       |
||||
| ...... |   |
|||
Remember as a child visiting your local amusement park or town fair for the very first time……the bright lights, fast rides, spectacular sounds, joyful giggles, bouncy music and an overwhelming array of vibrant, gleaming colours. You flew in a copter, were a train driver or a pirate. You could see forever from the top of the ferris wheel or swoop up and down in a roller coaster that you really believed was much faster than your parents car. It was magic – pure magic. But did you ever wonder how it all ran so seamlessly? Well most people don't know but there's something very special about amusement parks, parks just like Sunshine Cove! The rides come to life when the park closes and they're responsible for keeping the park running smoothly, with a little human help. It's up to Rollie the roller coaster and his friends to make sure no one sees what goes on behind the closed gates.
|
Early every morning, Rollie makes sure all the rides are in place before the big flower clock strikes nine and the gate swings open. But to get all the rides in their places, working properly and in good spirits, they need to work together as a team, learn to communicate, take responsibility, share their feelings and have respect for each other. Sounds easy right? Well Sunshine Cove is like any other community or preschool, they've got lots of personalities with differing ideas and ways of doing things that don't always meld so well together…. But they all love Sunshine Cove and willingly come together to make every day a special fun-filled experience for every child that visits the park. |
|||
 |
||||
 |
Rollie is a young and energetic roller coaster. However, being everyone's favourite ride at Sunshine Cove has not gone to his head. He knows there is so much to discover and life can't happen fast enough for him. Rollie is very social and, spending all day whizzing around the park, knows everyone. He has a very likeable and appealing personality. His curiosity and impulsiveness often leads him to make mistakes… but he doesn't mind. He's happy to admit he's wrong and move on. The older rides appreciate that he's eager to learn – and the younger ones find him aspirational. |
|||
 |
At first glance, Tootie seems like a sweet and lovable train who is happy to live in her pretty Castle. She is all of those things but she also has a depth that grows on you and makes her a fascinating character. Soft spoken but with a silly infectious giggle that's hard for anyone to resist, Tootie has the underlying strength of a very self-possessed child who sees the world as she wants it to be. There is no vanity or meanness about her – so her stubborn streak sneaks up on you. She doesn't have to have her way per se, that's not what she's about. But when her line has been crossed, it's almost impossible to get her to change her mind. And the more she is challenged the less likelihood she will back down. |
|||
 |
The Helicopter team consists of 4 young and enthusiastic helicopters on a mission, even if there is not one to be found. Eagle… she'll fearlessly try anything, five times! Falcon… his quick thinking guides the others! Hawk… she wants to be perfect, always! Pigeon… compared to the others is a bit of an underachiever, but like the others, he believes that they are the best of the best – the 'in' group - the pride of the park. Their communication is laced with a stylized set of words, many of them made up in a sort of child's version of imagined 'flying chat'. They believe that it is up to them to solve any problems within the park.
|
|||
 |
Rollie, along with most of the younger rides in the park think that Mr Twister is really weird. He's right. Mr Twister is weird. Closing in on middle age, Mr Twister was built to spend his days giving riders a twisted journey down his chutes and, as a result, twisting has become his way of life. He'll twist anything – ask him a question and the reply is so convoluted that you're no better off. He'll give you advice that sounds like he is advocating the exact opposite action than what he meant. He's prone to riddles. Praise comes out as criticism and vice-versa. His tone can change instantly and he'll say something nice in a grouchy way, be sweet when he's complaining or thank someone with an accusatory tone. |
|||
 |
Tulip, Daisy and Lily are a collection of adorable little cups that form the teacup ride which caters to the really young visitors to the park. They are the youngest characters in the park and there is an unspoken rule that all the other rides will keep an eye out for them so they don't break or crack. A rule that is constantly forgotten or ignored by the Bumper Twins. |
|||
 |
The Bumper Twins fit their names perfectly. All they want is to careen around the park doing their thing. Being younger than Rollie, restraint is not a concept they understand yet and so mayhem and havoc follow wherever they go. Miss Sunshine would call them mischievous, although she has a soft spot for them. However, Captain Splash is utterly convinced the twins need to go back to the shop for some drastic repairs. Bumpy and Dumpy are a constant source of frustration for Rollie and Tootie as the twins' antics often interrupt their adventures or bump them off track. |
|||
 |
Flash is a simulator ride that can take his passengers anywhere they want to go. When the park is closed, Flash uses his 'thrusters' to move around the park… although he hovers rather than flies. On the surface Flash seems like a very positive character brimming with naive self-confidence. What he lacks in experience he makes up for with a wild imagination… literally! |
|||
 |
Miss Sunshine is the oldest and tallest ride in the park. She is proud of her long service and stands impressively in place, watching the goings on in Sunshine Cove. She is everyone's grandmother and exudes warmth. She has obviously mellowed a lot but occasionally one still hears traces of her former 'tart' tongue… as she still doesn't suffer fools gladly. But the sting is gone and she is now lovingly eccentric. But age is taking it's toll and she reserves all her energy for her daytime 'wheeling'. No longer does she move about the park and she spends a good deal of the time asleep. |
|||
 |
Captain Splash is a swinging Pirate ship – complete with a pirate accent that would do Long John Silver proud. He utterly refuses to admit he's past his prime although he will only leave his place when there's an emergency. He loves the youngsters… well, apart from the Bumper Twins… and he treats them all like members of his crew. He'll regale anyone who'll listen with fantastic pirate tales that he claims (tongue-in-cheek) are from his past. There is nothing subtle about him and his message to one and all is to face your problems head on. | |||
 |
Sammy is young, about the same age as the Bumper Cars, but he is very, very shy and feels comfortable being a loner. Sammy is the submarine ride and spends most of his days under the water. He also spends most of the evenings and mornings under the water too. Sammy is very curious, constantly traveling all over the parks many waterways as he raises and lowers his periscope to have a look at what is going on. Often he will act like a message service, telling Rollie (for example) what is happening elsewhere in the park. Rollie, Tootie and Splash try to make better friends with Sammy and bring him into their group and, on occasion, he'll join in. His closest friend is Captain Splash and if he has a problem or a question, that's who he goes to. His sound is the glub – glub – glub of a sub surfacing or diving.
|
|||
|
Alex Platt |
Studio Distract 0161 237 5540 |
||