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9 March 2005
Get
the most from your theme park visit
A dozen ways to get your
money's worth
By Terry Riley
 Nine hundred bucks.
According the
Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, that's how much,
on average, each out-of-state
visitor
spends for a trip to the promised land of theme parks.
With that kind of outlay, you'd
think that visitors to the area's theme parks would pretty much know what they want to see, what they want to do, and how to go about seeing and doing them. But
by and large they don't.
Oh, they have a general idea that they'd like to ride a roller coaster
or see a show, but often they find themselves
passing through the entry gates with not a clue of what to do next.
How can you get the most from your theme park visit? For an answer, I turned to Robert Obenour. Bob has spent his career in the theme park
business and is currently Vice
President of Operations for Baker Leisure Group, an international theme
park consultancy. Here's the advice he gave me to pass on to you.
Plan your visit.
Buy a guidebook. Read reviews. Check out the
park's website. Then plan what you want to see and do. Unless the park is small,
you shouldn't expect to see or do everything in one day, so set your priorities. The investment you make in planning will pay handsome dividends on
"park day."
Have a "Plan B."
It is not uncommon
that an attraction will be closed. In that case, just move on to the next
on your list. Also, in the unlikely—but not
unheard of—event that the entire park is closed, have a backup plan that includes
another, nearby activity.
Arrive early.
An extra 15 minutes waiting in line at the park
entrance could cut an hour off of your waiting time for the most popular
attractions.
Divide and conquer.
Chances are that not everyone in your party
wants to do or see the same things. Although it is nice to be able to
share the experiences of a theme park as a family or with friends, time (and money)
may limit the opportunity for each person to accomplish what he or she
would like while traveling as a group.
Keep in touch.
Go your separate ways, but arrange to meet back at a specific location at a
designated time
to talk over your experiences, offer recommendations, revise your plan and
set a time and place for your next meeting. Also have a site selected that
can become a place to reestablish contact should your party become
accidentally separated. It will save lots of time that might otherwise be spent looking
for one another.
Go deep.
Once you enter the park, proceed to the farthest
attractions first. Theme park designers place much of the merchandise near
the park entrances—hoping to catch you coming and going. And it works—in
this case to your advantage. By bypassing the shops on your way to the
popular attractions, you will beat others who get waylaid by the shops.
Choose your position.
The front of the line may not always be the best for attractions where
large numbers of guests are admitted all at once as, for instance, in an auditorium. The
people who are at the very front of the line may find themselves up
against a side wall, while middle-of-the-liners have the best view.
Leave mid-day.
Generally, theme parks are most crowded in the middle
of the day. This is a good time to rest for a few hours—regaining your
strength for another assault on the park later in the day. Be sure to get
your
hand stamped or get some other proof of admission that will
allow you to be readmitted to the park at no charge.
Eat outside.
Food prices inside a theme park can be as
horrifying as any of the park's dark rides. While taking your
mid-day break from the park, refuel yourself without spending a bundle on
hot dogs.
Return late-day.
As the energy of other guests wanes, move
back into the park. This time, visit the attractions closer to the entrance
first where it is probably less crowded now.
Shop last.
Want to buy souvenirs? Do it on your way out. You
won't have to lug your purchases around with you all day.
Enjoy.
Finally, if you find yourself getting ticked off at slow lines,
poor service or inconsiderate guests, stop and take a breather. A visit to a theme park is supposed to be an enjoyable
event, not a stressful occasion.
© 2005 Applied Psychology
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