Valencia, CA (May 28, 2013) PDC, the global leader of innovative identification solutions, announced today the installation of the PDC Smart Band^® RFID Wristband and Kiosk System at Cedar Fair’s Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, PA. The new program, titled FastPay, enables guests to load funds onto PDC Smart Band^® RFID wristbands to make instant cashless purchases at any of the 210 point-of-sale terminals throughout both parks.

The newly installed PDC Smart^® Kiosks are accessed via a touchscreen interface, provided by EuroTouch, the leader in contemporary and high-quality kiosk solutions. Guests can walk up to any kiosk and load money onto a wristband or check their FastPay account balance. Serving as a convenient ’wrist wallet,’ FastPay wristbands provide guests with the freedom of secure cashless purchasing at gift shops, restaurants, and food carts – enhancing the guest experience. In addition to wristbands, guests can purchase FastPay gift cards at any of the parks’ gift shops.

“This program is all about convenience for our guests, said Jason McClure, Vice President and General Manager of Dorney Park. “By partnering with PDC to offer this new payment option, guests can carry their money digitally on their wristband and enjoy a day at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom wallet free. We want our guests to have the best day of their summer here at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, and FastPay is another program to help accomplish this goal.”

Smart Band’s customized printing options enable Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom to promote its company on the wristband to boost brand awareness. Smart Band’s unique design and memorabilia value inspire many guests to keep their FastPay wristbands as souvenirs long after their stay, providing free advertising for the company. The parks offer three types of wristbands – featuring custom FastPay branding – including silicone, thermal, and plastic for both seasonal and single-day passes.

The PDC Smart^® RFID Wristband Dispensing Kiosk, with custom software developed by KioWare, a legacy player in kiosk software design concepts, can be programmed to perform a wide variety of functions, such as self-service ticketing; fast-pass upgrades; cashless POS; locker and tube rentals; keyless hotel room entry; social media integration; electronic access control; photo management systems; and customer loyalty programs.

To learn more about additional RFID solutions by PDC, including PDC Smart^® Cards, PDC Smart^® Key Fobs, and PDC Smart® Labels, please visit http://www.pdcsolutions.com/rfid-solutions.html.

About PDC
With more than 55 years of experience, PDC is the global leader and pacesetter in the development of wristband, label, medical records, and imaging systems. The company serves the healthcare, leisure & entertainment, and law enforcement industries. A pioneer of innovative technologies, PDC introduced the first single-piece patient wristband, first bar code wristband system, first Smart Band^® RFID Wristband System, first thermal printer wristband, and the award-winning PDC Smart^® Kiosk, among many other innovations.

PDC products are used in leading hospitals worldwide and comprise a comprehensive range of solutions that provide positive ID and positive clinical outcomes, while meeting important guidelines of The Joint Commission, World Healthcare Organization, FDA, AHA, and HIPAA. Complying with ISO 9001 standards, PDC follows a systematic, world-standard approach to ensure superior product design, manufacturing, and customer support services. For more information, visit www.pdsolutions.com.

On Dec. 28, 2012, PDC was acquired by Brady Corporation, (NYSE:BRC) a world leader in identification solutions for premises, products, and people.

About Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publically traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FUN.” In addition to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks, six water parks, one indoor waterpark resort, and five hotels. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, Calif. under a management contract. For more information, visit www.dorneypark.com.

There is often a lot of confusion regarding the various styles of custom silicone wristbands. Many people confuse embossed bracelets with debossed bracelets (even some silicone bracelet suppliers!) and are uncomfortable with printed wristbands. Throw in the option of laser-engraved wristbands and they throw up their arms in surrender.

Debossed Wristbands

Debossed wristbands are the most common and are the same style as Lance Armstrong's trend setting LIVESTRONG bracelets. Debossed refers to the fact that the design is actually recessed down into the wristband itself. To accomplish this, a custom bracelet mold is manufactured that incorporates whatever customized design that is desired. Because they require a mold to be manufactured, custom debossed bracelets are more expensive and take longer to produce than printed bracelets or laser-engraved bracelets.

Embossed Wristbands

Embossed wristbands are not nearly as common, yet they are an excellent choice if you are looking for a custom silicone bracelet that is more stylish and unique. An embossed bracelet also incorporates any custom design and requires a mold to be manufactured. However, with embossed bracelets, the fully customized design is raised up off the wristband as opposed to recessed down into the wristband. Pricing and turnaround times for embossed bracelets are very similar to that of debossed bracelets.

Printed Wristbands

Printed wristbands are by far the most economical choice. Printed bracelets start with a blank wristband and are then silk-screen printed. The "technology" for screen-printing wristbands has come a long way. The dyes used today actually penetrate the silicone rubber of the wristband. Many people are under the impression that the print which is used on printed bracelets is cheaply painted on and will crack or flake off. With a reputable custom silicone bracelet manufacturer, this simply is not the case. You can expect the printing to last the lifetime of the silicone wristband itself. Printed bracelets do not require a mold to be manufactured. Instead, a template is produced that is used to apply the custom design onto the bracelets. Because a template is used rather than a mold, printed wristbands are less expensive with quicker turnaround times than debossed and embossed wristbands.

Laser-Engraved Wristbands

Laser-Engraved wristbands are becoming more and more popular. Quite frankly, they are very inexpensive to produce, yet many silicone wristband suppliers still charge exorbitant prices. Laser-engraved bracelets duplicate Lance Armstrong's popular LIVESTRONG debossed style. For smaller orders of 5,000 custom silicone bracelets or less, laser-engraved wristbands are your best choice if you prefer this popular debossed bracelet style. Similar to printed bracelets, laser-engraved bracelets start with a blank wristband. A simple setup program allows a laser-engraving machine to engrave the custom silicone bracelets to the exact specifications of whatever fully customized design that is desired. Laser-engraved bracelets do not require a mold to be manufactured; therefore, they are less expensive and enjoy quicker turnaround times than debossed and embossed bracelets.

The Best Choice

So, what is the best choice when it comes to selecting between debossed, embossed, printed, and laser-engraved wristbands? The answer is that it is always a matter of personal preference. One style that is becoming more popular is the laser-engraved wristband that is then color-filled. This replicates the most popular LIVESTRONG debossed look while incorporating an appealing contrast of colors. The cost is a little more since the color-fill is actually an oil-based paint that must be applied by hand, but, by choosing laser-engraved bracelets over the more expensive molded debossed style, you end up getting the debossed look and color-fill together for about the same price as just a plain debossed bracelet.

Regardless of your personal preference, it is imperative to select a custom silicone wristband manufacturer that does not hit you with hidden fees for setup, mold, and shipping expenses. Whomever you select, look for a pricing structure that offers one low price that includes everything - setup, design, mold, and, most importantly, shipping fees. This will prevent any unwanted surprises.

Multi-Day festivals choose electronic access control system to prevent counterfeiting, shorten queues, and improve the guest experience