Timber Solutions for B2B Theme Park and Attraction Design Firms
Cost-Effectiveness
Attracting tourists, entertaining an existing audience, or fulfilling lifelong ambitions - whatever the goal - requires dedication, time, energy, passion and money - these components all come together in creating a theme park enterprise. However, such ventures also incur considerable startup and operational expenses; although some of these costs may be reduced through careful planning and budgeting measures.
One of the largest components of theme park costs are utility expenses, such as electricity, water and heating expenses. Depending on their use and location, utility costs may differ significantly between facilities; an urban theme park might have higher utility expenses than an isolated rural facility.
Personnel costs can also be significant expenses in theme parks. Employing engineers, architects, designers and technicians - engineers with different specializations such as architecture or engineering as well as designers or technicians can ensure that everything runs smoothly at their park; additionally they may travel between projects or events at various locations to work on them.
Theme parks must invest in marketing and advertising to bring customers, such as media campaigns or promotional giveaways. While these expenses may be costly, they're essential in order for the park to generate income and profit.
Insurance premiums can be one of the major costs of operating a theme park, required by many state and local laws and can become quite expensive. Furthermore, they must also pay for maintenance and repair expenses to keep their attractions working in optimal condition.
From a customer standpoint, efficient attractions with short waiting times are of vital importance; however, they should also offer high levels of satisfaction that encourage return visits to the theme park.
To achieve maximum efficiency in theme park design and configuration, DEA analysis indicates that rotating-type and Global Village-type attractions have higher efficiencies while roller coaster attractions have lower ones; suggesting that increasing proportion of rotating-type and Global Village attractions will enhance operation efficiency of theme parks.
Eco-Friendliness
Due to increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly products and services, many theme parks are striving to make their operations more eco-friendly. Six Flags launched a major greening initiative last year with increased recycling efforts, biodegradable trash bags and the use of recycled vegetable oil from park kitchens for fueling rides. Meanwhile Disney has set goals of operating zero emission parks and resorts, along with eliminating single use plastics at all attractions.
PortAventura World in Catalonia, Spain uses energy produced from solar facilities to operate carbon neutrally according to industry news site Blooloop. While this may not provide for thrilling rides experience on their rides, it still represents an impressive achievement from an amusement park that features a massive volcano and water slides.
Sustainability
A theme park may provide guests with an enjoyable, uplifting experience; however, its energy usage, water usage and waste production numbers would alarm even Mickey Mouse (or Winnie the Pooh!). That is why many parks are taking proactive steps toward sustainability initiatives.
Attractions that do not meet their customers' environmental and social values won't get them. "Attractions are beginning to recognize that their customers care about the environment," notes Michael Collins of Leisure Development Partners.
Philip Shepherd, former managing director at The Wave and partner in PwC, currently serves on multiple board of directors and as advisor for several businesses within hospitality and leisure industries. Additionally, DIY crafts provides investment advisory services related to strategy, financing, operations and transactions for investors.
Geoff Dixon, Head of Research for A Different View, gave blooloop an exclusive preview of its inaugural Sustainability Tracker Report. Based on a survey of 1100 attraction visitors conducted for us by A Different View this year alone and conducted annually thereafter to monitor visitor attitudes toward sustainability; The Tracker Report will serve as an accurate barometer of sustainable best practice.