Futuroscope
Futuroscope, or Parc du Futuroscope is a French theme park based upon multimedia, cinematographic futuroscope and audio-visual techniques. It has several 3D cinemas and a few 4D cinemas along with other attractions and shows, some of which are the only examples in the world.
It is located in the department of Vienne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, north of Poitiers, in the communes of Chasseneuil-du-Poitou and Jaunay-Clan.
The park had 1.83 million visitors in 2015. In total, 50 million visitors have been to the park since it opened in 1987.
History
- 1984 : 11 December, first stone placed by René Monory, president of the general council of Vienne.
- 1987 : 31 May, opens to the public with Kinémax, the Pavillon du Futuroscope and a play zone.
- 1988 : opening of the first Dynamique Cinéma - Monde des Enfants and the Showscan.
- 1989 : the Cinéma en Relief, the Cinéma 360° and the second part of the Pavillon de la Communication open, offering new spectacles to visitors.
- 1990 : opening of the Omnimax and the Gyrotour. Futuroscope produces its first film in 360° about the Tour de France.
- 1991 : inauguration of Cinéautomate in spring. The park receives its one-millionth visitor.
- 1992 : the Tapis Magique and the Paysages d’Europe open.
- 1993 : inauguration of Solido.
- 1994 : opening of Pavillon de la Vienne, a second Dynamique Cinéma and the Aquascope.
- 1995 : celebrating the centenary of cinema, inauguration of the Images Studio.
- 1996 : the IMAX 3D opens and presents Guillaumet, les Ailes du Courage, a fiction in 3D by Jean-Jacques Annaud. The Showscan becomes the Cinéma Haute Résolution.
- 1997 : Futuroscope celebrates its 10th anniversary with a new evening spectacle, Le Lac aux Images. The Cinéautomate becomes Ciné-Jeu and Cyber Avenue opens up the Cyberworld to its visitors,. The Pavillon de la Communication presents a film produced by Futuroscope called Les Autoroutes de l’Information.
- 1998: Cyber Avenue expands with Cybermédia offering 1600 m² of multimedia, Internet and video games. Imagic opens, mixing image with illusion. The Dynamique Cinéma 2 becomes Astratour with a film discovering satellites, produced by Futuroscope.
- 1999: opening of Images du Goût and The Workshop of Taste in the Pavillon du Futuroscope.
- 2000: opening of the IMAX 3D simulator: Le Défi d’Atlantis. In June, the Gare TGV-Futuroscope opened with a walkway allowing visitors to reach the heart of the park directly from the station.
- 2001: the inauguration of the new attractions: CyberWorld', OceanOasis, Superstition et Métropole Défi. On 18 April, Futuroscope welcomed its 25-millionth visitor.
- 2002: opening of Destination Cosmos, a new evening spectacle conceived by Yves Pépin : Le Miroir d’Uranie and two new films: Sur les traces du Panda and Plongeurs sans Limite.
- 2003: opening of the attraction La Cité du Numérique ; 2 IMAX films: Space Station 3D and Percussions du Monde ; 2 dynamique films: Les mélodies Aquatiques ; and 2 new spectacles: Les Grandes Illusions, the Pavillon de la Créativité and an open air photograph exhibition.
- 2004: the season begins with a festival of the best Imax films. Jacques Perrin produces an exclusive new film for Tapis Magique, Voyageurs du Ciel et de la Mer. Le Rêve d’Icare produces new sensations in the Imax cinema.
- 2005: the arrival of many new attractions: Star du Futur ! ; La Légende de l'Étalon Noir in the Kinémax; the dynamique film Péril sur Akryls in Dynamique 1 and Les Yeux Grands Fermés. On 27 April, the park welcomed its 30-millionth visitor, making it the second most visited theme park in France and the fifth in Europe.
- 2006: a new 3D film opens in Imax 3D, le Seigneur du Ring. This year, the Park is themed as the Year of the Robots, by opening on 5 April with Dances with Robots in the new House of the Robots. A new evening spectacle entitled the Forest of the Dreams also forms part of the theme.
