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Contactless technology issue 81, spring 2020 inparkmagazine.com helps attractions reopen safely Disney’s Galaxy COVID-19 Dubai 2021 Two new trackless dark rides at Zoos & aquariums take a mission- The UAE’s Expo 2020 is the Walt Disney World Resort driven approach to the pandemic officially postponed one year Stoneface Inc. The Sculpted Rock Artisans CA License 1001362 - AZ License 308722 - UT License 10614867-5501 Animal Exhibits Concrete Theming Water Features Wall Finishes Artificial Rock Work Stamped Concrete Decking w2 ww.stonefaceinc.com 949-370-9880 [email protected] inparkmagazine.com issue 81, spring 2020 Sustaining the mission Inside the time machine 5 Zoos and aquariums in the age of COVID-19 22 Geoff Thatcher’s new book: The CEO’s Time by Joe Kleiman Machine • interview by Martin Palicki Through the generations Course objectives 8 Mack Rides and Europa-Park have stood the test 25 What should Themed Experience graduates of time • by Kevin Dazey know, say and do? • by Peter Weishar Removing barriers Reality, but better 12 The trend of contactless technology is here to 28 AR and VR are making more memorable stay • by Martin Palicki attractions • by Sarah Brack Self-driving vehicle Rethinking touch on interactive exhibits 17 CAVU Designwerks rolls out an intelligent, 30 Mad Systems’ QuickSilver integrates touchless trackless ride vehicle • by Sarah Brack and other options for museums • by Maris Ensing Postponing an Expo Around Disney’s Galaxy in 25 minutes 19 What does it mean to postpone Expo 2020 34 Rise of the Resistance impresses on all fronts Dubai until 2021 • by Jim Ogul & Judith Rubin by Martin Palicki & Judith Rubin Weighing in on the delay Inside the mouse house 21 International participants in Dubai Expo 2020 38 Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway revealed share thoughts on the new dates • by Jim Ogul by Martin Palicki COVER: The Connect&GO team & contributors ParkPass RFID wristband is allowing PUBLISHER DESIGN Martin Palicki Martin Palicki attractions to reopen safely by making ticketing, purchases, EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS queuing and more completely Judith Rubin Sarah Brack Kevin Dazey contactless. NEWS EDITOR Maris Ensing Joe Kleiman Jim Ogul Photo courtesy of Connect&GO Peter Weishar InPark Magazine (ISSN 1553-1767) is published five times a year by Martin Chronicles Publishing, LLC. 2349 E Ohio Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207, USA. Shipping address: 2349 E Ohio Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207, USA. Phone: +1-262-412-7107. Printing by Johnson Press of America. Contents © 2020 InPark Magazine. All rights reserved. Nothing in the magazine may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the magazine. InPark Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. Such material must be accompanied by a self-adressed and stamped envelope to be returned. Postmaster: Send address changes to InPark Magazine 2349 E Ohio Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207, USA. Subscriptions are available annually for $45 per year ($70 international). Opinions expressed in editorial matter are not necessarily those of InPark Magazine or its publishers, Martin Chronicles Publishing, LLC. 3 inparkmagazine.com Finding paths forward Appreciation for Alf Heller, to during uncertain times whom I owe my career Martin Palicki, Judith Rubin, InPark Magazine publisher InPark Magazine editor avigating the first half of 2020 has been difficult for 987 was the year I moved from New York to Oakland and Neveryone. Uncertainty over isolation, global travel bans, civil 1joined the small staff of the quarterly World’s Fair magazine. unrest and massive layoffs are just a few of the factors that are The eight years I spent working with editor and publisher Alfred impacting decision makers around the world. Heller were my entrée to the attractions industry. The long-term effects on travel and entertainment remain to be It was one year after the last great world expo on North American seen. Still, many parks and attractions are reopening; there is a soil, Vancouver 86 and five years after the opening of Epcot. Both clear group of people ready to get out and consume experiences projects helped launch many careers and firms still active in our again. industry and set in motion many important trends that continue today. The industry is resilient, and our companies are populated by creative thinkers and problem solvers. Just in the last two months, Alf, who passed away in December 2019 at age 90, had started leaders have identified ways to minimize risk and earn the public’s World’s Fair magazine because he loved world’s fairs. He had trust. Even so, it all seems so fragile, as though one major incident an extensive collection, especially of posters. But the study of could clamp down the gates for even longer. expos also corresponded with his other areas of deep interest and