How AR Technology Can Extend the Life Cycle of Your Park Attractions
One of the primary issues park operators experience is the never-ending need to maintain and engage with their rides. These leaders of innovation are constantly looking to enhance their park with the latest attractions; however, these updates and overhauls come with a significant financial burden. With the rise of Augmented Reality, park operators are in luck as this groundbreaking tech is changing the face of the theme park industry. Not only can AR improve the experiences of park guests, but it can also make the attractions more efficient and economical while extending their functional lifespan. Here’s how AR can help park operators achieve these goals and much more.
1. Transforming Guest Experience
The use of AR in park attractions enhances the guest experience in numerous ways. AR integration enables theme parks to offer more immersive and interactive experiences when compared to static rides and attractions. A good example of this is a classic roller coaster, which can now be enhanced with an AR layer animation that enables guests to encounter characters or view the landscape transform into a breathtaking futuristic skyline. This form of participation would maintain the standard infrastructure of the ride, transform it, and provide limitless replay value, thereby attracting more guests.
Fundamentally, AR technology provides the facility for modifying and updating rides and installations, thereby reaping the benefits of new experiences without requiring additional installations.
2. Increasing the Longevity of Current Attractions
The true magic of AR lies in its ability to extend the life cycle of existing attractions. Virtual overlays for physical structures can be used to refresh or update aging attractions continuously. This eliminates the need for costly rebuilds or complete renovations of physical structures.
Take, for example, the water ride. It can be enhanced with new story elements, virtual characters, and visual effects, which can be adjusted without requiring any physical modifications to the ride itself. This ensures minimal downtime for work to be done, while also providing the opportunity to keep the ride relevant and exciting. AR can update the look but also change the way guests engage with the attractions.
3. Lowering Operational Expenses
The frequent need to refresh rides and attractions through their redesign, refurbishment, or even complete overhauls can be financially troublesome. With AR, overhauls are unnecessary, saving physical construction expenses. For parks to refresh their rides and attractions, the cost is significantly reduced with the implementation of AR.
Additionally, AR can be applied to streamline workflows, thereby optimizing staffing requirements and resource allocation. Take, for instance, the AR glasses worn by maintenance staff, which display diagnostics and issues that are previously concealed from their view. This helps ensure the timely and effective repair of issues, minimizing the chances of expensive operational downtime.
4. Augmented Reality in Maintenance
Guest experience is not the only focus area where AR can be applied. Maintenance staff can be equipped with AR, which would assist them in seeing components of machines that are concealed, enabling them to pinpoint the problem effortlessly without requiring disassembly of the equipment and the attractions. Advanced planning for repairs is instrumental in risk management and equipment maintenance, helping to counteract surprise repairs.
For example, AR enables the maintenance staff to visualize drawings superimposed on the equipment. This helps pinpoint the attending components and improves downtime, thereby prolonging the operational life of the rides and attractions.
5. Enhanced Staff Training
AR is equally beneficial for training personnel. Theme parks need a large workforce to operate and manage their attractions. Training staff within a short timeframe can be very challenging. Through AR, employees can be trained using real-world scenarios in a risk-free setting. Training simulations can include ride operation and emergency procedure management.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is Augmented Reality (AR) in theme parks?
AR technologies enhance the physical space of theme parks by adding virtual components, such as images, sounds, and information, to the environment, therefore, enriching visitor engagement and interaction.
2. Can AR enhance guest retention within theme parks?
Absolutely. Augmented Reality (AR) can enhance theme park guest retention by continually refreshing attractions and adding new content. This gives guests a reason to visit again and again.
3. What are the ways AR decreases the maintenance costs of theme park attractions?
AR can reduce maintenance costs of theme park attractions by allowing maintenance teams to see hidden mechanical issues and perform real-time diagnostics. As a result, repairs can be done more efficiently, reducing extensive downtime and expensive repairs.
4. Is AR solely beneficial for new features, or can it also be used on older rides?
Older rides can also benefit from AR, as it can be used to update aging attractions. By incorporating virtual features into existing rides, theme parks can modernize them without the need for costly rebuilds.
5. Is it possible to apply AR technology to structures that are already in place?
Yes. Theme parks can enhance the experiences they offer without the need to demolish or rebuild structures, as AR can be seamlessly integrated with existing attractions.
