Video
What most in-house attraction app builds get wrong
In this short video, Attractions.io Founder and CEO Mark Locker breaks down the five biggest lessons he’s seen attractions learn the hard way.
Why it matters
The same challenges, project after project
In 17+ years of building only for attractions, we’ve seen the same challenges appear again and again: escalating maintenance, underestimated integrations, longer timelines and teams pulled away from work that drives revenue and guest satisfaction.
If you’re weighing up the build vs buy decision, or trying to avoid costly missteps, start here.
What’s covered
Five things to consider before you build
- The control paradox: owning the code isn’t the same as controlling the outcomes
- Total cost of ownership: GDPR, security testing, 24/7 support, OS updates and hosting at scale rarely make the first estimate
- Time to value and opportunity cost: a 12 to 18 month minimum to an MVP, while your team isn’t working on what sets you apart
- Hidden complexity: the map and push notifications are the tip of the iceberg
- Integration and ecosystem complexity: a guest app is the front door to your entire digital ecosystem, and it needs to talk to everything
“Your IP is your brand, it’s your operational excellence, the unique magic that you create for guests that no one else can replicate.”
More on buy vs build
ConsideringBuy or build?
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GuideShould you buy or build? The enterprise guide
Costs, risks and trade-offs of building, outsourcing or buying a guest experience platform.
GuideThe 2026 digital leaders’ guide to mobile apps for attractions
You don’t have to build it to win: how top attractions approach build vs buy.
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