Theme Park Experience Research Articles

Definition and Theories of Theme Park Experience

Theme parks offers customers typical experience consumption, and the core value is to create great experiences for consumers. Consumer experience can occur at every stage of consumption. Discovering the essence of tourism experience has been the focus of researchers. Consumer experience is a complex construct. Understanding consumer needs and creating a good experience for consumers have important implications for both academic research and management practice. Therefore, it is important to understand the definition and related theories of theme park experience. The controversy over the term experience in the marketing world comes from the different ways in which scholars understand it. Researchers study experience in many scenarios, which results in different understandings of experience. By reviewing the current mainstream experience research, it can be found that experience theory and traditional marketing theory are not consistent in many aspects. Numerous scholars have proposed new concepts and theories to advance the discipline, but the integration of the entire theoretical system is very limited. This paper analyzes and summarizes the definition and theories of theme park experience, finally offers several perspectives of further studies on theme park experience research.

The Impact of Theme Park Experience on Satisfaction and Loyalty

Theme parks have become more successful in recent years. Furthermore, theme parks have grown in popularity as urban leisure destinations and tourist attractions that offer visitors a variety of experiences. Understanding visitors' interactions in the theme park is important because customer satisfaction and loyalty are heavily influenced by their experiences. The study's goal was to determine the impact of theme park experience on satisfaction and loyalty. Specific objectives were to describe the respondents’ demographic profile, determine the respondents’ perceptions toward their theme park visit in terms of theme park experience, theme park satisfaction, and theme park loyalty, establish a significant difference between the respondents’ profile and their perception towards theme park experience, theme park satisfaction, and theme park loyalty, and establish a significant relationship between the respondents’ perception towards their theme park experience and their theme park satisfaction and theme park loyalty. This study adopted the descriptive-correlational method.The survey was completed by 389 visitors who had visited the three major theme parks in the Philippines during the past few years. The research used a combination of convenience and snowball sampling in order to reach all respondents during the pandemic. The statistical tools used were frequency counts, percentages, mean, chi-square, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. It can be gleaned from the study that theme park visitors' satisfaction is based on their happiness with all their experiences in the theme park. The key findings demonstrated that theme park experience, theme park satisfaction, and theme park loyalty are significantly and positively related to respondents’ assessments when visiting theme parks. The results suggest that theme park operators and management should focus on maintaining a good physical setting that will entertain and satisfy theme park visitors.

Framework Models for Theme Park Design: Incorporating Transportability Models and Visitor Preferences

Analyzing human movement is crucial for evaluating designs in transportation and urban planning. Our expertise lies in the realm of designing and assessing wireless networks and services tailored for cutting-edge theme park experiences. The effectiveness of specific wireless networks, such as mobile ad hoc networks, is significantly impacted by human mobility. In response to this challenge, we've developed an advanced program known as ParkSim, dedicated to replicating the intricate motion patterns of guests within a theme park environment. ParkSim utilizes an activity-based mobility model, influenced by the diverse activities guests engage in throughout the park. The calibration of this tool is based on GPS data collected from an amusement theme park, ensuring its accuracy and reliability. It has undergone rigorous verification against various performance metrics relevant to wireless ad hoc networks. Our primary goal is to enhance ParkSim further, enabling it to evaluate innovative strategies for equitably distributing visitors across different sections of the theme park. This expansion will provide valuable insights into optimizing wireless network performance and enhancing the overall theme park experience for guests.

