originally posted on 3/4/2022 1:57:00 AM
Photo: Tom Nickerson collection. View full-sized image.
On Sunday, February 6, 2022, ACE North Central hosted an event at Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America (MOA) in Bloomington, Minnesota. Attendance included 24 ACEers and five guests. Nickelodeon Universe is an indoor amusement park located at the center of the MOA. With Minnesota being a cold winter state, it is a unique experience to be able to ride roller coasters this time of year.
The event started off with ERT on Pepsi Orange Streak, which the park opened an additional 15 minutes for ACEers, giving them a total of 45 minutes of exclusive ride time. For many of the attendees, this was the first roller coaster they have ridden this year. The ERT on Pepsi Orange Streak was a good warmup for the more thrilling rides that would be experienced later in the day.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
Attendees then met with the vice president of attractions at Nickelodeon Universe, Brian Spielman. He took the group to the new office tower to give them a tour. There he discussed the people behind Nickelodeon Universe and some of the challenges they face. One of those challenges discussed was copyrighted intellectual property (IP). Nickelodeon Universe is themed to the characters featured on television shows on the popular kids’ network Nickelodeon. All the theming and merchandise has to be approved by Nickelodeon to make sure the representation of the brand is kept true to the IP. The process of creating merchandise and getting it approved can take about nine months.
This parking lot is the site of the upcoming new waterpark.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
The other hot topic discussed during the tour was the addition of the new waterpark. The waterpark will be on what is now a parking lot on the north side of the MOA. It will be approximately a $300 million project. The project has been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Spielman assured the group the project is still moving forward and is almost ready for the next step. ACEers got to see some renderings and the name of the waterpark. Attendees agreed not to give secrets away. (For now let’s just say it is a “Mystery.”) It appears it will be themed to a mysterious tropical island oasis, with hidden coves containing lots of other secrets. From the renderings and Spielman’s insight, it looks as if this waterpark will feature a wave pool split in two, which will provide both a calm and an aggressive wave cycle. There will also be a handful of waterslides and what looks like a water coaster.
Fairly Odd Coaster.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
After the tour concluded, the attendees had some free time to enjoy the park and informally take over some rides. The first takeover was on SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge. The Gerstlauer Eurofighter features a vertical lift hill, a beyond-vertical drop and three inversions. It is a short but thrilling experience. Next ACE held a competition on Ghost Blasters, a Sally shooting dark ride. Attendees then moved over to the Fairly Odd Coaster, a Gerstlauer spinning coaster that made a few riders a bit dizzy. Continuing on, the group went to Shredder’s Mutant Masher, a Chance Rides Revolution. The final takeover was on the Log Chute, a well-themed log flume with two drops. Riders experience a scenic adventure through a sawmill and an encounter with Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
The event was a fun time for the “cold-weathered residents” of ACE and made it possible to enjoy roller coasters during the off-season. Even though the attendees enjoyed the event, they are anxiously excited for the weather to warm up so they can enjoy even more roller coasters in the summer.
— Calvin Duane
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
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