Among this year’s fun festival facts:

• 30 million blooms blanket the park throughout the festival, which runs 75 colorful days.
• The festival’s front-entrance Fantasiatopiary scene comprises 28 topiaries – more than have been used in any front-entrance display.  The 28 include Sorcerer Mickey, three ostriches, two hippos, two alligators, two elephants, nine stars, a spiral and eight mushrooms.
• 22,615 plant plugs of 15 plant varieties make up the Fantasia front-entrance topiary.  They include reindeer moss for Sorcerer Mickey’s face and red begonias for his hat; creeping fig for Mickey, hippos and gators; Sweet Ayssum, and three shades ofLobelia simulate water spilling over a large topiary rock made up of Black Scallop Ajuga upon which the Sorcerer stands.
• 4,000 Blushing Bride air plants from Guatemala color the two hippos’ tutus and 300 Cotton Candy air plants from Peru feather the wings and tails of the three ostrich topiaries.  Smaller air plants are used as ostrich slippers.
• 1,250 feet of quarter-inch irrigation tubing is woven into the Fantasia front-entrance topiaries.
• Dozens of additional Disney character topiaries represent the largest collection of Disney character topiary in the world and include classic film stars like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Cinderella and Tinker Bell.
• At least 25 different plants, grasses and mosses of various colors, including pink and red begonias, dusty miller, palm fiber, palm seeds, ficus and lichen, are used to create and define features of additional festival topiaries.  More color has been added to the topiaries than in any previous topiary presentation.
• 1,000 native butterflies represent up to 10 species at the expansive Bambi’s Butterfly House. Among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants are Cape Royal plumbago, passion flower, coral honeysuckle, blazing star, butterfly bush, scarlet milkweed and canna lily.
• More than 500,000 plants, trees and shrubs are planted for the festival; 250,000 of those are annual blossoms installed for the festival.
• Festival plants include 60 different species of trees, 47 types of palms, and 48 varieties of bedding plants.
• 150 hands-on gardening demonstrations and seminars will be presented.
• Thirty “flower towers” of impatiens line Innoventions Plaza.
• 240 floating mini-gardens, each three feet in diameter, of multi-hued impatiens provide splashes of color on two ponds that border the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.
• 700 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables in clay pots, barrels and urns enhance the landscape throughout Epcot.
• 400 Walt Disney World horticulturistsare needed to install the festival landscape, topiaries and many exhibits; 100 Epcot horticulturists maintain topiaries and other festival displays.
• It takes more thanone full year and about 24,000 cast member hours to prepare for the annual festival.
• The festival’s weekend Flower Power concert series includes 11 artists and groups known for more than 100 Top 40 hits. This year’s musical hit-makers from the 1960s and ’70s include Jose Feliciano, Starship starring Mickey Thomas, The Guess Who, The Spinners, Chubby Checker & The Wildcats, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night (NEW!), The Orchestra starring former members of ELO (NEW!), Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone and Davy Jones.

Guest information for the 19thannual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available at www.disneyworld.com/flower or at 407/W-DISNEY.

Titled after a quote from the popular artist himself, “In the future, everybody will be world-famous for fifteen minutes”, Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternalfeatures over 260 paintings, drawings, sculptures, film, and video of the legendary artist’s works, marking the first time such an extensive collection is exhibited in Singapore. The exhibition will also be accompanied by a wide range of associated documents, interactive timelines, photographs, and archival material.

Andrew Warhola (6 August 1928 – 22 February 1987), better known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker. He was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as Pop Art and was renowned for using mass production of popular culture such as advertising, comic books, and brand products, as the basis of his art. Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal features his masterpieces including Jackie (1964), Marilyn Monroe (1967), Campbell’s Soup (1961), Silver Liz (1963), Time Capsule 51 (1970’s), The Last Supper (1986), and numerous iconic Self-Portraits.

