published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

The purpose of this research was to explore how theme parks influence visitors' beliefs about the past and the emotional and attitudinal effects of such beliefs. It was based on the theory that theme parks in portraying an ideal past communicate cultural myths that have psychological impact and that faith in those myths influence current emotions and attitudes. The experiment took place at Old Tucson, an old west theme park and movie location. The independent variables were designed to manipulate subjects' beliefs about what was true in the actual old west, as well as their motivation to reaffirm old west myths. Before entering Old Tucson, subjects were given either "no cue" or a "famous movie location cue." Earlier findings indicated "no cue" allowed reaffirmation of old west myths, while the "movie location cue" caused decreased mythic beliefs. Subjects also received either a culture boost or threat before entry, in the form of a trivia quiz. The boost was intended to leave subjects unmotivated to reaffirm old west myths; the threat was intended to motivate them to seek myth-affirmation at Old Tucson. Upon exit, subjects were surveyed about personal mood, the old west, Old Tucson, and social attitudes and beliefs. No-cue (allowed affirmation), culture-threat (motivation) subjects expressed significantly greater belief in the myth of the old west than their movie-cue (prevented affirmation), culture-threat (motivation) counterparts. Subjects who expressed great belief in the old west had significantly higher optimism about the future than those with lower beliefs. Primary dependent measures included mood (anxiety, depression, hostility, positive affect, and sensation seeking) enjoyment of Old Tucson and desire to return dogmatism, authoritarianism, alienation, attitudes toward technology, death, politics and the environment. Enjoyment of Old Tucson, desire to return, dogmatism, and optimism were positively correlated with strength of old west beliefs among subjects motivated, and able, to reaffirm them.

No description available.

This thesis is a study that aims to understand the pre, during and post visit behaviours of theme park visitors. This study took place at Janfusun Fancyworld, which is situated at Gukeng village Yun-Lin County, Taiwan. The park was the first Taiwanese theme park to achieve ISO 9002 and has hosted over 2 million visitors every year almost since its inception over a decade ago. By these criteria Janfusun is considered the leading theme park in Taiwan. Theme parks originally emerged from medieval and travelling fairs, but the success of locations such as Coney Island in the late nineteenth century introduced the element of exciting rides. At present the definition of a 'theme park' might be said to be an 'amusement park' that possesses a central theme based on history, fiction or other core. However, it is the researcher's own observation that Janfusun focuses more on the installation of hardware facilities, but pays less attention in creating an unifying theme. This situation may have affected the research outcome since Janfusun operates more as an 'amusement park' from a western perspective but markets itself as a 'theme park' within Taiwan, and is consistent with a Taiwanese understanding of the term of being a 'theme park'. The main hypothesis adopted in this study is that satisfaction may be of two types: (1) generic, which relates to general 'push' needs such as those for relaxation, and (2) site specific, which relate to destination attraction features and 'pull' determinants. This thesis argues that the satisfaction of generic motives such as the requirement for relaxation and escape is contingent upon the ability of the attraction to meet the visit motives specific to the attraction. For example, a need for escape would not be met if a theme park visitor found the rides uninspiring, the portrayal of fantasy unconvincing and the food poor. Furthermore, researchers such as Foster (1999) suggest that some destination attributes, while considered important by the tourists, rarely act as an incentive to choose a specific destination, but the absence of these attributes can be a powerful deterrent. Some of the attributes, such as 'accessible toilets' and 'a place to rest', are considered as convenience factors in this thesis. This thesis attempts to understand the relationship of push, pull and convenience factors to the visitors' overall satisfaction. Also, this thesis tries to understand the role of socio-demographic variables in determining overall satisfaction. This thesis also includes a longitudinal study that allows the research to capture the effect of changes to visitors. For example, Janfusun has newly installed an artificial beach and wave feature that serves the social needs of its visitors. This thesis also examines the importance of repeat visitation in determining visitors' motivations and experiences. For example, it was found that visitors with high repeat visits are more aware of the 'new rides' than the first time visitors. Finally the last chapter attempts to answer two key questions, (a) why are the findings of importance to both conceptual literature and management practice, and (b) what might future researchers learn from this thesis. The objectives of this thesis are thus summarised as to: 1. Conduct a longitudinal study in Janfusun. 2. Identify visitors' pre-visit behaviour, which is associated with generic motives and push factors. 3. Identify visitors' during-visit behaviour, which is associated with site-specific features and pull factors. 4. Identify post-visit behaviour, which is associated with satisfaction and loyalty. 5. Identify the causal relationships between pre, during and post visit behaviours and conceptualise a model. 6. Identify the role of convenience factors.

