IAAPA Chairmen Share Thoughts on Industry OUTGOING: Roland Mack INCOMING: Will Morey ORLANDO, Fla
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PRE-IAAPA BONUS ISSUE TM Vol. 16 • Issue 8.1 NOVEMBER 2012 IAAPA registration strong, 2012 surprises ahead for attendees during upcoming IAAPA Attractions Expo STORY: Pam Sherborne The IAAPA Attractions and former Walt Disney Parks a tour to Fun Spot USA, and [email protected] Expo is expecting to host an and Resorts executive, will two Institutes — Rookies and estimated 25,000 attendees take over as IAAPA president Newcomers: Family Enter- ORLANDO, Fla. — Chip this year to take advantage of and CEO on Jan. 1, 2013. The tainment Center Program, and Cleary, IAAPA’s CEO and the offerings. The organization leadership transition has al- Institute for Attractions Man- president promised during is also expecting 1,100 exhibit- ready begun and attendees to agers. Monday begins formal Amusement Today’s Golden ing companies on the trade- this year’s event will notice scheduling, all of which can Ticket Awards, held Sept. 7-8, show floor. just that. be found on the organization’s Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, “Registration for As is the tradition of website, www.iaapa.org. Tenn., that this year’s IAAPA IAAPA Attractions Expo 2012 the Attractions Expo, offer- “Beginning Tuesday, the Attractions Expo would hold is strong,” Cleary said, later ings will include educational show floor will come alive,” some surprises. in September. “Tens of thou- seminars, luncheons, round- Cleary said. As both attendees and ex- sands of attractions industry table discussions, behind- The tradeshow runs 10 hibitors descend upon the Or- leaders and decision makers mately this length of time. the-scenes tours, daylong a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday (13), ange County Convention Cen- from around the world will “This really was the plan I institutes, and half-day sym- Wednesday (14) and Thursday ter, Orlando, Fla., for the 2012 gather in Orlando this No- had when I took over,” Cleary posiums designed to keep at- (15), and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Fri- convention, set for Nov. 12–16, vember for the attractions in- said, during the Golden Ticket tractions industry profession- day (16). they certainly will be looking dustry’s premier trade show Awards. “I plan to stay in the als up-to-date with the latest Some highlights planned for those surprises. and conference, IAAPA At- industry, but I am not ready trends and developments in for this year include a Lunch But, perhaps, more im- tractions Expo.” to release my plans. But, it has attractions management. and Learn presentation on portantly, they will look to Making big headlines dur- been great to be able to leave Although the expo of- Monday, Nov. 12 by Tom IAAPA’s annual event as a ing the summer was Cleary’s this position knowing Paul ficially begins Nov. 12, there Mehrmann, CEO of Ocean way to gauge trends, find new decision to leave as CEO and Noland will be coming in. He are some features scheduled Park Hong Kong; the Kickoff products and maybe even get president. He had said that it will be great.” for Sunday, Nov. 11. Those Event, Tuesday, Nov. 13; the a glimpse of the industry’s fu- was his intention to head up Noland, a theme park con- include the charity golf tour- GM and Owners’ Breakfast, ture. the organization for approxi- sultant, IAAPA board member, nament and motorcycle ride, 4See EXPO, page 4 IAAPA chairmen share thoughts on industry OUTGOING: Roland Mack INCOMING: Will Morey ORLANDO, Fla. — Roland Mack, ORLANDO, Fla. — Will Morey, Mo- Europa-Park, Germany, reflected that he rey’s Piers, Wildwood, N.J., will take over learned more about the amusement park as chair of IAAPA during the 2012 IAAPA industry in this past year as the IAAPA Attractions Expo, set for Nov. 12–16, at chairman than in all 40 years he as been a the Orange County Convention Center, part of the industry. Orlando, Fla. Mack will turn over reins as chairman to His goals for the coming year include Will Morey, Morey’s Piers, Wildwood, N.J., the continued implementation of the asso- at the upcoming 2012 IAAPA Attractions ciation’s Strategic Plan, to encourage open Expo, set for Nov. 12–16, at the Orange dialogue and increase attention to North County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. America. As a global organization, Mack said Here, Morey shares some thoughts for IAAPA is making tremendous strides. the upcoming year. Here he shares some thoughts with What are your goals this coming year Amusement Today. as the chair of IAAPA? First, on a personal note, what has Roland Mack I’m very focused on seeing that the