IAAPA Reveals Brass Ring Award Winners 2018

Blooloop story by Owen Ralph

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) presented its annual Brass Ring Awards on Wednesday, November 14, during IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando.

Top Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) of the World
Jake’s Unlimited, Mesa, Arizona, USA

Food and Beverage Excellence
Best New Menu Item – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million: Poopies and Poopcakes, Skånes Djurpark, Sweden
Best New Menu Item – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million: Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Bowl, Palace Entertainment, Newport Beach, California, USA

Games and Retail Excellence
Best Plush: Gillie Guinea Pig Plush, Zoomars Petting Zoo, California, USA
Best Apparel: Killer Croc Flat Brim Cap, Warner Bros. Movie World, Gold Coast, Australia
Best Hard Good Item: Light Up Slinky Dog, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World, USA
Best Store Visual Merchandising: Europa-Park Factory Shop powered by Majorette, Europa-Park, Germany

Human Resources Excellence
Best Employee Engagement Initiative – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million: Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls, Canada
Best Employee Engagement Initiative – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million: Dolphin Way at Work, Grupo Dolphin Discovery, Mexico
Best Employee Reward and Recognition Program – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:
Skånes Djurpark, Sweden
Best Employee Reward and Recognition Program – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
Denver Zoo, USA
Best Innovation in a Training Program – Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:
Skånes Djurpark, Sweden
Best Innovation in a Training Program – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
Hersheypark, USA

Live Entertainment Excellence
Best Atmosphere/Street Show Performance/Act: Sesame Street Party Parade, SeaWorld San Diego, USA
Best Performer: Sabrina Marlene, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, USA
Best Live ‘Edutainment’ Show: Ocean Resistance, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, China
Best Theatrical Production: Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million: Favola, Leolandia, Italy
Best Theatrical Production: Annual Attendance More than 1 Million: Beauty and the Beast, Disney Parks Live Entertainment, USA
Most Creative Christmas Show: The Enchanted Journey, Hersheypark, USA
Most Creative Halloween Haunt, Show or Experience: Hell’s Grand Finale, Ocean Park, Hong Kong
Most Creative Multimedia Spectacular: Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland, Japan
Most Creative Property-wide Event: Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million: Vivid Festival at Luna Park Sydney, Australia
Most Creative Property-wide Event: Annual Attendance More than 1 Million: Summer Carnival 2018, Ocean Park, Hong Kong
Most Creative Show Featuring Animals: Pets Rule, SeaWorld San Diego, USA
Most Creative Sports/Stunt Show: Cirque Electrique, SeaWorld San Diego, USA

Excellence in Marketing
Best Digital Marketing Campaign: The Poopie Movie, Skånes Djurpark, Sweden
Best Integrated Marketing Campaign: Ocean Park Hong Kong Drink’N Music Fest 2018
Best Outdoor Advertisement: Your Visit Protects Wildlife, Africam Safari, Mexico
Best Public Relations Campaign: Launch of Haunted Mine Drop, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, USA
Best Radio or Streaming Audio Commercial: Time Traveler, Silver Dollar City, USA
Best Social Media Campaign: The Poopie Movie, Skånes Djurpark, Sweden
Best Television or Digital Video Commercial – Annual Attendance Less than 250,000:
Xenotes Live, Mexico
Best Television or Digital Video Commercial: Annual Attendance 250,000 – 1 Million: Spökjakten, Furuvik Djurpark, Sweden
Best Television or Digital Video Commercial – Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:
Lagoon: Summer Daze, Lagoon Amusement Park, USA

Spirit Award
The Spirit Award is given to the most outstanding person who works behind-the-scenes to support high-quality entertainment value of the nominating attraction.

Ulrich Grawunder, Europa-Park, Germany
IAAPA Attractions Expo – Best Exhibitor Awards

Image Award

Innovative Concepts in Entertainment
Booth Size 100 – 199 Square Feet

First Place: YourMapp
Second Place: VITO Fryfilter
Booth Size 200 – 399 Square Feet.

