Almost 30,000 attractions professionals attended the IAAPA exhibition and conference in Florida, marking a 10-year high for the event. We profile a selection of new products launched at the show, and ask some of the attendees for their views on the latest trends in the attractions world
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 1
Editor's letter: Creating Wealth
Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole
ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families,
shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers
benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
Profile: Alberto Zamperla
The Italian ride entrepreneur is
attracting international attention for
his ambitious plans to build a new
cultural attraction in the heart of
Venice. Liz Terry finds out more
Planetariums: Science in the sky
We talk to Techmania's CEO Vlastimil
Volak and designer Glenn Smith
about the opening of the first 3D
Planetarium in the Czech Republic
Museums: Sea Views
Exploring underwater museums with
eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor
IAAPA AWARDS Brass ring for Triotech dark ride Montréal based TRIOTECH won a prestigious Brass Ring Award in the Best New Product Award 2013/ Family Entertainment Center Ride/Attraction category for its XD Dark Ride attraction. The ride is highly interactive, offering stereoscopic 3D graphics in real time and multi-sensory special effects to create a different adventure for each player.
Triotech’s new dark ride attraction creates a different adventure for each player
IAAPA AWARDS Europa-Park’s ice and ABBA shows honoured Two Europa-Park shows scooped prestigious Brass Ring Awards. The ‘Ice Show Supr’Ice – Going on Vacation’ and the ABBA Show ‘Waterloo’ were both honoured for best entertainment production.
Europa’s Thomas and Michael Mack (l and c)
IAAPA AWARDS Lifetime award for Premier Rides’ Jim Seay Jim Seay, president of Premier Rides, world supplier of theme park attractions, was honoured with the Lifetime Service Award, given in recognition of an individual’s contributions to the industry and IAAPA.
Seay began his career in the industry in 1988 with Six Flags Corporate Engineering Team. In 1996 he became president of Premier Rides where he helped develop the Linear Induction Motor and Linear Synchronous Motor-powered roller coaster. Seay has dedicated himself to the design, manufacture and operation of safe rides and attractions. He currently serves on the IAAPA Safety and Government Relations Committees and the IAAPA Foundation Board.
Jim Seay accepts his award
RIDES & EXPERIENCES HUSS Park Attractions showcases two new offers HUSS® showcased its new film-based ride concept, the Explorer, which can accommodate up to 70 guests, including wheelchair users.The experience begins with a themed pre-show in the queuing area as guests watch the gondola descend into the ‘earth’. Riders sit in the closed cabin facing outwards, looking through full height glass sides for unrestricted screen views, while a 360° multi-projector film delivers high definition content.
The company also unveiled its new version of The Condor, a popular ride back in the 1980s and 90s. The Condor 2-G offers an improved ride design, and guests can choose between two ride styles.
The new Explorer ride from Huss
IAAPA AWARDS Aqua Bella show scoops IAAPA Brass Ring award Jora Entertainment’s ‘Aqua Bella’ attraction show received an IAAPA ‘Brass Ring Award’. The company developed the show concept for the Dolfinarium marine mammal park in Harderwijk, in collaboration with Dutch companies Nuforma and White Villa. Mixing entertainment with messages about global waste, Aqua Bella features high quality audio-visual, including 3D video mapping on seven giant screens.
Jora’s John Ruisch (pictured right)
IAAPA AWARDS Sally Corp’s John Wood joins IAAPA Hall of Fame Chair and CEO of dark ride and animatronics company, Sally Corporation, John Wood has been inducted into IAAPA’s Hall of Fame, which honours pioneers for their contributions to the worldwide attractions industry. Among the legendary honorees are Walt Disney (Walt Disney Company); George Ferris (inventor of the Ferris Wheel) and Jay Stein (Universal Studios Florida). Wood was cited for his ideas and leadership in reviving family dark ride attractions around the world.
John Wood (left) joins attractions greats
RIDES & EXPERIENCES Cruden makes waves at IAAPA 2013 Amsterdam-based Simulator company Cruden showed a new powerboat simulator at the show. Guests could climb aboard a Hexatech 3CTR simulator and launch themselves into the water in a dual engine P1 powerboat or fast interceptor military vessel, modelled by Cruden’s vehicle dynamics engineers. It’s the first Cruden simulator to offer an interactive experience for three guests at once.
The new simulator offers interaction for three riders at once
RIDES & EXPERIENCES WhiteWater unveils dry amusement offers WhiteWater Attractions showcased its portfolio of new dry amusement offers at IAAPA, from its new product family of Prime Interactives, Hopkins Rides, and Apptivations.
