Thursday, 8 July 2010

Ride the Movies™ at Universal Studios Singapore®

Universal Studios Singapore, the region’s widely-anticipated attraction in Resorts World Sentosa, has concluded its sneak peek week to rave reviews and continues its opening process with team members, invited guests and charitable organizations building up to start welcoming the public in March.

Located within one of the world’s most extensive and expansive tourism projects – the US$4.4 billion Resorts World Sentosa – Universal Studios Singapore will bring to life the best movie-themed attractions packed within seven zones ranging from Hollywood, Far Far Away™ to Sci-Fi City™ and The Lost World™.

As part of its staff-appreciation perks, the park’s first guests will be team members of Resorts World Sentosa, who will be the first to enjoy Universal Studios Singapore with their families from 13 March, before the park opens to the public at 8.28 am on 18 March 2010.

Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Executive Chairman of Resorts World Sentosa, said: “Universal Studios Singapore wrapped up a week of Chinese New Year sneak peeks to great reviews, and we are excited to be gearing up to take our first guests on the rides, which are naturally the highlight of the park. This is the region’s only Universal Studios theme park, and it will be a tourism crown jewel for not just Singapore, but Asia as a whole.’’

Mr. Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO, Universal Parks & Resorts, said: “We are thrilled to be taking the next step toward a grand opening, and we are excited that, at Universal Studios Singapore, guests from throughout the region will get to experience the excitement and adventure our parks are so well known for around the world.”

Press Release Link | Image Link

Universal Studios Singapore is now open and operating at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi to Open October 28, 2010

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s first Ferrari theme park and largest attraction of its kind, has announced that it will open its doors to the public on October 28, 2010, three weeks ahead of the second Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The long anticipated opening date was announced in a ceremony held on 6th May 2010 at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, attended by representatives from Ferrari, Aldar Properties PJSC and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will pay tribute to the passion, excellence, performance, and technical innovation that Ferrari has established over the years and represents today. Its iconic sleek red roof is directly inspired by the classic double curve side profile of the Ferrari GT body, spanning 200,000 m² and carrying the largest Ferrari logo ever created.

In celebration of the opening date announcement, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi unveiled one of its featured attractions. Officially named “Formula Rossa,” this attraction will offer guests a once-in-a-lifetime experience blasting away on the world’s fastest roller coaster reaching speeds of up to 240 km/h.

After the inaugural Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held on Yas Island on November 1 2009, the opening of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi signals a milestone in bringing Abu Dhabi global recognition. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will be a key element in expanding the appeal of Abu Dhabi to travelers, both business and leisure. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will have over 20 rides and attractions which will bring to life the Ferrari brand in ways which appeal to a diverse international audience. In addition to Formula Rossa, visitors to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will also enjoy an aerial voyage through Italy following a Ferrari, a G-force experience taking passengers on an adrenaline-pumping ride up over 62 m, through the roof and back down again, and a flume ride journey through the heart of a Ferrari 599 engine.

“We are very pleased to be a part of today’s announcement of the opening date of this unique and exciting attraction alongside our partners at Ferrari. Signature projects like this are another element of our commitment and contribution to Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, by delivering attractions that further enhance the Emirate’s credentials as an inspiring place to live and visit. ” commented Mohammed Al Mubarak, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldar, Abu Dhabi’s leading property development, management and investment company, and Chairman of Farah Leisure Parks Management LLC.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is located on Yas Island, a 25 km² entertainment and recreation destination and venue for the first Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ahead of the inaugural race last November, Aldar delivered the Yas Marina Circuit, 7 brand new hotels, Yas Marina and all the infrastructure and race-related facilities. A number of new entertainment attractions will open to the public in the few coming years, including the first Links golf course in the region opening in late 2010, and a super regional mall in 2012.

Yas Island is one component of the mass infrastructure development outlined in the Abu Dhabi Government’s 2030 Plan to diversify and expand the emirate’s economic base. When completed, Yas Island is set to be a global tourist destination.

Press Release Link | Image Link

Warner Bros. Movie World Celebrates DC Comics 75th Anniversary

Witness the forces of good and evil do battle in an epic DC Comics event at Warner Bros. Movie World during the June and July school holidays.

Join the DC Comics 75th Anniversary celebration and bring the kids to Movie World dressed as their favourite DC Comics superhero character. Movie World will host an amazing array of DC Comics themed activity including a best dressed competition and a spellbinding, nail biting new action-packed live show featuring villains Lex Luthor and the Joker battling the heroes of the Justice League.

Plus, the Movie World Star Parade will be transformed into a Superhero Night Parade from 5pm daily, which includes brand new floats and six all-new DC Comics characters never before seen at Movie World.

So this school holidays from 26 June to 31 July only, there is even more reason to visit Warner Bros. Movie World!

