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Epic by Design The partnerships, processes, and people powering Universal Epic Universe The Evolution of Zoos Across the Globe p. 57 Seven's Rise in Saudi Arabia p. 62 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026your best sliding fun ever. www.neveplast.it fun all year round neveplast artificial snow fun LEADER WITH OVER 2500 INSTALLATIONS WORLDWIDE. Since 1998, we have been producing and installing patented sports and recreational slopes with artificial surfaces, assisting customers in creating turnkey projects tailored to their specific needs. TUBBY is our flagship solution for year-round sliding fun.Cover Story | page 46 Epic by Design The partnerships, processes, and people powering Universal Epic Universe The Constellation Carousel and Universal Helios Grand Hotel are part of Celestial Park inside Universal Epic Universe. COVER PHOTO: UNIVERSAL ORLANDO INSIDE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 UNIVERSAL ORLANDO OCEAN PARK CREDIT SEVEN 62A Kingdom of Fun Rises Seven’s entertainment ecosystem built from scratch 57 Call of the Wild The evolution of zoos across the globe2 Funworld | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 | IAAPA.org/Funworld O—ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS Monterey Bay Aquarium Triumphs from Taylor Swift Tee … 6 O—DISPATCH … 8 O—TECH TURNSTILE … 10 O—REGIONAL UPDATES … 12 O—MOVERS & SHAKERS … 20 O—IN MEMORIAM … 22 O—MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER NEWS … 23 O—THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Jeremy Hoyum reflects on keys to FEC success … 26 O—IAAPA SAFETY CORNER The power of ServSafe in food safety … 27 O—THE SUSTAINABILITY SPOT Sun powered fun at Six Flags … 28 O—HUMAN RESOURCES Overcoming technical recruiting challenges in FECs … 29 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 VOLUME XLII • ISSUE 1 Funworld is a member benefit of IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry. ASSOCIATION NEWS AND BENEFITS EXPOS & EVENTS IAAPA Expo Sets Records in Orlando … 32 From the Floor at IAAPA Expo 2025 … 34 North America Public Affairs Conference … 41 EVENT PREVIEWS IAAPA Summit Latin America, Caribbean 2026 … 38 IAAPA FOUNDATION Chimelong Group’s Su Zhigang Makes Donation … 40 LEADERSHIP IAAPA North America Welcomes Todd Andrus … 41 MEMBERSHIP Leverage the Power of Networking … 42 CALENDAR … 43 DEPARTMENTS AD INDEX … 74 MIC DROP … 76 ® BUSINESS RESOURCES FUNWORLD’S INDUSTRY INSIGHTS LAUNCH INSIDE |J ANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 Visit IAAPA.org/News for leading industry news in the IAAPA News Hub. 68Indoor Go-Kart Experiences Level Up at RPM Raceway 70The Value of Testing Food DuringSeasonal Events 72Beyond Organic Social Media MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM RPMSILVER DOLLAR CITYVFI is happy to announce SPACE/CRAFT Worldwide as the winner of our first annual theming & hard coat design contest at IAAPA Expo. Using a combination of materials by spraying VFI-6170 70 D Spray Hard Coat and rotocasting VFI-4170 70 D Fast Casting Plastic, voters thought their design was the best due to the: •Use of multiple products •Level of detail & textures •Uniqueness of design •Storytelling & vibrance SCAN QR CODE to visit their website for more info! They are a design and fabrication company based out of New York that specializes in the creation of custom-built environments & architectural feature elements. ABOUT4 Funworld | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 | IAAPA.org/Funworld Funworld (ISSN 08923752; mailed in Canada under IPM #0902179) is published bimonthly by IAAPA, 4155 West Taft Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32837; phone: +1 321-319-7600. Periodicals postage paid at Orlando, FL, and additional offices. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization have not changed during the preceding 12 months. