Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park
Previously known as Genting Outdoor Theme Park (closed on 26 September 2013 (2013-09-26))
LocationResorts World Genting, Pahang, Malaysia
Coordinates3°25′19″N 101°47′40″E / 3.4219°N 101.7945°E / 3.4219; 101.7945
StatusOperating
Opened8 February 2022 (soft opening)
OwnerGenting Group (20th Century Studios and Blue Sky Studios properties under license from Disney Parks, Experiences and Products)
Operated byGenting Group
Theme20th Century Studios and Blue Sky Studios properties (certain attractions)
SloganAbove The Clouds, Beyond The Imagination
Area26 acres (11 ha)
Attractions
Total26[1]
Websitewww.gentingskyworlds.com

Genting SkyWorlds is an amusement park at Resorts World Genting, Genting Highlands, Malaysia. It was originally titled 20th Century Fox World Malaysia during its development, as a planned movie inspired theme park project by 20th Century Fox, but the studio initially pulled out of its licensing deal amid the transitional period of Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox.

The theme park would later be renamed after Genting reached a settlement between 20th Century Fox and The Walt Disney Company.[2] As a result of the settlement, some of the worlds and rides featuring 20th Century Studios and Blue Sky Studios properties were retained through a licensing agreement from Disney, whereas some of the other worlds and rides in-development were scrapped and instead repurposed into original ones.[3]

History

Genting's outdoor theme park before its demolition.

20th Century Fox World was first announced on 26 July 2013 and commenced its construction on 17 December 2013 with a cost of estimated RM1 billion.[4]

The project was part of a major ten-year masterplan the refurbishment of infrastructure at Resorts World Genting.[5][6] It replaced the previous Genting Outdoor theme park which was closed on 1 September 2013.[7]

The theme park is 26 acres in size and would feature roughly 25 thrill rides and attractions based on a wide range of films and franchises like Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age, Rio and Epic, Life of Pi, Night at the Museum, Planet of the Apes, Family Guy, Futurama, Titanic, Sons of Anarchy, and Independence Day.[8][9]

Delays

Once expected to open in 2016, the opening was delayed to 2019 and subsequently to 2022. However, in 2018, Fox Entertainment terminated its agreement with Genting. Genting Group still planned to open the park in the future, but the opening date was postponed while the operator considered various options, including rebranding the theme park.[10] The theme park would only open on 8 February 2022 but as a soft opening.[11]

Lawsuit

On 26 November 2018, Genting Malaysia filed a $1.75 billion lawsuit against Disney and Fox, accusing Fox of trying to back out of the deal for licensing the theme park. In the suit, Genting Malaysia alleged that Fox had taken steps to cancel the contract. The suit also named Disney as a defendant, contending that Disney's executives, following the company's then-pending acquisition of Fox, were "calling the shots" on the project. Disney was opposed to the park because they would have "no control" over its operations and that it would be adjacent to a casino, which goes against Disney's "family-friendly" image.[12] Fox, in turn, referred to the suit as "without merit", stating that their reasons for withdrawing from the deal were due to Genting consistently not meeting "agreed-upon deadlines for several years" and that Genting's attempts to blame Disney for Fox's default were "made up".[2]

Fox filed a $46 million countersuit against Genting on 23 January 2019. In the suit, Fox stated that the reason for their termination of the project was "Genting alone", blaming Genting's "incompetence, inexperience, and rank indifference to its contractual obligations" as the reason the project fell through.[13] Fox alleged that Genting changed agreed-upon plans "at the whim" of Genting Group chairman Lim Kok Thay and that Genting would construct "buildings that were too tall for the themed facades constructed to house them, built parade floats that were so large that they left no room on the street for spectators, built an attraction without including the designed (or any) evacuation route, and routinely had to retrofit, if not tear down, its prematurely built structures".[14] Genting responded by stating that Fox's countersuit was filed to "divert attention away from its own incompetence and inexperience" and went on to say that the company "will prove that Fox's termination was both unfounded and improperly directed by Disney and Fox's parent company, Twenty First Century Fox."[15]

On 26 July, it was announced that Fox and Genting had settled their respective lawsuits. As part of the deal, Genting would be granted "a license to use certain Fox intellectual properties", and that non-Fox intellectual property would make up the rest of the attractions in the park. The outdoor park would also no longer be referred to as 20th Century Fox World, but instead would be named Genting SkyWorlds.[3][16]

Virtual Queue (VQ)

Genting Skyworld Theme Park Virtual Queue's Logo

On July 1, 2022, it was announced that Genting Skyworlds would partner up with Alibaba Cloud to present their new Virtual Queue (VQ) system which is powered with artificial intelligence. The system would allow guests to pre-book the theme park's attractions in advance through their Genting Skyworlds application and eliminate the need for guests to queue up at the attractions. The Virtual Queue application is fed with real-time data to allow park operators to "control crowd dispersion and optimise ride capacity".[17][18]

Attractions

Genting Skyworlds Theme Park Main Entrance

The park currently has nine themed worlds: Andromeda Base, Central Park, Eagle Mountain, Epic, Ice Age, Liberty Lane, Rio, Robots Rivet Town, and Studio Plaza.[19]

Andromeda Base

NameStatusManufacturer/ModelNotes
Alpha Fighter Pilots Operational Zamperla Air Race
Boot Camp Training Operational
Terraform Tower Challenge Operational S&S – Sansei Combo Tower Was once going to be named Alien Terrorforma and be themed to the Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the Alien franchise.
Descent into Darkness Under construction Dynamic Attractions SFX Coaster Was once set to be themed to Alien vs. Predator. The coaster's exterior has been completed with construction still underway on the indoor portion.

