2018, Rielly
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 2
Imagine a hot June summer afternoon at an amusement park with your family.
You can smell the popcorn being made and can hear the people screaming on the rollercoaster next to you. You see the bathrooms to your right and a large group of people waiting in line to ride the big new rollercoaster. Then you look down at your wheelchair only to realize not only can’t you ride the rollercoaster, but the ques aren’t wide enough and have stairs, so you can’t even wait in line with your family. You have to wait outside until they are all done riding, or they choose not to go on the ride to accommodate you. How does this make you feel? Alienated? Upset? Situations like these happen all the time and there are simple fixes to these issues that can be done in advance to include everyone in the fun no matter their age, disability or ability.
The U.S., Census Bureau reports nearly 1 in 5 People Have a Disability. The census also found: “About 8.1 million people had difficulty seeing, including 2.0 million who were blind or unable to see. About 7.6 million people experienced difficulty hearing.
Roughly 30.6 million had difficulty walking or climbing stairs, or used a wheelchair, cane, crutches or walker. Difficulty with at least one activity of daily living was cited by
9.4 million noninstitutionalized adults. These activities included getting around inside the home, bathing, dressing and eating.” (Census.gov). 1 That’s a huge chunk of our entire population that is considered disabled and has their own unique needs.
How do we serve this huge community in our amusement parks and commercial locations? And what exactly does a park need to do to make it ADA friendly versus All
1 Brault, Matthew. "School-Aged Children with Disabilities in U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas: 2010." Census.gob. November 2011. Accessed May 2018. https://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/acsbr10-12.pdf.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 3
Accessible? In order for a park to be ADA accessible they have to follow the guidelines like any commercial building needs to have. (The list for all 112 items needed for an amusement park is located at the end of the paper). Such things this would oversee include walkways, sidewalks, bathrooms, some amusement rides and commercial shops just to name a few. The access-board.gov states, “Each newly constructed or newly designed amusement ride must provide at least one wheelchair space, or at least one ride seat designed for transfer, or a transfer device designed to transfer a person using a wheelchair from the load and unload area to a ride seat. The choice of which type of access that is provided for each ride is left up to the operator or designer. Where possible, operators are encouraged to exceed the number of accessible ride seats so that more people with disabilities and their families can enjoy the rides at the same time.” 2
By going above and beyond what you have to have to make your park ADA accessible versus accessible for all you will have that many more people who can come to your park and buy a ticket.
One thing to do is start from the very beginning before the park is even built. There is a type of design and concept called Universal Design that I believe could be the answer to including everyone in any situation. Universal Design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.
2 Home." Amusement Rides. Accessed February 26, 2018. https://www.access- board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/recreation-facilities/guides/guide- on- amusement- rides.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 4
There are 7 Key Principles of Universal Design they are:3
1. Equitable use. The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse
abilities. For example, a website that is designed to be accessible to everyone,
including people who are blind and use screen reader technology, employs this
principle.
2. Flexibility in Use. The design accommodates a wide range of individual
preferences and abilities. An example is a museum that allows visitors to choose
to read or listen to the description of the contents of a display case
3. Simple and intuitive. Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the
user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
Science lab equipment with clear and intuitive control buttons is an example of
an application of this principle.
4. Perceptible information. The design communicates necessary information
effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory
abilities. An example of this principle is captioned television programming
projected in a noisy sports bar.
5. Tolerance for error. The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences
of accidental or unintended actions. An example of a product applying this
principle is software applications that provide guidance when the user makes an
inappropriate selection.
3 "Universal Design: Process, Principles, and Applications." UW News. Accessed May 07, 2018. https://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design- process-principles- and-applications. Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 5
6. Low physical effort. The design can be used efficiently, comfortably, and with a
minimum of fatigue. Doors that open automatically for people with a wide variety
of physical characteristics demonstrate the application of this principle.
7. Size and space for approach and use. Appropriate size and space is provided for
approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of the user's body size,
posture, or mobility. A flexible work area designed for use by employees who are
left- or right-handed and have a variety of other physical characteristics and
abilities is an example of applying this principle.
A second way is we look at some of the most well-known amusement parks in the
World that are disability friendly and see how they made a guest’s experience the most important part of their design. One of the most well-known disability friendly theme park brands is The Disney Company. The Disney Company’s mission is to ensure that guests have the most magical experience possible. And they live by this mission.
