Education

TYPE
EDUSession
EDUTalk
EDUTour
TRACKS
Amusement Parks & Attractions
Creative & Design
Entertainment
Facility Operations
Family Entertainment Centers
Finance & Information Technology
Food & Beverage
Games & Merchandise
Human Resources
I.D.E.A.
Marketing, Public Relations & Sales
Museums & Science Centers
Natural & Adventure Attractions
Safety
Security
Sustainability
Water Parks
Young Professionals
Zoos & Aquariums
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Advanced
Intermediate
Introductory
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
•A clear understanding of the performance risks of exclusion •A practical framework for creating a culture where everyone has a defined place •Strategies for helping team members get involved, stay involved, and grow
•An in-depth understanding of current trends and innovations in immersive design, supported by examples of groundbreaking projects from around the world •Knowledge of new systems, techniques, and technologies developed to enhance guest experiences •A glimpse into the future of immersive design and its potential impact on the entertainment industry and cultural community
•Analyze how a mission‑driven, organization‑specific training framework improves alignment, engagement, and performance •Identify core components of ZOOPRINT that can be adapted to your organization •Apply strategies for embedding culture, values, and guest‑experience standards into real‑world, in‑field training
•Apply de-escalation techniques and communication strategies to manage difficult guest interactions with professionalism and empathy while maintaining composure under pressure •Implement boundary-setting practices that protect staff wellbeing and prevent conflict escalation without compromising guest service quality •Develop a personal action plan to manage emotional reactions, maintain energy levels, and support team morale when facing challenging guest situations
•Apply practical techniques for networking and maintaining professional connections both in person and online •Evaluate ways to effectively showcase their brand through platforms such as LinkedIn •Form connections with attendees from across the industry that extend beyond IAAPA Expo
•Apply the Focused Impact Method to plan brief, intentional in-service trainings that reinforce safety, consistency, and team engagement •Develop strategies to deliver short, high-impact training sessions that capture attention and ensure operational relevance in busy attractions environments •Analyze opportunities within daily operations to create practical, actionable training moments that improve team performance and operational outcomes
•Attendees will explore how specific video game mechanics, interfaces and interactions styles can be used to make compelling experiences in an exhibition environment •Attendees will see examples of how playful learning can be used to present complex narratives and inviting entry points to educational topics •Recognize ways that including well calibrated challenge can make an experience more immersive and compelling for diverse audiences
•Break down what makes a joke work by identifying core elements of effective storytelling •See how storytelling shows up in everyday hospitality moments and how they enhance guest engagement •Apply a simple storytelling framework that can help shape your communication to be more engaging, memorable, and fun
•Connect with other IAAPA Members •Get New Solutions to your Concerns •Find out the top Redemption, Plush, and Souvenir Items
•Dissect what being a 'great' leader really means and how to more deliberately choose the specific leadership traits you want to own and grow more into •Discover how introverts and extroverts have more in common as leaders than you may think and how dispelling assumptions about each can amplify impact •Apply these insights toward one way you will more intentionally show up as the leader you already are
•How has cruise entertainment evolved beyond traditional production shows, and what experiences make up the modern onboard entertainment ecosystem? •Who are the people behind the scenes, and what roles do performers, hosts and entertainment teams play in shaping the guest experience? •What makes entertainment at sea different, and how do cruise lines deliver memorable experiences in a constantly changing environment?
•How to complete an incident report with the relevant information helpful to defend your facility •Which documents you should have on site and which ones you should retain (and for how long) •Practical tips for investigating a water park incident
•Identify and apply strategies for navigating school systems, including communication pathways, approval processes, and key decision-makers, to build stronger partnerships and increase successful program bookings
•Identify key leadership lessons and career pathways shared by women currently leading across the water park industry, and recognize how these experiences apply to their own professional growth •Explore how inclusive leadership approaches positively impact team culture, retention, and organizational performance within water park environments •Understand the role of mentorship, representation, and community in developing the next generation of women leaders and strengthening the leadership pipeline within the water park industry
•Identify the specific accessibility information families need before arrival and interpret new research on how inclusive experiences impact families navigating medical complexities •Apply inclusive design and operational principles—inspired by Morgan’s Wonderland’s “born-accessible” model—to improve guest flow, facilities, signage, and attraction •Strengthen frontline staff confidence and empathy through practical customer‑service techniques tailored to supporting guests with sensory, mobility, communication, or health‑related needs
•Reframe what success looks like. Understand why traditional social media metrics like impressions and follower growth often obscure the metrics that matter most, and learn how shares and organic social conversion rate can serve as meaningful proxies for attendance intent •Build a strategy with attendance at the center. Identify and map content pillars directly tied to business objectives like visitation, guest experience and audience growth •Navigate internal stakeholders without losing focus. Develop a framework for managing the competing social media requests that come from across a large institution, while maintaining strategic clarity on what organic content is actually trying to do
•Rethink Retail as part of the experience •Understand how retail can extend the emotional arc of a visit—not just capture spend at the end •Learn how to translate your destination’s unique story into physical space, product, and moments guests can connect with •Explore practical ways to create environments that feel authentic and engaging—driving both guest satisfaction and business results
