Originally Posted By dagobert The proposed Paramount Park in Spain is taking shape. On the weekend the first details have been announced and construction should begin in March 2012. The park should open in 2015. <a href="http://www.premursa.com/web2/EN/magazine/5" target="_blank">http://www.premursa.com/web2/E...gazine/5</a> I'm the only one, who thinks that the entrance looks a bit similar to TDS? However, the park looks interesting, especially the Star Trek area. Disneyland Paris will get another competitor.
Originally Posted By u k fan It does look interesting. I'm a bit concerned about a whole land based on Rango though. Will anyone care by 2015? And the English translation in that guide is awful!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I'm a bit concerned about a whole land based on Rango though. Will anyone care by 2015? And the English translation in that guide is awful!!!<<< I haven't seen Rango. Was it a good movie so that people will remember it? The English is bad in the article. In my opinion a little bit too bad for such a presentation.
Originally Posted By u k fan Yeah, the language is shocking. I haven't seen Rango either. Those that I know who have either love it or hate it, but here in the UK I think the reception was so so. Maybe it was big in Spain or maybe they just wanted a character to base a land on and Rango was the best option available. I think a more general Western land would have been more appropriate though for future expansion!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert Let's wait and see if that park is really going to happen, since the economic crisis hit Spain as well. After 2015 Spain will be home to three movie parks: Paramount Park Warner Bros. Park in Madrid and the former Universal Park Port Aventura.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I put a video presentation of this on my facebook this morning. It looks like it has fantastic potential (if it happens). While I am not a fan so much of the Rangoland (damn toons), the Mission Impossible, Tomb Raider, Titanic, Sleepy Hollow and Star Trek (especially the Star Trek) attractions look ace. Add in their citywalk/downtown district and good hotels, I cannot wait to try it out. FWIW - the WB is a glorified six flags (like the Movieworld park Northern Germany had). And as much as I like Port Aventura, the only thing film about it was Universal was the second owner. This looks to potentially have quite a few unique features. I am looking forward to it (maybe even do a Paramount, Terra Mettica and Port Aventura Trip in the same vacation?).
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I'm sorry, but why in the world is this being built? As nice as it may be I predict that this park is doomed.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>FWIW - the WB is a glorified six flags (like the Movieworld park Northern Germany had).<<< This park was also a Warner Bros. Park in its first years.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt On a more positive note, I will say that this place looks better than DSP.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Why is it being built? Because I would argue there is still major demand.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper First of all, if the park makes due on the plans it presented, this could be a great park. But some of the franchise are a little suspect, IMO. Mission Impossible? War of the Worlds? Spiderwick? Rango? All seem like odd choices. <<Why is it being built? Because I would argue there is still major demand.>> I would agree. If there wasn't a demand for theme parks across the world, Disney wouldn't be building in Shanghai, Universal wouldn't have just opened in Singapore, etc.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Because I would argue there is still major demand." Is there? I guess I don't know or understand Europe very well, and you certainly know it better than I do. The news I see and hear about the financial and unemployment situation is is pretty grim over there, particularly in Spain. I just read a report saying that Paramount is estimating 2.7 million visitors, with 5 million by 2020 - a decent number for what appears to be a pretty modest park in terms of size. However, the initial investment is over $1 billion Euros... I don't know, it seems risky. "If there wasn't a demand for theme parks across the world, Disney wouldn't be building in Shanghai, Universal wouldn't have just opened in Singapore, etc." Asia is completely different market, particularly China, and has largely gone through the economic crisis unscathed. You certainly can't say that about Spain.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I just read a report saying that Paramount is estimating 2.7 million visitors, with 5 million by 2020 - a decent number for what appears to be a pretty modest park in terms of size. >> I don't know the acreage or area covered by the proposed park, but from the layout and artwork, it seems similar in size to Islands of Adventure, especially in terms of attractions offered. I dunno if 5 million is completely out of the question depending on the interest. <<Asia is completely different market, particularly China, and has largely gone through the economic crisis unscathed. You certainly can't say that about Spain.>> True.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I don't think the timing is great, but yes, I do think there is still demand. I think long haul breaks are becoming less common, but cheap air carriers can get you across Europe cheaper sometimes than driving a few hundred miles in the same country. Also, the Spanish tend to vacation at home, so this fits. Murcia has been a growth area for a while, with a void in this kind of entertainment. It is very risky in terms of the timing, but all the parks in Europe (except DLP) seem to be in growth mode in terms of numbers and attractions.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I dunno if 5 million is completely out of the question depending on the interest." Well, to put it in perspective that number is somewhere between 2010's figures for Hong Kong Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and Islands of Adventure. Sorry, but I just can't imagine a theme park in Spain ever hitting those kinds of numbers. Maybe the place will be so knock yer socks off amazing that everyone will be flocking to see it, but I'm skeptical. Dave, you do make a good point about the short haul flights, although Europeans visiting San Francisco are known to be notoriously cheap (no offense) when traveling here, so hopefully there are a lot of inexpensive restaurants and hotels in the area.
Originally Posted By dagobert Airtimers has posted more concept art of the park. The article is in GERMAN: <a href="http://airtimers.com/paramount-park-murcia-so-genial-koennte-der-neue-freizeitpark-werden/0011631/" target="_blank">http://airtimers.com/paramount...0011631/</a> Screamscape.com has posted a video: <a href="http://www.screamscape.com/html/paramount_park_spain.htm" target="_blank">http://www.screamscape.com/htm...pain.htm</a>
Originally Posted By leemac <<"Because I would argue there is still major demand." Is there? I guess I don't know or understand Europe very well, and you certainly know it better than I do. The news I see and hear about the financial and unemployment situation is is pretty grim over there, particularly in Spain. >> Ding-ding - we have a winner. This is a monumentally bad decision. Spain is an economic basketcase with unemployment - particularly outside Madrid and Barcelona - running north of 25%. This location is near to a tourist destination but I can't see it getting even close to 5m attendance. Public transport links aren't strong in this area at all. I'd wager it is being built to make use of developer incentives. You'd be stupid to be building a theme park in Western Europe these days. There is not sufficient demand, period.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo If the demand is not there, then why do we see Legoland Windsor and Europa Park building new hotels, with Drayton Manor's having opened this year. And the Alton Towers and Chessignton hotels are often fully booked during the school holidays?
Originally Posted By u k fan There's a difference between a hotel and a theme park. As busy as these hotels may be I really see them as big ego trips on the part of the parks in question. It allows them to use the coveted word "resort" and makes them look big time. I'm sorry, but Drayton Manor ain't big time by anyone's definition!!!
