Ana Monte’s Post

"𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐮𝐞. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞!" - https://lnkd.in/dKkunZup When a guest utters these words, you know the amusement park has done something right with their pre-show experience. Waiting in line isn't just about standing around anymore! The pre-show experience has become a critical part of modern theme park attractions. A "pre-show" is the introductory segment of an attraction, designed to entertain and engage guests as they wait in line, setting the narrative and mood before the main experience begins. The power of sound in these settings is immense and often under-appreciated. Strategic audio cues and carefully designed soundscapes do more than entertain, by using sound to heighten emotions, these auditory elements gradually amplify the guests' anticipation and excitement. By the time visitors reach the ride, their emotions have been skillfully escalated to a peak, priming them for the ultimate release and thrill of the experience. As theme parks continue to evolve, the importance of integrating high-quality, dynamic soundscapes in pre-shows is more crucial than ever. Pre-shows turn the simple act of waiting into part of the attraction’s thrill. #DeltaSoundworks #EuropaPark #VoltronNevera #SoundByDeltaSoundworks #ThemeParks #SoundDesign #Soundscapes #CustomerExperience #AmusementParks #ImmersiveExperience

Did you have the chance to check out the latest edition of @Park World Magazine? In the article "Media-Based Attractions: A 25 Year Perspective," 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. With over two decades of experience, we’ve gathered valuable insights into the benefits, challenges, and future trends of these solutions. This piece provides a comprehensive view of the current landscape, highlighting why media-based attractions often prove to be the optimal choice for delivering distinctive visitor experiences. Don't miss out on the full article in this special issue, on page 40: https://lnkd.in/eZdWpvpz #interactivity #mediabased #entertainment #themeparks #alterface

Did you have the chance to check out the latest edition of @Park World Magazine? In the article "Media-Based Attractions: A 25 Year Perspective," we explore the growing prevalence of media-based solutions in creating interactive theme park attractions. With over two decades of experience, we’ve gathered valuable insights into the benefits, challenges, and future trends of these solutions. This piece provides a comprehensive view of the current landscape, highlighting why media-based attractions often prove to be the optimal choice for delivering distinctive visitor experiences. Don't miss out on the full article in this special issue, on page 40. https://lnkd.in/eRDUKmWi #interactivity #media-based #entertainment #themeparks #alterface

Why Blindly Trusting Reviews is a Pitfall While reviews and feedback serve as valuable resources for travelers, blind trust in these opinions can lead to misguided expectations, especially concerning self-guided audio tours. Here's why: Lack of Understanding: Many reviewers may not fully comprehend the nature of self-guided audio tours, leading to unrealistic expectations or unwarranted criticisms. Some may expect the same level of engagement as a guided tour, failing to appreciate the autonomy offered by self-guided formats. Misplaced Expectations: Without a clear understanding of the tour's scope or format, reviewers might critique aspects that are inherent to self-guided experiences, such as the absence of a live guide or limited interaction. Varied Preferences: Travel preferences vary greatly among individuals. What one traveler perceives as an engaging and informative tour may not align with another's expectations. Consequently, blindly relying on reviews without considering personal preferences can result in dissatisfaction. Limited Context: Reviews often lack context, making it challenging to assess their relevance to your specific needs and interests. Factors such as the reviewer's background, travel style, and motivations are seldom disclosed, further complicating the evaluation process. #travel #tourism #SelfGuidedAudioTour #reviews #feedback #opinion

Get 2 Days Free* with a 2-Park, 3-Day Ticket!! Includes all the thrills of Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure. Plus, upgrade to include Universal Volcano Bay** and experience all three amazing Universal Orlando Resort theme parks. With 5 total days, explore it all! *Ticket prices and availability vary by day. Restrictions apply. Visit one park per day: Universal Studios Florida or Universal Islands of Adventure; OR choose a Park-to-Park ticket to visit multiple parks in the same day. Valid for any 5 calendar days during an 8 consecutive calendar day period. Ticket price determined by first date of your visit; check price calendar. *Ticket prices and availability vary by day. Select dates are not valid for first day of purchase. Offer may be modified, suspended, or terminated at the sole discretion of Universal Orlando. Additional restrictions apply. #universalorlando #universalorlandoresort #universalorlandoflorida

https://lnkd.in/ej7Bifh3 I love dark ride attractions! Those who know me well certainly know this and it is not an unusual trait among themed entertainment professionals, many of whom embarked on their careers in the amusement industry inspired by this unique storytelling medium. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) hosted a record breaking trade event in Amsterdam this past week, IAAPA Expo Europe, and this included an "EDUsession" titled "Dark Rides: Now, Wow and Awe Experiences" and the attached shares the highlights of this presentation regarding "the importance of empirical research in optimizing dark ride design and experience to realize an attractions goals."