Millions of people visit both Walt Disney World and Disneyland every year from all over the world each with varying needs some more than others. In a book called, Mouse Ears for Everyone!, Amy Schinner made a guide on how to navigate Walt Disney World for guests with special needs. She states, “The most significant thing that separates Disney theme parks from any other parks is their customer service. It is the world’s gold standard for customer service.” 4
Schinner also goes into great detail about planning for your trip and things you should look out for in advance to work towards having a great trip. She says, “There are
4 Schinner, Amy. Mouse ears for everyone: a guide to Walt Disney World for guests with special needs. United States: Theme Park Press, 2017.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 6 some specific policies Disney uses in guiding their cast members on how to help guests with special needs. Many of the policies are universal to most public places concerning physical disabilities; of course, Disney is fully ADA compliant, but they separate themselves from the pack by thinking of their guests with disabilities not obvious to the public. Whether it is developmental disability or a food allergy, Disney goes beyond the norm to make sure everyone is comfortable and safe.” (Mouse Ears for Everyone!,
Schinner, page 67-68). 5 With this mindset in the original design of the park and the staff at Disney well trained to help anyone who needs it makes Disney one of the most successful parks in the country.
Disney is also well known for their Disability Access Service otherwise known as
DAS. Disney’s website states, “As part of this commitment, Disability Access Service
(DAS) is a tool provided at the Walt Disney World® theme parks to enhance the service we provide to our Guests with disabilities. DAS is intended for Guests whose disability prevents them from waiting in a conventional queue environment. This service allows
Guests to schedule a return time that is comparable to the current queue wait for the given attraction. Once a return time is issued, Guests are free to enjoy other theme park offerings such as meeting a Character, grabbing a bite to eat, enjoying entertainment or even visiting another attraction until their listed return time. Return times are valid until redeemed prior to park closing.” (Disney.go.com/das). 6 Among DAS, Disney is
5 Schinner, Amy. Mouse ears for everyone: a guide to Walt Disney World for guests with special needs. United States: Theme Park Press, 2017.
6 "Disney Parks Disability Access Service Card Fact Sheet." Disney Parks Blog. Accessed May 08, 2018. https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/disney-parks- disability-access-service-card-fact-sheet/.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 7 also well known for the numerous accommodations for guests with mobility disabilities, guests with visual disabilities, guests with hearing disabilities and guests with cognitive disabilities.
Some examples of accommodations that Disney offer include:
• Rental wheelchairs
• Rental electric conveyance vehicles (ECVs)
• Accommodations for service animals
• Assistive Listening systems
• Reflective Captioning
• Sign Language interpretation
• Text Typewriter telephones
• Handheld Captioning
• Video Captioning
• Audio Description devices
• Braille guidebooks
• Adult Changing Tables
• Sensory Kits
• Digital audio tours Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 8
Besides Disney. one of the most disability friendly amusement parks ever made is located in San Antonio, TX and is called Morgan’s Wonderland. Morgan’s Wonderland is a 25-acre property and it open in the spring of 2010. Gordon Hartman, a former property developer, decided to build an amusement park where his daughter, Morgan, and other children like her could feel comfortable and have fun in a safe environment that anyone can enjoy. BBC.com wrote an article about the park and had an interview with Hartman. In the interview bbc.com stated, “So in 2007 he decided to build it himself. A former property developer, he sold his homebuilding businesses in 2005 to set up The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, a non-profit organization that seeks to help people with disabilities. Then he set about creating the "world's first ultra- accessible theme park". "We wanted a theme park where everyone could do everything, where people with and without special needs could play," Hartman says. He brought together doctors, therapists, parents and other people with and without disabilities to consult on the facilities. These were built on the 25-acre site of a disused quarry in San
Antonio, Texas.” (bbc.com/news). 7 The site is located in central San Antonio and is near several other commercial locations.
The project cost close to $34 million and took 3 years to raise the money and to build the park. Bbc.com also stated, “Since it opened Morgan's Wonderland has received over a million visitors from 67 countries and from all 50 American states. A third of staff have disabilities and entrance is free to any guest with a condition. "I realized Morgan was one of the lucky ones because she had many of the things she needed. I didn't want
7 Bates, Claire. "How One Man Built a $51m Theme Park for His Daughter." BBC News. August 04, 2017. Accessed May 07, 2018. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine- 40742586.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 9 cost to be a barrier for others with special needs," Hartman says.” (bbc.com/news). 8
With a third of the staff having disabilities Morgan’s Wonderland set up a program to help their employees to be independent and successful with the money they earn at their job.
