11 Must-Have Features in a Theme Park Ticketing System
11 Must-Have Features in a Theme Park Ticketing System
Theme parks and amusement venues need to provide their guests with a range of ticketing options to maximize convenience. Some guests might prefer to purchase tickets online before they get to the venue, others might prefer to get them at a self-service kiosk at the venue, and yet others might want to get them from the staff at the point-of-sale counter.
So, the best theme park ticketing system for your venue is the one that has all these versatile options. At the same time, the various modules need to be in sync with each other in real-time so as to prevent overbookings! There are several other things to consider too —
- Does the theme park ticket software support cashless payments?
- Can operators manage capacity at the venue easily within the system?
- Are there integrated access control products available?
If you are looking for a ticketing solution for your amusement venue and are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information out there, then this blog will help you get a better understanding of what’s needed. But before we dive into the features, let’s understand what we mean by ‘tickets’ in the context of a modern theme park or amusement venue.
What Are Modern Theme Park Tickets?
Theme park tickets have traditionally been strips of paper issued to guests by the venue. The tickets have only had one use — allowing guests access to the venue. But modern ‘smart’ tickets usually come as waterproof wristbands or cards based on RFID, QR-code, or Barcode technology.
Paired with RFID readers, these tickets can be used for more than guest entry! They can help your guests make cashless payments at various touchpoints across the venue — be it food and beverage or retail purchases. Additionally, the tickets can also be used on individual rides to deduct money, validate access, or check-in for time-based activities.
Now that we know what theme park tickets are like, let’s explore the 11 key features to look for in a theme park ticketing system. Here are the 11 features that we will cover in this blog:
#1: Cashless Ticketing Solution for Theme Parks
#2: Online Ticketing with Integration to OTAs
#3: Theme Park POS Software
#4: Self-Service Ticketing Kiosks
#5: Capacity Management
#6: Theme Park Turnstiles
#7: Dynamic Pricing
#8: Queuing Solutions
#9: Memberships, Season Passes & Loyalty Management
#10: Food & Beverage Sales
#11: Locker Management
1: Cashless Ticketing Solution for Theme Parks
As we have already seen, modern theme park tickets that come in the form of wristbands or cards are more versatile than traditional paper tickets. This versatility unlocks the possibility of cashless payments across the park. This unlocks several other advantages:
- Create Combos: Operators can create combos that include entry to the park plus a specific number of food and beverage items.
- Track Spending: A cashless ticketing software will allow operators to track spending easily, understand guest preferences, and run real-time promotions. This can help create a personalized experience for guests, boosting revenue!
- Customizable: The wristbands or cards can be customized to your brand, helping in increasing brand recall.
- Easy-to-Use: Guests can simply tap and go! They are easy to use, even for kids. The RFID readers can scan the tickets easily no matter the ambient conditions.
- Reusable: The tickets are reusable, saving material costs for your venue and making a positive impact on the environment.
As you can see, modern theme park tickets have many advantages over traditional paper tickets. This makes cashless solutions an essential feature of your ticketing system.
2: Online Ticketing with Integration to OTAs
A ticketing solution for theme parks must include an online ticketing module. This e-commerce module would fit in as a subdomain on your website and enable guests to purchase tickets at their convenience and on any device of their choice! The user interface should be modern and easy-to-use so that guests can make purchases quickly. There need to be multiple integrated payment options as well.
Additionally, Online Ticketing Aggregators (OTAs) like Viator and Expedia can help expand the reach of your venue. This is why your online ticketing module needs to be integrated with leading OTAs. This way, tickets purchased on the OTAs are reflected in real-time on your ticketing software.
3: Theme Park POS Software
You cannot have a ticketing system without a theme park POS software. The point-of-sale counter needs to effortlessly process large volumes, especially during rush hour to prevent queues from building up. This is possible if the POS has an interface that cashiers can navigate easily. The POS hardware needs to integrate with cash drawers, receipt printers, pole displays, card readers, as well as barcode and QR code readers.
