IAAPA Expo 2022 back at full force, ready to welcome industry

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

ORLANDO — Officials, members, exhibitors and attendees associated with the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) are excited about the upcoming IAAPA Expo 2022, feeling it is back to full force after two roller coaster years.

The IAAPA Expo runs Nov. 14-18, 2022, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida. The educational conference portion of the event begins Nov. 14 with the trade show opening the next day.

IAAPA officials announced earlier that there were 1,000 exhibitors registered to bring their newest and top products to the 500,000-square-foot exhibit space within the convention center. IAAPA is looking forward to hosting more than 25,000 attendees at the expo.

“It is an exciting time in the attractions industry as we continue on the path of recovery from the pandemic, and our members are looking for new innovative products and services from our manufacturers and suppliers to enhance their guests' experiences,” said Hal McEvoy, IAAPA’s chief executive officer and president. “IAAPA Expo in Orlando continues to be the premier showplace for the latest innovations to create fun and make memories for our industry. This is also an important event for connecting, sharing best practices, hearing from the industry's top leaders and experts, and working on your professional development needs.”

Although programming technically begins on Monday, Nov. 14, there are happenings beginning on Saturday, Nov. 12, the first day of IAAPA Rookies and Newcomers: FEC. It ends the next day.

On Sunday, Nov. 13, the 12th annual IAAPA Charity Motorcycle Run for Give Kids the World takes place. Also on this day are the first days of IAAPA Institute topics Attraction Managers and for Executive Education.

Regular educational programming begins Monday, Nov. 14. Topics include entertainment, facility operations, games and merchandise, food and beverage, financial management and information technology, human resources, marketing, safety and security.

“IAAPA’s Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome members and not-yet-members back to Orlando for our world-renowned Expo event,” said Ken Whiting, 2022 IAAPA Chairman of the Board.

Whiting said the IAAPA team works hard to put together a conference program that is engaging and educational, making sure to focus on the industry's hot topics.

Attendees will get insights directly from some of the industry’s top minds when it comes to customer service, theming and innovation. There will be almost 100 EDUSessions offered as part of the education conference.

Sure to be a highlight this year is the 2022 edition of the Legends Panel. It will feature a number of the great minds behind the creation and modern-day operations of Walt Disney World’s EPCOT, as the park prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary. It is hosted by Bob Rogers, founder and chairman of BRC Imagination Arts and moderator and curator of the Legends Panel.

Legends 2022: EPCOT, 40 Years in a State of Becoming will include Bob Weis, global ambassador, Walt Disney Imagineering; Jodi McLaughlin: executive portfolio producer, Walt Disney Imagineering; Kartika Rodriguez, vice president, EPCOT; and Rick Rothschild, founder and chief creative officer of FAR Out! Creative Direction.

“We could not be happier with the speaker lineup we have for this year’s Legends panel,” said Michael Shelton, vice president and executive director, IAAPA North America. “This popular session lets IAAPA shine a spotlight on just some of the outstanding industry leaders who have truly carved the path to where we are today.

"Getting to focus on EPCOT as it turns 40 should offer greater insight into the future of the park and provide inspiration to everyone in attendance," Shelton said.

The five legends on this panel will share insights, strategies and lessons of a lifetime that attendees can apply to their own careers.

The Legends panel will take place 4-5:30 p.m., Nov. 16.

This year’s theme is particularly fitting for Rogers, who has curated this panel for nearly 20 years, as his work history links him personally to EPCOT and the greater Disney brand. Rogers wrote and produced the original Impressions du France, which is still playing at EPCOT’s French Pavilion. Rogers has been inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame and has two Oscar nominations.

Some other specific educational topics and titles include:

•The Infinite Game: How to Lead in Times of Stress and Uncertainly;

•Happy Hour: The Latest Trends in Ready-To-Drink Beverages;

•Security Rountable;

•Safety in Attractions: Risk Assessment Best Practices;

•Recruitment Marketing: Talent and Acquisition Throughout the Great Resignation;

•Water Park Management: Leveraging Technology to Manage Staff Competencies;

•A Seat at the Table: Diversity and Inclusion in Theme Park Entertainment;

•10 Creative Ideas for Recruitment;

•What Makes a Souvenir Sellable;

•Ride Design for Non-Rider: How to Engage Every Guest;

•Augmented Reality is the Future of Attractions;

•The Road to Greatness: 2022 Top FEC of the World Finalists Share Success Stories, and

•Best Practices in Merchandising from Analytic to Operator.

Trade show hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Nov. 15-17, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Nov. 18.

One highlight of the IAAPA Expo Opening Ceremony is the annual What's New video showcasing new rides, roller coasters, water slides, animal habitats, resorts and immersive experiences from all around the world. This has been set for the morning of Nov. 15, coinciding with the trade show opening.

As if the trade show and educational sessions aren't enough, the IAAPA offerings continue through the week, including the EDUTours giving participants behind-the-scenes looks.

The EDUTour schedule is as follows: Fun Spot, Nov. 13; Jurassic World Velocicoaster, Universal Orlando Resort, Nov. 14; Cooperative Collaboration Amongst Teams at Universal Volcano Bay, Nov. 15; Games and Merchandise at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Nov. 16; Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, An Inside Look from Gwazi, Nov. 17.

There also are numerous luncheons and receptions for those in specific areas of the industry throughout the IAAPA event.

The 16th Annual IAAPA Footprints From the Heart 5K Run/1 Mile Walk Benefiting Give Kids The World Village, is set for Thursday morning. Participants run or walk the pathways of the 89-acre nonprofit resort. the morning of Nov. 16.

The Brass Ring Ceremony is set for 5-7 p.m., Nov. 16 and IAAPA Celebrates is set for the evening of Nov. 17 at Universal's Islands of Adventure.

Featured speakers include Tom Mehrmann, president and COO Universal Parks and Resorts, Pacific Rim, set for morning of Nov. 16, at the Leadership Breakfast (GM and Owners) and Andrew Wexler, CEO Herschend Family Entertainment, set for Nov. 16, Lunch and Learn.

•iaapa.com

Accesso helps Parques Reunidos attractions head to front of line

AT: Susan Storey

Special to Amusement Today

ORLANDO — Technology advances in the attractions industry are often associated with innovations in thrill rides, enhancements in virtual reality and fully immersive experiences. They are the guest-facing wonders that propel the industry and provide reasons for return visits to a favorite park or venue.

However, less visible technology plays a vital role in making those guest experiences possible. For more than 20 years, Accesso Technology Group has provided technology solutions for attractions and venues worldwide. To date, Accesso serves more than 1000 locations in 29 countries with its dynamic solutions that positively impact guest wait time, generate increased revenue and provide critical client data.

Each day millions of park guests around the world are able to step out of physical queue lines, so they can fully maximize their time — and fun — during their visit. It is through Accesso’s technology that wait times dynamically adjust to reflect changes in operation, guest flow and other variables. The result is capacity optimization and immediate communication with guests.

This August, Accesso, together with global leisure park operator Parques Reunidos, announced the companies were entering a five-year agreement that would provide the Accesso queue management services to more of the company’s parks. The agreement extended Accesso’s award-winning, patented technology to six additional venues owned by Parques Reunidos, and solidified Accesso as the operator’s enterprise provider of queue management systems.

The announcement is the next step in the existing 10-year partnership Accesso has with Parques Reunidos. And just as the park operator has continued to adapt and expand, so too has Accesso at meeting the ever-changing needs of park guests worldwide.

“At Accesso, we take great pride in our approach to partnership and our ability to serve as effective extensions of our clients’ teams,” shared Andrew Jacobs, chief commercial officer, Accesso. “Our clients’ unique needs, challenges and opportunities become our own, and we work hand-in-hand to integrate proven solutions that drive revenue, loyalty and a redefined guest experience.

Accesso integrations have been in place at many Parques Reunidos parks. Palace Entertainment, a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary group of the company, has employed Accesso virtual queuing technology for several years. The solutions empower guests to spend less time waiting and more time playing. At Splish Splash Water Park in New York and Raging Waters San Dimas Water Park in California the Accesso Passport eCommerce ticketing suite has helped the parks leverage sales of the H2Go Pass product.

This year, Kennywood and Lake Compounce added Accesso’s solutions, the first two parks to come online as part of the extended partnership. At Lake Compounce, Accesso deployed virtual queuing with its Prism smart park wearable and mobile Qsmart platform. Park management saw almost immediate results.

“We implemented the virtual queuing system in July,” said Jeffery Davis, general manager, Lake Compounce. “After such positive response from our guests throughout the summer, we have now expanded the program to be a part of our all-new “Phantom Fall Fest” Halloween event. This allows us to offer guests the opportunity to not wait in line for our brand-new haunts and several of our most popular rides. We are already looking forward to expanding the offerings for virtual queuing in the 2023 season.”

Adventureland in Iowa is next in line to add Accesso’s platform. It will be implemented during the 2023 operating season.

To address the needs of Parques Reunidos’ European parks, Accesso’s mobile Qsmart platform has been successfully introduced at Movie Park Germany, Bobbejaanland in Belgium, and Parque de Atracciones de Madrid and Parque Warner Madrid in Spain.

Of the five-year agreement and subsequent rollout, Hans Aksel Pederson, chief commercial officer, Parques Reunidos, shared, “Partnering with Accesso on virtual queueing is a crucial next step to providing the types of experiences our guests all over the world want. We are very happy with the expansion efforts that took place in 2022 and look forward to adding those options at more parks next year.”

Providing solutions and helping clients drive their business forward is Accesso’s guiding light. As a technology company, Accesso continually invests in research and development to stay ahead of industry demand and ready for client needs and wants. Accesso’s team is just as passionate about providing a positive impact on the guest experience as they are about helping improve the bottom line.

Like so many companies, Accesso took time during the COVID-19 shutdown to relook at their services while preparing for the industry — and the world — to reopen. The team understood there would be pent-up demand to safely return to theme and leisure parks. It also recognized consumer expectations for convenience would be at an all-time high.

Understanding that guests were emerging from the pandemic with the ability to have many day-to-day needs met quickly with the push of a button, Accesso also understood the willingness to wait ­— in line or at all — would be lower than ever. That meant the need for proven technology products such as the Accesso LoQueue virtual queuing solution would be in high demand.

Accesso also recognized customized enhancements that could be combined with existing programs was equally as important. New pass options that allow guests to wait in virtual queues, a new option to use premium one-shots that allow guests to skip straight to the front of the line and an all-new hybrid program using both options were all created to help clients meet varying park and guest needs.

In addition, Accesso’s “100% Virtual Queuing” program was created to support the safe and effective reopening of theme parks and attractions during the pandemic. The program allowed operators to make virtual queuing available to all guests at select rides and attractions at no additional cost. As operators around the globe sought new ways to promote physical distancing to returning guests, the 100% Virtual Queuing model was quickly adopted by four major operators across three continents, including Walibi Holland and Parc Astérix in Europe, Holiday World in North America, and Village Roadshow Theme Parks in Australia.

Accessibility provides the global attractions industry with some of its greatest opportunities and Accesso’s solution flips traditional programs upside down. The “Reverse Queuing” product helps operators support the needs of guests with accessibility needs, while maintaining an equitable experience for all. The Reverse Queuing process operates as an inverted virtual queue. Rather than scheduling a ride board time, or counting down to certain time number of minutes, the system allows the guest and those in their party to head straight to the front of the line. After experiencing the attraction, the guests then have a “cooling down” period, which represents the amount of time they would have waited in the physical queue.

During this time, the group can take part in other activities at the park — catch a show, visit a gift shop or grab a bite to eat. When the “cooling down” period has ended, they once again can head to the front of a line for their next ride.

With extended client partnerships and the continual roll-out of technological solutions to meet the ever-changing needs of guests at parks and venues around the world, Accesso knows it cannot slow down. Through technology, today’s guests expect “experiences on demand” as part of their daily lives — especially when it comes to their entertainment and leisure choices. Accesso remains forward-focused on the design and delivery of products and solutions that create both the on-demand, personalized convenience guests crave, with data and options for operators so they can make real-time adjustments. The end result is a fully maximized experience for all.

•accesso.com

IAAPA Expo after dark

AT NOTEBOOK: John W.C. Robinson, jrobinson@amusementtoday.com

IAAPA Expo 2022 is upon us and the showfloor itself will be a bustling place of associates, customers, suppliers, salespeople, executives, friends, family and more. Thousands of square feet of eye-catching exhibits and products will be what the amusement industry calls home for several days in mid-November.

However, it is when the showfloor closes for the day — and the sun sets in Orlando — that memorable moments take place, the longest-lasting networking happens and the fun of the event kicks into full gear.

Those are the hours when we join suppliers, step into the drivers seat and entertain clients — both current and potential — with the variety of dining and entertainment options throughout the Orlando area. Maybe it is a private dinner between buyer and seller or perhaps a large scale party overlooking the city where industry executives shake hands with associates new and old. Perhaps it is a reception for customers at a local amusement attraction that showcases a supplier's wares. It could even be an IAAPA-hosted reception for all of the industry or a specialized segment of it.

Regardless of the evening event of choice, these fun happenings create not only a more intimate atmosphere to relax, network and interact with industry professionals — as well as friends — but, also, they are where some of the most impactful memories are created during the industry's days in Orlando.

Dancing the night away, trading stories from over the years, sharing brainstorms and ideas or just screaming and laughing on a roller coaster together ... the after-hours events of the IAAPA Expo are where we all let our hair down and share in the fun of the entertainment industry we are all a part of. These are the moments where business associates become lifelong friends.

Excitement and anticipation

INDUSTRY VOICE: Pete Owens, Dollywood

As we all prepare to head to the IAAPA Expo in Orlando, there is always anticipation and excitement. Whether it is to see the latest and greatest rides and innovations on display on the Expo floor or to see friends and colleagues from across the globe. It may be the first time in nearly two years since we have actually shook hands or embraced as we all catch up and share where we’ve been, how the season went and where we are going.

For me, these weeks leading up to the Expo are more often spent looking back at the spring and summer seasons and gauging successes and failures before we move on to our busy holiday season at the park and finalize plans for the next season for the parks and resorts. To be sure, it has been exciting in 2022 to see a more regular travel pattern for the families who visit our attractions from across the country. Their smiling faces, unobscured by masks, fill the midways partaking in festive seasonal foods, clapping along with our entertainers and taking a ride on a coaster they’ve waited for all winter long. In short, they are trying to have their best day ever. Helping those families achieve that wish is what we are all in this business to do. It is an avocation, not just a job.

The IAAPA Expo is a time to share best practices with one another in education sessions and in conversations with colleagues so we all get better. 2023 will bring with it another set of challenges. Embracing the new year with fresh thoughts and vision thanks to a few long days in Orlando makes us all better. I look forward to seeing everyone on the floor and recharging for the new year!

