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IAAPA Brass Ring Award Winners Announced – Read Full List Here

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dynamic attractions wins iaapa brass ring award

Attractions industry leaders have been honoured at the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Brass Ring Award event which took place yesterday during the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2016 in Orlando, Florida.

The coveted awards are presented to amusement parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, family entertainment centers (FECs) and suppliers from around the world in recognition of excellence in food and beverage, games and retail, human resources, live entertainment, marketing, new products, and FECs.iaapa brass ring awards logo

The winners of the 2016 IAAPA Brass Ring Awards are:

Brass Ring Award for Top Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) of the World

International: Dreamland FEC, La Libertad, El Salvador
North America: Scene75 Entertainment Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Brass Ring Award for Food and Beverage Excellence

Best New Innovation in Food and Beverage:

“Swig n’ Sweets, ” Lagoon, Farmington, Utah, United States

Best New Menu Item:

  • “King Size Shakes, “Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Brass Ring Award for Games and Merchandise Excellence

Best Plush Less than 1 Million Attendance:

  • “Leo” soft toy, Leolandia, Bergamo, Italy

Best Plush More than 1 Million Attendance:

  • “Shuffles the Emperor Penguin Chick, ” Sea World Australia, Queensland, Australia

Best Hard Good Item Less than 1 Million Attendance:

  • “Yas Waterworld Dawwama” mug, Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Best Hard Good Item More than 1 Million Attendance:

  • “Centennial Lion” ornament, San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California, United States

Best Apparel Less than 1 Million Attendance:

  • “Love and Peace Rocks” eco-fashion t-shirt, Beach Park, Aquiraz, Brazil

Best Apparel More than 1 Million Attendance:

  • “Batman Flat Brim Cap with Removable Mask, ” Warner Bros. Movie World, Queensland, Australia

Best Single Display Merchandising:

  • “Explorer Dressing Room Display, ” Africam Safari, Puebla, Mexico

Best Store Visual Merchandising:

  • “LeoShop, ” Leolandia, Bergamo, Italy

Best Game Operation:

  • Lagoon Games Department, Lagoon, Farmington, Utah, United States

Judges’ Choice:

  • Vanadio Underwater Photography, Vana Nava Company Limited, Hua Hin, Thailand;

Brass Ring Award for Human Resources Excellence

Best Innovation in a Training Program, Class 1 Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:

Best Innovation in a Training Program, Class 2 Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:

  • Somewhereland, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Best Employee Reward and Recognition Program, Class 1 Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:

Best Employee Reward and Recognition Program, Class 2 Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:

  • Africam Safari, Puebla, Mexico; www.africamsafari.com

Best Employee Engagement Initiative, Class 1 Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:

  • Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri, United States

Best Employee Engagement Initiative, Class 2 Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:

  • Africam Safari, Puebla, Mexico

Brass Ring Award for Live Entertainment Excellence

Best Atmosphere/Street Show Performance/Act:

  • “Sesame Street Funky Party, ” Universal Studios Japan, Konohana Ward, Osaka, Japan

Best Live Edutainment Show:

  • “The Ed-ZOO-cation Team, ” Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Most Creative Sports/Stunt Show:

Most Creative Christmas Show:

  • “Dollywood’s A Christmas Carol, ” Dollywood Theme Park, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

Most Creative Halloween Haunt, Show, or Experience:

Most Creative Show Featuring Animals:

  • “Pets Ahoy, ” SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States

Most Creative Property-wide Event Annual Attendance Less than 1 Million:

  • “Gilroy Gardens Lumination, ” Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park Inc., Gilroy, California, United States

Most Creative Property-wide Event Annual Attendance More than 1 Million:

  • “Santa Allstar Christmas, ” Resorts World Sentosa, Universal Studios Singapore, Singapore

Best Theatrical Production Annual Attendance 250, 001-1 Million:

  • “Phantasm-The Magic of Nick Norton, ” Silverwood Theme Park, Athol, Idaho, United States

Best Theatrical Production Annual Attendance 1 Million-3 Million:

LEGO Ninjago & the Realm of Shadows, ” Legoland Malaysia Resort, Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia

Best Theatrical Production: Annual Attendance More than 3 Million:

  • “Mickey and the Magician, ” Disneyland Resort Paris, Marne La Vallée, France

Best Male Performer:

  • Nick Norton, Silverwood Theme Park, Athol, Idaho, United States

Best Female Performer:

  • Anastacia Manoilo, Europa-Park, Rust, Germany

Spirit Award
The Spirit Award is given to the most outstanding person who works behind-the-scenes to support high-quality entertainment value of the nominating attraction.

  • Gizmo Ng Tung Shuen, Ocean Park Hong Kong, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, China

Most Creative Multimedia Spectacular

Excellence in Marketing

  • Best Digital Marketing Campaign All Classes: Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign All Classes:

  • Liseberg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Best Outdoor Advertisement All Classes:

  • Africam Safari, Puebla, Mexico

Best Public Relations Campaign:

  • Class 1   Scene75 Entertainment Center, Dayton, Ohio, United States
  • Class 2   Africam Safari, Puebla, Mexico
  • Class 3   The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George, New York, United States
  • Class 4   Ripley Entertainment, Orlando, Florida, United States

Best Radio or Streaming Audio Commercial:

  • Class 1   Adventure City, Anaheim, California, United States
  • Class 2   Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
  • Class 3   Knoebels Amusement Park, Elysburg, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Class 4   Morey’s Piers and Beachfront Water Park, Wildwood, New Jersey, United States

Best Social Media Campaign All Classes:

  • KolmÃ¥rden Wildlife Park, KolmÃ¥rden, Sweden

Best Television or Digital Video Commercial:

  • Class 1   Silver Dollar City’s White Water, Branson, Missouri, United States
  • Class 2   Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Columbus, Ohio, United States
  • Class 3   KolmÃ¥rden Wildlife Park, KolmÃ¥rden, Sweden
  • Class 4   Lagoon, Farmington, Utah, United States

Brass Ring Award for BEST NEW PRODUCT

The Best New Product Exhibitor Awards recognizes the best new products or services in the amusement parks and attractions industry.

