Amid the chaotic closing and re-opening of theme parks and other attractions globally this year, there are glimmers of business reviving.

As the attractions industry – parks, aquariums, zoos, family entertainment centers and arcades and such – has been hit hard by capacity limits in a business heavily reliant on ticket sales, merchandise has emerged as a more important revenue generator than normal.

And with some parks having shifted to such modes as drive-thru events, consumers have been spending a higher percentage per capita on food, beverage and merchandise than they typically would.

Increased Merch Sales
For example, Fiesta Toy, which sells plush to many of the attractions, has seen a 20-25% increase in consumer spending for its products, and a sharp rise in reorders. The typical $2,000 reorder for the fall season (when many parks move toward closing) has jumped, in some cases, to $10,000-$20,000 in recent months, says President Coral Reynolds, whose company has licenses for Bob Ross, Hello Kitty and recently signed an agreement for Kraft-Heinz brands starting with Baby Nut plush in 2021.

That increase in recorders comes despite larger park operators such as Six Flags Entertainment (26 properties) and Cedar Fair Entertainment (22 properties) having postponed buying new merchandise until early 2021, says Reynolds. And with the expected arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine, orders for spring re-openings are up 20%, says Reynolds. The demand has enabled Fiesta to match 2019’s revenue with only a small segment of the attractions being open.

Reorders Increase
“Orders are continuing to come in because everyone that would have shut down by now or would have more seasonal schedules are staying open as long as they can and people that are able to get to the parks are spending,” says Reynolds. “These are coming during what is usually the slowest time of the year and this is across all attractions because people are going to any place that is open.”

Yet finding the parks and other attractions that are open can be a tricky calculus. Universal City Walk in Orlando, FL remains open until 10 pm daily, but City Walk in Hollywood, CA, is only open on a limited basis and the theme park section is closed. Disney World in Florida is open, but Disneyland in California is expected to remain closed well into 2021. And two of Six Flags’ major attractions — Knott’s Berry Farm in California and Wonderland in Canada – haven’t reopened yet. Six Flags has “Holiday in the Park” drive-thru lights festivals at open locations and is selling pre-bought merchandise delivered to vehicles along the route.

The void also is being filled by less well-financed regional parks that can ill afford any closures. For example, Koebel’s Amusement Resort is having its first “Joy to the Grove” Christmas lights drive-thru event until Jan. 4. And attractions in Gatlinburg, TN are having holiday events throughout December, and in some cases, extending lights festivals into February.

Licensed Events
Come spring, however, the challenge for many parks will be to get consumers to return after, in many cases, a year-long absence. One strategy gaining traction is events featuring familiar licensed properties to encourage consumers to return.

“Parks will have to do something to bring people back and you will have theme parks, especially, focus on that and licensing will be a very important part,” Premier Rides CEO Jim Seay, whose company designs and builds rollercoasters and other rides.

“This doesn’t mean West Coast Racers” – a Premier-built racing ride designs based on MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” series and installed  at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California – “will be built in every park, but it might mean having licensed events and parades where the capital costs aren’t as significant. While the attractions we are building over the next few years may not be at the same scale of those we have done in the past, licensed attractions can make sense and are a magnet for bring people back to a park.”