Bidding to win

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — During the 2022 Golden Ticket Awards event in San Antonio, Texas, the first annual Golden Ticket Awards Golf Tournament (see page 62) took place at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort. The tournament was a fundraiser for the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives (NRCMA) and Andrew Mowatt of WhiteWater West (center) — flanked by Amusement Today Publisher Gary Slade and tournament organizer Walt Bowser of Baynum Solutions — was the winning bidder of exclusive NRCMA mounted artwork. COURTESY RON GUSTAFSON

IAAPA names Freddi as second vice chair, elects 2023 board members

LONDON, U.K. — Massimiliano “Massi” Freddi, the founder and chief executive officer of Wonderwood on Lake Maggiore, Italy, was named the second vice chair of IAAPA’s Board of Directors for 2023. He will serve as the first vice chair of IAAPA in 2024 and lead the global association for the attractions industry as the chair of the board in 2025.

The selection was made during a board of directors meeting on Sept. 11 in London, United Kingdom, just before IAAPA Expo Europe opened its doors at ExCeL London.

“Massi is a dreamer and doer, and his 20 years of experience and success confirms he’s well suited to be IAAPA’s second vice chair,” said Andreas Andersen, the chair of IAAPA’s Governance Committee. “His combination of attractions management and development, with career highlights and passion in education and inspiring others, result in future board leadership that is as much about honoring tradition as it is about supporting and sustaining growth for IAAPA and for IAAPA members around the world.”

IAAPA also named nine people who will take new positions within its leadership ranks, including seven brand-new individuals joining the board. New board members begin their service in 2023:

Asia Pacific Regional Advisory

Committee Chair Director (2023-2025)

Andrew Bolstein is senior vice president of operations at Shanghai Disney Resort. Bolstein has hands-on leadership experience in finance, operations and safety. He has served on the IAAPA APAC Regional Advisory Committee for four years and assisted in developing the COVID-19 Reopening Guidelines for the association.

Latin America Regional Advisory

Committee Chair Director (2023-2025)

Xavier Lopez is the president and founder of KidZania. First opened in 1997, KidZania has expanded to have more than 20 facilities around the world that entertain one million visitors annually by providing educational entertainment experiences, offering kids the opportunity to role play and learn more about unique and exciting professions.

Manufacturer and Supplier Committee

Chair Director (2023-2025)

Jeroen Nijpels is the managing director and owner of JNELC, which he founded 16 years ago. JNELC supplies rides and attractions and assists operators in project development and procurement. Nijpels has been an active IAAPA volunteer since 2002.

Facility Member Director (2023-2025)

Pia Adlivankin is the chief executive officer and managing director of Linnanmäki Amusement Park, which is Finland’s largest amusement park. Located in Helsinki, the park welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors annually (pre-Covid).

Facility Member Director (2023-2025)

Jason Freeman is the corporate vice president of public safety and risk management for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, LLC. Six Flags operates 27 properties throughout North America, including theme parks, amusement parks, water parks and a family entertainment center. Freeman has been involved with IAAPA since 1988.

Facility Member Director (2023-2025)

Ali Alsuwaidi is the chief operating officer for Global Village, a one-stop-destination for entertainment, shopping, dining and attractions in Dubai. He is a member of the IAAPA EMEA Advisory Board and has participated in the IAAPA Leadership Conference.

Past Chair Director (2023 – 2025)

Gerardo Arteaga is the general manager of Fantasilandia, the largest amusement park in Santiago, Chile with attractions for for all ages. He has been the general manager of Fantasilandia for 20 years. In his role he has experienced natural disasters and political upheaval, yet, he and his team, managed to expand their operations to include a large regional chain of family entertainment centers, Diversur SPA, currently operating in three markets.

Facility Member Director

(2023 – fulfilling final year of Xavier Lopez’ term)

Gina Claassen is the corporate safety director for Herschend Family Entertainment and has been with the company for 25 years. Herschend Family Entertainment and its parent company Herschend Enterprises are a family-owned themed attractions corporation that operates entertainment, tourism, and hospitality properties that span 26 locations across the U.S. and British Columbia.

2022 IAAPA Expo exhibitor listing

List is current as of Oct. 12, 2022. For last-minute changes, booth additions and cancellations, consult the IAAPA show directory.

#s

360 Karting 2886

3DK9 4573

3DX Scenic 656

40 Below Company 3656

911 Cell Phone Bank 1937

A Beep LLC 4235

A&A Global Industries 824

Aardvark 3219

ABC rides switzerland 5320

AC Radiocom LLC 4510

accesso 5131

Action Lighting 4602

Admit One Products, Inc. 5737

Adrenaline Amusement 643

Adrenaline Amusements 647

Advance Pro Tech 381

Advanced Animations, LLC 1669

Advantage + Financing 274

Adventure Golf & Sports 4867

Adventureglass 2604

Aerial Adventure Dome 3480

Aerodium Technologies 5502

Aerophile S.A.S. 3013

AG Ninja 4090

AIMS International 2808

Air & Water Systems 1780

Airparx 4286

Airspace Solutions 1645

Albanese Confectionery 3758

Alberici USA Inc. 726

Alcorn McBride Inc. 869

Algenys 3988

Alinco Costumes 2603

Alive Risk 4336

Alligator Ice 3766

Alpine Media Technology 6117

Alterface Projects 3610

Altitude Rides and Attractions 4006

Altra Motion 2936

Aluvii, Inc. 3854

Alvarado dormakaba Group 4645

Amazing Magnets 1680

Amega Entertainment 1654

American Adventure Park Systems 3603

American Amusement Machine Assoc. (AAMA) 911

American Changer Corp. 612

American Christmas by MK Illumination 854

American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) 4119

American Holtzkraft, Inc. 2733

American Locker 4400

American Paper Optics 4711

American Pinball 640

American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services, Inc. 4702

American Tent 2980

AMI Entertainment 104

AMPP 3236

Amusement & Music Operator's Assoc. (AMOA) 2108

Amusement Advantage Guest Exp. Solutions 4117

Amusement Connect 417

Amusement Construction Co. Inc. 4773

Amusement Devices & Mfg Llc 4469

Amusement Entertainment Risk Insurance Assoc. 3410

Amusement Products 4869

Amusement Source International 209

Amusement Supply Company 5169

Amusement Today 4015

Anchor Industries / Economy Tent International 4600

Andamiro Co. Ltd 600

Animalive Ltd 4288

Animax Designs, Inc. 474

Antari USA 991

APARC Water Slides 1647

Apex Commercial Capital 609

Apex Order Pickup Solutions 3666

Apple Industries 1300

AppTracts 504

Aqua Play Parks World 852

AquaBanas 1352

Aquaglide 1652

Aquakita 1358

AquaRevival 1742

AquaSeal 273

Aquatic Development Group 2655

Aquatique Show International 456

Aquaventronics / CarnivalGames.com 4890

Aquify Systems 1638

ARC Studios 3571

Architectural Design Consultants, Inc. 1743

Arihant Water Park Equipment 3031

Armodilo Display Solutions / SafeGuard 3709

Art Attack 5140

Art-FX Studios, Inc. 3275

Artificial Palm Trees - Oasis Illusions 1659

Artistic Contractors, Inc. 160

Ascentium Capital 5559

Astro Carpet Mills 4254

Asylon Robotics 3584

Atlas Commercial Products 5558

ATM Merchant Services 408

Atmosphere 3283

Attractions.io 5442

Audio Innovators Inc 2642

Autograph Foliages 2659

Avius 3800

AVS Companies 103

Axcitement 3690

Axes & Armor LLC. 742

Axess AG 4756

Axiom Holographics 206

Bad Dog Tools 147

Bagjump Airbag Systems 4491

Ballast VR 847

Banana Products, LLC 789

Bandai Namco Amusement 900

Bandai Namco Amusements 1000

BarChefs 3857

Barron Games International 806

BatFast Sports 6106

Battech 4520

Battle Company 4660

Battle Company 4662

Bay Tek Entertainment 1015

Bazooka Ball / Fluorescent Print 4827

BBBI / Kids Bowl Free 503

BDR Design Group 2067

Beaudry Interactive, LLC 872

Beijing Angel Yongyi Technology Co.Ltd 3688

Ben’s Soft Pretzels 3660

Berk Enterprises 3406

Bertazzon 4224

Betson Enterprises 517

bHaptics 3471

Big Sky Miniature Golf 4467

BigAirBag B.V. 4780

Billings Productions, Inc. 1662

Birket Engineering 867

Biz Karts INC. 2086

Biztracker POS 3583

BJ Toy Company 2909

Black Light Unity 4065

Blacklight Attractions / Halloween Productions 4267

BMI Leisure 4465

BMI Merchandise 815

Bobproducts.com LLC 2771

Bob's Space Racers, Inc. 2615

Bob's Space Racers, Inc. 2815

Bolliger & Mabillard Inc. 4806

BoMar Soft Playgrounds 2142

BounceWave Inflatable Sales 6085

BounceWave Inflatable Sales 8730

Bouncing Angels 5154

Bouncing Angels 8140

Bouncy Castle Network 6062

Bowling Proprietors' Association of America 1804

BowlMarc Robotics 247

Boxblaster Florida 1888

Boxblaster Virtual Reality 1886

Brand Vending Products 611

Breeze Creative LLC 2872

Bridgewater Studio 4283

Bright White Paper Co. 3689

Brogent Technologies, Inc. 4227

Brogent Technologies, Inc. 4427

Brunswick Bowling Products 4831

Brushboarding International 6100

Bumper Boats, Inc. 3421

Busch Systems International 1045

Buzzpark 4690

C.Cretors and Company 3654

Cadron Creek Play 1847

California Umbrella 6133

Calplush Toy Corporation 1631

Camaleon LED 4004

Capital Online Auctions 5458

CaptiVR GmbH 682

Caravan Soft Toys and Big T Toys & Sports, Inc 2802

Cardknox 5542

Carriage Works, Inc. 3657

Cashmate USA 2889

Castle Golf, Inc. 2671

Catalate - Dynamic Pricing Software 1650

Cawley Company/The 4102

CCF Bank 4688

Celestial 681

Centaman, Inc. 4640

CenterEdge Software 4454

Central Tent 5556

Champ Throw Interactive Targets 4083

Chance Rides 2606

Chance Rides 2806

Chao Cards 122

Characters Unlimited Inc. 3712

Chargerent 3582

Cheer Amusement 3469

Chestnut Identity Apparel Inc 4200

Chicago Gaming Company 200

Chocolate Moonshine Co. 3663

Christie 1383

Cirque Factory 4059

Classic Products Corp. 4519

Classic Toy Co 1624

Cleanbox Technology 3590

CleanRiver Recycling Solutions 6115

Clicklease 4282

CLM Risk Management 3429

Cloward H2O 2247

Clubspeed 2074

CMD Enterprises 4611

CmdCentr 3908

CO2Meter 3560

Coastal Amusements 1315

Cobra Polymers Inc 373

Cogan S.R.L. 1815

Coin Tech Cashless System 1615

Cold River Mining Corp 4708

Columbus McKinnon 557

Combat Karting 2089

Comin International 5685

Commercial Recreation Specialists 3067

Complete Signs 3381

Comply Amusement Safety Ltd 4412

Composite Effects, LLC 2890

Concept 1900 Entertainment 4615

Condiment Cow 3659

Conductix-Wampfler, Inc. 2829

Connect&GO 2036

Continuum Preparedness 4450

Control Play 3864

Convergence, LLC 4647

Coogar Products, LLC 5544

Cool-A-Zone 782

Copper State Arcade LLC 108

Core Cashless, LLC 4445

Cossio Insurance Agency 5478

Cost, Inc. 4726

Costume Specialists Inc 2927

Cotton-love.com 1635

CPI Amusement/Pageantry World 2833

Craftsmen Industries 3481

Creative Visions 2675

Creative Works 4072

CSE Entertainment Ltd. 2965

CTM Group/Eurolink 1821

Cumming Group 1658

Cyclone Distributors Inc 5557

Daiwa by U.S. Jaclean, Inc. 5606

Daniels Wood Land, Inc. 469

Danken 1691

DataSpan 4054

DC Locker Inc. 3708

Deep Blue Communications 4134

DEI 1338

Delta Strike 4478

Deltrain SA 3710

Design Concepts 3402

Designer Palms 4159

Designmaster Fence 3715

Designs in Motion 2864

Dewesoft 4010

DFX 452

Dicapac 881

Digital Centre America 124

Digital Centre America, Inc 224

Digonex: Automated Dynamic Pricing 4236

Dinoscapes 2854

Dippin' Dots, LLC 3900

Dippin' Dots, LLC 4002

DNP Imagingcomm America Corp 3672

Doc Palapa 2933

DOF Robotics 2286

DOF Robotics 2686

Dogwood Entertainment 882

Donna Italia Inc. USA 3756

Doppelmayr 3620

Dotto Trains 4231

Doug Fleenor Design 873

Dr. Fuji / Acigi 4156

Dreamland Playground Co.Ltd. 4488

Dronisos - Drone Light Shows 751

DUNA-USA 973

Dutch Wheels 3615

Dynamic Attractions 667

E & F Miler Industries LLC 4718

Eagle Bounce 5554

eAtlas 366

Economy Tent International 4700

eInflatables 5174

Elaut Group (Benchmark Games, Coast to Coast, Elaut) 829

Elaut NV 1329

Eldorado Climbing 4056

Electrosonic 1365

Eli Bridge Company 4621

Elite Laser Tag Equipment 2091

Ellis & Associates 2638

Embed 1331

Emiliana Luna Park S.r.l. 3726

Empex Watertoys 3006

En Masse Energy Solutions 4610

Enchant Studios 3291

Endura Paint 3382

Endureed 2652

Engage by Cell 4603

Enklu 1931

entertainment resource GmbH 462

ENTTEC 3580

Eomac Ltd. 556

EpicSurf 2654

Epulse 6127

Escalera Inc. 111

Escapology 3866

ETC 2180

ETF Ride Systems 4804

Eurogames SRL 3829

Event Hawk Marketing 5454

Event Rental Systems 5682

EVO Payments 4064

Eworks Pro 4017

exA-Arcadia 415

Expert Hosiery 4164

Exploring Digital 258

Extreme Engineering 2600

Eye Candy Inflatables 8645

EZ Inflatables Inc. 5662

EZ Inflatables Inc. 8030

Fabbri Group 4820

FaceRacer LTD 4280

Factory Direct Party 2981

Falcon Water Tag Extreme 8350

Falcon's Creative Group 2290

Falgas Germany 4633

Family Fun Corp. 3072

FareHarbor 5635

FEC Financial Group 317

FEC Insurance Agency 4771

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Fun & Fun Toys Inc 3400

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Adventureland Iowa preparing for Zamperla coaster/flume combo

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

ALTOONA, Iowa — Vikings are invading Adventureland with a little help from Zamperla. The park is adding two attractions in a new Viking-themed area of the park.

