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Send us your news and pictures. E-mail Keith Miller at kmiller@IAAPA.org.
 No More Chaotic Days at the Park
Anyone who’s tried to enjoy a day at an amusement park with a group of people knows how difficult it can be to coordinate doing all the things that everyone wants to do. Now, Entertainment Booking Concepts (EBC) has rolled out a new feature of its Adventure Resource Planner that addresses this challenge. EBC co- CEO Peter Rodbro explains how it works: “It’s an integration of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media [sites] with our system. When guests have done their planning and booking online with our system, they can then ‘share’ the itinerary with their friends through social media, and the friends can click on a link in the message and then they can all do their [coordinated] planning and bookings.” www.ebookingconcepts.net
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 ZooBorns: More Than Just Cute
If you like photos of baby animals, then you’ll love ZooBorns, a website run by Canadian Andrew Bleiman who shares great photos of newborn animals from accredited zoos and aquariums. Bleiman says the site gets almost 1 million visitors each month and believes it teaches how valuable zoo and aquarium breeding programs are to conservation efforts in the wild. He’s also released two books of photos, with 10 percent of proceeds from sales going to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conservation Endowment Fund. The AZA wrote the introduction in both books. www.zooborns.com |
The Most Awesome Christmas Tree a Kid Could Hope For!
You may have seen a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree in your time, but never one made of 245,000 Lego bricks. That’s what Legoland California unveiled at its park Nov. 29, 2010. Brooke Burke from “Dancing with the Stars” and her family helped Santa light the tree. http://california.legoland.com
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New Views in Myrtle Beach
On May 11, the giant wheel shown in this rendering will open in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Called “SkyWheel at Myrtle Beach Landing,” the R60 Giant Wheel by Chance Morgan will stand 187 feet tall and feature 42 glass - enclosed gondolas. The giant wheel is owned by Myrtle Beach SkyWheel LLC, a joint venture between Koch Development Co. and Pacific Development. www.chancemorgan.com
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Ripley’s Orlando Makeover
If you’re in Orlando and in the mood for something different and bizarre, check out the new exhibits at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, including a portrait of singer Beyonce made entirely from candy and a balloon-powered chair that flew over the Rocky Mountains. The Odditorium also boasts new flat-panel TVs and new lighting, paint, and carpet. Joe Kasinski, Ripley’s Orlando’s director of sales and marketing, responded to questions about the updates:
Why are you adding these new exhibits at this time? The Orlando Odditorium was previously owned by a franchise group and earlier this year became a corporate-owned and -operated location. Ripley Entertainment continually looks for new exhibits to keep the brand fresh and exciting.
Which new exhibit is your personal favorite? The life-sized wax figure of The Lizardman, whom I had the opportunity to meet in person. The likeness is so incredibly remarkable! http://orlando.ripleys.com
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Noah’s Ark Gets a Park
The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, announced it will build a new $150 million theme park called Ark Encounter on 130 acres of land. The park is set to open in 2014, and its centerpiece will be a 500-footby- 75-foot full-size replica of Noah’s Ark. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear says the park could create more than 900 jobs and have a $250 million economic impact over five years. http://creationmuseum.org
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Europa-Park Celebrates Holidays, Winter
The winter beauty of the England section of Germany’s Europa-Park is shown here, lighted and decorated for the holidays. The park recently celebrated its 10th year of opening during the holiday season. www.europapark.de
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