IAAPA 2014 Live Coverage!

[HWFan]

^Thanks for sharing some of that awesome insight! Honestly she has probably been to more parks and other entertainment venues than anyone else her age. I'm sure she could get plenty of consultant contracts with that experience!

 

And that's really interesting looking at the changing demographics and the analysis of where to post certain things and the trade offs regarding where you post them. Do you have a degree in marketing or a related field? I know that sometimes experience is the best teacher (like Will Koch who originally went for a business degree but already knew it all from experience, so he changed to engineering). Either way, thanks again. We'll see if I get to go to IAAPA next year with park reps or not, but even if I don't, at least I'll still have your coverage. Thanks again.

[DBru]

The fact that I could refresh my Twitter feed every 10 minutes and see a new update was really exciting, and it ensured that TPR was where I would go for IAAPA coverage all week. I definitely think you made all the right decisions this time around. Thanks for the constant updates--it was a lot of fun following you all this year! Can't wait for the next one!

Edited November 21, 2014 by DBru

[jray21]

I think having KidTums there was the best part! How were the waffles on a stick?

[DenDen]

I think I'll jump in and add to the positive comments. You guys ROCKED it this year! Super dooper well done. As an online professional, all I could see is that you guys did everything right! I only get a jump in viewership like that about once a year, (I'm in news, so it's really based on the year's big story, and not as large as you guys!) so I know how exciting it is.

 

Kudos and congrats!

[robbalvey]

The fact that I could refresh my Twitter feed every 10 minutes and see a new update was really exciting, and it ensured that TPR was where I would go for IAAPA coverage all week. I definitely think you made all the right decisions this time around.

Thanks. I appreciate that. Like I said, it was risky. Going into it I was all "do we do the same thing again, or do we totally take a different approach?" I had no idea if it would work. On day one, we saw so many other people doing the "Same ol...same ol..." but we stuck to our guns and just kept plowing forward. It worked so well that I'm assuming we'll see other sites doing the same next year! I'll have to think of something different!

 

I think I'll jump in and add to the positive comments. You guys ROCKED it this year! Super dooper well done. As an online professional, all I could see is that you guys did everything right! I only get a jump in viewership like that about once a year, (I'm in news, so it's really based on the year's big story, and not as large as you guys!) so I know how exciting it is.

It's been crazy! I've updated the numbers a couple of times as it keeps going up! (Of course that Skyscraper video is most certainly helping), but still, even with that video removed from the equation, our post reach and interactions have been insane! It was totally unexpected!

[cfc]

I agree with the new approach, too. The problem with the longer video format is that you sometimes get stuck with a rep who 1) doesn't have much to say or 2) isn't allowed to say very much, which can get a bit tedious.

[SuperShawn]

I think having KidTums there was the best part! How were the waffles on a stick?

 

The waffles on a stick were probably the best food item we tried there. The one I had was cinnamon that she put into the white chocolate cream cheese sauce. Soo good! They also did a red velvet and savory ones like a pizza one where a mozzarella stick was cooked inside the waffle.

[Garet]

Was Rick Hunter still there promoting the pro-slide models? He always seemed like a guy who madly loved what he was doing in your interviews. Alan Schilke too but I definitely saw him in the pictures.

[robbalvey]

Was Rick Hunter still there promoting the pro-slide models? He always seemed like a guy who madly loved what he was doing in your interviews. Alan Schilke too but I definitely saw him in the pictures.

They both were there. Rick was busy every time I went by and I chatted with one of the other ProSlide guys. Talked with Alan quite a bit, but no interviews with either.

[Garet]

Was Rick Hunter still there promoting the pro-slide models? He always seemed like a guy who madly loved what he was doing in your interviews. Alan Schilke too but I definitely saw him in the pictures.

They both were there. Rick was busy every time I went by and I chatted with one of the other ProSlide guys. Talked with Alan quite a bit, but no interviews with either.