Mr. Nick Dixon, Executive Director, ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, said, “Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal will show visitors the multiple facets of Andy Warhol’s talents. Art can come in many forms. Andy Warhol showed the world how various mediums and technology can transform everyday items like Campbell’s soup cans and photos into pop art icons. He had an amazing ability to simplify art and make it accessible to the mass public.”

Visitors to the exhibition will journey through four different stages of Andy Warhol’s life, starting from his early artistic years in the 1940’s to his final works in the 1980’s. The exhibition will present an extensive range of important artworks from the various phases of his artistic career.

1. “Early Years” – 1940s to 1950s

This gallery will introduce Andy Warhol and the early influences in his art. It will showcase his drawings as a child, his first artworks as a commercial artist and the blotted line technique he created

2. “The Factory Years” – 1960s

The 1960’s marked Warhol’s transition from commercial art to business art. It was during this time that he created the iconic masterpieces of theCampbell’s Soup Can and portraits of celebrities such as Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. Films by Warhol will also be presented within this gallery, showcasing his diverse talents.

A separate space will be dedicated to recreating the Silver Factory, Warhol’s studio in the 1960’s in New York which was entirely covered with foil. To provide an interesting interactive experience, the space will feature costumes for visitors to dress up and be “a star for 15 minutes”, a photo booth to capture the experience, a reproduction of the couch from the Silver Factory from which visitors can enjoy his avant garde films, and the whimsicalSilver Clouds (1966) piece made of floating helium balloons.

3. “Exposures” – 1970s

During the 70’s, Warhol’s celebrated use of Polaroids in photographing celebrities came to prominence. During this time, Andy Warhol focused on commissioned portraits to fund his interest in experimental film. This shift in focus is evident in the genre of art works on display such as advertisements and silverprint photographs, which reflect Warhol’s fascination with fame and glamour. It is also during this time that he started creating time capsules which contained meaningful items collected from the various periods of his life. Out of the over 600 time capsules Warhol created throughout his lifetime, visitors will be able to view one that contains over 50 magazines and books.

4. “The Last Supper” – 1980s

Having reached the pinnacle of success in the art world, Warhol ventured into television media with Andy Warhol’s T.V. and Andy Warhol’s Fifteen Minutes which visitors will be able to watch in this exhibition space. The diversity of his last decade of creation includes such works as the Endangered Species series, Rorschach series and Oxidation Paintings. The exhibition concludes with The Last Supper and Self Portrait, two iconic masterpieces he created at the very end of his life that are monumental in both scale and the impact they had in the art industry.

To cater to young art enthusiasts, a special display for children will be created based on a similar exhibition Andy Warhol did in 1983 at Bruno Bischofberger gallery in Switzerland. Visitors young and old will view art from a child’s perspective – toy paintings will be displayed at a lower eye level. This is the first time this form of viewing has been specially commissioned in Singapore.

Mr. Eric Shiner, Director of The Andy Warhol Museum, said, “We are thrilled to be sharing the work of one of America’s most iconic artists with the people of Singapore. Warhol’s large body of work spanning all artistic mediums is fully accessible to audiences around the globe thanks to his use of universally-recognized stars, commercial brands, and other subject matter. Twenty-five years after his death, Warhol’s legacy and importance only continues to grow, and we know that he would be pleased to know his artwork is on display at ArtScience Museum in Singapore for the first time.”

Mr. Dixon said, “ArtScience Museum’s goal is to provide visitors an experience that is both immersive and experiential, and is the perfect venue for an exhibition showcasing the art of such an iconic Pop Artist. Through this exhibition, visitors will walk through Andy Warhol’s life, learn about his inspiration, and be inspired by his creativity.”

Mr. Steve Lackey, Chairman of Asia-Pacific, BNY Mellon, said: “BNY Mellon’s global commitment to the arts is designed to facilitate access and deeper exploration of art through the communities in which we live and work. We are very proud to be supporting The Andy Warhol Museum and bringing this remarkable body of work to Asia.”

Additional corporate supporting sponsors of the Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal exhibition include Christie’s, The Economist and Bloomberg.

Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal will run from 17 March 2012 until 12 August 2012. This exhibition is part of the Asian tour that will travel to five cities over 27 months starting in Singapore. It will then move on to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and finally Tokyo in 2014.

Boasting an iconic lotus-inspired design, the world’s first ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands is the premier venue for major international touring exhibitions from the most renowned collections in the world. Featuring 21 gallery spaces, totaling 50,000 square feet, ArtScience Museum delivers an impressive array of exhibits that embrace a spectrum of influences from art and science, media and technology, to design and architecture.

Visitor Information:

The ice rink will be a big draw for people of all ages, and will benefit local communities in providing leisure space and a recreational area which allows visitors to keep kit as they skate and have fun. The rink will also benefit Promenada’s retail tenants, as it will be sited directly by the Sports & Young Fashion Zone on the first floor in front of the Sportworld anchor store.

Chiang Mai currently has no ice skating rink, and so the inclusion of a generously-sized and expertly finished ice skating facility at Promenada Resort Mall Chiang Mai is of great benefit to visitors to the mall. ECC Real Estate, the developer of Promenada Resort Mall Chiang Mai, has considerable experience in this area as the company has been developing malls with ice skating facilities since the opening of its first mall in Warsaw, Poland, in 1996.

Mr. Tjeert Kwant, President & CEO and shareholder of ECC Real Estate, explained, “Chiang Mai benefits from the increasingly diversified requirements of consumers, and as their demands become more sophisticated, so must the amenities we offer, in order to meet these requests. We recently offered an artificial outdoor skating rink as part of the highly successful ‘Promenada Christmas Fair and Charity 2011’ and it proved to be incredibly popular. ECC can now confirm that a well-sized and well-equipped indoor real ice skating rink will form part of the Promenada Resort Mall Chiang Mai project, set to open late 2012. The ice rink will comprise 720-sqm area inside the mall and the visitors can enjoy the nice bird’s eye view on the ice rink from one of the coffee shops or rink side restaurants above. It is a tremendously exciting example of the type of leisure activities that will be on offer after the mall opens.”

Our most intimate thoughts, fantasies, and urges are now transmitted via electronic devices to rapt audiences all over the world. These transmissions—from sexts to private webcam feeds—are anonymous yet personal, individual yet collective, everywhere and nowhere, and they are contributing to the largest sexual record to date. In short, desire has gone viral. The exhibition “Universe of Desire,” opening at the Museum of Sex on February 8th, examines human desire as seen through the lens of digital behaviors.

But what does this mean? And what does it reveal about us? This exhibition explores these very questions through a lens of digital experiences by examining what we are searching for, how we do it, and what we leave behind on these electronic devices. In piecing this together, we begin to expose staggering truths about who we are and how we interact in this ever-changing world of modern sexuality.

“As human behavior becomes more clickable than physical, we can’t help but wonder what this means for our most basic, biological impulse: sex.” says Mark Snyder, Director of Exhibitions and Co-Curator of “Universe of Desire.” The exhibition explores this very question by examining what we actually search for on the internet and what we leave behind.

Neuroscientists Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam, authors of the best-selling book, A Billion Wicked Thoughts, provide much of the inspiration for “Universe of Desire.” Ogas and Gaddam gathered and coded 400 million internet searches — 55 million of which (or roughly 13 percent) proved to be searches for some kind of erotic content. The findings mined from analyzing the internet habits of tens of millions of people worldwide will be on display in “Universe of Desire.”

These anonymous searches bring to question our identity by revealing both expected “kinks” and “squicks” (squirm-inducing kinks), as well as the broad categories of shared desire that account for 80 percent of sexual internet searches, including “cheating partners,” “youth,” “mature,” and various genitalia. Confronted with this research we begin to see just how similar and different we all are as human.

Supporting this content is a variety of media that amplifies and humanizes the scientific findings of “A Billion Wicked Thoughts.” Showcasing artifacts from Science, Culture, Art and Technology, Universe of Desire explores the virtual cataloging of our sexual wants, infatuations and yearnings by walking patrons through the kind of sex we, as humans, look up on the internet.