M.Dissertation (Archaeology)-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Orientador: Orlando Fontes Lima Junior / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T17:16:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Loureiro_SergioAdriano_M.pdf: 2318327 bytes, checksum: d3335e20c95f571bd63e7d31069e84af (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo é desenvolver um modelo integrado de simulação de eventos discretos e contínuos que permita descrever e avaliar a dinâmica dos processos de gerenciamento de uma operação de serviços. O modelo foi desenvolvido especificamente no setor de entretenimento para um parque de diversões, sendo um instrumento de auxilio a análise de desempenho e desenvolvimento de políticas de operação. A importância do tema proposto esta na carência de pesquisas acadêmicas brasileiras com enfoque da engenharia no tema entretenimento e parques de diversões, destacando-se a abordagem integrada de diferentes metodologias de simulação. Os métodos adotados para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa foram os usualmente empregados para construção e análise de modelos computacionais de simulação eventos contínuos e discretos, utilizando-se como referência para o desenvolvimento da modelagem elementos de diferentes parques de diversões brasileiros. A exploração do modelo através de diferentes cenários permitiu avaliar e verificar a eficácia das diferentes políticas propostas sobre o desempenho do sistema. A capacidade de identificar e discriminar o efeito destas políticas propostas sobre qualquer componente do sistema apresentou-se como uma vantagem do método de modelagem proposto. / Abstract: This study has the objective of developing an integrated model of discrete event and continuous simulation that enabling describe and evaluate the dynamics of the processes of managing a services operation. The model will be developed specifically for the entertainment industry in an amusement park, and will be a tool to aid the analysis of performance and development of policies for operation. The importance of the proposed theme is the lack of Brazilian academic research on the approach of engineering with the theme entertainment and amusement parks. The methods adopted for the development of this research were usually used for construction and analysis of computational models of continuous and discrete events simulation, using as reference for the development of the modeling elements amusement parks of different in Brazil. The exploration of model through different scenarios allowed evaluating and verifying the effectiveness of various policy proposals on system performance. The ability to identify and discriminate the effect of these proposed policies on any component of the system represented an advantage of the proposed method of modeling. / Mestrado / Transportes / Mestre em Engenharia Civil

This study was designed to address several related problems. (1) To determine the difference, if any, between national travel patterns and those of 1982 Easter Week visitors to Marriott’s Great America (Santa Clara, California) and Marine World Africa U.S.A (Redwood City, California). (2) To determine the differences, if any, between the 1982 Easter Week travel patterns of visitors to Marriott’s Great America and Marine World Africa U.S.A. (3) To determine the difference, if any, between the distances visitors traveled to Marriott’s Great America and Marine World Africa U.S.A. during the summer of 1981 and the 1982 Easter Week. The problems dictated the necessity to address several subproblems. (1) To determine the distances visitors traveled; (2) mode of transportation used; (3) percentages of visitors traveling less than and more than 300 miles; (4) percentages of visitors utilizing various modes of transportation to Marriott’s Great America and Marine World Africa U.S.A. during the 1982 Easter Week; (5) to determine the difference between the distances visitors Marriott’s Great America traveled during the summer of 1981 and the 1982 Easter Week; and (6)to determine the difference between the distances visitors to Marine World Africa U.S.A. traveled during the summer of 1981 and the 1982 Easter Week.

No description available.