Major Ride/Attraction – Class A (Product cost of US$3 million or more)

Major Ride/Attraction – Class B (Product cost of less than US$3 million)

  • First Place: DOF Robotics – Booth 1390, Hurricane VR 360
  • Second Place: ABC Engineering AG – Booth 3049, Thrill Ride “Tourbillon”

Kiddie Ride/Attraction

  • First Place: Skyline Attractions, LLC – Booth 5429, Crazy Couch
  • Second Place: The Gravity Group, LLC – Booth 3813, Timber!

breaker beach waterpark

Water Park Ride/Attraction – Class A (Product cost of $2 million or more)

Water Park Ride/Attraction – Class B (Product cost of less than $2 million)

Patron Participation Ride/Attraction

  • First Place: Spectrum Sports Int’l– Booth 5110, Klime Wallz Mobile Edition
  • Second Place: Dodgeball2You– Booth 1657, Dodgeball2You Mobile Dodgeball Arena

holovis cedar point ar map

Technology Applied to Amusements – Class A (Product or service used by consumers)

  • First Place: Holovis Attractions – Booth 778, Battle for Cedar Point: The Augmented Reality Experience
  • Second Place: Team Lab Kids – Booth 4256, Sketch Aquarium

Technology Applied to Amusements – Class B (Product or service used by facilities)

Food Services

  • First Place: Syrup Systems, Inc.– Booth 3275, SnowMax Ice Shaver
  • Second Place: Beverage Solutions Group, LLC – Booth 636, Beverage Solutions Group Creamer and Sugar Station

Merchandising and Retail Products

  • First Place: Big T Toys & Sports – Booth 2115, Plush Surfboards
  • Second Place: Waterloo Tent & Tarp Co., Inc. – Booth 2600, 2604, Air’ Lounge

Games and Devices – Class A (Arcade and video games and equipment)

  • First Place: Apple Industries, Inc. – Booth 1600, Face Place Photo Studio Deluxe
  • Second Place: Team Play, Inc. – Booth 2000, Launch Code

Games and Devices – Class B (Midway games and equipment)

  • First Place: Bob’s Space Racers, Inc. – Booth 2615, 2815, 7640, Pixel Water Gun Fun

Shows/Productions, Theatrical Equipment, and Supplies, Displays and Sets

  • First Place: JRA – Booth 1369, Independence Plaza
  • Second Place: LCI Productions LTD. – Booth 258, Cheddar Gorge: Headhunters

Services, Equipment, and Supplies

  • First Place: Water Safety Products, Inc. – Booth 4269, FlipEasy Rescue Tube Pack
  • Second Place: Redemption Plus – Booth 1300, Redemption Plus Merchinsights Program

Best New Product Concept Award

The Best New Product Concept Award is given to a new product that has yet to be sold or installed in a facility, and is debuting at IAAPA Attractions Expo.

Impact Award

The Impact Award recognises the best new product or service in the amusement parks and attractions industry.

  • JRA – Booth 1369, Independence Plaza

Brass Ring Award for BEST EXHIBIT AT IAAPA ATTRACTIONS EXPO 2016

The Best Exhibit Awards recognize the best booths on the IAAPA Attractions Expo trade show floor based on booth design, branding, staffing, and overall appeal.

Booth Size 100 – 199 Square Feet

  • First Place: Imagination Corporation – Booth 2159
  • Second Place: Italian Chocolate Twister LLC – Booth 331

Booth Size 200 – 399 Square Feet

  • First Place: Truss Aluminium Factory – Booth 6141
  • Second Place: Artistic Contractors, Inc. – Booth 180

Booth Size 400 – 499 Square Feet

  • First Place: Eleventh Hour – Booth 495
  • Second Place: BeaverTails USA Inc. – Booth 831

Booth Size 500 – 899 Square Feet

  • First Place: Empex Watertoys – Booth 3406
  • Second Place: Tree-Mendous Aerial Adventures – Booth 1778

Booth Size 900 – 1, 200 Square Feet

  • First Place: Creative Works, Inc. – Booth 3671
  • Second Place: GGE Entertainment + Design – Booth 1373

Booth Size 1, 201 and Larger Square Feet

  • First Place: Extreme Engineering – Booth 3265
  • Second Place: Daniels Wood Land, Inc. – Booth 1060, 1062

Image Award

The Image Award is given to the best exhibit based on booth design, branding, staffing, and overall appeal at IAAPA Attractions Expo.

The 2016 IAAPA Brass Ring Awards ceremony was sponsored by Silver Sponsor Holy Land Experience, and Supporting Sponsors Ocean Park Hong Kong and RWS & Associates.

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charles read blooloop

Charles Read

Charles is managing director at blooloop. He attends numerous trade shows around the world and frequently speaks about trends and social media for the attractions industry at conferences. Outside of blooloop, his passions are diving, trees and cricket.

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