Do Theme Parks Have A Future?
February 10th, 2008 by Jon Taplin
The New York Times ran a long piece on the Disney Theme Park Business. It seems the video game generation is getting a bit hard to please.
“There’s an erosion of patience,” said Bruce Vaughn, the chief creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s development group. “People’s tolerance for lines is decreasing at a rapid rate.” Mr. Rasulo said that younger visitors, in particular, expect customized entertainment. So Toy Story Mania’s computers will accommodate riders of various skill levels.
Will our ADD video game twitch life style ultimately kill the waiting in line, non interactive theme park business?
arcades have mostly died off because of home systems, theme parks may die off because of people don’t want to have to wait in long lines, a themepark/arcade combining the better aspects of both would be nice.
In an age where digital and interactive media are becoming increasingly dominant, I feel there is some what of a nostalgic charm that can be associated with non-interactive theme parks. This idea of the traditional theme park certainly can be attributed to Disneyland’s success. Also, the article states that it was not the non-interactivity that led to California Adventure’s comparative flop persay but the minimal creativity and rushed manner that went into the making of the new park.
That article (the first page, especially) was depressing. Must we always be entertained? And isn’t anticipation half the fun? You don’t get that if you’re already being distracted. The general direction the world seems to be heading makes me sad.
We must take all ages into account. The video game/arcade business is targetted to mostly teenage boys…but how about the younger boys and girls that just want to have fun in Disneyland! Plus, parents love the innocence of Disney….and so do tourists!
No, I don’t think that that our ADD video game game twitch lifestyle will ultimately kill the waiting-in-line theme park business. Disney attendees inherently will always enjoy the thrill of finally buckling the roller coaster seat belt, even after a much anticipated waiting-in-line period. I think that Disney’s seemingly hyperactive obsession with staying “ahead” of the times is finding yet another method to overspend money. In comparison to the US Film business, American studios are also overspending on special effects. Indie movies like “Juno”, and traditional Disney rides like “Space Mountain”, prove that Americans don’t always need cutting-edge interactive special effects to keep us intrigued. Yes, this Toy Story ride will in fact attract visitors. But, I believe this Toy Story ride will most likely never distract theme park customers from enjoying the traditional waiting-in-line theme park rides.
We still enjoy traditional carnival games, don’t we? That’s enough proof to believe that we will enjoy traditional theme park rides in the future, too.
Humans never liked waiting in line. If we disliked waiting in lines in the past, and still went on Disney rides regardless, I have reason to believe that will continue waiting in those dreaded lines regardless of whether we have ADD. The thrill of traditional rides make waiting in long lines worth it.
Pretty much every industry right now is being affected by the immediate gratification generation. Look no further than the demise of music stores compared to the rise in iTunes. Personally, I don’t mind waiting in lines but I’m not the intended audience. As an additional example, my 2.5 year old son freaks out when commercials come on because he wants us to TiVo fast forward through them. I don’t see how amusement parks couldn’t be affected in the near future.
Like most technologies that are expected to presage the demise of another… I think the case is overstated. Themeparks will always be with us, but probably not as we know them, Jim. The only thing constant is change. As Camus said, “Plus ca change, plus ca la meme chose”.
Will our ADD video game twitch life style ultimately kill the waiting in line, non interactive theme park business?
I don’t think non-interactive theme parks will go out of business with the ADD video gaming youth.
But…
I feel that Disney would be better off investing in creating some thing interactive and exciting to do while waiting in those crazy long lines and so that the time waiting in line is worthwhile…especially with internet and interactive gaming… how can they have not thought of this before??
Although general the general popularity of theme parks may be on the decline, I don’t believe that they will become obsolete– at least not in the near future. Video and computer games, while providing an interactive and personal experience, connect much less on a physical level with the user. Theme park rides often time can create a much more intense and thrilling experience, such as a roller coaster or water flume. While consumers would probably be bored with the theme parks of the past, it is also important to note that the rides are also evolving with technology, shocking riders in new and unusual ways.
