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A once packed theme park has been left frozen and derelict for more than 25 years with many of it’s buildings still sat on the coast the same as the 1990s

When you think of theme parks, you may think of the city-sized parks of Disney World in Florida, or even the thrills closer to home of Alton Towers and Thorpe Park, but just two decades ago, many more theme parks lined the coast and countryside.

While the Lancashire coast still has rollercoaster screams, kilos of candyfloss and the clatter of rides on a track at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, one place just up the coast has all its thrills frozen in time, abandoned and left to rust.

While thousands may have childhood memories from family days out, now all that remains of those days at one park are the memories. Coastal Lancashire has its fair share of charm, and Morecambe in particular has held many hearts for decades.

Its promenade, vintage amusements, and views across the bay still draw people from miles around. But beneath that familiar seaside postcard, there are corners of the town that feel like they belong to another era entirely, and one such place is Frontierland.

First opening its park gates back in 1987 after the redevelopment of Morecambe Pleasure Park, Frontierland dubbed itself as one of the first “genuine” theme parks in the UK. It was owned by Geoffrey Thomson, managing director of the more popular Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Pleasureland Southport.

It offered log flumes, a Wild West theme, coasters and cables, and a colourful escape for generations of families. The site itself had been a theme park of sorts since 1906, and it once had a wooden rollercoaster called the Cyclone, which was designed and built by American engineer Harry Traver in 1937 for the Paris World Exposition.

A later addition was a 150-foot Big Wheel, which had to be quickly removed in 1982 because of neighbour complaints. But as visitor numbers continued to dwindle at the park, and Morecambe in general, the park decided to begin downsizing just 10 years after it opened, and only two years later, in 2000, it would shut for good.

Many of its attractions were either scrapped or moved over to Thompson’s two other parks. The “Rattler” was moved to the Pleasure Beach, whilst “The Wild Mouse” and “Chair-o-Plans were moved to the Southport site, which would also close in 2006.

For the next two decades, the rest of the park remained derelict, stuck in time and slowly turning into a wasteland.

After lying derelict, Lancaster City Council bought the site in 2021 and has invited interested parties to create proposals for it. Earlier this year, there were reports that the town council was considering plans for development.

Despite 35 developers interested in taking Frontierland ideas and prepared to submit proposals and tenders to the council, no news has yet been shared, and so much of the park continues to lie there, a remnant of a time no longer past.

Sonny Curtis, a vintage rock ‘n’ roller who wrote the raw classic “I Fought the Law” and posed the enduring question “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” as the writer-crooner of the theme song to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” has died at 88.

Curtis, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Crickets in 2012, died Friday, his wife of more than a half-century, Louise Curtis, confirmed to The Associated Press. His daughter, Sarah Curtis, wrote on his Facebook page that he had been suddenly ill.

Curtis wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs, from Keith Whitley’s country smash “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” to the Everly Brothers’ “Walk Right Back,” a personal favorite Curtis completed while in Army basic training. Bing Crosby, Glen Campbell, Bruce Springsteen and the Grateful Dead were among other artists who covered his work.

Born during the Great Depression to cotton farmers outside of Meadow, Texas, Curtis was a childhood friend of Buddy Holly’s and an active musician in the formative years of rock, whether jamming on guitar with Holly in the mid-1950s or opening for Elvis Presley when Elvis was still a regional act. Curtis’ songwriting touch also soon emerged: Before he turned 20, he had written the hit “Someday” for Webb Pierce and “Rock Around With Ollie Vee” for Holly.

Curtis had left Holly’s group, the Crickets, before Holly became a major star. But he returned after Holly died in a plane crash in 1959 and he was featured the following year on the album “In Style with the Crickets,” which included “I Fought the Law” (dashed off in a single afternoon, according to Curtis, who would say he had no direct inspiration for the song) and the Jerry Allison collaboration “More Than I Can Say,” a hit for Bobby Vee, and later for Leo Sayer.

Meanwhile, it took until 1966 for “I Fought the Law” and its now-immortal refrain “I fought the law — and the law won” to catch on: The Texas-based Bobby Fuller Four made it a Top 10 song. Over the following decades, it was covered by dozens of artists, from punk (the Clash) to country (Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith) to Springsteen, Tom Petty and other mainstream rock stars.

“It’s my most important copyright,” Curtis told The Tennessean in 2014.

Curtis’ other signature song was as uplifting as “I Fought the Law” was resigned. In 1970, he was writing commercial jingles when he came up with the theme for a new CBS sitcom starring Moore as a single woman hired as a TV producer in Minneapolis. He called the song “Love is All Around,” and used a smooth melody to eventually serve up lyrics as indelible as any in television history:

“Who can turn the world on with her smile? / Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? / Well it’s you girl, and you should know it / With each glance and every little movement you show it.”

The song’s endurance was sealed by the images it was heard over, especially Moore’s triumphant toss of her hat as Curtis proclaims, “You’re going to make it after all.” In tribute, other artists began recording it, including Sammy Davis Jr., Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Minnesota’s Hüsker Dü. A commercial release featuring Curtis came out in 1980 and was a modest success, peaking at No. 29 on Billboard’s country chart.

Curtis would recall being commissioned by his friend Doug Gilmore, a music industry road manager who had heard the sitcom’s developers were looking for an opening song.

“Naturally I said yes, and later that morning, he dropped off a four-page format — you know ‘Girl from the Midwest, moves to Minneapolis, gets a job in a newsroom, can’t afford her apartment etc.,’ which gave me the flavor of what it was all about,” said Curtis, who soon met with show co-creator (and later Oscar-winning filmmaker) James L. Brooks.

“[He] came into this huge empty room, no furniture apart from a phone lying on the floor, and at first, I thought he was rather cold and sort of distant, and he said ‘We’re not at the stage of picking a song yet, but I’ll listen anyway,’” Curtis recalled. “So I played the song, just me and my guitar, and next thing, he started phoning people, and the room filled up, and then he sent out for a tape recorder.”

Curtis would eventually write two versions: the first used in Season 1, the second and better known for the remaining six seasons. The original words were more tentative, opening with “How will you make it on your own?” and ending with “You might just make it after all.” By Season 2, the show was a hit and the lyrics were reworked. The producers had wanted Andy Williams to sing the theme song, but he turned it down and Curtis’ easygoing baritone was heard instead.

Curtis made a handful of solo albums, including “Sonny Curtis” and “Spectrum,” and hit the country Top 20 with the 1981 single “Good Ol’ Girls.” In later years, he continued to play with Allison and other members of the Crickets. The band released several albums, among them “The Crickets and Their Buddies,” featuring appearances by Eric Clapton, Graham Nash and Phil Everly. One of Curtis’ more notable songs was “The Real Buddy Holly Story,” a rebuke to the 1978 biopic “The Buddy Holly Story,” which starred Gary Busey.

Curtis settled in Nashville in the mid-1970s and lived there with his wife, Louise. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991 and, as part of the Crickets, into Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007. Five years later, he and the Crickets were inducted into the Rock Hall, praised as “the blueprint for rock and roll bands (that) inspired thousands of kids to start up garage bands around the world.”

Italie writes for the Associated Press. Associated Press journalist Mallika Sen contributed reporting.

A couple who travelled to Universal Studios in Japan were left stunned after arriving at the theme park and seeing the Super Nintendo World, with thousands of others left in awe since watching the clip

A couple were gobsmacked when they rocked up to a theme park that appears to exist in an entirely different “dimension” due to its spectacular, all-encompassing 3D design. Countless theme parks can be found across the globe, providing guests with an enormous selection of attractions ranging from heart-stopping rides to beloved cartoon and gaming characters roaming about for meet-and-greets, live entertainment shows, and much more.

Universal Studios operates five locations worldwide. Its original theme park was the legendary Universal Studios Hollywood, which remains popular today. It was quickly followed by venues in Florida, Japan, Singapore and Beijing.

There’s currently a new theme park in development set to launch right here in the UK, in Bedfordshire. However, it was Universal Studios Japan, situated in Osaka, that recently captured the wonder and amazement of one British couple – along with thousands of social media followers whose mouths fell open when clips of their visit were posted on TikTok.

The venue first opened to visitors on March 31, 2001, becoming the inaugural location to launch beyond the United States.

On its website, it states: “Our theme park appeals to children and adults of all ages, and covers a wide spectrum of entertainment based on blockbuster Hollywood movies, from thrilling rides to shows featuring popular characters.”

It’s also the location of the impressive Super Nintendo World, featuring enormous, full-scale reconstructions of the buildings and various levels made legendary in the beloved Super Mario and Donkey Kong franchises.

Claudia and Liam, a travel-loving couple who share their adventures online as the Cotswold Wanderers, recently embarked on a trip to Universal Studios in Japan. The sight of Super Nintendo World left them speechless.

In a TikTok video, the pair are seen with their mouths wide open in awe, as the camera reveals what they’re looking at: the spectacle of giant, brightly coloured buildings that have become iconic through video games worldwide.

The caption accompanying the clip read: “Just two 20 something year olds that have dreamed of seeing this in real life.”

Their video resonated with thousands of social media users, amassing over 246,000 likes, 42,900 shares, 28,700 saves and more than 1,000 comments.

One gobsmacked viewer commented: “Oh my gosh that’s mad.”

Another said: “Another reason why Japan is a much better place to live than here,” while a third admitted: “I’m 42! Grew up playing Mario, even I’m gobsmacked! Would love to visit one day.”