•Spark your creativity by finding inspiration and turning ideas into original midway games. •Design on a budget by using affordable materials and playtesting to improve your game. •Build a DIY game that creates memorable moments and keeps guests coming back
•Understand the causes of decreased ride efficiency throughout the attractions industry. •Analyze the limits of ride operator performance on several different ride types and that the "do more with less" approach may not always be advisable - or even possible - from an efficiency standpoint •Understand potential strategies for improving ride efficiency that can be immediately implemented at your facility
•Understand the current state of the surf park industry by identifying key global development trends, facility types, and how surf parks are positioned within the broader attractions landscape •Analyze consumer behavior and usage patterns in surf parks, including who participates, how experiences are structured, and what drives demand in a capacity-constrained, reservation-based model •Assess the future trajectory of the surf park sector by identifying key trends in development, operations, and guest experience, and understanding what these signals mean for the continued evolution of the industry
•Understand the impact of time, cost, distance, and competing activities across consumer segments, and identify which barriers matter most for your audience •Uncover how your audience can be segmented based on their different needs, motivations, and constraints, and how to tailor messaging and offers to influence behavior •Learn actionable strategies across marketing, pricing, packaging, and discounting to overcome key barriers such as distance and perceived cost to increase visitation
•Understanding Emerging Trends: Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the key trends shaping the future of the aquatic entertainment industry, specifically focusing on skill based and immersive experiences •Understand the Business Impact of Active Experiences: Attendees will learn how innovative attractions can influence guest satisfaction, length of stay, repeat visitation, and per-capita spending •Develop a Strategy for Implementation: Identify opportunities to integrate skill-based and immersive attractions into existing or planned facilities while considering operational requirements, guest demographics, and return on investment
•Use basic data (admissions counts, POS timestamps, attraction throughput, and events) to forecast demand and identify peak congestion windows •Develop flexible staffing templates and role designs that allow quick adjustments in response to real-time conditions •Apply whole-site flow thinking to coordinate attraction capacity, show times, party bookings, and F&B availability, reducing guest friction and operational stress
•Utilize a two-phase narrative framework to move guests from awe to action for your own facility's interpretive programming •Identify the design and fabrication principles that differentiate passive zoo exhibits from emotionally immersive environments that inspire lasting conservation behavior •Explore how emerging technologies, including interactivity, AI-powered image generation, and responsive scenographic elements, deepen personal connection to conservation missions
Identify common purchasing habits and assumptions that are actually costing operators money. Explore how connecting with GPOs and other purchasing resources can open access to programs, pricing, and support operators may not know are available to them. Evaluate the true value of a purchasing opportunity by looking beyond unit price and rebates. Apply lessons from real-world F&B purchasing changes to identify opportunities within their own organization.
Understand the fundamentals of music licensing, including when licenses are required and the organizations that manage music rights. Identify common compliance mistakes and legal risks associated with playing music in attractions and entertainment venues. Implement best practices for selecting, managing, and licensing music to enhance the guest experience while ensuring copyright compliance.
• Identify specific leadership behaviors that most influence frontline employee engagement and guest experience in high-volume, operationally complex attraction environments • Apply practical, leadership strategies that improve consistency, accountability, and morale across shifts, seasons, and staffing models without adding operational complexity • Recognize their role as career-shaping leaders and leverage daily interactions with frontline employees to reduce turnover, elevate performance, and strengthen culture at scale
•Attendees will be able to identify key strategies and best practices to implement that will empower staff and enhance trust for all visitors, including guests with diverse needs and their families •Attendees will be able to explain the importance of universal design and implementing inclusive messaging and practices that cater to the diverse needs of guests •Attendees will be able to utilize the strategies they have learned, tailoring them to the needs of their own location(s)
•Attendees will learn about what cyanuric acid is and why it is an important element in keeping swimmers safe & healthy •Attendees will learn about the recommended levels according to industry professionals and why these levels are the accepted standard •Attendees will leave the session with more knowledge to make an educated decision on whether to use cyanuric acid at their site in light of its complicated nature
•Discovering that all costumers are not alike, and how important to find the right team for the project •Understanding the bid/contract process when using an external costuming team •Developing a strong creative language between costumers and the rest of the production team
•Discuss the current state of workplace communication and the pitfalls of a “digital-first” strategy •Explore the concept of curiosity as it relates to deepening a connection through conversation •Practice critical elements of starting and maintaining a conversation and develop plans for implementation
•Discuss the language and space of concern regarding accessibility to recognize the current state of what is included and what has traditionally been overlooked •Identify when accessibility concerns are occurring or might potentially occur, anticipating and projecting the impacts of decisions made throughout the design, development, and operation of an experience, and sharing this knowledge with others involved in the process •Develop interventions and solutions to common accessibility problems and expand these to successfully address novel situations
•Experience how to generate and implement new engagement and team retention strategies •Learn how to make hiring and onboarding fun and successful •Gain leadership insights and ideas to implement in your attraction
