John Burton is the senior creative lead for Merlin Making Making’s resort theme parks division. His role involves creatively overseeing Merlin’s portfolio of Resort Theme Parks with a primary focus on the development of Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park Resort, Gardaland, Heide Park, Chessington World of Adventures and Warwick Castle.
Burton’s responsibilities include developing and overseeing all aspects of the creative process of new rides and attractions, including researching new attraction ideas and master planning theme parks.
He was the lead creative for the new The World of Jumanji land at Chessington World of Adventures Resort. This is a fully themed, immersive land based on the popular Jumanji IP, featuring a B&M junior winged coaster named Mandrill Mayhem, as well as two flat rides, Mamba Strike and Ostrich Stampede, alongside themed retail and F&B carts. The £17 million ‘World of Jumanji’ land is based on Sony Pictures’ $2 billion film franchise, and the coaster is the first in the world to be themed around Jumanji.
“Whilst there are nods to the original Jumanji film, we are very much focused on the new franchise,” said John Burton, speaking after the land opened to the public. Released in 2017 and 2019, respectively, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level are “great family films”, said Burton. “Where better for such an attraction than Chessington, where you’re already fusing animals with adventure?”
Burton has worked on several successful Merlin projects, including The Walking Dead: The Ride and Derren Brown’s Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon at Thorpe Park, Zog – Quest for The Golden Star and Dragon Slayer at Warwick Castle, Jumanji: The Adventure at Gardaland, The Curse of Alton Manor and Gangsta Granny The Ride at Alton Towers and many more. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Architecture from Birmingham City University.