A fourth user said: “Yeah it’s unbelievable it’s like you have gone into the dimension.”

Others expressed their desire to visit, with one saying: “I will go to Japan just for this” and another agreeing: “I really wanna go.”

One person praised the creativity, saying: “This is so creative!” Another simply stated: “It is a dream.”

And yet another added: “Omg Japan is most definitely on my list now.”

One user shared their personal motivation: “I wanna gooooo! I wanna heal my inner child!!!”

While another succinctly summed up the general sentiment: “Wow!! Need to go.”

Guitar ace Slash rose to prominence with an unmistakable look as the anchor of Guns N’ Roses. A true rock ’n’ roll persona, the artist was once rarely seen without a drooping cigarette and a top hat, the latter of which could barely contain his face-engulfing curly hair.

Now, as of this week, he’s a theme park character at Universal Studios Hollywood.

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Slash, or, rather, a skeletal facsimile of him played by an actor, will be available for photo opportunities and meet and greets at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, which runs most evenings through Nov. 2. For the musician, born Saul Hudson, it’s a dream fulfilled. A lifelong devotee of theme parks and coasters, Slash has been closely aligned with Halloween Horror Nights since 2014, when he first began scoring music for its haunted houses.

And the character, he says, was partly his idea.

“I went to them and said, ‘Hey, can we have one of those stilt walkers?’” says Slash, referring to the larger-than-life lurkers who haunt guests during the festivities. “That would be really cool. So they came up with one and he looks pretty menacing.”

Slash enjoys the idea of being a towering, sometimes intimidating presence. That’s clear when he’s on stage as the attention-demanding cornerstone of numerous bands. And he likes to scare, as evidenced by his own horror-focused film production company, BerserkerGang. But get Slash one-on-one, and he really just wants to geek out on his favorite theme park rides.

Universal Studios has released a second vinyl compilation of music Slash has composed for Halloween Horror Nights over the years.

(Gabriella Angotti-Jones / For The Times)

We talked to Slash about a week before Halloween Horror Nights opened from Orlando, Fla., where he was holed up recording an album with his band the Conspirators. That work, he says, will be released in 2027 due to planned 2026 touring obligations with Guns N’ Roses. He lamented that he wouldn’t have time to visit Walt Disney World and Universal’s new Epic Universe. The latter Florida park is home to a monsters-themed land that Slash said he was eager to see.

His love of theme parks runs deep, and is, of course, nonpartisan.

“I’m a real Disney head,” he says, joking that such a declaration may not make his Universal partners happy. He says he first visited Disneyland in the early 1970s. “I really can’t put into words what makes it so magical, but there is a definite thing there that you feel when you’re actually there. I’ve loved it since I was a little kid.”

“But I love theme parks in general,” he continues. “I love roller coasters. I love that carnival energy going on. I love arcades. I love everything about that festive outdoor thing, and I’ve never grown out of it.”

Arguably, he’s grown into it.

Halloween season means it’s time for Universa’s Halloween Horror Nights, which runs through early November at the theme park.

(Gabriella Angotti-Jones / For The Times)

Slash has a deep fascination with Universal Studios, made clear by his knowledge of how the park’s backlot tram trek — officially designated as the World-Famous Studio Tour — has shifted over the years. And as a lifelong horror fan who speaks nostalgically of watching 1970s films such as “The Wicker Man,” “The Omen” and “The Exorcist” with his parents, Halloween Horror Nights is especially dear to Slash’s heart.

Slash was first drawn to the event in 2013 due to a haunted house themed around the music and images of Black Sabbath. The artist was given a tour of Horror Nights by John Murdy, who has long overseen the West Coast edition of the festivities.

“I was so blown away,” Slash says. “I was elated. I remember physically making giddy sounds. The whole thing, from the stilt walkers to the invisible bush figures who would hide in the bushes and were camouflaged, it was unbelievable. I wanted to be involved.”

Murdy was open to the idea. “The first time I walked into his personal recording studio, the first thing I noticed was a huge print of ‘Bride of Frankenstein,’ our 1935 classic, hanging on the wall. And I was like, ‘Oh, we have something in common.’”

Halloween Horror Nights is filled with haunted houses and scare actors.

(Gabriella Angotti-Jones / For The Times)

Slash would go on to write the music for six Halloween Horror Nights houses centered around Universal’s classic monster characters. This year, he’s returned to Horror Nights with a score set to a relaunch of an original, Depression-era set maze, “Scarecrow.” Musically, it’s a departure for the artist. “Scarecrow” includes a Slash-composed cover of traditional folk number “O Death.”

“We started talking ‘Scarecrow,’ and as pure coincidence, he said, ‘Oh, I just learned the banjo and the dobro,’” Murdy says. “He was learning all these traditional Appalachian instruments, and I said, ‘That’s awesome because my house is set in the Dust Bowl.’”

That Slash has been dipping into more Americana-influenced music isn’t a complete surprise. His 2024 solo effort, “Orgy of the Damned,” leans blues for instance, including a blistering, rootsy take on early Fleetwood Mac rocker “Oh Well” with country star Chris Stapleton. Selections from Slash’s Halloween Horror Nights work, minus the new “Scarecrow” music, will again be available on a limited-run vinyl sold at Universal Studios during Halloween Horror Nights.

Slash is featured this year as a “character” at Halloween Horror Nights, a skeletal, stilt-walking interpretation of the artist.

(Gabriella Angotti-Jones / For The Times)

“As soon as they gave me the concept, my brain went into that realm — I could pull out my pedal steel, and do an Americana-type approach, as opposed to the goth, kind of pseudo-metal thing I was doing for all the Universal Monsters,” Slash says.

Slash has become such a Halloween Horror Nights fixture that this year will feature a bar centered around the artist, one complete with a mini top hat as a dessert. When asked how he feels to be immortalized as a sculpted sponge cake with coconut lime mousse, he doesn’t flinch.

“I wish I could explain in words how much I love that kind of stuff,” Slash says.

He is, after all, a theme park regular, although his favorite rides are found a few miles from Universal Studios in Anaheim. “I love the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. That and Pirates of the Caribbean will always be my two favorite rides,” he says. “The attention to detail and the creative element and everything that is going on with those old Disney rides is still, to this day, second to none.”

The mark of any true theme park aficionado is an appreciation of slow-moving, old-school dark rides, attractions that are set in darkened show buildings and often filled with an assortment of vignettes. Slash singles out Universal’s “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash” as another highlight.

“I went with my stepdaughter and we went on that ride and it’s great,” Slash says. “The ‘Pets’ one is really sweet. I’m a big animal guy. We love our cats, so that was a lot of fun.”

Crowds lined up to enter “Scarecrow,” a haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights featuing music by Slash.

(Gabriella Angotti-Jones / For The Times)

And before Slash can finish his next thought, he starts gushing about a recent trip to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he visited Ferrari World, home to a number of celebrated roller coasters.

“I can talk about this stuff all day,” he says.

Puy du Fou is the creator of award-winning history-themed destinations in France and Spain of the same name. Now plans have been unveiled to open a new park in the UK

One of Europe’s top-rated theme parks, which happens to have no rides, is planning a UK site.

Puy du Fou is the creator of award-winning history-themed destinations in France and Spain of the same name. It welcomes in 2.8 million visitors a year and shows them a good time not via the medium of rides, but through its historical attractions.

At its Toledo and Les Epesses bases, Puy du Fou puts on dozens of action-packed shows in which gladiators, Vikings, warriors from the Middle Ages, and many others besides clash swords, ride horses, and set off pyrotechnics. The two sites are often rated as among the best theme parks in the world, delivering as they do a history-spanning live-action role-player’s dream.

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Now, Puy du Fou has unveiled plans to move to the UK. It has submitted an outline planning application to Cherwell District Council for a £600 million park near Bicester, which is best known for housing a discount fashion retail park beloved by Chinese tourists.

If approved, the new park will open in phases beginning in 2029. By the time the park is fully developed it will directly employ around 2,000 people, support a further 6,000 jobs in hotels, restaurants, suppliers and other local businesses, and deliver a £500m a year boost to the local and regional economy, Puy du Fou has claimed in a press release.

The firm predicts it will welcome in 1.47 million visitors a year when everything is fully up and running. It will take ten years from the planned opening date of 2030 for the whole park to be finished, tripling the initial expected annual ticket sales of 550,000 by the end of the first decade.

On offer will be a “beautiful, wooded park with stunning landscaped gardens” that will allow visitors to “immerse themselves in British history by visiting four period villages and 13 live shows. There will also be three hotels, each themed to different periods in British history, and a state-of-the-art conference centre, which will be open on demand all year round.”

Olivier Strebelle, CEO of Puy du Fou, said: “We have only submitted these plans after an extensive consultation, which took over a year and included six in-person events and over 250 individual meetings, all of which have helped to shape our final proposals. We did not rush our consultation because we wanted to get our proposals right.

“We have wanted to come to the UK for many years. Britain has such a rich, colourful and exciting history, and the site we have chosen near Bicester is the ideal location to create a world-class destination that will bring that history to life.

“This will be a £600 million investment in the local economy over the next ten years and will create thousands of jobs, but it will also have the environment and sustainability at its heart.”

The proposals also include extensive landscaping and planting, with new ponds, lakes and gardens, as well as over 5 km of new hedgerows, 40 acres of biodiverse and species-rich wildflower meadows, and 20,000 new trees being planted to join with the existing woodland to create the first new 50-acre forest in Cherwell.