Central Park

NameStatusManufacturer/ModelNotes
ESD Global Defender Operational Technical Park Aerobat
Independence Day: Defiance Operational Dynamic Attractions Flying theater Themed to the Independence Day franchise.
Night at the Museum: Midnight Mayhem Operational ETF Ride Systems A shooting dark ride themed to the Night at the Museum franchise.

Eagle Mountain

NameStatusManufacturer/ModelNotes
Mad Ramp Peak - Full Throttle Racing Coming Soon Dynamic Attractions Duel Power Coaster World's first dual powered high speed coaster

Epic

A area wedged into the park's corner themed to the Epic 2013 computer-animated film.

NameStatusManufacturer/Model

Notes

Epic Hummingbird Flyers Operational Zierer Flying Gondolas
Epic Voyage to Moonhaven Operational ABC Rides A dark ride/flume ride with a big drop, cutting edge technologies, animatronics and special effects.

Ice Age

An area themed to the Ice Age franchise.

NameStatusManufacturer/ModelNotes
Acorn Adventure Operational Beijing Shibaolai Mine Train
Ice Age: Expedition Thin Ice Operational Oceaneering International dark ride A trackless dark ride, with mix media elements ; screen, animatronics and special effects.
Mammoth Fun Zone Operational
Sid's Rock 'N' Slide Operational Zierer Kontiki

Liberty Lane

An alleyway modeled after San Francisco, which connects Central Park to Andromeda Base.

NameStatusManufacturer/ModelNotes
Invasion of the Planet of the Apes Operational Oceaneering International dark ride Immersive 3D indoor trackless dark rides based on the Planet of the Apes franchise

Rio

The area is modeled after Rio de Janeiro and themed to the Rio animated films.

NameStatusManufacturer/ModelNotes
Blue Sky Carousel Operational Carrousel
Samba Gliders Operational Setpoint Swing Thing A suspended roller coaster.
Rio Carnaval Chaos! Operational Zamperla Demolition Derby

Robots Rivet Town

A secluded area themed to the Robots 2005 animated film. The area's two attractions, Bigweld's Zeppelins and Rivet Town Roller, are both stacked on top of one another in order to save space. Entry to the area is gained through the Liberty Lane pathway.

NameStatusManufacturer/ModelNotes
Big Weld's Zeppelins Operational
Rivet Town Roller Operational Chance Rides Unicoaster

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Returning crowds to boost Genting's earnings". Themalaysianreserve.com. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Dominic Patten (27 November 2018). "Disney & Fox Rip $1.75B Malaysian Theme Park Lawsuit As "Without Merit" – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 Patrick Hipes (26 July 2019). "Legal Fight Over Fox Theme Park In Malaysia Ends In Settlement – Deadline". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  4. ↑ Justin Lee (27 November 2018). "3 Theme Parks That Genting Could Replace 20th Century Fox World With". Vulcan Post. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "GENTING MALAYSIA BERHAD – RM5bn Integrated Tourism Plan Unveiled". Investor.com. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  6. ↑ Reme Ahmad (18 December 2013). "Genting resort to get new theme park in $2b masterplan". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  7. ↑ Tamara Jayne (27 November 2018). "20th Century Fox World Theme Park in Genting May Be Delayed Again. Here's Why". Says.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  8. ↑ Karla Cripps (18 December 2013). "Twentieth Century Fox theme park announced". CNN. Archived from the original on 21 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  9. ↑ Marc Graser (17 December 2013). "20th Century Fox Breaks Ground on Theme Park Business with First Resort in Malaysia". Variety. Archived from the original on 19 June 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Theme park plan still on, timing unclear: GEN Malaysia". GGRAsia. 21 December 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  11. ↑ "Genting SkyWorlds opens after multiple delays | TTG Asia".
  12. ↑ Jonathan Stempel (27 November 2018). "Disney, Fox sued in U.S. for $1 billion over Malaysia theme park". Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  13. ↑ Patrick Hipes (23 January 2019). "Fox Countersues Over Contested Malaysian Theme Park Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  14. ↑ Gene Maddaus (23 January 2019). "How a Kuala Lumpur Theme Park Became a Fox-Themed Fiasco". Variety. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  15. ↑ Eriq Gardner (23 January 2019). "Fox Countersues Developer of Failed Malaysian Theme Park for $46 Million". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  16. ↑ "Genting Malaysia to rightsize workforce, management offered pay cut". The New Straits Times. 22 May 2020. Archived from the original on 25 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  17. ↑ "Genting SkyWorlds partners Alibaba Cloud to deliver an AI powered rich user experience". Digital News Asia. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  18. ↑ Devanesan, Joe (4 July 2022). "Alibaba Cloud cuts thru the crowd at Genting SkyWorlds". Tech Wire Asia. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  19. ↑ Ng, Wilson (August 2021). "Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park unveils its nine worlds". Placesandfoods.com. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
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