The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions opened its annual European conference with news of a new event coming to the calendar in 2026: IAAPA Expo Middle East. Scheduled to start March 30th, 2026 in Abu Dhabi (UAE), the event will mark the association’s first major trade show in the region.
On the trade show floor, exhibitors began to make big announcements of their own. Here are some quick highlights (UPDATES ADDED REGULARLY):
P&P Projects
P&P Projects is debuting a new high-end animatronics division within the company, called Themed Motion. Their animatronic systems will feature a custom control platform (though their products work with other controllers as well), remote access/monitoring and other features. To celebrate, the company created and showcased Mormel, a charming creature oozing with personality. P&P’s Eppo Zeegers, project manager, design & build, said that in creating the character they wanted to straddle that line between realism and cartoon.
Vekoma
Vekoma unveiled the car for a new coaster currently being built at Mandoria park, just outside Warsaw, Poland. The launch coaster is squeezed into the 7m tall building and is expected to reach speeds of 70kph and offer 900m of ride experience. The ride completes the third phase of the park and is highly themed, with a detailed storyline. Taking place in a Renaissance trade city, the ride is the innovation of the city’s guards, a weapon against intruders. Indeed, the lead coaster car features a battering ram at its front.
Lagotronics
Ghostly Manor is coming in May 2025 to Paultons Park in England. The brainchild of Lagotronics and executed by a team of professionals including Mack Rides and Leisure Expert Group, the ride is replacing the park’s 4D cinema. Built within a compact footprint, each vehicle will rotate through eight different interactive scenes. Inside, guests will attempt to catch ghosts that have escaped in an old English manor. The attraction will be the world’s first Gameplay Theater and feature a new interactive device technology that utilizes a system similar to GPS to track movement of the device.
Intamin
Dreamworld Australia announced a replacement for their 20-year-old The Claw gyro swing attraction with a larger and more intense model from Intamin. Called King Claw, the new ride will reach speeds nearing 100kph and swing to heights of 42m. Additionally, King Claw will be more eco-conscious than its predecessor, returning 40% of its energy back to the grid during the braking process. Construction begins in February 2025, with an anticipated opening by the end of the year.
The Enchanted Greenhouse
Jora Vision hosted a press conference giving a few more details about the new interactive dark ride coming to Six Flags Qiddiya City in 2025. The theme park, covering 320,000-square-meters will feature 28 rides and attractions. The project marks the first Six Flags built from the ground up since 1971. The Enchanted Greenhouse is part of the park’s Twilight Gardens themed land and will feature a trackless dark ride surrounded by 6,200 lifelike plants, including 100 handmade flowers.
The interactive element is intentionally non-competitive, and guests will use devices to help bring the plants and gardens to life, in more of a hide-and-seek style experience. Alterface is providing the interactive technology, and each magical device will include vibration and LED lighting inside. ETF is supplying the 12 ride vehicles, which provide a capacity of 720 guests per hour.
WhiteWater
WhiteWater is seeking applicants for their IDEA Scholarship program. The scholarship provides access to IAAPA’s Executive Leadership Training program. Applications for next year’s award are due January10th, 2025. Apply online.
WhiteWater has also been busy installing projects around the world. Highlights include the Endless Surf product at O2 Surftown in Munich. 34 pneumatic chambers are able to produce waves up to two meters high. Cruise ship installs include the 25th Flow Rider placed on a Royal Caribbean ship, an Aqua Forms play system on AROYA cruises and an Adventure Trail on MSC World America. Finally, work continues on Aquarabia in Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia. The park is not a traditional waterpark, with many attractions accessible in street clothes. Five record-breaking rides are planned for the park.
Bommelwereld
Construction continues on Bommelwereld, near the Netherlands’ eastern border with Germany. Vendors on the project include Metallbau Emmeln, Gosetto, Zamperla, Eli Play, Sunkid, Zierer, ABC Rides, Bertazzon and Verona. Jora Vision is providing overall design for the large park, which is scheduled to open at the end of 2025.
Smurfs at Holiday Park
Holiday Park Germany is working on creating a new Smurfs-themed dark ride to replace an existing attraction in the park. Plopsa designed the attraction and is working with Jora Vision on producing the ride. LF Studios is providing animatronics and Painting with Light is providing lighting design.
The ride will include 42 animated Smurfs, animated Gargamel characters, and giant animated plants. The attraction is scheduled to open in spring 2025.
