The theme park industry continues to perform well, despite doubts surrounding the health of the global economy. In fact, there are dozens of new theme parks under construction (or soon to be) all over the world, including new parks from the likes of Disney, Universal and Six Flags. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these are in the growing Asian market – although there are plans for one or two new parks in Europe and the USA, too.
For globe-trotting theme park fans, there’ll be a whole host of new destinations to travel to by 2020. Take a look at what could be in store, and let us know which new theme parks you are most excited about!
20. Six Flags Haiyan (Haiyan, China)
Image: Six Flags
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2019
Ground has officially been broken on the $4.6 billion real estate development in Haiyan that will include the first Six Flags park in China. The park will be located right on the coast of Hangzhou Bay, around 45 miles from downtown Shanghai.
Image: Six Flags
Little is known about the attractions that will feature in the park, although Six Flags has already launched an official website for it. The firm promises that it will include “record-breaking roller coasters, unique thrill experiences, incredible live shows and more.”
It is possible to pick out potential attractions in the concept art that Six Flags has released, but we’re very dubious about whether any of the rides depicted will actually make it into the park.
Six Flags announced back in 2014 that it had agreed a strategic partnership with Chinese real estate developer Riverside Investment Group Co. to build multiple Six Flags-branded parks in the country over the next decade, so the Haiyan park could be the first of many.
19. Ferrari Land (PortAventura Resort, Salou, Spain)
Image: PortAventura
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2017
First opened in 1995 by a consortium involving the Tussauds Group, Anheuser-Busch and Universal, PortAventura was sold to the Italian private equity group Investindustrial in November 2012. The group clearly has big plans for the resort (already one of Europe’s leading tourist attractions), and in 2014 it announced it had struck a deal to bring the world’s second Ferrari theme park to Salou.
Image: PortAventura
While it will be modelled closely on Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the Spanish version is set to be on a smaller scale and won’t be hosted entirely indoors like its predecessor. At this point it is not clear whether PortAventura will charge a separate admission fee for Ferrari Land, or if it will simply bundle it with admission to the main PortAventura theme park. Either way, it’s not going to command the same price tag as a full-blown second gate.
Image: PortAventura
What we do know is that the area will cover 75,000 square meters, and will consist of new rides, a 250-room luxury hotel, restaurants and shops. Ferrari promises that it will be “an opportunity for the whole family to experience and discover the world of Ferrari”.
Image: PortAventura
Image: PortAventura
The headline attraction will become Europe’s fastest accelerator coaster, taking the crown from the 80 miles per hour Stealth at Thorpe Park in the UK. Dubbed Acelerador Vertical, the Intamin creation will stand some 368 feet tall and will launch from 0 to 112 miles per hour in five seconds.
Image: PortAventura
Elsewhere in Ferrari Land, an S&S Combo Tower ride dubbed Torres De Rebot will stand at 180 feet tall, combining a Space Shot (which fires riders to the top of the tower before gently lowering them) with a Turbo Drop (which lifts riders slowly to the top of the tower before sending them racing back down to Earth).
Image: PortAventura
A dueling race car ride with a 570 meter circuit that criss-crosses its way across the land will be known as Circuito. Eight high-tech simulators will also allow guests to get behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula One car, with two being reserved for children.
Image: PortAventura
Ferrari Land will include the facades of buildings such as the Colosseum, Teatro alla Scala and the Campanile di San Marco, with a selection of restaurants and stores housed inside a building inspired by the real factory of Enzo Ferrari.
PortAventura’s new addition is expected to be completed by the end of 2016, in time for a grand opening around Easter 2017.
18. Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
Image: Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi, via themeparx.com
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2018
Back in 2007, Warner Bros. announced a deal with Abu Dhabi developer Aldar Properties and the Abu Dhabi Media Company to bring a new theme park to the emirate. Following the 2008 financial crisis, which killed off numerous theme park projects, particularly in nearby Dubai, many assumed that the project had been quietly dropped. But they were wrong.
