Using the #IfIRanAThemePark hashtag, I offered a few ideas of mine, and then many of you responded with ideas of your own. Here are our Twitter followers' top 15 ideas from our @ThemePark feed, ranked by the number of retweets and favorites each idea elicited:
#IfIRanAThemePark My in-park app would tell you the name of the song playing on the speakers nearest you. And let you buy it.
#IfIRanAThemePark Free WiFi throughout the park. Seriously, people, it's 2014 now.
#IfIRanAThemePark Christmas decorations would go up the day after Thanksgiving. No earlier.
#IfIRanAThemePark We'd never buy or install a spinner ride.
#IfIRanAThemePark Kids who meet the height requirement *exactly* go to the front of the line.
#IfIRanAThemePark All dark rides would include an original song.
#IfIRanAThemePark All food would be themed to its location in the park.
#IfIRanAThemePark Our employees never would have to take home or clean their own costumes.
#IfIRanAThemePark We'd create a custom ice cream flavor, available only in the park.
#IfIRanAThemePark We'll have plenty of benches throughout the park, and something interesting to see from every one.
#IfIRanAThemePark After-hours, hard-ticket event where everyone is *required* to come in costume and portray some character.
#IfIRanAThemePark It'd have a richly-landscaped, themed play area.
#IfIRanAThemePark All meals would be served on real plates, with real tableware.
#IfIRanAThemePark I would need to do a "research" trip to Tokyo Disney every year.
#IfIRanAThemePark It'd probably go bankrupt in a year, but it'd be a spectacular year.
Here are some our readers' top responses, again, ranked by retweets and favorites:
@futureprobe1982 — #IfIRanAThemePark No FastPass, no ExpressPass, no virtual queuing systems, period. Just lots of high-capacity rides to handle the crowds.
@Majrhavoc — #IfIRanAThemePark My Yeti animatronic would animate.
@futureprobe1982 — #IfIRanAThemePark It would be EPCOT Center, and I never would’ve ruined it in the 90s.
@Ademir818 — #IfIRanAThemePark I would not charge an arm and a leg for admission
@Jackintosh35 — #IfIRanAThemePark My annual pass would give me unlimited front of the line passes
@n8creative — #IfIRanAThemePark there would be only darkrides.
@JoeDrews — no lines. Only interactive waiting areas immersing you in the theme of the ride before you are called. #IfIRanAThemePark
@brettkyle — #IfIRanAThemePark Animatronics would take precedence over screens
@A_Coaster_Story — #IfIRanAThemePark I would never run a coaster with only 1 train.
@IndyMuttMom — Complimentary foot massages #IfIRanAThemePark
@thrillseekertx — #IfIRanAThemePark All my rides would have unique names, no exceptions. #whichViper #whichGoliath #whichSuperman
@SpaceScreamJohn — #IfIRanAThemePark every roller coaster would have on-board music
@urzishra — #IfIRanAThemePark make sure you can't see the parking lot from any of the rides.
@Majrhavoc — #IfIRanAThemePark I would not buy a Vekoma Boomerang.
@Stormin1977 — #IfIRanAThemePark I'd put full time restroom cleaners in each restroom.
What do you think about these suggestion? What would you do (or not do) if you ran a theme park? Let's keep the conversation going, in the comments, or on Twitter using the #IfIRanAThemePark hashtag.
And, by the way, if you actually do run a theme park, allow me to remind you that for any theme park improvement idea you see here on Theme Park Insider, you're free to take and implement it at your park.
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Islands of Adventure can re-theme their Marvel Superhero Island to DC. Hulk becomes Green Lantern. Easy! Spider-Man would need to be disassembled and moved to a different park, as it can't really be re-themed. I'm sure Hollywood Studios could benefit from that ride!
Now Disney can start adding Marvel heroes to Walt Disney World. Perhaps even an entirely new park!
Six Flags can just rename their Batman and Superman rides to something generic in exchange for a pile of cash.
That's what I would do if I was the master of my theme park universe.
FastPass+, MagicBand, meal plan complexity, apps that don't work unless your in the park, excessively complex reservation websites, and figuring out which app will tell me the time of the 3 o'clock parade.
#IfIRanAThemePark, complimentary water cups would be provided.
2) All future Theme Parks built would surpass Disney Sea in beauty and theming.
3) All future new "lands" built would surpass Carsland and Hogsmeade in beauty and theming.
4) All new rides built would surpass Mystic Manor and Radiator Springs Racers in excellence.
5) More attractions and higher capacity rides would replace the need for Fastpass.
6) Real sets and animatronics would be preferred over video screens.
1. There would be a balance of roller coasters, dark rides, flume rides, flat rides, and shows.
2. Attractions would be themed sufficiently to distinguish them from the generic versions found at "Iron Ride Parks."
3. No video screens, only practical effects.
4. Prices based on what is necessary for sustainable operation, not how what be extracted from a guest's wallet.
5. No upcharges, no gimmicks, no special treatment for those with more money to spend.
EPCOT is a great example of what I would improve in this fashion. I would add a new country pavilion every two years until the world showcase was completed...and then I would add a new ride to each of the new showcases (and existing showcases like France that do not have rides). Then I would work on putting things in the empty sections of EPCOT.
I know for the park to be profitable I'd have to find a way to pay for all the new payroll and the employees and maintanence of the new things I built, but I think merchandise sales, food and beverage purchases, and increase attendance in the park would pay for that.
It would take me probably 12 years or more to really make an impact on EPCOT...but I would try hard!
Lower the admission price, but have the people who want to ride the E tickets all day a chance to do that by just paying more. And then people who want to just enjoy the park and have a relaxing quiet day can do that too.
I would also enact a policy that if a couple or family was in the single rider line, then complained that their party was going to be split up, they would be sent to the back of the regular line to wait again.
-Some themed hotels within the park.
-Social tariff admission outside peak traffic season.
-When stuff breaks, fix it imidiatly.
-High speed and local rail connection directly in front of the main entrance.
A mixture of rides inspired from each decade. At night each decade would have a night club for each era. Jazz, Disco, 80's and everyone could 'decade hop" from one club to another. There would be decorations that reflected each decade. (Silver tinsel christmas trees from the 1950's) It would be a little like a museum as well; displaying things or pop culture of items from the past. Just like on a cruise ship, people could plan on bringing costumes for any theme party they wanted to attend (or rent them at their hotel)
I think this would be something fun for different generations and the thrill of the rides may depend on what target age your going for, for that generation. (Each decade the thrill rides go up)....Universal, call me! I have great ideas! I would say Disney call me, but, I would be dead before Disney World got another attraction built! LOL
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