We announced a few weeks ago that Paramount Studios would be building a rival park to Disneyland Paris in the south of Spain. Paramount park will be situated 20 miles from the beaches of Murcia and close to the new airport in Corvera opening between 2012 and 2013.
Last week, Michael Bartok and his development team were accompanied by the head of Marta Consulting, Ghassan Aridi and his legal team as well as Jesús Samper and the consultants of Proyectos Emblemáticos Murcianos. They announced that the park will be created using Private investor capital and will use many of the studio’s most popular franchises to create new and unique experiences for guests. They expect the resort to be making profit by its second year of operation because of its viability. Take a look at part of the presentation below (sorry, it is in Spanish!)
There are several pieces of concept art to come out of that presentation that we’ll look at below as we take you on a tour of the new theme park.
The entire resort will be split in to two separate areas, the “Lifestyle Center” and the Theme park. The Lifestyle Center will feature conference facilities, a 15,000 seat auditorium, shopping village, nightclubs and several hotels.
The theme park will be split into 5 distinct zones. Each of them will follow a similar theme linked to a number of successful franchises. To being with, guests will be faced with an elaborate entrance way.
The entrance to the park is very reminiscent of the Universal Studios Park in Orlando. Guests will pass under the archway that takes them to the main turnstiles and into the first area of the park.
The Entrance street
Not yet given a name, the entrance will be a highly theme street that takes guests up to a a hub with several water features. The avenue will be flanked by hotels, restaurants and a shopping centre with a pavilion focusing on the attractions of the region of Murcia and Spain.The park will then split in to three further sections.
Adventure City
The name gives it away but this area features the thrill of adventure and take 3 movies as its basis. As a major centrepiece of the land, Paramount will be a giant replica of the “Titanic”. Guests will have the chance to enter the ship and enjoy a fully immersive, interactive experience.
Next, guests will be faced with the first of three coasters. Intrepid explorers will be invited to board a mini themed vehicle and take a high speed chase aboard the “Italian Job” roller coaster.
Finally, Paramount will offer a virtual reality attraction based on the popular trilogy “Mission Impossible”include a spectacular russian mountain, immersing participants into a thrilling 4d world of international espionage.
Lost Valley
The lost valley takes a mythical approach to movies using Tomb Raider and Beowulf as its inspiration. Guests can take a trip down the congo on the Tomb Raider inspired water attraction that will feature a recreation of a crypt from the movie. Beowulf will take the second of the park’s three coasters.
Woodland Fantasy
Paramount have also thought about the children and Woodland Fantasy is exactly that. This tranquil, more child friendly location will centre around magical workshops, a sleepy hollow tavern, a magical forest and magical trees. Attractions will be varied but one will feature elements from the Spiderwick Chronicles.
Plaza Futura
The final area will give Sci-fi, horror and the supernatural as it focus. Guests here will be able to experience the classic and contemporary only a few steps from each other. “Star Trek” will use the most advanced integration technology and special effects seen in a theme park while “War of the Worlds” will bring another 4D immersive experience held in the centre of a battle between good and evil. If scares are your thing, you can enjoy the passage of terror themed to the B movie horror, “Paranormal Activity”.
The park, during its construction and operation, is expected to generate 10,000 jobs for the area and cost €1 billion to build. With the workforce and budget it is certainly going to be a big project. Paramount have announced that the park is due to open in 2015!
What do you think? Is this really going to rival Disneyland Paris? Is it something that might draw you away from the Mouse’s European destination and take you to sunnier climbs?