After noticing that ticket sales were going down in July due to heat and hot wheelchairs Hartman decided to open a water park next to Morgan’s Wonderland and calls it Morgan’s inspiration island. Morgan’s inspiration island opened in the summer of 2017 by adding 4 acres next to the Morgan Wonderland. The water park includes five tropically themed splash pads. There is even a temperature heated pool for those who cannot physically tolerate cold water. Another wonderful part of the water park is the
100% waterproof wheelchairs guests can rent for the day to enjoy the park without having to worry about their chairs getting wet. Whitewaterwest.com, one of the companies that helped make Morgan’s Inspiration Island accessible to all, wrote a beautiful article about the park and some of the adaptations that make Morgan’s
Inspiration Island ultra-accessible are:
• Waterproof wheelchairs – The park collaborated with the Pittsburgh
Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) at the University of
Pittsburgh to develop the PneuChair™, a revolutionary waterproof
wheelchair propelled by compressed air. Guests in expensive battery-
powered wheelchairs can’t afford to get them wet, but the PneuChair, and
8 Bates, Claire. "How One Man Built a $51m Theme Park for His Daughter." BBC News. August 04, 2017. Accessed May 07, 2018. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine- 40742586.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 10
other waterproof wheelchair designs, enable those guests to splash and
play with everyone.
• Wheelchair Valet – To facilitate the transfer of guests from personal to
waterproof wheelchairs, Morgan’s Inspiration Island incorporated
spacious changing rooms that constitute the Wheelchair Valet. Some
rooms are equipped with lifts that can accommodate both children and
adults. Also available are adjustable electric changing tables for exact
height positioning.
• Ride re-engineering – The Morgan’s Inspiration Island team worked with
the manufacturer (WhiteWater) to provide easier wheelchair access to the
River Boat Adventure ride. Previous to Morgan’s Inspiration Island, this
ride would accommodate guests in wheelchairs and walkers via a ramp.
Thanks to re-engineering specified by and paid for by the design team, the
first river boat ride without a ramp is now in service at Morgan’s
Inspiration Island. Now guests in wheelchairs can wait in the same line
with everyone else and not feel separated. The ramp less design also
means that guests can board boats from either side of the boat and from
anywhere on the platform.
• Warmed-water splash pad – Rainbow Reef is designed so the water
temperature can be raised for the benefit of guests that can’t tolerate
regular water temperatures, even in the heat of summer. Certain medical
conditions cause muscle pain or contraction when an individual is
subjected to non-heated water. Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 11
• Location Station technology – Like Morgan’s Wonderland, RFID coverage
encompasses Morgan’s Inspiration Island, so guests can interact with
technology and parents can easily ascertain the whereabouts of their
children and other members of their party at a Location Station or on their
smart phone.9
These two parks are great examples of what you can achieve if you make disability your priority in the initial designs. So how can we implement this is our own
New Orleans neighborhood? According in the census done back in 2010 they found approximately, “42,672 school age children in Louisiana have a disability, 16,568 school age children in Mississippi and 36,207 school age children in Alabama” respectfully.
10(See Attachments) They also found the average number of people in Alabama,
Louisiana and Mississippi to have a disability under the age of 65 is 11% of the population. I believe it would be easiest to incorporate universal design in the initial design of a park instead of having to change the design later on when the park is already open. One park that comes to mind in our own backyards is the Old Six Flags Park in
New Orleans East.
In 2000, just outside of New Orleans East a theme park was opened by Alfa
Smartparks, called Jazzland. The park included 140 acres and several different rides including 2 rollercoasters and a log flume. In 2003 Jazzland was bought by Six Flags
9 "In the Interest of Greater Accessibility." WhiteWater West. August 18, 2017. Accessed May 08, 2018. https://www.whitewaterwest.com/in-the-news/interest-greater- accessibility/.
10 "20 - Amusement Parks." Introduction to the ADA. Accessed May 07, 2018. https://www.ada.gov/archive/NPRM2008/ria_supplement/fac020.htm.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 12 and was renamed Six Flags New Orleans. When Six Flags bought the property, they upgraded it immensely adding more shaded areas and many new flat spinning rides.
They also added an inverted rollercoaster named Batman. and a Vekoma, a multiple looping coaster called The Jester. A water park was in the planning stages in early 2005 and was going to be announced at the end of August but was never completed.
