Visitation Capacity Planning for PublicVenues

ORCA Consulting

ORCA Consulting Expertise

VisitorCapacity &Circulation

Operations& Visitor Experience

ORCA Consulting

……works with the client to jointly develop the best possible experience for the guest, visitor or customer. Our end goal is to create an environment that drives high satisfaction and intent to return.

ORCA Specialized Capabilities • Providing a link between designer and end-user• Operational planning and analysis• Optimizing and integrating operations• Hospitality and quality service training• Labor planning and scheduling

Key Areas of Focus

• Project development

• Operational planning and optimization

• Creating a superior visitor experience

Project Development• Support creative development at an early stage• Determine capacity needs to inform exhibit sizing

and optimal layout• Conduct attendance and flow analysis• Linking independent project elements into one

coherent offering• Develop an understanding of the operational

implications imposed by the design • Amenity sizing and layout

Operational Planning• Identify and integrate operational needs at an early

stage….understand design impacts on the operation and the visitor experience

• Optimize the various operating components for capacity and visitor utilization

• Develop labor/staffing models • Create on-boarding and staff training plans• Maximize ancillary business opportunity

(partnerships)• Develop operating plans and budgets• Prepare RFPs for outsourcing

Delivering the Visitor Experience• Develop a quality service approach to drive

customer satisfaction …conveying expectations on employee service standards …develop staff training models and tools customized to the operation …instill a quality service culture within the organization• Understanding the role of leadership in

maintaining a quality operation

Visitor Capacity and Circulation

• Design and peak day attendance

• Visitor length of stay• Instantaneous visitor

counts• Visitor capacity• Wayfinding strategy

• Public space and support facility sizing and configuration

• Circulation• On-site transportation

capacity• Reservations and

ticketing strategy

The Spectrum of Leisure Venues

National Parks

Theme ParksNon-profits

Private Sector

Increasing emphasis on revenues & profit

Attendance Analysis

Annual Attendance Estimates

Seasonality Analysis

Daily Distribution of Annual Attendance

Attendance Design Criteria– Design Attendance Day – Peak Attendance Day – Hourly Visitor Arrivals – Inst Visitor Counts (PAOT)

OperationalPlanning

VenueProgram

Instantaneous Visitor Count Distribution

Design Day Instantaneous Visitor Count(example: 20,000)

Attractions/Exhibits/Entertainment(70% -- 14,000)

FoodService(15%)

Retail(5%)

Rest-rooms(1%)

PublicCirc.(9%)

Attraction Queues ExhibitsAttractions Entertainment

Capacity Planning Methodology for Exhibits

# Visitors in Exhibits(example: 1,000)

Exhibit Design Criterion(25 sf per visitor)

Required Exhibit Space (2,500 sq. m.)

Typical Capacity Planning Standards for Theme Parks

• Attraction Wait Times – Design Day: 15 / 45 minutes – Peak Day: 30 / 90 minutes

• Fast Food Wait Times: 5 / 15 min. Design Day• Ticket Booths: 10 minutes Peak Day• Restrooms: Zero Wait Peak Day

Grand Canyon Example - Methodology for Visitor Carrying Capacities of Overlooks

Visitor Use at Yavapai Overlook Area

Planning Similarities

• Planning objectives may be different, but similar capacity planning approaches have been shown to be very effective

Planning Similarities

• Many problems can be solved by getting visitors out of their cars and onto alternative & fun transportation

Planning Similarities

• Need to provide for effective visitor information, orientation and wayfinding

Importance of Visitation Capacity Planning

• Protection of valuable resources• Optimal utilization of key resources• Spend budgets cost-effectively• Manage “excess” recreational demand• Provide comfortable and enjoyable visitor

experience

Effects of Excessive Visitation• Resource deterioration• Reduced visitor

experience quality• Reduced future

visitation through word of mouth

Assessing the problems

• Each site is unique and requires a tailored solution approach

• Issues related to carrying capacity should be assessed holistically

• Local stakeholders should be engaged

Managing the visitor experience

Visitor experience should be managed to sustain revenues and future attendance

• Set the stage for the visitors’ experience• Provide appropriate wayfinding• Eliminate circulation choke points• Develop an effective path network• Provide adequate amenities• Provide a variety of interpretive experiences

Self-sustaining financial structure

• Often, critical site improvements cannot be implemented due to lack of funding

• Visitors are willing to pay a fair price for unique experiences

• Financial mechanisms are needed to ensure that a site can be sustained and preserved for future generations

Example: USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center

Example: Statue of Liberty Monument Reopening

Example: U.S. Capitol Visitor Center

Conclusion

• Major planning objective should be to provide memorable and comfortable visitor experiences