First Place: Imagination Corporation
Second Place: WIPEOUT
Booth Size 400 – 499 Square Feet

First Place: Eleventh Hour
Second Place: S4 Lights
Booth Size 500 – 899 Square Feet

First Place: TAF USA (Truss Aluminum Factory)
Second Place: Weber Group
Booth Size 900 – 1,200 Square Feet

First Place: Dynamic Attractions
Second Place: Legacy Entertainment
Booth Size 1,201 and Larger Square Feet

First Place: WhiteWater
Second Place: Polin Waterparks

IAAPA Attractions Expo – Best New Product Awards
Impact Award

SlideWheel, wiegand.maelzer
Major Ride/Attraction – Class A (Product cost of US$3 million or more)

First Place: SlideWheel, wiegand.maelzer
Second Place: Single Rail Raptor Roller Coaster,Rocky Mountain Construction
Major Ride/Attraction – Class B (Product cost of less than US$3 million)

First Place: Justice League: A Call For Heroes walkthrough experience, Holovis
Second Place: Skywarp, Ride Entertainment, Booth 5720
Kiddie Ride/Attraction – Class A (Standard Kiddie Ride/Attraction)

First Place: Oscar’s Wacky Taxi, The Gravity Group
Second Place: C Car Town, Shenyang Chuangqi Amusement Equipment Co
Kiddie Ride/Attraction – Class B (Coin-op Kiddie Ride/Attraction)

First Place: KidSim Simulator, Falgas
Second Place: DIABOLO, Falgas
Water Park Ride/Attraction – Class A (Product cost of US$2 million or more)

First Place: FusionFortress 17, WhiteWater
Water Park Ride/Attraction – Class B (Product cost of less than US$2 million)

First Place: FlyingSAUCER 45, ProSlide Technology
Second Place: Aqua Race Kart, Kart 1
Patron Participation Ride/Attraction

First Place: HyperBowling, QubicaAMF
Second Place: Gen8 Infinity Laser Tag System, Laserforce International
Technology Applied to Amusements – Class A (Product or Service used by Consumers)

First Place: Electric CP Huntington Train, Chance Rides
Second Place: DreamSet Headset, CAVU Designwerks
Technology Applied to Amusements – Class B (Product or Service used by Facilities)

First Place: OverVue Arcade Game Analytics, New Vue Solutions
Second Place: Vantage, WhiteWater
Food Services

First Place: VITO oil filter system, VITO Fryfilter
Second Place: Create-A-Cone Trike, Syrup Systems Inc.
Merchandising [&] Retail Products

First Place: NXT Capture – Facial Recognition, NXT Capture
Second Place: Jurassic World Inflatable T-Rex Costume, Rubie’s Costume Co
Games [&] Devices – Class A (Arcade [&] Video Games and Equipment)

First Place: WWE Superstar Rumble, Andamiro USA Corp
Second Place: HOOPLA, Sega Amusements
Games [&] Devices – Class B (Midway Games and Equipment)

First Place: Zombyte, Creative Works
Second Place: VRcade ATOM, VRstudios
Shows/Productions, Theatrical Equipment [&] Supplies, Displays [&] Sets

First Place: HiLight JellyFish, AirDD
Second Place: National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey, Falcon’s Creative Group
Services, Equipment [&] Supplies

First Place: RLR with LED, Safe-Strap Company
Second Place: Restroom Feedback Surveys, Avius
Best New Product Concept Award: Major Ride Attraction

First Place: Stormforce 20, Ride Engineers Switzerland
Second Place: Orbiter, WhiteWater
Best New Product Concept Award: Other Products/Services

First Place: Diving Theatre, VR Coaster GmbH
Second Place: Ultrahaptics STRATOS Inspire, Ultrahaptics
Best New Product Concept Award: Attraction

First Place: Dual Power Coaster, Dynamic Attractions
Second Place: Atari Pong Cocktail Table, Unis Technology

Why the Brass Ring?
The tradition of the brass ring, a term now synonymous with spectacular achievement, dates back to the amusement industry in the 1800s. Rings were suspended above carousel riders — low enough for them to grasp, but high enough to pose a challenge. Skilled riders who grabbed a brass ring often earned prizes, including a free ride on the carousel. Most rings were made of iron, but a few were made of brass, so grabbing the brass ring was a valuable treat.