knowledge: environmentalism, urban development, history, Also challenging are the issues surrounding systemic racism and anthropology, politics and business. the enormous disparities that go along with it. It may not feel like your problem, but we are likely on the verge of a social shift that I brought several years’ publishing experience, a knack for writing will impact every company’s interaction with law enforcement, and promotion, and an art background. One of the tests Alf gave security, recruiting, marketing and more. The wise business owner me was to research and write what became my first Parade of will act not only because the winds are changing, but because it is Events, a popular column that ran in every issue. the ethical and socially just action to take. Alf enabled me to learn and explore in many directions. He was At InPark we have adjusted our process as a result of the industry fond of saying, “You know, you’re NOT the editor.” But he dynamics. This issue, normally focused on TEA Thea award eventually promoted me to associate editor/publisher, as World’s recipients, has been transformed to include more pandemic Fair transitioned from a scholarly journal to a respectable trade related features. Our next issue, out later this summer, will have an magazine with a scholarly air and a booth at IAAPA. international focus and also feature our Thea content. Online, we have been reporting on COVID-19 since parks in Asia first started The 1990s were a rollercoaster for expos, with plenty to write closing and we continue to provide information and resources as about: a spate of unofficial (non-BIE) expos in Japan; the declining everyone continues to work through these issues. performance of the US; the expanding role of specialty film and high-tech interactive exhibits; Korea’s first world’s fair (1993); the We’ve also evaluated our priorities. We have always endeavored to opening of Euro Disneyland. It took me into many overlapping appreciate and elevate a diverse community of voices. Listening sectors of visitor attractions, project development, entertainment to a wider body helps reduce confirmation bias and opens up an technology and design. organization to broader and healthier growth. We pledge to work even harder towards fulfilling that commitment. Expos tend to suffer from a lack of institutional memory as each new organizing committee and pavilion team seeks to put its unique Finally, without reserve we declare that WE MISS YOU. Calls just stamp on the product. In 1994, Alf wrote, “The BIE should hold aren’t the same and we look forward to the time when we can see workshops for member countries on how to present themselves you again in person. In the meantime, we hope you will find this effectively at expos. They should invite designers, equipment- issue enjoyable, relevant and useful. makers, architects and experts on the best exhibits at expos past as well as on the trend of the moment.” This was a key statement. World’s Fair magazine was a resource to the expo world, providing Joe Kleiman is News Editor for the InPark shared wisdom and perspective that were otherwise hard to find. website. He has 25+ years management The magazine ran 15 years. Alf continued to attend world’s fairs experience: in tourism, museums and (20 in his lifetime) and to review them on his site worldsfairs.com. attractions, in the giant screen industries and He donated his collection to Yale. I’ll leave you with a quote from as a zookeeper. his Editor’s Notebook, Vol. XV, No. 4, Oct-Dec 1995: “Expos won’t survive without ideas.” 4 inparkmagazine.com Sustaining the mission Zoos & aquariums in the age of COVID-19 by Joe Kleiman ith the COVID-19 pandemic having shut down Wattractions worldwide, operators have been faced with a tough decision – deciding what portions of their operations are necessary to maintain their facilities in preparation for an undetermined reopening. Zoos and aquariums have a special challenge in being responsible for thousands of animals reliant on human care. “Members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums are approaching total closure,” says Dan Ashe, President and CEO of AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums), which represents A sea otter enjoys a snack from a caretaker at the Monterey Bay and accredits over 230 zoos and aquariums in North America, Aquarium. Photo courtesy Monterey Bay Aquarium Asia, and Europe. “Over 90 percent of our membership is currently closed, and that number continues to rise. AZA “We were definitely watching China,” he says, “But we were members are taking drastic actions to maintain the viability of much more focused on a local geographical area. We made their facilities while also maintaining commitments to provide sure to follow California and CDC guidelines. We watched the exceptional care of their animals. This pandemic uniquely situation for months, so that we were not caught by surprise.

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