MONTREAL, Canada — Vortex Aquatic Structures International (Vortex), a manufacturer and world leader in aquatic solutions, is proud to announce the expansion of its manufacturing capabilities in the United States with the acquisition of a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Plattsburgh, New York. This strategic move underscores Vortex’s commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and its leadership in the aquatic structures industry.

The new facility will enhance Vortex’s ability to meet growing customer demand across municipal and commercial markets in the United States. By reducing lead times and increasing production capacity, Vortex is poised to de-liver high-quality aquatic play, wellness, and water park equipment more efficiently to its valued customers.

Supporting Local Communities
The expansion reflects Vortex’s dedication to fostering positive local impact. The company is committed to sus-tainable operations and building long-term partnerships with suppliers and stakeholders in the Plattsburgh area and across the United States.

“This expansion is a pivotal moment for Vortex,” says Stephen Hamelin, President & CEO of Vortex. “It reflects our dedication to meeting the needs of our US customers while supporting the Plattsburgh community through job creation and sustainable practices. We’re excited about the opportunities this new facility will bring to strengthen both our operations and our partnerships across the United States.”

“The North Country Chamber of Commerce has been very pleased to work actively with Vortex in their selection of Plattsburgh as the site for their new U.S. manufacturing operation,” adds Garry Douglas, Chamber Presi-dent. “They come with an outstanding reputation as a manufacturer in a specialized field and as an employer, and are just the latest company to take advantage of our special role as a site for growth in the U.S. market by Quebec businesses. We thank them for their confidence and look forward to working with them on their start-up and suc-cess here. Special thanks to the team including Empire State Development, Clinton County I.D.A. and CDC Real Estate. Onward and upward!”

Operations Begin in Q1 2025
Operations will begin in the first quarter of 2025, marking a significant milestone in Vortex’s ongoing growth and innovation strategy.

“With this new facility in Plattsburgh, we’re taking a significant step toward enhancing our production capabilities and delivering greater value to our partners,” says Sylvain Dugas, COO of Vortex. “This is not just an investment in infrastructure, but an investment in our customers and their continued success.”

“At Vortex, we believe in creating joyful moments and memories for families worldwide,” adds François Lafor-tune, CCO of Vortex. “This new facility will help us do just that—ensuring that our innovative products reach our customers faster and more efficiently than ever before.”

30 Years of International Success
For nearly three decades, Vortex has been shaping the way kids and families play in urban environments, water parks, and resorts worldwide. With iconic solutions such as Splashpad®, Elevations™, waterslides, Dream Tunnel™ and the new CoolHub™, Vortex has created more than 10,000 custom installations spanning 50 countries and five continents. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, the company has regional offices in the United States, Spain, and the Netherlands, and an extensive distribution network supporting Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and Latin America.

Innovating Sustainable Aquatic Spaces
As a leader in the aquatic play industry, Vortex sets high standards for environmental, social, and governance practices. Vortex has always been committed to sustainability and innovation in water management, continuously striving to innovate for future generations. From day one, the company’s dedication to sustainability has grown, allowing it to responsibly manage water resources. By combining advanced water controller technology with tailored water management solutions that comply with local environmental regulations, Vortex provides solutions that best meet customers’ ecological objectives. Responding to the challenges of climate change, Vortex introduced CoolHub™, an urban oasis designed to provide refreshing spaces for all citizens. This initiative aligns with many cities’ objectives to mitigate urban heat, promote sustainability and enhance the well-being of their population. CoolHub™ creates an inviting public environment that fosters healthy, equitable, and resilient communities.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Kennywood, Pittsburgh’s Thrill and Entertainment Destination, is gearing up for Opening Day, which is right around the corner, kicking off the season with an all-new Easter event. Opening the park gates on Pittsburgh’s beloved 412 Day, Kennywood will hop into the 2025 season with the brand new Eggcellent Easter Celebration. The start of the new event and the re-opening of the park gates marks the official start of the park’s longest season ever. Sister parks Idlewild & SoakZone and Sandcastle Water Park will open on Saturday, May 17 and Saturday, May 24 respectively.