Press Release Link | Image Link

Australian Outback Spectacular Opens a New Chapter

Since opening its doors in April 2006, Australian Outback Spectacular has entertained over a million people from all over the world, with its celebration of Australian stock men and women at work and play. The audience learns of their history, marvels at demonstrations of their riding skills, laughs at the gags and enjoys the songs and poems that are not only theirs but ours.

The new show 'Heroes of the Light Horse' will retain all the fun, charm and skill of the original but with an important difference, this time we celebrate the link between our stockmen and the legendary Australian Light Horse.

The new show has been directed by one of Australia's most celebrated film and television directors, Simon Wincer, who is best known for movies, 'The Man from Snowy River', 'The Lighthorsemen', 'Phar Lap' and 'Free Willy'. In Heroes of the Light Horse, Wincer adds a new element to the show by blending extracts from his movie with the live light horse action in the foreground, further enhancing the show and introducing high definition movie vision to all scenes.

Aided by clips from the film, 'The Lighthorsemen', the audience follows Australian troops on the long, dry march to the outskirts of Beersheba in Palestine. Following the march, the audience witnesses the famous charge against entrenched artillery, machine guns and infantry, to take and secure the precious wells of Beersheba.

Back in present day, the Spectacular ends on a lighter note celebrating stockmen's skills, but always aware of the debt all Australians owe to those heroes of the Light Horse.

Warner Village Theme Parks’ principal strategy for Australian Outback Spectacular is to grow tourism to the Gold Coast, which produces positive results for its Gold Coast theme parks and the region generally. Australian Outback Spectacular was created to provide international and domestic visitors a typical Australian experience to learn about Australia and its rich culture and heritage.

Australian Outback Spectacular was originally conceptualized over nine years ago by Chairman of Warner Village Theme Parks and Executive Producer of Australian Outback Spectacular - Mr. John Menzies, who identified the opportunity to promote Australian culture to domestic and international visitors.

"I get a lot of feedback about the show, and the one thing that always stands out is how patriotic and proud the show makes our Australian guests feel about their homeland," Mr. Menzies said.

"It's been an inspiring success, and to keep interest high, we decided to introduce a new chapter in the show, which further enhances our cultural outback heritage by telling the story of one of Australia's least known, but most important historic events - the charge at Beersheba by 800 Australian Light Horsemen during the First World War in 1917," Mr. Menzies explained.

"The Light Horse was made up predominantly by "boys from the bush"; young men from the outback who volunteered along with their horses to join the Australian Mounted Infantry know as the Light Horse."

"The famous charge at Beersheba is regarded as one of the most successful and courageous cavalry charge in history and is a living testament to the continued bravery and determination of our outback sons", he said.

The show however, whilst demonstrating this important event in our history, still contains all the modern day fun and competitive spirit of the outback and its people which has struck such a chord, particularly with Australians.

Presenting partner, R.M.Williams Company is proud to continue their support for Australian Outback Spectacular.

R.M.Williams Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Hamish Turner, said the show continues to present Australia’s Outback heritage in an authentic format which is exciting for all audiences.

"Our company founder, Australian legend Reginald Murray ("R.M.") Williams was a passionate and proud Australian. We know R.M. would have shared our view that Australian Outback Spectacular is important because it communicates the culture of the outback to a whole new generation of Australians and visitors," Mr. Turner said.

Experience a deeper journey to the heart and soul of the Australian Outback with the new Australian Outback Spectacular 2. 'Australian Outback Spectacular's Heroes of the Light Horse' is an unforgettable evening and a holiday highlight which cannot be missed.

FACTS
Attraction
Australian Outback Spectacular, presented by R.M.Wiliams, is a permanent attraction

Show location
20 minutes from Surfers Paradise, between Warner Bros. Movie World and Wet'n'Wild Water World on the Pacific Motorway, Oxenford, Gold Coast, Qld

Show duration
1.5 hours including 3 course Aussie BBQ dinner

Show time
Nightly from Tuesday – Sunday (subject to change, excludes Christmas)

Doors open at 6:15pm. Pre-show commences at 7:00pm.

Matinee show time
Additional 12.30pm matinee shows serving a BBQ lunch will be added to the show schedule from time to time

Entry Ticket
Includes show, dinner, drinks during dinner and stockman's hat
$99.95 Adult, $69.95 Child (3-13 years), $89.95 Pensioner

Press Release Link | Image Link

Sea World Whale Watch Ready For Up-coming Season


Sea World Whale Watch will again offer the ultimate whale watching experience on the Gold Coast. Guests will experience an unprecedented level of education along with the awe-inspiring natural experience of getting up close and personal with the world’s largest marine mammals.

Sea World's custom designed $3.4M catamaran will comfortably carry in excess of 100 passengers and will operate daily (weather permitting) from the Sea World Whale Watch Terminal.

