With unwavering global popularity, exciting new technology, and more immersive theme offerings than ever before, the theme park industry is one that has seen a great deal of development over recent years. This development has only been further accelerated by the large-scale investment and increased emphasis on industry-leading entertainment venues by some critical new and old players in the industry. Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE as well as longstanding theme park hubs in the US, UK, Japan, and more have big plans for an assortment of new and exciting venues in 2023, bound to help propel the theme park industry into a new age. Here are the top theme park industry trends to watch out for in 2023, identified by our team of experts at Scruffy Dog Creative Group.
Design with a Focus on Visitor Satisfaction
Due to the sheer number of new theme parks and theme park attractions opening their doors every year, competition to attract visitors is at an all-time high. A few decades ago, it might have been difficult to find options for a theme park to visit, it’s now common for there to be several parks within commuting distance of most major cities, meaning that if someone doesn’t enjoy their time at a park, they’ll likely visit a competitor a couple of miles down the road next time.
These changes have meant that theme park designers and operators must pay greater attention than ever to deliver top-class visitor experiences and cultivate a loyal fanbase.
Wider Theming Potential
Everyone’s heard of Disneyland with its expertly crafted rides that draw inspiration for their theming from Disney’s immense catalogue of characters and franchises; this has allowed them to capitalise on their huge following and make their parks the best known in the industry. But world-famous IPs needn’t be the only source from which to draw inspiration, and there is a growing trend among experience designers to look outside of these enormous cultural artefacts for theming concepts in their parks.
In order to stand out from the competition and establish their very own niche following, many parks are experimenting with different approaches to theming. Whether that’s creating an entirely new IP for a park, or developing site-specific, high-concept theming, the possibilities are really beginning to open up in 2023. It’s something we at Scruffy Dog are particularly excited about.
A Focus on Green Technologies
Theme parks are increasingly turning to green technologies, such as solar energy and wind turbines, to power their attractions. This is part of a growing trend towards sustainability and conservation at theme parks at large, which will expect to become even more prevalent in 2023. Other ways in which theme parks are now looking to be more environmentally driven include:
- Use of low-flow fixtures to utilise rainwater harvesting systems, theme parks are taking measures to reduce water waste and conserve resources. Not only does this help protect the environment but it also helps theme parks save money in the long run.
- Investing in electric vehicles for transportation as well as eco-friendly lighting solutions that consume less energy, both of which have the potential to reduce a park’s carbon footprint and save on energy costs.
Gamification
Gamification of theme park spaces and attractions is something that park designers have been toying with for decades; whether that’s adding interactive elements to dark rides or, more recently, developing attraction-specific apps. But gamification has been taken to a new level with Super Nintendo World, which opened its gates this year. With this new and impressive benchmark, we expect to see a lot more of this sort of integration within attractions and across entire parks in 2023 and beyond.
Contact Scruffy Dog Creative Group
For theme park design solutions bound to deliver unbridled joy to visitors of all ages, get in touch with our team at Scruffy Dog Creative Group today. Click here to fill out our ‘Contact Us’ form, give us a call at 02034684220, or drop us an email at info@scruffydogltd.com.