Navigating the postpandemic theme park experience: an experiencescape perspective

PurposeThe aim of this study is to ascertain the fundamental characteristics that influence the theme park experience during the period following the pandemic, using the experiencescape framework.Design/methodology/approachTo obtain electronic word-of-mouth data, this research leverages Google Maps reviews and uses diverse Python libraries for computational and natural language processing-based analyses.FindingsIn the context of theme parks during a pandemic, visitors tend to convey favorable attitudes and engage in discourse pertaining to six primary themes or subjects, i.e. health and safety protocols, ride and queue management, sanitation measures, promotional pricing, family-oriented amenities and exciting escapades.Research limitations/implicationsThis study highlights the continued relevance of the experiencescape framework during the COVID-19 pandemic and the dynamic nature of its five dimensions. Furthermore, it underscores the intricate interplay between these dimensions and advocates for a comprehensive approach to experiencescape management.Originality/valueThe research addresses a notable gap in existing literature by examining the pandemic’s impact on theme park experiences, using natural language processing techniques for insights gleaned from online reviews. In doing so, this study contributes a more profound and nuanced comprehension of the theme park experience in the post-COVID era.

Analysis of queue management in theme parks introducing the fast pass system

Prolonged waits reduce tourist satisfaction and have become a major factor in the theme park experience. How to improve tourist satisfaction is one of the main challenges for theme parks, and the key is to develop an appropriate queue management strategy. We develop a theme park queueing model considering the Fast Pass system, derive the optimal pricing strategy under profit maximization, and analyze the Shanghai Disney theme park as an example. The contribution of this paper is to establish a mathematical model of the queuing of theme parks with heterogeneous tourists and incorporate tourist satisfaction into the objective function. The results show that the equilibrium result of the Fast Pass system under profit maximization can optimize both tourist satisfaction (travel utility) and theme park profit, which is more acceptable to theme park operators.

What makes a theme park experience less enjoyable? Evidence from online customer reviews of Disneyland China.

The aim of this study was to explore the causes of tourists' lesser enjoyment of theme parks through an unsupervised machine learning approach-structural topic modelling. Specifically, the research extracted a comprehensive list of discussion topics about the travel experience of tourists through the analysis of 112,000 customer reviews released by visitors to the Shanghai Disney Resort from 16 June 2016 to 4 March 2022. Then, we used sentiment analysis to distinguish positive and negative topics and to explore the relationship between tourists who buy different ticket types and sentiments in negative topics. The results show that problems such as "parking," "service attitude," "recommendation feeling," "experience comparison," and "entrance" may be the main reasons for an unpleasant experience. In addition, we also found that when tourists travel in groups (e.g., via family tickets), customers feel unhappy because of parking and fast track problems. Moreover, when tourists travel alone or with small groups, staff service attitudes, experience comparisons, and entrance processes are the sources of greater concern. Our findings can help theme park managers to better understand the expectations of tourists and take effective measures to tackle issues causing customer dissatisfaction, and they can also contribute to theme park studies in tourism management.

Be Our Guest or Welcome Foolish Mortals? Disney’s Invitation to Play and the Delusion/Illusion of Hyperreal, Immersive Documents

This paper playfully appropriates the metaphor of delusional states to frame a discussion of hyperreal documents present in Disney theme parks and resorts. A brief overview of the literature on delusion in individuals transitions into the collective formation of positive illusions to introduce the concept of play. The conceptual framework of play culture, or ludics, is presented to understand cultural production and meaning, which is further described in relation to theme park design and the negotiation of theme park experiences. This discussion is situated in document theory to explicate the intentionality of theme park designers and the indexicality of park guests. Aspects of theme park experiences as document transactions are elucidated in alignment with document phenomenology, touching on the implications for interpreting meaning and authenticity in environments characterized by hyperreal simulacra. The paper ends with an outline for a research agenda involving Disney theme parks, document phenomenology, and immersive documents.