The 2025 season at Kennywood begins egg-stra early and promises to be jam-packed with even more reasons to visit throughout the year. The fun all begins as the park’s newest costume character, Tuft the Kennywood Easter Bunny, makes his official debut for the Eggcellent Easter Celebration running weekends April 12 through April 27. Visitors can enjoy their favorite Kennywood rides and attractions, exclusive meet and greets with Tuft, an easter egg scavenger hunt, seasonal food and drink options and more. Plus, Kennywood will host brunch on select days throughout the event offering an unlimited buffet and exclusive photo opportunities with Tuft.

In addition to the park’s first-ever Easter event, 2025 will bring Kennywood’s best event lineup ever, featuring:

• Bites and Pints Food & Drink Festival – Beginning Friday, May 23 and running Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through June 29, Bites and Pints will feature food and drink booths offering unique bites and drinks from around the world;
• Celebrate Pittsburgh – The park’s annual celebration of all things Steel City will begin on Friday, July 4 by honoring America and will then continue weekends through July 27 to celebrate the Steel City;
• Fall Fantasy Parades – Celebrating 75 years in 2025, the annual entertainment extravaganza boasts more than 130 bands from local high schools, colleges and universities, daily from August 2 through August 17;
• Phantom Fall Fest – This September the fear kicks into gear with Kennywood’s longest and most terrifying Halloween event ever featuring a new haunt in 2025. The frights begin Friday, September 12 and will run select days through Saturday, November 1; and
• Holiday Lights – Pittsburgh’s Home for the Holidays will close out the park’s 2025 season offering more than three million lights, spectacular light shows, meet and greets with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends and more, select days from November 14 through January 4, 2026.

“We’re going BIG in 2025 with the park’s longest season ever, in its 127-year history, and the debut of our best and most robust event lineup ever,” said General Manager Ricky Spicuzza. “Plus, 2025 brings even more surprises to Kennywood as the Steel Curtain makes its grand return and we unveil an all-new re-themed area debuting at the park this spring.”

Kennywood’s sister park, Idlewild & SoakZone located in Ligonier, PA will open for the 2025 season Saturday, May 17 and will also offer a full season of family friendly events including Kids Fest, Neighbor Days, Celebrate America and the beloved HALLOWBOO! from mid-September through the end of October. Sandcastle Water Park will open for its 36th season on Saturday, May 24 marking the unofficial start to summer in Pittsburgh.

As peak whale watching season approaches, Sea Life Park Hawai‘i is offering whale watching opportunities on Saturdays and Sundays starting January 2025. Guests get to enter the park one hour prior to normal park hours, at 9 a.m., and meet with a member of the park’s education team for a brief informative talk on humpback whales before the viewing session. Binoculars will then be provided for use to all participants, who will be escorted to Seaside Gardens–an optimal viewing point within the park for land-based whale watching. Following the activity, participants head to the park’s Beach Boy Lanai restaurant where they will have a choice of either hot coffee or hot chocolate and choice of a breakfast pastry.

Cost is $15 (plus tax) per person, and the experience can be purchased at the park’s ticket booth. This cost covers the 9 a.m.-10 a.m. whale watching activity. For those interested in spending the day at the park, separate general admission may be purchased either online or at the ticket booth prior to the morning activity. Active Sea Life Park Annual Passholders can enjoy the early entrance and whale watching activity for free, with an option to also purchase the breakfast package directly from Beach Boy Lanai at a discounted rate of $8.99 (plus tax).

BOTTROP-KIRCHHELLEN — A successful winter season at Movie Park Germany leaves its mark and Ho-Ho-Hollywood in Germany slides into the season break with a very positive result: With its original American winter event “Movie Park’s Hollywood Christmas”, Germany’s largest movie and amusement park was able to achieve a strong increase in guests of 20 percent compared to the previous year and thus managed more than successfully to build on last year’s premiere of the event.

