Not one, not two, but three! That’s how many awards Sacoa Cashless System’s K4 Kiosk has now won after being presented with the Breakthrough Product of the Year Award at the IATP 2024 Conference & Trade Show.

Sacoa’s K4 Kiosk has become known in the industry for its attractive appearance, unmatched performance, and natural ability to interact with customers, all while providing operators with incredible benefits.

This amazing self-service kiosk has had a very positive impact on FECs and amusement parks, providing several advantages such as reduced lines, increased sales, reduced labor related costs, decreased theft, and more.

In 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will expand the Universal Studios Store in Universal CityWalk to include two new dedicated areas featuring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER
The expanded retail location will offer merchandise inspired by all three lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando – including Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure, Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida and Ministry of Magic, opening in 2025 at Universal Epic Universe. Guests will also be able to enjoy their favorite Butterbeer treats – including the Cold, Frozen, Hot and Vegan beverage varieties – and other specialty items from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at a new dedicated counter in the Universal Studios Store next year.

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
The newly added SUPER NINTENDO WORLD section in the Universal Studios Store will come with an all-new dedicated entrance inspired by the colorful landscapes and beloved characters from the Nintendo video games. Inside the store, guests will shop an assortment of merchandise featuring favorite characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong and more. SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is one of the five incredibly immersive worlds coming to the Universal Epic Universe theme park opening in 2025.

LANCASTER, Pa. — Dutch Wonderland, the World’s Best Family Park, turns to Happy Hauntings for 15 days of interactive family-friendly thrills this fall. Beginning Saturday, September 14 – two weeks earlier than ever before – families are invited to enjoy 10 all-new ways to Halloween as the Kingdom for Kids continues its muti-year expansion of the beloved Halloween event.

For the first time ever, Daniel Tiger and all five of his neighborhood friends from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will be at the park for meet and greets throughout Happy Hauntings. Meet and greets will take place in the park’s Celebration Theater. The characters will rotate on a bi-weekly basis until the final weekend, October 26 and 27, which will feature meet and greets with Daniel Tiger, Katerina Kittycat, Miss Elaina, O the Owl and Prince Wednesday.

 The kingdom gates will open for a little bit of spooky and a whole lot of silly every Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. September 14 through October 27, plus Monday, October 14 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. All-new interactive activities include:

• NEW Pop-Up Play Interactive Theater – This all-new interactive theater experience invites guests to become part of the fairytale as they join a fearless hero as he explores what is and isn’t scary;
• NEW Mayhem’s Amazing Hay Maze – There’s an unexpected surprise around every corner of this hay maze as the royal court and the whole family makes their way from start to finish;
• Treasure Trolls – In its second season EVER, the park’s famous dive show takes to the Aqua Stadium every single night during Happy Hauntings featuring nighttime lighting and fog;
• Trick-or-Treasure Trail – Dutch Wonderland’s iconic trick-or-treat trail is back, featuring the park’s royal cast of characters along the cackling creek;
• Duke’s Halloween Bubble Bash – Back by popular demand, the whole family is invited to dance the night away with Duke the Dragon and finish out the evening with a costume parade;
• Not-So-Spooky Story Time – Characters from the Dutch Royal Court will read a variety of fairy tale favorites at 1:30 and 3 p.m. in the park’s Story Time Corner;
• Dine with Duke – Everyone’s invited to Dine with Duke and Friends during character dining offered for $9.99 for kids and $14.99 for adults; and
• Halloween Scavenger Hunt – Kids can use their park map to lead them in the adventure of discovering some fun spooky characters throughout the park for a special Happy Hauntings souvenir.

“Each year we look for a new way to continue to grow and expand our seasonal event offerings and this season is no different,” said Megan Hartman General Manager. “The addition ofDaniel Tiger’s Neighborhood characters to our family-friendly Halloween event offers our visitors more reasons to visit us throughout the season for a chance to meet with Daniel and his neighborhood friends.”