More information can be found on the project website. Puy du Fou was established in France in 1978, and was joined by a second destination in Toledo, Spain in 2021. The two parks have won 25 global awards in the last five years.

Only John Williams could have put me in the orbit of one of history’s most famous basketball players. Kobe Bryant, like so many others, was a huge fan of Williams’ music; he befriended and sought out the composer for career advice and, when he made his post-athletic pivot to filmmaking, hired Williams to compose a short score.

And because I cover film music for a living, I was able to interview Bryant — along with Williams and Disney animation legend Glen Keane — for The Times in the spring of 2017. I even got to meet Bryant in person, backstage at the Hollywood Bowl, when he rehearsed his narration of “Dear Basketball” at an all-Williams concert. It was an obscenely hot day, and I waited outside Bryant’s dressing room while they finished drying his sweat-soaked shirt with a hair dryer before he came out and cheerfully shook my hand.

I gave Bryant and “Dear Basketball” a fair amount of real estate in my new book, “John Williams: A Composer’s Life,” not because of his fame or athletic prowess, but because I feel that his short film inspired one of Williams’ most beautiful works of the last decade, and also because there was something poetic and moving about the whole affair, and about saying goodbye to the thing you love the most — especially as the film became a kind of eulogy for Bryant after his untimely death in 2020.

[The below excerpt is from Tim Greiving’s “John Williams: A Composer’s Life,” out Sept. 2. Greiving is a frequent contributor to The Times.]

Tim Greiving

(Laura Hinely)

Kobe Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star, was an unexpected admirer of John’s music: as a boy, Bryant would tie a towel around his neck and run around to the theme of Superman; as a player, he used the Imperial March to hype himself up before games; and as a father, he would rock his infant daughters to sleep on his chest listening to Hedwig’s Theme. The six-foot-six athlete from Philly could hardly have been less like John, but he recognized mastery when he heard it. “I asked myself a question,” Bryant said: “What makes a John Williams piece timeless? How is he using each instrument? How is he using the space between them? How is he building momentum, and then how is he taking it away to build it again?” As a basketball player, Bryant said he was “essentially conducting a game,” “so I just wanted to talk to him about how he composed music and try to find something similar that I can then use to help my game as a leader and winning championships.”

Bryant first contacted John for counsel just before the 2008 NBA season. “The first thing I told Kobe was, I’d never seen a basketball game,” John confessed. “High school, college, professional, or television. And of course he laughed.” “But once I had told him my reason for reaching out to him,” Bryant said, “he saw the connection immediately…If we look in our same industry and we just look at things from that funnel, then you wind up essentially recycling information. So sometimes you look outside of that discipline to have a new point of view, a new perspective on it. [John] was digging it.”

They continued to see each other over the years, with Bryant often visiting John backstage after shows at the Hollywood Bowl. When Bryant retired from basketball in 2016, he turned his attention to entertainment. He wrote a sentimental open letter, “Dear Basketball,” as a retirement announcement, and one of his first post-game projects was turning that text into a short film. He wanted it crafted by undisputed masters of their fields, so he commissioned Disney animation veteran Glen Keane— who designed and animated Ariel in The Little Mermaid, among other achievements— and he asked John to write the score. The first thing John said to Bryant was, “I do classical pieces, and it’s all by hand,” almost as a warning. Bryant answered: “The piece will be hand-animated by Glen Keane, who is you in the animation space. I want it to have the human touch. I don’t want it to be poppy, I don’t want it to be hip-hoppy. I want timeless, classical music.”

Somehow, these three disparate artists—with two decades between each of them—hit it off. Keane was an avid fan of Lost in Space growing up in the 1960s, and when he told John how much he loved the music, John was completely embarrassed. “But it’s wonderful, John!” Keane said. “It held the promise of wonder and excitement and fun and quirky and scary and dangerous, and it was all in this one score. And John— the roots of your entire career are in that score.” Keane asked if he could play some of the old music. John said, “No, please don’t!” “No, I really gotta play it for you,” Keane insisted. “So I did.” The unlikely trio sat around a table in Keane’s office “and we just talked,” said Bryant. “John talked about how [the letter] made him feel, Glen how it makes him feel, and we all centered on the same thing, which is why I wrote it in the first place: the beauty of finding what it is that you love to do, and then finding the beauty of knowing that you will not be able to do that forever. Once they saw the nature of the piece, there was really nothing else to discuss.”

(Oxford University Press )

Keane illustrated the five-minute film with graphite on paper, depicting the arc of Bryant’s letter— from young Kobe tossing rolled-up tube socks, to NBA glory, to retiring at 37. John was equally inspired by Bryant’s childlike enthusiasm and Keane’s artisanal process. “The drawings have great fluidity and, in the best sense of the word, great simplicity,” John said. “They really are gorgeous, not only to look at, but rhythmically they’re fabulous.” Keane always animated while listening to music, and for this story it was selections from Empire of the Sun. John used that score as a reference point, but initially he wrote something that was too big, “and he went back and he rewrote it for something that was more understated,” said Keane, “in a similar way that Kobe’s delivery, his narration, is very personal, uninflected, not trying to sell anything. More like revealing. Kobe’s got a very quiet voice, and that also had a big impact in how we animated.”

John took a short break from The Last Jedi and spent two weeks in March 2017 to write and record this short piece—a gift for Bryant. When the towering baller arrived at the Sony scoring stage, John said: “I hope that you like what I’ve written.” Bryant just looked at John and said, “I feel pretty confident that it’s going to be just fine.” When Bryant heard John’s piece for the very first time, emanating from a symphony orchestra, “Oh my God,” he said. “I almost lost my mind. As soon as his hands went up and then the music started, I almost yelled out loud— but I had to remember that the red light was on and we’re recording… It was the most unreal experience I could ever have.” Bryant looked over “and just put his head on my shoulder,” said Keane, “like, ‘I can’t believe it.’ It was so beautiful. Then when it was done, John turned to us and said, ‘I promise it’s going to get better.’”

It was one of the simplest, yet most inspired pieces John wrote during this decade: a brief journey taken by a humble, hummable tune that bottled a young boy’s guileless dreams and aspiration for greatness and glory. His hymnal theme begins as a gentle woodwind duet, which is passed to strings and then accelerates into soaring triumph to accompany Bryant’s heyday. Then it grows small again, a lonely keyboard wandering a broken chord as Bryant’s voiceover admits that his body can only play for so long. John’s knack for noble flying music closes the loop, with heraldic horns and rolling timpani connecting Bryant’s story to his music for American heroism— concluding with a bittersweet reprise of the theme on piano and an uplifting coda as the credits roll. Like the letter itself, the score is part valentine, part elegy—and John put his heart into it. He premiered it at the Hollywood Bowl in September, and Bryant surprised the audience by joining John onstage to narrate. The short film won an Oscar in March 2018—and then very shortly afterward, it became a poignant eulogy for Bryant when he died, age 41, in a helicopter crash on a foggy Sunday morning in Calabasas that also killed his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. John’s wistful, symphonic poem suddenly took on a new shade. “It is elegiac, but it isn’t weepy,” John said of the film when he first scored it, never imagining the sudden tragic fate of his young friend.

It strikes its own manner of saluting the man and the game and the accomplishments with a lot of modesty, I think. It’s very touching, and in the end that may be its highest achievement, that it’s able to praise this man the way it does, without a lot of false vanity or hubris that could easily have spilled into it. That’s my take on it in any case.

A BRAND new vintage fairground-themed playpark has just opened its doors in the UK.

The new Adventure Play Fair in Norfolk is “one of East Anglia’s largest themed play areas,” according to the attraction’s Instagram account.

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Sprawled across the 30,000-square-foot park, wooden huts have been converted into all the things you would expect to find at a funfair.

A towering red and yellow Helter Skelter stands out in the play area and has a small climbing wall and exit to a bridge walkway on the side as well.

Then there is a wooden shed standing as a ‘Popcorn Hut’, with a rope bridge leading it to the ‘Hook a Duck’ hut with a slide and another exit to the ‘Hall of Mirrors’.

Another spot is ‘Tin Can Alley’, where kids can bang on long metal tubes that vary in length to create differently pitched sounds.

The Ferris Wheel, dubbed ‘The Big Wheel’ has a network of tunnels, bridges and different wooden ‘pods’.

While the giant play structure doesn’t move like a Ferris Wheel does, the different cabins have a variety of things to do, including one with a slide out of it.

The carousel also stands stationary, with wooden horses and a long rope bridge coming from its roof and stretching to another part of the park.

And scattered across the park are a number of multicoloured teacups.

Adding to the vintage steam rally theme, there is a train that kids can crawl through, and on hot days, they can have a splash in the UK’s first water fountain organ.

Classic playground elements are in the ‘funfair’ too, such as swings, pedal quadracycles and trampolines in the ground.

For the parents, there are plenty of picnic benches with parasols to perch on and a cafe to grab refreshments or a light bite at.

One visitor, who headed to the open day yesterday, said: “[T]his is outdoor play on a whole new level.”

Tickets cost £4 per adult and £8 per child and the Adventure Play Fair is open Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 5pm.

While there, families can also explore the museum that has the world’s largest collection of steam engines.

For half price adult admission and free tickets for kids under 12, you can show your Adventure Play Fair tickets.

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Thursford is also popular in the festive season for its Christmas Spectacular, which includes a three-hour show with over 130 performers.

There is also Santa’s Magical Journey, which includes a meet-and-greet with Father Christmas.

