About me
Hi, my name is Erik Huijing and I am a freelance consultant for the themed entertainment industry. Ever since I was young I have had the aspiration to work in the theme park industry. It has been my main drive to study mechanical engineering. In my spare time, I kept travelling all over Europe (and later the world) to visit and examine new theme parks and see if there were lessons to be learned. There always was.
In the fall of 2019 I became one of the founders of the Dark Ride Database. With this website, we collect all kinds of data on dark rides and related theme park experiences. I have been involved as a website editor ever since, writing news items, featured articles (the so called ‘specials’) and always busy gathering new data on attractions. I have loved this voluntary work since the beginning and it has given me a lot of insights of the industry.
It is now time to use this expertise and help companies and parks with their developments to create the best possible experiences for their guests.
Expertise
Technical
My degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and a life-long interest in rides gave me a lot of knowledge about ride systems and other usable technical equipment. I am familiar with the design and production process and know what to expect from each discipline during these stages. These experiences give me the ability to help with the development of new ride systems or other technical components.
Operations
Working in two different theme parks for 7 seasons gave me insights in the operations of theme parks and attractions. I operated both large rides for adults and smaller rides for children. I saw the visitor flow through the parks and attractions and got a fair share of maintenance processes. This gives me the opportunity to contribute with operation plans of attractions and parks.
Global Experiences
During my work as editor for the Dark Ride Database, as well as during many travels, I have gotten familiar with the many companies, parks and experience around the world. I know what is out there and understand what works and what does not. I can advise on the use of technology for every experience.
Technical
My degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and a life-long interest in rides gave me a lot of knowledge about ride systems and other usable technical equipment. I am familiar with the design and production process and know what to expect from each discipline during these stages. These experiences give me the ability to help with the development of new ride systems or other technical components.
Operations
Working in two different theme parks for 7 seasons gave me insights in the operations of theme parks and attractions. I operated both large rides for adults and smaller rides for children. I saw the visitor flow through the parks and attractions and got a fair share of maintenance processes. This gives me the opportunity to contribute with operation plans of attractions and parks.
Global Experiences
During my work as editor for the Dark Ride Database, as well as during many travels, I have gotten familiar with the many companies, parks and experience around the world. I know what is out there and understand what works and what does not. I can advise on the use of technology for every experience.
Services
With my three pillars of expertise, I can help companies and parks to improve their concepts in the design stage of the project. I can look at projects from different prospectives: theme/storytelling, design stage, construction stage, operation and of course experience.
There are thousands of themed entertainment locations around the world. These locations can only exist because of their visitors. A location needs to draw visitors with their rides and/or experiences and not every ride will suit every location. This makes the themed entertainment industry a complex market. With my understanding in the variation of themed entertainment, I can investigate different subjects that may raise questions.
Because of my experience as writer/editor for the Dark Ride Database, I can write articles on commission. These can be about specific products or experiences of a company or park, or on a wider topic to inform the industry.
While the services mentioned above revolve on my main expertise, I am not limited to these. Please feel free to contact me for inquiries on your required services.
Previous collaborations
- Vekoma Rides Manufacturing – Ride concept consultancy.
- Stoomtrein Katwijk Leiden – Guest experience consultancy.
- Dark Ride Database – Co-founder, treasurer and editor.
- Pretwerk – Editor.
- NextGen Showcase – Freelancer as Technical Director for Team 4 (Feb-May 2024).
Publications
- Dit is Retailtainment in Dubai (Dutch) – Pretwerk.nl, 21 March 2024.
- The Rise of the Vertical Dark Ride (English) – Blooloop.com, 4 April 2024.