테마파크에서의 체험요소와 감정반응 및 행동의도에 관한 연구

The objective of this study is specifically in order to verify the influence relationship of the theme park experience on emotional response and behavioral intention. The implications are presented based on empirical verification results through the survey of the theme park visitors' perceptions regarding of the affective response and behavior intention according to the effect of the theme park experience. To achieve the objectives, as a conceptual framework of the study, experience factor, affective response, and behavior intention on theme park visiting were reviewed and the empirical study on visitors’ experience the perceptive relation between affective response and behavior intention. For analysis purposes, the questionnaire of 241 theme park users who participated in the survey was coded. SPSS 21.0 was used for research analysis, and frequency analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, regression analysis, and mediating analysis were performed. As a result of the study, it showed that the various experiences desired on theme park have an influence relationship that stimulates emotional responses. As the hypothesis of the influence relationship between emotional response and behavioral intention formed by the theme park experience was adopted, it was statistically significant and found that emotional response had a positive relationship with behavioral intention for the subject of experience. According to the result of partial adoption verification of the hypothesis that the theme park experience has a positive effect on the behavioral intention, it can be seen that the non-daily theme park experience directly leads to positive behavior. The results of the analysis were discussed in a context that can help understand the emotional response of theme park visitors and revitalize revisit.

Pay (to pay) to play: drillable immersion at transmedia theme parks

AbstractWeaving together analyses of theme park industry discourses, park experiences, ride architectures, and ticket-price data, this article extends Mittell’s (2013) work on “drillable” textuality to outline three distinct ways in which drillable immersion is being built into the experience of transmedia theme parks. In addition to being a set of forensic-minded exploratory practices and a spatially-layered arena of play, drillable immersion is also being used as an industry strategy to encourage additional capitalistic consumption and to further entrench symbolic conceptions of awe and wonder into commercialized experiences. By outlining how new media and convergence logics are being extended and mapped onto physical spaces, the article opens up new ways of thinking about the relationships between media industries and fans, adjacent cultural sites of experience, tourism, and broader histories of immersive culture.

Time for the theme park ride-through video

The theme park ride-through video—a first-person recording of a themed attraction, usually shared on YouTube—operates in the past, present, and future tense, offering viewers a record, simulation, and projection of the theme park experience. These different tenses encourage us to see the theme park ride-through video as, variously and at the same time, an archive, a performance, and a promotion.

Examining the Relationships among Chinese Tourists' Theme Park Experience Economy Dimensions, Memory, Flow, and Experience Satisfaction

최근 중국에는 테마파크가 잇따라 개관하면서 COVID-19에도 불구하고 많은 관광객들이 방문하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 Pine, Gilmore(1998)의 체험경제이론을 테마파크 방문객에 적용하여 중국 테마파크 산업을 위한 시사점을 제시하고자 하였다. 본 연구는 체험경제요소, 기억, 플로우, 체험만족 간의 영향관계를 분석하는 것을 목적으로 하였다. 조사 대상으로는 중국 테마파크를 체험하고 출구에서 나오는 관광객을 선정하였으며, 설문 조사는 자기기입식 방식으로 진행하였다. 총 400부의 설문지를 회수했으나 불성실하게 작성된 것으로 판단된 38부를 제외한 362부를 분석에 활용하였다. 실증 분석 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 테마파크 관광객의 체험경제 요소는 오락체험, 교육체험, 일탈체험, 심미체험 등 4개의 요인으로 확인되었다. 둘째, 오락체험, 일탈체험, 심미체험만이 기억에 유의한 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤다. 셋째, 교육체험을 제외한 모든 체험요소는 플로우에 유의한 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤다. 넷째, 기억은 체험만족에 유의한 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤다. 다섯째, 플로우는 체험만족에 유의한 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤다. 마지막으로 연구결과를 기초로 테마파크 운영에 보탬이 될 수 있는 시사점을 제시하였다.

Playing Make-Believe with #homemadeDisney Pandemic Ride Videos

In response to the closing of the Walt Disney theme parks at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, fans of Disneyland and Walt Disney World produced videos re-creating their favorite rides and attractions for a viral social media trend dubbed #homemadeDisney. The typically short (usually 30–90 seconds) videos from #homemadeDisney turned ‘guests’ into ‘cast members’ (staff) and smartphone owners into living room ‘imagineering’ ride designers. Participants engaged in a form of shared make-believe (Walton 1990) by assembling household objects as props, improvising ride elements, and performing as theme parkgoers for one another. The extensive collection of social media videos analyzed for this article reveals how fans interpreted attractions through a shared mimetic grammar (Milner 2016), the ride aesthetic (Telotte 2008), and the playful nature of the theme park experience.

