theme parks
photo: © Studio Ghibli
The park is based on its anime movies
My Neighbour Totoro Nagoya, Japan Opening: 2020
The first Six Flags-branded parks in China will feature the popular Garfield IP
Six Flags Zhejiang & Chongqing, China Opening: 2019 & 2020 Six Flags has announced the addition of Garfield to its Chinese ventures – the popular IP will feature in the children’s area of its upcoming Zhejiang and Chongqing theme parks. Created in 1978, Paws Inc-owned Garfield holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip. In addition to the various merchandise and commercial tie-ins thought to be worth up to US$1bn (€893m, £768m) annually, the Garfield comic strip has evolved to spawn several animated television specials and movies. “We’re excited to create unique, themed sections based on the beloved Garfield www.attractionshandbook.com
character for children and their families,” said John Odum, president of Six Flags International Development Company. The first Six Flags-branded park in China – operating under a franchise model outside of the USA – is anticipated to open in 2019 and will be located in Haiyan, Zhejiang province, near Shanghai. Chinese real estate development firm Riverside Investment Group (RIG) is behind the US$4.6bn (€4.2bn, £3.2bn) resort development, with the Six Flags park acting as the centrepiece. A second Six Flags park will come to Bishan, Chongqing, in 2020. Both a theme park and waterpark are being developed, once again in partnership with RIG. Che Li, RIG chair, said: “We look forward to bringing Garfield to life inside Six Flags Zhejiang and Six Flags Chongqing.” ■■ http://lei.sr?a=a3H1V
Studio Ghibli has announced plans for a theme park based on its iconic anime movies to be built on the site of the 2005 World Expo in Japan. Developed in partnership with the Aichi Prefecture government, the park will be based on the 1988 cult classic My Neighbour Totoro, with plans to later expand the 2sq km (0.77sq mi) site to create attractions based on other Ghibli films and characters. According to Studio Ghibli co-founder and producer Toshio Suzuki, it will embody My Neighbour Totoro’s theme of “respecting nature and embracing culture” and will be a recreation of the world of Totoro. It will not include any rides. The film tells the story of two young sisters and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan. A house modelled on the children’s home in the movie already sits on the 2005 expo site. ■■ http://lei.sr?a=k0E7Y
ATTRACTIONS HANDBOOK 2017-2018
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