From November, visitors can head on The Enchanted Journey of Light – an immersive light trail with fairytale characters, lanterns and lit-up seesaws and swings.

And if you are looking for something else to do nearby, head down the road to Pumpkin House which has a maize maze, mini golf, tractor sand pits and pumpkin picking in October.

Or you could discover Hindringham Hall – a moated Tudor manor house with fishponds and historic walled garden.

There are holiday cottages at the house too, if you wanted to extend your stay in the area.

Norfolk was also recently named a must-visit destination for August.

Plus, on the Norfolk coast there is a countryside hotel with an underground spa.

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This theme park in North Wales is set against the stunning backdrop of the Snowdonia mountains and home to a large variety of unique rides and nature-focused experiences

This theme park with enough attractions to captivate both younger and older children is every parent’s summer wish come true. It is even more enticing with it comes with a picturesque setting that offers a touch of escapism for grown-ups as well.

There’s absolutely no question that GreenWood theme park in North Wales boasts an idyllic location – proudly eco-friendly and nestled against the breathtaking Snowdonia mountain range.

Should you be planning a family break in North Wales this year, or simply fancy a relatively straightforward day trip from Manchester, this park ranks among the finest attractions around. It comes after sunbed wars see Brits forced to queue for ‘over an hour’ just to get to the pool.

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The journey takes approximately 90 minutes by car from Manchester, but it follows one of the most uncomplicated routes possible (via the A55 beyond Llandudno and A5 through Bangor). The stress-free journey also provides magnificent coastal vistas along North Wales.

As one Manchester Evening News writer discovered, travelling with two children aged 9 and 5, the theme park provides a thoroughly packed day out with an abundance of activities – plus a genuine diversity of rides that sets it apart from typical theme parks.

Consider, for instance, its Green Dragon rollercoaster – marketed as the “world’s first people-powered rollercoaster”. It’s apparently the only theme park attraction of its type in the world- but don’t fret, it doesn’t require everyone to run Flintstones-style to power the ride.

The attraction utilises funicular technology, first introduced in Welsh slate mines two centuries ago. All passengers clamber into a carriage which descends a hill, powering the rollercoaster up the incline.

There are plenty of very unique features to encounter at this family attraction. Another is the Barefoot Trail – where you kick off your shoes and stroll through the woodland, allowing your feet to feel an invigorating variety of surfaces from water to straw and stones.

There is stilt walking for beginners, archery, and during the first week of the school summer holidays, there are virtually no queues for any of the 20+ rides across the site. The only unavoidable wait will likely be for one of the park’s more spectacular highlights – the colossal Solar Splash water ride.

Another world-first, this ride is powered by solar energy, and allows both kids and adults to zoom down two massive central chutes, or a spiral chute next to them, before making a splash landing at the end. All the wild woodland play features scattered across the site, add an extra dose of intrigue. The park is nestled against a hillside so be prepared for some gentle inclines as you explore the grounds.

The on-site Woodbarn restaurant boasts a large soft play barn inside, ensuring your little ones are kept amused while you order food and wait for it to be served at your table.

The attraction has recently introduced alpaca walks that you can book as an extra (for £20), where children aged over 4 accompanied by their parents can meet and feed the three resident alpacas on the site. You can then embark on a guided walk with these furry creatures around their enclosure.

Treetop Towers, filled with slides and climbing adventures, are situated across the park, and you can walk up to the top of the site to take in the view from the Snowdonia View Point.

Entry is £25 per person for anyone over 1m, while those under 1m pay £10. A family ticket saver option is also available, costing £95 for a family of four (saving you a bit at £23.75 each). GreenWood is offering a ‘Pay Once, Visit Twice’ deal for the summer holidays. If you visit between 19th July and 24th August, you can return within seven days at no extra cost.

Dogs are also allowed in for free, provided they’re well-behaved and kept on leads.

It might be a two hour flight away, and a five and a half hour drive, but a growing number of Brits believe Efteling is well worth the journey.

Most Brits have a love-hate relationship with theme parks, often finding themselves grumbling about the long queues, exorbitant prices, and less-than-stellar food. We’ve all been there, shelling out a small fortune for a day of standing in line, only to enjoy a few fleeting moments of rollercoaster excitement, while simultaneously trying to keep pesky wasps away from our overpriced fast food.

But fear not, there’s an alternative. If you’re up for a bit of a journey, you can find yourself at Efteling, located near Tilburg in the Netherlands, in just three and a half hours from Calais.

You might be thinking, is it really worth the extra effort and cost?

Well, an increasing number of Brits certainly think so – including Nottinghamshire Live executive editor Sam Dimmer.

Sam recently embarked on a trip to the park to see if it lived up to its growing reputation, reports the Express.

He shared: “My family and I spent three nights at Efteling, travelling from the East Midlands. Our hotel room included park passes for four days. It cost £1,200 in total, but considering park tickets cost around £180 a day for a family of four, I think that represents good value.”

Sam had previously visited the park but only stayed one night, which he felt wasn’t enough. Plus, the park had recently unveiled a new ride he was eager to try.

He added: “We felt that three nights was just about enough this time around, but still very nearly missed an entire section of the park because it wasn’t where all of the main rides were.”

Initially, Sam planned to keep track of how many rides we went on, but that idea was quickly abandoned.

He said: “The theme park is open from 10am until 10pm and the queues rarely go above 30 minutes, so you’re going to be quite busy, particularly late in the evening.

“Also the virtual queuing on two rides, and the app advising you how long queues are, mean you can plan your day to spend as little time as possible queueing.

“When you’ve got younger kids, or kids with additional needs, that’s a lifesaver.”

Efteling is a family-friendly theme park and last year Sam’s eight year old was able to go on all the rides, including the Baron, a vertical drop coaster similar to Oblivion at Alton Towers but with superior theming.

This means that around 7pm, many visitors start heading for the exit and the queues for the bigger thrill rides and the darker new ride, Danse Macabre, only take 10 to 15 minutes.

Those rides? They’re absolutely brilliant.

Sam said: “Yes, it’s a family park, with brilliant playgrounds, a fantasy forest, incredible theming and based around fantastic stories. But my oh my, the rides are good. The aforementioned Baron, wooden race coasters Joris and the Dragon and water coaster the Flying Dutchman are tremendous fun, but the best ride is the newest – Danse Macabre.”

Danse Macabre was Sam’s favourite – in fact, he and his family rode it seven times. He said: “Yes, it broke down on the last day and the queues were long, but this is a special ride. Guests sit in rows of church pews, before the whole room goes dark. Then you’re spun around the room, like you’re dancing, watching an orchestra of ghosts and ghouls perform.We went on it seven times and each time we saw something new. Every time people applauded when the ride ended. It’s that good. It’s beautifully put together, exceptionally clever, and so fun.”

The food is delicious

Typically during Sam’s theme park adventures he packs his own lunch to dodge the pricey and often disappointing food – but at Efteling there were no complaints about the cuisine.

He said: “The park is famous for many things, and the food is definitely one of them. The chimney cakes, pastry cones filled with an assortment of fruit, cream, chocolate, candy floss etc etc are a delight, although I wouldn’t recommend eating one before hitting a big ride, and you can also sample Dutch treats like poffertjes (little pancakes) and kibbeling (deep fried spiced fish with a delicious dip).

“If anything the food is better than last year. Pinnokio’s pizza and pasta restaurant was a hit with my family, as was the meal at Het Eethuys, a hotel on site.

“My favourite though was Polles Keuken, a pancake restaurant that served huge sweet or savoury pancakes against a brilliant backdrop.”

Nevertheless, it’s crucial to reserve these restaurants beforehand as they can become extremely packed.

Allow yourself plenty of time to wander Efteling isn’t a massive park but you’ll definitely miss something if you’re not paying attention.

Sam said: “We only spotted the huge playground because I saw a post on the incredibly helpful Efteling Fans UK Group and decided to go on the monorail at 9.30pm.

“We also spotted the Efteling museum and a great self-serve restaurant in the area that we returned to the next day. This was on day three of four in the park, and we weren’t planning on doing as much on our final day, but decided to stick around because we kept spotting new things to do.”

For visitors who fancy a gentler experience or youngsters not quite prepared for breakneck thrills, the Fairytale Forest provides a charming escape.

This magical zone boasts a collection of breathtaking exhibits, some motionless and others moving, presenting guests with an array of peculiar personalities, including Long Neck, a chap with an remarkably stretched neck.

Efteling is enchanting

Sam was thoroughly taken with the attraction, explaining: “The thing about Efteling is it doesn’t feel like a place designed to suck money out of you. It feels like they genuinely care about you having a great time. The staff, for example, are unbelievable. I clumsily asked one in Dutch if he spoke English and he looked at me and told me he spoke five languages and was learning a sixth.

“It’s clean, the music is wonderful and it smells so good they actually sell Efteling scents in the gift shop. My wife’s salon now smells very much like Efteling. I love Alton Towers, but I don’t think I’d particularly want to bottle the smell of a day out in Staffordshire.”

Anton Pieck, an artist and illustrator, was one of the founders of Efteling and his work continues to inspire the park today. His influence is still felt, making visitors feel as though they are truly walking through a fairytale.

It’s worth considering an overnight stay.

Not many theme parks necessitate an overnight stay, as usually a day is sufficient. Alton Towers in the UK might be an exception, but at Efteling, three nights didn’t seem excessive.