 

Just glad to know he was still there. That Intamin dome ride looks interesting. Considering Lotte World's love of both motion based rides (I think with wild tours opening soon they'll have 7 plus there's also a 3D film and a screen based shooting tracked ride) and their love of Intamin I really hope we'll see one of those open here soon.

[robbalvey]

At first, I was disappointed without the long company interview videos, but my opinion quickly changed. While those videos were really good, having shorter videos up faster that are covering specific events was a great format.

The reality of those longer videos is that there really is only so much you can say. Ride companies cannot talk about anything unannounced and they are sometimes limited on things they can say that are announced, because parks often times want nuggets of information held back so they can use it for their own marketing purposes later. So then you're left with more uber-geeky tech questions, which are fine, but the audience is very limited. What has happened with TPR over the last year or two is that our audience has gone well outside of the "coaster nerd" and reaches a mass-market demographic. So we kind of have to cater to both. We DID do a couple of shorter interviews that dealt with some of the nerdier things, but we kept it to a minimum this year.

Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention, the couple of interviews we DID do were some of the least viewed, least shared of the videos we published. And looking around the internet at the other coverage, that seems to be the trend across the board. Really, what it comes down to, people's attention span is super-short, and they want something that is interesting and compelling. No one is going to watch a 9 minute video on hot dogs. (Yes, that was an actual video from IAAPA produced that I saw! lol)

 

You really do need to figure out who your audience is, and most importantly, what they want to watch! It's so important. We try our best to and I hope you guys were happy with this years coverage!

 

--Robb

[RCjunkie]

Thanks to the whole crew who helped with this years IAAPA coverage! It was fantastic and provided some fun updates on all the new attractions. One question for those who did go, what is your opinion of the Intamin presence at the show? The domed ride looks interesting but bringing a 3 year old Cheetah car for display makes it look like all the other manufactures are passing them buy with all their new offerings. Do you think maybe Intamin is losing some of its mojo?

[robbalvey]

Thanks to the whole crew who helped with this years IAAPA coverage! It was fantastic and provided some fun updates on all the new attractions. One question for those who did go, what is your opinion of the Intamin presence at the show? The domed ride looks interesting but bringing a 3 year old Cheetah car for display makes it look like all the other manufactures are passing them buy with all their new offerings. Do you think maybe Intamin is losing some of its mojo?

Absolutely not. Intamin doesn't actually have ANY train at the show, and in fact, this was the first ride vehicle they displayed at their booth that I can remember. So that was a step up for them.

 

And keep this in mind - The show is NOT for us "enthusiasts" - the show is for park owners who are interested in buying rides. They refurbed that Cheetah Hunt train and it look AMAZING! Quite possibly the most sexy looking train car on the show floor, regardless if it was three years old. Intamin wasn't trying to show off a "new ride", they were showing off how great their hardware looks. And it's easier to have a train shipped from Tampa!

[gerstlaueringvar]

Thanks to the whole crew who helped with this years IAAPA coverage! It was fantastic and provided some fun updates on all the new attractions. One question for those who did go, what is your opinion of the Intamin presence at the show? The domed ride looks interesting but bringing a 3 year old Cheetah car for display makes it look like all the other manufactures are passing them buy with all their new offerings. Do you think maybe Intamin is losing some of its mojo?

Or because shipping one of the best looking roller coaster trains ever from Tampa to Orlando is cheaper.

[RCF]

So I can't find anything on it, but didn't you say Rob that Merlin had some type of announcement? Because I can't find anything of it except it was going to happen on the second day.

[robbalvey]

So I can't find anything on it, but didn't you say Rob that Merlin had some type of announcement? Because I can't find anything of it except it was going to happen on the second day.

Yes, it's in our report. They announced the Orlando Eye Lego model for Miniland at Legoland Florida.

[Shavethewhales]

So does that mean 24 million individuals have been exposed to TPR through this coverage, or just that it showed up on newsfeeds 24 million times?

