Even though theme park attendance is down this year, the companies are investing more than ever.

According to the International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions, which is the global association for the theme park industry, American theme parks are expected to invest $1.5 billion in attractions this year alone.

IAAPA’s CEO Jakob Wahl spoke with Florida’s Fourth Estate about some fascinating trends taking place across the industry.

He said parks are creating rides less focused on being the biggest and fastest. Instead, companies like Disney, Universal and SeaWorld are honing in on new technologies and intellectual property.

“Delivering the same services to the same people is stagnation. The theme park industry is huge about innovation,” Wahl said.

Last Year at IAAPA’s big convention in Orlando, SeaWorld announced a new idea for a ride. The rollercoaster called Pipeline would allow riders to feel like they’re surfing a wave. The ride keeps guests in the standing position instead of the standard strapped-in coaster. The roller coaster is now open at Sea World.

Disney used IP and technology fused together to create the new Tron ride, which uses a new seating position and some serious technology to give a new experience. Universal used a motorcycle and sidecar in Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure to make muggles feel like they’re experiencing Harry Potter’s magical land in a whole new way.

But, with all the new technology, questions have arisen about safety. In 2022, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson tragically fell from a ride at Orlando’s Icon Park putting ride safety at the forefront of the national conversation.

“I can guarantee you safety is the number one priority for our industry,” Wahl said.

Wahl claims engineers make safety decisions early in the process of creating a ride, but, questions about how theme parks police themselves when it comes to ride safety have crept in.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has questioned whether Disney should be put under the microscope of state inspectors. Wahl didn’t want to speak on the political battle.

“I prefer not to comment on that individual case between Disney and DeSantis, but I can tell you Disney has an excellent safety record. Disney has always been on the forefront of safety globally. I think the industry today is a better place in terms of safety thanks to the efforts of Disney and many others. I’m not sure how that would help the already excellent safety records of Disney,” he said.

Either way, with tourism cutting back in Florida it will be interesting to see if theme parks continue making these huge investments in the coming years.

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