•Explain the end-to-end collaboration process, including outreach expectations, approval workflows, deliverables, timelines, and performance evaluation from both perspectives. (Influencer Lifecycle) •Develop effective collaboration pitches and analyze pitch proposals using criteria such as audience alignment, creative value, feasibility, and measurable outcomes •Analyze the logistical, creative, and operational considerations of hosting on-site creator events—such as access, safety, scheduling, brand guidelines, guest impact, and content value—and evaluate how these factors influence successful collaboration
•Explore the need for generational sensitivities without labeling or stereotyping people •Discuss practical ways to engage with, relate to, and bond with your team •Learn and practice the L.A.S.T. model for leadership engagement
•Hiring strategies for high-volume environments •Retention and culture-building systems •Linking employee experience to guest experience
•How to partner with operations teams to successfully design and scale digital experiences in complex environments •Practical approaches to reducing friction across the full guest journey—from arrival through post visit engagement •How mobile engagement can increase guest confidence, improve experience quality, and drive repeat visitation •Key lessons learned from launching and scaling a digital experience across multiple locations and guest segments
•Identify and commit to implementing at least one new idea or best practice related to recruitment, onboarding, retention, or employee engagement within their organization •Assess their current approach to leadership development and training and identify at least one opportunity to improve team performance and employee experience •Establish new industry connections by engaging in roundtable discussions and exchanging contact information with peers to support ongoing collaboration beyond the session
•Identify collaborative design approaches that engage animal care professionals early and throughout the planning process to align guest experience goals with animal welfare priorities •Apply animal behavior knowledge and monitoring techniques to evaluate, test, and refine events or shows based on individual animal needs and observable responses •Implement adaptive strategies for experience design, including program modifications and flexible show structures, that support high‑quality animal welfare while maintaining engaging and memorable guest experiences
•Identify common pitfalls of AI-generated and templated SOPs, including gaps in operational context, safety detail, and accountability •Evaluate whether SOPs accurately reflect real-world workflows, roles, and site-specific requirements •Apply simple strategies to refine and validate SOPs so they are clear, usable, and support safe, consistent operations
•Identify early signs of emotional escalation in guest interactions and recognize common triggers that can quickly turn routine conversations into difficult encounters •Apply practical de-escalation communication techniques that reduce defensiveness, demonstrate empathy, and help guide challenging interactions toward a calmer and more productive outcome •Respond to difficult guest encounters with greater confidence and consistency by avoiding common communication mistakes and using clear, respectful language that protects the guest experience
•Identify five immediately deployable AI-assisted decision loops relevant to attractions operations of any size or budget •Evaluate which low-cost decision loops match specific operational pain points using a simple signal → action → metric template •Apply a 30-day pilot checklist to test one decision loop before your next high-traffic operating period
•Identify key moments in the employee experience that influence whether staff stay or leave •Recognize practical ways leaders can improve onboarding, connection, and recognition for frontline teams •Develop one actionable idea to strengthen retention in their own attraction or facility
•Identify outdated or ineffective guest experience practices •Strengthening service culture across all levels of the organization •Improve decision-making around communication, metrics, and value creation
•Identify the highest-value marketing activities in your operation and eliminate or automate the low-impact tasks that drain your team's time •Apply AI-powered tools and workflow systems to multiply your team's output without adding headcount or increasing budget •Develop a restructured weekly marketing workflow that prioritizes revenue-driving activities and creates repeatable processes your team can sustain long-term
•Identify what is - and isn’t - driving visitation within your attraction •Understand the core drivers that influence attendance, repeat visits, and guest engagement •Apply practical ways to strengthen visitation and reduce reliance on reactive tactics
•Learn about the scope that encompasses IDEA •Engage in a more intimate setting with Subject Matter Experts on topics of interest •Take away a series of applicable ideas and a resource toolkit to help support the individual IDEA initiatives for their organization
•Learn how seasonal events and overlays can benefit their facility, with additional revenue and other benefits •Discuss the types of events you can produce and how to create a "twist" to these events to make them unique, marketable and even more successful •Go through a practical exercise of building events for the various attendees' business categories in a workshop setting
•The importance of C-Suite's proactive leadership role in developing strategy and priority around cultivating a true talent development system •The benefits of building strategic partnerships to increase direct value and bottom line •Scaling organizations through the reduction of skills gaps in entry-level professionals
•Understand how travelers use AI and automation in trip planning •Identify why attractions are included or excluded from modern itineraries •Apply practical strategies to align digital experiences with evolving traveler behavior
•Understand the growing skilled trades gap and how it affects maintenance teams in the amusement and aquatics industries •Learn how to attract and recruit the next generation of technicians into maintenance careers •Develop structured training and career pathways that build skills, certifications, and long-term retention in the trades
•Understand the impact mentorship programs can have on retention and leadership development, including research showing employees with mentors are significantly more likely to stay with their organization •Identify the key components of a structured mentorship program that supports career growth and knowledge sharing across teams •Explore practical tools and existing mentorship frameworks that organizations can use to implement mentorship programs quickly and affordably
•Understand the risks and benefits of viewing projects through the lenses of performance metrics or subjective reputation •Hear three different perspectives on where success is defined around the world today •Receive valuable insight into the problem-solving techniques implemented on world-class projects