The Flying Viking is a family roller coaster that rises to a height of 50 feet. Thrills will be kept to a moderate level at 26 mph. The track length is 1,312 feet. It’s a fun ride for children to ride with parents, as is Draken Falls, a new flume for the park.

“These two unique rides are even better when they are woven together, and both add something new and special to our lineup,” said Adventureland General Manager Bill Lentz. “Our guests voiced a desire for a new flume ride, and this next-generation version is bigger and better than anything to be found within hundreds of miles. Pairing it with a thrilling family roller coaster that people of all ages can enjoy is going to be a big hit.”

This combination of intertwined attractions was originally designed for Luna Park at New York’s Coney Island.

"The layouts of The Flying Viking and Draken Falls are the same as our installation at Luna Park,” said Michael Coleman, North American sales, Zamperla. “Because of the installation sites and theming of the rides, the experience will be transformative in different ways for each guest.  Often rides can be themed to look a certain way but not be supported by additional elements to round out the overall installation. What the Palace Entertainment team is doing between the immersive station and other key hardscape elements, this installation will certainly immerse guests.” 

The addition of this ride pairing makes for the 10th and 11th new attractions geared toward families that have been acquired since Adventureland was purchased by Palace Entertainment.

“Our integrated rides concept is an idea where we take one of our large assets like a coaster or flume and design it with other attractions laid out in the same area,” said Adam Sandy, roller coaster sales and marketing director, Zamperla. “This concept grew from several places. We watched our clients at MOiPark and Cultus Lake Adventure Park wind our coasters around their facilities and put attractions from us and other manufacturers in those spaces. We also visit a lot of properties and have been excited about what clients like Mall of America, Gröna Lund and others have done. They used smaller footprints to create a different type of density by using vertical space.”

“Demographically, The Flying Viking Junior Coaster comes in with a 36-inch height requirement for accompanied passengers, so almost all the guests who can walk through the front gates will be able to participate in the experience,” Coleman told Amusement Today. “While those at 36 inches may be too short for Draken Falls, the intertwined layouts will allow them to still engage on an emotional level with the Super Flume and give them something to look forward to when they visit the park the following year.  At 42 inches accompanied, Draken Falls will wow the guests from about five years old and up. Its innovative new design will provide one of the largest flume splash-downs out there. While a lot has been said about the youth participation in these attractions, make no mistake, they are both crowd pleasers for all ages. The combo of the Flying Viking and Draken Falls is pure multigenerational fun!”

For coaster fans, Adventureland has been quite the hotbed with new installations appearing at the park in 2016, 2019, 2021 and now 2023. Flying Viking fully concentrates on all members of the family.

“Building more rides in the same footprint allows parks to achieve a different type of guest experience,” said Sandy. “Immersive is a word thrown around a lot when it comes to theming. But traditional rides and good storytelling can create immersion also. We think that riders stepping into the Viking area at Adventureland will be amazed as they see two huge rides surrounding them no matter which direction they look. Add in the kinetic activity and it will be a great experience both on and off-ride. We are providing an experience that speaks and engages multiple generations. Whether you are watching or riding, this area will be a blast.”

For 40 years, Adventureland had a popular log flume, but the park evaluated the maintenance needs and decided the old attraction had reached the end of its lifespan. It was retired following the 2015 season. While the removal of that ride made space available for one of the park’s most dramatic coasters in 2016, a flume ride is still a park staple that most guests fondly remember. This new version will feature six-passenger boats. The length is more than 1,200 feet.

Sandy feels the convenience of a coaster/flume package makes a lot of sense for many operators.

“We asked ourselves, why not offer the concept instead of having our clients piecemeal them?” he said. “Therefore, we started conceptualizing what our ride integrations could be like. The first one we created was for Ferrari World where we supplied three family attractions and a Junior Coaster in the same footprint; this project opened in 2020. At the same time, we were working on a new area for Luna Park and we started thinking about maximizing capacity and investment on a small footprint because of the lot sizes at Coney Island — and the integrated rides concept felt like a perfect fit. At Adventureland, the two rides will replace an older attraction and redefine a corner of the park.”

Groundwork on the project has commenced and materials are being transported to the site. Adventureland is excited to entertain big crowds next season.

“With multiple trains on the coaster and up to 20 boats for the Super Flume, it is possible to realize throughput up to 2,000 people per hour on this one footprint depending on a park's needs,” noted Coleman. “I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these integrated ride packages pop up at parks around the world due to the spectacle and positive guest-related opportunities they present."

EPCOT celebrates 40 years as it is being readied for the next 40

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — On Oct. 1, 1982, Walt Disney World Resort invited guests to imagine what life would be like in the 21st century with the opening of the then-named EPCOT Center.

This unique theme park focused on showcasing ideas and technologies the world had never seen before. The formal grand opening was held over a three-day period.

Guests were introduced to the park’s five Future World pavilions and nine World Showcase pavilions from around the world.

On Oct. 1, 2022, Walt Disney World Resort again invited guests to EPCOT. This time it was to help celebrate the rechristened park's 40th anniversary.

The day began with a special early-morning celebratory presentation featuring performances from Mariachi Cobre and the Voices of Liberty at the American Gardens Theatre. There was a video of Walt Disney talking about EPCOT, and Walt Disney World ambassadors Ali Manion and Raevon Redding also took the stage to talk about the legacy of the park.

Disney staff had adorned the park with banners of the EPCOT 40 logo at the park entrance. The music at the entrance plaza was changed to the classic EPCOT soundtrack for the day.

As visitors entered the park, they were able to get commemorative guidemaps with a similar look as the entrance banners. Guests also were given an EPCOT commemorative poster.

At the Creations Shop, figures of Mickey and Minnie in their retro rainbow EPCOT suits were on display. And stacking the shelves of the shop was 40th anniversary merchandise, such as T-shirts, Figment plush, 40th trade pins, magnets, mugs and EPCOT 40 Spaceship Earth light-up figure with Figment laying down in front of it.

There were special treats to be had as well. Special beverages were served in 40th anniversary souvenir cups. There was a Celebration Funnel Cake and a Liege Waffle at the Connections Cafe and Eatery, which received a 40th anniversary make-over.

The popular annual International Food and Wine Festival was still underway as visitors took on the 40th anniversary celebration. This festival runs from mid-July through Nov. 19. This festival debuted in 1996.  

The day ended with a new “Beacon of Magic” premiere. The show started at 7:30 p.m. on the evening of Oct. 1. Guests packed the entrance plaza in front of Spaceship Earth to listen to popular musical themes and watch as the iconic globe came to life with lights.

The “Beacon of Magic” included music from the different time periods of EPCOT, such as Tapestry of Nations, Let’s Listen to the Land, New Horizons, One Little Spark and We Go On.

At the very end of the musical presentation, audio of Walt Disney proclaimed, "We call it EPCOT."

Over the years, guests to EPCOT have seen changes and expansions. And in the background of the busy day on Oct. 1, construction continued for the park's massive transformation.

First announced in 2019, the multi-year project has seen the addition of a new fountain at the main entrance, as well as new restaurants and attractions, including Space 220, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

EPCOT is evolving into four unified neighborhoods. World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase.

The visions of the neighborhoods when totally completed will be more of a flow from one to another, with World Celebration offering new experiences that connect guests to one another and the world around them.

World Discovery is the place where stories about science, technology and intergalactic adventure come to life.

This is where the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is located. The attraction opened on May 27, 2022, and is the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at EPCOT. The family-thrill coaster adventure starts in the Galaxarium, a planetarium-like exhibition that explores the similarities and mysteries of the formation of Earth’s galaxy and Xandar. This coaster is entirely enclosed.

The World Showcase section continues to be a celebration of culture, cuisine, architecture and traditions — infused with new magic.

And World Nature is being dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty, awe and balance of the natural world. It includes The Land and The Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilions, as well as the forthcoming Journey of Water, Inspired by "Moana."

Walt Disney was once quoted as saying that EPCOT will “always be in a state of becoming.” The park is set to enter its next 40 years with all-new ways for guests to experience the magic of possibility.

Six Flags introduces Oktoberfest as a new festival at multiple parks

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

ARLINGTON, Texas — Following an extremely hot summer at many theme parks, Arlington-based Six Flags Entertainment helped entice parkgoers back once fall arrived. Eight of the Six Flags properties introduced Oktoberfest, a new food festival for the chain.

“We’ve added new color and new looks since [the beginning of the year]. At the corporate level, we wanted to give our guests experiences each time they come here, and we thought it would be good to have more events and festivals,” said Dennis Clark, vice president of in-park services and events, Six Flags. “It’s good for guests to have something to look forward to.”

Clark explained that park leaders are encouraged by CEO Selim Bassoul to push themselves to offer a fresh and exciting product. Boo Fest for kids was also included at the same time as Oktoberfest, and a Veteran's Weekend is scheduled for November.

“We had our parks submit us their thought processes, and we chose eight of them. We knew we could execute an Oktoberfest festival pretty quickly,” Clark told Amusement Today.

In these parks, specific areas have been set aside solely for the festival. Food offerings are grouped nearby and available in walk-up kiosks. Some locations have the German menu spilling over into adjacent dining facilities as well.

“As we developed the concept, we landed on Oktoberfest Food Festival as the event name, with the main focus on food and beverage for all participating parks,” said Chris Ozimek, regional marketing director. “To make the event even more legit, each park was able to develop a custom decor package that worked for the festival environment at that particular park. We continue to enhance this each week. There was freedom to add music, street characters and other activities at each park.” 

“We set out to make sure that you could get a great Oktoberfest experience,” said Steven McCurdy, food and beverage manager, Six Flags Over Texas. “The décor had to be incredible, as well as the entertainment. We wanted it to be family friendly, so we added games and actors. The beer choices had to be in great quantity. In the end, we want to provide our guests with more value and a great experience. I believe that we accomplished that with this event.”

Among the décor, numerous photo ops are created for families to take pictures, and the parks are pleased to see them engaged. Seasonal staff enjoyed wearing appropriate garb for the Oktoberfest event, which helps sell the experience to the guests.

“The theming is bunting, flagging and hay bales; that’s pretty easy,” said Clark. “You can’t be in your Six Flags uniforms and pull this off and be an immersive experience. We saw T-shirts with suspenders printed on them, but we found actual Bavarian suspenders and got them within a week. The hats are really cool. With our tan shorts and white socks, we were good. It was incredible what our corporate procurement team did for us.”

Interestingly, the parks held the Oktoberfest Food Festival at the same time the popular Fright Fest events were taking place.

“We now had a festival within an event, but luckily it fits,” smiled Clark. “The guests reacted well because the change of food was a departure. Instead of burgers and pizza, they could get something totally different and see the beer steins and different theming. It has been very well received.”

"Oktoberfest is the perfect complement to Fright Fest … especially the enhanced adult beverage variety for our guests," said Jeffrey Siebert, Six Flags Fiesta Texas park president.

At Six Flags Over Texas, street characters engaged visitors by speaking German to them as they entered the festival area.

When asked what about offering new food items excited him the most, McCurdy told AT: “First you always think about what you already know. Then you get on the web to research for what you don’t know. It takes a great amount of time to find the right products and then to make sure that you can get enough for the full run of your event. You are looking for products that surprise you in a good way. Once you settle in on the right ingredients, you take a great amount of time fine-tuning the processes that you want in place. This may be the most critical piece to it — it has to look and taste great. We often ask ourselves, ‘How do you make it better?’ If a dish is served with a sauce, can you add something to make it pop? Is it fresh herbs or is it some kind of seasoning that takes a good dish and makes it great? My favorite part is hearing the guests talk about the food and how good it is. It helps justify everything that you did to get to that point.”

As the festival evolved, parks looked at how they could further enhance it.

"Our guests were flocking to the photo opportunities, so we added more signature photo locations and more park décor to satisfy our guests selfie needs," smiled Siebert.

“Every day is a joy when I see how much fun our guests are having,” Ozimek said. “Giving them an extra treat, like Oktoberfest Food Festival, really pushes this fun over the top. Seeing our guests enjoy a new and different experience like this is rewarding to our entire team who worked so hard to put this special event together.”  

Six Flags management evaluated the new event and is eager to expand it in 2023.

“We’re already planning and ordering for next year,” said Clark. “As this thing gets legs, it just gets better.”

“Festivals give us the chance to make our park attractive to a larger audience,” said Ozimek. “By re-inventing the park's offerings throughout the year, our guests can visit multiple times and have an entirely different experience. Other guests who may not have considered visiting the park may choose to attend a particular event as opposed to not visiting at all. Our guests are enjoying the Oktoberfest Food Festival, and we plan to make it even bigger in 2023.”

Cool Intamin coasters coming to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens parks

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. and SAN DIEGO — Things are about to get snowy for sister parks Busch Gardens Williamsburg and SeaWorld San Diego. Both parks are constructing 2023 projects, and they have a common element — snowmobiles.

SeaWorld San Diego will debut Arctic Rescue, while Busch Gardens will reveal DarKoaster.

Both rides feature “snowmobile” seating, much like that of a motorcycle in which passengers ride holding handlebars. The coasters are provided by Intamin.

“Just like Wave Breaker at SeaWorld San Antonio, Juvelen at Djurs Sommerland and many other executed Intamin Family Launch Coasters, this seating position really feels as if you are experiencing an ATV (Quad), jet ski or a snowmobile,” an Intamin spokesperson told Amusement Today. “It is the upright seating position in combination with the handlebars that makes the ride experience so unique and adds heavily to the fun of these great Family Launch Coasters. The seating positions on an ATV, jet ski or snowmobile are similar to each other.”

Another similarity between the two attractions is a repurposed building. At the San Diego project, a former simulator attraction will reconfigure the queue, and much of the building will be the ride’s station. In Williamsburg, a former dark ride, DarKastle, will have the ride building repurposed for the new attraction, DarKoaster, which will be entirely indoors.

That coaster will not only be completely enclosed but also offers switch track so that one train can load while a train of riders takes a second lap within the ride building.

“We’ve seen success in the switch track technology with Pantheon, as it allows guests to enjoy the ride’s signature spire,” said Busch Gardens Park President Kevin Lembke. “Implementing the switch track with DarKoaster lets us expand the ride’s footprint. Since DarKoaster is being constructed in an existing building, the switch track element was the best way to create a longer ride experience.”

