Originally Posted By Darkbeer Six Flags Press Release Company Enters Into Five-Year Agreement With World's Leading Children's Entertainers New York, NY — December 11, 2006 — Six Flags, the world's largest regional theme park company, today announced an agreement with children's entertainers The Wiggles to build unique "Wiggles World" themed areas in its US parks over the next five years. Six Flags parks will be the exclusive destinations in North America to find "Wiggles Worlds," three of which will debut at Six Flags in the 2007 season including one at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J. The Wiggles are the most popular children's entertainers in the world, and Six Flags' "Wiggles Worlds" will be designed to leverage their vast recognition and status among children ages 2-6. Since 1991, The Wiggles have performed to over 1 million audience members a year. To date, they have sold over 22 million DVDs and videos and over 5 million albums worldwide, and The Wiggles' successful television show has been broadcast on Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney since 2002. This agreement broadens The Wiggles' reach to include dedicated theme park environments in North America; until now, "Wiggles World" has existed only at the Australia-based Dreamworld, which 45% of all park attendees visit for "Wiggles World" alone. The new Six Flags "Wiggles Worlds" will include specially themed rides and attractions, including The Big Red Car Ride, Dorothy the Dinosaur's Rosy Teacup Ride and the S.S. Feathersword Pirate Ship. The areas will also include retail locations selling Wiggles merchandise and a restaurant, the Yummy Yummy Café. Each "Wiggles World" will be populated by The Wiggles' cast of supporting characters: Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword, Wags the Dog and Henry the Octopus, who will pose for photos and perform in daily shows. The Wiggles themselves — Anthony, Sam, Jeff and Murray — will make an appearance and perform at each of the parks where "Wiggles Worlds" are being launched. "In the last year we've focused on rounding out the Six Flags offering to appeal to the entire family. Our alliance with The Wiggles is a quantum leap for us down the family entertainment track; we're already renowned for the best thrill rides in the world, and our new Wiggles Worlds will balance out our offering for young children," said Mark Shapiro, Six Flags President and CEO. "The Wiggles is the most powerful brand in children's entertainment, and this agreement will enable us to leverage that brand in our parks to drive both family visitation and retail sales." "Six Flags wants to provide a fun and safe entertainment environment for families across America, and that fits perfectly with The Wiggles particularly as it enables us to keep in constant touch with all our American friends and supporters," said Mike Conway, GM of The Wiggles. Six Flags, Inc. is the world's largest regional theme park company. Founded in 1961, Six Flags is celebrating its 45th Anniversary in 2006. Six Flags, Inc. is a publicly-traded corporation headquartered in New York City.
Originally Posted By junglejoy So how did Six Flags get this when the show is on the DIsney Channel? I always thought Disney would jump on this. DD will be so excited. She loves the Wiggles! Me too. It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to - so fun.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer The Wiggles own "themselves", and started in Australia. It got popular there, and the Disney Channel approached them to buy the rights to air the program in the US. One reason, Disney saw it as "cheap" programming, as the show was already filmed for the most part (there are some segments that were made for the US market, but most of the stuff, including all the songs, are exactly the same.) Of course, renewal rights went up when the group became popular in the US. So The Wiggles owned the Theme Park rights, and sold the Australian rights to Dreamworld. And now the Wiggles have sold the North American rights to Six Flags. But this isn't something new. For example, Cedar Fair has the North American rights to the Peanuts characters, but Universal Studios has the rights for their park in Japan. And heck, Viacom has sold attractions rights to multiple operators in North America, especially the Nickelodeon and SpongeBob properties.
Originally Posted By junglejoy I guess it means more $$$ for the Wiggles which is good business sense. Thanks for the info Darkbeer. You always are very quick and thorough.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Are the wiggles those 4 grown men who embarrass themselves acting goo-goo over little kids?
Originally Posted By junglejoy Yep. They are the very ones. Loved by kids (and parents) around the world.
Originally Posted By avromark ^^^ And loathed by sports fans in the CFL when a playoff game had to be scheduled around their appearance at a stadium...
Originally Posted By junglejoy Now that's funny. I would imagine that's the stadum's fault. They should have kept the date open and not scheduled another event so they could host the play-offs. But blame the Wiggles. They can take it!
Originally Posted By debtee <<---[running from thread -- ducking and covering]> HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Jim that's so funny after the last wiggles thread!
Originally Posted By Kane22 Just imagine hearing the Wiggles music being heard around Six Flags. Oh, how that will frustrate me!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Yep. They are the very ones. Loved by kids (and parents) around the world.<< Gee.. did parents not learn anything from the Jacko fiasco??? Besides, I prefer the Duddlebops (or whatever their names are.. More colorful guys.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <More colorful guys> Colorful indeed. I'll bet the Doodlebops guys like 'Take That' AND Donna Summer.
Originally Posted By Kane22 I don't know but I really fell that things are going to look cheap at this Wiggles part of the park at Six Flags!
Originally Posted By Darkbeer >>I don't know but I really fell that things are going to look cheap at this Wiggles part of the park at Six Flags!<< I seriously doubt it, this is one of the new bosses pet projects, and will want to make sure they are done right, and will be basicallly a copy of the Dreamworld rides and attractions, which have been a big hit in Australia, and I presume that the Wiggles also have some say in the quality. I doubt you will see it at Magic Mountain, at least until they make the final decision to keep the park instead of selling it to another Theme Park operator.
Originally Posted By irishfan I presume it's going to be pretty similar to Wiggles World at Dreamworld, which can be found here: <a href="http://www.dreamworld.com.au/content/wiggles_home.asp?name=WigglesWorld" target="_blank">http://www.dreamworld.com.au/c ontent/wiggles_home.asp?name=WigglesWorld</a>
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Whatever Six Flags spent on the rights they will recoup tenfold. The Wiggles sell out concerts all over the world. I took my son to his second Wiggles concert a couple of weeks ago and the first thing he asked when we left was, "when can we see the Wiggles again?" He didn't say that after leaving WDW. The four guys (3 of whom are married and have children) met in college getting degrees in early childhood education. One of their projects had them creating some songs for children. Aha, the beginning stages of the Wiggles. Actually, three of them had met earlier while in a rock band that had some top 10 hits in Australia. All I know is this...I wish they would have asked me to join the band!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 My nieces are huge Wiggles fans.....I remember buying Wiggles stuff on ebay from Australia a few Christmases ago for them..... as for me -- reminds me of Up with People group from the 70's -- but I am surely not the intended audience. and I'm with you Wahoo...regardless of what I think about them, I wish I was a part of it financially !
