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< PreviousLAUNCH 8 Funworld | MAY/JUNE 2025 | IAAPA.org/Funworld Expansion theme parks on Yas Island, including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi (opened in 2010), Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi (2018), and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi (2023). The average summer high tempera- ture on Yas Island is 107°F/42°C. The new park in the UAE will be Disney’s seventh global theme park resort. An opening date is still to be determined. “Abu Dhabi’s vision for the future is to create a legacy for gen- erations to come,” concludes His Excellency. “It will serve as an oasis for extraordi- nary entertainment and experiences for millions and millions of people in this crossroads of the world,” Iger says. He shared the new park’s architecture will be modern and infused with cutting-edge technology. In a post on LinkedIn, Miral wrote the new park will be “the most advanced Disney theme park ever built.” Iger says Walt Disney Imagineering is already working on designing a theme park that will offer “unique and immersive experi- ences in very modern ways.” The park will be built on a plot of land bordering Yas Island’s waterfront. The Disney CEO confirmed in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” television program that the new park will indeed have a castle, but it will be a modern take on a Disney fortress. Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, group CEO of Miral, wrote on LinkedIn, “it has always been my dream to serve my coun- try and contribute; no matter how small, to its progress and growth.” It has not yet been shared if the new park will be built indoors, like other Miral MIRAL HANI HARATY Explore Abu Dhabi for yourself during IAAPA Expo Middle East 2026, March 30-April 2. From networking to benchmarking, the global attractions industry will come together in the United Arab Emirates to make new contacts, source innovative products, and learn best practices at EDUTours. Learn more at IAAPA.org/ ExpoMiddleEast Inside Disney’s International Operation Read Funworld’s exclusive interview with Jill Estorino, the president and managing director of Disney Parks International. Estorino shares insight, thought leadership, and advice for busy attractions professionals. Turn to p. 46. A rendering of what the new Disney attraction may look like in Abu Dhabi.your best sliding fun ever. www.neveplast.it fun all year round neveplast artificial snow fun LEADER WITH OVER 2500 INSTALLATIONS WORLDWIDE. Since 1998, we have been producing and installing patented sports and recreational slopes with artificial surfaces, assisting customers in creating turnkey projects tailored to their specific needs. TUBBY is our flagship solution for year-round sliding fun. IAAPA EXPO ASIA BOOTH 1468 cOmEANDVISIT uSATSANRIO ENTERTAINMENT CO.PLOPSA Dispatch NEW AND NOTABLE The cat’s out of the bag. Hoping to benefit from traffic going to the World Expo in Osaka that opened on April 13, Oita Airport in western Japan has renamed itself Oita Hello Kitty Airport . Oita Prefecture is home to the Harmonyland theme park celebrating the feline character. The airport created a photo spot where passengers can take selfies and visit a Hello Kitty gift store. Six Flags Mexico kicked off the park’s 25th anniversary in March with a three-month celebration. On a daily basis, the park presented 13 shows and a parade with eight new floats accompanied by more than 40 dancers. Once the sun set, Essence: Spectacular Night included cirque- style performers on stage with 300 drones overhead that joined together for a finale with pyro. NEW NAME IN GERMANY MEOW IN JAPAN FIESTA MEXICO Something sweet is brewing at Utah’s Lagoon Amusement Park . Two new shops, Carousel Candy and Peacock Parlour ice cream shop, opened to the public for the 2025 season. “We wanted to take everything up a notch,” says Julie Freed , the park’s director of special events. “The carousel horses in the windows of the candy shop are ones that we’ve had a long time and have been hoping to use, and we’ve never had an ice cream shop quite like this, where we make our own gelato. We even have an ice cream flavor designed just for us—it’ll be sold in stores and called Peacock Punch.” There are also plans for the vacant space upstairs to be used for private parties. REVENUE GENERATION 2 Sourced by Scott Fais and Avery Matteo 1 10 LAUNCH SIX FLAGS MEXICO SWEET NEW OPENINGS The famed Expedition GeForce (below) will soon have a new home. While the ride isn’t moving, Holiday Park Germany is moving forward with a name change: Plopsaland Germany . On June 28, Plopsa Group—owner of the facility since 2010—will rename the property. The rebranding brings the park’s name in line with other Plopsa-owned attrac- tions in Europe that incorporate a geographical location into its name. Funworld | MAY/JUNE 2025 | IAAPA.org/Funworld LAGOON11 IAAPA.org/Funworld | MAY/JUNE 2025 | Funworld INNOVATIONS 4 5 RELIGHTING PARIS’ TORCH TRENDING Slow and steady is popular. Two attractions recently opened jellyfish exhibits. Owned by Herschend, the Newport Aquarium ’s new Jellies : Go with the Flow exhibit features a 1,700-square-foot habitat home to more than 100 jellyfish from six unique species. Meanwhile, SeaWorld San Diego opened Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience , a first-of-its-kind attraction at SeaWorld Parks with three distinct galleries, more than 15 aquariums, and a fully interactive LED gallery. 