Now, I am so done with school you would not believe it.  I will probably never enter a classroom again as anything but a teacher, thank you very much.  I spent way too much time on the other side of that fence, and the grass is stamped down and dry.  Despite my aversion to classroom experiences, I always attend at least six or seven of the education sessions at IAAPA, and in general they are great.  At least two or three turn out to be “gems” that make the whole conference worthwhile.  Of course I cherry pick the ones that look best and most interesting to me, but isn’t that the point?

This year I get my first chance to organize a session with the intimidating title of Viral Marketing through Social Networks.  That is a lot to cover in 90 minutes, but I think I have found just the guys to do it.  The speaker we are shooting for is Peter Shankman of Geek Factory in New York. Hey, in our line of work, the word “geek” is a badge of honor.  The equally geeky moderator will be Jeff Putz of CoasterBuzz, who will make sure Mr. Shankman doesn’t go over our heads and gives advice practical to the amusement industry.

Not many of us can create the buzz of a Wizarding World of Harry Potter online announcement, or the pass along value of the “Will It Blend” campaign on YouTube, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of this new media where consumers interact with our brand.  The sharing and community building that happens in social networks can be leveraged by anyone who dares to participate. 

Linked In, MySpace, Twitter, Penguin (above right), YouTube are all websites like towns you can visit and find your niche.  People thrive on finding common interests and often that common interest revolves around how they spend their leisure time.  Information is shared in a very friendly and conversational way between friends and isn’t good “word of mouth” the best advertising you can get?

See also:  
Amusement parks : Devil in the White City
FECs: Step Up to the Plate
Waterparks: A Wet and Wonderful Phoenix from the Ashes

The attractions sound truly…mind blowing.  If you don’t know about the first Ferris Wheel, you will be amazed and enthralled by the reality of the machine as described. 

Point of caution however, amid the copious discussions of architectural disputes, planning and building set-backs, there is interwoven a gruesome murder story.   These characters shine a special window into the life of those that moved into the cities at that time. But, if you don’t like true crime, you might want to avoid this book.  It is grizzly but fascinating.

What I found surprising and fun were the parallels between the issues and problems of the 1893 World’s Fair and today’s amusement park business.  The planners put in much work and heartache over something so transient. However, just like us, in the end the Fair is an incredible, beautiful and very profitable entertainment experience.  It was grand, expensive, ridiculous and wonderful. 

For those who love all things that celebrate the Wild West, there are some great glimpses at Buffalo Bill and his show, which set up next to the Fair.   Also, there is definitely a bit of a voyeuristic look into the politically incorrect forms of entertainment that were popular at the time.   

Written and read like a novel, but actually non-fiction, I think those working in the amusement park industry would enjoy this “Saga of Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America”.

Our basic concern: Why would anyone try to mate an old-school lumber thriller, whose core technologies have remained unchanged for several generations, with a tale about killer robots from the future? Seems like a conceptually dubious way to go. (And I won’t even address the fact that another park very close by already has a pretty damned righteous Terminator-themed attraction.)

I must admit, my first reaction was real disappointment. But as time has passed, I’ve been feeling less angst over the whole issue. Honestly, for most roller coasters (big-budget Disney rides aside), are names and themes really that important? Six Flags New England’s Superman Ride of Steel just won – again – the steel coaster blue ribbon in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards and I don’t think the results would have been any different even if it had been dubbed the Hello Kitty Koaster.  And the GTA’s top woodie, Holiday World’s The Voyage? Sure, that’s a fairly clever moniker for a Thanksgiving-themed zone but it doesn’t really make the blood race. The ride itself clearly does, though, and that’s all that matters.

Names do make implied promises, to be sure. For instance, if we walk up to a coaster called Titan, or Goliath, or Behemoth, it had better be pretty big. And if a coaster is called “The Terminator,” it should be diabolical. Which it no doubt will be, given the astounding talent pool at Great Coasters International, the designers of the attraction.

And I must admit, the park designer-wannabe inside me couldn’t help but think of the possibilities. How about they paint the whole coaster - structure, roadbed, every visible surface - completely black, as if it had been charred from top to bottom in the Judgment Day conflagration? And then maybe add glowing red lights to the trains, as if they were some kind of nasty caterpillar-bots, roving the wasteland for stray humans? And then maybe tunnel the entire lift hill and pipe in some of that sweet percussive Terminator theme?

So, maybe… We’ll see.

See also:
Amusement parks: Just the Ticket
Amusement Parks: X2 – Thrilling As Ever, Almost To A Fault