PW June 07 P28-32.qxd 5/21/07 11:24 am Page 28
Park Profile
www.parkworld-online.com
MOVIE
PARK
Take two
Above: Movie Park acting When it lost is Warner Brother franchise in 2005, came to Europe from the States with Six Flags and hasn’t
general manager Wouter
Movie Park in Germany was forced to find new returned yet. With no other parks in the group – for the
Dekkers (left) and StarParks
intellectual property licences that resonate with its time being – he’s been able to throw his full weight
CEO Bill Muirhead
guests. Now it’s got some, and park management behind the Movie Park fight back alongside Andreas
claim they are in a stronger position than ever Stickel, the recently-departed general manager, and
Far right: The Santa Monica
Wheel by SBF/Visa
without the shackles of being tied to a single brand. Wouter Dekkers, now acting general manager.
Nickland, a new children’s area themed around “This park had somewhat of a sordid reputation,”
Below: SpongeBob Splash Bash
various Nickelodeon cartoon characters, is one of believes Muirhead. “Early on it was promised to be the
by 3DBA/Preston & Barbieri
two rejuvenated areas of Movie Park that have Universal Studios of Europe and it didn’t become that,
opened for 2007. Park World meets SpongeBob and certainly not, and then Six Flags came in and just did
friends. what Six Flags does best, which is add wooden
L
ocated in Bottrop, Movie rollercoasters and drop rides and bring in a cheap season
Park began life in 1996 pass programme. That completely changed the image of
as Warner Bros Movie the park, and we let the quality of the experience drop to
World and was later bought by a point where we lost our families and suffered an
Six Flags. When Six Flags attendance decline.”
pulled out of Europe in 2004, The two new areas added this season, Nickland and
selling this and its other parks Santa Monica Pier, are deliberately and very obviously
to Palamon Capital family-focused. Nickland replaces part of the park’s old
Partners/StarParks, the Warner Wonderland area and is the first Nickelodeon-themed
Bros licence disappeared. area in Europe. StarParks has an exclusively dea with
Movie Park is the now the ‘Nick’ licence holder Viacom covering a 250km radius of
one remaining property owned Movie Park which, among other things, shields it from
by StarParks, having disposed other large venues including Holiday Park, Europa-Park
of the various Walibi parks last and closest rival Phantasialand.
year. “I guess StarPark would As with existing Nickelodeon lands in Australia and the
be a little more accurate,” States, Nickland at Movie Park features a Suspended
jokes CEO Bill Muirhead, who Family Coaster from Vekoma as one its key attractions,
28 JUNE 2007
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