- 2007: two new IMAX films, Expédition Nil Bleu, Sous les Mers du Monde 3D, and a new version of the dynamic film La Vienne Dynamique.
- 2008: a new attraction based around the BBC's programme The Future is Wild, a new Omnimax film, a new dynamic film. On 10 July, the park welcomed its 35-millionth visitor.
- 2015: Cirque du Soleil announced a partnership with Futuroscope and will produce a new show called 'La Forge aux étoiles' to replace the 'Lady O' evening show. The show will premier on 6 February 2016 and perform 250-300 shows a year.
Stages of the Tour de France cycle race have begun and ended at the park several times since its opening.
Architecture
The pavilions of Futuroscope are mainly constructed of metal and glass, and their design was led by architect Denis Laming.- 1987 : Le Pavillon du Futuroscope, Le Kinémax
- 1988 : Le Cinéma Dynamique 1, Le Pavillon de la Créativité
- 1989 : Le 360°, le Cinéma en Relief
- 1990 : L'Omnimax, la Gyrotour
- 1992 : Le Tapis Magique
- 1993 : Le Solido
- 1994 : Le Pavillon de la Vienne, le Cinéma Dynamique 2, l'Aquascope
- 1995 : Images Studio
- 1996 : L’Imax 3D
- 2000 : L'Imax 3D Dynamique, TGV-Futuroscope Station
- 2002 : Destination Cosmos '
- 2006 : Le Pavillon des Robots
- 2008 : Les Animaux du Futur
- 2013 : Dances with Robots, by Martin Solveig
- 2014 : Les Lapins Cretins, Raving Rabbids - The Time Machine
- 2015 : L'Arena, Les Apprentis Pompiers ',
Attractions
| N° | Attraction | Description | Length |
| 1 | La Machine à Voyager dans le Temps | Dark ride based on the game featuring the Raving Rabbids | 6 mins |
| 2 | :fr:La Vienne Dynamique|La Vienne Dynamique | Dynamic movie theatre with added effects | 20 mins |
| 3 | Chocs Cosmiques | Planetarium dome movie theatre | 23 mins |
| 4 | L'Extraordinaire Voyage | Flying Theater by Dynamic Attractions | 4 mins |
| 5 | Le Monde des Enfants | 20 outdoor games | - |
| 6 | Dynamic! | Dynamic movie theatre featuring Virus Attack new 2014 | 5 mins |
| 7 | Les Mystères du Kube | Show with video-mapped scenery | 25 mins |
| 8 | iMagic | Magic show | 25 mins |
| 9 | 8e Continent, le jeu | Interactive 5di movie theatre | 8 mins |
| 10 | La Forge aux Étoiles | Evening show by Cirque du Soleil | 25 mins |
| 11 | Cyber Avenue | Amusement arcade | - |
| 12 | La :fr:Gyrotour|Gyrotour | Observation tower | 7 mins |
| 13 | La Loi du Plus Fort | IMAX Laser 4K movie theatre | 40 mins |
| 14 | Les Yeux Grands Fermés | Walk-through in the dark | 20 mins |
| 15 | L'Âge de Glace, l'Expérience 4D | 4D movie theatre | 12 mins |
| 16 | Les Ailes du Courage | 3D movie theatre | 40 mins |
| 17 | L'Explorarium | 3D IMAX Dome | 25 mins |
| 18 | Futur l'Expo | Fab lab / exhibition | - |
| 19 | :fr:Arthur, l'Aventure 4D|Arthur, l'Aventure 4D | 4D IMAX Dome | 5 mins |
| 20 | :fr:Danse avec les Robots|Danse avec les Robots | :fr:Robocoaster|Robocoaster | 2 mins |
| 21 | Le Monde de l'invisible | IMAX Dome | 40 mins |
| 22 | L'Arena Fun Xperiences | Sport and video games | - |
| 23 | Objectif Mars | Intamin launched spinning roller coaster | 2 mins |