Founded as a small, local family business and carefully grown into a large, international leading force in the theme parks and attractions industry, Intamin has worked hard for its name to be synonymous with inventive, state-of-the-art amusement rides.
The company was founded in 1967 and over the following 50 years has become a globally recognised brand within the amusement industry. From the beginning, Intamin was well received and to this day, the company continues to stand out from the crowd. Intamin was formed by three men sharing a small apartment as an office in Bern, the capital city of Switzerland, and has now evolved to become an independent company with hundreds of employees in many countries worldwide.
Intamin recently collaborated with Cité de l’espace on the new immersive ride LuneXplorer. This unique ride, the second one of its kind in Europe, allows visitors to undergo a simulated take-off and journey to the Moon, complete with the physical sensations involved in space exploration. The experience unfolds in four 10-minute sections, beginning in the lobby of a renovated 1,500sqm building dedicated to moon missions. To board one of the capsules and experience lift-off, guests must be at least 1.3-metres tall.
Stage one allows guests to discover and compare the Apollo lunar missions with the new Artemis missions to the Moon, involving the European Space Agency (ESA) alongside NASA. Then they must compose their crew, which can be a maximum of four people, who will follow the instructions of ESA astronauts that will prepare you for the mission. Ten other capsules will take off simultaneously.
After the crew is assembled, it’s time to take off to the moon. Riders take their place aboard the capsule and experience the accelerations and decelerations of such a journey, akin to astronauts on a mission. As with all experiences, this one concludes with a debriefing based on your flight parameters, providing insights into the return to the Moon and future projects.
The equipment on LuneXplorer operates on a centrifuge principle, where the rotation speed induces acceleration on guests comfortably seated within ride cabins designed to mimic the environment of a rocket launch module. In total, there arw 10 cabins, each accommodating four experimenters. Not just an attraction, LuneXplorer is also a scientific experiment. The primary goal is to immerse passengers in the experience of being astronauts while elucidating the principles of forces.
Intamin has also announced the development of the Hubless Wheel – a reimagined classic ride for theme parks of the future. The Hubless Wheel, gives the traditional spokeless wheel a contemporary twist with its sleek and modern structure. This new wheel offers an abundance of space, allowing you to unleash your creativity and bring your ideas to life.
Designed for optimal space efficiency, Intamin’s Hubless Wheel’s small footprint provides theme park designers room to explore ideas. Its see-through centre not only offers guests an unobstructed view of the surrounding skyline, but also provides additional space to curate new experiences and captivating shows for guests. Make the most of this unique space by seamlessly integrating other attractions, projecting immersive light shows, or using it as a stunning frame to showcase the breath-taking views beyond.
“We are looking forward to some great projects in 2024,” said Intamin. “Hot Racer in Walibi Rhone Alpes will be our first Hot Racer in Europe. The Dynamic Motion Stage ‘Dance Macabre’ at Efteling in Autumn will be a world-first. Catapult Falls is the first Flume Ride with a booster, and opening in SeaWorld San Antonio is the world’s first flume ride with a booster. We’re also opening our first UltraSurf at Six Flags over in Georgia, ‘Swingi’ the gyro swing in Linnanmäki, Finland and the Spinning Raft Ride at Bellewaerde in Belgium. We are set for a busy and exciting year.”
Images: Intamin