The whale watching season runs from 30 May to November during the annual Humpback Whale migration and sees between 8,000 and 10,000 whales travel past the Gold Coast. The whales migrate along the east coast of Australia on their annual journey to the tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef to calf and mate. These magnificent mammals then begin the long journey home to feed on the krill rich Antarctic waters.

Sea World Whale Watch experienced a fantastic inaugural season in 2008, with 100% whale sightings and thousands of happy whale watchers. The Sea World Whale Watch crew is also looking forward to assisting with whale rescues in 2009, after their 2008 experience where the crew spotted and followed an entangled whale until the Sea World Research and Rescue team arrived to assist.

Sea World Whale Watch tickets cost $88 for Adults and $66 for Children and Pensioners. Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase their Whale Watching ticket as part of a combo deal which will include entry into Sea World. Take a Whale Watch Tour and visit Sea World over 2 days and pay just $99 Adults, $77 Children and Pensioners*.

Press Release Link | Image Link

Cross Your Arms and Clench Your Cheeks For Australia's First Looping Body Slide at WhiteWater World


Gut wrenching, heart pounding, teeth chattering. That’s the feeling you get when you step inside the launch chamber of WhiteWater World’s newest power slide, The Wedgie, cross your arms behind your head and peer face first over the sissies five-storeys below.

The wildest doom drop of them all, The Wedgie has no nanny mats and no support tubes. As the trap door triggers, it’s simply fast flesh on fibreglass as you plummet feet first down a near vertical descent, barrelling through a human sized helix before smashing into the splash pool down below.

Here the classic Aussie Cossie braking system kicks in and you feel the fast tug on cheeks as your bathing suit once again assumes control, giving “rise” to the slide’s bold name.

The Wedgie is not for the faint hearted, the loose pants brigade, or anyone under 130cm in height. And, it’s only on impact that you realise you’ve been “Wedgied by WhiteWater World”.

Go on. Cross your arms, clench your cheeks and be daring. Only the bravest will do it in Speedos!

Ride Facts:

Super accelerated start hurtles riders into the looping slide at speeds of up to 45kph
• Height: 17.42 m
• Capacity per Hour: 240 persons
• Speed: up to 45kph or 11.7m/s
• Thrill Rating (out of 4): 4 +
• Requirements Riders must be 130cm and 12 years of age
• Cycle time TBC approximately 7 seconds
• Total length 85m

Press Release Link | Image Link

Dreamworld Days Get Longer With Illuminate Light and Laser Spectacular

Leap into the underwater world of SpongeBob SquarePants this Easter as Dreamworld partners with Laservision to create Illuminate, a multi-media light spectacular that takes guests on an adventure into the life of the planet’s most popular sponge.

Brought to Dreamworld by Laservision, creators of the world’s largest light and sound show - Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights – Illuminate will be a permanent fixture at Dreamworld with its debut Easter show transforming Main Street into a 3D cartoon adventure.

The show opens when Patchy the Pirate, a bumbling yet loveable Nickelodeon Central character, teams up with SpongeBob SquarePants and spurs the crowd into a celebration of song and dance. Guests are then entertained by high-powered lasers, four-metre high water screens, digital image projection and other special effects as they follow SpongeBob on an adventure that ends in a giant jellyfish rave.

The entertainment climaxes with a second laser show combining powerful soundtracks with fast-paced laser beauty.

Said Dreamworld’s CEO, Noel Dempsey, “This is laser like you’ve never seen before. It takes viewers on a journey into a magical environment of artistry using light and emotional sound effects and it lifts the SpongeBob story from a two dimensional TV cartoon into a 3D world.”
“It also showcases to adults just how beautiful light combined with technology can be.”
Commenting on the technology, Laservision’s CEO and founder, Mr Paul McCloskey said very few people in Australia have seen a multi-media presentation so different from traditional shows.

“With two dimensional shows, you tend to sit in a single place and focus on a single screen. Dreamworld’s Illuminate has multiple focal points, including two aqua screens that provide canvasses to recreate the essence of characters on a large scale.

“Further, there are three high-power laser systems that produce combinations of shapes, images, or the spirit of an image and which allow characters to move around the arena. This is reinforced by deep surround sound, theatrical fog machines, flame throwers and water cannons.”

Illuminate runs from April 2 – 16 at 5pm and is complimentary for all paying day guests. Tickets can be purchased separately at the gate as a standalone evening activity at $15 for adults, $10 for children and $35 for families of four. Each additional child is $5.

Entertainment also includes access to select rides like SpongeBob FlyPants, Bumper Beach Dodgems and AVPX.

Dreamworld’s Illuminate will open exclusively for the Easter holidays. However, the investment in the technology is repeatable, reprogrammable and reliable and the core assets are designed to be re-choreographed to produce alternate shows.

According to Dreamworld’s Mr Dempsey, the theme park is also reviewing options for adapting the technology into corporate events, functions and promotions.

