Paul Pei (pictured), Ocean Park, Hong Kong: I have not seen one product that caught my eye more than any other, but there were quite a lot of new products and it was interesting to see more Asian representation among the exhibitors at IAAPA. One thing I did notice was several “6D” and “7D” products. Well I didn’t know the human body has seven senses, but is just goes to show some of the innovation that exists is our industry!
Paul Borchardt, Wonderland Park, USA: What caught me was that there was a number of manufacturers offering rollercoaster cars. Ten years ago there were only two companies that made cars other than the coaster manufacturers themselves. The real noticeable changes was the coin-op industry that has finally added “flash” to nearly all of the games (LEDs, neon etc). They have identified that to make things look new, the bright colours and action of lighting will draw customers to play.
Carl Berni, Canobie Lake, USA: I noticed that there were many new arcade games at the Orlando show this year. I don’t remember seeing so many new machines at any other shows. There were also more choices for photo machines that had some interesting features. The Park Pilot by High Mountain Enterprises also caught my attention. Their product provides an interactive map of a facility when a guest sends a text message. It automatically formats to any mobile phone that has internet capability. This has great potential for additional marketing opportunities.