At SeaWorld San Diego, the ride experience will be partially indoors as well as outdoors.

“Previously there was a simulator attraction for our guests to enjoy, and we have repurposed that space — along with some additional space outside of the building — to bring this new Arctic Rescue snowmobile journey to life,” said SeaWorld Park President Jim Lake. “We’ve really plussed up the experience with a ride that will be great for the entire family.” 

With no pun intended, snowmobiles make for a cool vibe to riding a coaster.

“The snowmobile design of the straddle coaster is a unique addition to our portfolio of thrills, as none of our existing attractions offer an elevated seat while riding,” said Lembke.

“The main feature of the vehicles is the very open, fun and lightweight design in combination with the fact that the seating arrangement does not require any shoulder straps and therefore increases the feeling of freedom,” noted the Intamin spokesperson. “The combination of all those features enhances the ride experience even further resulting in a sensational feeling for the passengers.”

“The straddle coaster experience that gives you the sensation of riding a snowmobile will be a really fun and unique thrill for our guests,” added Lake. “I really like that this will be a ride that the entire family can enjoy together.”

As with so many attractions at SeaWorld, the educational component is integral to the project.

“I like that that the thrilling experience ties in really well to the Wild Arctic theme,” said Lake. “Not only will it be a really fun ride, but it helps to tell the story of how climate change impacts animals in the arctic and how important it is for us to help with those issues. You get to go on an exhilarating journey to rescue these animals, and then after you exit the ride you get to see some of them — belugas, walruses, ringed seals — up close. I truly feel that seeing these animals up close at SeaWorld allows guests to build a stronger connection and [provides] encouragement to take action to help protect them.”

Intamin is known for doing various types of launches, from family coasters to gigantic hyper coasters.

“For this particular type of Intamin launch coasters, the friction wheel launch system is the most appropriate drive system,” said Intamin’s spokesperson. “Compared to big hyper coasters and LSM launch coasters, these [straddle coasters] are often lower-to-the-ground projects. The choice of our state-of-the-art friction wheel launch drive is owed to the target group, namely families looking for fun and some thrill, and the lighter weight of the train compared to the big ones. In more recent years, Intamin has continued to advance the state-of-the-art friction wheel drive system that is second to none from a performance and a low-noise emission perspective and provides exhilarating acceleration and speed.”

The San Diego installation will feature three launches, which increase in speed with each launch (34, 38 and 40 mph). The California coaster will feature 2,800 feet of track. Riders 48 inches or higher can board trains that seat 16 riders in eight rows of two (just as in San Antonio). Trains in Virginia will be five rows of two.

Being indoors, DarKoaster at Busch Gardens will incorporate thematic visuals.

“We’ve already let our guests know that King Ludwig has returned when his abandoned fortress resurfaces after strange weather patterns have been recorded in the area,” Lembke told Amusement Today. “DarKoaster will be housed in the iconic Curse of DarKastle building and park fans will notice theming nods paying homage to the previous attraction. Additional details will be shared on the storyline in the coming months, but we look forward to continuing King Ludwig’s story with a supernatural twist. On the second lap guests will encounter changes in DarKoaster’s theming, which will create a diversified experience throughout the ride.”

DarKoaster includes four launches, and thanks to the switch track will travel over 2,454 feet during the journey. While dark and stormy, the park considers it to be a family-friendly dark ride experience.

DarKoaster will be Busch Gardens’ tenth coaster, and Arctic Rescue will be SeaWorld’s sixth.

Scene75 Entertainment Centers grow, open Chicagoland location

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — Scene75 Entertainment Centers opened a new location in Chicagoland in August and so far, so good, according to the company's founder and CEO.

"We have only been open for a few months, but so far the brand has been very well received," said Jonah Sandler. "We are excited to be in the Chicagoland area, and we hope to add another location in the Chicago market in the future."

The new indoor family entertainment center is 135,000 square feet in size and houses 14 attractions, including a coaster, go-karts and drop tower, as well as 120 video and redemption games, the Backyard Eatery, a sweetshop, a full-service bar, private party rooms and a 300-person banquet facility.

This location in Romeoville is the fifth Scene75 location currently operating. It is the sixth opening for the company. However, the Scene75 Entertainment Center in Edgewood Towne Centre, Swissville, Pennsylvania, permanently closed in spring 2021 due to the pandemic and the obstacle of dealing with two subsequent lockdowns.

Scene75's move into the Chicago area has not only been exciting because of the strong demographics, but also just a little nostalgic for the company.

Sandler said the community has embraced Scene75. He was born there; his dad was a long-time resident of the Illinois city.

"I also lived there after undergrad for five years for work and graduate studies," he said. "I still have many friends and family members in the area."

As far as attractions for the new center, Sandler said they have certain attractions they continue to bring into every location.

"We also add some unique ones to the mix every time after reviewing the competitive landscape," he said.

In Romeoville, he felt that there was an opportunity for indoor baseball batting cages. So four lanes of cages were added to the attractions.

The FEC also upgraded its technology recently. “Scene 75 recently implemented our Mobile Wallet technology to elevate their guest experience, enabling their customers to top-up or reload straight from their phones without leaving their game," stated Renee Welsh, CEO of Embed. We’re excited to see how Scene 75 Entertainment Centers transform into FECs of the future.”

"We also are testing Scene75 Flavors, a sweet shop with candy, ice cream, specialty sodas and more," Sandler added.

This is the third location for a spinning coaster, by Visa, through Len Soled, Rides 4U. Soled said this is a compact spinning coaster, which fit better into the space of the center.

"We have put another compact in Scene75's Columbus, Ohio, location and a spinning coaster 5.0 in Dayton, Ohio," Soled said. "The 5.0 model is more elevated and has more vehicles."

•scene75.com

Monkey Rock is preparing to open on October 26 at the Sunland Park Mall in El Paso, Texas.

A jungle-themed entertainment center, Monkey Rock's attractions include blacklights, a nine-hole mini-golf course, an arcade, tenpin bowling lanes, a VR experience from Hologate, trampolines and four LED rock wall stations.

Monkey Rock is targeted to appeal to a broad demographic of young professionals and more including families as well as high school and college students. The El Paso center is the first Monkey Rock destination, but its owners plan to expand as a nationwide franchise. Monkey Rock was built by a family that also owns an aquarium, along with several other family-oriented businesses.

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Sacoa has installed its cashless system at Cicis Pizza's Orlando, Florida location. Owners Charles and Victoria Holden have reported a 200% sales increase after installing the cashless payment system and a Sacoa EZ kiosk to improve security and boost revenue.

“I’m not a tech guy at all, but this system is so easy to use,” said Charles Holden.

Sacoa is planning to integrate its system into more Cicis Pizza locations in the near future.

“I’m very impressed with the sales increment displayed by Cicis Pizza and look forward to an excellent and prosperous continued relationship,” said Sacoa USA CEO Sebastian Mochkovsky. “I know that with Sacoa’s help and Charles and Victoria’s continuous support, we’ll be able to achieve new heights and continue to create bigger and better things.”

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Orlando's ICON Park announced plans to open an 8,000-square-foot entertainment center dubbed Max Action Arena this fall.

The center will offer a variety of interactive experiences, including a Zero Latency VR virtual reality experience, adventure rooms, an axe-throwing session and an escape room. A specific opening date was not disclosed.

“With its cutting-edge VR technology and collaborative experiences, Max Action Arena is the perfect place for friends and family to compete and explore together,” said Family Entertainment Group Vice President of Business Development Ray Smith.

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The city of Grand Prairie, Texas, announced the forthcoming additions of a Bass Pro Shops location and Andretti Indoor Karting and Games FEC. Each plans to open a new destination attraction on the east side of State Hwy 161.

Andretti Indoor Karting and Games is planning a 96,000-square-foot facility of its newest design that will feature an indoor climate-controlled kart track, arcade, virtual reality games, laser tag and duckpin bowling. Plans are to open by end of 2023. This will be the company’s second location in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and its seventh nationwide.

Bass Pro Shops will build a new 100,000-square-foot retail store, with a unique completely custom design, which will be the outdoor retailer’s fifth location in the region and 15th location in Texas. The new location is expected to open in the spring of 2024.

“These two mega attractions are a perfect blend with Grand Prairie’s robust array of powerhouse retail, entertainment and tourist venues,” said Mayor Ron Jensen.

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Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company has entered into an exchange agreement with Diverted River Technology, LLC, pursuant to which Simplicity Esports agreed to acquire 100% of the membership interests of Diverted River in exchange for 80% of the issued and outstanding shares of Simplicity Esports’ common stock.

Roman Franklin, CEO of Simplicity Esports, stated, “I am thrilled with the prospect of working together with Zack Johnson and his incredible team. The previous company, ggCircuit, had software and services that dominated the esports gaming center industry space. Their experience, relationships, and reputation provide a solid foundation to grow Diverted River into a powerhouse company servicing the technology needs of the broader $35 billion-dollar family entertainment center industry.”

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Time Square Grand Slam of Tyler, Texas, has been acquired by EVO Entertainment Group.

Times Square Grand Slam is viewed as an important part of the Tyler community. With that in mind, owner Howard Charba entrusted EVO and its CEO Mitch Roberts to continue his family’s legacy.

“We are grateful to the Tyler community for embracing us with Times Square Cinema and then the growth to Times Square Grand Slam,” said Charba.

Agreement brings first Altitude Trampoline Park to New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Altitude Trampoline Park announced a new signed franchise agreement to make its entrance into New Mexico with a go-to location for active family fun and entertainment. Local entrepreneurs, Gabriel Mora and Veronica Castillo are set to introduce the brand to Northern New Mexico communities, specifically targeting the Albuquerque-area.

“I’ve been in the people business for the last 25 years, and I’m thrilled to continue to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on families in our community through this new Altitude Trampoline Park location,” said Mora. “You can really tell that the executive team believes in the brand and its mission to provide clean, safe and active indoor entertainment options to guests across the country. It was a major factor in our decision to partner with Altitude.”

Prior to franchising with Altitude Trampoline Park, Mora worked in the restaurant and hospitality industries with Twin Peak Restaurants before becoming the director of operations for The Kent Companies, overseeing day-to-day operations for around 70 locations, proving that Mora already has his foot in the door when it comes to company operations and managing a team, skills that will prove to be viable in running an Altitude Trampoline Park.

“We’re overjoyed to bring aboard individuals who are as driven to create an outstanding experience for our guests like Gabriel and Veronica,” said Robert Morris, vice president of development for Altitude Trampoline Park. “They are the ideal franchisees to introduce Altitude Trampoline Park’s proven business model to the great state of New Mexico and establish a home for gravity-defying joy, exhilaration, social growth and wellness in Albuquerque.”

Fun City migrates to Semnox across all its Middle East locations

MANGALORE, India — Fun City — an FEC brand across U.A.E., Bahrain, KSA, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and India — has replaced its swipe card systems with Semnox’s Parafait RFID Cashless solution.

Fun City India migrated its card system to Parafait three years ago and has been operational in 30 stores across India. The additional implementation in the Middle East includes migration of 50 stores with over one million customers from their existing magnetic swipe card system to Semnox’s Parafait RFID Card System. The migration process was carried out in just over three months with zero downtime and overnight cut-over.

Operated by Landmark Leisure, Fun City boasts multiple brands including Fun Ville, Fun Block and Fun Works. Its attractions consist of arcades such as redemption, novelty games, video games, skill games, big rides and play areas. Fun City’s complexes are now powered by more than 4,500 Lumin RFID readers across its stores requiring just a card tap to play. Semnox’s Lumin readers feature attractive displays, customizable themes, multi-language support and tap-anywhere options.

“After a detailed review of our IT and POS infrastructure to ensure it stays future-proof and gives us the flexibility and speed required, we have chosen Semnox as our new partner,” said Silvio Liedtke, CEO of Landmark Leisure. “This will also enable us to further integrate both of our GCC and India operations in many aspects of running our operations. Semnox has not only been proven to provide great value but also provides a very robust and forward-thinking infrastructure enabling us to go the next step in our evolution.”

Fun City is now able to offer seamless card-roaming capability across all its locations which not only enhances guest convenience, but it also increases guest frequency and foot traffic, combined with the simplicity of the tap-to-play feature.

Parafait’s technology solutions delivers operational control through centralized cloud-based management and reporting and Semnox’s flexibility to adapt to the new requirements of the growing FEC chain.

“It is heartening to see the innovative operators like Fun City seeing the value of a single comprehensive solution adopting latest technology and innovations including RFID tap solution backed by our world class support,” stated Umesh Prabhu, business head of FEC vertical of Semnox Solutions.

Oklahoma State Fair attendance, ride midway revenue on par

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – After all was said and done, the 2022 Oklahoma State Fair was on par both with ride midway revenue and attendance from the previous edition. Over 900,000 people made it to the 11-day fair this year. The fair does not disclose actual revenue information, although Frank Zaitshik, owner of Wade Shows, did say, “Our overall net was just terrific!”

“The weather was beyond hot for this time of year and certainly had an impact in a number of areas. [There was] no discernable impact from COVID-19 on the 2022 Oklahoma State Fair,” said Scott Munz, senior vice president-marketing.

“Your Fair Share of Fun” was the 2022 theme.

Wade Shows, the carnival provider, brought in 62 rides, increasing the total ride lineup by eight. The company did book in a few independents, including Wood Entertainment (Michael Wood). Nearly half were kiddie rides.

Rides that were new or back after an absence: Mega Drop (Fabbri Group), Magnum (Mondial Rides), Techno Power (Tivoli), Extreme (Technical Park), Cliff Hanger (Dartron) and Lolly Swings (Zamperla). There also were a few new kiddie rides. Many of the most popular rides were some that were already mentioned, along with Street Fighter 360 (Technical Park), Quasar (ARM Rides) and Yo-Yo (Chance Rides).

Rider appeal has a direct correlation with rider capacity according to Zaitshik: “We were stronger in ride capacity in 2022 over 2021. All rides do well; however, people tend to gravitate to the longer lines.” He was pleased that there were fewer breakdowns and incidences.

Munz enjoys the fair and its relationship with the carnival provider. “We have been with Frank Zaitshik (Wade Shows) for many, many years and have always enjoyed that relationship,” he said.

“I’m the most senior member of the fair. I’ve been there 43 years in one capacity or another,” said Zaitshak. From 1966-80 he was with Link Shows, who had the spot. Then from 1993 to present, Wade has been the provider. “We respect them (Oklahoma State Fair) and they appreciate the work we do.”

Zaitshik has served under every CEO since 1960, including the newest one who recently came on board.

“Every day is not wonderful, but at the Oklahoma State Fair, every day was wonderful. It was pretty gratifying and exciting,” said Zaitshik.

