In a perfect world, children would be allowed to stream into amusement parks and start riding rides immediately, no waiting involved. In the real world, standing in line has been mostly unavoidable – but some theme parks have discovered that physical queuing isn’t the only waiting option.
The Logistics of Amusement Park Visits
Trips to amusement parks take some strategic planning on the part of the adults in charge: What’s the ride we want to go on first? What route should we take through the park to be able to ride everything we want to ride without having to backtrack? Where are we going to eat? Is anything we’re doing even close to a bathroom? And the necessity of standing in line to get on an amusement park ride makes the trip even more painful for the parent who dares to fly solo at a theme park with the kids. If a young child needs to use the restroom, you both have to leave and lose your place in line unless you have someone willing to save your spot for you. If there is suddenly a great need for a hot dog and soft drink but you’ve already waited in line for 30 minutes, you’ll lose that hard-earned spot in the queue. Patience is a requirement for all amusement park visitors, young and old alike. But a progressive virtual queue management system can solve the above dilemmas and make a visit to a theme park truly enjoyable.
In the Land of Virtual Amusement Park Queues
Legoland in the UK utilizes a virtual queue that frees visitors from standing in line. It’s still a first-come, first-served method (for the basic user of the device), and every park patron is waiting the same amount of time that they would if they were standing in a physical line, but the ride reservation device now enables them to do other things while they wait – like buy that souvenir, take pictures, sit down for a breather, grab a snack, or take a trip to the loo. Visitors can reserve a spot in line for a particular ride from anywhere in the park, receive their ride time, then do what they please in the meantime as they wait. Six Flags parks also offer a virtual queuing method with three similar categories of waiting that come at different price points and offer varying perks. And Disney’s Fastpass virtual queuing system allows guests to avoid long lines and enjoy other attractions while they wait for their turn.
Calming the Maddening Crowds
Queue managers have a tall order no matter where they work, but amusement park demands are unique because the public you’re serving is fickle, volatile, hungry, and prone to outbursts. So the biggest goal for every theme park should be to answer the question: What can we do to keep the kids happy? Virtual queuing can go a long way toward appeasing the masses. But, in addition to making sure every guest has a good visit, the other important question is: How can we maximize our revenue? Some theme parks place a fee on their virtual queuing system, enabling visitors to pay to enjoy a more convenient trip. Others, however, rely on the increase in revenue from guests having more time to spend in shops, stalls, and eateries.
