InPark Magazine: Play is our first universal language. It’s a primal need that speaks to our desire to participate, to explore, and to have fun. From our earliest days, we react to and learn from each other as we develop the basic skills of social interaction.
Play is the cornerstone of both amusement parks and waterparks, designed to give guests of all ages the chance to interact and create memories together. But do parks appeal to all play styles? We invite you to re-evaluate play, “because the nature of our industry tends to think that we have play covered, when there’s actually more to it than meets the eye – it is why playability and play types are key factors in new product development,” says Mark Weston, WhiteWater product manager and published child psychologist.
1 comment:
I find it interesting that this article was written by a water park person, when traditionally water parks are not very good at addressing each of these types of play. Water parks tend to be the screeching, yelling, "Let's do that again!" type of place, which to me always looks the exact same. There are some elements, as the author mentions, such as interactive water toys, that appease the adventurer more than others (I personally would always go for the water guns), but as a whole, there isn't that much diversity in most water parks. A theme park is actually the one place I think you can cater to all of these play styles well enough. In a theme park, you usually have thrill rides, dark rides, water rides, interactive spaces, family rides, shows, street performances, etc., etc. The experiences cater to many audiences not by splitting themselves or by trying to serve multiple groups at once, but by fully committing to each of these play styles in different attractions. Whether you want to "adventure" on California Screamin', "dream" on It's a Small World, "challenge" on Buzz Lightyear, or "socialize" on the Teacups (using Disneyland/CA as an example), you can find something you like. A water park though, I believe, caters only to those who want to run around wet and screaming.
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