“We are delighted that our winter event has been able to grow significantly in its second year and has been well received by our guests,” says Managing Director Thorsten Backhaus. “Especially as a movie and amusement park with American roots, we can continue to showcase our identity and at the same time offer more opening days for our guests.”

More than ten entertainment moments and shows, strikingly colorful American decorations and over 800,000 lights in four themed areas awaited the whole family on a total of 23 event days. The program included a large Christmas Tree Celebration, Christian Farla’s “A Magical Christmas Tale” show, a winter version of the parade, a “Meet Santa & Friends” and a 360 m² ice skating rink. A new closing show with fire, laser and light effects formed the grand finale of each event day.

The park also achieved a solid result for the full year 2024 and including the opening days in January 2025, with visitor numbers exceeding the previous year and the highest total number of visitors since 2002. In addition to more visitors to “Movie Park’s Hollywood Christmas”, this is also primarily due to a successful fall season with a new visitor record for the Halloween Horror Festival and some successful special events.

Movie Park Germany is now on a season break. The studio gates of Hollywood in Germany will reopen on April 4, 2025, kicking off the new 2025 season.

Spanish-Language Amusement Ride Inspection Track Sponsored By Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA)
We’ve received a great response from our announcement of the Spanish-Language track of courses being offered. This track has been graciously sponsored by the Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA). Their contribution is greatly appreciated, and cannot wait to see their members in attendance!

Topics For 16 Hours Spanish Training:

• Inspection Tools
• ASTM
• Intro to Hydraulics and Pneumatics
• Basic OSHA Overview
• Wire Rope
• Basic Electrical and Generators
• Blocking
• Basic inspection Techniques
• Signage
• Welding and NDT 
• Fasteners and Hardware
• Fire Extinguishers
• Fence Steps and ramps
• … And a Review class to close out the program.

Registration Information: Registration for the Spanish-language track opportunity opened on January 2, 2025. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

• In-Person Registration: Register Here
• Virtual Registration: Register Here

Don’t miss this chance to expand your knowledge and advance your skills in amusement ride inspection with NAARSO’s first-ever Spanish-language program. For more information, visit https://naarso.com or contact: [email protected]

Last Reminder for Hotel Group Rate
Tuesday January 14th, 2025 is the last day to secure your hotel booking at the Hilton Charlotte Airport using the group rate. Use this link or call 704-357-1414 and use the code RSO.

Share Online You’re Attending!
If you’re attending or instructing at the Safety Seminar, be sure to let your network know. Sharing your involvement shows your commitment to amusement ride safety and bettering the industry.

Get your image here and share on social media. Be sure to tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Examples of what to post are:

Attending:
I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be attending the NAARSO Safety Seminar this year! This event is a fantastic opportunity to deepen my knowledge of safety procedures and best practices in the amusement industry. Looking forward to connecting with industry experts, learning from insightful sessions, and bringing back valuable insights to enhance our safety standards.

Instructing:
I’m incredibly honored to be an instructor at this year’s NAARSO Safety Seminar. Sharing my knowledge and experience with fellow professionals in the amusement industry is a privilege. I look forward to engaging discussions, interactive sessions, and contributing to the collective goal of elevating safety standards. Let’s make this seminar a memorable and impactful experience!

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada — RocketRez, a leading provider of cloud-based management solutions for tours and attractions, is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Morey’s Piers, one of the most iconic seaside attractions in North America. Located in Wildwood, New Jersey, Morey’s Piers has delighted millions of guests with its boardwalk amusement parks, water parks, and unforgettable oceanfront experiences for over five decades.

Family owned and operated since 1969, Morey’s Piers has become a cornerstone of family entertainment. With its rich history, award-winning attractions, and multi-generational appeal, Morey’s Piers is renowned for its continued commitment to innovation and guest satisfaction.

