THE LOOP 035

In this issue:
(To go directly to a story, click on a blue keyword below):

Dorney Park introduces tactile maps for its blind guests;

ACE launches a silver celebration with a star-studded gathering;

Futuroscope takes a new look at its own future;

Cyclists take to the paths at the Phoenix Zoo;

Texas' Wonderland finds effective advertising mediums on the roads and in the wind;

World-class triathletes take up the Challenge at Wild Rivers Waterpark;

We welcome Xcelerator to Knott's Berry Farm; a veterinary center to the Los Angeles Zoo; elephant and lemur exhibits to the Indianapolis Zoo; the Sccoby-Doo Spooky Coaster at WB Movie World in Australia; a 3D film to Santa's Village; an interactive play center to Wild Waves and Enchanted Village; sharks to the Aquarium in Long Beach, whales to the Six Flags in Ohio, and animatronic bears to Black Bear Jamboree; and,

We mark a significant 10th with our significant others.

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A feel for direction
A primary desire among people with visual impairments is independence, the ability to experience life without the constant assistance of another person. Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has made a significant step forward for the blind community in this regard with what may be the industry’s first portable tactile park map.

“This is one way we try to be proactive adding to our guest services,” said Chris Ozimek, the park’s public relations manager. Other attractions have tactile maps on large display boards, and at least one has a book similar to Dorney’s available for review at guest relations. Dorney has three such maps—a spiral-binder of nine 8-by-10 pages representing the eight different sections of the park and one explanation page—that blind guests may carry with them throughout Dorney.

Available at guest relations, the maps require no deposit. “If they don’t bring it back, we can get more,” Ozimek said. “That’s part of working with the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.” Dorney approached the association’s Lehigh County chapter with a request to do the maps, and the Association put its creative talents and technology to work.

The tactile map is based on Dorney’s fun guide maps. Elements of the park are raised on the page and differentiated by varying textures, such as checkerboards, herring bone and solid blocks. The key is in Braille. Association staff built the tactile map on computer, then photocopied the images on a touch paper that is run through a ZY-Fuse standard heater, creating the raised images. The braille is typed out on a Juliet Embosser.

With the maps now programmed in the Association’s computers, they easily can be duplicated or altered. Dorney is paying for the creation of the maps; the Coplay Lions and Lioness clubs helped the Association purchase the ZY-Fuse standard heater.

Next week Dorney Park will roll out another new customer service initiative, a low-tech child locator system called Kid Track. Parents and their children are fitted with a wristband that lists a cell phone or pager number, a security code and a personal verification number. When children lose their parents, the park’s security personnel will be better able to track down the separated parties and match them up with the information on the wristbands.