Amusement park show includes old favorites, future attractions
The 100th International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions convention rolled into town this week, bringing with it industry professionals from across the world.
The Orange County Convention Center was transformed into a virtual theme park, with roller coasters, wandering characters and theme park food stations.
But while most of the floor was filled with old favorites, there were also some interesting exhibits that could represent the future of amusement centers and attractions.
EZ Inflatables Inc. of Baldwin Park, Calif., has put a new twist on an old classic. The company already sells whack-a-mole and zap-a-mole (which just adds light-up platforms to the original). But now players can grab their hammers and battle to see who can hit a light the fastest after friends climb into the machine to play the moles.
No one gets hurt — players hit a panel that corresponds to where the people are, not the friends themselves.
Virtual reality was once again a major part of IAAPA this year. One version was an eight-car machine that gives groups of friends a chance to immerse themselves in the technology together. The company specializes in customizable motion simulators that can take riders into a movie or on a roller coaster. The eight-seat configuration is twice the size of a recently installed four-player system at Dave & Buster’s in Orlando.
If you have ever wanted to print selfies from your phone, a small startup in New Jersey has you covered. Print Budii uses a mobile app that lets you upload pics and print them out.
Imagine gamifying a water slide so that as you barrel down, you can earn points by touching specific markers as you go. That’s what the European company iSlide hopes to do with water parks across the world. For now, iSlide is not allowed in the U.S.
The world of flight simulators continues to go high-tech, as well, as even companies with decades of experience have been doing what they can to enhance their offerings and keep up with thousands of upstart companies. MaxFlight Simulators was at IAAPA offering those who attended a chance to go up into a jet or on a roller coaster in a free-standing simulator. The company has been building its library of experiences and enhancing the realism of graphics and sound.
Did you know there are businesses that create those wicked, fluorescent-light friendly carpets at bowling alleys?
It’s what Calhoun, Ga.-based Flagship Carpets does for a living. The company has graphic designers who create the patterns that you see when you’re hitting the lanes.