The “Toy Story” movies were instant classics for Disney. The fact that its taken them over ten years to introduce the entire storyline into a theme park is a result of the decreasing attendence. Now with another “Toy Story” movie being produced, it is likely to see the release of the movie and release of the video-game/ride come in close contact with one another. Disneyland attendence may be neutral but California Adventure was an investment that shouldn’t have been made. People from California don’t see anything new or enjoyable in the park as well as the lack of effort you see in the parks design and attractions. The fact that people don’t enjoy waiting in lines anymore is because of the fast pace lifestyle that is prevalent today. When Disneyland was first opened, the lifestyles were much slower than today. Video-game lifestyles aren’t killing theme parks, fast pace lifestyles today are killing them.
First of all, Disneyland is a staple theme park. It will never get old, it will never get tiring and people will continue to come from all over to go to it. I do see how waiting in line can get tiring because we have become used to constantly moving and enver slowing down. But like i said above Disneyland will continue to draw people to its park for various reasons, including the “brand name.”
In reading the beginning of the article I was happy to finally see exactly what I though in 2001 after I went to a pre-opening California Adventure day. ( The only time I have ever been.) The park is boring and definitely not worth spending a day in, so it doesn’t surprise me that 7 years later they are trying to spruce it up.
As for Disneyland and all other theme parks, we live in “fast pass” world- people think it’s outrageous to pay $70 to go to a park but then they pay another $15 to buy a fast pass just so they can bypass the line! To keep people coming to the parks there needs to be some kind of waiting in line entertainment and I think Disney’s imagineering has it just right.
I agree with this article. Theme parks need to change greatly in order to remain profitable. I used to love going to theme parks, but the long lines have prevented me from going for years. Going to places like Disneyland no longer seems fun because I know that I will spend much more time in lines than on rides. The thrilling roller0coasters are ultimately not worth the wait.
I would say that theme parks creators should give up and let their parks go out of business. This Toy Story ride, however, is interesting. I don’t play video games, but the carnival theme and the effects make me think I might like to give this ride a chance. The idea of watching a balloon pop and feeling air on my face seems like fun. Being completely immersed in another world might be worth it.
If theme parks continue down this path, granted the ride is a success, they may remain enjoyable and profitable. My only reservation is still the waiting line. A long line is a long line, no matter the ride. Perhaps Mr. Potato Head will sufficiently entertain waiting customers; perhaps he won’t be able to keep their minds off the heat.
It is a good idea, in my opinion, and it will be interesting to see how this all turns out.
In my opinion, there are two reasons why people are entertained. Because something is unique or because something is new. By unique, I mean classics. Classic movies, classic films. Disneyland is a CLASSIC. It is popular because Walt Disney was an amazing man with brilliantly creative and original ideas. On the flip side, California Adventure is “new.” Surely, new things can be entertaining, but newness wears off, just as California Adventure ticket sales has “worn off.” The point is, it is not the waiting-in-line that is the problem. It is the lack of originality. There are tons of films with special effects and virtual video games and other technological advances for kids these days. So, spending billions of dallars to make kids feel like they’re in a “virtual world,” will not make sales last. Unfortunately, the man who could accomplish this is dead. Nothing in California Adventure, no matter how technologically advanced, can compare to the storybook-like ride, Pirates of the Carribean… because it is a CLASSIC. It is interesting to note that in this “fast-paced” world, people of all ages, even in college, take time to slow down for Disneyland and slow down for rides like Pirates of the Carribean.
I actually work at Disneyland every weekend as an attractions hostess on Big Thunder Mountain and Indiana Jones, and I can assure you that there’s no shortage of guests to keep me busy. I do, however, understand the concern. Yes, our generation is less likely to want to wait in long lines in order to receive their “thrills,” but I don’t see that problem ever truly effecting Disney parks. I believe that Disney has been uniquely successful with its theme parks for two reasons. Disney truly is a brand of entertainment all its own. The success of their parks relies heavily on this brand and the connection to their films and characters. Disney also depends on their unmatched level of guest service; they have their employees (myself included) trained quite well. I’d argue that these elements more than anything else have influenced Disney’s success and will continue to draw people to their parks for years to come. I don’t think many people go to Disneyland for the thrills, admittedly, there are much more thrilling coasters out there than Space Mountain. Instead, guests continue to flock to Disney’s parks because of the ambience. This, more than any innovations in ride technology, will keep Disney parks alive in the future. Perhaps other theme parks may not endure as well. The typical theme park boasting thrill ride after thrill ride may be on its way out, but Disney has little to worry about in my opinion.
