In joint Instagram post with Zamperla, Morgan's Wonderland said WingZ's "unique motion and responsive interactivity creates a feeling of freedom not found in any other attraction."
Dollywood says NightFlight Expedition will be the "world's first indoor family hybrid coaster and whitewater river raft ride."
A video monitor shows what the rider's view on VR Fighter Aircraft, which FuninVR demonstrated at IAAPA Expo.
Only Dinosaurs displayed an array of dinosaur animatronics, puppets and more at IAAPA Expo.
Apple Industries unveiled its new Star Wars Galactic ID maker at IAAPA Expo, noting it's still a work in progress.
Sally Dark Rides and Kings Island unveiled audio-animatronics for the Ohio park's upcoming Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare attraction, at IAAPA Expo.

ORLANDO, Fla. — As a parks reporter, I visit theme parks more than most people. I've seen the hard work and heart that go into building and operating these immersive destinations.

However, I was completely blown away by all the things I’d not considered and encountered at my first International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo in Orlando, which felt like a fever dream designed for fun.

There were so many highly specialized companies on the massive show floor, experts in everything from the misting fans that cool guests off in queues to the soft pretzels sold at snack stands, and of course, the makers of the rides themselves.

“When you look at an amusement park, it's actually a village,” Jakob Wahl, president and CEO of IAAPA, the global trade association for the attractions industry, told USA TODAY.

The whole village showed up at IAAPA Expo with their latest and greatest offerings. Here are five of the top things I saw and one thing I didn’t.

1. Accessibility for all abilities

There are several full-on rides set up on the massive show floor at the Orange County Convention Center. Towering above them all is WingZ, a first-of-its-kind, wheelchair-accessible tower ride built by Zamperla in partnership with and for Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first ultra-accessible theme park in San Antonio. It will open with the park's 2026 season in late February.

Riders flap their arms to go higher. If a guest doesn’t have arm mobility, a fellow guest can do the flapping instead, as I discovered on a test ride. The ride itself is thrilling, bobbing up and down at will, and an example of how guests of all abilities can play together, which is central to Morgan’s mission.

Wahl said many other parks are moving in that direction. “It is in the interest of each one of us to do the right thing, but also the thing which actually makes economic sense,” he said. “We want to deliver experiences for the broadest number of guests.”

2. New ride vehicles

Each year, ride makers unveil new attraction vehicles at IAAPA Expo. This year, Mack Rides and Dollywood debuted a boat-like vessel for NightFlight Expedition, which will open at the Smoky Mountain theme park next spring.

“It's the first of its kind, a hybrid water coaster that's really unique,” Eugene Naughton, president of the Dollywood Company, told USA TODAY. “We have half a million gallons of water that's going to rush by you as you're riding the NightFlight Expedition, and you're going to get a chance to really, truly feel what it's like to whitewater raft.”

Other debuts included a submarine-like vehicle by Vekoma for SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep, a groundbreaking suspended dark ride opening at SeaWorld Orlando next year.

3. Not-just-virtual reality

Multiple expo booths showcased virtual reality experiences. The ones that stood out paired VR with physical effects in motion simulators, like the VR Fighter Aircraft by FuninVR.

I didn’t try it myself, but watched a young expo attendee steer the aircraft with a smile, as it wove from side to side. It may not have been a theme park ride, but the expo isn’t just for parks, and I can definitely see VR being incorporated into more park experiences going forward.

“When we talk about the attractions industry, we often think of theme parks. We think Disney, we think Six Flags, we think SeaWorld, we think LEGOLAND, but looking at the people who come here, it's everything,” Wahl said. “We have ski resorts here. We have cruise companies here. We have shopping centers here ... because everybody is about thinking, how do we entertain guests and how do we bring even more joy to the people?”

4. Impressive animatronics

I was delighted by an animatronic Dilophosaurus by Only Dinosaurs. I know it was supposed to look scary as it opened its toothy mouth and fanned out its neck frill, but I thought it was adorable. I was also enamored by the company's puppets, including a baby Triceratops whose mouth I could open and close and whose eyes I could make blink by hand.

Other animatronics on display at the expo included a cute little blue alien at the Hitec Commercial Solutions booth and two newly revealed characters created by Sally Dark Rides for Kings Island’s highly anticipated Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare, opening next April.

5. Unique souvenirs

There was a whole section of the show floor dedicated to branded photo booths. The most impressive was a new Star Wars Galactic ID maker by Apple Industries. Instead of printing on film paper, the machine produces high-quality, hard-plastic Rebel and Resistance ID cards.

I didn’t quite align my head in the right place for mine, but it still looked cool. And I could imagine the personalized souvenir becoming a must-have for Star Wars fans.

Bonus: Collaboration

Even after hours on the show floor, I didn’t see it all, but there’s one thing I wish I had time for at IAAPA Expo.

“We actually have 170 education sessions where peers talk about the insights, what they have learned, what worked, what didn't work, to make sure to help others,” Wahl said.

He noted that companies may be secretive about future projects, but they readily share lessons from current and past experiences.

“I think what we try to do here is to inspire people, obviously with new products and innovations, but also with what others have done,” he said.

I definitely left the expo inspired.

(This story was updated to fix a typo and add new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inside the massive expo where theme parks show off their new toys

Reporting by Eve Chen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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