Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Growth of theme park revenues slows with economy
- Disney parks dominate in number of visitors drawn
- Attendance growth challenged by pullback in tourism
- Theme parks face competition from at-home entertainment and cheaper alternatives
- Most parks find unique point of differentiation in television advertising
- Families with children drive the theme park business
- Visitors strongly drawn by new rides and features
- The internet is a critical channel for price promotions
- Empty nesters are a growing segment worth targeting
- Asian Americans and the late teen female demographic are also notable
Insights and Opportunities
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- Appeal to teen girls, aging Boomers and non-traditional families for growth
- Target teenage girls with pop culture
- Non-traditional families
- Over-45s
- Innovating the next generation of theme park entertainment
- Turn the recession into a reason to escape
Inspire Insights
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- Trend: Staying Connected
- A theme park community
- Trend: Rise of the Screenager
- Making it bigger
- Counter-trend marketing
Market Size and Forecast
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- Market size
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- Figure 1: Total U.S. revenues for amusement and theme parks, at current prices, 2003-13
- Figure 2: Total U.S. revenues for amusement and theme parks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2003-13
- Attendance
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- Figure 3: Total U.S. admissions for amusement and theme parks, 2003-13
Competitive Context
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- At-home entertainment increases in time consumption
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- Figure 4: Hours of filmed entertainment change in consumption per person per year, 2003-07
- Internet
- Video games
- Camping out as a more economical family alternative
- Zoos and aquariums are another lower-cost substitute
- Live entertainment has exploded nationally
Segment Performance
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- Introduction
- Admissions revenue strong, ancillary revenues weaker
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- Figure 5: U.S. revenues and forecast for amusement and theme parks, at current prices, by segment, 2003-13
- Figure 6: U.S. revenues for amusement and theme parks, by segment, 2006-08
Admissions
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- Operators grow per capita revenue faster than attendance
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- Figure 7: U.S. revenues and forecast for amusement and theme park admissions, at current prices, 2003-13
Merchandise and Dining
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- Ancillary revenues suffer directly from lower attendance
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- Figure 8: U.S. revenues and forecast for amusement and theme park merchandise & dining, at current prices, 2003-13
Other Revenues (Amusement Machines, Advertising, etc.)
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- Ad revenue falls in the wake of recession, flat attendance
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- Figure 9: U.S. revenues and forecast for other revenues*, at current prices, 2003-13
Market Drivers
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- Recession reduces discretionary spending on travel
- States with destination theme parks see decline in tourist traffic
- Currency shifts may reverse admissions growth
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- Figure 10: Visitors to the U.S. from Western Europe and the dollar/euro exchange rate, 1999-2009
- Theme park consumer base growth to lag behind general population
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- Figure 11: U.S. population theme park visitation, by age group, 2008-13
Leading Theme Parks
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- Disney parks lead in attendance and growth
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- Figure 12: Top 20 theme parks by attendance in North America, 2007
- Disney
- New offerings
- Other
- Six Flags
- New rides
- New attractions
- Other
- Universal Studios
- New offerings
- Other
- Busch Entertainment Corporation
- New offerings
- Other
Television Advertising
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- Overview
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- Figure 13: Media expenditures of destination theme parks, 2006-07
- Disney
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- Figure 14: Disney Parks TV ad – Celebratory Moments, December 2008
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- Figure 15: Disneyland Resort TV ad – Halloween, October 2008
- Six Flags
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- Figure 16: Six Flags – Resolve TV ad, December 2008
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- Figure 17: Six Flags – Fright Fest TV ad, September 2008
- Universal Studios
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- Figure 18: Universal Orlando Resort – Inner Super Hero TV ad, February 2009
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- Figure 19: Universal Studios Hollywood – Simpsons Ride TV ad, June 2008
- Sea World/Busch Gardens
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- Figure 20: Sea World – Discover the World TV ad, January 2008
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- Figure 21: Sea World – Fun Card TV ad, January 2009
- Figure 22: Busch Gardens – Fun Card TV ad, January 2009
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- Figure 23: Busch Gardens – Summer Nights Concerts TV ad, July 2008
- Other regional parks
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- Figure 24: Cedar Point – Family Road Trip TV ad, July 2008
- Figure 25: Knott’s Berry Farm – Walking Dead TV ad, October 2008
Pricing Promotions
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- Overview
- Disney
- Six Flags
- Universal Studios
- Sea World/Busch Gardens
Incidence of Theme Park Attendance, and Parks Visited
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- Domestic visitor base shows large decline, possible rebound
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- Figure 26: Attendance of theme parks, by year, 2000-08
- Age and presence of children determine attendance rates
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- Figure 27: Attendance of theme parks, by various demographics, July 2007-Sept 2008
- Variety offered by Disney World is a powerful draw
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- Figure 28: Theme parks visited, July 2007-Sept 2008
- Six Flags is the leader among 18-24-year-olds
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- Figure 29: Theme parks visited, by age, July 2007-Sept 2008
Change in Spending
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- Higher income means less cutbacks but not more spending
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- Figure 30: Change in spending on theme parks, by HH income, January 2009
- Children drive spending despite recession
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- Figure 31: Change in spending on theme parks, by presence of children, January 2009
Attitudes Towards Theme Parks and Ticketing
