blooloop: Despite a difficult year, many are now looking to the future with a positive attitude. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly continue to have an impact, but will also help to shape some of the attractions trends than we can expect over the coming year.
To get an overview of how the crisis has affected the attractions market around the world and what trends will be key moving forward, blooloop spoke to a panel of experts.
4 comments:
To be honest I have put entertainment and attractions out of my mind because of this pandemic... Like RIP to the industry. We love studying theater and live entertainment during a pandemic that pretty much made it impossible. But we are still somehow creating and continuing to produce some really cool work amongst the circumstances. If you couldn't tell I'm trying to stay positive about everything going on but at the same time Im gonna be honest it is sometimes very discharging to see how badly this industry has taken a hit (well I mean everything took a hit in some shape or form) It was interesting to watch the videos and see photos of people not wearing masks... I think Im going to have to start reading the articles about power tools and things that aren't about live entertainment and how the pandemic has affected the industry because it is a little disheartening. But on a more optimistic note, at least creative teams are finding new ways to bring entertainment to their customers
The issue of pre booking and cancellations is an impactful one. While larger companies like Disney and Universal can make up the revenue and rely on the regular demand for attendance, smaller parks might suffer. Some people in other states make reservations they have no intention of attending, potentially leaving a family who was trying to book in advance without a reservation and then when the cancellations happen last minute, it might be too late for that family to make plans. The project delays have been a bummer but unfortunate reality of the pandemic. I was really looking forward to this past summer’s openings of Ratatouille and especially Disneyland’s Avengers Campus. Neither has had a new opening date announced yet. Predictions for down the line do have historic attendance numbers but it does not solve the right now. I knew Disney+ subscribership was high, but I did not realize that the company had hit their five year target. I am glad they still had an income with the parks closed but the amount of layoffs for such a large company that could recoup funds was sad. It is interesting to consider the different closure patterns in the United States versus Europe. Parks abroad opened earlier but closed down again or increased restrictions while Florida theme parks opened hoping to avoid closing again, but California parks are still shut down. One of the most interesting changes to the theme park experience is a subtle one that happens in Disney’s Frozen sing along show. It now features lines like “Let it go, but don’t let go of your face covering” or “A wise woman once said love is an open door… a wise woman also said make sure your facial covering covers your nose and mouth”. It is great to see the changes that companies are integrating safe and educational practices.
I am super impressed with the businesses that were able to stay open and adjusted what they needed to to keep costumers safe while still providing for their employees. Things like pre-appointments, occupancy limits and mask mandates help. I thought it was insane that Disney plus reached their 5 year goal in only 8 months because of the pandemic. That is pretty lucky timing for Disney. The other statistic I found interesting was that while guests are at amusement parks, they’re spending more on retail than they did a year ago. There are a few things that I think could be causing this 1) they want to further support the business since occupancy is low (the same reason people are buying gift cards and tickets to theaters that aren’t open yet) 2) The people that can afford to go to these parks during the pandemic are of a higher socioeconomic status than the general population that could attend in past years and are therefore more likely to have room in the budget for extra purchases or 3) they are “making up” for the lack of excitement in the past months by spoiling their children with merchandise or buying souvenirs for family members. Of course it’s probably a combination of factors but those are the ones I thought of.
While I have no direct link to theme parks and more physical attractions, nor have I ever worked in that field, I find it fascinating to read about how they have adapted to COVID times. Seeing the ways in which such a versatile industry is able to adapt and overcome the many challenges of this period is not only inspiring but also very illuminating. It really helps to see the multitude of industries that come together to create an attraction and a true experience for customers. Not only are there the entertainment aspects, but there are also retail, culinary, and customer service components as well, just to name a few. All of those industries have been facing challenges for years, but the further challenge to in-person services presented by the pandemic has made companies reevaluate the ways that they present their services. Be it through virtual events, online stores, take-out and drive-in services, or clear and concise COVID regulations, attractions show to other industries the ways in which they may survive these challenging times, and they also show us new ways in which to regularly conduct business.
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