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For Most, Roller Coasters Are a Weekend Thrill. but This Multibillion-Dollar Business Is Full of Leadership Lessons

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For Most, Roller Coasters Are a Weekend Thrill. but This Multibillion-Dollar Business Is Full of Leadership Lessons For most, roller coasters are a weekend thrill. But this multibillion-dollar business is full of leadership lessons. See the video at kornferry.com/institute. olf carts buzzed around the well-stocked shelves of souvenirs, grounds, ferrying staging crews, was actually preseason prep time at their walkie-talkies crackling. Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Sets pulsed with bold colors— Illinois, 40 miles north of downtown vibrant purples, neon greens, and Chicago. It’s one of 26 Great America fre-engine reds. The circuitous theme parks in North America and confgurations of the queues spoke of a small part of the $45 billion global Gbig crowds to come, but for now they theme-park and amusement industry were empty. Everywhere it was nearly that, according to the International showtime; all that was lacking were Association of Amusement Parks and the guests. Attractions, is projected to grow by What felt like backstage at an 6.5 percent annually to hit $60.5 billion open-air music festival, complete with in 2022. BY PATRICIA CRISAFULLI → When we visited, Six Flags Great America was open only on the weekends in preparation for the full season, which typically attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year. We walked the grounds with Lee Stellhorn, a corporate engineer for Six Flags Theme Parks, past the double-decker merry-go-round (one of only a few in North America) and an intensely twisted purple-and-green coaster named The Joker—located, appropriately, next to the rival coaster named Batman. Tall and lanky, with an easygoing manner, Stellhorn has been a roller coaster enthusiast since he was a boy. “To me, riding a roller coaster is a controlled thrill,” he says with a smile. And the thrills keep getting bigger, faster, taller. This year, Great America unveiled its newest attraction at the park and the 17th coaster on the property: the triple-record-breaking Maxx Force. This coaster has the fastest launch, going from 0 to 78 mph in less than two seconds; the fastest inversion—in other words, fipping riders upside down at 60 mph; and the tallest double inversion, at 176 feet. The coaster comes on the heels of one innova- tion after another in an industry that seems THE PROBLEM to be on a continuous loop to outdo itself. Also Like many entertainment new this year are the 220-foot Steel Curtain at businesses, roller coaster Kennywood in Pittsburgh, with nine inversions, operators have to keep and the TMNT Shellraiser at the Nickelodeon upping the thrill factor. Universe Theme Park in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with seven inversions and the steepest drop ever. Just to name a few. “In this industry, WHY IT MATTERS innovation is key, and it leads to a lot of frsts In the age of disruption, and new experiences,” Stellhorn says. practically every industry But innovation isn’t all that’s key in this busi- must continuously ness. The industry may be purely in the enter- reinvent itself. tainment sector, but amid the screams and scares created for millions of thrill seekers, the frms behind all these rides are operating under some THE SOLUTION key leadership lessons. They too, for example, Roller coasters need must focus on everything from customer loyalty to rely on continuous to creating the kind of full-immersion consumer innovation, compelling experiences that are not unlike some other indus- consumer experiences, tries. So join us on a diferent sort of ride. and loyal brand communities. 54 UOUS TIN INN N N OVATIO O Taller, Faster, More Exciting C coasters become rough rides over time, Today, there are nearly 5,000 roller which turns of fans. Instead of retiring coasters worldwide, typically center- old wooden coasters, Rocky Mountain pieces of theme parks. Some are hits Construction, based in Idaho, reinvents right away, and some are not. Unde- them. Mean Streak was the tallest terred, the industry keeps expanding wooden roller coaster in the world when it globally, as theme parks and amuse- opened in 1991 at the famed Cedar Point ments fnd enthusiasts everywhere. in Ohio, the self-proclaimed roller coaster One of the fastest-growing regions is capital of the world. Closed after 25 years, the Middle East and North Africa, where Mean Streak found new life after it was theme-park spending is expected to retroftted with steel-rail technology triple over the next fve years. China has by Rocky Mountain Construction and several new properties in works, includ- unveiled in May 2018 as Steel Vengeance. ing Universal Studios Beijing and Six “We were able to take this old ride that Flags parks in the planning stages. was super iconic and make it even more Driving that global growth is iconic,” says Colin Coon, a design engi- innovation—not just ever taller but neer for Rocky Mountain Construction. creating thrills in all directions. “Fly- Driving all this innovation is a real ing coasters” simulate the experience passion among designers—those we of soaring through the air (riders are talked to have been fans since childhood. strapped in a prone position parallel to In design labs and at drawing boards, the track). “Wing coasters” seat riders experts say, imagination to dream up the on both sides of the track, with nothing seemingly impossible is the secret ingre- above or below them. Add to that cork- dient. Stellhorn recalls one roller coaster screws, inversions, and airtime—that concept that literally started with a stomach-lurching feeling of foating out paper clip bent into a certain shape: “We of your seat. said, ‘What if we could make something Innovation also brings new life to like this?’ It’s just a little bit of courage old coasters. The original wooden roller to take that step.” “We said, ‘What if we could make something like this?’ It’s just a little bit of courage to take that step.” C ON PERIENCES SUMER EX It’s Not Just the Ride in-store?” For roller coaster riders, after For all the hype, not to mention wait the adrenaline rush, the fun is reliving times in line of two or three hours, the it. That sparks a “word-of-mouth con- roller coaster ride lasts only a minute or versation after the ride is over, because two. The irony is, the faster roller coast- the ride itself is too fast to take in all at ers go, the shorter the ride. Even so, fans once,” says Mourey. can’t wait to ride again and again. A memorable experience doesn’t For this industry, as in many others, require being the fastest or tallest. It can the recipe for repeat business goes far also happen with a story, with amuse- beyond the ride—or the product. It’s ment rides that create immersion into a creating a compelling experience, begin- diferent world—such as the Wizarding ning with anticipation and continuing World of Harry Potter at Universal well beyond the actual “consumption.” Orlando Resort in Florida, which spans According to Jim Mourey, assistant pro- two theme parks and includes rides fessor of marketing at DePaul University through scenes re-created from the in Chicago, that could well be applied Harry Potter books and movies. The to the world of retail, to enhance online Walt Disney World Resort is also taking shopping experiences with interactive the storytelling route with the frst content and to create more memorable roller coaster at its Epcot theme park in visits to brick-and-mortar stores. Florida: The Guardians of the Galaxy “How do we think about what con- ride, set to debut in 2021, modeled after sumers are experiencing on their way the Guardians of the Galaxy flm series. into the store or while they are waiting “It may not be the fastest or the tallest or in line?” he asks. “What is that service the most thrilling, but it’s telling a story engagement like when they are actu- that resonates with that brand commu- ally consuming a product or service nity,” Mourey says. FASTEST, TALLEST, MOST EXCITING IN THE WORLD KINGDA KA FORMULA ROSSA STEEL DRAGON 2000 Six Flags Great Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi Nagashima Spa Adventure, New Jersey This coaster races to a top Land, Japan Reaching a height of 456 speed of 149.1 miles per Spanning over 8,100 feet, feet, this short yet sweet hour before navigating a this coaster was specially ride thrills guests in only course filled with tight designed to be resistant to 28 seconds. turns and big hills. earthquakes. 56 A memorable experience doesn’t require being the fastest or tallest. It can also happen with a story. HE BRAND COM T MUNITY Braging Rights attracts roller coaster fans of all ages Compelling consumer experiences and backgrounds. Alexandra Friedman, bring together communities of fans who a business coach in Chicago, has been a identify with particular brands. In terms roller coaster fan all her life. “One minute of consumer psychology, brand com- I can be screaming at the top of my lungs munities are all about afliation—think and the next fooded with a sense of joy Mac computer users who distinguish and relief,” she says. Friedman spent themselves from PC people. Roller her 50th birthday riding the Cyclone at coaster enthusiasts are a similar breed. Coney Island, while her husband and They want to be among the frst go to their friends looked on with bemuse- there and ride that (ideally on opening ment. “It was me and a bunch of sweaty day)—with the T-shirt and the social eighth graders,” she laughs. media postings to prove it.
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