IAAPA Expo 2022

IAAPA Expo 2022 - Day 1

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originally posted on 11/15/2022

The first day of the 2022 IAAPA Expo had no shortage of excitement. Held in Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, the annual trade show and convention welcomes professionals, influencers, media and enthusiasts to network, attend professional development courses and experience the latest innovations in the amusement and entertainment industries.

While the Expo featured everything from the latest in virtual reality simulators to animatronic raccoons, roller coaster enthusiasts spent most of the day running to the different roller coaster manufacturers’ booths to witness the first look at new trains of up-and-coming roller coasters.

The morning began with coaster fans gathering around the booth of Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). Attendees savored the first glimpse of Pipeline’s train, the world’s first-ever surf coaster, opening at SeaWorld Orlando (Florida) in 2023. The surf coaster is a reimagining of B&M’s stand-up coaster, featuring a new vest-style restraint and seats that rise and fall to mimic the feeling of surfing. The blue and orange train looks like a giant surfboard, perfectly fitting the theme.

SeaWorld Orlando and Bolliger & Mabillard's car reveal of Pipeline. Photo: Ella Watylyk. View full-sized image.

Coaster lovers then quickly rushed over to Dutch manufacturer Vekoma’s booth to see the train for Big Bear Mountain, Dollywood’s 2023 multilaunch family coaster (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee). Themed to a search for a mysterious large bear, the train’s front car presents a pickup truck façade that treks across the mountains as riders search for the bear.

Dollywood and Vekoma’s reveal of Big Bear Mountain's ride vehicles. Photo: Byron Stephenson. View full-sized image.

The next reveal of the day was from Swiss manufacturer Intamin, which showed off its train for Arctic Rescue, the 2023 roller coaster headed to SeaWorld San Diego (California). This multilaunching, family-friendly roller coaster features motorcycle-style seats to enhance the ride's theme. Riders take on the role of animal rescuers venturing through the Arctic on snowmobiles, saving at-risk animals.

SeaWorld San Diego and Intamin's car reveal of Arctic Rescue. Photo: Byron Stephenson. View full-sized image.

Italian manufacturer Zamperla displayed the next trains of the day. The first was its Lightning Train for the unnamed roller coaster going to Playland Amusement Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which will be Zamperla’s first coaster using a linear synchronous motor launch.

Zamperla’s next train belongs to its 2023 Wild Mouse coaster going to Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio). This coaster will put a spin on the classic wild mouse coaster model with its free-form spinning feature. The train was painted a bright yellow with darker yellow spots, resembling a block of cheese.

Cedar Point and Zamperla's car reveal of Wild Mouse. Photo: Byron Stephenson. View full-sized image.

But Zamperla wasn’t done yet, revealing one more ride vehicle at the end of the day for Draken Falls, a next-generation water ride headed to Adventureland Resort in Altoona, Iowa. A pair of vikings unveiled the boat to add to the ride’s Nordic theme.

Rocky Mountain Construction, an American manufacturer based in Idaho, was the next to show off a new train for a 2023 coaster. The vehicle is for Wildcat’s Revenge, a reimagined hybrid coaster using part of the existing structure of the former Wildcat coaster at Hersheypark (Hershey, Pennsylvania). A fierce wildcat appears to tear through the head car, setting the theme of a rampaging wildcat out for vengeance.

Hersheypark and RMC's lead car reveal of Wildcat's Revenge. Photo: Byron Stephenson. View full-sized image.

The final roller coaster train reveal of the day took place at the Great Coasters International, Inc. booth, where the American manufacturer unveiled the train for Zambezi Zinger, a hybrid coaster using both wood and steel track. This 2023 coaster at Worlds of Fun (Kansas City, Missouri) pays homage to a former attraction of the same name and features a tiger-stripe design across the front of the train.

Worlds of Fun and Great Coasters International's lead car reveal of Zambezi Zinger. Photo: Byron Stephenson. View full-sized image.

IAAPA Day 1 was packed with excitement, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the week will hold. Stay tuned here at ACE 360, as well as our social media channels for more IAAPA coverage!

Be sure to check out the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram links at the top of the page for ACE's additional coverage of the Expo week activities.

IAAPA 2022 Day 1 Highlights from ACE