On August 29th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, washing out several areas of New Orleans and submerged lives and properties beneath flood waters some feared would never recede. Katrina’s wrath didn’t spare the Six Flags amusement park that sits outside the city. The park grounds are located on a low-lying section, with a 6-foot earthen flood berm running along the perimeter, creating an artificial basin.
Because of this musky water rose to six feet high throughout the park, where it turned concession stands upside down and roller coasters into massive and hopeless sea snakes. The parks drainage pumps failed during the storm and the combination of rainwater and sea water submerged the entire park for over a month. Due to the extensive water and wind damage received the park was closed indefinitely.
The Times Picayune wrote, on July 1, 2006, “having announced that the park would be closed "at least" through 2007, Six Flags announced that it had concluded its damage assessments and declared the park to be an "effective total loss"—with no desire or intent by the company to undertake the prohibitive cost of rebuilding—and was in negotiations with the City of New Orleans to make an early exit from the 75-year lease which Six Flags entered into on the property in 2002.” 11However, the New Orleans
Mayor at the time, Ray Nagin, decided to hold Six Flags to the lease and force them to
11 "Six Flags Wants Out". Times Picayune. July 1, 2006. Retrieved August 9, 2007
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 13 rebuild. The Times also stated, “If held to the terms of the lease agreement, Six Flags would have been legally obligated to rebuild the park on the same site, but only to the extent of the insurance money Six Flags received. Six Flags determined the value of assets destroyed by the storm at $32.5 million. As of September 2006, Six Flags had collected $11.5 millions of insurance proceeds, bringing the insurance receivable balance to $24.4 million.” 12 With this impending obligation to rebuild the site Six Flags turned to other ways to receive funding.
In January 2007, Six Flags officials revealed to the New Orleans Times-
Picayune that the company was suing its insurers for the remaining $17.5 million in coverage. As late as the fall of 2009, the Six Flags website said the company was "still in the process of settling claims with its insurers due to substantial damage caused by
Hurricane Katrina," adding that the park would remain closed. The statement ended with "We know that it is still a difficult time for the residents of New Orleans and we remain committed to working with the city in support of the recovery efforts.”
(SixFlags.com/neworleans). 13 After Six Flags sued the insurance company the mayor and the City of New Orleans let Six Flags out of their lease on the land.
13 years later the park still sits untouched with the muddy clowns, smashed mermaids and Mardi Gras figures stuck in an apocalyptic freeze-frame. Over the years the site has sat vacant overgrown with plants and animals, but one industry has used
12 "Six Flags Wants Out". Times Picayune. July 1, 2006. Retrieved August 9, 2007
13 "Looking for Six Flags New Orleans?" Polybius at The Clickto Network. Accessed May 07, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20090921025403/http://www.sixflags.com /national/alert/neworleans.aspx.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 14 this decollate place to produce masterpieces this industry is the film industry. In 2002,
Louisiana as a state created a tax incentive to attract film and television companies. The success of the film industry in Louisiana has the state nicknamed the Hollywood of the
South. Nola.com stated, “A report released by the nonprofit Film L.A. -- the city of Los
Angeles' film office -- shows that the Louisiana film industry in 2013 overtook that of
California for the title of the film-production capital of the world. Of the 108 major- studio productions released into theaters last year, 18 were shot substantially in
Louisiana, according to the study.” (nola.com). 14Some of the more famous movies that have been filmed at the park include: Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Dawn of the
Planet of the Apes, Jurassic World & Deepwater Horizon to name a few.
The fate of the old Six Flags park land now sits in the hands of the new Mayor of
New Orleans. With her new agenda slowly being unveiled and the hiring of new staff it will be interesting to see what she decides to do with the park. In the meantime, the
Industrial Development Board of New Orleans has been in put charge of the maintenance, care and security of the park and is also having to foot the bill for all the expenses. A few different people and companies have placed bids with the city to buy the land and take over the lease that Six Flags has left behind. Some of these different companies have proposed designs including but not limited to a strip mall, an outdoor concert venue, music festival spot and restoring the park back to its former glory. One of the companies that has placed a bid with the city is The Paidia Company. The Paidia
14 Scott, Mike. "Louisiana Outpaces Los Angeles, New York and All Others in 2013 Film Production, Study Shows." NOLA.com. March 10, 2014. Accessed May 07, 2018. http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2014/03/louisiana_outpaces_los _angeles.html.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 15
Company (TPC) is a Louisiana based company that specializes in themed entertainment development and is the client I have chosen to work with. TPC was created with the mission “of creating new, enriching experiences for guests. Paidia, our namesake, was the Greek goddess of fun and amusement, but the word has evolved in the Greek language to take on more of an edutainment type meaning. The Greeks believed that people learned best while at play.” (jazzlandpark.com/aboutus). 15The TPC team is composed of five very well educated and experienced professionals in the amusement park industry.
