Don’t Touch That: Enhancing the Post-COVID Interactive Theme Park Experience

The project identified functional performance requirements for supporting immersion and engagement while also promoting safe distancing and touchless interaction in the queue areas of attractions. Previous researchers identified that theme park queues must sustain guest engagement while also creating positive feelings towards wait times. Interactivity has been introduced within these spaces, however, pandemic control measures, like social distancing, conflict with many of these offerings. A solution is represented in this study by a prototype and implemented in a hypothetical themed attraction. By creating this element, guests will be able to stay six feet away from each other, while engaging in an immersive, themed narrative through motion sensors directed by Arduino. Experts favoured the prototype’s ability to encourage contactless engagement while social distancing while enhancing an engaging experience. The proposed prototype is a tangible example of an immersive, touchless interaction with a design approach that is feasible, appealing and merits further consideration and development.