Osus, $54m theme park

Voici le premier article consacré aux nouveautés 2006 en amérique du Nord et du Sud, les autres continents suivront dans les prochains temps. Cet article sera mis régulièrement à jour en fonction de l'actualité. Etant donné que certaines nouveautés tardent à être confirmée, nous allons utiliser un code couleur différent afin de distinguer les rumeurs des nouveautés confirmées. Bien sur cette liste n'est pas exhausitve et n'hésitez pas à déposer un commentaire sur les éventuels éléments à rajouter.

Warner Bros. Movie World once again breaks new ground in live entertainment with the launch of an ogre-whelming new attraction starring the world’s most famous and loveable ogre.

All of your favourite characters and superhero's are at Warner Bros. Movie World!

Opening Saturday 17 September, ‘Shrek 4D Adventure’ is a cutting edge multi-sensory attraction – a totally new movie with spectacular visuals and multiple special effects yet to be seen, heard and felt in a ‘4D’ attraction in Australia.

‘Shrek 4D Adventure’ will bridge the narrative between DreamWorks’ Oscar® - winning movie ‘Shrek®’ - “the greatest fairy-tale never told,” and the sequel from DreamWorks Pictures, ‘Shrek 2®’ and once again feature the comic talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow who give voice to the swamp-dwelling ogre, Shrek®, his faithful chatterbox companion, Donkey; his bride, Princess Fiona; and the vengeful ghost of Lord Farquaad.

Donning specially-created “OgreVision” glasses, guests will be transported into a state of the art 3D film that, along with surprising sensory elements, will propel them into the ultimate ‘Shrek 4D’ experience.

The experience becomes even more immersive with the creation of uniquely designed ‘Shrek’ seats, each equipped with seven different special effects that repeat numerous times in tandem with the 3D animation, including vertical drops and horizontal motions!

Guests visiting Warner Bros. Movie World will also have the chance to meet the big, green and loveable ogre Shrek and his new bride, Princess Fiona who will join the star-studded cast of characters appearing in the Park daily.

In announcing the new attraction, John Menzies, Chief Executive Officer, Warner Village Theme Parks said, “Warner Village Theme Parks are always striving to introduce innovative new attractions such as Shrek 4D Adventure in an effort to drive holidaymakers to the Gold Coast and further enhance the region’s reputation as Australia’s leading holiday destination.

“Warner Bros. Movie World is a world-class movie studio theme park, offering unique and groundbreaking entertainment experiences not found anywhere else in Australia.

“Our commitment is to bring the most unique and exciting entertainment experiences to life based on popular contemporary movie product. The new Shrek 4D Adventure attraction is an example of the tremendous rewards to be realised from working with a creative powerhouse such as DreamWorks.

“We are so delighted to welcome Shrek to Warner Bros. Movie World and believe it will strengthen the Park’s already exceptional stable of movie themed attractions,” Mr Menzies said.

‘Shrek 4D Adventure’ marks the first animation to be created for a theme park by the animation wizards at PDI/DreamWorks, the creators of ‘Shrek’. The addition of three-dimensional depth to the animation and the creation of in-theatre effects by attraction designers at Universal Creative will be parts of the new OgreVision multi-sensory experience.

Members of the team responsible for ‘Shrek’ and ‘Shrek 2’ also created the new animation. David Lipman, the co-executive producer for ‘Shrek’ and producer for ‘Shrek 2’ also produced the theme park attraction and Simon Smith, Head of Layout on ‘Shrek’ directed it. Also, Harry Gregson-Williams, one of the composers on ‘Shrek’, composed the new orchestral score.

The ogre-whelming ‘Shrek 4D Adventure’ begins when guests are ushered into a pre-show chamber and greeted by the late, vertically challenged Lord Farquaad himself, who, in his first posthumous appearance, will inform guests of his ghostly scheme to haunt Shrek, Princess Fiona and Donkey. The video and animatronic preamble will prepare guests for their entry into the main theatre and the wild adventure to follow.

Once settled in their specially-designed seats, guests will be transported to the fairy tale realm of Duloc, as the screen and the theatre itself come alive with the tale of the Shrek-Princess Fiona honeymoon adventure.

The tale begins as Shrek, Princess Fiona and their companion, Donkey set off for a honeymoon. But the ghost of Lord Farquaad, intent on taking his fearsome revenge, interrupts the honeymooners’ bliss. Soon, our fairy-tale heroes are face to face with ghostly foes and the audience is transported into the centre of a thrilling adventure packed with such fast-paced sequences as an aerial dogfight between fire-breathing dragons and a steep plunge down a 1,000-foot deadly waterfall.

