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IAAPA 2014

CGM

CGM

TS Member
It may be the closed season but there's still cause for excitement. This year's IAAPA Attractions Expo starts in under a week with the trade show floor opening on Tuesday the 18th.

I for one can't wait to see what new products are being brought to the market and not just from ride manufacturers. Every conceivable area related to the amusement industry will be bringing exciting new innovations to the show floor. Last year I found some of the most interesting exhibits to be the many interactive multimedia midway games which were worlds away from your typical hoopla.

As well as all this, there's sure to be some major ride announcements which is definitely something to be looking forward to.
 
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TheMan said:
Oh for this to be at the NEC!
Click to expand...

The Euro Attractions Show (EAS) will more than likely be back in the UK at some point in the future. It was at Olympia in London in 2011. The IAAPA Expo will never leave the States.

Always look forward to IAAPA though, brings some excitement at the start of the closed season. Hopefully TPR cover it better than they did last year.

:)
 
We have our own spy over there, don't worry. ;) Whether or not he will be able to share what he learns, is a different matter...
 
The Joker and Cyborg animatronics for the new Justice League dark rides at Six Flags Over Texas and St Louis respectively have been previewed by Sally Corp. I must say, I'm incredibly impressed by their quality and by the decision to use Mark Hamill's voice!

Theme Park Review's Video
 
Gravity Group have announced Switchback, a new shuttle coaster at ZDT amusements near San Antonio in Texas.



It's certainly a unique ride featuring a bizarre twisted spike and an even stranger lift hill arrangement. By the looks of it, the ride starts off like a normal coaster, heading forwards out of the station, up the lift hill and down the first drop. When it reaches the spike, it stalls and heads back in the other direction. Eventually, it rolls part way up the first drop, switches direction again and heads forwards. A switch track then deploys and guides the train back onto the lift hill loop and into the station.

Note the flat section immediately after the first drop in the video with the station to the left. I reckon this is for a set of brakes and a switch track.

I can only assume that this has been done so that it can run two trains, loading one whilst the other is running in which case, it's quite a clever system.

Also, despite some of the concept art in the video being a bit ropy, the trains look awesome!

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Excuse the double post:

New Batman Six Flags Fiesta Texas S&S 4D trains reveal:


And some rather amusing looking "Games U Ride" - The hammer one I can imagine some serious soche smashing!


:D
 
Batman looks ace. The trains look stunning. All of the trains revealed this year are looking sexy. The RMC & GG ones especially.

S&S free-fly for the air car park anyone? Or B&M launched fre-fly? Couldn't resist, sorry.
 
S&S Free Fly will fit USA nicely, as it cannot go round corners :D

Personally I don't like the idea of the ride but the trains do look substantial and quite impressive!!

Meantime, an entertaining video with CEO of Triotech (the entertaining bit) and Rob Decker of Cedar Fair (the...not so... entertaining bit, still interesting though :D and it's always good to hear from these guys).



Ernest Yale talks some interesting concepts for the technology in future, could be interesting!
 


A video that sheds some light on Switchback's strange lift hill arrangement. It seems that it may not run two trains after all.
 
This is exactly what little parks need to do! Get a USP!!

Listening to the kids advice on what design the coaster needs :D

For everything about Gardablands "new" dive machine that annoys me, this is the Yan that balances it out and makes an absolute mockery of the design "ideals" of Merlin.

Brave move, innovation, creativity all by a tiny family park - a huge huge shout of congratulations to them and I hope this proves to be a resounding success!! :D
 
I don't get why that shuttle coaster is designed like that. Why not just pull the train backwards out of the station up the first drop, like every other shuttle coaster?
 
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