LAS VEGAS — The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) Executive Vice President, Pete Gustafson took the stage in Town Square on the Amusement Expo International trade show floor Wednesday, March 20th and announced the names of 14 new inductees to the AAMA Amusement Industry Hall of Fame, the AAMA category awards and the 2024 AAMA Lifetime Achievement Award winner.
Anticipation grew as the gathered crowd to hear the 2024 AAMA Category Award winners. Chosen by their AAMA peers, the category awards are a true calling card for the recipients. 2024 is no different as we saw some return winners and new winners come to the stage.
2024 Allied Member of the Year – TrainerTainment
2024 Supplier of the Year – Amusement Connect
2024 Distributer of the Year – Betson Enterprises
2024 Manufacturer of the Year – Raw Thrills, Inc.
2024 FEC Location of the Year – Elev8 Adventure Park
Next was the presentation of the 2024 AAMA Lifetime Achievement Award to the newly inducted Hall of Fame member, Ed Pellegrini. Ed has a long and storied history in the amusement industry having spent time at Atlas Distributing, Dandy Amusements, Regatta Jukebox, Data East Pinball, Sega & Stern Pinball, TouchTunes and since 2001 as the co-founder of Team Play with his brother Frank.
It was Ed and Frank that revolutionized the amusement industry as we know it with the invention of the card reader system utilized by so many today.
Ed’s continued contributions to the amusement industry is immeasurable and the American Amusement Machine Association is honored to call him our 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient.
In its second year, the AAMA Amusement Industry Hall of Fame inducted 14 new members to the Class of 2024 in three categories; Legacy, Living and Entity. These 14 join the 37 members in the inaugural class of 2023.
2024 Entity:
Golden Tee
PONG
2024 Legacy:
Bill Cravens
Dick Hawkins
Don Hesch
Millie McCarthy
Lou Nicastro
2024 Living:
Al Alcorn
Rick Kirby
Clarence Mabe J
orge Mochkovsky
Ed Pellegrini
Frank Seninsky
Mike Stroll
The AAMA looks forward to celebrating Ed Pellegrini and his impact on the amusement industry again at the AAMA Annual Meeting & Gala – Global Perspectives, Industry Connections: A Member Retreat at the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg, September 17th – 20th.
LANCASTER, Pa — Opening Day at Dutch Wonderland is justfour days away as the World’s Best Family Park welcomes visitors back to the park with the triumphant second season of its Eggcellent Easter Celebration.The kingdom gates will officially open at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 29 to begin a season of spring activities featuring four all-new entertainment options found throughout the park.
This year’s guest-favorite event will begin with an Easter theme, from Opening Day through April 21. Then, the festivities continue with an all-new spring theme through May 19. Bigger and better than before, the event will feature more than 7,000 live blooming flowers, massive Easter eggs scattered around the kingdom, seasonal food and beverage offerings and more, including:
- NEW! Dine with Tuft: Families are invited to meet Dutch Wonderland’s Easter Bunny and the newest member of the royal court, Tuft during the all-new Dine with Tuft experience at Merlin’s Pizza and Pasta Buffet every Saturday and Sunday through April 21 at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. or 5 p.m.;
- NEW! Bunny Hop Plaza: From juggling lessons to meet-and-greets with beloved characters, there’s an activity for the whole family at the brand-new Bunny Hop Plaza. Grab a family photo in front of the beautiful Easter egg display, create giant springtime flowers and more;
- NEW! Storytime Corner: Princess Brooke, Sir Brandon and Merlin are taking over Storytime Corner at select times throughout the Eggcellent Celebration as they read beloved fairytale stories;
- NEW! Whirligig Lane: The kiddos are invited to hop down the new Whirlygig Lane as they take on a variety of unique challenges;
- Meet & Greets with Tuft: Stop by for unique family photos and meet with Tuft the Bunny at Tufts Terrace every weekend through April 21;
- Royal Egg Hunt: Grab the whole family and help Tuft the Bunny find all of his lost Easter Eggs scattered throughout the park;
- Puppet Shows: The critters of Melody Meadow are putting on a spectacular show each day. During Talent Show Turmoil, guests will join Brady Bunny as he learns that he’s capable of accomplishing great things.