Construction work began in July 2015, although it appears to be moving at a fairly leisurely pace. Because of the extreme heat in Abu Dhabi, the park will follow in the footsteps of Ferrari World and be housed almost entirely indoors. It is expected to bear little relation to existing Warner Bros.-branded parks, such as Warner Bros. Movie World on Australia’s Gold Coast. An opening date in 2018 has been mooted.
Little is known about the contents of the park, although concept art appears to show at least two large water rides and two roller coasters, alongside some heavily themed landscapes. Reports have suggested that the park will host 19 rides, with an on-site hotel and multiplex cinemas also being housed in the same building.
Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi will be located adjacent to the popular Yas Waterworld water park and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, and the parks are likely to cross-promote each other heavily.
17. Twentieth Century Fox World (Genting, Malaysia)
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2017
Located at Resorts World Genting in Malaysia, Twentieth Century Fox World will boast 25 rides and attractions based on Fox movies such as Alien vs. Predator, Ice Age, Night at the Museum, Planet of the Apes and Rio. It will be spread across 25 acres, making it a very compact park, with a modest budget of $300 million.
Image: Fox Consumer Products & Resorts World Genting
For comparison, Universal Studio Singapore at sister resort Resorts World Sentosa is believed to have cost more than $1 billion to construct, and covers 49 acres.
One piece of artwork shows an Ice Age-themed roller coaster, which looks it may have been inspired by Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Image: Fox Consumer Products & Resorts World Genting
Another shows a huge recreation of the Titanic.
Although an opening date in 2017 has been touted for the Malaysian park, photos showing construction progress so far make this look dubious to say the least.
16. Volcano Bay (Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando, Florida)
Image: Universal Orlando Resort
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2017
Although there’s usually something new to look forward to in Central Florida each year, it’s not that often that we see a whole new park opening. So fans are eagerly anticipating the 2017 debut of Volcano Bay, which Universal Orlando has dubbed a “water theme park”. (Yes, yes…we know it’s really a water park. But we couldn’t resist including it on this list.)
Volcano Bay is being constructed on 53 acres to the south of the Cabana Bay Beach Resort. When it is complete, Universal will essentially be out of space on its main site. That’s why it is closing the 39-year-old Wet ‘n Wild Orlando water park (located on a separate parcel of land on International Drive) at the end of 2016. This will free up 52 acres on which to build new hotels, and could even free up some existing water slides to be sent over to Volcano Bay in a re-themed form.
Image: Universal Orlando Resort
The sole piece of concept art released for Volcano Bay to date gives some idea of what to expect. The park will be dominated by its icon, the enormous mock volcano at its heart. This will seemingly boast an impressive “eruption” effect, combining torrents of water with lighting effects. The artwork also suggests that an enormous slide will make its way down from the volcano, while standard water park attractions such as a wave pool and a lazy river will also be included.
From the sounds of things, Universal is hoping to do for water parks what it did for theme parks with the debut of the highly immersive Wizarding World of Harry Potter. “It will be a whole new generation of experience that reimagines what it means to be a water park,” the company has promised, all set within an environment inspired by postcard-perfect tropical islands.
15. Jeju Myths and History Theme Park (Jeju, South Korea)
Image: Resorts World Jeju
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2017
There’s some serious money (around $2 billion) behind Resorts World Jeju, which will be located on South Korea’s Jeju island (a self-governing province). Given that it’s a sister resort to Resorts World Sentosa (the home of Universal Studios Singapore), that’s not a surprise.
Image: Resorts World Jeju
The resort and its headlining Jeju Myths and History Theme Park are being jointly developed by Genting Singapore PLC (which owns Universal Studios Singapore) and Landing International Development Limited. It will be five times larger than its Singapore counterpart, and will eventually also incorporate a casino, a water park, retail and dining complexes, hotels with more than 2,000 rooms and a spa.