Sam’s hotel was a picturesque ten-minute stroll from the park entrance, passing lakes, playgrounds and a fairytale castle. He said the rooms were “ideal”, offering ample space for a family of four, with comfortable beds, a large bath and a powerful shower.

There’s even a swimming pool, perfect for younger kids.

Be prepared for a good deal of walking

This won’t come as a surprise to seasoned theme-park visitors, but you will certainly clock up the steps.

Sam said: “There’s a beautiful little steam train that takes you around the park, but we didn’t use it as the park itself isn’t huge.

“It’s a decision I regretted at the end of day four as we prepared to drive to Calais, although a decent pair of trainers helped me just about get through. We were averaging between 25,000-30,000 steps a day, which is a good old shift, but we were going from 10am to 10pm.

“We’re a family who enjoys being active, but for those who find walking challenging, this might not be as enjoyable. However, there are measures you can take to make it easier, and we do enjoy a good walk.”

Dianne Bourne went to Gulliver’s World with her kids and realised it’s one of the best value-for-money family days out in the region

For a brilliant family day out, there’s one destination that offers exceptional value whilst keeping youngsters thoroughly entertained. Manchester Evening News lifestyle editor Dianne Bourne ventured to Gulliver’s World with her children and discovered this theme park is seriously underrated.

According to Dianne, the Warrington attraction is “arguably one of the best value-for-money family days out in the region”. Daily passes start from just £14 per person, available through “secret sales” on Gulliver’s official website.

During Dianne’s visit on a glorious Sunday at the beginning of school holidays – likely the busiest and most “peak” period possible – day passes were priced at £25 per person, or £16 for afternoon entry, reports the Express.

She wrote: “Even at £25 per person, I found it to be excellent value, considering the enjoyable full day I spent here with my two children, aged nine and five.”

Gulliver’s frequently gets overshadowed in the theme park hierarchy, especially given its proximity to the enormous Alton Towers.

Whilst it might not rival adult thrill-seekers’ expectations, Gulliver’s targets the family demographic specifically, featuring attractions tailored for ages two to 13.

Dianne observed: “I was quite impressed that even during peak times, queue lengths never exceeded thirty minutes for any attraction.”

Those who haven’t been to this Cheshire theme park in a while will be amazed by the fantastic new additions. The standout feature is The Land of Oz, which was Dianne’s family’s starting point for their day out.

This magical new area takes its cues from the much-loved Wizard of Oz story and its unforgettable characters.

Dianne said: “Visitors can stroll, or dash as my children did, along a yellow brick road… inevitably humming ‘follow the yellow brick road’ repeatedly – if you’re anything like me.”

The first sight that greets guests is the Upside Down House, where you can wander around and marvel at the rather puzzling spectacle of it all, before exiting via a huge slide (adults included) at the end.

Dianne added: “My younger son was particularly fascinated by the twitching limbs of the Wicked Witch pinned beneath the house.”

Next to the house is a child-friendly driving experience where little ones think they’re in charge – and they’ll probably enjoy spotting a munchkin (and other colourful characters) along the forest path.

However, the most striking new attraction in this part of the theme park has to be the Winged Monkeys. These creatures from the classic Wizard of Oz have haunted many a dream over the years.

Yet here at Gulliver’s World, visitors can climb aboard one of these spooky creatures as they glide through the air. The brilliant thing about this attraction is that older kids (and grown-ups) can choose to hit a button to flip upside down for an even more thrilling experience, whilst younger ones can simply enjoy the journey as the monkeys bounce up and down.

Dianne revealed: “My nine-year-old dared to try one spin in the monkey before deciding to remain upright for the remainder of the ride, much to my relief.”

Following all the thrills of the new Land of Oz, Dianne chose to explore Western World and was delighted to discover just a brief queue for one of the most beloved attractions, Apache Falls.

She explained: “This ride is a bit of a hybrid between a Rapids ride and a log flume, and one thing’s for sure – you’re going to get wet. Not that my children minded, they absolutely loved it.”

Meanwhile, Gully’s Cartoon Studios serves as an excellent spot for lunch and features an extra soft play zone inside the restaurant. Dianne noted: “It’s these little extras that make a day out like this more manageable for parents, I believe. The soft play provided a distraction for the kids while I queued for our hot food at the takeaway.”

There’s so much on offer that Dianne and her family couldn’t experience all the attractions. She commented: “One of the things I adore about Gulliver’s World is its compact layout, making it easy to navigate and ensuring everything feels within reach.

“The park is also visually appealing, boasting plenty of greenery and a large pool at its centre, home to numerous ducks and moorhens that kept the children entertained during our brief ice cream break.”

Compared to other family attractions like the Trafford Centre Summer Funfair where Dianne once spent £64 on rides for two children over just two hours, plus an entrance fee of £10.50 for three of them, Gulliver’s World (which cost £75 for three) offers incredible value for a full day out.

Dianne stated: “I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to entertain children under 12 during the school summer holidays. If you can be flexible with your dates, keep an eye out for those £14 tickets too.”

THE WORLD’S top place to take bored kids this summer, which is in the UK, has announced a new rainy day guarantee scheme.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort has introduced a free return for ticketholders who attend the attraction on a day that rains.

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The new policy means that guests will always have a great visit to the attraction, because if the weather is poor they can return on a day where it is better.

The policy will be in place throughout August and it will need to rain for more than three hours on the day of their trip.

If this does happen, then guests can return for free within seven days of their original visit date.

CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, Amanda Thompson OBE said: “It’s important to us that guests have the best time when visiting, and while technically speaking the rain doesn’t affect our rides, we wouldn’t want the wet weather to dampen anyone’s day.

“We truly believe that you can have a great time at Pleasure Beach come rain or shine, but we know that everything is extra special when the weather is on side.”

If a guest wants to use a rainy day return, they should arrive at the same ticket centre on the day of their return visit and display their eTickets, paper tickets or confirmation email to staff.

The new option can also be used seven days of the week.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach resort was also recently named as one of the best attractions to bust kids being bored.

AttractionTickets.com created an index compiling the best attractions to take kids to this summer and the Lancashire-based attraction managed to beat the likes of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

Overall, it scored 31.3 out of a possible 35 marks.

The attraction is home to 10 rollercoasters, five ‘dark’ (indoor) rides, five water rides and 12 Nickelodeon-themed rides.

Throughout the year, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort also hosts a number of shows, including fireworks.

Earlier this year, the reimagining of Launch Pad was unveiled, which climbs up to 80 mph and sends riders 210 ft into the air.

AttractionTickets.com’s Banish Boredom Index was made by analysing reviews from over 160 destinations, and the UK dominated the top 20.

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These included the likes of the Tower of London, Ribby Hall Village, and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London all made the list.

Some other attractions across the UK offer rainy day guarantees, such as Crealy Adventure Park in Devon.

The attraction offers visitors a free return within seven days of their original visit if there is 30 minutes or more of continuous rainfall during their visit.

It is worth checking the FAQs or T&Cs of your tickets to an attraction to see if the theme park, adventure park or other destination offers the same guarantee.

Use these tips on your next theme park trip

Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out.

1. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens.
2. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer – this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest.
3. Download the park’s app to track which rides have the shortest queues.
4. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out “birthday badges” that can get you freebies.
5. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.

There is also a unique UK theme park with safaris, water park and rides for everyone from toddlers to grandparents.

Plus, Disney is set to open a brand new theme park and resort – here’s everything we know.

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Hossoland has opened on the North Coast of Poland. Visitors there can explore four fantastical realms within Hossoland: the Dragon Valley of the Mines, the Land of the Vikings, the Kingdom of Baltambrya, and Mermaid City

Europe’s theme park scene has been transformed with the opening of Hossoland, an awe-inspiring new park that rivals Disneyland Paris.

Hossoland was due to open on May 31, promising a spellbinding experience on Poland’s northern coast. After a four-week delay, the doors have now swung open. The park is centered around a lighthouse, and the fairytale adventure land is inspired by enchanting Baltic folklore and legends.

Visitors can explore four fantastical realms within Hossoland: the Dragon Valley of the Mines, the Land of the Vikings, the Kingdom of Baltambrya, and Mermaid City. Plans for the park were unveiled in 2017, with anticipating growing ahead of its launch since then.

Spanning an impressive 400,000 square metres, Hossoland will boast an array of 50 thrilling rides when it is fully operating. Right now it has 24, including The GhostRider, a stunning steel coaster that towers at 53 metres high, sending riders hurtling at an electrifying speed of 72 mph.

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In a chat with Planet Attractions, Hosso Group’s vice president, Karen Hovsepyan, said: “The location not only makes it a standout attraction within Poland but also a key destination for residents of nearby Berlin, promising to boost regional tourism significantly.”

With 20 food and beverage outlets, Hossoland caters to all taste buds. The Hosso Group has ambitious plans for future expansion, envisioning a waterpark and further themed areas post-launch.

Ahead of that expansion, some have criticised the scope of the theme park. While Poland’s biggest theme park, Energylandia, has 18 rollercoasters, Hossoland currently has four. One critic felt that this was too few, and those on offer too gentle.

“But do you plan something more hardcore for adults? Me and my 15-year-old son are waiting impatiently,” they wrote. Some have suggested that the park is a little pricey. Currently, it costs £34 for adult entry and £30 for children.

On its first day open, a light rain fell on those who visited. Among them was a family of four from Silesia. Marlena, the mum, Szczecin that the park was perfect for families and younger kids. ” The entire park has a seaside feel. There are Vikings, mermaids, water, boats,” she added.

