parks envisioned free falls as a way to expand their customer base. Some multi-attraction operators added free- falls to include as part of an all-in-one ticket price, expanding the ticket’s value. Yet others implemented them as a means of egress from existing features like aerial ropes courses and zip line platforms. Less of a windfall. Over time, though, many operators saw that free falls fell short when it came to generating additional revenue. The overall indus- try perspective on free falls seemed to shift from seeing free falls as a way to grow income to incorporating them into existing infrastructure to help broaden a park’s appeal. Part of the initial underperformance ex- perienced by many operators stemmed from the unrealized expectation that offering an additional feature at a park would draw users who wouldn’t have purchased a ticket to the park otherwise. “I think a lot of operators originally believed you could sell a separate ticket for it—it was going to be an added revenue generator,” says Jamie Barrow, director of operations training and risk management for Vail Resorts, which operates a diverse collection of more than a dozen adventure parks across the U.S. “But from my perspective, we’re seeing it as less of a revenue genera- tor and more as a way to enhance the experience.” “When this business started getting pop- ular in the U.S., we all thought that these free-fall devices would be something that we could make a lot of money on,” agrees Bahman Azarm, CEO of Outdoor Ventures, an adventure park builder, op- erator, and supplier with five parks of its own under The Adventure Park brand. “But as the years progressed, we found that to not be the case.” Free falls still have a place at many parks. “If you build a tower that is just a free-fall experience and then add that to your zip line tour—some smaller FREE FALLS What's Happening With...
Photo credit: Aerial Adventure Tech
ically one staff at the top to connect users to the device and another at the bottom to disconnect and ensure the landing zone is clear. With much of the recreational aerial adventure industry trending toward use of continuous or smart belay systems, reducing the necessary staff required to run an aerial ropes course, adding a staff-heavy free- fall feature can seem counterintuitive. Many operators who utilize free falls as a way to get down from existing ropes courses and zip lines have found that, while they can be appealing to many users, they can also create a bottleneck, slowing down the flow of traffic through the course. Asking customers to hurl themselves off of a platform 10 or more feet above the ground inevitably comes with some fear and hesitancy, ultimate- ly resulting in a lower number of people that can get through the course in a day. The solution, for many operators, has been to provide multiple options, like a staircase, for those who may be hesitant about free falls. Expanding the experience. Despite the limitations, there are still plenty of operators who have found that incor- porating free falls into existing features has been a solid draw for those seeking the greatest thrills. Having a free-fall device as an option allows an operator to appeal to a wide variety of users at their park. In addition to enhancing the overall experience, having these features at a park can provide a “wow” factor, espe - cially for the larger, stand-alone devices. Even if most people won’t do a 65-foot free fall, they can marvel at the courage of those who do. The entertainment value of a free fall can be high. >> cont.
Photo credit: Aerial Adventure Tech
Dropzone’s Powerfan uses a mechani- cal fan system to simulate free falls.
percentage of the population wants to do a free-fall event rather than a zip line tour,” says Dylan Burt, CEO of Applied Adventure, an adventure park consultant and operator. As it turns out, though, “You don’t end up attracting more of an audience because you have a free-fall adventure,” he says. “It wasn’t really working as an add-on, but it has worked as part of the overall total offer - ings that come with the ticket.” Azarm has a less rosy view. He likens the appeal of free-fall devices to double black diamond runs at ski areas, which theoretically have an overarching appeal, but very few people want to ski on. As a result, The Adventure Park has decommissioned all of the free-fall devices across its five locations. Operational hurdles. In addition to the limited demand, most free falls require dedicated staff to operate them—typ -
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