Theme Park Analysis

What characteristics make am ideal adventure attraction, like a theme park ride, or a show?

There are three key elements that are used in all ideal theme parks. These three elements are story, excitement, and environment. Without these essential elements a theme park will fail as an Interactive Entertainment environment. These three elements create a theme, a balance, that works so well it entices the visitor to want to revisit the park.

Story is the most essential element of the three. This is because if there is no story, there is no theme to the park meaning it’s just a place. Story can determine whether you are just a theme park or an amusement park. When an attraction has a theme it delivers heightened emotions to the visitor and it keeps them in those long lines curious about what happens further in the story as they actually ride the attraction. The element story allows the participants mind to wander, adding even more to the story than what could be there. Without this element it’s just a ride not an attraction.

Excitement is also a very important element to an ideal attraction. If a ride lacks that “wow” feel, the rider will most likely not want to ride the attraction again. Every visitor has paid there money to be entertained and the way this is achieved through attractions is through use of excitement. The greatest rides are all endowed with story. For example the newest attraction at Universal Studios “ The Mummy”, The Tower of Terror at MGM Studios of Disney, and Dueling Dragons/Spiderman in Islands of Adventure. When you are excited, adrenaline pumps through your body heightening you senses. You become overwhelmed with feelings and you become very vulnerable to suggestion. But with these overwhelming feelings the rider can allow themselves to live the story being told through the attraction. The excitement level of a ride can usually be summed up by a “Yeah it was awesome” or” It was nothing special.” Although that does not say much about the ride we as people understand the meaning behind each statement which allows us to judge the ride.

The last element behind an ideal theme park is Environment. Environment is used to keep visitors engrossed in the story of the theme park. Environment must be scene in all sections of a theme park not only its rides or the theme park will be a failure. The environment is the make or break of the theme park. These three elements are essential and must be seen throughout the park. If one element fails the whole park fails, so it is essential to make sure these elements can be found all through the park not only in attractions.