Interactive dark ride company Triotech was celebrating at the IAAPA convention in Orlando, Florida, this week after winning two of the association’s Brass Ring Awards, as well as the biggest contract in Triotech history.

The Canadian innovators were recognised for Wonder Mountain’s Guardian at Canada’s Wonderland, which won the award for best new attraction at a theme park, and the Impact Award, for the best new product in the attractions industry overall.

President and CEO of Triotech Ernest Yale reflected on the journey so far. “When we first came to IAAPA in 1999, we had a 10-by-20 booth and arcade games that had stopped working - we had to race to fix them before the show opened,” he said. “Today, we have 100 employees. There are great rides in this industry, but at Triotech we don’t try to build bigger, higher rides; we work with imagination and creativity to entertain guests.”

The company, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, was also the talk of the trade show floor as it announced it’s opening a new ride for Cedar Fair-owned Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, in spring 2015.
Yale revealed the plans and concept for Voyage to the Iron Reef during the convention. “It’s a retro-futuristic world and the guest – in a submarine-like vehicle – has to fight an aquatic army to stop an attack on Knott’s Berry Farm.”

Raffi Kaprelyan, vice president and general manager of Knott’s Berry Farm, said: “The creative team’s ability to create a totally unique story and incorporate cutting edge ride technologies will amaze our guests. The collaboration between Knott’s and Triotech will result in an incredibly interactive ride experience.”