“In 2024, we are continuing to grow and expand our robust family-friendly lineup of events here at the kingdom,” said Megan Hartman, Dutch Wonderland General Manager. “In our second year of the Eggcellent Easter Celebration, we are adding even more family-friendly activities, budding flowers and even more chances for families to meet our beloved Easter Bunny, Tuft.”
To celebrate the start of the 2024 season, Dutch Wonderland is throwing an Opening Weekend party. The first 500 guests will receive a delicious cupcake from Oregan Dairy and will get to countdown to the opening of the kingdom gates with a confetti party. Plus, everyone who visits the park during Grand Opening weekend will receive a commemorative pin, a long-running Grand Opening tradition at Dutch Wonderland. Plus, guests who complete the Easter egg scavenger hunt will win a collectible pin each weekend and the first families that locate all five golden eggs will win additional prizes!
ORLANDO — Falcon’s Creative Group, a division of Falcon’s Beyond Global, Inc. (FBYD) (“Falcon’s” or the “Company”), a global themed entertainment powerhouse and visionary innovator in immersive storytelling, is proud to announce they are the master planner, attraction designer and creative guardian of the first-ever Dragon Ball theme park.
Unveiled at AnimeJapan on March 22, the Dragon Ball theme park experience will span over 500,000 square meters and will be a key part of the highly anticipated Qiddiya City, the world’s first city built for play near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Featuring seven different themed lands that recreate various iconic locales from the original series; such as Kame House, Capsule Corporation, and Beerus’s Planet; the Dragon Ball theme park will be developed and built with creative oversight from Falcon’s Creative Group, who will play a critical role in bringing the project to life in new and immersive ways. Park guests will be able to experience the world of Dragon Ball from the first Dragon Ball series to Dragon Ball Super.
Falcon’s Creative Group is one of the world’s leading themed entertainment design and master planning firms where creative vision, compelling design, immersive media, and cutting-edge technology intersect to bring imagination to life. Falcon’s Creative Group has planned over $100 billion in themed experiences around the globe.
“It has been a true source of pride for our company to serve as a lead creative consultant for the Dragon Ball Theme Park,” said Cecil D. Magpuri, CEO of Falcon’s Beyond. “Qiddiya Investment Company, Toei Animation and our team hold a shared vision to reimagine the world of entertainment and delight consumers in new, innovative ways. This theme park will do just that.”
Dragon Ball theme park will feature five state-of-the-art rides as part of a lineup of 30+ attractions set against the backdrop of the Tuwaiq mountains. At the heart of the park is its most iconic Eternal Dragon, an extraordinary 70-meter-high Shenron that will house the park’s signature roller coaster ride. The park’s themed restaurants and adjacent hotels will allow guests to further immerse themselves in the world of Dragon Ball.
In addition to the Dragon Ball theme park, Falcon’s Creative Group is supporting the creative development of multiple entertainment experiences within Qiddiya City, including master planning the Qiddiya Water Theme Park, and supporting development for the world’s first Gaming and Esports district, also set to be part of the destination.
ALTENDORF, Switzerland — RES Rides AG, is making waves once again with crowd pleasing one-of-a-kind rides! The world’s first Wave Twist L will be opening at Adventureland Long Island in 2025, which will be called the Wave Twister. The custom-made ride is slated to open for Spring 2025 and will be sure to thrill guests with its unique movements along an L shaped track that will simulate the motion and feel of riding on top of huge ocean waves.
The Wave Twist L is a family ride that has a boomerang effect with two gondolas carrying 10 passengers each, installed on a rotating platform which all rotates while travelling over an almost 280ft long track reaching a height of over 60ft.
‘’RES RIDES is thrilled to bring the first Wave Twist L to the market,’’ says Roman Rothe, RES RIDES Technical Director. ‘’Every year we introduce new rides that bring new movements and create new experiences, and the Wave Twist is truly unique in every way.’’ continues Rothe.
The Wave Twister will be RES’ second ride lately installed at Adventureland Long Island, after the vertical family roller coaster Roller Ball, called the FIREBALL opening to great guest excitement in 2022.
At Gardaland, excitement is growing for the new epic attraction for families and young thrill-seekers and adventure seekers. Indeed, the 2024 new entry is beginning to take shape as its inauguration, scheduled for next June, approaches.
Today, among the streets of Castelnuovo del Garda in the direction of Gardaland Park, an extraordinary American tractor-trailer, followed by two articulated lorries,did not go unnoticed by motorists: on board the three vehicles wasa special load – an imposing 25-metre high purple octagonal tower.