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Funworld, 4155 West Taft Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32837. ©2026 IAAPA. No material or part thereof may be reproduced or printed without the written consent of IAAPA. Ride-along may be enclosed. DISCLAIMER. IAAPA makes no representations or warranties about the accu- racy or suitability of any information or materials in this publication; all such content is provided on an as-is basis. IAAPA hereby disclaims all warranties regarding the contents of this publication, including without limitation all war- ranties of title, non-infringement, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. IAAPA does not guarantee, warrant, or endorse the information, products, or services of any corporation, organization, or person. IAAPA shall not be liable for any loss, damage, injury, claim, or otherwise, whether an action in contract or tort and further shall not be liable for any lost profits, or direct, indirect, special, punitive, or consequential damages of any kind (including without limitation attorneys’ fees and expenses). 4155 West Taft Vineland Road | Orlando, FL 32837 USA +1 321-319-7600 Funworld Magazine Team Senior Director, Global Editorial and Digital Content Scott Fais SFais@IAAPA.org Managing Editor, Funworld Magazine Michael Costello MCostello@IAAPA.org Associate Editor, Funworld Magazine Avery Matteo AMatteo@IAAPA.org Contributing Editor Juliana Gilling julianagilling@gmail.com Manager, Global Advertising and Sales Kelsey O’Hearne Bohl KBohl@IAAPA.org Production Manager Michelle Wandres MWandres@IAAPA.org Contact us for advertising info at +1 321-319-7682 or email at Advertising@IAAPA.org IAAPA.org/Funworld 2026 IAAPA Chair of the Global Board of Directors Luciana Periales IAAPA President and CEO Jakob Wahl IAAPA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Shelton IAAPA Vice President of Membership, Marketing, and Communications Erin Walsh IAAPA Asia Pacific Vice President and Executive Director Jack Chan IAAPA Europe, Middle East, Africa Executive Director and Vice President Peter van der Schans IAAPA Latin America, Caribbean Vice President and Executive Director Paulina Reyes IAAPA North America Vice President and Executive Director Todd Andrus ® PHOTOS: HANI HARATY Rope Drop One Sweet FEC Opens in Dubai Ground Control Entertainment opened the UAE’s Haribo Happy World FEC in late November. Located at Dubai Festival City Mall, the attraction includes multi-sensory exhibits, retail space, and a café. “Our strategy with Haribo is to be everywhere in the Middle East and then go to Europe,” says Mohamed Mahmoud, CEO of Ground Control Entertainment.A Global Leader in Miniature Golf & Game Court Design/Installation U.S. ( 888 ) 725-4FUN (4386) • INT’L ( 231 ) 922-8166 Traverse City, MI | Chicago | Miami | Venice, FL AGSGolfAndSports.com Create Fun & New Revenue with Miniature Golf & Game Courts! Indoors, outdoors or on rooftops… permanent or temporary…from our eco-friendly and cost-saving Modular Advantage® Mini Golf system and our Bunkers & Bumps™ fairways-and-greens style courses, to pickleball, bocce ball and more, we have ideas and solutions to make your venue more inviting, profitable and fun! Here are some fun ways to enhance your attractions, increase dwell time and increase repeat visits to your venue: Concrete Courses “When you walk the 18 holes, you’re always surrounded by massive stones and then a beautiful waterway they (AGS) built that traverse six or seven holes with a couple of big waterfalls...A lot of people say it’s the best (mini golf) course they’ve ever played. All we do is take a leaf blower every morning and blow off the fallen leaves on it and that’s all the maintenance we do besides treating the water.” Ian Teal, Owner Thrillsville Adventure Park, Red River Gorge, KY Portable / Modular “We definitely wanted something portable to move in and out because of so many events and activities taking place outside...I selected Adventure Golf because of their customer service...The turnaround time, communication and professionalism were greatly appreciated.” Kamiya Woodard, Director of Recreation Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando, FL Modular Advantage® Miniature Golf! “The eco-friendly qualities...were obviously appealing...I looked other places...and honestly they’re (AGS) the only ones that have this style course...It feels like a higher quality course than the harder cement-based courses…More of a natural feel...I think some of the people who like our course the most are competitive golfers because it is more like a true putting green style.” Kerry Johnson, Owner Evergreen Miniature Golf Course, Fish Creek, WI From custom designs to “ready to go” systems, put our 35+ years’ experience to work for you – saving you time and money. Contact us today! “Nine