IAAPA Attractions Expo, part 2

Hello again from Orlando and the Orange County Convention Center, site of IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008, which is hosted by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions - pronounced "eye-AP-pah" for IAAPA (disclosure: client of my employer, Edelman).

Yesterday we were again in awe of all the creativity on display from more than 1,100 exhibitors filling the convention hall and even part of its parking lot. Back for the Expo are some of our popular favorites, like the triple-decker carousel from Argentina's Felimina Luna Park S.A., and Bob's Space Racers and all their new midway-style games.

New this year (some of which were reported by USA Today and the Orlando Sentinel):

• Zamperla's "Surf's Up" ride, which is basically a giant surf board-shaped platform on which passengers stand while on blend, frappe or whip speed spin-cycles
• New from Europe, Haystack Dryers are the coolest and newest full-size (er, family-size) body dryers since the shower scene in Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner." When you are at a water park you step inside for a quick session under heat lamps and fans and voila you are dry!
• Dr. Fish -- those little minnows that gnaw your dead derms while you soak your feet -- is here from Japan (will try that out later in the week)
• The debut of Guitar Hero Arcade Game (yes, fellow-bloggers and video game gurus, it is here and it is b-b-b-bad to the bone!

Peter Shankman from Help A Reporter Out is still in town and we are about to embark to explore and FlipVideo some more from the show (more to come!).

IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008, part 1

For the 10th consecutive year, this year my team from Edelman is working at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008, the global gathering of the $24 billion attractions industry hosted by our client the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Is there an Olympic connection? Absolutely! But I will save that for a post later this week.

To help Peter Shankman of Help A Reporter Out (HARO) -- a guest speaker at the Expo education sessions -- make a point about how quickly FlipVideo shots can make it online, this post includes a video just shot moments ago via FlipVideo at his session on social media at the Expo.

Shankman is making a great point about how handy the Flip is for visitors to theme parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums, family entertainment centers, hotels, casinos and other attractions served by IAAPA. Looking forward to more posts on the great new rides, games, technology, food and park news we will learn throughout the week.

Currency Inferiority Complex?

Last week I invited public relations members of Help A Reporter Out (HARO) to submit Olympic stuff. Several very interesting items filled my in box, the first of which is a million dollar idea.

According to the publicist for GovMin.com, for the 2008 Beijing Games the China Mint created the largest Olympic coin in history. I've always been more of a philatelist than into numismatics, but must admit this massive coin (22 pounds of solid gold) was intriguing.

How big is it? It's so big it puts the U.S. 25 cent piece to shame, sort of like putting earth next to Saturn or Jupiter on a solar system model (see photo). This coin will only set you back a cool Olympic million dollars, with only one such special edition medallion available in the U.S.

I think I'll stick to Olympic pin collecting and stamps for now, but look forward to learning about the eventual sale of this coin. In the meantime, this KARE-TV (Minneapolis/St. Paul NBC) clip on the coins is quite good video.

UPDATE (added Aug. 7): At the time of this posting above, I was not aware that the Royal Canadian Mint is involved, and that the Mint is actually a client of Edelman's Beijing office. So in the interest of disclosure, adding this update that the Mint works with Edelman Beijing for the Mint's participation in the Olympex Exhibition (which I will certainly add to my action list for a visit).