The new eyecatching attraction will in fact be a “Drop & Twist Tower”, designed to provide a thrilling experience for Guests both young and old.
On climbing aboard, the Adventurers will commence their ride to the notes of a ritual chant, surrounded by glittering symbols to be deciphered, extraordinary lighting effects and, only when they touch the highest point of the attraction, will they plummet through dense clouds of smoke.Guests are invited to climb up and down several times and repeatedly rotate around the axis of the tower, for a memorable and unique experience before the final descent.
In the run-up to the reopening of the resort on Saturday 23 March, workers on the construction site of the new attraction have been assisting with the arrival of the tower at the park and its subsequent installation with assembly of the “gondola”, i.e. the 16 seats on which the adventurous passengers will climb, arranged in a circle around the tower.
The three pieces that make up the new Drop & Twist Tower, weighing a total of around 22,000 kg, were assembled together in a horizontal position and, subsequently − with the help of two cranes − hoisted by means of straightening operations specifically designed for the area in question.
The new tower is equipped with a hydraulic system that allows the different movements and effects of the gondola to be controlled via a state-of-the-art touch screen control panel.
Gardaland’s CEO Sabrina de Carvalho commented: “We can’t wait to inaugurate this attraction that is destined to become a new icon of Gardaland. Thanks to its impressive set design and light and sound effects, our guests will be involved in a memorable experience. It promises to be not just a fun experience but also a real adventure, which will spark the imagination and guarantee excitement for our Visitors.”
The logistical operation that allowed the work to be completed on site before the opening of the Park was also rendered possible thanks to collaboration between Gardaland and Mesaroli Group, a team of expert transporters. They worked together, studying every single detail, to move this imposing tower from its place of construction − in the province of Padua − to the heart of the Park (a distance of around 80 km).
Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure are hiring to fill over 400 positions for the 2024 Season. Available positions include Ride Attendants, Life Guards, Slide Attendants, Retail, Food and Beverage, Quality Control, Admissions, Security, and even more! Available positions are ideal for students, teachers looking for summer work, or anyone interested in a fun summer job.
Employees of Alabama Adventure will enjoy benefits like: free tickets to visit not only Alabama Adventure but other amusement parks as well, flexible hours, advancement opportunities, bonuses, free employee events, and much more.
No previous experience is needed and all training is done in-house.
A successful Tag 4 A Cause laser tag event was recently held at Battle Blast Laser Tag in Las Vegas to promote fun, fitness and fundraising through laser tag. This fundraiser resulted in over $1400 in donations being raised for A Path 4 Paws, a Las Vegas based dog rescue organization. During the event coordinated by laser tag blogger and podcaster Laurie Jean Britton (TiviachickLovesLaserTag.com) participants were invited to donate to the cause and receive a laser tag 5K medal as thanks, which also gave them an opportunity to compete for the coveted golden phaser high score trophy during the laser tag games played during the event.
Britton (also known as Tivia in the laser tag community) has been coordinating Tag 4 A Cause events quarterly since the end of 2020 by using her laser tag blog as a way to spotlight different charitable causes. Originally started as a virtual fundraiser, it has evolved into an opportunity to raise awareness for a different cause each quarter, which she now ties in with personal visits to laser tag arenas throughout the country to host Tag 4 A Cause fundraiser nights like the one held at Battle Blast on March 20th.
As an advocate for the benefits of playing laser tag, Britton says that “Laser tag is a great way to engage players of all ages in healthy competition while also enjoying other benefits such as fitness, social interaction and team building. Incorporating an opportunity to support a great cause while enjoying a game of laser tag makes the experience even more worthwhile. For this event we were delighted that Tag 4 A Cause became a chance to Tag 4 The Paws!”
W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — ASTM International is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew G. Kireta Jr. as the organization’s new president, effective May 1, 2024. Kireta’s background in standards development and familiarity with the organization uniquely positions him to lead ASTM International into future growth and innovation. He will succeed Katharine Morgan, who served in the role since 2017 and will retire after a distinguished 40-year career with ASTM.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andy as president of ASTM International,” says Bill Griese, 2024 chair of ASTM’s Board of Directors. “Andy has spent years supporting ASTM International in a variety of volunteer roles and is exceptionally well-suited to lead the organization forward. He brings a strong commitment to ASTM’s mission, values, and membership. Kathie’s dedication and engagement have made it possible for us to find the right leader for ASTM’s future, and we are delighted she will help to ensure a smooth transition as Andy assumes the role in May.”