For theme park enthusiasts in the UK keen to explore Hossoland, the closest airport is Szczecin. Direct flights are offered by Ryanair from Liverpool and London, making the park roughly a one-hour drive from the airport or under a three-hour trek from Berlin.

Yet Hossoland is not the sole newcomer aiming to rival Disneyland Paris come 2025. Another upcoming contender is Bommelwerald, an indoor amusement park inspired by the Dutch comic series featuring Tom Poes and Oliver B. Bommel by artist Marten Toonderand.

Set to inaugurate later this year, Bommelwerald promises 18 attractions sprawled over a 9,000 sqm expanse, including a pint-sized flume ride and a tower for climbing. A castle-themed entrance leads into various imaginatively themed zones like the Dark Tree Forest and an area dedicated to inventors.

Located in Rust, southwestern Germany, between Freiburg and Strasbourg, France, Europa Park is the largest theme park in Europe. It is also the second most visited resort in Europe, after Disneyland Paris.

The resort in Bedfordshire is set to open in 2031 following an agreement brokered between the American company, the Government and the local council

The hotly anticipated Universal theme park in Bedfordshire will feature four lands and the tallest ride in Europe, it has emerged.

More and more details are surfacing about the movie-inspired theme park, which is due to open in 2031 and will be the first Universal park in Europe. When the plans were first confirmed in April this year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer jubilantly proclaimed: “It’s going to put Bedford on the map for millions of people – film lovers, people coming here for fun, people building their careers here.”

Now, planning documents related to the project reveal that the theme park will have four zones: the Core Zone, Lake Zone, West Gateway Zone, and the East Gateway Zone.

The Core Zone is tipped to include the main theme park and a 500-room hotel. The Lake Zone will include a new wetland area and a 2,000-room business hotel, while the East Gateway Zone, is expected to adjoin the planned new Wixams Rail Station. The West Gateway Zone is due to feature an entertainment complex, restaurants, petrol station.

READ MORE: Full list of Europe hotspots that don’t want Brit tourists to visit this summer

The plans describe the theme park as providing guests with the opportunity to “experience blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping coasters, and mind-blowing spectaculars.”

It has been rumoured that inspiration for parts of the park could come from Minions, Jaws, and Jurassic Park. However, this has not yet been officially confirmed. Back in April, a source close to the Universal UK project told the BBC that James Bond, Paddington, and The Lord of the Rings are among the brands that could appear at the park. Rides and attractions related to Harry Potter are not expected to be included.

Other Universal theme parks feature a variety of themed lands, including: Hollywood, Minion Land, New York, San Francisco, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, World Expo, Springfield, and DreamWorks Land.

Planning documents unveiled this month also show that the UK park could have some of the tallest rides in Europe. The American film production and distribution company is considering building structures reaching up to 377 ft (115 m), including rides.

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“The reason for proposing structures up to this maximum height is to allow the proposed theme park to compete with other attractions in Europe,” the proposal said.

“Although the Universal Orlando Resort does not currently have attractions up to this height, taller attractions are more common in Europe, where rides need to be taller to create the experience, as space is more constrained.”

Currently, Thorpe Park’s Hyperia is the tallest and fastest theme park ride in Britain. It sends thrill-seekers up to 72 m and reaches speeds of 80 mph. Red Force, a 367-foot (112 m) rollercoaster at PortAventura World in Spain, is currently the tallest in Europe.

The majority of the park’s structures will be between 20 and 30 m tall. “Building attractions that are higher, rather than over greater areas, also makes the best use of land, which is in line with planning policy,” they added.

Sir Keir lauded the landmark Universal deal as a promise of “growth, jobs and of course joy to Britain.” By 2055, Universal envisions the 476-acre site near Bedford contributing nearly £50 billion to the economy, with plans for a 500-room hotel and a comprehensive retail and entertainment complex accompanying the theme park.

A huge theme park that once attracted half a million visitors in a single year has been left to rot for over a decade. However, it could soon be transformed into something completely different

A creepy, abandoned theme park that has been left to rot for 13 years could finally be handed a fresh breath of life.

Constructed back in 1983, and themed around the legends of King Arthur, the Magical Kingdom of Camelot attracted a staggering 500,000 annual visitors back in its heyday. Renowned for its grand white castle entrance, the theme park – which went through several ownerships – boasted several scream-inducing rides and roller coasters including Whirlwind and Excalibur.

The Knightmare roller coaster, which came to the park towards the end of 2006, is believed to have cost £3 million to build – and quickly became one of the most beloved attractions at the park. However, as the years went on – Camelot’s popularity started to plummet.

READ MORE: Huge abandoned UK underground station frozen in time walked over by millions

By 2005, the theme park, located in Chorley, Lancashire, was only attracting around 336,000 annual visitors – and in 2012, it closed to the public for good. Experts over at Together Money, who offer mortgage and loan products, valued Camelot Theme Park – which sits on some 140 acres – at a whopping £800 million.

It’s therefore no surprise the abandoned site has attracted the attention of property developers, namely Story Homes who want to build a huge housing estate on the land. The company applied to bulldoze the theme park and build similar schemes back in 2017 and 2019, but both applications were refused over objections on the use of greenbelt land.

However, developers have submitted a fresh application to Chorley Council outlining their plans to construct a mega residential development. This consists of up to 350 homes (50 per cent of which would be classed as affordable), a 186.9 square metre community hub, along with ‘associated habitat creation, landscaping, open space, parking, footpaths, cycleways, drainage and other infrastructure’.

“The vision for the site is to deliver a development that provides an exceptional quality of place, underpinned by the highest standards of design and sensitive placemaking,” the supporting planning application statement reads. “The proposed development will deliver the homes that people need, responding to the acute housing and affordability crisis in the Borough by delivering the type, tenure and quality of market and affordable housing, alongside community infrastructure, that will create and support a new community.

“The vision for the site is supported by a generous landscape led masterplan that respects the wider Green Belt and woodland context and provides new green spaces, green infrastructure and habitats as a fundamental element of a new landscape framework.”

At the time of writing, the planning application has received a dozen public comments – with the overwhelming majority slamming the proposals. One furious resident said it would ‘destroy’ the local villages, adding: “There’s absolutely no benefit to this except a money grab for a small group of people. This needs rejecting permanently what an absolute disgrace.”

They argued such construction would ‘destroy wildlife, overload services, increase traffic and lower village house prices’. Another agreed, scathing: “I formally object to the proposed development of 350 houses on the grounds of its significant and detrimental impact on the local area. The development would dramatically increase vehicle traffic on narrow, rural roads that aren’t designed to accommodate such volumes. This would lead to a rise in noise pollution and pose safety risks to pedestrians, cyclists, and existing residents.”

Others argued the development would put too much constraint on local amenities and lead to overcrowding – suggesting the site should be turned into a leisure development instead. However, not everybody seemed to disagree with the application.

One person commented: “There are too many keyboard warriors who don’t know the facts and basically don’t want any more housing in the area. As long as the development is sympathetic to the local nature, I think it is an ideal use of a brownfield site.”

First Homes has published noise impact, air quality, transport, and preliminary roost assessments – along with documents detailing its ecological appraisal. All of these can be viewed here.

The application was validated on Friday, June 20, 2025, and is currently awaiting decision.

Should the development go ahead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

This article contains many spoilers for Season 3 of Netflix’s “Squid Game.”

“Squid Game” is a twisty, twisted thriller, with ordinary, financially stressed people playing children’s games to the death for the amusement of the hidden wealthy. Beneath that surface, creator, writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk has been embedding sociopolitical commentary amid the shock and awe of protagonist Gi-hun’s (Lee Jung-jae) personal roller-coaster ride; the characters’ desperation as the saga ends forces those messages to poke through the slick, candy-colored exterior.

“It was a result of elevation of the themes and stories,” said Hwang of those ideas becoming more clearly voiced. They “became more upfront and intense just as a natural course of the story unfolding.”

The global phenomenon, still Netflix’s most-watched non-English show ever (its first two seasons are No. 1 and 2 on the streamer’s all-time list, with nearly 600 million views to date, according to Netflix), ends on its own terms with the release of its third and final season Friday. And what an arc everyman Gi-hun will have completed. How better to represent Hwang’s themes of end-stage, winners-and-losers capitalism, with its warping, destructive power, and how the ill-intentioned can exploit democracy’s flaws, than to depict an ordinary person buffeted by the unseen hand of pain for profit?

“You can say this is a story of those who have become losers of the game, and also those of us who are shaken to our core because of the chaotic political landscape,” said Hwang, who with Lee, spoke via an interpreter on a video call earlier this month from New York. “I wanted to focus in Season 3 on how in this world, where incessant greed is always fueled, it’s like a jungle — the strong eating the weak, where people climb higher by stepping on other people’s heads.”

Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in final season of Netflix’s “Squid Game.”

(No Ju-han / Netflix)

Gi-hun’s hands become bloodied in the competition in Season 3, Hwang said. “That’s the first time he kills someone [in the games]. This person who symbolized goodness, the original sin is now on him because of what society has done to him,” he said. “How does he pick himself up from that? That’s the heart of Season 3. In a way, we’re all put in this situation due to the capitalist society and chaotic political situation. Gi-hun symbolizes what all of us go through these days.”

When we meet him in Season 1, Gi-hun is down and out, an inveterate gambler. Through Season 1’s horrific gantlet of murderous kids’ games, his exterior is scraped away with a rusty edge until all that’s left is a flawed but good man. Gi-hun is someone who sees what he believes with clarity, while becoming the suddenly rich champion of the games.

