When you know the basics of the amusement and family entertainment business, it's easier to provide families with an escape that will please all ages. Draw in the crowds with crowd-pleasing entertainment at fair prices.

Family entertainment companies realize that families need a place to get away and have fun together. When setting up a family entertainment business or working with theme park companies, you might want to address the following issues:

1. What do people want to experience when they go to amusement parks?

2. What kind of talent should you hire for family and kids entertainment?

3. Where should you purchase equipment and supplies for family entertainment centers and amusement parks, and what should you buy?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Create family entertainment centers or amusement parks with popular attractions everyone can enjoy

Before finalizing plans for your family entertainment center, do some research to find what appeals most to the modern family and plan accordingly. You may want to review information that analyzes amusement parks.

I recommend: Coaster Grotto claims to have the most prestigious awards for the amusement park industry. It lists winners and has reviews detailing why the parks and rides won the awards. The World Waterpark Association offers a page of fun facts citing the history of water parks and interesting research. It lists the most popular water parks in the United States.

Employ entertainers who draw audiences of all ages to theme parks

Whether you want to offer meals with dressed-up characters in your family entertainment center or an acrobatic act at an amusement park or water park, draw people into your park with high-quality entertainment. Learn what duties it's fair to ask the entertainers to perform before hiring.

I recommend: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections offers a detailed listing of what a family entertainment provider should expect to pay hired talent. It offers easy links to specialized services for more information. EntertainmentCareers.Net encourages employers to sift through its web pages to find entertainers with talents that suit their purposes. Its easy-to-use format also allows business owners to post job descriptions and receive applications from potential employees.

Seek expert advice when purchasing supplies for theme parks and family entertainment centers

Local family entertainment centers and theme parks become popular escapes, especially when they offer something more than rides. Consult with experts and do some research to determine what you should offer.

I recommend: ThemeParkCompany.com offers a list of consultants from around the country that specialize in the amusement industry. Blooloop.com suggests vendors from around the country that offer family entertainment supplies ranging from coin-operated machines to themed retail stores and theatrical equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Offer discounts for guests at family entertainment centers and amusement parks to increase popularity.

Amusement and family entertainment is a major focus for multinational media conglomerates. Location-based entertainment is growing and bringing more amusement parks and family entertainment centers to public spaces. Over the past 10 years, massive urban, suburban and tourist developments have sprouted up.

Theme family vacations and reunion packages make family amusement and family entertainment trips more and more accessible. A large family entertainment group benefits from offering theme park hotels adjacent to theme parks keeping consumer dollars within the park. Convenience packages are proving to be a better deal for families and the family entertainment business industry.

Keep your consumer feeling nostalgic about childhood vacations, consider these options for your family packages:

1. Offer local promos for families staying closer to home this year.

2. Think city-wide entertainment with national amusement park packages.

3. On location theme park vacations for the globe-trotting family.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Promote your local family entertainment centers

Think green and offer your local consumer incentives for family entertainment centers. Offer entertainment for even the youngest visitor with activities encouraging pretending and imaginative play and social and motor skills development to add learning opportunities to indoor family fun. Consider science activities as well as sports and games.

I recommend: Celebration Station offers various locations across the US with park-like setting and Harry Hound for a whole-family experience at a reason price. With 50 years experience, Putt-Putt Fun Centers offers local mini amusement parks with miniature golf. Patrons find attractions like batting cages, laser tag, game rooms, climbing walls, go-karts and bumper boats.

National amusement parks offer home-town Americana

Look at national venues offering park hopping city tickets for the whole family. Packages that offer the second day free make it easier for families to bring the youngest and the oldest alike. Families also like convenience packages with hotel and amusement park tickets together.

I recommend: Six Flags offers dozens of regional amusement parks throughout the US with the popular second day free and annual passes. The Anheuser-Busch family of amusement parks participate in city-wide tickets offering packaged deals for major attractions across the US.

Consider the international theme parks destination

Look for theme park companies at international venues offering family packages for overseas excursion. More and more family entertainment companies are focusing on international ports of call. Even the smallest amusement centers are building multiply sites in Mexico and Canada as well as overseas.

I recommend: The wonderful world of Disney is all over the world. Disney has theme parks in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong and offers cruise lines packages to the Caribbean and the Bahamas with family vacation planning services. Coral World International offers an environmental awareness vacation with state-of-the-art marine observation attractions worldwide.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Bring your water park attractions indoors to keep the profits flowing freely year-round.

Amusement and family entertainment business education and training are critical before investing to begin your own theme park. Owners of amusement parks complete much research and thought before deciding which type of theme park to open and where to locate it.

Family amusement and entertainment take on many different faces. There are amusement parks dedicated to particular themes, water parks, and special event parks. When thinking about the amusement and family entertainment business education and training you need for your amusement park, think about the following:

1. What institutions make courses available on theme park ownership?

2. How much do you know about designing amusement parks?

3. Where can you attend seminars and conferences on theme park management?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Enroll in courses designed to teach the details of owning amusement parks

There are many underlying details to owning and operating amusement parks. Course instructors help students understand the critical features to a successful theme park. They also offer tips for good management and hospitality skills.

I recommend: Boston University offers courses in hospitality that benefit those interested in amusement and family entertainment. Pearson Higher Ed also offers training courses for those interested in the family entertainment industry.

Research the necessary components for designing theme parks

If you are interested in designing your own theme park, then you need much research. You must decide what type of park you will create, such as a theme park or water park. Other considerations are where to locate all of the park features and how much land area you need to purchase. For these types of answers, you need to look for informational resources on amusement park design.

I recommend: Fool offers an article pertaining to what you need to know to design and build your own amusement park. Themed Attraction offers ideas and essentials for designing your own theme park.

Attend seminars and conferences that offer information about family entertainment centers

Those interested in the hospitality industry can learn about the career by attending seminars and conferences where speakers offer up-to-date information. Some seminars focus on a particular aspect of the industry such as amusement park tickets or theme park design. Other conferences and seminars offer information on more general topics.

I recommend: Themed Entertainment Association conducts conventions and seminars that offer information about amusement parks. Training Classes offers both seminars and training courses for family entertainment companies and for those interested in the family entertainment industry.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When thinking about your amusement and family entertainment education and training, be certain to also consider gaining information about the type of insurance that locations such as amusement parks and water parks must obtain. Be sure to find out all of the legal aspects of your responsibilities versus the visitors' responsibilities.