Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company

Last updated
The Sudden Impact!
Entertainment Company
IndustryTheatrical attractions and shows
Founded1991
FounderLynton V. Harris
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
Key people
Lynton V. Harris (Chairman & CEO)
Dominic McChesney (Assistant Director) [1] [2] [3]
Website Official website

The Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company is an entertainment company based in New York City, United States. The company has created temporary and permanent scare attractions for amusement parks and traveling carnivals across the globe.

Contents

History

The Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company was founded in 1991 by Lynton V. Harris. [4] Harris was born in Australia and began his career as a DJ at age 15. [4] [5] From there he worked up the ranks to be marketing director for 10 Australian radio stations. [4] In 1991, he travelled to the United States and discovered the money that could be made in entertainment attractions. Harris started the Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company with an aim of operating attractions at Madison Square Gardens in New York City. In 1996, the company began a four-year season of Madison SCARE Gardens selling approximately 250,000 tickets. [4] [5]

In the early 2000s, the company was ready to open their attractions in Washington, however, due to the September 11 attacks and the Beltway sniper attacks (in 2001 and 2002 respectively), these plans were shelved costing the company and Harris millions. [4] [6] [7] Sudden Impact began to focus on attractions in Australia with the opening of several temporary attractions at amusement parks and traveling carnivals. [4] [8] [9] [10] In 2009, the company began to deviate from the standard scare attractions with the opening of themed indoor laser skirmish games such as AVPX at Dreamworld. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Attractions

NameLocationOpenedClosedNotes
Angoscia Dreamworld Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaDecember 26, 2006July 7, 2007 [8] [9]
AVPX Dreamworld Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaApril 10, 2009March 31, 2013 [11] [15]
Chamber Live: Serial Killers Madame Tussauds London Central London, EnglandUnknownUnknown [16] [17]
Chamber of Horrors Live Madame Tussauds London Central London, EnglandEarly 2003Unknown [16]
Freakshow 3D Thorpe Park Surrey, EnglandOctober 2002August 2005 [16]
Freddy's Nightmare maze Warner Bros. Movie World Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaOctober 8, 2010October 31, 2010 [18]
The Freezer Dreamworld Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaDecember 26, 2006July 7, 2007 [8] [9]
Thorpe Park Surrey, EnglandOctober 2002October 2004 [16]
Madison Square Garden New York City, United StatesUnknownUnknown [19] [20]
The Fright HouseUnknownUnited StatesUnknownUnknown [16]
Gotham Underground Madison Square Garden New York City, United States19971997 [21]
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Enter the Tomb Dreamworld Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaDecember 26, 2003April 18, 2004 [10]
Luna Park Melbourne St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria 2007Unknown [22] [23]
Royal Adelaide Show Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSeptember 3, 2010September 11, 2009 [12]
The Mummy Live Madison Square Garden New York City, United StatesUnknownUnknown [19]
The Mummy Returns Dreamworld Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaJune 23, 2001July 8, 2001 [4] [20]
Universal Studios Hollywood Los Angeles County, California, United States20022004 [20] [24]
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Live Dreamworld Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaSeptember 8, 2008January 2009 [25]
La Ronde Montreal, Quebec, CanadaJune 19, 2009September 7, 2009 [24] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30]
Night at the Museum Live Sunway Lagoon Petaling Jaya, Malaysia UnknownStill open [2] [24] [31] [32]
Pirate Jack's Halloween Adventure Chessington World of Adventures London, EnglandOctober 2002Unknown [16]
Prison Break Live Luna Park Melbourne St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria 2006Unknown [22]
Luna Park Sydney Sydney, New South Wales, Australia2008Unknown [33]
Royal Adelaide Show Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSeptember 5, 2009September 13, 2009 [34]
Sunway Lagoon Petaling Jaya, Malaysia UnknownUnknown [3]
Psycho 3D maze Warner Bros. Movie World Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaOctober 8, 20102010 (seasonal) [18] [35]
Rumah Hantu 3D Sunway Lagoon Petaling Jaya, Malaysia UnknownUnknown [3]
SAW maze Warner Bros. Movie World Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaOctober 8, 2010October 2011 [18] [35]
Six Flags Great America Gurnee, Illinois, United StatesUnknownUnknown [36]
The Scorpion King LiveUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown [24]
Scream Madame Tussauds Shanghai UnknownUnknownUnknown [16]
Amsterdam UnknownUnknownUnknown [17]
Terminator Alive Sunway Lagoon Petaling Jaya, Malaysia May 2010Still open [13] [14] [32]
Terminator X: A Laser Battle for Salvation Adventure World Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaDecember 26, 2009January 31, 2010 [37]
La Ronde Montreal, Quebec, Canada2010Still open [24] [28] [29]
Royal Adelaide Show Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSeptember 4, 2009September 12, 2009 [34]
Six Flags Mexico Mexico City, Mexico2011Still open [38]
Sunway Lagoon Petaling Jaya, Malaysia May 20102012 [13] [14]
Terror in the Towers Alton Towers Staffordshire, EnglandOctober 2002Unknown [16]
Terror Tunnel Sunway Lagoon Petaling Jaya, Malaysia UnknownUnknown [3]
Tomb Raider Legend Live Adventure World Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaDecember 26, 2006January 29, 2007 [39]
Universal Studios Monsters AliveUnknown Las Vegas, United StatesUnknownUnknown [24]
Van Helsing Universal Studios Hollywood Los Angeles County, California, United States20042007 [24]
Warwick Ghosts Alive Warwick Castle Warwickshire, England20022008 [16] [17]
Zombie Apocalypse maze Warner Bros. Movie World Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaOctober 1, 2011October 2011 [35]
Wet'n'Wild Hawaii Kapolei, Hawaii, United States20102010
Zombie Evilution Dreamworld Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaSeptember 13, 2013 [40] [41]

