Premier Rides Runner Wins GKTW 5K

Matt Sanders of Premier Rides (above) won this morning's Give Kids The World 5K Fun Run at Pecos Legacy Park in Henderson, Nevade, in a time of 16 minutes, 34 seconds.

About 50 participants came out for the third annual event to benefit the Kissimmee, Florida, charity that grants Wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. Organizers were pleased with the turnout, especially considering this is IAAPA Attractions Expo's first time in Las Vegas and early-bird start time is when some people in this town are just going to bed.

"Some of them maybe didn't even go to bed—in Vegas, you never know," joked GKTW President Pamela Landwirth as the runners took off down the course. "We didn't know what to expect in Las Vegas, but I think it shows what a wonderful community IAAPA is. They're caring and they love to support the Village."

"I wanted to do something good for IAAPA, Give Kids The World, and my company," Sanders said after the race. "It was a little tough and tiring, especially since I flew in yesterday from Maryland, but it was a good time."

As IAAPA Attractions Expo returns to Orlando in 2010, so, too, does the 5K—and next year may see a special twist to this event. Two weeks ago GKTW, taking a cue from the Expo race, held its first 5K through the Village itself and drew a tremendous crowd of 350 runners. Landwirth is hopeful next year's Expo race will follow that same course.

"It was a fabulous event," Landwirth said. "Most of our runners came from our theme park friends. We're going to do it again next year, ,and the thought is to do this one there, too. It's like running through heaven."

FUNWORLD Follow-Up: Engineering Group Visits Expo 2009

In the October 2009 issue of FUNWORLD, I wrote about some theme park engineering groups popping up on college campuses across the United States, most notably at The Ohio State University and the University of Toledo. Well, some of the guys I profiled in that piece came all the way to Vegas this week to attend IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009.

I sat down with four of them this morning and was glad to hear they're having a great experience at this year's show. They said the article has really done a lot for their groups. 

"People know about us now," said Dan Linden, a cofounder of Ohio State's Theme Park Engineering Group. 

"We've gone up to meet with companies and they say, 'Oh, you're the guys from the article!'" said Jeff Piggrem, president of the Toledo group.

"We actually got stopped on the way to a meeting and were asked about an engineering problem," added Brad Okeson, the Ohio State group's president. "It was insane."

Okeson said other groups from around the country have contacted them after seeing the piece in FUNWORLD, including the University of Maryland and the University of Central Florida.

He also said the article came at a good time, as Theme Park Engineering Group was just starting to take off on its own. At a freshman outreach fair in September, the group received 150 signatures from interested students—in the pouring rain, no less—a significant jump over last year. "We had lines of people," he said.

While at Expo, Linden said the goal is to make more contacts in the industry that will hopefully pay off when they all graduate (Linden finishes in three months). They also spoke with IAAPA reps to see how the student groups nationwide could become more involved in the association and the industry at large. 

This year is Linden and Okeson's second trip to IAAPA Attractions Expo, and they approached it much differently the second time around.

"We've learned more about how to best utilize the convention, making it out to all the [networking events]," Okeson said. "We have more of a mission and goal as a group."

"We gave out a lot more cards this year—and got a lot more cards, too," Linden said.

IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 Is Under Way!

Attendees were jam-packed in the lobby this morning waiting to get into IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009, which threw open the doors at 10 a.m. Vegas time.

For up-to-the-minute updates from all over the Expo, look to your right and follow the association's Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/IAAPA2009. You can also read some of the stories from The IAAPA Attractions Expo Show Daily here. 

Best to everyone this week. Here's to a great show!

IAAPA Webinar: Are You Ready for Vegas?

IAAPA wants to help you gear up for attending IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 in Las Vegas, Nov. 16-20. It's the association's first time in that famous city, so attend Tuesday’s webinar at 2 p.m. Eastern, and get the scoop on transportation options and advice, new features of this year’s exhibit hall, locations and transportation for special events, and general tips for first-time attendees.

Take advantage of IAAPA expertise, and learn all you can before you head out to Vegas!

To register for the webinar, click here.

