ride technology

Orlando, Sunday, 28 September 2025.
At the IAAPA Expo in Orlando, manufacturers used the trade floor to steer 2025 capital plans by unveiling a mix of hardware, media and systems: Vekoma teased a ‘surprising’ coaster with 2025 openings, Reverchon launched next‑generation flume and rider‑specific restraints aimed at boosting throughput and safety, WhiteWater showcased compact, capacity‑focused waterpark concepts, and Triotech announced a large IP‑driven multi‑location project with Saudi partner Seven. Dronisos reiterated its choreographed drone partnership with Disneyland Paris, while Accesso and other ticketing vendors outlined guest‑management updates that signal tighter vendor‑park integration. The standout takeaway for operators and investors: suppliers are aligning engineering innovation, IP media and integrated guest systems to shorten procurement cycles and shift capital allocation toward bundled, partnership‑based projects for the 2025 build season. Expect procurement decisions to tilt toward solutions that deliver measurable capacity gains, safety advancements and content-driven guest value, and clearer ROI timelines for phased deployment across seasons annually.

London, Wednesday, 17 September 2025.
Blooloop’s roundup published last Wednesday maps an evolving global dark-ride landscape that is increasingly defined by ride-system convergence—trackless platforms, LSM launches, AR overlays and integrated show control—that lets operators trade raw throughput for richer, higher‑yielding guest journeys. The report aggregates new‑builds and refurbs, flags construction and supply‑chain pinch points, and provides capex benchmarks and timetable expectations. Most crucial for operators and suppliers: dark rides are being deployed strategically to lengthen dwell time and lift per‑capita spend, turning relatively compact attractions into portfolio differentiators. The briefing also outlines technical and operational trade‑offs (themed show complexity versus dispatch frequency), emerging product gaps where vendors can differentiate, and implications for guest flow engineering across multi‑attraction zones. For retail and park executives, the piece offers actionable signals on where to prioritise investment, which system partners to vet, and how to balance storytelling ambition with measurable throughput and revenue outcomes and operational resilience planning now.

Orlando, Friday, 12 September 2025.
At IAAPA Expo in Orlando, leading suppliers used product launches and partnerships to signal a clear shift in operator priorities: modular content delivery, hybrid attractions that blend media and mechanics, tighter supplier-led IP integrations, and design choices that cut installation time and lifetime operating costs. Highlights ranged from a surprising new Vekoma coaster and Triotech’s multi-site immersive dark rides to expanded drone-show work with Dronisos and Disneyland Paris, Reverchon’s next‑gen flume and adaptable safety restraints, and WhiteWater’s compact, high-capacity waterplay concepts. The most intriguing takeaway is how vendors are packaging experiences-as-a-service—combining turnkey systems, content updates and commerce tools like Accesso’s Passport—to boost throughput and revenue while reducing capex pain points. For operators and developers, the Expo reframed decisions: choose partners that offer integrated systems, faster installs and upgrade paths rather than standalone hardware, because those choices now drive guest value, operational resilience and long-term margins.

Orlando, Friday, 29 August 2025.
At IAAPA Expo Orlando last November, leading manufacturers coordinated unveilings that point to a strategic shift: attractions are being sold as integrated ecosystems rather than standalone hardware. Highlights for operators and procurement teams included Vekoma’s teaser for a new coaster and a slate of 2025 openings, Accesso’s Passport guest‑management updates, Dronisos expanding drone‑show integrations with Disneyland Paris, Triotech and Seven announcing a multi‑site media‑based attraction using major IP, Reverchon revealing a next‑generation flume and adaptable restraint systems, and Brogent outlining 2025 partnerships plus a lower‑cost flying‑theatre option. Collectively these launches signal tighter coupling of ride mechanics, media content, guest‑flow software and aerial spectacle—an evolution that will affect capital planning, OPEX forecasts, capacity modelling and procurement timelines. The most intriguing takeaway: suppliers are packaging combined tech, IP and operations tools, so buying decisions now require earlier cross‑disciplinary coordination across design, IT and finance to protect throughput and margin and long-term resilience.