Workshops and seminars for all levels of experience
This year’s Symposium was bursting with results-producing content at more than 50 different seminars and workshops. The WWA curriculum is specifically designed to provide waterpark operators and developers, in each segment of the industry, with the tools they need to be more effective, more creative and more successful. More than half of this year's courses featured new topics or presenters, reflecting the evolving industry and the latest trends.
As in past conventions, one of the most popular sessions was the Waterpark Development & Expansion Workshop. The two-day seminar—broken down by a focus on outdoor waterparks on the first day and indoor waterparks on the second day—featured the expert insight of more than 25 different waterpark industry authorities.
Other sessions focused on topics ranging from how to run a birthday party program to aquatics risk management, filter operation, corporate sponsorship, conducting low-cost guest research, concession operations, group sales, rider responsibility, hiring international employees, consumer trends, pumps and motors, seasonal staff development and training, marketing, games redemption, merchandising, Web-site development, lifeguard training, crisis management and water quality.
Ivy Wang, Formosa Waterland, Taipei, Taiwan, says the Symposium is “really helpful and educational. The take-home materials help remind you about what you learned at the show.”
Betty Rutz, co-owner of Sun ’n Fun Waterpark, Ponca City, Okla., echoed Wang’s comments. “The caliber of the show was really good. And the networking was great.” Her husband, Co-owner Bill Rutz, added, “Interactive sessions early on at the show allow you to meet people with common concerns. Then, as the convention progresses, you find opportunities to run into these new associates and have contacts you can ask questions of.”

Millay speaks his mind
Often referred to as the “Father of Waterparks” based on his creation and development of Wet ’n Wild back in 1977, George Millay officially earned that title with a proclamation from the World Waterpark Association during its General Session on Friday, Oct. 8. WWA Board of Directors Chairman Lee Hovis read the official decree before a crowded ballroom of attendees. In addition, Millay was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, a first-ever presentation by WWA.
Millay then delivered the Keynote Address of the convention, offering his often-controversial remarks on a variety of topics related to the development and growth of the waterpark industry over the years. Millay, who created not only the original Wet ‘n Wild Waterpark but also Sea World, delivered his comments with a deadpan manner that often drew laughter from the audience of industry veterans and newcomers.
Millay’s considerable experience in the waterpark industry has given him a unique perspective. “On the minds of many of us, the term ‘consolidation’ is quite prevalent,” the 75-year-old Millay said during his remarks. “It’s no surprise. The industry has been in a consolidation mode for a decade. The sad fact is that the waterpark industry is being absorbed into the ride-park industry at an alarming rate. I must assume some of the blame for this movement. As the old saying goes, ‘Money talks.’ There are numerous factors contributing to this consolidation. Waterpark growth in the last two decades has been phenomenal. Most of the large and successful waterparks have been in the major tourist markets where competition for the tourist’s time and money has become intense and expensive. Numerous waterparks in Orlando and Dallas/Ft. Worth and other tourist centers were feeling the squeeze. Merger with larger theme park entities was—fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it—quite available and a practical solution to a turbulent situation.”
In addition to discussing consolidation, Millay addressed topics ranging from public-sector waterparks to themeing to indoor waterparks. He also offered some suggestions on marketing and promotional ideas that had been popular during his days with Wet ‘n Wild that parks today might want to consider reviving, such as jet-ski shows, comedy diving shows and “Fire Department Foam Days.”
Despite differences of opinion listeners might share with him, few could doubt the fondness and sincerity with which Millay ended his address:
“To the youths here today—anyone under 50—I say, ‘Go for it.’ The world is thirsting for entertainment, and there are still unexplored areas that cry for investigation. Try to keep your early ventures small and build on them. Keep two or three going all the time—the better chance that one will succeed. … To my fellow Social Security and Medicare compatriots—bored and hating every minute of retirement, knowing we know more now than ever but now are only the recipients of ‘Honey-do-this, honey-do-that’—here’s a thought. Let’s fly to Greece (but not on Olympic Airlines), motor to Olympus to the temples of Poseidon and Neptune and other gods of antiquity. At their altars, let’s burn some incense and, on bended knee and in sonorous Gregorian tones of supplication, plead with these gods to send us ‘just one more deal!’ ”
Millay was available throughout the Trade Show for interviews and a book signing of his newly released biography, “The Wavemaker,” by noted industry authority Tim O’Brien.
