The parking lot was full from the starting gun at the 2024 IAAPA Trade Show.  People from all over the world attend the convention and trade show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.  There are over 500,000 square feet of exhibition space and more than 1,100 vendors in total, showcasing everything for the amusement industry.

At the show, many parks, ride manufacturers and suppliers announce new offerings and installations each year.

Hersheypark Unveils NEW Twizzler's Twisted Gravity

In 2024, Hersheypark unveiled the gondolas for their new Twizzler's Twisted Gravity ride at the show. The ride is a high thrill pendulum attraction that will be the tallest Screamin' Swing in the world when it opens at Hersheypark in the summer of 2025.

Twizzlers Twisted Gravity is the newest candy to join the iconic Hersheypark skyline with a one-of-a-kind design unique to Hershey. The attraction boasts the distinct Twizzlers red color throughout the design and features two 20-person gondolas with four Twizzlers-branded zones. Guests can sit in gondolas uniquely themed to Twizzlers Strawberry, Cherry, Hershey's Chocolate and Black Licorice. 

The ride, designed by S&S Worldwide, is a one-minute and 10-second experience that begins as riders ascend 137 adrenaline-pumping feet, defy gravity at speeds reaching 68 miles per hour and experience multiple mind-bending zero G moments as they swing high above Spring Creek in The Hollow region of Hersheypark. 

There are now more than 70 rides, a water park and a zoo included with admission in Hersheypark.  In addition to the new ride, guests will be able to snap a selfie with a Twizzlers character, and ride a Twizzlers themed train on the Pandemonium hyper coaster.

S&S, recently opened a new 110,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Logan, Utah.  The building itself has multiple open collaborative areas that contain state-of-the-art conferencing equipment which allows for enhanced meeting experiences. With 82,000 square feet of production space, the company can create higher quality production flows to ensure faster and more resourceful completion of our products. The building layout allows S&S to function more efficiently and better serve their expanding list of worldwide customers.


 

Majestic Manufacturing Ventures to New Areas

Majestic Manufacturing, makers of iconic bumper car rides and other amusement attractions, has been busy producing bumper car buildings for amusement parks, carnivals and FECs.  Their rides can be found in amusement parks, on just about every carnival midway and in FECs throughout the world said Vince Kudler of the company.

Majestic just finished a specialty project for Kennywood Amusement in Pennsylvania.  The 20 bumper cars all feature Kennywood's iconic Potato Patch theme, highlighting one of the most beloved food offerings in the park.  The ride is named Potato Smash after the results of a naming sweepstakes were revealed. 

According to Kudler, the retheming of the ride made a “night and day” difference in rider participation and it made a positive difference in sales of Potato Patch products as well.

In another specialty project, the company developed a Zombieland bumper car attraction for Sony's Wonderverse, Sony Pictures Entertainment's first immersive experience.  The facility, located in an old Sears building at the Oakbrook Center just outside Chicago, features food, virtual reality attractions and other entertainment based upon Sony's vast motion picture catalog.

The Zombieland is a bumper car ride with a twist, where one car is chosen at the beginning of the ride to be patient zero and then the chase is on for the zombie to turn the other cars into zombies as well.  The interaction adds game play and excitement to the traditional ride.  Bump into a zombie and your car is transformed as well.

Sony is in talks to expand to more locations and Kudler hopes his company will be along for the ride.

Also new to Majestic is an as-yet-unnamed circular bumper car.  The ride car is unique in that is features a regular bumper around the car instead of the inflatable type currently available from other manufacturers. The cars are easier to get in and out of for patrons and the car, Kudler says, is more stable and doesn't rock like other round car offerings.  The cars can move forwards and backwards for lots of versatility.



Kudler is adapting the car with a game system powered by projectors in the ceiling which can project tokens or coins that can be gathered by running over them on the floor. The ride has received interest from FECs so far and Kudler hopes the game aspect will make the ride a big hit

 

ARM Rides

Mike Gill of ARM says his company has been going strong the last several years.  He signed a contract for a new ride sale just before coming to the show in Orlando.

Gill said his Ohio-based company is still moving Vertigo's, Rock Stars and Screamers to his carnival and park customers, with delivery times still being a factor in the sales process. 

What he is seeing is many customers moving up to larger rides, getting rid of older attractions and buying a new ARM spectacular ride to replace the older piece. Before Covid, he said, many people were looking but not all were committing to sales.  During the Pandemic, he encouraged clients and friends to digitize their maintenance logs and reports so their data would be easily accessible and all in one place.  After the Pandemic however, many of those considering purchases stepped up and became buyers, many for the first time of a large, spectacle attraction. 

With the surge in orders, the company is now into the summer of 2026 for deliveries.  This is the first time Gill can remember his customers having to order so far in advance, and best of all, he says the demand shows no signs of slowing down.  In fact, he closed a deal at the IAAPA show just an hour after the doors opened.

Stay tuned for more news and stories from the IAAPA trade show — Day 2.