IAAPA Expo 2022

IAAPA Expo 2022 - Day 4

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originally posted on 11/19/2022

Day Four was the final day of the IAAPA Expo. While the convention began to wind down, there was still plenty to see and participate in on the showroom floor. Even in the closing hours of the show, the ACE booth saw plenty of foot traffic and interest. As always, an endless variety of complimentary arcade games, virtual reality simulators and sample foods were available to attendees.

ACE President, Elizabeth Ringas, along with many other ACE volunteers welcomed visitors to the ACE booth. Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.

Crowds at the ACE Booth. Photo: Kohl Gribble. View full-sized image.

In memoriam: Yesterday, an industry icon was lost. The second-generation president of Zamperla Rides, Alberto Zamperla, unexpectedly passed away. The big screen at the Zamperla booth, which had displayed the company’s new rides and projects earlier, was changed to reflect this unfortunate event. ACE extends its deepest condolences to the Zamperla family and Zamperla Group at this time.

Photo: Kohl Gribble. View full-sized image.

Today, Vekoma unveiled Circuit Breaker, the first tilt coaster in North America, for COTALand in Austin, Texas. A tilt track, the defining feature of a “tilt” coaster, is a section of track that rotates vertically, starting in an upright, flat position and stopping in a vertical position — leaving riders facing straight down. Once the brakes on Circuit Breaker’s tilt track release, riders are hurled down a 10-story vertical drop, followed by an aggressive layout with four upside-down inversions and several moments of strong airtime. Circuit Breaker is opening in fall 2023, and when it does, roller coaster enthusiasts will be eager to ride this distinct thrill machine!

Tilt Track Model. Photo: Kohl Gribble. View full-sized image.

Skyline Attractions, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, unveiled a slew of fresh innovations leading up to the Expo. TrailRunner is a new family coaster with a unique track. Instead of riding on the usual two rails, TrailRunner rides on a single rail. This model is intended for larger-scale, more thrilling layouts than the smaller P’Sghetti, but it’s still family friendly. Meanwhile, Aurora is a lighting package that can be installed on Skyline’s single-rail coasters. LED panels line the top and sides of the track, allowing for animations. Examples at their booth included red arrow strips, flowing water, moving words and advertisements.

TrailRunner 1 is a really good value. Photo: Kohl Gribble. View full-sized image.

Flowing water animation with Aurora lights. Photo: Kohl Gribble. View full-sized image.

Orbit Scale Model. Photo: Kohl Gribble. View full-sized image.

Altitude Attractions, located in Logan, Utah, brought two rides for attendees to enjoy: two-story-tall and three-story-tall variants of their Hammered drop tower. Hammered has 10 potential ride sequences to experience, ranging from mild modes, such as Half Bounce and Slow Bounce, to wild modes, such as Ricochet and Chaos. While most small-scale drop towers have harnesses or lap bars to secure riders, Hammered has only a pair of seatbelts, making these tiny towers more thrilling than their counterparts.

Tons of fun for all ages!. Photo: Kohl Gribble. View full-sized image.

Whether it was their first IAAPA Expo or their 99th (which it was for Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc.), attendees and exhibitors alike enjoyed a showroom floor buzzing with excitement and passion for the amusement industry. ACE sincerely appreciates the efforts of everyone who brought the 2022 IAAPA Expo to life and eagerly anticipates the Expo in 2023!