Special promotions included Thrifty Thursdays ($5 gate admission, $2 Little Book of Big Deals and $25 unlimited carnival ride armbands); Military Monday (military personnel and their spouses got in free and $5 Sky Eye Wheel tickets); Pepsi $2 Tuesday gate admission and carnival rides $2, with $2 Little Book of Big Deals and $2 Sky Eye Wheel tickets) and Senior Day (Wednesday – free admission for senior citizens 55+ and $5 Sky Eye Wheel tickets). The fair also did a Flash Sale in mid-August for a combo unlimited carnival ride armband and gate admission for $25 that proved extremely successful.

“Our advertising budget was increased over 2021 but not back to the pre-COVID-19 levels,” said Munz, when asked about their marketing mix. “We still used the traditional outlets (TV, radio, print and outdoor) but increased our spending in the digital space, including the placement of “boosted” posts on social media channels. For the first time, we used local influencers to promote our event on the social media channels including TikTok.”

The fair refers to itself as “Oklahoma’s Premier Family Attraction” with its long history of providing a family-friendly atmosphere that Oklahomans can attend and make lasting memories. This year there was even a wedding between two of the participants in the Oklahoma Frontier Experience, an interactive discovery zone.

Prior to the start of the fair each year, it holds the “Great Taste of a Fair” food competition in three categories that compete for “The FAIRest of Them All” title. This year’s winners were: Sweetest of the Sweet – Apple Pie Churro Bites (Project Krave), Slice of Savory – Coconut Shrimp (Then Bacon Habit) and New to the Scene – Alligator Corn Dog (The Pioneer Wagon). The staff were surveyed in four food categories, including Best First-year Food concession: HTeaO; Hey, Where’d You Get That: Pickled Pizza (Swains Pizza On-A-Stick); Most Unique Food: Deep-Fried Cauliflower (G3 Concessions) and the item many fairgoers were eating: corn on-the-cob (Oklahoma Roast Corn).

“We, like anyone else trying to hire workers, had an extremely difficult time getting all the workers we needed,” said Munz, when asked about employment challenges and strategies. “Fortunately, we have a lot of people that have worked the fair for many years, even taking vacation time from their regular jobs to work at the fair. For all others, we just kept grinding and evidentially, we were able to fill all positions. Keeping those positions filled throughout the run of the fair was also a challenge but we just stayed on it.”

“Early indicators tell us our revenue streams were on par with 2021,” said Munz. “The unknown is how far off the mark we end up on expenses since we did our budgeting back in February. As we all know, just about everything has gone up in price since February. More than ever, it’s not how much you made, it’s how much it cost you to make it. We are working through that process now.”

The 2023 fair takes place September 14 – 24.

•okstatefair.com

2022 edition of The Big E records its second-highest attendance

AT: Ron Gustafson

Special to Amusement Today

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The remnants of Hurricane Ian hurt attendance during the final weekend of The Big E, but the 17-day fair still saw more than a million-and-a-half guests pass through the gates, making the tally the second best in the event’s history.

Officials reported 1,603,354 came to the 2022 edition of The Big E with six single-day records broken. The overall attendance mark was set in 2019 when 1,629,527 passed through the turnstiles.

“The Saturday (Oct. 1) forecast called for more significant rain than was realized on our grounds, plus there was more rain in other parts of New England,” said Noreen Tassinari, marketing director for the exposition. “A sunny Saturday would have resulted in attendance in the 170,000 range.”

As it turned out, 130,464 came under the less-than-perfect Oct. 1 weather. Sunday, Oct. 2, was cloudy and cool but the 139,362 that came set an attendance mark.

North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) provided a huge midway with more than two dozen spectacular and thrill rides and a kiddieland with nearly 20 attractions. New at The Big E was NAME’s 150-foot Super Wheel. Manufactured in Europe by Ronald Bussink of Professional Rides AG, the wheel travels on 20 tractor trailer loads and features 36 climate-controlled gondolas. The giant wheel required seven tickets to ride.

Other spectaculars included the 360-degree Star Dancer pendulum (Technical Park), Super Cyclone roller coaster (Interpark), Vertigo (ARM), Wave Swinger (Zierer), Speed (KMG) and Delusion (KMG).

Pay-one-price rides (giant wheel not included) were offered Monday-Friday at $35 per person, $30 pre-sale. Express POP was an additional $15. Ride tickets were $1.50 each with the best value being a book of 50 for $65 with rides requiring two to seven tickets. No midway figures were announced.

The Big E Arena, sponsored by Truly Hard Seltzer, included the following acts: Dropkick Murphys; Unforgettable Fire; Brantley Gilbert with special guest George Birge; Nelly; Sublime with Rome; Bring Me The Horizon; Chase Rice & Jimmie Allen; The Happy Together Tour; and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The Court of Honor Stage brought a rockin’ line-up of acts: Alley Cats; Modern English; Yung Gravy; KT Tunstall; Everclear; Young@Heart Chorus; The Yardbirds; Canned Heat; The Main Squeeze; Johnnyswim; Buckets N Boards; Sounds of the 60s; Tai Verdes; DJ Jazzy Jeff; Madeline Edwards; LFO & Ryan Cabrera; Boogie Wonder Band; The Entertainer: Music of Elton John & Billy Joel; Jon Secada; All-4-One; ERNEST; Baha Men; Alien Ant Farm; American Authors; and John Waite. The stage was also the site of Collector Car Live, an automotive event that featured a lineup of collector, classic and custom vehicles.

The E Stage featured fresh sounds of local and emerging talent, offered every day of the fair.

Other daily offerings were “The Big Parade,” “Viva Las Circus,” Swifty Swine Racing Pigs, “Sahara,” “Zultar, the Comedy Fortune Teller,” Mobile Glass Studio, the Roaming Railroad and rides and games on the North American Midway, including the new Sky-High Super Wheel.

The Front Porch was introduced this year inside Gate 5 as a new district for food, shopping and memorable moments. It included several new food vendors.

The Big E’s Space Chat Experience took place in The Big E Arena as New England students made live radio contact with Astronaut Bob Hines on the International Space Station. As part of an educational program intended to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities, the Space Chat was an out of this world opportunity brought to students and Big E fairgoers by Amateur (Ham) Radio Operators.

New food vendors included: Soulfully Vegan; Cha Feo; Riceballs Arancini; Ferrindino Maple Farm; Bakery on Brewer; Sassy’s Sweet Potatoes; The Happy Dough Co.; Villa of Lebanon; BoardWok Noodles; The Place 2 Be; Las Kangris Food Truck; Kulfi Ice Cream Taste of Persia; Frankie’s Famous Italian Frozen Lemonade; Chick-Fil-A; The West Side Grille Cider Garden; and Ann Maries Candies. 

The Eastern States Farmers Market and Wine Barn offered fairgoers a variety of agricultural demonstrations, such as spinning and weaving, cooking demonstrations, samples from The Big E Northeast Gold Wine, Cider & Perry Competition, wine slushies and cheese plates in the Wine Café and thousands of 4-Hers & FFA youth participated in competitions and demonstrations.

Each state building along the Avenue of States put its best foot forward to bring the fairgoers an authentic New England experience. Storrowton Village Museum offered tours of its 19th century buildings, staffed with “villagers” going about their daily routines, as well as historic demonstrations and glassblowing on the Green.

The 2023 edition of The Big E is slated for Sept. 15 - Oct. 1.

•thebige.com

Polin supplies attractions to Vietnam's re-opened Tropical Paradise

AT: Jeffrey Seifert

jseifert@amusementtoday.com

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam — Tropical Paradise, the water park at the newly rebranded VinWonders Nha Trang Amusement Park was expanded for the 2022 season. First opened in 2006, the original water park was designed and supplied by Polin Waterparks. Initially scheduled to open in 2021, a temporary pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic delayed plans. The water park recently completed a major expansion with Polin Waterparks being selected to add a number of unique installations to the park. The newly expanded water park held its grand opening on June 8.

Among the new attractions is a specially customized version of Polin's award-winning King Cobra waterslide. Now slender and sleeker, the new version includes a double down and eye-catching colorations. Another standout attraction is the Splash Course — a combination ropes course/water obstacle course. Participants who can get through are rewarded with access to the slide tower that holds an Aquatube waterslide. This particular Aquatube, accessible only through the Splash Course, is an enclosed body tube that was manufactured using Polin's state-of-the-art technology UTexture, giving it a unique jungle-like motif not found anywhere else within the park.

Younger children or less adventurous guests can enjoy a themed interactive waterplay structure equipped with climbing nets, water cannons and slides all topped with a tipping bucket that periodically provides a water deluge to guests on the structure.

A Polin spokesperson said: “Thanks to Polin’s customer-oriented, flexible and efficient design approach, Vinwonders Nha Trang’s expansion promises to transform the water park experience. Polin’s award-winning waterslide King Cobra was customized as a new version for this project and has become the center of attention with its distinctive appearance. The new expansion will bring unique and exciting experiences to VinWonders visitors.”

Following the expansion, the water park now covers an area of 59,000 square meters (14.6 acres) and includes 39 waterslides, a wave pool, relaxation pool, a long sandy beach, and other water-themed activities. Polin products that were added to the original water park include Flying Boats, 4 Pcs Navigatour + 3 Pcs Black Hole + 2 Pcs Rafting Slide combination, Black Hole + Flying Boats Combination, Black Hole + Rafting Slide Combination, Black Hole + Space Boat Combination, Black Hole + Space Shuttle + Rafting Slide Combination, Kamikaze Freefall, Tunnel Freefall, Aquatube + Body Slide Combination, Body Slide, Black Hole + Wave Slide Combination, Body River + Rafting Slide Combination, Mini King Cobra, Multislide Combination, Black Hole + Mini Magicone Combination and the Splash Course

“VinWonders is the biggest theme park chain in Vietnam,” says Kubilay Alpdogan, general manager of Polin. “It was truly an honor to be able to work with the group again. We take great pride in the fact that the park chose us as a partner for their recent expansions.”

Originally Vinpearl Land Nha Trang, VinWonders Nha Trang Amusement Park park is located on Hon Tre Island (Đảo Hòn Tre or Island of Bamboo in English). The island is accessible from Nha Trang City via the Vinpearl Cable Car, a record-setting 10,892-foot long aerial tramway that crosses over the sea. Built by Poma, the system uses seven offshore towers to support a 52mm stainless steel haul cable. A one-way trip takes approximately 15 minutes depending on wind conditions.

While it is possible to take a day trip to visit the park and/or the water park, most guests choose to stay at one of the island’s resorts. All of the resorts on the island are owned by the Vin Group and range from private villas to hotels with spectacular views to luxurious bungalows overlooking the ocean. Guests at the resorts have access to multiple amenities, private beaches, restaurants, as well as access to the amusement park and water park. Hon Tre island is known for its amazing beaches of soft white sand, calm turquoise waters, spectacular fauna and flora — including, of course, natural habitats of bamboo, and hospitable and welcoming locals.

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions has been working with the board of supervisors in the city of Spotsylvania, Virginia, to build a hotel resort there. In July supervisors approved rezoning nearly 135 acres from agricultural to commercial to allow Kalahari to build a new property.

Plans call for a resort with more than 1.38 million square feet of commercial space, a 267,429-square-foot indoor water park, a 10-acre outdoor water park, a 900-room hotel and a 156,278 square-foot convention center.

Kalahari has committed to spend more than $885 million to build the resort. The company is seeking a loan through a Virginia tourism program that requires the state and county to help cover the costs with tax revenue earned by the resort. In an effort to draw Kalahari to Spotsylvania, the overall agreement includes big tax breaks on revenue generated through the resort over 20 years, amounting to an estimated $185 million in savings for the resort.

In order for the project to take place, the city and county will need to expand the water and sewer system. Proposed bonds could provide funding for the projects, including $22.6 million to expand one facility and $6 million to upgrade another.

The resort — Kalahari’s fifth — would be located along U.S. 1 near Interstate 95, between Washington D.C. and Richmond, Virginia.

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The city of Bettendorf, Iowa, is closer to realizing its plans for a new water park. Two casino and game revenue grant agencies have awarded the city $5 million in grants to be applied to the project.

The proposal calls for a new 20,000-square-foot water park with four slides off a 30-foot tower, splash pad, lazy river, lap swimming pool with leisure pool and zero-depth extensions, concessio stand and rest room facilities.

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Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Virginia, has announced the addition of Riptide Race for 2023. Similar to slides at sister properties Aquatica Orlando and Aquatica San Antonio, the Dominion version will feature two side-by-side slides. The ProSlide dueling pipeline will have riders boarding double tubes atop a 54-foot tower, then race down 520 feet of slide. Multiple low-wall sections or rally points will allow each pair to keep on eye on their competition.

Although not attached to Busch Gardens, Water Country USA is just a few miles away. Both are SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment properties and share the same clientele. Multi-park ticket options are available to guests wishing to visit both parks.

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The city of Bellevue, Nebraska, wants citizens to consider a new water park to replace its aging city pools. The city has four full-size swimming pools but three have closed waiting for repairs. Refurbishment estimates are approximately $4 million for each pool. Doug Clark, the director of public works for the city, has proposed that the city use that money to build a significant water park that can serve the whole region. He has proposed a facility that would have a water park, year-round pool and connected hotel. The entire project would cost the city $50 to $60 million.

The city has started an online survey asking citizens if they would support a sales tax to help fund it. The advantage of a sales tax is that other people in the region coming into the city will help fund it.

Clark said he envisioned a public-private partnership, but since this is in the early stages, a hotel or management partner has not yet been established.

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The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa just completed the first phase of an $80 million renovation to coincide with its 20-year anniversary. The next phase of the renovation involves an $18 million investment that will transform the resort’s pool area, making it more water-park like with the addition of three waterslides. One of the slides, a Boomerango from WhiteWater West, will include a transparent horizontal loop and finish with the two-person rafts climbing a near vertical wall.

The pool area already includes five pools and a 1,600-foot-long lazy river. A new family zone will surround the lazy river and have five cabanas, lounge seating, a splash pad, playground and a food truck area.

Adults will have their own area with Sky Island, which will feature an infinity pool, hot tub, four cabanas, lounge seating and fire pits.

A third new area, Sedona Spa, described as a VIP family-friendly sanctuary, will include an infinity edge hot tub, three cabanas, five shaded day beds, lounge and fire pit seating, a waterfall and a stargazing area.

Work on the water park expansion started in October. The plan is to keep at least three of the resort’s main pools open during construction.

