Planet FunFun was an indoor amusement park located in Kerava, Finland. Originally the park was called Fanfaari but soon after the opening, new owners took over and renamed the park Planet FunFun. Among others, the
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
director
Renny Harlin
Renny Harlin (born Renny Lauri Mauritz Harjola; 15 March 1959) is a Finnish film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter who has worked in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood, Europe, and Cinema of China, China. His best-known film ...
was one of the new owners. The new name came partly as a pun from the old name (Fanfaari pronounced in Finnish sounds similar as FunFun in English), but partly it was influenced by the other business ventures of the new owners, especially Harlin's. At the time, Harlin was running a
Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood International Inc. (stylized as planet Hollywood, planet Hollywood observatory and ph) is a themed restaurant chain inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood. The company is owned by Earl Enterprises corporation. Earl E ...
restaurant in
Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
, so naming the amusement park Planet FunFun was also influenced by the name of the restaurant.
After few years of operation, it was clear to the new owners that Planet FunFun was not going to be commercially successful. This happened despite the fact that Harlin was one of the most followed Finnish celebrities at the time, and he brought many "Hollywood things" to the park, such as film props from his films.
In addition, he and producer
Markus Selin
Markus Selin (born 16 March 1960) is a Finnish television and film producer.
Career
Selin was born in Vihti. His first feature, '' Born American'' (), was conceived in the mid-1980s. At a party in Los Angeles, he was introduced to fellow Fin ...
started the Finnish version of the television show
American Gladiators, called
Gladiaattorit
''Gladiaattorit'' is a Finnish competition television program part of the international ''Gladiators'' franchise.
Original series
The show originally ran for three seasons from 1993 to 1994; it was directed by Hollywood director Renny Harlin, ...
, which was shot in Planet FunFun. All of these efforts were short-lived and didn't do much to attract people to the park. So in 1995 the park was closed for good and the rides were sold other parks. The Planet Hollywood restaurant was also closed and the Gladiaattorit television show was cancelled, both around the same time that Planet FunFun closed.
Today not much remains of the Planet FunFun, except for the rides which were sold and relocated. Planet FunFun's only roller coaster is now in
Fort Fun Abenteuerland,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and its new name is ''Devil's Mine''.
Many people still recognize the name "Planet FunFun" and remember it having been a park run by Renny Harlin - the original park name Fanfaari and previous ownership is not as well remembered, because of Harlin's "celebrity gossip" influence.
The building that housed the park was an old
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational corporation, multinational telecommunications industry, telecommunications, technology company, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation, originally established as a pulp mill in 1 ...
rubber factory building that was renovated to amusement purposes. The building is known today as ''Klondyke-house''. After the park was closed, the building was once again suited for new purposes. Today it houses Kerava Art Museum, and parts of the building are used as restaurant space, floorball arena, conference and exhibition space, etc.
References
External links
Kerava Art MuseumKlondyke-house, information about office spaces
Defunct amusement parks in Finland
Indoor amusement parks
Buildings and structures in Uusimaa
Finnish companies established in 1991
1995 disestablishments in Finland
Amusement parks opened in 1991
Amusement parks closed in 1995
Kerava
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