Recognize at least five common leadership and organizational traps that create secondary failures after an incident, using attractions-relevant scenarios •Apply the First 72 Hours Framework to a realistic incident scenario, identifying concrete actions, decision ownership, and structured checkpoints across the Stabilize, Align, and Pace phases •Draft a concise "First 72 Hours" gamecard for their own operation that clarifies authority, communication cadence, and recovery pacing to avoid compounding operational, legal, or reputational risk
•Design Places People Choose to Be: Learn how guest-centric design, storytelling, and atmosphere shape where people spend their time •See how parks, districts, and shared spaces can be programmed and operated in ways that create energy, extend dwell time, and encourage repeat visits •Walk away with a clear, adaptable approach to programming, placemaking, and operations that keeps spaces relevant, active, and worth returning to
•Develop a toolkit of tips and tricks operators can use to run games confidently •Explore ways to create repeatable, memorable moments that keep guests returning •Recognize the impact operators have on player engagement and overall games success
•How beverage programs are evolving •Designing high-margin beverage offerings •Capturing new demand beyond traditional alcohol
•Identify criteria for selecting and assessing IP and brand partners that align with institutional mission, audience goals, and available resources •Gain insight into varied partnership models, including scalable and affordable projects, and discover how to align stakeholder objectives •Discover proven strategies to leverage IP-driven experiences to expand audiences, deepen engagement, expand institutional brand and achieve ROI
•Identify what drives engagement across platforms, including POV footage, influencer perspectives, and emotionally driven first reactions •Discover how to coordinate press, creators, and production teams to maximize same-day content output and online reach •Walk away with actionable tactics for capturing, producing, and distributing content that extends the life and visibility of any new attraction
•Key areas where small changes can increase guest spend and overall experience •Steps to implement upselling strategies that drive results •How to leverage tools for cost and time savings that can reap real rewards
•Optimizing member benefits: How do you show members and donors they are valued and give them a reason to keep coming back? How do you align business objectives with benefits offered? •Members vs passholders: When to use one or the other – and does it even matter? •Ongoing engagement: How do you keep excitement high and engagement strong?
•Quantify the strategic cost of disconnection by understanding the financial and operational impact of disengagement and turnover in seasonal environments, and build an internal business case for recognition as a retention and revenue strategy •Identify the invisible exit signals employees send before resigning and understand how executive level decisions about culture, consistency and communication either accelerate or interrupt those patterns •Design recognition into the operating model by moving beyond ad hoc appreciation to build a scalable, leadership-driven system where every touchpoint reinforces connection and belonging rather than checking the box
•Evaluate real AI adoption stories from operators across different attraction types to identify what approaches succeeded, what failed, and what factors made the difference •Recognize the most common barriers to AI implementation — team resistance, data quality, vendor promises — and the specific strategies operators used to work through them •Identify one concrete AI project to prioritize for their own operation within the next 90 days, based on peer examples and the session's practical frameworks
•Identify a simple method for prioritizing your action steps when there are more demands than there is time •Explore a method for maintaining your positive frame of mind in spite of the challenges you face •Examine a three-step process for coping with conflicts, egos, and competing priorities
•What are the biggest impacts and how do we measure them against ROI? •How do you make hidden impacts more visible—environmental, financial, or social? And how does this benefit the guest experience? •Identify implementable high-impact energy efficiency and infrastructure strategies
•Examine three common misconceptions about resilience (work-life balance, time management, and self-care) and replace them with a more holistic, achievable understanding of how to truly be resilient •Explore how resilience is an essential leadership trait and identify the impacts of what happens when people attempt to 'skip over' or put resilience on the back burner •Identify one strategy that you can immediately put into action to increase your resilience and how you will measure its effectiveness
•Recognize common “Fix Reflex” moments in fast-paced, guest-facing environments •Regulate their immediate response to stay present and avoid over-correcting in the moment •Use curiosity and intentional prompts to support team ownership and decision-making without taking over
•Understand the evolution of sustainability practices in the attractions industry •Identify practical, scalable approaches to improving sustainability without major capital investment •Evaluate the operational and guest experience benefits of solar-powered and distributed energy solutions
•Calculate the true total cost of an equipment purchase beyond the sticker price including service, downtime, parts availability, and opportunity cost of underperforming floor space •Understand how to evaluate competing purchasing options against an ROI framework rather than purchase price alone, and how to make the case for a smarter investment internally when budget pressure pushes toward the cheaper option •A practical pre-purchase evaluation checklist they can apply immediately to future equipment decisions, helping them ask the right questions before committing rather than doing the math after the fact
•Grow a deeper understanding on why inclusion matters in the amusement industry •Gain insight and practical solutions for real-world implementation of inclusion in varied facilities •Discover ways to become industry leaders for the future of inclusion in the amusement industry
•How to apply trends vs. chase them •Designing menus for modern consumption behavior •Turning food into a core experience driver
•Identify where environmental and social considerations can improve project scope, schedule, budget, risk, and long-term operations. •Recognize project-level trade-offs and decision points where early planning can reduce rework, manage risk, improve asset performance, and save on operational costs. •Walk through the different stages of a project to evaluate options, influence outcomes, and support decisions that balance business needs with environmental and social impacts.