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- Visitors want new rides, grown-up attractions, and shorter lines
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- Figure 32: Attitudes towards theme parks, January 2009
- Internet an important channel for ticket distribution
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- Figure 33: Attitudes towards theme park ticketing, January 2009
- Under-35s like new rides and more grown-up entertainment
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- Figure 34: Attitudes towards theme parks, by age, January 2009
- Parks can cater to higher-earners with grown-up entertainment and line-bypass
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- Figure 35: Attitudes towards theme parks, by HH income, January 2009
- Respondents with children look to save money but may pay for convenience
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- Figure 36: Attitudes towards theme parks, by presence of children, January 2009
Purchase of Discounted Admissions
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- Respondents with children most likely to seek out discounted admissions
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- Figure 37: Purchase of discounted tickets, by various demographic factors, January 2009
- Internet is the most popular source of discount tickets
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- Figure 38: Source of discounted tickets and coupons, by presence of children, January 2009
The Draw of Thrills and Attractions
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- Physical thrill rides are the top draw
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- Figure 39: Interest in thrills & attractions, by gender, January 2009
- Live entertainment most likely to draw over-55s
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- Figure 40: Interest in thrills & attractions, by age, January 2009
- Respondents with children are more active
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- Figure 41: Interest in thrills and attractions, by presence of children, January 2009
Duration of Trip Involving Theme Parks
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- Back-to-school families and empty nesters most likely to take overnight trips
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- Figure 42: Duration of trip involving theme parks, by age, January 2009
- Higher-income respondents more able to spend on vacations
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- Figure 43: Duration of trip involving theme parks, by HH income, January 2009
- Respondents with children less likely to visit on day trips
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- Figure 44: Duration of trip involving theme parks by presence of children, January 2009
Ancillary Purchases
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- Merchandise purchased by at least half of respondents who visit
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- Figure 45: Purchase of food and merchandise at amusement park, by age, January 2009
- Sales of most merchandise not strongly determined by income
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- Figure 46: Purchase of food and merchandise at amusement park, by HH income, January 2009
- Family visits more likely to be memorialized
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- Figure 47: Purchase of food and merchandise at amusement park, by presence of children, January 2009
Impact of Race/Hispanic Origin
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- Asians more likely to visit theme parks
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- Figure 48: Theme parks visited, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2007-Sept 2008
- Hispanics more likely to spend on theme parks
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- Figure 49: Change in spending on theme parks, by race/Hispanic origin, January 2009
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- Figure 50: Duration of trip involving theme parks, by race/Hispanic origin, January 2009
- Figure 51: Purchase of food and merchandise at amusement park, by race/Hispanic origin, January 2009
Teenage Visits to Theme Parks
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- Teens are largest component of visitor base, older female teens in particular
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- Figure 52: Theme parks visitation by teens, by age and gender, April 2007-June 2008
Custom Consumer Groups
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- Traditional two-parent families are one of the most important sources of growth
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- Figure 53: Change in spending on theme parks, by marital status and presence of children, January 2009
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- Figure 54: Duration of trip involving theme parks, by marital status and presence of children, January 2009
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- Figure 55: Purchase of food and merchandise at amusement park, by marital status and presence of children, January 2009
Cluster Analysis
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- Discounters
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Day Trippers
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Passers
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Cluster characteristics
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- Figure 56: Theme park clusters, January 2009
- Figure 57: Change in spending on theme parks, by theme park clusters, January 2009
- Figure 58: Attitudes towards theme parks, by theme park clusters, January 2009
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- Figure 59: Purchase of discounted tickets, by theme park clusters, January 2009
- Figure 60: Thrills & attractions, by theme park clusters, January 2009
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- Figure 61: Overnight trips, by theme park clusters, January 2009
- Figure 62: Purchase of food and merchandise, by theme park clusters, January 2009
- Cluster demographics
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- Figure 63: Theme park clusters, by gender, January 2009
- Figure 64: Theme park clusters, by age group, January 2009
- Figure 65: Theme park clusters, by household income group, January 2009
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- Figure 66: Theme park clusters, by Hispanic origin, January 2009
- Cluster methodology
Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 67: Theme parks visited, by gender, July 2007-Sept 2008
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- Figure 68: Theme parks visited, by HH income, July 2007-Sept 2008
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- Figure 69: Change in spending on theme parks, by age, January 2009
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- Figure 70: Attitudes towards theme parks, by gender, January 2009
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- Figure 71: Source of discounted tickets and coupons, by gender, January 2009
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- Figure 72: Source of discounted tickets and coupons, by age, January 2009
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- Figure 73: Purchase of food and merchandise at amusement park, by gender, January 2009
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Appendix: Trade Associations
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