PW JAN09 P6-7.qxd:PW JAN09 P6-7.qxd 17/12/2008 09:32 Page 7
Park News
www.parkworld-online.com
ParkBloggin’
by Bob Rogers
Be Original
first Disney park, Walt sent a delegation including
We are commoditising our parks. We are using meetings like IAAPA,
Buzz to the annual meeting of IAAPA, which was known at the time as
Euro Attractions Show and Asian Attractions Expo to copy rather than
the National Association of Amusement Parks, Pools and Beaches. In
inspire each other. Identical solutions are appearing everywhere for
a private meeting fuelled by cigars and Chivas Regal, several of the
everything. Our attractions are all starting to look alike.
nation’s smartest park owner/operators explained why Disneyland
If there are two attractions near each other, and if they offer the
would never work.
same elements, they will compete on price. The cheapest will win.
Their thoughts were reported to Walt as part of his “R&C,” but for
Your operating margins will get smaller. This means a complete loss
Walt R&C meant research and courage. He ignored some of their
of any differentiation, ie. brand equity.
advice. For example, they all urged him to put the parking on all
What is the value of your brand? An automotive engineer once
sides of Disneyland and provide multiple gates from all directions. But
explained it this way:
Walt ignored them and instead brought all of his guests through a
“We have taken apart the Saturn and compared it to our equivalent
common story/arrival experience. The group also told Walt his Jungle
car, part-by-part, spring-by-spring, screw-by-screw. From an
Cruise using live animals would never work. The animals would all be
engineering point, the two are identical, but we can’t convince the
asleep and hiding during most of the operating day. They told him to
customer. The Saturn sells for 25% more. Why? Because people
forget the Jungle Cruise. Walt thought about it and went ahead, but
believe the Saturn is better. They like the brand.”
with mechanical animals.
A few years ago, there was an unconfirmed rumour revolving
This is the right way to take advantage of the great conferences and
around the audience testing for the Warner Bros animated feature
trade organisations in our industry. Do the research, but then have
Iron Giant. No one will confirm the following but, as the story goes,
courage. Build your brand by adopting, modifying and improving
Warner Bros was testing small differences in audience approval
what you find. Spend the extra money and take the extra time to
ratings based on subtle editorial changes in the movie. Suddenly one
make it your own and to build your brand.
test came back 25% higher than any of the others. The studio
And remember, in the words of Brad
executives eagerly asked what had been changed in this copy that
Bird who directed such classics as The
made such a positive difference. They were told that only one shot
Incredibles and Ratatouille: “Bugs Bunny
had been changed. At the beginning of the movie, the Warner Bros
did not become famous by trying to be
logo had been removed and a Disney logo had been put on the film.
like Mickey Mouse.”
A great brand adds strongly perceived value to its products. This Bob Rogers is one of the world's best-
“
If there are
two attractions
near each other
translates to money in the owner’s pocket. known attraction strategists. Newsweek has
offering the
I see our entire industry headed in the opposite direction. Several called him "the theme park industry's
years ago while I was attending an industry conference in Asia, a resident futurist." His Burbank-based firm,
same elements,
brave park owner admitted, “We can not afford R&D, so we do R&C, BRC Imagination Arts, creates, designs and
they will
which is research and copy.” In other words, they come to the trade produces attractions around the world for
shows and simply buy things off the shelf without regard to how it companies including Disney, Universal
compete on
amplifies or contradicts their brand, without attempting to modify the Studios, Ford, General Motors and NASA. price. The
attraction to make it unique, without changing its story and meaning In the last few months BRC has opened
cheapest price
to express their park’s own brand. three new projects, most recently the all-
The following story is told longer and better in Buzz Price’s book, new Heineken Experience in Amsterdam.
will win
Walt’s Revolution: By the Numbers. In the early days of planning the www.brcweb.com
Kernels
”
Mirko Schulze has replaced the retired Wolfgang Richter as CEO of Huss Park the Fun House comes packed with a number of animatronic and interactive special
Attractions, based in Bremen, Germany. Want to know what he looks like? See effects and folds away onto just two trailers.
our IAAPA party pics on page 28.
Dutch manufacturer Mondial is working on an interactive flat ride for 2009. Plans
Waldameer Park & Water World's Paul Nelson reports that the Erie, for the 35-metre-tall attraction have already been revealed to a number of major
Pennsylvania, park's gross revenue in 2008 was up more than 30%. Contributing park operators and a test model will be built at the firm’s premises later in the year.
factors he cites include the opening of Ravine Flyer II, the park’s new wooden “We are letting park guests create their own ride!” boasts Mondial sales manager
coaster, plus the closing of nearby Geauga Lake, Conneaut Lake and Erie View Theo van Zwieten.
Park. Waldameer has a free gate and does not track admissions.
Dick Chance reports that carousel sales remain strong at Chance Morgan, with
The Italian manufacturer Gosetto was due to supply a giant four-storey travelling two 36ft double-deckers going to shopping malls in Cancun and Merida, Mexico.
Fun House to a showman in Australia by the end of 2008. Based on a similar Chance is also building two R60 wheels in its Wichita factory for World Tourist
blueprint to the “New York New York” attraction delivered last summer in Holland, Attractions USA. They will open in North America in 2009.
JANUARY 2009
7
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