Global Ventures is big. Really big!

Global Ventures is just one of three parks at the Somerset Hills International Resort, but stands as the flagship park of the resort and by far the most ambitious.

The park itself is split into twelve themed areas, each devoted to a specific country/region and time period. The rides within each area have been chosen to match the theme, all tied together through a single branching narrative to give the area the full feeling of immersion. Let’s take a tour of the park, including the areas yet to be constructed.

Plaza of the Globe

The first area guests see after walking under the Global Hotel. The plaza itself is located by the side of the park’s lake, but surrounding this plaza is a street full of shops, beautiful gardens, and, of course, the Foods of the World food court. Here, visitors can sample cuisine from all corners of the globe before looking out across the park via the huge panoramic windows.

This is after they have explored the Emporium, the park’s signature gift shop that sells merchandise from all the attractions and countries featured. Spanning four separate storefronts, this store is packed to the rafters with souvenirs, trinkets, and other items that will always be a memory of your Global Venture.

The Plaza of the Globe is also home to the Wonders of the World. This ride transports guests to the Seven Wonders of the World, including the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Temple of Artemis, the Colossos of Rhodes, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the stunning Hanging Gardens of Babylon. From the comfort of your own buggy, you’ll be able to see these beautiful and awe-inspiring landmarks right in front of you.

The Plaza of the Globe is also the hub for Global Ventures’ transport. From here, guests can take a whistle-stop tour of the park on the Global Railroad, sail the lakes and rivers of the world on the Global Boats, or soar above the clouds on the Global Gondola.

Soul of the Amazon

The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most beautiful locations in the world, and that is reflected in this area of the park. Stepping across the bridge, guests first see the incredibly colourful Floresta Amazonica restaurant. Celebrating the best in South American cuisine, this eatery has been designed to represent the best architecture the Amazon has to offer.

Climbing up through the less glamorous hillside favela, visitors will reach the Solimoes River Rapids. This features a journey along the more treacherous sections of the famous river, culminating in an epic drop into the park’s lake, the largest drop in any river rapids in the world!

Once they’ve received a soaking of a lifetime, guests can descend the hill into the Exotic Finds souvenir shop. This vendor sells gifts from across the Amazon for guests to take home, as well as providing dryers for those who’ve just completed their river voyage!

Odyssey of the Olympians

Step back in time to the world of Ancient Greece, where Gods lived amongst us and life was much simpler. The standout attraction of this Olympic area is Duel for Olympia - Hades vs Zeus. This Mack duelling coaster pits the Greek King of Gods, Zeus, against his Lord of the Underworld brother, Hades. Zeus is the more traditional launched roller coaster, with Hades’ chaos represented by an Extreme Spinner.

As these Gods battle it out over Mt. Olympus, guests can also take a dip in the lake, thanks to Poseidon’s Plunge. The forgotten third brother, Poseidon can be found on the other side of the land, relaxing on his island surrounded by water. This Mack SuperSplash lives up to its name, with a huge wave soaking not only those onboard but also those who stand too close to the splash zone.

Guests who enjoyed the spinning of Hades can also experience the revolutions of Romeiko, a flat ride located right in the middle of a working vineyard. This vineyard provides the grapes for all of the park’s restaurants, as well as producing wine for sale in the Romeiko Vineyard gift shop.

Finally, guests can complete their Greek Odyssey by sampling the finest Greek food in the Bradino restaurant or by purchasing an extraordinary artifact from the Greek Antiquities store. Both of these can be found in the central hub of the land, right outside Dionysus’ Amphitheatre. From here, visitors can watch plays from ancient Greece by day before being blown away by the park’s fireworks show at night.

Future Lands

Legend of the Frontier

The gold rush era right in the heart of the wild west! In 1848, gold was discovered in what is now California. By 1851, the town of Goldlite had been hastily erected right on top of a rich gold vein. Step into the town to explore what life was like during this fascinating period of time.

Attractions:

• Global Railroad - Legend of the Frontier station.

• Manic Miner - A wild ride through the old Goldlite mines. Once the gold in the original mines was exhausted, in order to fund more tunnelling the owner of the mining company had a great idea; turn the old mines into a tourist attraction! However, in order to save money, the Goldlite Mining Company cut a lot of corners. Therefore safety was not the highest priority! Hop aboard a train and hold on for your life as you join the Manic Miner!