But after he reaches that peak, Season 2 plunges him back down the roller coaster as he becomes obsessed with vengeance against the elite voyeurs who fund the game and the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who oversees it. Righteous anger carries Gi-hun to the brink of his goal of destroying the games, only to see it all brutally dashed. Season 3 finds him a broken man, near catatonic with guilt. Without him to guide the less bloodthirsty players, the games will enter a fearsome phase of all-out mayhem, from which unexpectedly emerges a chance at redemption for the battered protagonist.

“All of those changes within Gi-hun are depicted in such minute detail” in Hwang’s writing, said Lee, “so nuanced and with so many layers. You’ll see Gi-hun have a change of heart. Sometimes his beliefs will be shaken. But despite all of that, he will continue to struggle to find hope and his will.

“All of those changes within Gi-hun are depicted in such minute detail, so nuanced and with so many layers,” Lee Jung-jae said of his character and Hwang Dong-hyuk’s writing.

(Justin Jun Lee / For The Times)

“All I can say is, I’m a very lucky man. You don’t come by characters like Gi-hun every day. It’s been a true honor,” he adds.

Lee’s public appearances in support of “Squid Game” have provided an almost comic contrast with Gi-hun. He’s movie-star handsome, elegant, always sharply dressed. On the show, especially as Gi-hun deteriorates in Season 3, he’s wrecked.

“Jung-jae went on this extremely harsh diet for over a year so he could really portray, externally, the pain and the brokenness, to really express how famished and barren he is, both mentally and physically,” Hwang said.

Gi-hun isn’t the only person the games destroy. Another hallmark of the show is its deft development of characters into fan favorites, coupled with its “Game of Thrones”-like willingness to unceremoniously kill them. Viewers will be sharpening their pitchforks when trans commando Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon), a.k.a. Player 120, dies ignominiously in Season 3. Hwang is already braced for the backlash.

“It’s not me who did it! It was 333,” he exclaimed, blaming the murderer.

Hwang said when he watched the first assembly edit of that death, “I wrote and directed and everything, I knew it’s coming, but it was still painful. It was like, ‘Oh, come on, come on.’ ”

“For some characters, I would see them go and I’d feel really sad … I would think, ‘Director Hwang is such a cruel man,’” Lee said.

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1. Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon) in Season 3 of “Squid Game.” “I wrote and directed and everything, I knew it’s coming, but it was still painful,” Hwang Dong-hyuk said. 2. Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri), a pregnant contestant in the games, was another casualty. (No Ju-han / Netflix)

When Hwang asks what death in particular made him feel that way, Lee doesn’t hesitate to cite another beloved character, pregnant contestant Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri), calling that Season 3 death “heartbreaking.”

Lee’s sensitive, evolving turn as Gi-hun — deeply human amid the madness, paranoia and murder set in bright green and pink surroundings — has made the character the ideal litmus test for Hwang’s critique of an economic system designed to produce titanic winners and losers who face annihilation. He’s a living symbol of Hwang’s themes.

“I feel like Director Hwang is truly an artist,” Lee said. “I mean something akin to a concept artist. Because when he creates his visuals, not only are they extremely pleasing to the eye; he focuses on the meaning behind them. He [stacks] images on top of one another, almost as if building a Lego castle. Each little block has meaning: each dialogue, each editing flow and [each use of] the musical score.”

As Season 3 reaches a boil, some of Hwang’s symbolism becomes less subtle. In one game, contestants clutch keys suspiciously resembling crucifixes as one player leads others with fervor, for better or worse. One character’s moment of triumph occurs before a painted rainbow (rainbow flags are also associated with the LGBTQ+ community in Korea). And Hwang’s nuanced critique of democracy comes to the fore.

“I feel like Director Hwang is truly an artist,” said Lee Jung-jae of the show’s creator. “I mean something akin to a concept artist. Because when he creates his visuals, not only are they extremely pleasing to the eye; he focuses on the meaning behind them.

(Justin Jun Lee / For The Times)

Unlike Season 1, in which contestants had one chance to vote to end the games, in Seasons 2 and 3, votes are taken after each contest; as more players die, the pot swells larger and larger. With only a score or so of participants left, a vote to quit means all would leave alive, and with substantial cash. Voting to continue means, explicitly, they will kill to become obscenely wealthy.

“In the past, at the time of elections, despite our differences, we all came together; there was more tolerance through the process of conflict,” Hwang said. “I don’t think that is anymore the case. Rather, elections [have only driven] societies into greater divides. I wanted to explore those themes in Seasons 2 and 3; that’s why I included the voting in each round.”

Hwang loudly calls out the flaw of democracy that allows the barest of majorities to subject all to nightmarish policies — even more nightmarish for those who voted against them. The ruthless winners keep reminding the others in Season 3 it was a “free and democratic vote.”

“That is not to say that I have a different answer,” he said. “I wanted to raise the question because I believe it is time for us to try to find the answer. In Season 1, I looked at the flaws of the economic system that creates so many losers due to this unlimited competition. In Season 2, I depicted the failure of the political system.

“Coming into Season 3, because the economic system has failed us, politics have failed us, it seems like we have no hope,” Hwang added. “What hope do we have as a human race when we can no longer control our own greed? I wanted to explore that. And in particular, I wanted to [pose] that question to myself.”

And what has he found? Does he still believe in humanity?

“Well, I don’t have the answer,” Hwang said. “But I have to admit, honestly, I think I’ve become more cynical, working on ‘Squid Game.’”

Lalo Schifrin, the six-time Oscar nominee and prolific composer best known for his Grammy-winning “Mission: Impossible” theme, has died. He was 93.

Schifrin died Thursday morning at a hospital in Los Angeles, his son Will Schifrin, a writer and producer, told The Times. He reportedly died of complications from pneumonia.

The Argentine-born composer infused elements of jazz, rock and funk into classical orchestral music and is credited with helping to change the sound of movies. Schifrin was Oscar-nominated for his scores on the films “Cool Hand Luke” (1967), “The Fox” (1967), “Voyage of the Damned” (1976), “The Amityville Horror” (1979) and “The Sting II” (1983). He also earned a song nomination for “People Alone” from the 1980 drama “The Competition.” In 2018, Schifrin received an honorary Oscar.

Schifrin wrote more than 100 scores for film and television over the course of his Hollywood career, including for the movies “Dirty Harry” (1971), “THX 1138” (1971), “Enter the Dragon” (1973) and the “Rush Hour” trilogy, as well as TV shows including “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “Starsky and Hutch.”

“I learned to be a chameleon,” Schifrin told The Times in 2018. “In motion pictures, the real creator is the screenwriter and the director and the producer. I have to work for what they have made. Like a chameleon, I do whatever is necessary.”

In 2011, Schifrin modestly described himself as a “music maker.” While the catchy theme for the spy series “Mission: Impossible” remains one of his best known pieces, Schifrin told The Times “it was just work.”

“For everything I’ve done, I did my best,” Schifrin said in 2016. “I like what I did. I don’t think it’s a masterpiece, but it’s OK. … If people like it, to the point of embracing it, great. That doesn’t happen too often.”

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1932, Schifrin was exposed to music from a young age. His father Luis served as the concert master of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Buenos Aires at the Teatro Colón. And Schifrin was just 5 years old when a trip to the movies with his grandmother made him realize that it was the music that made the horror film so scary.

Schifrin began studying piano under Enrique Barenboim, the father of pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, when he was 6. He discovered and fell in love with modern American jazz as a teenager. Upon the suggestion of one of his teachers, he applied for a scholarship to attend the Paris Conservatory. During his time there, he made money playing at jazz clubs.

After returning to Buenos Aires, Schifrin started his own jazz band to perform at concerts and on TV. He eventually met American jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who invited him to work for him in the U.S. In 1963, while he was working with Gillespie after moving to New York, Schifrin was offered a job in Hollywood.

“My first movie was called ‘Rhino,’” Schifrin told The Times in 2011. “It was a low-budget movie, but it was the beginning.”

Schifrin is survived by his wife, Donna, and his children, William, Frances and Ryan.

Playland Fun Park in Worcestershire has been crowned the most affordable theme park for kids in the UK, with the admission costing absolutely nothing

A lesser-known amusement park has been hailed as the most cost-effective for kids in the UK.

Playland Fun Park, nestled in Worcestershire, offers free entry, making it a wallet-friendly choice for families planning a day trip. Instead of a flat entrance fee, families buy ‘tokens’ at the park to pay for individual rides.

Most attractions at the park cost around £1, allowing children to pick and choose their preferred activities rather than paying a lump sum for access to rides they may not use or enjoy.

The park boasts a variety of attractions, including a pirate ship ride, go-karts, crazy golf, and more, ensuring there’s plenty to keep the little ones entertained. Visitors can also embark on a river steamer ride, unveiling the hidden gems of Stourport-on-Severn from the water.

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Recent additions to the park include Dino Tours, where you can steer your own explorer jeep through a dinosaur-themed track, and a farmyard area featuring ride-on animals. For those who fancy taking the helm, families can rent one of the park’s self-drive boats for a leisurely cruise along the River Severn.

Situated in a scenic canal area, the park is conveniently located near another attraction, Treasure Island – a fairground packed with rides suitable for slightly older children – just across the road.

After a day of mini golf and riverside relaxation, you could either venture further into Stourport to The Port House pub or take a brief stroll across the Stourport Bridge to The Old Beams 15th Century Inn. The Old Beams is renowned for its comforting dishes, including a homemade Sunday roast, and offers a selection of local beers, afternoon tea, and is dog-friendly.