I just watched Jenny Nicholson's 4-hour YouTube review of the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Hotel experience, which does a comprehensive job recapping her ~2-day experience. If you're into experiential design, then I think it's a must-watch as she provides a super detailed trip report contrasting her expectations with the reality. She had a terrible experience resulting in what is a relentlessly scathing review, largely because a lot of the more meaningful interactions just simply didn't work for her. The story-driven missions were dictated by the mobile app application and wireless tracker, but those didn't get triggered for her leaving her super frustrated and seeking the immersion she was promised. She does a really great job of articulating her moment-by-moment desires that I think provides the perfect dialectical context for folks in the XR industry to think about different experiential design considerations that might be able to accommodate her desires. There's a lot more freedom to experiment with some of these dynamics in virtual spaces, at smaller scales, and in much shorter time spans. But many of these dynamics can only be sorted out in physical spaces with 200-500 people spanning about 22-hours worth of waking hours to create what was truly a unique experience that may take some time before we see anything at that scope and scale again. Capacity planning at this scale is a design challenge, and it sounds like some level of randomness may be involved in who got selected for different story-driven missions. Overall she provides amazing historical documentation of a now defunct experience that really gives me a good sense of the overall architecture of this luxury space cruise in the Star Wars Universe. It was a very innovative and aspirational experience at the intersection of immersive theatre, live action role play, theme park, and cruises that was probably ahead of it's time. A nice chaser to Nicholson's scathing review would be the No Proscenium Podcast episode titled "Goes To Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser" that aired on July 14, 2023 (link in comments) that I think represents more of the best-case scenario with the experience living up to what it aspired to be. The NoPro trip report happened closer to the end of the run as opposed to the beginning of the run like she had, and so perhaps there were LOTS of kinks that got worked out throughout it's run. But Nicholson's report provided a lot more visual context and b-roll footage of the overall experience, how it was marketed & planned, other influencer footage, and a really comprehensive trip report. Check her shownotes for a link to all of her sources. It's both a comprehensive 4-hour documentary on the experience as well as a very personal vlogger essay & review that I think will be of much interest for folks thinking about the future of immersive storytelling. The hotel closed, but incremental innovation continues.

Let’s talk a little bit about Travel… During the latest D23 Expo, Disney announced several exciting new attractions coming to Walt Disney World: 1. Monsters, Inc. Land - A brand-new area based on Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. is set to open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This immersive land will let guests explore the world of Monstropolis and even ride a suspended coaster through the iconic door vault from the movie. 2. Cars-Themed Expansion - Magic Kingdom will welcome a new Cars themed section in Frontierland. This area will include two attractions: a thrilling rally race through mountain terrain and a family-friendly experience for younger guests. 3. Villains Land - A long-awaited addition, Magic Kingdom will also introduce a new land dedicated to Disney Villains, where guests can experience attractions themed around some of Disney’s most iconic antagonists. 4. Encanto and Indiana Jones - Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, new attractions based on Encanto and Indiana Jones will be developed, replacing the existing DinoLand U.S.A. area. These projects are set to roll out over the next few years, with construction on some starting as early as 2025.

Where haunted islands whipped by typhoons meet serial killers and rock concerts fill volcanic craters, that's where you'll find the edge of event planning. From the brilliant minds that brought you mundane keynotes and lamentable breakout sessions, #eventprofs now share their most eccentric exploits, like turning a lackluster hotel art collection into a city-wide sensation and making desserts literally drop from the sky. Gone are the days of stuffy corporate events. Now, planners are lacing up roller skates, syncing drones to music, and even using smart badges that transform passive audiences into interactive participants with tech-enhanced smart badges and drone shows. The event industry is no longer just about gatherings, it’s about creating unforgettable, dynamic experiences that might just require a helmet and where the only limit is the planner's imagination—and perhaps gravity. https://lnkd.in/gX4DVAG4