 Ahead of the 2024 Halloween season, Dutch Wonderland is currently offering Happy Hauntings tickets for as low as $29.99 for a limited time, and up to $60 off 2025 Season Passes. Select 2025 Season Passes include access to Happy Hauntings and Dutch Winter Wonderland, plus exclusive discounts and perks like free friend tickets, discounts and food and retail and so much more. 

WAVRE, Belgium — Alterface technologies have united the iconic Cinnamoroll character with adoring fans at the Discovery Theater in Sanrio Puroland theme park in Tokyo. Cinnamoroll is famous for endearing and inspirational quotes, many of which carry deep meanings about the importance of friendship, kindness and never giving up on your dreams. In a first for Asia, a pair of synchronized theaters offer interactive game play and special effects for guests as they embark on Cinnamoroll’s Little Big Adventure, a 5-minute romp through the sky chasing rainbows and overcoming obstacles together.

“This is Puroland park’s first new attraction in more than a decade,” says Stéphane Battaille, CEO of Alterface. “It is a delightful story-based ride with audience engagement at key moments that asks and answers several questions: Why is a rainbow so beautiful? What is it made of? The adventure creates a strong emotional connection between the guests, the lovable game characters and this sense of wonder.”

The gameplay in Cinnamoroll’s Little Big Adventure strikes a perfect balance between storytelling and interactive engagement. While there is a competitive element that encourages guests to use their Magic Star Wands to overcome obstacles, the focus remains on the narrative journey rather than pure shooting mechanics. This approach ensures that the emphasis stays on the emotional connection and the unfolding adventure, allowing guests to immerse themselves fully in the story while still enjoying moments of friendly competition.

Each of the two theatres boasts 35 motion-based seats, including two spaces designated for wheelchairs and a front-of-house bench for small children. Interactive opportunities and special effects create an exciting experiential environment as guests team up with Cinnamoroll and his companions in their quest for rainbows. As the ride progresses, guests become essential helpers with their Magic Star Wands, targeting a series of obstacles. Scores for effectiveness with the devices are kept at each seat, and the most accurate helpers are rewarded with their faces projected on the theatre screen at the end of the experience.

This dual theatre approach offers many advantages, from providing unique, interactive guest experiences and a huge capacity of 600+ person per hour throughput within a compact location, from maximizing staff utilization and ensuring a good return on investment. “Believe in yourself and anything is possible, Cinnamoroll has told his fans,” says Battaille. “At Alterface we believe in making any interactive experience possible. Every IP character deserves to be brought to life for their fans. Our team and our patented technologies has made that happen for Sanrio and Cinnamoroll through this unique dual screen approach to entertaining and engaging guests. We can’t wait for our next challenge.”

SPOKANE, Wash. — Flight 509, an aviation-themed multi- attraction family entertainment center, opened its doors earlier this year within the Spokane Valley section of the city. The 22,000 square foot ground-up development offers the most complete set of attractions within the region, including a fully-themed two-level laser tag arena, centrally-mounted ropes course towering over the venue, multi-lane ninja warrior course, and a foam ball-filled three-level Ballistics play unit, complete with dumping buckets, air cannons, and geysers.

Flight 509 also offers four lanes of mini bowling, a four-pod Omni VR Arena, and an eight-unit bumper kart attraction. A 60-game amusement arcade rounds out the entertainment portfolio. Flight 509’s second development phase will begin next year with the addition of a 20,000 square foot indoor karting facility, providing Spokane Valley with a premium two-level racing experience not currently available within the region.

Developers Tim and Tammy Homer selected industry consultant Amusement Entertainment Management to spearhead the project’s development, including the formulation of the business case, investment strategy, and coordination plan. The three-year undertaking included the ground-up construction of the facility, which  has been designed to  support  family, adult, and corporate users with generous private event, conference, and lounge areas.

The Venue’s unique Hangar Café delivers a full complement of fast casual offerings to meet every guest’s expectations, and the Brand’s optional membership program allows guests to maximize both their experience and ‘flight miles’ with every visit.

