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| The Starship Voyager at Renaissance Space Academy, Lehi, Utah |
Hello Troops,
Take a minute from your battle with boredom during this Corona virus lockdown and shelter in place order and let me share a thought.
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| The Starship Voyager: Renaissance Space Academy |
Many times throughout the years we've heard many children say, "That was better than Disneyland!" when they leave one of our simulators. Years ago I'd hear that and wonder how it could possibly be that one of our simulators could be better than Disneyland. Think about it, Disneyland has everything from expensive, imaginative rides to restaurants and shopping. Disney parks are squeaky clean; the sets effectively transport you from the daily grind to the world of imagination. On the surface you'd think Disney had us beat multiple times over.
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| The Starship Magellan. Christa McAuliffe Space Center, Pleasant Grove, Utah. |
Having been to both Disneyland and Disneyworld many times, I'm in a good position to compare and contrast the best theme parks in the world to our humble log cabin approach in Utah County. I could write a small book on the subject but today I'll share one of my greatest realizations.
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| The Starship Apollo, Lions Gate Center at Lakeview Academy, Saratoga Spring, Utah. |
I noticed that when people get off a Disney ride they speak briefly about the experience. You hear things like: "That was awesome," to "I think I'm sick," to "That wasn't what I expected," to "That drop almost gave me a heart attack!". You also hear them talk about others in their group:
"Did you see mom's face?" and "I thought Dad was going to throw up!"
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| The Hyperion at Telos University, Orem, Utah |
The ride discussion quickly ends and the family starts talking about the next meal or hurting feet or exclamations to hurry to get the next Fast Pass. The ride discussion ends quickly because every participant had THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE! They were side by side. They all saw the same thing, heard the same sounds, smelled the same smells, and jumped at the same time. A further discussion is pointless because every comment you make is answered with "We Know, we were there,".
Now compare that to a group leaving one of our simulators after a fun 2.5 to 5 hour mission. Read the points I make below and see if I'm not spot on with this observation:
- We hear from moms that their child's mission talk continues all the way home and then on for days afterword - Why?
- Each person on a Space Center mission gets a different ride! Think about it. You have the captain who experiences a somewhat different mission than a security officer. Each person picks up certain story points that others don't because everyone does a different job.
- Only by sharing your mission experience with the team does a team begin to understand the entire mission. A mission is like a jigsaw puzzle. Only by putting the pieces together do you get to see the picture.
- Humans are story tellers. That is what we like to do when we get together. Think about your family gatherings. The adults set around and tell stories to each other. Think about the time you spend with your friends. Don't you tell each other stories? That's right, you're sharing your daily experiences and insights. If we don't have stories to tell, the conversation turns silent and we move on to another group where stories are still being shared
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| The Everest at Reality's Edge, Canyon Grove Academy, Pleasant Grove, Utah |
We have these stories because we all experience a different aspect to life. Are you getting my point? We slaughter Disney in one very important aspect - our 'rides' give everyone something different. In addition to that - our rides continue well beyond the time spent in the ships. The mission residue continues for years to come as stories pass from person to person on the semi-shared experience.
This is only one aspect which describes the magic of a Space EdVentures experience. What are your thoughts?
All the Best,
Mr. Williamson
The Imaginarium Theater
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