 
 
Award winners recognized
The WWA General Session also was the venue for a variety of other announcements of importance to the waterpark industry. Outgoing WWA Board of Directors member Wally James was recognized, as were new incoming Board of Directors members. These individuals, who will begin their two-year terms on Nov. 1, are:
Roger Currie, Royson Ltd., United Kingdom
 Chris Swartz, NRH2O Waterpark, North Richland Hills, Texas
 Ray Wallace, Walt Disney Resorts, Orlando, Fla.
Awards on behalf of the WWA Board of Directors were presented, and recipients were recognized in the Association’s popular Wave Review marketing competition, in addition to a new competition, the SWIM! Awards. SWIM! Awards recognize Superior Waterpark Inspiration and Motivation in the areas of training and supervision.
Awards presented were:
 Executive Board Award, for special accomplishment in the water leisure industry, to Wally James, Con-Serv Associates, Powder Springs, Ga.
 Kelly Ogle Memorial Safety Award, for significant contribution to guest and employee safety, to Ellis & Associates Inc.’s VAT Program, accepted by “Rac” Carroll
 Al Turner Memorial Commitment to Excellence Award, for leadership in excellence over the years, to the Kenney Brothers/Golfland Entertainment Centers Inc., accepted by Fred Kenney, Jim Kenney and Bob Kenney
 Industry Leadership Award—Waterparks, for setting an exceptional standard for the industry over the years, to Whale’s Tale, Lincoln, N.H., accepted by Jeb Boyd, Matt Boyd, Luke Shelly, Patrick Lewis and Noah Glynn; and Wild Rivers, Irvine, Calif., accepted by Greg Briggs
 Industry Leadership Award—Suppliers, for setting an exceptional standard for the industry over the years, to Gateway Ticketing, Boyertown, Pa., accepted by Michael Turner, and Ramaker & Associates, Sauk City, Wis., accepted by Sherri Ramaker
 Industry Innovation Award—Waterparks, for creativity in new themes and new ideas in water leisure, to Center Parcs Europe, the Netherlands, accepted by Michiel Illy; Wild Wild Wet, Singapore, accepted by Chng Hee Kok; and Alton Towers, United Kingdom, accepted by Simon Palmer
 Industry Innovation Award—Suppliers, for creativity in new themes and new ideas in water leisure, to Anchor Industries Inc., Evansville, Ind., accepted by Paul Pearce, and Dippin’ Dots, Paducah, Ky., accepted by Curt Jones.
In addition, a new member was inducted into the WWA Hall of Fame: Dave Bruschi, former WWA Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Bruschi co-founded the World Waterpark Association in 1980 with the late Al Turner. Except for a brief period in the early ’80s, Bruschi was an active member of the Association for more than 20 years, serving in many positions before retiring in January 2003.
The big winner in the Wave Review marketing and promotion competition was Monsoon Lagoon Waterpark in Port Clinton, Ohio. The park garnered six awards in its attendance classification (50,000 to 100,000 annual attendance) in the categories of brochure, poster, print media, radio commercial, Web site and TV commercial.
Other big winners, with three awards each, were:
 50,000 to 100,000 Annual Attendance:
 The Wave Waterpark, Vista, Calif.: In-park promotion, poster, TV commercial
 Whale’s Tale, Lincoln, N.H.: Sales video, print media, TV teaser
 100,000 to 250,000 Annual Attendance:
 Mountain Creek, Vernon, N.J.: Press/Media kit, radio, TV commercial
 Waterworks Park, Redding, Calif.: Billboard, Web site, print media
 More than 250,000 Annual Attendance:
 Hyland Hills Waterworld, Federal Heights, Colo.: Poster, print media, Web site.
(The full list of Wave Review winners follows at the end of this press release.)
In the new SWIM! Awards competition, winners in each category were:
 Seasonal Supervisor Training Program (100,000 to 250,000 Annual Attendance): Waterworld Safari, Phoenix
 Seasonal Supervisor Training Program (250,000 or more Annual Attendance): Wild Wadi, Dubai, U.A.E.
 Front-Line Employee Training Program (50,000 to 100,000 annual attendance): Whale’s Tale, Lincoln, N.H.
 Front-Line Employee Training Program (250,000 or more Annual Attendance): Great Wolf Lodge, Traverse City, Mich.
 Recruiting & Hiring Program (250,000 or more Annual Attendance): Raging Waters, San Dimas, Calif.