Additionally, it helps to have a handheld tablet POS that your staff can carry around the venue, helping guests make purchases on the go! You can read our detailed blog to learn more about how to select the best theme park POS software.
4: Self-Service Ticketing Kiosks
Next up, we have ticketing kiosks for theme parks. When guests prefer not to interact with staff at the venue or you want to reduce the staff for redundant jobs, the best option is to allow guests to help themselves at a kiosk. These self-service kiosks can be deployed at the entrance, allowing guests to purchase tickets. Kiosks like the Tixera Kinetic can issue wristbands as well. Kiosks must also be able to recharge cards and wristbands — they can be strategically placed across the park to facilitate this. The kiosks also allow up-sell functionality which eliminates the need to train the staff for all the changing offers.
5: Capacity Management
With all the various ticketing options available, you need to ensure that you can manage the influx of visitors to your venue. This is why you need a theme park ticketing system that comes with real-time capacity management.
Operators should be able to view the available capacity of the park in real-time and have a clear idea of how many tickets have been purchased for any given day across any of the online or offline channels. Being able to control the influx of visitors to the park is important, especially considering pandemic-related restrictions.
6: Theme Park Turnstiles
Along with a ticketing system, you will also need access control products for your amusement venue. You can choose from a variety of theme park turnstiles — including tripod turnstiles, flap barriers, and swing gates. These turnstiles can be mounted with readers that can validate guest cards or wristbands with RFID, Barcode, or QR Code, and allow automatic access.
Curious about access control products? Read our detailed blog on theme park turnstiles to learn more!
7: Dynamic Pricing
Imagine that your park tickets were like airline tickets — the price of a ticket changes depending on factors like the weather, season, time of day, etc. This is exactly what dynamic pricing is all about. It’s a great way to increase footfall and boost revenue, all while offering the best value to your guests!
8: Queuing Solutions
With virtual queue management, your guests will never have to wait in line at an attraction ever again! With the AI-powered engine, a customized itinerary gets created for the guests and their group. They get to reserve their spot on a ride or attraction and just walk in at the confirmed time. It is literally ‘Queue-Free’. This avoids crowding around attractions and also maximizes the number of rides a guest can take on any given visit!
9: Memberships, Season Passes & Loyalty Management
Your most loyal guests deserve to receive privileges that make them feel valued. To help make this happen, your theme park ticketing system should come with a membership management system that allows you to create VIP tiers with special discounts and offers. The system must also have a loyalty-based rewards system and the option to renew memberships automatically. Having a membership management system in place provides the best value for money to your most loyal guests, while also guaranteeing a steady source of revenue for your venue!
10: Food & Beverage Sales
Food and beverage sales can be a major source of revenue for theme parks. Therefore, the ticketing system should have built-in F&B sales software. Creating combo packages that include food and drinks along with entry to the venue is a great way to increase the average ticket size.
11: Locker Management
Guests need to have a safe place to store their belongings when they have fun at your theme park. Lockers are the perfect solution! Modern ‘smart’ lockers don’t require physical keys. The entry tickets in the form of RFID, QR-code, or Barcode wristbands can act as ‘digital keys’ that unlock a hands-free experience for your guests as they roam about your theme park!
The All-in-One Amusement Park Ticketing System
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was one amusement park ticketing system that had all of the above features and more? Well, you’re in luck because Tixera is exactly that!
Active at 200+ venues across 20+ countries, Tixera is an all-in-one system for managing theme parks, water parks, attractions, and more! Here’s what Ashwin Dange, Business Head of GRS Fantasy Park has to say about Tixera:
“We began this journey of overhauling our ticketing systems over a year ago. From the time we started listing our requirements to the time we finally trained our staff and went live, Team Tixera has been excellent and professional every step of the way. The icing on the cake was the glitchless transition from the old system to the new Tixera system. I would like to thank everyone at Semnox and my team at GRS for the great effort in pulling off such a huge transition so smoothly!”
Get the complete ticketing solution for your amusement venue today! Reach out to our representatives — email us at sales@semnox.com or call us!
