Attractions news …
Universal Beijing Resort is to open in 2021; Tokyo Disneyland’s new expansion, ‘New Fantasyland’, is scheduled to open in 2020; Fantawild Oriental Heritage theme park has opened in Jingzhou, Hubei; Japan will have an new hotel dedicated to esports; Cineplex has announced the first location of The Rec Room in Quebec; more attractions have been installed at Dream Island theme park in Moscow; and Aquaria Phuket has opened with the world’s largest underwater restaurant.
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Theme parks
Universal Beijing Resort has announced it will be opening in 2021. It will include Universal Studios and Universal CityWalk in its first phase, and will be the largest Universal Studios park in the world.
Fantawild Oriental Heritage has officially opened in Jingzhou, Hubei. The high-tech theme park features 41 themed rides and attractions based on Chinese and Jingchu culture.
Theme park developer Flamingo Land has now formally withdrawn its planning application for a £30 million resort project on Loch Lomond. More than 57,000 objections were lodged against the development.
SeaWorld Entertainment has announced a leadership transition, with Gustavo Antorcha resigning as CEO, just seven months after taking the helm. The company’s CFO, Marc Swanson, has been appointed interim CEO.
The sustainable, plant-based Impossible Burger is now available on menus at SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Sesame Place theme parks, as well as the company’s water parks.
Diggerland USA has announced it’s expanding with ‘The Water Main’, a two-acre outdoor aquatic park with two multi-zone pools, a slide tower, a swim vortex, an in-pool basketball area, and a themed splash park.
Rides and attractions
Tokyo Disneyland’s new expansion, ‘New Fantasyland’, is scheduled to open in 2020. The upcoming area will include the ‘Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast’ attraction and the the Fantasyland Forest Theatre.
Walt Disney World teased a first look at the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride vehicles. The new Marvel attraction will be the first ‘other-world’ showcase pavilion at Epcot.
Aardman and Sally have announced 2 new themed dark-ride concepts based on Shaun the Sheep and a brand new IP.
Legoland Pirate Island Hotel is opening in 2020 at Legoland Florida Resort. The accommodation will include a pool, F&B, and 150 Lego Pirate-themed rooms and four suites.
Dream Island theme park in Moscow has announced three more attractions have been installed at ‘The Lost World of Dinosaurs’ thematic zone. The rides include ‘Dinosafari’, ‘City of the Apes’ and ‘Cobra’.
Zoos and aquariums
Central Pattana has launched Aquaria Phuket, Thailand’s largest aquarium. As part of the attraction, Andasi is the world’s largest underwater restaurant and Asia’s first underwater bar.
Museums
V&A Dundee is smashing visitor number estimates, as the museum reveals it has welcomed more than 830,000 guests in its first year of opening. An estimated 500,000 people were predicted to visit V&A Dundee.
The newly expanded Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum has officially opened. The 55,000-square-foot institution features immersive and interactive galleries and artefacts.
The British Museum and Samsung have reopened the new Samsung Digital Discovery Centre, also announcing a digital learning programme for teenagers, and 35,000 places for school children across the UK to virtually visit.
The onePULSE Foundation has officially purchased a 1.75-acre parcel of land, which will be the site of the future National Pulse Memorial & Museum. It will honour the 49 people who were killed in the PULSE tragedy.
Technology
Japan is opening a hotel dedicated to esports in the geek culture district of Nipponbashi, Osaka. The attraction, opening in 2020, will feature sleeping cabins, gaming floors and special rooms.
Cineplex is opening the first location of The Rec Room in Quebec, as well as a new VIP Cinemas. Both attractions will be part of the Royalmount development in Montreal and are scheduled to open in 2022.