•Explore how thoughtful product choices, souvenirs, food-and-retail connections, and creative merchandising can create memorable guest experiences and drive stronger results •Understand how vendor relationships, custom merchandise, and operational decisions impact efficiency, product success, and the overall retail experience •Develop a broader retail mindset by understanding how everyday decisions, new ideas, and strategic thinking work together to strengthen the overall retail program and create lasting impact
•Understand the psychological connection between strict uniform discipline and high-stakes safety protocols •Implement systems of accountability that utilize visual hierarchies to enforce structural order and respect •Develop a resilient team culture where meticulous attention to detail is recognized as a vital tool for mitigating operational hazards
•A practical framework for building strategic community partnerships that support attraction growth •Strategies for strengthening workforce recruitment and retention through local collaboration •Ideas for positioning attractions as year-round community economic drivers
•Distinguish surface-level interactivity from meaningful guest agency and recognize how physical, tactile systems can bridge the gap between the two by making participation innate rather than something visitors must opt into or imagine •Identify the core design principles that turn choice into genuine agency, including world-building, emotional logic, accessibility, and the deliberate absence of failure states or "right" answers—so experiences stay exploratory rather than didactic •Develop a framework for integrating smart object technology into guest experience design that keeps the technology in service of human connection rather than spectacle, drawing on user-driven design methods and real-world results
•Identify the essential roles that make up a strong Personal Advisory Board and pinpoint gaps in your current support system •Apply a structured framework to intentionally build a leadership advisory network that improves decision-making •Evaluate how the strength of your leadership network directly influences team performance and guest experience
•Kiosk and mobile ordering strategies •Data-driven decision-making •Technology ROI and implementation considerations
•A repeatable framework for upgrading the guest experience •How to implement a roadmap through operational action, timelines, and ownership •Methods for improving consistency in frontline service delivery
•Best practices to predict consumer demand •When and how to integrate new trends
•Explain the Operations Manager role as the on-shift face of the operation and final authority responsible for maintaining seamless operations •Identify the five key leadership "hats" required for on-duty operational leaders •Practice rapid leadership role-switching through interactive role play and real-world case scenarios to build confidence and decision-making speed
•Food cost structure and margin fundamentals •Menu-driven kitchen design •Core operational systems required for profitability
•Identify the mindset barriers that cause employees to default to “no” and limit guest satisfaction •Apply the YES Leadership framework to real-world guest challenges in attractions and entertainment environments •Implement practical tools to empower frontline teams to make confident service decisions •Develop strategies to create a heart-centered culture that increases loyalty, repeat visitation, and positive word of mouth
•Understand the power of a team with diverse experiences and expertise •Identify an efficient and highly effective team structure •Embrace the collaborative process without fear of losing control
•Why certain experiences feel instinctively compelling •How to design for how humans are wired •A human-centered lens for experience strategy
•Identify key areas within their waterpark to enhance and develop strategies that create accessible experiences for guests with a variety of needs •Analyze how embedding accessibility into overall operational goals creates inclusive experiences for guests with a variety of needs, enhancing engagement and empowering both guests and staff •Apply these programs and practices to their own water park, recognizing how to customize the framework to their location and operations
•Identify the conditions - creative, commercial, and cultural - that give rise to new attraction typologies and distinguish genuine category innovation from incremental evolution of existing formats •Analyze the specific design and operational challenges involved in developing an attraction concept that does not fit an established category, using a real development project as a case study •Apply a typology-thinking framework to evaluate whether their own organization's next project represents an opportunity to define a new category rather than compete within an existing one
•Master Story Magnets: Learn how video games and immersive installations use Story Magnets — narrative weanies that guide guests organically through mystery hooks and discovery mechanics, proven from AAA games like Red Dead Redemption to immersive installations like Felix & Paul's Interstellar Arc •Build the Magic Circle: Understand how to create the psychological permission structure that lets guests fully commit to play — from Punchdrunk's masks to LARP's "Alibi" to diegetic design in attractions like Meow Wolf •Structure Freedom: Discover how the concept of "Cadenzas" allow actors and interactive elements to "Yes-And" guest choices while protecting narrative throughput — using principles that date from immersive troupes like The Living Theater and The Wooster Group through Telltale's The Walking Dead
•Understanding the roles of a mentorship relationship •Compare how two people from different generations can work together and use their unique perspectives to solve issues and lead the team •Gain tools to coach in real time, and employees gain confidence to step into leadership opportunities
•Apply a structured communication approach to remain effective during high-pressure guest and internal team interactions •Recognize common emotional and situational triggers that derail communication in attractions environments and adjust their response accordingly •Develop clear, actionable messaging strategies that reduce conflict, improve trust, and drive positive outcomes
•Identify practical risk-reduction strategies attractions operators can implement before incidents occur to reduce liability exposure and improve safety outcomes •Recognize how insurance, legal, and forensic investigations interact after a safety incident and how operator actions can influence claims and litigation outcomes •Identify critical information and evidence operators should collect and preserve immediately after an incident
•Identify the principles that separate effective gamification from unnecessary complexity. •Assess how leading attractions are using interactive technology to strengthen guest experiences while supporting operational and commercial goals. •Apply practical design frameworks to create attractions that use gamification with purpose, enhancing rather than overwhelming the guest journey.
