What Customers Want to See on Your Digital Signs Inside Theme Parks

Americans love theme parks. Every year, millions of people flock to Disney parks such as Magic Kingdom in Orlando and other mega parks as well as regional parks operated by large companies like Six Flags and Seaworld. Currently, there are around 475 theme parks and amusement parks in the US, including family-owned and operated parks.

Amid recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, theme parks face a fresh set of challenges. To start, millennial and Gen Z visitors expect thrilling, innovative and immersive experiences. So, theme parks have to merge technology with their operations to lure revelers.

Additionally, clear communication is more important than ever as crowds return to theme parks and attractions become more daring. Fortunately, digital signage solves most of the communication problems faced by theme parks by reaching visitors wherever they are.

Essentially, a digital signage system features multiple displays installed across your theme park. The screens display entertaining and informative content to visitors and employees, streamlining your operations and managing foot traffic. However, your displays are only as effective as the quality of your content. Explore what your customers expect to see on your digital signs below.

Queue Information

Theme parks get crowded on summer holidays and weekends, meaning that visitors can’t escape long lines. Moreover, some amusement park rides and attractions are favored more than others and pull sizeable crowds, regardless of the season. Indeed, poorly-managed queues are among the top complaints by theme park visitors.

Theme signs showing live queues and estimated wait times to keep the waiting areas organized. When people know where they stand in the queue, they are less frustrated by the waiting time.

Additionally, waiting visitors are the perfect audience for entertaining content, since they have little else to do. For instance, cartoons keep children engaged and reduces tantrums as they wait for their turn at bumper cars, bouncy towers, and other rides.

Themed trivia quizzes are also excellent content ideas because they stimulate conversations and competitions among waiting visitors. Overall, entertaining images and videos on theme park signs can reduced perceived wait time by 35% and enhance the guest experience.

Wayfinding Information

One of the primary challenges for revelers in theme parks is moving between attractions without getting lost in the crowds. For large theme parks like Walt Disney World, Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Universal Studios with multiple rides, roller coasters, and festivals, managing crowds is difficult without digital signage and other technologies.

Directional signs display maps, directories, and building information to orient visitors. Particularly, invest in interactive kiosks, which let a visitor can search their destination and receive personalized directions that include recommended routes for people with disabilities. The applications for wayfinding kiosks include:

·     Display maps of the theme park with a ‘You are here’ locator to guide crowds

·     Show estimated times for a patron’s journey to help them get a sense of scale and plan their excursions

·     Broadcast ride countdowns and live queue statuses to help patrons select their next rides

·     Direct guests to waiting areas and quiet zones for some respite from crowds

·     Identify the location of concession stands and merchandise vendors

·     Show the location of first aid booths, visitor information booths and other complimentary services

Safety Messages

Amusement parks must alert patrons and employees promptly during extreme weather, fires, active shootings and other emergencies. Moreover, these establishments must reinforce ride rules to keep revelers as they move between attractions.

Digital signage is an effective safety tool because it broadcasts emergency messages in real-time. All you need is a powerful digital signage software to customize emergency alerts for different scenarios. For example, you may need people to either shelter in place, evacuate, or remain locked in during an active shooter situation or another emergency. During evacuations, theme park signs direct patrons to safety and reduce panic among crowds.

Usually, each ride in a theme park has rules to promote safety. For instance, operators may require riders to secure loose clothing, keep legs, hands, and feet inside at all times, and remain seated until the ride comes to a completely stop.

Use vivid images and videos to demonstrate safety guidelines on every ride sign to promote safety. Additionally, display the height and weight restrictions to let patrons know if they can use various attractions before waiting in line.

Menu Boards

A delicious meal is a welcome treat after a long day of riding roller coasters and delighting in water parks. However, many restaurants in theme parks still use paper menus, despite the fact that 79% of customers agree that restaurant technologies like digital menu boards enrich the guest experience.

A digital menu board is a digital display of your menu. Normally, the board features mouthwatering images, pricing, food items, and special offers. The primary advantage of digital menu boards is they grab attention from a distance, which is necessary in theme parks since there is a lot going on at any moment.

Additionally, digital menu boards updates in seconds, which is helpful when you run out of popular items or launch special offers. The best software has tens of templates for customized sign design according to themes or brand colors. Ultimately, digital menu boards will boost sales, promote your customized cuisines, and leave a lasting impression on diners.

New Rides and Attractions

Digital signage is the best tool for promoting new rides and attractions since it captures 400% more views than static posters. Particularly, leverage video content to excite audiences, playing promotional films to direct crowds to new rides.

Unlike static displays that make it difficult to change content, digital signage allows instant updates as many times as needed. If you are launching a new attraction, a live countdown on a large display evokes intrigue and encourages repeat visits. You can also tap into the hype of new attractions to drive ticket sales and boost revenues.

In-Park Ads

In addition to admission, theme park patrons spend a lot of money on merchandise, on-ride photos, line-skipping passes, and other special activities. Digital signage upgrades your marketing efforts by promoting your products via vivid images, videos, and animations.

Notably, digital displays excel in driving impulse purchases by directly speaking to a customer’s interest. In fact, one in five consumers make an unplanned purchase after viewing featured items on screens. Hence, advertise souvenirs that kids clamor for, character-themed jewelry, ride-inspired home décor, fine art, stickers, and toys.

Shoppers love bargains. So, use theme park signs to highlight season specials and discounts to drive excitement around your products. Additionally, install displays at checkout counters to encourage the purchase of headbands, key chains, mugs, and other small items.

Selling ad space on your theme park signs to other businesses is another way to leverage digital signage for additional revenue. Specifically, partner with brands with the same audience as you for cross-promotional advertising campaigns. For example, retail stores in your amusement park can highlight their product catalogues, new arrivals, and discounts.

Weather Updates

Usually, theme park revelers spend most of their time outdoors, meaning that unexpected weather can ruin their experience. Thankfully, digital signage broadcasts weather updates by the minute to help audiences plan their excursions.

For example, if the temperatures are expected to soar on a particular day, post reminders to lather on the sunscreen and wear protective clothing on an entrance sign. Then, broadcasts all weather emergencies like floods and thunderstorms in real-time to keep everyone safe.

Conclusion

When customers visit your amusement park, they expect a stress-free experience, immersive installation, and streamlined communication. Ultimately, digital signage elevates the guest experience by delivering the right information and the right time. Wayfinding signage, menu boards, and ticketing kiosks are among the top digital signage applications for theme parks.