Shows

Scare School

External video
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "Inside the dark mind of scaremaster Lynton Harris", ABC Lateline (March 2015)

Almost all of Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company's attractions feature live trained actors, commonly known as "scare actors". To be hired in this position, scare actors must complete the Scare School program. The Scare School is a 40-hour program where actors are trained to become the best "scarers" they can be. The Scare School has travelled the globe and has been featured in its own television series. The majority of the training is done in broad daylight with very little done indoors or at night-time. [1] [2] [4] [5] [9] [19] [27] [36] [42]

Related Research Articles

Dreamworld (Australia)

Dreamworld is a theme park and zoo situated on the Gold Coast in Queensland. It is Australia's biggest theme park with over 40 rides and attractions.

The Giant Drop

The Giant Drop is an Intamin drop tower ride located at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Australia. The ride was added in December 1998 to the existing Dreamworld Tower which housed the Tower of Terror. For fourteen years, The Giant Drop held the record for the tallest drop tower in the world.

WhiteWater World

WhiteWater World is a water park situated in the suburb of Coomera on the Gold Coast, Australia. It is owned and operated by Ardent Leisure and is the sister park to Dreamworld.

Since the 1990s, Nickelodeon, a worldwide children's television network and franchise, owned by ViacomCBS, has had an involvement in the creation and theming of amusement parks rides.

Eureka Mountain Mine Ride

Eureka Mountain Mine Ride was a Wild Mouse steel roller coaster located at Dreamworld in Gold Coast, Australia. After closing for maintenance in 2006, the ride remained inactive for 11 years. Following a third party assessment in December 2017, the decision was made by management for the ride not to reopen again due to the deteriorated state of the track. The remainder of the structure and ride was subsequently demolished within the same month.

AVPX

AVPX was a themed indoor laser skirmish attraction at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The attraction was based on the Alien vs. Predator films. It was the biggest indoor laser skirmish attraction in Australia and was included in Dreamworld's admission price.

