An immersive experience of “psychological terror” for Halloween. Countermeasures to deal with summer heat waves. And again: flexible pricing policies to accommodate families and a big anniversary on the horizon. It is a 360 degree picture that has been drawn The Vermilion from Sabrina Mangia, CEO and general director of Mirabilandia, on the 2026 season of the Ravenna amusement park – controlled by the Spanish giant Parques Reunidos – which is about to end. In 2025, revenues exceeded 43.5 million euros (the highest since 2019) with a profit of 1.1 million.
Fierce heat and inflation
It hasn’t been an easy year. The CEO, in fact, notes a slight decline in the overall volumes of attendance of the main park (to which is added Mirabeach, with swimming pools and a ‘Caribbean’ beach) linked mainly to two external factors: the extreme temperatures of the summer of 2026 – which, in all likelihood, will break every record since the historical series exist – and the economic difficulties due to the increase in prices with the geopolitical crises. “We have many outdoor attractions, and it is not easy to resist 40 degrees, as happened in June and August,” clarifies Mangia. “Our luck was the presence of the Mirabeach water park, which was taken by storm and did very well, in addition to the many water attractions present in the main park,” he says.
Relaxation areas and nebulizers
Faced with climate change, Mirabilandia is studying structural solutions to improve comfort on the hottest days. “We are working on adding new relaxation areas and nebulizers to offer refreshment in the most critical moments of the day,” explains Mangia. For the moment, no changes are foreseen in the opening hours: “The flows of visitors show that the vast majority of people still prefer to arrive in the morning, from 10.30. If in the future there is a shift in habits towards the evening hours due to the heat, we will be the first to remodulate the opening hours, perhaps opening at midday and closing at midnight”, he remarks.
Discounts to ‘beat’ inflation
In addition to the climate, the general economic situation weighs heavily: “Inflation is putting families in difficulty. In our small way we try to do our best to meet visitors with targeted promotions.” Among these, discounts for those who purchase in advance (with tickets up to 27.90 euros instead of 49.90), evening admissions at reduced rates and “park + hotel” offers with children free. “For a park that guarantees very high safety standards and first-rate shows such as the Hot Wheels stunt show, these are extremely competitive prices,” underlines the CEO.
No new attractions are planned for 2027, after the huge investments in “Nickelodeon Land” in recent years, but the park is preparing for an important milestone. “Next year will be a celebratory year: we will celebrate 35 years of Mirabilandia with special events and a great return that we will reveal later,” anticipates the manager.
On the artificial intelligence front, the park uses it mainly for the back-office and forecasting of visitor flows: “The human component in contact with the public remains irreplaceable, but AI helps us speed up internal management processes”, reveals the general director.
The educational paths
The success of the educational projects for schools is confirmed, which every year brings thousands of middle and high school students to the park. Over 600 thousand children have used them since they were launched. “We offer over 20 learning paths in a classroom without walls,” adds Mangia. “We teach kids how physics, chemistry and mathematics are applied practically on roller coasters and our attractions, combining learning with fun,” he says.
A 350 m2 multi-sensory horror journey
Let’s move the lens to Halloween, a ‘must’ of the Ravenna structure for some time. The now mild temperatures bring more and more visitors to the October weekends. The schedule – until November 1st – dedicated to the ‘Night of the Witches’ is full of special events and activities. Above all, the new horror house “Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin” (the idea comes from a hugely successful independent film from 2007, with a series of sequels and spin-offs), which extends over an area of 350 square meters and offers a visit lasting over 10 minutes, making it the longest immersive route ever created in the history of the park.
The experience traces the story of Margot, a young woman searching for the truth about her mother’s disappearance in an Amish village. The attraction, developed in collaboration with Paramount, winds through 16 rooms animated by over 15 characters, with a setting enriched by the film’s original soundtrack, sounds, smells and visual stimuli. “This isn’t your typical house of terror with traditional scares, gore or screams,” says a The Vermilion Eats. “There is much more work on a psychological and mental level, on the unconscious, just like in the films of the series. It is a very intense walking journey, with an enormous duration for this type of entertainment. A lot of energy has been invested in this project and we are extremely satisfied with the result and the initial feedback from visitors”, he concludes.
Shows and attractions for the autumn season
The show schedule for the Halloween period also includes various new features aimed at different age groups. Debut productions include the welcome show “Twisted Box,” centered on the figure of Master Yorai, the theater production “Black Crow: The Musical” and the interactive family show “RIP – Rest in Peace.” Added to these are “Salem”, set in the Far West, and “The Mysteries of Wondy” for the little ones. Also reconfirmed on the schedule are “The Spirit of Fire”, “Los Locos Fantasmas”, the stunt show “Hot Wheels City” and the evening show “Black Lake Night Show”.
Activities for children
The Nickelodeon Land area also changes its offer in an autumnal way with the “Nickelodeon Halloween Party”, meeting sessions with the characters and the “Nickelodeon Parade”. The main events also include the “Scary Night”, an extraordinary opening designed to allow visitors to enjoy the attractions until late at night.