To follow along with FUNWORLD magazine, take a look at our special Vegas section in the October issue. View the digital edition by clicking here.

More From FUNWORLD: The latest and greatest from Warner Village Theme Parks in Australia

In November's FUNWORLD, I wrote about trends in the Australian waterpark industry, among them RFID technology; attractions like swimming lagoons, aimed at all ages; and possible plans for indoor waterparks.

Now, in an extended interview with Bob White, general manager of Wet’n’Wild Water World in Gold Coast, Australia, In the Queue readers can catch up on marketing stretegies (think Krispy Kreme doughnuts!) and important issues (don’t forget sunscreen!) that keep the park relevant and successful.

Over the past two years, how has Warner Village Theme Parks been innovative and grown as a waterpark?
Warner Village Theme Parks has seen steady growth in attendance at Wet’n’Wild Water World, its flagship waterpark, in recent years. Wet’n’Wild saw over 1 million visitors through its gates in a 12-month period for the first time in 2007. This achievement was repeated in the following financial year, with strong attendance figures also projected for FY 09-10.

What new attractions or programs have you recently added—or plan to add—and what was the motivation behind each decision?
Over the past two years Wet’n’Wild has seen the introduction of a number of new attractions. In October 2008, Wet’n’Wild opened “Kamikaze”—a Sidewinder MK-1. “Kamikaze” was introduced to Wet’n’Wild as it appealed to both the teen and family markets and it was a first for the southern hemisphere. "Kamikaze" (right) also offered a high capacity through-put to assist with the park’s growing visitation. In addition to new attractions, Wet’n’Wild also has an intensive marketing strategy focused on driving attendance and keeping the brand relevant. Marketing activity, included giveaways of Krispy Kreme doughnuts before they were available for purchase on the Gold Coast, and cooperative promotional campaigns with corporate Partners like Coco-Cola. Wet’n’Wild will continue to seek innovative, high-capacity attractions to meet growing operational and consumer demands.

How do you cultivate new ideas—do you let staff brainstorm together, watch other parks throughout the world, or ask for guest feedback?
Warner Village Theme Parks uses a variety of techniques to generate ideas for new rides and attractions. These include market research such as focus groups and observation of other Water Parks. Wet’n’Wild is also fortunate to have a diverse range of staff members with a huge amount of experience on various levels. This makes brainstorming new ideas very effective. Whilst the park is somewhat isolated due to location, staffers have an excellent networking system with operators and industry bodies throughout the world. Additionally, a good communication plan for gathering guest feedback from frontline staff is essential for future planning. These staff are the eyes and ears of our business and their input is invaluable. The theme park team utilizes the strategic depth of the marketing team based at Village Roadshow’s head office to further develop new ideas.

Are there any longrunning priorities or initiatives Wet’n’Wild followed that continually contribute to its success?
Wet’n’Wild has a number of initiatives that help contribute to its continued success. Of note, Wet’n’Wild’s advertising campaigns steer clear of "formula." They are contemporary, vibrant, and cutting edge—assisting to keep the brand "cool" and appeal to the teen market. Advertising schedules also aim to dominate share of voice. In conjunction with advertising, the marketing team utilizes numerous national publicity opportunities to raise brand awareness and deliver key messages to the target market. These opportunities can range from a full outside broadcast with a national breakfast television show to segment-hostings with a national music video show—this all helps to keep the brand relevant to the target market.

Management also works closely with other major aquatic institutions to promote safety to guests. Management implemented a joint initiative with the Royal Lifesaving Society called the Keep Watch program, designed to educate parents and guardians about their responsibilities within the park and around the water. And Wet’n’Wild has an in-house radio station which plays a variety of appropriate songs throughout the day. This medium is used to advise guests of any in-park promotions, upcoming events, or offers available to them—the radio station has proven very successful.

Are there any trends you see throughout the world or specifically in Australia you feel are strongly affecting the waterpark industry?
Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world and consumers are increasingly seeking more shade. Subsequently, the Wet’n’Wild team continually reviews shade plans to increase the available shade in the park. We are also finding guests want greater challenges and thrills, increasing the demand for slides that meet this criteria. They want the oohs and ahhs of slides and the ability to share the experience with a group of family and friends.