RocketRez will collaborate with Morey’s Piers to further enhance its operations and guest engagement through innovative ticketing, communication, and analytics solutions.

“We are thrilled to begin this partnership with Morey’s Piers,” said John Pendergrast, CEO of RocketRez. “Together we can bring our world-class technology to their world-class attractions and help deliver seamless, elevated experiences for their guests.”

Will Morey, CEO of Morey’s Piers, said “We are committed to providing the best possible experience to our guests and consistently look for ways to exceed expectations, including through guest facing technology solutions.  We are very enthusiastic about the technology capabilities demonstrated by the RocketRez team and excited about the value we see it bringing to our company and our customers’ experience.”

Through this partnership, RocketRez will integrate state-of-the-art ticketing, guest communication, and insights platform across Morey’s Piers’ three amusement piers and two beachfront water parks, ensuring that operational excellence and guest satisfaction remain at the forefront.

DALLAS, Texas — Altitude Trampoline Park, the leading family-friendly entertainment franchise, is celebrating a remarkable year of development. In 2024, the franchise continues to grow with more agreements, extending its reach to new and existing markets, including Long Island, South Florida, and the Bay Area, continuing its mission to deliver unforgettable family experiences.

Throughout the year, Altitude Trampoline Park strengthened its presence with multi-unit agreements in Connecticut and South Carolina, paving the way for three new parks in each state. The year also saw multiple park openings in California, Florida, Texas and Georgia, driving the brand’s continued growth.

“Altitude Trampoline Park continues to solidify its position as an attractive franchise opportunity, with 2024 being an impressive year for the brand,” said Chris Kuehn, President of Altitude Trampoline Park. “We’ve signed several multi-unit franchise agreements that will bring our parks to new communities and currently have several locations under construction. This momentum reflects the growing demand for family-friendly entertainment, and we’re eager to continue developing our pipeline in 2025.”

Building on its momentum, the company is expanding both its corporate team and franchise network. Chris Kuehn has been named President and Jessica McDonald has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing. In addition, Sean Naughton recently joined as Chief Financial Officer, strengthening the leadership team. On the franchise side, five existing owners have committed to growing their footprint, and 11 new franchisees have joined the system.

In 2025, Altitude will continue to grow with grand openings coming soon in West Palm Beach, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Cary, North Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Anaheim, California; and more.

Altitude Trampoline Park is owned by Indoor Active Brands, a platform company that focuses on indoor entertainment concepts. In 2024, Indoor Active Brands launched its latest brand, The Pickle Pad, an indoor pickleball playground featuring a chef-inspired restaurant and bar – Crave Social Eatery, as well as yard and social games for all ages. Established by NRD Capital, Indoor Active Brands utilizes vast FEC and restaurant industry experience to support and assist its franchisees. 

AUSTIN, Texas — 48 years ago today, Elvis’ “left the building” following his final Vegas performance on Dec 12, 1976. Now an independent studio is bringing his spirit back to the Neon City in a totally immersive way. In just over one month, Walkabout Mini Golf players around the world can finally join the entourage of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” as a world of neon, sequins, and iconic scenes from Elvis Presley’s lyrics come to life in an immersive, miniature golf adventure called “Viva Las Elvis”—coming to virtual reality and iOS devices on January 16. It’s all thanks to a collaboration between Mighty Coconut, the independent entertainment studio behind the best-rated VR multiplayer game and a top App Store game Walkabout Mini Golf, and Elvis Presley Enterprises bringing generations of fans together to play with Elvis’ mojo, persona, and a highly stylized take on classic Vegas.

“For our 31st course, we’re taking players to Vegas in a totally new way” said Lucas Martell, creator of Walkabout Mini Golf and head of Mighty Coconut. “The pop-culture aspect of Elvis’ lyrics and films let us tap into classic Vegas vibes almost like a tribute stage show. Elvis Presley Enterprises has been an enthusiastic partner, as we not only imagined this fictional Elvis-themed Vegas, but also created custom Elvis avatar options so players can cosplay and impersonate the King himself.”

