ORLANDO, Fla. – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, industries across the board have had to learn how to adapt to adhere to current and future needs. All have experienced major changes, especially the theme park industry.
Technology group accesso has worked with theme parks, attractions and venues across the globe for 20 years providing tech solutions such as virtual queuing and online ticketing options to improve guest experience. Their technologies have arguably never been needed more.
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These options allow theme parks to adhere to social distancing requirements and other guidelines to keep guests apart physically but continue to keep them happy.
accesso CEO Steve Brown said the company has helped their clients adjust operations, including adding to or expanding their offerings, in order to keep providing a safe and enjoyable experience for guests.
“Our mission is to continue redefining the guest experience, while working hand in hand with our client partners to help them overcome challenges and exceed guest expectations,” Brown said.
Managing capacity, virtual queuing and ticketing and more contactless experiences are all playing a part in this “new normal” for theme parks and attractions. accesso’s offerings of accesso Passport or accesso LoQueue are just some of the ways the group provides these opportunities.
accesso’s technology can help companies manage their guest flow by allowing guests to purchase tickets online for specific entry times. For example, ICON Park in Orlando has partnered with accesso since 2014 using accesso Passport, but recently worked to use that platform to create date and time specific tickets for guests for their reopening and beyond.
Virtual queuing also ensures physical distancing by allowing guests to save a spot in line while they continue to explore other parts of the park before their designated ride time. Parks, attractions and venues are also pivoting to create more contactless experiences. Mobile food ordering and pickup and all-in-one contactless payment options can help reduce the amount of interaction with high-touch surfaces for guests and ease some concerns about those areas.
While a lot has changed since the pandemic began, the goal of creating a memorable guest experience at theme parks and attractions has not.
“Our technology solutions allow operators to provide exceptional experiences for their guests through each step of their theme park journey," Brown said. “From their first visit to the website to the moment they step off attraction property, technology is leading the charge to provide guests with a personalized experience they’ll never forget.”
This is why accesso continues to help provide theme parks and attractions with a personalized guest experience offering solutions like The Experience Engine (E2) that tailors offers and promotions to guests based on their preferences.
In the future, Brown said he expects these technology solutions will gain more popularity.
“These solutions will be ingrained into a new normal within the guest journey, as theme park operators and guests say 'goodbye’ to long wait times, overcrowding and high-touch surfaces. This time in history will be pivotal for the theme park and attractions industry, as technology pushes the envelope as to what we thought was possible,” he said.
One of the best parts of technology solutions, Brown said, is their versatility. As we continue to move forward and adapt to the “new normal,” so will technology solutions.
“Across all these industries, technology can be used to support numerous activities and initiatives, and in a time of uncertainty, adaptable technology is more important than ever,” Brown said.