Theme Park Expo Offers Preview Of What's New For 2018

This year’s theme park expo in Orlando, Florida, features the latest products, technology and trends in rides and the next big food items, all of which could be coming to an amusement park near you as early as the summer of 2018.

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A record 37,000 attendees are getting a chance to look at what 1,000 vendors representing more than 100 countries have to offer for the upcoming year. The expo is sponsored by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA).

Here are some of the exciting things to look forward to in 2018 and beyond:

BACK TO THE FUTURE: If you are into dizzying thrills, then the Time Traveler ride, which is debuting next summer at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, is for you. Time Traveler drops you at a 90-degree vertical angle right out of the gate and it only becomes more intense from there with three inversions at speeds up to around 50 mph (81 kph), all while spinning. It’s being billed as the fastest, steepest and tallest spinning roller coaster.