Wiegand updates South Korea water park with new Fusion Slide

AT: Jeffrey Seifert

jseifert@amusementtoday.com

CHEONAN, South Korea — This past July, Ocean Adventure water park opened an impressive fusion waterslide supplied by Wiegand.Waterrides GmbH of Germany. With a height of 69 feet, it is the largest fusion slide that Wiegand has ever built.

Utilizing large rafts — more than 8.8 feet across — that can accommodate up to five people, the family slide begins with an enclosed tube chute highlighted with translucent stripes. After completing a 270-degree spiral, riders emerge into daylight and suddenly accelerate as they plummet down a steep drop leading into the largest stainless steel big bang element ever built by Wiegand. This massive U-shaped half-pipe has guests sliding back and forth several times without any braking water accumulation. This guarantees maximum swings, multiple moments of weightlessness and more than 15 seconds of action in this spectacular first element. Guests waiting in line on the slide tower have a perfect view of the entire gigantic funnel element.

Eventually, the oscillations subside, and the rafts are funneled into a second enclosed tube emblazoned with nautical images, followed by translucent arrows leading into a second exciting element — Wiegand’s signature Lotus. This steeply rising curve in the shape of a leaf gives guests another brief feeling of weightlessness in a parabolic curve before they are funneled into a third enclosed tube that leads to a runout pool. From the start of the slide to the runout pool, guests will have traversed more than 600 feet of slide.

Loosely translated to “Double Boomerang,” the attraction is the culmination of a slide replacement program that began last year. Older attractions were removed and Wiegand was brought on board to supply new products. Three slides opened in 2021. A three-lane mat racer tumble wave slide that features a series of small airtime drops along its 252-foot length. Another three-lane mat racer features a 360-degree helix.

Both of the mat racers are fabricated of stainless steel — Wiegand’s forte — but the company can also supply slides constructed of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) or a combination of both. The final slide is a body bowl attraction, constructed from FRP with translucent patterns which create colorful daylight effects.

Florida amusement industry deals with Hurricane Ian's aftermath

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

FLORIDA. — As Hurricane Ian closed in on the west coast of Florida on Sept. 27, Teresa Rimes, trade show secretary, International Independent Showmen's Association, which has clubgrounds in Gibsonton, Florida, was in Virginia. Her home is in Gibsonton. She had no idea what the situation would be when she returned.

The large, high-end Category 4 storm was in the Gulf of Mexico and looking to pass its eye over the Tampa Bay area, just north of Gibsonton. Tampa Bay officials, residents and volunteers were making their preparations.

Amusement and theme parks in the area, such as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, were in weather preparedness mode.

But later on Sept. 27, it looked like Hurricane Ian would take a more easterly turn. And it did. Its eye-wall hit the barrier island of Cayo Coast near Sanibel and Capitva around 3:05 p.m. on Sept. 28, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.

A storm surge with inundation of an unprecedented 12 to 18 feet above sea level was reported along the southwestern Florida coast. The city of Fort Myers was hit particularly hard with a 7.26-foot surge.

The Tampa Bay area had been spared the worst of it. A reverse storm surge where the sea had actually been sucked out into the Gulf of Mexico had helped the area flooding even though there were still high winds in the area with inches and inches of rain. Streets flooded and some were impassable for a short time.

"We had a lot of rain and wind," Rimes said, regarding her home area just south of Tampa Bay. "But the clubgrounds weren't flooded and neither was the museum."

The IISA Museum of the American Carnival, located across the street from the club, houses many historical items from the carnival industry's past. None were damaged. The new canopies installed outside of the museum over some of the exterior exhibits remained unscathed.

"As far as any damage at my home, my potted plants were missing," Rimes said.

In addition, she had a missing birdhouse that was hanging with others from a wooden pole cemented into the ground in her back yard.

"One of the bird houses was missing," Rimes said. "And this is about it. I have walked all over the neighborhood looking for my pots and for that bird house, but haven't found them."

Rimes said the area was without power for almost two days.

"Since the hurricane, we have barely had any rain," Rimes said.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced that it would close its gates on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 28 and 29, respectively. Depending on what happened with the storm, the park would make announcements as they could.

By the time the park posted that statement, animals at the park were already making their treks to their safe places. A news clip from a local CBS television affiliate showed the park's flamingoes being led by a park staff member to a room where they would remain and ride out the storm. All the animals were being tended by zoological teams from the park. These teams remained with the animals and rode out the storm with them.

Because of the storm's easterly turn on Sept. 28, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay was spared basically a direct hit from the storm. The park was able to reopen Saturday, Oct. 1.

Hurricane Ian devastated Fort Myers and surrounding areas, such as Sanibel and Pine Islands. Millions were left without power in the storm's wake. On Oct. 13, the official death toll in Florida reached 108 with most being in that area.

In Fort Myers, a video posted on social media showed the Times Square, a colorful area of shops and restaurants, leveled by the storm. Sanibel, a barrier island dotted with resorts and connected to Fort Myers by a causeway, also was devastated.

Experts anticipate some parts of the area taking years to return to what it was before the storm.

Yet, a family entertainment center in North Fort Myers had already reopened by mid-October after completing repairs from the storm. Sky Zone Trampoline Park opened up less than two weeks after Hurricane Ian passed through. Another Sky Zone location, however, was not so lucky. That location was in Fort Myers. It was still closed in mid-October and was not expected to reopen until at least mid-December, according to an employee there.

As the storm moved inland and weakened, eventually to a tropical storm, high winds and heavy rains continued. Theme and amusement parks in its path as it crossed Florida moving northeast closed ahead of the storm. Legoland Florida Resort, located just southwest of Orlando and east of Tampa, closed Sept. 28 - 30. This included Legoland's water park and Peppa Pig Theme Park. Once the storm passed, all properties, except the water park, reopened Saturday, Oct. 1, after debris was cleared and flood waters were gone. The water park was able to reopen on Oct. 8.

Further north from Legoland but also in Central Florida, Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort and Seaworld Orlando announced closures in preparations for the inevitable as the storm continued its way. The theme parks announced on Tuesday, Sept. 27, they were shuttering for Wednesday through Thursday, Sept. 28 and 29.

Although there has not been an official announcement of damages and/or costs associated with the storm by these major theme parks, the fact that they were mostly completely open for business by Saturday, Oct. 1, indicated no significant damage to the resorts was felt.

Reports of flooding streets and parking lots seemed to ebb quickly. Residents in the resort hotels mostly sheltered in place. Reports of damage to Universal's Jurassic Adventure River Ride surfaced on Twitter and Facebook with a photo showing a portion of the siding on the building had blown off. Another photo showed a submerged part of a coaster.

There were reports in the area by bloggers of more catastrophic damage, but that was found to be untrue. In fact, some bloggers stayed in resort rooms that had been booked by guests who didn't show, received a tremendous amount of social media blow back.

Gatorland in Orlando, ended up with more flooding. It took this family-owned facility about two weeks after the storm to get up and running.

Gatorland is situated between two swamps. When flood waters began to pour into the park, the two swamps almost merged.

Before the storm arrived, Gatorland teams helped move many of the vulnerable animals at the park into shelters and into the park’s backstage commissary, where teams monitored and cared for them around the clock. The alligators and crocodiles, however, rode out the storm just fine in their watery enclosures.

Fortunately, according to a local news report, there is an eight-foot-tall safety fence that surrounds the entire park that never went under water.

Fun Spot America in Orlando and Kissimmee announced it would be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 28 and 29. On Fun Spot America's Facebook page, officials posted they hoped to be back up and running on Friday, Sept. 30.

They were.

Triotech announced the selection of Ryan Engles as business development director — parks. Engles will be responsible for the development of Triotech’s position in the amusement and theme parks segment in in the U.S.

“We are excited having Ryan joining the team to help strengthen Triotech’s global leadership position in media-based attractions,” said Yannick Gemme, vice-president of sales and marketing for Triotech. “His experience in business development and marketing as well as his customer focus will be an asset.”

Engles has a strong industry experience in developing and selling cinematic attractions such as 4D Theaters and Flying Theaters.

“I’m looking forward to tapping into Triotech’s innovative and ROI focused product lines to grow existing relationships and start new ones,” commented Engles.

Martin & Vleminckx has appointed Nathan Jones as the company's new president.

“We are very excited to have Nathan join the Martin & Vleminckx team’’ said Alain Vleminckx, founder and chairman of Martin & Vleminckx. ‘’Nathan’s depth of expertise and respected industry leadership will usher in an exciting new chapter for Martin & Vleminckx that will build on our successful track record in the industry.”

As an active contributor and participant within the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), Jones currently serves as vice president on the Executive Committee, board member on the International Board and chairperson of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility Committee.

Chuck E. Cheese Entertainment, LLC, announced Mario Centola as executive vice president & chief operating officer of international operations and Chuck E. Cheese worldwide franchise development.

In his new role, Centola joins the senior leadership team and will be responsible for directing the company's growth internationally. He brings extensive experience in the entertainment, theme park and international development space. Prior to joining CEC Entertainment, Centola served as the senior vice president of in-park services at Six Flags Entertainment.

Quassy's Ron Gustafson

announces retirement

MIDDLEBURY, Conn. — Ron Gustafson has been Quassy Amusement Park's marketing and public relations director since 2002. However, after two decades with the Connecticut amusement park, Gustafson has announced his retirement from the popular venue.

Gustafson has worn many hats at the park. Aside from being the go-to guy for all things marketing and public relations, he was an educational programs coordinator, photographer and developed some major special events like the Quassy laser lightshow and the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Summer Sideshow.

Out of all the Quassy activities, additions and events that he has been involved in, when asked what his greatest memory is Gustafson respnded: “Watching the park transition into what it is today: an amusement park and a water park. When I arrived, there was no water park.

“Ron will be missed,” said Quassy President Eric Anderson. “He was so much more than a marketing director. He was a resource for all aspects of the amusement park world, he helped decide what rides we would purchase, he helped source out hard to find parts, he worked on all custom merchandise and much, much more.”

New S&S-Sansei President and COO Mons looks toward future

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

LOGAN, Utah — Jason Mons, newly appointed president and COO of S&S-Sansei, is excited about what’s on the horizon. With the company’s rich history of more than a quarter century, he feels the industry is headed toward great things. One of his goals is to be an integral part of the industry’s success, not in just sales but as innovators and working with parks, the enthusiast community and operators to help the business of amusement parks, theme parks and operators reach its full potential.

With 18 years at S&S, he feels he has an emotional connection. Mons sat down with Amusement Today to discuss his outlook.

Amusement Today: You’re following in the footsteps of Tim Timco. What are your reflections of where he took the company?

Jason Mons: Tim had 40 years in the industry. He started with National Ticket, spent time volunteering with various committees at IAAPA, and owned his own consulting business — because of that, Tim knew everyone. It was an amazing honor to walk with him on the show floor and see all the people he knew professionally and personally. He brought strength to this company that we didn’t have before to that degree. He brought in a customer-oriented perspective. We communicated very well with our parent company Sansei, and Tim led us through the creation and the building of a brand new [facility] that has allowed us to expand our operations to meet our customers’ needs more easily.

AT: What is the position of the company as it has now been handed over to you?

JM: Obviously, the entire industry has been through COVID the past two years. It was great to see everyone back up and operating. [S&S] has weathered that storm and made it through without having to borrow a penny. We are set up now to move forward into the future. That is a fantastic thing to inherit a company that is ready and poised for growth.

AT: S&S has been known for innovation since day one. Stan Checketts came in with ideas not seen before with air-launched technology. The company continued to innovate with its Screaming Swing and roller coaster design. Speak on the importance of innovation to the company.

JM: When you talk about the heritage of so many companies in our industry, almost everybody broke off from somebody else. S&S started completely on our own with Stan Checketts asking “Why? Why can’t I do something like this? Why can’t I as an adult have the same fun as a kid who is thrown up in the air?” Which was the start of the towers. He created that air system. We turned it on its side and launched roller coasters unlike anything that had ever been seen before. That excitement can’t be imitated through magnets or any other means. S&S acquired Arrow in 2002 and the legacy of innovation that they left — from the beginnings of [tubular steel] track through the X project. We are definitely committed to innovation and that is seen today through the Axis coaster. Through our 4D Free Spin, we were able to develop some technologies and incorporate them with existing technologies to make that a fun and exciting ride.

AT: From the manufacturers’ side, what is the industry like now seen through the lens of the global pandemic?

JM: First and foremost, ride suppliers are used to cycles in the industry. It’s happened before in 2008. We’ve seen the ups and downs. This one, of course, completely caught everyone off guard. However, I haven’t heard of any ride manufacturer that hasn’t been able to weather the storm.

We’ve come out of COVID, and inflation has hit the United States as well as the rest of the world. We are seeing pressure on labor costs and material costs that we have to respond to. We see labor shortages, and that trickles down into the amusement industry like any other. We’re all feeling that together. The nice thing is that S&S has a solid core group of people who are dedicated to the company and dedicated to the industry. I couldn’t be happier than to work with these people on a daily basis.

In addition to all that though, a war has broken out. Our European counterparts are feeling more pressure, but there is a shortage of steel and aluminum that we all feel. Luckily in the U.S., we don’t feel those material shortages as heavily.

Coming out of COVID in 2022 is a pent-up demand for rides after so many things were suspended. Contracts are restarted and everyone is essentially starting at the same point. I liken it to driving down a road and traffic getting backed up at a stop light. Once it turns green, we’re all starting out together. I don’t expect any long-term effects on the supply of rides.

AT: What is your vision for S&S?

JM: My vision is to connect with the industry as a whole — from parks to park guests to enthusiasts. I want to connect with them from a ride perspective as well as emotionally. I want them to know who S&S is and what S&S has to offer the world.

We’ve increased our social media presence and plan to continue that. While I know people don’t buy rides off of Facebook, it gives them the opportunity to understand who S&S is.

We’ve got to be creative, and we’ve got to listen to our customers. We’ve got to provide rides that they want. I haven’t been brought in from the outside; I have a connection with the employees and a connection to the heritage. I want to see us carry that on.

Canobie Lake, Europa-Park donations arrive at museum facility

PLAINVIEW, Texas — Over the last two months, the National Roller Coaster Museum (NRCMA) has been busy! The NRCMA received a track section from the Canobie Lake Corkscrew and placed it into its permanent collection thanks to a donation by the park. The ride’s iconic Corkscrew element is included in the donation and will have a featured location as the icon for the museum building in the future. The museum accepted the second corkscrew inversion with matching support structure and other key artifacts from the ride.

The Corkscrew started its life at Old Chicago theme park as the Chicago Loop. It was Arrow Development’s number two and the second coaster built to turn riders upside down twice. The ride was also featured in the 1978 Brian DePalma movie The Fury staring Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes and Carrie Snodgrass.

