At the IAAPA Manufacturers and Suppliers Committee meeting in Alexandria, Va., this February, the group unanimously voted in favor of moving IAAPA Orlando 2003 and 2004 to the new North/South Building at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. All exhibitors should refer to the new floor plan to choose their booth space for the upcoming trade show, IAAPA Orlando 2003.

New floor plans, including a 2003 prospectus, have been mailed to all Manufacturers and Suppliers Committee members. You can also log onto www.iaapa.org or www.iaapaorlando.com to view the latest information available.

Companies with five years or more of exhibiting history and those who have their contracts in-house need to choose new booth spaces immediately. Fax or e-mail new booth selections to the IAAPA Convention Depart-ment at 703/836-4801 or e-mail bbaumgardner@iaapa.org.

The almost one million-square-foot building consists of a large open space with a standard 40-foot-high ceiling. Clear glass walls on both sides of the building offer views of the trade show floor from any level of the new convention center.

Magical Midway exhibitors will have increased space available for outdoor rides and equipment. Three doors make outdoor access fast and efficient from any part of the hall. The new building also has extensive loading areas at both ends of the building to speed up move in and move out.

IAAPA and the Orange County Convention Center chose the IAAPA trade show as the venue for the grand opening showcase of the new center. The arrangement provides IAAPA with an opportunity to be the highlight of the major event that is sure to get excellent media coverage worldwide. The publicity includes providing advertising through various media in the area, a campaign that will support IAAPA’s own strong media plans.

Media Results on G Force Studies
The news conference on G force studies that was held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., in late January garnered more than 600 media mentions nationally. The majority of the news spots included extensive coverage on many coasters across the country at several member parks. The overall tone of the news portrayed the amusement industry in a positive light.

The conference was also picked up by some very distinguished publications like the Orlando Sentinel, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, Orange County Register, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Fort Worth Star Telegram newspapers.

The television coverage totaled 16 minutes nationally on major networks and programs, such as CBS Evening News, Wolf Blitzer Reports, CNN Headline News, Good Morning America, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, NBC Newsfeed, and Hearst Television news service. The CBS Evening News coverage ad value is assessed at $500,000, based upon typical advertising costs for that time slot and network.

Brain Injury Association Finds No Risks in Rides

At the February 25 news conference, a team of leading medical professionals at the Brain Injury Association of America rebuffed calls for federal regulation as unnecessary, and reported that roller coasters do not pose a public health risk.

The panel went on to say that it is unlikely that any federal agency could match the amusement park industry’s self-monitoring procedure, and the work of the panel helps dispel fears that brain injury may result from riding roller coasters, which have gotten faster and taller over the past few years.

For more information or a copy of the final review, please visit www.biausa.org.

Added Value for Sponsorship Program

IAAPA will streamline its event sponsorship program in 2003 by adding price levels and value-oriented sponsorships. Karen Staley, of PinPoint Services in Frederick, Md., will manage the program.

PinPoint is considering many improvement options including leveraging the use of www.iaapaorlando.com, bus wraps, and in-house video screens in the Orange County Convention Center. For more information on the IAAPA Orlando 2003 sponsorship program, call Staley or Marc Parsont, exhibit manager, at 703/836-4800.

Creative Director of Efteling, Ton van de Ven, Says Farewell

The creative director of Efteling, Ton van de Ven, said good-bye after working for almost 38 years at the park located in the Netherlands.

In 1965, after graduating from the Industrial Design Academy in Eindhoven, van de Ven began working for Efteling. He gradually took on the design tasks of Efteling’s creative founder, Anton Pieck. He soon mastered his predecessor’s style and also created his own designs that were in harmony with Efteling, then and now. “Many people think that I became Anton Pieck’s apprentice at Efteling. This is not the case. But I work in the spirit of Anton Pieck. For me, this means being true to the imagery that belongs to Efteling. I went right to the top to prevent plans that I did not think fit with the unmistakable atmosphere that characterizes Efteling—plans that no longer showed any affinity with Anton Pieck,” says van de Ven. Efteling carries numerous traces of his work.

Van de Ven’s drawing skill, creative spirit, and capacity for conceptual thinking, along with his writing and technical insight, resulted in a number of remarkable attractions at Efteling. The Haunted Castle, the Half Moon Pirate Ship, the Pagoda, Fata Morgana, Villa Volta, Dream Flight, the House of the Five Senses (entrance building), and the People of Laaf all reflect his creativity.

He has won many awards for the park, and his contribution to the popularity of Efteling is invaluable. In the spring of 2002, which was also Efteling’s fiftieth anniversary year, van de Ven received the royal honor Companion in the Order of Oranje Nassau, from Mayor Weierink of Loon op Zand.

Over the years, van de Ven laid the foundations for various future developments at Efteling. At the beginning of 2002, the park opened the new Efteling Theatre, which represents the first stage of the entertainment center. It provides multifunctional entertainment that, in addition to shows and performances, has places to eat, drink, and shop.

In the next stage, the theater restaurant and the foyer will open. Next will be the Efteling Dream Realm, offering overnight accommodations in a fairy-tale castle, stately manors, or cosy woodland villas. Efteling Dream Realm and the entertainment center are important steps toward future year-round activities. Halfway through the 2003 season, the Anton Pieck Square will be enlarged and enhanced with old-fashioned carousels, a recurring theme in Pieck’s work.

Van de Ven has contributed greatly to the unique fairy tale identity that has distinguished Efteling from other amusement parks. His work formed the basis and inspiration for many designers in various technical departments who made the wonders of Efteling come alive. His work developed with the history of Efteling and the technical revolutions within the world of amusement parks, and it will be continued by a team of Efteling designers.