Photographer Natacha Merritt, author of Digital Diaries, has documented herself digitally for the last 14 years. As one of the first photographers to capture erotic imagery in a digital medium, a selection of this pioneering artist’s work is exhibited for the first time in its chronology, offering a visual timeline as example of photographic evolution, serving both as record and expression of our sexual desires through the last decade.

Further exploring the relationship between digital imagery and sexual fantasy, visitors to “Universe of Desire” are invited to engage with a series of video and interactive experiences. Highlights include a digital mirror created by Kevin Bleich and Gabriela Guitérrez which literally deconstructs patrons into pixels, and projects avatars of their “digital selves” onto the walls of the gallery, while an interactive video collage from Johnny Woods lures visitors into a virtual romp of sexual artifacts designed to stimulate, provoke and delight audiences.

Additional artwork and artifacts from Science, Culture, Art and Technology include the work of NY Magazine’s Sex Diaries maven, Arianne Cohen, a larger-than-life Facebook conversation between Rep. Anthony Weiner and Blackjack Dealer Lisa Weiss, and a giant patchwork quilt of facial expressions by Laura McMillian and Kristin Reger, ripped from BeautifulAgony.com, a user-generated site that invites contributors to upload images of their faces in the midst of orgasm.

Additional artwork and contributions have been provided by Dirty Pillowz, Jesse Edwards, Hiroshi Kumagai, Tony Moriello, Janos Stone, PornHub and Wasteland.

CREDITS:
Director of Exhibitions: Mark Snyder
Creative Direction: Emilie Baltz
Chief Advisors: Ogi Ogas, PhD and Sai Gaddam, PhD
Co-Curated by: Sarah Forbes and Mark Snyder

With Birthday Surprise promotion, the birthday star can enjoy free admission to Madame Tussauds Hong Kong by visiting 5 days before or after the day of their birthday. (Redemption period for the Birthday Surprise promotion is valid until January 5, 2013 for the December 31st birthday stars)

Madame Tussauds Hong Kong has also prepared a line-up of other great deals and surprises, making sure all birthday stars will feel extra special on the day of their visit.

The Birthday Surprise promotion can be redeemed simply by presenting your HKID card at the admission counter of Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

Birthday star can receive a HK$10 discount* off if they want to capture any special moments by professional cameras at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, which even comes with a customized overlay. Enjoy a moment with heartthrob Louis Koo, take pictures with the giggly Miriam Yeung, or be it afternoon tea with the lovely McDull and Madame Mak, every moment is worth capturing as a special memorabilia.

After the star-studded journey at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, the party doesn’t have to end there! The birthday star can bring along their friends and loved ones to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. where a surprise awaits for your birthday party! With a spending of over HK$500, the birthday star will receive a free ‘Bubba Gump Shaker Glass’**. Simply present your Hong Kong Identity Card together with your ticket purchase receipt from Madame Tussauds Hong Kong to enjoy the treat!

This year, spend an extraordinary birthday with your friends, family and over 100 A-List celebrities at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong – a birthday to remember for life!

* Only applicable to 6R photos

** This promotion cannot be redeemed for cash. Only one birthday star per table can receive this special offer. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. reserves the right to change the Terms and Conditions without prior notice.

In just 16 months since it opened, this world-class entertainment extravaganza at City of Dreams has dominated as Macau’s must-see show and firmly planted Macau on the world map of entertainment whilst contributing to the growth of the city as an all-round leisure and entertainment hotspot.

The honorary one millionth visitor, Ms. Yau King Tan from Hong Kong, presented with a complete City of Dreams journey as a congratulatory gift, including one night’s accommodation at Grand Hyatt Macau, an exquisite dining experience in the fine dining world at City of Dreams worth MOP1,000, 2 tickets to ‘The House of Dancing Water’, and its’ Gift Set with its sound track, house program and a themed photo.

