Amusement 360 April 2026 Recap: Big Ideas in Indiana

The ROLLER team had an amazing few days at Amusement 360 in Plainfield, Indiana, connecting with operators and industry leaders across the FEC and attractions space.

Hosted by Action Lab Leadership and Creative Works, Amusement 360 is a little different from some of the bigger trade shows. It’s highly session-driven, focused on education, and gives operators space to step away from the day-to-day and think more deeply about how they’re building and growing their venues.

For our team, it was a great chance to listen, share ideas, and spend time with operators who are opening new venues or looking for smarter ways to run what they already have.

ROLLER’s speaking session

One of our favourite moments of the expo was our session led by Danica Craig, Expansion Business Representative at ROLLER.

The session, “Turning Bounces Into Bookings: Optimizing Your Online Experience,” focused on how small improvements to your online experience can have a big impact on bookings.

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Most bookings happen after hours, so your website needs to be your 24/7 salesperson
• Reducing friction (fewer form fields, clearer CTAs) directly improves conversion
• Mobile matters more than ever: if it’s not easy on a phone, guests won’t complete the booking

It was a practical reminder that often the biggest gains come from simplifying what’s already there.

The ROLLER team and partners enjoying the chance to catch up in person at Amusement 360

Standout sessions

Amusement 360 is known for its practical, operator-first content, and this year delivered a strong mix of perspectives. Here are a few sessions that really stood out:

State of the Industry 2026: Why This Is the Year To Make Your Mark

In this session, Jerry Merola walked through the current state of the market and where opportunities exist right now. His message was clear: despite mixed economic signals, demand for experiences is still strong. Operators who act early and position themselves well can get ahead before markets become more competitive.

How to Make Smarter Attraction Decisions for Your Goals

Armando Lanuti and Russ Van Natta broke down how attraction mix impacts performance. One of the biggest takeaways was how important it is to think beyond what looks exciting and focus on how each attraction contributes to capacity, throughput, and the overall guest journey.

Why Social Gaming is the OG of Out-of-Home Entertainment

Bart Burger (QubicaAMF) explored the rise of social, competitive experiences. The key theme was that guests are looking for activities they can enjoy together, come back to, and share — and venues that lean into that are seeing stronger engagement and longer dwell times.

From Data to Dollars: How AI Is Transforming FEC Operations

Sara Paz and Laura Zorn shared how AI is already being used in venues today. The focus wasn’t on replacing people, but on creating systems that improve consistency, speed, and follow-up — helping teams stay on top of guest needs without adding more pressure.

In between sessions, ROLLER’s Senior Product Marketing Manager, Caroline Beightol, tried Mini Melts for the first time

Key trends and takeaways

Across the sessions and conversations, a few themes came through clearly:

There’s real opportunity in the market

Demand for experiences is still strong, and with more capital and available space, it’s a good time for operators who are ready to grow — as long as they’re intentional about where and how they expand.

Experiences need to be social and repeatable

Guests are looking for shared experiences they can come back to. Social gaming, strong F&B, and attractions that encourage repeat play are all becoming more important.

Online experience matters more than ever

Booking is happening later in the day and on mobile. A clear, simple online journey isn’t just nice to have — it directly impacts revenue.

AI is becoming practical

The conversation has moved beyond “should we use AI?” to “where does it actually help?” The focus is on reducing response times, improving consistency, and supporting teams.

Strong foundations still matter most

Before layering in new tools, operators are focusing on getting the basics right — clear processes, strong systems, and a well-defined guest journey.

Until September

Amusement 360 was a great reminder of how much operators value practical ideas and honest conversations.

For new venues, the focus is on getting the right foundations in place from the start. For growing venues, it’s about refining systems, improving efficiency, and creating experiences guests want to come back for.

A big thank-you to everyone who connected with us during the event! We’re looking forward to keeping those conversations going at the next Amusement 360 in September.