Busch Gardens Tampa Bay recently made a small change at Iron Gwazi that could make a pretty big difference for guests: lockers at the attraction are now free for up to two hours.
It is a welcome change, particularly for an attraction where loose-article restrictions can leave guests with little choice but to use a locker.
That also raises an obvious question for SeaWorld Orlando: Could the same idea work here?
SeaWorld currently offers small single-use rental lockers near several of its major attractions, including Mako, Manta, Kraken, Ice Breaker, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster and Journey to Atlantis.
For guests carrying a bag or other items that cannot accompany them onto a ride, that can mean paying an additional fee simply to experience an attraction they have already paid to access.
We think Busch Gardens’ new approach at Iron Gwazi offers a better solution.
If It’s Required, Make It Free
There is certainly a place for paid lockers in a theme park.
Guests who want to store a backpack for several hours or keep belongings somewhere throughout the day should reasonably expect to pay for that convenience.
Ride lockers are a little different.
When an attraction’s safety policies require guests to leave certain belongings behind, providing a small locker free for a limited period makes sense. Two hours should be more than enough time for most guests to store their belongings, wait in line, ride and retrieve their items.
Anyone who wants to keep the locker longer could then pay an additional fee.
It’s a simple system that keeps the option of paid storage while eliminating an extra charge for guests who only need somewhere to put their belongings while riding.
Could SeaWorld Orlando Be Next?
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld Orlando are both operated by United Parks & Resorts, making the Iron Gwazi change especially interesting.
We would love to see SeaWorld take what Busch Gardens is doing and expand it to its Orlando roller coasters.
Give guests a reasonable amount of free locker time at attractions such as Mako, Manta, Kraken, Ice Breaker and Pipeline. Keep longer-term and all-day storage as paid options.
Theme parks are always looking for ways to improve the guest experience, and sometimes it doesn’t require a new attraction or multimillion-dollar investment.
Sometimes it’s something as simple as letting guests put their stuff in a locker for an hour or two without reaching for their wallet.
Busch Gardens has taken that step with Iron Gwazi.
Hopefully SeaWorld Orlando is paying attention.