Kireta is president and CEO of the Copper Development Association and has been with the not-for-profit trade association since 1992, serving the past two decades in an executive management capacity. He has been an ASTM International member since 1998, and joined the board of directors in 2014, serving as chair of the audit and finance committee in 2017, vice chair in 2018 and 2019, and chair of the board in 2020. Kireta also previously served as vice chair and chair of the board of SEI International, an ASTM affiliate.
“I am honored and excited to serve as the new president of ASTM International,” says Kireta. “I have great respect for ASTM’s mission, staff, members, and partners, and I am humbled to lead an organization that has made such a meaningful impact on industry and society over its 125-year history. I am eager to work with the ASTM community to build upon that success as we advance our mission of helping our world work better.”
In his role as president, Kireta will lead one of the oldest and largest standards organizations in the world, overseeing 35,000 global members who work to develop and refine more than 12,900 technical standards and solutions that represent over 90 industry sectors.
Elev8 Fun Sanford has won the Amusement and Music Operators Association Family Entertainment Center of the year award at a ceremony held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The award comes on the heels of an annual competition in which entrants across the nation compete on a multitude of categories including design/aesthetic, application forms, customer service, secret shopping, and more. David Goldfarb, Managing Partner of Elev8 Fun, accepted the award on behalf of the company.
At press time, Goldfarb commented “I am very honored to receive this award on behalf of the entire Elev8 Organization. This is a testament to the product and service our team members continue to deliver. Without them, there would be no Elev8”. This iteration of the award, is the second in Goldfarb’s portfolio, as Xtreme Action Park won the same award in 2019. “This award keeps motivating us in delivering and maintaining the standards that have become cornerstones in our business”, said Goldfarb. Elev8 Fun will look to follow up the award with more entries, as more of its locations are due to open in the coming months and years.
When strict hygiene standards are in place, it’s essential to use the appropriate optimized parts. However, even in less sensitive areas, optimized parts are just as valuable, starting with the leveling feet.
Hygienic Design standard parts are essential in the production process of sensitive areas like food, medical, and pharmaceutical industries. These parts facilitate the manufacturing of preservative-free products while ensuring a longer shelf life, product safety, and consumer protection. Hygienic design standards simplify the cleaning process by providing high surface quality/finish, freedom from dead spaces to ensure proper fluid/cleaning agent run-off, non-concaved/dished outer surfaces, and sealed bolting areas. This design also reduces the time and materials required for regular cleaning, thereby lowering operating costs. As a result, companies in less sensitive areas also find these parts vital to their processes.
We start with stainless steel leveling feet GN 20 with a turned foot plate, firmly vulcanized bottom surface, and spindle seals. Designed with mounting holes, these leveling feet satisfy the requirements of EHEDG, the 3-A Sanitary Standard, and the DGUV testing principles, especially when pairing with the hex head screw or nut GN 1580.
The alternative model GN 19 is designed for lower loads, covers the same range of applications (except for floor mounting), and complies with the 3-A Sanitary Standard and the DGUV testing principles. The foot plate is stamped and/or formed from a stainless steel AISI 316L sheet rather than machined, and it is lined on the bottom with a blue silicone elastomer. As a result, this part also forms a tight seal against the floor. The formed sheet metal foot offers a cost advantage over the GN 20 leveling foot. The two leveling feet, GN 17 and GN 18 are new to the lineup. While they don’t meet strict Hygienic Design requirements, they still utilize FDA compliant materials and satisfy the requirements of EU 1935-2004. These two parts are used in applications where wet cleaning is not required, such as the packaging of dry goods.
The materials used have been selected accordingly: the GN 17 features stainless steel AISI 304 for the plate, the spindle adjustable by six degrees, and the height-adjusting hex nut. Instead of the blue silicone elastomer, the floor seal consists of plasticizer-free, vulcanized black NBR rubber.
The GN 18 also features stainless steel in AISI 316L, while both leveling feet offer optimized inclined angles, easy-to-clean surfaces, and an absence of concave geometry. With these two leveling feet, JW Winco has extended its range of standard parts for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries and beyond.
