WEBSTER, Texas — ProSlide is delighted to highlight its latest achievement with the opening of the Great Geyser Water Park at Great Wolf Lodge in Webster, Texas. This 92,000-square-foot indoor water park, which opened to the public on August 7, 2024, marks the 20th project in our long-standing partnership with Great Wolf Lodge.

“Working with Great Wolf Lodge on the Great Geyser Water Park has been an incredibly rewarding experience. This project truly embodies our decades-long collaborative spirit and shared vision that define our partnership,” expresses Nik Paas, ProSlide Vice President, Business Development & Strategic Accounts.

Great Geyser Water Park reflects ProSlide’s mission of driving innovation, quality, and customer care among the world’s best water parks. Among the new installations, guests will find 13 industry-leading water rides, including the Texas Twirler, available only at this location. Three distinct ride complexes showcase the depth of our commitment to creating memorable guest experiences.

The largest complex features ProSlide’s renowned Dueling RocketBLAST Water Coaster, MAMMOTH – the originally family raft ride, TORNADO 24 / BehemothBOWL 40 hybrid, FlyingSAUCER 8, TurboTWISTER, and a PIPEline.

Two custom-designed RideHOUSE structures feature bespoke theming. The larger RideHOUSE includes four TWISTERS and a 600-gallon tipping bucket, while the second is designed for younger guests with a KIDZ Twister and KIDZ ProRACER.

“We’re thrilled to see our water rides come to life in such an exciting way, and we look forward to continuing our partnership, delivering innovative and memorable experiences for guests for years to come,” says Paas.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Today, Universal Orlando Resort shares brilliant new details about Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel – a spectacular 500-room resort located at the much-anticipated Universal Epic Universe theme park opening in 2025. Brought to life by the award-winning Universal Creative team and co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co, Universal Helios Grand Hotel is a majestic Mediterranean-inspired escape rising above the lush gardens and scenic waters of Celestial Park at Epic Universe. Designed to blend immersion and relaxation to create a hotel stay like no other, this palatial resort features tranquil sleeping accommodations, entertaining amenities for the whole family to enjoy, divine dining options, a stunning rooftop bar and the hotel’s very own dedicated entrance to the new theme park. 

Bringing the destination’s portfolio to a total of 11 hotels and 11,000 guest rooms, Universal Helios Grand Hotel builds upon Universal’s more than three decades of expertise in world-class entertainment and creative theming – combined with Loews Hotels’ hospitality and service excellence – to set a new standard in immersive hotel experiences. Only here can guests unwind in the serenity of a sunlit retreat in one moment and then within minutes find themselves in the heart of exhilarating theme park adventures. Universal Helios Grand Hotel is so much more than just a place to stay; it’s the crown jewel of Epic Universe and the pinnacle of Universal Orlando’s hotel experiences.

WELCOME TO UNIVERSAL HELIOS GRAND HOTEL
As soon as guests step into this radiant sanctuary, they will be transported to a fantastical world within the palace of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, adorned with beautiful details of celestial patterns, dazzling constellations and elegant yet casual Mediterranean design elements. And through the lobby’s magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows is a breathtaking vista of Celestial Park – boasting some of the best views of Epic Universe in the entire hotel and immersing guests in the park’s brilliance by day and night.

From the beautifully appointed sleeping rooms to the polished public spaces to the exceptional amenities, Universal Helios Grand Hotel offers: 

