FORREC, a leading entertainment design specialist, has designed the Time Rider, the world’s tallest Coaster Wheel and the first in Korea. The ride opened on 28 June at Gyeongju World amusement park in Gyeongju-si, South Korea.
The record-breaking ride stands 51 metres tall and includes 24 suspended cabins, with 16 swinging and 8 fixed, and has a capacity of more than 1,080 riders per hour. Its opening marked the park’s 40th anniversary.
Concept & design
The story, ride and vehicle theming, queue building, and façade were created by FORREC’s team of concept artists, graphic designers, and architectural designers. With a time travel theme, the creative concept follows the adventures of an inventor named Dr. Chrono, who is working to decode the mysteries of time and bring together the past and the future.
Guests enter the queue at ground level and choose from two different ride experiences, Time Keepers, with fixed cabins that provide a more traditional Ferris wheel experience, or Time Travelers, with swinging cabins that move along an oblong-shaped coaster track. These rise and fall with gravity as the wheel rotates. Once they have made their selection, riders move to the roof of the queue building to board the Coaster Wheel.
Distinctive colours and graphics decorate the cabins and are accompanied by vibrant lighting design that emphasises the moving gears of the enormous clock-like wheel.
FORREC’s concept and design package for Time Rider included wide ranging graphic elements and signage design, with colour palettes, bespoke LED lighting design, and dynamic yet theme-appropriate typography. The company also created the central wheel logo and artwork to precise criteria, as weight and wind loads were critical technical requirements to guarantee the safe operation of the enormous wheel.
Working in close collaboration with ride manufacturer Intamin, FORREC combined the best possible ride performance with an engaging visual experience. The Coaster Wheel marks the latest project in FORREC’s strong relationship with Gyeongju World and Intamin.
Over more than two decades, FORREC has completed almost a dozen projects with Gyeongju World. The first was in 2002, when the company embarked on a long-term master plan and refurbishment study for the park. FORREC has since worked on theme park expansion and ride design projects, the design of a new front gate, park branding, and wayfinding signage.
This Coaster Wheel is engineered by Intamin, a creator of record-breaking amusement rides which has been serving the sector for more than 50 years. This is the only giant wheel design in the world with mobile and fixed gondolas, a configuration that facilitates both panoramic views and ride action on a single attraction.
Earlier this month, FORREC celebrated the opening of Legoland Shanghai, a project in which it has played a key role. At almost 70 acres, the new resort is the biggest Legoland destination on the planet and the first in China.
Working in close collaboration with Merlin Magic Making (MMM), Legoland Shanghai Resort, Arcplus, and Tongji Architectural Design Group (TJAD), FORREC contributed to the successful realization of the project, from concept to completion.
