IN FOCUS: TRENDS IN VIRTUAL QUEUES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY, P. 28 FUNWORLDTHE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AMUSEMENT PARKS & A TTRACTIONS APRIL 2011 Roadto Recovery As Six Flags turns 50, new CEO Jim Reid-Anderson shares how he will rebrand and rebuild Custom Modular Renovation Indoor/Outdoor Miniature Golf Custom Design TheGolfCourt® | A golf practice center that fits in the MiniLinks® | Portable Golf size of a tennis court AnyWhereLinks® | Modular miniature golf | 3 models TheLawnCourt® | Play multiple classic lawn games on one activity court Sports fields | Putting greens | Black Light mini golf | Cruise Ship applications www.adventureandfun.com 2042 South Airport Rd., Suite # 15 Traverse City, MI 49684 888 -725-4FUN (4386) COVER STORY Roadto KEVIN BROWN Recovery In this exclusive interview, new Six Flags CEO Jim 20 Reid-Anderson explains his strategy and vision for the company as it Jim Reid-Anderson at celebrates its 50th the newly refurbished “Texas Giant” anniversary. IN FOCUS: QUEUES Parks share SAINT LOUIS ZOO LOUIS SAINT insights on ADVENTURE LANDING ADVENTURE 28 managing lines for major DENO’S WONDER WHEEL PARK WONDER DENO’S attractions. How smartphones From packaging to Zoos see multiple The continuing are changing the payment plans, a benefits in legacy of Deno’s 32 way attractions 36 look at pricing 40 refurbishing their 44 Wonder Wheel Park handle queuing strategies through - entrances. in Coney Island. and the in-park out the industry. experience. WYLIE THUNDER ROAD WYLIE NATIONAL TICKET COMPANY NATIONAL MOUNTASIA FAMILY FUN CENTER FAMILY MOUNTASIA SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK SANTA SECURITY FOOD & BEVERAGE MARKETING HUMAN RESOURCES How attractions are Beverages can Text messaging FECs save time, 49 addressing ticket 54 make a big impact 56 effective for FECs 58 reduce turnover fraud. on the bottom line. reaching out to with creative hiring teens. techniques. DEPARTMENTS THE MIDWAY RESOURCES 2 Letter from 60 SPECIAL REPORT: 66 Ad Index FUNWORLD the Chairman Drive ticket sales 66 Calendar 4 Quick Hits 62 BOOK REVIEW: April 2011 Jack Lindquist’s VOLUME XXVII • ISSUE 4 7 Out & Back ‘In Service To The 15 IAAPA News Mouse’ Funworld is a member benefit of the International Association of 68 Last Shot: 64 IN BRIEF: People Amusement Parks and Attractions Six Flags and Products LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN FUNWORLD Editor Amanda Charney The many faces Senior Editor Jeremy Schoolfield of ticketing News Editor Keith Miller Innovation and creativity happen in our Editor at Large industry every day. Sometimes the result is Tim O’Brien obvious to our guests: A new ride is outfitted Contributing Editor with high-tech elements, or a new food item is Mike Bederka introduced to the marketplace. Vice President of Communications Ticketing may not be as obvious as a 200- David Mandt foot-tall roller coaster, but it’s just as important Production Manager LOGAN WALLACE LOGAN to the guest experience. Not everyone is going Michelle Wandres to ride every ride or eat every morsel of food, but everyone is guaranteed to use a facility’s ticketing interface every visit. Advertising Representatives Capitol Media Solutions The ticketing world has become more sophisticated and refined over the past Lyanne Dupra +1 703/647-6242 several years. With the introduction of virtual ticketing, online sales, virtual queueing, Dan Ferrin +1 404/347-1755 and more, the possibilities are endless. IAAPA Chairman of the Board In this issue of Funworld, we ask a handful of ticketing companies where they see Bob Rippy the sector going and what innovations are on the horizon. We IAAPA Interim COO also look deeper into virtual queuing, ticket challenges for Susan Mosedale waterparks, small park solutions, and ticket security. IAAPA Executive Director, IAAPA MISSION This issue was developed to give you ideas and Asia-Pacific Operations Our mission is to insight into what you can apply to your business, and Andrew Lee serve the membership by promoting demonstrate how the visionaries in our industry can IAAPA Executive Director, safe operations, global development, propel us forward by taking risks and thinking European Operations professional growth, and the creatively. Karen Staley commercial success of the Enjoy the issue, and