 

Very interesting... I wonder where the roof on this thing is? Will casual attraction following become as mainstream as following other industries like electronics? Probably not, but it's sure a step up from 10 years ago when all the coaster enthusiast sites felt like this weird odd corner of the internet that no one really understood.

[robbalvey]

So does that mean 24 million individuals have been exposed to TPR through this coverage, or just that it showed up on newsfeeds 24 million times?

It means it reached 24 million people.

 

Very interesting... I wonder where the roof on this thing is?

We are currently just under 32 million! No clue how much higher it will get!

Will casual attraction following become as mainstream as following other industries like electronics?

I don't know, but all these updates did generate over 15,000 new likes on the TPR Facebook page this week so perhaps! It keeps getting a little more mainstream all time! And that has its pros and cons.

Edited November 21, 2014 by robbalvey

[Chroniq]

This is incredible.

 

35 Million visitors this week.

 

To put this in perspective for people that aren't sure how big TPR has become.

 

Twice as Many people than will visit Magic Kingdom in Florida in the entire year of 2014 in one week.

 

81 Percent of all the people that will visit Orlando in total this entire year.

 

The same amount of people that will visit Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland in an ENTIRE year in one week.

 

If TPR were a theme park and had that many unique visitors every week, each year- They would have more visitors in a year than every other theme park currently operating- combined. Actually- TWICE as many.

 

One in every 80 people that use the internet in the ENTIRE WORLD experienced a TPR post this week.. 2.8 Billion total versus 35 Million in aggregate for TPR.

 

Only slightly less viewers than the games 5, 6 and 7 of this year's world series -combined.

 

Would be the number 1,2,3 and 4 top rated show in America this week- combined...

 

 

You guys nailed it this week.. I tip my hat. I think you actually hit the tipping point.

 

Congratulations!

-Chris " Calls it like he sees it and honestly saw you working your but off this week" Con

[canadianparkfan]

^ hopefully for a new chaos type ride that doesn't try to kill people. Those ride were the best. Its prly for a new version of there whipeout sadly

 

I do beleive it's for this: http://www.chancerides.com/rides/freestyle.html

 

That's exactly what it is for. An updated Wipeout.

 

Chance is also selling their full catalog again (they sold a Zipper at IAAPA), so an updated Chaos might happen...

So they also have an updated Zipper too?

 

Same ride, just minor technical improvements.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHOOOIOOOOOOOO!!!

 

More of my favourite flat is getting made!!!

 

Words can not describe how awesome this is!

 

Really hope my local carnival gets one. Who was the lucky operated to buy the one at IAAPA?

[rcdude]

IAAPA coverage was great this year! Much better than last year's update, and while I enjoyed the long interviews in previous years (especially the year you did user-submitted questions) they are definitely for a limited audience and are somewhat pointless if the company can't say much about upcoming projects (Rick Hunter from ProSlide was always great, however). Thanks for all the work you put into this. Those statistics are crazy...obviously many others enjoyed the coverage as well.

[viking86]

Another thumbs up for the new format from me. I wasn't really that interested in the long interviews in previous years (I guess my attention span really is super-short), but this year I have been following absolutely everything!

[tarheel1231]

Thanks so much for covering this! I am so jealous of KidTums! I want to meet Alan Schilke!

 

[EDIT] I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but Wikipedia says Alan Schilke is the one behind the Poler Coaster.

[GwaziBSRider1]

^ Yeah...that was mentioned a few days ago. Get with the times!

[robbalvey]

Thanks so much for covering this! I am so jealous of KidTums! I want to meet Alan Schilke!

 

[EDIT] I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but Wikipedia says Alan Schilke is the one behind the Poler Coaster.

Alan's company - Ride Centerline, is doing the design for it. Alan has involvement with it, but I think Joe Draves is the actual guy doing a lot of the design. He's the guy who also designed Lightning Run.

Edited November 22, 2014 by robbalvey