Mime-Version: |
1.0 |
Content-Type: |
text/plain; charset=US-ASCII |
Date: |
Sun, 31 Jul 2005 11:46:24 -0400 |
Content-Disposition: |
inline |
Reply-To: |
|
Subject: |
|
Content-Transfer-Encoding: |
quoted-printable |
Sender: |
|
From: |
|
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Well having mentioned amusement parks as one source of wait time phenomena I do want to clarfiy what I said after reading several writers on this thread. Learning from other business does not mean we are not distinguishing ourselves from them as well.
While I agree that our experience is different from those of a Disney or less themed amusement park - in many ways - I do not think the people who go to those venues are different from those attending our institutions. In fact I am sure we would be achieving our mission even more successfully if more of them did attend our institutions.
I would think in the end wait times. and the desire or willingness to wait is an interplay between many parameters - examples might be: interest/desire of the person, the ability to know what you are waiting for, the uniqueness of the experience, the "payoff" of the experience, the ability of the wait to be of interest itself, the environment of the wait, knowledge about the wait, outside forces on ones time and even the inherent perceived value of the experience - created by knowing lots of people are willing to wait. I am sure other factors as well.
These factors may differ between amusement parks and science centers due to the different type of experience each visit is and the mindset people might have in attending each type of location. But I would also think people are people and the psychology of people waiting in lines has many similarities as well.
I do think there are lessons to be learned/ideas to be experimented with/and research to be done at amusement parks and our institutions concerning wait times. The study Alan quoted certainly provides some ideas as to how a wait can made better, and I do notice that many amusement parks, not to mention science centers, attempt to improve waits through these means.
Having enough on my plate right now I look forward to someone else doing the study though.
Wayne
Wayne J LaBar
Vice President, Exhibitions and Theaters
Liberty Science Center
251 Phillip Street
Liberty State Park
Jersey City, NJ 07305
voice: 201.451.0006 x-347
fax: 201.451.7046
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
|
|
|