IAAPA visitors were the first to see Prime Interactive’s newest attraction, No Boundaries™, an adventure park which combines elements and activities for both harnessed and unharnessed participants.
The all-new Fusion Factory™ from Prime Interactives has taken all the best features from the old Foam Factory including blasting, dumping, vacuuming and shooting foam balls, and added new interactive laser blasters, laster tag technology, giant scoreboards, immersive story and game play, music, lights, and mobile device integration.
Also unveiled was Raft Battle from Hopkins Rides, which engages both riders and participants on shore in a full 360-degree water battle. Finally, Apptivations showcased its latest entertainment technology, including Slideboarding and Apptractions.
WhiteWater’s No Boundaries is a new adventure park housing a wide variety of activities
RIDES & EXPERIENCES nWave’s The Lost World premiers at IAAPA nWave Pictures Distribution premiered its newest 4D attraction film The Lost World at IAAPA. Produced by UK animation studio Red Star, and exclusively distributed by nWave to theme parks and attractions worldwide, the 11-minute 4D film tells the story of Bob, who goes on vacation to a desert island only to discover a world of prehistoric dinosaurs. The company also confirmed the Spring 2014 release of its new 4D production, The House of Magic: The 4D Experience, which tells the story of Thunder, an abandoned young cat who stumbles into a magical old mansion.
The Lost World is a 4D dinosaur adventure
TECHNOLOGY Gateway signs ticketing deal for Nigeria parks Gateway Ticketing Systems signed an agreement at IAAPA to use Gateway Ticketing Systems’ flagship GalaxyTM product suite for ticketing and access control at the Delta Leisure Resorts and Asaba Wildlife Parks in Nigeria.
The parks, due to open in April 2015, will use the company’s Galaxy product suite for point of sale for main gate, kiosk, online ticketing, retail and F&B.
The Delta Leisure Resorts anticipates upwards of 5 million visitors a year to the venues, which will include wildlife and water parks, hotels, nightlife and attractions.
TECHNOLOGY Attractions access technology from OmniTicket Network OmniTicket Network’s Interactive Turnstile Transformer (ITT) was on show at IAAPA. The ITT turns turnstiles, counters or desktops into an interactive access control solution. It can be customised for each park’s requirements, and offers a guest or operator-facing LCD screen, 2D barcode scanner, magnetic swipe reader, RFID sensor and a biometric reader.
TECHNOLOGY Wristband technology from CenterEdge Facility solutions provider CenterEdge unveiled a new wristband feature to its technology portfolio to help manage time-based capacity ticketing. Facilities can now have one computer printing to multiple wristband printers, which can print different coloured wristbands to differentiate ticket purchasers’ time.
RIDES & EXPERIENCES ABC Rides unveils new SFX vertical dark ride The Knights Ride Tower is a free fall ride for families, incorporating special effects on different levels and the thrill of a sudden freefall experience.
The tower is mounted on a specially-designed H-steel frame, with an attached gondola for 10 people. The gondola rises through four different levels, with a new story being told on each level, via animated movies and AV effects.
On level four, passengers are startled by a slap on the back before the gondola drops quickly to ground level.
The gondola rises through four different levels, with a new story played out on each
RIDES & EXPERIENCES Holovis’ MotionDome launches in the US
Holovis launched MotionDome, the next generation of dark ride and gaming experience to the US market at the show. MotionDome is an immersive, interactive platform for 2D or 3D experiences. Audiences enjoy a 360° projection which uses auto-alignment technology to ensure a seamless finish. The solution is scalable from as few as 2-100 players with dome sizes up to 30m. The ride is completed with Holovis motion-seat technology and driven by In-Mo™, a Holovis gaming and control technology that integrates real-time interactives into the dome.
The dome has motion-seat technology
RIDES & EXPERIENCES Interlink seals rides deal for Nigeria parks Theme park ride specialist Interlink has been contracted to play a key role in the Delta Leisure Resorts development in Nigeria, procuring 27 amusement rides for the project. Interlink is involved in the development of three of the theme park zones and, in addition to bringing in rides from other suppliers, the company will be providing a Super Flume ride and Panoramic Tower from its own product portfolio.
COMPANY PROFILES
Sally Corporation
Our services include: Dark ride design & build; Redevelopment of existing attractions; High-quality [more...]
Painting With Light
By combining lighting, video, scenic and architectural elements, sound and special effects we tell s [more...]
