Key Concepts in Theme Park Studies

What do you understand by the term “theme park”? A place of entertainment, probably, with rides, entertainment shows, shooting galleries, gaming machines, happy screams, loud laughter. However, for the professionals working in the leisure industry in particular, this term brings to mind a lot more: for example, their own family business, their workplace, an important customer or an investment opportunity.

Theme parks are multifaceted and increasingly the subject of research. With regard to theme park studies, the academics Florian Freitag, Filippo Carlà-Uhink and Salvador Anton Clavé have identified a need for a transdisciplinary introductory and integrative approach which will promote a holistic understanding of theme parks, both among students of the related subject areas and among experienced professionals. Their book claims to be the first transdisciplinary work on the subject of international theme park studies. A total of 16 key concepts are presented for the purpose of explaining, analysing and linking recognised theories and findings from the leisure and tourism sector in relation to theme parks.

The introduction begins with a look back at their historical development as the first key to understanding today's theme parks. In the past, specially designed, enclosed gardens traditionally served as places of recreation and entertainment. The term “theme park” itself was only coined a few decades ago, with the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in 1955.

The key concepts presented in the book are illustrated by the Disney parks that now operate in several locations (namely in the USA, Europe and Asia). However, theme park ventures of other types and sizes are also referred to in the book as examples of best practice or as case studies.

One chapter of the book is dedicated to the important question of how attractions and other features can be used to structure a theme park for its target group profile and to create a setting with maximum immersion and storytelling. Understanding the required spectrum of authenticity (and the means to create it in the first place in relation to budget constraints), commercial strategies and focal points such as customer-centricity, environmental focus and/or social orientation represent further key concepts that are described and analysed in the book.

In order to help us understand a theme park as a workplace and design it on the basis of current research findings in such a way that employees can develop their potential in the best possible and most targeted way (and above all will want to do so), the book offers a further key-concept chapter that looks at approaches such as “performative and emotional labor” and “deep acting”.

And of course, in addition to the workforce, a separate chapter is dedicated to the group of park guests. Visitors are analysed in their various roles: for example, in the role of loyal customers, but also in that of critical fans and brand ambassadors who, since the invention of social media, have a wealth of easily accessible and, above all, wide-reaching communication channels at their disposal. Speaking of (social) media: the media presence of a theme park plays an extremely important role in today's world, particularly in terms of perception and, not least, the commercial success of a destination. Scientifically proven approaches, concepts and strategies for the broad field of media work and public relations are also discussed.

With its analytically based key concepts for understanding tourism and leisure destinations, “Key Concepts in Theme Park Studies” is an EAP book recommendation for students of this subject area as well as for industry professionals.