Guest Article
www.parkworld-online.com
Painting the right picture
T
Paint upkeep can help improve the visitor experience at amusement parks, says Vinny O’Sullivan of architectural coatings business, PPG
here is a tremendous amount that happens behind the scenes to help a theme park operate on a day-to-day basis. One of the key elements of maintaining amusement parks and creating an enjoyable experience for visitors is regular paint maintenance.
Paints and coatings not only bring rides to life, but they also protect them.
More than half a billion people worldwide visited major theme and amusement parks in 2018 based on the 2019 Themed Entertainment Association (TEA)/ AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index. With this many annual visitors, all surfaces of an amusement park must withstand repeated wear and tear as well as severe weather.
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company and largest operator of waterparks in North America. The average cost of a one-day adult pass to one of the company’s parks ranges from $44.99 to $89.99, depending
on location. Customers should get the most out of their investment, and this influences their decision on what theme park to visit. To stay competitive, a park must have the best attractions, rides, food, talent and shows while looking its best through ongoing park maintenance.
One of the most effective strategies to keep theme and amusement parks aesthetically appealing is creating brand consistency throughout the park. Many of us can think of a park, attraction, or ride somewhere in the world without even having visited the park due to its strong branding and overall customer experience. This is where top-quality paints and coatings come in to create and maintain brand consistency. Facility maintenance often has a keen focus on colours, sheen and product performance to ensure the right application for each attraction, ride, office and more. Paints and coatings not only bring rides to life, but they also protect them. For example, outdoor rides have constant sun exposure, resulting in colour fading and paint chipping. This is where paint and coating companies like PPG can help theme parks protect their rides by using products that offer long-lasting finish with a durable film; super adhesion; and protection from ultraviolet (UV) light, dirt and moisture.
Water rides especially require specialty coatings that can help repel moisture while still providing vibrant colour, long-term durability and the capability to withstand diverse weather conditions and general wear and tear.
In June 2021, PPG announced a five-year preferred paint supplier agreement with Six Flags to provide proven products that will support the park operator’s vision across North America. Six Flags strives to provide the best overall experience for its visitors, and that means using trusted products that can keep up with the parks’ millions of annual visitors and help protect rides from corrosion.
Creating a consistent experience for the millions of theme park guests every year will continue to be extremely important for parks across the globe. Parks strive to have the best customer satisfaction possible to run a successful park, and there are many moving parts that happen behind the scenes. Investing in top-quality paints and coatings to protect their rides and make their facility maintenance a little easier day to day, is a key component in measuring success and continuing to have return customers.
Facility maintenance often has a keen focus on colours, sheen and product performance to ensure the right application for each attraction, ride, office and more.
About the author
Vinny O’Sullivan is the senior general manager for PPG’s architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada. Vinny has been in his current role since August 2019, and he previously managed PPG’s architectural coatings business in the UK and Ireland.
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