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Universal Japan Unveils New Guest Service Program
 How does a park or attraction impress the importance of strong, positive guest interaction upon its employees and get them to make that goal a reality?
Well, Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka (www.usj.co.jp) has been exploring the challenge since fall 2009 with an initiative called the Magical Moment Project (MMP). Funworld spoke with Keizo Natsuyama, general manager of the park’s operation planning office, who is intimately involved with the MMP.
Natsuyama says the main goal of the project is for USJ to create a true “difference” from other theme parks in the emotional connection between its guests and “crew” (how USJ refers to its employees). He says Universal wants its guest to regard the crew as the park’s number-one attraction.
“In theme parks, what is expected is the attractiveness of shows and rides. The positive interaction between guests and employees never comes up as the number-one reason [to visit],” Natsuyama says. “However, despite large investments in attractions and shows, after several times of the same experience, you may get tired of it. To the contrary, positive interactions between guests and crew members are always new and fresh.”
He says such positive interactions will make guests want to return to the park more than anything else, and it’s something only the employees can deliver: “It has a very strong power, and only human beings, not a robot nor a vending machine, can do it.”
The Magical Moment Project was developed internally by USJ, but Natsuyama says outside professionals were occasionally consulted, including theater producers, performers, communication specialists, and motivational trainers. The park has focused its efforts on training existing crew members in the value of the initiative and on revamping the orientation program for new employees.
Natsuyama notes such positive, personal interaction is actually not as pervasive in Japan as is commonly thought. “It is very uncommon that people get positive interactions in many of the service outlets,” he reveals. “If you frequently use the same place again and again, you may be remembered … but for the first-time guests, it is still rare. Often people say Japanese service is very good, but this is true only when you ask for it—it is more like an ‘If you ask, I would do’ approach. What we would like to establish is creating the experience based on emotional connections.”
He says there was some initial employee resistance, especially from those who had been used to doing it another way for a long time. But once the new crew/guest interactions began to take place, the positive guest reactions became good motivation to continue.
As for evaluating the project’s success, Natsuyama says, “We’re making a parkwide guest satisfaction survey based on the Magical Moment Project, both in-house and [with] an outside survey company, to measure the guests’ experience and their satisfaction. Also, we are thinking of a mystery-shopper approach to find out the specific problems in each venue. Of course, some guests are not good at receiving positive interactions because of the general customs in Japan, but the theme park environment really helps to do positive interactions.”
Mt. Olympus Shows No Fear with Bold Expansion
Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (www.mtolympuspark.com), is boldly charging ahead with a major expansion project. Park owners Nick and Eva Laskaris bought numerous nearby hotels and motels—six in the four months between October 2010 and February 2011—and are looking to add more in an effort to bolster the accommodations they offer guests. All of the hotels are located along Wisconsin Dells Parkway—an attraction-rich, heavily traveled thoroughfare nicknamed “the strip.”
 Nick Laskaris says they came to the conclusion they needed more lodging after analyzing the numbers associated with their arrangement with local motels and hotels. “We were giving hotels free tickets to Mt. Olympus if they paid us $1,000 per room,” he explains. “We were cleaning out the hotels—their guests were all coming here—but when we ran the numbers, it worked out to only about $5 profit per person.”
So, the Laskarises looked at building a 200-roomhotel to add to the two they already owned, but the bid came back at $13 million. “So I thought, ‘What can I buy for that?’” says Laskaris. “I can buy three times the number of existing rooms, and that would help us, help these hotel owners who are just hanging on, and help the town, which helps everyone.”
He said it’s costing him and his wife about $20 million to purchase the hotels and remodel them, but by Memorial Day weekend they’ll have about 1,000 rooms available to guests. Laskaris says they’ll have a full range of accommodations, from budget to premier, and all of the rooms will fall under the park’s slogan “Stay and Play Free,” meaning guests will have free use of Mt. Olympus for their entire stay. This includes access to the ride park, the Medusa indoor waterpark, Neptune’s Water Kingdom outdoor waterpark, the Parthenon indoor theme park, and Zeus’ Playground.
Laskaris says he sees the expansion project in much larger terms than just a benefit to Mt. Olympus. He’s been concerned about deteriorating properties along the strip and the need to improve its appearance and appeal for the future sake of Wisconsin Dells. “What I’m doing buying these small hotels is that the guests won’t just stay at Mt. Olympus; they’ll move around and experience other attractions and go to the downtown Dells, and that’s what the area needs,” he says.
Since financing is “almost impossible to secure,” according to Laskaris, he and his wife are funding the expansion from park operations. “I’m doing all of this through cash flow,” he notes. “We had great success—a very nice profit— last year, our best year ever—way above any other year, with almost a million guests coming. I could have gotten a big ride or fixed up the strip, and I decided to fix up the strip.”
With the recent hotel purchases, Mt. Olympus now has about a mile of continuous frontage along the strip, and with the goal of acquiring most of its remaining hotels, Laskaris expects that to increase. Then, it’s on to the next phase of the expansion, which he says will include building treehouse lodging and camping sites. As for the park itself, he’s planning another “big, big” roller coaster and new additions to the outdoor waterpark.