“This is an incredible opportunity to have an important piece of roller coaster history represented at the museum,” NRCMA Historian Richard Munch said.  “As one of the first four models manufactured at Arrow’s Utah plant in 1975, it went to Illinois, then was moved to Alabama and later to New Hampshire.  This last piece will have its final home at the museum and is expected to be a major calling card for the facility on State Highway 194, just northwest of Plainview.”

Canobie Lake Park purchased the coaster in 1985 and then opened the ride in 1987 after being granted a height waver.

“The effort to bring this section of the ride to Texas can’t be overlooked.  It required five flat beds to move the cars, track and supports, which came with a hefty bill for shipping the equipment 2000 miles from Salem, New Hampshire to the Texas Panhandle,’ Munch continued.

“Besides the generosity of Canobie Lake’s ownership, I am thrilled that our board made this possible, especially with the work of Gary Slade and Hunter Novotny, and financial support of Jeff Novotny.   It’s going to be a great billboard to those visiting for the first time, as well as the locals who will finally discover the purpose of this growing facility in Plainview.” 

The Museum also added a key European addition to the collection. Europa-Park’s Eurosat roller coaster was restored and donated into the NRCMA permanent collection, courtesy of the Mack family. This donation marks the first time a ride vehicle will be added to the museum’s collection from outside North America.

“It is truly a blessing for our first donation from Europe to be from the Mack Family and from such an iconic attraction,” said Jeff Novotny, president of the NRCMA Board of Directors. “It shows that this is truly an international industry with so many wonderful people who have dedicated their careers to ensuring generations of guests have memorable experiences.”

“To see one of the Eurosat trains now exhibited and preserved in the National Roller Coaster Museum —showing visitors a piece of history from Europa-Park — is a special honor and a great remembrance of my father,” said Europa-Park owner, Roland Mack.

While construction continues at the museum’s main facility in Plainview, Texas, the NRCMA is still reliant solely on the generosity of industry fans and facilities. Unique souvenirs can be purchased at rollercoastermuseum.org/store with the proceeds going to the museum or donations can be made online at rollercoastermuseum.org. Donations can also be made by mail to NRCMA at P.O. Box 5424, Arlington, Texas 76005.

Golden Ticket Awards’ return to in-person event is a huge success

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

“Coming out of the pandemic, this event felt very warm and intimate — it was so nice to visit and talk to colleagues and friends that I haven’t seen since 2019,” said Gerald Ryan, Ride Entertainment.

Attendees at the 2022 Golden Ticket Awards all felt the same. It was a much-needed connection that global circumstances had interrupted. Not since 2019 had Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards been an in-person networking event.

“There were many industry owners, operators and manufacturers that after a waaaay too long break came together to share experiences and successes,” said Bill Ossim, Zierer. “The Golden Ticket Awards Ceremony represents the fabric of a rather large industry that operates as a very close-knit group of passionate people creating fun and lifelong memories. The ceremony appropriately recognized many parks that deserve to be called out for their great contribution to our industry.”

Attendees came from all facets of the amusement industry. Some were returning regulars while others were first-time attendees.

“With the Golden Tickets being in nearby San Antonio, we were fortunate to be able to attend this event for the first time,” said Sarah Donhauser, ZDT’s. “The experience was so enjoyable, as we were able to visit with other industry friends for several days in a row. Though we all love entertaining guests and making memories for others, it was quite wonderful to have the tables turned where the park representatives were the ones that got to relax and have all the fun! The most special moment though was the awards presentations, seeing several inspiring and very deserving individuals being honored for their excellence. Heartwarming!”

While the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives board and AIMS International board met on Thursday, September 8, prior to the start of the event, more than 250 industry professionals were on hand Friday and Saturday for the official event. After picking up credentials and materials at the JW Marriott host hotel, some opted to enjoy the resort, explore San Antonio or take advantage of a special tour of nearby Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, a new facility in the hill country that welcomes groups of all abilities to camp and enjoy fellowship together. Several spent much of the day in the first-ever Golden Ticket Golf Tournament.

Soon, the activities began. Shuttles transported attendees to Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio. Immediately, industry professionals were taken by the park’s beauty and special message. Networking began in earnest, but Mother Nature threw a surprise curveball with an unexpected deluge of rain, keeping many visitors captive in various locations throughout the park. If there is a group of individuals that know how to take weather issues in stride, it is the amusement industry.

“Morgan’s Wonderland was an amazing experience (despite the rain), said Pete Owens, Dollywood. “The attractions and thinking can be applied to every park if the effort is made and that was exciting to see in person. The story of its founding and its continued expansion was inspiring, and as the father of a daughter with special needs as well, it was a personally emotional experience.”

Keynote speaker Gordon Hartman shared the mission of the park over dinner, and countless hearts were touched.

“Morgan’s mission — one word — Inclusivity,” said Gina Guglielmi, Intermark. “A park built to accommodate everyone regardless of age, disability or financial obstacles … a stunning park! I wish I could have seen more of the customized attractions before the deluge of rain hit!”

“The visit to Morgan’s Wonderland was a revelation,” said Drew Hunter, Sally Dark Rides. “I was not familiar with the park, but once I walked in, I could tell it was a VERY special place. The spirit of inclusion for people of all ages and abilities was evident everywhere. All of the Golden Ticket Award attendees were made to feel right at home. And the speech by the park’s founder was highly inspirational and so very moving. Visiting the park was an enjoyable, enlightening and very emotional experience.”

“What a pleasure to see a park that is totally designed and dedicated to safely serving people of all ages with disabilities,” said Pat Hoffman, The Hoffman Consulting Group. “I was truly amazed by the efforts it took to produce one-of-a-kind attractions. It was fantastic to see people with disabilities as staff members.”

On Saturday, a full day of networking, fun and learning took place at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

“It was wonderfully exhausting for all of us,” said Park President Jeffrey Siebert. “It was truly an honor and humbling to be chosen as the host location for the first time that all of us could return in person. We hope everyone enjoyed the experiences we had together. At the end of the day, it exemplifies why we do what we do. We hope our industry representatives had a fantastic time while they were in San Antonio.”

Opportunities were plentiful throughout the day. Special behind-the-scenes tours of culinary facilities, haunts and roller coasters — and on top of the park’s quarry cliff! — in addition to sampling park food and endless networking conversations kept the day relevant.

A key event to the weekend is the awards ceremony itself, this year held inside the park’s beautiful Zaragoza Theater. Industry suppliers were the main presenters during the ceremony. The park also included some of its award-winning entertainment.

“It felt very good getting back together for the Golden Ticket Awards,” said Jack Mendes Jr., Bob’s Space Racers. “It was my pleasure and honor to be a presenter.”

“I was honored to be a presenter at the Golden Tickets this year,” added Andrew Mowatt, WhiteWater West. “It was great to be paired with Jack Mendes of Bob’s Space Racers as a co-presenter. His experience and time in our industry bring so much to the table. Thanks, Jack, for coaching me!"

The ceremony contained a pair of surprises. Dick Knoebel’s Legend award was kept secret by his own sons, and he graciously accepted it in his signature fashion on stage. Siebert was caught off guard winning the Leadership Award, not knowing he was even nominated.

Paul and Alethea Roads, founders of Wonderland Park, were also recognized as Legends for their work with small-park owners. The award was accepted by their daughter, Paula Borchardt, and her husband, Paul Borchardt, the current owners of Wonderland Park.

“We are so glad we made it to the Golden Ticket event,” Paula Borchardt said. “We enjoyed the beautiful tribute to Mother and Daddy. I’m so glad three of our four girls were there to see the slide show and touching tribute. Thank you for all the hard work that goes into this event.”

“I have so many memories as a kid going to Wonderland,” said David Dean, Joyland Amusement Park. “That’s where we all got the bug!”

Following the last of the awards, attendees moved to dinner in a cooled outdoor venue. Conversations were plentiful, so much so that many opted to continue even though a concert performance and fireworks finale were available with special seating for attendees. Those still eager to enjoy the park were given an opportunity for late night rides, beverages and snacks.

“I have wanted to visit Six Flags Fiesta Texas for many, many years, said Susie Story, communications consultant. “The park has a legacy of exceptional theme park entertainment and even more so under Jeffrey's leadership. I am also a huge fan of Halloween, so it was an extra treat to see the park fully decorated for Fright Fest. The Zombie Prom was funny, and I was amazed by the talent in Monster Mash Bash. The Frightful Finale fireworks were among the best I have ever seen. I think it's easy in our industry to think we've done or seen it all, and my experience reminded me I haven't! Kudos to everyone at the park. I really do look forward to returning.” 

“We had an absolute blast with the tours, award ceremony, meeting new faces and catching up with familiar ones!” said Fofo Laskaris Backhaus, Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park. “We were able to learn so much from Morgan's Wonderland and Six Flags; it's amazing to be able to get another perspective.”

“Like with any industry event, when we have time to sit down and talk — as in Thursday, Friday and Saturday — with industry peers, there are always things of value shared at discussions,” said Ron Gustafson, Quassy Amusement Park. “Of particular interest was how other parks were dealing with the labor situation and rising costs of doing business.”

I was speaking with some colleagues that the last time we saw one another was IAAPA 2019.  It's just so long ago, so it really was quite special to have everybody ‘back together’ at the event,” said William Buckley, Irvine-Ondrey Engineering.

"I had a wonderful time connecting with amusement industry colleagues and celebrating the best of the best at this year’s Golden Ticket Awards in San Antonio!” said MJ Brewer, AIMS International. “Amusement Today went over the top with this one, and it was definitely worth the wait after two years of being virtual. The awards show highlighted some of the most unique parks, rides and attractions around the globe, and it was fun to visit some amazing local properties during the event:  Natural Bridge Caverns, Morgan’s Wonderland Camp and Theme Park, and of course Six Flags Fiesta Texas, who did a fantastic job hosting the awards show. All in all, it was a fabulous event and I’ve already added it to my must-do list for next year. Looking forward to Dollywood in 2023!"

“At Dollywood, we are all very excited to be hosting Golden Tickets next year,” noted Owens. “I have been every year since 2004 and each host has raised the bar from the humble beginnings of the first few Golden Tickets. Certainly, Jeffrey and his team at Fiesta Texas made a cosmic leap this year, so we have our work cut out for ourselves.”

“To me, the return of the Golden Ticket Awards was another step toward normal as we all continue to move past the lingering impact of COVID-19,” said Storey. “All of us are making tougher decisions about budgets, business travel and how to use our resources. Having the event return, and so many colleagues and friends attend reminded me how important the awards are to us, on a personal and a professional level.”

First annual GTA golf tournament a success

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The morning of registration of the Golden Ticket Awards, several foursomes hit the fairways and greens of the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort.

“This is the first year we did the tournament formally,” said Walt Bowser of Baynum Amusement Solutions. “We had done it just as a group of people one year, but this is the first time we’ve ever done it to tie it to the awards show and make it a fundraising opportunity for the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives.”

Bowser served as organizer of the golf outing and was pleased with the participation.

“I think we originally thought we might get 15 to 20. At its peak, we had 32 signed up,” he told Amusement Today. “I think we had 29 that played. We were very happy with the turnout.”

The competition was light-hearted and all in fun. When asked who won, Bowser laughed and said, “I should remember, but I don’t. Probably someone who cheated.”

One of the fundraising opportunities was an auction of the original artwork used for producing souvenir posters (also a fundraiser) for the NRCMA. Andrew Mowatt of gold sponsor WhiteWater West took the prize following a bidding battle with a top bid of $700.

“It was fun seeing people have fun with the bidding and jacking the price up,” laughed Bowser.

Online donations were continuing to come in, so a final figure on funds wasn’t determined as of press time. Bowser hopes to see the event and tournament grow so that in the future a goal of around $2,500 can be a target.

Miss, Mr. Golden Tickets assist with ceremony

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — During the Golden Ticket Awards ceremony, three young professionals assisted Amusement Today with the orchestration of the presentations. These individuals were hand-selected to serve at the event as Miss and Mr. Golden Tickets. AT asked these host facilities to be represented by those who exemplified the industry’s cornerstones and consistently exceeded job expectations. With the organization of awards and envelopes backstage, Miss and Mr. Golden Tickets aided in keeping the proceedings flowing smoothly.

James Brown currently serves as a ride operations lead at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Brown is an avid roller coaster enthusiast and enjoys visiting parks with his family. He’s in his senior year at Westlake High School and anticipates studying mechanical engineering in college.

Blake Dixon is tour guide supervisor at Natural Bridge Caverns. Having earned the Eagle Scout award, Dixon is regarded by management as an outstanding employee, a man of character and a true leader. He has been with Natural Bridge Caverns since January of 2021 and moved up quickly. He is already someone the park sees in future management positions at Natural Bridge Caverns.

Sylvia Merring currently serves as an operations managerial supervisor at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. She has worked in Aquatics, Admissions, Rides, Park Service and Entertainment. She currently holds an Ellis & Associates Lifeguard Instructor license and a CPO certificate. She is pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology at Texas A&M San Antonio and hopes to advance her career in operations in theme parks or water parks.

Enhanced bathrooms address visitor convenience, guest experience

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

Not every park visitor plays games or rides the roller coasters. Not every park visitor will get wet on a water ride or indulge in a funnel cake. But every park guest will stop into the restroom.

Most parks would like to upgrade and modernize their restrooms. But as it is challenging to market, nor does it generate any revenue, investments in restrooms are sometimes difficult to make.

“Park restrooms are a critical part of our focus on enhancing the guest experience at all levels. It’s an automatic to upgrade these as part of park-wide improvement projects as we did for the Kennywood 125th Celebration this year. At Kennywood and Idlewild, this involved investing in refurbishing some historic buildings to elevate a familiar — and important — part of the park and to do so in a way that would be notable for our guests,” said John Reilly, COO, Palace Entertainment.

Idlewild & SoakZone in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, made a bold statement with recent upgrades to its main restroom facility with an applaudable creative flair.

“The restroom had not had many significant upgrades since the early 1980s, and the Idlewild team knew it was time, especially during Palace Entertainment’s full potential planning that has seen park upgrades and renovations taking place across the company’s portfolio of parks,” said Jeff Croushore, marketing, Idlewild. “The building was completely gutted, and they started fresh by building new walls and installing new plumbing, lighting fixtures, stall partitions, toilets and sinks. Heaters were installed to make the building more comfortable during the shoulder seasons, and roll-down doors keep the building secure overnight. The project was a chance to set this restroom apart from the traditional facilities found in most amusement parks and offer moments of surprise and delight.”