The downloadable content (DLC) “Viva Las Elvis” course boasts 18 easy mode and 18 hard mode holes, specially designed lost balls to collect, a commemorative in-game Elvis putter, and themed costume elements all set in the fabulous world of Elvis’ 60s and 70s era Las Vegas. And for the first time ever, this course has a score that features a band of live musicians performing a rousing tribute composition by Chris Reyman, highlighting the spirit of 60s/70s rock n roll.

The course will drop at 9 a.m. Pacific for $3.99 USD as an add-on to Walkabout Mini Golf on Meta Quest 2/Pro/3, PlayStation VR2, Steam, and PICO platforms as well as on compatible iPhones and iPads via Walkabout Mini Golf: Pocket Edition for $1.99 USD. The game is fully cross-playable meaning friends, family, and colleagues can join multiplayer rounds together.

Get in on the Licensing Fun
“Walkabout Mini Golf: Viva Las Elvis” is the fifth licensed course IP following Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, Cyan’s Myst, Meow Wolf, and Wallace & Gromit–in addition to avatar packs from Henson’s Fraggle Rock and The Dark Crystal as well as Exploding Kittens. The beautifully imagined immersive courses allow players to be in these beloved worlds, to cosplay as the characters, and to make new memories with their friends as they challenge one another to mini golf, scavenger hunts, and more. 

Mighty Coconut launched Walkabout Mini Golf on the Meta Quest in the fall of 2020 and it has steadily grown to be a player favorite and system seller, with a nearly perfect five-star rating with over 11,000 reviews on Meta Quest—making it the best-rated multiplayer game in virtual reality globally as well as a top 10 selling PlayStation VR2 title since launch. The game came to the App Store in October of 2024, launching in the top 10 paid games and as the #1 paid sports game. Player engagement in VR particularly boasts a 2-Hour Usage Rate for more than 50% of users (around 10 times the standard), meaning they play Walkabout Mini Golf until their battery runs out. Hundreds of thousands of intergenerational players from over 40 countries meet in the game monthly to play mini golf, to catch up, and to make new memories together. 

Mighty Coconut is also licensing out to collectibles and accessory partners, building on their success with FormX on the official Walkabout Grip-to-Putter accessories for Meta Quest and PlayStation VR2 as well as to Synth Riders, Puzzling Places, and Arcade Legend VR games.

ALTOONA, Iowa — Everyone is in store for a fun filled day at the Home of Iowa’s Best Thrills as the park gates officially reopen at Adventureland Resort on Saturday, May 17 at 10 a.m. Celebrating 51 years, the beloved resort is back in action with a full season of thrills, events and entertainment coming to the park in 2025.

The unofficial start of the summer season comes on Saturday, May 24 as Adventure Bay officially opens. Headlined by the addition of the all-new water slide experience, Hyperlight, the park’s former Typhoon water slide has been transformed with a full sensory experience featuring vivid light and dynamic sound. Riders should prepare to hold onto their tubes and get ready to launch into a galaxy far away as they race through the tunnel to the bottom. With several different combinations of laser lights and sound to choose from, no two rides are the same on Hyperlight. Adventure Bay also offers 14 thrilling water slides, Iowa’s largest wave pool, a lazy river and more.

A full season of events continues in 2025 as Oktoberfest returns on Saturday, September 13. This 21-plus event offers adults a full day of fun where they can be a kid again. Featuring exhilarating rides, live music, delicious food and, of course, plenty of beer, Oktoberfest will run from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Adventureland Resort will close out the 2025 Season with the fourth annual Phantom Fall Fest. Iowa’s Largest Halloween Event will begin Saturday, September 20 and will run select days through Sunday, October 26. Phantom Fall Fest offers family-friendly fun during the day, then at 6 p.m. the fear kicks into gear as the phantom and a gruesome cast of characters take screams to the extreme.

