Attractions and Experience Developer Falcon’s Beyond Global has completed the purchase of Oceaneering Entertainment Systems, a designer of ride systems.
Both companies are based in Orlando and have been operating for over 20 years.
“We started the company almost at the same time. We opened the door to downtown Windermere over 25 years ago,” said Cecil D. Magpuri, CEO and co-founder of Falcon’s Beyond. The collaboration with the OES began within months, he said.
“We had this opportunity to leverage our 25-year history of marine entertainment systems and our ability to create some of the deepest and most innovative attractions.
“This essentially boosted and accelerated the growth of Falcon’s attractions division and expanded its reach along with its client base and capabilities,” he said.
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OES has developed technologies used in award-winning rides, including Spider-Man and Transformers’ Great Adventures: Ride 3D at Universal Orlando and Shuttle Launch Experience at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. It was a division of Oceaneering International, based in Houston.
The Falcon purchase includes patented technology, proprietary engineering, OE manufacturing processes, and a 106,000-square-foot facility used for research, development and testing.
Financial terms for the purchase have not been announced. The potential for the transaction was announced at the IAAPA Expo in November. The acquisition will move 29 employees from Oceaneering to Falcon’s Fold. This includes more than 200 people in Orlando.
“We’ve seen a lot of effort and we’ve seen you in a lot of ways,” said Dave Mauck, president of Falcon’s attractions and former vice president and general manager of OES.
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Falcon’s supports all existing OES products and ensures continuity with the same personnel and technology provided by the OES.
Falcon’s business units focus on content, technology, experience, masterplan development, location-based entertainment, film, merchandising, gaming and immersive rides.
Some companies develop attractions in-house, but that’s not always an option, Mauck said.
“They don’t have the time to ride people or have 20 years of experience,” he said. “This is a way that they can hire this feature from outside rather than activate a big vision and develop it within it.”
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com
Original issue: May 16, 2025, 11:41am EDT