• Serene Guest Rooms and Spacious Suites – Bright, inviting and warm, the guest rooms and suites of Universal Helios Grand Hotel evoke the tranquility of a blissful garden – with many of the rooms offering fantastic views of Epic Universe. And unique to Universal Helios Grand Hotel are the imaginative How to Train Your Dragon Kids’ Suites, where little ones can take to the skies and rest amongst dragons in a colorful room inspired by the Viking village of Berk.
• Dedicated Entrance to Universal Epic Universe – Located off the lobby is the hotel’s dedicated entrance into Epic Universe – an unparalleled amenity for guests of Universal Helios Grand Hotel that provides direct, convenient access to and from the theme park (valid theme park admission required).
• Bar Helios –A sparkling and stylish rooftop lounge, Bar Helios at Universal Helios Grand Hotel offers a delectable menu of creative tapas and familiar favorites, thoughtfully-handcrafted specialty cocktails, and unmatched 360-degree views of Epic Universe and beyond – making this the perfect spot for guests to kick back in the evening after a busy day in the parks.
• Resort-style Pool – The oasis of the zero-entry pool is the ultimate spot for rest and relaxation – complete with underwater speakers, poolside cabanas available for rent, a hot tub, poolside movies, recreational activities and more.
• Guests of Universal Helios Grand Hotel can also enjoy:
  • a complimentary state-of-the-art fitness center featuring a variety of strength and cardio equipment;
  • a game room for guests to blast, zap and race their way through a collection of arcade games with the purchase of a game card;
  • a Universal Orlando Resort Store for guests to purchase everything from sundries and necessities to Universal Orlando merchandise; and so much more.

Guests looking to have a meal or grab a quick snack in between visits to the parks can choose from a variety of unique dining options, including:

• Flora Taverna – a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner and lobby bar with a light and airy atmosphere – featuring an open-style kitchen with live cooking, Mediterranean comfort foods, pizza ovens, and al fresco seating overlooking the beautiful scenery of Celestial Park; 
• Aurora Market – a contemporary coffee shop and market offering freshly-roasted coffees, delightful grab-and-go food items and enticing snack and dessert options from morning to night;
• Lotus Lagoon – a poolside bar and grill where guests can cool off with refreshing cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks and enjoy casual fare options like burgers, salads, sandwiches and more.

The SEPTEMBER 2024 issue includes:

• Vekoma, Zamperla, Gosetto and SBF rides fill land at Energylandia
• Playland at the PNE launches its newest coaster: ThunderVolt
• Family fun soars at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay with Phoenix Rising
• Single-rail Mahuka from Intamin zips into Walibi Rhône-Alpes
• Kings Dominion announces major B&M wing coaster: Rapterra
• Carowinds to add rides from Mack, ART Engineering, more in 2025
• New, reimagined rides entertain at Six Flags America’s Steamtown
• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk adds double fun with two new rides
• Germany’s Tripsdrill opens Wild Swing from ART Engineering
• Ride Engineers Switzerland reveals innovative Oracle attraction
• Andretti’s opens its latest FEC in Texas, complete with largest track
• Despite heat, construction, Ohio State Fair enjoys a good run
• Trio of new rides debuts on the Wisconsin State Fair midway
• Schlitterbahn opens Schatze’s Storybrook Park, new Hillside Terrace
• IAAPA Expo Europe set for biggest trade show ever in Amsterdam
• Family-owned, operated parks report a good 2024, plans for 2025
• Women of Influence: Gatorland’s Savannah Boan
• Allentown’s Dorney Park hosts the annual PAPA Summer Meeting
• NEAAPA holds its 111th annual Summer Meeting
• Secure your registration for 2024’s Golden Ticket Awards networking event
• Vourderis’ family perseverence keeps Deno’s Wonder Wheel turning
• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s Giant Dipper celebrates milestone
• Safety training seminars ramp up for upcoming 2024-2025 season
• Parts available online saves time, helps profits … and much more!

MACK Magic and Tivola Games present ‘Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions’. The brand-new racing game is based on the upcoming feature film with the Europa-Park characters and will be released in summer 2025.

GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions brings the loveable Europa-Park characters and cinema stars Ed & Edda to video game format for the first time ever in a fast-paced, heart-warming adventure. Joined by the film’s cast of eclectic characters, players will race across a dozen stunning racetracks set in landmark European locations. From car tune-ups and upgrades to cosmetics, players will customize their racecars to their heart’s desire while mastering power-ups and unique driver abilities and playstyles.

GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions is based on the major motion picture GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE, a co-production by MACK Magic and Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany, and both are set to release in the summer of 2025. Warner Bros. Pictures Germany and Timeless Films are distributing the animation full feature worldwide. GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions launches on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam with language support for English, German and French.

Key Features of GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions: 

• Tear through exciting tracks in beautiful recreations of prestigious European landmarks
• Choose from eight familiar characters, including Ed & Edda, Europa-Park’s historic characters
• Unleash unique driver abilities, skillfully wield power-ups, and customize vehicles to ensure no two races feel the same
• Long-term racecar modifications and unlockable progression tune-ups ‘drive’ replayability
• 2-4 player split-screen mode for local multiplayer invites family fun and lifelong memories

Michael Mack is Managing Partner of the Europa-Park Resort and operates the Mack family business in the 8th generation. As producer of the full feature states and founder of the entertainment company MACK Magic, he emphasizes the meaning and the long-term strategy in producing content and building up brands: “With Tivola and Jumpgate, we are excited to have strong partners who believe in our Ed & Edda storyworld by bringing the beloved characters to PCs and consoles worldwide. This will make the first feature film with the beloved Europa-Park mascots Ed & Edda more than just a movie: Together with the new associated family attraction 2025 at Europa-Park, the video game GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions and many other licensed products, it is the start of a unique transmedia project. We are convinced that we can build a long-term sustainable brand with content based around our characters.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — GoPhoto, a leader in innovative photo retail solutions, is pleased to announce the opening of its new U.S. office in partnership with Ripley Entertainment, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing chains of amusement attractions. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for both companies, demonstrating their shared commitment to transforming the leisure and themed entertainment industry.

The new U.S. entity, jointly owned by GoPhoto and Ripley Entertainment, will be headquartered in Orlando, Florida—a renowned center for tourism and entertainment. This partnership unites GoPhoto’s state-of-the-art photo retail technology with Ripley Entertainment’s global reputation for delivering unforgettable experiences to audiences of all ages.

Daniel Duivestein, Founder and CEO of GoPhoto, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership and the launch of the U.S. office: “We are thrilled to join forces with Ripley’s to bring the next evolution in photo retail to the leisure and themed entertainment industry. This collaboration reflects our shared vision of enhancing guest experiences through cutting-edge technology.”

Ripley Entertainment, renowned for its diverse array of attractions—including Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Ripley’s Aquariums, and interactive traveling shows—is eager to incorporate GoPhoto’s advanced technology across its venues. The collaboration aims to set a new industry standard by offering guests unparalleled photo experiences and cherished keepsakes.

“We are excited to support GoPhoto’s expansion into North America,” said Jim Pattison Jr., President of Ripley Entertainment Inc. “Having successfully implemented GoPhoto’s systems in our attractions worldwide, we are confident that their innovative approach will not only enhance our offerings but also elevate the overall standard of photo retail in the entertainment industry.”

As part of this strategic initiative, Daniel Duivestein will relocate to Orlando to oversee U.S. operations and drive the success of this venture. His leadership and deep industry expertise will be instrumental in unlocking the full potential of this partnership.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Andretti Indoor Karting & Games is racing into Fort Worth this September to open its fifth Texas and ninth nationwide location. On September 25, just two months after opening its Grand Prairie location, the renowned go-karting and gaming venue will bring adrenaline-pumping entertainment and family fun to Fort Worth.  

“The decision to bring Andretti to Fort Worth was approved swiftly across the board. Filled with culture, history and community, Fort Worth embodies the values Andretti holds dear,” said Austen Schoensee, general manager of the new location. “Following the incredible success we’ve seen within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, we look forward to building our presence and bringing even more entertainment to DFW.”

Located at 2701 Andretti Karting Drive, the venue offers nearly 100,000 square feet of unparalleled experiences for racers and gamers alike. At the heart of the facility are state-of-the-art professional racing simulators featuring panoramic screens with full-motion actuators, designed to replicate the sensation of professional racing. 