Are there any potential challenges you must continually prepare for and consider?
Another potential challenge is the recruitment of aquatic staff given the seasonal nature of Wet’n’Wild. Every 12 months a large percentage of the work force is new employees, hence there is an enormous focus on recruitment processes as well as training requirements for new staff. All of these need to be completed prior to the influx of guests in the first holidays of spring. Queensland’s subtropical climate offers perfect waterpark weather, however it can be challenging for staff. Management works hard to ensure staffers are equipped to beat the challenges of sunburn, dehydration, and other heat related illnesses.

FUNWORLD's Year-End Double Issue Now Online

Every year in honor of IAAPA Attractions Expo, FUNWORLD publishes a giant double edition for November/December. The 2009 "trade show issue" is a highlight of our year, featuring a wide range of articles from around the globe. The magazine should be hitting your mailboxes soon (if it hasn't already), but if you'd like to start reading immediately, you can check out FUNWORLD's digital edition here.

Leading off is my exclusive interview with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo, who talked with me at length about the past, present, and future of the Disneyland Resort, and what the massive overhaul under way at Disney's California Adventure will mean for the park and the tourist destination as a whole. Then, I went behind (and under) the scenes with several Imagineers to talk specifics about what's coming to DCA over the next three years, most notably the "World of Color" nighttime show, set to debut in spring 2010.

Nov/Dec also features two major three-article sections: The first is a regional profile of the attractions industry in Japan (including this awesome story about a Ferris wheel inside a building); the other is a global look at waterparks, including spotlights on Malaysia and Australia from Departments Editor Marion Hixon.

News Editor Keith Miller has three trend-oriented reports in this issue. He examines:
• The growth of sports resorts around the world.
• The booming popularity of mazes.
• How U.S. parks reach out to members of the military and their families.

All in all, there are nearly 30 articles in one of our favorite issues of the year. Read on, enjoy, and let us know what you think!

Webinar: Put Your Web Site Front and Center

In these technologically focused times, customers rely on informative, user-friendly, and eye-catching web sites to make critical purchasing decisions.

During the next IAAPA webinar, Thursday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. Eastern, Sharon Swendner, president of .Com Marketing, and Norris Clark, director of sales and marketing, at Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey, will discuss why and how you should focus on your web site as your core marketing vehicle. Topics will include evaluating web traffic, using search engine optimization (SEO), employing social media tactics, and learning basics of web design, plus more.

In the Queue editors recently caught up with Swendner, who shared a few insights into what webinar participants can expect to learn from this session.

What will be the main focus of the webinar?
We’ll be providing an overview of what we’ll share in more detail during the whole-day seminar at IAAPA Attractions Expo (see details on the Institute for Marketing: Nuts and Bolts of Internet). We’ve got eight topics areas: online strategy, web design, e-mail marketing, SEO, pay-per-click, social media marketing, online banners, and future trends. In each area, we’re giving a taste of the content in the full-day seminar.

What is the best audience for this content?
It’s really geared toward people who are responsible for or executing online marketing—the business owners or marketing/PR people. It’s not for the technical person who’s writing code.

Why should today’s marketing departments be thinking seriously about online and social marketing strategies?
Especially in the travel industry, people care more about what other people say that what you say through user-generated content. Tripadvisor developed around sharing what people think. Nowadays you’re not in control of your brand; your brand is what people perceive it to be, not what you want it to be.

What can marketers expect to take away from this session and apply to their businesses right away?
They’re going to walk away with a better understanding of the core online tools and fundamentals and what’s important in developing an online program from a strategic level and an integration level.

What lessons from this webinar would be helpful for small, family-owned operators who might not have a full marketing or web department?
The basic things they can do themselves. Everybody needs a web site; we’ll give them a lot of backbone in how they think about their online presence and how they use it.

Expo Discount: All webinar participants will be eligible for a $50 discount off registration for Institute for Marketing: Nuts and Bolts of Internet Marketing, which will be held Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Be sure to attend the webinar to find out how to get your discount.

For more on IAAPA’s e-learning programs, click here.