Fast Track: Managing Q Line Systems Speaker Leonard Sim Euro Attractions Show September 30 October 2, 2008 Munich, Germany Presentation material is also availalbe at: www.iaapa.org
management of queue-lines in theme parks Leonard Sim Lo-Q plc September 30th 2008 Lo-Q plc - World Leaders in Virtual Queuing Agenda 1. Queuing basics 2. Queuing currencies 3. Passes and reservations 4. Virtual queuing secrets 5. Q-bot park experiences 6. Vision - a park with no queue lines? 1 1
Theme Park Queuing Basics Queues are a perfect self-regulating system Queues show supply and demand in action Parks cannot provide unlimited capacity Leisure time is precious, but queues build anticipation Queues measure ride value and park success Tolerance of queue wait is proportional to ride attractiveness A queue length near the tolerance level diminishes the ride Guests don t join lines beyond their tolerance level Tolerance of waiting has fallen 2 Two Currencies in Theme Parks Money Time Guest have a wide spread of disposable income Many will pay for freedom from queue line imprisonment Spending precious time in long queues is poor value Most guests want a mix of thrills and leisure Hard time or easy time? 3 2
Passes and Reservations 1 Front of line - paper Universal, Busch, Tussauds Six Flags in 2003 Front of line magnetic ticket Disney Fast Pass from 1999 Developed from DDS/Alton Q-bot virtual queuing Trials televised July 1998 Six Flags, Dollywood, Legoland.. Patent dated 1995 Guest pays a fee Free to guest? Guest pays a fee 4 Issues with Passes Front of line passes Cause two tier resentment and operating difficulties Parks limit the number of passes to control disruption Fast Pass Can be all gone early on a busy day on major rides Moves wait time on a major ride to other rides Guests don t join lines beyond their tolerance level Can mean extra walking for guests 5 3
True Virtual Queuing Fair to all guests All guests wait the same time Reservations are available all day Availability of all rides is the same for all guests Can extend to 100% of guests The Q-bot Reservations made anywhere in the park All ride times shown on the Q-bot screen Shared by groups up to 6 6 Virtual Queuing Secrets Measurements, predictions Queue lengths (people or time) Real time ride throughput data Collection of real time data 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 y = 1.4118x - 8251.5 0 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 Communication of ride times Screens, print outs PDAs and mobile phones Q-bots - friendly, simple, robust 7 4
Q-bot Experiences Q-bots produce $millions Payback within first season High revenue source High per capita average is well over $1 Park commitment is key Signage, staff, ride access Operational experience Lo-Q has over 30 park years EAS September 2008 LoLo-Q plc - World Leaders in Virtual Queuing 8 Six Flags In operation since 2001 First with Six Flags Over Georgia 9 parks using Q-bot Over 3,000,000 guests have used the Q-bot Gold service brings a large upper in price Gold service is like renting three Q-bots Q-bot demand as Six Flags Great Adventure opens EAS September 2008 LoLo-Q plc - World Leaders in Virtual Queuing 9 5
Dollywood Now in second year 9 month long season, wide demographic Show reservations Q-bot gives access to the reservation kiosk 10 LEGOLAND Started March 2008 Almost all of the medium and large rides on Q-bot Young children focus Very low tolerance of queue lines 11 6
A Park With No Queue Lines? Is there a technological solution? Yes VQ 2020 Can the parks cope? Where do the guests go? What do guests do? What are the benefits? Longer more relaxed stays; Shorter, more active stay Parks can compete with emerging attractions Interaction and communication with guests 12 Lo-Q Q plc Lo-Q, with offices in USA and UK, has supplied patent protected systems to the theme park industry since 2001 Its customers include: - Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags New England, Six Flags St Louis, Dollywood, Six Flags Great America, La Ronde, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, LEGOLAND, Madame Tussauds, London Dungeon HEADQUARTERS Lo-Q plc The Smith Centre, Fairmile Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 6AB, UK www.lo-q.com +(44) 1491 577 210 13 7