Artwork for the Realm of Olympus area.
Image: Resorts World Jeju
The Myths and History Theme Park will boast 20 rides and attractions, spread across seven zones: Port Horizons (built in the architecture of the late 19th century), Adventure Village (home to cartoon characters and kids’ rides), A New World (a mysterious ancient city built in a jungle), The Gallant Kingdom (a Medieval-era European village), Realm of Olympus (an area dedicated to Greek myths, and seemingly home to a spectacular inverted coaster), The Old World (themed around ancient Persia) and the Far East (based on the ancient Indochina peninsula). A seperately ticketed, 13,000-square-meter water park will also be located on the site.
Resorts World Jeju is slated to open “progressively” from 2017, with the entire development being completed by 2019.
14. Kingdom of Poseidon (Harbin, China)
Image via news.wenweipo.com
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2016
At some stage, the trend for opening new theme park after new theme park in China will surely come to an end. There’s no sign of that happening any time soon, though, with even fears over the nation’s economy not dissuading investors who are eager to tap into the spending power of China’s growing middle class.
A good example is Kingdom of Poseidon, a park in Harbin, China – an area that’s already well-known for its annual winter Ice Festival. It makes sense, then, that the park will be housed indoors, featuring rides, live shows and experiences based upon stories of Poseidon and other ocean-related myths. The centerpiece will be a water park but it appears that non-water rides will also feature.
Image: Goddard Group
Construction started in June 2014 and appears to be moving along, although the planned July 2016 opening date looks a little ambitious. There’s certainly potential here, with Gary Goddard’s Goddard Group designing the resort (Goddard was heavily involved in the creation of attractions such as Terminator 2: 3-D, Jurassic Park: The Ride and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man). Goddard rightly views his company as the “Rolls Royce” option of theme park design, and we can only hope that the construction budget is big enough to bring his team’s visions to life.
13. Twentieth Century Fox World Dubai (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Status: In design phase
Opening in: 2018
Malaysia isn’t the only country that’s due to welcome a new Twentieth Century Fox theme park in the next few years. Fox has also signed a deal with Al Ahli Holding Group to build a park in Dubai, opening just one year later in 2018.
So…you’d expect the two parks to be pretty similar, right? Wrong. Our friend Lance Hart over at Screamscape reports that Rethink Leisure & Entertainment, based in Burbank, California, has been busy designing the Dubai park. But, according to Chief Creative Officer Josh Updike, “Rethink is not involved in the previously announced Fox World Malaysia park being built by Genting.” Different backers, different parks, it seems.
Concept artwork for the Springfield area.
Image: Twentieth Century Fox World Dubai
According to Fox’s Greg Lombardo, the Dubai park will feature attractions based on Ice Age, Rio, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Night at the Museum, Titanic, The Simpsons and Sons of Anarchy (OK…so maybe it’s not so different to the Malaysia park, after all). Many of these intellectual properties are barely represented at existing theme parks, although there are lands dedicated to The Simpsons at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Concept artwork for the Ice Age area.
Image: Twentieth Century Fox World Dubai
The concept art released so far (though clearly just indicative of the style of the park) shows a number of these properties, including what appears to be the museum from Night at the Museum, a Springfield area similar to those at Universal’s parks and a snow-covered Ice Age area.
A hotel with more than 300 rooms will accompany the park when it opens, making this first Fox-branded resort.
12. Universal Beijing (Beijing, China)
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2020
In October 2014, Universal Parks and Resorts announced that it had signed a deal to build Universal Beijing, a $3.3 billion resort due to open in 2019. Since then, construction work has begun but local officials have suggested that the opening date may now be delayed until 2020.
Few details of the attractions that will be housed at Universal Beijing have been released, but we do know that the first phase will include a 300-acre theme park. Later phases could add a second theme park, a water park, a CityWalk dining and entertainment district and up to five hotels, sprawling across a 1,000-acre area.
