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Review
The pride of France's home-grown leisure industry, 300 kilometers south-east of Disneyland Paris, offers less than one would expect, unfortunately!
I believe the future of mankind won't consist of cold glass-and-steel buildings with isolated individuals wandering lost between them. The creators of Futuroscope, inspired by Disney's then newly-opened Epcot theme park, obviously didn't share my view when the project was being planned in the 80s.
Futuroscope's many crystal, golf ball and organ-shaped buildings all have one thing in common: there's just another cinema screen inside. If you expect thrilling dark rides or roller coasters, you will be disappointed! The only difference between the attractions is whether you put 3-D glasses on or not, whether the screen is big, bigger, the biggest, in front of you, below you or around you. Apart from a few violent simulator rides, the future is reduced to a collection of movie theatres.
However, the movie-buff in me enjoyed the great 50-minute 3D-film 'The Wings of Courage', directed by mastermind Jean-Jacques Annaud, and I was in for another suprise with the night laser show, which was so brilliant and rich in storytelling that Futuroscope deserves one extra star (hat) for this alone.
Futuroscope in France
View from above
Futurism in rural France
Interestingly shaped structures
Each building houses one attraction
Will the future look like this?
Lost in the future
Les Animaux the Futur is one of the newer rides
Arena for the brilliant night show
Massive cinema
Here, the movie runs in front of you and below you
Simulator ride and someone who doesn't want to board it
Futuristic walk-through attraction
Futuristic robot arms
Futuroscope water battle
Futuroscope playground
This one must be awesome fun for the kids
Futuroscope was quite empty when I visited