3 FEELING JELLY The night sky above Paris will again glow as the Olympic Cauldron will be relit June 21 to Sept. 14 and summers beyond. The prominent symbol of the Paris Olympic Games will be reinstalled each sum- mer until Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympics in 2028 . A product of Aerophile , the balloon soars 60 meters above Paris from sunset until 2 a.m. The flame effect is 100% electric, produced by water and light effects. HAVE A DISPATCH FROM THE FIELD? Have a Dispatch from the field? Share your 2025 successes, wins, and innovations with Funworld. Send news and photos to FunworldWorks@IAAPA.org RIBBON CUTTING SOMETHING EPIC OPENS The portals are now open. After two months of team member technical rehearsals and guest previews, Universal Epic Universe is slated to open May 22. Universal Orlando gave Funworld an early sneak peek at the new park. Scan the QR codes below to watch a 90 second preview of each of the five new worlds. UNITED PARKS SCOTT FAISUNIVERSAL ORLANDOUNIVERSAL ORLANDO UNIVERSAL ORLANDOUNIVERSAL ORLANDO AEROPHILE NEWPORT AQUARIUM Celestial Park This central hub offers a racing roller coaster through the stars, delectable cuisine, and imagi- native merchandise. Super Nintendo World Slide through the iconic green pipe into the world of Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong. Dark Universe Darkmoor is a grim world full of the myth and mystery of classic Universal Monsters. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic A hidden, bustling 1920s Paris is home to a next-generation dark ride experience. How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk An energetic village perched above churning seas, where guests embark on Viking adventures. 12 by Michael Switow Asia-Pacific LAUNCH Funworld | MAY/JUNE 2025 | IAAPA.org/Funworld Carmaker BYD rolled into the attractions industry with the opening of China’s first museum dedicated to electric vehi- cles. The 15,000-square-meter space in Zhengzhou, Henan province, is also home to BYD’s substantial manufacturing base. The Di Space Museum offers visitors an immersive exploration of electric mobility innovation. With more than 300 exhibits across four floors, the museum showcases the engineering that drives EVs, new innovations, and a look at BYD’s corporate culture. Interactive displays allow visitors to engage with cutting-edge battery technology while themed areas highlight sustainable transportation solutions. Twenty-six Christie Inspire Series laser projectors, installed by Jianye Display, power the museum’s visual displays. Fans of the classic video game Donkey Kong can now take a wild ride on Mine Cart Madness, an innovative coaster that is the heart of Universal Studios Japan’s Donkey Kong Country. “It is truly emotional to see the world of ‘Donkey Kong,’ which started from the game arcades in 1981, brought to life here at Universal Studios Japan,” shares Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary game designer behind the Donkey Kong franchise. The two-minute ride, housed within the Golden Temple, launches guests from a barrel cannon to help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong protect the Golden Banana from the Tiki Tak Tribe. Using a hidden rail, the coaster creates the illusion of mine carts jumping over broken track, mimicking the video game’s signature moves. The Donkey Kong Country expansion of USJ’s Super Nintendo World also features an interactive rhythm game, creative retail, specialty food offerings, and character meet- and-greets with Donkey Kong. usj.co.jp JIANYE DISPLAY UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN AND NINTENDO Electric Vehicle Maker BYD Opens High-Tech Museum in China Donkey Kong Swings into Universal Studios JapanPROFIT SATISFACTION CUSTOMIZATION GROWTH SOLUTIONS P1-AG.com1-844-946-7124 A R C A D E A R C A D E S P E C I A L I S T S S P E C I A L I S T S Find out how at Bowl Expo booth 51114 Funworld | MAY/JUNE 2025 | IAAPA.org/Funworld Lego and Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum Harness Flower Power Look close. That’s not paint on Vincent van Gogh’s