Slowly Reopening: Protocols for Amusement & Entertainment Venues
As most local entertainment options (e.g. Minor League Baseball) have cancelled all activities for the 2020 season due to the global pandemic, there are some signs of hope for those seeking alternative entertainment options outside of their house.
Cedar Fair, recently opened many of their regional amusement parks as they have implemented new health, safety, sanitization and hygiene protocols that allow several of their properties to operate given a multi-phase limited capacity strategy.
In similar fashion, Disney Parks outlined their enhanced health protocols in conjunction with their US properties for responsible reopening with specific amenities, attractions and experiences (such as shows, parades and fireworks) set to remain limited or closed for the foreseeable future. Additionally, signage disclaimers of inherent risks, social distancing, reserved right cancellations and applicable refunds are all part of the venue ambiance.
Undoubtedly, the customer experience will be different with face coverings, modified amenities, temperature screenings, touch-less kiosks, and limited event attractions; however, in unprecedented times, this is the current reality of the entertainment sector with any crowd sizes of nominal value, and it will likely serve as a testing grounds for larger mass gatherings, moving forward. Though some concert venues have taken a novelty page from the drive-in-movie era with some success, larger festivals, trade shows, sporting events, corporate hospitality, and more traditional face-to-face marketing experiences are still likely months away prior to a hopeful reopening, but this is one step in a multiple-prong process at again meeting and operating within the sport and entertainment sectors.
Although many brands have pivoted their marketing current strategies to include a virtual platform, “discovery boxes” filled with premiums, and surprise-and-delight campaigns, for brands aspiring to still be physically available for their customers while mitigating risks, this ebb and flow process is a likely the blue-print that will be followed for the foreseeable future.