“Our team is already hard at work preparing the park for what’s sure to be one of our biggest years yet here at Adventureland,” General Manager Mike Lusky said. “From beloved rides and attractions to a full season of unique events, our 2025 season will offer entertainment that everyone in the family can enjoy.”

To celebrate a full season of events, Adventureland is currently offering 2025 Season Passes for as low as six payments of $20 each. Select passes also include unique perks like discounts on food and beverage, free friend tickets, free parking and more. Plus, for the first time ever, Season Passholders can add an All-Season Dining Pass onto their 2025 Season Pass. The new dining pass allows visitors to enjoy two meals throughout their day each time they visit Adventureland during the 2025 season.

To see the full 2025 operating calendar or to purchase a Season Pass and Dining Pass, visit AdventurelandResort.com.

LANCASTER, Pa. — Dutch Wonderland, the World’s Best Family Park, is gearing up for what is sure to be one of its largest and most interactive season’s yet. The Kingdom for Kids will officially reopen on Saturday, April 5 at 10 a.m. The whole family is invited to hop on over to the kingdom as it kicks off the spring season with its Eggcellent Easter Celebration running every weekend from April 5 through April 27.

This year will feature the parks best and largest event lineup ever. Details include:

• Eggcellent Easter Celebration – The park is hoppin’ for its second annual Eggcellent Easter Celebration! This year families can visit the park in its spring bloom and enjoy meet and greets with Tuft the Easter Bunny, puppet shows, an Easter egg scavenger hunt and more;
• Duke’s Lagoon Opening Day – Saturday, May 24 marks the unofficial start to the summer season as Duke’s Lagoon opens for its longest water park season ever. Park-goers are invited to keep it cool with slides and interactive spray features through Sunday, September 7;
• NEW! PBS KIDS Daniel Tiger Stage Show – Beginning Saturday, May 24, the all-new stage at Dutch Wonderland will be set for a grr-ific new interactive show staring Daniel Tiger and his neighborhood friends;
• Duke’s Royal Birthday Celebration – Dutch Wonderland is celebrating the one and only Duke the Dragon’s birthday for a full week from June 14 through June 22 with dance parties, cupcakes, meet and greets and more;
• Santa’s Beach Bash – It’s the holiday season, in July, from July 19 through July 27, the park is keepin’ it cool with blizzard dance parties, a holiday themed dive show, and exclusive treats from the Dutch Winter Wonderland menu;
• Happy Hauntings – Lancasters favorite family-friendly Halloween event takes over from Saturday, September 13 through Sunday, October 26 with its trick or treat trail, bubble dance parties, Halloween themed treats and more; and
• Dutch Winter Wonderland – – ‘Tis the season to make new royal family memories as the park makes spirits bright select days from November 15 through December 31, with more than one million lights, spectacular light shows, festive food and drink options and more.

“Our team is already hard at work planning what is sure to be one of the best season’s yet here at Dutch Wonderland,” said General Manager Megan Hartman. “From the start of the season and the return of our second annual Eggcellent Easter Celebration to longstanding Dutch Wonderland traditions like Happy Hauntings, there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy throughout the year.”

As Dutch Wonderland gears up for a jam-packed 2025 season, the park is currently looking to hire more than 700 Team Members across all departments. The kingdom will open its gates on Monday, January 20 from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. as it hosts its first job fair of the 2025 season. The job fair will take place in the Dutch Wonderland People and Organization Office located beside Duke’s Lagoon. Those looking to work within specific departments are encouraged to apply online starting now and attend the job fair to learn more about open positions and the training process.

To celebrate a full season of spectacular events and Opening Day, the park is currently offering Season Passes for as low as five payments of $20 each. Select passes include access to all 2025 events and exclusive perks like free parking, free friend tickets, discounts on food and beverage and more.

To view the full seasonal event lineup, 2025 operating calendar and to apply for open positions, visit DutchWonderland.com.