of the 18 Bunkers & Bumps™ (mini golf) holes are ADA compliant. It’s like a stroll through a well- landscaped park...with lights and a drink holder at the beginning and end of every hole.” Mike Sheldon, Owner River Club Glen Arbor, Glen Arbor, MILaunch Monterey Bay Aquarium Triumphs from Taylor Swift Tee How fast thinking and fan engagement turned a fleeting cameo into a fundraising sensation by Juliana Gilling ZOOS AND AQUARIUMSWHEN SUPERSTAR TAYLOR SWIFT sported a vintage Monterey Bay Aquarium sea otter T-shirt in the release party movie for her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” the attraction didn’t just make a cameo in her wardrobe— it made a tidal wave in fundraising. “The reaction on social media was immediate. Fans spotted the shirt and started tagging and DMing us, asking for the shirt right away,” says Liz MacDonald, director of content strategy at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. “We’ve heard that in local movie theaters, audiences cheered when they saw it.” The shirt inspired nostalgic memories of visiting the aquarium when they were children, while some even remember owning the same T-shirt. “It quickly became clear this wasn’t just a pop culture moment. It was an opportunity to elevate our Sea Otter Program to a global audience and engage new supporters in our conservation work in a big and fun way,” Liz MacDonald shares with Funworld. Leaping Into Action The Monterey Bay Aquarium swiftly (pun intended) turned those thoughts into action. “It was an all-hands-on-deck effort,” MacDonald says. Thanks to This retired shirt made a comeback thanks to Taylor Swift and fueled $2.3 million in donations. MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM & LIBERTY GRAPHICS7 IAAPA.org/Funworld | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 | Funworld some impressive sleuthing by Swifties and the aquarium team, the attraction moved fast. “We felt that re-issuing the shirts as a limited-time fundraiser made the most sense,” MacDonald explains. The aquarium’s team traced the T-shirt’s original artwork to Harborside Graphics, which first printed the T-shirt in the 1990s. Today, the company is part of Maine-based Liberty Graphics—located more than 3,400 miles across the U.S. from Monterey Bay. The Aquarium worked directly with Liberty to reproduce the T-shirt sustainably. Liberty Graphics uses PVC-free, water-based ink that places less strain on oceans and 100% cotton that doesn’t shed microplastics in the wash. Power in Numbers The aquarium’s strategic partnership team also reached out to representatives of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after hearing the couple discuss Kelce’s love of sea otters on his “New Heights” podcast. “We haven’t heard back yet, but they are kind of busy with their jobs!” MacDonald says. The aquarium’s social media content played on Swifties’ enthusiasm for finding possible Easter egg references. After going viral, the aquarium received a wave of $13 dona- tions, reportedly Swift’s favorite number. In keeping with the 13 theme, the facility set out to raise $1.3 million—a goal that was surpassed in less than two days. “We’ve paused it at $2.3 million,” MacDonald says. The nonprofit organiza- tion plans to use the funds to support its Sea Otter Program and ocean conservation work. Leveraging Valuable Fanbases The Monterey Bay Aquarium hopes to stay connected with the Swiftie com- munity by creating pathways for them to learn more about the aquarium’s mis- sion. “We have so much gratitude for the folks who participated in this campaign,” MacDonald says. “We have some social media plans to highlight audience mem- bers with their shirts when they get them, and we’ll continue telling stories about our sea otter work—just as we have for the past 40 years.” Attractions can harness the power of communities and fandoms to great effect, MacDonald believes. “If there’s a moment connected to a strong fanbase and aligned with your mission, engage directly with that community.” montereybayaquarium.org/stories MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM Juliana Gilling , Funworld’s contributing editor, began covering the global attractions industry in 1994. She reports on innovative people, projects, and additions for Funworld and the IAAPA News Hub. Juliana lives in the U.K., where she is a freelance writer. Connect with her on :Next >