A framework for Internet GIS based computerized visitor information system for theme parks

Theme parks have emerged as an international favorite for recreation and entertainment. Every year, millions of people including children, teenagers and adults around the world visit these recreational facilities, which are spread over thousands of acres offering a wide range of attractions. The usual mode of travel across a theme park is walking. Typically, people rely on paper maps and signs for route guidance and navigation. In this paper, the authors propose an interactive computerized system based on the concept and framework of advanced traveler information system (ATIS), which is one of the types of intelligent transport system (ITS). The proposed system called computerized visitor information system (CVIS) is a system that not only facilitates navigation across theme parks but provide other useful information like wait times associated with attractions including rides, fun-trains etc. The authors give three tier architecture for the proposed system and discuss some of the issues associated with developing such a system.