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.