From attractions to accommodations, mystery shoppers can help make sure there’s something for everyone to enjoy during their visit to a theme park. Here are six ways mystery shopping services can improve your customers’ theme park experience:
1. Staff
The attitude of the park’s employees can make or break a guest’s experience. Mystery shoppers can be the first line of defense against park staff with bad attitudes. Everyone who works there, starting with the parking lot attendants, should bring a good attitude to the table. Positivity is even more important here, because guests often bring their family. Needless to say, no one wants their kids around disgruntled theme park employees all day.
2. Attractions
The main reason people head to a theme park is to enjoy the attractions. To begin, mystery shoppers will check up on the rides of the park. Not only should they be safe, but there should be enough rides to constitute a whole day’s worth of fun. In the same vein, a lot of rides are age- or height-specific. Mystery shoppers can help make sure there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy, regardless or age or height. If you and your family aren’t the biggest fans of roller coasters, it’s worth looking at other kinds of attractions the park has to offer. It may be something as laid back as a lazy river or as adventurous as a bumper car race track. A lot of theme parks are adding attractions like botanical gardens or aquariums now, as well.
3. Games
Most theme parks also offer a wide variety of games. Whether they’re carnival games or an arcade area, mystery shoppers will help ensure every game is operational and ready for family fun.
4. Food
You’re probably going to be inside the park long enough to get hungry. While theme parks probably won’t have five-star restaurants, it’s important to ensure the food available is tasty and the vendors practice good sanitation habits. Mystery shoppers will check on the status of restaurants inside the park as well as the independent vendors scattered throughout it.
5. Accommodations
Unless you and your family are planning a quick day trip, odds are you’re going to want to spend the night somewhere nearby, or at the theme park. Mystery shoppers can see what kinds of hotels and motels are close, for starters. In addition to the conditions at each location, it may be beneficial to see what kind of transportation is offered between the theme park and where you’re staying. Not only will it save you the hassle of driving to and from the park each day, but it can also save you money on parking.
6. Facilities
While you won’t find too much luxury in an amusement park, that doesn’t mean all standards have to go out the window. Mystery shoppers can check on the status of standard facilities in the park. That includes bathrooms, parking lots and first-aid stations. Theme parks should keep common areas like these as clean as possible, and mystery shoppers can be beneficial in making sure that’s the case. It’s important to know you can get the medical assistance you need while in the park as well. Mystery shoppers will check to ensure help is available in an emergency situation.
Mystery Shopping Theme Parks FAQs
What should mystery shoppers focus on when evaluating theme parks?
Mystery shoppers should focus on various aspects such as ride quality, staff friendliness, cleanliness, wait times, and overall visitor experience.
How can theme parks benefit from mystery shopping?
Theme parks can use the insights gathered from mystery shopping to improve operations, enhance guest satisfaction, and address potential issues before they affect the broader customer experience.
What key areas should be documented during a theme park mystery shop?
Key areas include ride safety, customer service interactions, park cleanliness, and the quality of food and retail offerings.