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IAAPA Expo Kickoff

I had a chance to get a sneak peak today of the IAAPA Attractions Expo trade show floor at the Orange County Convention Center. Man that exhibit hall is huge and it’s packed to the gills. They estimate over 8 miles of distance if you walk up and down every aisle. From the booths in various stage of construction I saw today, nearly every foot of the show is packed with terrific stuff.

While there were examples of lots of great new ride systems and technologies today, I did see at least one old classic making a comeback. A number of booths have examples of updated versions of Ferris Wheels. From the giant slow spinners like the London Eye, to mini-wheels with roller coaster action that make California Adventure’s Sun Wheel seem like it’s standing still. This is a trend to watch.

There were a few sessions today, but the exhibit hall doesn’t open until tomorrow after the What’s New ceremony, which is always a "don’t miss". Those who haven’t yet registered for IAAPA Expo should mark this Friday on their calendar. That’s public day and for $30 you can explore the whole 8 miles of fun.

I’ll be at IAAPA Expo through Friday so posting will probably be light here.