At a Theme Park, Take Your Time and Enjoy the Many, Many Experiences

 

“You will run out of time long before you run out of things to do.”

This statement was always a part of my sales pitch, and it was shared consistently with guests whom I interacted with in the park.   It was the first lesson I learned when I began my career with Ocean Park.  The park is massive, and expansive, with acres of fun and excitement.   Every step leads you to a new adventure and a new experience.   Every ride, show, and attraction is different and represents a different thrill, different story, different engagement, and different response.   At Ocean Park, there were over 80 rides, shows, and attractions at the time which leads credence to my statement.    It is impossible to see or do everything in one day.   Therefore, you must come back, again and again.

In my last article, I talked about a family who wanted to “rush” through the park in 3 hours.  When you visit a theme park, take your time, and plan for it to be a long day so that you can enjoy all that it has to offer.   There is no need to rush.

In my sales pitch, I would sometimes express a value proposition by breaking down the cost of each attraction in the park.   

At that time, the cost of admission was about  US$50 per person with half price for children under 12.   With over 80 rides, shows, and attractions, the cost of each attraction would be about 62 cents.    You cannot buy a candy bar for 62 cents.   You could spend 8 hours or more at the park and probably not get to every attraction.   That equates to $6.25 per hour of entertainment and you could have 8 hours of entertainment.   A movie is only 2 hours of entertainment, and the cost of a movie ticket is about $15, or $7.50 per hour of entertainment.  Thus, I rest my case.  There is very good value for money at a theme park.

Theme parks represent another world, full of creativity and imagination.  

One very famous and renowned theme park builds high borders around its perimeter so that when you enter, you only see what is in the park.   You forget about the outside world very quickly.  All of a sudden, animation becomes reality and what happens outside is no longer your concern.   You are totally immersed in their world.   It is such a wonderful escape into an alternate reality. 

 Have you ever wondered why there are no clocks inside a casino, why there are no windows to see outside, or why it is always brightly lit? 

They want you to be in their world and not be reminded of anything else.  No clocks as they do not want you to be concerned with time, no windows so you are not distracted and brightly lit so that you remain wide awake.  

The theme park provides FUN, THRILLS, ENTERTAINMENT, and LEARNING, suspended in a safe environment.  Take your time, relax, and enjoy your time in the park.  Whatever you left behind outside will be there waiting for you when you are done in the park.