“The show has received a lot of publicity and I’ve wanted to watch it for some time.  I was thrilled to finally watch it on the first day of Chinese New Year and it was everything I expected and more! There are so many performance elements weaved into it; the motorcycle stunts were especially exciting.  ‘The House of Dancing Water’ is certainly a show you can watch over and over again!” said Ms. Yau.

City of Dreams’ world-class flagship entertainment centerpiece, ‘The House of Dancing Water’ has staged 545 shows in the past 16 months, recording over 90% occupancy.  This Franco Dragone masterpiece, known as the world’s largest and most spectacular water-based show, recently garnered three prestigious international awards namely the THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Themed Entertainment Association, the Best Entertainment of Macau in the 2011 Hurun Report, and the DFA (The Design for Asia) Merit Recognition Award for the design excellence of Dancing Water Theater, the magnificent home designed and custom-built for this awe-inspiring production.

City of Dreams is operated by a Macau subsidiary of Melco Crown Entertainment Limited, an entertainment company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK: 6883) and the NASDAQ Global Select Market.  It is an integrated entertainment resort that has established itself as a premier leisure and entertainment destination in Macau.

Ms. Yau King Tan (Lady on the right), the lucky one millionth spectator came from Hong Kong, was presented with a complete City of Dreams journey as a congratulatory gift, including one night’s accommodation at Grand Hyatt Macau, an exquisite dining experience in the fine dining world at City of Dreams worth MOP1,000, 2 tickets to ‘The House of Dancing Water’, and its’ Gift Set with its sound track, house program and a themed photo.

The House of Dancing Water, the world’s largest and most spectacular water-based show, recently garnered three prestigious international awards namely the THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Themed Entertainment Association, the Best Entertainment of Macau in the 2011 Hurun Report, and the DFA (The Design for Asia) Merit Recognition Award for the design excellence of Dancing Water Theater.

If you’ve ever wondered how a gerbil feels racing across his wheel, Zorb is for you. Riders are placed inside a giant 12-foot inflatable globe and rolled down a 700-foot hill on one of two specially-designed tracks. Thrill seekers may choose to add water and experience the Zydro Ride, slipping, sliding and spinning to the bottom of the hill. Up to three people (who really like each other) may ride together.

The dry jaunt, Zorbit, is known as the “astronaut-in-training” ride. Strapped securely into a safety harness, single riders are sent tumbling head-over-heels down the hill.

The Zorb family began in the tourism hub of Rotorua, New Zealand, with the opening of Zorb Rotorua in 1995. Zorb Rotorua is the company’s flagship site and hosts more than 50,000 riders a year.

Prices at Zorb Guam range from US$24-72, depending on the number of rides and riders. Riders must be 8 years or older. No reservations are required.

Zorb Guam in Manenggon Hills offers thrill seekers wet and dry rides in a giant inflatable globe.

Visit zorb.com for more information.

There will be something for everyone and every family.  From a new Blue Man Group show and newly re-created experience inside one of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions to a stunning parade, spectacular nighttime show and brand-new blockbuster attraction based on an incredibly popular film – Universal Orlando Resort is bringing guests more new entertainment across our entire destination in 2012 than during any other year in our history.

The new experiences will begin debuting in February.  Guests will discover the exhilarating entertainment of a new Blue Man Group show; marvel at breathtaking new animation and effects in The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man; dance and celebrate with their favorite animated characters during Universal’s Superstar Parade and relive memorable moments from Universal Pictures most powerful and beloved films during the nighttime show Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular – 100 Years of Movie Memories. And coming this summer – families will laugh together as they are transformed into minions for an incredible adventure inside the new Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction.

Universal Orlando will also be marking the Universal Pictures Centennial Anniversary Celebration during 2012 with a series of events to be announced throughout the year.

“We are about to offer our guests a historic range of incredible new entertainment experiences,” said Alice Norsworthy, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Universal Orlando Resort.  “This year will be filled with excitement and entertainment for the entire family.”

