What are your thoughts on attractions with a message?

[Matt N]

Hi guys. As much as theme parks are designed to be light-hearted places of entertainment, attractions sometimes have a deeper, more serious message behind them. From Animal Kingdom’s pro-conservation undertone to Epcot’s edutainment style, and even things like SeaWorld’s “don’t litter on the beach” message in Turtle Trek, attractions with a message are more common than one might expect. So my question to you today is; what are your thoughts on “edutainment” and morals being included within attractions? Do you like this, or do you not like it?

Personally, I think it’s sometimes quite nice and heart-warming. As much as theme parks are a light-hearted form of entertainment, I don’t personally think there’s anything wrong with learning while having fun in principle, and if designers are able to use theme park attractions as a vehicle to teach a message that encourages a better world, then that’s great! So I certainly don’t have any objection to attractions with a message, but I wouldn’t say I have an overly strong opinion on the matter; I don’t mind them at all, and the message can sometimes be quite heart-warming, in my opinion!

But what are your thoughts?

 

[Christian]

Most of them I don't particularly mind. Some of them I actually like, especially if they are implemented well. A really good one is Safari at Kolmården where they take you on a very unique cable car ride and a narrarotor follows you along the way and really well segways into the global goals at the end. Really well done.

Others can be pretty weird. At EXPO2020 every attraction usually had something to do with the expo themes. Some were well done but others were just awful. One second they might show off the beaches and historic buildings of a country and then randomly they start showing a solar farm and then go back to the beaches. Completely pointless.

 

[Leon_K]

I have big interest for art and culture and in my opinion, art and culture has an underrated place in society because it tells a message and it broadens your perspective on a lot of things. We don't need theme parks to follow this path, they will always be the place where you find entertainment and possibility to forget about the real world. But fact is that crazy money gets invested in theme parks and a lot of people who visit them don't often visit cultural places. So I would definitely support theme parks to add a little bit of a message or culture into rides or in their parks itself because they have the stage to do so. It definitely doesn't need to be in a flashy and obvious way. Just subtle and accessible. And preferable well executed ofcourse.

 

[MountedShooter]

Todays world is overly saturated with preachy messages to the point I'm sick of it. Anything with a subtle or not so subtle message, especially political is an automatic turn off, even if it is something I agree with. I find myself watching fewer TV shows and movies every year because of it. Entertainment is supposed to be an escape from mundane everyday life, not a place to force opinions down your throat.

 

[Will]

I LIKED Pandadroom.

But that said - in general, I'm going to a theme park to escape from the real world, not to be reminded of it or told what to think about it.

 

[Leon_K]

Todays world is overly saturated with preachy messages to the point I'm sick of it. Anything with a subtle or not so subtle message, especially political is an automatic turn off, even if it is something I agree with. I find myself watching fewer TV shows and movies every year because of it. Entertainment is supposed to be an escape from mundane everyday life, not a place to force opinions down your throat.

I understand your feelings. I somehow agree it is too much sometimes, but I also know that the increasing amount of messages you'll find in any form of media and entertainment is a very logical consequence of living in a world that gets smaller and smaller because of digitalization and where we are getting so aware of the world we live in. Also, I think there is a huge difference between a message that teach you something and messages that are just full on political. We see political stuff everywhere in the media and although I am interested in that sometimes, I see why people think it's too much. On the other hand, I have not seen something purely political in a theme park anywhere yet. Panda Droom for example: it tells a story about the eco system and the planet, something that is not debatable. On the other hand, politics is debatable. So there's the difference, and that's also where the line is for me. Theme parks have the stage to teach something interesting, something cultural. And if you execute it well, perfect! But for me they can also stay far away from purely political stuff, we absolutely don't need that in theme parks.

 

[toofpikk]

Big fan of Th13teens message. sometimes, just to stick it to the weird girl person, I DO go to the woods alone. Have a picnic with the bears. Have to be a certain kind of special to crawl into a crypt, fall through the floor and then die, and blame the whole thing on the woods. Just some trees pal, chill out.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Can I have a 'couldn't give a 5#!t' option?

It's all just meaningless marketing propaganda anyway... They don't give a 5#!t any more than I do... Money makes the world go round... Spaceship Earth is no different!

 

[Leon_K]

Can I have a 'couldn't give a 5#!t' option?

It's all just meaningless marketing propaganda anyway... They don't give a 5#!t any more than I do... Money makes the world go round... Spaceship Earth is no different!

Yes, some of these attractions are sponsored. And yes theme parks and the world as a whole turns around money, that's how our capitalistic society works and that's how theme parks survive. But 'meaningless propaganda' is ofcourse a nonsense overstatement that sounds like messages on rides are ment to derail society.

 

[Will]

Big fan of Th13teens message. sometimes, just to stick it to the weird girl person, I DO go to the woods alone. Have a picnic with the bears. Have to be a certain kind of special to crawl into a crypt, fall through the floor and then die, and blame the whole thing on the woods. Just some trees pal, chill out.

Backfired on me big time - I'd STILL follow a weird girl into the woods...

(In horror film type circumstances, not in a weird stalker way...)

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Yes, some of these attractions are sponsored. And yes theme parks and the world as a whole turns around money, that's how our capitalistic society works and that's how theme parks survive. But 'meaningless propaganda' is ofcourse a nonsense overstatement that sounds like messages on rides are ment to derail society.