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
Almost 30,000 attractions professionals attended the IAAPA exhibition and conference in Florida, marking a 10-year high for the event. We profile a selection of new products launched at the show, and ask some of the attendees for their views on the latest trends in the attractions world
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 1
Editor's letter: Creating Wealth
Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole
ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families,
shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers
benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
Profile: Alberto Zamperla
The Italian ride entrepreneur is
attracting international attention for
his ambitious plans to build a new
cultural attraction in the heart of
Venice. Liz Terry finds out more
Planetariums: Science in the sky
We talk to Techmania's CEO Vlastimil
Volak and designer Glenn Smith
about the opening of the first 3D
Planetarium in the Czech Republic
Museums: Sea Views
Exploring underwater museums with
eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor
IAAPA AWARDS Brass ring for Triotech dark ride Montréal based TRIOTECH won a prestigious Brass Ring Award in the Best New Product Award 2013/ Family Entertainment Center Ride/Attraction category for its XD Dark Ride attraction. The ride is highly interactive, offering stereoscopic 3D graphics in real time and multi-sensory special effects to create a different adventure for each player.
Triotech’s new dark ride attraction creates a different adventure for each player
IAAPA AWARDS Europa-Park’s ice and ABBA shows honoured Two Europa-Park shows scooped prestigious Brass Ring Awards. The ‘Ice Show Supr’Ice – Going on Vacation’ and the ABBA Show ‘Waterloo’ were both honoured for best entertainment production.
Europa’s Thomas and Michael Mack (l and c)
IAAPA AWARDS Lifetime award for Premier Rides’ Jim Seay Jim Seay, president of Premier Rides, world supplier of theme park attractions, was honoured with the Lifetime Service Award, given in recognition of an individual’s contributions to the industry and IAAPA.
Seay began his career in the industry in 1988 with Six Flags Corporate Engineering Team. In 1996 he became president of Premier Rides where he helped develop the Linear Induction Motor and Linear Synchronous Motor-powered roller coaster. Seay has dedicated himself to the design, manufacture and operation of safe rides and attractions. He currently serves on the IAAPA Safety and Government Relations Committees and the IAAPA Foundation Board.
Jim Seay accepts his award
RIDES & EXPERIENCES HUSS Park Attractions showcases two new offers HUSS® showcased its new film-based ride concept, the Explorer, which can accommodate up to 70 guests, including wheelchair users.The experience begins with a themed pre-show in the queuing area as guests watch the gondola descend into the ‘earth’. Riders sit in the closed cabin facing outwards, looking through full height glass sides for unrestricted screen views, while a 360° multi-projector film delivers high definition content.
The company also unveiled its new version of The Condor, a popular ride back in the 1980s and 90s. The Condor 2-G offers an improved ride design, and guests can choose between two ride styles.
The new Explorer ride from Huss
IAAPA AWARDS Aqua Bella show scoops IAAPA Brass Ring award Jora Entertainment’s ‘Aqua Bella’ attraction show received an IAAPA ‘Brass Ring Award’. The company developed the show concept for the Dolfinarium marine mammal park in Harderwijk, in collaboration with Dutch companies Nuforma and White Villa. Mixing entertainment with messages about global waste, Aqua Bella features high quality audio-visual, including 3D video mapping on seven giant screens.
Jora’s John Ruisch (pictured right)
IAAPA AWARDS Sally Corp’s John Wood joins IAAPA Hall of Fame Chair and CEO of dark ride and animatronics company, Sally Corporation, John Wood has been inducted into IAAPA’s Hall of Fame, which honours pioneers for their contributions to the worldwide attractions industry. Among the legendary honorees are Walt Disney (Walt Disney Company); George Ferris (inventor of the Ferris Wheel) and Jay Stein (Universal Studios Florida). Wood was cited for his ideas and leadership in reviving family dark ride attractions around the world.
John Wood (left) joins attractions greats
RIDES & EXPERIENCES Cruden makes waves at IAAPA 2013 Amsterdam-based Simulator company Cruden showed a new powerboat simulator at the show. Guests could climb aboard a Hexatech 3CTR simulator and launch themselves into the water in a dual engine P1 powerboat or fast interceptor military vessel, modelled by Cruden’s vehicle dynamics engineers. It’s the first Cruden simulator to offer an interactive experience for three guests at once.
The new simulator offers interaction for three riders at once
RIDES & EXPERIENCES WhiteWater unveils dry amusement offers WhiteWater Attractions showcased its portfolio of new dry amusement offers at IAAPA, from its new product family of Prime Interactives, Hopkins Rides, and Apptivations.
IAAPA visitors were the first to see Prime Interactive’s newest attraction, No Boundaries™, an adventure park which combines elements and activities for both harnessed and unharnessed participants.
The all-new Fusion Factory™ from Prime Interactives has taken all the best features from the old Foam Factory including blasting, dumping, vacuuming and shooting foam balls, and added new interactive laser blasters, laster tag technology, giant scoreboards, immersive story and game play, music, lights, and mobile device integration.
