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The Tom Anstey Column


But do you know what’s better than taking your


metaphorical jam and peanut butter, changing the type of bread and calling it your own? Inventing a whole new dish. Don’t get me wrong, there are innovations at


shows such as IAAPA that have genuinely wowed me over the decade-plus I’ve been attending them. I remember standing directly next to a huge


version of my own head, generated in seconds onto The Giant – a project targeting 21 cities globally to create a genuine first-of-its-kind attraction. The concept involves a 30-60m-tall moving, 3D


human-shaped statue covered in programmable LED pixels, allowing almost anyone to be projected onto the enormous structure. The first confirmed commercial installation is coming to AREA15, the well-known immersive entertainment district in Las Vegas. Something like that is guaranteed to turn heads. That was the first thing that came into my head


when I thought about what has genuinely stood out to me over more than a decade of trade shows. But for every Giant, we get another type of


spinning ride that is remarkably similar to one we’ve already seen. We get ‘immersive experiences’ that are about


as immersive as me drawing a detailed sketch of the living room at Buckingham Palace – and I cannot draw to save my life. We get something that already exists


repackaged as new because it used to be red and now it’s blue. And sure, you’ll get 100 influencers crowding


around to take pictures and film their vlogs when it is unveiled at a press conference. But will it genuinely stand out in an industry


famous for creativity? Unless you’re beating a true world record -


tallest and fastest of any kind being the key two - Probably not.


A creative spark I’m not saying you shouldn’t take what you already have and improve or enhance it. Of course you should. But if you want something that genuinely stands


out – something that gets influencers talking and, more importantly, gets punters through the gates – then try to actually innovate. Think outside the box. Look at what’s missing


from the market. I don’t have all the answers. That’s why you


reading this are paid the big bucks: to make that seven-year-old’s jaw drop when they see your creation for the first time. Maybe the answer lies somewhere in AI. Used properly, such a tool could create an


attraction that feels genuinely different every time you enter it, responding to individual interactions and changing the experience accordingly. Maybe pair it with robotics, which is also


advancing at an incredible rate. Think about the jaw-dropping robotic flying


Spider-Man at Disney. An actor leaps from the stage and the character flies through the air performing acrobatic stunts.


That was true innovation. Now take it a step further. What if that stunt


robot could interact with guests? What if it could respond to them and perform a stunt at a moment’s notice? If you’re thinking about dark rides, something


like Rise of the Resistance demonstrates what happens when a ride system becomes part of the storytelling. Its trackless vehicles create the feeling that you could end up anywhere, with the freedom of movement opening up possibilities beyond a traditional fixed ride path. That principle can be taken much further in an


entirely new creation. Over at Universal, Super Nintendo World


gamifies the literal architecture of the attraction through its Power-Up Bands. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter does something similar, turning physical environments into interactive experiences through its interactive wands. These are examples of technology and design


being used to fundamentally change how guests experience an attraction.


What’s next? So where can you go from here? Show me a new kind of ride. Show me a new


kind of attraction. Use your surroundings. What could you build inside a stadium? How


could you use the design of a cruise ship? What about in sports? There is still so much untapped potential and it


just takes the right mind to unlock it. There’s nothing wrong with improving an


existing idea or making a ride faster, taller, smoother or more immersive. But don’t mistake evolution for revolution.


Maybe it’s time for the PR team to put down the thesaurus. Stop creating for the sake of touting your new ‘innovation’ and start innovating. Enough with the PR puff.


TOM ANSTEY


Tom is a world-traveled journalist with over a decade of experience covering the global attractions and leisure industries. The former Editor of two major industry publications, he is now a freelance writer who also lends his industry expertise to Amazon’s AI initiatives. Tom is dedicated to uncovering the stories and meeting the people behind the world’s most ambitious attractions. If you’re lucky, you might find him riding his favourite coaster - Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, or visiting his favourite park - Le Pal in France.


OCTOBER 2026 43


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