The leader of the group, Tonya Pope, has owned and operated a themed entertainment consulting business for the past eleven years. Ms. Pope started her career in the aerospace industry working at NASA where she helped develop and program simulators used for crew training. She moved on to pursue creative opportunities. Ms.
Pope now has over fifteen years of experience in project management, with over ten years of experience working at the executive level. She has been a member of several groups, including IAAPA, Mensa, and the Society of Computer Simulation. Tonya received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Louisiana
State University.
Another leader among the team, Dan Kyle, Ph. D, CPA, CFE, served as Legislative
Auditor for the State of Louisiana for over 13 years. Dr. Kyle was unanimously appointed by both houses of the Louisiana Legislature. The Legislative Auditor is a constitutionally created position that serves as fiscal advisor to the Louisiana Legislature and is
15 "Jazzland Theme Park." Jazzland. Accessed May 08, 2018. http://www.jazzlandpark.com/about.html.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 16 responsible for auditing state and local government. The scope of audits performed includes financial and compliance audits, performance audits, and investigative audits.
Additionally, he served over 20 years as Associate Professor of accounting at Louisiana
State University.
A key player in amusement park management has come aboard the team. His name is Roy Turley and he has been involved in the theme park, themed entertainment and service industries for over 25 years, having developed, constructed, managed and operated various projects across the country. He is the founder of Crossroads
Consulting; a retainer based executive search, operations and training firm specializing in the themed entertainment and hospitality industry. Roy has received the Best
Speaker award at the 1994 and 2000 World Waterpark Association Convention and
Trade Shows. Turley was also the General Manager of Town Center Plaza in Leawood,
Kansas, an up-scale out door shopping center. More recently Roy took his park experience and applied it to government operated parks as the Parks Division Manager for Travis County, Texas Parks. This includes 34 parks (5000 acres), 6300 acres of nature preserves and construction of two new metropolitan parks and expansion of three existing metropolitan parks and the acquisition and operation of the largest parkland and open space in the county's history.
For the waterpark management the team, we have on board Kevin Kopeny &
Kenny Handler. Kevin Kopeny is currently the General Manager at Wild Rivers
Waterpark in Irvine CA. Kevin began working at Wild Rivers in 1988 and possesses nearly 20 years of experience in the waterpark industry. Kenny Handler has operated and managed California's finest Waterparks for the past 23 years. He also excelled as the
General Manager of the Wave Waterpark and received acknowledgments through the Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 17
World Waterpark Association winning countless awards on marketing and programming. His experience, creativity, and strong work ethic have been the foundation for successful consulting and management in municipalities and the entertainment industry. Kenny as a past General Manager and Community Services
Director (Rancho Santa Margarita) has successfully managed large parks such as Raging
Waters San Jose (400,000 annual attendance, Hurricane Harbor CA. 400,000 annual attendance, Raging Waters San Dimas 700,000 annual attendance and The Wave
Waterpark 150,000 annual attendance).
For the development side of things Tonya Pope and Jazzlandpark.com stated,
“Theme park specialists will be involved to help create an exciting and memorable environment. A project of this magnitude encompasses many entities that will be involved in the final project. While key contractors have already been identified, they will be added here as negotiations move forward.”16
McGillivray Consulting Group LLC (MCG) was established in 1998 to provide project and cost management services on capital construction projects for both private and public-sector entities. MCG, a global project management resource for the construction industry, specializes in major theme parks, attractions, retail, restaurant, education, municipal and commercial facilities, as well as first-class hotel, resort and timeshare properties, worldwide. Projects have ranged in size from under $1 million to more than $1 billion.
16 "Jazzland Theme Park." Jazzland. Accessed May 08, 2018. http://www.jazzlandpark.com/about.html.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 18
U-Studios is a nationwide multi-disciplined group of architectural and engineering professionals providing services in production and award-winning design for multi-unit restaurant and retail, theme parks, hospitality and corporate architecture.
Most recently, they were engaged by Holiday World/Splashin' Safari to help them achieve their goal of growing annual attendance by 50%. Services included existing park evaluation, park realignment and planning, and attraction capacity calculations. The relationship continues as Holiday World implements their plan over the next ten years.
