Bacho
www.parkworld-online.com
Beyond the Ride:
Designing Themed Environments That Give Guests Reasons to Return
Bacho founder Nikolai Tolstykh looks at what gives guests a reason to return and why effective themed environments are planned with fabrication and everyday operation in mind from the outset.
A
new ride, sculpture or visual landmark can give a park an immediate point of interest. Guests, however, rarely
encounter it in isolation. They remember the turn in the path that revealed it, the place where they stopped and the atmosphere that linked one scene to the next. That wider setting is what turns a collection of
attractions into a complete themed environment. Routes, interactive elements and places to pause turn visitors from passive observers into active participants. Spatial planning, focal points, rest areas, photo opportunities, lighting and operational requirements all have to work together. This shift also changes the role of the company
delivering the project. Bacho began with topiary sculptures and
landscape elements, then moved into larger site- specific themed environments. As our projects grew, we found that fabrication could no longer be treated as the final step. Every object had to make sense within the guest route and within the way the park would actually be used.
How themed environments create reasons to return Repeat visits tend to come from a mix of change and familiarity. The place needs a clear identity, but it also needs room to behave differently over time. Seasonal overlays, evening programmes,
special events and changes in light or sound can refresh an established setting without rebuilding it. The same route may feel playful on a summer afternoon and more dramatic after dark. Different groups also find different uses for it.
A family with young children, a couple and an evening-event audience will not move through the site in the same way. There is a social reason to return too. People
often revisit a place to show it to someone else or to repeat an experience that has become part of a family routine. Small discoveries help, but the stronger effect
comes from seeing a familiar setting used in a new context. The physical framework stays recognisable while the reason for coming back can change.
Aiva Park was conceived as a connected visitor environment, bringing together routes, visual focal points, photo opportunities and family-oriented spaces
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A signifi cant milestone in its 50-year history The partnership with bookingkit marks another milestone in Europa-Park’s history: In 2025, Germany’s largest theme park celebrated its 50th anniversary—and with it, half a century of shared memories, innovations, and unique experiences. Under the motto “
Europa.Together.Experience.”, Europa-Park not only looks back on an eventful history but also consistently looks to the future with digital solutions and strong partners like bookingkit.
Designing for opening day — and year fi ve The easiest time to think about maintenance is before a drawing is approved. Decisions that seem minor during concept development can determine how a zone looks and works several winters later. Climate, weather exposure and the intensity of
public use all influence the structure and finish. A surface may reproduce the intended form perfectly yet be the wrong choice if it cannot be cleaned quickly, inspected safely or repaired without dismantling the surrounding scene. Interactive features need particular attention because they are touched, sat on and tested in ways that purely visual pieces are not. Technical access matters as well. Lighting and
sound equipment will eventually need inspection or replacement. Wherever possible, individual parts should be reachable without taking apart the whole installation. These are ordinary operational questions, but
they decide whether the original idea survives everyday use. A park should still recognise the concept in year five, not only in photographs from opening day.
Aiva Park: testing the complete environment Aiva Park in Moscow shows how these principles can be applied to a complete visitor environment. Opened in 2020, the approximately 1,200-square- metre family attraction was developed by Bacho in around six months, from concept and spatial design to production, implementation and launch preparation. One of the key decisions concerned the
entrance. Several concepts were shown to potential visitors and assessed not only for visual appeal
SUMMER 2026
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