While I do believe that society has become accustomed to a fast-paced life style that doesn’t allow for a lot of patience, I think this will lead to the creation of new innovative ideas to make theme parks more ADD customer friendly, rather than their closure all together. I think this new fear that video game simulation is going to replace the experience of a theme park is similar to the movie theaters, who feared that once consumers could watch movies at home, they would no longer go to the theater. This fear was inevitably proved wrong, for a trip to the theater can’t be fully replaced by a VHS or DVD, just as one to a theme park, can’t be compared to playing a video game on your couch.
I don’t think it has come to the point yet where Disney has to be concerned about losing money. Yes, the California Adventure theme park does not attract even half the amount of tourists that Disneyland does, but nonetheless, it is still a place to go to and enjoy.
I think that attraction wise, people are less attracted to California Adventure because it was trend for Disney that was not executed properly. The rides and attractions were put up hastily and had no longevity. Whereas with Disneyland, it is a classic themepark that has been around for generations. It is easier for the attraction to Disneyland to remain steady because it’s something that people of all ages can relate to. I don’t think when you go to Disneyland you’re looking for a thrill-a-minute; you’re looking for the icons, like Mickey Mouse and Cinderella. You’re there for the enviroment and ambience.
However, I do think it is good and necessary that they are making changes to California Adventure. If it isn’t bringing in much revnue, they should do something to change it.
No matter what theme parks come up with next, there are always going to be long irritating lines and they are always going to need new attractions. Disneyland has gotten old because everyone knows what to expect when they arrive. However, the fun in the park has nothing to do with new attractions. Disneyland is exciting because it has history and tradition and by entering the park visitors are reliving history.
Theme parks are going to continue to create new attractions in hopes of drawing new and larger audiences. I think the new Toy Story ride will do well for a time but will eventually die out. Universal Studios is having the same issue. They are getting rid of “Back to the Future” and replacing it with a “Simpsons” ride. Personally, I feel this is a HUGE mistake for Universal but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
An amazing crossection of views so far. It seems like most people think the Disney Brand will keep changing an updating the parks to stay relevant. One great theme was the notion that people still like to gather together in real (not virtual) spaces.
For that we will need parks of some kind.
Due to the ridiculous lines that people are forced to wait in just to go on a 30 second ride will be the major factor that will hurt these themes parks, but overall, I highly doubt that our impatience could actually bring about the demise of so many people’s favorite pastime. Theme parks are much more than obnoxious lines. They include the rides you really cannot find anywhere else, the overpriced junk food, and the overall “magical” ambience. Every park has its own appeal, but Disneyland is irreplaceable. I am certain that the people at Disney will continue to come up with more innovative ideas such as the fastpass to decrease the lines, but no matter what, half the fun is the anticipation of each ride, and the ultimate thrill we gets when we finally reach the front.
As noted in the article, Disney is ahead of its competition in regards to the growing impatience of younger guests. A more recent addition to the Disney park; the Buzz Lightyear ride gives riders the chance to shoot hundreds of targets using a handheld laser gun. Riders can rotate their car on the given track to better aim at the targets that are often in motion. The car also features a display to keep riders updated on their score depending on the targets they hit. After the game riders are presented with their pictures and the option of sending it to their e-mail address to keep a digital copy of, free of charge.
This highly interactive ride is an example of Disney’s capacity for adapting to a changing audience. Though the concern is valid, the video game lifestyle can co-exist with the theme park business. Though the lines may be long, there’s no reason that iPods, Gameboys, and handhelds can’t keep them busy during their wait.
As far as I am concerned, Disney will never die. Granted, in this day and age of such a heavy reliance on technology and the Internet, Disney surely has met a stiff competition with the computer revolution. I feel that the advent of online communities and the prevalence of online communities runs a risk to the proposal of such a 3D video game ride at “Toy Story Mania” at California Adventure. Despite the fact that the additional theme park has already faced its fair share of adversity, I feel that Disney is still running the risk of trying to appeal to an audience that not only has ADD as it is, but also has access to an Internet universe that could ideally provide the same experience as this particular ride.
