By Megan Hiatt and Isabel Gross, research analysts at Leisure Development Partners
This year, IAAPA Expo Europe took place in the heart of Vienna, situated next to the historic Prater Wien amusement park. As consultants in the attractions industry, LDP was eager to explore the famous park and all it had to offer.
Prater Wien is the second oldest of its kind. The origins of Prater Wien can be traced back to 1766 when its parkland was handed to the Viennese population for recreational use. It soon became a core entertainment hub, offering some of the most popular activities at the time such as bowling and shooting alongside an array of restaurants and snack bars.
It was not until 1887 that the park began to turn into what it is today, when the world-famous 65-metre Riesenrad Ferris Wheel opened to the public. Construction of the first elevated ride was completed in 1909.
However, the Second World War saw much of Prater destroyed, including the iconic Riesenrad Ferris Wheel. Only 18 buildings and attractions were left intact. Yet the park held clear significance to the Viennese population. Donations were quickly collected to rebuild the structures that had faced damage.
The park in the present day
Race forward to the present day, and Prater Wien remains a popular attraction. It drew a record five million visitors in 2019. This places it as one of the top-visited urban amusement parks in the world.
Boasting around 250 attractions spread across 260,000 square metres, the amusement park incorporates classic attractions such as dodgems and ghost trains. It also adds a modern twist with the technologically advanced indoor skydiving and renowned Madame Tussauds. It caters towards a family audience. Around 60 percent of rides are orientated towards families and 20 percent target children, with the remaining considered thrill rides.
Each attraction is independently owned. This leads to a unique operating model characterised by varying opening hours. Each ride and restaurant is free to open and close as they desire. Entry to the amusement park is free of charge, and visitors pay per ride.
The park’s high visitor volume can be attributed to this operational approach. In practice, not everyone entering the park spends money. Occupying a small area on the grounds of Wiener Prater, a six million square metre outdoor park, the amusement park attracts passing footfall from visitors using the various sports and recreational amenities within the park.
In terms of visitor mix, on our weekday evening visit, we found a relatively young visitor profile with a lot of teenagers looking to spend an evening with friends.
A unique offering at Prater Wien
Overwhelmed with choice and enticed by the array of flashing lights and pop music, we narrowed our choice of rides down to three: a 600m traditional coaster G’Sengte Sau, a Mexican-themed, twirling Sombrero attraction and a huge upside-down, swinging Tornado, all priced between four and five euros each.
The first roller coaster, which was a relatively mild experience, is the second-longest roller coaster in Prater. It provides a good view of the park. The remaining two elicited a much stronger adrenaline rush, and we left impressed with the level of thrill.
Prater does not just appeal to thrill-seekers. Setting itself apart from typical pay-as-you-go amusement parks, it has developed a large and varied food and beverage offering. This often showcases traditional Austrian cuisine.
With over fifty outlets, ranging from cafés and snack vans to bars and clubs, the park appeals to a wide audience. For instance, visitors can enjoy a unique experience at the Admiral Arena. This is a 1,350 square metre venue, marketed as Europe’s largest sports bar. It boasts a collection of 20 horse and sports betting terminals.
Moving with the times
Like many attractions, vendors at Prater Wien are keen to keep up with emerging trends. One that we have seen gain momentum is the revolution of observation attractions. Opening a simple observation deck or building a giant wheel is often no longer enough. Nowadays, visitors are looking for a thrilling experience enhanced by the attraction heights, such as the Swing at A’DAM LOOKOUT (Amsterdam) and the Edge Walk at the CN Tower (Toronto).
In celebration of its 125th Birthday, and in keeping up with such trends, the Riesenrad Ferris Wheel installed a new platform – Platform 9. Fully exposed and standing on a glass floor, guests ride the Ferris Wheel attached only by a small bungee cord. This creates an experience akin to what only the builders of the Riesenrad Ferris Wheel might have felt.
LDP has worked on many observation attractions around the world. As such, it has a strong database of key performance indicators and benchmarks for this attraction type. Market penetration at such venues can be particularly impressive, and typically very strong for tourists. Most major cities have multiple observation experiences. Yet they maintain very strong levels of attendance despite the crowded nature of the market.
Reinvestment, such as the addition of Platform 9 at Riesenrad, is key to upholding visitor volume. Successful attractions add experiences or change up the visitor experience regularly to drive new and repeat visits.
Of course, starting with a good base is key. Attractions that have survived, thrived and continue to set the standard are the ones which have been developed with careful consideration. They are located at the right sites, in the right markets, and with thorough planning. It seems to us that Prater Wein is following a good approach and will likely be around for another 250 years.
