AIMS Safety Seminar at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2010

For the second year, the Amusement Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers International (AIMS) Safety Seminar will be held in conjunction with IAAPA Attractions Expo. The seminar will be held Nov. 13-18, at the Double Tree Resort Orlando – International Drive and Orange County Convention Center.

The seminar is a comprehensive safety training program for both current and future leaders in the area of maintenance and/or operations at amusement parks and other attractions. Attendees will receive valuable safety and maintenance instruction from top industry leaders that they can bring home to their facilities to apply to their own jobs and share with colleagues.

The program, in a nutshell:

• Education: More than 200 classes will be offered, and attendees can customize their course work to meet specific goals. Specializations are available in maintenance, operations, aquatics, leadership, and crisis communications. In addition to classroom sessions, attendees will spend time on the show floor at IAAPA Attractions Expo, interacting with manufacturers and suppliers to build their industry knowledge.
• Certification: For those seeking AIMS certification, several tests are being offered during the seminar. (Be sure to bring completed applications, documentation, and payment!)
• Networking: The partnership with IAAPA Attractions Expo allows AIMS Safety Seminar attendees to attend the industry’s premier networking events. From receptions to tours to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter event on Thursday night, AIMS Safety Seminar attendees will get unparalleled exposure to our industry and the people behind it. (Expo admission is included for AIMS participants, but separate registration is required for special events.)

Seminar registration is available through AIMS. Hotel reservations should be made directly through the Doubletree. A group rate is available through this link.

I hope to see you in Orlando!

September FUNWORLD Highlights Gardaland, Italy

As IAAPA prepares for EAS 2010 next month in Rome, FUNWORLD's September issue takes a look at the Italian attractions industry in this month's cover story. Gardaland's Aldo Vigevani, divisional director for the Merlin-owned park, graces the cover and talks about the growth opportunities our industry has in the country.

The September issue of FUNWORLD is available to read right now via digital edition by clicking here.


Other highlights from this issue include:
• Fernando Medroa discusses the success and continual improvements at Walibi Belgium
• Arnaud Bennet talks about the unique legacy of France's Le Pal amusement and wildlife park
• FEC experts share their thoughts on the future of the business
• Full coverage of IAAPA's record-breaking Asian Attractions Expo 2010 which drew thousands to Kuala Lumpur in June

And, of course, there is much more. Thank you for reading FUNWORLD, and if you have any comments/questions, please e-mail me.

Health Care Reform Update: IAAPA submits comments on tax credits, menu labeling

IAAPA recently submitted comments to two regulatory bodies on rulemakings under the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (health care reform).

The comment period ended last week on tax credits for small businesses not subject to the employer responsibility provisions, but choose to offer their employees health insurance anyway. Generally speaking, IAAPA supports these tax breaks. However, the bulk of IAAPA's comment focused on the definition of "seasonal worker."

As you may remember, the definition of a seasonal worker and the applicability of the employer responsibility provisions to seasonal workers are somewhat ambiguous in the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act. The attractions industry relies on seasonal workers to staff peak times, but unlike a regular full-time or part-time employee, a seasonal worker is unique in that he or she works a lot of hours in only a few short months. The rulemaking on the small business tax credit presented an opportunity for IAAPA to request a clarified definition of "seasonal worker" as one who works fewer than 120 days.

This week we also filed a comment with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on a proposed rule on menu labeling at resturants and other food retail outlets. Under the health care law, businesses that have 20 or more outlets, operating under the same name and serving substantially the same menu items, must post information about calories, fat content, and other nutritional information on menus or menu boards. This requirement also applies to vending machines.

IAAPA's comment focused on mobile handcarts, which may serve a variety of items but have limited surface area available to post nutritional information. Since much of the proposed rule is statutory (that is, in the law), the agency does not have the power to "overturn" the menu labeling provisions, but it does have discretion in areas where the law is ambiguous.

We encourage IAAPA members to read both our of comments, which can be found on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Two IAAPA Webinars Coming Soon!

IAAPA’s webinars—free to members—are a quick and easy way to gain knowledge, best practices, and cost-effective (and often free) takeaways to implement at your business right away.

Two excellent programs are coming up in the weeks ahead:

Motivating without Money: Budget-Friendly Ideas for FECs & Supervisors
Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1 p.m. EDT
Join Ken Whiting, president of Whiting's Foods/Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, for a discussion about motivating and encouraging employees when money is tight. Learn from other participants, and share ideas during this lively brainstorming session.
And to learn more during IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando this year, sign up for Whiting's WAVES for Success all-day Institute program, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Advanced registration required.