Will Morey been the best part of being chairman of diligent execution of IAAPA’s 2013 – 2015 IAAPA this year? Strategic Plan occurs in a timely and effec- The best part of being chairman was tive manner. This is essential, as the plan that even though I have been working in this industry for more than 40 identifies key initiatives that a number of IAAPA’s best minds and leaders years, I have learned a lot about this great industry and what makes it so see as key to the association and industry’s future success. special — the people. I visited many parks and had a chance to see what While I’m committed to advancing all key goals of the Strategic Plan, I 4See MACK, page 6 4See MOREY, page 8 2 AMUSEMENT TODAY November IAAPA Pre-Convention Issue 2012 NEWSTALK OPINIONS CARTOON LETTERS AT CONTACTS EDITORIAL: Gary Slade, [email protected] CARTOON: Bubba Flint Thank you Chip Cleary Last year’s IAAPA Attractions Expo at the Orange County Convention Center was certainly filled with its share of unplanned surprises and events that kept IAAPA Presi- dent and CEO Chip Cleary hopping and up into the late night hours one night, just to Slade make sure the show could go on. After many attendees made their com- ments to AT last year about the poor quality of the rest rooms at the OCCC, we asked Chip if he could look into it. After all, clean rest rooms are a key part of our amuse- ment industry and the image the parks send to their paying customers on a daily basis. During our recent visit with Chip at the annual Gold- en Ticket Awards event at Dollywood, Cleary promised that the rest room issues have been addressed by both IAAPA and the OCCC, and that this year’s attendees will see clean restrooms. We have full faith that once again, Chip and his team will see to it the job is done by the OCCC. For that, we say thank you Chip Cleary! EDITORIAL: Andrew Mellor, [email protected] —Gary Slade Quality shines through Gary Slade is the founder and publisher of Amusement Today. His love for amusement parks began at age six when Although I wasn’t lucky down to budgets. No matter how big or small enough to attend AT’s Golden a park is, however, a high quality experience is he first visited Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park and Six Ticket Awards this year, from something guests have come to expect and if it Flags Over Texas. His long newspaper career helped lead what I’ve heard and read about is not provided the chances are they won’t return to the launch of AT in 1997. the event it was clearly hugely and they certainly won’t recommend the venue SUBSCRIBER NOTICE successful and once again high- to others. Amusement Today would like to remind subscribers lighted some fantastic parks and It’s a natural reaction when you see a well their attractions in many differ- done, good quality product to want to embrace that AT will publish two November issues for the upcoming Mellor ent ways. it and get involved with it, no more so than in IAAPA Attractions Expo, set for Nov. 12-16, 2012 in Orlan- The host venue itself, Dolly- the case of an amusement ride, a themed area, do, Florida. wood, did pretty well too, coming out on top in a great restaurant or a well-planned retail layout. November I (Pre-IAAPA) issue contains interviews and a number of categories, the park being just one And our best parks recognize the value of this other useful information about the upcoming IAAPA event of many to shine with the provision of top class, key aspect of operation and are providing such as well as a listing of registered exhibitors. It mails at its high quality attractions and facilities which are so quality-filled experiences, continually improving usual time, near then end of October. important to any venue’s success these days. their image and reputation in the process and November II (Convention issue) is AT’s normal Novem- Many years ago the public would, in general, doing their bit for the reputation of the attrac- ber issue, packed with more useful news, in-depth exclusive accept more easily things that weren’t necessar- tions industry as a whole. interviews and features for your reading pleasure. This issue ily of a very good quality but of course nowadays Another key aspect to this is value for money. will mail the week of Nov. 5. that situation has changed dramatically. People Although people’s expectations are high these Both issues will be distributed at the IAAPA Attractions recognize almost instantly if something is poor days in everything we do, most will be happy to Expo trade show floor from AT’s booth #4215 and from quality, be it the theming of a ride, the F&B pro- pay for a great experience — and that of course IAAPA’s publication bin distribution area.