New initiatives announced
The General Session also was an opportunity for the WWA to announce several new programs and initiatives now available to its members. The highlights of these include:
 New TV commercial spots. Many of WWA’s smaller park members don’t have budgets that allow them to shoot their own TV commercials. WWA solved the problem by creating three 30-second TV spots that can be customized with a park’s name, logo and voiceover. In partnership with Outpost Broadcast Communications, Lenexa, Kan., WWA developed these commercials as an affordable alternative to crafting a script from scratch and paying for talent, high-definition videography and editing. Working with Outpost for a nominal fee compared to creating such spots themselves, parks can simply drop in their park logo along with brief text and then an announcer will record whatever voice-over dialogue is needed. (For details on purchasing and customizing these spots, contact Gina Kellogg, WWA Director of Communications, at 913-599-0300.)
 New consumer Web site. When consumers visit the Internet looking for waterparks to visit, chances are the first thing they’ll do is type the word “waterpark” into one of the many search engines available. When they do, the first site to pop up will undoubtedly be www.waterparks.com, WWA’s new Web site designed to direct consumers to waterparks around the world. The new site offers an interactive map that allows visitors to click on a city and then view a list of parks available in that location. Visitors can get park details, as well as tips on staying safe in the sun while visiting water parks, what to bring on a trip and how to embark on a career in the field. The consumer Web site is the follow-up to the updated member Web site, which launched in May.
 Updated Considerations for Operating Safety. After extensive review, the WWA Safety Committee has unveiled the newly revised edition of its “Considerations for Operating Safety,” a guide that provides recommendations on how to maintain safety and security at waterparks and water leisure facilities.
Root also updated attendees on some of the recent trends within the waterpark industry, such as the addition of waterparks to heretofore unrelated industries, as mentioned earlier, including ski areas, campgrounds, residential parks and casinos, hotels/resorts and the public sector.
Root encouraged more attendees to get involved with ASTM to ensure waterpark owners and operators have some input in the development of industry standards. Last spring, ASTM formally announced the creation of the new Subcommittee F24.70 on Water Rides and Attractions. The new subcommittee is currently at work on three drafts: water quality for incidental contact, amusement park waterslides and interactive water devices/attractions.
The General Session ended with the traditional viewing of TV commercial entries in the Wave Review competition. Viewers then voted on their favorites, turned in their ballots and headed to the opening of the Trade Show. That night, winners were announced at the Annual WWA Pool Party at the Marina Marriott. They were:
 TV teasers (less than 30 seconds in length):
 Whale’s Tale, Lincoln, N.H. (50,000 to 100,000 annual attendance)
 Wild Wild Wet, Singapore (250,000 and more annual attendance)
 TV commercials (more than 30 seconds in length):
 Monsoon Lagoon, Port Clinton, Ohio (Up to 50,000 annual attendance)
 The Wave Waterpark, Vista, Calif. (50,000 to 100,000 annual attendance)
 Mountain Creek, Vernon, N.J. (100,000 to 250,000 annual attendance)
 Wet ’n Wild, Orlando, Fla. (250,000 and more annual attendance).
Other honorees at the convention included:
 Trade Show Awards:
 Best One-Booth Category: Palmex International, Quebec, Canada
 Best Two-Booth Category: Bo-Mar Scenic & Design, Tavares, Fla.
 Best Four-Booth Category: Whitewater West Industries, Richmond, BC, Canada
 Best of Show: Aquakita, Monterrey, Mexico
 Best Speaker Awards:
 Judith Leblein, Water Technology Inc., Beaver Dam, Wis.
 Blythe Russian, SplashDown Waterpark, Manassas, Va.
 Shawn P. DeRosa, J.D., National Recreation and Park Association, Ashburn, Va.
 WWA Golf Tournament:
 1st place Team: Stephen Heard, Al Mendoza, David Stark (Arch Chemicals Inc., Smyrna, Ga.)
 2nd place Team: M. Amaro, Gregg Briggs, Kevin Kopeny, Mike Riedel (Wild Rivers Waterpark, Irvine, Calif.)
 3rd place Team: Ron Sutula (Universal Studios, Orlando, Fla.), Pat Finnegan (Wet ’n Wild, Orlando, Fla.), Don Pulling (Fiberglass Systems, Orlando, Fla.) and Greg Mastriona (Hyland Hills Water World, Federal Heights, Colo.)