• Bandito: Escape the West - With gold, comes banks. The Goldlite Bank was built in 1852 in order to store the gold in its vast vault as well as provide the workers with a means to process their meagre wages. But when you put a lot of gold in a single location, you tend to attract the wrong kind of attention… The Goldlite Banditos have come up with a plan to rob the Goldlite Bank, and they need your help! Become the gang’s newest member as you join the raid on the bank, before attempting to escape to the Mexican border. Hold tight, it’s a very fast ride!

• The Wagon Wheel - Observation wheel.

• The Legendary Steak House - Table-service restaurant.

• Goldlite General Store - Souvenir store.

City of the Future

Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, but what would it look like in 40 years time? Well we’ve had a good go at predicting that right here in Global Ventures!

Attractions:

• Cra-zee Tax-ee - Autonomous cars are almost here, but what happens if one goes wrong? Well this taxi has some faulty wiring and has gone haywire with you in the passenger seat! A thrilling wild mouse roller coaster with some unexpected elements along the way awaits you right in the heart of the city centre.

• Shinkansen - Ride the world-famous bullet train around the city, with a breathtaking launch, bone-crushing corners, and hair-raising airtime.

• Tower 4 - A drop tower ride built into a skyscraper. The number 4 can be considered unlucky in Japan, so much so that there are actually two different ways to say the number in Japanese. Unfortunately, nobody told the designers of Tower 4 about this, and the building is now cursed by bad luck!

• Ganbatte Ne - This means “good luck” in Japanese, and boy will you need it! This giant discus ride is located in the city’s park square, swinging through the trees to give a thrilling ride.

• Tech Tours - A guided tour through a factory that makes… well nothing useful really. From giant laser-firing robot dogs to a computer that can only switch itself off, this factory is worth visiting for sure.

• Global Skyway - City of the Future station.

Kingdom of the Dragon

For those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of theme parks, this is the area for you. Take in the tranquility of China in this hideaway land, with the undulating terrain acting as the perfect noise canceller.

Despite the calmness, this area will still be home to some thrilling roller coasters, but you can still escape these by dining in the Taste of the Orient restaurant or finding inner peace in the hilltop pagoda.

Attractions:

• Goldcrest - B&M flying coaster soaring over treetops and diving into the valleys.

• Curse of Nian - B&M dive coaster diving off the mountainside towards the waters below.

Heart of the Forest

Tudor England at its finest. This quaint little area in the corner of the park is home to Little Dorrington, a small village right in the heart of England’s forest. The village itself features beautiful traditional architecture, whereas the surrounding forest is full of many surprises.

Attractions:

• Wild Wood - A terrain-hugging wooden roller coaster that flies down the side of one of the famous Somerset Hills. Interacting frequently with the other thrill rides in the area, this coaster starts off slow before rapidly picking up the pace.

• Forest Falls - A water coaster that floats along the Dorrington river before plunging down a cliff into the forestry lake.

• Wrath - What happens when the forest fights back? Find out on this white-knuckle thrill coaster.

• Global Railroad - Heart of the Forest station.

Peak of the Rockies

Fantastic views from the top of the Canadian Rockies. This area is one of the smallest currently but will be home to one of the most extreme roller coasters in the world.

Attractions:

• Rocky Mountaineer - One of the most extreme roller coasters ever built. Starting slow, this coaster drops into the Rocky Valley and into a series of jaw dropping elements. Once you’ve been hoisted to the top of the mountains, prepare to pick up the speed on this white-knuckle adventure! This ride has plenty of airtime, inversions and near misses so sit back and relax, it’ll be the only chance you get…

• Global Railroad - Peak of the Rockies station.

Valley of the Nile

Go back in time to the times of Ancient Egypt. The Nile river helped give birth to civilisation during this period, with cities built right along the bank side. This area of the park is built entirely indoors to simulate a night time scenario, adding to an already fantastic ambience.

Attractions:

• Antony - A floorless roller coaster combining inversions, speed and a lot of near misses with the famous Cleopatra.

• Cleopatra - An inverted coaster that specialises in inversions, as well as teasing Antony and avoiding snakes of course!

• Scarab - A family spinning coaster that combines the thrill of spinning with the fun of speed. A couple of hair raising moments help make this ride fun for all ages.

• Ancient Artifacts - Souvenir store.

• Global Cruise - Valley of the Nile jetty.

Voyage of the Vikings

Spirit of the Outback

Vibes of the Islands

Ride POVs

Check out the current ride POVs that have been created so far!