Amusement Today honors parks, rides and individuals in the amusement industry

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — The Golden Ticket Awards were established by Amusement Today in 1998 to shine a spotlight on the amusement park industry and attractions by recognizing the “Best of the Best.” Today, they are among the most recognized awards among theme parks, amusement parks, family entertainment centers and water parks. In 2024, Amusement Today presented awards in 22 categories, as well as special recognition with Publisher’s Picks awards and Legend designations.

On September 7, more than 300 industry professionals gathered at host park Kennywood to enjoy the awards ceremony, network with social activities and behind-the-scenes tours and discuss current trends.

“Amusement Today is thrilled to provide an opportunity for industry colleagues to meet in person,” said Publisher Gary Slade. “We have people traveling from around the world. When so many parks have similar schedules, it can be challenging, but the rewards of being among one’s peers are significant.”

Kennywood is considered to be one of the finest traditional amusement parks in America. Having been around for 125 years, the park opened in 1899. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

“It is wonderful to showcase the old-fashioned roots of our industry,” noted Tim Baldwin, Golden Ticket Awards Communications Coordinator. “Kennywood offers such a nostalgic environment with numerous classic rides, but the modern thrillers are great too. The Golden Ticket Awards brings peers together, and to network within such a one-of-a-kind place is really special.”

The biggest winner of the evening was Dollywood, which snagged five Golden Tickets in various categories: Best Family Coaster, Best New Show, Most Beautiful, Best Guest Experience and Best Kids’ Area.

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari was another big winner with three wins: Best Water Park Ride, Best New Innovation and Best New Theme Concept. That latter category was a first-time inclusion into the awards, and the park’s comical take on Thanksgiving dinner surrounding the park’s new family coaster (Good Gravy!)  took the prize. The innovation that won gold was the guests’ ability to determine one of the scenes of the nightly drone show via their phones.

A handful of parks won a pair of awards. Europa-Park took the final category, Best Park, as well as Best New Roller Coaster, Voltron Nevera. Silver Dollar City’s new Fire In The Hole won Best New Family Attraction and Best New Attraction Installation. Knoebels Amusement Resort repeated its wins for Best Wooden Coaster (Phoenix) and Best Food.

Best New Water Park Ride went to Mount Olympus Water & Theme Park. The new Rise of Icarus is the tallest waterslide in North America.

Chiapas at Phantasialand won Best Water Ride, a Golden Ticket it had also won in 2021. The multi-level flume ride featured the world’s steepest drop when built in 2014.

Fury 325 at Carowinds won Best Steel Coaster for an eighth consecutive time.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios won Best Dark Ride with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

Leadership is a category from industry nominations and voted on by those in the industry and journalists. Morgan’s Wonderland, with its ultra-accessibility for all guests, won the award this year.

Among other park categories, Adventure Park USA won Breakout Family Entertainment Center, Dutch Wonderland took Best Family Park for a fifth time, and the undefeated Schlitterbahn claimed Best Water Park for a staggering  26th time.

Slade presented three Publisher’s Picks this year. Beth Root was honored as Person of the Year for her forward thinking in establishing the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson. The program with World Waterpark Association has grown considerably around the globe and welcomed families for a 15th year in 2024 in efforts to help save lives.

Taking the Renaissance Publisher’s Pick was Alton Towers and the dramatic transformation of one of its most popular rides. Nemesis Reborn captured the essence of the award’s meaning of “new life.”

Europa-Park took home another accolade with the Publisher’s Pick Turnstile Award. The most popular park in Germany accomplished a challenging feat to bring back two rides damaged by fire in 2023, only to add even more things to the attractions to keep the guests coming back for more.

Amusement Today acknowledged more parks and individuals as Legends — recognizing their impact and influence on the industry — than ever before. Before retiring two categories dedicated to holiday festivals, Universal Studios Florida’s Halloween Horror Nights and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas had each taken the category 15 times.  That made a sixth trophy for Dollywood during the evening.

The biggest surprise of the evening was Slade receiving a surprise Legend award.

