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PortAventura: General Discussion

Queue lines at PA are, in theory, no smoking areas but this is not at all enforced and I’ve seen people smoking in pretty much all PA queue lines, often canabis, and I’ve never seen staff stop it even when they’ve been fully aware.

Banning smoking elsewhere in the park is, of course, a move that I welcome but I really don’t see guests adhering to it sadly.
 
Guests don't always adhere to it in UK theme parks, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the same in PA.

It's still a good step in making clear rules for those who smoke, as in any case there will be more people that respect it.

Unlikely to see staff challenge guests, however again no different to UK parks.

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I'm pretty smoke-averse but I've never felt the need for banning smoking in outdoor areas, as long as there's no-one smoking right next to me in a queue I'm not too bothered. At the moment even that isn't really an issue as you can easily stay out of the way anyway.
 
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John said:
I'm pretty smoke-averse but I've never felt the need for banning smoking in outdoor areas, as long as there's no-one smoking right next to me in a queue I'm not too bothered. At the moment even that isn't really an issue as you can easily stay out of the way anyway.
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I don't know what parks you've been too but I've not been to one where anyone distanced in a queue :tearsofjoy:
 
Distancing was on the whole pretty well respected at Phantasialand, Europa Park and Efteling on my recent trip. It wasn't perfect by any means but most people seemed to understand.
 
PortAventura World to Build 4th Theme Park
It's been announced today in the Spanish newspaper 'La Vanguardia' that PortAventura World are planning to build a fourth Theme Park (after PortAventura Park, Caribe Aquatic Park and Ferrari Land Park) and Sports Complex in partnership with LaLiga in three phases with the first opening late 2021 to early 2022. The park and complex is to be themed around football and sports with a large emphasis on digital attractions and games.

You can read more about it here: https://www.lavanguardia.com/econom...OVviPSWYIShU7UcBlfLOTKNamnxTObXGGPPPbif2LoYkA

I'm all for PortAventura expanding their offering however a park on sports does nothing for me, even more so than Ferrari Land. I'd have personally liked to see them concentrate on Ferrari Land first and expand that park before going ahead with a fourth. However it is positive to see so many new projects in the pipeline given the current circumstances, this comes after PortAventura announcing the construction of a new thrill ride earlier this month.

Halloween '20 (19th September - 15th November)
I was thrilled to see that the Halloween season will going ahead this year as although PortAventura have been praised of their handling of COVID-19 regulations, the resort has been an entertainment free zone over the summer season. Halloween see's the return of some of PortAventura's world class shows and scare mazes all be it a reduced line up with no parades or fireworks.

Halloween returns to PortAventura with:

Shows:
  • Halloween Kingdom Gran Teatre Imperial
  • Bang Bang Halloween Western Stunt Show Arena
  • Aves del Paraiso Makamanu Teatre
  • This is Halloween Overland Telegraph Office
  • Street Theatre Penitence
Scare Mazes:
  • La Isla Maldita Mediterrania / Caribe Aquatic Park
  • [REC] Experience Polynesia
  • Apocalipsis Maya Mexico
 
Does “emphasis on digital attractions and games” conjure up images of Disney Quest with a couple of simulators and VR attractions thrown in to anyone else?..

Expansion is good, but given this is still relatively soon after Ferrari Land, I do have to wonder how much of a “theme park” this will be given the length of time they’d have had to save. Granted, I don’t know much about the park’s financial status though.

Given the article suggests they want the first phase ready for the 2021/22 football season though I think the term “theme park” should perhaps be taken with a pinch of salt. It’s sounding much more like another “resort experience” along the lines of YULBE at EP than a fully fledged park to begin with. The “theme park” element appears to be the third phase, with a €100M investment, which the article suggests is the same as Ferrari Land? Guess that gives some perspective and manages expectations a bit.
 
It's kinda like Steelers Country at Kennywood in a sense then since that's themed around Pittsburgh's NFL team. Still it's weird, but I can see this being a bigger hit with the tourists as you see a lot of people wearing Barca and Real shirts in the UK.

They're stretching a bit with the "theme park" thing, but hopefully it's like Ferrari Land where they get a decent major cred by the time it's meant to be done.
 
I can just picture the Lionel Messi RMC now! World's first hybrid giga coaster! I can't believe they're getting a fourth park though that's crazy but it'll certainly be more successful than Ferrari Land i think if it's themed around the la liga!
 
After delving into the press releases I've found out a bit more information on the new experiences arriving in 2021 and so on:

New for 2021
  • The Beat Challenge: A new experience integrated into the PortAventura Parks, guests can interact with a number of features and special effects throughout the Parks using their phone, similar to Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom at Magic Kingdom and the magic wands at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The experience will begin at a newly built lighthouse next to Port de la Drassana in Mediterrania (see the photo below).
  • LaLiga Restaurant and Store: A new football themed restaurant and store is set to open somewhere in the Resort in a similar style to Hard Rock Cafe.

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New for 2022 and beyond
  • Phase 2 of the project costing €40 million is being compared to the new NBA Experience at Disney Springs, it's yet unknown if this will be part of the new park or a separate attraction. Articles also mention a new attraction which by the looks of the concept art is to be the same ride system as Ninjago: The Ride at Legoland Parks and the Spider Man Web Blaster attractions at Disney Parks, again it's unknown where this attraction would be located, I'm just hoping it's not in PortAventura Park.
 
Makes more sense now Ryan, thanks.

I thought it was far too soon for another "park" - given Ferrari Land's limitations.

A sort of football "experience" and indoors presumably - could work out. Barcelona, RM and La Liga are big business and will give PA more marketing clout here in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

It's all getting a bit brash, though.

:)
 
AstroDan said:
It's all getting a bit brash, though.

:)
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I know it's starting to look like EP! ;)

But no on a serious note, a sports / football park / attraction is not for me at all. Ferrari again isn't for me either although I got on board with the Italian link to PortAventura Park. It's become clear that going forward they don't want the resort as a whole to stick to the 'around the world' theme and that it will be compressed into PortAventura Park and Caribe.

On the whole it doesn't offend me that they're going ahead with this new project as it's obviously a major brand / hobby for the majority and I'm sure it will take off well. But for someone who isn't in to sports it's a shame that all this money is being spent on something I'll probably get nothing out of, as opposed to a new park that's aimed at everyone.

As long as they don't balls up PortAventura Park then I'm not too bothered on the whole. From the concepts it looks like the buildings that make up 'The Beat Challenge' will be incorporated into the existing themes pretty well.
 
I have an interesting point possibly worth considering; could this €40m football “attraction” (for lack of a better term; I’m not really sure what to call it) possibly be (or include, if it is a park) the new “thrill attraction” that was referred to not too long ago?

Interestingly, it would seem that some form of 4th theme park will be part of the development eventually (budget is cited as €100m, so likely not huge; possibly Ferrari Land size?), but not for the initial phase opening in 2021/2022. The dark ride/whatever the €40m initial attraction ends up being will also apparently be within PortAventura Park.

I think this is certainly an interesting decision, and not what I was expecting PA’s future to hold, especially when COVID-19 has seemingly hit them very hard. If I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure if this is what I would personally have chosen for PortAventura to do, but I’m sure it’ll end up being great, and I hope it works out well for them! The dark ride should be good fun, and very unique if it uses the Ninjago technology as suggested, and it would also add an additional dark ride to PortAventura Park (they only have 1 currently, don’t they?), so that part of the development should be good!

And in these times, surely no announcement of a brand new park costing €100m can be a bad thing?
 
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