Fright Nights

Fright Nights is a seasonal Halloween event held at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The event began in 2006 as Halloween Family Fun Night as a single night event and has since evolved into a major park event across a month. It features themed mazes, shows and rides. Fright Nights also refers to the Halloween special event at Thorpe Park in Chertsey, Surrey, England, which opened in 2002.

Main Street is a themed land at the Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The area acts as the main hub for the park catering as a gateway to many other lands including Gold Rush Country, Rivertown, Nickelodeon Central and Ocean Parade.

Ocean Parade (Dreamworld)

Ocean Parade is a themed land at the Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It features 2 of the Big 7 Thrill Rides at Dreamworld. The Claw and Hot Wheels SideWinder. Are within close proximity of each other. Ocean Parade has an Australian beach culture theme, and has beach-themed rides scattered around the area. It currently provides a link between Main Street, DreamWorks Experience, and the adjacent water park WhiteWater World.

DreamWorks Experience

DreamWorks Experience is a themed land at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Themed after DreamWorks Animation and its franchises including Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, it replaced the existing children's area at the park which has previously been themed to Nickelodeon and themed generically. The DreamWorks Experience officially opened on 31 March 2012.

Wiggles World

Wiggles World is a themed land at the Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. On 17 September 2005, the area opened replacing the previous Gum Tree Gully section. Based on the musicians of the same name, the area was the first of several to be installed at theme parks around the world; it is also currently the only one, following the closure of the area at various Six Flags parks.

Ardent Leisure

Ardent Leisure is an Australian-based leisure company which owns and operates a leisure portfolio of over 100 assets across Australia, New Zealand and the United States. It is most known for its operation of the Dreamworld theme park and the WhiteWater World water park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Terminator X: A Laser Battle for Salvation

Terminator X: A Laser Battle for Salvation is a themed indoor laser skirmish attraction created by Lynton V. Harris of Sudden Impact Entertainment. The attraction is currently located at Sunway Lagoon in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia and at Six Flags México on February 3, 2011.

FlowRider (Dreamworld)

FlowRider is a sheet wave FlowRider attraction at the Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Since the early 2000s, DreamWorks Animation, an American animation studio, owned by NBCUniversal, has had an involvement in the creation and theming of amusement park rides and attractions. This article details the ventures of DreamWorks Animation in amusement parks.

V8 Supercars RedLine

V8 Supercars RedLine is a racing simulator based upon Australia's V8 Supercars series. It is an upcharge attraction which allows up to 4 guests to participate in a 24-car race around Bathurst. Located in the southern portion of Ocean Parade, V8 Supercars RedLine forms part of Dreamworld's marketing initiative, Adrenalin Alley which incorporates the FlowRider and AVPX.

History of Dreamworld

The history of Dreamworld dates back to the mid-1970s when John Longhurst envisioned the future theme park. After a seven-year construction period, Dreamworld officially opened to the public on 15 December 1981. Now owned by publicly listed Ardent Leisure, the park has seen many expansions, closures and replacements over its 30-year history.

Pandamonium (ride)

Pandamonium is an amusement ride in the DreamWorks Experience area of Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, Australia. The Zamperla Air Race 6.4 ride is featured as one of Dreamworld's Big 9 Thrill Rides. As with the rest of the "Land of Awesomeness" area, the ride is themed to the Kung-Fu Panda films.

Zombie Evilution is a seasonal multi-use attraction at Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Australia. The attraction was originally introduced as a scare maze before being converted to a laser skirmish attraction. It opened on Friday the 13th of September 2013, replacing AVPX. The attraction is currently used as a scare maze for Park After Dark events and as of March 2018 is closed.

