10 March 2016
The park was quiet in the early morning, the kind of stillness that came just before a big moment. Frost clung to the edges of the benches in Explorer's Landing, glistening in the pale sunlight. The air carried the faint scent of fresh mulch—evidence of the dozens of new planters and young trees that had been installed over the past two weeks.
Lucas walked slowly through the main plaza, coffee in hand. Since the February soft opening, they'd been busy filling the empty spaces. Decorative pots lined the walkways, banners hung from lampposts, and flowerbeds were starting to take shape even though spring hadn't yet fully arrived. It wasn't just the entrance anymore—bits of theme had begun to spread deeper into the park.
Past the carousel, workers were giving Global Explorer's Delight one final polish, making sure every brass rail and painted detail gleamed. Around the corner, Max Around the World was running empty test cars, its fresh paint and globe-trotting decorations catching the morning light.
He stopped near the Sky Balloon Voyage. The attraction stood complete now, brightly painted gondolas swaying gently in the breeze. Workers were pressure-washing the queue area and adding the final touches to its themed signage. Just beyond it, the new playground—larger and more adventurous than before—was nearly done, its bright climbing structures wrapped in protective tarps until tomorrow's reveal.
The only major project still unfinished was Jungle Splash Adventure. From behind tall construction walls, the sound of drills and hammers echoed as crews worked to finish rockwork and install the backward-drop flume track. They were on schedule for April, but Lucas knew testing would push its public debut to mid-month.
In the staff building behind Globe & Griddle, Walter and Emma were waiting for him in the small meeting room. A large site plan was spread across the table, marked with notes and coloured stickers.
"Final prep list," Emma said, sliding a printed sheet toward him. "We've got cleaning crews in every zone today, food stock arriving by this afternoon, and entertainment rehearsals tonight. Press and invited guests start arriving tomorrow at 10 a.m."
Walter tapped the corner of the map. "Ticket prices are updated on the website. We're doing the launch offer: €18 for adults, €15 for children, valid for three months. After that—"
"—we move to €22 for adults," Lucas finished, nodding. "Right when summer season hits."
Emma smiled. "We've had a steady stream of online reservations since the announcement went live. People are curious."
Lucas leaned back in his chair, glancing once more at the map. Everything they'd worked toward these past months was about to face the public. The feedback tomorrow would set the tone for the park's first full season.
And he was ready for it.
March 11, 2016 – Day Before the Grand Opening
The early spring sun broke through scattered clouds as Lucas stood at the edge of Explorer's Landing, watching the latest group of invited guests filter through the entrance gates. This was the last preview before the real thing—the final chance to make an impression before thousands of paying visitors arrived tomorrow.
It already looked different from the last soft opening in February. The planting crews had been busy: young trees lined the main path, flowerbeds spilled with color, and hanging baskets swayed gently from the ornate lampposts. Even the open spaces had more life—benches framed by low shrubs, planters breaking up the walkways.
Emma checked the guest list beside him. "Local press, a few travel bloggers, Koet from XstreamRides again, and some of the sponsors' representatives," she said quietly.
Walter approached from the plaza, gesturing toward the group. "They're ready when you are."
Lucas stepped forward, smiling as he raised his voice just enough to carry. "Welcome, everyone, to Elysion Park. Tomorrow we open to the public, but today you'll get a final behind-the-scenes look at what we've built—and what's still to come."
He motioned for the group to follow as they moved toward the Sky Balloon Voyage. The ride's colorful envelopes gleamed under the sunlight, already loaded with test dummies for final checks. Children among the guests stared wide-eyed at the baskets swaying gently in the breeze.
"This," Lucas explained, "is our newest finished attraction. Fully operational, ready for tomorrow."
They moved on to the playground—now a fully themed explorer's outpost, complete with rope bridges, climbing towers, and lookout posts draped with weathered flags. It was already drawing a few younger visitors away from the tour, laughter carrying over the plaza.
Past the Explorer Zone, the tone shifted. The rides beyond were spotless and newly painted, but the pathways here were simpler—clean concrete, trimmed edges, not yet dressed in full theming. "That's still phase two," Lucas admitted to a reporter beside him. "The rides work, the spaces are ready, but the immersion will grow over time."
They paused near the jungle zone's construction walls. The carved temple facade for Jungle Splash Adventure was almost complete, workers carefully painting the weathered stonework. "Opening mid-April," Walter told a cameraman. "Worth the wait."
