Exhibit 99.1


                          [KOALA LOGO GRAPHIC OMITTED]


                                KOALA CORPORATION
                            7881 South Wheeling Court
                            Englewood, Colorado 80112


Koala Corporation Announces Resignation of President and CEO; Company Appoints
Executive Vice President James Zazenski as President and COO

DENVER, April 30 -- Koala Corporation (Nasdaq: KARE), a diversified
business-to-business provider of family-friendly solutions, today announced the
resignation of Mark A. Betker as president and chief executive officer.
Executive Vice President James A. Zazenski has been named president and chief
operating officer, and the board of directors will immediately initiate a search
for a new CEO.

Zazenski has served as the Company's executive vice president and general
manager since joining the Company in June 1997. He has been responsible for many
of the operational, sales and managerial functions within both of the Company's
primary business segments and nearly all of the Company's six business units.

John T. Pfannenstein, director and newly appointed chairman of the Company,
said, "Jim is a talented and respected manager with broad experience at the
executive level of the Company. He has played a key role in Koala's growth
during recent years, and he is intimately familiar with the industry in which
the Company competes. The board has total confidence in his abilities and
vision, and we are pleased to welcome him to his new positions."

Zazenski stated, "I have been committed to Koala since joining the Company five
years ago, and am very pleased to be taking on an elevated role in shaping its
future. Koala has a strong management team, a dedicated workforce and a brand
that is recognized worldwide. I look forward to the role I will play in the
Company's long-term growth and success."

Prior to joining Koala, Zazenski held various positions at Windsor Industries,
Inc., the last of which was vice president of marketing. Zazenski holds bachelor
of science and masters of business administration degrees from the University of
Colorado at Denver.

Betker, who joined Koala as president and CEO in 1995, has also resigned his
post as chairman and director. He will continue to provide consulting services
to the Company. "We sincerely appreciate the contributions Mark Betker has made
to the evolution and success of the Company," said Pfannenstein. "The board
wishes him well in his future endeavors."

Founded in 1986, Koala Corporation is an integrated provider of products and
solutions designed to help businesses become "family friendly" and allow
children to play safely in public. The Company develops and markets a wide
variety of infant and child protection and activities products, which are
marketed under the Company's recognizable "Koala Bear Kare" brand name. Koala's
strategic objective is to address the growing commercial demand for safe, public
play environments for children, as well as products and solutions that help
businesses create family-friendly atmospheres for their patrons.

Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts may be
forward-looking statements. Such statements include projections regarding future
earnings results and the components thereof and are based upon the Company's
current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to a number of risks and
uncertainties, including uncertainties about the state of the economy and its
effect on the Company's customers and the Company's need to resolve issues with
its lenders. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in any
forward-looking statement. There are a number of important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by any
forward-looking information. A description of risks and uncertainties attendant
to Koala Corporation and its industry and other factors that could affect the
Company's financial results are included in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission including its most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.