Brief History of Amusement and Theme Parks

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Brief History of Amusement and Theme Parks

• They began with Festivals in Europe to
  sell/barter/trade goods and to celebrate harvests
  (500 AD 1500 AD).
• The earliest amusement park still in business
  (Denmark) dates from the mid-1600s.
• In the United States, amusement parks became
  popular because of
• The concentration of people in cities.
• The need for ridership of electric railways on
  weekends.
• By 1920, there were about 1400 amusement parks in
  the United States.
• The introduction of radio, talking motion
  pictures, and a worldwide depression reduced the
  number of parks to less than 400 by 1938.

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Theme Park Revenue Sources
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Basics of Theme Park Operations

• Parks must provide a safe, clean, and happy
  environment.
• Most are very large.
• A significant capital investment is required for
  land, buildings, rides, and infrastructure.
• Theme parks yield many jobs (large parks have
  several thousand employees) and boost tourism to
  an area.
• Operating details must be carefully thought out.
• The estimated number of visitors drives planning
  after revenues are considered, operating costs
  can be forecasted.

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Safety and Security in Theme Parks

• Crowd and traffic control are important concerns.
• First-aid stations must be conveniently located.
• Full-time safety inspectors may be employed, but
  all staff members require security-related
  training.
• Electronic surveillance equipment is widely used.
• Procedures for weather alerts are needed.
• Risk management and theft prevention controls are
  required.
• All rides must be maintained, and safety
  procedures must be followed.

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Organization Chart (Major Departments) in Large
Theme Park
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Amusement and Theme Park Challenges

• Recruiting/retaining employees
• Increasing use of technology
• Competition
• Development of new rides
• New marketing strategies
• Need to become more cost-efficient

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