at 14 metres (45 feet). Passengers enjoy a thrilling river rapids ride, complete with unexpected waterfalls and surprise waves.
“For me, this project has been one of the coolest and most interesting ones yet,” says Rothe.
The project earned RES recognition in the US. It secured two Golden Ticket Awards and an IAAPA Brass Ring Award. This validated the company’s efforts and marked its success in the global market.
Like all RES RIDES products, the Canyon Slide Rapids product used for Mystic River Falls can be fully customised for bespoke layouts and thrills. The company dedicates itself to crafting a distinctive ride for each customer, guaranteeing a “perfect fit, perfect thrill” experience for every visitor.
Other notable rides include the Vertical Dark Ride, which takes up to 20 riders on an exhilarating freefall. This earned the company numerous awards during the 2023 season when it launched as Crazy Professor at Conny-Land in Switzerland.
At the same time, the Super Swing stands out as a bestseller, providing guests with the sensation of weightlessness and exhilarating acceleration. This ride also received a European Star Award upon its installation as Superschaukel at Edelwies in Germany. Sweden’s Gröna Lund theme park has announced it will open a super swing ride called ‘Pumpen’ in April next year.
A new identity: the RES RIDES rebrand
As it prepares to mark a decade in business, RES aims to establish itself as a globally recognised brand, starting with a strategic rebrand. This new branding transforms the company’s identity from Ride Engineers Switzerland to RES RIDES. Rothe says: “The goal was to make it clear from our name alone that we design rides without losing our identity as Swiss engineers.” The branding retains a nod to its Swiss roots but is now more streamlined and internationally focused.
This rebranding effort includes a more emotive and engaging approach to marketing and communications. “We wanted to highlight the company’s character and make our branding more appealing and accessible.” Simplifying the logo while focusing on the RES RIDES identity reflects the company’s intent to appeal to a broader, more diverse audience beyond Europe.
“We want to be a global company, and we want that to be reflected in our brand. This is a refresh, but it is not changing who we are at our core.”
Meeting the industry’s needs
In addition to the rebrand, RES RIDES continues to strive for technological innovation. According to Rothe, one of the primary areas it focuses on is energy efficiency across all its designs. “We try to keep the rides as low-power as possible without sacrificing performance,” he says. He explains that the team is working on new approaches to power management that can be used across different rides.
Water rides, in particular, are under review as RES RIDES seeks to reduce the energy required for massive water pumps. “The power consumption of water rides is a huge cost driver for parks. We’re trying to address that by finding ways to make these rides more efficient.”
Beyond power consumption, RES RIDES is also exploring new materials and manufacturing methods. For example, it is experimenting with aluminium and titanium components to create durable, lightweight structures. Although RES RIDES doesn’t invent new materials outright, it pushes the boundaries of existing technologies to adapt them in ways that other companies may overlook. “We try to minimise energy consumption and optimise materials on every ride,” Rothe adds. “It’s part of what sets us apart.”
Sustainability is also a key consideration:
“This is becoming increasingly important globally, not only in the amusement industry, but I believe our industry is a couple of steps behind others. There are many considerations that we all have to look at. For example, with a flume ride, the boats are fibreglass. So, what do you do with those boats after 20, 30, or 40 years? How do you discard this fibreglass? We must find solutions to all these issues and are working on it internally.”
Inclusive experiences from RES RIDES
RES RIDES has also made accessibility a central pillar of its development philosophy.
“We want to design rides that are as accessible as possible, even for guests with physical limitations,” Rothe says. For instance, its Sunseeker ride is fully wheelchair-accessible, and the Balloon Tower ride includes seating options for guests with limited mobility. The company is now preparing to conducting ergonomic testing with diverse users to ensure that future rides meet these standards across a range of accessibility needs.
“We’re striving to create rides everyone can enjoy, regardless of physical ability.” In an industry that has often overlooked such needs, RES’s commitment to inclusivity is both refreshing and vital, as parks seek to make the guest experience more universally enjoyable.
Embracing trends
As RES RIDES celebrates its first ten years, its ambitions remain forward-looking. Beyond energy efficiency and inclusivity, RES RIDES is exploring novel ride movements. “We’re always experimenting with combining different types of movement to create a unique experience,” Rothe says. This emphasis on dynamic and inventive ride experiences speaks to the company’s ethos of constant innovation. “We’re pushing the boundaries of movement simulation to see what is possible.”
Rothe and his team are also keeping their ears to the ground regarding the changing expectations of amusement park guests, who are increasingly looking for attractions that offer something different from traditional rides. “We’ve found that guests, especially younger ones, are drawn to rides that deliver new sensations and experiences,” Rothe says.
By keeping up with these trends, RES RIDES aims to remain at the cutting edge of ride design within a rapidly changing market. The company never creates the same ride twice and continuously refreshes its existing models with new movements, experiences, sensations, and value.
What’s next?
RES RIDES will present not one, not two, but three world firsts next year. This includes the eagerly awaited Air Loop, a patented interactive coaster opening in 2025 at Serengeti-Park in Germany. It will also introduce a Wave Twist flat ride Adventureland Long Island in North America, inviting riders to feel the power of the sea while spinning in wild circular motions along the giant waves of a curved rail.
In 2025, the Oracle thrill ride will also be coming to a German travelling showman. It will feature heart-pounding inversions in spinning gondolas.
With a growing international reputation, several industry awards, and a renewed brand identity, RES RIDES is primed for continued success in the coming years. Reflecting on the company’s journey, Rothe expresses pride in the reputation it has built. “Eighty percent of our customers buy more than one ride from us,” he says. RES’s high rate of repeat business is a testament to the trust and satisfaction of its clients.
He also sees the company staying true to its more personal roots: “I’ve had clients that have said, ‘Buying with you feels like family’. Buying with other companies feels more like an industry; you’re a number, but it’s a different experience with us.”
The upcoming anniversary marks a significant milestone, not only as a celebration of the past but as a launchpad for the future. “We have much more to bring to the table,” Rothe says. “Going forward, we want to be seen as the company that you come to when you have an idea and want someone you trust to make it a reality.”
As RES RIDES continues to innovate in ride design, expanding accessibility and sustainability while solidifying its global presence, the future looks bright for this Swiss powerhouse.
RES RIDES will exhibit at IAAPA Expo 2024 in Orlando from November 19 to 22. Attendees can visit booth #4009 to find out what’s new from the team that rolls out more rides every year than any other manufacturer (and grab some Swiss chocolate).
To book a meeting at the show, please click here.
