Music & Games

Safety measures bring positive customer reviews for Xtreme Action Park reopening

Xtreme Action Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida revamped its facility, used the downtime to train employees on new sanitation and installed extensive signage to educate customers on their extensive safety measures when the facility reopened following the COVID-19 lockdown.

Image courtesy of Xtreme Action Park.

July 6, 2020 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The indoor entertainment experience will not be the same post COVID-19, but it will still be enjoyable. That was the report from the two family entertainment centers that recently reopened following lockdown.

Xtreme Action Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Los Angeles based Gameworks Inc. revamped their facilities, used the downtime to train employees on new sanitation and installed extensive signage to educate customers on their safety measures.

"We wanted to tell people exactly what we were doing," Elizabeth Rizzuto, marketing director at Xtreme Action Park, said during a webinar, titled, "We're Open — Here's What It Looks Like," sponsored by the American Amusement Manufacturers Association. Joining Rizzuto was Darren Des Roches, chief operating officer at Gameworks Inc. and Peter Gustafson, AAMA executive vice president.

RXtreme Action Park hosted 2,300 people the first week following its June 3 reopening and received numerous positive reviews, including one in the local newspaper, Rizzuto said.

The 200,000-square-foot facility installed large yellow signs to inform customers about safety. Signs advise customers to "Keep 6 feet distance" while a series of dividers and floor markers establish pathways that control traffic in the entrance. Information signage greets guests at the entrance of every attraction throughout the facility.

"We made them (the signs) fun, we made them friendly, we made the yellow so they stood out," Rizzuto said.

Sanitation protocols introduced

The company has adopted the motto, "Clean safe fun" in all email and social media messaging. A video titled "Clean. Safe. Fun." posted on the company website features interviews with team members explaining safety procedures.

The cleaning staff is now visible, not in the background. "Now you want to see them," Rizzuto said in describing how customer expectations have changed post COVID-19. "Unless you see it's clean for you, you kind of question it." Team members wear safety signage as part of their uniforms and carry spray bottles and towels.

"They are there on site to wipe down any machines," she said.

Measuring the number of visitors at all times to comply with occupancy requirements has allowed the company to interact with customers more frequently and has actually resulted in some new guest services, she said. The signage directs guests where to go to purchase things, which has improved sales.

The self registration kiosks developed two years ago in the go kart area came in handy when opening day traffic was higher than expected. The kiosks, separated by guard shields, allow guests to sign a waiver prior to going to the ticketing counter.

"We actually developed these custom kiosks that not only allow a guest to register, but also to pay," Rizzuto said. "Having these in the park have been truly beneficial. For those guests who want a completely touchless system, they can do this."

A team member near the kiosks is ready to answer questions. As soon as a guest leaves the kiosk, the associate cleans it.

A "welcome back" sign at the race track lists all of the safety changes, including sanitizer stations, new full faced head socks required for using helmets, clearly marked locations for used and clean helmets, physical distancing markers in all queue lines, limited capacity in briefing rooms and use of a vacuum deodorizer for helmets between use.

The roller skating area now has safe guards across the rental counter. There is a defined area for the clean skates and another area for returning the skates.

Capacity has been limited for most of the attractions, including Evolution Escape, Laser Tag, XD Dark Ride and Virtual Reality.

The Evolution Escape room, where teams of players solve problems in an immersive reality setting, is now limited to six players at a time. There is now a flat group price instead of individual prices.

XD Dark Ride has an eight-person capacity. The team member collects the glasses at the end of the show and cleans them.

The "welcome back" sign in the Virtual Reality area summarizes safety changes, including sanitizer stations, physical distancing floor markers in all queue lines and equipment sanitized with alcohol pads between uses.

Games in the arcade have been rearranged so they are six feet apart, making them easier to clean.

The redemption prize store has one-way entrance and exit, and limits use to one family at a time. The "welcome back" sign advises people they are required to buy what they touch, sneeze guards have been installed at the register and physical distancing floor markers have been added in all queue lines.

Restaurant sanitation improved

The café, which features self-order kiosks as well as counter service, now requires customers to wait until table surfaces are cleaned before being seated. The staff replaces a "table is unavailable until clean & sanitized" placard with one that says "this table is clean & sanitized." More than half the chairs have been removed from the café.

The bars is open, which is allowed by law there is also a restaurant, but guests must take their drinks back to the restaurant since they are not allowed to congregate at the bar. Manikins of "rat pack" characters such as Dean Martin sit at the bar so it doesn't look empty.

Empowering the team

There is now a "morning huddle" and an "evening huddle" during which team members are encouraged to give suggestions to improve the operations and the guest experience. The huddles have strengthened the team and the training.

"When you have a happy team it leads to excellent customer service," Rizzuto said.

Asked if the results met expectations, Rizzuto said they knew it could be a slow start, but she was surprised by the pace of growth.

Part two in this two-part series will explore Gameworks' reopening.

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