U-Studios, Incorporated offers a broad scope of experience to our national clients, with experience in new, retrofit, remodel, and re-imaged projects. Services include LEED certification opportunities. U-Studios creates environments that emotionally connect to the guest through highly immersive, story-driven design that draws them in and brings them back. Their designers have completed dozens of intriguing projects from initial concept through installation; providing services that include concept development, show treatments, story-boarding, script writing, show directing and choreography, set and custom design, renovation and ground-up architecture.
The Paidia Company proposal is to recreate Jazzland which will include restoring the original park as a next-generation Jazzland, celebrating Louisiana's unique art, music and cultural heritage. In addition to the theme park, they are proposing to add a water park and movie backlot studio to the site. Future expansion possibilities include a retail/entertainment venue and youth sports fields.
Ms. Pope in my initial interview on the phone restated what is said on the
Jazzland website stating, “Let's start by discussing the important part ... financial matters. For the property itself, we proposed a flat cash annual lease payment, plus a Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 19 guaranty on local sales tax collections of $1.8 million so that the HUD note can be satisfied. If, for any reason, the local sales taxes generated by the site fall short, we will make up the difference so that the HUD note can be paid without having to dip into the general fund.”
While their proposal includes several changes to the existing site, plans will only be finalized after they have had the opportunity to conduct community meetings so that they can get citizen comments and feedback. In the current conceptual plan, the park's footprint would be expanded slightly. The new water park would be constructed adjacent to the park, with the film back lot at the opposite end of the available acreage.
Why the name Jazzland? Tonya Pope stated on the Jazzland website, “In addition to its being the right name for the theme, let's face it ... this is Louisiana. No matter what name we would put out on the sign, everybody would still call it 'Jazzland', so why fight it? Jazzland will be returned to its roots, a celebration Louisiana. Our intentions are to infuse the park with art, music and cultural elements that highlight our rich heritage.
The park will utilize some of the existing elements, while adding others.” (Tonya Pope,
Interview and Jazzland.com).
The park will be divided into four areas:
1. "The Quarter" -- focuses on our history
2. "The Bayou" -- focuses on our diverse cultures
3. "The Beach" -- focuses on our enjoyment of life
4. "Sportsman's Paradise" -- focuses on our love of the outdoors
Each area will include a selection of attractions that should appeal to the entire family group. TPC is also are dedicated to having the site serve as a real asset to the community. In addition to the economic impact it should have to the area and the jobs Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 20 created, they plan on working with area schools and foundations to help inspire youth by exposing them to new career opportunities and to help show them the potential their lives can have.
With Jazzland and Universal Design in mind how can we make the future of
Jazzland a success for not only abled adults and children but also their friends and family members who may be disabled and would like to enjoy the park too?
Some recommendation I would give to TPC for starters would be:
• Set Universal Design as a clear goal from the beginning
• Learn from other parks
• Hire an ADA Consultant
• Make Accessibility a commitment from the very beginning
Similar to the list of the Disney and Morgan’s Wonderland accommodations some of the recommended design ideas I would include in Jazzland proposal to make it successful include:
• Rental Wheelchairs
• Wheelchair Friendly Ques
• Rental Electric Conveyance Vehicles (ECVs)
• Lap Harnesses for Amputees
• Accommodations for Service Animals Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 21
• Assistive Listening Systems
• Reflective Captioning
• Sign Language Interpretation
• Text Typewriter Telephones
• Handheld Captioning
• Video Captioning
• Location Station Technology
• Warm Water Pool Access
• Wheelchair Valet
• No Stairs
• Ride Re-Engineering
• Audio Description Devices
• Braille Guidebooks
• Adult Changing Tables
• Sensory Kits
• Digital Audio Tours Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 22
By implementing these design ideas into the initial designs of Jazzland I believe
the park can be successful in marketing itself as an all accessible park. With these
designs we can serve a large portion of our population who can enjoy themselves in a
commercial setting without feeling left out or needing special treatment. In this day
and age where we are trying to celebrate who we are and make everyone feel special
why not make these small additions to include everyone.
With Universal Design in mind I like the quote that President George W. Bush
said, in his New Freedom Initiative “Whenever any barrier stands between you and
the full rights and dignity of citizenship, we must work to remove it, in the name of
simple decency and justice. The promise of the ADA...has enabled people with
disabilities to enjoy much greater access to a wide range of affordable travel,
recreational opportunities and life-enriching services." I believe this says so much to
our lifestyle and our continuation to make everyone have an equal opportunity to be
who they are and to have fun. I believe by implanting these design ideas and
continuing to share the message of Universal Design to other developers we can
make it a staple in our communities for the years to come. Jazzland will be a big
success in the future weather or not they implement these design ideas and I only
hope for the best for TPC and the future of Jazzland.
Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 23
Executive Summary
The 7 Key Principles of Universal Design are:
1. Equitable use. 2. Flexibility in Use. 3. Simple and intuitive. 4. Perceptible
information. 5. Tolerance for error 6. Low physical effort. 7. Size and space for
approach and use.
What Makes Disney & Morgan’s Wonderland Special?
Waterproof Wheelchairs, Stroller & Wheelchair Rentals, Braille Signage, 3-D Park
Model, Service-Animal Rest Area, Adult Changing Tables, Sensory Accommodations,
Rider Switch, Wheelchair Friendly Ques, No Stairs, Sign Language interpreters,
Disability Access Service
Six Flags New Orleans current:
• 227 Acre Property
• Located in New Orleans East
• $3.26 Million Appraisal for the Land
• Untouched since Katrina
• Owned by the city & is overseen by the Industrial Development Board
• Used a Movie Film set
• Currently taking bids from potential buyers
Recommendations:
• Set Universal Design as a clear goal from the beginning
• Learn from other parks
• Hire an ADA consultant
• Make it a commitment from the start Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 24
Appendix
20 - ADA Score Guide for Amusement parks
Requirement BR Alt NC OM Space Replace SV Benf 1 - Public Entrances ------2 - Maneuvering Clearance or Standby ------Power for Automatic Doors 3 - Automatic Door Break-Out Openings ------4 - Thresholds at Doorways ------5 - Door and Gate Surfaces - - (0.0) (0.0) - - - 0.1 6 - Location of Accessible Routes ------7 - Common Use Circulation Paths in ------Employee Work Areas 8 - Accessible Means of Egress ------9 - Stairs (NC) ------10 - Stairs (ALT/BR) ------11 - Handrails Along Walkways ------12 - Handrails - - 0.0 - - - - (0.6) 13 - Accessible Routes from Site Arrival - - 0.1 - - - - (3.3) Points and Within Sites 14 - Standby Power for Platform Lifts ------15 - Power-Operated Doors for Platform ------Lifts 16 - Alterations to Existing Elevators ------17 - Platform Lifts in Hotel Guest Rooms ------and Dwelling Units 18 - "LULA" and Private Residence ------Elevators 19 - Van Accessible Parking Spaces - (0.1) (0.0) - - - - 9.5 20 - Valet Parking Garages ------21 - Mechanical Access Parking Garages ------22 - Direct Access Entrances from Parking ------Structures Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 25
Requirement BR Alt NC OM Space Replace SV Benf 23 - Passenger Loading Zones - (0.0) (0.0) - - - - 10.0 24 - Parking Spaces - (0.0) (0.0) - - - - 6.9 25 - Parking Spaces (Signs) ------26 - Passenger Loading Zones (Medical / ------Long-Term Care) 27 - Ambulatory Accessible Toilet - (0.0) (0.0) (0.0) - - - 65.9 Compartments 28 - Water closet clearance in single-user - (0.2) (0.0) - - - - 123.9 toilet rooms - out swinging door 29 - Shower Spray Controls - (0.0) (0.0) - - - - 2.3 30 - Urinals ------31 - Multiple Single-User Toilet Rooms ------32 - Water closet clearance in single-user - (0.2) (0.0) - - - - 1.4 toilet rooms - in swinging door 33 - Water Closet Location and Rear Grab ------Bar 34 - Patient Toilet Rooms ------35 - Drinking Fountains ------36 - Sinks ------37 - Side Reach - (0.2) - - - - - 3.6 38 - Sales and Service Counters (NC) - - 0.1 - - - - (0.2) 39 - Sales and Service Counters (Alt) - 0.1 - - - - - (0.7) 40 - Washing Machines and Clothes Dryers ------(technical) 41 - Washing Machines and Clothes Dryers ------(Scoping) 42 - Self-Service Storage Access ------43 - Limited Access Spaces and Machinery ------Spaces 44 - Operable Parts ------45 - Transient lodging Guest Room Vanities ------46 - Operable Windows ------47 - Dwelling Units with Communication ------Features [1991] Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 26