Chor See-Yu, Li Chuan-Bei. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-56). / EXECUTIVE SUMMARY --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / Chapter / Chapter I. --- GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF WALT DISNEY CO --- p.1 / Theme Park and Resort --- p.1 / Creative Content --- p.2 / Filmed Entertainment --- p.2 / Television --- p.2 / Walt Disney Feature Animation --- p.3 / Walt Disney Theatrical Productions --- p.3 / Disney Consumer Products --- p.3 / Broadcasting --- p.4 / Problems Identified in the Company --- p.5 / Chapter II. --- INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS --- p.7 / Organizational --- p.7 / Financial --- p.8 / Marketing --- p.9 / R&D --- p.9 / Conclusion of Internal Analysis --- p.10 / Chapter III. --- COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS OF LOCATION --- p.12 / Tourists --- p.13 / Number of Tourists --- p.13 / Purchasing Power of Tourists --- p.13 / Local Residents --- p.14 / Number of Local Residents --- p.14 / Earning of Local Residents --- p.14 / Political and Social Atmosphere --- p.14 / Political Atmosphere and Stability --- p.14 / Social Ethic Standard and Educational Level --- p.15 / Government Policy --- p.15 / Culture and Ethical Factor --- p.16 / Economic Factors --- p.16 / Cost of Doing Business --- p.16 / Resources For Development --- p.17 / Suitable Place For the Construction of the Park --- p.17 / Infrastructure --- p.17 / Overall Attractiveness of the City --- p.18 / Other Factors --- p.19 / Potential For Development of Other Segments --- p.19 / Climate and Weather --- p.19 / Summary of Analysis and Conclusion --- p.20 / Chapter IV. --- EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS --- p.22 / Five Forces Model --- p.22 / Suppliers --- p.22 / Buyers --- p.23 / Competitors --- p.24 / Substitutes --- p.24 / New Entrants --- p.25 / Political Environment --- p.25 / Economical Environment --- p.26 / Social Environment --- p.26 / Technological Environment --- p.27 / Conclusion of External Analysis --- p.27 / Chapter V. --- SWOT ANALYSIS --- p.28 / Strength --- p.28 / Weakness --- p.29 / Opportunities --- p.29 / Threats --- p.29 / Conclusion of SWOT Analysis --- p.30 / Chapter VI. --- PAST EXPERIENCE OF DISNEYLAND PARIS --- p.31 / Painful Experience of Disneyland Paris --- p.31 / Problems Found in Disneyland Paris --- p.32 / Over-optimistic Prediction and Ill Pricing Strategy --- p.32 / Poor Financial Arrangement --- p.32 / Culture Difference and Anti-America Emotion --- p.33 / Over-capacity and High Operating Cost --- p.34 / Financial Performance of Disneyland Paris --- p.34 / Measures to Solve Financial Problems of Disneyland Paris --- p.35 / Chapter VII. --- LESSONS LEARNT FOR HONG KONG DISNEYLAND --- p.38 / Right Pricing Strategy Is Essential For the Theme Park --- p.38 / Highly Leveraged Financial Situations Are Vulnerable --- p.39 / Culture Factors Are Too Critical to be Ignored --- p.39 / Measures Should be Taken to Avoid Over-capacity --- p.40 / Recommendations to Disney on Hong Kong Disneyland --- p.41 / Chapter VIII. --- THE PROGRESS ALREADY IN HONG KONG --- p.43 / General Information of Hong Kong Disneyland --- p.43 / Investment Summary --- p.44 / Project Costs --- p.44 / Financial Arrangement of Theme Park and Facilities --- p.44 / Financial Arrangement of Development of Penny's Bay --- p.45 / Land Lease of the Theme Park --- p.46 / The Reaction of Public Community --- p.46 / The Reaction of Stock Market --- p.47 / Chapter IX. --- CONCERNS IN THE FUTURE --- p.49 / Chapter X. --- CONSULSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.50 / APPENDIX --- p.53 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.55

