Interview with Renee from Fun Spot

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Tell Me Tuesdays is BACK!! … Well it is Tuesday after all. šŸ˜‰ This time we welcome back Renee from Fun Spot. Renee is A great lady and one of our faves here at OAT.

Lets get to know her even better! šŸ˜€

Name:Ā  Ā Renee Ambos
Company:Ā  Fun Spot America Theme Parks
Position:Ā  Director of Sales

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

What did you want to be when you grew up? Dr. Dolittle ā€“ who doesnā€™t wish they could talk to animals.Ā  Plus I grew up on the farm, so that skill set really would have helped!

If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life what would it be and why? I would say stuffed cabbage, because Iā€™d never have to cook a meal again!Ā  Thanks to my partner!

What movie title best describes your life? Tarzan ā€“ I love the outdoors and getting away from the concrete jungle, but I clean up ok too!

If you were stranded on a Desert Island and could only take 3 items what would they be and why?Ā String,Ā CupĀ  with a lid and a Hatchet. I think the hatchet itself makes loads of sense.Ā  The string would be to tie up any loose ends around the place.Ā  The cup would ideal hold the rain water for me to drink. Ā With that said, hopefully Iā€™d make it out alive!

Would you rather be able to time travel into the past or the future and why? Future, Ā Keep moving forward!!!!

How would you describe your theme park / attraction using only 3 words?Ā Four story go-karts!

 

WORK

What was the highlight of 2017 for your company? In 2017 our Fun Spot Kissimmee location, next door to Old Town opened up Mine Blower!Ā  Itā€™s our newest Wooden hybrid Roller Coaster that drops you 80 ft and takes you straight into a barrel roll!Ā  In case you missed that, YES this wooden roller coaster goes upside down!

What are you most looking forward to in 2018?Ā 2018 is going to be an interesting year.Ā  We are going to be focusing on our in park guest experiences.Ā  We know that ā€œyouā€ have a choice when you are booking your Orlando Vacation.Ā  What sets Fun Spot apart is our guest experience once you are in the park.Ā  We treat you like family, not a customer.Ā  Ā Fun Spot may not have any characters or castles, but we do offer that perfect half day experience at a price that doesnā€™t break the bank.Ā  If Ā you have not been to the park yet. Iā€™m telling you, you wonā€™t make that same mistake after the first time youā€™ve been.Ā  IĀ  promise you.

PLUS we just purchased our 3rd park location in Fayetteville, Georgia just 20 miles south of the Atlanta airport.Ā  The park is currently under renovations, and is looking to open Spring 2018.

Favourite Theme Park ride/attraction of 2017? Mine Blower will knock your socks off. Itā€™s high intensity, with a smooth ride. There is nothing better than dropping 80ft and going straight into a barrel roll. It really is a Roller Coaster for the adrenaline seeker.Ā  With the dips and turns the ride is unexpectedly amazing.Ā  This ride is a beauty that packs a punch.

Best Theme Park/attraction tip? I highly recommend visiting Fun Spot on your arrival or departure days.Ā  The key here is you want to have fun, but still take it easy.Ā  With virtually no queue and free admission for none riders.Ā  Stay for as little or as long as you like. Did I mention that we are open until midnight 365 days a year.Ā  If you are lucky enough to visit during non-peak season.Ā  The major Theme Parks close earlier in the off season.Ā  You can just pay for the children to go on the rides, and the adults can enter the park for free and enjoy themselves a pint.

Tell us something we donā€™t know about Floridaā€¦ Over in the Cocoa Beach area, during the summer time. It is bioluminescence season.Ā  Ā If you donā€™t know what Iā€™m talking about, think of putting your hand in water at night, and the water glows everywhere you move! Ā I have a stand up paddle board, and you can watch all the little and BIG fish swim under your boards and around you. Remember the water glows, so you can get an idea of how amazing mother nature really is.Ā Itā€™s spectacular to see, and remember no flash with your cameras!

A cracking interview fromĀ Renee and Iā€™d like to take the opportunity to thank her for getting involved. Our own Teresa has visited Fun Spot this year and absolutely loved Mine Blower! You can purchase Fun Spot tickets directly from Orlando Attraction Tickets.

Smiles Included,

Abby

New Coaster at Fun Spot Kissimmee to be Called ‘Mine Blower’

Hey Thrill Seekers,

So the name for the new wooden roller-coaster atĀ Fun Spots Kissimmee location has recently been revealed as ‘Mine Blower’ which gives us the impression that it is a ride that ‘blows minds’ and maybe themed around mine carts, what do you think?

The ride is due to open in summer 2017 and we do not yet know what the carts are going to look like but my guess is something like the Donkey Kong mine carts šŸ˜‰

Here are some cool facts about the upcoming coaster..

