This section of the Thrill Lab blog site includes posts from the TMU Thrill Club for its members and peer theme park clubs.
Author: Kathryn Woodcock
Thrill Design Competition
The competition originally known as the “Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition” was renamed with the renaming of the University, and is now known as the Toronto Metropolitan University Thrill Design Competition. In addition, in 2022, we introduced an Open Qualifying competition in the summer, to select teams for invitation to the TMU Thrill Design Invitational, taking place at Universal Orlando Resort.

In 2023, we retain the same format. Teams interested in entering the Open Qualifying may contact us. Registrations for OQ are due by the end of May 2023. Teams may also join the waitlist for the 2024 competition. We do not have a competition website with any preview information. Information about the competition is provided directly to participating and prospective teams.
Thrill Club project demo
Shortly after the Thrill Club began developing a scale model dark ride for its future activities, we had the opportunity to offer a demonstration for an audience of amusement ride safety inspectors, owners, and others at the annual TSSA Ride Safety Seminar in Niagara Falls. A smaller scale first draft model was quickly completed and packed for transport! Club president Jake Fulton attended the safety seminar and enjoyed great professional networking and continuing education hours as well.

Guest speaker
IAAPA Expo
Planning for IAAPA Expo, taking place in Orlando in November 2021, continues. Dr. Woodcock is joining a panel with Danielle Heffernan, of Cedar Fair, moderated by Charlie Wickham, grad student from Iowa State U, on industry-academia cooperation for themed entertainment. Check the IAAPA website for registration details. Early registration discount expires 23 September.
Bookmark the new URL!
If you have bookmarked the previous address, please change your link to the new URL https://thrilllab.blog.torontomu.ca
Paper: Safety evaluation of amusement rides using accumulated accident data: Accident data framework
Woodcock, K., 2022. Safety evaluation of amusement rides using accumulated accident data: Accident data framework. Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies 2, 40-53. Link
Continue reading “Paper: Safety evaluation of amusement rides using accumulated accident data: Accident data framework”August RRRR update
The Ryerson Ride Report Recaps for 2021 August are available and we’ve moved on to September reports, except for late clean-up coverage. As of the last update, there were 10 included reports, plus three (3) excluded reports recapped, one stalled ride treated as “news”, and one previously un-recapped report from a prior period.
I am not an ‘ADA guest’
This three part article is running online in InPark Magazine and is forthcoming in the print medium.
Continue reading “I am not an ‘ADA guest’”Paper: Global incidence of theme park and amusement ride accidents
Woodcock, K., 2019. Global incidence of theme park and amusement ride accidents. Safety Science 113, 171-179. Link
Continue reading “Paper: Global incidence of theme park and amusement ride accidents”