PortAventura Park
| Industry | Theme park |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 1, 1995 |
| Founder | The Tussauds Group (initial operator) |
| Headquarters | Salou and Vila-seca , Spain |
Area served | Europe |
| Products | Theme park attractions and shows |
| Owner | Investindustrial (50.1%), KKR (49.9%) |
| Parent | PortAventura World Resort |
| Website | www |
PortAventura Park is a theme park situated within the PortAventura World Resort, positioned southwest of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, spanning the municipalities of Salou and Vila-seca along the Costa Daurada. The park officially opened its doors on 1 May 1995 and was initially operated by the Tussauds Group, which held a 40.01% ownership stake. Other shareholders included La Caixa with 33.19%, Anheuser-Busch owning 19.9%, and FECSA with 6.7%. Public access began on 2 May 1995.
History
During the late 1980s, a collaboration between Anheuser-Busch and Grand Tibidabo, S.A., proprietors of Barcelona's Tibidabo Amusement Park, aimed to establish a new theme park near Barcelona. In 1992, Busch Entertainment declared a partnership with Grand Tibidabo to develop this venture. However, Grand Tibidabo withdrew amid construction, leading investors from The Tussauds Group, La Caixa, and FECSA to assume control. The Tussauds Group finalized the project and became the initial operators. Upon its inauguration in 1995, ownership was distributed as follows: Tussauds Group at 40.01%, La Caixa at 33.19%, Anheuser-Busch at 19.9%, and FECSA at 6.7%.
By 1996, PortAventura attracted 2.7 million visitors, securing its position as Spain's leading theme park and ranking fifth across Europe. Attendance surged to 8 million by 1997. In 1998, Universal acquired most of Tussauds' shares, rebranding the venue as 'Universal's Port Aventura,' marking Universal Studios' inaugural European theme park venture. Universal maintained operational control until 2004 when NBCUniversal divested its share.
The park has received multiple industry honors, including the 2000 Thea Award for Live Event (Fiestaventura) and the 2003 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement (Templo del Fuego). In 2002, PortAventura expanded into a full resort featuring two hotels and a water park under the name 'Universal Mediterranea.' Following NBCUniversal's departure in 2004, ownership transitioned to Criteria, an investment division of La Caixa banking group, with Universal branding phased out by 2005.
In December 2013, private equity firm KKR acquired a 49.9% stake from Investindustrial, which retained majority control with 50.1%.
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visits to the parks | 3,703,217 | 3,700,000 | 3,819,474 | 3,940,444 | 3,896,901 | 4,715,088 | 4,962,512 | 5,179,104 | 847,461 |
| Visits to PortAventura Park | 3,439,444 | 3,494,998 | 3,499,375 | 3,528,908 | 3,607,937 | 3,589,918 | 3,765,301 | 656,832 | |
| International visits | 35% | 38% | 36% | 33% | 33% | 33% | 36% | 36% | 13% |
Areas
The park is divided into five zones themed after different civilizations: Mediterrània, Far West, México, China, and Polynesia. Additionally, a Sesame Street-themed section was introduced in 2011.
Mediterrània
Serving as the main entrance area, Mediterrània offers three attractions along with dining and retail establishments designed to evoke a Catalonian seaside village atmosphere.
- Attractions
- Furius Baco: This is an Intamin Accelerator Coaster featuring winged seats and launched in June 2007. It attains speeds up to approximately 83.9 mph (135 km/h) and is themed around a grape-harvesting machine.
- Port de la Drassana: A boat ride terminal that connects Mediterrània with the Chinese section.
- Estació del Nord: One of three stations on the park's narrow-gauge railway known as Ferrocarril Tour.
- Shows
- Sésamo Parade
- Welcome
- FiestAventura: A seasonal show during July and August combining fireworks and floats representing Polynesia, China, Far West, and Mexico.
- Sésamo Parade Special Light performed during summer and Halloween periods.
Polynesia
Polynesia presents a more tranquil atmosphere with a limited number of thrill rides and two live shows. It ranks among the park's most compact themed sections.
- Attractions
- Tutuki Splash: A water attraction designed around a volcanic eruption theme, utilizing flume-style boats.
- Kontiki: A swinging pirate ship ride.
- Canoes: A water ride suitable for younger guests.