To rev up the excitement, thrill-seekers can enter to win exclusive invites to sneak preview events by visiting andrettikarting.com/fortworth by Sunday, September 15. On opening day September 25, the first 50 guests ages 18 years and up will receive a free, limited-edition Andretti-logo YETI tumbler, and the first 50 children will receive a special surprise Andretti swag item. The first 100 guests on Saturday, September 28 will receive one free hour of arcade play for a future visit and will be entered into a raffle where ten guests will win free arcade play for a year. One lucky guest will also win a free birthday party, valued at up to $550! 

In addition to the racing simulators, Andretti Fort Worth will feature a dynamic assortment of attractions including: 

• Multi-level track and high-speed electric Superkarts 
• 100+ state-of-the-art arcade games 
• Two-story laser tag arena  
• Hologate and Hypergate VR 
• Spark Bowling 
• 7D Xperience Motion Theatre 

For those needing to refuel, guests can enjoy chef-curated American favorites along with local craft beer and specialty cocktails from the location’s full-service restaurant and bar.  

“The best part about Andretti is that you can do so many things, under one roof, as a family,” professional race car driver Jarett Andretti said. “Every visit is an experience where you can explore and create fun together in multiple ways. Whether it be driving our iconic indoor karts or immersing yourself in 7D experiences, there’s something for every member of the family.” 

Dear FEG Family and Industry Colleagues,

Over 20 years ago, I founded Family Entertainment Group with aspirations, grit, dreams, and a lot of stubbornness. During this time, our industry has undergone significant changes, from equipment advancements to technological innovations. I am incredibly proud of the role that FEG and its dedicated team have played in shaping these transformations. We’ve weathered economic storms, 9/11, and even a global pandemic. From our humble beginnings as an operator in Castaway Bay, Sandusky, Ohio, we’ve grown to become one of the largest and most respected entertainment companies in the world. I cannot say thank you enough to my family, partners, and employees for helping us grow into the market leader we are today.

Reflecting on this journey, I recognize we’ve experienced great successes together. These include leading the greatest team in amusements and having the privilege of contributing to our industry’s growth. Each step of the way has been focused on providing the very best in family entertainment and recruiting and nurturing the best people in the industry.

As companies expand, nurturing their development becomes critical. This involves embracing new technology, upgrading equipment, and attracting additional talent. Today, I’m thrilled to announce a significant step forward in this direction.

Rex Jackson has accepted our offer to join the FEG family as our new CEO and my hand-picked successor. Rex brings a wealth of related industry experience, joining us from Merlin Entertainments as Managing Director of Legoland Parks North America. I’m confident he’ll lead us to even greater heights. He will fully assume the day-to-day responsibilities of CEO, allowing me to transition into the role of Executive Chairman. In this capacity, I’ll focus on long-term strategy and growth initiatives, key industry and client relationships, and providing support to our C-suite.

As the largest single private stockholder and founder of Family Entertainment Group, I remain committed to our success. I look forward to the next chapter and am excited about what we can achieve in the next 20 years!

Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey.

Warm regards,
George Smith
Family Entertainment Group Founder and Executive Chairman

BERLIN, Germany — Not to be confused with Area 51, AREA15 is an immersive entertainment district just moments from the Las Vegas Strip. Already equipped with an X1 system it includes the well-known Illuminarium, an experience located in the AREA15 District. Now following suit in upgrading their audio experience with a HOLOPLOT X1 Matrix Array sound system is The Portal, a multi-use venue and key element of AREA15’s unique type of experiential entertainment. It offers experiences for the whole family, including rides and VR, live performances, DJs, fantastic food, and definitely no top-secret US Government experiments…

“Our motto is ‘AREA15 does not exist’ because you can make your own story,” says Mark Stutzman, CTO at AREA15. “It can be anything you want it to be.”

