02532nas a2200241   4500008004100000022001400041245008300055210006900138260004200207300001000249490000600259520182500265653001502090653001302105653002002118653001602138653001202154653002202166653001702188100003102205700001702236856003702253       2016                        eng d  a1927-032100aPriority Systems at Theme Parks from the Perspective of Managers and Customers0 aPriority Systems at Theme Parks from the Perspective of Managers  aOttawabTalent First Networkc11/2016  a40-470 v63 aWaiting times are becoming an increasingly important customer-experience challenge in theme parks. The seemingly ever-present problem of long queues for rides and attractions is being tackled by the development of priority systems. These innovations allow customers to join an alternative queue that bypasses the congestion faced by regular customers. In other words, by paying extra, customers can purchase the right to be served sooner. Such systems are becoming prevalent, but there is a lack of empirical research into priority systems at theme parks in the academic and management literature, which suggests that in-depth empirical analysis is necessary in order to understand the consumer decision-making process when making this purchase. This article examines priority systems at theme parks both from the viewpoint of park management and of customers. To address this gap, we surveyed nearly 1,000 customers at a major theme park in Spain and conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 theme park managers to assess both customer and manager attitudes towards waiting generally and priority systems specifically. Our results reveal that these priority systems facilitate market segmentation. When theme parks offer this "wait or pay" option, different groups of customers are identified based on their attitudes: those who wait in regular lines and those who are willing to pay to avoid lines. Thus, this innovative system creates an important source of new revenue while also improving the customer experience by reducing waiting times and minimizing congestion. Following a discussion of our results, we offer practical recommendations to managers who need to address the challenges of waiting times in theme parks and wish to improve both profits and customer experiences by implementing a priority system.10ainnovation10amanagers10apriority queues10atheme parks10atourism10atourist behaviour10awaiting time1 aHernandez-Maskivker, Gilda1 aRyan, Gerard  uhttp://timreview.ca/article/1034