Newsroom
Welcome to Ripley Entertainment's official Press Site! Here you will find the latest news from all Ripley attractions as well as the latest corporate happenings.
To peruse by month, choose from the list at the right. To peruse by attraction type, choose from the list at the bottom of the page.
Ripley's VP of Communications, Tim O'Brien can be reached at obrien@ripleys.com or in his office at 615-646-7465 or on cell at 615-496-5949.
News Articles
The Newest Water Wonder in Niagara Falls
Posted by John Doe on November 29, 2005Niagara Falls, ON (NOVEMBER 29, 2005) - Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls opened its doors this morning to offer city officials, area business owners and members of the media, a near completion preview of what will be the first Canadian location of Great Wolf Lodge.
Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls, owned by Ripley's Niagara Water Park Resort, L.P., a Jim Pattison Group company, through a license from Great Wolf Resorts, Inc., rolled out the indoor-outdoor green carpet and handed out construction hard hats before guiding tours through the half million square-foot, 4-story, log sided family indoor waterpark resort. Under agreement with Ripley's, Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. will manage and operate the property.
"There's nothing like it in Canada! Staying at the Great Wolf Lodge Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario will be like visiting a water-filled wonderland," said Bob Masterson, President of Ripley's Niagara Water Park Resort. "Our goal is to bring a fun and memorable family vacation opportunity to one of the world's great travel destinations. This will be a place for kids and their parents to unwind unlike any place I know of, all year long."
The resort will feature 406 all-suite guest rooms and a choice of 10 different suite configurations including standard and premier layouts, such as the two-bedroom Grizzly Bear Suite which can sleep up to eight, the Loft Fireplace Suite, and children's themed suites including the Wolf Den, KidCabin and KidKamp, each complete with its own cozy private "room within a room" for kids.
With plans for a Spring 2006 opening, Masterson is confident the resort will be a popular destination and says, "There's been a lot of interest in the resort and we are already taking reservations. The spring and summer are going to fill up fast."
The adventure begins the minute guests enter the log-sided, five-story Grand Lobby. Designed to capture the imagination, this fun-filled living room comes to life the moment families check in, with hidden surprises for children to discover throughout. Interactive animated characters such as Ringo the Raccoon and Moe the Moose are part of the line-up of daily performances. They'll dazzle and delight young guests time and time again as they come alive with songs and stories, creating an atmosphere unlike any other resort.
At the center of the resort, just behind the lobby entrance, windows overlook the main attraction, Bear Track Landing - a colossal, 90-foot tall, indoor waterpark complex measuring at over 100,000 square-feet. A 12-level treehouse waterfort interconnected with suspension bridges, cargo nets, web crawls and over 60 guest-activated water effects, stands at the park's entrance. A 4,000 litre (1,000-gallon) tipping bucket suspended at the top offers guests a thrilling introduction to one of the world's largest indoor waterpark resorts, while the Rocket Watercoaster Ride - one of only four in the world - and the Mammoth Raft Ride - the world's largest tunnel family raft ride - takes guests for the water rides of their lives! Completely under roof, the waterpark will feature 13 waterslides, ranging in size from kiddie slides to fast-paced tube slides that wind in and out of the indoor waterpark, a massive indoor wave pool, recreation pool, lazy river and a zero-depth entry pool for even the youngest water-fans. Industry leading Ellis & Associates certified lifeguards will oversee water park safety.
Other resort amenities include Northern LightsTM Arcade, a 6,000 square-foot arcade with ticket redemption center; Iron HorseTM Fitness Room; and Cub ClubTM - the children's frequent guest club where the "Ambassador of Fun" will lead activities and arts and crafts. In addition, guests and the general public will enjoy the five fully-licensed, themed restaurants; Pizza Hut Express; Starbucks®; Bear Claw CaféTM confectionery; Buckhorn ExchangeTM gift emporium; Elements - an Aveda® Concept Spa; and close to 10,000 square feet of meeting space, including a tiered, audio/visual symposium. Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls is scheduled to open spring 2006.
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Ownership
Great Wolf Lodge Resort, Niagara Falls, Canada
Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls, Canada, is owned by Ripley's Niagara Water Park Resort, L.P., a Jim Pattison Group company, through a license from Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Great Wolf Lodge will capture the adventure and the intrigue of the Northwoods with nature-inspired accommodations, multiple family-themed restaurants, an Aveda® concept spa, an arcade with over 100 games and an interactive miniature golf course. Measuring more than 100,000 square feet with 2.5 million litres of water, the indoor waterpark complex includes 13 waterslides, three pools, two whirlpools, a large outdoor heated spa experience, a giant wavepool, a 500,000 litre lazy river, a 4,000 litre tipping bucket and more.
About Ripley Entertainment, Inc.
Ripley Entertainment, Inc. is a leading global attractions company with annual attendance of more than 12 million guests. In addition to its 54 attractions in 10 countries, the Orlando-based company has publishing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the globally syndicated Believe it or Not! television show, best selling books, and the popular syndicated comic strip. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately owned company in Canada.
Management
About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.TM (NASDAQ: WOLF) is the largest owner, operator and developer in North America of drive-to family resorts featuring indoor waterparks and other family-oriented activities. Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with in-house expertise and resources in resort and indoor waterpark development, management, marketing and financing. Under agreement with Ripley's, Great Wolf Resorts Inc. will manage and operate the property. Other resorts include: Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; the Pocono Mountains, Pa. and Blue Harbor Resort & Conference CenterTM in Sheboygan, Wis. Great Wolf Lodge properties are currently under development in Mason, Ohio; Chehalis, Wash. and Grapevine, Texas. www.greatwolflodge.com
Tim O'Brien, VP Publishing & Communications
Ripley Entertainment
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