Press Release Link | Image Link

Monday, 1 February 2010

Stormtroopers invade Dreamworld for a good cause

More than 30 characters from ‘The Galactic Empire’, made famous through the Star Wars film trilogies, will take a break from ‘controlling the galaxy’ to strike Dreamworld on February 27 in a calculated war to raise funds for the families of seriously ill children around Australia.

The member’s of the 501st Legion’s Redback Garrison, known as Vader’s elite troops, will be hanging up their lightsabers and holstering their blasters as they go on a mission to ‘do good’ with the hope to raising $5000 for the Starlight Foundation.

Stormtroopers, Sandtroopers, Biker Scouts, Tusken Raiders, Clonetroopers and even the Sith Lord himself, Darth Vader, will be taking on the high profile operation, posing for photos with in-park guests and fans with one dollar from every purchased photograph going directly to charity.

The mission will also include face painting and the chance for guests to make donations as the troop rattle the Starlight tins around the park.

Spokesperson for the 501st legion, Adam Lochowicz said, “These characters are so realistic, it’s like stepping into one of George Lucas’ movies.”

“Our legion brings the fictional to life and we find that hundreds of fans enjoy coming out to see the troopers altogether. It’s a great way to create interest and use our hobby to give back to the community,” he continued.

Fans can take to the skies with the characters as they flip, spin and soar on some of Dreamworld’s fiercest thrill rides. Children under 12 years are encouraged to dress in their best Star Wars costume for their chance to march with the troopers in the legion’s parade through Dreamworld’s Main Street at 11.30am.

Despite being notorious for their evil ways, the 501st Legion, the only Star Wars costuming group endorsed by George Lucas, have ‘harnessed the force’ on many occasions, assembling for the Starlight Foundation to raise valuable funds and perhaps clear their conscience from all the intergalactic battles fought previously.

“Starlight is the perfect charity for us to support. We aim to bring people’s imaginations to life and Starlight work to bring the dreams of seriously ill kid’s to life. Plus the 501st legion members are all big kids,” said Mr Lochowicz.

Friday, 26 December 2008

Hollywood Stunt Driver

The glamorous world of Hollywood action film making is brought to life right before guests’ very eyes with the multimillion dollar Hollywood Stunt Driver Show.

Hollywood Stunt Driver opened on Boxing Day 2008 and immerses guests in a real-live action ‘working’ movie set.

Incorporating breathtaking stunts, precision driving, incredible scenes of exhilarating action and the performance of a cast and crew with immeasurable talent, Hollywood Stunt Driver is a show filled with action packed extravaganza!

The action packed Hollywood Stunt Driver attraction, is located on the site formerly known as the Police Academy Stunt Show, which closed in 2008, after 18,000 incredible action-packed, fun filled, breathtaking performances over 16 years, to make way for this exciting new chapter.

The brand-new purpose built and designed arena is the backdrop for what can only be described as brilliant blockbusting movie action from start to finish.

For a full twenty minutes guests are taken on an incredible journey that’ll have them enthralled and entertained.

Hollywood Stunt Driver is proudly presented by Castrol EDGE.

Sunday, 6 July 2008

Meet Tiger Island’s newest superstars, Sumatran tiger cubs SHANTI, JAYA and NDARI

After three weeks of being identified by the distinctive markings on their tails, our newborn Sumatran tiger cubs finally have names. Chosen from entries to competitions run with the TODAY show and The Sunday Mail, along with an internal competition for Dreamworld staff, the cubs have been named ‘Shanti’, ‘Jaya’ and ‘Ndari’.

Congratulations go to Poehere Boosie from Dreamworld’s Food & Beverage department whose striking suggestion of ‘Jaya’ was picked for one of our little girls last week. Indonesian for ‘victory’ Jaya was chosen by Poehere for its significance to the survival of the species.

Said Poehere, “I think Jaya is a really special name as each cub born at Dreamworld is a victory for the survival of the Sumatran tiger population. I wanted to find something really special and the name is a reflection of what we are trying to achieve with our tiger breeding. Jaya just touched me, I thought it was beautiful.”

Short, simple and easy to call were pre-requisites for making the short list, ‘Ndari’ and ‘Shanti’ topping the bill when Tiger Island voted for their favourites from 4500 public suggestions.

Indonesian for ‘full moon’, ‘Ndari’ was chosen from the national entries submitted to the TODAY show and reflects her big, moon shaped eyes. The name ‘Shanti’, meaning inner peace in an ancient Indian language, was chosen from entries to The Sunday Mail in both Sydney and Brisbane. True to her name, Shanti is the mellower of the tiny tots with sisters Jaya and Ndari the feistier of the bunch.

Head down to the Tiger Island nursery to watch our newest superstars Jaya, Ndari, and Shanti wrestle, play, and grow up before our eyes.