The yearly IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) Expo in Orlando, Florida is always a fun time for all facets of the amusement industry to come together all in one place for announcements, innovations and lots and lots of walking. We (Shane and Eric) were on the scene with coverage from the show floor, and in this article we’ll share our thoughts about everything we saw and did.
IAAPA 2024 Recap
Eric, what was it like as a first-time visitor? What were you surprised by?
Eric: The first day with back to back to back press conferences was definitely a little overwhelming, but it was pretty great. Definitely fun to see all the reveals, but also just great to be able to talk to people from so much of the industry in one place. I think what I didn’t realize before was how much of the show is dedicated to things like lighting companies and effects companies and games and all that kind of stuff.
Shane, how did this year compare to previous Expos?
Shane: There weren’t as many huge announcements this year, but the show floor was as fun and overwhelming as ever. Everywhere you turn there is something new, and some favorite displays from years past made an appearance again.
What were some of the most interesting things on the show floor?
Shane: For me, the Vekoma trains were the most talked-about, I love any coaster car with LEDs in it. Other than that, I really liked that Intamin had an interactive display for their multi-dimension coaster, which I still maintain is the most exciting new coaster concept out there. The trackless ride vehicle from ETF was also very cool to see in action and not something I’ve seen on the show floor before.
Eric: Of roller coaster things, the Vekoma Tecuani Beast train was definitely the coolest. And I’ll agree on the ETF Dynamic Mover vehicle. At trackless vehicle that can also rotate the passengers smoothly and separately from the base of the vehicle is very interesting. I’ll also add the new Spike Coaster models Maurer — models with higher capacity — and seeing all of the different Flying Theater models from Brogent as smaller but really interesting things.
What was your favorite announcement?
Shane: In terms of trains, Vekoma’s display of Tecuani Beast, because it also came with the announcement of a brand-new coaster at a brand new park. Also, the news that Falcon’s Creative Group will be joining forces with Oceaneering is very exciting, and something we should be keeping an eye on for the future. They set up their booth like a late-night comedy show set, which made the announcement unique and showed that Falcon’s is here to have fun.
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Eric: Yeah, for big announcements the Vekoma one is definitely the most interesting. I don’t think anything was known about this coaster before the expo. We knew a little bit about the park, and I think some of the other coasters coming to it (5 in total) were announced, but this is their signature ride. I think the Zamperla Naruto ride was also pretty fun. The first Naruto attraction in the world, first spike in Europe, and I think this is the first of the Zamperla family multi-launch coaster model that they announced a few years ago.
Model of the layout for the Naruto coaster announced by Zamperla, coming to Parc Spirou in 2026.
There are a lot of vendors that set up elaborate displays on the show floor, what was the most unique?
Shane: Probably the live alpacas, that was a new one. The Liminal screen at the Storyland Studios booth was also a great way to stand out and was some seriously impressive tech.
Eric: I’m a big fan of any kind of fountain show and projection mapping, so I really liked the Technifex booth that showed off their Water Web product.
Was there anything you wish you could’ve spent more time with?
Shane: I didn’t end up going outside, so I missed all of the giant inflatables. I also only tried a few of the VR offerings, there were so many this year that it was almost impossible to see them all.
Eric: Similar, I didn’t get to play with any of the VR stuff, that would have been fun to check out more. And I think in general there was probably a lot in the “show production and design pavilion” that I didn’t get a chance to look at. That’s where a lot of the small companies that do things like theming and set building and lighting were. Probably a bunch of cool robots that we didn’t get a chance to see.
Any fun food items?
Shane: The IAAPA Street Market was brand new for this year, and had a bunch of vendors with really fun foods. The alcoholic ICEEs were interesting, and the mac and cheese flight was the standout for me. Also, Mini Melts. Always Mini Melts.
Eric: There was a company showing off some popcorn vending machines — a larger one with multiple flavors and a smaller air popped two flavor option one — that I thought were really fun. I want a popcorn vending machine at home.
In addition to the show floor, IAAPA also hosts EduSessions where guest speakers give talks on a variety of industry topics. Did you go to any of those?
Shane: I actually went to a lot this year, and really enjoyed them. There were several events specifically for young professionals, like a portfolio class and a networking event, which I really appreciated. The Solution Spotlight from TAIT also highlighted technology-enabled storytelling, which isn’t a term I had heard before, but is a huge leap forward in what theme parks and immersive experiences can do.
Eric: Mostly press conferences and walking the show floor, but I did join Shane for the TAIT talk and it was really interesting. TAIT acquired Thinkwell in 2022, and I’ll be very interested to see what kinds of projects they do together in the future with the combination of the tech/production expertise and the creative experience.
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What was your biggest takeaway from the event as a whole?
Shane: I think that the industry is moving towards the smaller details. More unique ride vehicles, immersive storytelling, and varied ride experiences seem to be the focus rather than the biggest, fastest and tallest coasters. Audiences are coming to appreciate the details that make up a good park experience, and are more aware than ever when those things are missing.
Eric: The biggest thing I took away is that Saudi Arabia is really the current boom region for theme parks. I guess that’s not surprising with things like Falcon’s Flight, but pretty much every company we talked to had at least one big project going on there. Most of the people we spoke to expect the boom will taper off — it seems every few years a new region becomes the hot spot — but for now its for sure the epicenter of the theme park world.
Make sure to check out our Instagram page — including our IAAPA 2024 story highlight — for a bunch more pictures and videos from the IAAPA 2024 expo! We also have a podcast episode coming out where Eric and Shane talk about their thoughts if you want to listen to them in addition to what you just read.
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