Walk Time: Catch the theme park news you missed
I hope that everyone is enjoying a relatively nice break before the summer vacation season picks up in a week.
This past week started with another rough earnings report from United Parks. The corporate parent of the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks continues to struggle with attendance and is still blaming the weather for its troubles: Attendance drops and losses mount at United Parks.
In new attraction news, Swedish theme park Liseberg this week opened the first installation of an Art Engineering Wild Swing XL: Liseberg swings into summer with all-new ride model.
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi this week announced that it will bring the next installation of Las Vegas' Sphere to Miral's Yas Island, with construction set to finish by 2029. The US$1.7 billion, 20,000-seat venue will go up next to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and the Yas Mall.
"Abu Dhabi has always built for the long term, and Sphere Abu Dhabi is a powerful demonstration of that commitment. In a region where the appetite for world-class experiences continues to grow, our USD 1.7 billion investment in its construction phase sends a clear signal: Abu Dhabi is open, ambitious, and unwavering in its direction," HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said. "This project reflects the strength of Abu Dhabi’s international partnerships, built on shared ambition and mutual confidence in what this emirate represents as a global destination. Together, we are creating a venue that will draw our community, visitors, creators and investors to Yas Island and Abu Dhabi for decades to come."
Disney this week teased the locations that it will feature in its new Soarin' Across America travelogue, which opens at EPCOT on May 26. The film comes to Disney California Adventure on July 2: Get ready to see more America in Disney's new Soarin'.
Walt Disney World's president also announced his retirement this week. Jeff Vahle will step down from his role in July: Walt Disney World President announces retirement.
Also on the personnel beat, Area15 in Las Vegas this week announced its new president - former Six Flags and Palace Entertainment executive Bonnie Weber. I met Bonnie when she was park president at Six Flags Magic Mountain and since then she has worked with parks all over the country. In Las Vegas, she will be leading a growing collection of attractions that most recently caught the eye of theme park fans with its debut of Universal Horror Unleashed.
Sticking with Universal, the company is working to train the next generation of theme park and attraction leaders through a new partnership with the Universal of Central Florida. The school and Universal Destinations & Experiences this week announced the new Universal School of Experience Leadership and Innovation, housed within UCF's Rosen College of Hospitality Management. The partnership also includes a new Hospitality Technology Lab to support research in technical innovation for the themed entertainment and attractions industry.
“The Universal School of Experience Leadership and Innovation unites creativity, technology and the practical application of business, marketing, and guest service to develop tomorrow’s leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences," Universal Destinations & Experiences Chairman and CEO Mark Woodbury said.
Stepping away from the theme park beat for a moment, if you are interested in reading what I have to write on other topics, I have been posting weekly columns over on Sensible Talk again. My last two posts were a look at an ideal line-up of college football conferences (that might actually work!) and a spin on an epic ESPN story about NBA coach Steve Kerr that talks about what it takes to be an effective educator. Both posts draw on my personal experiences, as well. I'd love to see you on board as a subscriber over on Sensible Talk!
Thank you, as always, for reading - and I wish you a wonderful weekend.
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