Investigating visitor attitudes towards the reopening of a theme park: an application of the push-pull-mooring model

ABSTRACT This study investigates visitors’ attitudes towards the reopening of the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China amid the global pandemic in 2020. The proposed framework utilizes the Push-Pull-Mooring model by adapting the THEMEQUAL dimensions. Seven perceptual variables are identified as a source of visitors’ attitudes arising from their theme park experiences. The findings reveal that the pandemic is leading to a change in which PPM factors most influence visitors’ decision to revisit a theme park. It proposes that the theme park industry should put these important factors together in order to develop a cohesive approach to cultivating safety and brand trust.

AN ANALYSIS OF VISITOR PROFILES AND SATISFACTION TOWARDS JUNGLELAND ADVENTURE THEME PARK, SENTUL CITY BOGOR, INDONESIA

There are various components such as diverse products and services offered to the theme park visitors as an ‘all-inclusive theme park experience’. The necessities in satisfying the needs of theme park visitors are crucial in retaining and attracting visitors to the park. The absence of research in visitor perceived experience at the Indonesian theme park has led this study to examine the profiles and satisfaction level of visitors at the theme park. This study aims to examine the profiles and factors that contributed to visitor satisfaction at JungeLand Adventure Theme Park, Indonesia. A total of 384 questionnaires were distributed to previous visitors at JungeLand Adventure Theme Park using ‘Google Forms’ between August to October 2020. The questionnaire was meant to assess the demographic profiles and the factors influencing the satisfaction level of the theme park visitors. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to examine the satisfaction of visitors towards various components at the theme park. Findings revealed that single, high-school female students aged between 18 to 22 years old, are the majority of visitors to the theme park, who visits the park mostly on weekends and companied by friends. Visitors were mostly satisfied with the ‘Interaction with Staff’ variables, followed by the ‘Facilities’ for rides available at the park and the discount and promotion of ‘Ticket Prices’. Findings provide reliable suggestions for developing effective promotional materials, which in turn will help theme park operators to enhance their offerings and services while also enriching visitors’ experiences.

Creating Cultural and Historical Imaginaries in Physical Space: Worldbuilding in Chinese Theme Parks

Theme parks are fascinating texts built on spatial narratives and detailed storyworlds. Worldbuilding and subcreation are literal in these spaces, but they likewise contain symbolic experiences that represent cultural and historical imaginaries. China is one of the largest markets in the global theme park industry. The design ethos in many parks is to represent fantasy versions of reality or depict cultural beliefs. This article offers analysis of examples in Chinese parks that signify simulated place or culture (for example, Splendid China’s parks), a romanticized historical time (the Songcheng parks), local stories (Sunac Land parks), and national cultural stories (the Fantawild Oriental Heritage model). Each of these spaces presents narratives and immersive environments that have the power to engage visitors on physical, sensual, conceptual, and emotional levels. They are second worlds to play in, imagine in, and to consume fantasy in while also providing a shifting model of theme park experience.

Leveraging customer-to-customer interactions to create immersive and memorable theme park experiences

PurposeTheme park experiences ubiquitously unfold in the presence of others. In acknowledgement of this important part of theme park consumption, this research set out to examine if other visitors help create an immersive environment and, in turn, memorable experiences for theme park visitors.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was distributed to 561 theme park visitors. Structural equation modeling (AMOS 26) was used for testing the hypotheses in the proposed framework.FindingsResults of SEM analyses reveal the positive impact of perceived similarity on visitors' sense of immersion at theme parks and the memorability of the experience. In turn, memorable experiences further drive behavioral intentions (i.e., return intention and willingness to pay premiums).Practical implicationsThe findings provide suggestions for theme parks to leverage customer-to-customer interactions in order to create immersive and memorable visitor experiences.Originality/valueThis research marks one of the first attempts to approach customer-to-customer interactions (CCIs) at theme parks by empirically examining the impact of the perceived similarity of others on focal visitors' emotions and experiences.

