The roller coaster can be traced to 17-century Russia when sledders would race down wooden frames embedded into St. Petersburg's snow-covered hills. The first wheeled coaster debuted in Paris in the early 1800s and, taking its inspiration from the popular winter sport, was known as the Russian Mountains. While the rest of the world has since gone coaster crazy, the country where it all began has been largely missing out on all of the fun.
A few dozen smaller amusement parks do offer some coasters, but there are no major destination theme parks in Eastern Europe. That may be changing however, as a US-based company recently announced the development of Magic World Russia. To be located near Moscow, the planned 600-acre resort is slated to include multiple gates including a movie-themed park (the developers are hoping to strike a deal with Universal or Paramount), a thrill ride park, Magic Family Park for younger children, Park Russia (an ode to the country's heritage and culture), water parks, and, if the ambitious announcement is to be believed, even more parks. The projected $2.5-billion project would also include hotels, shops, restaurants, and an entertainment district. Because of the area's notoriously inhospitable weather, most of the parks would be enclosed to allow for year-round operation.
In an industry rampant with boldfaced projects that have gone nowhere, (how's that United Arab Emirates park frenzy going?), it's easy to get cynical about announcements such as this. Magic World Russia has a few things bolstering its credibility, however. For one, there does seem to be an emerging Russian middle class with increased disposable income that is seeking theme park vacations. During a recent visit to Port Aventura in Spain, I was surprised to discover a sizeable number of Russian visitors at the theme park resort. Also, among the consortium of companies involved in bringing Magic World Russia to life is Gary Goddard Entertainment Design, a well-respected industry player whose credits include major projects for Las Vegas casinos and Universal parks, among others.
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