By providing more than just cleanliness, the guest experience is embellished with simple moments. Idlewild is pleased with its design inspiration. Deciding on a carousel theme, the ladies room offers a carousel horse centerpiece, photography of the park’s classic 1931 Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel and wall art featuring carousel animals, plus a brief story of the Brass Ring — all in the bathroom. The men’s room carries on the theme with the same carousel photography and incorporates molding around a storage cabinet stylized after the park’s carousel. It’s much more than just attention to simple details. It’s a surprising “moment.”

The renovation at Idlewild was done almost entirely in-house. The team was able to make individual stalls larger than before. Although this reduced the total number, it clearly gave much more space to the customer. The number of handicap-accessible stalls increased as well — with five in the ladies, and two in the men’s — all incorporating individual sinks and baby changing tables. A separate family restroom was incorporated with an adult changing table. Small touches, like hooks for users to hang bags or jackets, were incorporated, as well as shelving to place small things like cell phones or souvenir cups that the guest may be carrying around throughout their day.

“The renovation is one of the ‘attractions’ of the park that continues to garner the most positive feedback from guests more than a year later,” said Croushore. “And the park has plans to upgrade the remaining park restrooms over the next few years.”

Sister park Kennywood upgraded one of its facilities this year; the historic structure (originally known as the “Ladies Cottage”) is among the oldest in the park. The midway and the restrooms were part of a multimillion-dollar renovation this year that also included the park's front gate area and parking lots — the entire arrival experience was the center of attention for upgrades in 2022.

Bill Linkenheimer, local resident and regional representative of American Coaster Enthusiasts, noticed the changes immediately: “I'm thoroughly impressed with the extensive renovations to Kennywood's oldest restroom. The outside of the structure appears nicely restored, retaining its historic appearance, while the inside was completely gutted and redesigned into a modern facility that includes family restrooms along the side of the building.” 

Knott’s Berry Farm recently introduced a new approach to a restroom facility. The renovation saw communal sinks with gendered restrooms on each side. Family restrooms were located on the outside.

“It’s located right next to our Bear-y Tales ride and The Factory Store, so with the newest restrooms, we kept the theming consistent,” said Kristan Saldivar, public relations.

Nine months ago, Traders Village in Grand Prairie, Texas, renovated its bathrooms in the center of the flea market, which has a rides area.

“We made the decision to renovate our 40-year-old restrooms in conjunction with the creation of the Prairie Playland amusement park,” said Steve Thomas, amusement park director. “We resourced materials that would be easier to clean and good-looking fixtures that would require less maintenance as well as match our theming. We also added a custom-painted mural of our logo to help incorporate the building with the area instead of being an eyesore. An added bonus was that our guests have become more conscious of the facilities, and they have required less cleaning by the staff.”

Since being acquired by Cedar Fair, Schlitterbahn has seen upgrades to its restrooms.

“We knew the importance of quality restroom amenities from guest feedback and their positive responses confirmed we hit the mark,” said Ayla Lambert, communications manager, Schlitterbahn. “Our guests were vocal in their appreciation of the upgrades that were made throughout our park’s restrooms. We have several updates planned in our 2023 capital plans, including new restrooms, and look forward to sharing with our guests.”

If upgrading restrooms is an industry trend, it is one that can be applauded by 100 percent of guests.

Northwest Coasters tackles a multitude of construction obstacles

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

LEWISTON, Idaho — As commonly told by many professionals, some businesses entered the amusement industry by accident. Or to be more specific — personal relationships. Kevin Messick, founder and owner of Northwest Coasters, is just such a person.

Messick’s first company was K and G Construction LLC. Established in 2006, the company offered general construction, but in the last 10 years has seen a shift to public works and commercial projects. Through “somebody who knew somebody,” Messick was introduced to Fred Grubb, founder of Rocky Mountain Construction. As fate would have it, Messick began working on wood coaster projects.

Establishing Northwest Coasters as a sister company was legal advice he received.

“When you start into this, insurances are different,” Messick said. "Liabilities are different. My attorneys said we couldn’t do it through K and G [owing to] life safety.”

On Jan. 1, 2016, Northwest Coasters became a reality. Although work had been done in the previous year on the first installation of an S&S 4D Free Spin coaster, under partnership with Grubb, the sister company was now poised to navigate the construction and repair of roller coasters.

Following the success of the coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Northwest Coasters was called upon for projects at Tampa’s Lowery Park Zoo and Kolmården in Sweden on the RMC Wildfire installation. Messick and his team soon learned that in addition to the extremes of seasonal weather conditions, the amusement industry can present some specific challenges for construction.

“Of all our jobs, the one in Tampa was one of our most challenging,” Messick told Amusement Today. “We had to remove a sky ride, and it went over all these animal exhibits. We had to pull a [support] pole out of the middle of an aviary and not lose any birds! A few of those birds were the only ones in the world. It’s the only job I’ve ever been shut down on because the rhinos were mating.”

Messick finds those challenges to be one of the interesting aspects of the amusement industry.

“There are so many different factors. That’s what’s fun about it,” he said. “It’s a unique environment and all the things you get to see.”

Northwest Coasters has had projects throughout the United States and has an impressive portfolio of clients.

An estimated 90 percent of Northwest Coasters team are local to the Idaho location. The size of the team varies, depending upon the needs of the ongoing projects. The coaster division can pull in more as needed from the K and G Construction crew.

Northwest Coasters recently finished two projects in Texas. In addition to a new dive coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard at Six Flags Fiesta Texas (Northwest Coasters’ third project at the San Antonio theme park; see Amusement Today, August 2022), a project many years in the making at Six Flags Over Texas is testing and undergoing commissioning for a spring opening.

The latter project had numerous challenges.

“It started out great, but then COVID hit. It shut us down,” Messick explained. “Track construction was about 95 percent complete to that point. On that project, we were doing the dirt, concrete and the ride. Since COVID, supply problems are a challenge. We’ve had to learn how to adapt.”

During the COVID shutdown, park management at Six Flags re-evaluated the project and pivoted to upgrade to a turntable station that would more than double the ride’s capacity. However, the redesign continued to add challenges to the installation.

“That is such a tight site,” he noted. “I don’t know how many times they tried to make that ride fit. There is a foot on each side as far as clearances. We don’t want to infringe on other areas. We couldn’t finish the pool until we had everything on the outside done.”

Messick compared the recent San Antonio project to the second installation partnership with the park, RMC’s first single-rail coaster: “With Wonder Woman, we had great access. When we were doing Dr. Diabolical [the B&M], we had to have security out there and hold the people while we had a piece of track brought in. Everyone was really good; the guests would wait and be patient. We didn’t have anyone get upset. [Being in the middle of the park] didn’t slow us down like I thought it might.”

Many guests are intrigued with the construction process and didn’t find it an inconvenience to be momentarily delayed.

“We did a façade of a pizza place and redid the whole exterior. We had to make a tunnel for all the customers to go in. Their sales went up 17 percent while we were doing construction,” Messick told AT. “Because people are curious. They wanted to see it.”

Northwest Coasters has two major projects lined up for next year, but until the projects are announced, he couldn’t speak about them, although he said they would be fun but would definitely have challenges.

With his beginnings in residential construction, Messick is pleased to see the growth of both of his companies.

“I like the commercial side,” he said. “That’s why the coasters have been such a good fit for us because it is all commercial. [Those projects] have plans, and I have specs.”

•northwestcoaster.com

RDI Technologies Inc. acquires

Fastec Imaging Corporation

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — RDI Technologies, Inc., a global provider of vision-based vibration analysis solutions, announced it has completed the purchase of privately-held Fastec Imaging Corporation, a leading global supplier of digital scientific high-speed imaging systems. RDI's acquisition of Fastec adds new customers, talent, and intellectual property and it enables RDI to accelerate its product development initiatives. The transaction follow's SFW Capital Partners' strategic investment in RDI in February 2022.

"Our Motion Amplification solutions, strengthened by Fastec's high-speed expertise and technologies, will give customers the ability to see more and do more than traditional technology allows," said Dr. Jeff Hay, CEO of RDI Technologies. "As we continue to invest in building the industry's most comprehensive portfolio of vision-based vibration analysis solutions, we look forward to creating new opportunities and driving innovation with Fastec."

"We are excited to join the RDI team in delivering even greater value to our customers, partners and the high-speed camera market," said Charles Mrdjenovich, president and CTO of Fastec Imaging, who will remain a senior technology executive in the combined company. "Fastec's unique high-speed expertise and technologies combined with RDI's scale and market leading Motion Amplification solutions will unlock growth potential and accelerate time to market, empowering large and small enterprise customers with world-class visualization technologies."

Non-contact high-speed cameras can measure and analyze motion and detail not captured by the human eye for deeper insight into process characteristics, material strength and durability, and component visualization. The high-speed scientific camera market is expected to grow by double-digits annually, according to recent studies.

Fastec's team will join RDI and its technology will integrate into RDI's product roadmap, while continuing to offer Fastec's high-speed cameras to the Manufacturing, Condition Monitoring, Science and Engineering, and Mining markets. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in San Diego, Fastec Imaging high-speed camera solutions complement RDI's suite of Motion Amplification solutions, helping customers increase asset visibility, drive efficiency, and capture more comprehensive data for faster decision making.

•rditechnologies.com

Pennsylvania Ride Safety Advisory Board holds quarterly meeting

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Representatives from the amusement industry and community volunteers selected at large met at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture headquarters in early September for a Pennsylvania Ride Safety Advisory Board meeting. Input from this body is used to help the Bureau of Ride & Measurement Standards determine its course of action on a particular ride approval process. (All communities are in Pennsylvania.)

Walt Remmert, director of the bureau updated board members on the department’s (bureau's) status on education and public outreach for registering hayride attractions. The bureau began reaching out to Pennsylvania’s agricultural groups starting April 2022 with a letter and an information packet explaining what a hayride attraction is and the steps being taken to bring operators into compliance. To date they have interacted with dozens of individual operators and several agricultural trade organizations/groups.

In July, Anthony Catalano was hired as a new amusement ride quality assurance safety inspector for the bureau. Previously he worked for Nonweiler Amusements, Lehighton.

There were eight ride and attraction potential approvals to come before the advisory board. Three were major modifications for Kennywood Park, West Mifflin. This was for the park's Kangaroo ride (Aero-Affiliates/Premier Rides) and also The Steel Curtain (S&S Worldwide) and Thunderbolt (National Amusement Device) roller coasters.

Two approvals were a variation of an already approved Go Kart, EKG Kart and Duo Kart for OTL Karts, at Urban Air locations that are coming to multiple Pennsylvania communities. (The first one will be in Lancaster.) Another approval was granted for an overhaul of a zipline attraction at Camelback, Tannersville. This included updating and adding two additional lines for a total of four lanes for a 4,000-foot zip, via ZipFlyer LLC.

A 42-inch open body slide from Avalanche Waterslides, Inc. for the Mechanicsburg Boro Municipal Pool, a brand-new railroad, manufactured by Swannee River Railroad Company for Roba Family Farms, North Abington and a four-seat, solid foundation, VX4 VR Cinema Platform for the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, manufactured by Beijing Leke VR Technology Company Ltd. All were tentatively approved by the department and received affirmation recommendations from the board.

Hersheypark announced that it is enhancing its fall/Halloween attractions by adding four new walk-through attractions (that opened mid-September). This was offered by a trio of Hersheypark staff members along with a presentation.

Steve Gorman with Waldameer Park & WaterWorld, Erie, Pennsylvania, announced a new water attraction coming to his park in 2023 from ProSlide. It is a rocket blast water coaster with three saucer sections.

Kennywood updates security procedures for Phantom Fall Fest

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — Gunfire erupted around 10:46 p.m. Saturday, September 24, at the Kennywood Amusement Park.

Witnesses said the shooting occurred in front of the park's popular Musik Express ride and sent park-goers diving for cover and running to the exits. Police said several people were injured when they were apparently trampled while attempting to get out of harm's way.

Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns said an altercation occurred and the alleged assailant pulled a handgun and started firing.

Police are investigating how the weapon got into the park. All Kennywood employees and guests must pass through metal detectors at the entrance gate and all backpacks and coolers are subject to inspection, according to the park's website.

As the park continues to collaborate with law enforcement on their investigation, it shared details about new and ongoing security enhancements that will be in place for the the duration of its popular Phantom Fall Fest event.

•Increased Police Support: In addition to Kennywood's security team, the park doubled the number of police officers contracted through local law enforcement agencies for each night of Phantom Fall Fest. There is a more visible police presence at the entrance and throughout the park. Kennywood leadership is more clearly visible in uniform red jackets, as well.

•Park teams have cut down trees along the fence line bordering Route 837 to improve sight lines. New flood lights and security cameras were installed for better monitoring and ongoing security patrols in that area have been significantly increased.

•Guests age 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age (with valid ID) to enter the park at all times during Phantom Fall Fest.

•With the weapons detection system working as designed since its installation this spring, the park’s prior screening system has been removed to eliminate guest confusion. New signage is being installed to inform guests they are entering a security screening area. Though the new system is able to screen bags and individuals via cameras and metal detection to identify those in need of further inspection, the park has implemented additional spot checking of bags as a precautionary measure.

•Only bags within the dimensions of 8” x 5” x 1”, as well as medical and diaper bags, are permitted.

•Masks that cover some or all of a person’s face are not permitted to be worn by any guest after 6 p.m. The only exceptions are surgical masks or N95/KN95 masks as recommended as a precaution against COVID-19. If masks of this nature are worn, they must be free from additional coverings including but not limited to fake blood, makeup or coloring.

CALENDAR

IAFE 2022

November 27 - November 30, 2022

Indianapolis, Indiana

fairsandexpos.com/Annual-Convention

•

2023 AIMS International

Safety Seminar

January 3 - 13, 2023

Galveston, Texas

aimsintl.org/aims-international-safety-seminar

•

IAAPA FEC Summit

January 22 - 24, 2023

Nashville, Tennessee

iaapa.org/events/connections/summit/fec-summit-2023

•

NAARSO Safety School

January 28 - February 3, 2023

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

naarso.com/safety-seminars

•

2023 IISF Trade Show & Extravaganza

February 13 - 17, 2023

Gibsonton, Florida

gibtownshowmensclub.com

•

International Ride Training

Ride Camp

February 5 - 9, 2023

Charlotte, North Carolina

ridetraining.com/ride-camp-register

•

Pennsylvania Amusement Ride

Safety Seminar

February 28 - March 2, 2023

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

paridesafety.com

•

Amusement Expo International

March 27 - 30, 2023

Las Vegas, Nevada

amusementexpo.org

•

IAAPA Expo Asia

June 13 - 16, 2023

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

iaapa.org/expos/iaapa-expo-asia

•

International Bowl Expo

June 25 - 29, 2023

Las Vegas, Nevada

bpaa.com/expoexhibitors

•

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