Also unveiled was Raft Battle from Hopkins Rides, which engages both riders and participants on shore in a full 360-degree water battle. Finally, Apptivations showcased its latest entertainment technology, including Slideboarding and Apptractions.
WhiteWater’s No Boundaries is a new adventure park housing a wide variety of activities
RIDES & EXPERIENCES nWave’s The Lost World premiers at IAAPA nWave Pictures Distribution premiered its newest 4D attraction film The Lost World at IAAPA. Produced by UK animation studio Red Star, and exclusively distributed by nWave to theme parks and attractions worldwide, the 11-minute 4D film tells the story of Bob, who goes on vacation to a desert island only to discover a world of prehistoric dinosaurs. The company also confirmed the Spring 2014 release of its new 4D production, The House of Magic: The 4D Experience, which tells the story of Thunder, an abandoned young cat who stumbles into a magical old mansion.
The Lost World is a 4D dinosaur adventure
TECHNOLOGY Gateway signs ticketing deal for Nigeria parks Gateway Ticketing Systems signed an agreement at IAAPA to use Gateway Ticketing Systems’ flagship GalaxyTM product suite for ticketing and access control at the Delta Leisure Resorts and Asaba Wildlife Parks in Nigeria.
The parks, due to open in April 2015, will use the company’s Galaxy product suite for point of sale for main gate, kiosk, online ticketing, retail and F&B.
The Delta Leisure Resorts anticipates upwards of 5 million visitors a year to the venues, which will include wildlife and water parks, hotels, nightlife and attractions.
TECHNOLOGY Attractions access technology from OmniTicket Network OmniTicket Network’s Interactive Turnstile Transformer (ITT) was on show at IAAPA. The ITT turns turnstiles, counters or desktops into an interactive access control solution. It can be customised for each park’s requirements, and offers a guest or operator-facing LCD screen, 2D barcode scanner, magnetic swipe reader, RFID sensor and a biometric reader.
TECHNOLOGY Wristband technology from CenterEdge Facility solutions provider CenterEdge unveiled a new wristband feature to its technology portfolio to help manage time-based capacity ticketing. Facilities can now have one computer printing to multiple wristband printers, which can print different coloured wristbands to differentiate ticket purchasers’ time.
RIDES & EXPERIENCES ABC Rides unveils new SFX vertical dark ride The Knights Ride Tower is a free fall ride for families, incorporating special effects on different levels and the thrill of a sudden freefall experience.
The tower is mounted on a specially-designed H-steel frame, with an attached gondola for 10 people. The gondola rises through four different levels, with a new story being told on each level, via animated movies and AV effects.
On level four, passengers are startled by a slap on the back before the gondola drops quickly to ground level.
The gondola rises through four different levels, with a new story played out on each
RIDES & EXPERIENCES Holovis’ MotionDome launches in the US
Holovis launched MotionDome, the next generation of dark ride and gaming experience to the US market at the show. MotionDome is an immersive, interactive platform for 2D or 3D experiences. Audiences enjoy a 360° projection which uses auto-alignment technology to ensure a seamless finish. The solution is scalable from as few as 2-100 players with dome sizes up to 30m. The ride is completed with Holovis motion-seat technology and driven by In-Mo™, a Holovis gaming and control technology that integrates real-time interactives into the dome.
The dome has motion-seat technology
RIDES & EXPERIENCES Interlink seals rides deal for Nigeria parks Theme park ride specialist Interlink has been contracted to play a key role in the Delta Leisure Resorts development in Nigeria, procuring 27 amusement rides for the project. Interlink is involved in the development of three of the theme park zones and, in addition to bringing in rides from other suppliers, the company will be providing a Super Flume ride and Panoramic Tower from its own product portfolio.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-
Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional
revenue opportunities.
The UK government has announced a temporary reduction in VAT on visitor attractions and
children’s meals as part of a summer cost-of-living support package designed to stimulate the
visitor economy and encourage family days out.
As designer Yinka Ilori prepares for his first solo gallery show in London, he speaks exclusively
to CLADmag about his mission to spread joy, the power of play, and his bold approach to using
colour (including the colours you won’t see in his work).
The government of Thailand is exploring plans for a THB300bn (£6.3bn, US$8.3bn)
entertainment complex in the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with officials
proposing a large-scale theme park and sports destination as part of a broader tourism and
economic development strategy.
Royal Caribbean has revealed its Hero of the Seas cruise ship, home to the most pools at sea
(nine), and a record-breaking 28 dining venues, as well as attractions including a waterpark
with two new family raft slides.
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