Though putting $80 million into a very cleverly designed and well-thought-out ride, California Adventure still will have to appeal to an audience that already favors its traditional counterpart- the Disneyland park itself- as well as running the risk of facing an audience that can experience the same virtual world from the privacy of their own home. In essence, what is to stop any computer-savy person from creating a virtual environment on Second Life that reenacts this new ride?
I am a definite advocate of attending theme parks as a recreational escape from the blunders of our daily lives, however, I feel that Adventure still is not doing enough to convince people to get out of their computer and technology-crazed lives to experience a real-life marvel. In a culture that is so blatantly affected by severe ADD, it is initially a problem of convincing people to show up for such a spectacle as well as keep their attention for the performance…
In a time where people can build thier own theme parks on the computer and get a thrill for free, physcial theme parks can come across as a disappointment. Instead of thrilling dangerous excitment 24/7 that one experiences in the virtual world, the real world has lines, costs moneys, and the rides are really not death defying. However, there is still something special about the physical theme parks. In order to keep customers coming, and coming more then once every 3 years, the theme parks will need to remodel and adjust to this fast paced, world. If that involves more stimulation and change then thats what is going to have to be added. I don’t think theme parks will die out, they just need to update.
I don’t think (or I’d like to hope, at least) that amusement parks as we know them today will become extinct. I feel that there will always be a receptive audience to the adrenaline rush that only a rollercoaster can give.
I personally don’t care for or even really understand the new Toy Story Mania idea because it sounds so utterly boring to me. If I wanted to play a computer game, I would stay at home and do so instead of paying upwards of $60 to do the same exact thing at Disneyland, even if it is the newest attraction.
While our society as a whole has grown increasingly impatient with having to wait for their gratification, I don’t believe that our “ADD video game twitch life style,” will greatly affect the traditional theme parks. I feel that Disneyland, known for its crowding and long lines, will always be a popular and booming business. Whenever I go to Disneyland, I don’t go simply for the rides, but for the entire experience of the park. Waiting in lines at Disneyland is part of the process, you go there expecting to spend a great deal of your time standing in a line, and I don’t believe our fast-paced society will ever reach a point where they will refuse to wait to go on a ride at Disneyland.
I won’t go as far to call myself a new media “junkie” but I am an ardent believer that the future belongs to virtual worlds, cyber communities and open source networks. Thus I feel that Disney has no choice but to “upgrade” to keep their brand alive. The classic roller costers were surely thrilling and exciting but now people want more. By more I am mean a physiological experience where the person is taken into a fantastic supernatural world. Traditionally theme parks served this purpose but in the future a Second Life Disneyland and projects like Toy Story Mania will be crucial to keep Disney alive!
Nowadays people are so fixated with customized entertainment that they’ve become so engulfed in instant gratification. The effect of the internet blooming has taken over our lives and makes us unwilling to go out and experience things outside of the worldwide web. Obviously if a mogul like Disney is in dire need of attention, it’s indicative of the direction our society is turning.
Disney’s biggest mistake in building California Adventure was to ignore the “Disney iconography” that drives the popular brand and its consumers. When building the park, designers clearly thought that the “Disney” name would be enough to draw crowds, even though it was not attached to any particular Disney films or characters. However, it is not a generic love for Disney that draws people to the park; instead, it is a love for the individual characters, stories and films that Disney creates. Therefore, it makes sense that California Adventure would tank while Disneyland still succeeds. Who wants to go look at a ferris wheel when you can see Captain Jack Sparrow on the Pirates of the Carribean ride? I believe Disney is taking the right steps to increase attendance at the California Adventure park by infusing the characters from popular films such as Toy Story. Based on the success of the Toy Story video-game ride that already exists in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, I can only imagine that a ride like that on a larger scale will draw a crowd.
The statement “people still like to gather together in real (not virtual) spaces” is pretty relevant to our culture. Whether or not people remain as intrigued by more “old-fashioned” forms of theme park entertainment (roller coasters, stage performances, costume characters, and so forth) and are affected by new elements of the theme park, the fact that Disneyland is a landmark of California and the United States, it will likely remain something friends, family, and many other groups resort to when wanting an entertaining day. Whether or not American society as developed a knack for video games or more interactive attractions at theme parks, the immense attraction to environments like Disneyland should remain pretty consistent.