“The Amusement Today team had to work internally to make this happen, which was not easy,” said Editor John Robinson. “This was a collaboration between friends within the industry and AT. We were thrilled to pull it off.”

Paul Nelson, the past owner of Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, was honored for his lifetime career of dedication and community involvement.

The three founders of American Coaster Enthusiasts (Richard Munch, Roy Brashears and Paul Greenwald) were recognized for starting in 1978 what has become the world’s largest and longest-running enthusiast organization that has grown to more than 7,000 members. The club is dedicated to supporting the industry.

The final award of the night went to John Reilly, CEO of Palace Entertainment, the ownership group to which Kennywood belongs. Reilly’s efforts have brought growth and beautification to the company’s portfolio. It was one of the evening’s multiple surprises.

Amusement Today began publication in 1997, and the award-winning magazine is now a leader in the amusement industry. The Golden Ticket Awards were established in 1998 and are the direct result of votes cast from around the globe. More than 500 experienced travelers, divided equally among the nation as well as internationally, received ballots. Industry journalists and ride suppliers also have categories devoted to professional topics. A free downloadable issue containing the charts and full lists of finalists, as well as an online presentation of the awards, can be found at GoldenTicketAwards.com.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Bruce Campbell, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), announced today a new global structure for the company’s worldwide studio tours, retail destinations, touring exhibitions, and all location-based experiences, bringing together the existing licensed entertainment and owned and operated teams into a single worldwide division. Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences will be charged with strategically expanding the company’s fan facing experiences and pursuing new businesses that capitalize on the Company’s world-class intellectual property like those with Universal Destinations & Experiences and Miral, and its award-winning operated businesses including Warner Bros. Studio Tours in London, Hollywood, and Tokyo.

“WBD has an incredible mix of location-based experiences for fans around the world, from theme parks and tours to exhibits, retail and more,” said Bruce Campbell, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer for WBD. “Bringing these two teams together under one roof gives us an opportunity to leverage and coordinate the talent and resources across all of our experiential businesses to better delight our consumers through offering even more truly authentic and engaging in-person experiences and events in every market.”

WBD Global Experiences combines the company’s existing Global Themed Entertainment licensing group, and the Studio Tours & Retail owned and operated division into a new cohesive and unified division. The new team will develop and execute on global strategies that offer partners the right mix of both models, putting WBD in a position to drive growth and become a worldwide leader in the creation, development, licensing and operating of location-based entertainment inspired by Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS, Discovery and more.

Simon Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of WBD Studios will add leadership of WBD Global Experiences to his responsibilities. He will report to Bruce Campbell for Experiences and will continue reporting into WBD’s Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiendenfels for his studio and content operations and financial roles.

Robinson appointed two veteran leaders to his new Experiences organization who will report to him:

• Peter van Roden, Executive Vice President, Global Themed Entertainment, will continue in his role leading the licensed location-based entertainment and theme parks businesses as well as the division’s global business development.  His team will continue to manage the partnership with Universal Destinations & Experiences for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations, Miral for Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and The WB Abu Dhabi, and the company’s other licensed exhibitions.

• Sarah Roots, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Tours & Retail, will continue in her role leading WBD’s owned and operated experiences including the award-winning Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood and the Harry Potter flagship and other retail stores.  Sarah and her teams in London, Tokyo, and Burbank have made the company’s studio tours must-experience destinations with industry leading visitor reviews.

In announcing the Global Experiences leadership team, Robinson said “Peter and Sarah are experts in curating and executing global location-based experiences at the very highest caliber. Our teams have an obsession for detail that we bring to each project and together, we will be able to bring partners – and fans – even more of what they’ve come to expect from a Warner Bros. experience.”

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is excited to announce the birth of a female reticulated giraffe born the morning of August 16 to 11-year-old giraffe Faye and 14-year-old Ezeji. The baby giraffe currently stands at 5’10” and 150 lbs. and is doing very well in the days following her birth. Her name will be unveiled at a later date.