•Recognize how relevant stories and IP can create meaningful connections with audiences beyond traditional destinations •Describe the role of play in themed entertainment experiences to engage multigenerational families and communities •Identify how authentic community partnerships can extend storytelling and deepen audience engagement
•Strategies to utilize AI to support creativity rather than replacing it •Insight into the risk of relying on AI for early-stage creative development •Understanding of today's travel and leisure motivators and visitors' planning behavior
•Identify common behaviors associated with actual drowning incidents •Recognize key indicators of distress in swimmers •Understand the role of focused, purposeful, and deliberate scanning in detecting drowning behaviors
•Apply AI to build practical planning tools that reduce delivery time and lift the quality of operational outputs, without a technical background or budget •Use AI to rapidly aggregate and analyze visitor and customer feedback, surfacing trends and priority issues in a fraction of the time traditional methods require •Develop reusable AI-powered frameworks from existing professional knowledge that accelerate output development
•Increasing throughput and reducing bottlenecks •Aligning labor, prep, and inventory •Driving margin through operational discipline
•Understand IAAPA's strategic focus and initiatives for environmental and social responsibility. •Gain insights from the IAAPA Targeted Sustainability Member Survey. •Explore IAAPA resources and opportunities that can support your organization's sustainability efforts.
•Align NRPA, OSHA, and lab safety standards into a cohesive operational framework that strengthens consistency and accountability •Build a culture of safety through effective staff training, communication, and engagement at every level •Reduce liability, strengthen brand trust and guest confidence, and position safety excellence as a competitive advantage
•Define Coaching - what is it and what it is not - and explain why Coaching works •Explore Coaching Styles, Skills, and Values, and how to apply them •Learn effective communication and other coaching skills to help you empower and hold your team accountable
•Recognize the key elements of a strong food safety culture and understand how they contribute to operational excellence, brand protection, and guest satisfaction •Identify practical strategies for building and sustaining food safety excellence across organizations of any size, from single-site operations to large, multi-location enterprises •Evaluate how innovative digital solutions can support best-in-class food safety practices by improving visibility, consistency, and compliance while minimizing the need for significant new investments •Implement proactive approaches that engage employees, reduce risk, and create a culture of accountability where food safety is a shared responsibility throughout the organization
•Recognize why successful system implementation depends on people and processes—not just technology •Identify strategies for creating cross-department implementation teams that include operations, training, and leadership perspectives •Apply practical change-management approaches that help teams adopt new systems while minimizing disruption
•Identify common operational challenges and emerging opportunities facing natural and adventure attractions through peer discussion and shared experiences. •Exchange practical strategies and best practices with leaders from a variety of outdoor recreation and adventure-based operations. •Develop actionable ideas and professional connections that can be applied to improve operations, guest experiences, and organizational success within natural and adventure attractions.