It even provides a dog station, complete with water and biscuits for your canine companions.

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Alternatively, The Port House, located adjacent to the Amusement Park and bridge in Stourport-On-Severn, boasts award-winning ales, a carefully selected wine list, and meals inspired by the local area. The pub also features live music and welcomes dogs, making it the perfect spot to unwind after a day at the amusement park.

Playland Fun Park operates from March to October, on weekends and during school holidays.

The park was put in the top spot by Outdoor Toys, which claimed that Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells, Skegness, was the second most affordable theme park for children in the UK, with tickets priced at £15.99. Visitors can enjoy a mini roller coaster, a delightful carousel, and more.

Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, is the top theme park for toddlers, earning an impressive score of 8.17/10. The park features 38 attractions, including the Crooked House, Kiddi Coaster and train rides. What’s more, entry to Adventure Island for children is completely free, operating on a pay as you play basis.

Majorca Platja Tour has announced plans for protests targeting beaches in Spain, warning that some seaside areas have become like ‘theme parks’ due to the crowds

Brits heading for Majorca this summer face being “confined” to beaches as protesters call for resident-only spots.

Majorca Platja Tour has announced the first “symbolic occupation” of a beach in Spain this summer, in a bid to preserve the area’s most beautiful coastal destinations from being overrun by tourists. “Prepare your towels, umbrellas and banners, because we will be making a new symbolic occupation on a beach in Majorca,” announced the movement.

A date for the protest has not been announced.

The protests will echo those of last summer, carried out at Platja de Palma—one of the best beaches in the capital—and Caló des Moro, a stunning beach located in the southeast of Majorca, featuring 40 metres of fine-grained sand surrounded by cliffs.

The protesters say beaches in Majorca are so packed with tourists that locals avoid them in the summer. They want holidaymakers either banned from certain beaches or for areas to be designated for local residents only, not tourists.

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The movement demands that the citizens of the islands be able to enjoy the beaches in summer—a situation that, according to critics, is currently impossible because the beaches are overcrowded. “What used to be a corner of peace becomes a theme park,” they claim.

They say the beach at Platja de Palma is a prime example: “There is no area that better represents the overcrowded Majorca than this one.” The campaigners are calling for a census or registry to be introduced so that only certain people can access beaches at certain times.

Mallorca Platja Tour has called on neighbourhood, cultural, and environmental associations—as well as political parties “committed to Mallorca”—to join the initiative. “There is nothing more Majorcan than spending a day on the beaches,” they said in a statement.

The group highlighted the Municipality of Ameglia in North East Italy, where 60% of the beaches are kept for local residents.

Ameglia Emanuele Cadeddu, despite mayor of the Italian region, said in 2020: “We do not want to give up tourism, which is the basis of our economic fabric. Doing so would mean closing or putting in difficulty the countless activities present in our area, but we expect maximum respect for the rules both from our fellow citizens, to whom we will reserve and guarantee an adequate number of spaces in the amount of 60 percent of the beaches, and from the tourists who will arrive in the Ameglia area”.

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Road routes to many beaches in Majorca are frequently clogged with traffic during the high season, with hundreds of cars parked on sandbanks.

Majorca is in the grip of mass tourism protests, with large crowds of placard-wearing campaigners taking to the streets earlier this month.

The Balearic Islands have received more than 4.3 million international passengers between January and May of this year, representing an increase of 4.8% compared to the same period last year, according to data published on Wednesday by Turespaña.

Bookings have slumped in parts of Majorca in recent months. The Alcudia and Can Picafort hoteliers association has sounded the alarm that bookings on the island are down on last year, especially among travellers from Germany, their principal markets. Bar and restaurant takings were down by between 15 and 20 percent compared to last year, which is a significant blow for an industry already struggling.

The president of the Association, Pablo Riera-Marsa, said: “We are seeing how the German market, traditionally our number one market, is the one that has slowed down the most. In addition, we are detecting that this season, last-minute bookings are once again becoming more popular, with tourists waiting for special offers and promotions before making their purchase decisions.”

A travel enthusiast shared a clip from her trip to a theme park which has twice been named the best in the world, and it’s all down to one surprising difference

If you are looking for an alternative holiday spot this summer, one woman has just the recommendation. Despite being named ‘best theme park in the world’ twice, Puy du Fou in the Pays de la Loire region of France remains a hidden gem to many.

Travel expert Bonnie Rakhit posted a clip on TikTok showcasing her visit to what she claims is the country’s “best kept secret.” “It’s without doubt the most magical theme park I have ever visited,” she exclaimed. Just an hour’s drive from Nantes, Bonnie suggests the site is the perfect quick getaway from the UK. So what makes this place so unique?

“There are no rides here,” says Bonnie. “Instead you go on a time-travelling adventure from Roman gladiators to Viking raids, and the legend of King Arthur to the splendour of the Palace of Versailles across 50 hectares of breathtaking scenery.”

Bonnie also notes that the park is home to 20 internationally acclaimed shows, providing an all-encompassing experience for the entire family.

Each spectacle has been translated into English, with scripts accessible through the park’s mobile app.

“The magic doesn’t stop at night,” Bonnie added. “We stayed at Le Grand Siecle – a hotel inspired by Louis XIV’s Court. There’s also a medieval village, a Camelot-style tented camp, an ancient Roman town and a castle called the Citadel.”

Concluding her review, Bonnie said Puy Du Fou plays host to over 2.8million visitors annually. “It’s easy to see why,” she said.

“It’s inspiring and completely unique – this isn’t just a theme park, it’s a journey through time. Add it to your bucket list.”

Engaging with her post on TikTok, one fan raved: “I have been a few times and it is insane, seriously amazing. The Coliseum is crazy!”

Another person remarked: “I love Puy de Fou, used to live in Nantes and went many times. The evening shows are amazing! Planet Sauvage is also fab and the best safari park I have ever seen.”

Whilst a third praised: “This is genuinely the best park I have ever been to! So incredible I would say Europa Park is good for rollercoasters (although i don’t think it’s the best one in Europe but it’s nice) but Puy Du Fou is amazing for story telling! Like incredibly impressive!”.

According to the English language section of the Puy de Fou official website, prices for an overnight stay start from £63.38 per person. This not only includes entry to the park and all its spectacles but also an overnight hotel stay complete with breakfast (at either an on-site hotel or in partnership accommodations near Puy du Fou) and complimentary translation services for all attractions.

For those looking to visit the park alone, tickets are available for one, two, or three-day adventures, kicking off at a modest £31.69 per person.

The site further states: “The Puy du Fou experience is designed for all ages to enjoy. Children and parents alike will be captivated all the way through as the shows are short and feature many amazing effects.

“The few scenes that may alarm very young children due to their spectacular realism are indicated by a symbol in the mobile app and Visitor Guide.”

Mirapolis was created to rival Disneyland Paris when it opened in 1987, but within four years, the ambitious project became one of the country’s most infamous failures as it now lies abandoned

Once heralded as France’s answer to Disneyland Paris, designed to bring French literature to life, Mirapolis now stands as a ghostly and desolate landmark.

Initially celebrated as “France’s first large amusement park,” the site is now eerily deserted. Strategically located less than an hour from Disneyland Paris, Mirapolis opened its doors in 1987 with high hopes of immersing visitors in the wonders of French literary classics.

However, the lofty dreams were short-lived, as within a mere four years, this bold venture turned into one of France’s most notorious flops.

Created by architect Anne Fourcade, Mirapolis was intended as a cultural foil to Disneyland, marrying historical literature with thrill-seeking. Backed financially by Saudi businessman Ghaith Pharaon, the whopping construction cost was $600 million – a figure that would translate to around £1.3 billion today considering inflation, the Express reports.

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Even Jacques Chirac, then Prime Minister of France, graced the park’s opening and kicked off the excitement surrounding its 29 attractions. According to AD magazine, the new amusement park had high hopes of welcoming as many as 600,000 tourists a year.

Yet despite the buzz, problems loomed from day one – relentless rainfall marred its debut season, leading to frequent closures of its open-air rides.

Mirapolis did find a silver lining in its theatre, which hosted a popular children’s musical with grand puppetry, but insufficient foot traffic persisted. Seemingly lacklustre market research and overzealous financial predictions meant that the park was destined for closure, sealing its fate in 1991 without ever turning a profit.

It is said to have been sensationally labelled one of the biggest financial failures in France.

By 1993, the demolition process had started, with most of its structures being removed or sold off. The park’s iconic centrepiece, a towering statue of Gargantua from French folklore, stood firm against dismantling until 1995, when its head was finally destroyed with dynamite.

Nowadays, all that’s left of Mirapolis is some entrance fences, pathways leading to former attractions and a park featuring a small lake. Over time, various plans to breathe new life into the site have been proposed and then abandoned.

Many residents of France still remember the amusement park today, with various comments emerging on X, formerly Twitter, over the years. One former visitor wrote: “This is the France we love”, while a second added: “With Gargantua as the figurehead. I went there once with my school. It was pretty awesome. And the ruins remained for years.”

A third noted: “I remember this park offering wins on TV shows like The Price Is Right and others. It was a dream come true…” Another penned: “Apparently the characters scared children and that’s understandable.”

In response, someone added: “It was awesome, I went mainly for the ‘gravitron.’ I don’t remember being scared of the characters, but they probably terrified others.”

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