let us know what you think by IAAPA Executive Director, amusement parks and Latin American Operations e-mailing Funworld at [email protected]. FW attractions industry. Paulina Reyes Sincerely, Bob Rippy, Chairman of the Board Funworld (ISSN 08923752; mailed in Canada under IPM #0902179) is published monthly, except in December, by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, 1448 Duke Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314-3464; phone +1 703/836-4800. Peri- odicals postage paid at Alexandria, Va., and additional offices. The GO On IAAPA.org purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization have not changed during the preceding 12 months. Postmaster: Send address changes to Funworld, 1448 Duke Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314-3464. Subscriptions are available to IAAPA members for Celebrate the Power of Travel. May is National Tourism and Travel Week. Since US$70 and US$90 for nonmembers. Single issues are $8. ©2011 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. 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IAAPA shall not be liable for any loss, damage, injury, claim, or oth- erwise, whether an action in contract or tort and further shall not be liable for any lost profits, or direct, indirect, special, punitive, or con- sequential damages of any kind (including without limitation attor- neys’ fees and expenses). 2 FUNWORLD Ⅲ A p r i l 2 0 1 1 QUICK HITS Six Flags New England Will Run the ‘Gauntlet’ Six Flags New England’s (SFNE) “Bizarro” roller coaster, which routinely tops lists of the best steel roller coasters in the world, is about to have a thrilling cohort. “Gotham City Gauntlet: Escape from Arkham Asylum” will join “Bizarro” in the DC Super Hero Adventure section of the park as SFNE’s th10roller coaster. It will feature winding twists and 17 hairpin turns. But some shuffling had to be done to make room for the Maurer Söhne ride, according to park spokesperson Melissa Pinkerton: “The football field was removed—it was a pass-kick game—and we relocated our slingshot ride to the south end of the park. So it’s maybe 100 feet from ‘Bizarro’—I mean right next door!”www.sixflags.com/newengland SIX FLAGS NEW ENGLAND ‘Dragon’s Treasure’ Refreshed for Special sequence of ‘Dragon’s Treasure’ that New Year takes place in the Bubble Theater TREEHOUSE FALCON'S In recognition of the first day of the Chinese New Year, Feb. 3, a new edition of the “Dragon’s Treasure” show opened at The Bubble theater of the City of Dreams in Macau and featured new content created by Falcon’s Treehouse. The Bubble theater is the world’s largest special effects projection dome. www.falconstreehouse.com Taking It to Extremes LAGOON SUNWAY for Charity In a symbolic nod to the unusual Evergreen calendar date, 1/11/11, teams Magic representing various local Selangor, Malaysia, media Clostermann competed for a grand prize of Entertainment has 11,111 ringgit (US$3,660) and completed its work on other prizes for charity at the the stunningly realistic Sunway Lagoon Extreme Sports 130-foot-tall rainforest Challenge. A crowd of 2,000 tree in the Ruhr looked on as the team from KL Region’s Gasometer in FM radio station racked up the Ettlingen, Germany, the tallest exhibition hall in highest score. The contest A contestant bungee heralded the opening of the jumps as a part of Europe. The huge tree new extreme sports park, Sunway Lagoon's weighs nine tons and Extreme Sports will be the artistic focal which boasts a permanent Challenge for charity. bungee jump site, go-karts, point of the “Magical paintball, kayaking, and a power bungee trampoline Places” exhibition among its offerings. www.sunwaylagoon.com opening April 8, 2011. www.clostermann- CLOSTERMAN ENTERTAINMENT entertainment.com 4 FUNWORLD Ⅲ A p r i l 2 0 1 1 Send us your news and pictures. E-mail Keith Miller at [email protected]. Two ‘World’s Firsts’ WADI WILD Open at Wild Wadi Thrill-seeking visitors to Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai should be gushing about two new rides. “Burj Surj” and “Tantrum Alley,” both from ProSlide Technology, are a part of the park’s newly opened expansion. “Burj Surj” is the only water ride in the world with back-to- back bowls, designed for four- and five-person rafts, and “Tantrum Alley” is the only slide in the world with three funnels.