•Identify strategies to build team culture during new openings or new attraction openings •Apply a framework to generate early demand and drive growth •Evaluate decisions that influence the first year that can generate long-term success
•Understand the variety of puppet styles and improve the knowledge of what puppets can accomplish •Explore existing puppetry used in parks and attractions around the world •Recognize how puppetry can solve both budget and design challenges
•Determine the most entertaining moments within an attraction experience to record •Evaluate the best tools, techniques, and practices to implement a frictionless, automated video capture system •Formulate point-of-sale strategies and front-line sales workflows designed to maximize on-site conversion rates and immediate souvenir video revenue from customers •Apply specific video selection, editing, and distribution techniques to raw customer media, transforming it into compelling content that unlocks massive brand awareness, direct digital ticket sales, and social platform monetization
•Evaluate the connection between operational choices, guest health, and environmental impact by examining how energy, water, waste, food ingredients, and procurement decisions influence long-term sustainability and well-being •Identify practical, scalable strategies to create healthier and more sustainable attractions, including zero-carbon operations, circular economy practices, ingredient transparency, healthier food offerings, and risk reduction related to allergies and chronic health conditions •Apply edutainment and guest engagement techniques to drive positive behavior change, empowering visitors and staff to make informed choices that benefit both personal health and environmental stewardship
•Examine the limits of “authenticity” in themed experience design and evaluate why it is often insufficient as a guiding framework •Explain the concept of Community Narrative Sovereignty and its impact on authorship in cultural experience design •Apply a co-creation process to translate community narratives into spatial, narrative, and sensory design strategies
•Learn how to transform creative projects into “anchor moments” that drive organic attention and PR value •Understand how shifting from campaigns to immersive experiences can create deeper audience engagement and brand connection •Explore how marketing objectives drive creative ambition
•Design onboarding experiences that create clarity, confidence, and belonging •Identify common first-day breakdowns that contribute to disengagement or turnover •Implement practical improvements that increase retention and engagement
•Identify the trends and innovations that will define the next decade of cruise entertainment and guest experience •Understand the collaborative design process behind delivering world-class attractions at sea, from concept through to operation •Explore strategies for creating immersive experiences that enhance guest satisfaction while delivering long-term commercial value
•Recognize that successful careers in the attractions industry often follow non-linear paths and redefine what progress and success may look like at different stages •Learn strategies for reassessing career goals and approaches when traditional advice or ‘right’ steps are not producing expected results •Develop new practical actions to try in your own career development, informed by peer discussion and real industry experiences
•Understand why small-ticket, high-volume transactions behave differently from traditional retail payments, and how that affects profitability at scale •Identify common friction points across the guest payment journey in amusement and attraction environments •Apply practical considerations for designing payment flows that balance profitability, operational efficiency, and a seamless guest experience
•Design an annual Experience Calendar that creates thematic continuity across quarters, using seasonal energy patterns and anchor events to build guest anticipation and team sustainability rather than planning isolated events •Apply the programming pacing framework to avoid “experience fatigue” by strategically placing high-energy activations, recurring rituals, and intentional rest periods throughout the year •Build at least one "anchor event" using the tentpole planning model that serves as an organizing principle for surrounding programming, creating a cohesive guest journey across 12 months
•Identify the top stressors that prevent personal growth •Explore ways to improve confidence in taking the next step in a career journey •Pinpoint personal stories of growth and engage in a roundtable discussion to learn best practices from others
•Identify key moments in the guest journey where WOW experiences can be intentionally created to drive loyalty and retention •Analyze how emotional connections influence guest behavior, including repeat visits, word-of-mouth, and spending •Apply practical strategies to design memorable experiences and leverage them in marketing to enhance brand engagement and attract new visitors
•Identify key performance indicators in their existing reporting data and use them to objectively evaluate which games are earning floor space and which ones aren't •Understand how to build a game rotation strategy based on earnings benchmarks rather than personal preference, including when the right move is selling or replacing a machine •Participants will leave with a practical framework for ongoing floor evaluation that can be implemented regardless of facility size, game card system, or reporting tools
•Analyze guest throughput and dwell time data to identify where revenue is being lost to operational efficiency rather than captured through guest engagement •Apply a real-time personalization framework, triggered by on-site behavioral signals, to increase per-cap spend across food & beverage, games, and product upsells •Evaluate the ROI of data infrastructure investment versus traditional capital expenditure, using a documented case study with modeled revenue outcomes across a full operating season
•Identify and activate micro-influencers within your existing guest base, including everyday visitors, reviewers, and group hosts •Implement strategies to generate and amplify guest-driven content, including social posts, reviews, and community engagement •Measure and optimize the business impact of micro-influencer efforts to drive attendance, engagement, and revenue
•Explain what IT/OT convergence means in the themed entertainment context and why it matters to modern attractions •Identify the key organizational and cultural challenges that typically prevent successful IT/OT convergence •Apply practical strategies for improving cross-team alignment, shared ownership, and governance to support safe, secure convergence
•How to think about evaluating software in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) •How to define the right AI/human handoff; what the agent closes, what it qualifies, and when it escalates to your ESM •A crawl/walk/run implementation model for operators at different stages of readiness, and what realistic ROI looks like
•Lessons from the hardest conditions. How I kept an escape room business running in Ukraine — and how those same principles apply to any operator facing instability •Fast decisions, few resources. Practical strategies to keep your doors open, guests satisfied, and staff safe when time and money are tight •Adapt without big spending. Stay flexible and competitive without major reinvestment
•Analyze different launch scenarios (cultural moments, new attractions, seasonal events, entertainment partnerships) to determine the appropriate earned media strategy and timeline for each specific situation •Design experiential activations that generate social sharing and organic media coverage by identifying shareability triggers, photo moments, and cultural relevance factors •Develop integrated launch campaigns that coordinate PR strategy, social media, partnerships, and paid media to amplify earned media value across multiple platforms and touchpoints
•The power of mobile location data •How to use the data •What is market capture and why is it the proper measuring stick for success
Explore emerging trends and challenges shaping live entertainment, including the evolving role of storytelling, technology, immersive experiences, and physical connection. Evaluate creative and business strategies for developing impactful live entertainment, considering the balance between guest experience, innovation, and profitability. Exchange ideas and perspectives with fellow entertainment professionals, applying real-world insights and collaborative discussion to identify new approaches and opportunities for the future of live entertainment.
