On October 15, 2011, something unique will have happened when it comes to the amusement industry in America. That’s the date that the only new United States theme park will open for 2011. Yet, unlike recent past parks (such as the ill-fated Hard Rock Park in South Carolina), LEGOLAND Florida will have an air of […]
Read more...These days, technology continues to change at such a rapid pace that just keeping up with the changes can be a challenge. This challenge, though, can present a unique opportunity for theme parks in key areas such as publicity and marketing operations. Many of the industry’s larger parks and resorts are, in fact, seizing this […]
Read more...It’s back. That dreaded scourge to operating budgets throughout the industry. The malcontent that refuses to recognize fiscal years or finalized budgets. Three words that bring chills to the ears of many amusement executives: higher gas prices. While some local parks do benefit from higher prices because vacationers generally end up staying closer to home […]
Read more...With winter behind us in most places and summer creeping closer, now is a great time to preview what the industry’s larger parks and resorts have in store for this year’s peak season. While none of these parks will offer something as big as Universal Orlando’s 2010 boy wonder named Harry Potter, several are bringing […]
Read more...When the modern theme park era began in the early 20th century, the business model was generally based on a “pay-per-attraction” system where guests would buy separate tickets for access to individual rides or shows. So popular was this approach that it continued throughout the 20th century, including the 1972 opening of Walt Disney World […]
Read more...In tough economic times, a big operational challenge can be keeping up employee morale and guest satisfaction. That’s why effective leadership training plays a key role in moving an organization forward in a positive and productive way. Nowhere is this strategy embraced more than at the Walt Disney World Resort where company executives promote a […]
Read more...For the large park and resort segment of the amusement industry, 2010 was clearly the Year of Potter as Universal Orlando’s newest attraction overcame some curious design decisions to still become the year’s undisputed runaway hit. For the coming year, the big question for Universal and its large park competitors is whether the big gains […]
Read more...As the weather gets cooler and children return to school, the peak summer season is winding down for many theme parks and resorts. That makes now a good time to look back and consider how some of the industry’s larger parks continue to deal with an economic downturn that seems to linger on like an […]
Read more...With Orlando already serving as the epicenter for the American theme park industry, you might think it wouldn’t make sense for a company to target the city as the home of a new amusement concept—especially in these continued tough economic times. However, if you’re Colorado-based Sage Hospitality then just the opposite is true. Indeed, rather […]
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During last November’s IAAPA Attractions Expo in Las Vegas, I enjoyed several interesting conversations with large park operators on the topic of discretionary spending at amusement facilities. The gist of those conversations was simple and straightforward: in tough economic times like these, how do you convince guests to spend more money once they’ve entered […]
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