The Portal is AREA15’s landmark venue. It can be used for private dining, all-night DJ sets, and everything in between. At Halloween, for example, the Rocky Horror Picture Show is projection-mapped on all four walls of the venue and supported by live actors, but it has also been home to fine art shows and corporate events.

Here, the flexibility of the newly installed HOLOPLOT X1 system, which consists of two arrays of two MD96 Audio Modules, topped with two MD80-S, positioned left and right at a height of 25 feet at one end of the room, ensures the space can fulfil the creative ambition of the AREA15 team – to be transformative. Technically there are no limits to the endless possibilities of this space, and for Director of Production JD Bouck, that is the beauty of working there.

Acting as a sandbox for any experience imaginable, The Portal is a vast grey concrete cuboid, allowing a 360-degree projection map across the walls and floor. The visual elements were always stunning, but Bouck found that the original sound system was never able to keep up, owing to acoustics akin to a giant fish tank and highly reflective, smooth walls.

“The Portal was one of the biggest concerns we had,” he recalls. “It is a 7,000 square foot, completely blank canvas. Thanks to our Panasonic projectors, we can make visual landscapes and have great storytelling for the eyes, but the audio picture was never able to complement these.”

In the exploration phase for a new sound system, Bouck and his team began to run into issues.

“The Portal is not built like any other real venue that I’ve ever been to,” he explains. “There is nothing to soften it, no balcony or mezzanine, just hard surfaces. So there was never a product that checked all the boxes.”

“It was the reflective surfaces that we were really trying to tackle with the HOLOPLOT system,” he continues. “The 3D Audio-Beamforming technology allowed us to focus so that we could cut the reflections off the walls and make sure the people at the back of the room were getting the same audio picture as the people at the front of the room. All without having to run a ton of delays or having a bunch of loudspeakers in front of the projection surfaces.”

The HOLOPLOT team supported Bouck throughout the whole process, from system planning to providing room calculations until final commissioning and tuning.

“We finally got X1 into the venue and on the first night we just wanted to fire it up and see what happened, even before we had fine-tuned it,” Bouck enthuses. “Straight away, it was like the weight had just been lifted off our shoulders. The Matrix Arrays sounded like a huge distributed system, like everyone had their own little PA, whether they were standing against the wall, or in the middle of the room. It didn’t matter where they were, their audio experience was not diminished in any position.”

The new system has received excellent feedback. Regular visitors have noticed the positive change, but it’s not just the audience members who have benefitted; there have been healthy changes for the staff, too.

“Loud isn’t always good. Good is good!” Stutzman concludes. “We now have great audio quality without it having to scream in your face. The HOLOPLOT team really worked with us, listening to our ideas and taking it all into consideration. Our DJ shows can be up to five or six hours long. The guests can come and go, but the staff – our technicians, security, and bartenders – are here all night, and we have a duty of care to them, to ensure they’re comfortable. We didn’t want the ear fatigue you usually get from really loud festivals. So now we have a system that is really super versatile, allowing us to adapt the audio for any event without the need to reconfigure the hardware, but always provides that top audio experience to match the visuals in the space.”

WILDWOOD, N.J. — Morey’s Piers, a renowned amusement destination nestled in the heart of Wildwood, New Jersey, is thrilled to announce the celebration of Curley’s Fries’ 50th anniversary, marking five decades of delighting visitors with our iconic Curley’s Fries. To commemorate this special occasion, we invite the public to join us for Curley’s birthday party.

Curley’s birthday party will take place Friday, August 16th, from 12:30 PM until 2 PM at Joe’s Fish Co. Guests can enjoy cake and cookies and sing “Happy Birthday” to Curley himself. Bring your cameras for the chance to take a picture with Curley and his best pal Sunny. Indulge in some Curley’s Fries and sample our limited-edition sauces available throughout the summer.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of Curley’s 50th birthday celebration. Stop by Joe’s Fish Co., enjoy the festivities, indulge in our legendary fries, and take home a piece of history with our exclusive merchandise. We look forward to celebrating with you!