References

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  2. 1 2 3 Lim, Louisa (20 June 2009). "Monster Mania". The Star. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sharmugam, Ista Kyra (1 April 2008). "A place to make you scream". The Star. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Attractions Management - Issue 4 - 2009" (PDF). Attractions Management. 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 Yoon, Chin Mui (31 May 2010). "Laughter is the key". The Star. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  6. ↑ The Associated Press (4 June 2006). "Haunted houses not always ghoul mines". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  7. ↑ Squires, Chase (8 June 2006). "Big scares are big business". The Free Lance-Star. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 "Nightmares (Dreamworld)". Parkz. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Brook, Lucy (1 January 2007). "Chill with Scaremaster". Courier Mail. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  10. 1 2 "Lara Croft Tomb Raider - Enter the Tomb (Dreamworld)". Parkz. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  11. 1 2 "AVPX (Dreamworld)". Parkz. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  12. 1 2 3 Emmerson, Russell (31 August 2010). "Latin attraction at the Royal Show". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 "Laser tag – the next generation". Park World Online. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  14. 1 2 3 "Terminator attractions launched at Sunway Lagoon". The Star Online. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  15. ↑ "Timeline Photos". Facebook. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Lynton V. Harris: The mazes he designed for the Tussauds Group" . Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  17. 1 2 3 "The Screamie Awards - Previous Winners of the Screamie Awards". Screamie Awards. Archived from the original on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  18. 1 2 3 Lewis, Maria (23 September 2010). "Ghosts, ghouls, spectres". Gold Coast Bulletin.
  19. 1 2 3 "Lynton V Harris - top tips for attractions operators". Park World Online. 5 November 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  20. 1 2 3 Burnside, Mary Wade (5 March 2001). "Parks Haunted By Growth Of Horror Attractions". Amusement Business. 113 (9): 21.
  21. ↑ Jaeger, Lauren (8 September 1997). "Madison Scare Garden Returns For Second Year With New Thrills". All Business. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  22. 1 2 Stephens, Andrew (8 December 2007). "All the fun of the fair". The Age. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  23. ↑ Carbone, Suzanne; Money, Lawrence (20 September 2007). "Don't call them, they'll call you - Jump to it". The Age. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Terminator X - The ultimate laser battle - Meet Lynton V. Harris". La Ronde. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  25. ↑ Renee, Redmond (8 September 2008). "Mummy's Tomb opens quietly at Dreamworld". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  26. ↑ greatwhitenorth (24 November 2008). "La Ronde announces Mummy walk-through attraction, for 2009 season only". Coaster Buzz. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  27. 1 2 "By Saturday, La Ronde hosts The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The Experience! - Le créateur de La Momie, Lynton V. - The creator of The Mummy, Lynton V. Harris, entend vous faire la peur de votre vie! Harris intends to make you fear for your life!". CNW. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  28. 1 2 The Canadian Press (10 March 2010). "La Ronde présente une nouvelle attraction inspirée de la série "Terminator" La Ronde has a new attraction inspired by the series "Terminator"". Brunswick News. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  29. 1 2 Simard, Valérie (18 March 2010). "A laser battle at La Ronde". Cyberpresse. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  30. ↑ Bouliane, Martine (21 May 2009). "La Ronde begins its season". Cyberpresse. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  31. ↑ "Night at the Museum". Sunway Lagoon. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  32. 1 2 "Creep show". The Star. 31 May 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  33. ↑ "Sydney Weekender 22 March". eBroadcast. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  34. 1 2 Today Tonight (2009). "Terminator X". Sudden Impact Entertainment. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  35. 1 2 3 Lacey, Michelle (2 October 2011). "Fright Night a bloody success". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  36. 1 2 "Lynton V. Harris - Creating Attractions with Impact!". Park World Online. November 2010. pp. 38–40. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  37. ↑ Nash, Tim (19 January 2010). "New attractions for 2010 for Adventure World". Attractions Management. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  38. ↑ "Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Investor Meeting Presentation". Six Flags. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  39. ↑ "TOMB RAIDER LEGEND LIVE RIDE TO OPEN". Tomb Raider Chronicles. 19 December 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  40. ↑ Dreamworld (14 August 2013). "Cover photos". Facebook. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  41. ↑ "Join The Evilution". Dreamworld. 2013. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  42. ↑ "Lynton V. Harris - Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
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