Explain how competitive social gaming is reshaping guest expectations and driving growth across location-based entertainment. Identify the core design principles of high-performing interactive attractions, including frictionless interaction, replayability, and spectator engagement. Evaluate the business impact of these experiences using key operational metrics such as throughput, dwell time, and revenue per square foot. Apply practical strategies to integrate and scale competitive social gaming experiences within FECs, theme parks, and hospitality venues.
Food Trends and Strategies Best Practices and Lessons Learned Networking Opportunities
Evaluate changing market trends and consumer preferences to identify when attractions, experiences, or business elements should be introduced, refreshed, or removed. Apply practical strategies for modernizing family entertainment spaces by examining real-world examples of successful business pivots and operational refinements. Use key performance metrics to guide investment decisions and determine when an attraction or asset should be upgraded, replaced, or maintained.
•Identify practical ways to demonstrate leadership without formal authority by taking ownership, showing initiative, and positively influencing the people around them •Apply trust-building and communication strategies that strengthen relationships, increase credibility, and help emerging leaders influence peers, managers, and frontline teams •Create a personal leadership action plan using specific behaviors they can immediately apply to make a greater impact on their team, organization, and guest experience
•What can attractions learn from the way cruise lines create always-on entertainment ecosystems rather than standalone experiences? •How do cruise operators design flexible experiences that adapt to changing audiences, venues and operational challenges? •How can entertainment create emotional connections that drive guest satisfaction, loyalty and revenue across an entire destination?
Identify emerging food and beverage trends and innovative concepts that enhance the guest experience, increase dwell time, and differentiate their FEC. Apply strategies to increase per-capita food and beverage spending through menu development, immersive dining experiences, beverage offerings, and strategic partnerships. Evaluate operational practices that balance quality, speed, and profitability to improve efficiency, manage costs, and maximize the overall performance of an F&B operation.
Identify and embrace their authentic leadership strengths by recognizing how personal experiences, values, and unique perspectives can become powerful tools for effective leadership. Build confidence and courage to navigate leadership challenges by applying practical strategies for overcoming self-doubt, taking calculated risks, advocating for themselves, and leading through change. Create a purposeful leadership impact by developing meaningful connections, championing others, and using their influence to foster more inclusive, supportive, and successful teams and workplaces.
•Map the complete customer relationship using the Experience Ecosystem, recognizing how each stage works together as one continuous experience rather than a collection of independent touchpoints •Identify where organizational silos can disrupt the customer’s experience, and evaluate opportunities to create greater continuity across the physical, digital, and human interactions customers experience as one brand relationship •Explain how intentional experiences can drive commercially meaningful behavior through the progression of emotional connection → memory and meaning → preference → behavior → return and advocacy → commercial value •Apply foundational Narrative Experience Design principles to improve coherence across the Experience Ecosystem, using Brand, Audience, and Business Goals to align touchpoints around a meaningful and consistent experience rather than designing them independently
- Identify the key performance indicators most directly connected to your attraction's revenue and operational efficiency - Build a foundation for data collection and management to support strategic business decisions - Apply KPI tracking to specific departments and use metrics to drive accountability across leadership teams
- Current market conditions - Data initiative and partner development - Advantages of being part of IAAPA insurance solutions - Ongoing member care/service
- Explore how Authentic accelerates iconic IP by unlocking new opportunities across experiences, content, and global commerce. - Discover how established character brands like Care Bears can extend into immersive, location-based, and live experiences that reach fans in new ways. - Gain insight into Authentic’s vision for growing Care Bears while staying true to the qualities that have made the brand beloved for generations.
- Receive an overview of the latest economic trends and forecast for 2027, with an emphasis on how economic performance impacts consumers and the industry - Understand the breadth of IAAPA’s research and relevance for your business - Explore new findings from IAAPA’s 2026 North America Economic Impact Report
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English
TRANSLATIONS AVAILABLE
AI Translation
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Expo Registration and Separate Ticket Required
Included with all Expo Registrations
Included with Show Floor & Education Conference
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