Image: Universal Parks & Resorts
No rides or themed areas have been confirmed for the park, but it seems a safe bet that popular attractions from other Universal Parks will make the transition. That’s likely to include a Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley or both), a Jurassic Park area, Transformers: The Ride and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. Universal is rumored to be in talks with Bolliger & Mabillard about designing coasters for the park, which could be a sign that a clone of Islands of Adventure’s Hulk roller coaster could make an appearance.
When Comcast announced that it was acquiring NBCUniversal in 2009, many expected it to quickly divest of the theme park division. Instead, enamored by the the success of the first Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it has poured money into expanding it – with that investment being split between the US and Asia. After acquiring a majority stake in Universal Studios Japan, it will jointly own Universal Beijing with Beijing Shouhuan, a consortium of four Chinese state-owned companies.
11. LEGOLAND Japan (Nagoya, Japan)
Image: Merlin Entertainments
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2017
Merlin Entertainments is continuing its race to catch up with Disney as the largest attractions operator in the world, and has several new LEGOLAND parks in development.
The first LEGOLAND park in Japan is expected to cost around $300 million to build, with an investment group actually owning the 9.3 hectare property and Merlin leasing it and operating it. The park will be located near Kinjo pier in Nagoya, around two hours from Tokyo and an hour from Osaka.
Image: Merlin Entertainments
Individual LEGOLAND parks aren’t known for their originality – LEGOLAND Japan is likely to follow a well-worn template, featuring the usual selection of rides aimed at children aged 2-12, including the inevitable clones of Driving School and Miniland. The latter will include a recreation of Nagoya castle using some 225,000 LEGO blocks. Artwork also appears to show a large observation tower among the attractions.
The theme park itself is due to open by mid-2017, with construction work having begun in April 2016. If it’s a success – Merlin is forecasting two million visitors a year – expect the company to follow up by installing a hotel, as it has at several of its other LEGOLAND locations.
10. Primorsky Oceanarium (Vladivostok, Russia)
Image: Primorky Oceanarium
Status: Under construction
Opening in: Spring 2016
Set to be a SeaWorld-style combination of a massive aquarium, other attractions and a research center, The Primorsky Oceanarium is backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Guests will be able to take tours, views exhibits, watch marine mammal shows and interact with dolphins. Construction progress has been agonizingly slow, though, with the complex originally having been due to open in 2012.
Image: Primorsky Oceanarium
The construction delays haven’t been the only problem, either – the Oceanarium has attracted unwanted headlines about alleged sub-standard animal care that make even Blackfish look tame. The allegations included drunk people diving into tanks and distressing animals, a lengthy power cut resulting in death of fish and insufficent medicines being available to tend to the wildlife. Officials admitted that some animals had died as a result of being kept in tanks that weren’t designed for them due to the building delays, as well as accepting that power cuts had occurred.
Image: Primorsky Oceanarium
The scale of the aquarium, if and when it does open, will be impressive – holding around 25,000 tons of water, making it one of the largest in the world. An underwater tunnel will be 70 meters long, 2.5 meters wide and equipped with a moving walkway. 800 species of marine and fresh water creatures are set to be on show.
Image: Primorsky Oceanarium
Concept art appears to show that 3-D shows and other theme park-style attractions will also be a part of the Oceanarium’s line-up.
Image: President of Russia
After the seemingly endless delays (and allegations of money laundering and theft by top officials and contractors), Primorsky Oceanarium does finally seem to be (nearly) ready for a spring 2016 debut. That’s Vladimir Putin above, checking personally on progress in September 2015.
9. Movie Animation Park Studios (Ipoh, Malaysia)
Image: Movie Animation Park Studios
Status: Nearing completion
Opening in: 2016
Due to open in July 2016, Movie Animation Park Studios has already begun selling tickets. Hosted partly indoors and partly outdoors, the park will feature a host of attractions based on animated movies and television shows.