“Yep, and I want to do more,” he adds. “The Dells have a ways to go, but it’s getting there.”
Legoland Scores Big Hit in Landing Star Wars Miniland
 Legoland California (www.legoland.com) is known for creating stunning replicas of famous places, things, and people. Now the park is opening an attraction to dazzle generations of movie fans.
On March 31, the park unveiled its new Star Wars Miniland. Boasting 2,000 models made from 1.5 million Lego bricks, the miniland depicts seven famous scenes from the celebrated motion picture series and one scene from the animated series, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
Some of the models are more than six feet tall, including life-size models of the Chewbacca and Darth Vader characters. There is also a walk-around Darth Vader that will interact with guests.
Julie Estrada, spokesperson for Legoland California, accompanied some of the miniland models on a multicity tour announcing the new attraction earlier this year and was excited about the public response. “The reaction we got on the tour is really amazing,” she says. “We’ve been developing it for the past two years, working with Lucasfilm (the production company of Star Wars creator George Lucas) directly to make sure we’re doing it the way they want.”
Some of the famous movie locations depicted include scenes from the planet Tatooine, where Luke Skywalker grew up, and Lego remakes of characters like Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, and a huge version of Han Solo’s ship, the Millennium Falcon, which Estrada says will feature lights and smoke.
Legoland approached Lucasfilm about creating this miniland because Star Wars is a best-selling Lego series and has an enduring, cross-generational popularity. Estrada says that though the movie series ended six years ago, it remains popular with kids because of the ongoing “Clone Wars” show.
The new miniland is situated next to The Model Shop, where the Daytona Speedway was located. That Lego creation is being moved to Legoland Florida, which opens in October.
Legoland Billund in Denmark and Legoland Deutschland in Gunzburg, Germany, will also open Star Wars Minilands this year, with the models for all three constructed in Deutschland. The same builders will work on all the models, Estrada says, ensuring the results are exactly the same. The Master Model Builders at Legoland California will then set up the scenes with the help of animation electricians, landscapes, and technicians. Merlin Entertainments, which owns the Legoland parks, has not released cost figures for the minilands.
Resort Slagharen: from Shetland Ponies to Roller Coasters
It’s always intriguing to hear the stories about major successful attractions that have charming and humble beginnings, be it the birth of Silver Dollar City from Marvel Cave, or of Knott’s Berry Farm from the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Now another attraction can be added to the list of those with alluring origins: Theme Park and Resort Slagharen.
The resort in Slagharen, Netherlands, got its start as Ponypark Slagharen in 1963. Founder Henk Bemboom had the idea of offering holiday cottages that each came with a unique amenity: a Shetland pony. The idea was a big hit, and the cottages rented quickly.
Today, the result of that modest start is Theme Park & Resort Slagharen, ranked as the second-most-popular tourist destination in Holland by the Dutch Tourist Board, with 1.6 million visitors and 750 seasonal employees in 2010. The resort has experienced a rebirth in the past couple of years, as 12 million euros (US$16.3 million) has been invested in renovations and upgrades.
“Several changes and improvements have been made as a part of the ongoing transformation, especially regarding live entertainment,” says Angelique Klar, director of Theme Park and Resort Slagharen. “Last season, Slagharen successfully completed a brand-new theater where we host the IAAPA- award-winning ‘Western Village Stunt Show’ to over 700 guests. Also, starring at the only 4-D theater in the Netherlands is the new 4-D movie ‘Turtle Vision.’”
The resort’s amusement park features more than 40 rides and includes the “Looping Star” roller coaster (an Anton Schwarzkopf original), a Vekoma mine train coaster, and a log flume called “Ripsaw Falls.”
Resort Slagharen constructed upscale holiday guest cottages, refurbished several shops and restaurants, and overhauled its menus to offer more healthy foods. It also opened its doors in the winter season for the first time this year by featuring an alpine sports experience that targets groups, such as corporate outings.
Additionally, in 2010 the resort introduced a new pricing system. “Admission prices vary depending on several factors, such as weather and expected demand,” explains Klar. “This dynamic pricing system was a big success, and as far as we know, we are the first in our industry worldwide to do so.”
But despite all of the upgrades, Klar believes it’s something else that sets the resort apart: “The emphasis and dedication we put on hospitality.”
The result of all the new attractions, upgrades, and special offerings has been a host of awards for the resort, including the Zoover public appreciation award for “Best Large Amusement Park in the Netherlands,” and “Kids Holiday Destination of the Year 2011” in the Netherlands. This award is determined by a committee that scores nominees based on the child friendliness of resort activities.
But Slagharen didn’t evolve from holiday cottages with ponies to a large theme park and entertainment resort by resting on its laurels. “We want to further develop our holiday park with lodges and bungalows and add two new spectacular attractions,” says Klar. “The level of investment will be another 12 million euros (US$16.3 million) in the next two years.”
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