It’s an ogre-load of fun not to be missed!

Warner Bros. Movie World is the only place where you can become lost in a world of fantasy and fun; meet Shrek and all your favourite stars and super heroes, and experience the exhilaration of world-class adventure rides, movie attractions and an array of stunning shows including the Shrektacular new ‘Shrek 4D Adventure’ attraction.

Warner Bros. Movie World – where movie magic happens every day!

Source : Etravel Black Board

Jusqu'au 3 octobre, la capitale de la Bavière accueille la deuxième fête populaire au monde en nombre de participants après le Carnaval de Rio.

C'est un grand classique allemand: samedi 17 a ouvert à Munich la 172ème Oktoberfest, fête de la Bière qui se tient jusqu'au lundi 3 octobre au soir. La capitale bavaroise attend six millions de visiteurs, qui perpétueront cette manifestation née en 1810 et tenue chaque année (les amateurs de calcul noteront que le compte n'y est pas, la différence tenant aux 24 éditions annulées en périodes de guerre ou de choléra).

La chope d'un litre, dite "Mass", coûte cette année entre 6,80 et 7,25 euros. Et il s'en écoule quelques millions (plus de 6 millions de litres en 2004), accompagnées de saucisses et autres nourritures roboratives, au son d'orchestres et groupes traditionnels: l'Oktoberfest est une grande fête populaire où l'estomac joue un rôle éminent. La fête comprend aussi un grand parc d'attractions.

Pour que ses participants étrangers n'y soient pas perdus, le site web de la fête présente un "dictionnaire de la Wiesn", qui traduit le vocabulaire et les expressions du dialecte bavarois en cinq langues (anglais, italien, néerlandais, suédois et japonais). De quoi apprendre à « commander une Mass, acheter des prezels et flirter avec les habitants », promet le site.

Source : Generationmp3

Le parc de Disneyland de Hong  Kong connaîtra une expansion avec la création de nouvelles  attractions et l'amélioration de service chaque année, a indiqué  samedi Eva Cheng, commissaire chargé du tourisme du gouvernement  de Hong Kong. 

Intervenant à la radio, Cheng a rappelé que l'accord conclu  entre les autorités de Hong Kong et la compagnie Walt Disney  prévoit que le site de la première phase de ce parc à thèmes  couvrira 126 hectares sur la zone côtière de la Baie de Penny,  alors que l'actuel parc n'a qu'une superficie de 70 hectares. 

"Pareils aux parcs de Disneyland à Tokyo et aux Etats-Unis,  le Disneyland de Hong Kong construira de nouvelles infrastructures chaque année afin de promouvoir le tourisme familial", a-t-elle  dit. 

Quant à la qualité de services, Cheng a indiqué que  l'amélioration des services se fera conformément à la culture  locale, et que les moyens de transports et les mesures de contrôle de la foule sont déjà en place pour assurer le fonctionnement  normal du parc. 

Elle a espéré que le nombre des visiteurs venant de la  partie continentale de la Chine atteindra un record au début du  mois d'octobre prochain, étant donné que ces derniers resteront  pour la plupart trois jours à Hong Kong.

Source : XINHUANET

 [EDIT] Voici le dernier parc a thème de Dubaï annoncé. Pour voir des photos de la maquette, je vous invite à vous rendre à cette adresse ici .

Mega theme park resort to be built in 'Dubailand'

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates --  A mega theme park resort will be built in the Gulf emirate of Dubai at a cost of seven billion dirhams ($1.9 billion), developers said on Monday.

"Aqua Dunya, comprising the largest and most diverse theme park resort in the Middle East and a residential community of 3,400 apartments, will rise from the middle of the United Arab Emirates [UAE] desert by early 2008," Al Sharq Development, a subsidiary of the Saudi-based Al Sharq group of companies, said in a statement.

"The world's largest cruise ship, The Desert Pearl ... [will] serve as the centerpiece of the theme park resort," which will be built within "Dubailand", a complex projected as a Middle East version of Disneyland.

The ship, 407 meters (1,335 feet) long and 95 meters from water line to top of its eight masts, will contain a climate-controlled indoor element of the theme park and a luxury hotel.

Construction of the 743,000-square-meter (8-million-square-feet) resort will start in January 2006 and its launch will coincide with the opening of phase one of Dubailand in early 2008.

The project was unveiled two days after the announcement that a $1.5-billion city housing structures modeled after ancient and modern wonders of the world will be built as part of Dubailand.