famous 1889 “Sunflowers” painting, housed in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum. The Lego Group and the museum have joined forces to create a 2,615-piece set that allows Lego builders to do exactly that. To celebrate the set’s 2025 launch, the Lego Group has created two brick replicas of the painting for permanent display at the Van Gogh Museum and the Lego Store in Amsterdam. The Van Gogh Museum also plans to host activities throughout the year to mark the debut. To make the experience accessible to all, a virtual tour will enable Lego enthusiasts world- wide to enjoy the installation from their own homes. Fans of the project will also be able to listen to a podcast about its development. Rob Groot, managing director of the Van Gogh Museum, is delighted with the endeavor. “We hope this Lego set will inspire and engage new audiences with the art and life story of Vincent van Gogh.” vangoghmuseum.nl by Juliana Gilling LAUNCH Europe Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, the historical spectacle staged against the backdrop of Auckland Palace in County Durham, North East England, is expanding. Kynren – The Storied Lands, a daytime theme park, will join the nighttime show. The new venue is projected to open in summer 2026. “This is a game-changer for us and for the U.K. visitor expe- rience market,” Kynren CEO Anna Warnecke says. “For the past decade, we have poured passion and expertise into delivering Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, and now we are bringing that same level of scale, innovation, and magic into this new day- time attraction.” 11Arches, the charity that operates Kynren, plans to bring more adventures and stories to life, including The Lone Centurion, Tales of the Tudors, Conquest of the Seas, Excalibur, and Robin Hood. The Kynren – An Epic Tale of England show will continue Saturday nights during the summer with a 1,000-person cast and crew of volunteers. “A decade on, Kynren is one of the wonders of the North East,” says Jonathan Ruffer, founder of 11Arches. The show’s success is the springboard for the new park’s opening next year. 11arches.com England’s Kynren Reveals Time-Traveling Theme Park LEGO GROUP KYNREN - THE STORIED LANDS16 LAUNCH Middle East Funworld | MAY/JUNE 2025 | IAAPA.org/Funworld Vox Cinemas, the cinema arm of Middle East entertainment giant Majid Al Futtaim, has debuted a spectacular IMAX theater at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates. The new theater combines IMAX technology with a custom- built auditorium featuring Ōma Cinema premium pod seating, pioneered by French architect Pierre Chican. The seven ele- vated Theatre Pods—a first in an IMAX theater—combine a private escape with cinematic immersion, gourmet dining, and personalized service. Each pod accommodates five guests. “In an age of streaming, we still believe in the irreplaceable magic of the big screen,” says Ignace Lahoud, chief executive officer of Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment. “We’re proud to offer what we believe is the best IMAX screen in the world. But this is just the beginning. We’re committed to enhancing every aspect of our flagship cinema, with the next phase focusing on the Kids Cinema and social areas. Our ongoing transformation at Mall of the Emirates is meticulously designed to serve our guests, while enhanc- ing this world-class entertainment destination.” majidalfuttaim.com | voxcinemas.com teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, which opened on April 18, brings large-scale immersive art to the United Arab Emirates in a 17,000-square-meter art showcase. Art collective team- Lab blends art, science, and technology to create sensory-rich worlds for guests to explore. Art lovers will discover experiential artworks including Massless Suns and Dark Suns, where spheres of light and dark- ness play with visitors’ perceptions of reality. Visitors who touch the light of a sphere will send rays of light rippling outwards. The haunting Levitation Void—an exhibit that people can push—hovers freely in the air. The silhouetted orb may move or fall but will always recover and rise again. Miral Experiences, a subsidiary of Miral, will operate team- Lab Phenomena Abu Dhabi in the city’s Saadiyat Cultural District. HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism—Abu Dhabi, says, “team- Lab Phenomena Abu Dhabi will offer an immersive journey that sparks infinite curiosity and imagination in all who visit.” teamlababudhabi.com V O X C I N E M A S I M A X ® TEAMLAB teamLab Launches Interactive Art Showcase in Abu Dhabi by Juliana Gilling Vox Cinemas Redefines Premium Moviegoing with Dubai IMAX Debut Experience teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi during IAAPA Expo Middle East 2026 taking place March 30 – April 2.Next >