Integrating the tourist gaze with the social servicescape: Implications for creating memorable theme park experiences

This research examines how the social servicescape-directed gaze (i.e., perceptions of similarity, appearance, and behavior of other customers) influences theme park visitors’ affective states and experiences. A quantitative, survey-based research design was adopted with a total of 561 theme park patrons participating in the study. Results of structural equation modeling analyses reveal that similarity and behavior positively affect visitors’ feelings of arousal and curiosity, which in turn contribute to memorable theme park experiences. Other visitors’ appearances, however, are not a significant predictor of affect/experience. From a theory standpoint, this research represents a first attempt to study the tourist gaze at theme parks and makes a unique contribution by integrating the three dimensions of the social servicescape with the theoretical lens of the tourist gaze. Practically, this research provides suggestions for theme park management to create more memorable experiences by leveraging the social servicescape-directed gaze among visitors.

Perceived robotic server qualities and functions explaining customer loyalty in the theme park context

Purpose This paper aims to explore theme park visitors’ attitudes toward interacting with robots and investigated the qualities and functions of robotic servers and their influence on customers’ loyalty. A structural equation modeling approach was used to identify the complex relationships among variables in the entire network. Design/methodology/approach An online survey randomly assigned respondents to four different robotic server scenarios with robots that look like humans, animals, cartoon characters and anime features. The influence of robot types was investigated by manipulating robot type with four different pictures; however, the data were analyzed with a structural equation modeling model to identify the complex relationships rather than one-way analysis of variance to identify influences of robot types on different variables in separate analyzes. Findings The data collected from the 385 experienced theme park visitors revealed that perception of robots with human orientation and safety qualities had the strongest effect on the perceived robotic functionality, while emotions and co-creation qualities hardly had any effect on the perceived functionality, which included utilitarian rather than experiential functions such as excitement. Human orientation qualities, regardless of the specific robotic design, had a significant impact on perceived robotic functionality. The study also revealed a strong positive influence of perceived robotic functionality on customer loyalty. Originality/value The debate of whether or not to introduce and blend the growing robotic technology into the theme park experience is in its infancy. The study contributes to the theory of how robotics qualities and functions can augment customer loyalty.

Using self-report and skin conductance measures to evaluate theme park experiences

This study examines the impact of the key affective moments of a theme park experience on visitors’ post-trip evaluations measured immediately after their visits. One hundred and twenty-three participants visited a theme park while their real-time skin conductance and self-report data were collected. Results indicate that visitors’ pleasure levels (i.e. average, beginning, peak, and end) consistently correlate with satisfaction, which in turn, positively influences behavioural intention. In particular, visitors’ satisfaction levels are better aligned with the affective intensity at the end moment and the average emotion intensity of a theme park experience. Arousal, however, was not found to be a significant indicator of post-trip evaluation. The study extends literature on key moments and retrospective evaluation by illustrating how visitors rely on affective moments of a theme park experience to construct overall evaluations. The study concludes with practical implications and scope for future research.

Crowded and popular: The two sides of the coin affecting theme-park experience, satisfaction, and loyalty

Crowding has become popular in academic research. Empirical studies have not, however, addressed the role of crowding on increasingly popular theme-park settings. This study explores the relative influences of perceived crowding and perceived popularity on theme-park product perceptions, which then influence satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Survey data (N=477) indicates that perceived crowding has a negative effect on internal access (or navigation) of the theme-park experience, while perceived popularity has positive effects on internal access, outdoor entertainment, and retail practices aspects of the theme-park overall experiences. These aspects of theme-park experiences have significant influences on visitors’ satisfaction, which then affect behavioral intentions of word-of-mouth, willingness to pay price premiums, and revisit. The external access aspect of theme-park experiences is not influenced by either crowding or popularity, and this aspect does not influence satisfaction either. The theoretical and managerial implications of the study are critical, especially for recovery efforts post COVID-19.