Image: Movie Animation Park Studios
Popular Malaysian character BoBoiBoy (who has superpowers and the ability to separate into three) will have his own zone, the Animation Square. The DreamWorks Adventure Zone will be dominated by the 20-story MegaMind Megadrop tower ride, while the Smurfs will have their own live show in the Blast Off Zone. The Fantasy Forest will host child-friendly attractions, while a large arena will host the Stunt Legends show.
The first phase of construction consists solely of the theme park, but this is due to be followed by hotels and a water park at a later date.
8. LEGOLAND Dubai (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Image: Merlin Entertainments
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2016
It’s well known that Dubai’s effort to establish itself as a serious rival to Orlando collapsed in the face of the financial crisis. The sight of Universal Studios Dubailand’s iconic gates leading to nowhere in the desert became perhaps the most potent symbol of the ambitious project’s death throes.
From the ashes, though, has arisen a new plan – and this time, Dubai Parks and Resorts is for real. While significantly less ambitious than before, it will still be one of the biggest clusters of theme parks outside Florida (although it will not come anywhere close to Orlando’s scale, at least initially). It’ll boast its own equivalent of Universal’s CityWalk or Disney’s Downtown Disney/Disney Springs, packed with shops and restaurants – Riverland Dubai. As you can see in the artwork below, it looks like some serious money is being spent here.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Let’s start with perhaps the least interesting park coming to Dubai Parks and Resorts – surprise, surprise, it’s another LEGOLAND. Expect the usual array of rides for kids aged 2-12, and the usual selection of local and international landmarks recreated in LEGO for the Miniland section.
Image: Merlin Entertainments
We do have some specifics on this one – the park’s version of The Dragon roller coaster (which will headline the LEGO Kingdom area of the park) was completed some time ago. It’s a Zierer creation, standing at around 53 feet tall and reaching a top speed of 37 miles per hour. Expect it to wind its way in and out of a castle when the theming is completed (you can see it in the top right-hand corner of the above artwork, and in its un-themed form below),
Image: Merlin Entertainments / Dubai Parks and Resorts
LEGOLAND Dubai is expected to be ready for a “soft opening” of Dubai Parks and Resorts – possibly as early as September 2016. It will be accompanied by a LEGOLAND water park, similiar to those in Florida and California.
7. motiongate Dubai (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2016
Outside of LEGOLAND, things become a lot more ambitious at Dubai Parks and Resorts. motiongate Dubai promises to bring Hollywood to the desert, featuring attractions based on the works of three major movie studios: Sony Pictures Studios, DreamWorks Animation and Lionsgate. It’s certainly an impressive line-up, with the potential – if the budget matches the vision – to create a park that could rival Universal’s best offerings.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
motiongate Dubai will feature 27 attractions, as well as nine themed family restaurants. These will be spread across five themed zones: Studio Central (the entrance area), Sony Pictures Studios, Smurfs Village, DreamWorks and Lionsgate.
Studio Central.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Ironically, at a time when Universal and Disney are both radically changing their studio-themed parks to move away from a “behind the scenes” theme, motiongate’s creators appear to be following the blueprint set by Disney-MGM Studios and Universal Studios Florida back in the 1980s. Visitors will begin their journey by stepping into Studio Central, which aims to bring the Golden Age of Hollywood to life using sets that represent New York. Publicity materials promise that guests will be able to “go behind the scenes and discover the illusion of filmmaking, theatrical opening shows and the characteristic executive offices of a working movie studio”.
Sony Pictures Studios
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Hotel Transylvania.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Sony Pictures Studios will host seven attractions, including a trackless dark ride based on Hotel Transylvania. This will see guests board four-passenger vehicles for a seven-minute trip, with a companion restaurant – the Hotel Beastro – featuring live character interactions.
Zombieland Blast Off.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Elsewhere, look for a Zombieland-themed S&S drop tower (anyone who has seen the terrifying final scenes of that movie will understand the significance of this drop tower). There’ll also be a water ride themed around Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, a “white knuckle” Green Hornet experience and 4-D movies based on Ghostbusters and Underworld.
