Do parks spy on other parks.

Do parks have spies in the industry to try to gather intelligence on what other parks may be planing for the future?

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There is a new twist in the Top-Hat. :)

There's an interesting story from I believe late 80's, when Sea World would use one of their helicopters, which are meant to be for customers to hire, to fly over Dreamworld, to look and see what they were doing. You can imagine what Dreamworld was thinking, seeing a helicopter, labled "Sea World" hovering low over the park for extended periods of time.

However, I think time has proven to be on their side. Over the past 20 years of competition, it has been reduced from fierce competition then, to just friendly oneupmanship. All the Gold Coast parks know that they wouldn't be doing as well as they are if it weren't for their competitors attracting holiday-makers into the area. I guess similar to the thinking behind a Burger King right across the road from a McDonalds.

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So what if the best coaster in Australia is a second hand Arrow?

Well someone once took a picture of the General Manger of SFMM visiting Knotts to scope out Xcelerator.

There are few true secrets in the amusement industry. Everybody knows everybody.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, when it's all in your mind. You gotta let go." - Ghetto, Supreme Beings of Leisure

And that's why so much of the intellegence gathering goes on the show floor and in the bars at IAAPA.

Back when MGM Grand Adventures was alive and kicking and they were first looking to expand the park (funny huh!) they sent out teams of people to investigate rides. What Las Vegas got was a Skycoaster as a result.

In the office they had pictures of SFGam and PKI attractions...i dont know what made them settle on a skycoaster tho.

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"ok everyone go ahead and pull down on your shoulder restraint so you feel nice and stuck!"

Well, if I were to "spy" on another park, I certainly wouldn't POST about it here on the 'buzz....;)

I don't think parks have to "spy". I think the news gets around quick enough.

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LeWiS

I would not call it 'spying' but at the 2001 ACE Spring Con SDC Inc talked about how they went to other parks and rode coasters to help them decide what to get. Turns out that SDC Inc really like what B&M had to offer, especially the first drop on Apollo's Chariot, and thus got Wildfire from B&M.

Jim

$25 bucks a pop helped them decide rather quickly. We have been known to take some pictures here and there, but if something works, we tend to tell somebody out there. And ACEr's are never the first to know.

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"Every Man Has Got to Know His Limitations"

There was a thread around a while ago about park executives browsing these boards. I think they are just like us, they want to know what the park is getting. I don't think it is spying, I think it is trying to keep up and prepare. Every park is interested in what their competition is doing.

If you follow me at IAAPA, you may learn a few things.

I don't really think that there's any spying necessary. Most park people I know are more than willing to share information with each other. It's sort of like a big family, really. You tell me, I tell you, and neither of us tells anyone else... it's pretty common.

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"When I was growing up, we were taught something called manners. You'd understand that if you weren't such an idiot." - Jack Handey

I don't know about spying, but I remember a tv program in which they said the executive in charge of Nagashima Spa Land came to the United States to look into a major new thrill ride. He rode Mamba, fell in love with it, and contacted the manufacturer to make a record breaking giga coaster at his park. Hint-It wasn't a Togo Ultra Twister. I wouldn't call it spying, but it was 'research.'

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How many rides must a man go on, before you may call him a fan?