Malgré l’engouement pour les neurosciences cognitives des émotions et les nombreuses publications des dernières décennies tentant d’élucider les bases neurobiologiques des émotions, nos connaissances sur le domaine restent embryonnaires. Plusieurs questions importantes restent toujours sans réponses incluant s’il existe ou non un système unique pour le traitement de stimuli émotionnels et s’il y a ou non des différences entre les hommes et les femmes pour le traitement de stimuli émotionnels. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’apporter certains éléments de réponses à ces questions à travers une caractérisation du substrat neurobiologique impliqué dans le traitement de stimuli émotionnels visuels et dynamiques. Ce travail a été mené via l’imagerie par résonance magnétique fonctionnelle (IRMf) cérébrale. Le premier chapitre, subdivisé en quatre sections, permet de présenter la perspective dans laquelle s’inscrit la thèse. La première section de ce chapitre sert à établir certaines balises définitionnelles liées aux émotions. La seconde section, basée sur une lecture des textes originaux, retrace les faits historiques saillants de la neurobiologie des émotions allant de Charles Darwin à Joseph Ledoux. La troisième section débute où la seconde s’arrête et continue l’histoire de la neurobiologie des émotions à travers un résumé de toutes les principales méta-analyses d’imagerie fonctionnelle cérébrale des émotions. La dernière section du chapitre permet de présenter la problématique de recherche. La recherche, à proprement parler, qui constitue le corps de la thèse est ensuite présentée sous forme de trois articles. Enfin, les résultats de cette recherche et la manière dont ils s’inscrivent dans la continuité de nos connaissances actuelles font l’objet d’une discussion générale. Le premier article (chapitre II) rapporte, chez les hommes et les femmes, les régions du cerveau qui sont plus activées lors du traitement de films érotiques que lors du traitement de films dits ‘neutres’. Un chevauchement manifeste est observé entre les hommes et les femmes. Par contre, une activation significativement plus grande est observée chez les hommes pour l’hypothalamus, une région importante pour le comportement sexuel à travers la phylogénie. De plus, chez les hommes seulement, l’activation hypothalamique est corrélée à l’excitation sexuelle subjective. Comme la recherche présentée dans le premier article se sert de conditions expérimentales relativement longues pour l’IRMf (i.e. extraits de films de 3 minutes) et que ceci peut induire une nette diminution de signal en lien avec certaines contraintes de l’IRMf, le second article (chapitre III) examine les corrélats du traitement de stimuli sexuels en utilisant, cette fois, un paradigme d’IRMf classique où plusieurs extraits de films de 33 secondes sont présentés à la place. Cette étude démontre que, pour le traitement de stimuli sexuels, ce paradigme classique d’IRMf est beaucoup plus sensible que celui du premier article. De plus, comme ce paradigme mène à une reproduction des résultats du premier papier, ce travail soutient la perspective selon laquelle les paradigmes à époques courtes sont une alternative valide aux longues époques comme méthode d’étude du traitement de stimuli émotionnels. Le troisième article (chapitre IV) capitalise sur le protocole du second article et démontre que les patrons d’activation associés au visionnement de courts extraits de films induisant du dégoût, de l’amusement, ou de l’excitation sexuelle, sont très étendus. Une analyse de conjonction formelle démontre un large chevauchent de ces patrons à travers les différents affects étudiés. Enfin, le cinquième chapitre sert de discussion générale. Les questions des différences entre les hommes et les femmes dans le traitement des émotions, de l’existence ou non d’un système général pour le traitement des émotions, ainsi que de la manière dont un tel système pourrait être conçu, sont des points saillants de la discussion. Ces points sont abordés à la lumières des connaissances actuelles et des résultats des trois articles. / Despite the intense interest garnered by cognitive neurosciences of emotions and the numerous publications in recent decades attempting to partial the neurobiological basis of emotions, our knowledge of the area remains embryonic. Important questions that need to be answered include whether or not there exists a general system for processing emotional stimuli and whether or not there are differences between men and women in processing emotional stimuli. The main objective of this dissertation is to provide some answers to these questions by characterizing the neurobiological substrate involved in processing dynamic visual emotional stimuli. This work was conducted through cerebral functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The first chapter, which is divided into four sections, lays the groundwork for the thesis. The first section of this chapter serves to clarify some definitional background related to emotions. The second section, based on a reading of the original texts, traces the salient historical facts of the neurobiology of emotions from Charles Darwin to Joseph Ledoux. The third section begins where the second ends and continues the history of the neurobiology of emotions through a summary of all the main functional brain imaging meta-analyzes of emotions. The final section of the chapter introduces the research problematic. The research itself, which constitutes the body of the dissertation, is then presented in the form of three articles. Finally, results of this research and how they fit into the continuity of our current knowledge form the basis of a general discussion. The first paper (Chapter II) reports, in men and women, the brain regions that are more activated during the processing of erotic film excerpts than during the processing of so-called 'neutral' film excerpts. A clear overlap is observed between men and women. This being said, a significantly greater activation is observed in men for the hypothalamus, a region important for sexual behavior across the phylogeny. In addition, in men only, hypothalamic activation is correlated with reported sexual arousal. As the research presented in the first paper uses relatively long experimental conditions for fMRI (i.e. 3-minute film excerpts) and as this can lead to a net signal decrease due to certain fMRI constraints, the second paper (Chapter III) examines correlates of processing sexual stimuli using, this time, a classic fMRI paradigm where several short film clips of 33 seconds are used instead. This study shows that, for the processing of sexual stimuli, this conventional fMRI paradigm is much more sensitive than the one used in the first paper. Importantly, given that this paradigm leads to a reproduction of results of the first paper, this work supports the view that short epochs are a valid alternative to long epochs as a method of studying the processing of emotional stimuli. The third section (Chapter IV) capitalizes on the protocol of the second paper and demonstrates that the activation patterns associated with the viewing of short film excerpts inducing disgust, amusement, or sexual arousal, are extensive. A formal conjunction analysis shows a broad overlap of these patterns across the various affects studied. Finally, the fifth chapter provides a general discussion of the results. The question of gender differences in processing emotional stimuli, of whether or not a general system for processing emotions exists, and of how it may be understood, represent important elements of the discussion. These points are discussed in light of current knowledge and of the results of the three papers.