  • Maximum bank angle is 115 degrees
  • It is going to be 2256 ft long
  • There are 11 different air times
  • Top speed is 48.5 mph
  • There is a 360 Barrel Roll ( You are going upside down, on a Wooden Roller Coaster!)
  • The first drop is 80.5 feet – that’s like 5 large giraffes stacked on top of each other..

It is the only wooden roller-coaster in Southeast United States that will feature a 360 degree barrel roll!

Mine Blower has been designed by the Ohio-based coaster design firm Gravity Group. Gravity Group builtĀ the first wooden coasters in China and the Voyage coaster at Holiday World in Indiana, which has been ranked as the best wooden coaster for 5 years in a row! This surely means that Mine Blower is going to be an amazing contribution to Fun Spot Kissimmee and one for true thrill seekers!

Don’t forget that admission into Fun Spot is FREE and you can purchase your unlimited armbands here.

Smiles Included,

Jess

Fun Spot To Add VR To Roller Coaster

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Fun Spot Orlando are showering us with gifts this Christmas, first the announcement of the new wooden coaster at the Kissimmee location and now they’re adding virtual reality to one of their coasters at the Orlando location!

The coaster that Fun Spot are adding the VR package too is the Freedom Flyer which is a ‘family friendly, steel suspended, inverted coaster’ that consists of many twists and turns and a bucket load of G’s.

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This will make Fun Spot the first park in Central Florida to have a virtual reality coaster. An official from Fun Spot has said this should be done by Christmas time! – As you probably already know in September, SeaWorld announced that they would be adding a VR aspect to Kraken so it looks like VR is going to be the next big thing!

For those of you who don’t know what Virtual Reality is then voila:

VR is the computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.

The new virtual reality package that has been purchased from VR Coaster and is currently being installed and tested as stated by David Hummer, the director of marketing for the attraction. He also mentioned that ‘the storylines include an overgrown city, a battle, robotic life forms and an appearance by the Freedom Flyer character, which currently can be seen atop the thrill ride.’ There will be four seats that will include the new VR aspect. Riders will be able to put on VR goggles and enter a whole new experience. – It sounds as though there will be a separate waiting line for the designated VR seats as I can imagine it to get pretty busy!

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David Hummer has also announced that Fun Spot will not be raising the ticket prices for the VR enhancement which is always good news šŸ˜‰

ā€œWeā€™re not going to increase the price. We know that, traditionally, other parks have done an add-on,ā€ Hummer said. ā€œWeā€™re going to try to refrain from doing that at this point.ā€

Don’t forget to purchase our exclusive Fun Spot Armbands Ā that start from Ā£28.00 for 2016 and from Ā£32.00 for 2017 – It includes unlimited roller coasters, multi-level go-karts and rides for one day, one park. It can be used at either Fun Spot Orlando or Fun Spot Kissimmee.

  • Orlando Fun Spot Address – 5700 Fun Spot Way, Orlando, FL 32819
  • Kissimmee Fun Spot Address – 2850 Florida Plaza Blvd, Kissimmee, FL 34746

Smiles Included,

Jess

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Fun Spot Announce New Wooden Coaster

Hey Thrill Seekers,

We have spotted some exciting news today, a brand new wooden roller coaster is coming to the Kissimmee Fun Spot in the summer of 2017!

The Gravity Group are the guys and girls who have designed this new coaster and it sound like this ride is going to be pretty cool and definitely a thrill seekers dream.

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This new coaster is Fun Spot Americas second wooden roller coaster. The original one called White Lightning is situated at Fun Spots Orlando park.

Some specifications for the coaster have been released and it sounds amazing! There is going to be a 360 degree barrel roll, 11 different air times and a top speed of 48.5mph!

John Arie Jr who is Fun Spot Americaā€™s CEO has said:

ā€œThis is HUGE news not just for us but the city of Kissimmee as this will be the only wooden roller coaster in the southeast United States that will feature a 360 degree barrel roll. This roller coaster will be completely unique and thrilling, we have worked tirelessly with the Gravity Group to design a ride that will be a must ride coaster for any thrill seeker and coaster enthusiast, definitely bucket list worthy. We are still working through the theming, naming rights and sponsorship opportunities but with over two million visitors to our parks each year we do expect to move forward quickly on these opportunities.ā€

The coaster isn’t going to be the only positive impact.. this $6 Million investment will see to over 50 new jobs during construction and over 20 full time jobs when it opens next summer.

Check out this cool VR video:

The length of the track is going to be 2256 feet with a first drop of 80.5 feet and a 115 degree bank angle which points towards a famil friendly but also very thrilling new coaster.

As a name for this coaster has not yet been released what do you think they should call it?

Smiles Included,

Jess

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