SINGAPORE — Embed, the world’s FEC tech partner of choice for the amusement, entertainment, and leisure industries announces its new sales team appointments in the Americas and Europe.

“We proudly reveal the Embed Mavericks who will further champion sales and customer success to continue to provide the best of FEC tech solutions and reliability across our global operations,” says Renee Welsh, CEO at Embed. “We look forward to how this change will advance Embed further and enable, empower, and ease our customers’ business.”

Erika Nonis – Sales Account Manager, EMEA
After joining Embed in 2022 as a Sales and Account Manager and successfully managing accounts in Canada and northeastern US, Erika Nonis is the new EMEA Sales Account Manager. Armed with over five years of experience in operations and event management at Cineplex and The Rec Room, and coming from a long line of family entertainment legacy, Nonis will be based in Dubai, UAE to further Embed’s efforts at driving growth in the EMEA region: 

“We are excited to have Erika Nonis lead the European market in her new role! Her proven track record and customer-centric approach make her the ideal professional to engage untapped market potential while managing Embed’s distribution partner, Bandai Namco,” shares Kash Ahmad, Global Head of Sales.

To advance its service and solutions further in the Americas, the Sales Account Managers Gabriel Wolman and Josh Adkins are set to expand on new territories and promote business growth. 

Gabriel Wolman – Sales Account Manager, NASA
Working with Embed for almost five years, industry veteran Gabriel Wolman takes on the eastern seaboard, as well as Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. Previously, Wolman’s focus has been managing accounts and building relationships with customers and industry partners in the southeastern US.

Josh Adkins – Sales Account Manager, NASA
With 6 years of experience from his previous role as an Account Manager at Redemption Plus, Josh Adkins will utilise his extensive industry expertise to manage accounts across the Midwest, Great Lakes Region, and Canada.

Julie Lynch – Strategic Account Manager
After joining in 2022 and focusing on new business with customers in the western US, Julie Lynch brings over 20 years of experience in sales and account management of large Enterprise customers, working with tech and software companies like Lexmark and Sprint. Lynch has been promoted to Strategic Account Manager to manage relationships with the largest Embed customers in North America.

“Gabriel, Josh, and Julie provide a strong mix of technical and industry experience for our customers,” shares John Keys, Regional Sales Manager (NASA). “Our focus is to help our customers leverage the Embed system to increase profitability and reduce costs, ultimately driving transformational business growth. This is exactly what you get when you combine the exceptional Embed Sales & Strategic Accounts with the Success Squad™ and other operational teams.”

To complement these new roles in the Americas, the Transformation Growth team’s Embed Success Squad™ extends sales and customer support through payment processing analyses and maximising Embed cloud-based solutions like the Mobile Wallet, BOOKINGS, and STATS.

Comprised of Austen Ward (SaaS Squad Whisperer), Jed Hazlett (Success Ambassador), and Jeremy Dickamore (VP Global Payment Solutions), the Success Squad™ beefed up its line-up with the following members:

• Joshua Chappell is promoted to Field Force Training Manager, with former Microsoft professional Tobie Line taking his former role as Field Force Trainer for Embed GoTrain™ – the FREE staff training Embed offers to drive guest usage and adoption of the Mobile Wallet to drive a 5x increase in average reload value.
• Armed with extensive experience from Global Payments, Will Moser is the new Senior Payment Specialist, joining Dickamore as Payment Gateway Guru to provide complimentary cost-savings analysis on customers’ card payment processing to cut losses from hidden fees or merchant fees and see potential savings operators can get simply by changing their payment provider.

“With the latest expert additions to the Success Squad™, we are more equipped to layer value to the members of the Embed family of FECs,” says Sara Paz, CMO and Transformation Growth Officer. The Success Squad™ was introduced at IAAPA Expo Orlando 2023 – a dedicated team of experts and management consultants that help customers maximise the Embed system to drive transformational growth.