PG04-05 Bloggin News Final 3/26/07 12:45 PM Page 5
Park News
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Interpark picks
up Pinfari range
ParkBloggin’
by Dr Jack Samuels
Classic compact coaster designs from Pinfari could be built once again
following acquisition of intellectual property rights by fellow Italian
manufacturer Interpark Srl.
Selling in the
One of the country's oldest ride builders, established 1926, Pinfari
leisure environment
ceased production at its Suzzara premises just a few years ago. The
proud firm, owned latterly by the Begotti family, suffered in recent years As readers of my columns in the past will know, I first coined the
due partly to cheap copies of its designs, notably the 'Big Apple' phrase “leisurized marketing” in the early 1980s. It was much later, in
caterpillar coaster. the 1990s, when Disney came along with its creative term
“merchantainment.”
The Zyklon Loop: The concept of leisurized marketing was to get at the very essence
one of the ex- of what makes things sell through a leisure environment. The Disney
Pinfari coasters
term actually refers to selling merchandise in an entertaining way. In
available
many of its operations it does have this concept down better than
most.
Recently I visited several West End and Broadway theatrical
productions. These included the shows Spamalot, the Monty Python
spoof about King Arthur's quest for the Holy Grail; Tarzan, the latest
Disney production; and Wicked, based on the witches of Oz. Two of
the three shows had rather lacklustre merchandising. It was as its best,
if not outstanding, at Spamalot, relatively average at Wicked, and
clearly below average, especially by Disney standards, at Tarzan. In
fact, I don't recall any great merchandising at any of the other Disney
Broadway shows either.
Spamalot's merchandise
booths in London were the
busiest I've ever seen at a
live musical show on either
the West End or Broadway.
They had great items like
T-shirts that picked up on
Rights to build its rides, including the popular Zyklon range of coasters, key lines in the show or
were picked up by Interpark from the administrators in January and titles of memorable songs.
production will now be shifted to the company's plant at Spilamberto near The “I'm Not Dead Yet”
Modena. Interpark has also secured the services of several ex-Pinfari staff shirt was a top seller. In the
and plans to introduce new models with similar compact credentials, as novelty category were souvenir cans of Spam meat, and my favourite,
well as supplying spare parts to existing customers. the catapulting cow set, although it was overpriced to move in any
“This is great news for the 318 operators out there already with Pinfari great numbers. The merchandise is presented in a fully themed
rides and ends one-and-a-half years of uncertainty,” states Interpark's environment and it even mocks itself with a sign that says “Ye Olde
Giulio De Maria. “We look forward to continuing to be of service to Rippey-Offey Shoppe” (pictured here). This is knowing-nod to the fact
them, and hope to interest new customers with some new designs soon.” that the prices are not cheap but the margins are excellent, and the
public seemed to accept it.
You can see all of the great line of merchandise available at
A model boat from
season Futuroscope added an attraction Spamalot by visiting the website www.spamalotshop.com. I'll be
Mission Eclabouse at
called Danse avec les Robots, using several interested to know if the merchandise sells as well with the shorter
Futuroscope
individual Robocoaster units. obligatory 90-minute Las Vegas version of the show that runs about
Meanwhile at Vulcania, the “European 150 minutes on the West End.
park of volcanism” which opened in 2003, Merchandising at Spamalot presents unique products in a unique
Magma Explorer is a multimedia simulator- environment, with strong motivational factors and cool, provocative
based attraction. Using a motion base from and conversation-stimulating concepts that strongly attract buyers. Just
Bosch Rexroth and surround projection what good parks and attractions have been doing for years. In fact,
from Electrosonic, guests are taken inside a the façade that has been erected for the theatre for outside the
themed volcano, which erupts around theatre even looks like a theme park set!
them. Theming is by Jora Vision from the
Netherlands and the UK’s Farmer Attraction Dr Samuels provides diverse consulting services in marketing, facility
Development. Vulcania visitors are also development, customer service, safety, crowd, and event management
being encouraged this season to peer into and promotional activities programming such as birthday parties. He
La Grand Cratére, which recreates the can be reached at samuelsj@mail.montclair.edu. See more blogs - and
smells, vibrations and energy of a volcano. add comments - at www.parkworld-online.com
APRIL 2007 5
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