DreamWorks area.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
DreamWorks area.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
The DreamWorks area will be headlined by a Mack Rides-built How to Train Your Dragon dark ride, similar in style to the Arthur and the Invisibles suspended coaster/dark ride at Europa Park. There’ll also be a trackless dark ride based on Shrek, and a classic swinging ship ride themed around the Dragon movies’ Vikings.
Lionsgate area.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
The most talked-about element of the Lionsgate area will undoubtedly be the Hunger Games-themed launched roller coaster, set to be themed around the high-speed trains that link the Districts.
Hunger Games theming.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Hunger Games launched coaster.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
There’ll also be a Star Tours-style simulator that will take guests on a hovercraft tour of the world of Panem. In a jarring switch of theme, a dance show based on Step Up, hosted in a 1000-seat theater, will be the area’s only other major attraction.
Smurfs Village
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
The final area, Smurfs Village, is aimed at younger guests. They’ll be able to step into the toadstool homes of the Smurfs, enjoy live shows, ride a kiddie coaster and enjoy multiple play areas.
motiongate is likely to absorb a large chunk of Dubai Parks and Resorts’ reported $2.9 billion budget. Will it be enough to produce a Disney/Universal-quality experience? We’ll have to wait and see.
6. Bollywood Parks Dubai (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2016
Rounding out the line-up at Dubai Parks and Resorts is Bollywood Parks Dubai, which promises to be the first theme park in the world dedicated to all things Bollywood.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
In many ways, it seems it will be an appropriate sister park to motiongate next door, offering an alternative, Indian-style movie experience, rather than motiongate’s decidedly American focus. Bollywood Parks Dubai will cover around 70 acres, hosting 16 rides and attractions within five themed zones.
Bollywood Boulevard.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Visitors will enter onto Bollywood Boulevard, a mix of cafes, food carts, shops and live entertainment. The park’s headline restaurant, Rock On! (inspired by a movie of the same name) promises to offer a lively atmosphere.
Mumbai Chowk.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Next, it’s off to Mumbai Chowk, themed around the birthplace of Bollywood. This will feature a “3-D ride experience” through the streets of Dubai, with guests chasing a mafia boss. A recreation of Victoria Terminus will house a live dance show, with all of the songs being performed on mock trains.
Rustic Ravine.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
Rustic Ravine is designed to represent the heart of rural India. A motion simulator will recreate, of all things, a game of cricket against the British Raj from the movie Lagaan. An interactive 3-D shooter game will see guests take on the bandit Gabbar Singh from the movie Sholay, while a live stunt show inspired by Dabanng will accommodate large crowds.
Royal Plaza.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
The icon of Bollywood Parks Dubai is the Rajmahal Theatre, hosted in the Royal Plaza. This will host live shows throughout the day, with a ticketed Broadway-style Bollywood musical being hosted in the evenings.
Bollywood Film Studios.
Image: Dubai Parks and Resorts
The final land is the Bollywood Film Studios, where guests can sneak a peek into the production set of the Spanish-themed Bollywood movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and get a chance to be the star. In the Hall of Heroes, they can go on a simulated flight tour of India’s landmarks with superhero Krrish. A theatre will also host a 4-D battle between RA.One as he takes on the “digital master” G.One.
As with motiongate, it all sounds very 1980s-era Disney-MGM Studios, and maybe that’s not such a bad thing for those of us who miss those movie-themed parks.
5. LEGOLAND Korea (Chuncheon, Korea)
Image: Merlin Entertainments
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2017
Yep, it’s another LEGOLAND park (Merlin seemingly won’t be satisfied until we are all within 15 minutes drive of a LEGOLAND at all times). LEGOLAND Korea will be located on an island in Chuncheon, in northern South Korea’s Gangwon province. This puts it around an hour’s drive from Seoul, and the setting will certainly be picturesque.