Discontinued attractions:
- Tifon: Waikiki Wave Flip ride (1995–1998).
- Dino Escape 4D Experience: An immersive 4D cinema ride launched in 2000 and rebranded in 2017, themed as a submarine voyage interrupted by a dinosaur escape.
SésamoAventura
Inaugurated in 2011 with an investment close to €12 million, this Sesame Street-themed section caters primarily to children. Positioned between China and Polynesia, it occupies areas previously part of Polynesia. PortAventura stands as Europe's sole theme park featuring a Sesame Street zone, alongside Universal Studios Japan and Busch Gardens.
- Attractions (11 total)
- CocoPiloto – Monorail circuit encircling the area.
- Tami Tami – Roller coaster designed for kids.
- Magic Fish – Water carousel featuring jet ski-style vehicles.
- El Salto de Blas – Drop tower attraction for children.
- La Granja de Elmo – Ride simulating a farm visit.
- SésamoAventura Station – Stop for the Ferrocarril Tour train.
- Street Mission – Interactive dark ride shooter starring Detective Grover.
Removed attraction:
- Loco Loco Tiki: Zamperla Crazy Bus, rethemed from original Polynesia days.
- Shows
Hosts two main shows and street performances featuring characters such as Ernie, Bert, Elmo, and others.
China
As the largest themed zone within the park, China includes a Chinese buffet named Marco Polo and a primary walkway inspired by the Great Wall of China.
- Attractions
- Dragon Khan: A Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) roller coaster with eight inversions, formerly holding records for most inversions and tallest vertical loop. Opened in 1995, it continues to rank highly worldwide.
- Shambhala: A B&M hyper coaster that achieved three European records as the fastest (134 km/h), tallest (76 m), and having the longest drop (78 m) on the continent.
- Angkor: A large-scale splash battle ride themed after Angkor ruins, introduced in 2014 behind Shambhala.
- Cobra Imperial
- Tea Cups
- Driving School
Discontinued attraction:
- Fumanchú: Wave Swinger ride operational until 2012.
- Shows
- Los Misterios de Angkor
- Generations Forever (also accessible from México zone)
- Bubblebou
- Sand Animation
México
This area reflects pre-Columbian Mexican culture, featuring temples, statues, and the Great Piramide that serves as the entrance to Gran Teatro Maya, the park’s largest venue for shows.
- Attractions
- Hurakan Condor: An Intamin drop tower equipped with a cable lift, providing panoramic views before a free fall. At 330 feet tall, it is among the tallest globally and is notable for its tilting seats.
- El Diablo - Tren de la Mina: An Arrow Dynamics mine train coaster featuring tunnels, helices, and three chain lifts, reaching speeds near 60 km/h.
- El Secreto de los Mayas: A mirror maze incorporating visual effects.
- Yucatán: A medium-speed spinning ride themed as a large snake that moves continuously forward with undulating motions.
- Armadillos: A children’s version of Yucatán.
- Los Potrillos: A child-focused attraction offering guided foal rides through a scout camp setting.
- Serpiente Emplumada: A spinning attraction composed of five cylindrical modules rotating and tilting around a central totem pole.
Removed attraction:
- Trono de Pacal: Rainbow ride active from 1995 to 2004.
- Shows
- Templo del Fuego: A walk-through Maya temple experience inspired by Indiana Jones adventures, featuring extensive pyrotechnics. It operates every 30 minutes during select hours since 2001.
- Generation Forever (also accessible from China zone)
- Los Mundos de Woody
Far West
Designed to evoke the atmosphere of a classic American Wild West town, Far West stands as the park's most extensive zone, featuring nine attractions alongside western-themed architecture and sculptures. Notable rides include a Wild West adaptation of the Breakdance ride and Dodgems.
The area's thrill attractions consist of:
- Stampida – A wooden dueling roller coaster, ranking as the park's third-largest coaster.
- Tomahawk – A junior coaster that operates alongside Stampida.
- Silver River Flume – A traditional water flume ride.
- Grand Canyon Rapids – An interactive whitewater "tub raft" experience equipped with water cannons.
- Penitence Station – One of the trio of stops for the Ferrocarril Tour railroad attraction.
- Uncharted: The Enigma of Penitence – A narrative-driven coaster inspired by the 2022 film, adding a branded entertainment dimension to the park's offerings.