TPP Framework

The first phase of the TPP Framework involves listening to clients to understand their needs, expectations, ambitions and budget. We invite clients to fill out a questionnaire to simplify both the collection of information and the organisation of the activities as planned in the TPP Framework. The questionnaire, which is continually updated, is drawn upon the experience that Team Park Project has acquired during the hundreds of interventions made at amusement parks all over the world, from Coney Island to North Korea. All the questions we ask our clients revolve around profitability, which is at the heart of TPP’s activity.

The market analysis consists in a thorough research and elaboration of quantitative and qualitative data: we study the territory, the population, the culture, the habits, and the spending capacity. Competitors and benchmarks are also analysed, together with weather conditions, public and school holidays.

All these elements are then examined more in depth with a focus on profitability. The results of the analysis are gathered in a summary document that informs the client of the social and competitive context in which the amusement park is going to be located, and provides the first strategic approaches to maximise its profitability.

In the pre-sizing phase, the preliminary parameters that are necessary to define the actual size of the park and its ancillary services are calculated. One of the key parameters is the “Design Day”: the expected turnout on a typical holiday day. The Design Day, together with other key parameters, allows you to define the size of the park, and also the number and dimension of the elements necessary for its operation; not only rides and refreshment areas, but also car parks, entry points and toilets. On this matter, TPP stands out for its original and scientific approach to flow predetermination with a focus on profitability. This approach is analysed in depth by Andrea Caldonazzi, CEO of Team Park Project, in the Special Report called “That’s Not Funny”.

In this phase we define the park’s identity: the main theme, the storyboard, the mascot and the logo. There are some rules we follow during the concept phase:

1. we favour the connection with the territory, its history and culture. This allows us to develop educative entertainment programs (edutainment) through which students can learn while having fun. By doing so, the park can increase the number of school-age visitors;
2. we select the concept that has the best mix of simplicity, recognisability, originality and atmosphere to appeal the collective imagination.

In this phase, we analyse the project’s area with its viability, and we make the first evaluations on the position of the main entrance and car parks. Using the data obtained in the pre-sizing phase, we calculate the dimensions of the macro-areas.

With a bubble design, we define the position of the different themed macro-areas selected during the concept phase, making sure it reflects the main storyboard.

This allows us to identify the connections between the different areas which later on will determine the park’s flows.

Target and concept are the key elements to consider when selecting the rides. This selection must always be well balanced between budget and guests’ expectations. In order to contain costs and not be dispersive, it is essential to define the right dimensions of the bubble design according to the sizing parameters. The rides and ancillary functions are then positioned following the basic rules of landscaping, atmosphere and guests’ expectations. The control of flows is critical, also in relation to collateral businesses, for example F&B, Games and Merchandising.

In this phase, which involves decisive choices for the future success of the amusement park, Team Park Project uses an original approach created at the University of Bologna, based on mathematical models. All the details can be found in the “That’s Not Funny” Special Report written by Andrea Caldonazzi.

In the amusement park industry, theming defines the set of activities to design and create the scenic elements applied to the architectural and mechanical components of the park. It is well known that theming is a particularly delicate subject, which must be handled with great care and following a scientific method to avoid budget overruns. Given the high cost of the scenography, at Team Park Project we love to understand it as an element at the service of the storyboard, which in any case must never compromise the profitability of the park.

The Business Plan of an amusement park is not – or at least should never be – conventional. An amusement park is a complex structure, one of its kind, with insidious aspects that can quickly sink even the best business plan, especially if it follows a “wishful thinking” approach without the pragmatism acquired over years of experience in the amusement sector. On this matter, TPP bases its work on scientific elements and benchmarks that refer to the historical data collected over the years, which can significantly reduce the typical approximations of a conventional business plan and avoid unpleasant surprises for investors.

Designing an amusement park means designing movement, not just that of the rides, but above all that of people. In this phase, TPP stands out for its ability to holistically design the visitor’s experience: an experience that not only includes attractions, but also food points, shops, relaxation areas and, last but not least, easy parking. As with the other phases of the TPP Framework, the design of the user experience is also developed around the dogma of profitability. With this in mind, it is important to offer visitors the possibility to purchase services and progressively improve their experience inside the park, without being too commercially pushy or offering too many free services.

Prediction, control, speed and flexibility: these are the keywords that characterise the management of an amusement park, which must be designed and built in a workmanlike manner in order to be managed profitably.

The TPP Framework was created precisely to ensure that in the various phases of the study, design and construction of the park, nothing is left to chance in order to make the management of the park as profitable as possible. With this regard, Team Park Project can count on solid experience in managing amusement parks all over the world, including both parks that were completely developed by Team Park Project and parks created by third parties. In this case, TPP intervened to optimise operations, reporting the result of its work directly to investors.