The new 2012 experiences at Universal Orlando Resort include:

Blue Man Group ~ Opening February 2012 at Universal CityWalk

Universal Orlando’s Blue Man Group show is taking their unique and captivating mash-up of high energy music, comedy, audience participation and collective exhilaration to another level. Featuring a new show environment, new music, new technology and new experiences, the show will allow audiences to join the Blue Men as they discover, engage and explore the world’s obsession with cutting-edge technology.  Signature Blue Man Group moments combine with breathtakingly fun new pieces for an explosive evening of entertainment.  New show elements include the curious Blue Men interacting with enormous “GiPads,” a funny and insightful look at contemporary communication vehicles, and a pulsating new finale with an original Blue Man Group music score that will have guests jumping to their feet. Look closely – you may even see the Blue Men take a spin on one of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ~ Experience March 2012 at Islands of Adventure

Universal Orlando is transforming what is already one of the most amazing attraction experiences ever created into what will feel like an all-new adventure.  The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man will soon feature all-new, 4K digital high-definition animation, new high tech 3-D glasses and upgrades to the set, audio and lighting systems.  The re-animation of the ride film will include an entirely new level of detail for guests to discover, including a cameo by legendary comic book icon and Spider-Man co-creator, Stan Lee.

Universal’s Superstar Parade ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Some of today’s most beloved characters and stories will bring new adventure to the streets of Universal Studios during Universal’s Superstar Parade – an all-new daily parade that features larger-than-life floats, state-of-the-art technology and hundreds of energetic street performers.  Guests will sing and dance along with characters like the minions from Despicable Me, E.B. from the hit comedy, Hop, Nickelodeon’s Dora & Diego and SpongeBob SquarePants during the interactive experience. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy performances and character meet and greets prior to the parade at select locations throughout the day.

Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Narrated by award-winning actor and recent Golden Globe - Cecil B. DeMille honoree, Morgan Freeman, Universal Orlando’s brand-new nighttime show, Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular, will celebrate the most powerful and emotional moments from Universal Pictures’ most iconic films – all on cutting-edge waterfall screens within the Universal Studios lagoon and surrounded by colorful fountains and pyrotechnics. The experience will take guests on a journey through epic cinematic moments filled with heroes, horror, laughter, good vs. evil and triumph. The new show opens this spring, runs all summer and then on select nights through the end of the year.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ~ Opening Summer 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Universal Orlando’s newest attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, will take guests on an unforgettable 3-D adventure with their favorite characters from the hit film – Gru, Margo, Edith, Agnes and the mischievous minions. The experience begins when guests enter Gru’s home, where they learn that they’re being recruited to become minions and undergo “minion training.”  Things don’t go as planned, and guests find themselves on a wildly hysterical journey with Gru and his daughters.  Once guests make it through training, they join an interactive, minion-inspired dance party where they can show off their best moves.

Universal’s Creative team is working closely with Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment to bring this all-new adventure to life in the most authentic way possible.  In fact, the beloved characters in the attraction will be voiced by the film’s original cast: Steve Carell (Gru), Miranda Cosgrove (Margo), Dana Gaier (Edith) and Elsie Fisher (Agnes).  The ride’s experience is being developed by the same creative team that brought you the award-winning film, Despicable Me. The motion-picture eventDespicable Me 2 arrives in theaters on July 3, 2013.

Other New Experiences Opening this Year

• Hollywood Drive-In Golf, a unique 36-hole miniature golf experience inspired by the classic drive-in movie era, will open in February at Universal CityWalk.
• A great, new immersive retail entertainment experience that will become home to SpongeBob SquarePants and other characters from the number one kids animated TV series, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants.  It will open inside Universal Studios this year.
• Minutes away from Universal Orlando, the popular Wet ‘n Wild water park will open its first interactive family water play area, this summer – allowing everyone in the family to splash and swim together.  Amidst lush, tropical landscaping, the new area will feature 15 water slides and more than 100 soakers, jets, waterfalls and water cannons – making it the largest interactive water play experience in Florida.

