Orlando, Monday, 13 October 2025.
IAAPA Expo in Orlando showcased coordinated unveilings that signal where procurement and operations should focus for 2025. Manufacturers pushed modular attraction systems to shorten installation timelines, while media-driven integrations—most visibly drone spectacles (including a 1,571‑drone aerial image record with Disneyland Paris)—are increasingly stitched into dark rides and night shows. Suppliers highlighted incremental safety upgrades (new restraint designs and flume platforms), waterpark products aimed at throughput and OPEX gains, and platform-level guest-commerce enhancements such as ticketing and access interoperability. Strategic partnerships and confirmed 2025 delivery pipelines were prominent, but so were implied supply‑chain timing risks that could affect scheduled openings. For retail and operator buyers, the Expo frames near-term choices: prioritize modular, interoperable tech to reduce capex/time-to-market; evaluate media/drone IP tie‑ins for guest appeal and OPEX impact; and factor vendor lead times into procurement windows to avoid launch delays.