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Cedar Fair are reinvigorating the mobile experience at all 11 theme parks, launching new custom apps at each location, starting with Carowinds. At the heart of each new app; an interactive map, powered by MapLayr.
"Our previous maps were functional but didn’t convey the excitement of visiting our parks. And that was a problem because guests rely on our wayfinding. In our parks, you can’t always just look at the map, find a landmark on the horizon and head straight over. People often need turn-by-turn directions and to follow the route on the screen to get them where they need to be." - Jim Denny, VP of Digital at Cedar Fair.
The team faced a common choice: commit to building their maps and wayfinding from scratch, or find a product on the market that delivered the functionality they needed. Typically both routes proved more complex than expected.
“A lot of the existing platforms out there are built for spaces like shopping malls and roadways. As we went deeper into the discovery process, it became clear that they couldn't reflect the atmosphere we've worked hard to create at our parks. Building ourselves wasn’t an option. Functionality like mapping, which is so core to the actual experience for a guest, needs to be well maintained. I'd need a full-time team just for mapping to guarantee the experience our guests expect." - Jim Denny
After exploring the options, Cedar Fair chose MapLayr, Attractions.io’s newly released maps and wayfinding SDK for its ability to capture the unique atmosphere of each park, support millions of guests with high-end functionality and for its team's vast experience in the Attractions industry. And the launch at Carowinds has been a resounding success:
"It has been amazing to see how the illustrators work. These people have never walked through our parks, but when I'm onsite and looking at one of our buildings on the map, it's perfect. Functionally, it's more sophisticated than our previous solution, and our testers loved that you could orient, zoom and tilt the map to suit your search preferences." - Jim Denny
The new Carowinds' app has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from guests. Exit Surveys repeatedly highlight the maps & wayfinding functionality as one of the highest-scoring features in the app. Guests say the new maps and wayfinding are easier to use and contribute to a better experience overall.
"Our focus is on making every interaction with the map and app ecosystem a part of guests’ adventures at the Carowinds. Our aim with the MapLayr integration was to create a wayfinding experience that delighted guests functionally but was also an extension of Cedar Fair's brand story, with beautiful designs and branded elements that look and feel like the in-person experience. We want guests to feel connected to the park from the minute they see the map," said Peter O Dare, VP of Product at Attractions.io.
To learn more about the new MapLayr integration for Cedar Fair, read the full case study here.
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