First Spanish-language webinar!
Francisco Duncan, safety, maintenance, and operations consultant with Duncan Consultores, will discuss ASTM International and the important role it plays in the attraction industry. Spanish and English descriptions below:

¡La Seguridad es Primero! Introducción a la ASTM Internacional
Martes, 24 de agosto, 1 p.m. EDT
Desarrollar y alcanzar normas y estándares internacionales basados en las mejores prácticas sirve para garantizar la seguridad y un record positivo de la industria. Francisco Duncan, experto en seguridad presentará este seminario para ayudar a los profesionales de los parques de diversiones y atracciones a entender la importancia de la ASTM para cualquier tipo de instalación de entretenimiento. ¡No se lo puede perder!
Expositor: Ing. Francisco Duncan, Consultor de seguridad, mantenimiento y operaciones de Duncan Consultores

Translation:
Safety is First!An Introduction to ASTM International (Presented in Spanish)
Tuesday, August 24, 1 p.m. EDT
Developing and achieving international norms and standards based on best industry practices helps ensure safety and a positive industry record. Safety expert Francisco Duncan will present this Webinar to help amusement park and attractions professionals understand the important role ASTM offers for any type of entertainment facility.This is a conference you can’t miss!
Speaker: Ing. Francisco Duncan, Safety, maintenance and operations Consultant, Duncan Consultores

To register and to learn more about IAAPA's webinars, click here.

FUNWORLD Follow-Up: Madison Children's Museum's New Building

One of my first cover stories for FUNWORLD was the June 2005 issue covering the Madison Children's Museum. The focus of that story was about the facility's green initiatives, which were ahead of their time at that point.

At the end of that story, I mentioned how the museum planned to take its green initiatives to the next level when it eventually moved into its new facility. Well, five years later, MCM hosts its grand opening event for the new building this Saturday.

You can read more about the $16.5 million facility here. Congratulations to the Madison Children's Museum on their new digs!

FUNWORLD Follow-Up: A Photo Tour of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

You'd think an eight-page cover story in FUNWORLD's August issue would've been more than enough room for me to cover everything about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure. But … no!

Here are some photos from our cover shoot that unfortunately didn't make the magazine. They're so good, though, I didn't want them to go unseen—that castle just loves the camera!

All of these photos were taken by our regular Orlando-area collaborator, Brian Pepper of Digital Imaging Direct. And a big thank you to the Universal PR team for allowing us to come in and cover their sparkling new land.

Let's start—where else?—with Hogwarts Castle, which houses the new dark ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" …

These winged boars stand watch over the entrance to the castle/queue.

This is the shot we used for our cover, taken from the outdoor portion of the "Dragon Challenge" queue (formerly "Dueling Dragons"). That's "Flight of the Hippogriff" whizzing by on the right (formerly "The Flying Unicorn". The line for "Forbidden Journey" got much, much longer. And if you look closely, just to the right of the boars is the test seat for "Forbidden Journey" (the first of two—there's another right before the boarding platform).

The attention to detail on Hogwarts Castle is amazing.

 Here's a great look at the snowy rooftops of Hogsmeade (100-degree heat or not!), the village nestled at the foot of Hogwarts Castle that serves as the "midway" for the Wizarding World. The large building on the right is the Owlery, the wizards' version of a post office. An owl pops out of the clock tower every 15 minutes, and if you walk underneath you can see animatronic owls up in the rafters. It's also one of the best places in the land to grab a shady seat and watch the wizardly world go by.

 The Hog's Head pub is one of a few spots in Wizarding World where you can purchase Butterbeer (a must for any trip!). 

Butterbeer, you say? This cart out in the thoroughfare is wildly popular, too. 

 This is one of the "living portraits" in the "Forbidden Journey" queue inside Hogwarts. It's textured to look like a real painting, but the figure moves and talks like you'd expect from a video screen.

And as a farewell, here's a look at Hogwarts from yet another angle. This shot is from the wooden bridge that goes over the park's lagoon and connects The Lost Continent with Jurassic Park.


The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be a featured topic at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2010. We're hosting a party in the land on Thursday of the show, while Tom Williams, chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts, will discuss Wizarding World during his keynote speech at the annual General Managers and Owners' Breakfast. Click here for more info on both.

New Model Aquatic Health Code Module Open for Review

If you attended IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009, you may remember hearing about the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC). The MAHC is a project being spearheaded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that when completed, will serve as a model and guide for state and local agencies to use when updating or implementing regulations governing the design, shape, construction, operation, and maintenance of swimming pools and other treated recreational water venues. The MAHC is being developed by the aquatic industry leaders across the country. Several IAAPA members serve on the steering and technical committees, including IAAPA's current chairman, Chip Cleary.

The MAHC is being created in modules, which are released as they are available, instead of waiting for a final document to be prepared. This allows the committees a lot of flexibility in drafting and updating the MAHC as needed. A strawman outline was released in 2008 for those interested in seeing what topics the MAHC will address.


A draft of Module Six, which focuses on Policies and Management is now available. Waterpark members are encouraged to review the draft module and offer their comments using the CDC's comment form. Comments are due to the CDC by Sept. 30, 2010. If needed, IAAPA will submit a comment on behalf of the waterpark industry. To be included in this comment, please e-mail your comments by Sept. 20, 2010.

As new modules become available, the CDC will post them on its website. We're also monitoring the website and will alert waterpark members as modules come up for comment.