Tony Liberti thinks people need more fun in their lives. That’s why the Fun Crew USA founder takes his job so seriously. He’s in the business of making big events better by providing attractions that offer the right mix of nostalgia, technology and the all-important “wow” factor. But, really, he’s in the business of fun.
He has done it for a long time with great success and immense satisfaction.
“There’s quite a reward when you bring joy for a couple of hours to people who never get to play on stuff like this, or if they do play on stuff like this it might be once a year or once every couple of years,” Liberti said. “It’s just a treat.”
Liberti’s love for and knowledge of the attractions industry have made Fun Crew USA a success with clients across the country. But he chases more than financial success.
“We’ve never been in a position to just want to build something to see how much money we could get out of it,” Liberti said. When deciding what attractions to buy or rebuild, he said he thinks, “‘What did I enjoy as a kid?’ Or, ‘What do I know other people enjoyed as children?’”
Liberti said the team at Fun Crew USA then asks themselves, “How do we bring that feeling back?”
He found the answer in offering a mix of retro attractions like carnival game trailers along with the latest thrill rides and giant inflatables. Doing so requires staying on the lookout for the latest of what the industry has to offer, which recently involved a trip to Europe.
“Certain things never even make it here to the U.S. I want to be part of everything that is happening in our industry,” he said. “There’s a sense of ‘wow’ and a sense of, ‘What can we do that’s out of the norm’ that is expressed more freely at some of these European shows. And it’s nice to see those opportunities.”
Touring a European Entertainment Manufacturer in the Czech Republic
In late 2025, Liberti decided to travel to Europe on an exploratory trip. The first stop was in the Czech Republic, where he flew to Prague and then took a four-hour train trip to visit the manufacturer of the beautifully crafted Magical Tea Cups ride that is part of the Fun Crew USA catalog.
Liberti said the factory is located near the border with Poland. “We toured a factory and saw where they built our nostalgic teacup ride and saw the quality of fabrication that was going on. It was a great experience,” he said.
Liberti said he also discussed future plans with the European manufacturer. “We have some concepts for things that we’d like to have built in the future. It’s something that will be coming a year or two down the road, which is exciting,” he said.
Finding Inspiration at Disneyland Paris
Liberti then left the Czech Republic for a trip to Disneyland Paris. “I wanted to see what an amusement park would be like outside of the U.S. What does the country of France or the city of Paris think the American Disney amusement park should be like?”
He quickly found that the recreation of late 19th and early 20th century America reflected the genuine feel of, and affection for, classic American culture. Even in France, he found nostalgia for America’s past.
“Even on Main Street USA, the old-world America is alive there,” Liberti said. “For two or three days I sat in an amusement park and thought I was in the U.S., which was kind of cool. It’s like you embedded yourself into the joy of what Walt wanted, halfway around the world.”
He added that, “Yes, it did have some European flair to it, and yes, you could have some champagne with your meals. It was just an awesome experience.”
The IAAPA Convention in Barcelona
Liberti then spent two days at the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) trade show in Barcelona, Spain. He ended up finding the very thing he went to Europe to find: something different and new.
Liberti found a new concept at IAAPA from a company in Finland. The game features an exercise bicycle that players ride. The mechanical energy created by the rider powers a character who races in a racing game similar to Mario Kart.
“I was fascinated by it,” Liberti said. “I bought it on the spot and had them send it to the U.S. The idea of combining exercise and the technology of video gaming stood out to me. One third of our business is universities, and this fits right into that. This is what they grew up with as kids. But now, I am making them work for 60 seconds to try to win rather than just hold the button!”
Liberti said the game offers a combination of exercise, skill and a desire to win. With that combination, “You’ve created a game for four players that I can get 800 people through in four hours. That’s huge,” he said.
Charles Hottinger, who works on restorations and other projects for Fun Crew USA, is building a mobile system to make transporting the game easier. “We’re making it so that when you go out and do your setup, you don’t have to take anything off of it. It folds up, almost a little bit like origami,” he said.
Clients have already started booking the attraction, including for a convention of principals in Las Vegas later this year. They also want the gigantic (and wildly popular) 36 Foot Gator Slide.
Why Innovation Matters in Event Entertainment
The successful trip to Europe met Liberti’s expectations. It also met his standards for running an attractions company.
“I see our business as never-ending. It’s infinite. It’s not finite,” he said. “You can’t just have the same equipment forever. Everybody in our industry has a climbing tower. A lot of people have a train. A lot of people have a little bungee jump. More people nowadays are getting things like a swing.
“But what separates us and gives us that competitive edge, I think, when it comes to the holistic ‘wow’ of an event, is incorporating these things like game trailers that nobody sees anymore.”
He said the new attraction from Finland is an example of how he builds what is available in Fun Crew USA’s catalog to better serve the company’s clients, including universities, corporations, conventions, military events and festivals.
“When you bring things like that and you bring new technology from overseas and you adapt it to making things that multiple generations can enjoy, I think that’s where you really excel,” Liberti said.
For Liberti, it’s also something even more important: a lot of fun for Fun Crew customers.
