Volume 2, No. 15. August 9, 2002
Eric's Turn
The
great pretender
Yes, I visit so
many parks and zoos that some of their individual attributes run together. I
will often recall and almost accurately picture in my mind a good lay of the
land, a clever customer service ploy, a useful operations procedure. But who
did it and where was it? Ah, my recollections of those vital details fail me.
So when certain things do make indelible impressions on me, they are more than
singular: they are exceptional. The potato salad and baked beans at Del Grosso's
in Tipton, Pennsylvania. The cleanliness and friendliness at Holiday World &
Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana. The coziness of Knoebels in Elysburg,
Pennsylvania. The efficient loading and unloading of rides at Cedar Point in
Sandusky, Ohio. The wind gently rustling the trees of Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, mingling with children's laughter. The daylong enthusiasm and
friendliness of Universal Studios Florida's castmembers in Orlando. The melding
of amusements with nature at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Amazon
exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, so enthralling I rate its
educational effectiveness at 100 percent. The happy employees greeting me, a
stranger, as they walked through SeaWorld Orlando's security gate at the end
of their shifts. Polar Bears in Toledo, San Diego and Brookfield.
When I visited Brookfield Zoo near Chicago, Illinois, for the first time recently,
as part of my get acquainted tour I checked out their latest capital improvement,
the Hamill Family Play Zoo. What started as a formality turned into a three-hour
dalliance in that facility and led to our featuring it above
in this issue of THE LOOP. Simply put, I have never been to a zoo where kids
can be lemurs alongside real lemurs (photo above), or pretend to be the lemurs'
keepers. I consider the concept brilliant, and wanted to share it with all the
other zoos who read THE LOOP (though some of you already have visited the Play
Zoo looking to emulate it at your institution). And for a bit there I was wishing
I was 7 again, back when I pretended I was a school bus. I could only envy the
7-year-olds today who get to be zoo veterinarians and keepers and horticulturists
and directors and the animals themselves. Envy them, and share with you.
I write about this here in this space as an advance to the next issue of THE
LOOP, posting August 23. That issue will include our preview to the American
Zoo and Aquarium Association's annual conference in Fort Worth, Texas, where
we will share more such success stories.
That issue also will give you the key to the whole list of 2002 Amusement
Today Golden Ticket Award winners, when we honor the industry's most exceptional
operations and attractions.
How do we measure success? They are the indelible moments.
Reading matter
With this issue
we rejuvenate a department of THE LOOP that has lain dormant for too long: the
Reading Room. We welcome back Allen
Weitzel, who felt his Safety Manager article needed a sequel. Part
Two is now posted in the Reading Room, and we will continue to build that
library of service articles and profiles over the coming months. To read Allen's
newest contribution, click here.
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