Image: BAUM CM
LEGOLAND Korea will cost around $270 million to construct, with Merlin contributing around a third of the cost and operating the park on behalf of its partners. The local government will fund the construction of a new bridge to the island that hosts the park. Construction is underway, although the discovery of cultural relics during excavation has caused some issues.
By now, we know what to expect from a LEGOLAND park. The standard array of child-friendly attractions will be on offer, along with a Miniland showcasing local and international landmarks recreated using LEGO bricks. If the park is a success, a water park and a hotel are almost certain to follow.
4. Majarat Oman (near Muscat, Oman)
Image: Majarat Oman via Trade Arabia
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2017
This one is something of an enigma, with very little detailed information having been released. Back in 2013 when Majarat Oman was announced as “the Sultanate’s number one tourist destination”, we were promised a “state-of-the-art theme park” that would attract at least half a million visitors a year.
Among the attractions would be Oman’s first-ever 30-seat balloon ride, “fun rides” and live shows. Four zones would be included: Alien Colony, Fuzzie’s World, Space Station and Neptune Water Park. Australia’s Sanderson Group, the design firm behind Warner Bros. Movie World, was working on the plans.
Image: Majarat Oman via Construction Week Online
Despite still being referred to as an “indoor theme park”, now that construction has begun Majarat Oman appears to be primarily a water park, albeit one that also hosts live shows. The futuristic, alien theme remains, but the capacity is merely “over 1,200 visitors daily”. A soft opening date of late 2017 is planned.
3. Shahre Ghese (Tehran, Iran)
Status: Under construction (kinda)
Opening in: 2016
The first ever theme park in Iran was originally due to open in 2015. Shahre Ghese (Story City) has been designed by Canada’s Forrec, and its backers claim that it will include rides supplied by major manufacturers including Intamin, Mack Rides and Zamperla – all based in Europe.
Unfortunately, while construction work was started two years ago, photos posted to the excellent themeparx forums appear to show that it has ground to a complete halt. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given its location, very little is known about the status of the project and why work has stopped. We’ll have to wait and see if this one is revived.
2. IMG Worlds of Adventure (Dubai)
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2016
Dubai Parks and Resorts won’t be open the only theme park project to debut in 2016 in Dubai, with the much-delayed IMG Worlds of Adventure finally nearing completion.
Back in 2012, Disney-owned Marvel signed a deal with Dubai’s IMG Group to open a 350,000 square feet indoor attraction containing retail outlets, restaurants and “interactive entertainment experiences”. The original plan was to open in 2014, but funding and construction delays have pushed that back to 2016.
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
Marvel will only be represented in one of the lands at IMG Adventure World. The other three areas will be the Lost Valley, IMG Boulevard and the child-friendly Cartoon Network (based on another set of licenced properties). A 12-screen multiplex cinema will occupy the remainder of the enormous structure.
IMG Boulevard.
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
The entrance zone, IMG Boulevard, will offer a range of restaurant and retail outlets, as well as unspecified “interactive attractions”.
Marvel zone.
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
Avengers: Battle of Ultron.
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
The Marvel zone will be headlined by Avengers: Battle of Ultron, which will combine stereoscopic 3D media with realistic physical sets and explosive special effects to depict a battle between the Avengers and Ultron. Elsewhere, concept art shows an Astro Orbitor-style rocket ride for children.
Lost Valley.
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
The Lost Valley, meanwhile, will be home to 69 animatronic dinosaurs, bringing a significant amount of movement to the area. The headline attraction will be Velociraptor, a Mack launch coaster that will fire guests at speeds of up to 62 miles per hour through four inversions.
Cartoon Network.
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
Ben 10 5-D.
Image: IMG Worlds of Adventure
The final area, Cartoon Network, will be headlined by a “5-D” attraction themed around Ben 10. The 240 seat theatre will show a 10-minute original 3-D movie that will see Ben and Rook guide guests for their first day as new recruits, culminating in an epic face-off with evil villain Khyber. Scent, water leg ticklers, air blasts, wind and motion seats will all add to the experience.
