Story & Photography by Eric Sandigo
What is it that makes millions of people from all over the world flock to theme parks? If one thing is certain, it is to get away from the realities of the real world and immerse themselves in an atmosphere totally different from that of their everyday environment. How a theme park manages to provide an escape from reality is one of the key components of theme park design. When a Guest enters the turnstiles of any park, they expect to have embarked on a journey into another land and leave reality behind. To be truly effective, however, that voyage should begin with the drive onto a park’s premises. Here, an ordinary parking lot should appear different from the usual blacktop and white stripes. This immersion should continue on throughout the Guest’s day until they drive back into reality at the end of the night.
What better way to spend a day than interacting with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and swimming amongst an active coral reef? Busch Entertainment Corporation brings just that and more at Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida. Situated across the street from SeaWorld Orlando, Guests at Discovery Cove encounter stingrays, dolphins, and a wide variety of exotic birds in their third most profitable park in the division. The secret to the park’s success can be found in its unique brand of “Island Paradise.” Guests to the park are fully immersed in a convincing island getaway in the heart of Orlando’s attractions district. Though it is situated between two very busy streets (including the famous International Drive), Guests feel as though they’ve arrived at the Bahamas. Discovery Cove’s convincing tropical environment doesn’t begin in the park’s Reception Hall but from the beginning of the entrance driveway. The designers of the park chose to have Guests enter the property by driving through a lush forest, immediately establishing that this is surely not the hustle and bustle of their ordinary lives. By driving through a winding, tropically landscaped driveway, Guests immediately forget about the traffic found just minutes before and begin to unwind as the park slowly reveals itself before them. The towering bamboo on either side opens to reveal the park’s Reception Hall where Guests check-in. Discovery Cove visitors find themselves leaving their vehicles in a well-manicured parking lot. From here it is evident the park’s horticulture team plays a big role in creating and maintaining this tropical paradise. Unlike commonplace parking lots, they did not pave over paradise but complemented it. Again, this area lends itself to establish the park as being unique in that the lot itself is fully landscaped with palm trees swaying in the breeze and large exotic flowers bringing color to the usual bleakness of white stripes on grey asphalt.
After leaving their vehicles, it is a short walk to the Reception Hall. Again, Discovery Cove hasn’t missed out on an opportunity to “wow” Guests within the boundaries of the property. The pathway leading up to the Reception Hall is commonly known as the “Busch Walk” for this is where the CEO of the company enters the park. It is beautifully landscaped with exotic flora and wide leafed palms. Just before entering the doors of the Guest Reception Hall, the song of cicadas fills the air, discreetly marking the threshold of tropical escapism. As with the parking lot, great care is taken in the daily maintenance of this pathway. Throughout the day, employees can be found sweeping leaves and sand from the pathway.
Upon entering the massive double doors of the thatched roof building that serves as a lobby to the park, visitors find a simple tile floor decorated in a mosaic suggesting an ocean current. The designers of this area relied upon color to further separate the outside from within. Light woods sculpted with suggestions of natural sea sponges decorate the counters of the lobby. Warm golden walls stretch to the lofty thatch work roof of the hall and high above Guests soar three abstract dolphin sculptures amongst schools of fish. Warm hues and cool blues used throughout this area are indications of the amount of thought that went into the design of this exotic refuge. New Age music echoes throughout the interior of the hall, seducing Guests to let go of their worries and anticipate the island paradise awaiting them beyond the doors ahead. Great care was taken in the design and maintenance of this entry area. After checking in, Guests cross through another pair of double doors where the beauty of the park is displayed before them in a panoramic view of island paradise. From this overlook, park Guests view sparkling blue waters of a tropical river below. Ahead is a large body of water where fins are visible breaking the surface. On the horizon is a powerful waterfall cascading from rockwork dotted with broad leafed plants and towering palms. Clearly this was the most strategically designed area of the park. This area serves as a dramatic partition from the entrance to uncover the beauty that is Discovery Cove. Visitors wishing to inquire about the park are taken to this area where they are given a visual to go along with the sales spiel – another strategic example of how this area serves the park. Without question this dramatic backdrop is a powerful marketing tool.
After taking in all the sights and sounds from the park overlook, Guests continue their journey down a pathway into a lush tropical jungle. Known as the “Nature Walk”, this area leads Guests from the entrance to the heart of the park. Sounds of exotic birds, tropical insects, and the croaking of frogs surround the Guest, coming from all directions out of the jungle growth. The pathway itself suggests a dirt path in the middle of the jungle, however this naturalesque path has been created from concrete dyed a natural brown hue and imprinted with palm fronds. To push the effect further, pebbles and river rocks are inlaid along the border. As the pathway winds through the seemingly endless forest, visitors cross over several rocky streams on wooden bridges overtaken by thick jungle vines. After crossing over a larger, thatch roofed bridge, the forest gives way to an open area where the heart of the park lies. The sounds of tropical fauna are replaced by indistinguishable tropical music and the jungle replaced by more thatch roofed buildings and white sand within close distance. This “town square” of sorts serves as the hub of park activity.
The designers of Discovery Cove had a difficult task ahead of them. Transporting guests from the urban confusion of International Drive into a soothing, tropical oasis had to be done gently. The change in atmosphere is evident immediately upon entering the property. But from that moment forward, Guests are lead through subtle changes in color, sound, and texture to ease them into their new surroundings. Putting Guests at ease allows them to fully enjoy the exciting adventures that await them, and ultimately come back for more.
Relaxing your Guests from the start
- A berm and lush vegetation is the best way to transform a parking lot into a portal to relaxation. But if gutting the landscaping isn’t an option for you, keep up with parking lot maintenance, and have workers pick up litter throughout the day. Caring for the entry of your business shows your Guests they are visiting an attraction that takes pride in their appearance in even the most mundane areas.
- Pathways leading to the entrance should be a top priority for cleaning. Although attractions inside the entrance are what bring Guests, the entrance area is where their mood will be set for the rest of the day.
- Music selection for your entry plaza should be soothing or adventurous. Loud or obtrusive music should be avoided.
- Keep waiting to a minimum. Few things are more discouraging than navigating a relaxing walkway only to encounter a line of people anxious to get inside. A long line is a great mood-killer.