Requirement BR Alt NC OM Space Replace SV Benf 48 - Dwelling Units with Communication ------Features [UFAS] 49 - Galley Kitchen Clearances ------50 - Shower Compartments with Mobility - 0.0 - - - - - (0.1) Features 51 - Location of Accessible Route to Stages - (1.1) - (0.4) - - - 0.1 52 - Wheelchair Space Overlap in Assembly - (0.4) - - - - - 4.0 Areas 53 - Lawn Seating in Assembly Areas ------54 - Handrails on Aisle Ramps in Assembly - 0.1 0.1 - - - - (8.5) Areas 55 - Wheelchair Spaces in Assembly Areas ------56 - Accessible Route to Tiered Dining ------Areas in Sports Facilities (NC) 57 - Accessible Route to Press Boxes ------58 - Public TTYS ------59 - Public Telephone Volume Controls - (0.0) - - - (0.0) - 0.0 60 - Two-Way Communication Systems at ------Entrances 61 - ATMs and Fare Machines ------62 - Assistive Listening Systems (technical) - (0.2) (0.1) (0.2) - (0.5) - 0.0 63 - Visible Alarms in Alterations to Existing ------Facilities 64 - Detectable Warnings (scoping) - 0.1 0.1 - - - - (1.3) 65 - Detectable Warnings (technical) ------66 - Assistive Listening Systems (scoping) ------67 - Accessible Courtroom Stations ------68 - Accessible Attorney Areas and Witness ------Stands 69 - Raised Courtroom Stations Not for ------Members of the Public 70 - Accessible Route to Exercise Machines ------and Equipment 71 - Accessible Machines and Equipment ------Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 27
Requirement BR Alt NC OM Space Replace SV Benf 72 - Accessible Saunas and Steam Rooms ------(NC) 73 - Accessible Lockers ------74 - Accessible Dressing Rooms, Fitting ------Rooms, or Locker Rooms 75 - Wheelchair Spaces in Team or Player ------Seating Areas 76 - Accessible Route in Court Sport ------Facilities 77 - Accessible Route to Bowling Lanes ------78 - Shooting Facilities with Firing Positions ------79 - Accessible Means of Entry to Pools ------(NC/ALT) 80 - Accessible Means of Entry to Wading ------Pools 81 - Accessible Means of Entry to Spas ------82 - Accessible Route for Boating Facilities ------83 - Accessible Boarding Piers (NC) ------84 - Accessible Boarding Piers (ALT/BR) ------85 - Accessible Boat Slips (NC) ------86 - Accessible Boat Slips (Alt/BR) ------87 - Accessible Route to Fishing Piers ------88 - Accessible Fishing Piers and Platforms ------89 - Accessible Route to Golf Courses ------90 - Accessible Practice Grounds at Golf ------Courses (Alt/BR) 91 - Accessible Practice Grounds at Golf ------Courses (NC) 92 - Accessible Practice Grounds at Driving ------Ranges 93 - Accessible Route to Minigolf Holes ------94 - Accessible Minigolf Holes ------95 - Accessible Route to Rides (42.9) (9.2) (9.8) - - - - 491.1 Making Amusement Parks Friendly for All 28
Requirement BR Alt NC OM Space Replace SV Benf 96 - Wheelchair Space or Transfer Seat or - - (1.2) - - - - 4.4 Transfer Device 97 - Maneuvering Space in Load and Unload (2.4) (0.3) (0.3) - - - - 15.0 Area 98 - Signs at Amusement Park rides (0.9) (0.3) (0.3) - - - - 5.0 99 - Accessible Route to Play Components (0.1) - - - - (0.3) - 36.6 (BR) 100 - Accessible Play Components (BR) (0.0) - - - - (0.0) - 54.7 101 - Accessible Route to Play Components - (0.0) - - - (0.0) - 2.0 (ALT) 102 - Accessible Play Components (ALT) - (0.0) - - - (0.0) - 3.0 103 - Accessible Route to Play Components - - (0.1) - - (0.1) - 8.1 (NC) 104 - Accessible Play Components (NC) - - (0.0) - - (0.0) - 12.1 105 - Open Captioning in Sports Stadium ------106 - Post Secondary School Multi-Story ------Dorm Facility 107 - Mobility Accessible Prison Cell ------108 - Communication Accessible Prison ------Cell 109 - Social Service Establishment (UFAS) ------110 - Social Service Establishment ------(ADAAG) 111 - Accessible Saunas and Steam Rooms ------(ALT/BR)
112 - Accessible Means of Entry to Pools (BR)
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