IMG Worlds of Adventure’s backers are confidently predicting that the complex will welcome more than 20,000 visitors per day, despite the impending competition from the much bigger Dubai Parks and Resorts. Time will tell if the two will complement one another, or if the proximity of a larger rival could take its toll.
1. Shanghai Disneyland (Shanghai, China)
Image: Disney
Status: Under construction
Opening in: 2016
It’s been a long, long road to get to this point, but Disney’s first theme park in mainland China will finally open to guests in June 2016. Delays and cost overruns have led, some believe, to cutbacks elsewhere in Disney’s empire (like the recent widespread Cast Member lay-offs at Walt Disney World), but we’ll soon find out if it was all worth it.
Image: Disney
At least for the first few years of its operation, the undoubted centerpiece of the Shanghai Disney Resort will be Shanghai Disneyland Park. Its name suggests that it will closely resemble the other “Magic Kingdom” parks around the world (Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland), adopting the traditional hub-and-spoke design with a central castle and a range of familiar sub-lands. However, there will also be some significant differences between the Chinese park and the existing parks.
Image: Disney
Shanghai Disneyland will feature six lands: Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Fantasyland, Adventure Isle, Treasure Cove and Tomorrowland.
Image: Disney
Mickey Avenue will act as the entry area, and will be very different to the usual Main Street, USA. It will be inspired by “the colorful personalities of Mickey Mouse and his pals” and will feature a host of meet-and-greet opportunities.
Image: Disney
The Gardens of Imagination will sit in front of the enormous Enchanted Storybook Castle, and will feature attractions such as Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Fantasia Carousel. The Garden of the Twelve Friends will see animals of the Chinese Zodiac reimagined as Disney characters.
Image: Disney
Fantasyland will be the largest land. It will host some spectacular rides, including the Voyage to the Crystal Grotto boat ride (which passes through the castle), the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (a clone of the coaster at the Magic Kingdom) and a modernised version of Peter Pan’s Flight.
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Roaring Rapids artwork. Image: Disney
Adventure Isle will be dominated by Roaring Mountain, the Soarin’ over the Horizon ride (which is also coming to Disney California Adventure and Epcot, to replace the existing Soarin’ video) and the Roaring Rapids water ride.
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Treasure Cove will be entirely themed around Pirates of the Caribbean. The headline attraction will be Pirates of the Caribbean – Battle of the Sunken Treasure, a high-tech update of the classic Disneyland ride that will see guests joining in an adventure with Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Davy Jones.
Image: Disney
Image: Disney
Finally, Tomorrowland will feature the Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue shoot-em-up ride and the Tron Lightcycle Power Run roller coaster, as well as the Dumbo-style JetPacks ride. Star Wars Launch Bay will feature a “state-of-the-art cinematic experience” and Marvel Universe will enable guests to meet superheroes and learn how to draw them.
The Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. Image: Disney
Elsewhere in the Shanghai Disney resort, Disneytown will be an international dining, retail and entertainment district. The area will boast the Walt Disney Grand Theatre, which will host the first ever Mandarin production of Broadway classic Disney’s The Lion King. Two hotels will feature initially – the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel (with 420 rooms) and the Toy Story Hotel (with 800 rooms). Wishing Star Park will be the central area of the resort, featuring gardens, walking trails and a huge lake (contructed at an eye-watering cost of some $41.5 million). The entire resort will be surrounded by a 60-metre wide river, so water is set to be a recurring theme.
Image: Disney
As with its previous overseas resorts in Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong, Disney isn’t going it alone on the Shanghai Disney Resort project. Indeed, the resort is set to be majority-owned by the Chinese government, which will take a 57% stake. But the company still has a huge amount invested in the Shanghai resort, and its executives will be holding their breath come June when it finally debuts to the public.
