Adventure Park - Facts & Figures Adventure Parks

Facts & Figures Adventure Parks

The category Adventure Parks can be broken down into a huge variety of specific types. They differ according to the following main criteria:

• Type of parks: stationary / mobile
• Structural System: trees / poles / buildings / metallic structure
• Target visitors: all / kids from 4 years old / disabled
• Height of the lifeline: "mid-height", "out of reach"
• Belay system: self / permanent / continuous
• Locations: touristic / urban

Forest Adventure Parks are very popular. They take advantage of the beauty of a forest, of the trees (no investment in poles) and offer an outdoor activity surrounded by nature. Not only do they offer an adventure “at height” in a forest, but also the benefit for customers of experiencing the spectacular natural beauty of trees, hills, cliffs and/or rivers. In forest parks, there is a particular focus on tree-friendly installation. In most cases, the platforms are held to the trees through the principle of friction. When the exercise elements are mounted the trees are protected by coats of wood or rubber to prevent rubbing from the ropes.

Depending on how they are used and where they are located, parks on poles are an excellent alternative. They offer complete freedom in terms of park design and location but, at the same time, require higher investment (in the poles). The heat of the summer can be a challenge. A mix of poles/trees at the edge of a forest has the potential to work well.

Indoor parks have the great advantage of being an “all year round” operation but with the corresponding weakness of that strength at times when fine weather encourages outdoor activities. These trails are often built on a modular metallic structure. New parks on wood poles have shown that an indoor park can also provide a good experience.

Adventure Parks can be found in a multitude of places/locations. Examples of trends:

• Close to large tourist destinations
• In Ski Resorts as an attraction during summer months (a boom in Switzerland and several European countries)
• In Amusement Parks, Holiday Clubs/Villages, Hotel Club and Resorts, etc.
• Urban parks or close to conglomerations (e.g. the park in the center of Lyon, France)
• Close to a significant pool of potential customers, such as a large Shopping Mall, Zoo, Campsite, etc.
• Small (kids) parks for shopping malls (as indoor), city events, etc.

Large Adventure Parks usually have several trails of increasing difficulty levels and can reach up to 10 trails. With 10 to 20 acrobatic elements per trail, the park can easily reach up to 200 elements (it is usually between 40 and 200 elements).

The majority of trails are for everyone from the age of 7 years old (sometimes 10). The difficulty level starts at a low level or “green trail” and progresses to a very challenging level or “black trail”. Specific trails for kids from 4 years are very popular with families and provide a boost to the business (up to 20-30% more clients). Sometimes there are specific trails for the disabled.

Most kids love Adventure Parks. In a park they can act independently, try and fail and try again, and overcome their own fears without any risk (a continuous belay system is strongly recommended). Thanks the variety of levels, each time they can push their own boundaries and reach their own challenges. This is a perfect outdoor activity (with individual, physical and mental challenges) to learn through play.

The acrobatic elements are artificial obstacles (exercises) made from ropes, nets and wood in various forms, and which are installed at different heights in trees. The clever arrangement of such obstacles encourages many basic forms of movement such as climbing, hand over hand, balancing, holding, slipping and sliding. A good mix of elements and zip-lines increases the diversity and interest of parks – People love zip-lines.

There are two approaches to how to structure a park: (1) the so-called French approach where you move from one trail to the next one, like setting out on a trip and coming back to the start or (2) more the Swiss approach with one common starting point (often a platform) where the visitors can choose anytime which trail they want to go. The last approach has the great advantage to be self-distributing and therefore allowing higher throughput by peak.

There are 2 schools concerning the height of the lifeline:

• The more traditional approach, frequently seen on continental Europe, is the lifeline at mid-height. This height at 1.40 - 1.60m (4.6 - 5.2 ft) is well adapted for carabiners.
• The lifeline out of reach, at 2 - 2.30m (6.6 - 7.5 ft), possible with continuous belay system, is more frequent in UK and shows several advantages: (1) Higher throughput by peaks - up to 20% more (No manipulation on platforms and therefore gains of time - No need to install additional trolley for the ziplines). (2) More impressive and challenging elements (No "mid-heigh" cables to help the visitors - Impressive and when necessary, the visitor can anytime help himself with the lanyard - Impressive and without risk of numerous rescues). (3) Higher convenience for the park visitors (Platforms are free of any "mid-heigh" cable, ease for the visitors - Fun & thrills on elements while relaxing on platforms). (4) Much lower risk of injury (No contact with safety device - As the lanyard is already tighter, the distance of possible fall will be shorter)

Concerning the safety, traditionally a self-safety system is used where participants take responsibility for themselves. Before starting, the participants receive special training in how to use the safety equipment and then run the various trails independently. The emergence of new technologies has drastically increased the level of safety and opened new business opportunities.