Going to a theme park is a spectacle. It’s exciting and fun the first time, but the next time you visit doesn’t quite add up to the adventure that it was. Theme Parks need regular customers, but there is just not that demand anymore. Disneyland was once seen as the ultimate escape, bringing you to a remarkable land of plenty and adventure. Now it can’t quite live up to the new standards of multimedia. It’s becoming dated and it seems nothing can stop this process because it’s design promotes crowds, which ultimately creates a slow pace to an overwhelming bombardment of music, cheer, and fun. Taking children to a theme park is hard on parents. If children are not interested the likely-hood of a parent pushing there children to do something that is ultimately a hassle is not strong.
Whitney- It seems you’ve hit on a key point that Jenna and Ashley also mentioned–Disney’s Brand. If California Adventure was contructed “on the cheap” it hurt Disney’s Brand and that is a critical fix that must be undertaken now.
It is the responsibility of a solid business or industry to adapt their model to the consumer wants and needs. If people became fatter, then seats would be made bigger, if people grew in height, then clearences would be made taller, and now, if attention spans are shorter, then lines (if theme parks are to survive) need to be made shorter. If theme parks are to die, then it is the fault of their creators and executives for their inability to adapt, not the fault of an ADD generation.
Although I realize the need for all, by United States standards, ancient establishments to adapt, I agree with many of the previous posts stating that people want a piece of nostalgia in such a changing world. I think the synthesis of the old and the new, and perhaps a more efficient way to deal with the long lines is the best solution for old theme parks such as Disney Land. I am certain from my experience with people that waiting in line is not much of a hindrance. If people feel like going to DisneyLand they will go, regardless of the potential overcrowding. It is too nice to be able to do something non-digital in this environment we are all in, and I think people would be adamant about keeping theme parks afloat.
I believe that there will be an increase of intolerance among people in today’s generation as our world progresses in technologies, ie. video games; this is what’s most important. Amusement parks need to adjust to these changes of our society, and adapt rides that have shorter lines and create rides that are more exciting to today’s kids. An example of this is creating a ride with the Harry Potter theme. This is what draws in more people to the amusement center. It is about keeping up with today’s generation, and making proper adjustments accordingly.
I think that among the younger generation there is definitely a clear decrease in attention span. I know that my younger cousins can’t play with certain toys for more than 15 minutes before they are bored and want to move to the next toy. I believe that this has come from parents overwhelming their children with so many toys, TV shows, movies, etc.
With Disneyland though, I would argue that young children have quite a lot to look at. When I took my younger cousins who were 3, they were dazzled by the huge scale of everything. But I think that as they get older, they will share the same fate that the article is talking about and will not be willing to stand in line.
For me, though standing in line is tedious, I don’t mind doing it because there is a very nostalgic element for me in the rides at Disneyland. I don’t know if that will translate for children nowadays, because they will just see Disneyland like another toy or another diversion rather than a special event.
Even though that makes me sad, I think that Disney is making a smart move to put in this new Toy Story, customizable ride because it will make it more like a customizable, special event rather than just another ride that is the same every time you go on it. Indiana Jones was certainly the precursor to that with three different paths to go on and I think around 1000 subtly different combinations of events, which is why it is one of the most popular rides in the park.
For Disneyland to continue to make money, it does need to cater to the younger generation now so that they will bring their children back when they grow up. And this is what Disneyland has always done and why I think it will still continue to be viable and successful in the future.
Although the number of theme park tourists is decreasing, there will always be people who want to visit the parks for entertainment. People love the thrill of rides and while it is clear they do not want to stand in long lines to wait for a ride, they will continue to do so if the entertainment is worth the wait. While many teenage boys enjoy playing video games in their own home, the thrill does not match that of a ride at a theme park. The world may be becoming increasingly digitally consumed, but I think theme parks will continue to attract costumers because of the unique entertainment it provides.
Disneyland has been a long thriving park- so much so that Disney has subsequently opened up Disneyland Parks in Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong, which have all done well. Disney World also came a few years later, and is actually the most visited amusement park in the world. While other theme parks might be spiraling downwards (Magic Mountain, Universal Studios) Disney continues to maintain an international fan base that keeps them moving, and my bet is that they will continue on this path as they have for the past 60 years.
This concept will also take away from the experience that children have. it just seems so fake and every child remembers the car ride to a theme park