Networking events provide growth opportunities
An important aspect of WWA’s annual convention is the opportunity for attendees to network with others in the industry. Social events provide important opportunities to communicate with colleagues on whom attendees can count for advice, support and inspiration. No other industry gathering provides as many opportunities to interact with industry professionals to exchange ideas, craft solutions and find support. Highlights of this year’s networking events included:
• WWA’s Annual Golf Tournament and Luncheon
• Receptions, which honored those in the public sector and international segments of the industry
• The WWA Annual Pool Party, an evening event of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Marina Marriott’s outdoor pool and deck at which the annual Group Photo was taken (which will be featured on the cover of the December issue of World Waterpark Magazine)
• The Ugly Tuna Groove Fest, an evening party with dinner and drinks at the trendy Las Olas Riverfront area
• The Sunday Beach Bash, a relaxing afternoon event that rounded up the convention’s activities and featured barbecue, beverages and beach play on a barrier island.
Like Bill Rutz of Sun ‘N Fun Waterpark, Myrna Shaneyfelt, Director of the Aquatic Wellness Center, Grants Pass, Ore., found the opportunities to network to be one of the best parts of attending the convention. “Everyone is so welcoming. You have opportunities to sit down and talk with people from all over the world. And you can describe a problem or have a question, and that person will refer you to someone else who knows about that subject. You get all the contacts to find the answers and get ideas and then allow you to connect later on. Plus, it’s so nice to meet other people who share the enjoyment that you do in bringing the enjoyment of water activities to the public.”
Bob Kenney, Vice President of Golfland Entertainment Centers Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., compared this year’s shows to past ones he’s attended and said, “As always, it was very interesting to meet friends in the industry.” Kenney, who—along with his two brothers—was a recipient of the Al Turner Memorial Commitment to Excellence Award, continued, “Everyone was very positive and upbeat this year, despite the weather in some parts of the country. The seminars were great—very informative—with a great exchange of ideas.”

Trade Show offers expert connections
The WWA Trade Show has developed a worldwide reputation as the global meeting place of the water leisure industry. The Trade Show gathers all the industry’s most important contacts in one place. With 180 exhibitors in 265 booths this year, it is the largest gathering of water leisure exhibitors in the world. Covering around 100,000 square feet with the newest and most innovative waterpark-related goods and services, Trade Show visitors were able to source and secure the quality products, competitive pricing, vital services and merchandising resources they needed to compete in this growing and expanding industry. Yet, despite its size, the Trade Show is specifically designed to be focused on only those products and services specifically related to the waterpark industry. Thus, the exhibition floor is a compact assortment of the primary suppliers to the water leisure industry, making it easy for attendees to find what they need to and to get their business done as efficiently and expeditiously as possible.
Sherri Ramaker, with Ramaker & Associates, says her company has been participating in WWA’s convention for many years. “We have never been disappointed,” she says. “It is a great opportunity to discuss projects with various vendors. We also try to bring new employees in our Aquatic Department to the show every year to expose them to the industry and it allows them to meet the vendors they talk to on the phone every day.
“Most importantly,” she adds, “we go because we get leads. We come back from the show with appointments set up, we make arrangements to fly to clients' properties, and we meet some great people ready to do business. This is what brings us back to WWA every year.”
Paul Knapp, Owner of Fiberbuilt Umbrellas, Fort Lauderdale, had a similar experience. “We got a lot of good leads,” he said.
The show was also a success for Julie Zakus, Marketing Manager for Whitewater West Industries Ltd., Richmond, B.C., Canada. She says, “We go to the convention to show off our current products and introduce new products. The Trade Show allows us to display our full product line, which is infinitely better than trying to simply show potential customers pictures of the rides. As a result, our booth was very busy this year. I had to keep regularly reloading the literature racks in our booth because they were being emptied so quickly.”
Attendees were as enthusiastic about the Trade Show as the exhibitors. Golfland’s Kenney said, “The Trade Show was excellent. It had lots to see and was very well-attended by suppliers. It seemed larger than I remember it being in the past. … It was great to be with industry friends.”

About the convention
WWA’s Annual Symposium & Trade Show is the world’s largest gathering of water leisure professionals and development experts. It offers the most comprehensive waterpark education program available with targeted seminars designed for every specialty segment of the industry. It is the only show focused exclusively on the water leisure industry.

For more information, check out www.waterparks.com