IAAPA Attractions Expo 2014

IAPPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) is an organization that brings together leading professionals in the parks and attractions industries. From offering resources on their website to educating aspiring students in the workings of the business — IAAPA has a lot to offer, but the yearly event — IAAPA’s Attractions Expo — takes the cake.

The IAAPA Attractions Expo allows suppliers to display their technology and latest innovations for theme park, waterpark and various industry ‘buyers.’ From roller coasters to park lighting, every part of the entertainment experience can be found at this one event. Innovators, small businesses and huge companies network in this creative, state-of-the-art expo. If you can imagine thousands of innovative people presenting their technological inventions specifically made for the amusement park industry, you can partially understand the exciting and mesmerizing event that is IAAPA’s Attraction Expo.

This year IAAPA’s Attraction Expo had over 9 miles of aisles spanning inside and outside spaces. Sub Sea Systems was able to find some exciting products that will help in the production of Clear Lounge, but more importantly Jim Mayfield (Owner and CEO of Sub Sea Systems) and Hannah Mayfield (Director of Marketing) were able to meet with various companies, including: Sea World’s Aquatica, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Discovery Cove, and Dolphin Discovery. The presentations focused on Clear Lounge and were well received.

“It is easy to sell something when everyone is already so excited about it,” Jim explained. “We have had such a positive response.”  

Besides beautiful, full-color booklets, Sub Sea Systems also handed out Naked Air canned Oxygen. “People always love the canned oxygen. It is a mini version of our product; it offers novelty with tremendous potential for merchandise revenue,” said Jim.

In addition to presentations, Sub Sea Systems also met with Kodak to discuss photo solutions for the Clear Lounge underwater photo booth. “The product they presented seems absolutely perfect for us, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Kodak,” said Jim. At an IAAPA event in 2000 Sea TREK (another product by Sub Sea Systems) and Kodak won an award for the most foot traffic at an IAAPA booth. The combined effort of a man-sized aquarium, a SeaTREK underwater model, and Kodak’s underwater camera made quite a spectacle.

Other new innovations that caught our eye included products from Water Gush and People Vison by Technifex. Water Gush is a completely innovative, interactive, lighted, fountain system. Their beautiful, colorful, water shows are dazzling, however the Water Gush innovators take it a step further, and set their product above the rest. Using a smart phone, spectators can interact with the fountain — controlling the colors and fountains’ motions. Users can even produce a volcano effect by shaking their phone! People Vision is a projection system that projects a video of an animated face onto the inside of a given object. For example: a Benjamin Franklin dressed mannequin has a face that moves, speaks, shows expressions and simulates the real deal. AZ Light also offered the latest technology in RGB, LED lights; a perfect accent lighting solution for Clear Lounge that is low cost, energy efficient, and creative. We look forward to developing our ideas with these companies.

All in all IAAPA’s Attraction Expo was a major success for Sub Sea Systems. We look forward to having our own Clear Lounge booth at a future Attractions Expo. It was a busy, fun event that sparked our creativity, provided solutions, and forged relationships that will grow our business. If you do not know about Sub Sea Systems’ products you can visit our website at www.subseasystems.com. To learn more about clear lounge visit www.clear-lounge.com.