“The Zoo’s Animal Care Team is thrilled to welcome a new giraffe calf into the Zoo family,” shares Rick Schuiteman, Zoo Executive Director. “Faye gave birth in the early morning hours on the 16th and has been an attentive mother.”

The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is now home to a herd of six reticulated giraffe, five females and one male. The calf and mother, Faye, were given access to start exploring the giraffe exhibit earlier this week. We provide all of the animals in our care choice and control, meaning they have access to their exhibits but may choose to remain in their behind-the-scenes spaces.

Please be patient with the new little one as she becomes comfortable with the exhibit space and with the other giraffes in our care.

“The first few days, baby girl spent exclusive time with mother, Faye, inside the giraffe barn. The rest of the herd were curious to meet the little one, and introductions to all the giraffe over the past weeks went very well,” said Michelle Smurl, Director of Animal Care. “After the introduction period, the next step was to venture out into the outdoor exhibit, which usually starts slow as she gains confidence.”

This baby reticulated giraffe becomes the Zoo’s newest ambassador representing wild giraffe in Africa. Giraffe populations continue to plummet due to poaching, habitat destruction and civil unrest. The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo supports the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), an organization working to research giraffes and implement ways to save them. The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo financially contributes annually to GCF. To learn more about giraffe conservation and how you can help, visit kidszoo.org.

Thank you to Fifth Third Bank for supporting Zoo babies.

NEDERWEERT — ETF Ride Systems launches its latest innovation, the “Dynamic Mover”, at the IAAPA Expo in Amsterdam. This groundbreaking ride vehicle represents ETF’s commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology in the amusement park industry.

ETF Ride Systems, a market leader and a pioneer for over 25 years in trackless vehicles, continues its legacy of innovation with the launch of the Dynamic Mover. Since introducing the first trackless ride decades ago, ETF has set the standard for versatility, reliability, and technological advancement in the attractions industry. The Dynamic Mover represents the next generation of movement freedom and performance, designed to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modern attractions. It redefines the guest experience with its versatility and advanced features:

• Omni-directional movement: the Dynamic Mover can rotate and move in any direction, offering a full 360° chassis rotation on the spot, and allowing seamless “crab-walking” from a standstill. This flexibility allows parks to design more immersive and dynamic ride experiences that captivate guests. The ability to navigate tight spaces also maximizes the use of available space, enabling more creative and compact ride layouts.
• Wireless navigation: the Dynamic Mover operates with an advanced optical navigation system, offering a flexible track layout that is only limited by your imagination. It is ETF’s new navigation technology next to its embedded and trusted guide wires. Without the need for physical tracks or embedded guide wires, parks save on installation and maintenance costs. For guests, it’s always a surprise where the ride will take them, keeping the experience fresh and exciting each time they enjoy it.
• Enhanced performance: with higher maximum speeds and faster rotations, this vehicle can accelerate up to 1.5 m/s² and rotate the cabin up to 10 rpm. When both – vehicle and top – rotate even up to 20 rpm. Optional hill-climbing capabilities ensure a thrilling experience on any terrain. This enhanced performance attracts a broader demographic, from families to thrill-seekers. The optional features add versatility, allowing parks to offer unique experiences that stand out in our competitive market.
• Sustainable power: the Dynamic Mover is powered by a high capacity onboard battery system, providing up to 14 hours of continuous operation after overnight charging. This enables the Dynamic Mover to run efficiently throughout the park’s operating hours without intermittent charging.
• Versatile capacity: designed to accommodate up to 6 guests per vehicle, with an optional upgrade for 8, the Dynamic Mover is perfect for a wide range of attractions. The flexible capacity allows parks to adjust for different crowd levels, maximizing throughput during peak times and ensuring a smooth, enjoyable experience for guests.

These enhancements make the Dynamic Mover a game-changing addition to any theme park, offering not just an innovative ride experience but also tangible benefits in terms of operational efficiency, sustainability, and guest satisfaction.

The Dynamic Mover premiers and rides at ETF’s stand #10625 during the IAAPA Expo in Amsterdam.