For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.universalorlando.com.

4D Avatar Theme Park a Reality Now

The age of the passive theme park attraction has gone. Today two year olds play Xbox games; the silver generation own i-pads and consumers of all ages expect the latest interactive technology across all areas of entertainment. The ‘Live Park’4D is a new genre of theme park that pushes the limits of future entertainment.

‘Live Park’ enables visitors to experience a virtual world previously only seen in movies like ‘Minority Report’ and ‘Avatar.’ Mixed reality architecture allows the visitor to create an avatar and become the main character in a unique adventure. With interactive game elements as well as installation art, the visitor creates their own story in augmented reality.

The 10,000 square meter space represents an investment of $13 million over 2 years and can accommodate up to 3,000 visitors at any one time or 10,000 visitors a day. Open to the public since December 2011, the ‘Live Park 4D World Tour’ has been such a success that d’strict plan to extend the Season 1 Tour at KINTEX.

The ‘Live Park’

‘Live Park’ is composed of 65 attractions over 7 thematic stages and uses state of the art 3D video, holograms and augmented reality technology to create a seamless story. Visitors and their avatars move through the theme park’s stages interacting with the attractions using RFID wristbands and kinect sensors to recognize their gestures, voices and faces. Highlights include:

• The ‘Ender Mirror’- visitors create their own look-alike avatar and take photos by laughing at a mirror loaded with a ‘smile engine.’
• ‘Live360’- the world’s biggest interactive 360 degree stereoscopic theatre. Shouting and running together alongside their avatars, visitors can directly experience a realistic video game with multiple story endings in a huge space.
• ‘Live Square’ – allows visitors to enjoy the world’s most advanced avatar game in the world’s largest interactive projection square stretching over 150 meters.
• ‘Live Holo’ – holograms created by a collaboration between d’strict and domestic and overseas artists including David Garrett, Boxer Rebellion and 2NE1.
• ‘Syno Star Performance’ – visitors perform with their avatars in augmented reality on the hologram stage.
• ‘Mega Live Event’ – ‘Live Park’ is transformed into an evening entertainment venue providing unconventional performances, events and exhibitions in co-operation with top Rave DJs, artists, clubs, brands and fashion magazines.

The Future

d’strict are looking to expand overseas by licensing ‘Live Park’ to potential partners, and already have plans to create permanent facilities for ‘Live Park’ in China and Singapore. In addition, the company has been selected as a preferred bidder for a $1 billion multi-purpose theme park resort due to open in 2015 within the Asian region.

Bryan Lee, Live Park North America General Manager says, “d’strict is under MOU with a Hollywood entertainment powerhouse and their global IP to develop a themed entertainment destination in Las Vegas and L.A. area. An official announcement is expected in March in L.A regarding the US license.” He continues, “Last year James Cameron announced plans for an ‘Avatar’ themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to begin construction in 2013. With ‘Live Park’, d’strict have created a 4D avatar theme park that’s here today! ”

The Macarthur Farm Fresh Tour is a gourmet, small coach tour through the hills and dales of the historic Macarthur region around Camden, Menangle, The Oaks and Campbelltown – a region which became Sydney’s earliest food bowl thanks to the efforts of colonial pioneer John Macarthur who settled the fertile area in 1805.

The tour will be led by passionate foodies Nicci Peverill and Brooke Everett from ‘In Macarthur’ Magazine. The tour begins in Camden and the tour takes budding gourmands to local farms, producers and suppliers. A light lunch will be served at Common Ground Bakery in Picton and participants will receive a bag of edible goodies to remember their tour.

The Macarthur Farm Fresh tour runs from 9am-3.30pm Saturday, February 11, and departs from Deli D’lish, Capitol Arcade, Argyle Street, Camden. The cost is $99 per person and includes morning tea, coffee, lunch and samples bag.

For more information or to book, please contact Nicci Peverill on 0431 942 945 or Melinda Willcocks at Visit Macarthur on 0413 892 313. Visitwww.macarthur.com.au.