Just beside it, Secrets of the Silk Road looked nearly ready—stone archway finished, banners in place, and the last few props being installed.
Before the group moved on, Lucas gave a final note. "For tomorrow, ticket prices will be €18 for adults, €14 for children, just for the first three months. After that, we'll move to our standard rates. Consider it our way of saying thanks for joining us on this new journey."
The guests murmured approval, cameras clicking rapidly. As they continued the tour, Lucas caught Walter's eye. The older man gave a small nod—things were ready.
Tomorrow, it would all be real.
The morning sun bathed Elysion Park in a golden glow, the air carrying that faint chill that hinted winter wasn't quite done yet. From the entrance gates, Lucas could already see a line forming, stretching across the plaza and curling toward the parking lot. Families, teenagers, older couples—they were all here, chatting, snapping photos, and craning their necks for a first glimpse of the new entrance.
The gates slid open right at ten. Music from Explorer's Landing filled the air, and guests poured inside. The first thing they saw was the carousel—Global Explorer's Delight—turning gracefully under a canopy of lights. Children tugged at their parents' sleeves, pointing at the carved animals and the tiny hot air balloon details.
Lucas stood to one side with Walter and Emma, watching. "It feels… different now," he murmured.
Walter smirked. "It's because they're here. The park is alive when it's full."
From somewhere in the crowd, a teenager's voice rang out: "Max Around the World's open! Let's go!" Within minutes, the queue for the Gerstlauer wild mouse was full, the sound of the chain lift blending with laughter and the sharp turns of the coaster's cars.
Koet from XstreamRides had his camera rolling, following one of the early trains. The coaster climbed, dropped, and dove into its signature hairpin sequence. His lens caught the flashes of themed props—miniature landmarks, globes, and travel signs—that whipped past in seconds.
"Still rides like a wild mouse," one man laughed as he stepped off, "but it looks so much better now."
Not far away, the Elysion Expedition: Cursed Ruins haunted house was drawing its own crowd. The jungle temple façade loomed over the pathway, its weathered stonework glistening from last night's dew. Inside, low drums and eerie whispers set the tone. A GoPro mounted on a guest's head captured dim torchlight, sudden bursts of animatronic movement, and the final cursed idol chamber before the exit. When the doors opened again, the group spilled out laughing and mock-shivering.
"That was way better than I expected," a young woman said to her friend. "Like… actually creepy, but fun."
Past the plaza, the Sky Balloon Voyage slowly ascended, gondolas gently swaying as passengers took in the view. From up there, they could see the whole park—freshly painted rides, neatly paved paths, and the looming rockwork of the Jungle Splash Adventure still under construction.
Some pointed at the building site, curious. "That's the new log flume," a man explained to his kids. "Opens in April."
By mid-afternoon, the park was buzzing. The smell of fresh waffles and grilled sausages drifted from Globe & Griddle, kids raced toward the playground in the Explorer Zone, and the soundtrack of rides, laughter, and chatter blended into a single, perfect opening day symphony.
Lucas let out a slow breath, a small smile tugging at his lips. Everything wasn't finished—but the vision was taking shape, and the guests could feel it.
Tomorrow, he'd look at the numbers.
Today, he just wanted to watch Elysion Park come alive.
March 12, 2016 – Evening
The park had fallen quiet. From his small office behind Globe & Griddle, Lucas watched the last glow of Explorer's Landing fade to the steady warmth of the streetlamps.
He pulled up the day's report and read it twice to be sure.
Ticket Sales
Adults: 820 × €18 = €14,760
Children: 440 × €15 = €6,600
Total Tickets: €21,360
Food & Beverage: €6,920
He logged the deposits. For snapshot purposes, daily operating expenses would be reconciled weekly—tonight was about the headline numbers.
> Park Cash (real money)
Start of day: €240,000
Day 1 takings: €21,360 + €6,920 = €28,280
End of day: €268,280
When the door clicked shut and the hallway fell still, Lucas opened the other interface. Only he could see it.
> System Funds
Start of day: €600,000
System addition: (Tickets €21,360 + F&B €6,920) × 5 = €141,400
End of day: €741,400
He closed the display, the totals lingering in his mind like a quiet drumbeat. Day one was in the books. Tomorrow was about keeping the rhythm.