You miss quoted me… I said it’s meaningless ‘marketing’ propaganda (the marketing part IS key here!) In a sense that it is designed to make you think they are the good guys who care about whatever the cause of the moment is, rather than some corporate machine who care primarily about their profit sheets. Public image equals bigger profits, it’s that simple.

In the same way (some) zoos only engage in conservation to justify their existence. And yet ‘cull’ perfectly healthy animals without good reason!

Thus I don’t care… And generally take no notice of it. If I want to visit a park or ride an attraction, that’s based on the attractions own merits. If I want to visit a zoo, let’s not sugar coat it, it’s to see cute animals in captivity that I’ll never get to see in the wild, and not to ‘save the animals.’

Of course I’m generalising, a lot, and there are organisations that do great work, but it’s so hard to see wood for the trees, that’s why I take no notice.

 

[Sandman]

I don't mind a message if it actually adds to a thematic experience.
It's when it's forced into the experience / sponsorship that really detracts from a ride.

 

[chainedbanana]

Some very general integrated messaging like 'the world is a beautiful place - take care of it' is fab.

But what i've noticed elsewhere in the entertainment world is everything has a message now, and a lot of it feels forced and insincere - where is the pure escapism? I'm in a minority group, and I didn't want or ask for all this 'representation'.... just write and make good stuff! And for f**k sake lighten up

It won't be long till people will regress to happier times, and lean on nostalgia.

Entertain people, happy people tend to make for a happier world, be better to each other, cultivate joy, show there are things to live for and therefore a world to fight for....that's much more subtle, yet still important.

One type of messaging I can get behind is that of being more mindful of other guests... but integrating that into the thematic experience - I've seen a lot more of that recently, but it doesn't need to be said in a bland don't don't don't way, but just getting people to think of their surroundings and other guests, queue etiquette etc.

 

[Fleetwood_Mack]

Still waiting for someone to do a Pride themed coaster/themed area/entire park it would be so much fun!

 

[chainedbanana]

Still waiting for someone to do a Pride themed coaster/themed area/entire park it would be so much fun!

Oh God, as a card carrying homosexual, their's nothing I'd want LEAST!


However a Cred painted rainbow colours would be FAB but not specifically pride themed.... just bright and joyful and people can interpret what they like into it pride/peace/NHS...whatever....lol, imagine woodie with the whole lattice structure painted all the colours of the rainbow..... on some Miami boardwalk type place!

 

[Fleetwood_Mack]

Oh God, as a card carrying homosexual, their's nothing I'd want LEAST!


However a Cred painted rainbow colours would be FAB but not specifically pride themed.... just bright and joyful and people can interpret what they like into it pride/peace/NHS...whatever....lol, imagine woodie with the whole lattice structure painted all the colours of the rainbow..... on some Miami boardwalk type place!

Yeah that's pretty much what I had in mind. Not so much a boat ride themed to the history of cottaging or anything! (Though I can imagine that being a thing in Amsterdam)

Some rainbows, lots of colour, Britney deep cuts playing on a loop. Job done!

 

[Indy]

I feel like I rarely encounter something of that nature. When I do, it's generally at a SeaWorld/Busch park and I honestly typically really enjoy it. I wish they did more of it to be honest, especially at SeaWorld. I don't usually go to parks expecting to have any sort of message behind the attractions, but I feel that you kind of sign up for that to a degree when you go to a SeaWorld park.

 

[Hyde]

And preferable well executed ofcourse.

This most of all - regardless of whatever you're going for, the full execution is most key.

As an actual environmental professional; it would be my hope that you are encountering sustainability messaging and campaign effort not only when at an amusement park, but by engagement from your community, political leaders, employer, etc. (it's almost like, the more times something is encourage and reinforced, the statically higher likelihood you have to do the action ). But if it is done tastefully as part of an attraction - sure, why not.

 

[Will]

just getting people to think of their surroundings and other guests, queue etiquette etc.

Yes! Don't ask me why, but 'your modern food displeases the Wickerman' always tickles me.

And while I like to think I wouldn't light up in a queue line, I'd rather be told that's to avoid incurring the wrath of a dragon than to be a decent human being. TBH I'm a twat like that - if someone TELLS me to be a decent human being, I go right off the idea.

Only yesterday, I saw a poster on the lines of 'You wouldn't eat 10 spoons of sugar, why are you drinking coke?' which I found disproportionately annoying to the point that I went out and bought some soft drinks. That'll show them

 

[Leon_K]

You miss quoted me… I said it’s meaningless ‘marketing’ propaganda (the marketing part IS key here!) In a sense that it is designed to make you think they are the good guys who care about whatever the cause of the moment is, rather than some corporate machine who care primarily about their profit sheets. Public image equals bigger profits, it’s that simple.

Then it's my bad, I indeed miss quoted you. But I think the choice of words was a bit tricky there.

Image is always a thing businesses care about, doesn't matter if it's a bank or theme park. And I agree with what you are saying that it's unfortunately hard to see if an organisation really cares or if it's pure marketing, but maybe it doesn't matter that much. If they have a point with a certain message and it makes people think, then the outcome is the same (even though I also prefer them to be honest about it).